POPLAR BLUFF COUNCIL SCHEDULED TO REVIEW POTENTIAL FACE MASK MANDATE
Poplar Bluff City Council members will be looking over a potential, city-wide face mask requirement due to concerns over COVID-19.
Dr. Doland Piland, a Poplar Bluff physician and 30 year hospital official, came to the council on Monday, bringing his concerns over the virus, and the potential it still has to harm the city and its residents.
In his presentation to the Council, Piland stated that the virus has left the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at full capacity for three months, forcing them to seek hospitalization at areas further away from Missouri. He also referenced that 29 states are already mandating face-masks, as well as 19 community governments in Missouri.
Piland went on to announce that many communities are suffering financially from equipment and staffing costs, and that the number of coronavirus related hospitalizations, deaths, and cases, have only increased as time passes.
According to Piland, while face masks aren’t a perfect solution, they have been shown to minimize the spread of the virus, helped lower cases of the virus in school districts, and have aided New York City in reducing coronavirus cases when the stay at home order proved ineffective.
BUTLER COUNTY NOW CLASSIFIED AS AN EXTREME RISK COUNTY FROM COVID-19
Butler County is now classified as an extreme risk area for COVID-19.
According to the criteria of the recent public health warning released by state health officials, as of Monday, Butler County is now under category one of the coronavirus safety plan. This means that the County is above a 15% positivity rate, and over 350 cases have been confirmed per 100,000 tests performed.
Under the extreme risk category, face masks are strongly advised in all offices and businesses where social distancing is not possible, social groups should be kept to 10 people or less, and anyone exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine for a minimum of 14 days, regardless of a positive or negative test result.
MAN ARRESTED IN WAYNE COUNTY ON MULTIPLE DRUG RELATED CHARGES
A man was taken into custody in Wayne County on Monday on multiple drug related charges.
According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, 39 year old Jimmy Nunnery, of Patterson, was charged on felony possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, as well as a possession count of marijuana, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
Following his arrest, he was transported to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
CASES OF COVID-19 INCREASE THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI; STATE TOTAL NEARING 325,000
Cases of the coronavirus across southeast Missouri have continued to increase, while the state is nearing 325,000 total cases of the disease.
According to the Butler County Health Department, 52 new cases of the virus were confirmed on Monday, bringing the County’s total cases to 2,816. Three deaths were also reported from the disease, with the County now standing at 24 deaths from COVID-19.
In Stoddard County, 52 new cases were reported over the weekend, bringing the County’s total cases to 2,329. Of them, 163 are active, while 2,114 have recovered. The County has also reported a total of 52 deaths caused by the coronavirus.
Dunklin County now stands at 2,290 cases. Of them, 2,169 have recovered, and 103 are currently active.
In Missouri, as of Monday, there are now 324,956 cases of the virus in the state, while 4,194 deaths have been directly linked to the disease.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON MULTIPLE FELONY WARRANTS IN STODDARD COUNTY
A Poplar Bluff resident was arrested on several felony warrants in Stoddard County on Monday.
According to the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department, 31 year old David Fletcher was booked on three felony warrants out of Butler County for receiving stolen property and two counts of stealing, as well as a felony warrant out of Carter County for stealing. He was also charged with the felony offense of resisting arrest.
The total amount stolen by Fletcher is over $25,000.
He was transported to the Stoddard County Jail following his arrest, on a $65,000 cash or surety bond.
INJURIES REPORTED FOLLOWING VEHICLE CRASH IN STODDARD COUNTY
Injuries were reported after a vehicle crashed in Stoddard County on Monday.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash happened when a vehicle failed to negotiate a curve on Route ZZ, south of Dudley, causing it to travel off the south side of the roadway.
An elderly occupant of the vehicle suffered minor injuries from the incident, and was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital for treatment.
ROADWAY IN DUNKLIN COUNTY TO CLOSE FOR MAINTENANCE
A roadway in Dunklin County will be closing while undergoing maintenance.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, a section of Route B, between Route BB and County Road 332, will be closed while MODOT crews replace a culvert underneath the roadway.
The work will take place today and Wednesday, from 8 am to 3 pm daily.
