The Butler County Republican Party met at the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce to nominate a replacement candidate for the upcoming November election for County Collector. The office was vacated earlier this month when County Collector Brenda Fox passed away. In a very cordial yet extremely professional meeting, Chairman Eddy Justice and Secretary Joe Leahy laid out the ground rules for the evening's nominations and voting. With 22 of the 24 Butler County Delegates present, Justice informed the room that 12 votes was necessary to carry the nomination. Tammy Marler, Larry Kimbrow, Emily Parks and Jerrica Fox were nominated by the delegates. Once the nominations were closed each candidate was given up to 3 minutes to stump for the party's

The Woods Clan in the 1960s: Paula Woods, Elaine Woods, Doug Woods, Paul Woods, Mike Woods. Now that school has started in most of the area towns, there will be fewer fishermen and women on the area lakes and rivers.  Also there will be fewer hunters in the woods.  The squirrel population in my area has been down even though there are too many ticks for most hunters around here to venture out. On my last trip to the woods I wore boots and used Deep Woods Off on my pants legs and stuffed the cuffs into my boots.  After I got home, I picked about a dozen ticks off my clothes.  I used some bleach on my legs for

Senator to visit Pershing VA Medical Center and VA West Plains Community-Based Outpatient Clinic to hear directly from veterans, announce expansion of Veterans Customer Satisfaction Program survey POPLAR BLUFF/WEST PLAINS – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill will visit John J. Pershing Medical Center and the VA’s West Plains Community-Based Outpatient Clinic on Tuesday to meet with area veterans and VA administrators, and announce the expansion of her veterans customer satisfaction survey to the southeast Missouri region. In Poplar Bluff, McCaskill will hold a media availability following her visit with executives at Pershing VA Medical Center at 10:45 a.m. CT on Tuesday, August 26.  In West Plains, McCaskill will hold a media availability following her tour of the VA West Plains Outpatient Clinic at 12:45 p.m. CT

[From left] R-I Superintendent Chris Hon, Sheryl Talkington, Tamara Lewis, Mike Morrow, Caleb Morrow, Jay Dowd and Heath Willis receive a standing ovation during a special recognition prior the opening game against Fox. POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Poplar Bluff High School sophomore Caleb Morrow and his first responders received a standing ovation from the crowd during the Mules Football opener of the varsity season on Friday, Aug. 22, at Fred M. Morrow Stadium. “Ladies and gentlemen, please give Caleb, his mother Tamara Lewis and father Mike Morrow, and these fine Samaritans a big welcoming round of applause,” announced Jim Carrier over the PA system. Caleb was able to return to school last week after the 15-year-old collapsed at the start

Malden, Mo. - At Monday's city council meeting, Councilwoman Donna Prenger challenged the residents and other members regarding the Malden Dog Pound. Acoording to Prenger, the pound is old and in a state of disrepair. "The water [at the pound] is sandy," she said and can't be used to disinfect the animals nor is it good for providing them water. Pranger said "The ASPCA [American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] said they could get the money (for upgrades and renovations) here at no cost to us." Pranger believes that there are people "who would volunteer to go out there" and work, she told the council. The pound is currently closed and the city has no humane officer on staff. Pranger

Agriculture is the number one industry in Missouri. Our Eighth Congressional District is home to a great variety of agricultural interests. Our district is one of the most diverse agriculture districts in the country growing everything except sugar and citrus fruits. In the fertile Missouri Bootheel we grow cotton, rice, corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts and even raise catfish. In stark contrast to the Bootheel stand the Ozark Foothills where we have cattle, dairy and timber producers. This week and next, I am traveling our district and listening to the challenges farm families are facing on my two week Farm Tour. Although each farm is unique and each crop or animal raised is different, the message from each visit is the