Stories from Friday, July 16, 2021

Peggy Lou Kiefer, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri passed away Thursday, July 15, 2021, at Westwood Hills Care Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Peggy was born on April 29, 1933, to Buford and Audrey Green in Alamo, Tennessee. She married Percy Kiefer on June 6, 1951, in Paragould, Arkansas...

POPLAR BLUFF POLICE Leanna Pickard, 45, of the 500 block of Victor street was arrested at 2.05 a.m. Thursday in the 3100 block of Oak Grove Road on suspicion of third-degree assault and a failure to appear warrant for stealing. She was booked into the Butler County jail...

A Poplar Bluff man is facing charges of delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon after a search of his residence reportedly turned up several ounces of marijuana and two firearms. Dester L. Moore Jr., 32, of the 100 block of Midland Street is charged with the Class C felony of delivery of a controlled substance and also is facing two Class E felony charges for unlawful use of a weapon...

Theresa (Smith) Milner, of Doniphan, Missouri, passed away peacefully Thursday, July 15, 2021. Theresa was born July 20, 1952 in Doniphan to Nicholas and Virginia (Dralle) Smith. On February 2, 1974, she married Louie Milner. Theresa retired from Vitronic after 40 years of service. She was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church and a member of the graduating class of 1970. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, watching baseball and softball...

Ester Louise Russell, age 74, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, died Thursday, July 15, 2021, at her residence in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Russell was born April 11, 1947, in Poplar Bluff, daughter of the late Elmer and Rilla Heacock. She is survived by one daughter, Galisha Harty, of Poplar Bluff; three sisters, Pearl (Heacock) Horton and Glenda (Heacock) Foust, both of Poplar Bluff and Lue Morey, of Ellington, Missouri; two brothers, Leon Heacock, of Poplar Bluff and John Heacock, of Blackwell, Missouri and five grandchildren, Pride Wilder, Seth and Zander Harty, Seraphim Wykowski and Serenity Davis.. ...

Former Daily American Republic reporter Michelle Friedrich was recognized Thursday by the Southeast Missouri Press Association for her two decades of service to the organization. Every year since 1997, the SEMO Press Association has presented its Mildred Wallhausen “Friend of Southeast Missouri Press Association” Award to an individual who has contributed to the betterment of journalism in the region...

The Neelyville School Board night hired two teachers Thursday, gave classified staff a raise and scheduled a future tax levy hearing. Sandra Telker, who had been teaching at the state school, was hired as the resource teacher for grades third through sixth. Chris Smith was hired as a high school resource teacher and to coach junior high baseball. Smith taught physical education in Poplar Bluff for five years previously but has had a business for a few years...

Jimmy McClanahan of Carter County lost his battle with cancer in 2011, but his family remembers what United Cancer Assistance Network’s help meant to him. Yearly, they make a donation in his memory to help other cancer patients. “My youngest son had cancer and needed help. UCAN helped him,” said Ella Meda Ferguson Alexander of Ellington. “This is our sixth year” to give money and this year, the family presented a check for $2,500 to UCAN...

CIVIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT Wednesday’s Games Innovative Ortho. 7 Boss Squad 6 Haffy’s 6, Shoe Carnival 4 Sterling Bank 15, Innovative Ortho. 12 Smith & Sons 2, Haffy’s 1 Thursday’s Game Sterling Bank 9, Smith & Sons 8 LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT...

We want to thank everyone who has come together in the Dexter community this week to help in the wake of last week’s EF-2 tornado. It was the first EF-2 July tornado for the region in 50 years. But volunteer groups like Catholic Charities and John 3:16 have volunteered to help with cleanup. Local residents have shown up with food donations for workers. Area churches opened their doors as cooling centers during power outages...

“The play’s the thing.” At least for the children who attended the 29th annual Children’s Theatre Drama Camp at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center this week. The camp was open to students in grades second through eighth. Students from Poplar Bluff schools, Sacred Heart, Twin Rivers, Greenville and Dexter were in attendance...

From Staff Reports Commissioners in Carter County co-signed a letter Friday with the director of the county health department asking residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It came as Carter County has seen coronavirus cases spike. As of July 12, the Missouri Department of Health reports Carter County residents testing positive at a rate of 36.7%, which is the highest positivity rate in the state of Missouri, officials said...

While most Americans sheltered in place in 2020, the family of Bradley and Patricia Gray spent the pandemic improving the lives of the impoverished people of Botswana, Africa. “I felt a calling to mission since (I was) a teenager,” said Patricia. She was excited when the chance for a five-week trial came to West Point Church of Doniphan in 2018. ...

Brenda S. Curry, 70, of Poplar Bluff was arrested at 1:31 p.m. Thursday, July 15, in Dunklin County on a Wayne County failure to appear warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia and on suspicion of no seatbelt. She was booked at the Dunklin County jail...