Stories from Friday, May 27, 2022

Area residents will hit the road for Memorial Day weekend with gas prices surging at $1.44 more per gallon, with the average price in Missouri around $4.17, according to the AAA Missouri Weekend Gas Watch. Those the Daily American Republic talked to said it’s something that will impact their holiday plans...

Neelyville School District has said it cannot participate in a grant to raise minimum teacher salaries at this time due to funding concerns, but it is considering changes with the goal of improving employee attendance, and reducing the number of staff who break their contract mid-year...

The Butler County History Museum has collected the following information on Butler County residents who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Individuals are listed by war. The museum also maintains a special display this weekend with photographs of these individuals and honors members of the armed forces year-round in the Hall of Veterans. The museum is open from 1-4 p.m. Sundays...

Imogene Ann Sullivan passed into the hands of her loving Savior on Tuesday, March 28, 2022 at the Arbors of Gulf Breeze, Gulf Breeze, Florida after a determined 16 year battle with Parkinson’s disease with dementia. She was 81 years old. A celebration of Imogene‘s life will be held on June 4, 2022 at First Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff. A ceremony celebrating her life will be held in the chapel at 1 p.m. with a dinner immediately following in the fellowship hall. All are invited to attend...

MALDEN, Mo. — Eunice Ellen Sparks, 92 of Malden, passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at Winchester Place in Bernie, Missouri. Eunice, daughter of Walter Wilburn and Alice Brandon Baker, was born on Friday, Dec. 20, 1929 in Malden, Missouri. She retired from the Malden School having worked in the cafeteria and was a member of the 1st General Baptist Church in Malden...

James (Jim) Douglas Carpenter, 73, passed away Monday May 23, 2022. James was son of late J.E. and Marie Carpenter. He is survived by wife, Tara, of the home, and a son, Lee Hobbs (Sarah), and daughter Ashley Arnold (Eric). His biggest pride and joy were his grandkids, Lauren Hobbs, Jackson Arnold, Maddie Hobbs, Ava Hobbs and Bennett Hobbs...

Henry Pasquet of Ellsinore winged his way across skies of the Butler and Carter counties May 16 in his Cessna 150 to celebrate his 80th birthday. Knowing rain was moving in, the retired U.S. Air Force combat pilot shortened his junket to cut hay. “All I wanted to do since I was a little kid was fly,” said Pasquet. “I grew up seeing military airplanes flying the sky. The sky was filled with airplanes growing up in Garden City, New York, by Mitchell Field.”...

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center and Three Rivers College are working together to better meet the health care needs of the greater Poplar Bluff area. They have partnered to bring new programs to TRC and on site training opportunities at the medical center, which officials say will prepare students for high-demand health care positions locally and beyond...

The deadline to enroll in the Master Gardener Program is Tuesday, May 31. The core course training will be held on Fridays for 6 weeks starting June 3 to July 8 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The class will break for one and half hours for lunch. The classes will be held at Butler County Extension Center located at 614 Lindsay, Suite 3 in Poplar Bluff. There will be face to face instruction and hands-on activities...

NEELYVILLE, Mo.— Earl “Lavell” Wheetley Sr., 65, of Harviell, Missouri passed away Friday, May 27, 2022, at Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He was born, June 12, 1956, at Pocahontas, Arkansas to the late Earl B. Wheetley and Maglean “Cobb” Wheetley. On Feb. 18, 1978, he was married to Pamela Tubb at Harviell, Missouri. She survives...

A Butler County jury found Thomas “Billy” Mosley of Poplar Bluff not guilty Friday on all sex crime charges, after a week of trial proceedings. Mosley is the former owner of Poplar Bluff CrossFit. The jury took 3 1/2 hours to reach their decision, according to court officials...