Stories from Tuesday, May 12, 2020

BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT Bobby Jim Rippee, 70, of Poplar Bluff was booked at the Butler County jail Monday, May 11, on a warrant for stealing. _ Charles Allen Rippee, 65, of Poplar Bluff was booked at the Butler County jail Monday, May 11, on warrants for receiving stolen property and stealing...

City firefighters responded at 7:40 p.m. Monday, May 11, to a report of a vehicle fire at 415 W. Midland. According to the report, the fire in a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan was out upon the fire department’s arrival. The van’s owner, Charles Counts, reported he had just purchased the van and brought it home when wiring under the dash started smoking. Flames also were visible...

Butler County announced today a new case of COVID-19, the first new case since April 26. No additional information was known as of 11 a.m. about the case. The state reported a total of 9,918 positive cases as of Tuesday morning, with 488 deaths. The number of state cases as of April 26 was approximately 6,600, with approximately 260 deaths...

The Three Rivers College Music Department offers education and performance opportunities for vocal and instrumental students. Fall 2020 scholarships are available for students performing in college choir, musical theatre, jazz band, and concert band...

Terri Whitten has been named as Century 21 American Realty Top Lister and Producer for the month of March. Terri Whitten has been selling real estate since 2009 and has been the Top Lister and Producer for the past five years with her former companies. She has earned Gold, Silver and Platinum Level Awards for the past eight years...

Natali Ketcherside was named the Top Producer for April at Century 21 American Realty. Ketcherside joined Century 21 in 2003. She was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. She moved to Poplar Bluff in 1993 and attended Three Rivers College. She received a business administration degree in 1997. She is a member of the Three Rivers Board of Realtors and the Missouri and National Associations of Realtors. Ketcherside received the Award of Excellence from C-21 Corporation in St. Louis...

Ralph August Owen, 78, of Poplar Bluff passed from this life May 10, 2020, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Ralph was born on April 22, 1942, to the late Ralph and Ruth (Wilson) Owen in Bell City, Missouri. He was a retired vocational rehab counselor, and retired personal counselor. He was also a history teacher. He was a very caring man who very much enjoyed helping people with trouble in their life, turn their life around...

ORAN — Margarita Louise Heisserer, 91, of Bridgeton, Missouri, died Saturday, May 9, 2020, at Sarah Community in Bridgeton. She was born Oct. 20, 1928, to Raymond George and Alma Catherine (Dirnberger) Heisserer at Oran Missouri.  Her siblings included her older brother Ralph and three younger sisters Joan, Helen, and Margaret...

Michael (Mike) James Horner, 68 of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, May 10, 2020, at his residence. Mike was born Dec. 9, 1951, in West Branch, Michigan, the son of James and Margie (Dack) Horner. He married the love of his life Gwendolyn (Gwennie) on May 27, 2000, in Las Vegas. Mike and Gwen were a true love story from the day they met sharing right at 20 years together...

A March 3 tornado in Lebanon, Tennessee, hit home for more than 1,600 people in Poplar Bluff. On that date, STAT Informatics Solutions LLC., a medical records contractor for Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, was hit by the tornado and suffered severe damage. ...

Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs is seeking “a happy medium” as he tries to balance his budget amid funding shortfalls, which have prompted the need to lay off five employees. “Due to funding shortfalls, we are faced with having to lay off several officers,” said Sheriff Mark Dobbs. “We’ve seen this coming for a while and had hoped it could be avoided...

Area seniors started the spring of 2020 by buying prom dresses and planning graduation parties. They end it with hopes these milestones will still happen, but are concerned the current COVID-19 disruptions could extend to their after high school plans as well.