Regional briefs 1/5/16

Director named for VA medical center

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Dr. Patricia L. Ten Haaf was named director of the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced. It's anticipated she will begin her duties by Sunday, the Daily American Republic reported. Ten Haaf was associate director for patient care services at VA medical centers in Tomah, Wisconsin, and Kansas City, Missouri, and acting director of the St. Louis VA Health Care System. She served her country as the hospital commander at the combat support hospital at Salerno, Afghanistan, and Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The Pershing center operates four full-time community based outpatient clinics in West Plains, Farmington and Cape Girardeau in Missouri and Pocahontas and Paragould in Arkansas, as well as one part-time clinic in Salem, Missouri.

Reward rises for finding elk poacher

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Conservation Federation of Missouri is determined to see the person responsible for poaching a bull elk in the Ozarks brought to justice. The federation is matching the $1,000 offered by Operation Game Thief with an additional $1,000 offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the poacher, the Daily American Republic reported. All information is anonymous and should be submitted to the Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 392-1111 or to a local conservation agent.

-- From staff reports