Stories from Sunday, June 10, 2012

By JOHN WILLEY Staff Writer A suspected drug deal gone bad about 11:20 p.m. Friday landed one man in the emergency room of Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center and two in Butler County jail. Treated for a gunshot wound to his left forearm was Sammie Loyal Redmon, 36, of Bernie, Mo., according to police reports...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Local emergency personnel responded Saturday to what was described as a possible chemical suicide inside a car found near a local factory, as well as a tanker and drum leaking a hazardous chemical, as part of preparedness training...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Exactly 68 years after witnessing the D-Day invasion of Normandy on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, Clarence Wade, 101, sits in a cafeteria at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center and recalls one of the pivotal Allied victories of World War II...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Authorities believe the recent deaths of two Poplar Bluff, Mo., teenagers killed when their sport-utility vehicle was struck by a train emphasize the dangers of railroad crossings and hope their deaths will deter others from similar behavior...

By KIM BELL St. Louis Post-Dispatch The memory is still horrifying for former train engineer J.D. "Buzz" Stone, 25 years after a Burlington Northern freight train run through Missouri's Ozarks. As the 4,000-ton train of 64 cars topped a hill on a misty morning just before 4 a.m. in Lawrence County, Mo., he saw something ahead that would change him...

By OLIVER NORTH MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- The classical definition of a hero is a person who puts himself at risk for the benefit of others. That certainly describes Adolfo Calero, who died June 2 at the age of 80. The obituaries of this remarkable man hardly do justice to his courage, perseverance, faithfulness and humility. Here is the Adolfo Calero I knew, admired and called a friend for nearly three decades:...

Inhuman and cruel This is a message to the people or persons that left some lab dogs, which were puppies, out in the forest to be left to fend for themselves. A nice lady found them took 'em to the store and told everybody she had free puppies and where they were found at. ...

Greg and Angie West announcement the engagement of their daughter, Alexandra Alyssa West, all of Poplar Bluff, Mo., to Jason Wade Tinker, also of Poplar Bluff. Tinker is the son of Melissa Tinker and Ted Tinker of Neelyville, Mo. The bride-to-be is a 2009 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School. She received an associate degree from Three Rivers College in 2010 and recently graduated from the Poplar Bluff TCC Cosmetology program. She is employed at Hair FX...

Students at Twin Rivers Elementary School at Qulin who earned places on the fourth quarter honor roll include: First Grade: Sidney Bates, Kaydence Bequette, Joeseph Charest Jagger Crismon, Melody Gordon, Tucker Hequembourg, Charly Johnson, Matthew Johnson, Seth Melton, Hannah Patterson, Jaden Rodewald, Richard Rommel, Ella Skillman...

The Butler County Genealogy Society met on Thursday, May 24 at the Twin Towers. Attending were 23 members and guests. After the president called the meeting to order, vice president Paula Allen introduced the guest speaker, Marty Warner, who spent four months living and working in Guatemala. ...

Leeon Sugg DEXTER, Mo. -- Leeon Sugg, 67, of Dexter, Mo., died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at his residence. Mr. Sugg was born on April 16, 1945, in Sikeston, Mo. He lived in the Sikeston before moving to Dexter three years ago. He and his wife, Sandra, served as foster parents to many children during the past 20 years. He owned and operated his own auto body repair shop for more than 30 years. He was a member of the Morehouse Assembly Of God Church...

Floyd Hicks PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Floyd Ernest Hicks, 85, of Piedmont, Mo., died Thursday, June 7, 2012 at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Mr. Hicks was born July 18, 1926, in Piedmont, Mo. He was of the Baptist faith. He worked in the timber woods, and he was employed by General Motors until his retirement. He was a member of U.A.W. Local #25...

Eugene Eldridge PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Eugene Leslie "Les" Eldridge, 76, of Piedmont, Mo., died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at his residence. Mr. Eldridge was born on Aug. 27, 1935, in De Soto, Mo. He was self-employed and owned and operated a gas station and garage...

