Stories from Sunday, January 12, 2003

ESSEX -- Bell City chalked up its second straight uncontested victory on Friday night, blistering winless Richland, 122-52. The Cubs came out on fire, scoring 41 points in the first quarter and 33 in the second to take a commanding 74-19 halftime lead...

CHARLESTON - Friday night's game had all the makings for another classic. Charleston's gymnasium was so packed that fans had to be turned away at the gate. The atmosphere was electric with blue-clad Charleston fans and red-clad Sikeston fans. There were slam dunks, blocked shots and bodies flying everywhere...

SIKESTON - For the next two weeks a special group of salespeople will go door to door throughout the community in hopes of interesting residents in their merchandise. And in this case they'll be welcomed with open arms. Few can resist the temptation of Girl Scout Cookies...

BENTON -- For the past five years, the Rev. Normand Varone has juggled the responsibilities of assisting two church parishes on a daily basis. Today, he's still fulfilling his duty as a Catholic priest at both St. Denis Parish in Benton, where Varone's been resident priest for the past nine years, and the St. Lawrence Parish in New Hamburg, in an effort to help ease the growing clergy shortage...

ST. CHARLES - A Boonville man is facing four life sentences after being found guilty on charges related the to Super D robbery and the shoot out which followed. After a three-day trial, the jury deliberated for less than an hour Thursday before returning verdicts finding Troy L. Fenton, 37, guilty on all four felony offenses: first degree robbery, first degree assault of a law enforcement officers and two counts of armed criminal action...

DEXTER - A Dexter youth was killed in a Friday afternoon traffic accident that left six other Dexter teens injured. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol the accident occurred at 3:31 p.m. Friday on Stoddard County Road 612 at Two Mile Road, one mile west of Dexter when a southbound vehicle driven by Thomas Reiker, 16, failed to yield and pulled into the path of a westbound vehicle driven by Steven Ulm, 16...

SIKESTON - Joe and Kim Heckemeyer are the parents of their second daughter, born at 2:44 p.m. Dec. 23, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Catherine Erin Heckemeyer weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19-inches long. Mrs. Heckemeyer, daughter of Don and Carolyn Croom of Campbell, is an attorney with Burns and Taylor, LLC...

The Missouri Department of Social Services is a huge bureaucracy facing countless challenges on the dysfunctional aspects of society. Their mission may indeed be a problem without a solution. This massive state department deals daily with nothing but problems - child abuse, welfare and food stamp programs, neglect and a host of other issues that plague society...

As a former manager of the Board of Municipal Utilities, I would like to respond to the City Council's proposal that implements a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) on the electric system of the Board of Municipal Utilities. In the late 1970s, we proposed to the citizens of Sikeston a plan to construct a power plant which would assure us of a power supply into the future and minimize future rate increases. ...

SCOTT CITY - Laura Bernece Foulk, 82, died at 1:41 p.m. Jan. 10, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born April 24, 1920, at Avert, daughter of the late Arthur M. and Grace Robey Lipe, she was employed as a seamstress at Ely Walker Company and was a member of New Life Gospel Center in Scott City...

SIKESTON - Reba Ellison Ryan, 78, died Jan. 9, 2003, at the Clearview Nursing Center. Born April 3, 1924, in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., daughter of the late Ruben McClellan and Martha Lindsey Ellison, she was a member of North Acres General Baptist Church. She worked for the International Shoe Factory and was co-owner of Ryan Construction before retiring...

CHARLESTON - Mark Alton Bone, 35, died Jan. 10, 2003, at his home. Born Oct. 29, 1967, in Charleston, son of the late Tooney Hale and Wanda Pauline Vinson Bone, he was a lifelong resident of Charleston and had been a self-employed mechanic. On Feb. 20, 1988, he married Leigh Ann Powell who survives of the home...

DEXTER - Billy D. Kidd Sr., 54, died Jan. 10, 2003, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Born June 3, 1948, at Dexter, son of the late Donald and Ruth Dixon Kidd, he had lived his entire life in Dexter and was employed 34 years as a cable splicer for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. ...

CHARLESTON - Geneva Moore, 69, died Jan. 9, 2003, at her home. Born Jan. 19, 1933, in Charleston, daughter of the late Edward and Flora Bell Wilkerson Moore, she was a lifelong resident of Charleston where she attended Lincoln School. She worked at the Charleston Manor for more than 25 years and was a member of the Shiloh Baptist Church, where she served on the Mothers Board...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Alan Reece Stroup, 27, died at 2:18 a.m. Jan. 10, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Born Nov. 11, 1975, in Cape Girardeau, son of Randy Stroup of Chaffee and Janice Thomas of Jacksonville, N.C., he was an aircraft mechanic for the Sabreliner Corporation in Perryville. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years and had attained the rank of sergeant...

SIKESTON - Charleston's high school Bluejays twice defeated the Sikeston Bulldogs 33-18 in the B game and 33-18 in the A contest here Friday night. CHARLESTON - William H. Billings of the law firm, McHaney, Billings and Welman has announced a "Hearnes for Governor Club" in Dunklin County is being organized to further the aspirations of Warren E. Hearnes of Charleston, now secretary of state...

I would like to SpeakOut about dogs being out at night. People question why some walk at night. This is America. We're allowed to walk anywhere, any time. Has this changed? I never turn my dog out at any time, day or night. Animals get run over by cars, especially in the dark. Be kinder to your pets...