DROUGHT CONDITIONS WORSEN IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Drought conditions continue to worsen across Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas.
According to the latest United States Drought Monitor, most of our area is now classified as being in a severe drought.
Officials with the National Weather Service are hoping that a weather system coming early next week will bring some much needed rainfall to the area.
BURN BAN ENACTED FOR WAYNE COUNTY AND WAPPAPELLO LAKE
Another Southeast Missouri county has chosen to restrict burning with the ongoing drought plaguing the area
Wayne County Clerk Kent Sisco tells KWOC News that the Wayne County Commission has enacted a burn ban until further notice.
The ban includes all outdoor burning in the county.
SUSPECT OPENS FIRE ON OFFICERS IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS, ONE OFFICER INJURED
A suspect is dead after opening fire on two police officers in Northeast Arkansas.
According to the Paragould Police Department, the officers were at an area home on South Rockingchair Road following a report of an unknown person. When the officers arrived, a male subject opened fire. The officers returned fire, striking the subject, who died at the scene.
One of the officers was hit by gunfire and transported to a Memphis hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE TOMORROW MORNING IN POPLAR BLUFF
After a summer where multiple record high temperatures were broken in Poplar Bluff, the city could see a new record low temperature tomorrow morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, low temperatures are forecast to be around 26 degrees early tomorrow morning in Poplar Bluff.
This would match the city’s previous record low temperature for October 19th, which was set in 1925.
NEW CHIEF OF POLICE CHOSEN FOR POPLAR BLUFF
A new head of the Poplar Bluff Police Department has been selected.
City Manager Matt Winters tells KWOC News that Mike McClain has been appointed as the new Chief of Police for the Police Department.
McClain has served as Interim Police Chief since the retirement of Danny Whitely earlier this year.
TWO DEAD FOLLOWING HEAD ON COLLISION NEAR POPLAR BLUFF
Two men have died in connection to a head on collision Thursday morning.
Officials with the Missouri State Highway Patrol tell KWOC News that the wreck occurred at around 6:40 am on Butler County Road 441, one mile west of Poplar Bluff.
A vehicle, driven by 26 year old James Fuller, of Poplar Bluff, reportedly crossed the center line and struck another vehicle head on.
GREENVILLE AND DONIPHAN TO PLAY TODAY FOR OFC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2022 Ozark Foothills Conference Baseball Tournament will come to an end today.
Greenville will be facing Doniphan at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff for the OFC Championship. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 pm.
The Third Place game will see Naylor take on Twin Rivers, beginning at 1 pm this afternoon.
POPLAR BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN NEW STATION THIS MORNING
The grand opening of the new Poplar Bluff Police Department headquarters is today.
According to police officials, the new facility, located at 911 North Shelby Road, will open at 8 am.
All services previously provided at the Poplar Street location will now be done at the headquarters on Shelby Road.
QUARTERFINALS OF OFC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT SET FOR TODAY IN POPLAR BLUFF
The Ozark Foothills Conference baseball tournament is scheduled to begin today.
Three Rivers College, in Poplar Bluff, will be hosting this year’s tournament, featuring seven area schools.
The quarter-finals will be held today, starting off with East Carter vs. Naylor at 10 am, followed by Greenville vs. Clearwater at 12:30 pm, and Neelyville vs. Doniphan at 3 pm.
ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN MOTORCYCLE WRECK NEAR BERNIE
A Bernie man was injured in a motorcycle wreck Thursday afternoon.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 36 year old Jeffery McNece was riding the motorcycle on Highway 25 when he attempted to overtake a vehicle that was making a left hand turn.
The motorcycle struck the vehicle in the driver’s side.
MISSOURI GOVERNOR SIGNS NEW TAX CUT INTO LAW
Missouri’s Governor has signed a new tax cut into law.
Governor Mike Parson signed SBs 3 and 5 and HB 3 during a ceremony on Wednesday at the State Capital.
According to the Governor’s office, SBs 3 and 5 reduces Missourians' income tax liability by making several changes to income tax laws in the state of Missouri, including reducing the top individual income tax rate from 5.2 to 4.95 percent and eliminating the bottom income tax bracket, allowing Missourians to earn their first $1000 tax free.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN IN CUSTODY ON CHILD MOLESTATION CHARGE
A Poplar Bluff man is in custody in Butler County on a child molestation charge.
Butler County Chief Deputy Wesley Popp tells KWOC News that 57 year old Michael Duane Haga was arrested on Monday following allegations that he inappropriately touched a child under the age of 14.
During an interview with a Butler County Deputy, Haga allegedly admitted to the allegations.
VEHICLE FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER
A car was found over the weekend in the Mississippi River.
Chief Joey Higgerson with the New Madrid Police Department tells KWOC News that on Sunday a couple reported finding a car in the mud at the bottom of the New Madrid boat ramp.
Higgerson says that no human bones were found in the wreckage, however a license plate that expired in 1985 was pulled from the car.
MAN IN CUSTODY FOR ALLEGED RAPE OF A TEENAGER
A man is in custody in Northeast Arkansas following allegations of rape.
According to an arrest affidavit, in early August the Paragould Police Department received information of an inappropriate sexual relationship between a 13 year old female and a 27 year old homeless male that had been staying in her home.
TWO IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO SHOOTING IN POPLAR BLUFF
Two suspects are in custody and one injured following a shooting in Poplar Bluff.
Lieutenant Josh Stewart with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells KWOC News that at around midnight Wednesday evening, they received multiple reports of shots fired in the area of Harper and Main Street.
While responding, officers observed a dark colored passenger car leaving the area and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle struck the driver’s side of the Patrol Unit. Three black male subjects then exited the vehicle and fled on foot.
DRY CONDITIONS INCREASE FIRE RISK IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
Multiple communities are being asked to not burn anything due to an increased danger of fires.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, low relative humidity, dry fuels, and northeast winds will result in an elevated fire danger over the area each afternoon through Saturday.
Weather officials say that outdoor burning is being strongly discouraged.
PARAGOULD MAN ARRESTED ON TWO CHARGES OF RAPE
A Paragould man is in custody on rape charges in Northeast Arkansas.
According to the Paragould Police Department, two separate women reported that they had been sexually assaulted while getting a massage at a local message parlor. Both of the women identified 73 year old Phillip Brinkley as the person who assaulted them.
One of the victim’s reported that the assault occurred in 2012, while the other said their assault happened in 2020.
THREE RIVERS COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP RODEO SET FOR OCTOBER
Three Rivers College and the Sikeston Jaycees are teaming up to host the Championship College Rodeo next month.
The Rodeo has been scheduled for October 13th through the 15th at the Art Saunders Arena at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo grounds. The rodeo will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday evenings, and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
ONE KILLED IN BUTLER COUNTY WRECK
Crews were on the scene of a fatality wreck Saturday evening in Butler County.
Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that the two vehicle crash occurred at around 5:50 pm Saturday on County Road 465 near Roxy Road.
32 year old Gina Eberhart, of Poplar Bluff, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the second vehicle was uninjured.
