Stories from Tuesday, April 2, 2002

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- The Sikeston boys and girls track teams competed in the Murphysboro Invitational Track Meet on Saturday. The boys team finished in third place out of 14 teams while the girls team took eighth place out of 11 teams. "Considering that we've had very little practice time because of the weather, I was very pleased on the boys side, especially with the level of competition," said Sikeston head track coach Jerry Dement. ...

JONESBORO, Ark. -- The Sikeston Bulldogs posted its second victory in the Champions Classic at Nettleton High School on Friday with a 5-4 win over Watson Chapel of Little Rock. The game was stopped by rain in the bottom of the sixth with Sikeston batting...

PARMA - The children of retired Cmdr. George and Sidney Husted invite family and friends to join them in celebrating the couple's 50th wedding anniversary from 1-4 p.m. April 13 at the Parma CPR Complex. The Husteds were marred April 11, 1952, in the Polytechnic Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, Texas, with the Rev. Woodson Arms officiating...

SIKESTON - Christened by the Rev. E.W. Bartley, pastor, at Palm Sunday services at the Methodist Church were: Jane Allard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lacey E. Allard Jr.; Phillip Ward Denman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ward Denman; Julia Margaret Kirk, daughter of Mr. ...

EAST PRAIRIE - Mickey Abner and LaDonna McIllwain have announced the engagement of their daughter, Amber Dawn Abner, to Timothy Don Taylor, son of Don and Tammy Taylor of Bertrand. The future bride graduated in 1996 from East Prairie High School. She is pursuing an associate degree in nursing at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff...

DAVISON, Mich. - Steven M. Roderman, 50, died April 1, 2002, at the Hurley Medical Center in Flint. Born Feb. 3, 1952, at St. Louis, son of Lena Potter Roderman of Dexter, Mo., and the late Claude E. Roderman, he was a supervisor with General Motors in Flint...

PARMA - Pallbearers at services conducted Tuesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for John L. Nunn, 70, who died March 30, 2002, were: Eddie Bills, Bobby Aycock, Rick Beaird, Damon Walls, Charlie Hollis and Dewayne Lindley.

SIKESTON - Catherine T. Willis, 71, died at 12:01 a.m. April 2, 2002, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Home.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Michael Lee Fuqua, 38, who died March 30, 2002, were: Deryl Branun, Kevin Boyer, David Creg, Kevin Parris, Vince Slinkard and Jeff Dudley.

Here's an idea for a classroom program that I believe should be implemented in every school district in the state and perhaps the nation. The Strafford, Mo., school district - all 1,025 students strong - has developed a program for character education that all students must take. ...

I would like to say congratulations to the Bell City Cubs for their accomplishment. Is it true that members of the Bell City basketball team were called by Duke University? If they were, we need to put you on the front page of the news because that is history. Once again, congratulations Bell City. You guys have made us proud!...

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Windy Elsperman and Glenn Jones are the parents of their second daughter, born March 15, 2002, at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. Erin Delaney Elsperman-Jones weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces and was 19-inches long. Maternal grandparents are Donnie and Dorothy Elsperman of Fort Walton Beach...

SIKESTON - Sikeston City Council members approved advertising on the outfield fences of the Little League Baseball fields and the Junior Babe Ruth Baseball field at the complex during its regular monthly session Monday. Tom Bridger, public works director, said the signs will go up at the start of the season near April 1 and will be taken down at the end of each season in August...

SIKESTON - Many of us take for granted the ability to live at home and come and go as we please. But senior citizens consider being on their own a blessing. And helping them keep that independence is what the EVE Project is all about. A program of the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, Elders Volunteer for Elders provides advocacy and friendship to at-risk seniors in several counties including Scott, New Madrid, Mississippi and Stoddard who live at home or don't have the assistance required to remain independent.. ...

BERNIE - An ongoing narcotics investigation in Stoddard County has resulted in the arrest of several area residents. According to the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department, members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, SEMO Drug Task Force, Stoddard County Sheriff's Office and the Bernie Police Department executed a search warrant Friday at 602 W. Fordyce St., where it was believed marijuana and drug paraphernalia were being stored and distributed...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - A Sikeston man was sentenced to 63 months on drug-related charges. According to U.S. Attorney Raymond W. Gruender, 20-year-old Mario J. Baker was sentenced on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel...