Stories from Monday, May 23, 2022

McDonald’s locations in Poplar Bluff are changing hands. Andi Hilburn-Vaini, originally of West Plains, has acquired locations in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, becoming the largest female McDonald’s owner/operator in the nation. Hilburn-Vaini now has 28 of the restaurants, following the acquisitions in Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau and other Southeast Missouri towns...

Sharae Nichole Carter, 34, of Naylor, Missouri, passed away on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at her home surrounded by her children and loving family after an illness with leukemia. Sharae was born on Feb. 29, 1988 to Billy Joe Carter and Roberta “Birdie” Carter in Poplar Bluff, Missouri...

Kathy Ann Bloss, 61, of Broseley, Missouri, died Sunday, May 22, 2022, at her residence in Broseley. Mrs. Bloss was born March 27, 1961, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to Delbert and Linda Cornett. She had attended Harviell Pentecostal Church for several years. She loved being outdoors and enjoyed building, remodeling, and camping. She also loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren...

Bonnie Louise McKnight, 77, of Wappapello, Missouri, died Sunday, May 22, 2022 at her residence in Wappapello. Mrs. McKnight was born June 11, 1944, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri to the late Cletus and Ineta Marie Smith. She is survived by two children: Greg (Kelly) Boyt of Ravenwood, Missouri, and Chad Boyt, of Wappapello; two grandchildren: Morgan Franklin and Alexander Boyt; one sister: Brenda Joyce Boon of Puxico, Missouri; and one brother: Terry (Linda) Smith of Ozark, Missouri...

Thelma Walker, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, entered the Gates of Heaven dancing and praising her Lord and Savior Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at her home. Mrs. Walker was born March 20, 1934, in Portageville, Missouri to Harry Sr. and Willie Lee Randall Thomas. She was a member of Loving Jesus Ministries and was a homemaker...

A Poplar Bluff man is facing 11 counts of possession of child pornography after items allegedly were found on his phone and in a Dropbox account purportedly belonging to him. Joshua A. Thomas, 41, of the 2400 block of Thomas Street is charged with 10 Class B felony charges of possession of child pornography and one Class D felony count of possession of child pornography for the first offense. ...

A Wappapello man was seriously injured when his scooter overturned Sunday evening on Highway T in Butler County, four miles north of Poplar Bluff, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Carl E. Lloyd, 61, of Wappapello reportedly was riding a 2009 QLink Commuter scooter southbound on Highway T at 6:05 p.m. Sunday when it overturned and ejected him...

A car hauled Monday out of the Black River near Hendrickson is tied to a 2017 crime, according to authorities. It is the third stolen vehicle recovered from the site in the past three years. The Mazda CRX was reported stolen April 22, 2017, by Seth Parker of County Road 4651 in Poplar Bluff, an official with the Butler County Sheriff’s Department reports...

A 63-year-old Poplar Bluff woman is in a St. Louis-area hospital being treated for burns sustained from an early morning house fire Monday at 921 Cedar St. Two firefighters were treated at the local emergency room for burns and released. Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Mike Moffitt called Capt. Chad Bell and firefighter Jon Miller “truly our heroes. They went above and beyond the line of duty to save her life.”...