SCHOOL BUS INSPECTION RESULTS RELEASED

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has announced the results of the Driver and Vehicle Safety Division's 2023 annual school bus inspection program.

As a part of the program, buses found to have no defective items are rated as "approved.” Buses having one or more defective items which do not constitute an immediate danger are rated as "defective.” Buses with any defective items which constitute an immediate danger are rated as "out-of-service.”

In Butler County, Poplar Bluff R-1 had 40 of the district’s 49 buses listed as approved. The other nine were rated as defective.

HEAVY WINDS CAUSE DAMAGE IN POPLAR BLUFF AREA

Strong sudden winds caused damage Sunday evening in the Poplar Bluff area.

According to the National Weather Service, a downburst was reported at around 6:30 pm Sunday.

The heavy winds resulted in several sheds being blown over or destroyed near the junction of Business Loop 67 and State Highway 53.

Damage was also reported at an area business.

POPLAR BLUFF PARKS AND RECREATION WELCOMING SUMMER WITH EVENT THIS WEEKEND

An event to mark the beginning of Summer will be held this weekend at Whiteley Park in Poplar Bluff.

Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation is hosting Welcome Summer 2023 from 4 to 7 pm on Saturday, June 3rd.

The event will include a cruise in, live band, food trucks, yard games, a dunk booth, crafts, and more.

For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation office at 573-686-8645.

ALMOST $100,000 OF DAMAGE REPORTED AT AREA HIGHWAY REPAIR SITE

The Butler County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a report of significant property damage.

Sheriff Mark Dobbs tells KWOC News that on May 30th, HR Quadri Contractors reported damage to two of their Caterpillar Haul Trucks and two of their Caterpillar Excavators that were involved in the repairs on Highway 67 South.

The estimated repair costs are over $93,000.

POPLAR BLUFF TEENAGER ARRESTED FOLLOWING PURSUIT

One person was taken into custody following a Memorial Day pursuit in Poplar Bluff.

According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, 19 year old Brett McCoy was arrested shortly before 10 pm Monday night after a short motor vehicle pursuit with a Poplar Bluff Police Officer.

McCoy was booked into the Butler County Jail on charges of felony endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest, trespassing, and several traffic offenses.

POPLAR BLUFF’S DARIUS GRAHAM TAKES STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND SETS NEW CLASS 5 RECORD FOR HIGH JUMP

The MSHSAA Class 5 state track meet turned into a record breaking day for one Poplar Bluff Student.

The Mules Darius Graham won the state championship in the High Jump, setting a new class 5 record of 2.09 meters.

Graham also earned all-state designation, as did Poplar Bluff’s Isaiah Nevel, A’tari Amos, and Kennedy Zgaynor.

ALMOST TWO HUNDRED FLAGS ON DISPLAY AT POPLAR BLUFF MUSEUM TO HONOR LOCAL FALLEN SOLDIERS

Almost two hundred American flags are on display at the Poplar Bluff museum to honor our local fallen soldiers.

Kati Ray with the Museum tells KWOC news that the 199 flags represent each person from Butler County killed in action during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.

They will be on display on the lawn of the Museum until after Memorial Day.

POPLAR BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE SELECTED TO ATTEND MISSOURI FINE ARTS ACADEMY

A Poplar Bluff High School sophomore will be attending a prestigious academy this summer.

According to school officials, Virginiagrace Vandewarker has been selected to participate in the Missouri Fine Arts Academy.

She is the only student from this region among 100 total across the state to attend the two-week residential program through the Reynolds College of Arts and Letters at Missouri State University in Springfield.

POPLAR BLUFF WOMAN REPORTED MISSING

A Poplar Bluff woman has been reported missing.

According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, 30 year old Aimee Ross was last seen in the early morning hours of May 12th.

Ross is described as a white female, four feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 105 pounds, with red hair and brown eyes.

NEW COACH HIRED FOR TWIN RIVERS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

A new coach has been selected for the Twin Rivers High School Girls Basketball team.

Twin Rivers Superintendent Rob Brown tells KWOC News that Michael Snider was hired by the Board of Education during Thursday night’s meeting.

Snider has served as the Holcomb High School Boys Basketball coach since 2019 and Baseball coach since 2021.

PIEDMONT MAN KILLED IN ARKANSAS WRECK

A Piedmont man has died following a single vehicle wreck Wednesday night.

