Stories from Wednesday, March 23, 2005

A debate is raging over the allocation of Homeland Security funds for rural areas as opposed to urban centers of population. Rural legislators in Congress were successful last week is adding $855 million this year to rural funding for terrorist preparedness. That's in addition to the billions of dollars being spent to prepare for potential terrorist attacks...

We, the former members of the Volunteer Fire Department, are inviting you as citizens and business owners to a public meeting at Sikeston Factory Outlet Mall Community Room Monday, April 11, at 7 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to clear the air and concerns you may have regarding the confusion over the Fire Department. ...

I read your article in the Barker about teenage pregnancy. I don't actually condone that but if these children do go out and do make a mistake they pay for it. If there is such a program of daycare for the teachers in high school I believe it also should be for the children's children as well who attend the high school. ...

BENTON - Inmates at Scott County Jail will soon have access to a new privilege at the facility: pay phones. Scott County commissioners approved a three-year contract with Evercom Phone Systems during the regular county commission meeting Tuesday. Under the terms of the agreement, Evercom will install, maintain and update phones in the prisoner pods at the jail for use by the inmates to call family...

Kiwanis Club members Jim Sanders and George Parker flip and pour pancakes during the Kiwanis Club Annual Pancake Day Tuesday at the Sikeston Elks Lodge. Over 1,000 meals were served during the event.

April 1997 -- 37-cent tax increase rejected: 45% yes votes, 54% no votes August 1997 -- 37-cent tax increase rejected: 44% yes votes, 55% no votes April 1999 -- 49-cent tax increase rejected: 51% yes votes, 49% no votes June 1999 -- 49-cent tax increase rejected: 49% yes votes, 51% no votes...

BENTON -- When the bell rings to end each period at Kelly High School, senior Ashley Essner assured, "You don't want to be there." Essner described the four-minute break as an elbow-to-elbow race to get to class. "People are running into you and then when you're trying to get into your locker, you try not to hit other people with your locker door," Essner said. "And then you get tardies for being late."...

SIKESTON -- Southeast Missouri racers swept the top two places in all divisions in the second week of action at the Sikeston Drag Strip on Saturday, March 12. Ron Simmons of Cape Girardeau, traveling at 113.32 mph, won the Super Pro division with an elapsed time of 6.066 seconds (6.06 dial-in), easily outdistancing second-place finisher Ken Shankle of Charleston, who ran an elapsed time of 6.847 (6.85 dial-in)...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Tyler Hansbrough was named the most outstanding player in the SEMO Conference and became the first player to be named to the all- conference team four times Tuesday night at the 45th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet...

BERTRAND - A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Voelker Tuesday at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. CHARLESTON - Residents are voting today for the purpose of selecting two councilmen-at-large for a term of three years. Those running for these two positions are Bill Knight, P.J. Ponder Jr. and Dr. T.P. Fenton...

SIKESTON - The Bootheel BassBusters have announced the schedule for the 2005 tournament season. Oct. 21 Guntersville Goose Pond Anyone who would like to join the Bootheel BassBusters for the 2005 season should contact Club President Stan Pace at 472-1816 or Vice-President Leon Miller at 270-1831...

POPLAR BLUFF - Joey Mack reached victory lane for the first time in 2005, as he bested the field in the season opener at the Poplar Bluff Speedway in Poplar Bluff last Saturday night. After getting tangled in an early heat race incident, Mack drove back up to the second spot...

OGDEN, Utah - Pete J. Graham, 92, formerly of New Madrid, Mo., died March 21, 2005. Born Aug. 19, 1912 in Madison County, Mo., to the late Fred and Sarah Reed Graham, he attended school in Coppermines, Mo., and was a member of the Blush Church in the Oak Grove community. ...

DEXTER - Opal A. Campbell, 89, died March 22, 2005, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Born Oct. 5, 1915, in Keo, Ark., to the late L.R. "Pat" and Talitha Aslin Patterson, she lived most of her life in Dexter where she was a member of the First Baptist Church...

DEXTER -- Dixie Hughes, 91, died March 21, 2005, at Cypress Point Nursing Center in Dexter. Born Aug. 29, 1913, in Morley, daughter of the late John Wesley and Lillian Moore Dillon, she had lived in Grayridge for many years before moving to Dexter 39 years ago. She was a member of the Second General Baptist Church in Dexter...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Tuesday at Ponder Funeral Home for William A. Morgan, 91, who died March 19, 2005, were: Bryan Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Russell Turner, Scott Evans, Glen Evans and Roy Abbott.

SIKESTON -- Ray Eugene Payne, 56, died March 21, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born March 21, 1949, in Sikeston, son of the late Orville Ray Payne and Evelyn Loretta Jordan Howard, he was a member of the New Life Fellowship in New Madrid. He had been pastor of the Community Church of God, a truck loader for Malone and Hyde and a machine serviceman for Burch Foods before retiring...

NEW MADRID - Lester Marion Davis, 82, died March 21, 2005, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 31, 1923, at Doniphan to the late Benjamin Franklin Davis and Jane Stovall Davis, he was a farmer in New Madrid County. On Nov. 5, 1943, at Bloomfield, he married Cynthia Ann Chadwell who preceded him in death on July 24, 1992. Also preceding him in death were three brothers and two sisters...

ADVANCE -- Rodney James Long, 71, died March 22, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born July 30, 1933, in Painton, son of the late Evans and Georgia Flowers Long, he was a retired mechanic. On Jan. 24, 1952, in Painton, he married Margaret Kinder who survives of the home...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Tuesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for James Lloyd "Brownie" Brown, 82, who died March 18, 2005, were: Thomas Fowler, James Fowler, Dennis Brown, Tom Mossman, Keith Mossman and Claude Lowe. Honorary pallbearers were: Russell Goodman, W.J. Lowe and Sherrill Corbin...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Tuesday at the Ponder Funeral Home for Betty Beck, 70, who died March 20, 2005, were: James Beck, Chris Babb, Cecil Babb, Bart Smith, Shane Beck and Charlie Neece.

SIKESTON - Flint and Juli Dees are the parents of their third daughter, born at 1:36 a.m. Feb. 4, 2005, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Emi Claire Dees weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 17-inches long. Mrs. Dees is the daughter of Don and Carol Bellah...

SIKESTON -- Ralph Moody, 92, died March 22, 2005, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. Visitation is from 11 a.m. Thursday until time of services at 1 p.m. at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

CHARLESTON - Jesse Perry, 78, died at 5:40 p.m. March 22, 2005, at his residence in Charleston. Visitation is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Southside Baptist Church in Charleston...