POPLAR BLUFF CITY COUNCIL APPROVES 2017 CITY BUDGET The Poplar Bluff City Council has approved a city budget for the fiscal year beginning on January 1st.
The budget was unanimously approved at the city council meeting Tuesday night and includes a deficit of $237,758.
The budget does include the cutting of one employee in the municipal court and some open positions in other departments will also not be filled.
SEMIFINAL SET FOR 30TH ANNUAL POPLAR BLUFF BASKETBALL SHOWDOWN The semifinal matchups have been set for the 30th Annual Poplar Bluff Basketball Showdown.
The Poplar Bluff Mules advanced to today’s semifinal with a 84-82 victory over Humboldt. Senior Willie Lucas scored 30 points, which gives him over 1,000 points for his career.
The Mules will take on defending champs Kenwood Academy tonight at 7pm. Kenwood defeated Cordova Tuesday 63-60.
The other semifinal will be a Missouri-Arkansas matchup as Jonesboro takes on Vashon at 8:30 pm.
The two consolation matchups today will be Liberty Tech vs. Memphis Central at 4 pm and Humboldt vs. Cordova at 5:30 pm.
Today is also the day for the Slam Dunk and 3-point contest, which will begin at 10 am.
AIRCRAFT CRASHES NEAR PIEDMONT An aircraft crashed Tuesday near Piedmont.
The incident occurred Tuesday evening when a small aircraft hit a power line and crashed.
According to the Piedmont City Fire Department, everyone involved is okay.
DEXTER MAN ARRESTED ON FELONY METHAMPHETAMINE CHARGE A Dexter man is facing a felony meth charge following his arrest Monday in Stoddard County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 43 year old Christopher Opiela was arrested shortly before 11 pm Monday night on felony charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Opiela is also facing a charge of driving while intoxicated – drugs. Following the arrest, he was reportedly held in Stoddard County on a 24 hour hold.
NAME RELEASED OF VICTIM IN SIKESTON SHOOTING Updating a story we brought to you yesterday, authorities have released the name of a man who was shot over the weekend in Sikeston.
Captain Jim McMillen with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety tells us that 32 year old Barrett Swan, of Cape Girardeau, is still in critical condition and at last report was awaiting surgery for injuries he received in a shooting on Christmas morning.
Swan had three gunshots to his torso and said he was leaving a party in Sikeston when he was shot by an unknown subject.
The SEMO Major Case Squad has been activated and investigators are working on the incident. Anyone with information on the shooting is being asked to contact Sikeston DPS at 573-471-4711.
START DATE ANNOUNCED FOR UPCOMING TWO MONTH LONG BRIDGE PROJECT IN BUTLER AND STODDARD COUNTIES Officials have announced the start date for an upcoming bridge repair project in Butler and Stoddard Counties.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, Route U in Butler and Stoddard Counties will be closed beginning on Monday, January 9th as contractor crews perform bridge repairs.
Work is scheduled to be performed from 6 am to 6 pm daily through Wednesday, March 15th.
The bridge is located between Route H in Butler County and Route CC in Stoddard County. During the repairs, officials say a detour will be in place.
