Stories from Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Serra McCabe is a difference maker in Doniphan and Ripley County, but she’s also the first to say she’s not the one who should be recognized. “This has nothing to do with me,” McCabe said. “It’s the Lord.” A woman of strong faith, McCabe is a 32-year-old stay-at-home mother of a one-and-a-half year old daughter, Charity. She and her husband are co-owners of Greener Pastures Angus in Ripley County...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL A 10-year-old Van Buren boy was injured in a two-vehicle crash at 6:50 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, on County Road 607, one mile east of Poplar Bluff. According to the report, Rusty W. Reed, 29, of Van Buren was operating a 2000 Ford pickup westbound when it struck a 2008 Ford pickup in the front, left corner. The other driver was identified as Nicholas R. Tyler, 25, of Poplar Bluff...

A longtime Poplar Bluff pizza business is slated to close by the end of the year and be replaced with a popular burger franchise. The parent company for the Pizza Hut chain announced Monday that it would close 300 locations permanently as it continues to restructure and attempt to emerge from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in July (see full story page 5)...

Up to 300 Pizza Hut restaurants will be closed, most of them dine-in locations not well suited for carryout and delivery at a time when millions of people are sheltering and eating at home. Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic. Domino's last month reported a 30% spike in quarterly profits. On Monday, it said that it was hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders...

ARNOLD — It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Wanda Gholson of Arnold, Missouri, on Aug. 16, 2020 at the age of 79 years. Wanda was born, March 15, 1941, in War, West Virginia to parents Kermit and Nettie Buchanan. She relocated to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, after marriage to Kenneth Gholson in 1962. She then moved to Arnold, Missouri, in 1986 to continue her career and retired from Southwestern Bell in 1995, after 35 years. She devoted her life to her children and the First Baptist Church of Arnold.. ...

Margie Redmond, broker/owner of Redmond Properties, has announced Monique Coleman as the Top Lister and Producer for July 2020. Coleman moved to Poplar Bluff from Van Buren in 2012. Since her transition, she has remained community driven by volunteering at various charitable events, staying an active Chamber member and encouraging the support of local businesses...

ELLSINORE — Melvin “Dale” Privett was born May 4, 1933, to Lloyd Melvin Privett and Pauline Blue Privett on the family farm south of Ellsinore, Missouri, and departed this life on Aug. 17, 2020, at 5:45 p.m. at his home in Diamond, Missouri, surrounded by his family...

KENNETT — A rural Malden man is to appear in court Thursday on charges alleging he fired shots at family members and threatened to kill them before he fired at a responding officer. Perry Handy Sr. is to appear at 9 a.m. before Associate Circuit Judge John Spielman for his initial arraignment...

Archileus “Arkie” Tomerlin, age 93, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, died Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, at his residence. Mr. Tomerlin was born Nov. 30, 1926 in Broseley, Missouri, to the late David and Audria Tomerlin. On June 1, 1947 he married Berniece Layton; she survives...

Alice Gertrude Redmond, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, passed away Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020 at Puxico Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Puxico, Missouri. Alice was born on Jan. 4, 1925, to Rudolph and Elizabeth Emde in Kirkwood, Missouri. Alice co-owned Deer Run Lodge near Wappapello Lake State Park. ...

A Fairdealing woman is excited about being a delegate to the National Democratic Convention, even if she is attending virtually because of COVID-19. Mary Jenks earned her seat on the DNC executive board as president of the National Federation of Democratic Women...

The Neelyville R-IV school board set a slightly higher tax rate Monday night under the recommendation of the state auditor’s office.

Twin Rivers R-X saw a slight increase in the tax rate for the coming year.

VAN BUREN — Local residents hoping to prevent the federal government from closing Watercress Park came away encouraged after a meeting about the future of the park here Tuesday evening. About 50 people were in attendance at the hour-long meeting — which was held in the open air at the park — the vast majority of them in support of keeping the park open. The park is one of the few public recreation areas in the midst of several private beaches...

Helping others is a way of life for Janet McNece. She describes being selected as a finalist in the Daily American Republic’s Difference Makers program as humbling and a blessing. She credits her parents, Patsy and the late Jerry Davidson, for raising her to help people...