Stories from Tuesday, March 4, 2003

BERTRAND -- Molly and L.D. Stidham have announced the engagement of their daughter, Amy Denise, to Christopher Scott Dugan, son of Chris and Susy Dugan of Wyatt and Karen and Richard Conn of Wyatt. A 2001 graduate of Charleston High School, the future bride is expected to graduate from the Sikeston Public Schools Practical Nurse Program in July and currently works at Cato...

SIKESTON -- Julie Miller has announced the engagement of her daughter, Lori Lea Groesbeck, to Jeff Allen Bryan, son of Alice Ward of Sikeston. A 1999 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School, the future bride works at Goody's Family Clothing. The prospective bridegroom is a 1972 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School and is employed by Wauapca...

In just about every state ranking category available, Missouri falls about midway in the scale of things. Granted, we hold near the bottom of some lists and toward the top of others. But on the whole, Missouri ranks near the middle when states are judged in a million or so different ways...

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Elizabeth Jeanne "Betty" Stout Lake, our mother, went to her heavenly home on March 1, 2003. Elizabeth Jeanne was born Nov. 26, 1930, in Portageville, Mo., to John L. and Georgia Ann Girvin. Born during the depression as the sixth child, she grew to be strong and independent. ...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Monday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Nola Tidwell, 82, who died Feb. 27, 2003, were: Todd Kennard, Wesley Stutts, Donnie Brown, C.A. Carter, Robert Brown and Roger Beck.

DELTA - John Mark Sanders, 40, died March 2, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 22, 1962, in Chaffee, son of Faye Huey Sanders of Delta and the late Earl John Sanders Jr., he was an electrical technician for Fru-Con in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON - Paul G. Fisher Jr., 81, died March 4, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 7, 1921, in Sullivan, son of the late Paul G. and Alice L. Fisher Sr., he graduated from Westminster College with a degree in economics...

CLARKSBURG - Eugene Monroe Ellison, 83, died March 3, 2003, at the Capital Regional Medical Center in Jefferson City. Born April 9, 1919, in Bunceton, son of the late William and Frances Lee "Fanny" Callihan Ellison, he was a self-employed convenience store operator, an electrician and retired as a heavy equipment operator for Cooper County. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he had attended school in Bunceton and was of the Methodist belief...

SIKESTON - Geraldine Watkins, 92, died March 4, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Oct. 21, 1910, in Grant City, daughter of the late Samuel and Viola Lawrence Pratt, she was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church in Bell City. She retired as a cook for Bell City Schools...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Clifton Lee West, 60, died Feb. 28, 2003, at his home. Born July 22, 1942, in Catron, he was the son of the late R.D. and Lucille Lee West. Survivors include: one son and daughter-in-law, Regionald and Brenda West of Portageville; two daughters and one son-in-law, Patricia Hampton and Kimberly and Clyde Nolen of Portageville; five sisters, Erma Borders and Josephine Sanders of St. ...

SAN ANTONIO - Cricket Young, 74, died March 2, 2003, following an extended illness. Born June 17, 1928, in New Madrid, Mo., she was the daughter of the late Elmer and Georgia Cline. Her husband, Joe Young, survives of the home. Other survivors include: one daughter and son-in-law, Rosemary and John Thompson of Bulverde; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Rosemary and Homer Trigg Sr. ...

DELTA - The Class 1, District 2 boys basketball tournament got underway on Monday at Delta High School. The first round played out with one upset as No. 6 Delta defeated Scott County Central 62-58. The rest of the matchups went as seeded. Top-seeded Bell City defeated No. 8 Marquand 117-53; No. 2 Oran beat No. 7 Oak Ridge 93-41; and No. 4 Leopold beat No. 5 Zalma 54-44...

BLOOMFIELD - The top-seeded Kelly Lady Hawks advanced to the championship game of the Class 3, District 2 Tournament at Bloomfield with a 55-35 win against No. 4 Scott City. Kelly will play Charleston on Thursday night at 6 p.m. for the championship...

ST. LOUIS -- Katharine Michele Bailey and Robert Alan Johnson II have announced their engagement. The future bride is the daughter of Charlotte Bailey of St. Charles and the late David H. Bailey. A 1982 graduate of Sikeston High School, she is employed by Bryan Cave LLP...

NEW MADRID -- New Madrid County Central softball pitcher Heather Robey signed a letter of intent to play for Three Rivers Community College on Monday. "They gave me the best offer," the senior left-hander said. "I really like the coaches, the program and the school. This is kind of a relief. It has been a big rush, trying to find a school that would suit me the best."...

MALDEN -- The NMCC Eagles ended the Kennett Indians' season on Monday night with a 63-59 win in Class 3, District 1 action. The win gives the Eagles the right to take on top-seeded Twin Rivers Thursday night in the district semifinals. The two teams played even in the first quarter of the game. For Kennett, four players got into the scoring column to produce 13 points. NMCC's Michael Rose collected half of his game-high 24 points in that opening frame. The Eagles led 16-13 after one...

SIKESTON -- While spring often marks a time of joy and excitement for many as weather conditions improve, it also proves to be a time of depression and increased suicide for others. "March, April and May are the months when the highest rates of death by suicide occur," said Richard Wetzel, a psychologist at Washington University in St. ...

NEW MADRID - Two men were taken in custody early Sunday morning in connection with an armed robbery. New Madrid Police Chief Claude McFerren reported that about 1 a.m. Sunday, officers were called to a residence on Tennessee Street. The victims told officers someone knocked at their door, requesting help. When the victims opened the door, two masked men barged in with a gun and demanded money...

Kathy Bohannon, a speech language pathologist for the Sikeston Public School District, checks Jamya Simpson's ears while her mother, Donna Applewhite, holds her, Monday during their annual preschool screenings. The screenings checks for health, speech and hearing and cognitive of a child. For an appointment call the Kindergarten Center at 471-0653. The screenings, which will continue through Friday, are free to the public...

SIKESTON - After years of extensions on the old agreement, Charter Communications and the City of Sikeston have finally negotiated a cable television franchise contract. The agreement is slated for approval at the city's regular April meeting following a period for public comment...

SIKESTON - Noting the subject had gained more notice and resulted in more comments than topics such as the PILOT or Charter, the Sikeston City Council tabled a decision on proposed amendments to the city's animal ordinance following comments from the public during its regular Sikeston City Council meeting Monday...

SIKESTON - Eleven Cadet wives attended the weekly wives' party given last week at the Country Club. Wives of 431 men are invited to attend. SIKESTON - Sikeston and the entire Bootheel were shaken up Sunday by an earth tremor, supposedly originating with the New Madrid Fault. ...

What happened to Bryant Gumbel on the Early Morning Show and the black guy who used to do the weather? Bryant Gumbel left the The Early Show after anchoring the CBS morning broadcast for two and a half years. Gumbel said it's time for him to move on and do something else. ...