Stories from Friday, June 4, 2004

COLUMBIA -- The Class 1 championship baseball game Thursday at Taylor Stadium had everything a baseball fan could want, from strong pitching and fine fielding to clutch hitting. Unfortunately for Oran fans, it didn't include a state title. Archie scored the decisive run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 4-3 victory...

SIKESTON -- Results of Wednesday's Sikeston Area Youth Baseball League action were as follows. AMERICAN LEAGUE Kirby's Sandwich Shop 13, Nunnnelee Funeral 3 No further details provided. Ian Householder's solid pitching performance keyed the Elks wire-to-wire win...

SIKESTON -- School may have just gotten out for the summer, but before families get busy with vacations and summer sporting events, local health officials are encouraging parents to have their children immunized now instead of waiting for the rush when school starts in August...

Girl Scout Day Camp participants watch two members of the Order of the Arrow perform an Indian dance Thursday at Happy Trails Camp. The day camp theme was "Native Americans." Over 40 Girl Scouts participated in the camp to earn badges.

CHARLESTON - Defendants appearing in Mississippi County's half of the 33rd Judicial Court will have to do their arraignments in person for the time being. A letter from Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Charles Jackson to David A. Dolan, circuit judge for the 33rd Judicial Court advised the Mississippi County's funding request for a video arraignment program was not approved. The letter was reviewed by Mississippi County commissioners during their regular meeting Thursday...

NEW MADRID - Jerry Wayne Palmer, 60, died June 3, 2004, at his home. Born Nov. 27, 1943, in Dyersburg, Tenn., son of Tommie Brashier Palmer of New Madrid and the late Charles Turner Palmer, he worked at Noranda Aluminum for 34 years. He served with the U.S. Air Force for four years and was a member of the Lilbourn Church of Christ...

SIKESTON - Euda M. Russom, 89, formerly of Kewanee, died at 4:45 a.m. June 3, 2004, at the Miner Nursing Center. Born Sept. 6, 1914, in Henderson, Tenn., daughter of the late William A. and Flora Chumney Kennedy, she was a member of Murray Lane Baptist Church...

DEXTER - Gracie Marie Mitchell, 49, died June 3, 2004, at her home. Born July 20, 1954, in St. Louis, daughter of William Mitchell of Richwoods and the late Beulah Choate Mitchell, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter. She was employed by Burger King in Dexter and was also involved in activities with the Stoddard County Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC)...

CHAFFEE - Ruth Pfefferkorn, 89, died June 4, 2004, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

NEW HAMBURG - Charles John Heuring, 84, died at 3:08 p.m. June 3, 2004, at his family farm. Born Feb. 19, 1920, in Kelso, son of the late Lawrence and Clara Gosche Heuring, he retired as a self-employed farmer and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. A member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church and St. Joseph Sodality, he was also a member of Knights of Columbus Council 4311 in Oran and member and past president of the North Scott County Association of Retarded Citizens...

EAST PRAIRIE - Brenda Louise Shewmaker, 52, died at 7:31 a.m. June 3, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 21, 1952, in East Prairie, daughter of the late Syrus and Louise Manning Redfering, she was a lifelong resident of East Prairie and had been employed by Gates Rubber Company in Charleston...

SIKESTON - Eleven Sikeston men were accepted in the services at Jefferson Barracks on May 26. Those who entered the U.S. Navy were: James Hirschel Wicker, James Thomas Singleton, John Paul Stewart, Grover Cleveland Lindsey, Truman Lester Probst, Bernard James Merrick Jr., John William Emmond and Robert Norman Tate. Those entering the U.S. Army were: Spurlin Edward Nelson, Leo McCormick and Robert Edward Lee...

I need someone to pull weeds from my flower beds and could use them more than once. If anyone is interested in doing yard work for me, please leave a phone number in SpeakOut. It was great to see W.T. Woods back in action. Keep those letters coming, W.T. They're right on the money...

Dube McDonald loads a box of food onto a pallet Thursday during the 2004 National Hunger Awareness Day. Several volunteers helped the Bootheel Food Bank prepare food baskets for the needy. The theme for the third annual event was "One Big Table."

CHARLESTON -- Officials with the Mississippi County Health Department were busy implementing Phase II of the county's emergency response plan Thursday by administering smallpox vaccinations to the county's first responders. City officials, EMTs, firefighters and police officers were among those given the opportunity to receive the smallpox vaccination as part of the national smallpox preparedness program...