Stories from Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Poplar Bluff rang in the new year with it’s first birth at 1:47 a.m. Jan. 1 and sees more success with a negotiation to keep one of its largest employers open as that company struggles with bankruptcy. The coaching staff at Three Rivers College also recognized multiple new records...

Butler County officials met as early as January to start preparations for a pandemic they feared would reach this area. By Jan. 31, only six cases had been detected in all of the United States and the risk of infection was reported as low. By the end of March, the state had reported 13 deaths, but no positive cases at that time in Butler County...

A Poplar Bluff man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash at 2:55 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, on U.S. 412, four miles east of Kennett. According to the report, Henry A. Rankin was operating a 2018 Ford pickup northbound when he pulled into the path of a 2020 Chevrolet pickup being operated eastbound by Coy E. Owens, 58, of Kennett...

BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT Frank Edward Allen, 52, of Poplar Bluff was booked at the Butler County jail Tuesday, Dec. 29, on a failure to appear warrant for stealing. _ Jake Austin Curtis, 28, of the 4000 block of County Road 543 was booked at the Butler County jail Tuesday, Dec. 29, on a capias warrant for possession of a controlled substance...

City firefighters responded at 12:38 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, to an alarm at 2108 Wood St. residence, occupied by Anna McCarl. It was investigation only. _ City firefighters responded at 4:12 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, to grass fire in the 1000 block of Garfield Street...

Imogene Sitzes, 90, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. She was born in Sikeston, Missouri to the late Reno Lambert and Flora Mae (Hunter) Lambert. She attended the Church of Christ. She married the love of her life, David R. Sitzes, Dec. ...

Missouri’s alternative methods deer season is off to a better start than last year’s, so things are looking pretty decent right now. As of Wednesday morning, hunters had taken 5,950 deer statewide. Things will have to pick up quite a bit to match the season total of 12,002 taken last year...

DEXTER — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the City of Dexter joined forces during the past summer to install a new well at the north end of Dexter City Lake, following a decision that the previous well -- located at the south end of the lake -- could not be repaired...

FISK, Mo. — Nelda Hayes, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020 at her residence. Ms. Hayes was born Oct. 19, 1937 in Qulin, daughter of the late Charles Everett and Eula Agusta Chorice. She was a retired Customer Service Clerk at UPS in Poplar Bluff. She was of the Protestant faith. She raised cattle and horses and loved farm life, gardening and flowers...

Butler County Health Department Director Emily Goodin announced at Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing 31 new cases and four new deaths, bringing the number of cases in the county to 3,535 since the end of March. Roughly 300 tests were done Monday during the mass testing at Whiteley Park, Goodin said...

Charges were filed earlier this week against a Poplar Bluff man who alleges he fatally shot a woman during the preparation of an attempted robbery. Tanika “Nikki” Trice, 30, was found dead at about 2:55 a.m. Dec. 22 laying in the driveway of a residence in the 800 block of Valley Street. She reportedly had been shot...

Despite a need to move to a virtual format, the Daily American Republic moved forward in August with recognition of 10 Difference Makers from the region. Judge Michael Pritchett was also recognized for excellence, and a local church celebrated its 200th anniversary...

July 1 • Butler County officials talk about the addition of security and COVID screenings at the courthouse. July 7 • It is announced Butler County has seen its 100th COVID case. July 8 • Reports are given of the first mass testing held in Butler County. Long lines form for the testing, which was held at the Libla center...

Rotary Club members are discussing the placement of a new Borrow a Book Box after the one at Hendrickson Park burned last week.