Stories from Tuesday, June 22, 2004

SIKESTON -- As summer officially kicks into gear, unfortunately so do the number of accidents involving all-terrain vehicles. Troop E of the Missouri State Highway Patrol has already seen at least three or four fatalities this year and numerous accidents related to ATVs...

ADVANCE -- Laveda Annette Stepp, 67, died June 21, 2004, at her home. Born Oct. 18, 1936, at Advance, daughter of the late Dudley and Ida Miller McCullough, she retired as a seamstress for the International Hat Factory in Marble Hill, where she worked for 27 years. She attended the Assembly of God Church in Greenbrier...

DEXTER - Ross B. James, 85, died June 20, 2004, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center. Born June 19, 1918, at Jasper, Ark., son of the late Chester A. and Walice Rutledge James, he was a member of the Essex First Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon for the past 54 years, and was a self-employed farmer...

SIKESTON - Walter Dale Lane, 55, died June 21, 2004, at the Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted Monday for Thelma "Trip" Moss, 83, who died June 15, 2004, were: Clayton Reed, Derek McKown, Chris Heacox, Mike Triplett, Gary Johnson and Walter L. Moss. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at Bethel Baptist Church for Thomas Edd Massey, 87, who died June 16, 2004, were: Tim Massey, Gary Massey, Donald Massey, James Fields, Mike Massey, Joey Massey, Mark Massey, Chester Stroud and John Massey...

DES ARC - Sally A. Smith, 55, died June 20, 2004, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Born Oct. 9, 1948, in Topeka, Kan., daughter of the late Jessie James and Pearl Marie McCormick Smith, she was of the Catholic belief and was a caregiver for senior citizens...

SIKESTON - William Pierce Arnold, 76, died at 11:50 a.m. June 20, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Oct. 27, 1927, in Steele, son of the late Rice and Reba Copeland Arnold, he graduated from Sikeston High School in 1945 and attended Southeast Missouri State University. He worked as the general sales manager for the Union 76 Petroleum Company Truck Stop and served in the U.S. Army...

NEW MADRID -- Linda Maynard Pierson, 49, died June 19, 2004, at her home in New Madrid. Born Oct. 22, 1954, in Grafton, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Joseph John and Virginia Vincent Maynard. Her husband, Mosley Thomas Chappell, preceded her in death. Survivors include: one son, Joseph John Chappell Sr. of New Madrid; four brothers, three sisters and five grandchildren; and a special friend, James Gordon Stanley Jr. of New Madrid...

CANALOU -- Robert Earl "Bobby" Wrather, 59, died at 8:30 a.m. June 20, 2004, at his home on the farm he loved near Canalou. Born March 24, 1945, in Sikeston, he was the son of Billie Sue Wrather Sharp of Canalou and the late Earlin "Dude" Wrather. A 1964 graduate of Lilbourn High School, he was a retired farmer and construction worker. He was a member of the First Christian Church in Matthews and Eagles Aerie 3319 of Sikeston...

Sikeston Public Schools won the Corporate Games co-ed softball tournament recently going through the bracket undefeated. They defeated Missouri Department of Transportation, 10-9, in the championship game to take the title.

SIKESTON -- Sikeston' Junior American Legion had no answers for Scott County's pitching or bats in a doubleheader sweep on Monday at VFW Memorial Stadium. Andy Stephens tossed a dominating one-hitter and Scott County Post 369's hitters banged 13 hits in the opener, a 11-0 win in a five-inning run-rule game...

SIKESTON - Malaika Miles and Perry Hilson are the parents of their second son, born at 4:34 p.m. May 9, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Markaivious Perry Deshun Hilson Jr. weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 20-inches long. Maternal grandparents are Annie Miles and Michael Dean...

In reading about plans for the upcoming Democratic and Republican national conventions, I have come to the conclusion that the political coronations are outdated and the process should be eliminated. There was a time when the suspense and political wheeling and dealing was a part of the convention process. That is simply no longer true...

SIKESTON -- Robin Seiler has announced the engagement of her son, Andrew Blake, to Emily Louise Shaver, daughter of Pamela and David Shaver of Rolla. Seiler is also the son of the late Bobby Seiler. A 1998 graduate of Rolla High School, the future bride earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. She is a sixth grade reading teacher at Carver Middle School in Springfield...

Officers with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and emergency personnel work on Calvin Grant, 43, of Sikeston who was hit by a vehicle Monday afternoon. The accident happened at 4 p.m. at New Madrid and Daniel Streets, beside the Sikeston City Cemetery when Grant rode from a private drive in front of the vehicle which was heading south on New Madrid. Grant was airlifted from the scene to Saint Francis Medical Center and is being treated for serious injuries...

A farmer harvests wheat on the Robert Laseter Farm Monday afternoon. While some area farmers are complaining about the recent rain, the state says harvests are ahead of schedule.

PARMA - A New Madrid County warrant was issued Monday charging a man in the stabbing incident which occurred Sunday. Michael Johnson, 37, of Parma is charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action. A warrant was issued by New Madrid County Prosecutor Lewis Recker for Johnson on Monday. Bond has been set at $150,000...

CHARLESTON - A cash bond of $500,000 and court date were assigned to Antoine Atchison, accused of first degree murder and armed criminal action for the May 9 shooting death of Chance Kitchen, during a preliminary hearing Monday before Judge T. Lynn Brown...

I am going to ask again, these people putting their garbage and trash on the sidewalk a week before pickup time. The trash blows everywhere in other people's yards, the dogs tear the trash bags open, the rotting garbage is everywhere. It is close to the front porch. They will drive through it with their vehicle and not pick it up. Do these people have a hang-up of some kind?...

SIKESTON - Mrs. George Lile has received a letter from her son, Sgt. George Lile Jr., the first time she heard from him in seven months. He has been overseas two years. --- SIKESTON - Miss Patsy Ruth Heath and Miss Betty Wayne Cummins will leave next Wednesday to attend the fourth session of Missouri's Girls State...

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. -- Sikeston's Senior American Legion Post 114 wrapped up a weekend tournament with a 2-2 record. Post 114 reached the final eight of the strong field in the Twin Lakes Classic, held in Mountain Home, Ark. "Overall, we played four good teams and we're pleased with the way the kids performed," said Sikeston coach Charlie Dye. "We got three good pitching performances out of Josh Miller, Lance Rhodes and Ben Walters."...

SIKESTON - Here are the results from the Sikeston Area Youth Baseball action on Monday. DeWitt's Chase Ferrell was the winning pitcher. Josh Pierce led the team with a double and a triple. James Bonner had a triple and Tyler Ramey added a double. Stan Ivie was the losing pitcher for U.S. Bank...