Stories from Monday, February 17, 2020

Earth Day organizers are planning to celebrate its 50th anniversary in April. Ozark Federal Credit Union and the Margaret Harwell Art Museum want to get Poplar Bluff and Butler County involved in the observance of a half century of efforts to protect the planet.

MALDEN — Sandra Jo Cox, 63, daughter of Earlene Berry Bailey and the late Billy Glaser Bailey, was born on July 27, 1956, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. She departed this life on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Sandra Jo Cox was a calculus teacher at SMU in Dallas, Texas, and was head of the math department and also the department chair at Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas...

Mrs. Alma Kirk Hawkins, 99, departed this life Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. Born May 4, 1920, the daughter of the late James and Birdie Kirk, she was the last survivor of their nine children. Alma was born in the Biggers-Reyno, Ark., area, but spent most of her life in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was a devout Christian of the Baptist faith. During the earlier years of her life she sang in a gospel quartet, as well as many church specials...

SIKESTON — Amber Richardson wanted to audition for “Mamma Mia!” at the Sikeston Little Theatre because of her familiarity with the show and its songs.

The Poplar Bluff Police Department is offering a reward for information leading to the positive identification of the shooter(s) who fired multiple rounds Sunday afternoon and injured four at two separate locations. The first shooting was reported at 2:18 p.m. at Bacon Park and left a 23-year-old male with a single gunshot wound, Poplar Bluff Chief Danny Whiteley said...

Edna Mae Coble, 84, of Poplar Bluff, formerly of Qulin, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2020 at Cedar Gate Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Coble was born Jan. 1, 1936 in Braggadocio, Mo., daughter of the late John and Kinnie Mae Brown. She had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed making people laugh...

Darla Belle Starling, 70, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020 at her home in Poplar Bluff. Darla was born on Aug. 25, 1949 to the late Ancel and Ruth (Hendrix) Hendrickson in Poplar Bluff. She married Raymond Starling on July 15, 1972...

City firefighters responded at 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, to a report of smoke in the 1500 block of Big Bend Road. According to the report, firefighters found two small leaf fires smoldering at the 1507 Big Bend residence occupied by Keith French. French reported to firefighters he thought the leaves were out, and he used a garden hose to put out the leaves...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL A 17-year-old Oxly resident was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 4:05 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, on Highway T, two miles north of Oxly. According to the report, Destiny G. Baugus was operating a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt southbound when it ran off the right side of the road. Baugus reportedly overcorrected, which caused her car to cross the road and overturn...

Jerrica Fox of Poplar Bluff is the new president of Butler County University of Missouri Extension Council. Fox was one of three members reelected for her second term during the recent election.