Opinion

As the summer season heats up, Americans all across the country are heading outdoors, trying to get back to the lives we had before the pandemic. Unfortunately, millions of American’s are being hit with sticker shock when they go to put gas in their cars, food on their table, medicine in their cabinet or clothes on their back. ...

Power outages wreak havoc on our day-to-day, especially at 5 p.m., when everyone is trying to get home, get dinners ready and get kids settled. A brief, but strong thunderstorm Thursday spread some of that havoc for about 3,400 residents of Poplar Bluff. That’s a little over a third of the customers for Municipal Utilities...

As a fervent advocate for the unborn, I was sorely disappointed when a federal court on Wednesday blocked enforcement of a prolife bill we passed in 2019. The 8th District Court of Appeals in St. Louis invalidated two portions of HB 126, which I proudly co-sponsored. The provisions banned abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, and for the purpose of terminating a fetus because of Down syndrome...

To the Editor: Many thanks to the donating artists, the bidders and everyone who took part in last month’s Art for Animals silent auction to benefit the Animal Welfare Alliance (AWA). It looks like AWA cleared more than $9,000 on the event! Very special thanks to Artfully Framed in the Bluff Estates Shopping Center; they framed and displayed all the donated artwork in their gallery. ...

We want to thank the Poplar Bluff School District and Chartwells for tackling a big program this summer. The pair have partnered to provide free breakfast and lunch meals for all children under the age of 18. The pick-up meals are for all community children in need and are provided in coordination with the USDA at six locations, in addition to summer school sites...

The 2021 legislative session began in January with the House Speaker calling on his colleagues to “take on even the toughest challenges” and “make the hard decisions that will improve the quality of life for Missourians of all ages.” As the legislative session came to an end, the members of the Missouri House had approved numerous bills meant to help Missourians from all walks of life in all parts of the state...

Speaking in Tulsa on the 100th anniversary of the racial atrocity there, Joe Biden belatedly turned to the issue of voting rights, to explain why he is having such difficulty winning passage of the party’s priority legislation. “I hear all the folks on TV saying, ‘Why doesn’t Biden get this done?’”...

While we had many successes this legislative session, like any other year, several good bills did not make it to the Governor’s desk. These bills included numerous measures to honor the memory of the late Rush Limbaugh. One such bill was HB 1200, which I filed to designate “Rush Limbaugh Day” on Jan. ...

Parents have a new and difficult decision facing them. At least one COVID-19 vaccine is available for children as young as 12, the Pfizer shot. Moderna is also on track to get approved by the FDA for children. While many of us have opted to get vaccinated ourselves, making that decision for our children can be harder.

To the Editor, Firearms are the #1 cause of death of Missouri children, with over 100 killed each year. These are preventable deaths. The Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America created a Traveling Memorial for the 46 MO children, age 0-17, who died by gun homicide in 2020. ...

To the Editor: Looking back over the past 14 months, it is easy to be overwhelmed with the fear, frustration, and loss many in our community experienced. As we fought to contain the virus, we were fortunate to have leaders — Emily Good, director of the Butler County Health Center, and Robbie Meyers, Butler County Emergency Management Agency director — working to coordinate local and state resources...

The 2021 Missouri legislative session was one of the most unusual and unpredictable of the legislative gatherings I’ve covered in some 50 years. Despite Republicans holding an overwhelming majority in both the House and Senate, Democrats scored some major victories for issues they pushed including restrictions on police choke holds, extending court-order protection orders against abusers and establishing a statewide database to track opioid drug prescriptions...

Every year, the month of May is marked by many significant milestones for families in our area. Students graduate from kindergarten, from high school, from college, carrying with them the dreams of family and friends for a bright future. Valedictorians, school board presidents and others take the stage to offer a few words of wisdom they hope will connect with those about to embark on new chapters and new adventures...

My legislation to crack down on copper thieves, as well as those who steal precious metals and catalytic converters, is now on its way to the governor’s desk. The bill, HB 69, was given strong bipartisan approval by my colleagues in the General Assembly on Friday morning as it passed by a vote of 138-5...

To the Editor: Being now retired, but having been with the PBFD for 34 years, the last 14 of those years in the position of fire chief, gives me a unique insight to offer regarding this issue (Residency requirements for fire department personnel). Chief Stucker is correct in his comments regarding the impact for the FD and to the public they serve and protect, if passed. ...

Letter to Editor The 2021 spring turkey hunting season has ended in Missouri. Those of us who enjoy hunting gobblers in the spring have noticed a disturbing trend. In much of Missouri, the turkey population has declined and in some areas it has crashed...

Missouri’s three-week spring turkey season ended May 9, and many hunters across the region reported frustration at not being able to find, or even hear, birds. Information from the Missouri Department of Conservation indicates the season harvest was the lowest the state has experienced in more than two decades. That also played out on a local level, with almost every county seeing much lower bird numbers than in recent years...

Greetings to the good folks of the 153rd District. My time here at the Capitol is going by fast, there are only (a few) weeks left in this session. Legislation is moving quickly. All House Bills included in this report have been third read and passed by the House, which means they are headed to the Senate, with the exception of one Senate Bill that has been passed out of the House and is headed to the Governor’s office for his signature...

