Poplar Bluff track and field athletes earned multiple golds and secured key medals across events at the SEMO Conference meet at Notre Dame High School.Daily American RepublicWith multiple golds Poplar Bluff’s track and field did well in Saturday’s SEMO Conference Field and Track at Notre Dame High School Sophomore sprinter Kinyon Johnson lit up the track with silver medal finishes in both the 100m (10.97) and 200m (21.91) going toe-to-toe with Jackson’s Blayne Reagan Justin Clark turned earned second place with a time of 50.85 Middle-distance standout Landen Deaton delivered one of the biggest wins of the meet for Poplar Bluff claiming first place in the 800m with a commanding time of 2:03.83 Deaton held off late charges from Cape Central and Dexter runners securing the only individual gold in distance events for the Mules Patrick Slack had a solid outing in the hurdles claiming gold in the 300m hurdles (39.87) and silver in the 110m hurdles (16.14) The Poplar Bluff relay squads completed a trifecta of victories: 4x100m Relay: 1st (43.32); 4x200m Relay: 1st (1:31.21); and 4x400m Relay: 1st (3:28.43) Poplar Bluff’s field team also made their presence felt as JR Lathon soared to first place in the triple jump with a leap of 13.03 meters His win added another gold to the team tally Lynn Cotrell led the charge with double silver medals in both the 200m (26.50) and the 100m hurdles (15.98) plus a silver in the 300m hurdles (44.80) — a standout triple-medal performance Poplar Bluff’s girls’ 4x400m and 4x800m relays also earned bronze — The Hands-On Camper Contest is coming to an end at Poplar Bluff RV Sales a competition that’s lasted three days with four finalists for a $10,000 cash prize The Hands-On Camper Challenge tests contestants’ endurance and skills Spectators are invited to attend and cheer on their favorites A designated viewing area will be available The event is still going strong with the final four contestants still holding on © 2025 KBSI FOX23 News Cape Girardeau News | Paducah News A Poplar Bluff Junior High student’s design has been chosen as the new Butler County flag, set to be raised at the courthouse after winning a school-wide contest among eighth graders.Jonathon DaweThe four finalists for the flag design competition received acknowledgement from the Butler County Commissioners May 2.DAR/Jonathon DaweEighth grader Hetansh Patel’s design was selected as the winner of a contest challenging students to create a new county flag.Photo providedA new flag for Butler County designed by a Poplar Bluff Junior High student will soon fly at the Butler County Courthouse Eighth grader Hetansh Patel’s design was selected as the winner of a contest challenging students in Jodi Berry’s Design and Modeling class to create a new county flag Berry tasked her students on April 14 with incorporating the boundary of Butler County into their designs “I gave them two options: they could either design it by hand or they could use the computer,” Berry explained “But I told them that if they used the computer they would be on their own with no help from me I wanted this to be something they could do without my constant involvement “I told them what cities are in Butler County and gave them some historical information and I told them they should probably incorporate the boundaries of the county if possible Everything they did was all on their own.” using an online software program named Canva he designed a bold and bright flag for the county commissioners “I just figured I would submit some of what I thought were the best ones,” Berry said I was very proud to see what they all had done.” Berry said the students’ engagement was a positive surprise at this time of year when everything is coming to an end students can tend to be less motivated,” Berry explained “And we had also just come back from all the chaos of the tornado and everything I wasn’t expecting this level of involvement.” Butler County commissioners reviewed the top designs and chose four finalists: Patel seventh grader E’Monee Gainwell (third place) and eighth grader Bentley Brown (fourth place) “I can’t wait to see the finished product as a flag,” remarked Presiding Commissioner Vince Lampe Berry explained that Patel is going to make some final adjustments to his design “One thing he will be adding is the date Butler County was established,” Berry said “(Patel) told me he will work on it after school I’m sure he will have it completed really quickly.” Patel received a $100 gift card and a plaque in addition to his design becoming the new Butler County flag The remaining three finalists also received plaques; additionally Dodd received a $50 gift card and Gainwell received a $25 gift card by | Mar 31 Poplar Bluff tornado damage (Photo credit: Jeff Shawan) Tornadoes that pounded Missouri in mid-March are gone but the destruction they left behind is not forgotten in communities that are picking up the pieces The night of twisters left a trail of wreckage in 27 Missouri counties Some of the most damaged communities are in Rolla but they also killed at least 12 people in Missouri Poplar Bluff City Manager Robert Knodell told Missourinet nearly 1,000 Butler County homes have tornado damage “Really ripped through the center of our community major damage to a significant grocery store,” said Knodell More than 4,000 homes were without power immediately after the storm and in Arkansas helped to get the power back on within 48 hours City workers in Dexter and Sikeston helped Poplar Bluff to help remove debris and reopen streets with the State Emergency Management Agency told Missourinet that federal and state agencies are expected to finish preliminary damage assessments this week Knodell expects damage estimates to exceed $10 million Knodell said his community needs volunteers for several more weeks “This tornado cut a swath through neighborhoods and subdivisions and areas that have a lot of old growth vegetation volunteers are helping and assisting with that helping provide meals and supplies to individuals that need those,” he said Some tornado victims are staying with relatives either locally or in other communities Knodell said local hotels are full with people who are not able to stay in their homes The Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce is taking donations and Samaritan’s Purse is leading volunteer efforts Knodell said classes resume this week in Poplar Bluff Missourinet is a division of LEARFIELD Subscribe here to get our latest news and information delivered to your inbox © Learfield News & Ag, LLC. