A total of 17 active members of the Poplar Bluff High School Future Farmers of America attended the annual Greenhand Motivational Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Three River College, during which students learned about opportunities within the national youth organization. Through interactive workshops and skits from state FFA officers, local members were encouraged to be positive role models, get involved, make sound choices and make a positive difference in their lives, school and community, according to a press release from the Missouri FFA Association.

The MFA Oil Foundation, based in Columbia, has awarded a grant to the Three Rivers Endowment Trust, to be applied toward the cost of purchasing and mounting new TVs in an ITV classroom at the Sikeston Academic Building. The MFA Oil Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations that are working to improve communities where MFA Oil has a significant concentration of members and employees. Since it was established in 1998, the MFA Oil Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in grants. MFA Oil President and CEO Mark Fenner described the MFA Oil Foundation as “a program that allows our company to give support back to the rural communities that are the foundation of our business. The grants the

O’Neal Elementary School recently made 100 Christmas cards for Altrusa to circulate at the Northside Nutrition Center through the Meals on Wheels program, plus students created placemats for Altrusa’s annual Christmas party. Altrusa members [from left] are Ashley Robertson, Nila Keller, Shirley Davenport, Diana Clanahan, Gleta Gorman and Kathy Hadley, alongside O’Neal Principal Angie Rideout; students [from left] are Aaron Witcher, Mya Johnson, Bennett Allen, Kira Strouse, Zoey Vickery, Aiden Cheshire and D.J. Felty. The Poplar Bluff District Eight Altrusa has taken an interest in O’Neal since around Halloween, when the members volunteered to oversee the annual Pumpkinpalooza event and helped judge the contest. For Veterans Day, Altrusa assisted students in decorating a veterans wall designed to honor family members

Wes Simmons, a certified 3Dimensional Coaching trainer for the Midwest region, led a seminar on Friday, Jan. 16, in the Kay Porter Theater, which was attended by about 65 coaches from Poplar Bluff Schools and the surrounding region. 3Dimensional Coaching, a concept developed by Dr. Jeff Duke of the University of Central Florida, combines fundamentals, psychology and heart into developing athletes. “Coaches are the single greatest authoritative person in a child’s life,” Simmons stated. The R-I Athletic Department sponsored the event as a professional development activity during collaboration day. Bill Ray - Southeast Missouri Area Rep for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was instrumental in bringing the presenter to Poplar Bluff, as Simmons serves the sports ministry in Northwest Missouri.

Is it spring yet? Now that we have the deer in the freezer, the only thing that’s on my mind is crappie fishing, and maybe a bit of snow goose blasting! First off, I want to say thanks to everyone who called or emailed congratulating us on FINALLY getting my son’s first deer. It’s comforting to know that some of y’all were going through the struggle with me! If you really want to see a kid (and a dad and papa) extremely happy and proud, go to www.joshgowanoutdoors.com and watch the video. You will understand exactly why I drug my son all over the place, spending time and money to try to give him his opportunity to take his first

With the closing of the Duck season in the Southern Zone there is not too much game left to pursue.  Rabbit and squirrel seasons continue until February 14.  That leaves the light goose season which runs until April 30.  Almost all those geese have left the area before that date. One season that is not too popular is that of shedd hunting.  I have seen it listed with a single d but usually I use two d's to distinguish it from woodshed activity.  Most youngsters don’t know what I am talking about but while I was growing up, you wanted to avoid what took place in the woodshed! Searching for deer antlers that have been shed by bucks in late