Stories from Thursday, December 5, 2019

Mother Nature sure didn’t do Missouri’s young hunters any favors over the weekend, making for some tough hunting for the second segment of the youth deer season. Rain Friday, storms Saturday and strong winds Sunday likely kept all but the most devoted hunters at the house, and the wind sure did nothing to boost deer movement...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri’s Operation Game Thief (OGT) is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the poacher/s that shot a female adult elk and left it for dead Nov. 18 on National Park Service property near the end of M Highway in Carter County. No meat or other parts of the animal were taken. By the time the dead cow elk was found by conservation agents, the meat was no longer salvageable for donation...

Two area residents may face drug trafficking charges after local authorities conducted a traffic stop Wednesday night in Poplar Bluff and seized nearly 4 ounces of suspected crystal methamphetamine. Renee Katherine Taylor, 40, of Williamsville and William Joseph Kirn, 46, of Poplar Bluff were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking at about 8:45 p.m. Police Patrolman Billie Duckett stopped a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Kirn in the 200 block of South Westwood Boulevard...

QULIN — Carlon Breckenridge started hunting deer near Fort Leonard Wood in the early 1950s, and at 91 years old, he’s still enjoying it, and finding success, to this day. A native of Beech Grove, Ark., Breckenridge learned about the outdoors from his coon-hunting father and other relatives, taking an early interest in duck hunting before the deer hunting bug got to him...

The Poplar Bluff Animal Control shelter is located on Butler Street and is open for adoptions from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. For more information call 573-686-8635.

A reception will be held from 1-4 p.m. Sunday at Margaret Harwell Art Museum for the December and January show, a display from the Missouri Star Quilters. The reception will have a Victorian Christmas theme, said Steve Whitworth, museum director. Hot cider punch and cookies will be served...

FREE ACCESS: Authorities are searching for an Ellsinore woman who allegedly escaped Thursday morning from the custody of a Carter County deputy as she was being released from Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. After her arrest at about 6:35 a.m., Samantha Jo Freeze, 33, was taken by ambulance to the Poplar Bluff hospital after she complained of injuries from a previous incident, explained Carter County Sheriff Rick Stephens...

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) has introduced legislation for the Senate to amend its Rules of Procedure and Practice When Sitting on Impeachment Trials, according to a press release from Smith’s office. Smith says he is calling for members of the United States Senate who are actively running for President of the U.S. and campaigning against President Trump to recuse themselves from the Senate’s impeachment proceedings...

To the editor: I recently heard our U.S. representative from Southeast Missouri, Jason Smith, call the impeachment hearings into President Trump a political witch hunt. I will use this sentence again later. It is wrong for any president to involve another country in our elections. After the first two days of testimony, it is clear that President Trump did this. What is worse … much, much, worse … is that every odd thing President Trump does, benefits our arch enemy, RUSSIA...

A few years ago, I was in Montreal sightseeing while my husband volunteered to work at a Formula One race. We rented dorm rooms at Magill University. Our stay included breakfast, cafeteria-style. Joe had to be at the track very early and I ate breakfast later. One of these mornings, I shared my table with some ladies from Ontario. They were in Montreal for sightseeing, also...

After a one year hiatus, the kindergarten and first grade basketball league is returning to Poplar Bluff’s First United Methodist Church. “We did it for 20 years,” said the church’s David Stewart, “but with staff changes and new flooring, it didn’t work out last year. We’re back up and running this year.”...

BLOOMFIELD — A Poplar Bluff man was ordered Thursday afternoon to stand trial for robbing the Southern Bank branch at Essex. Accompanied by his attorney, Rance Butler with the Public Defender’s Office, Glenn Hamilton appeared before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield for a preliminary hearing on the Class A felony of first-degree robbery...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL Tyler M. Phelps, 28, of Silva was arrested at 6:27 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked at the Wayne County Jail...

Billy Lane Jones, 61, found a place of comfort with his father, Bill, and Christ on Dec. 2, 2019, in his mother’s home, surrounded by family. Lane Jones, son of Billy Ray Jones and Rosalie Donna Jones (Hopkins), was born on April 28, 1958 in Jonesboro, Ark. He married Paula Marie Branscum on Aug. 21, 1982 in Qulin. He was a man, who in his time played many parts, not always out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity, but inevitably done as well as could be...

County firefighters responded at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, to a grass fire at 9482 Highway AA. According to the report, a small area, owned by Christopher Merritt, burned. _ County firefighters responded at 2:01 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, to a woods fire in the 600 block of Mallard Lane...

Sharon Elaine Barker, 63, of Poplar Bluff, died Dec. 4, 2019 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born on Dec. 22, 1955 in St. Louis to Harvey King and Maxine Owens King Joy. Sharon was a retired public school teacher and enjoyed sewing and cooking...

SIKESTON – The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded contracts for Southeast District projects during its regular meeting on Dec. 4. Awarded contracts include bridge replacements and pavement improvements.

Photo provided Front row (from left): Terrance Pullam, Christopher Lewis, Raven Smith, Jarett McKuin. Back row (from left): Jacen Litterst, Nicole Akers, Principal Aaron Burton, Brayden Newcomb, Carlee Hopkins.

The holiday season is now in full swing and there are lots of Christmasy-type events the whole family can enjoy this weekend. Check at the end of this column for some nifty gift wrapping hacks that are easy and super cute. Remember, there are only 20 days left until Christmas. Are you ready?...