Stories from Friday, December 27, 2019

The selection of Poplar Bluff’s first African American mayor, the move of fourth grade students from the Qulin elementary to middle school and a $120,000 grant for the Three Rivers College Food Pantry are just some of the events that marked March and April 2019...

This is the second story in a two-part series about Poplar Bluff and Butler County fire chiefs reflecting on the last year and looking toward 2020. A county fire department need for volunteers was discussed in the Friday edition of the Daily American Republic, while part 2 looks at city firefighters facing a spike in structure fires with a 22-year-old ladder truck...

City firefighters responded at 7:24 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, to a reported leaf fire at the 2265 Autumn Road residence occupied by Chuck Henson. According to the report, firefighters told Henson about the city’s burn ordinance against burning after dark and used five gallons of water to put out the fire...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL A 79-year-old Piggott, Ark., woman was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 4:02 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, on Highway WW, two miles north of Campbell. According to the report, Ernestine M. Estraca was operating a 1995 GMC truck southbound when she overcorrected, which caused her truck to run off the right side of the road. Estraca’s truck then reportedly struck an embankment and overturned...

A Poplar Bluff man recently was sentenced to a decade in prison after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge stemming from a February hit-and-run crash that killed a local woman. Zack Davis, 24, pleaded guilty as charged Dec. 17 to the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett, according to Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor...

Glenda Sue Forbes, 71, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2019 at her home. She was born on November 27, 1948 in Doniphan, the daughter of Howard and Peggy (Patterson) Crook. Glenda lived life to the fullest, she had a vivacious personality and you knew when she entered a room, brightening it with her gift of joy and laughter. ...

Betty E. Hill, age 94, entered into her heavenly home Dec. 26, 2019. She was born Nov. 16, 1925 to James Franklin and Emma Elizabeth Hughes in Jonesboro, Ark. where she attended Casey Springs Elementary School and Valley View High School. After graduating from LaVera Beauty College she was united in marriage to Detroy Hill Oct. 12, 1946 at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ark. Two sons were born into this union, Richard L. and Gregory L. and one daughter, Denise Ann McKuin...

Dennis Herford, 69, of Poplar Bluff, died Dec. 25, 2019 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30 at the First Church of God, 3482 S. Westwood Blvd., Poplar Bluff MO 63901. Paid...

BLOOMFIELD — A former Dexter nurse recently pleaded guilty to tampering with Hydrocodone blister packs belonging to the patients at the Bernie nursing home where she worked. Kristen M. Moore pleaded guilty as charged Dec. 19 to the Class E felony of fraudulently attempting to obtain a controlled substance, according to Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver...

Virginia Magill, 87, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019 at Westwood Hills Rehab and Health Care Center in Poplar Bluff. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 in the Cotrell funeral chapel with Rev. Larry Jordan officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Zion Cemetery off Highway W, in Butler County...

MALDEN —Samella S. Kilgore, 85, of Malden, died Dec. 24, 2019 at Southeast Health of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Malden Community Center in Malden. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. in the community center with Apostle Anthony Q. Williams and Minister Jackie Cook officiating. Burial will be in the Macedonia Cemetery in Malden. Landess Funeral Home of Malden is in charge of arrangements...

GREENVILLE, Mo. — Wanda May Bennett, 82 of Lowndes, Mo. died Friday, Dec. 27, 2019. Visitation will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30 at Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 at the Greenville chapel. Burial will be in the Thornton Cemetery...