POPLAR BLUFF TO PLAY THIS FRIDAY FOR A DISTRICT FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Poplar Bluff football season is not over yet.
The Mules struck early Friday night in the Class 5, District 1 semifinal against Jackson, before holding on down the stretch to scratch out a 21-20 victory.
Poplar Bluff now advances to the District Championship game on Friday night, where they will travel to Cape Girardeau to take on the Cape Central Tigers.
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS THIS WEEKEND
The sun will begin rising an hour earlier on Sunday.
Daylight Saving Time will come to an end at 2 am Sunday morning. Remember to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night.
This is also a good time to check or change the batteries in your smoke detector.
Daylight Saving Time will start again on Sunday, March 12th, 2023.
NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING STILL AVAILABLE IN MISSOURI
Registered voters in Missouri can still cast their ballots.
According to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, no-excuse in person absentee voting is now available through Monday in the state.
Anyone who wants to cast their ballot will need to contact their local election authority to find the appropriate place to vote and remember to bring a government issued ID.
Absentee voting will be available through November 7th.
More information is available at GoVoteMissouri.com.
FIRE BURNS WILLIAMSVILLE AREA BUSINESS AND APARTMENT BUILDING
A fire damaged a Wayne County business and neighboring apartment building late Monday evening.
Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch tells KWOC News that the fire occurred at around 9 pm Monday night at Holmes Store in Williamsville. The fire at the grocery store also spread to an apartment building. The apartment building dates back to the 1800s and the loss of Holmes Store means the closest grocery store is now approximately 25 miles away, in Poplar Bluff.
Finch says that every available firetruck in the county, along with other firefighters from Van Buren, Farmington, and Butler County assisted in putting out the fire.
Officials say no injuries have been reported and the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating.
THREE ARRESTED ON FELONY WARRANTS IN DUNKLIN COUNTY
Three people were recently taken into custody on felony warrants in Dunklin County.
According to the Malden Police Department, 21 year old Dushawndra Johnson, of Malden, and 23 year old Henry Peoples, of Blytheville, Arkansas, were each arrested on Dunklin County felony warrants for unlawful use of a weapon and child endangerment. 31 year old Timothy Hill, of Malden, was arrested for 1st degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Officials did not say if the three arrests were connected.
All three remain in jail as of this morning.
HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FROM THE POPLAR BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT
Halloween is today and Poplar Bluff Police Chief Mike McClain has some tips to help keep your children safe while trick or treating.
Chief McClain says parents should establish a route for children, making sure they stay within familiar areas and surroundings. An adult should accompany young children. Parents should also remind kids not to enter strangers' homes or cars, and to avoid homes without an outside light on.
Be sure to tell your children to not eat treats until they get home and remember to inspect all treats before allowing your kids to eat them.
You can find a list of area trunk or treat locations on our website, just click on the Halloween Happenings link.
FOOTBALL DISTRICT PLAYOFFS TO BEGIN TODAY
The Poplar Bluff Mules will begin their football district playoff campaign tonight.
The Mules earned a four seed in the Class 5, District 1 playoffs and will host the five seed Fox Warriors in a Quarterfinal matchup at 7 pm.
Poplar Bluff and Fox previously met this season on September 30th, where the Mules picked up a 28-7 home victory.
NEELYVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE CLOSED TODAY FOR SERVICES OF TONY EAKINS
The Neelyville R-4 School District will not be holding classes today.
Superintendent Heather Black tells KWOC News that classes have been canceled so students, faculty, and staff can attend the services of Tony Eakins, who passed away this week.
KEITH HEFNER APPOINTED AS NEW DEPUTY CHIEF FOR THE POPLAR BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT
A new Deputy Chief of the Poplar Bluff Police Department has been selected.
Police Chief Mike McClain tells KWOC News that Charles Keith Hefner II has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief for the Police Department.
Hefner was first hired as a front desk officer with the Poplar Bluff Police Department in October of 1995 until transferring to communications a short time later. He was appointed to the Patrol Division in August of 2003. He was promoted to Patrol Corporal in 2008, Sergeant in 2009, and Lieutenant in June 2018.
PEDESTRIAN DEAD AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A VEHICLE NEAR DONIPHAN
A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle Sunday night near Doniphan.
Officials with the Missouri State Highway Patrol tell KWOC News that 70 year old Hank Stufflebeam, of Doniphan was struck at around 8 pm Sunday night on US Highway 160, five miles east of Doniphan.
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.