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPOPLAR BLUFF (KFVS) - Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center will celebrate 100 years of serving Butler County and the surrounding community Hospital officials will also celebrate by participating in several national community events Hospital employees began by participating in National Day of Prayer in front of the facility on Thursday The celebration continues when the hospital participates in National Nurses Week Poplar Bluff Mayor Shane Cornman will read a special proclamation recognizing nurses The celebration will also include treats and a cookout for all employees Hospital employees also plan to celebrate National Hospitals Week “As we celebrate during this landmark year we are reminded that the heart of our hospital has always been its people expert care to our community,” said Clyde Wood (KBSI) — Poplar Bluff Regional Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Center has received the President’s Circle award from Healogics the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services The award recognizes centers that achieve clinical and operational excellence “We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” said Megan Campbell program director of the Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center “Our team’s dedication to delivering high-quality patient-centered care has made a meaningful impact in our community.” The center also received the Center of Distinction award and the Clinical Excellence Award for achieving outstanding clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction rates The Poplar Bluff Wound Healing Center offers specialized wound care services hyperbaric oxygen therapy and bio-engineered tissues Poplar Bluff’s history features civic growth, from a 1925 factory vote to a 1950 plan for a 32-home subdivision. Other highlights include a student woodworking exhibit and a grocery store robbery in 1975.Samantha TuckerThis concept for a new Poplar Bluff High School was published in 1950.DAR file photoDetective Deonne Vaughn dusts a cash drawer for fingerprints after a robbery at the Safeway Store in Poplar Bluff DeCourley interviews robbery victim John McFarlin and assistant store manager Jim Martin.DAR file photo/John R StanardCivic growth is the theme of today’s headlines Poplar Bluff businesses were called to vote on a new factory in 1925 and an ambitious subdivision project was set to begin in 1950: a 32-home neighborhood of four- to six-room houses marketed at couples In other news: a high school woodworking class exhibited professional skill and a robber cleared out a grocery store cash drawer • The Ely Walker Dry Goods Company is eying Poplar Bluff for a new factory dedicated to overalls Its fate will be decided by a vote by local businesspeople is a help to the city,” said CC President W.H The vote will be held at tomorrow’s chamber meeting The Hamilton Brown Shoe Factor was previously approved in this manner and has “continuously employed a class of labor that has been a great help to the city,” according to Meredith • The Poplar Bluff High School Manual Training Class put their woodworking skill on display this week with tables which the Daily Republican called “as good as can be bought at the best stores.” The pieces are exhibited at the Begley Shoe Company on Main Street Propst said the results are especially impressive since the class had limited equipment to work with • Poplar Bluff’s largest development project to date starts next week Investor Herman Vosloh and contractor Carl Roberts announced a $300,000 plan to build 32 homes in the new Fox Meadows subdivision adjacent to Bacon Memorial Park five- and six-room ranch-style houses are being marketed to couples at $6,000-$13,000 (approximately $80,000-$175,000 today) The Daily American Republic reported “no two structures will be alike,” all will have city utilities and most plans include garages polite man who robbed Poplar Bluff’s Safeway Store Store clerk John McFarlin said he opened the cash drawer to make change at the suspect’s request when the man claimed to have a gun and demanded all the large bills in the register McFarlin removed the drawer and put it on the counter The suspect cleared out all the cash except $1 bills and fled the scene on foot Police and deputies scoured the woods northwest of the store for three hours without luck Authorities now believe he may have traveled by vehicle toward Springfield or Fisk (KFVS) - Healogics honored Poplar Bluff Regional Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center with its National President’s Circle Award for the second time The honor is the highest recognition that Healogics gives to centers that achieve clinical and operational excellence says “This marks the second time our clinic has received this prestigious recognition and it reflects the unwavering dedication of our outstanding team of wound care specialists.” Poplar Bluff’s Wound Healing Center is a member of Healogic’s network of Wound Care Centers In addition to the President’s Circle Award the center was also named a Center of Distinction and won the Clinical Excellence Award a labor and delivery nurse at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center has received The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses Morey was recognized for her compassionate care and dedication to her patients A nomination submitted on her behalf praised her efforts to ease a patient’s worries and ensure a safe and positive childbirth experience Morey has been a registered nurse for 13 years with a focus on labor and delivery nursing for the past four years The DAISY Award is presented by the DAISY Foundation a nonprofit organization established to recognize the exceptional care provided by nurses compassion and clinical excellence embody the very best of our Labor and Delivery team,” said Carla Rider “We are proud to celebrate her well-deserved recognition.” Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSIKESTON (KFVS) - After 18 holes of golf in the muggy southeast Missouri heat only one remained standing as champion of the SEMO Conference Jimmy Williams delivered a clutch birdy on the first playoff hole reflected on the final moments of Wednesday’s competitions “Knowing that I had that put to win conference I just kind of liked having that pressure on my shoulders and knowing that if I made this put I was going to win.. all the adrenaline is still going through.” Williams, who already battled through more than a life’s worth of challenges, including open-heart surgery, spoke on his high school career, reflecting on a challenging freshman year to now being on top of the conference. “Freshman year I was hardly on varsity, so that was a struggle,” Williams said. “My expectations, I was just expecting to be on varsity, and it was a very humbling experience. It’s incredible, I’m just at a loss for words, honestly, of what to say.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Luke Randle (@lukerandletv) Williams and Jackson placed 2nd in the team competition, behind reigning conference and state champs Poplar Bluff. Poplar Bluff finished 8 strokes ahead of the pack, to finish even par. The Mules’ consistency has been a theme all year under head coach Tyler Davis. The second-year head coach was not shocked with the Mules’ victory. “I had a strong feeling that we were going to come back and we were going to win it again today,” Davis said. “It’s just the amount of work that they put in day in and day out. I feel like it’s not surpassed by anybody else.” Poplar Bluff will attempt to reach states to continue their quest to repeat as state champions, in the district championships on May 12 in Farmington. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Luke Randle (@lukerandletv) Local church leaders and officials gathered at United Gospel Rescue Mission for a National Day of Prayer breakfast, offering prayers for Poplar Bluff, its leaders, first responders, and the nation.Barbara Ann Horton Pastor Ronald McCain visits with others at his table prior to the National Day of Prayer program.DAR/Barbara HortonGathered for the National Day of Prayer breakfast (from left) Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Mike Moffitt Keirsey and City Manager Robert Knodell.DAR/Barbara HortonGuests go through the breakfast line at the United Gospel Rescue Mission prior to the National Day of Prayer program.DAR/Barbara HortonRescue Mission board member Joe Leahy and Butler County Presiding Commissioner Vincent Lampe Father Daniel Robles of Sacred Heart Catholic Church is pictured in the background.DAR/Barbara HortonRobbie Myers visits with Bishop Ronnie Webb of Mount Calvary Power House Church Myers is a member of the mission board and Butler County Emergency Management Director.DAR/Barbara Horton“Prayer and our nation have gone hand in hand,” Robbie Myers said welcoming those gathered Thursday morning at the United Gospel Rescue Mission for a National Day of Prayer breakfast Myers is Butler County emergency management director and a member of the UGRM board The National Day of Prayer was officially established in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by Pres it was permanently set as the first Thursday of every May by Pres The breakfast at the mission was the brain child of Dr and he wanted to make certain this year’s event was better attended than the one last year “We can do better,” Kirk told himself last year when the group hardly filled in the gazebo on the Butler County Courthouse lawn we thank you for the food we are about to eat If we call on you together to do the work of the gospel thanked the Lord for Americans’ freedom to worship “We want to ask you to bless our nation,” Elledge said “We thank those people who come together in our nation to worship you and honor you.” Oesterreicher thanked Kirk for hosting the event before he prayed for Missouri He asked for help in “leadership,” understanding diversity and guidance in helping each other Father Daniel Robles of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in his prayer for Butler County’s elected officials reminded the crowd where two or three people pray together Poplar Bluff City Manager Robert Knodell told attendees they were the “arms and legs of our Lord here in our community.” Strength is needed in government service.” Aaron Cornman thanked God “for the blessing of life bestowed on us.” He also prayed God would “guide and direct” those who work for the schools “We do not want to take for granted everyone who leads,” Cornman said Bishop Ronnie Webb of Mount Calvary Power House Church thanked organizers for “affording us this opportunity as one church one faith and brothers to come together and become one in Jesus praying we are one unit of the body of Christ.” Before mission board member Joe Leahy prayed for the veterans He prayed for “men and women who have stood before God for over 250 years.” “We thank you God for our schools and acknowledge Him in all ways We pray for the angels who are not calling in sick today to keep us safe We are blessed to have the angels keep us safe.” Jerry Murphy offered prayers for area businesses and business leaders Dave Young of Westwood Baptist Church prayed for the first responders Young explained he is new to the area and is “falling in love with this community.” “We are honored to pray with our first responders Thank you Lord for those who serve and protect in the ministry of their job Help all first responders and protect them Jim Gentry of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief said “You gave us your peace because you are peace and the power helping us to help those who have experienced their homes being devastated facing trials that cannot be answered by men Thank you for those who come to help us with our needs Many of them continue to do their work in others disasters in their communities you and help all of these who are there.” Greg Gilberto concluded the program by praising the mission its work in the community Poplar Bluff boys claimed first place and the girls finished third at one of Southeast Missouri’s largest varsity invitational meets competing against more than 20 schools and setting new personal records.Max Seals Poplar Bluff High School