Stories from Sunday, December 5, 2004

CAMPBELL - After upsetting Bernie Thursday night, the Puxico Indians continued their impressive play, blowing out the hometown Campbell Camels 80-50 Friday, to hoist the Campbell Invitational Tournament championship trophy. "Every game we get better and better, I keep telling the guys this is just the beginning," Puxico basketball coach Chad Allen said. "We just have to keep on working and keep on getting better."...

PORTAGEVILLE - Depth, experience and Willie Hassell's 27 points propelled the Portageville Bulldogs to a win in their first outing over the Kennett Indians Friday night 55-51. The last time the Bulldogs defeated the Indians in the season opener was in December of 1999...

ORAN -- A packed house viewed the final round of the 49th Oran Invitational capped by Twin Rivers 71-67 victory over Scott City in the tournament final on Friday night. "Our goal coming in was to win it," said Twin Rivers coach Jim Vaughan, "and we thought we had an opportunity. This is probably a more quality tournament this year than its been the past few years. No. 1 (seed) through No. 6 are real competitive."...

Shirley Kegley, left, hands over the key to the Accent Shop, 808 S. Kingshighway, to Martha Cox, who recently purchased Kegley's share of the store to became the sole owner of the women's specialty shop. Retiring from the business after 30 years at the Accent Shop, Kegley expressed her thanks to the Accent Shop customers. ...

COLUMBIA - Tom and Alisha Rychnovsky are the parents of their first child, a son, born Nov. 3, 2004, at the Columbia Regional Medical Center. Jack Michael Rychnovsky weighed 5 pounds and was 18-inches long. Mrs. Rychnovsky, daughter of Dale and Betty Glenn of New Madrid, is business manager for the University of Missouri Law School...

BERTRAND - Dale Kerr has joined the service department of A-MAC Sales, 609 W. Highway 62. Kerr, who will head the department, is a 1989 graduate of Nashville Auto Diesel College. "Dale brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of over 15 years," said A-MAC owner Allen McKinley. "With his addition this gives our combined service department over 45 years of experience."...

SIKESTON - You know they are there. Tucked in shoe boxes or sitting on the shelf and yes, admit it, still unprocessed rolls of film. Those family pictures just waiting to be organized. Vicki Burdin understands. There was a time when photos of her family had accumulated. In 2001, she decided to put them together in a scrapbook, add a few embellishments, some journaling - and ever since, she has been hooked...

The Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate our Farm Family winners: The Bobby Barnes Family from Stoddard County, the Joe Priggel Family from New Madrid County, the Don McCann Family from Mississippi County and the Donnie Beggs family from Scott County. ...

SIKESTON - Willie Mae Wiggins, 73, died Dec. 2, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born May 8, 1931, in Famous, Mo., daughter of the late William and Bertha Mae Decker Nicholson, she was a member of Greer's Chapel Baptist Church. She was co-owner and operator of Wiggins Cafe in Sikeston for 30 years before retiring...

ADVANCE - William "Garner" Dunlap, 90, died Dec. 2, 2004, at Beverly Healthcare in Bloomfield. Born Sept. 23, 1914, in Bell City, son of the late William W. and Myrtle Garner Dunlap, he was a retired farmer and veteran of the U.S. Army. On Dec. 25, 1939, in Bell City, he married Virginia Wealand who preceded him in death in 1984...

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. - Donald Summers, 76, died Dec. 3, 2004, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie, Mo.

I don't want to rehash the recent elections but I do want to address an issue that took center-stage. That issue is the question of early voting. And let me say here and now - I have never been an advocate and will probably never favor a process that is so ripe for abuse as is the issue of early voting...

When are you going to publish the High School Football All-Conference in the paper? The Dunklin Democrat had it in over a month ago. All-conference and all-region teams ran in the Thursday, Dec. 2 paper, a day after the all-conference banquet....

ORAN - Mr. and Mrs. Alec Riley have gone to St. Louis for a visit. From there they will go to Michigan for a visit with their children. They expect to be away a month. SIKESTON - More than 100 members of the Anpetu-Wo Lodge No. 100, Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts, Southeast Missouri Council, gathered at the Rustic Rock Saturday night for a business meeting followed by a dance...

SIKESTON - In the preseason, Sikeston Bulldog head coach Gregg Holifield said for his team to compete, they'll have to out-work their opponent. That hard work almost paid off on Friday night as the Bulldogs nearly pulled off an early-season upset as they lost to Dexter 48-46 in front of a large crowd in their home opener at the Field House...

MALDEN -- An investigation continues for the fire that destroyed a Malden church over the weekend. According to an official with the Malden Police Department, officers responded to the First Pentecostal Church in Malden around 6:20 p.m. Friday. Fire fighters were still at the scene extinguishing the blaze early Saturday morning...

SIKESTON -- More people are expected to purchase real Christmas trees this year than in 2003, a nationwide poll reports. About 24 to 24.5 million real Christmas trees are expected to be purchased this year -- up from 23.4 million trees last year, according to a poll conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide/Harris Interactive for the National Christmas Tree Association...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Southeast Missouri man has received a rare and significant honor: the opportunity to be part of President Bush's inauguration. Air Force Maj. Jeffrey Pierce of Essex, Mo., is presently serving as a member of the Joint Task Force Armed Forces Inaugural Committee. He described the assignment as "a once in a career opportunity - a chance to participate in a historic event."...