TWO ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO WAYNE COUNTY BURGLARY INVESTIGATION

Two people have been taken into custody in connection to a burglary investigation in Wayne County.

SEMO CON COMING THIS WEEKEND TO BLACK RIVER COLISEUM IN POPLAR BLUFF

Southeast Missouri’s anime, fantasy, science fiction, gaming, and comic convention is returning this weekend to Poplar Bluff.

SEMO Con is scheduled for Friday through Sunday at the Black River Coliseum.

Organizers say there will be cosplay, vendors, attractions and celebrities, such as Jack O’Halloran who was in Superman the Movie and Superman 2.

POPLAR BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SELECTED AS SEMIFINALIST FOR NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP

A senior at Poplar Bluff High School has been selected as a semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Poplar Bluff’s Claire Funke will get the chance to compete for one of almost 7,000 scholarships.

Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.

ARCHERY DEER AND TURKEY SEASONS BEGIN NEXT WEEK IN MISSOURI

The Archery portion of both deer and turkey seasons begin next week in Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation is encouraging hunters to be safe.

The initial archery season will run from September 15th through November 14th for both deer and turkey.

Hunters are reminded that only one antlered deer may be taken before the November Firearms Portion of deer season and only two antlered deer may be taken during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.

PARMA WOMAN APPOINTED AS ASSOCIATE CIRCUIT JUDGE FOR STODDARD COUNTY

A Parma woman will be taking a Judge position in Stoddard County.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced Friday that Beth "LeAnn" Ryan, of Parma, has been appointed as the Associate Circuit Judge for Stoddard County in the 35th Judicial Circuit.

She is filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Joe Satterfield.

MULES FOOTBALL TO HOST CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREP FOR HOME OPENER

The Poplar Bluff Mules football team is getting ready for their home opener tonight.

The Mules will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss as they host Chaminade College Prep out of St. Louis.

Poplar Bluff lost to Valley View in week one, 35-18. Chaminade defeated McCluer North 42-19 last week.

A tailgating party will be held beginning at 5 pm in the Poplar Bluff High School parking lot. The Stadium gates will open at 5:30 pm.

WAPPAPELLO MAN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON STATUTORY RAPE WARRANT

A Wappapello man is scheduled to appear in court this morning on a statutory rape charge.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 35 year old Dustin Underwood was arrested shortly after 9 am Wednesday morning.

According to Missouri Case Net, a warrant was issued for Underwood last year, charging him with 1st degree statutory rape, 3rd degree child molestation, and there counts of statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy.

AUTOPSY FINDS NO INJURIES OR TRAUMA ON MAN WHO WAS FOUND IN BLACK RIVER

Updating a story we have been following for you, an autopsy was performed on Tuesday for a man who was found dead over the weekend in the Black River.

Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that the body of 47 year old Antonio Atkins was discovered near Ray Clinton Park at around 3:20 p.m. on Sunday.

Akers says that an autopsy showed no signs of injuries or trauma, however a cause of death was not determined.

THREE RIVERS COLLEGE TO HOST BATTLE OF THE BULLS THIS WEEKEND

Rodeo action will be returning to Poplar Bluff this weekend.

The Three Rivers College Rodeo Team is hosting the 3rd Annual Battle of the Bulls on September 6th at Ray Clinton Park.

The event will begin at 7 pm featuring bull riding and barrel racing.

FAIRDEALING WOMAN KILLED IN SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH

A woman was killed in an early morning crash in Stoddard County.

According to the authorities, the crash occurred shortly after 2 am Thursday morning on US Highway 51, three miles south of Puxico, when a vehicle ran off the roadway and struck an embankment.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as a 44 year old woman from Fairdealing, was pronounced dead at the scene by Stoddard County Coroner Brent Stidham.

MASS CASUALTY TRAINING EVENT SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN POPLAR BLUFF

A mass casualty training event is scheduled for today in Poplar Bluff.

The event will be held this morning on Kennedy and Baron Road behind Municipal Utilities.

Butler County EMS Communications and Public Relations chief Katy Ormsby tells KWOC News that the training helps emergency responders prepare for a mass casualty emergency such as a natural disaster.

