VOTING UNDERWAY IN MISSOURI’S PRIMARY ELECTION
Polls opened this morning at 6 am for the Missouri Primary Elections.
Multiple local and state nominations are up for grabs, including Governor and one of Missouri’s States Senate seats on the state side, along with numerous races in Butler County. State officials estimate that 31 percent of Missouri’s registered voters will participate in today’s primary elections.
You can find your voting location online at www.GoVoteMissouri.com. Polls will close at 7 pm, and anyone in line to vote at that time will still get to cast a ballot. Anyone who arrives after polling places close will not be allowed to vote.
We will be following the results live from the Butler County Courthouse beginning at 6 pm tonight on Today’s Talk 93.3 FM and 930 AM KWOC as well as streaming online at KWOC.com and facebook.com/TodaysTalkKWOC. Our live coverage is presented by Barker’s Towing and Auto Repair.
ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS TO BE OUT CONTROLLING TRAFFIC AROUND POLLING PLACES
With Election Day being today, voters in Poplar Bluff may notice an increase of police officers near polling places.
Chief Danny Whiteley with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells KWOC News one reason for the presence of extra officers is traffic concerns.
DANNY WHITELEY:
“With the election taking place today we were anticipating probably a heavier turnout than usual. It’s kind of what I’m hearing and with that being said, we’re going to have some extra officers on patrol all around the different precincts and just try to make sure the traffic flow is ease in and ease out, we certainly want everyone voting and don’t want to have to worry about traffic problems. We will be keeping an eye on it all day and normally early in the morning and then of course late in the afternoon everyone getting of traffic seems to pick up some just naturally, but with the added event of the election it will probably increase some, so everybody it’s not going to be terribly hot today, just get in there get your vote done and hopefully everything goes smooth.”
TWO ARRESTED IN NEW MADRID COUNTY IN MURDER INVESTIGATION
Two were taken into custody in New Madrid County following a homicide investigation on Monday.
Few details are available at this time. However, according to authorities with the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department, officials received a call about a missing elderly woman, which led to her missing vehicle being found alongside two suspects.
Her body was later located in a field near Charleston, and the two suspects are currently being held at the New Madrid County Jail.
LOCAL RACES AT STAKE DURING ELECTION DAY
Voters in Southeast Missouri will be choosing who will serve them at multiple levels of government today.
For the Missouri State Senate, in District 25, there are four on the ballot, Jeff Shawan, Jason Bean, Eddy Justice, and Steve Cookson.
In District 153 of the Missouri House of Representatives, there are three candidates on the ballot, Larry Kimbrow, Jack (Skip) Johnson, and Darrell Atchison.
Other competitive local races include the race for Butler County Commissioner for the Eastern District between Don “Butch” Anderson and Ross DeGaris. For Public Administrator, incumbent Sharron Payne will be taking on Cheryl Baker, Margie Shipman, and Jeff Darnell. For Butler County Coroner, incumbent Andy Moore will take on Jim Akers.
Voters in Poplar Bluff and Butler County will be voting on a County Law Enforcement Sales Tax.
The County Law Enforcement Tax, if passed, would impose a countywide sales tax of one-quarter of one percent, for the purpose of providing law enforcement services for the county and funding to support current and future operations of the Sheriff’s Department and Jail.
LOCAL DRIVER KILLED FOLLOWING VEHICLE CRASH IN RIPLEY COUNTY
A Poplar Bluff driver was killed after a vehicle crash in Ripley County on Sunday.
Officials with the Missouri State Highway Patrol tell KWOC News that the incident took place on Highway 21, north of Route NN, where a vehicle lost control in a curve and ran off the roadway, striking an embankment and overturning. The driver was ejected as a result.
The driver, 30 year old Austin Evans, was pronounced dead at the scene.
BUTLER COUNTY REPORTS NEW SINGLE DAY HIGH FOR COVID-19 CASES; MISSOURI TOTAL OVER 52,000
Butler County confirms a new single day high for COVID-19 cases, while Missouri’s total has reached over 52,000.
According to the Butler County Health Department, there were 14 new cases reported on Monday, which brought the County’s total to 224 cases. The Department is working with the CDC to contact anyone who may have been exposed to the virus while the patients were active and infectious.
In Missouri, as of Sunday, there are a total of 52,886 cases of COVID-19 in the state, and 1,255 deaths have been directly linked to the disease.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of the virus, including fever, persistent coughing, or shortness of breath, you are advised to contact your primary healthcare provider before visiting any hospital or emergency room.
TWIN RIVERS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HOST REGISTRATION EVENT NEXT TUESDAY AND THURSDAY
The Twin Rivers School District has announced that it will be holding a two day registration event for all students in Kindergarten through 12th grade next week.
Royal Registration is scheduled for 1 to 7 pm Tuesday August 11th for students whose Primary Guardian’s Last Name begins with A-K and Thursday August 13th for students whose Primary Guardian’s Last Name begins with L-Z. Both will be held at Twin Rivers High School in Broseley.
There will be booths set up to receive students schedules, discuss student health concerns with the nurses, ask transportation questions, and allow students to have their school picture taken.
For more information, visit the Twin Rivers High School Facebook page.