hosted its annual varsity invitational Tuesday welcoming more than 20 schools from across Southeast Missouri for one of the largest meets of the season with the boys' team capturing first place overall and the girls' team finishing third in a competitive field Poplar Bluff topped the standings with 131.50 points ahead of Jackson (90) and Rockwood Summit (67) the Mules scored 89.50 points to place third behind Jackson (143.50) and Cape Central (90) Head girls' track and field coach Beth Lewis praised her athletes’ efforts across the board “Our teams continue to grow and rise to the challenge at every meet I’m incredibly proud — not just because of the points we scored but because of the heart and determination they showed,” she said with athletes achieving personal bests and setting new records across various events “Our athletes have shown tremendous growth and resilience this season,” Lewis said “Their dedication to training and support for one another has been key to our success.” The event also featured powerhouse programs such as Jackson 4x200 relay - Amiyah Mackins Aleah Jackson (KFVS) - It’s been nearly two weeks since some Poplar Bluff students have been inside a classroom Superintendent Aaron Cornman made that announcement on Thursday and gave an update on how the school district is doing since an EF3 tornado hit the city it’s going to look different for some Poplar Bluff students Extensive damage at the kindergarten center has caused it to be shut down for the rest of the year and the district is shuffling students to get everyone back in school Superintendent Cornman gave Heartland News an inside look at the damage at the Kindergarten Center and a lack of books where the library once stood Cornman says he’s proud of how the district has worked together to make it possible for kids to return to class just weeks after the storm the district estimates the storm caused more than $600,000 in damages to the school district The district plans on working to repair the kindergarten center all summer and hopes it can be back up and running in August but Cornman says it may December before it’s ready for kids to come back The Dollar General Corporation presented a check to the Poplar Bluff R-I School District on Tuesday. Kindergarten center Principal Christy Young said the money will go a long way to restoring classroom supplies for students.Barbara Ann Horton Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center Principal Christy Young Aaron Cornman get their first look at the $5,000 check presented by Amanda Calhoun of the Dollar General Corporation’s staff communications/marketing director for the school.DAR photos/Barbara Ann HortonKrakowiak Cornman and Young thank Calhoun for Dollar General's $5,000 donation to the school district's recovery efforts The check was presented outside Poplar Bluff's new Dollar General location on north Main Street.Cornman and Young accept a check from Calhoun alongside Dollar General staff district managers Kristin Godfrey and Kristen Chilton store managers Kelli Plowman and Cierra Hobbs and key holders Cassie Burkhart and Blake Millner Aaron Cornman and kindergarten center Principal Christy Young were surprised Tuesday morning to receive a $5,000 donation from the Dollar General Corporation Cornman and Young knew they were getting a donation Dollar General Corporation responds,” said Amanda Calhoun who presented the check along with Kristin Godfrey and other store employees Calhoun and Godfrey are district managers of operations for Dollar General “We are really excited about the donation.” The storm took a lot of things the staff had prepared for their classrooms and students “This will go a very long way on replacing these things and getting our year started again,” Young said “I was not expecting such a generous donation Teachers pay for things from their own personal money “It is not how I had planned for the year to go “Poplar Bluff R-I School District is extremely grateful for the generosity shown by Dollar General and its leadership team Our school district and local community come together to support the needs of our students We greatly appreciate all of our community partners.” The presentation was made at the company’s new Poplar Bluff store located at 1602 North Main St The funds will help support the district’s recovery efforts at the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center following the March tornado DG’s mission of serving others includes a commitment to literacy and education and disaster relief and recovery efforts public relations specialist for the Dollar General Corporation Hall said Dollar General has a deeply-rooted history of championing education initiatives particularly through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation which was founded more than 30 years ago in 1993 by the store’s former CEO in honor of his grandfather and co-founder nonprofit organizations and public libraries within a 15-mile radius of a store can apply for Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants at dgliteracy.com Dollar General and its foundations contributed more than $2 million through various partnerships and initiatives to support disaster relief (KFVS) - Rivers in the Heartland could flood as the heavy rain continues through the weekend the Black River at Poplar Bluff will crest Saturday at 21.5 feet That water level moves the Black River into the major flooding stage That’s why crews around Poplar Bluff have spent the day preparing for flooding The Black River Colliseum transformed into a hub for Missouri Task Force 1 “We’re deployed by the state emergency operations center in Jefferson City They approved us to come down here and support the local assets for swift water tornadoes and flood rescues,” said Task Force Leader Randy Sanders Sanders said he and his team arrived in Popar Bluff early Friday morning With the threat of record-breaking flooding looming he said they’re prepared to stay for as long as they’re needed “We’re not sure what exactly they’re going to need but we bring a hundred thousand pounds of equipment rescue equipment a swift water team of forty five and a drone team of three along with capabilities of canine searches,” said Sanders Crews began preparing sandbags to help the community