Stories from Monday, June 13, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Authorities have recovered a body from a pond near Fisk, Mo., they believe could be a missing Butler County man. The body and vehicle were recovered at approximately 7 p.m. Friday from a pond near the intersection of Highway 60 and 51 in Stoddard County, near the Butler County line...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer With only 80 days until classes begin, contractors say they expect to complete Poplar Bluff Public School's massive expansion on time. Voters in 2014 approved a $50 million tax levy that funded construction of major additions to the high school and middle school. Contractors in the coming weeks will push to complete work on those buildings in anticipation of the Sept. 1 opening day of classes...

Ezell Holloway Ezell Holloway, 74, Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Saturday, June 11, 2016, at Kindred Saint Anthony's in St. Louis, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

Tom Sweeney DEXTER, Mo. -- Tom Sweeney, 65, died at his home in Dexter, Mo. Friday, June 10, 2016. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Monday, June 13, 2016 at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Graveside funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter. Burial will follow in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, in charge of arrangements...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- The morning after, the nation awakes asking: What have we done? Both parties seem intent on throwing the election away. The Democrats, running against a man with highest-ever negatives, are poised to nominate a candidate with the second-highest-ever negatives. ...

Pike Creek Common Sewer District will hold a regular board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the district office, 4878 Route PP. Items on the agenda include system performance and engineering reports, phase 4, district specifications, employee reviews and a Pepsi item...

Patricia Kidd-Johnson DEXTER, Mo. -- Patricia Kidd-Johnson, 66, of Essex, Mo., died Saturday, June 11, 2016 at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at Lighthouse Christian Center in Dexter, with the funeral to follow at 1 p.m. Burial will be in the Caroline Dowdy Cemetery near Dexter. Online condolences may be sent to www.watkinsfuneralhome.com...

By MONA CHAREN The phone has been ringing off the hook at Judge Aaron Persky's chambers at the Santa Clara County court for the past several days. "Tell your judge he can go to hell, and I hope his kids get raped and he rots in hell," said one caller. ...

Butler County Retired Teachers and School Personnel will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Altrusa Room at Twin Towers. Barbara Dalton and Janet Leach, who have published two books about the history of Carter County, will be the guest speakers. All retired educators and school support employees are invited to attend...

Bonnie Birchfield FISK, Mo. -- Bonnie Birchfield, 67, of Broseley, Mo., died Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born January 7, 1949 to the late Fieldin Floyd and Dorothy (Rice) Sandlin, Sr. On May 30, 1968, she married Thomas Birchfield. He survives...

Donald Moore Donald Lee Moore, 78, of Wappapello, Mo, formerly of St. Louis, Mo, died Thursday, June 9, 2016 at his residence. The family will have a memorial service at a later date. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cotrellfuneralservice.com...

Ruth Fields PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Ruth Ann Fields, 79, of Piedmont, Mo, died Friday, June 10, 2016, at her residence. Visitation will be held Monday, June 13, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, Mo. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will be at Patterson Cemetery. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

James Raddatz PIEDMONT, Mo. -- James M. Raddatz of Des Arc, Mo., died Saturday, June 11, 2016, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center, Piedmont, Mo. Arrangements are currently pending with Ruegg Funeral Homes, Inc. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Joseph C. Potillo PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- Joseph C. Potillo, 94, of Pine Bluff, died Thursday, June 9, 2016 at home. He was born Oct.26, 1921 in Hilliard, Mo., son of Joseph C. Potillo, Sr. and Julia Clementine Laughlin Potillo. Mr. Potillo was reared and received his early education in several small towns before earning his GED in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. ...

To the Editor, Something I have noticed over the years is, not too many families have family reunions or get-togethers. They wait until there is a death, then everyone comes. I feel like the families should have get-togethers often. Learn about each other's good times and the bad times. ...

Glenn Wood Wilson Jr. MALDEN, Mo. -- Mr. Glenn Wood Wilson Jr., 41, of Wardell, Mo. died Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. Visitation will be at 11 a.m., Monday until service time at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Homestown, Mo. The funeral will follow at noon Monday at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Gary Tobar officiating...

Robert Twidwell GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Robert "Bob" Twidwell, 66, of Greenville, died Saturday, June 11, 2016, at his residence. Arrangements are currently pending with Ruegg Funeral Homes, Inc. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

The growth of youth soccer in Poplar Bluff took a big step this week with the help of a British invasion. For the second straight year, three international coaches from Challenger Sports landed at Whiteley Park to host the Poplar Bluff Optimist League British Soccer Camp. The camp was an annual event in the area 10 or 15 years ago but has been without an organizer until last year...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor As the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales thunder by during their dozens of appearances each year, hundreds of thousands of spectators revel in the beauty, majesty and sheer power of the giant draft horses. From Thanksgiving parades to opening day at Busch Stadium, to Daytona 500s and Super Bowl appearances, both in person and on the big screen, and even in Poplar Bluff, the Clydesdales are a crowd pleaser...

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Poplar Bluff Piranhas swim team couldn't match the depth of host Kennett, which won Saturday's meet by nearly 900 points. Poplar Bluff's oldest kids led the way. Lily Soeter won three races in the 15-18 age division with a teammate following her to the wall each time. Soeter won the 100-meter freestyle in 1 minute, 07.57 seconds, the 100-backstroke (1:16.28) and 50-freestyle (30.97)...

Kameron Misner has a decision to make. The recent Poplar Bluff graduate was chosen by the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals as the 1,003rd overall pick Saturday in the Major League Baseball Draft. Misner signed to play baseball at the University of Missouri earlier this year and will now have to weigh his options in the wake of the Tigers' coaching change...

With every highway mile Coy Rahlmann logs, every truck his family trades in and every championship buckle his mom proudly displays in the family great room, it's sinking in that he could rodeo professionally. The victories started early and often and are picking up in both speed and prestige. Most recently, the East Carter freshman earned a Missouri High School Rodeo state championship...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Animal Shelter received a helping hand this week from a unique rescue group that is helping pets reach permanent homes by utilizing air travel. Pilots N Paws is an organization consisting of volunteer pilots who fly missions to transport rescue animals in all 50 states. Member pilot Jim Carney on Monday came to Poplar Bluff to transport 14 kittens to Holden, Mo., from the animal shelter here...