Stories from Friday, June 5, 2015

A Malden, Mo., native will return to the area this month with a showing at the Margaret Harwell Art Museum. "Back Home," the work of Teresa Dirks, will be on display from Saturday through June 28. The public is invited to meet the artist during an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. Saturday...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff city attorney Robert Smith filed a motion Wednesday in a Butler County court to withdraw as representation for a city council member accused of nepotism. A hearing to rule on the motion has been scheduled for June 15 in the case against Jack Rushin, council member at large...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Some serious mud-slinging - but in a good way - will take place this weekend in Butler County as an estimated 4,000 people converge on Bricks's Off Road Park for Trucks Gone Wild. Trucks Gone Wild was started in Florida in 2005 and is essentially a festival of mudder-fueled mayhem that pushes the massive trucks to the breaking point for the amusement of spectators. ...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- An Ellsinore man was arrested Wednesday morning on a warrant charging him with negligently causing the death of one of his passengers during an earlier crash. Aaron Lee Dean Freeman, 27, is being held in the Carter County Jail on $10,000 cash or corporate surety bond after his arrest at 11:40 a.m. in Reynolds County by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Pull in next to an out of place Dog n Suds sign on Route PP and you won't be greeted by a poodle-skirted carhop. However, you might be met by a friendly, interesting and a little eclectic collector who recently hauled the sign back to Poplar Bluff from Antigo, Wis...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Editor's Note: This is the fifth in a series of stories concerning officer-involved shootings and their impact on our local law enforcement community. Retired Poplar Bluff Police Lt. C.A. "Tony" Wallace Sr. doesn't need newspaper clippings to remember him what happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 17, 1984...

Can't believe a politician Speak Out, this is in regard to the Speak Out message about the two cent increase that a gas tax would cost. Your two cent gas tax is wrote in stone. You will have it and more added to it forevermore. Item Two: politicians have some sort of an agenda and the first thing they will do is to redecorate their office or get a new desk when the old one is just fine or they'll get a new vehicle at taxpayer expense to go to work and back in. ...

Dove Award winner in concert here Dove Award winner Ann Downing will perform two concerts Sunday in the Butler County area. The first will begin at 11 a.m. at the Pilgrim's Rest Church near Fairdealing, Mo. The second will start at 6 p.m. at the Rombauer General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

On June 14th, the United States will observe Flag Day in honor of the date in 1777 where the official flag on the United States was adopted by a Congressional resolution. The flag, itself, is marked by 13 alternating red and white stripes, signifying the original 13 colonies. ...

Bobby Alexander JONESBORO, Ark.- Mr. Bobby Eugene Alexander, 83, of Jonesboro, passed away Saturday, May 30, 2015. He was born February 1, 1932 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to William Price Alexander and Eula Frances Pleasant Leonard. He was a member of Walnut Street Baptist Church. Mr. Alexander served in the Navy during the Korean War. He made custom hunting knives and he enjoyed working in church ministries...

Myrtle Wilson Myrtle Wilson, 74, of Fisk, died Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Jan. 20, 1941, to Hollie Daniels and Allene (Marshall) Hicks in Vanlear, Ky. Myrtle married Walter Wilson on April 19, 1973, in Poplar Bluff. She worked in food service for the VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff...

Effie Cross Effie Cross, 82, of Poplar Bluff, died on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born on July 25, 1933 to Lushen and Alice (Tallent) Pyatt. Effie worked as a forklift supervisor for Reckett and Coleman in St. Peters, Mo...

Peggy Bader CAMPBELL, Mo. - Peggy Eloise Bader, 85, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Bader, daughter of Mike and Dulice Davis Morath, was born on May 16, 1930 in Houston, Miss...

Gene McRoy DEXTER -- Calvin Eugene "Gene" McRoy, 65, of Bloomfield died Monday, June 1, 2015 at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Assembly of God Church in Bloomfield with the funeral service following at 1 p.m. at the church. Rev. Dwight Hensley and Rev. Charles Clark will officiate. Burial will follow in the Walker Cemetery in Bloomfield...

Dorothy M. "Dottie" Wheeler DONIPHAN, Mo.--Dorothy M. "Dottie" Wheeler, 73, of Doniphan, died Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at her residence in rural Ripley County. A memorial service is planned for a later date. Edwards Funeral Home of Doniphan is in charge of arrangements...

The last two weeks of May I spent visiting my daughter's family in New York and we spent time visiting friends and grilling outside. The month of May is usually the kickoff of the grilling season. So now is the time to clean off the grill and get ready for a summer of grilling...