INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY AFTER WOMAN SUFFERS GUNSHOT WOUND IN RIPLEY COUNTY
An investigation is underway after a woman suffered a gunshot wound over the weekend.
According to the Ripley County Sheriff’s Office, an adult female was transported by personal vehicle Saturday morning to a Poplar Bluff hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound.
The victim was treated at the hospital for non life threatening injuries.
BONESTOCK RETURNS THIS WEEKEND IN POPLAR BLUFF
A beloved music festival returns this weekend in Poplar Bluff.
The gates will open for Bonestock at 11 am this Saturday at Ray Clinton Park.
11 bands will be performing throughout the day, including Cynderblok, One Way Out, Petalshelf, and Maddy and the Monarchs
Tickets are available for $20 at River Radio in Poplar Bluff. Tickets will also be available for $20 cash at the gate on Saturday.
DONATION OF OVER $30,000 OF CLASSROOM MATERIALS MADE TO POPLAR BLUFF KINDERGARTEN CENTER
A Kansas based company donated over $30,000 worth of classroom materials to aid in tornado recovery efforts at the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center.
Poplar Bluff school officials tell KWOC News that Pitsco Education, based in Pittsburg, Kansas, hand-delivered several pallets’ worth of STEM kits, sensory activity learning products and furniture last month to help get the school year started.
Craig Yantis, Pitsco chief operating officer, graduated from the Poplar Bluff High School Class of 1988, and explained how he keeps up with the news from his birthplace, where his family still resides.
DEXTER MAN ARRESTED ON CHILD MOLESTATION AND SEXUAL ABUSE CHARGES
A Dexter man is in custody on multiple charges, including child molestation.
According to court documents, 55 year old Paul Bess is accused of having inappropriate contact with a juvenile under the age of 15.
During an interview with police, Bess allegedly admitted to the inappropriate contact that had occurred multiple times over the course of two years.
THREE PEOPLE DEAD FOLLOWING HOUSE FIRE IN RURAL RIPLEY COUNTY
A house fire has claimed the lives of three people in Ripley County.
Ripley County Sheriff Rad Talburt tells KWOC News that emergency crews, including around 30 Ripley County firefighters, responded to the fire on State Highway 142 East in rural Ripley County early Tuesday morning.
An adult male, identified as Chad Vandergriff, was pronounced dead at the scene along with two juvenile females.
MULTIPLE INCHES OF RAIN FORECAST FOR THIS WEEK
Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas could get relief from the ongoing drought conditions this week thanks to an extended weather system crossing the area.
According to officials with the National Weather Service, multiple rounds of showers or thunderstorms are expected for the entire area this week, with rainfall totals possibly exceeding two inches. Some locations might receive over three inches of rainfall.
The highest chances of rain will be today and Wednesday, however scattered storms will also be possible later in the week.
ONE IN CUSTODY ON SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGE IN DONIPHAN
A subject has been taken into custody on a second degree murder charge in Doniphan.
Doniphan Police Chief Mark Rodgers tells KWOC News, just before midnight Saturday morning, officers responded to a call reporting a potential homicide at a local residence. At the scene, authorities confirmed that one individual was deceased.
The victim has been identified as 32 year old Donald McFairen. His cause of death has not been released.
MODOT TO HOST PUBLIC HEARING NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS ROUTE 53 PROJECT IN POPLAR BLUFF
A public hearing has been scheduled for next week to discuss a road project on Highway 53 in Poplar Bluff.
The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 23 at the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission.
The project includes adding a center turn lane on Route 53 from Route 142 to County Road 306. Additionally, this project includes a left turn lane at Route UU and access management measures to reduce conflict points along the corridor.
38TH ANNUAL WOMEN AWARE CONFERENCE SET FOR TODAY AT BLACK RIVER COLISEUM
Tickets are still available for anyone who wants to see the Keynote Speaker at the 38th Annual Women Aware Conference in Poplar Bluff.
The conference will be held from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm today at the Black River Coliseum.
The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Sally McRae, a professional ultra/mountain runner.
