Stories from Monday, January 28, 2019

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Barbara Rose (Stephens) Britton, born April 11, 1925 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to Albert Benjamin and Sally Lorena (Conover) Stephens, went to be with the Lord Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 in Little Rock, Ark. On March 24, 1951 Barbara married James Harrison Britton and they enjoyed 63 years of marriage together before his passing in 2014...

DONIPHAN, Mo. ­— Franklin “Dea” Pigg, 84, life-long resident of Doniphan, died Sunday, Jan 27, 2019 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m, Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral will be at 1 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 31 in the funeral home chapel with Brother Hubert Payne officiating. Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery...

ELLSINORE, Mo. — Darlene Minson Day, 71, of Ellsinore, died Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 at her residence. Visitation will be be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Ernie Terry officiating. Burial will be in the Grassy Valley Cemetery...

City firefighters responded at 3:32 p.m. Sunday to a dumpster fire at Eugene Field Elementary School at 711 Nickey Street. According to the report, upon arrival firefighters found a small fire in the school’s dumpster that is placed across the road in a parking lot. Firefighters extinguished the fire and cleared the scene...

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. ­— Joseph Wayne Courtois, 80, of Wappapello, Mo., went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019. He passed away peacefully while surrounded by the love of his family. Wayne loved and was loved by many special friends too numerous to mention. “The Ridge” will never be the same...

VAN BUREN, Mo. — Jo Ann Dawson Heavin, 85, of Fremont, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 at her residence. Visitation will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 1 at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The funeral will be at 12:30 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Bob Featherston officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Site Cemetery in Fremont, Mo...

A Butler County judge ordered a Harviell man to stand trial Monday afternoon in connection with a November shooting death. Accompanied by his attorney Ian Page with the Public Defender’s Office, David Edward Morgeson was to appear before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for a preliminary hearing in his case...

A Poplar Bluff man was ordered to stand trial Monday afternoon on a murder charge stemming from a “fight that got out of control.” Accompanied by his attorney, Ian Page with the Public Defender’s Office, Skylar Thomas Carter was to appear before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for a preliminary hearing in his case...

After asking for the community’s help Saturday afternoon in locating James William Hastings, 32, of Poplar Bluff, he was arrested later that evening and charged with suspicion of child abuse. Officers were provided with information that allowed them to contact Hastings and bring him into custody, according to Detective Andy Cleaveland with the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Hastings is now being held at Butler County jail...

The Stoddard County commission will seek interested candidates to replace a long time Senate Bill 40 board member. Due to health issues, board member Joe Weber missed five consecutive meetings, which is grounds for removal. The commission will be accepting resumes from interested candidates until Feb. 25 to fill the remainder of Weber’s term, which expires June 30, 2020...