Stories from Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Mary Virginia ‘Johnson’ Wilborn, 93, of Naylor, Missouri passed away, April 4, 2022, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. She was born September 9, 1928, in Naylor to Carl Aden and Alice Adaline ‘Rowe’ Aden. She was married to Woodrow Johnson who preceded her in death. She then married Ralph Wilborn who also preceded her in death...

Leon Pulley, 83, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at his home with his wife of 51 years, Bettye, by his side. He was born March 12, 1939 in Armorel, Arkansas to the late Mr. Avester Pulley and Mrs. Almeda (Vinson) Pulley. He was a 1959 graduate of Hayti Central High School in Hayti, Missouri. Mr. Pulley was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1961 and retired in 1999 after serving 24 years with the rank of Staff Sergeant...

Coach Joel McDuffey ended his life on March 29, 2022, at the age of 37. Joel was born in Gravette, Arkansas on January 3rd, 1985, and had resided in Poplar Bluff, Missouri since 2019. He is survived by his father Steve, mother Sharon, and three sisters Jackie, Julie, and Rachael; in addition to countless friends, colleagues, mentors, students, and athletes whom he considered an extended family...

The annual Wolf Creek Trail Run is adding a new twist this year for the half marathon. The race, which will be held Saturday, April 16, along with a 6K run and 1.7-mile walk, will feature a new route that will include the 5-plus mile Crooked Branch Trail, locally known as the Twisted Sister Trail...

Incumbents Lisa Parson and Barbara Ann Horton held their Poplar Bluff City Council seats for wards 1 and 3 respectively in voting Tuesday. Parson won with 31 votes against challengers Robert Duckett (12 votes) and David D. Williams (6 votes), according to uncertified results released Tuesday by Tonyi Deffendall, Butler County clerk. Election results are certified by the Friday after the election. Duckett had previously said he was withdrawing from the race...

Three Rivers College had only one contested district seat this election, that of sub-district 4, which encompasses portions of Wayne, Butler, Madison and Reynolds counties. The seat has been held for two terms by Board of Trustees treasurer Darren Garrison. His opponent was Joyce Rehkop...

Vernon Barker and incumbent Jill McGruder received the most votes in the Neelyville School Board election Tuesday. In Butler County, Barker had 228 votes and five in Ripley County while McGruder received 156 in Butler County and two in Ripley County...

A Poplar Bluff man sits in the Butler County jail after he was arrested Friday in connection with a 2020 murder. Jace P. Davis, 18, of the 1500 block of Vincent Street is charged with the Class A felony of second degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action in relation to the September 2020 death of his mother, Darla McComb...