Stories from Wednesday, July 3, 2019

NEW MADRID, Mo. — The New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens is asking for help locating a wanted sex offender. According to Stevens, Allen Pretz has an active felony warrant for child molestation. Pretz is from Halls, Ky., but is believed to still have ties to the area, specifically Matthews, Mo...

ORAN, Mo. — A toddler died after being struck by a vehicle Tuesday afternoon in Scott County. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, at 4:40 p.m. on Highway 77, two miles north of Oran, the southbound vehicle driven by Larry B. Reid, 45, of Burfordville struck 2-year-old pedestrian, Issac J. Coplin of Chaffee, who had walked onto the roadway...

Portageville - Now that the smokes has cleared from the Community Day fireworks, event results of the are are as follows. The 2019 July 4th Queen is Railey Bradfield of Portageville. The Junior Miss Queen is Emily Hairston, First Alternate is Julianna Nobel, Second Alternate is Ashlyn Swilley...

C’mon gas owners over here in East Prairie. We only got a couple places to get gas. Y’all is 10 or 15 cents higher than Sikeston. Usually we are 10 cents cheaper. I just seen y’all getting your tanks filled in, just like I did in Sikeston. They sell their gas at $2.35, we sell our gas over here, we ain’t that dumb or fool. Well, I don’t know, we paying $60 for a water bill, $65 for a water bill over here in East Prairie and still ain’t seen no changes. Roads still have those pot holes in them. You hit em you better go swimming in them. C’mon, if not, I will call Speakout put for East Prairie residents to drive to Sikeston. Let’s show them. If we all do, even if 10 or 20 people do it, that’s 10 or 20 people you’re losing out there. C’mon, walk your butt out there and lower gas prices. I’ve seen the trucks out here. Same prices as Sikeston. Thank you.

Aurora, Colo. — Dorothy M. Ragsdel Pullam, 85, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died June 27, 2019, at her home in Aurora. Born Dec. 21, 1933, in Bloomfield, daughter of the late Lowell and Neva Irene Green Ragsdel, she had lived in Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Colorado and Ohio before moving to Dexter in 2000. She had been a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Dexter and was a member of the Faith Christian Assembly in Colorado...

WYATT, Mo. — Richard Allen Williams, 75, died July 2, 2019, at his home in Wyatt. Born Nov. 3, 1943, in East Prairie, son of the late Allen Lee “Jack” Williams and Ella Mae Brumley Williams, he had lived in Mississippi County most of his life. At a young age, he drove a truck for his dad at the alfalfa mill in East Prairie. As a U.S. ...

SIKESTON — On July 3, 2019, at 6:30 a.m., Julie Ann Grant was welcomed into the arms of her Heavenly Father after a brief battle with cancer. Born Dec. 30, 1955, in Kirkwood, Missouri, she was the only daughter of Sally and Harold Stegeman. Julie graduated from high school in Kirkwood, in 1974, and married her husband of 44 years, Bill Grant, on March 15, 1975, at her parents’ home...

Despite objections of city officials, chamber representatives and members of the business community, it appears the Missouri Department of Transportation will close Highway 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson for about seven months next year, forcing about 20,000 motorists a day to find alternate routes to their destinations...

DEXTER — The Dexter Police are mourning the loss of one of their own following the death of police canine Bard. Bard underwent surgery on June 27 to remove a piece of metal from his paw. The surgery went well, according to a statement by the department, and Bard was at home recovering with his handler, Officer Thomas Forkum. During the evening hours of June 30, Forkum discovered Bard dead in his kennel...

Even though Veteran James Blair Moran will be receiving the Southeast Missourian Spirit of America Award on Thursday, he’s dedicating the recognition to fellow infantrymen William Allsbrook Jr., David Tinsey and Bruce Stickle. Moran, 71, served with the 25th Infantry division in III Corps during the Vietnam War and participated in two major offensive operations...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — A single-vehicle crash resulted in injuries for three people early Wednesday in New Madrid County. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash occurred at 7:03 a.m. on southbound Interstate 55 at the 38.2 mile marker as the vehicle driven by Christopher Albright, 42, of Mountain Home, Idaho, ran off the right side of the road and overturned...

CHAFFEE, Mo. — Issac J. Coplin, 2, died July 2, 2019, in Chaffee. Born Nov. 25, 2016, in Sikeston, he was the son of Matthew P. Coplin and Danielle A. Hill Coplin of Chaffee. In addition to his parents, survivors include: four brothers, Ethan Hill, Jordan LaFave, Trystan Hill-Cpolin and Ezekiel Coplin; maternal grandparents, Norman (Janet) Hill Jr.; paternal grandfather, James Coplin; and his aunts and uncles, Ashley and Damon Burks, Isaiah Hill, Kaitlyn Coplin, James Aaron Coplin;, Carmen and Kelley Waldon, Elisa Gegare and Amber Legros.. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Despite continued reduced revenues, Dr. Sam Duncan, New Madrid County R-1 superintendent, is upbeat about the projected 2019-20 budget. Shortly after Duncan was hired as the district’s superintendent, the county’s largest employer closed, impacting the school district’s funding along with its enrollment. But, Duncan, quickly points out, the school district met the financial challenge of losing approximate $3.1 million of its annual funding, head on...