Stories from Monday, April 29, 2019

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Michael J. Richardson, 46, of Phoenix, Ariz. left this earth on April 16, 2019 at his home in Phoenix. Michael was born March 27, 1973 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He grew up in the Poplar Bluff area and attended Neelyville and Van Buren schools. He enjoyed being outdoors and loved spending time with his friends and family. He was residing in Arizona at the time of his death...

For the 73rd year, golfers from around the region are in town this weekend to play a local course. This spring is a little different. The 11th hole at Westwood Hills Country Club always featured a large tree in the middle of the fairway. It was out of place, alone in a sea of well-manicured grass towering between the tee box and the green, like a speed bump on the highway...

As you may recall, during the Vietnam War many of our returning service members were grossly mistreated. They were spat on, criticized, and otherwise abused for merely doing the job asked of them by our government. Many of them didn’t even have a choice, but served when their nation called them...

Tanya Burkhart is in first grade and is the daughter of Misty Ward and Bobby Burkhart. Her teacher is Ms. Cathy Burnett and chose Tanya because she “has worked very hard this year to improve her reading and math skills. She is a hard worker in reading and math and is always willing to try new and hard concepts”. Ms. Burnett says Tanya does not give up when things get hard and is a great friend and helper...

GREENVILLE, Mo. — Loyd ‘Pop’ Allen, 83, died Sunday, April 28, 2019 at his home near Greenville. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 1 at the Morrison Funeral Chapel in Greenville. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the New Prospect Cemetery...

DONIPHAN, Mo. — Jeffrey Dale Chambers, 58, of Naylor, Mo., died Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 2 at the Doniphan City Cemetery in Doniphan.

Cancer survivor Tiana Williams was all smiles Saturday at the eighth annual United Cancer Assistance Network Walk. A first grade student at Eugene Elementary School, Tiana was 5 1/2 months old when she was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, a type of childhood cancer which starts in the kidneys. It is the most common type of kidney cancer in children...

The Downtown Poplar Bluff Farmer’s Market will begin its season Saturday with about a dozen veteran vendors and a new enclosure. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday through September, said DPB Director Jerrica Fox. Its first weekend coincides with events for the BBQ Street Wars, which concludes with an awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Saturday...

The city fire department responded Thursday, April 25, to Duncan & Pierce Law, 1900 block of Northwood, for a report of smoke. The smoke was from a short circuit wiring caused by defective/worn wiring. Municipal Utilities and an election was called by the business owner. It was investigation only...

City firefighters responded at 12:06 a.m. Monday, April 29, to a report of shed fire behind the 855 Lester St. residence occupied by John Myrick and owned by Jim Shearer. According to the report, a building located about one-half block north of the intersection of Ninth and Lester streets was found to be fully involved...

Authorities say a Poplar Bluff man allegedly robbed a local convenience store at gunpoint Sunday night to obtain the money he owed his mother. “At about 9 o’clock (Sunday) night, we received a 911 call of an armed robbery that had just occurred at Green Forest Grocery,” said Butler County Investigator Randle Huddleston. ...