POPLAR BLUFF’S FIRST FEMALE MAYOR PASSES AWAY
Poplar Bluff’s first female mayor has died.
KWOC News has learned that Betty Absheer passed away Saturday evening at the age of 85.
Absheer was appointed as the Poplar Bluff Ward 3 council member in September 1989 and elected to the remaining two years of that term in April 1990. She would go on to win a total of nine terms in the Poplar Bluff City Council.
Council members elected Absheer to one-year terms as mayor five times from 1993 to 2015.
Absheer was born on October 19, 1936, in Old Greenville. In addition to serving as a council member and mayor, she also worked three years in the office at Anderson Furniture, 13 years at Metropolitan Insurance, and 28 years in the Poplar Bluff Housing Authority Office.
We have more information on the life of Poplar Bluff’s first female mayor, Betty Absheer, at KWOC.com.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN KILLED IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS WRECK
A southeast Missouri man has died from injuries he received in a wreck on Friday.
According to the Arkansas State Police, 44 year old Eric Abernathy, of Poplar Bluff, failed to stop at a stop sign on Highway 358 in Northeast Arkansas and drove into the path of a truck.
Officials say that Abernathy was killed in the wreck. No injuries were listed for the driver of the truck.
The wreck occurred shortly before 9 pm Friday night in Greene County.
ONE CHARGED WITH MURDER IN CONNECTION TO MISSING DUNKLIN COUNTY MAN
Two men have been charged in connection with a report of a missing man in Dunklin county.
According to Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder, an investigation is ongoing into the death of Jerry Ott. Ott was reported missing last Monday and found dead later in the week.
Holder says that two men from Campbell have been arrested in connection to the investigation.
61 year old Philip Cooper is facing charges of murder in the first degree, armed criminal action, tampering with physical evidence in felony prosecution, abandonment of a corpse, and stealing.
38 year old Jonathan Cooper has been charged with tampering with physical evidence, abandonment of a corpse, and stealing.
Both men have been incarcerated in the Dunklin County Justice Center pending their court appearance.
MULES FOOTBALL ADVANCES TO DISTRICT SEMIFINALS
The Poplar Bluff Mules have returned to the District semifinals.
The Mules defeated Oakville 42-7 Friday night in the Class 5, District 1 quarterfinals.
Poplar Bluff will travel to Imperial this Friday for their semifinal matchup with Seckman. The game will be broadcast live on Today’s Talk 93.3 FM and 930 AM KWOC as well as at KWOC.com.
The East Carter County Lady Redbirds Softball team finished in fourth place at the Class 1 state Tournament over the weekend.
SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR MAN WHO ESCAPED CUSTODY IN NEW MADRID COUNTY
Authorities in New Madrid County are searching for a man who reportedly escaped from custody last week.
According to the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department George Jones escaped from the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department shortly before 5 pm on Friday.
Jones had been charged with possession of a controlled substance, burglary, property damage, stealing, and stealing a motor vehicle.
While turning himself in at the office, Jones fled from deputies.
He was last seen wearing a green jacket, black sweatpants, and white tennis shoes with handcuffs and a leather belt restraint still on. Jones was last seen in the area of the New Madrid County Sheriff’s department going towards Main Street.
A picture of Jones is available on the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 573-748-2516.
DUNKLIN COUNTY ROAD TO BE CLOSED TODAY FOR CULVERT REPLACEMENT
Route JJ in Dunklin County will be closed today so crews with the Missouri Department of Transportation can replace a culvert under the roadway.
The section of roadway to be closed is located between Central Avenue and Jefferson Street in Glennonville.
Weather permitting, work will take place today from 8 am to 3 pm.
