Stories from Friday, March 6, 2020

Sweet relief. Super Tuesday was the worst setback for left-wing populism since Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party crashed and burned. But while the voters have handed Joe Biden another chance, it's important to recognize why they've had doubts. From the start of this election cycle, majorities of Democrats had signaled that their highest priority was beating President Donald Trump. ...

Sometimes we forget what things are about. Take Lent for instance. There is nothing in the Bible about this time before Easter. Jesus did not practice it. Why do some practice it? Why do we do the ashes and give things up for seven weeks? Well, the short answer is sin. Yep, I said it, sin is the reason we do Lent, Easter and even Christmas...

A 48-year-old Poplar Bluff man was seriously injured in a one-vehicle crash at 11:20 a.m. Thursday, March 5, on Highway PP, five miles west of Poplar Bluff. According to the report, David M. Richardson was operating a Nissan Titan when it ran off the right side of the road and struck a tree...

A week ago, the candidacy of Joe Biden was at death's door. On a taping of "The McLaughlin Group," this writer suggested it might be time to "call the rectory" and have the monsignor come render last rites. Today, Biden's candidacy is not only alive. He is first in votes, victories and delegates, and is favored to win the nomination and, by most polls, to defeat Donald Trump in November...

City firefighters responded at 12:30 a.m. Friday, March 6, to a report of a hollow tree possibly being on fire at the 880 Henderson St. home occupied by Briana Vaughn. According to the report, firefighters found a little bit of smoke coming from a hollow tree. It reportedly appeared leaves that were burnt earlier in the day had gotten inside the tree...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL Three Poplar Bluff residents were injured in a two-vehicle crash at 4:40 p.m. Thursday, March 5, on U.S. 60, five miles east of Poplar Bluff. According to the report, Alberta F. Yancy, 57, of Poplar Bluff was operating a 2007 Dodge Caliber, which was stationary in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 60 when it was struck in the rear by a Ford Fusion...

Hoyt Holston Jr., 69, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri passed away the afternoon of Feb. 29, 2020 surrounded by family at his residence in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He battled congestive heart failure for several years but was overtaken by complications of flu and pneumonia. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8...

After many years of planning and several months of construction, a trash transfer station on Poplar Bluff’s south side finally is ready to open. A transfer station serves as a middle man so those with large amounts of waste don’t have to travel to a landfill...

P&Z The Poplar Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the city council chambers, 501 S. Fifth St. Items on the agenda include discussion of wireless communications. Items on the voting agenda include: • Amendment to the CX-3 central commercial mixed use district...

Glenda “Nadine” (Wallace) Brown, 81, of Ellsinore, Mo. passed away March 5, 2020. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont, Mo. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. also in the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will be in the Alwood Cemetery in rural Piedmont...

A Butler County jury deliberated about six hours Friday in convicting a Poplar Bluff man of raping and sodomizing a teenager over a nearly two-year period. A jury of six women and six men convicted Robert Allen Chavez, 47, of the unclassified felonies of first-degree statutory sodomy and first-degree statutory rape and the Class C felony of second-degree statutory rape...

Coy Phelps, 77, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away March 02, 2020 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Coy was born Feb. 8, 1943 to the late Vard and Lula (Cobb) Phelps in Poplar Bluff. He is a longtime resident of Poplar Bluff. He enjoyed horseback riding and hunting. He married Jacqueline McKinney September 1962, who preceded him in death...

Dennis Joseph Herber, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died unexpectedly Feb. 28, 2020 at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. Born in Mineola Long Island, New York, he spent most of his life in Hudson, New York. He was a Volunteer Firefighter and served in the Army Reserves...

Herschel J. Hobbs, 95, of Naylor died Thursday, March 5, 2020, at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was a cotton ginner. He served as mayor of Naylor in 1974. His hobbies were gardening and working in the yard. He was a member of the Naylor Pentecostal Church...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON Staff Writer Life is hectic for Casey Robertson Wyatt, but schedules and routine are everything to her. The wife and mother, who works full time, as well as teaches nutrition and fitness, will share the importance of self-care during the Women Aware quarterly luncheon at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. It will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday...

Poplar Bluff city officials signed the final documents Thursday to close on the purchase of 58 acres of property along Shelby Road, said city manager Mark Massingham. It is the future home of a police department. The $1,000,050 purchase was financed by a short term loan from First Midwest Bank that was recently approved by the city council...

A Butler County jury deliberated more than five hours Friday in convicting a Poplar Bluff man of raping and sodomizing a teenager over a nearly two-year period. The six-women, six-men jury began its deliberations at 9:40 a.m. in the trial of Robert Allen Chavez after hearing closing arguments from Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor and Chavez’s attorney, Daren Todd...

Visitors to the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library on Friday night received the chance to learn about Missouri history along with some insight into the process of writing a book.

Two Butler County routes will be reduced for part of next week as the Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform bridge repairs.

The Pike Creek Reorganized Common Sewer District, 4878 Highway PP, will have a regular board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, at the district office. The agenda includes regular business and reports, as well as new business entitled Redmond Sub...

David Walker, 43, of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, March 4, 2020. He was born Feb. 13, 1977 in Poplar Bluff to Leonard J. Walker and Sylvia (Hosphelt) Walker. He was a lifelong resident of Butler county. When not on the road driving, he enjoyed working on cars, fishing and being outdoors...