POPLAR BLUFF MULES FOOTBALL SCRIMMAGE SET FOR TONIGHT
The Poplar Bluff Mules football team will be kicking off the fall season tonight.
The Maroon/White Scrimmage game will be held tonight at 7 pm at Fred M. Morrow Stadium. Poplar Bluff Athletics Director Kent Keith tells KWOC News that admission is free, but they will be taking donations to help pay for post game meals after road games.
SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR MAN WANTED IN CONNECTION TO SIKESTON MURDER
Authorities in Sikeston are asking for the public’s help in locating a man who is wanted in connection to a July murder.
Officials with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety tell KWOC News that they are searching for Demarcus Philip Turner, of Charleston, in connection to the murder of Sh’Tyana Ingram.
The murder occurred in the early morning hours of July 3rd in Sikeston.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS MAN KILLED IN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING
One man is dead in connection to an officer involved shooting in Northeast Arkansas.
Officials with the Arkansas State Police tell KWOC News that Lawrence County sheriff’s deputies and Arkansas State Troopers responded to a call at 3:45 PM of a man firing a gun indiscriminately in an area neighborhood.
After arriving at the scene, a sheriff’s deputy and two state troopers observed 40 year old William Chad Newman, of Portia, standing inside a shop building with a handgun and rifle.
JOINT OPERATION RESULTS IN 45 ARRESTS IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
A joint operation last week resulted in 45 arrests in Northeast Arkansas.
According to Chad Henson, Commander of the Second Judicial Drug Task Force, the arrests were made on August 5th in Paragould.
Of the 45 arrests, there were 18 felony drug arrests and 27 misdemeanor arrests. Two of the arrests included a felon-in-possession-of-firearm arrest and one included a warrant arrest for rape.
DATES ANNOUNCED FOR OPEN HOUSES IN THE POPLAR BLUFF R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT
Parents in Poplar Bluff will have the opportunity to learn more about the schools their children will be attending this fall during a series of open houses scheduled for next week.
Open houses will be held for the Kindergarten along with 7th and 8th grades on Tuesday, August 16th.
The 5th and 6th grade Open Houses will also be on the 16th at the Middle School.
CREWS EVACUATE OVER 20 PEOPLE FROM FLOOD WATERS
Crews in Madison County evacuated over 20 people from floodwaters in the Fredericktown area.
According to the Fredericktown Fire Department, they began handling a high number of calls beginning at roughly 3 am Thursday morning related to the strong thunderstorms and flash flooding.
Officials say that crews consisting of the City of Fredericktown Street Department, members of the fire department, and several volunteers evacuated 21 people from the flood waters.
ONE DEAD, ANOTHER IN CUSTODY, IN CONNECTION TO FATAL MOTORCYCLE WRECK
One person has been taken into custody in connection to a fatal motorcycle wreck.
Officials with the Malden Department of Public Safety tell KWOC News that authorities are investigating a vehicle versus motorcycle crash that occurred on July 31st near State Highway J and Palo Verde Street.
The operator of the motorcycle, identified only as a 36 year old male from Bernie, was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
MISSOURI 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS
Voters in Butler County have chosen who they want to serve as the next County Clerk.
Donna Hillis has won the Republican Nomination for Butler County Clerk, defeating Kyle Aubuchon by 120 votes. No Democrat is running for the seat, so Hillis will be unopposed in the November election.
In Carter County, Ron Keeney won the Republican nomination for Presiding Commissioner, Mary M. Godsy won the Republican Nomination for Circuit Court Clerk, and Debi Reynolds won the Republican Nomination for County Clerk.
VOTING UNDERWAY IN MISSOURI’S PRIMARY ELECTION
Polls have opened for the Missouri Primary Election.
Voters will be deciding on nominations and propositions on both the state and local level today.
Some of the big races on the ballot include the GOP nominations for one of Missouri’s United States Senators, for Butler County Clerk, and for Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney.
SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR ESCAPED INMATE IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Multiple agencies in Southeast Missouri are searching for an escaped inmate.
According to the Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder, 29 year old Dewayne Woods Jr., escaped the custody of a corrections officer at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital at approximately 2 am Sunday morning.
Hayti Police officers, Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Dunklin County Deputies, searched the immediate area, but were unable to locate the subject.
