Part 3

Sorry it took so long. When you speak truth to power it usually finds a way to hit back, but I'm still standing. Here is part 3. This is my side.

Midweek Thoughts

I hope you like the guest post below. It sort of fits the mood I'm in. If you have some thoughts you would like to submit in a guest posting just email me and if they fit the rules I'll stick them up in the coming weeks, and I'll have a new you tube next week. Most likely on Thursday.

I have a busy weekend, but I will get caught up on the comments tonight or in the morning. In the meantime I've got a few midweek thoughts to stew on.

* What does a downtown revitalization look like in your dreams?

* What will the Cardinals starting rotation look like next spring?

* What is the point of wedding rehearsals?

* R.I.P. Porter Wagoner.

* Why would the Democrats nominate Hillary when almost any other Democrat would be elected?

Cheers,

Scott R.

Guest Post

I Love Butler County

I think this is the best place in the world to raise a family. We have great schools, great outdoor activities, and some of the best folks in the world. Now that is is nearing deer season and some frost is in the air I cant help but notice how beautiful this part of the country is, and how great it is to have neighbors to share it with.

I am also excited about the future of Butler County. We have a booming industrial park, a lot of places to shop, and everyday they get closer to completing that new highway that will be the future of our county. The only thing I think that can stop us is our own infighting. Sometimes we focus too much on who is in power or how someone offended us one time. I've even shared with Scott that while this blog is very needed in our community that with people being anonymous it can cross the line sometimes.

In conclusion, I think the future is very bright for us as long as we don't get in our own way.

rbelcher44@yahoo.com

Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce

I've gotten several emails about the new chamber vp. My thoughts are simply that I think Steve was a good move for the community. Whether it is a public position such as a city manager or a quasi public position like this one I've always felt that people will work harder to see their own hometown progress than a town they are passing through. I'm glad to see more people have came to that conclusion as well. He was always very interested in public affairs and I'm sure he will do all he can to see the town grow. After a few months of getting settled in I'm sure he will announce some aggressive goals for the community, and be judged on whether he meets them. All in all, good move for the Chamber.

Guest Column

I apologize for not posting Friday. I was at the lake all weekend, and worked late tonight. Here is the first guest column. I don't really agree with all of Sherry's points I think you might enjoy her perspective. If you don't I'm sure you will let her know (I tried to warn her). If you would like to submit one just email me what you want to write about to the email at the left of the page and I'll get back to you.

I'll be back Thursday with another post, and get to the backlog of comments tomorrow night.

Enjoy - Scott R.

Why is Poplar Bluff Treading Water?

I've never done anything like this before, but I have a few things I want to get off my chest. I was born in Poplar Bluff and lived here all of my life, and want my children to do the same. If they are able to do that I think we are going to have to grow and progress, but not with more box stores. I am so tired of hearing that new businesses are coming to town only to find out that they are new box chain stores. I think stores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot are what is killing our community. Its tough because we dont have a lot of loose money so I need a good deal, but I get by alright at Calhoun's, Pack's, Gamblin, The Wine Rack, and a lot of others. I think every time we buy stuff at those places its like sending money right to New York or probably China.

What really gets under my collar is that Poplar Bluff has a lot to offer with schools, a highway we are paying for, and the outdoor recreation that is great. With all of this we are not gaining, but losing. I work in the industrial park and even though we have all of these positives we lost Rowe, and I worry more may come. We need more local jobs that pay better wages.

To me the answer is we should promote our locally owned business. We dont seem to be doing a very good job of that. It takes two years to figure out where to put a halfway house while are spending thousands of dollars that dont stay in Poplar Bluff. I think the entire community should make a more concerted effort to shop with local businesses and stay out of the chains that take money out of town.

Thank you for reading,
pbsherry89@yahoo.com

Greg Branum

Greg Branum was a hell of a man. If you made a list of the men who had done the most for Butler County over the past 10 years Greg would be near the top of the list, if not at the top.

You know politics is a funny thing. People sit in coffee shops spreading gossip and thinking they know everything about everything, and most of the time are clueless. Greg was not a man whose name was on the lips of those prone to being knowitalls. However, to every person who worked to see a public works project accomplished in our neck of the woods he was one of the first names thought of when help was needed. More importantly, I dont know of any time when Butler County needed him that he didnt answer the call.

I dont know how he died and dont care. I didnt know him well, and hadnt spoken to him in some time. What I do know is that Greg was a tough man who remembered his friends, and his enemies. I also know that when your driving around Butler County and see a sewer system, a road widened, or any number of other improvements in our area that Greg's toughness, grit, and loyalty was one of the reasons for them.

Part 3

I’ve tried not to disappoint with this site, and the over 70,000 hits cant be wrong, but part 3 isn’t up just yet. Instead of tomorrow it will be up the 14th. No conspiracies, nothing salacious, I’ve just got a hectic mix of business and personal things coming together at once that are making this hard to maintain. I had no idea what a chore it would be with the overwhelming response it’s garnered.

Anyway, while I’ll be back on youtube in three weeks, until then the site won’t go dead. There will still be regular posts Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I’ve taken some people up on their offers to write guest postings when I’m out of pocket, the first will be uploaded Friday.

On an unrelated note, I’ve heard some whining amongst the weaker at heart about controversy and rumors. Your big boys and you can take it, and if anyone is naïve enough to think that the first time dissent was uttered in Poplar Bluff was on this website, well then your not cut out for this site anyway. I recommend something less intellectually threatening like say disney.com or darnews.com.

As far as the gossiping class’ sincere concern over controversy, your right some of the public’s comments have gotten a bit salty, but if I published half of the comments I’ve declined to post I would’ve had 150,000 hits by now.

-Scott R.