ROADWORK TO CAUSE DELAYS TODAY ON MULTIPLE BUTLER COUNTY ROADWAYS
MODOT crews will be working today in multiple locations in Butler County.
Route 51 in Butler County will be reduced from Route FF to Route 60 near Fisk so crews can perform pavement repairs.
That work zone will be in place from 8 am to 11 am.
Crews will then move to Route DD, which will be reduced between Route 51 and Route 60 from 11:30 am to 3 pm.
OKLAHOMA WOMAN KILLED IN WAYNE COUNTY MOTORCYCLE CRASH
A motorcycle rider from Oklahoma was killed in a crash Sunday afternoon in Wayne County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 54 year old woman was riding on Northbound Highway 67 when her motorcycle ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a sign, and overturned, ejecting her.
The woman, who was reportedly not wearing a safety device, was pronounced dead at the scene.
ARCHERY DEER AND TURKEY SEASONS BEGIN TODAY IN MISSOURI
The archery portion of both deer and turkey seasons begins today in Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation is encouraging hunters to be safe.
The initial archery season will run from today through November 14th for both deer and turkey.
Hunters are reminded that only one antlered deer may be taken before the November Firearms Portion of deer season and only two antlered deer may be taken during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.
SEMO CON COMING THIS WEEKEND TO BLACK RIVER COLISEUM IN POPLAR BLUFF
Southeast Missouri’s anime, fantasy, science fiction, gaming, and comic convention is returning this weekend to Poplar Bluff.
SEMO Con is scheduled for Friday through Sunday at the Black River Coliseum.
Organizers say there will be cosplay, vendors, attractions and celebrities, such as Jack O’Halloran who was in Superman the Movie and Superman 2.
POPLAR BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SELECTED AS SEMIFINALIST FOR NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP
A senior at Poplar Bluff High School has been selected as a semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Poplar Bluff’s Claire Funke will get the chance to compete for one of almost 7,000 scholarships.
Over 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.
ARCHERY DEER AND TURKEY SEASONS BEGIN NEXT WEEK IN MISSOURI
The Archery portion of both deer and turkey seasons begin next week in Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation is encouraging hunters to be safe.
The initial archery season will run from September 15th through November 14th for both deer and turkey.
Hunters are reminded that only one antlered deer may be taken before the November Firearms Portion of deer season and only two antlered deer may be taken during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined.
PARMA WOMAN APPOINTED AS ASSOCIATE CIRCUIT JUDGE FOR STODDARD COUNTY
A Parma woman will be taking a Judge position in Stoddard County.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced Friday that Beth "LeAnn" Ryan, of Parma, has been appointed as the Associate Circuit Judge for Stoddard County in the 35th Judicial Circuit.
She is filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Joe Satterfield.
MULES FOOTBALL TO HOST CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREP FOR HOME OPENER
The Poplar Bluff Mules football team is getting ready for their home opener tonight.
The Mules will be looking to bounce back from last week’s loss as they host Chaminade College Prep out of St. Louis.
Poplar Bluff lost to Valley View in week one, 35-18. Chaminade defeated McCluer North 42-19 last week.
A tailgating party will be held beginning at 5 pm in the Poplar Bluff High School parking lot. The Stadium gates will open at 5:30 pm.
WAPPAPELLO MAN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON STATUTORY RAPE WARRANT
A Wappapello man is scheduled to appear in court this morning on a statutory rape charge.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 35 year old Dustin Underwood was arrested shortly after 9 am Wednesday morning.
According to Missouri Case Net, a warrant was issued for Underwood last year, charging him with 1st degree statutory rape, 3rd degree child molestation, and there counts of statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy.
AUTOPSY FINDS NO INJURIES OR TRAUMA ON MAN WHO WAS FOUND IN BLACK RIVER
Updating a story we have been following for you, an autopsy was performed on Tuesday for a man who was found dead over the weekend in the Black River.
Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that the body of 47 year old Antonio Atkins was discovered near Ray Clinton Park at around 3:20 p.m. on Sunday.
Akers says that an autopsy showed no signs of injuries or trauma, however a cause of death was not determined.
