MISSOURI ANNUAL TORNADO DRILL TO BE HELD TODAY
This week is Missouri Severe Weather Preparedness Week and today the focus is on Tornado safety.
As we saw this past weekend, it is important to have a tornado safety plan in place before a tornado strikes. Officials say that knowing what to do before a tornado occurs is essential to protect lives.
You can find information on steps to take to protect yourself and your family in the case of a tornado at weather.gov/safety/tornado-prepare.
Today Missouri will be holding its annual statewide tornado drill at 10 am.
Officials say that residents should treat the drill as if it were an actual Tornado Warning. The purpose of the drill is to test everyone's readiness for life-threatening severe weather events such as tornadoes, flash floods, and damaging winds.
The National Weather Service will issue a Routine Weekly Test to NOAA Weather Radios to initiate the drill. This is a change from past years in Missouri where a true Tornado Warning was issued.
Robbie Myers with the Butler County Emergency Management Agency tells KWOC News that both Butler County and the city of Poplar Bluff tornado sirens will sound during the state Tornado drill.
DONIPHAN DONETTES TO PLAY TONIGHT FOR SPOT IN THE STATE BASKETBALL QUARTERFINAL
The Doniphan Donettes have a chance tonight to reach the state basketball quarterfinals.
The Donettes will be taking on Park Hills Central at 6 pm this evening in the Class 4 Girls State Sectional in Farmington.
A win by Doniphan will have them advance to the state quarterfinals this Saturday in Hillsboro.
The Boys Class 4 State Sectional tonight will see New Madrid County Central against Park Hills Central. That game is scheduled to begin at 7:45 pm in Farmington.
TWO POPLAR BLUFF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS HONORED FOR LEADERSHIP
Two Poplar Bluff school administrators were recently honored for their leadership by the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals.
Eugene Field Principal Jennifer Taylor was named a 2022 Missouri Distinguished Principal Honoree during the association’s leadership conference this past weekend at Osage Beach.
Officials say that during Taylor’s tenure, eight educators under her tutelage have transitioned to administrative positions across the region. She has additionally mentored three principals within the district.
Also during the conference, Middle School Assistant Principal Angie Rideout was named Missouri Outstanding Assistant Principal by the association.
WARRIOR’S WALK SCHEDULED FOR EARLY APRIL
The VFW Posts 7183 and 6477 along with FCC Behavioral Health are teaming up for a Warriors Walk in support of military, veterans, and first responders.
There will be multiple walks available during the event on April 2nd at Wolf Creek Trail in Poplar Bluff. Registration will begin at 9 am with the walk starting at 10 am.
Participants are being asked to register by March 15th.
For more information, or to register, call 573-888-5925, extension 7054.
STATE ROAD CREWS WORKING TO REPAIR POTHOLES
The Missouri Department of Transportation says that crews are out working on patching potholes throughout the state.
Officials say that the majority of pothole patching repairs are done from late February through the end of April.
Short-term repairs are made using a cold asphalt mix with a priority to fill the deepest potholes first. The long-term fix, a hot asphalt mix, isn’t effective until temperatures remain warm for a prolonged period.
When you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, remember to slow down and move over to give them room to work.
In 2021, MoDOT patched approximately 530,000 potholes and spent $18 million on pothole patching.
MODOT ANNOUNCES PLANS TO IMPROVE ROUTE 142 BRIDGE OVER ELEVEN POINT RIVER
The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced plans to improve Route 142 near Billmore in southeastern Oregon County.
The project includes replacing the Route 142 bridge over the Eleven Point River. A section of the roadway, located from the Eleven Point River to less than a mile east of the river, will be realigned slightly to the south and raised to mitigate issues with flooding.
Construction is expected to begin as early as spring 2023.
Traffic will continue to use the existing bridge during construction. As the new pavement is tied into the existing pavement, flaggers or temporary signals will be present to guide traffic through the work zone.
Officials say that impacts to river traffic will be minimal, with brief closures planned as girders are set for the new bridge and when the truss span is removed over the channel.
The project’s completion is anticipated by the end of summer 2024.
