Stories from Friday, December 20, 2002

SPRINGFIELD - Nadine Kemp, 81, formerly of East Prairie, died at 4:15 p.m. Dec. 18, 2002, at the Christian Health Care East Nursing Facility. Born Feb. 4, 1921, at East Prairie, daughter of the late John Shelby and Lillian Thrasher Kemp, she had lived in Springfield since 1978 where she was a member of St. ...

DEXTER - J.T. Irvin, 77, died Dec. 18, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Nov. 3, 1925, at Kennett, son of the late Frank and Hallie Harris Irvin, he was a retired farmer and member of Liberty Hill General Baptist Church at Aid. His wife, Betty Irvin, survives of the home...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Thursday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Wayne D. Heath, 57, who died Dec. 16, 2002, were: Mike Hall, Danny Dowdy, Kenny Waggoner, Tommy Cooper, Marion Tibbs and Charlie Frank.

SIKESTON - Saranhan Davis and Dominique Betts are the parents of their first child, a daughter, born at 6:07 a.m. Nov. 13, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Jasmine Lapaige Davis weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce and was 17-inches long. Maternal grandparents are Terry Taylor and Jerry Taylor...

Once again the Sikeston Depot has had another successful Christmas Home tour. We would like to thank the following people: Those who graciously opened their homes to be toured, Janet and Terry Dame, Marlene and Galen Kruger, Elizabeth and Troy Wilson and Diane and Dan Jennings...

BELL CITY - Bell City's Cubs (5-1) picked up their fifth win of the season as they crushed Delta's Bobcats (1-4) 102-62 Thursday night. Eric Henry led BCHS with 19 points including two threes and by going 7-9 from the free throw line. "Our execution isn't where it needs to be," said Bell City head coach David Heeb, "but the kids are really playing hard and we are getting contributions from a lot of different players. "...

MORLEY -- Scott Central evened its record to 3-3 on Thursday night, overwhelming Neelyville, 65-41. The Tigers, which had just seven players, were able to keep pace with the Braves for two quarters, trailing just 27-20 at halftime. But foul trouble, along with Scott Central's depth and athleticism, took its toll on the smaller Tigers in the second half as the Braves rolled to a 24-point victory...

SIKESTON - Glen Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Williams, who enlisted in the Naval Air Force, reported Sunday to Lambert Field in St. Louis. SIKESTON - One of the largest - perhaps the largest - aircraft to land at the Sikeston airport brought representatives here yesterday to the second annual stockholders meeting of the SeMo Liquid Fertilizers Inc. The huge craft is the Catalina Flying Boat which has a 105-foot wingspread and weighs 32,000 pounds...

I would like to personally kick the rear end of the person who wrote the letter "Name Withheld by Request" about the small towns losing their schools. Did this person forget how Morehouse fought to keep from losing its school? But Sikeston out-voted them. ...

The political season is behind us and now the analysis begins. Well actually the analysis began the day following the November elections. But today a study was released that judged the polls taken before the elections to gauge their accuracy. I have long been apathetic about political polls because I question their accuracy and their method of polling. But I also believe that polls themselves often drive a political race in one direction or another so I find their results to be interesting...

Third, fourth and fifth grade students from Matthews Elementary School in Matthews performed their annual Christmas play, "Santa's Holiday Hoedown." Hannah Stinnett as Miss Dolly Holiday plays to the audience during the second scene titled Christmas Show, Branson, (at Matthews) Missouri...

NEW MADRID -- The New Madrid County Health Department took a giant leap for the area recently when they implemented Baby Steps -- a home visiting program geared to help young mothers-to-be have safer and healthier births. "We had a similar program that was not as structured as the Baby Steps program, so we decided to switch because Baby Steps is more measurable. It lets us know if we are making a difference in the lives of our clients," said Program Supervisor Sharon McCallister, R.N...

Members of the Sikeston High School Choir entertained the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce membership Thursday during the monthly meeting. The singers, under the direction of Nora Fuchs, performed a variety of Christmas music. Also during the meeting retiring SACC President Shad Old was presented with a plaque in honor of his service for the past year...

CHARLESTON - Mississippi County Assessor W.R. "Bill" Thompson discussed the budget with county commissioners Thursday, attributing much of the problems to the increased cost of health insurance. Thompson said once the money in his discretionary budget is diverted to cover a shortfall in his office's non-discretionary budget, his office will be left with only about $230 to pay his postage bill and for next year's paper supplies...

CLARKTON -- Risco suffered its third loss of the season Thursday night, falling 66-56 to Campbell in the semifinals of the Clarkton Holiday Tournament. Brian Cagle led Campbell with 16 points, followed by Justin Bishop with 11 and Brandon Mikel with 10. Greg Landers paced Risco with 22 points, followed by Luke Carter with 13 and Andrew Halford with 10...