Stories from Sunday, January 29, 2006

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Howard announced the opening of Howard's Cafe, formerly the Mobilgas Cafe, Highway 61 South. SIKESTON - Forty-two attended when the public schools started four basic education adult classes at Lincoln School yesterday. The classes will run for 30 weeks, with four hours of class instruction each week...

NEW MADRID - The New Madrid County Central Eagles put up a good fight at home on Friday night against the No. 3 ranked team in Class 3 the Doniphan Dons, but came up a few points short 63-56. Both teams came into the game missing key components to their respective teams. Doniphan was without the services of 6-foot-2 junior Nick Webb, who is was out with an ankle injury and 6-0 sophomore Charles Wilson, out with the flu...

CHARLESTON -- Coming off a two-week layoff, the Charleston Bluejays showed little signs of rust in a 69-49 home conference win over the Kennett Indians on Friday. Charleston (14-4) improved to 5-1 in the SEMO Conference while Kennett (6 -10) remained winless in the conference at 0-3...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday night with a 70-55 win against the Kelly Hawks. The Hawks kept the game interesting as they trailed by just four points with just over three minutes left in the game. But Sikeston ended the game on a 13-2 run to win going away...

JACKSON -- The Sikeston 8th grade basketball team completed its season with a first place finish in the Jackson Tournament by defeating Jackson, 45 -30 on Thursday. Sikeston finishes its season at 12-1. "They had a great year," said Sikeston coach Kevin Self. ...

SIKESTON -- Despite a number of local resources available for pregnant teens and low-income parents, counties in Southeast Missouri continue to rank among the worst in the state when it comes to children's health, according to the latest Kids Count report...

The 2005 Kids Count report, which analyzes children's health and well being in Missouri's 114 counties and the city of St. Louis, is based on 2004 data. The following is a look at how local counties ranked in certain categories with 1 being the best and 115 the worst:...

RISCO -- A fast start in each half propelled Risco to an 84-69 homecoming win over Southland on Friday. En route to its fourth straight win, Risco opened a 19-8 first-quarter lead in the Tri-County Conference matchup. The third quarter was also key as Risco outscored Southland 19-13...

BLOOMFIELD -- Bell City proved to be the heavyweights of the Stoddard County Activities Association (SCAA) with a 73-58 win over the Puxico Indians in the conference's tournament finals Friday night at Bloomfield. Bell City got 24 points from 6-foot-10 Will Bogan and 21 from sophomore Nick Niemezyk to fend off a pesky Puxico team and earn their second SCAA tournament title in three years...

SIKESTON -- The future of health care in Missouri was among the chief topics for discussion during a visit Friday from Gary Sherman, director of the Missouri Department of Social Services. Sherman said he was in Sikeston to tour the Southeast Missouri Health Network's Sikeston Family Clinic and to discuss government in general, Gov. Matt Blunt's administration in particular, and current health care issues including Medicaid and Part D Medicare...

Four-year-old MaKayla Hutton climbs a giant tire at the Sikeston Sports Complex this weekend. MaKayla was playing in the park with her grandfather.

SIKESTON -- A joint bi-state drug investigation led to the arrest of two men for the distribution of crack-cocaine Thursday in Sikeston. Vincent Mark Gray, 25, of Carbondale, Ill., and Leonard LaSean Phillips of Charleston were arrested during a "buy-bust operation" at 12:26 p.m. Thursday at the South Point Shopping Center in Sikeston, according to Sikeston Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden. Officers seized two ounces of crack-cocaine...

Newspaper offices - perhaps more than other businesses - tend to collect clutter. After all, we're in the paper business, thus we have more than our share of paper files, past issues of the paper and the assorted junk that somehow long overstays its welcome. So this week we decided to clean house and toss those items that have gone long-neglected and those that have outlived their usefulness...

I wish your editorial of Jan. 18 concerning Mayor Ray Nagin's comments was reprinted in every newspaper and read on every TV and radio station in the country. I was a teen when Dr. King was a leader for equality, justice and peace. I thought I would see those goals reached by the 1980's and look where we are now. ...

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Lorene (Loraine) Hornback Daniel, 75, formerly of Sikeston, died Jan. 12, 2006, in Palm Springs. Born Jan. 13, 1930, in Diehlstadt, Mo., to the late Norvel and Vida Hornback, she was a graduate of Sikeston High School and a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Sikeston. She was an ordained minister for 50 years and founder and president of Apple of His Eyes Ministry...

DEXTER - Pearl Hessling, 89, died Jan. 26, 2006, in the Missouri Southern Healthcare at Dexter. Born Jan. 6, 1917, at Blytheville, Ark., daughter of the late Fred and Lena Allen Lucy, she was a homemaker and a member of the First General Baptist Church in Dexter...

BERNIE - Paul Perkins, 94, died Jan. 26, 2006, in the Malden Nursing Center. Born Sept. 24 1911, at Farmersburg, Ind., son of the late David L. and Della Petty Perkins, he was an artist and wood crafter of furniture. He was a member and a minister of music at the Bernie Christian Church...

DEXTER -- Shirley Ann Hill, 65, died Jan. 26, 2006, at the Cypress Point Health Care. Born Feb. 3, 1940, in Granite City, Ill., daughter of the late Joseph B. and Rita Daniels Werner, she was a homemaker, a volunteer for V.N.A., and a member of the Dexter Hospital Auxiliary and the Faith Fellowship Church in Dexter...

SIKESTON - Katherine "Kit" Marshall, 98, died Jan. 27, 2006, at her home northwest of Sikeston. Born April 24, 1907, at Morganfield, Ky., to the late W.B. and Mary Louisa Mills Hanner, she was a 1925 graduate of Sikeston High School and a member of the First United Methodist Church for many years. She farmed with her husband on their farm 10 miles northwest of Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Southern Missouri Bank has opened its offices at 1205 S. Main St. "While we're the newest bank in Sikeston, we were founded in 1887, making us the oldest bank in Southeast Missouri," said Greg Steffens, Southern Missouri Bank's president and CEO. ...

NEW MADRID - The names of three residents who will be among those honored at the New Madrid Chamber of Commerce's annual awards banquet have been announced. The banquet, which begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 4 with dinner served at 6:45 p.m., will be at Rebecca Sharp's Catering, 1325 Mill St. in New Madrid...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Corporate Games are back. After a year's hiatus, Corporate Games XI are scheduled for June 4-24. There will be 15 events in this year's Corporate Games, offering area companies the opportunity to compete against other local businesses for trophies, medals and a good time...

RNCC honors salon owner SIKESTON - There are changes and honors coming the way of Southern Aire Salon. Owner Brenda Wey, who recently moved the salon to 616 S. Kingshighway, was selected by the National Republican Congressional Committee as a recipient of the 2005 Ronald Reagan Republic Gold Medal...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Pat and Jim Tilley have announced the engagement of their daughter, Lauri Swallow, to Jon Hammontree, son of Cecil and Judy Hammontree of East Prairie. A 1999 graduate of Cape Central High School, the future bride received a Master of Physical Therapy from Maryville University in St. Louis. She is the director of Encore Rehab in Moulton, Ala...

DUDLEY -- Mr. and Mrs. David Jackson of Dudley and Mr. and Mrs. Dan Richardson of Sikeston have announced the engagement of their children, Julie Kaye Jackson to Jason Matthew Richardson. A 2003 graduate of Bloomfield High School, the future bride received an associate's degree from Three Rivers Community College and is currently attending Southeast Missouri State University, where she is pursuing a degree in early childhood and elementary education...

ELLISVILLE, Miss. -- Mr. and Mrs. Micheal Ray Sanford have announced the engagement of their daughter, Dr. Alice Jewel Sanford, to Lawrence Landon Steimle, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.P. Priggel of Portageville, Mo., and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Steimle of Wappapello, Mo...

SIKESTON -- Herbert and Belinda Kitchen have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jaclyn Dawn, to David Wayne Stone Jr., son of David and Cheryl Stone of Corydon, Ky. The future bride is a 2000 graduate of Christian Life Community School and is employed with Rodchester's in Sikeston...

BENTON -- Julie Nicole Milam and Michael Dean Riley II were united in marriage during a 2 p.m. ceremony June 25, 2005, at St. Denis Catholic Church in Benton. The Rev. John Harth officiated. The bride is the daughter of Brad and Rita Milam of Benton, and her husband is the son of Mike and Gail Riley of Blodgett...