Stories from Tuesday, February 23, 2021

A Poplar Bluff High School sophomore has taken the initiative to produce a series of short videos celebrating Black History Month that are being shown during advisory class throughout February. Bralin Duckett worked through his leadership elective teacher, Jennie Randolph, to arrange a meeting with Principal Mike Owen earlier this school year to present his vision. ...

Tractor Supply Co. has agreed to purchase Moberly, Missouri-based Orscheln Farm and Home. Orscheln operates 167 stores in 11 states. Purchase price is $297 million. Barry Orscheln, chief executive officer and chairman of Orscheln, said the family operated the chain for generations...

The frigid temperatures that kept most Poplar Bluff residents imprisoned inside their homes during the recent cold snap also did a number on the city’s water mains. During the 10 days between Feb. 12 and Feb. 22, the city reported 21 water main breaks along the city’s 150-mile water distribution system requiring emergency repairs, according to Bill Bach, general manager of Municipal Utilities...

The Neelyville R-IV School board approved a districtwide calendar for the 2021-22 school year that is similar to the current calendar. Board members met last week to discuss the calendar and approved a bid that will keep OPAA food services with the district...

Restoring old cars is a family tradition that sparks fond memories for Raul Salmon of Liberty, Missouri, but his latest project has him on a mission to locate a historic license plate in Poplar Bluff. Two years ago, Salmon started the ground-up restoration of a 1929 Model A Ford. Last year, after a long quest to find a 1929 Missouri plate, “I secured a single plate from an individual in Blue Springs,” he said...

The United Cancer Assistance Network will accept names until Friday, to be printed on the T-shirts for the 10th annual Sarah White Walk. The walk will be Saturday, May 1, said Executive Director Melody Chailland. A total of $280,000 has been cleared to help cancer patients since the walk began...

Virginia Mary (Jiles) Noon passed away on February 16, 2021 at her current home in Wichita, Kansas. She was 96 years old. Virginia was preceded in death in 1998 by her husband of 57 years, Thomas Ray Noon and is survived by their four sons, Thomas/Laura, Randall/Leslie, Patrick and James/Victoria; nine grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Marcia (Jiles) Lieurance Wilson in Springhill, Tennessee...

CAPE GIRARDEAU – Saint Francis Healthcare System will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Piedmont and Cape Girardeau on the following dates: Monday, from 1-6 pm at Piedmont Physician Associates, 420 Piedmont Avenue. An appointment is required. Tuesday and Wednesday, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. An appointment is required...

A Poplar Bluff man was arrested inside a Wappapello house visited Tuesday by Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies as they served an outstanding warrant. Keith Atnip, 56, of Wappapello, was arrested Tuesday for failing to appear in Wayne County court on a charge of possessing a controlled substance...

POPLAR BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT Artis Eugene Larue, 30, of the 2000 block of West Spring, was arrested at 12:15 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22, on a warrant for a parole violation. He was booked at Butler County jail. POPLAR BLUFF FIRE DEPARTMENT Firefighters were dispatched at 7:58 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, to 3100 Warrior Lane about an alarm. While en route they were informed it was a false alarm. According to the report, employees at the nursing home reported that food had been burned in the kitchen...

Butler County Sheriff’s Corrections Officer Raymond Richard used a Taser on inmate Dustin Garver, 39, of the 400 block of Hampshire Street, inside the Butler County jail shortly before 9:46 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19. According to an incident report, Garver refused to lower to his knees and put his hands on the wall after Richard found a ‘live round of ammunition’ in his holding cell. ...