Stories from Tuesday, August 9, 2011

After a dead period, the Poplar Bluff Mules football practice was alive and kicking Monday morning. The Mules were at Bacon Park at 8 a.m. in the first session of two-a-days leading up to the season opener August 26. It was also the first practice for Mark Barousse who is returning to Poplar Bluff after 10 years coaching in Lafayette, La. until last season...

Wind gusts up to 64 mph during the severe thunderstorm Sunday night blew tree limbs onto power lines, causing outages to more than 6,000 customers in parts of five counties. "A large tree fell over a 3-phase line on Willow Street, knocking out power to 600 customers," said Bill Bach, general manager of Municipal Utilities in Poplar Bluff, Mo. "Power was restored in one hour."...

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder kicked off a statewide "listening tour" Monday by speaking at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce's quarterly luncheon at the Black River Coliseum. Rep. Todd Richardson also recapped his first year in the Missouri House...

Judge Michael Pritchett and circuit court clerks work in a leaky Butler County Courthouse. Containers are in various locations throughout his courtroom to catch the dripping water, and a computer must be covered with plastic to keep it dry. He told the Butler County Commission about the problem and requested repair work be done as soon as possible...

Rex Rattler heard a noise on Garfield Street during the severe thunderstorm Sunday night and decided to investigate. "I thought it was a trash can blowing around. I looked out the window and saw something white in the center of the street during the heavy rain," said Rattler, who lives across the street from the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church where he is a member...