Stories from Wednesday, December 9, 2020

BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT Robert Alan Greenup, 38, of the 300 block of Roxie was booked at the Butler County jail Tuesday, Dec. 8, on suspicion of second-degree property damage. He later was released. _ Darryl Wayne King, 58, of Broseley was booked at the Butler County jail Tuesday, Dec. 8, on a Stoddard County warrant for stealing...

JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri State Medical Association (MSMA) and the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society (SLMMS) jointly support the temporary closure of indoor dining spaces in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to a joint press release from the groups...

Weldon Reed Jones, son of the late James Jones and Cora Canady Jones, was born June 21, 1926 in Bloomfield, Missouri, and departed this life Dec. 7, 2020 at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 94 wears. Mr. Jones was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving in World War II and he was a former employee of the City of Dexter. ...

Patty Lou Williams departed this world and entered the gates of Heaven Dec. 6, 2020, with one of the friendliest, prettiest smiles that God ever created. Just as her departure from this life was witnessed by all three of her broken-hearted children at her home in Malden, Missouri, her family is confident that her arrival was greeted with jubilation by Joe, her husband of 68 years, who passed July 21...

Poplar Bluff firefighters were called to the scene of a vehicle fire at 535 Park Ave. at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. According to the report, firefighters found fire coming from the engine compartment of a 2010 Buick LaCrosse, owned by Campbell Transportation. Firefighters used 250 gallons of water to put out the fire...

City firefighters responded at 10:19 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, to the 1508 Bethel St. residence owned by Barb Ayers. According to the report, Ayers was concerned about some wires in her home, and firefighters found it was an internet line flashing normally...

Mary Margaret Freeman, 66, of Sikeston, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. She was born Sept. 4, 1954 in Laurel, Mississippi to the late John Willis Avary and Onnie Dell (Lowrimore) Avary. She was of the Episcopal faith. She was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. ...

KENNETT — A Poplar Bluff woman was sentenced Wednesday morning to nearly 20 years in prison on a murder charge stemming from a June 2017 house fire. Tara Janae Maxfield appeared for sentencing before Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer after she pleaded guilty in September to the Class A felony of second-degree murder...

Gary Don “Crook” Whitehead, 73, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Monday, Dec. 7, 2020 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. According to Gary Don’s wishes, he will be cremated. A private family service will be held at a later date. Cotrell Funeral Service is honored to serve the family of Gary Don “Crook” Whitehead. Online condolences may be expressed at cotrellfuneralservice.com...

To pave some gravel roads within the Poplar Bluff city limits, the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission is looking for survey responses from certain residents.

Reducing the transmission of COVID-19 is absolutely the most critical focus right now, Todd Richardson of Poplar Bluff, and director of Missouri Healthnet, told those at Butler County’s weekly COVID-19 briefing Wednesday. The Butler County numbers remain higher than the state average, Richardson said. Looking at a seven day average case growth, Butler County is sitting at the 12th highest county in the state right now, he said. This is when adjusted for population...