Tuesday, April 21, 2026
SCHOOL BUS CRASHES INTO A TREE IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Emergency crews responded to the scene of a school bus crash Monday afternoon in Southeast Missouri.
KWOC News has confirmed that a Greenville R-2 school district bus ran off Route PP near Highway 172 in Wayne County and then struck a tree.
Sergeant Clark Parrott with the Missouri State Highway Patrol tells us that there were 16 students and the driver on the bus at the time of the crash. Some of the students were released to their parents at the scene.
Parrott added that there are, thus far, no reports of serious injuries.
HANNAH HARPER ADVANCES ON AMERICAN IDOL
Hannah Harper is on to the next round of American Idol.
Harper performed among the season’s Top 9 on Monday night for Disney Week and chose to sing “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog.
At the end of the show, Harper was announced to have advanced to next week’s Top 7 show.
Numerous spectators cheered on Harper from an American Idol watch party held Monday night at the Rodgers Theatre in downtown Poplar Bluff. The watch party was held after the Spring Severe Weather Preparedness night event.
ROBERT SMITH ELECTED AS MAYOR OF POPLAR BLUFF
Robert Smith has been elected as Mayor of Poplar Bluff.
Smith was elected on a 4-3 yes or no vote Monday night by the Poplar Bluff City Council. Billy DePew had also been nominated for the position, but no vote was held due to Smith receiving enough votes for the position.
Following Smith’s election, the City Council chose Lisa Parson to be Mayor Pro Tem, also by a 4-3 vote.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN SENTENCED TO OVER A DECADE IN PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
A Poplar Bluff man has been sentenced to over a decade in prison on a child pornography charge.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, 60 year old Leslie Clark was sentenced Tuesday to 141 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.
In May of 2025, Clark was temporarily residing at a halfway house in Neelyville following his release from federal prison when investigators discovered that someone within the facility was uploading child pornography files through a social media messaging service.
Investigators subsequently traced the account to Clark. Clark’s assigned probation officer seized his cell phone and discovered several videos containing child pornography.
According to court documents, Clark has a prior 2017 federal conviction for possessing child pornography. Officials say that after serving his 141-month sentence, Clark will be placed on a lifetime term of supervised release.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCED FOR 39TH ANNUAL WOMEN AWARE CONFERENCE
Organizers have announced who will be the keynote speaker for the 39th Annual Women Aware Conference in Poplar Bluff.
The event will be held on Tuesday, September 15th at the Black River Coliseum.
The keynote speaker will be Hannah Harper, the American Idol singer from Southeast Missouri who has gone viral across the nation with her singing during this season’s competition.
For more information, including how to register, visit WomenAwareInc.com.
MAN IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO SHOOTING INCIDENT IN DUNKLIN COUNTY
One subject has been taken into custody for allegedly shooting into an empty vehicle in Dunklin County.
According to Sheriff Nick Darter, shortly after 5 pm Sunday night, deputies were dispatched to the area of County Road 532, outside of Kennett, in reference to a report of shots being fired.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that one subject confronted another other while armed with a rifle. The armed subject followed the other individual to a neighboring residence, where he discharged multiple rounds into the victim’s unoccupied vehicle. The victim was not inside the vehicle at the time of the shooting and was not injured.
A search warrant was executed at the suspect’s residence where officials seized two illegally possessed firearms with ammunition, methamphetamine, associated drug paraphernalia, and a quantity of suspected marijuana.
The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the Dunklin County Jail pending the filing of formal charges by the Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The name of the suspect was not released.
ONE FLOWN TO ST. LOUIS HOSPITAL AFTER MOTORCYCLE CRASH IN WAYNE COUNTY
A man was flown to a regional hospital after a motorcycle crash Sunday night.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 34 year old man from Lone Jack, Missouri, was riding on Missouri Highway 34 in Wayne County when his motorcycle ran off the roadway and overturned.
The rider was flown to a St. Louis hospital with serious injuries.
MAGNITUDE 2.0 EARTHQUAKE HITS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI SUNDAY EVENING
A small earthquake was reported in Southeast Missouri Sunday evening.
According to the United States Geological Survey, a magnitude 2.0 earthquake was recorded at around 7:21 pm Sunday.
The earthquake was centered less than a mile northwest of Cooter and had a depth of over six miles.
ONE ARRESTED FOLLOWING POLICE CHASE THAT REPORTEDLY REACHED OVER 120 MILES PER HOUR
A police chase over the weekend resulted in the arrest of a Dexter man.
According to the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department, 18 year old Joshua Farver was arrested Saturday on a warrant for careless and imprudent driving resulting in an accident, aggravated fleeing a stop or detention, and DWI.
According to a probable cause affidavit, shortly after 1 am on Saturday, a law enforcement officer attempted to conduct a stop on a vehicle that was traveling 90 miles per hour.
The vehicle continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed causing the pursuit. The officer noted that at times his patrol vehicle was in excess of 120 miles per hour.
The pursuit ended when the suspect vehicle ran off the roadway and struck a traffic sign and tree. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Farver and he was placed under arrest.
A later breath test showed Farver’s blood alcohol content to be .146.
He was held in the Stoddard County Jail on a $20,000 cash bond.