Stories from Tuesday, January 28, 2003

Our country is in real big trouble. We have big problems here in the United States of America. I would like to see all the politicians, all the judges and the Supreme Court, I would like to see them all lose their jobs, lose the authority and power they have and start over with new politicians. ...

SIKESTON - R.F. "Bob" Tyrone has returned as manager here of the Western Auto Associate Store. For several months, he has served as junior assistant manager of the J.C. Penney Co. store in Blytheville, Ark. NEW MADRID - Utilizing the radio equipment which has just recently been installed, the New Madrid County sheriff's office in cooperation with authorities in Scott, Dunklin, Stoddard and Pemiscot counties were able to clear up a number of burglaries that have occurred over the past several months.. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - A traffic stop in Scott County led to the discovery of illegal drugs. Now the couple caught in the stop will be spending time in prison. Garry W. Newberry, 40, and Jessica Newberry, 32, of East Carondelet, Ill., were sentenced Monday in U.S. ...

SIKESTON -- Before the Noranda Aluminum Inc. scholarship came along, 19-year-old Brad Glenn's college career through Southeast Missouri State University greatly depended on whether or not he would receive a football scholarship. With tuition increases and college campus costs like parking permits and dormitory expenses, attending Sikeston Area Higher Education Center seemed like the only way to go for Glenn...

BLOOMFIELD -- The first round of the Stoddard County Tournament kicked off on Monday night, with top-seeded Dexter blistering eight-seeded Richland 113-45, and second-seeded Bell City rolling past seventh-seeded Puxico 107-58. The tournament will be back in action tonight, with third-seeded Advance taking on sixth-seeded Bernie at 5:30 p.m., followed by Bloomfield versus Woodland at 8:30 p.m...

MARBLE HILL -- Kelly's girls basketball team followed up its third consecutive Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament championship with a win over Woodland on Monday night, 54-27. The Lady Hawks jumped out to a 12-9 lead and never looked back, outscoring Woodland 16-6 in the second quarter, 14-4 in the third, then 12-8 in the fourth...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston 9th grade basketball team improved to 7-3 on the season with a 50-38 win against New Madrid County Central on Monday at the Sikeston Field House. Sikeston raced out to a 9-2 lead and never looked back. "We played pretty well," said Sikeston coach Chris Sarakas. "The kids played hard and we got a good effort out of everybody. We were able to break their press and get some baskets off that. It's a good win for us."...

JACKSON - The Sikeston Bulldogs placed fourth out of 10 teams at the SEMO Conference meet at Jackson High School on Saturday. Jackson won the event with 320 points. Farmington just missed out on the championship, scoring 319 1/2 points. Ste. Genevieve placed third with 270 points while the Bulldogs followed up with 177 points...

SIKESTON -- Melvin and Joan Moss have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kelly Ann, to HM2 Nicholas Allen Zigaitis, son of K.Z. and Carla Zigaitis of Fenton. A 2001 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, the future bride is attending the Washington University School of Law and will graduate in 2004...

Much has been said about the legality of a PILOT on the total revenues of the Sikeston Electrical System; and whether the cities who purchase surplus power from Sikeston can be forced to contribute to the PILOT. It is conceded by the supporters of the plan that those are issues which will not be resolved outside a of court of law...

CHARLESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at the Wyattt United Methodist Church for Charlene Kunz Hillhouse, 81, who died Jan. 24, 2003, were: her grandsons, Benjamin Hillhouse, Clayton Hillhouse, Christopher Layton, David Finney and Daniel Finney; and her cousin Richard Hutcheson...

LILBOURN - Jennie Tims, 81, died Jan. 25, 2003, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. Born Jan. 13, 1922, in Delbert, daughter of the late Fred and Kathryn "Katie" Crosno, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Lilbourn. Her husband, Winford Tims, preceded her in death...

SIKESTON - Delores Blackburn Newton, 59, passed on to be with the Lord on Jan. 26, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born June 21, 1943, in Charleston, daughter of the late Marion and Evelyn Delk Blackburn, she lived in Charleston until moving to Sikeston as a young girl and graduated in 1962 from Sikeston High School...

EAST PRAIRIE - Etchel Matthews, 76, died at 12:18 p.m. Jan. 26, 2003, at the John Cochran Veterans Administration Medical Center in St. Louis. Born June 4, 1926, in Bertrand, son of the late Lee and Emma Heath Matthews, he was a truck driver in St. Louis for the Jeffco Steel Company and lived in the Dogwood community since 1987. He served in the U.S. Army Tank Division during World War II...

SIKESTON - Clint McKenzie Hensley Sr., 77, died at 1:38 a.m. Jan. 27, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Dec. 12, 1925, in Linden, Tenn., son of the late Sid and Vera James Hensley, he was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was of the Baptist belief. He owned and operated Hensley Construction Company in Sikeston and was a member of James Tanner Amvets Post 0149 and the Missouri Honorary Sheriff's Association...

NIXA - Sherrill E. "Al" Alfultis, 59, died at 4 a.m. Jan. 26, 2003, following an extended illness. Born June 26, 1943, in Sikeston, son of Helen Duncan Alfultis Gambill of St. Louis and the late Morris Alfultis, he was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and recipient of Army decorations. He was a drag strip racer and award winning fishing guide...

RISCO - Donna Sue Adams, 65, died Jan. 27, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 2, 1938, in Risco, daughter of the late William F. and Minnie Gilbow Warth, she was a member of the Pleasant View Baptist Church in Risco. In June 1979 at Risco, she married Hershel Leroy Adams who preceded her in death in March 1988...

DEXTER - Lawrence Pflasterer, 68, formerly of Tilden, Ill., died Jan. 26, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born April 2, 1934, in Liberty Grove Township, Ill., son of the late George and Daisy Chappel Pflasterer, he retired as an officer with the Pinckneyville (Ill.) Police Department and served with the U.S. Army for five years. He was a member of the Clairman (Ill.) General Baptist Church and Game Cock Breeders Association of America...

DEXTER - Lora Frances Bess, 95, died Jan. 26, 2003, at Cypress Point Health Care. Born April 6, 1907, at Palisade, Neb., daughter of the late Harvey Hamilton and Anna Mae McNeil Harrah, she was a member of the First Christian Church in Dexter and retired as a seamstress with Elder Manufacturing...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for William Dwight Jones, 74, who died Jan. 25, 2003, were: Darrell Ray, Jim Ray, Tony Womack, Gene Jones, Jim Toschi, Robbie Jones, Frank Brown and Paul Downing...

Let's see just how serious the state is about saving money. A St. Joseph firm has offered to take over Amtrak passenger rail service in Missouri for the twice-daily runs from St. Louis to Kansas City. And their offer promises a savings for the state of Missouri which is currently paying a $5 million annual subsidy to keep the beleaguered train service in operation. To make matters worse, Amtrak wants nearly $9 million in additional subsidies next year...