Stories from Thursday, September 16, 2021

Firefighters responded at 3:36 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, to a call of a motor vehicle accident on Highway 142. Firefighters used extrication equipment to remove one patient from the vehicle and helped Butler County EMS package them for transport. _ Firefighters responded to an alarm at Marshalls, 737 N. Westwood Blvd., at 11:57 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. There was a problem with a smoke sensor and the alarm was taken out of service until it could be repaired...

Ronald Arthur Cummins Jr., 67, of Poplar Bluff, MO, died Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Cummins was born June 1, 1954 in Saint Louis, MO, son of the late Ronald Sr and Virginia Cummins. Ron graduated from Poplar Bluff High School and attended Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff. He moved to Cushing, OK a few years later to work on the pipeline. He later worked for a close friend who owns PMMI out of Edmond...

Jerrie David Hill,86 died at Savannah,Tennessee Sept. 13, 2021.

Diana Lynne Harper, 62 of Poplar Bluff died Sept. 15, 2021 at her home.

Bryant Jenkins, Jr 25 of Poplar Bluff passed away Sept. 5, 2021

Patricia Waffford, 64 of Poplar Bluff passed away Monday, Sept 13, 2021

NEELYVILLE — Mary Ellen Cox, 87, of Neelyville, Missouri, passed away Sept. 15, 2021, at her residence. She was born, April 26, 1934, at Neelyville, Missouri, to the late Edward Simmering and Essie “Sloan” Simmering. On Feb. 28, 1953, she was married to Jerome McDowell Cox at Piggott, Arkansas. He preceded her in death on July 11, 2018...

Chantelle Becking began her keynote presentation with an impromtu dance party, setting the mood and livening up the crowd for the last segment of the Women Aware conference at Black River Coliseum on Thursday. Women Aware, Inc. is an organization dedicated to empowering women. The conference invites female attendees of all ages and backgrounds to attend talks on subjects like mental health, nutrition and finances, and take some time in between to shop vendors, eat and mingle...

The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center and its various outpatient clinics across the region will be hosting cost-free flu vaccine clinics in September and October. At the Poplar Bluff hospital, a drive-thru clinic will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sept. 22 through Oct. 8...

Poplar Bluff Boys and Girls Club Director Chris Rushin delivered a report to the Poplar Bluff R-1 school board Thursday evening detailing plans to expand after-school activities for district students. “Our goal is to bridge the gaps that can exist for some students,” Rushin said...

Geraldine “Gerry” Agnes Crain, 88, of Poplar Bluff, MO passed away Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. Geraldine was born on June 22, 1933, to Lloyd and Agnes McDaniel in East St. Louis, Il. She married Jake Crain on May 3, 1984, in Poplar Bluff. Geraldine was a member of First Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff. She liked completing puzzles, plastic canvas, playing board and card games. She enjoyed hanging out with her canine companion, Aboo. Her greatest joy in life was her family...

Members of the Twin Rivers School Board expressed concern Tuesday parents and the public understand policies regarding COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and quarantine are consistent across the district. The district is going to continue to provide information to help with that, according to district officials, who acknowledged their response to COVID-19 is also evolving and changing as the situation changes. The information was shared during the board’s monthly meeting...

The Rodgers Theatre is looking toward diversifying its acts, continuing renovations and achieving self-sustainability, according to its board. The historic Rodgers Theatre is overseen by Rodgers Theatre, Inc. (RTI), who are responsible for booking shows and maintaining the historic building. ...