Stories from Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Poplar Bluff City Manager Matt Winters has resigned to accept a new position. Winters’ resignation was accepted Monday by the city council, officials said Tuesday morning. He has accepted a position as city administrator for the city of Jackson. Winters has been city manager since 2020, and started his career with the city as city planner in March 2022...

The 1949 polio epidemic had an unexpected side effect: banana sales slumped as shoppers worried they were tasty Trojan horses for the virus. Other news on today’s date involved civic improvement projects across the county and Poplar Bluff’s response to loud motorcycles.

CAMPBELL — Gerry Townsend's proficiency in taekwondo has steadily advanced since he first began, resulting in several victories throughout the summer. Townsend, who attends Campbell Elementary School has taken his martial arts skills to new heights by collecting some key wins from three tournaments. He’s been involved in taekwondo for a little over three years and has done some intense training with Tony Page at Black Belt Academy in Poplar Bluff for the past 16 months...

Out of a crowded field of five candidates, Ralph Stucker emerged as the Republican nominee for the Butler County Eastern District Commissioner spot. He won with a total of 1,044 votes out of 3,069 total votes cast. Results are unofficial until they are certified Friday...

Two months of traveling throughout the county and making new acquaintances on the campaign trail have paid off for Larry Wells with a narrow margin of victory — a margin of only two votes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday, according to three people familiar with the decision. In choosing Walz, she is turning to a Midwestern governor, military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families...

Editor’s note: Quotes and photos from Poplar Bluff polling places were added to this Missouri Independent article. Voting got off to an uneven start in Poplar Bluff on Tuesday morning. Around 9 a.m., both Black River Coliseum and First United Methodist Church reported fewer than 40 voters, but Temple Baptist Church counted 110...

Susan Kay Price, 76, passed away July 24, 2024 in Palm Coast, Florida. Susan graduated with academic distinction from Southeast Missouri State University in May, 1985. She went on to teach English as an Instructor and Assistant Professor until 2011 when she retired from Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan. In 2013 Susan and her husband, Howard, moved to Palm Coast, Florida...

Darles “Sue” Wlodarcik, 79, of Poplar Bluff, died Aug. 4, in St. Louis, Missouri. Visitation is at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 8, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont Chapel. Memorial following at 11 a.m., also in the Piedmont Chapel. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Treva Coley, 50, of Poplar Bluff, died July 20, 2024, at Aspire Senior Living, Poplar Bluff.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey survived a tough primary challenge from a member of former president Donald Trump’s legal team on Tuesday to win the GOP nomination for a full term in office. His opponent, Will Scharf, conceded the race shortly before 8:30 p.m. with Bailey leading 62% to 37%...

State Treasurer Vivek Malek defeated multiple challengers Tuesday to hold on to his party’s nomination to keep his job this fall. The Associated Press called the race for Malek at 9 p.m. He will face Democrat Mark Osmack and Libertarian John A. Hartwig Jr. in November...

Crystal Quade won the Democratic primary for governor Tuesday, defeating Mike Hamra by 19 percentage points when the race was called by the Associated Press shortly before 9:45 p.m. Quade has represented her Springfield legislative district for the last eight years, becoming House minority leader in 2019...

Missouri Republicans ratified Gov. Mike Parson’s choice of successor Tuesday by nominating Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, rejecting the scion of a veteran political family and the disruptive tactics of the GOP’s most vocal faction. Kehoe trailed Ashcroft in most polls until this summer, when the $16 million campaign warchest he amassed in his campaign fund and joint fundraising PAC enabled Kehoe to fill the airwaves, overwhelming opponents and surviving a late onslaught of outside spending...

Recycling Grace broke ground Tuesday afternoon on its new maternity center, located at 1407 N. Fifth St. Joined by community leaders and representatives of Habitat for Humanity, Sandra and Brent Shockey proudly presented plans for the future 2,664-square-foot, six-bedroom facility...

Election news dominates headlines today. In 1924, the tallies were interspersed with other reports: Poplar Bluff’s ongoing water quality issues prompted a boil order from the city physician, and a local couple traded the summer heat for an icebound cruise to Nome, Alaska...

Officers were dispatched Tuesday, Aug. 6, to the internet cafe on Highway 142 in reference to an assault. An employee stated the suspect threw a CO2 pistol at another subject, striking the wall of the business and causing damage. The suspect was identified and a probable cause affidavit was sent to the prosecuting attorney...