keep their homes safe Sanders reminded folks of other ways to protect themselves from the dangerous weather “Don’t drive through water; watch out for downed electrical lines There was a fatality here a couple of nights ago That’s very important when the weather gets bad Hope you don’t need us; we’re here if you do,” he added they can be picked up at the farmers market parking lot in downtown Poplar Bluff A trip to a thrift store in Tulsa, Oklahoma led to a startling find: A Poplar Bluff Mules football varsity jacket from the undefeated '66 season. What was its story?Mike Shane The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls The Poplar Bluff Mules football team had a 9-0 undefeated season in 1966 Steve Arant was a member of that championship team He played side by side with the legendary Eddie and Leroy Moss Steve went on to win four varsity letters in football and basketball He proudly wore his maroon varsity jacket everywhere along with the rest of his teammates He was aware of the Poplar Bluff football legacy While shopping in town he wandered into a flea market and was shocked at what he found Hanging in front of him was a Poplar Bluff varsity jacket The jacket had a 1966 undefeated season football patch on it He immediately identified it as Steve Arant’s varsity jacket How did this historic treasure end up in Tulsa What fate led another Mule to find the jacket The undefeated football team of the 1966 Mules was inducted into the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 There is a special exhibit honoring our champions Foust knew where Steve’s varsity jacket belonged It now is proudly displayed with all the other team mementos from 1966 Don Foust did some detective work and found Steve Arant living in Tulsa He was so happy that we recovered it and proud that we wanted to display his jacket in the museum The museum is open free of charge and handicap accessible (KFVS) - Some people in Poplar Bluff are getting back to business as the tornado recovery continues Customers returned to the dining room at Mimi’s Market and Cafe in Downtown Poplar Bluff The restaurant reopened its doors on Thursday March 27 for the first time since an EF3 tornado hit the city nearly two weeks ago She said she shut down Mimi’s after the storm to give her employees time to clean up Two of her employees’ homes were severely damaged Morgan said seeing the community show up for them on their first day back means a lot and everybody relies on this place for income A Boone County Fire Protection District division returned from southern Missouri on Sunday Missouri Task Force One (MO-TF1) returned to Boone County after being deployed to Poplar Bluff where a team assisted in floodwater rescue operations The team responded to two incidents during their deployment with the first rescue being around 9:30 p.m a woman was stranded in her home by rising floodwaters when MO-TF1 used two rescue boats to safely remove her to a waiting ambulance for two women stuck in their car due to flooding The team initially launched a high-water rescue vehicle but it became stuck while trying to return to a safe location Two more boats were then launched to bring the rescue team and victims to shore Crews reportedly remained on the scene until they were able to successfully reclaim the high-water rescue vehicle MO-TF1 was released from their mission Sunday morning by the State Emergency Management Agency and is estimated to be back in the county around 4 p.m (KFVS) - The “Rock the Country” music festival in Poplar Bluff has been canceled According to a post on the event’s public Facebook group page the stop in Poplar Bluff was canceled due to low ticket sales president of the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce “We are incredibly disappointed that the Rock the Country music festival will not be returning to Poplar Bluff this year bringing over 42,000 people to our community and showcasing what makes our region such a great destination for live music and entertainment “While we understand that ticket sales may not have met expectations so far this year we firmly believe that the addition of Little Rock as a venue played a significant role in slowing momentum Poplar Bluff and Brick’s Off Road Park proved that it could host a major and we have no doubt that the dedicated team at Brick’s will continue to bring high-quality events to our area “We remain grateful for the incredible experience Rock the Country provided last year and look forward to the next big opportunity to showcase Poplar Bluff as a premier destination for live entertainment.” Halter says they do not plan to host the Rock the Country music festival next year as it was a year-by-year deal We also reached out to Brick’s Off Road Park on Friday January 31 about the cancellation and they replied Organizers say if you bought tickets you have the option to transfer your ticket to another location or to request a refund In October 2024, organizers announced the lineup for all locations including Poplar Bluff (KFVS) - Poplar Bluff R-I School District announced a plan to return students to the classroom after tornado damage Friday night Aaron Cornman stated the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center will be closed for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year Superintendent Cornman explained that the EF3 tornado caused significant damage to two of the district’s buildings resulting in the closure of the Kindergarten Center He said the O’Neal Elementary FEMA Safe Room has roof damage but they are making adjustments allowing students to remain in the building while repairs are made Superintendent Cornman said all Kindergarten Center students will be relocated to their Mark Twain School campus Three Rivers College is making classroom space for the Mark Twain students and the Middle School students will relocate to a designated space on the Victory Lane campus These changes are expected to remain in effect for the rest of the school year Cornman said families affected by these changes will be contacted by their child’s building principal and/or classroom teacher(s) Transportation and other services will be announced when they are finalized Staff will be spending the rest of the week moving to their new locations A return to