RESIGNATION OF POPLAR BLUFF CITY MANAGER ROBERT KNODELL ACCEPTED BY CITY COUNCIL

Robert Knodell has resigned from the position of Poplar Bluff City Manager.

The Poplar Bluff City Council met in a closed session on Wednesday where the council unanimously accepted Knodell’s letter of resignation.

Knodell has been on leave since early December after he admitted to being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

POPLAR BLUFF SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

The Poplar Bluff School Board President has announced his resignation.

In a post on Facebook, Timothy Gaebler says that his family is moving outside of the Poplar Bluff school district, and because of that he felt it was right to step down from the position.

Gaebler also thanked the community for the support and trust they showed him.

BOND SET AT 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR PARAGOULD MAN ARRESTED ON RAPE CHARGE

A Northeast Arkansas man is in custody on multiple counts of rape.

According to warrant affidavit, a juvenile disclosed to a forensic interviewer ongoing sexual abuse that had occurred over the course of several years.

The juvenile named 61 year old Russell Hawkins Sr., of Paragould, as the offender.

Hawkins was booked into the Greene County jail on Monday on three counts of rape. His bond was set at 1.5 million dollars.

PRESIDING CIRCUIT JUDGE KACEY PROCTOR SELECTED FOR MCCA DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

An area judge is being honored by the Missouri Community College Association.

The MCCA has selected Kacey Proctor, the Presiding Circuit Judge of the 36th Judicial Circuit, as the 2026 MCCA Distinguished Alumni Award winner.

Last year, Proctor was chosen as the Distinguished Alumni Award recipient for Three Rivers College.

Former Missouri Governor Mike Parson appointed Proctor as Presiding Circuit Judge in 2023 following the retirement of Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett.