Stories from Thursday, November 4, 2004

SIKESTON -- Dawn Lawrence and Jeremy Hunt were united in marriage in a 6 p.m. ceremony May 1, 2004, in the Clinton Building in Sikeston. Stanley Griffin, uncle of the bride and pastor of Westover Baptist Church of Jackson, Tenn., performed the double-ring ceremony...

BLOOMFIELD - Berta Jean Aslin, 71, died Nov. 1, 2004, at her mother's home in Bloomfield. Born May 21, 1933, she was the daughter of Gertrude Umble Patrick of Bloomfield and the late Bertis Wallace. On June 18, 1954, she married Clinton Aslin who preceded her in death on Dec. 9, 2001...

EAST PRAIRIE - Eileen Stinnett Burpo, 64, died at 8:36 p.m. Nov. 3, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

ESSEX - William Scott "Scotty" Arthur, 28, died Nov. 2, 2004, at his home in rural Essex. Born Oct. 14, 1976, in Dexter, son of Charles W. "Bill" Arthur of Essex and Freda Robbins McAnally of Bloomfield, he lived in the Essex community most of his life and attended Richland Schools. He worked for the Hampton Farms for several years...

NEW MADRID - Earl "Punkie" Fields, 71, died Nov. 3, 2004, at his home. Born Sept. 22, 1933, in New Madrid, son of the late Henry and Edith Crow Fields, he was a retired farmer. On March 1, 1952, in New Madrid, he married Betty Jo Flannagan who preceded him in death on March 18, 2000...

KELSO - Mildred Francis Diebold, 81, formerly of Benton, died at 1:02 p.m. Nov. 3, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 7, 1923, in Anniston, daughter of the late George and Lila Gardner Lochridge, she was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso...

PUXICO - Mary Lucille Crews, 89, formerly of Sikeston, died Nov. 3, 2004, at the Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center. Born Sept. 4, 1915, in Piggott, Ark., daughter of the late Wiley Price and Iva Templeton Thomas, she was a 50-year member of both the First United Methodist Church in Sikeston and Order of the Eastern Star. She was a teacher's aide and co-owner of the Crews-Welsh Funeral Home in Sikeston before retiring...

JACKSON - Before Andrew Tyson Tyler was born, the Lord knew him and all his days were planned. God loved Andrew so much that He gave His one and only son so that when Andrew asked Jesus to be his Savior on Feb. 23, 1997, God gave Andrew eternal life. Andrew fought the good fight. He lay down his sword and received his crown on Oct. 27, 2004. We grieve our loss while rejoicing in his victory...

SIKESTON - When a team has no shot at making the state playoffs, sometimes it's hard to get them motivated to play in the final game of the year. But the Sikeston Bulldogs, who have played in seven straight season finales with no playoff implications, have actually fared well in these games lately as they've won their last six in a row...

Area Football Standings SEMO Conference Northern Division Southern Division Central Division _ Thursday's games Friday night's games _ Top Performers of the Week RUSHING 36 carries, 6.3 avg., 2 TDs. ---------------------------------------- 18 carries, 10.2 avg., 3 TDs...

I don't want to continue talking about politics, but I'm far from convinced that the changes in the national political makeup will result in any substantial changes. At least not in the short term. I fear the bureaucracy that shrouds government at virtually all levels will continue to impede the progress that so many expect...

MINER -- For Mitchell Jackson, it's all about being in the right place at the right time. Last week Jackson was elected president of the Missouri Baptist Convention during its annual convention at the First Baptist Church in Raytown. Jackson, the senior pastor of Miner Baptist Church, is the first person from Southeast Missouri to serve as the president in several years...

Annette Robertson, regent of the King's Highway Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution, and Delilah Tayloe, curator of the Sikeston Depot, prepare a display for their Veterans' Coffee. The Coffee, sponsored by the DAR and the Depot, is set for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Depot. The two are placing photographs from Charlie Company 1140th Engineer Battalion in Iraq around a Missouri flag which was signed by members of the company while in service...

Wednesday morning, Nov. 3. Yes, you were right. Real people do vote! I was just reading about what the teacher from NMCC did and I think it is terrible, but why was her bail so low? She comes from a wealthy family and that is just pocket change to them. ...

SIKESTON - Over the next week, the Sikeston Memorial Airport will see an increase in air traffic while temporarily serving as a hub for the area. Cape Girardeau Regional Airport "has been shut down for traffic for 10 days from Oct. 31 until Nov. 10," said Kristi Thurman, project assistant. "They're doing some reconstruction of the intersection of the runway."...

SIKESTON - Jack Bryant will leave this Tuesday to join his wife in Belleville, where Mr. Bryant will be associated with Parks Air College. SIKESTON - Bob Tyron, who recently purchased the franchise of the Western Auto Stores for Sikeston, will open his store in the old City Drug quarters Saturday...