Portage Des Sioux News

In St. Charles County Saturday, volunteers in one community filled sandbags and transported them to another nearby town.

Just as Matt Neustadt of Farmer Wants a Wife did find a potential wife with winner Brooke, the Portage Des Sioux, Missouri farmer just doesn't have time these days to think about television.

The city of Portage Des Sioux needs volunteers to help save its water plant. The Army National Guard arrives Friday.

Could Delhi Township native Christa Ackerman become the TV farmer's wife on Wednesday? And will viewers who hate the blunt 'Farmer Wants A Wife' contestant ever forgive her if she steals Matt Neustadt's heart ...

Winona Cissell isn't worried. She's seen it all before. She says her cousins took her in when the 1993 flood forced her out of her house on Main Street.

Lori Cotton, of Portage Des Sioux, took this photo near her home during the Mississippi River flooding.

My entire family, my friends and, thanks to this column, many people I've never even met know that I'm addicted to reality television.

“It put on about 50 pounds for me.I was about eight months pregnant serving them when they came in for the girls night.”

St. Charles County - What would you do if your town was the focus of a reality TV show? In rural Portage Des Sioux in St. via CW11 St. Louis KPLR-TV

“No respectable woman will chase chickens.”

'Farmer Wants a Wife' contestants Amanda, Brooke, Krista, Lisa, Christa and Kanisha 'Farmer's' bucolic bachelor Matt FARMER WANTS A WIFE. via New York Daily News

“It was a blast, and I'd do it again”

Christa Ackerman's dream of starring on Broadway has taken a slight detour through a Missouri cornfield. via The Cincinnati Enquirer

'Farmer Wants a Wife' debut, 8 p.m., CW . This dating game sends 10 city women to meet a country guy. via The Honolulu Advertiser

“American Idol'). But that series, and the British TV show it inspired, and which has already spawned several foreign franchises, were actually about helping lonely farmers meet women -- they posited a social problem. The American 'Farmer”

Here's the one about the farmer and the 10 babes in a house down the road. Stop me if you've heard it before. via Los Angeles Times

“It hit me when we got off the school bus [on the farm]. 'Gosh, what did I get myself into?'”

BY MISHA DAVENPORT mdavenport@suntimes.com Originally filmed last summer, "Farmer Wants a Wife" gets let out of the CW's barn on Wednesday. via Chicago Sun-Times

“It was pretty much a joke. I forgot about it. But then I got a call from a casting director.”

There are soybeans, corn and wheat as far as the eye can see. But in rural Portage Des Sioux, Missouri, population 351, there are hardly any single women. via New York Post

“She has more retro range than Amy Winehouse , more musical depth than Alicia Keys and more sexy charisma than Rihanna . And she may be more talented than all three combined. Seriously”

Vexing McKayJon Bream of the Minneapolis Star Tribune had a phone interview with Nellie McKay that left him thinking she was “absolutely brilliant and bloody confusing.”“She has more retro ... via KansasCity.com

“I thought there was overwhelming evidence of guilt”

--

A Madison County jury on Tuesday convicted a Missouri man of first-degree murder in the 2006 beating and shooting death of another Missouri man.

Joseph Gasperoni, 32, of Overland, Mo., was found guilty of killing Christopher Olson, a 35-year-old roofer from Portage Des Sioux, Mo.

Gasperoni's trial began Thursday. A sentencing date still needs to be set.

'I'm pleased with the verdict,' Madison County State's Attorney Mike Stewart said.

After the verdict was delivered, defense attorney Don Groshong declined to comment. Read more

Accused murderer Joseph C. Gasperoni took the stand Monday and denied killing Christopher Olson. via Alton Telegraph

“The beauty and the beast of a cell phone record is someone always knows where you are”

Gasperoni, 32, of Overland, Mo., is charged with killing 35-year-old Christopher Olsen, a roofer from Portage Des Sioux, Mo., and dumping the body near Holiday Shores. via Edwardsville Intelligencer

The focus of the murder trial of Joseph C. Gasperoni shifted Wednesday from cell phones to cars. via Alton Telegraph

A 33-year-old St. Louis man was with the man he is accused of slaying on the day before the man's body was discovered, a witness testified Wednesday.

Joseph Gasperoni is being tried in the murder of 35-year-old Christopher Olson, whose body was discovered in the early morning hours of June 12, 2006 near Holiday Shores. Olson, a roofer from Portage Des Sioux, Mo., had been beaten and shot twice in the head.

Sabrina Rhyneer, of Overland, Mo., testified Wednesday seeing Olson and Gasperino on the night of June 11 at her home, which she shared with Armondo 'Jimmy' Valdespino and his girlfriend. Read more