Stories from Tuesday, January 8, 2019

A potential new factory will need just over 2 acres of land in the Poplar Bluff Industrial park. The city has been asked to make a second transfer of property on South Eleventh Street to Poplar Bluff Industries, the economic development division of the chamber of commerce, which is involved in negations with the company...

DEXTER — The Dexter Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Monday night to award the contracts for the city’s two walking trail/sidewalk projects. Both are phase one projects being funded through Missouri Department of Transportation grants, with a 20 percent match from the city...

Poplar Bluff is now home to the only emergency and crisis shelter for children in Southeast Missouri. The home serves at least three of the four counties in the region with the highest rates of children in state care. Great Circle opened the nine-bed facility in October on Holly Trail to serve as a temporary placement for children in foster care...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Mary Lou Houart, 86 of Bloomfield, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 at the Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico, Mo. Visitation will be after 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 11, until time of services at 11 a.m. at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield with Darren Baker of Puxico officiating...

Two women were injured early Tuesday morning when one driver pulled into the path of another along Highway 67 in the Cane Creek flats area, south of Poplar Bluff. Both drivers suffered moderate injuries and were taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for treatment...

Wilma L. Foster, 95, of Belleville, Ill., formerly of Rombauer, Mo., died January 3, 2019 in Belleville. She was born July 17, 1923 in Rombauer to the late Paul Emerson and Virgie Hasting Emerson. She was of the Baptist faith. Wilma married Albert Foster Dec. 31, 1937 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Foster preceded her in death Feb. 2, 1995...

Irene Inez Hager, 96 of Van Buren, Mo., passed away on January 7, 2019 at the River Ways Manor in Van Buren. She was born on September 10, 1922 to Arch and Minnie (Bollinger) Hester at Poplar Bluff. On November 10, 1945 she married Harold Hager in Butler County. They enjoyed 69 years of marriage. He preceded her in death March 22, 2015...

GREENVILLE, Mo. - Randal D. Thompson, 60, of Lowndes, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 at Greenville Nursing Center, Greenville. A balloon release and Celebration of Life will be held at 3:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 11 at Old Greenville Park, Greenville. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

PIEDMONT, Mo - Michael Gus Rudnicki, 67, of Festus, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 7 at his residence. Visitation will be from 5 - 8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 9 at Mahn Funeral Home, 515 Collins Drive, Festus. Graveside services will follow at 11 a.m.,Thursday, Jan. 10 at Forest Chapel Cemetery near Piedmont. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Judy Elizabeth Barnett, 57, of Doniphan, died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 at her residence in rural Ripley County, Mo. Visitation will be from 5 - 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 9 at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. A graveside service will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 10,in the Hitt Cemetery in Success., Ark., with Brother Jerry Cooper officiating...

The fate of a Doniphan man standing trial later this month for his alleged role in the 2010 deaths of two elderly couples whose bodies were found in their burned homes now will rest in the hands of a Butler County judge. Keith A. Boyles is to stand trial on four Class A felonies of first-degree murder and four unclassified felonies of armed criminal action (ACA) before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett...

Getting financially fit is a major item on many people’s list of resolutions each year. If you are determined to keep more of the money you make in 2019, you might want to accept a New Year’s financial fitness challenge. The program will be offered twice at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. The first will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday while the second starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15...

The annual Sarah Jarboe White UCAN 5K Walk and fundraiser to be held April 27 takes hours of planning and United Cancer Assistant Network Executive Director Melody Chailland already is busy generating ideas for the events. UCAN annually provides $100,000 in direct services to cancer patient filling an important gap left open by other groups, Chailland said...

City firefighters responded at 7:13 p.m. Monday to an alarm at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, 621 W. Pine St. It was investigation only. ———— City firefighters responded at 6:11 p.m. Monday to a reported trash fire at 946 Hickory St. It was investigation only...

Bill Merriman MALDEN, Mo. — Clarence William Merriman, 67, of Campbell, Mo. died Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be 10:30 a.m. until service time Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden with Rev. William Hill officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Landess addition Cemetery in Campbell...

MALDEN — During an usually warm and sunny afternoon in January, Malden alum Nick Thompson decided to spend a weekend home from college to give back to his community. Thompson rallied volunteers on Facebook to join him and clean Frisco Park as well as the Martin Luther King Park in Malden on Sunday afternoon...