ONE DEAD FOLLOWING SINGLE VEHICLE WRECK IN STODDARD COUNTY
A Bertrand man has died following a single vehicle wreck Thursday morning in Stoddard County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the wreck occurred when 49 year old Maurice Morgan was driving on Route Y, near Aquilla, and his vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a ditch, and overturned.
Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene by Stoddard County Coroner Brent Stidham.
IDENTITY RELEASED OF MAN FOUND DEAD IN BLACK RIVER
Officials have released the identity of the body that was found on Black River over the weekend.
Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that officials used dental records and X-Rays in order to identify the subject as 67 year old Kenneth White, of Poplar Bluff.
The cause of death has been determined to be drowning.
AUTOPSY COMPLETED ON BODY FOUND IN BLACK RIVER
Updating a story we brought to you earlier this week, an autopsy has been completed on a body found this past weekend in Butler County.
The body was found Saturday afternoon at around 4 pm near the Ashcroft and Wilson Street intersection in Poplar Bluff.
Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that the autopsy allowed officials to conduct dental x-rays and acquire DNA.
MISSOURI PRIMARY ELECTION TO BE HELD ONE WEEK FROM TODAY
We are just one week out from voters heading to the polls in Missouri.
The Missouri Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, August 2nd.
One of the big races will be for the United States Senate Seat currently held by Roy Blunt, who announced last year that he will not run for reelection. There are competitive races in both the Republican and Democratic parties to fill the seat.
BODY FOUND IN POPLAR BLUFF, INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY
Authorities are asking for assistance in identifying a body that was located this past weekend in Poplar Bluff.
Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News, that on Saturday afternoon, at around 4 pm, three kayakers located a body in Black River near the Ashcroft and Wilson Street intersection.
Akers says the body had been in the water for at least two or three days prior to being found. The body is described as an adult white male, estimated at 30-50 years of age, balding with several days of beard growth, muscular build, wearing a black shirt, black jeans over swimming trunks, and black sports shoes.
MISSOURI GOVERNOR SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ACCELERATE DROUGHT RESPONSE ACTIONS
Missouri’s Governor has signed an executive order to accelerate the state’s response to the ongoing drought conditions, especially in the southern part of the state.
Governor Mike Parson issued Executive Order 22-04 calling upon the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to activate the Drought Assessment Committee and the associated drought impact teams.
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY A MOTORCYCLE NEAR POPLAR BLUFF
A pedestrian was struck by a motorcycle earlier this week in Butler County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the motorcycle struck the pedestrian shortly before 10:30 pm Tuesday night. Both riders of the motorcycle were ejected after the collision.
All three people involved suffered serious injuries. The pedestrian was flown to a St. Louis hospital while the two people on the motorcycle were both transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital.
Officials say the incident occurred on Highway M, two miles west of Poplar Bluff.
HEAT WAVE RETURNS TO SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Another heat wave is settling over Southeast Missouri.
According to the National Weather Service, a heat advisory is scheduled to begin at 11 am this morning and continue through 7 pm this evening.
Temperatures are expected to get into the triple digits in many areas with heat index values getting up to around 110 degrees this afternoon.
Remember to take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening hours.
SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE NOW LIVE IN MISSOURI
Individuals in Missouri who are needing mental health support now have a new way to reach help.
The newly designated 9-8-8, three-digit number, will route individuals to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, where compassionate, accessible care and support are available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis.
According to Missouri Governor Mike Parson, there are seven crisis centers in Missouri responsible for answering 988 contacts for the state.
Missouri’s 988 centers are expected to answer the projected 253,000 contacts, including calls, texts, and chats, in the first year of the 988 implementation.
Crisis specialists will also have the ability to dispatch mobile crisis response teams for additional crisis response wherever the crisis is occurring in the community and based on the needs of the person.
VAN BUREN MAN CONVICTED OF THE SHOOTING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
A Van Buren man has been convicted of the shooting of two law enforcement officers in 2019.
James Cummings, of Van Buren, was convicted Friday on four counts of assault 1st degree and armed criminal action stemming from the shooting of a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper and a Carter County Deputy in August of 2019.
The officers had been attempting to serve an eviction notice at a residence when they were struck by gunfire coming from inside the residence.