Raymond Lassen Raymond Howard Lassen, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Lassen was born Nov. 10, 1923, in Ripley County, Mo. After graduating from Grandin High School he made his home in Poplar Bluff. ...

James Wixom James Arthur Wixom, 51, of Houston, Texas, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at his residence. Mr. Wixom was born June 3, 1960 in Torrance, Calif. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and was a steel worker. Mr. Wixom enjoyed spending time with his family, and being outdoors...

Flora Swofford Flora "Flo" Swofford, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Swofford was born May 24, 1928 in Portageville, Mo. She was of the Methodist faith, and had retired from International Hat Co...

Joan Hinkle PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Orpha "Joan" Hinkle, 74, of Des Arc, Mo., died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles, Mo. Mrs. Hinkle was born on Sept. 22, 1937, to the late Clavery G. Martin and to the late Lena (Kendrick) Martin in St. Louis, Mo. She spent her childhood in Des Arc, Mo., were she graduated from Des Arc High School. She spent her young adulthood in St. Charles and the later half in Des Arc...

Robin Moore QULIN, Mo. -- Robin Lynn Moore, 50, of Glennonville, Mo., died Friday, June 8, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Moore was born May 10, 1962, at Poplar Bluff and had been living at Glennonville for the past five years. She is survived by her mother, Betty Ham; one son, Dustin Powell; and one daughter, Jacqueline Powell, all of Qulin, and her companion, Dennis Prenger of Glennonville...

Les Bilbrey WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Donald Leslie "Les" Bilbrey, 58, of Williamsville, Mo., died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Bilbrey was born on May 7, 1954, in Poplar Bluff. He graduated from East High School in Aurora, Ill., on June 7, 1973. He enlisted in the United States Army on Aug. 30, 1978. He served six years and three months including a tour in Korea...

Margie Hillis WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Margie Hillis, 90, of Williamsville, Mo., died Saturday, June 9, 2012, at her residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home in Williamsville.

Everywhere I go recently it takes less than five minutes for two questions to come up. "What's wrong with the Cardinals?" The simple answer is they're hurt. There are currently seven players on the disabled list including two Carpenters, two center fielders and now, a starter in Jaime Garcia. Since putting Lance Berkman on the DL on May 20, the Cards have gone 8-11, dropping to third in the NL Central, three games behind the Cincinnati Reds...

CHARLESTON -- The Poplar Bluff Thunder erased an early deficit Saturday night in the semifinals of the Fighting Squirrel Classic to stay unbeaten. The Senior Babe Ruth baseball team beat Kennett for a third time in less than a week with a 10-5 win at Hillhouse Park in Charleston...

Joan Hinkle PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Orpha "Joan" Hinkle, 74, of Des Arc, Mo., died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles, Mo. Mrs. Hinkle was born on Sept. 22, 1937, to the late Clavery G. Martin and to the late Lena (Kendrick) Martin in St. Louis, Mo. She spent her childhood in Des Arc, Mo., were she graduated from Des Arc High School. She spent her young adulthood in St. Charles and the later half in Des Arc...

Flora Swofford Flora "Flo" Swofford, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Swofford was born May 24, 1928 in Portageville, Mo. She was of the Methodist faith, and had retired from International Hat Co...

Robin Moore QULIN, Mo. -- Robin Lynn Moore, 50, of Glennonville, Mo., died Friday, June 8, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Moore was born May 10, 1962, at Poplar Bluff and had been living at Glennonville for the past five years. She is survived by her mother, Betty Ham; one son, Dustin Powell; and one daughter, Jacqueline Powell, all of Qulin, and her companion, Dennis Prenger of Glennonville...

Les Bilbrey WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Donald Leslie "Les" Bilbrey, 58, of Williamsville, Mo., died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Bilbrey was born on May 7, 1954, in Poplar Bluff. He graduated from East High School in Aurora, Ill., on June 7, 1973. He enlisted in the United States Army on Aug. 30, 1978. He served six years and three months including a tour in Korea...