Stories from Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Poplar Bluff City Council members voted Tuesday to purchase a building in the downtown area for $165,000, but have released no official plans for the future of the site. Officials also discussed during the council meeting the removal of inhabitants from a downtown building deemed uninhabitable, and joint oversight expected for the code enforcement program...

BLOOMFIELD — Stoddard County officials approved the 2019 budget with projected revenues of nearly $11.7 million, ending in the black with just over $11.4 million in expenditures. A public hearing was held Tuesday morning in the commission chambers for public comments prior to the budget approval. No citizens were in attendance and the hearing was closed after an hour...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Earnesteen Elizabeth Rushin, 92, of Poplar Bluff, departed this life on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Earnesteen was born on Aug. 12, 1926, to the late Maggie Mae (Spencer) & Charles Lafayette Dees in Zalma, Mo. She moved with her family to Poplar Bluff as a small child and has been a lifelong resident. She was of the Christian Faith...

PIEDMONT, Mo. — Mildred Montemayor, 73, of Piedmont, died Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 at the Clark’s Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Visitation we be from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Cremation will follow...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. — Sherri Renee Gardner, departed this life on January 22, 2019 in Poplar Bluff, Mo., at the age of 50 years old. Sherri was born on July 22, 1968 to the late Henry Gardner Sr. and Christie Turner Gardner in Slidell, Louisiana. As a lifelong resident of Butler County, she enjoyed listening to music, taking walks, spending time with family, having coffee with family and friends, spending time with grandchildren and gardening...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A Poplar Bluff man recently pleaded guilty in federal court to assault and weapons-related offenses in connection with the shooting of a local detective who was among officers attempting to serve an arrest warrant on him. James Odell Johnson Jr., 28, pleaded guilty as charged to the felonies of assaulting federal law enforcement officers, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. ...

Marian Marie English, 97, of Fulton, Mo. died Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, at her residence. Visitation will be 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the First Baptist Church in Gideon, Mo. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the church with Rev. Randy DeProw officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens cemetery in Kennett, Mo...

Patty Harty, 67, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She was born on July 13, 1951 to Bill Ward and Velma Ward Shelton in Poplar Bluff. She graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1969. Patty worked at the Poplar Bluff Walmart for nearly 30 years in the electronics department. She married Charlie AuBuchon and he preceded her in death in 1977. On December 12, 1980 she married Ronnie in Poplar Bluff...

City firefighters responded at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday to an alarm at 1429 N. Westwood Blvd. It was investigation only. ———— City firefighters responded at 10:57 a.m. Tuesday to a request from the Dexter Fire Department to send a crew and engine to cover Dexter while its fire department provided mutual aid to the Sikeston Department of Public Safety as it battled a motel fire there...

FISK, Mo. — Rev. Carl C. Brandt, age 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at Mark Twain Caring Center, in Poplar Bluff. Rev. Brandt was born December 29, 1923 in Bellflower, Calif., son of the late Albert and Rose Etta (Hanley) Brandt. ...

Come one come all, the circus is coming to town complete with acrobats, aerialist and animals to provide entertainment and fun for the entire family. The Carden International Circus will once again return to Poplar Bluff to delight crowds for two shows, Feb. 4 and 5, both at 6:30 p.m. at the Black River Coliseum...