Stories from Monday, February 4, 2019

According to district officials, the Twin Rivers R-X school district will begin closing at noon today and will remain closed through Wednesday, due to an outbreak of the flu. Over 100 students and 10 staff members district wide were out sick today. That meets the 70% absenteeism needed to cancel school...

“At first, I thought this would be a good way to get people interested in attending our little church,” explains Dave Fowler, pastor of Sadler Chapel United Methodist Church. “After all, if you show up at a country church outside Dexter, Missouri, it’s not by accident,” he laughingly adds...

DEXTER, Mo. — Karen Louise Hays, daughter of the late Dallas Williams and Ruth Lincoln Williams Patton, was born on May 31, 1944 in Hanleyville, Mo. and departed this life on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at her residence in Dexter at the age of 74 years...

MALDEN, Mo. — Steven Wayne Ketchum, 27, of Malden, died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in Malden. Visitation will be at noon, Thursday, Feb. 7 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden. Burial will be in Park Cemetery in Malden...

BROSELEY, Mo. — Wanda Lou Palmer, daughter of the late Andy Ely and Rosie Dale Kester was born October 18, 1942 in Qulin, Mo., and departed this life on February 1, 2019 at her residence with her dogs and niece by her side in Ellsinore, Mo. She had attained the age of seventy-six years, three months and fourteen days...

FISK, Mo. — Bonnie June Johns Taylor, lifelong resident of Puxico, passed away at the age of 71 on February 3, 2019 at her home surrounded by the people she was most proud of in her life, her family. She was born to Vernon and Jessamine “Tiny” Johns on June 27, 1947. On August 13, 1966, she married her high school sweetheart, Chester Dale Taylor at Brown General Baptist Church. Bonnie joined the church when she was 16 years old giving her a membership of 56 years...

According to Poplar Bluff R-1 Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill, classes at the Early Childhood Center will be cancelled Tuesday afternoon to allow teachers to the funeral services of the 4-year-old student who was killed in an accident Friday morning. "We want to allow them to express their sympathies to the family and grieve appropriately," Dill said...

According to Poplar Bluff R-1 Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill, classes at the Early Childhood Center will be cancelled Tuesday afternoon to allow teachers to attend the funeral services of a 4-year-old student who was killed in an accident Friday morning at the school...

City firefighters responded at 11:15 p.m. Thursday to a shed on fire at the rear of 1931 Brentwood occupied by Dana Carnell. According to the report, upon arrival firefighters observed heavy smoke showing. Firefighters stretched a 1 3/4” preconnect to the side of the structure...

DONIPHAN, Mo. — Leon B. Spell, 81, of Doniphan, died Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The memorial service will follow at 11:30 a.m. with Bro. Monty Flanagan officiating...

FISK, Mo. — Lucille Mealer, age 75, of Puxico, Mo., died Sunday, February 03, 2019 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Mealer was born October 27, 1943 in Broseley, Mo., daughter of the late Roy and Stella Kelm. On November 2, 1970 she married Charles Edward Mealer. He preceded her in death on March 31, 2009. She is survived by two sisters; Elnora Gardner of Dudley and Rose Cook of Saint Louis, Mo. and many nieces and nephews...

ELLSINORE, Mo. — Rhonda Diane Jackson, 59, died Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at her residence in Ellsinore.    Visitation will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 5. at the General Baptist Church in Ellsinore. The funeral will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 6 in the Church Chapel with Rev. Curtis Crowley officiating. Burial will be in the Grandin City Cemetery in Grandin, Mo...

DONIPHAN, Mo. — Eric Miles Leroux, 53, of Doniphan, departed this life Friday, February 1, 2019 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, MO. Eric was born May 27, 1965, to the late Russell and Jessie Shands Leroux. Eric was a longtime employee of Current River Die Sinking. ...

DEXTER, Mo. — Doris Price, 65, of Bloomfield, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 4, 2019 at her residence. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. - noon, Wednesday, Feb.6, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral will be at noon in the Watkins & Sons Chapel with Earl Hagy of St. Louis and David Wilson of Bloomfield officiating...

The Twin Rivers R-X school district decided to close school campuses as of noon Monday due to an outbreak of the flu. The campus will reopen Thursday morning. According to Superintendent Jeremy Siebert, 120 students and at least 10 staff members from the district were out sick Monday morning. Less than 70 percent of the student body was in attendance...

BERNIE, Mo. — A pedestrian who died Sunday may have intentionally stepped in front of a train in the Bernie area, officials said Monday afternoon. “(The) preliminary investigation and evidence available indicates it is an apparent suicide,” said Sgt. Clark Parrott, Missouri State Highway Patrol public information officer...

A pedestrian bridge over Pike Creek on Kanell Boulevard could be open within the next two months, barring any future delays. It is part of an effort to connect citywide trails and parks throughout the Poplar Bluff Greenways project. A change order to add safety rails was discussed Monday by the Poplar City Council. The approximately $11,000 change order also includes the addition of vertical concrete posts to prevent vehicles from entering the bridge...

DEXTER — The Dexter Board of Aldermen repealed an earlier ordinance Monday night awarding its sidewalk project to Hessling Construction of Dexter after its bid was rejected by the Missouri Department of Transportation due to a bid irregularity. During its regular meeting, the board voted 4-0 to approve accepting the next lowest bidder — Mike Light Cement Finishing Inc. — for the TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) project...

Stoddard County officials say an extensive, months-long investigation has resulted in two arrests related to a rash of burglaries Stoddard, Bollinger and Scott counties. Sidney Scowden of Dexter and Shawn Yount of Advance are both charged with six counts of second degree burglary in Bollinger County, according to the Stoddard County sheriff’s department...

Wall-mounted tables at the Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center and O’Neal Elementary will no longer be used following the death of a 4-year-old student last Friday at the Early Childhood Center. The two buildings used the exact same type of tables, made by the same manufacturer and installed around the same time, Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill said Monday afternoon...