Stories from Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Our nation is facing a mounting crisis over the Coronavirus. This global pandemic is unlike anything seen in our lifetime. The challenges faced by the Coronavirus are new and unfaced before by our nation. But we are the United States of America — each generation has faced its share of unprecedented challenges, and we have always overcome. ...

To the Editor: Missouri House Joint Resolution 100 (HJR 100), offered by Rep. Robert Ross, (R-Yukon), would irreparably damage the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) if approved by voters as an amendment to the Missouri Constitution. HJR 100 would change the existing legislative Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) from a statutory body to one enshrined in the Missouri Constitution. ...

The Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department, with urging from local emergency personnel, has closed the playgrounds in its parks effective immediately. Trails and open areas in the parks remain open. “We’re not closing the parks ... just the playgrounds,” said Parks and Recreation Department Director Lanny Corcimiglia Tuesday morning...

OGLESVILLE — Authorities are on the scene at a rural Butler County residence where an armed man has barricaded himself inside. “It started as a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle near a residence,” explained Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs. “The vehicle fled and a white male jumped out and ran into the residence” in the 3100 block of Highway N...

Butler County has had a resident test positive for COVID-19, according to a release shortly after 11 a.m. by the Butler County Health Department. This is the first COVID-19 diagnosis among Butler County residents. No additional information was released in the notification, which went out via the health department's app...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL A 37-year-old Naylor man was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 3:25 p.m. Monday, March 30, on Highway H, one-half mile west of Naylor. According to the report, William M. Gee was operating a 2020 Freightliner eastbound when it ran off the road and overturned...

City firefighters responded at 8:28 p.m. Monday, March 30, to a report of smoke in the area of Lester and Selma streets. According to the report, firefighters found a pile of leaves with carpet mixed in burning beside the road at the 803 Kinzer St., occupied by Darla Gunn...

Justin Lee Wilson, 34, of Poplar Bluff,Mo., passed away March 27, 2020 at his home in Poplar Bluff. Justin was born on March 7, 1986 to the late Louise Holloway in Steele, Mo. Justin enjoyed painting, reading and listening to music. Justin is survived by brother: Bobby Wilson; sister: Brenda Wilson; uncle: Sandy Holloway; aunties: Mary Boswell and Rose Mary Jackson; uncle: Willie Holloway; and auntie: Diane Holloway...

Allen Spradling Loren Allen Spradling, 61, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, March 29, 2020. He was born March 28, 1959 in Poplar Bluff to the late Loren and Annette (Duncan) Spradling. He was a member of the Harviell Church of Christ. Loren met the love of his life, Roseena Boone and they were married in Bonne Terre, Mo., June 24, 1977...

Melvin Heaton, 71, of Williamsville, died Sunday, March 29, 2020. Visitation will be at 1 p.m, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Greenville Chapel. Burial: Rucker Cemetery, Williamsville. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

JEFFERSON CITY — Out of an abundance of caution and in response to recent events, Missouri State Parks will modify operations at five state parks to address overcrowding and concerns regarding public safety. The modifications, including the temporary closure of four of Missouri’s state parks and partial closure of one additional park, go into effect at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 2, and are scheduled to continue until April 30...

ST. LOUIS — To ensure the safety of our visitors and employees, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District campgrounds will remain closed until further notice. This includes campgrounds at Mark Twain Lake and Wappapello Lake in Missouri and Lake Shelbyville, Carlyle Lake, Rend Lake, and the Kaskaskia River Project in Illinois...

Editor's note: This is a daily briefing updating the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic at 4 p.m. each day. Butler County officials are hopeful to speed up the testing process now that the county has seen a positive case of COVID-19...

Area schools made the decision to extend students’ time out of school past the original April 6 return date. Southeast Missouri superintendents had a conference call on Friday morning to discuss the possibility of extending the break caused by COVID-19...

> Three Stoddard County incumbents will receive challenges in the upcoming Aug. 4 primary election. > The fields were finalized at 5 p.m. Tuesday, as the filing period ended. > Republican Tim McCoy is challenging Republican incumbent Carl Hefner for sheriff, Republican incumbent Steve W. Jordan and J.W. Mattingly will battle for first district commissioner and Republican incumbent Carol Jarrell, Jeff Riddle and Willard Adams will vie to become second district commissioner...

OGLESVILLE — Authorities believe an armed suspect who fled into a rural Butler County residence Tuesday morning escaped before a perimeter could be set up around the home. The home was found unoccupied when SWAT members from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety entered sometime after 3:15 p.m., said Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs. Entrance was made pursuant to a search warrant, he said...

UPDATED 8:30 P.M. TO INCLUDE PATIENT'S NAME “I just hope people do take it serious, because I was one of those that wasn’t taking it very serious and it almost cost me everything.” Those are the words of the first person in Butler County to test positive for COVID-19. A healthy man in his 30s, he watched his child crawl for the first time through video chat while hospitalized for the condition...

Filing for Butler County and statewide offices for the Aug. 4 primary election ended at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and 12 of them include multiple candidates. Races for three county offices from Butler County will be contested, according to county clerk Tonyi Deffendall, as will three township primaries and one Poplar Bluff position...