school date has not been announced staff and leadership are working as soon and as safely as possible to resume in-person classes The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF3 tornado Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBUTLER COUNTY (KFVS) - Two teenagers were rushed to a hospital after a rollover crash in Butler County on Thursday afternoon approximately 4 miles west of Poplar Bluff According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol a 16-year-old Van Buren boy was driving eastbound when his SUV went off the road and flipped MSHP said the teen and his 16-year-old passenger Both boys were taken to a Poplar Bluff hospital for treatment MSHP said the driver was not wearing a seat belt The SUV was reportedly totaled in the crash Lawson Barks becomes the first Poplar Bluff golfer since 2015 to win the Ozark Invitational clinching victory with a nine-under 133 — the third-lowest score in tournament history.By MIKE BUHLER but also because he did so in dominating fashion a 2024 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School and freshman golfer at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg won his first-ever Ozark Invitational after he carded a nine-under 133 at the tournament — the third-lowest score in Ozark history all glory to God and then credit to my parents and (former WHCC club pro) Jimmy (Vernon) Barks edged out Jeremy Tandoy of Broken Bow whose score of eight-under 134 is the fourth-lowest ever recorded at the Ozark and would have won the tournament in most other years “I honestly played just as well today as I did yesterday,” Tandoy said Sunday evening “I just had two bad swings that cost me about four shots and I capitalized on almost all the par-fives.” who is a golfer for the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith played in his fourth and final Ozark Invitational on Saturday He said playing in the Ozark has become a tradition while he golfed at UAFS “Me and my team love coming up here and playing this every year I'm hoping it's a tradition that keeps going long after I'm gone from Fort Smith.” Barks and Tandoy turned in their performances despite poor weather Sunday — intermittent rain showers plagued the Ozark much of the day But that didn't prevent some amazing scores as 17 golfers finished the tournament under par but you've just got to keep the chin up keep going and not worry about the weather — just take it one shot at a time and keep trucking along,” Barks said going to be wet (sometimes) — just be ready for it.” who is also the longtime tournament director of the Ozark was very pleased with how this weekend's tournament turned out We appreciate everybody coming out and turning up for this but Travis Whiteley and his crew did a great job getting the course ready The fairways and greens were fantastic and the guys just played awesome There were some really good scores today.” Sunday's win by Barks was especially sweet for Vernon not only because Barks is a Poplar Bluff native but also because is a former student of Vernon's “It's really special for us here at Westwood Hills and in Poplar Bluff when we can have a local winner,” Vernon said in 2015 and this one is almost as special to me He's great to teach and he works extremely hard at it Barks had a four-stroke lead over Tandoy at the beginning of the day Sunday after Barks carded a five-under 66 on Saturday but Tandoy shot a seven-under 64 on Sunday That last birdie propelled him into a tie with Barks who needed a birdie on 18 to win outright — and he sunk a two-and-a-half putt to do just that and win the tournament So what was going through Barks' mind before he sank the winning putt just inside right edge and just hit (it),” Barks said Calvin Dillon finished third with a six-under 136 while 2023 champion Josh Rhodes shot a five-under 137 to place fourth Phillips and Benjamin Keil — tied for fifth after carding four-under 138s at the tournament Jason White shot a three-under 139 to place ninth the younger brother of Lawson Barks and a sophomore at PBHS — each shot two-under 140s to tie for 10th Wayne Fredrick won the senior won the senior division at the Ozark after carding a one-under 141 for the tournament edging out runner-up Brian Haskell by two strokes and third-place Jeff Eiserman by five (KFVS) - Schools in Poplar Bluff will be closed starting on Monday as crews work to assess storm damage According to a release from Poplar Bluff R-I School Dist leadership does not know the full extent of the impact of the storms currently Cornman says the devastation is significant which appears to have sustained a total loss similar to the destruction experienced by many homes and businesses in our community an external agency conducted a structural assessment and visual analysis of the building to determine its safety for occupancy Cornman said he received confirmation via email that the building is safe to begin cleanup efforts and mitigate the damage the administrative team will meet with community leaders closely collaborating with Kindergarten Principal Ms Leaders aim to evaluate all possible options for Kindergarten students’ education the Poplar Bluff R-I School District will not be in session for at least the week of March 17-21 Cornman says coordinating efforts with the Governor the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education they will need to remove loose and free-hanging items that pose safety concerns before staff can enter the facility Custodial and maintenance staff have already begun this process which will reportedly continue at least through Monday staff members will be able to retrieve personal items and organize instructional materials for transfer to an alternate location so we can resume classes the district will actively seek opportunities to support the community Cornman says they hope to provide further information regarding the level of support the school district can offer by Tuesday Poplar Bluff prepares for potential evacuations as the Black River nears critical flood levels. The river is expected to reach 20 feet by Saturday, with emergency services ready to provide shelter and aid.Jonathon Dawe Poplar Bluff could begin to see residents displaced by flooding when the Black River reaches 20 feet officials said Friday