Stories from Monday, August 17, 2020

Between serving as interim president for the local chapter of the NAACP, taking part in the Bridge the Gap conversations and starting a “Get Juiced” program during COVID-19, Rosa Johnson wants to bring people together. Karla Elliot, Emilee Inman, Selina Pociask, Tierra Johnson, Shayna Hogan and Audrey Hanes all nominated Johnson as a Difference Maker and said she’s done more things for the community than they could list...

FISK — Mary Frances Burden, 70, of Fisk, Missouri, went to her heavenly home on Aug. 15, 2020, at her home. Mary was born on July 22, 1950 to the late Clarence and Myrtle Jean (Skiff) Tull in Decatur, Illinois. She married Levi Burden on Aug. 2, 1971. He preceded her in death in 1993...

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports three people were killed in Sunday motor-vehicle crashes on Southeast Missouri roadways. A 60-year-old Poplar Bluff man died in a two-vehicle crash, which occurred at 5:27 p.m. on U.S. 60, four miles east of Poplar Bluff...

Saint Francis Healthcare announced Monday morning that the organization will offer medical insurance for both small and medium businesses with plans to start in January, 2021. The goal of the plan, officials said in a press conference, is to cut out the middle man and keep care local with a wide-network plan...

Joyce Alline Garner, 81, died Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. She was born Oct. 29, 1938 in Holland, Missouri Joyce was preceded in death by her parents: Arthur and Virgie Kelley, her first husband, Junior Galbraith, and second husband, James Garner, her brother, J.W. Kelley, her sister, Rubye Rucker, her son, James Galbraith, her son-in-law, Robert Dodd, and her great-grandbabies...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL A 31-year-old Poplar Bluff man was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 7:10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, on U.S. 160, three miles west of Doniphan. According to the report, Dewaine J. Wilmot was operating a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe westbound when it ran off the left side of the road and struck a tree...

City firefighters responded at 3:52 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, to assist emergency-medical-services personnel in entering the Vine Street Apartments, 430 Vine St. According to the report, a resident had fallen and needed help getting up. Firefighters opened the Knox box to get the keys to unlock the doors for EMS...

Saint Francis Healthcare announced Monday morning that the organization will offer medical insurance for both small and medium businesses, with plans to start in January, 2021. The goal of the plan, officials said in a press conference, is to cut out the middle man and keep care local with a wide-network plan...

Three Rivers College officials described students as being excited as they returned to classes Monday. “The first day has gone surprising well,” said Ann Matthews, dean of Student Services. “ … I think everybody is excited to be back on campus … just to feel like we are back to normal. I hope it is going to be a great school year.”...

The city of Poplar Bluff Planning Department reports that between Aug. 1-14, residents filed permit requests for seven residential additions or remodels. Work for all of the requests is expected to be valued at $52,800. The city also collected approximately $600 in fees on requests for: seven building permit; five plumbing permits; eight electrical permits; six HVACR permits; and one occupancy permit...

City officials have decided to sell the former site of the historic Poplar Bluff water tower at Baugh Lane and Barron Road. The 1947 tower was removed in January after a new, larger tank was built on Vandover Road. The old tank provided 100,000 gallons of storage, compared to 500,000 gallons with the new tank...

Karen Steele, 58, of Naylor died Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in New Madrid County, Missouri. She was born Dec. 20, 1961, in Poplar Bluff to Loren Leon Murray and Wanda Lorne (VanKirk) Murray. Her mother surives. She was a homemaker and attended Westside Church of God. She loved her horses and her dogs...