News

Frieda Young has celebrated another milestone in her life. She is now 101 years young. “When you get as old as I am, that word (celebrate) you don’t even know what it means,” laughed Young when asked if she celebrated her birthday. Young lives a quiet life in her Dexter home with her Pomeranian, Tadd. Her daughter, Mariedda Atherton, lives nearby and sees to her mom’s needs...

The John J. Pershing VA Medical center is holding weekly vaccination clinics, both for walk in and scheduled patients, at its locations in Poplar Bluff and across southern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas. Flu, COVID and booster vaccines will be available at the clinics, according to staff...

Stoddard County Presiding Commissioner Danny Talkington explained the reasons why the county’s projected expenses will be more than its projected revenue and how those expenses will be paid. In the proposed budget released during the Jan. 3 commission meeting, the county estimated $23,410,906 in total expenses for 2022 and $18,516,080 in total revenue...

The Puxico School Board approved multiple program evaluations and learned of a new program at its January meeting Thursday evening. Instructional coach Tammy Thompson presented the guidelines for the Grow Your Own Teacher Program to the board. This is a new program in the district that will allow it to create a financial award to be applied toward college tuition or completion of the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE). ...

A nonelection has been declared in Puxico following the withdrawal of a candidate from the board of aldermen race. City Clerk Alice Patrick said in a news release that Gary Wilfong has withdrawn from the Ward I race. Under Puxico City ordinance 105.015 the city can forgo an election when there is only one candidate up for the available seat. ...

SIKESTON—Missouri Route 153 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. This section of roadway is located from Route 60 to Route D. Weather permitting, work will take place Tuesday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 21 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily...

A Wayne County man’s 2018 convictions on charges of manslaughter and armed criminal action were vacated Tuesday by the Missouri Supreme Court, sending the case back to circuit court. Samuel J. Whitaker was convicted in Wayne County in the 2013 shooting death of his stepson-in-law, Carl Streeval. He was sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter and 13 years for armed criminal action...

VAN BUREN — The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is looking for public comments through early March on a proposal to modify the motorboat horsepower limits in sections of the Current and Jacks Forks rivers, as well as creating new seasonal non-motorized zones...

Attorneys Mark and Patricia McCloskey garnered global news attention after the couple pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters as they traveled down the McCloskeys' private street in an affluent St. Louis neighborhood. The McCloskeys' actions on June 28, 2020, were met with both praise and scorn...

BLOOMFIELD — Stoddard County will dig into its reserves to cover expenses in 2022. The county projects $18,516,080 in revenue in 2022 with expenses expected to be $23,410,906. However, Stoddard County Clerk Cecil Weeks said the difference in revenue and expenditures will be paid from unspent revenue from previous years...

A Poplar Bluff man is in jail on arson charges after he allegedly tried to burn down his estranged wife’s home, and then returned to the property while law enforcement responded to the fire. Tommy L. Rouse Sr., 44, of the 600 block of Carolyn Drive, is charged with the Class B felony of first-degree arson in relation to a fire that took place Friday on Wallace Street...

“I made a promise to my wife that after I turned 65 I would retire,” said Dexter Water and Wastewater Superintendent Tom Espey. “And she is holding me to it.” Later this month Espey will keep that promise when his more than 40-year career with the city of Dexter ends Jan. 27. During his career he has worked under five different mayors and countless aldermen, police chiefs and other city officials...

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) — Missouri high school students will have to score a little higher on the ACT exam in the future to receive the state’s main merit-based college scholarship. The state higher education department said Dec. 8 that the ACT score needed to receive the maximum $3,000 from the Bright Flight scholarship will increase from 31 to 32 for high school students graduating in 2023. That means the change will kick in for this year’s junior class...

A picturesque January snowfall created hazardous road conditions across Southeast Missouri. The National Weather Service reported the Poplar Bluff area received between one-half and one inch of snow, depending on the area, and Cape Girardeau got an inch. The Bootheel and areas of Kentucky recorded three to five inches...

BLOOMFIELD — A Benton, Missouri teenager pleaded guilty Monday to his role in the death of an Advance, Missouri man in April 2020. Evan Dean Schrader pleaded guilty to charges off second-degree murder and first-degree robbery before Cape Girardeau County Judge Scott Lipke...

Gov. Mike Parson recently announced appointments to various boards and commissions. David Christopher Martin of Bernie was appointed to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors. Martin currently serves as managing owner and operator of Martin Landgrading, Martin Rice Company, and Martin Grain Company. Additionally, Martin serves on the Missouri Rice Advisory Board, the Rice Foundation Board and the USA Rice Farm Policy Task Force...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake will once again be collecting used Christmas trees to be used in its ongoing fish habitat program. It’s a program staff at the lake have undertaken for more than 25 years. This year, anyone may drop off their live Christmas tree between now and Jan. 15, said Park Ranger Eric Limanen...

Dexter, Mo – The Lunchbox, delivering Meals on Wheels, is proud to announce that it will be participating in the 2021 Subaru Share the Love Event as a member of Meals on Wheels America – one of four national Share the Love charitable partners supported through the campaign. From November 18, 2021, through January 3, 2022, Subaru of America will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased to the customer's choice of participating charities...

It is now official. The Dexter Board of Aldermen approved the use of UTVs (Utility Vehicles) on the streets of Dexter Monday night by a vote of 4-1. Alderman Tim Aslin cast the lone no vote and alderman Frank Killian was unable to attend the meeting...

This is part two of our look back at at the year 2021. This part of the review will cover July through December. July 7 • The Dexter School Board accepted a bid for pest control services for the 2021-22 school year and approved a tentative budget. Assistant Superinten­dent Gavin Miller pre­sented the bids for the pest control service to the board. ...

BLOOMFIELD — A Bloomfield man is facing murder charges following an early morning shooting Wednesday. According to the probable cause statement, at approximately 4:01 a.m. Wednesday, Stoddard County 911 received a call from a residence at 22790 County Road 503 in Bloomfield. During the call, a male was heard yelling “help” and a woman was heard screaming in the background...

The filing deadline has passed and Dexter voters will decide four contested city races in April as the mayor and three aldermen will face challengers to their respective seats.. Mayor Jason Banken has filed to run for a third term, however Eric Bien will look to unseat Banken in the municipal election...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Eight people died statewide over the Christmas holiday weekend. Col. Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, provides the following preliminary statistics related to the Christmas holiday weekend: Eight people died in traffic crashes during the 78-hour counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23 and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26...