According to the Arkansas State Police, 34 year old Nathan Spears was driving on State Highway 367, in Jackson County, when his vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and traveled into a ditch. The vehicle overturned multiple times in the wreck.

Officials say that Spears was killed in the crash. A passenger in the vehicle was injured and transported to an area hospital.

HOLCOMB MAN KILLED IN DUNKLIN COUNTY WRECK

A crash in Dunklin County has left one person dead.

Officials with the Missouri State Highway Patrol tell KWOC News that the crash occurred Wednesday morning when a vehicle driven by 50 year old Shane Hillhouse, of Kennett, failed to yield to another vehicle at the intersection of US Highway 412 and Highway NN.

The driver of the second vehicle, 57 year old Kevin Nelson, of Holcomb, was transported to a Pemiscot County hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES RATE HIKES FOR SEWER AND WATER IN POPLAR BLUFF

Water and sewer rates will be going up for citizens in Poplar Bluff.

During the regular City Council meeting Monday night, the council approved rate increases for Municipal Utilities.

According to information supplied by Municipal Utilities, the average water user will see an increase of $2.79 per month for 2023. The proposed rate track will have the water rate per 1,000 gallons go from the current $2.88 to $3.84 in 2027.

DETAILS RELEASED ABOUT FATAL TWO VEHICLE CRASH IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

Officials have released the name of a person killed in a two vehicle crash over the weekend.

According to the Arkansas State Police, the wreck occurred Saturday evening when 48 year old Dawn Eaton, of Paragould, drove through a stop sign and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

The crash was located at the intersection of Walcott Road and the US Highway 412 Bypass in Paragould.

MAN FACING ASSAULT AND WEAPON CHARGES FOLLOWING SHOOTING IN POPLAR BLUFF

One person is in custody in connection to a weekend shooting in Poplar Bluff.

Lieutenant Josh Stewart with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells KWOC News, that the shooting occurred at around 10 pm Saturday night, in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter.

Stewart says the shooting was the result of a family dispute. One person received a non life threatening gunshot wound to the leg area. The victim was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital before being transferred to a Cape Girardeau hospital.

ST. LOUIS WOMAN IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING MULTI-COUNTY PURSUIT

A St. Louis woman is facing multiple charges following a multi-county pursuit in Southeast Missouri.

According to authorities, the pursuit began Thursday morning in Ripley County before coming to an end in Butler County on Business 60 at Route NN, east of Poplar Bluff.

The subject arrested has been identified as 30 year old Kimberly Worley, of St. Louis. She is facing charges of assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and resisting arrest by fleeing.

TEEN REPORTEDLY DISTRIBUTED MARIJUANA BROWNIES TO SOUTHEAST MISSOURI MIDDLE SCHOOLERS

A teenager has been taken into custody after he reportedly distributed marijuana brownies to middle school students in Southeast Missouri.

On Tuesday, the Caruthersville School Resource Officer received a report that several students at Caruthersville Middle School may have been under the influence of narcotics.

Several students had admitted to eating “marijuana” brownies that were given to them by a 14 year old juvenile male student at the Middle School. The 14 year old student had purchased the brownies from a 17 year old male juvenile student of the High School.

LAYOFF DATE ANNOUNCED FOR REVERE PLASTICS IN POPLAR BLUFF

Over 70 workers will be affected by layoffs this Summer at Revere Plastics Systems in Poplar Bluff.

The company told employees last week that the Poplar Bluff facility will be closing.

According to a WARN Notice posted on Jobs.Mo.Gov, the closing will affect 79 employees and the layoff date has been set for July 2nd.

MONDAY NIGHT STORMS RESULT IN DAMAGE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

A late Monday night storm system resulted in reports of damage across Southeast Missouri.

According to the National Weather Service, a tree fell on a house in the Sikeston area. No information was available on if anyone was injured in the incident.

Officials in Stoddard County reported a downed tree was blocking a roadway in the Bloomfield area last night at around 10 pm.

DONIPHAN MAN FACING DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE FOLLOWING WEEKEND ARREST

A Doniphan man is facing multiple charges, including drug trafficking, following his arrest over the weekend.

Officials with the Scott City Police Department tell KWOC News that officers responded to a call of a suspicious male Saturday afternoon.

The male subject had allegedly displayed a firearm to a citizen while attempting to sell illegal narcotics.