ROAD DIET PLAN IN POPLAR BLUFF CHANGED TO ONLY BE EAST OF THE BLACK RIVER
A proposed change to a major road in Poplar Bluff has been scaled back.
KWOC News spoke with MoDOT Southeast District Project Manager Curt Woolsey who told us that the proposed “Road Diet” for Business 60/Pine Street will now only include the area east of the Black River.
The original plan would have reconfigured Business 60 in Poplar Bluff from an undivided 4 lane to a 3 lane with one eastbound lane, a center turn lane and one westbound lane from 10th Street to Route B.
The new plan will only slim the roadway from the Black River bridge to Route B.
Woolsey says that they received over a hundred comments from the community who were concerned about the project.
He added that MoDOT officials will be meeting with area leaders on Monday, January 13th.
CHANCES OF SNOW FOR LATE THIS WEEK IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Winter weather is back in the forecast for this week in Southeast Missouri.
According to a hazardous weather outlook from the National Weather Service, a winter system will bring a period of light snow to portions of the region Thursday night into Friday.
The greater chances of snow accumulation are in the southern portion of our region. At this time, snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches are expected.
CLOSURES PLANNED FOR MINGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FOR FERAL HOG CONTROL
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge will be closed for a number of days this month for animal control.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Inspection and Health Service will be conducting a multiple-day aerial operation to control feral hogs on the Wildlife Refuge from January 16th through January 22nd.
This management action will involve a helicopter flying over the refuge with personnel targeting and shooting feral hogs. For public safety, the entire refuge will be closed to public entry intermittently, with all roads entering the refuge closed.
This closure includes all access to the refuge including vehicle, foot, bicycle, and horseback.
If you are planning to visit Mingo National Wildlife Refuge during those dates, check fws.gov/refuge/mingo for updates on the activity. You can also call the refuge office at 573-222-3589 to get updates on the timing of the closures.
MAN IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING MULTISTATE PURSUIT
A man is in custody following a multistate pursuit on Tuesday.
According to Greene County Sheriff Brad Snyder, shortly after 1 pm, Paragould Emergency Services was notified that Dunklin County was in pursuit of a white Jeep Compass and it had entered Greene County from the Clay County line on Highway 139 near Mounds.
Dispatch was advised that the driver was wanted for multiple felony warrants, including felony fleeing. The vehicle was spotted by a Paragould Police Department Unit and began following the suspect.
The suspect was eventually apprehended without incident at a stoplight in Paragould.
The suspect, 50 year old Joel Hancock, of Kennett, is being held at the Greene County Detention Center pending an extradition hearing.
BERNIE AND HAYTI BUSINESSES PENALIZED BY EPA FOR LEAD BASED PAINT VIOLATIONS
Two companies in Southeast Missouri will have to pay penalties for alleged violations of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, DSH Legacy LLC in Hayti and Nygard Construction LLC, in Bernie, along with two St. Louis based companies have agreed to collectively pay over $27,000 in penalties for failing to comply with regulations that reduce the hazards of lead-based paint exposure during renovations.
EPA officials say that each of these companies performed renovations on properties built prior to 1978 without obtaining renovator certification from EPA, as required by federal law.
Other violations included failure to retain and produce required records and failure to follow lead-safe work practices during renovations.
BRIDGE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN FISK AREA
Route 51 in Stoddard and Butler Counties will be reduced today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform bridge maintenance.
The section of roadway affected is located from Route 60 in Stoddard County to Dale Street in Fisk.
Weather permitting, work will take place today from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
