Stories from Wednesday, January 3, 2024

There are strange things happening in Missouri — and Hawaii. Twin 12-year-olds from Hayti embark on careers as miracle-working Pentecostal preachers. Decades later in Honolulu, a former Missourian minister claims he’s determined the date and time of Jesus’ birth and completed his horoscope. The Messiah was apparently a Pisces...

Poplar Bluff saw drier than normal conditions in 2023, as the year tied for its fifth warmest on record. The Paducah office of the National Weather Service released its annual climate review Wednesday, tracking temperatures, rainfall and severe weather throughout the five-state coverage area...

Raymond Morris, 90, of Piedmont, Missouri, died Jan. 2, 2024. Visitation is at 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont Chapel. Funeral service is at 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, also in the Piedmont Chapel. Burial following with full military honors in Duncan Cemetery, Williamsville...

Judith Robertson, 80, of Troy, Missouri, formerly of Piedmont, Missouri, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri. Visitation is at 5 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont Chapel. Funeral service is at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, also in the Piedmont Chapel. Burial following in Forest Chapel Cemetery, Piedmont...

Shirley Laverne Faughn, 73, of Rigby, formally Rexburg, Idaho, passed away Jan. 2, 2024 in her home, surrounded by her beloved husband Doyle, and loving family. Laverne was born March 4, 1950 in Harviell, Missouri. The youngest of 12 children, the sixth daughter born to Johnny Clifford Lovett and Mabel Isabel Burns, who taught her the importance of God, family and hard work. ...

Joan Wyrick Bogle Dabbs, 81, of Nixa, Missouri, formerly of Dexter, Missouri, passed away Dec. 29, 2023. She was born in Flora, Illinois Sept.29, 1942. She was the daughter of Merlin and Maxine Bogle. She was a strong and brave young woman who following graduation at the age of 17 moved away for work in Aurora, Illinois. ...

Jerry Bradford Mims, 54, of Bernie died Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

Melissa Jarrett, 50, of Campbell died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, at her residence.

The first fatal accident of Troop E occurred two miles east Poplar Bluff on Wednesday. James M. Ray, 49, of Poplar Bluff was operating a 2020 Chevrolet Trax westbound on Highway 60 when his vehicle impacted the rear of a 2015 Peterbilt tractor trailer operated by Ronald McGraw, 57, of Coahoma, Mississippi and traveled off the roadway...

The Margaret Harwell Art Museum is kicking off 2024 with an exhibit of “big, bold” wearable art by Allison Norfleet Bruenger, and is joining the solar festivities with Total Eclipse of the Arts in April. An opening reception for Allison Norfleet Bruenger is from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, and the show runs through February for Black History Month...

POPLAR BLUFF POLICE DEPARTMENT Christopher Andrews, 39, of Poplar Bluff was arrested at 9:22 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, during a traffic stop on East Pine Street. Andrews was booked in on a Dunklin County warrant for failure to appear on speeding ($222 bond). He was lodged in the Butler County jail...