Stories from Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Dexter School Board approved the purchase of two buses as well as the calendar for the 2020-21 school year at its regular meting Thursday evening. The board approved the purchase of one 71-passenger bus and one 44-passenger bus equipped with a wheelchair lift. ...

BLOOMFIELD — Sixteen drainage districts in Stoddard County have qualified to receive federal funds to clean out ditches that were damaged during flooding last year. John Hester, of the United States Department of Agriculture, told the six people and commissioners attending Monday’s county commission meeting that Congress made $31 million available for removal of sediment from Southeast Missouri drainage district ditches...

Stoddard County Warranty Deeds County Recorder Kay Asbell 01/13/20 to 01/17/20 • MQM Land Trust to Ahmad MO Holdings. Section 16 TWP 25 R 10. • Brenda S. Cryts and Mark McIntyre to Louie Norden and Lindsey N. Norden. Eastgate Subdivision Dexter Block 1 Lot 3...

Officials with Saint Francis Healthcare System announced Monday morning UnitedHealthcare has terminated its contract with the entity as the two negotiate rates for services provided at Saint Francis’ facilities. The situation would put Saint Francis facilities “out of network” for United customers, meaning customers would pay higher rates for services such as cancer treatment, surgery and laboratory testing provided at Saint Francis...

In a statement released Monday evening, UnitedHealthcare said its negotiations with Saint Francis Healthcare System are efforts to reduce the cost of health care for Southeast Missouri residents. “The cost of care at Saint Francis Medical Center is nearly two and a half times more expensive than the average cost of the hospitals in our network in the St. Louis metropolitan area, where more competition among hospitals has driven costs down,” the statement said...

• Lee Anthony Abraham, 51 of Poplar Bluff, Mo was booked the Stoddard County Jail on domestic assault – 3rd degree, armed criminal action, unlawful use of weapon – subsection 11 – possess weapon and a felony controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substance except 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia...

• A 17-year-old Greenville resident was injured in a one-vehicle crash at 7:13 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, on Highway T, one mile west of Puxico. According to the report, Cierra Garland was operating a 2001 Buick Century westbound when it ran off the right side of the road and struck a tree...

• Dexter Police responded to a report of stealing or counterfeiting at 6:24 p.m. Jan. 12 at 102 S. One Mile Road. • Lauren Shumate, 33, of Cape Girardeau, was arrested at 11:56 p.m. Jan. 12 on possession of a controlled substance (35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid), failure to comply with a lawful order and an unspecified warrant...

Leona Lois Griffin, daughter of the late Wenzil Crow and Ruby Leona Creg Crow was born in Bernie, on November 15, 1935 and departed this life at Saint Francis Medical Center ER in Cape Girardeau, on January 27, 2020 at the age of 84. Mrs. Griffin was a homemaker and a member of Northside Baptist Church of Bernie...

Betty Marie Holder Keirsey, daughter of the late Don and Dee Holder, was born on December 21, 1932, in Blodgett, Missouri and departed this life on January 24, 2020 at her residence in Dexter, at the age of 87 years. Friends may call at First Baptist Church in Dexter on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Funeral services will then be conducted at 11 a.m. with Rev. Mark Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the Blodgett Cemetery...

Bruce W. Taylor, son of the late Lonnie Taylor and Dolly Pearcy Taylor, was born on May 11, 1950 in Sikeston and departed this life on January 22, 2020 at his residence in Wappapello, Missouri at the age of 69 years. Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 from noon to 2 p.m. Funeral services will then be conducted on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 2 p.m. with Rev. George Howell officiating. Interment will follow in the Wappapello Cemetery...

Wayne Kersey, son of the late Ray Kersey and Dorothy Black Jerrell, was born on January 24, 1948 in Dexter and departed this life on January 22, 2020 at his residence in Aid at the age of 71 years. A memorial service was conducted at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Sunday, January 26, 2020...

Bonnie Jo Jones, daughter of the late Marion Orr Sr. and Mabel Kincer Riggs, was born on August 28, 1952 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and departed this life on January 20, 2020 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis Missouri at the age of 67 years. Funeral services were conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Friday, January 24, 2020. Interment followed in the Chalk Bluff Cemetery...

Phyllis A. King, daughter of the late W. C. Massey and Edith Henly Massey, was born on June 6, 1943 in Santa Rita, New Mexico and departed this life on January 20, 2020 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff at the age of 76 years. A memorial service was conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, January 25, 2020...

The Bloomfield School Board recently held its regular meeting. During the meeting the board approved Eva Hester as the district’s MSBA Belcher Scholarship applicant. It also approved the district’s mentoring program entitled Students with Ambitions and Goals or SWAG...

The Puxico Board of Aldermen approved repairs to a firetruck during its January meeting. Fire Chief Eugene Goodale informed the board that the department had had three structure fires, one grass fire, one vehicle fire and one medical call since the December meeting...

Authorities are investigating a suspicious death that occurred early Tuesday morning in Advance. According to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner, the Stoddard County Major Case Squad has been activated. Three suspects are in custody at this time, Hefner said. An adult was taken into custody near Bertrand and two juveniles are also in custody...

“We were looking for something we could do on a large scale,” observes Vicki Windham of Dexter. “Previously we have had small fundraisers, but with the goal of Boon Park Project now at $175,000, we needed to tackle something more aggressive.” That aggressive undertaking materialized as a murder mystery dinner theatre, which will be held Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, in Dexter...