Stories from Sunday, September 12, 2004

What is the legal age for a girl to get married? The argument has been at 17 or 18. Can someone answer this please. I have a 15-year-old granddaughter who became pregnant by a 17-year-old boyfriend. He is a terrible young man. How can I keep him away from my granddaughter after he has done this thing?...

SIKESTON - Fielding Potashnick, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Potashnick, left Tuesday for Mexico, Mo., where he will enter the Missouri Military Academy. SIKESTON - Rep. Tom Baker of Stoddard County, who is securing dignitaries for the American Legion Cotton Carnival events, announced today that Warren E. ...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Trey Lucas ran back an interception 80 yards setting up Blytheville's go-ahead score in the third quarter Friday night. With the game tied at 10 heading into the second half, the Mules forced a fumble in Blytheville territory but turned the ball over four plays when quarterback Mark Gum's pass was tipped into the hands of Lucas...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Quarterback Dez Johnson ran for one touchdown and threw for another, but the East Prairie Eagles had little else going in a 34-13 loss to Mountain View Liberty on Friday. "We just couldn't get anything going," said East Prairie coach Jason Aycock. "This game was won and lost on the line of scrimmage. They whipped us up front. We never could get anything sustained. With our offense, if you can't get certain plays sustained then it's not going to go."...

PORTAGEVILLE - Missed opportunities spelled defeat for the Portageville Bulldogs Friday night against the Scott City Rams and the Bulldog record fell to 1-1 on the season. The final score was 14-7 in favor of the Rams, who go to 2-0 on the season. The Bulldogs led the game from the 6:25 mark of the first period on a 28-yard pass from quarterback Jordan Penn to Spencer Martin...

Let's all agree on one thing - the political season is just too damned long. Months of politicking have now turned into years of campaigning. The American public is keenly interested in the positions and policies of the candidates but let's be honest here. Even for the seasoned observers, we're experiencing political overload...

SIKESTON - Larry C. Pool, 68, died Sept. 7, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 4, 1935, in Sikeston, son of Lela May Noyes McElroy of Sikeston and the late William Clyde Pool, he served with the U.S. Navy during the Korean War...

SIKESTON - Denver E. Graham, 86, died at 5:45 a.m. Sept. 10, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Oct. 29, 1917, in Watts, Ark., son of the late J.J. and Danner Copeland Graham, he was a custodian for Sikeston Public Schools and a farmer before retiring. He served with the U.S. Army 32nd Division Infantry in World War II and member of the House of Prayer Independent Baptist Church in Grant City...

MORLEY - Rachel J. Woods, 83, died at 11:17 a.m. Sept. 10, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 15, 1921, in Rector, Ark., daughter of the late Charley Allen and Mary Mae Hause Woods, she was a farmer and had worked at the International Hat Factory in Oran. She had also attended the Morley Baptist Church...

SIKESTON - Marie Greenwood Muench, 61, died Sept. 11, 2004, at her home. Blanchard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

DEXTER - Juanita Ann Cobb, 53, died Sept. 10, 2004, at her home. Born June 28, 1951, she was the daughter of the late Roland Robert and Dorothy Ann Meyrs Ziehm Jr. She was affiliated with the First Pentecostal Church in Dexter. On Oct. 13, 2000, at Bloomfield, she married Daniel Cobb who survives of the home...

ANNISTON - Arnebell Cooper, 84, died at 10:08 a.m. Sept. 10, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born May 30, 1920, in Loretta, Tenn., daughter of the late Daniel Lee and Allen D. Powell Fleming, she lived in Mississippi County most of her life and was of the Baptist belief...

DEXTER - Lillian Kelley, 90, died Sept. 10, 2004, at the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- Students and faculty of the Scott County Central School District may have to endure a little construction this school year, but the finished product will definitely be worth it. "When we had our open house (when school began), I think people were really surprised at how fast it's going," said Scott County Central Superintendent JoAnne Northern. "I know the town coffee shop has been passing pictures around, and I think they're surprised at how far we are."...

SIKESTON - As a certified athletic trainer for Missouri Delta Medical Center's ReStart, Amy Gordin knew, for example, how to assess a knee injury and determine how long before the athlete could safely return to their sport. But up until now, concussion management has always been more subjective...

SIKESTON -- As the American Legion Cotton Carnival marks its 60th year, it will pay tribute to the past while looking to the future. Using the theme "Honoring Our Past To Ensure Our Future," the four-day celebration will again include one of the biggest parades in Missouri, carnival rides, royalty and yes, fish sandwiches. The event is set for Sept. 22 through Sept. 25 at the Sikeston Jaycee Rodeo grounds...

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Concession stand is open. 5 p.m. - Carnival opens. Rides special: Every ride will cost one coupon less. 7:30 p.m. - Little Mr. and Miss Cotton Carnival for youngsters ages 4-6 years old. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Concession stand is open...

Donnie Beggs of Beggs' Family Farm near Blodgett buries power lines for their Miner Max maze. The farm is mentioned in this weekend's USA Weekend Magazine which is included in today's newspaper.

NEW MADRID -- North County nearly doubled New Madrid County Central's offensive output in a 41-6 romp on Friday. NMCC never found a way to slow down North County's relentless ground attack that ran over, through and around the Eagles for 340 yards at a 12.5 yard-per-carry clip. The Raiders amassed 423 yards of total offense to 218 for the Eagles...

DEXTER - Gosnell's defense picked the perfect time to make its only defensive stop of the second half against the Dexter Bearcats Friday night. With 53 second remaining in the game, the Pirates stopped Dexter's Alex Becker short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt and secured a 34-32 road win over the Bearcats at Charles Bland Stadium...

HAYTI - After a rocky start last week against Scott City, the Malden Green Wave bounced back, downing the Hayti Indians 18-9, spoiling their homecoming. Malden would strike first in the opening period, after a seven-play drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jonathan Henfling to Terrell Butler with 1:03 left in the quarter. The extra-point attempt was no good...