DEER SEASON BEGINS ON SATURDAY

Hunters from across Missouri will be heading to the woods this weekend for the beginning of deer season.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation say that the November portion of the firearms deer season runs from November 11th through the 21st and the opening weekend is the most popular two days for most deer hunters in Missouri.

Hunters who harvest a deer from certain counties in the CWD Management Zone during the opening weekend must take their deer to a designated CWD sampling station.

PIEDMONT MAN ADMITS TO RECORDING SEXUAL ACTS WITH MINORS

A Piedmont man faces at least 15 years behind bars after admitting to making recordings of sex acts with minors.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, 46 year old Tony Waites, of Piedmont, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

A court-approved search of Waites’ home discovered electronic devices that contained videos of Waites abusing a victim. There were also videos depicting numerous other children. Some were abused by Waites, others were filmed naked.

POPLAR BLUFF SCHOOLS ANNUAL COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY

Poplar Bluff Schools and Chartwells will be holding their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner this week.

According to officials, the meal will be free for families from 5 to 8 pm on Friday.

The event will be held at the Poplar Bluff High School Cafeteria.

RESIDENCE REPORTEDLY STRUCK BY GUNFIRE IN POPLAR BLUFF

A residence was reportedly struck by gunfire last week in Poplar Bluff.

According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, shortly after 5 pm Friday evening, officers responded to the area of Barron Road at Morrison for a report of shots fired in the area.

Witnesses say that a white male fired several rounds and left the area in a red Nissan Altima.

KACEY PROCTOR APPOINTED TO BUTLER COUNTY JUDGE POSITION

A Butler County official has been appointed to an area judgeship.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced Friday that Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor will be taking on the role of Presiding Circuit Judge of the 36th Judicial Circuit.

Current Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett will be retiring on November 16th.

MULES FOOTBALL TEAM HOSTS FARMINGTON TONIGHT FOR DISTRICT SEMIFINALS

The Poplar Bluff Mules football team is preparing to host the district semifinals tonight.

The Mules earned the top seed in the Class 5, District 1 football tournament and will be welcoming the five seed Farmington Knights.

Farmington advanced to the district semifinals with a 22-16 overtime win at Webster Groves last week. The winner of tonight’s game will face the winner of the other semi-final between Cape Central and St. Mary’s in next week’s district final.

TWO INJURED IN ATTEMPTED HOME INVASION IN POPLAR BLUFF

Two people were injured following an attempted home invasion in Poplar Bluff.

Captain Dave Sutton with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells KWOC News that at around 4 am early Wednesday morning, officers responded to a report of an attempted home invasion robbery at a residence in the 100 Block of West Lexington Avenue.

Victims at the scene told police that two or three people dressed in dark clothing tried to force entry through the front door of the residence and fired several shots through the door before fleeing the scene.

LADY RAIDERS TIP OFF BASKETBALL SEASON TONIGHT

The nationally ranked Three Rivers College Lady Raiders will be starting their campaign for another trip to the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament tonight.

The Lady Raiders will be traveling to Tennessee to take on Dyersburg State Community College in the first game of the season for both teams.

Tip off is scheduled for 6 pm.

MAN FACING CHARGES AFTER TWO JUVENILES WERE FOUND WALKING ALONE ON A STODDARD COUNTY STREET

A Dexter man is facing multiple charges, including abandonment of a child.

According to a probable cause affidavit, on October 27th, a patrol officer was dispatched after a report of two juveniles walking unattended in a roadway.

At the scene, the officer made contact with a witness, who told the officer that they had found the two young male juveniles

TWO IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO BUTLER COUNTY SHOOTING

Updating a story we brought to you last week, two people have been taken into custody in connection to a shooting in Butler County.

According to Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs, one person was struck during the incident on Highway 53 in Qulin.

Dobbs says that the shooting stemmed from an earlier altercation at the residence and someone from inside the home returned fire, striking one of the suspects.

NUMEROUS POWER POLES SNAPPED IN POPLAR BLUFF

Power was out in multiple areas Thursday afternoon in Poplar Bluff.

According to Municipal Utilities, numerous power poles were snapped along Vine Street, west of South Westwood Boulevard.