afternoon in a briefing with first responders The river is supposed to reach that level by mid-afternoon Saturday “We’re continuing to watch the river and monitor its level,” Poplar Bluff City Emergency Management Director Jeff Shawan said “When it looks like people are about to be displaced by high waters then we will open the Black River Coliseum for shelter and let everyone know.” Shawan was very clear that he didn’t want to create any unnecessary worry we believe Black River will get to 21.5 feet,” Shawan explained “People will likely start being displaced after it reaches 20 feet So we just want to be prepared for the worst There’s a lot of severe weather coming and it’s likely to hit here as soon as 5 p.m Major flood stage for Poplar Bluff is 21 feet everyone was informed that all sirens for the city and Butler County are working as they should safety officer/rescue specialist with Missouri Task Force 1(MO-TF1) informed everyone of the purpose of the task force “We aren’t here to take over or anything like that,” Sanders said “We’re here to just supplement what you already have in place We have 100,000 pounds of equipment with us — including multiple boats and drones Sanders went on to explain the MO-TF1 is trained specifically to extract and rescue people from damaged/ruined buildings Major Casey Eckert with the Missouri National Guard informed everyone that soldiers are currently working to fill sandbags for public use we’re basically filling what we can to meet the needs as they rise,” Eckert said “We’re hoping to get more equipment here to help us fill more sandbags at a faster rate Bill Robison with Smith and Company Engineers produced inundation maps designed to show projected areas that might be flooded if the Black River gets above 21.5 feet these are just projections and things could go differently,” Robison explained Myers noted that he hopes everyone will stay informed to follow all developments with the weather It was also mentioned that the Poplar Bluff Severe Weather Response Team will be live on all social media platforms throughout the night Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPOPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KFVS) - Officials in Poplar Bluff are still working to get the community back on its feet, one month after an EF3 tornado hit the city “Recovery is a big job after you get through the initial disaster then the big long-term work begins,” said Poplar Bluff Emergency Management Director Jeff Shawan You can see that work is happening in neighborhoods hit hard by the March 14 tornado you will find stacks of food and other essential items Shawan said the nonprofit World Central Kitchen is helping feed anyone in need delivered in the remote parts of the county to folks that are having a hard time eating,” he said Shawan said communication is one of the biggest A lot of people are having poor cell service they lost their devices in this kind of a tragedy,” he explained The Red Cross had a hard time reaching property owners “We’ve identified roughly 60-some odd homes where we know that those residences were eligible for financial assistance,” said Red Cross Representative AJ Donelson more progress is being made over at the hard-hit Poplar Bluff Estates Samaritan’s Purse crews finish up work on Tonica Winchester’s home So they did tarping on top of the roof,” Winchester explained She is thankful for everyone helping the city along what will be a long road to recovery “It’s nice that the community has done so much for so many,” Winchester said “I’m not surprised how this community always comes together and we’ve become very unified and help each other through this,” Shawan added If you are one of the many property owners affected by the March 14 tornado officials recommend calling 1-800-Red Cross for financial assistance Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPOPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KFVS) - Many folks came out Tuesday night and gathered in the Black River Coliseum as they learned about the many resources and opportunities available to help storm victims Butler County Emergency Management Director Robbie Myers said volunteers will help with clean-up efforts including yard work The idea is to make sure they have a safe and organized plan in place as they work to rebuild and restore Poplar Bluff “We want people to be safe wherever we send them but we want to make sure we are doing the right work that the people need at their houses,” Myers said “Some things people need didn’t need done until an adjuster comes and just a variety of things and make sure we have the right equipment for them the right tools and the right training.“ will kick off the community-driven initiative in Poplar Bluff with community clean-up days where volunteers will meet at the Black River Coliseum For more information, click here (KFVS) - One person is dead in Butler County after severe weather hit the Heartland The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF3 tornado with estimated peak winds of 138 mph hit Poplar Bluff Butler County EMA Director Robbie Myers said about 500 homes and 50 businesses were impacted County leaders are still assessing the full impact There will be several meetings on Monday to set up the next steps for debris removal and coordinating with national groups Myers said the shelter at the Black River Coliseum has been shut down due to the lack of need He said they may reopen it if the need arises Butler County Coroner Jim Akers confirmed the one death He identified the victim as 62-year-old Ronnie Ezell Butler county has 1 fatality from last nights storm Myers said they should assess the damage at their homes and the EMA will work with them “Some of your neighbors are going to need a lot of help we’ll probably be collecting some different goods We’ll be working with some non-profit groups to help clean up trees and other debris that’s in private property city and state workers will clean up the county and city and county roads but private property gets a little bit harder for government to get on so we got good partners coming to help us with that,” he said Myers said they’re going to make a list of needed donations and will share that as soon as they can the Ridgel Branch of the city’s library