According to the DAR (5/1/2021) you are soliciting opinions from those whom you represent on the issue of legislation raising the gas tax we pay in the state. I have previously communicated to you my support of such a move. This legislation is critically needed, and at the time I commended Governor Parson in requesting the legislature to initiate this action. I have also addressed this issue in other venues. .....

Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Ralph Stucker lives in a world of worst case scenarios. It’s a world that has been fed for 26 years as a city firefighter with the first-hand reality of lives lost, and homes and businesses destroyed by fires his crews didn’t learn about fast enough, couldn’t fight quickly enough...

A Missouri House committee voted unanimously this week to support an increase in the state’s gas tax. The current proposal from the House Transportation Committee would raise the tax by 12.5 cents during the next five years, resulting in a tax of 29.5 cents per gallon. It would be the first increase since 1996. Missouri’s current tax of 17 cents a gallon is among the lowest in the nation...

One of the fascinating issues for the 2021 legislative session has been the idea of a tax increase. You would think such an idea would be dead on arrival in a Republican-controlled legislature. But the issue is far more complicated. Essentially, it’s a proposal to impose a sales tax on your online purchases from merchants with no physical presence in Missouri, and thus -- with some exceptions -- not subject to state or local sales taxes...

Occupational therapy is health care’s best kept secret. Occupation therapy practitioners have a holistic approach in which the focus is non adapting to the environment and/or task to fit the person. The person is an integral part of the therapy team. It is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science...

April 24 is a big day for our region. We’re guessing you may not have realized that. We hadn’t either until recently, but it is. Today in Naylor, a family struck by tragedy is raising funds for the Reese Ainley Foundation. In memory of the daughter they lost, Ryan and Kristina Ainley want to improve their community. The event they are hosting is also meant to bring joy to children, offering a petting zoo, carnival games and more...

Dear Editor, Last Monday my fiance and I ordered pizza from Domino’s. It’s a good thing we did, or the fire department would have had to be called. We live in the county and some people were shooting off fireworks. Well, apparently a spark jumped into a bucket I had in the carport full of dried leaves and plants from the winter, and we didn’t even know it...

Hard work. Dedication. Sacrifice. Perseverance. Those words and more can be used to describe the Three Rivers College Raiders. The unbeaten team will begin play Monday in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national basketball tournament in Lubbock, Texas. The 10th ranked TRC team will be aiming for its first national title...

Dear Editor, Please allow me to offer my gratitude to the city of Poplar Bluff. The actions of the Council on April 5, 2021, completed the last step for the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library District to have its name on the deed of the property occupied since 1936. For the last 85 years, the Library has had the responsibility for the care and maintenance of the library building. Until 2012, this was funded by library property tax...

Recently my HB 69 passed the House by the amazing vote of 150-0. Very seldom does legislation pass unanimously. The key to success for the bill is the same for success in life: teamwork. One thing I have emphasized during my tenure is establishing good working relationships with all my colleagues and others involved in the legislative process...

To the Editor: Southeast Missouri Transportation Service, Inc. (SMTS, Inc.) is in opposition to proposed legislation – like House Bill No. 52 sponsored by Representative Adam Schnelting (R-St. Charles) – allowing concealed-carry permit holders to lawfully bring firearms on public transportation. It raises serious concerns for public safety and jeopardizes the local funding SMTS, Inc. receives to match federal funding...

The members of the Missouri House gave their stamp of approval to the appropriation bills that make up the Fiscal Year 2022 State Operating Budget. Members spent more than seven hours on the House floor Tuesday as they discussed and amended the 13 bills that contain more than $32 billion in funding...

Missouri residents will head to the polls again Tuesday to decide important matters for their communities, and Butler County is no exception. There are two contested school board races and two contested municipal races, as well as tax measures on the ballot for two of our counties. We also have the opportunity to elect three people to the Butler County Health Department’s Board of Trustees...

Dear Editor: Let’s be clear: Right to work is wrong. The PRO Act will wipe it off the map. Nearly 60 million people say they would join a union today if they could. The problem? Union-busters, Big Business and woefully outdated laws continue to undermine the right to collectively bargain...

Since being sworn in on January 20, Joe Biden has made clear that he is serious about prioritizing the rights and well-being of illegal immigrants over American citizens. Whether it is his words, his executive actions, or legislation he has signed into law, all his policies clearly incentivize people to try to cross our border illegally. Now, a crisis is here – and it’s a crisis of Joe Biden and his administration’s own making...

Poplar Bluff ofificials recenlty made an announcement and accepted a donation toward a Martin Luther King Jr. tribute on a city street. The project is a long time in coming. Many conversations were held between city officials and the community members who brought the project forward about how and what could be done...

During this year-long pandemic, many ordinary citizens have stepped up to keep our society running. Despite the spread of the new, deadly virus, Americans in essential jobs have risen to the challenge and we must take a moment to honor them. Chief among these heroes are our schoolteachers. ...

An accident Tuesday left an ambulance on its side on Shelby Road in Poplar Bluff, after the emergency response vehicle was struck by an oncoming vehicle. The same day, an oncoming vehicle also struck an ambulance at an intersection in Cape Girardeau...