When it looks like my outdoor writing career has come to an end, the end so far just turns out to be a bump in the road.  The SEMO Times decided recently to eliminate my outdoor column, but that wasn't as hard as being fired from the DAR after writing "The Ridge Runner" column for over 30 years. After two months, Brian Becker of SEMO.net called and asked me to continue to write for his internet publication.  I gladly accepted as I believe I have a lot of information and stories of interest for all his many readers in Southeast Missouri, Northern Arkansas, and anywhere else with the internet. With the waterfowl season winding down in Missouri, there won’t be much hunting

The 5th Annual Bootheel Youth Museum Can Food Drive recognizes Martin Luther King, Jr.'s call to action, "What are you doing for others?" How about helping the community and getting a great day at Southeast Missouri’s Discovery Place! The Bootheel Youth Museum will be hosting a canned food drive 10:00am to 4:00pm on Martin Luther King Day Monday, January 19, 2015. There will be a science show in the BYM Children’s Theater at 2:30 p.m. Visitors who bring in any canned food or non-perishable food item will receive free admission to the museum all day on Martin Luther King Day. All food will be donated to local food pantries. Visitors can also bring in good condition coats, gloves and eye

One of the first bills the new Congress took up this week was the Keystone XL Pipeline. This infrastructure project is a pipeline to move oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The project will add more than 40,000 jobs to the workforce and lower energy costs for all Americans. There is strong bipartisan support; however, President Obama has threatened to veto the project when it comes across his desk. The president is sending a clear message to America - he does not want to work with Congress or for you. He would rather join with extremist environmental groups and push his own agenda rather than yours. It is unfair to you, and it is totally irresponsible. These environmental

Gene Bess, head coach of the Raiders men’s basketball team at Three Rivers College, cemented his place in basketball history by securing his 1,200th win over State Fair Community College on Thursday, January 6 in Sedalia, Missouri. “I feel overwhelmed but very proud to be part of the team that allowed me to reach this milestone,” said Bess. “It’s an amazing achievement, and one that has been made possible by the extraordinary players, coaches, and supporters I’ve been able to work with here at Three Rivers.” Bess has coached men’s basketball at Three Rivers for over 40 years, leading the Raiders to two NJCAA national championships in 1979 and 1992. He now holds the record for most wins by

The Iron Mules—the Poplar Bluff High School Robotics Club—placed eighth in the draper division of the sixth annual FIRST Tech Challenge hosted by Southeast Missouri State University on Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Representing the Iron Mules were sophomores Jessica Foster and Paul Sanders, and juniors Chang Chi, Christian Cmehil-Warn, Diontay Cochran, Tiffany Friday and Diego Rivetti. Teacher sponsors of the club are Patti McCoy and Kathy Miller of the PBHS science department, along with social studies instructor Mike Sowatzke. Competition fees and equipment this year were subsidized by the generosity of the Academic Assistance Group and community members, including the Cmehil-Warn family and Sharon Riley. Leading up to the competition, Briggs & Stratton

Ag Expo 2015 is one of the largest farm trade shows in the region! It is scheduled for January 30 and 31 at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. This is the 29th year of Ag Expo, which is sponsored by Butler County University of Missouri Extension Council and the Ag Club of Three Rivers College. There will be 118 booths available to visit and learn first-hand about agriculture and its importance to the economy.  The expo will also feature outdoor exhibits. Ten thousand people attended last year’s event. Admission is $1 for adults; there will be free admission for college students and youth. The event will be held Friday, January 30 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.