Stories from Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Stepping into Betty Whitehead’s Broseley home is like entering a warm cocoon to visit with a friend. Whitehead, 86, lives in a log home built by her late husband, Bud, on property they bought 47 years ago. She’s decorated it with family photos, a lifetime of memories and a warmth her friends and family call love...

John Allen Baker, 55, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. He was born in St. Louis July 6, 1965 to the late Marvin Lindsey Baker and Imolene Loretta (Holt) Baker. He was of the Baptist faith. He served our country in the Army. He later worked at Chrysler on the assembly line. His past time joys were a good Blues or Cardinals game, cooking and his grandkids...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL Samuel G. Johnson, 63, of Neelyville was arrested at 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, on two Butler County warrants for property damage and enticement of a child. He was booked at the Butler County jail. _ Sharon E. Kelley, 21, of Poplar Bluff was arrested at 12:11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine). She was booked at the Butler County jail...

City firefighters responded at 11:14 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, to a report of a trash fire in the 900 block of North Second Street. According to the report, firefighters found an unauthorized burn at the 905 N. Second St. residence owned/occupied by Brian Harwell...

DONIPHAN, Mo. — David Edward Buckner, resident of Doniphan, Missouri, departed this life the morning of Nov. 30, 2020 at the age of 62 years, 3 months, and 5 days. He was born Aug. 25, 1958 to Brother Leslie Buckner and Verna Pauline (Martin) Buckner...

QULIN, Mo. — Roy Jennings Nail, 91, of Qulin, Missouri, died Monday, Nov. 30, 2020 at Mark Twain Caring Center, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Mr. Nail was born Dec. 30, 1928 in Kennett, Missouri, son of the late L.B. and Hazel Nail. He had served in the Navy during the Korean War. Mr. Nail had farmed all of his life...

April 9, 1935 – Nov. 26, 2020 Don A. Coleman, 85, of Jackson, Tennessee, passed away Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020 at his home surrounded by his family. Just moments before his passing, prayers and the singing of hymns were offered up in praise of God and thankfulness for this life that was lived in service to Christ...

A Poplar Bluff holiday tradition dating back at least two decades will continue this year when the Poplar Bluff Museum hosts its annual Christmas Tree Forest decorating contest and open house this weekend. The contest, according to museum board secretary Kati Ray, is a “community outreach project for the museum...

VAN BUREN — Several months after the Mark Twain National Forest released a draft proposal with a recommendation to decommission the campground at the Watercress Recreation Area at Van Buren, officials continue to try to determine the best route going forward for the popular area...

A Neelyville man appeared in court Monday on charges alleging he shot at a teen who was collecting animal traps, one of which earlier had caught the man’s dog. James Wiley Young appeared by video before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce and was formally arraigned...

Hazel Mills, 97, of Poplar Bluff passed away Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 2020, at Mark Twain Caring Center. Hazel, the daughter of Will and Mattie Singleton Glass, was born Aug. 4, 1923, in Birdeye, Arkansas. During her earlier years she worked as a part-time teacher for two years and later as an aide in the Chicago school districts for four years. ...

Hospitals in Southeast Missouri are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases, both within their own communities and requests from other medical providers which have run out of bed space and need to transfer patients. Butler County health officials also say staffing, as larger cities seek more health care workers, is impacting the response...