MAN ARRESTED ON WEAPON AND DRUG CHARGES IN WAYNE COUNTY

A man has been taken into custody in Wayne County on weapon and drug charges.

According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, on August 22nd, deputies responded to a residence in Wappapello regarding a male subject acting erratically and firing a firearm.

At the scene, deputies seized the firearm and found narcotic equipment containing methamphetamine residue on the person of a subject identified as Jared Hull.

R.W. HUNTINGTON POOL TO CLOSE FOR THE SEASON THIS WEEKEND

A popular Poplar Bluff attraction will be closing for the season after this weekend.

Officials with Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation tell KWOC News that time is running out for swimmers to enjoy the R.W. Huntington Pool this season.

The last day the pool will be open is Sunday, August 31st.

MULES FOOTBALL KICKS OFF REGULAR SEASON THIS FRIDAY IN JONESBORO

The Poplar Bluff Mules Football team is looking to get the 2025 football season off to a great start this week against Valley View High School, from Jonesboro, Arkansas.

The Mules will travel to Jonesboro on Friday, with kickoff set for 7 pm. It will be the first game for each team this season. The teams also kicked off the season last year with Valley View picking up a 42-14 win in Poplar Bluff.

The Mules went 4-5 in the regular season last year before falling to Cape Central in the Class 5, District 1 Semi-Finals. Valley View finished the 2024 campaign with a 12-1 record, with their season coming to an end in the Arkansas Class 5A State Semifinals.

NO FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED AFTER BODY FOUND NEAR BLOOMFIELD

Officials in Stoddard County say that no foul play is suspected in connection to a body that was found earlier this week.

According to Stoddard County Chief Deputy Andrew Holden, the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office responded to the scene of a deceased individual Monday evening near State Highway AB, north of Bloomfield.

The individual has since been identified as 46 year old Michael Curry, of Matthews.

FIVE SCHOOLS SET TO START TODAY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

School opening week in Southeast Missouri will be wrapping up today with at least five more schools welcoming back students.

Naylor, Ripley County R-3, Ripley County R-4, Zalma, and Marquand Zion R-6 are all beginning their school years today.

With most schools having started, motorists are again reminded to be mindful of increased traffic on roadways as well as an increase in student drivers.

DAMAGE REPORTED IN MULTIPLE AREAS FOLLOWING TUESDAY STORMS

Severe thunderstorms crossed Butler County and most of Southeast Missouri on Tuesday, causing multiple reports of damage.

Damage was reported in the Legacy Estates area of Poplar Bluff where fences were blown down, playground equipment was demolished, and some roof shingles were blown off.

There was also a report of a garage door being blown in near Home Depot.

Heavy rains in northern Butler County also caused a flood advisory to be in effect for a period of time Tuesday afternoon due to flooded roads.

MAN DROWNS WHILE SWIMMING OVER THE WEEKEND IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

A man drowned while swimming over the weekend in Southeast Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 30 year old man from St. Louis was swimming in a private lake near Patton Saturday afternoon when he submerged and did not resurface.

The man’s body was recovered and he was pronounced dead at the scene by Bollinger County Coroner Calvin Troxell.

MANY SOUTHEAST MISSOURI SCHOOLS TO RETURN TO CLASS TODAY

Numerous schools around Southeast Missouri are set to return to classes today.

At least 15 area school districts will hold their first day of school today, including Sacred Heart, Shady Grove State School, Westwood Baptist Academy, Greenville, New Madrid County, and Portageville.

Three Rivers College, Southeast Missouri State University, and Mineral Area College will also be having the first day of classes for the Fall Semester today.

POPLAR BLUFF MULES FOOTBALL SCRIMMAGE SET FOR THIS WEEKEND

The Poplar Bluff Mules football team will be kicking off the fall season this week.

The Maroon/White Scrimmage game will be held Saturday at 7 pm at Poplar Bluff High School. Poplar Bluff Athletics Director Joe Brown tells KWOC News that they will be taking sports drink donations at the door for admission.

Today’s Talk KWOC 93.3 FM and 930 AM will be covering the scrimmage live Saturday beginning at 6:45 pm on the KWOC Facebook and River Radio Youtube pages.