Region briefs 6/10/04

System leaking sewage onto ground, into ditch

DEXTER, Mo. -- People living at or near Westridge Apartments, formerly Grant II, may have noticed a foul odor coming from the intersection of Grant and Two Mile Road. Or they may have noticed dark, sludgy water filling the drainage ditch. Both come from one source -- a backed up sewer that services the apartments is leaking about 10,000 gallons of raw sewage onto the ground per day. The problem has become so severe the Missouri Department of Natural Resources is calling it a "severe problem" and is in a hurried search to find responsible parties and get the mess cleaned up.

Ex-teacher faces felonies for sex with minor

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff High School science teacher, who was terminated from his teaching position Tuesday, now faces multiple criminal charges alleging he sexually assaulted one of his students. Charles "Sonny" Rickman, 50, was charged Wednesday with seven Class C felonies of second-degree statutory sodomy by Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour. The complaint on file with the court alleges that between Feb. 28 and April 18, the defendant had deviant sexual intercourse with the victim, who was less than 17 years old at the time.