Stories from Sunday, August 1, 2004

Curves, located at 930 S. Kingshighway in Sikeston, held its grand opening ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon. The women's fitness company is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday. Cuttng the ribbon is owner Christy Pullum. Pictured from left, are: Karen Beck; Kendall Ayers, Renee Zau, mentor to the company; Pullum; Robin Pace; Debbie Glenn; and Missy Marshall, executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce...

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, announced that the FY 2005 Department of Defense Appropriations conference report, which includes several Missouri projects, passed recently in the House of Representatives with her vote, 410-12. The conference report also passed the Senate and will now proceed to the White House for President Bush's signature...

Well, it's rodeo time again and the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 10th Annual Redneck Barbecue. This year's event will be held at the Clinton Building/Sikeston Sports Complex on Saturday, Aug. 14. The cooking activities in the adult category will begin around 6 a.m...

SIKESTON - As carpenters and electricians worked away in the July heat at The Flower Patch Inc., Jackie Williams sat on the floor of the business opening boxes filled with Christmas items. Williams, and her husband, Stephen, purchased The Flower Patch at 510 N. Main St. in May and are discovering there is a lot to learn about their new business and much to enjoy...

JEFFERSON CITY - Twenty-four new Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers, including one from New Madrid County, graduated from the Patrol's Law Enforcement Academy July 23 in Jefferson City. They will report for duty on Aug. 9. The 82nd Recruit Class began on Jan. 18...

I really do believe that this is the way people should vote in the next election: If you want a strong national defense, vote Republican. If you want to continue abortions, including late term abortions, vote Democrat. If you feel that strong moral leadership is not important, vote Democrat. ...

I won't say I'm tired of the political process, the endless campaigning and the nonstop coffee shop conversation about the upcoming elections. But let's face it - it's time on the county and state level to hold this election and move on to bigger and better things. The rhetoric won't subside any time soon with the November general elections right around the corner. But if this is the small price we pay for democracy, it's well worth it by any measure...

DEXTER - Mary Elizabeth "Dixie" Harty, 85, died July 30, 2004, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

BELL CITY - Samuel Alberson, 79, died July 31, 2004, at the VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

PUXICO -- Truman E. Cato, 73, died July 30, 2004, at his home. Born July 26, 1931, near Kinder, son of the late Sylvester and Lenora Bennett, he had lived in the Bollinger County area his whole life and was a retired saw mill laborer. Survivors include: two brothers, James Cato of St. Louis and Winford Cato of Bloomfield; three nephews, Dale Cato, Larry Cato, Clifford Cato; and five nieces, Beverly Engler, Barbara Seaton, Ladena Stall, Ladonna Cato and Carla Haya...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted on Saturday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Bertha A. Savage, 100, who died July 29, 2004, were: Mark Savage, Edward Savage, Gene Bohannon, Alton Bohannon,Tony Shaffar and Mark O'Mara.

SIKESTON -- Edward H. Berry, 59, a local CPA, died July 31, 2004, in Heber Springs, Ark. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later at Blanchard Funeral Chapel.

CHINO, Calif. - Billy Houston Calhoon, 75, formerly of Anniston, Mo., died July 27, 2004, at his home. Born April 21, 1929, in Anniston, son of the late Charles G. "Andy" and Hattie Mae Thurman Calhoon, he had lived in the Ontario/Chino areas for the past 38 years. He worked for Ameron Steel in Etiwanda and later retired from the Combee Electric in Ontario. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he was a member of the Charleston Masonic Lodge 407 A.F.&A.M...

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. - Tyler Nelson of Sikeston, Mo., will continue his baseball career at Williams Baptist College. Nelson, a 2003 graduate of Oran High School, recently signed his commitment with the Eagles. Nelson is a right-handed pitcher who is transferring to Williams from Crowley's Ridge College, where he played baseball last season. He was an All Conference selection his senior season at Oran, and he has played this summer with the Cape Girardeau River Dogs...

GRAYRIDGE - Dara Ritch is the mother of her second daughter, Dacie Annette Ritch, born at 1:36 p.m. June 22, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Ritch, daughter of Darrel and Kathy Ritch, is employed by Good Humor-Breyers in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - A local 16-and-under softball team has been tearing up local competition for most of the summer. And recently, they stunned many by winning the Missouri state championship in the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) B Tournament. The Southeast Tremors, based out of Sikeston, will be competing in the Amateur Softball Association 16-and-under Western National B Tournament this week in Springfield, Mo. at Killion Park...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Senior American Legion Post 114 baseball team suffered a tough loss on Friday night at the hands of Anheuser-Busch out of St. Louis in the Zone 4 Tournament at VFW Stadium. Post 114 simply couldn't muster any offense against A-B as they brew-makers defeated Sikeston 3-1...

Bethany Clayton, daughter of Billy Clayton and Gayla Gentry, is the Standard Democrat's Calendar Girl for August and a finalist in the 2003 Miss Sikeston Contest. Miss Clayton, a professional ATV racer, plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University in the fall and major in radiology...

BENTON - For the first time in over a decade, a grand jury has been convened in Scott County. "The grand jury has been picked," confirmed Scott County Prosecutor Paul Boyd. "It was finally put in place Wednesday." The last time a grand jury was formed in Scott County was around 1992 or 1993, according to Boyd...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Sikeston man was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking charges. According to U.S. Attorney James G. Martin, Eldridge "Gwish" Sumlin, 32, was sentenced to 121 months on one felony count of distribution of cocaine base, three felony counts of distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base, one felony count of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base and one felony count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base. ...

Sikeston Department of Public Safety PSO Todd Irwin and PSO Ricky Colbert load a "Cherry Delight" machine onto a trailer Friday night during a search warrant on Kountry Co. on Malone Avenue. Sikeston DPS seized seven illegal gaming machines from the store during the search warrant. Chief Drew Juden said: "This is a continuous effort from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety to remove illegal gaming devices from the community."...

SIKESTON - Sikeston is looking for a few good men and women: today marks the kick-off of the city's 2004 boards and commissions appointment process. Over the next month, Sikeston City Council members will be considering action on 37 appointments, with 20 of these being new appointments...

SIKESTON - "In 29 years, it's the hardest job I've ever had," said Sikeston American Legion baseball manager Don Miller. He wasn't talking about his team's first win in the District 14 Tournament Saturday. He was talking about getting a team on the VFW Stadium turf. After a day of player no-shows, injuries and countywide player hunts, Sikeston beat New Madrid 6-3 in the losers bracket opener Saturday...