Stories from Tuesday, May 5, 2020

FESTUS, Mo. — Larry G. Crites, age 62, of Festus, Missouri, passed away Thursday, April 30, 2020, at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus. He was born Jan. 12, 1958, in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of the late Emma Lou (nee Deering) and Weldon Crites...

In the interest of keeping our public up to date on library services, we want to let them know, the library opens the outdoor drop box (parking lot side) on Tuesday, May 12. Patrons may drop their checked-out items into the box from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday,...

City firefighters were returning from a call at 2:35 p.m. Sunday, May 3, when they noticed power lines down on Midland Street. They stayed on the scene until utility crews arrived. _ Firefighters responded to a call at 2:09 p.m. Sunday, May 3, of a tree on a house at 2040 Brentwood Road. When they arrived, Municipal Utilities was notified of the situation...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 3, on Route FF, south of Route U. According to the report, Chelsie L. Yost, 30, of Park Hills, Missouri, was northbound in a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix when her vehicle in which she was a passenger failed to negotiate curve, travelling off roadway and overturned. She was taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center...

To the Editor: As of this writing, Missouri is facing over 7,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus throughout the state. While most of these cases are located in metropolitan areas of St. Louis and Kansas City, even our region has not been completely immune to cases of COVID-19. ...

After spending weeks shutdown to help slow the spread of the virus, it’s time to restart our economy and allow people to return to work. This has been a difficult time for everyone, but especially here in southern Missouri where people just want to be allowed to work hard, make a living, and provide for their families. ...

SIKESTON — Route 53 in Butler County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. This section of roadway is located from County Road 220 to Strawberry Lane. Weather permitting, work will take place Tuesday, May 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL A 24-year-old Poplar Bluff woman was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 4:45 p.m. Monday, May 4, on County Road 618, four miles south of Ellington. According to the report, Makalah N. Cullum was operating a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze eastbound when it sideswiped another vehicle, which left the scene...

City firefighters responded at 5:10 p.m. Monday, May 4, to an alarm at Northwest Medical Center, 2210 Barron Road. It was investigation only. _ City firefighters responded at 4:40 p.m. Monday, May 4, to an alarm at Poplar Bluff Pediatric Associates, 2210 Barron Road. It was investigation only...

Farrell Lynn “Haney” Shipman Sr., age 79, of Qulin, Missouri, died Monday, May 4, 2020, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Shipman was born July 14, 1940, in White Oak, Missouri, son of the late C. E and Henrietta Shipman. He was retired from Federal Mogul. He enjoyed fishing, playing pool and family gatherings...

Charles “Chuck” Warren, 61, died Saturday, May 2, at his home in Neelyville. Born on June 13, 1958, to Ruby Berlene and Miller Warren in St. Louis, Warren was a commercial truck driver and had been a resident of Butler County since 1981. On Dec. 29, 1986, he married Pamela Rose Gould in Poplar Bluff. She survives...

James G. Vernon, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Sunday, April 26, 2020 at Mark Twain Caring Center. Mr. Vernon, the son of the late James O. and Opal (Simpson) Vernon, was born Jan. 31, 1932 in Poplar Bluff. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and his Men’s Bible study group. ...

CAMPBELL — U.S. Highway 62, west of Campbell, remained closed Tuesday afternoon as crews continued to remove rail cars, which had derailed during a thunderstorm a day earlier. “There was a storm that went through there” Monday afternoon between 5 and 5:15 p.m., said Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder, who estimated about 17 cars or more derailed...

ST. LOUIS — A federal appellate court recently issued an opinion affirming the 20-year sentences of two East St. Louis, Illinois, men who were convicted of illegally possessing firearms stolen from Instapawn in Butler County and an unrelated carjacking...

A Poplar Bluff man was sentenced Tuesday afternoon to the maximum for the 2018 death of another man, who died as the result of a “fight that got out of control.” Having taken the sentencing of Skylar Thomas Carter under advisement last week, Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett announced the 26-year-old’s sentence, giving “him 10 years, which is the maximum,” said Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matt Michel...

As the COVID-19 version of Cinco De Mayo took place, Butler County hadn’t had a positive coronavirus test in more than a week. Butler County has not had a positive test since it had two cases during the weekend of April 25-26. Emily Goodin, Butler County Health Department administrator, said the health department also resumed doing inspections on Tuesday, with compliance to social distancing guidelines being among them the things restaurants needed to follow, which includes not exceeding 50% capacity.. ...