MISSOURI STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL TO BE HELD TOMORROW

A statewide tornado drill will be held tomorrow as a part of Missouri Severe Weather Awareness Week.

State officials say that Missouri’s annual Statewide Tornado Drill is scheduled to be held at 10 am.

Multiple area communities including Carter County and Sikeston have confirmed they will be participating in the drill.

If a tornado is in your area, the best shelter is a basement or other underground location. If a basement is not available, move to an all interior small room, or other interior location such as a hallway. Stay away from outside walls, doors, and windows. Try to keep as many walls as you can between you and the wind outside.

Mobile homes should be abandoned in favor of a more substantial structure if you are threatened by a tornado.

If you are in a vehicle and have a clear path that you can drive in a direction away from the tornado, then do so. As a last resort, you can abandon your vehicle and hide in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head. The best thing to do if severe weather threatens is to not drive. Stay in a safe building until the storms pass.

POPLAR BLUFF COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM SCHEDULED FOR APRIL

There will be a forum held in April for candidates for the Poplar Bluff City Council.

The candidates will speak at the Holiday Inn in Poplar Bluff, and will share information on why they are running for the Council, and what their plans are should they get elected.

Each candidate will speak for five minutes, and tickets are $15 dollars per person. If you plan to attend, you are asked to RSVP by emailing SBacon@PoplarBluffChamber.Org.

ROAD IN STODDARD COUNTY CLOSING FOR BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

A road will be closed in Stoddard County throughout the month for repairs.

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, Route Z will be closed while crews replace the bridge over the drainage ditch between County Road 755 and Route 153, and the work will take place starting today, continuing through April 15th.

More information on road work and projects is available by visiting www.MoDOT.Org.

TWO AREA MEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN STODDARD COUNTY WRECK

Two Dexter men were taken to an area hospital on Sunday following a single vehicle wreck in Stoddard County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 26 year old Jaycob Ellis was driving on County Road 683, west of County Road 691, near Dexter when his vehicle ran off the side of the road, struck a ditch, and overturned.

Ellis suffered serious injuries in the wreck and was airlifted to a hospital in St. Louis. An occupant in the vehicle also suffered serious injuries and was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital.

COMMUNITY CLEANUP SCHEDULED FOR APRIL IN WAYNE COUNTY

There will be a community roadside cleanup held in April in Wayne County.

Those who wish to attend will meet at the Bill Emerson Memorial Visitor Center at 8 am, and will be assigned a group to begin working on a specific section of roadway for clean up. Afterwards, participants will go to the visitor’s center for lunch.

For more information on this event, call the Wappapello Lake Project Office by calling 573-222-8562, or visit the Wappapello Facebook page.

CEMETERY CLEAN UP SCHEDULED FOR CITY OF POPLAR BLUFF

The city of Poplar Bluff will be having its annual cemetery clean up today.

The cleanup will be done by the Poplar Bluff Cemetery Department, and the office asks residents to remove any flower arrangements, personal items, or other decorations that would like to be kept, before the cleanup begins.

The cleaning will continue through March 31st. Decorations can be returned on April 1st.