Power was out for a period of time at multiple locations on South Westwood and Pine Street, among other locations.

WOMAN ARRESTED IN NEW MADRID COUNTY ON STATUTORY RAPE WARRANT

A Southeast Missouri woman has been taken into custody in New Madrid County on a statutory rape warrant.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 25 year old Alyssa Warren, of Howardville, was arrested Tuesday night, shortly before 10 pm.

According to a Probable Cause Affidavit, a juvenile gave an interview in April saying that they had an inappropriate encounter with Warren.

RISCO MAN FACING CHARGES FOLLOWING CRASH THAT LEFT TWO JUVENILES INJURED

A Risco man is facing multiple charges following a weekend crash that left two juveniles injured.

According to Clay County Sheriff Ronnie Cole, shortly after 8 pm Saturday night, dispatch received a call about a vehicle being run off the road at the St. Francis River on Highway 90. The caller also gave a description of the vehicle that had run the first vehicle off the road.

Cole says that some type of altercation had occurred between the occupants of both vehicles prior to the incident.

HOUSE AND VEHICLE DAMAGED BY GUNFIRE IN POPLAR BLUFF

Poplar Bluff residents reported that their property was damaged by gunfire over the weekend.

According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, shortly after 10 pm Saturday night, officers responded to a residence on North 10th Street for a report of shots fired into a residence.

At the scene, officers found that the house and a car parked in the driveway were both damaged by gunfire.

CAMPBELL MAN DIES AFTER BEING HIT BY A VEHICLE IN THE POPLAR BLUFF AREA

A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle Friday morning in the Poplar Bluff area.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the incident occurred shortly after 6 am on Business Highway 67, one mile south of Poplar Bluff.

60 year old Cecil Thacker, of Campbell was the pedestrian hit and he was pronounced dead a short time later at the scene by Butler County Coroner Jim Akers.

ONE DEAD FOLLOWING HEAD ON COLLISION

One man is dead and another was injured following a head on collision Wednesday morning.

According to the Arkansas State Police, the crash occurred on State Highway 34, in Greene County, when a vehicle driven by 33 year old Timothy Spence, of Paragould, crossed into the opposite lane of traffic and struck another vehicle head on.

Officials say that Spence was killed in the wreck.

HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN WAYNE COUNTY

Human remains were found last week in Wayne County.

Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch tells KWOC News that the remains were initially discovered on Friday in the Mill Springs area. Further searches this week uncovered more remains in the area.

Finch says the remains have been identified as belonging to Patrick Chapman, who was reported missing in May of 2020. He was 34 at the time of his disappearance.

CHILD TAKEN TO AREA HOSPITAL FOLLOWING HIT AND RUN IN POPLAR BLUFF

A Poplar Bluff child was taken to an area emergency room Tuesday morning following a reported hit and run incident.

According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, a juvenile was on the way to a bus stop on West Harper Street at approximately 8 am when the child was struck by a suspected red SUV. The SUV then left the scene.

The child was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital and later flown to a St. Louis hospital. The severity of the child’s injuries has not been released.

FORMER POPLAR BLUFF PASTOR AND BUSINESSMAN ARRESTED ON RAPE AND SODOMY CHARGES

A former Poplar Bluff area pastor and businessman has been arrested in a rape cold case.

A warrant was issued on Friday for 55 year old James Paul Hoyt, of Poplar Bluff, on charges of forcible rape and two counts of forcible sodomy.

According to Detective Shonna Grobe with the Poplar Bluff Police Department, the charges stem from numerous incidents that allegedly occurred between the Summer of 2001 and Fall of 2002.

MAN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO STABBING IN STODDARD COUNTY

A man has been taken into custody following an alleged stabbing in Dexter.

According to Captain Cory Mills with the Dexter Police Department, shortly after 4 am on Saturday, officers responded to a stabbing in the 300 Block of West Business Highway 60. The victim was stabbed multiple times and treated for non life threatening injuries.

An investigation into the incident led to the arrest of a 32 year old white male, who was taken into custody a short time later at the crime scene. He was held at the Dexter Police Department.