Our network

Energize Mo. Homes Tour to visit two Southeast Mo. cities

Energize Mo. Homes Tour to visit two Southeast Mo. cities

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) - The Energize Missouri Homes Tour, sponsored by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Division of Energy, will visit Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff.

The tour showcases cost-saving, energy-efficiency trends and technologies and will be in Southeast Missouri on the following days:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 18 - Orscheln Farm and Home Store in Poplar Bluff from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 19 - Lowe's in Cape Girardeau from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 20 - Cape Farmer's Market in Cape Girardeau from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The tour will feature interactive displays contained in a custom-designed vehicle.

Rte. HH reduced for pavement repairs

Rte. HH reduced for pavement repairs

BUTLER COUNTY, MO (KFVS) - The Missouri Department of Transportation says Route HH will be reduced to one lane while crews make pavement repairs.

The road will be reduced from County Road 342 to County Road 214.

Weather permitting, crews will be working Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Copyright 2011 KFVS. All rights reserved

MoDOT: Share the road during Operation Safe Driver week

MoDOT: Share the road during Operation Safe Driver week

(KFVS) - The Missouri Department of Transportation is urging drivers to share the road during Operation Safe Drivers week from Oct. 16 to 22.

MoDOT says the point of Operation Safe Drivers week is that drivers of big trucks and passenger vehicles need to respect each other, pay attention and avoid unsafe behavior that could result in a crash.

“A driver’s first responsibility is to operate safely, whether the vehicle has two, four, eighteen or more wheels,” said Jan Skouby, MoDOT Motor Carrier Services director. “But go a step further and think about the other drivers near you. Are they paying attention? If not, pay more attention to them. Can they see you? If not, be sure to make yourself visible.”

Commercial vehicle drivers are also urging those with smaller cars to be extra careful when driving around trucks.

“A truck does not drive like a car," said Skouby. "They can’t make the same sudden moves and stops. The blind spots are much larger.

Doniphan woman injured when car crosses center line into semi

A Doniphan woman was injured Friday morning after her vehicle crashed into a semi-truck in Butler County.

Troopers say it happened around 6:29 a.m. on US 67, 4/10 mile south of Butler County Road 488.

According to the highway patrol, a Nissan driven by Patricia J. Crawford, 53, of Doniphan crossed the center line and hit a Freightliner semi-truck driven by Kevin S. Fuller, 53, of Broseley.

Crawford was flown to a Cape Girardeau hospital with serious injuries.

Troopers say both drivers were wearing seat belts.

Copyright 2011 KFVS. All rights reserved.

MoDOT to hold public hearing on Oak Grove Road project

MoDOT to hold public hearing on Oak Grove Road project

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) - The Missouri Department of Transportation says it will hold an open house public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to talk about improvements to Oak Grove Road.

The hearing will be held at the Poplar Bluff City Council Chambers, located at 101 Oak Street.

MoDOT says their part of the project will include construction of an interchange to give full access between Route 67 and Oak Grove Road, as well as geometric and traffic signal improvements at the intersection of Oak Grove Road and Westwood Boulevard.

The city's part of the project will include adding lanes to Oak Grove Road between Route 67 and Westwood Boulevard.

MoDOT says improvements to the road could start as early as May 2012 with it expected to be finished in 2013.

Layoffs begin at Poplar Bluff Briggs & Stratton

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KAIT) – Lawn and garden engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton will begin laying off employees Friday after announcing the cuts in September.

According to a press release from the company, 92 seasonal employees and 110 full and part-time employees will start being laid off on October 14.  

Briggs & Stratton manufactures small engines for the outdoor power equipment industry.

The company cites the economy and seasonal nature of the business for reasons for the cuts.

Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce Director Steve Halter says while the loss of jobs is a blow to the city, the unemployment rate in Butler County is still around 8 percent.  The state average is 8.8 percent for the month of August, according to the Missouri Department of Economic Development.