NEW SUPERINTENDENT SELECTED FOR SIKESTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
A new superintendent has been chosen for the Sikeston R-6 school district.
School Board President Chad Bles announced Thursday that Shannon Holifield has been unanimously selected to serve as the next superintendent.
Holifield has 29 years of education experience including as a classroom teacher, coach, and principal. For the last 7 years she has served as an assistant superintendent at Sikeston.
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas are under a slight risk of severe weather for today.
According to a hazardous weather outlook from the National Weather Service, thunderstorms are likely today and tonight with isolated severe storms possible.
SUSPECT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR KILLING A TURKEY
A man has been taken into custody in Ripley County for killing a turkey.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, a Ripley County Conservation agent was patrolling during the recent youth spring turkey season when he heard a gunshot in an area where a turkey was gobbling.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES INTO SHOOTING IN THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL
Updating a story we brought to you yesterday, a total of three people were shot during an incident over the weekend in the Missouri bootheel.
Steele Police Chief Billy Joe Stanfield tells KWOC News that an officer responded to an area on West Main Street on Sunday in reference to gunshots.
At the scene, the officer observed a large group of approximately 100 people fleeing the area on foot and in vehicles.
HAIL, FLASH FLOODING, AND WIND DAMAGE REPORTED DURING WEEKEND STORMS
Saturday afternoon’s storm system brought hail and wind damage to areas of Southeast Missouri.
According to the National Weather Service, golf ball sized hail was reported near the junction of US Highway 60 and Highway 21 N in Carter County. There were also reports of hail in Wayne, Reynolds, and Madison counties.
ONE IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO BUTLER COUNTY SHOOTING
Authorities in Butler County say that a man has been taken into custody in connection to a shooting on Tuesday.
One victim received non-life threatening injuries in connection to the shooting, which was located in the area of Highway 53 and Thomas Street.
DEXTER MAN SENTENCED FOR ENTICEMENT OF A CHILD
A Dexter man has been sentenced to two decades in prison for using social media to try to meet up with what he thought was an underage child for sex.
Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney, Russ Oliver, tells KWOC News that a Stoddard County jury found 42 year old Robert Cooper guilty of felony enticement of a child in March.
Oliver says that the case centered on the defendant luring, through Facebook Messenger, what he thought was a 13 year old girl to a motel in Dexter. However, at the motel Cooper met with Dexter Police.
PROPOSED OVERLAY PLAN TO BRING REQUIRED TEN DIGIT DIALING TO 573 AREA CODE
Phone users in the 573 area code will soon have to start using the area code when making local phone calls.
The Missouri Public Service Commission has directed the North American Numbering Plan Administrator to proceed with an overlay plan to alleviate the exhaustion of available telephone numbers in the 573 area code in Missouri.
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.
A Poplar Bluff man was found guilty of murder and armed criminal action. Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey L. Proctor tells KWOC News, 46 year old Michael J. 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 for the previous three years. Upon arrival, deputies entered the camper and found the victim to be deceased and seated on the couch with a single gunshot wound to her head.
Four witnesses who were family members or friends of the victim and defendant 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 for the Class A felony of Murder in the Second Degree and the unclassified felony of Armed Criminal Action. The defendant is facing life in prison on Murder in the Second Degree and additional fifteen years for Armed Criminal Action. Sentencing is set for June 16, 2022, in Dunklin County.
BUTLER COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE SEEN A RECENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SUICIDES
Officials in Butler County say that they have seen an increase in the amount of suicides this year.
Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that there has been at least nine suicides over the past nine weeks.
In addition there have been a total of 20 overdose deaths in Butler County this year.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SET AT 2022 OFC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
A full day of action on Tuesday has left two teams to battle it out for the 2022 Ozark Foothills Conference softball championship.
A total of five games was played Tuesday during the tournament at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.
In the three quarterfinal matchups, four seed Doniphan defeated five seed Twin Rivers 6-2, two seed Neelyville defeated seven seed Naylor 16-3, and three seed Clearwater beat six seed Greenville 8-1.
SUSPECT IN STABBING INCIDENT SHOOTS HIMSELF ON POPLAR BLUFF OVERPASS
A male subject reportedly shot himself following a stabbing incident Monday in Poplar Bluff.
Lieutenant Josh Stewart with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells KWOC News that at around 10 am Monday morning, officers responded to a location on Roxie Drive regarding a stabbing.
At the scene, the officers found a 31-year-old woman who was suffering from multiple stab wounds. Officers were told that the suspect had fled from the scene. The woman was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
ONE KILLED IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI MOTORCYCLE WRECK
One person has died in connection to a motorcycle wreck in Southeast Missouri.
According to authorities, 61 year old Walter Hawkes, of Patton, was driving on Highway 72 Saturday evening when his motorcycle ran off the side of the road and struck an embankment.
Hawkes was ejected from the vehicle during the wreck.
REMEMBRANCE EVENT SCHEDULED TO COMMEMORATE THE 1927 POPLAR BLUFF TORNADO
Next month will mark the 95th anniversary of the 1927 tornado that killed almost 100 people.
On May 9th, 1927 an EF4 tornado swept from Imboden, Arkansas to Poplar Bluff and ultimately killed 98 people as well as severely damaging the Poplar Bluff area.
A remembrance event to commemorate the anniversary of the tornado will be held on Monday, May 2nd on the 2nd floor of the Butler County Courthouse.
TWO KILLED IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS WRECK
Two people have died in connection to a wreck Tuesday in Northeast Arkansas.
According to the Arkansas State Police, 75 year old Janet Shaffner, of Makanda, Illinois, was driving on US Highway 67 in Pocahontas when her vehicle crossed into the center turn late and struck a truck head on.
Shaffner was killed in the wreck as was a passenger in her vehicle, 73 year old Eldon Shaffner, also of Makanda, Illinois.
INCOMING WEATHER SYSTEM BRINGS HIGHER CHANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY
A weather system that is crossing Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas will give us higher chances of severe weather today.
Station Meteorologist Dan Holiday tells KWOC News what weather officials are expecting for today.
“The Storm Prediction Center has issued a moderate risk of severe weather. What that is, is a level 4 out of 5 on the severe weather scale.
It's pretty high for us and so that means that we’ll likely see some large hail, damaging winds, even a few tornadoes some of which may be strong. Especially this afternoon as this system moves through.”
POPLAR BLUFF PRINCIPAL AWARDED BY MISSOURI ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS
A Poplar Bluff school principal has been awarded by a statewide agency for her support of school libraries.
O’Neal Elementary Principal Dr. Amy Dill was presented the 2022 Missouri Association of School Librarians Award for School Administrators during the organization’s spring conference Monday at Osage Beach.
TWO ARRESTED IN BUTLER COUNTY FOR PROVIDING ILLEGAL NARCOTICS RESULTING IN A DEATH
Two people have been arrested in Butler County for providing illegal narcotics which resulted in a death.
Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs tells KWOC News that early Sunday morning, a deputy responded to a residence on County Road 526 in reference to an individual that was unresponsive.
Once the deputy arrived it was apparent that the individual had overdosed. The victim was taken by ambulance to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The name of the victim is not being released at this time.
TEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER FIREARM FOUND IN VEHICLE ON SCHOOL GROUNDS
A Dexter teenager has been taken into custody after a firearm was found in her vehicle on school property.
Dexter Chief of Police Hank Trout tells KWOC News that on April 5th the Dexter Police Department assisted the Stoddard County Juvenile office with an investigation at Dexter High School.
During the investigation, a handgun was recovered from a 16 year old female student’s vehicle, which was parked on school property.
