Stories from Tuesday, September 21, 2004

SIKESTON - Misses Grace Marie Sitzes, Louise Jackson and Margaret Anthony left Thursday for Columbia, where they will enter Missouri University. SIKESTON - Proof of three to seven-pound sweet potatoes by the bushel can be found in the garden plot of Nafis Runnels. He has 80 plants. As many as six large potatoes and many smaller ones were found under most of them...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Margery C. Woodside Street, 84, formerly of Sikeston, died at 9:35 p.m. Sept. 20, 2004, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

DEXTER - Mary Celestia Smith, 98, died Sept. 20, 2004, at the Cypress Point Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

PUXICO - Bobby E. Whitehead, 69, died Sept. 19, 2004, at the Puxico Nursing Center. Born Oct. 11, 1934, in Brownwood, son of Nellie Culbertson Whitehead of Puxico and the late Homer J. Whitehead, he lived in Illinois for many years before moving to Puxico two years ago. He was a retired truck driver and mechanic with Klinke Automotive in Granite City, Ill., and veteran of the U.S. Army...

SIKESTON - Mamie Lou "Mimi" Pope Heath, 73, died Sept. 20, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born July 4, 1931, in East Prairie, daughter of the late William C. and Lillie Skaggs Pope, she lived in the Dogwood Community before moving to Sikeston 22 years ago. She retired as a ward secretary for Missouri Delta Medical Center and was a member of the Dogwood United Methodist Church...

ACWORTH, Ga. - Julie Marie Wilson Gilmore, 36, died Sept. 18, 2004, at her home. Born April 1, 1968, in Moline, Ill., daughter of Patrick B. Wilson of Louisville, Ky., and Ann Hall Wilson of Portland, Tenn., she was a member of the Wildwood Baptist Church in Kennesaw. She had been employed with the Coca Cola Company Human Resources for seven years and then owned and operated the Etiquette Consultant Company...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Lauri Danielle Lankheit and Johnny Derek Guffey were united in marriage July 24, 2004, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Deacon Bob DePyper of Canton and Deacon Alan Whitson of St. Louis, uncles of the bride, performed the ceremony...

CHARLESTON -- An arraignment date has been set for the Bertrand man charged with the murder of a Charleston man. Fred Drury Sr., 54, of Bertrand will appear before Judge T. Lynn Brown in the Associate Circuit Court in Charleston Wednesday. Charges were filed by the Mississippi County Prosecution Attorney's Office against Drury for second degree murder and armed criminal action in the shooting death of Bobby Joe Burke, 25, who was found dead at Drury's home near Bertrand around midnight Saturday.. ...

BENTON - Several Scott County Jail inmates are among the first recipients of indictments handed down from the county's grand jury. "Indictments have been served on individuals who are currently in custody in Scott County," Prosecutor Paul Boyd confirmed Monday. "I would guess we have over 15 that have been served."...

Claire McCaskill claimed Gov. Bob Holden was circumventing the intent of campaign contribution limits by accepting $400,000 from the local Democratic Party Committee. Now she's doing the same thing Holden did. She has received $470,591 in contributions and campaign services from 29 local party committees. ...

JACKSON -- Sikeston suffered a tough 3-2 loss to SEMO Conference and district rival Jackson on Monday at the Jackson City Park. In the fast-paced, crisply-played game, the Lady Bulldogs broke a 1-1 tie with a sixth-inning run, then saw Jackson come back with two in the bottom of the frame for the win...

Why is it that we only pay attention to polls during a political campaign? Surely the fine folk with Gallup and Zogby and USA Today conduct polls on topics other that politics. Otherwise, that would be a fairly easy job to just come into work once every four years for a month or two. But that's beside the point...

SIKESTON -- Teresa Lynn Gross and Larry Joseph Geringer have announced their engagement. The future bride is the daughter of Ann Burton of Benton and the late Merle Burton. She attended Scott County Central High School and is employed by Burch Food Services in Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Scanning the parking lot of the Sikeston Depot, car enthusiast Dick Snider sees something more than a bunch of antique cars. "Every car here has got a story. There are 19 cars and 19 stories," said Snider of Vincennes, Ind. For example, Snider's story of how he acquired his porch-red 1959 Ford Skyliner and got into the hobby goes a little something like this: Snider's friend bought a 1959 red and white-topped Skyliner, and in 1962, his friend was killed. ...

Sikeston Department of Public Safety officers extinguish a trailer fire Monday morning at 205 Bowman St. The trailer was fully involved when officers arrived at the scene at just before 11:30 a.m. One woman received minor burns to her right arm. No other information was available at press time...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Four runners from Sikeston were medalists in the 12-team Cape Central Invitational held Saturday. Leading the group of Sikeston medalists was Matt Rushing, finishing 2nd in a field of 60 runners in the freshman division. Rushing ran the 3.1 mile course in a personal best time of 19.36...

LEAGUE RESULTS: Sunday Points Game (9-20) First place team: Mike Newman, Shelley Newman, Butch Gerbig Second place team: Nolan Newman, Aaron Moore Third place team: Justin Gosa Fourth place team: Mike Pobst, Roger Parker Tuesday Senior League: First place team: Glasscock, Eskew, Gilmore, McVay, Evans (60)...

METROPOLIS, ILL. -- Charleston's junior varsity tennis team rolled to an 8-1 varsity win over first-year program Massac County on Monday. "I felt like it was an excellent opportunity to give the JV girls a chance to get some varsity experience," said Charleston coach Mitch Baker, whose team improved to 6-0 in dual matches...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston ninth grade football team fell to 1-2 on the season with a 34-0 loss to New Madrid County Central's junior varsity team on Monday night at SPS Stadium. NMCC jumped out to a 6-0 lead after one quarter and extended the lead to 22-0 by halftime...