Stories from Thursday, July 28, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Two Butler County residents, both long committed to assisting individuals in the community facing mental or physical barriers will vie for the four-year term of public administrator on Tuesday. Incumbent Sharron Payne will seek to retain the position she has held for the past 16 years against challenger Sherry Lansford-Haga. ...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer BROSELEY, Mo. -- Twin Rivers R-X Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to accept bids on a new baseball and softball practice facility. Target completion is set for the fall ball season. The vote allows Superintendent Jeremy Siebert to proceed without additional approval after selecting the lowest bid...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor STRINGTOWN, Mo. -- Watching a group of about 15 large white-tailed deer bucks eyeing him from a distance Monday morning, Eighth District U.S. Rep. Jason Smith kicked off his annual two-week farm tour across southern Missouri...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) is currently investigating more than 100 complaints of herbicide drift lodged in the past 30 days in a four-county area of Southeast Missouri. MDA public information officer Sarah Alsager says the nearly the entire staff of investigators with the Bureau of Pesticide Control has been assigned to the affected areas...

By TIARA McCLURE (McClure, 22, works in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and lives in Puxico, Mo. She is a delegate representing Missouri at the Democratic National Convention and will provide a daily journal of her experiences.) Tuesday, July 26 8:30 a.m. is breakfast. ...

The members of Berrong General Baptist Church will be hosting a Gospel Singing at 6 p.m. July 31. A meal will follow the singing. Pastor Lee Roy Hefner and the congregation invites the public to join them in song, praise and fellowship. The church is located on Hwy. E near Gipsy...

Wanda Lee Miller Wanda Lee Miller, 82, of Puxico died July 15, 2016. A Gathering of Friends and a Memorial Service was held July 23, 2016 at the Life Chapel Assembly of God in Puxico. Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Dallas Voyles FISK, Mo. -- Dallas Dean Voyles, 71, of Wappapello died July 17, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Services were held July 20, 2016 at White Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. Brothrr Wayne Burchett officiated. Burial followed in the Brown Chapel Cemetery...

Jack Crawford Jack Crawford, 82, of Puxico passed away July 22, 2016 at his home. A visitation service will be held beginning at 10 a.m. July 29. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. at Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Burial will follow in the Puxico Cemetery...

Genealogy Society to meet The Butler County Genealogical Society will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Fellowship Hall at the First United Methodist Church, 500 N. Main St. Gwen Wallis will share a program entitled; "Discovering Where Your Family Lived -- Land Deeds and Locating Parcels on County Maps."...

The sound of sirens and marching bands will join floats and beauty queens when the Missouri Peach Fairs holds its annual parade. The parade will be held Saturday, August 27 to start the final day of the fair. All entries will begin moving down Grand Avenue in downtown Campbell at 10 a.m...

More than $7 million in prizes of $1,000 or more were awarded to Missouri Lottery players during June. Thousands of other prizes of less than $1,000 also were awarded during the month. Winners of $1,000 or more in June include the following: Lotto winners:...

By TAMMY ROBERTS Nutrition Specialist, University of Missouri Extension Zucchini Chopped Tomatoes Yield: Makes 4 servings each Ingredients 4 small zucchini, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon of your favorite herb, chopped (optional) Preparation...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Neither George W. Bush, the Republican Party nominee in 2000 and 2004, nor Jeb, the dethroned Prince of Wales, were in Cleveland. Nor was John McCain or Mitt Romney, the last two nominees. These former leaders would like it thought that high principle kept them away from a GOP convention that would nominate Donald Trump. Petulance, however, must surely play a part. Bush Republicans feel unappreciated, and understandably so...

William "Bill" Arthur Sheets ELLSINORE, Mo. -- William "Bill" Arthur Sheets, 71, was born May 18, 1945 in Saint Louis, Mo., and departed this life Monday, July 25, 2016 at his residence in Van Buren, Mo. Bill had resided in Van Buren. He was a member of the VFW, Modern Day Veterans, and the Disabled Veterans Association. ...

For his final college football game, Josh Freeman had to take his first trip outside of the United States. A Poplar Bluff and Southeast Missouri State alum, Freeman was invited to the second annual International University Sports Federation's World University American Football Championship in Monterrey, Mexico...

Eighteen years ago, LaJuan Christon and a couple teammates got into trouble. They missed curfew or something like that and had to run laps at Bacon Park. They were standing there at 5 a.m. on a dark, cold winter morning, unsure what to do. They looked around, waiting for somebody to pull up and give them a little assistance. Then out of nowhere, coach Gene Bess emerged from the fog...