POPLAR BLUFF MAN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER AND ARMED CRIMINAL ACTION
A Poplar Bluff man is facing spending the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty of murder.
Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor tells KWOC News, that this week 46 year old Michael Choate, was found guilty by a Dunklin County jury of the offenses of murder 2nd degree and armed criminal action.
The charges stem from an incident that took place in August of 2019 at a camper trailer parked off of County Road 476 in Butler County.
Deputy’s responded to the scene in reference to a call involving an accidental gunshot victim. Michael Choate himself was the caller and the victim was the defendant’s girlfriend. At the scene, deputies found the victim deceased, with a single gunshot wound to her head.
Witnesses testified that the defendant repeatedly assaulted and threatened the victim throughout their three-year relationship. Two of the witnesses testified that the defendant had threatened the victim with a firearm in the past.
The jury deliberated for nearly four hours before it returned a guilty verdict on both charges. Choate is facing life in prison on the murder charge and an additional fifteen years for the armed criminal action charge. Sentencing is set for June 16th in Dunklin County.
OFC SOFTBALL CHAMPION TO BE DECIDED TONIGHT
The Ozark Foothills Conference Softball tournament is set to come to an end tonight.
Doniphan and Neelyville will face off in the championship game tonight at 7 pm. That game will be played at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.
The third place game between East Carter and Clearwater was scheduled to be played yesterday, however it was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be played this afternoon at 3 pm at Clearwater High School.
You will be able to watch both games of the OFC Softball tournament live at Facebook.com/TodaysTalkKWOC and youtube.com/RiverRadioPB.
TRIKE A THON FOR ST. JUDE SET FOR THIS WEEKEND
River Radio and Missouri Highlands Medical Clinic will be hosting a Trike-A-Thon for St. Jude this weekend.
The event will be held on Saturday at McLane Park in Poplar Bluff.
Attendees can bike anytime between 9 am and noon and registration forms are available at any Missouri Highlands Location.
There will also be a bike and stroller decorating contest during the event.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI CITY CHOSEN TO HAVE BEST TASTING WATER IN THE STATE
A Southeast Missouri city has been selected as having the best tasting water in Missouri.
The Missouri Rural Water Association held the finals for its water taste-test competition, the Show-Me Tap Water Round-Up, on Wednesday.
A panel of judges deemed the City of Puxico to have the best tasting water. The criteria for the winning water sample included clarity, bouquet, and taste. There were four other finalists in the competition, including Bunker, Belle, New Haven, and Steelville.
Puxico will now go on to compete nationally against other states’ entries at the Great American Water Taste Test, which will occur in February 2023 during the Rural Water Rally in Washington, D.C.
POPLAR BLUFF PARKS AND RECREATION IS CELEBRATING EARTH DAY AT HENDRICKSON PARK
Today is Earth Day and officials at Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation say that a celebration will be held at an area park.
Attendees are encouraged to come create upcycled crafts during the Earth Day Crafts celebration this evening.
The event has been scheduled for 5:30 to 6:30 pm at Hendrickson Park in Poplar Bluff.
RAILROAD CROSSING REPAIRS TO CAUSE CLOSURE OF ROAD IN NEW MADRID COUNTY
U.S. Route 61 in New Madrid County will be closed today so construction crews can repair the railroad crossing.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, the section of roadway to be closed is located between Interstate 55 and Bloomfield Lane in New Madrid.
Weather permitting, work is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