was heavily damaged According to Poplar Bluff Library Director Shannon Midyett the branch will be closed for the foreseeable future The Main Street Branch doesn’t seem to have detectable damage but it will be closed until Monday as well to focus on recovery efforts in the community We received photos of a lightning strike near the main branch It is unclear at this time if it struck the building (KBSI) – A large fire broke out in Poplar Bluff early Tuesday morning Crews responded to the blaze at a building on Bartlett Street near the intersection of South B Street around 3:09 a.m According to Poplar Bluff Fire Department Chief Mike Moffitt said firefighters were able to contain the fire to the abandoned building which was once used as a mechanic shop with storefronts and apartments He said around 25 firefighters were on scene The fire posed a risk to a nearby residential area but was extinguished within two hours without any reported injuries The cause of the fire remains under investigation and is underdetermined (KFVS) - A Poplar Bluff man was flown to the hospital after a single-vehicle crash in Butler County According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash Report The crash occurred as a 2005 Toyota Tacoma travelled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree identified as a 70-year-old Poplar Bluff man The Highway Patrol says the driver was not wearing a safety device at the time of the crash Poplar Bluff marked Arbor Day with a community tree planting at Whiteley Park, aiming to restore trees lost in the recent tornado and continue its legacy as a Tree City USA.Jonathon DaweChildren eagerly helped Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department Horticulturist Kelvin Morant plant three new trees at Whiteley Park Saturday.DAR photos/Jonathon DawePoplar Bluff earned recognition from Tree City USA a program honoring communities dedicated to urban forest growth several years ago in 1982 the devastating March 14 tornado saw a countless number of trees destroyed the Poplar Bluff Garden Club and the Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department decided to start adding back to what was lost Young and old alike gathered at the pavilion in Whiteley Park where Poplar Bluff Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Parson read a declaration formally acknowledging Arbor Day in Poplar Bluff The parks and recreation department had brought numerous small planters with soil and flowers to educate the children on how to properly plant something a horticulturist with the parks department explained that they were planting three Jane Magnolia trees in the park “Those trees were selected because of the way they bloom,” Morant said “By next spring they will have a pink bloom.” Morant said he feels encouraged by the number of people who have spoken up about planting more trees “We definitely want to put back what we lost,” Morant remarked we would like to put back more than what we lost.” said she is going to investigate whether or not the Federated Tree Board will be able to release funds to Poplar Bluff for the purpose of planting more trees “We need to look into that a little further,” Wilson said The location of Saturday’s tree planting was selected due to the fact that Whiteley Park lost an oak tree during the tornado in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters provides a framework for cities and towns to manage and expand their tree canopy secretary of agriculture under President Grover Cleveland Morton advocated for a day to encourage tree planting in the state The first Arbor Day was observed in April 1872 Nebraska made Arbor Day a public holiday in 1885 nearly all states began observing Arbor Day with dates varying based on local climates “This is my third year doing this event here,” Morant said I hope more people get involved and maybe we can have an even bigger crowd next year.” Photos from Harmony Hill Trailer Park in Poplar Bluff show the extensive damage caused by recent destruction there have been no reported fatalities in the area.Daily American Republic staff writer Joe McGraw captured these images from the devastated Harmony Hill Trailer Park on the west side of Poplar Bluff No fatalities have been reported from this area Mike Kehoe is currently touring damaged areas of Butler County A National Weather Service assessment team is also expected to be in Butler County today This is an evolving story and will be updated as information becomes available (KBSI) – Missouri Task Force 1 (MO-TF1) has been activated to respond to forecasted flooding in Poplar Bluff The Type III Task Force is set to deploy this afternoon to assist local authorities in flood-related emergency response operations starting tomorrow morning The task force will bring an extensive array of equipment A specialized Disaster Situation Awareness and Reconnaissance (DSAR) team will also deploy providing critical live reconnaissance imagery and real-time situational oversight through advanced technologies such as Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Geographic Information System The primary mission of the DSAR team is to provide disaster mapping and situational intelligence to Incident Management Teams the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams in the US specializes in search and rescue operations during disasters A day after being deployed to tornado damage in Pilot Grove Missouri Task Force 1 (MO-TF1) members were being deployed to Poplar Bluff The MO-TF1 Type III Task Force is deploying on Thursday afternoon ahead of forecasted flooding in the area The gear includes 11 convoy vehicles and boats Forty-eight members and two canine units will leave the Boone County Fire Protection District Headquarters at 2:00 p.m They are planning to be in place by Thursday evening ready to start operations early Friday morning (KFVS) - Runners and walkers will participate in the 12th Annual Wolf Creek Trail Run on April 19 The event helps the Kiwanis Club of Poplar Bluff raise money for Kiwanis Bacon Memorial Park The 6K Race and Walk the Forest events are $35 to participate Medals will be awarded to the top two male and female runners in each age division and all half marathon finishers Runners and walkers can register for the event here