Stories from Wednesday, February 22, 2006

BENTON -- A Scott County police officer in training recently made a routine vehicle stop that resulted in the drug-related arrest of an Oran resident. According to Scott County Sheriff's Department, deputy Jason Morgan, 25, of Chaffee has been working for the department for two years -- starting in the jail, completing the Southeast Missouri State University Academy and the sheriff's department Field Training Officer Program...

Top: Sikeston Little Theatre actors perform during dress rehearsal for the musical "Oklahoma!" Above: Tracy Jackson acts out a scene as the character Laurie at rehearsal. The play will be presented Feb. 23, 24, 25, 26 and March 3,4 and 5. The shows will start at 7 p.m. except on Sunday when the curtain goes up at 2 p.m. Advance tickets, which are $6, are available at Collins Music in Sikeston or $7 at the door...

SIKESTON -- Temperatures may be warming up a bit this week, but the danger of developing hypothermia lingers. "Hypothermia is when your body loses heat faster than you can make it, and we typically associate hypothermia and very cold temperatures," said Judy Johnson, emergency room manager at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

What a lovely weekend we just had. With the snow and bitter cold, it made for a perfect weekend, especially for those I have dubbed "winter lovers." We all know a few "winter lovers." They are the ones who we hear the entire summer saying things like, "I hate hot weather, I wish it were cold. I can't wait until winter." Well I hope they are happy now...

I don't know why Cheney and Bush should get treated any different than any other people. Bush should be impeached for eavesdropping and Cheney should be impeached for shooting a man. If it were one of us, we would get life in prison. This way we could get rid of two birds with one stone...

SIKESTON - At the Rex Theater, "Lady in the Dark" with Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland, plus, "So This is Washington" with Lum and Abner. --- HAYTI - Miss Mary L. Smith accepted a position with the Pemiscot Motor Truck Line at Hayti and started working there Monday...

NEW MADRID -- When Lennies McFerren came out of retirement to take over the New Madrid County Central basketball program for the second time last April, Eagle fans thought he would lead them back to respectability after a stretch of losing seasons. But if the program is to make a resurgence, it won't be with Mac at the helm...

SCOTT CITY -- The tenacious Portageville Bulldogs scratched and clawed their way to a 73-66 overtime road win over the Scott City Rams on Tuesday. "I can't say enough about Coach (Jim) Bidewell and his team," said Scott City coach Lance Amick. "Year in and year out, he's going to put a team out there that plays defense, rebounds and is passionate about winning."...

SIKESTON - Lindsay C. Jordan, 80, died Feb. 18, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Oct. 27, 1925, in Ullin, Ill., to the late Charles and Eleanor Ulmer Jordan, he had lived over 27 years in Missouri. He was a graduate of Karnak High School and a veteran of World War II, with honorable discharges from the United States Navy and Air Force. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Lucille A. Malone, 85, formerly of Charleston, died at 3:25 p.m. Feb. 21, 2006, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born July 5, 1920, in Kelso to the late William "Bill" and Anna Heisserer Seyer, she had lived in Charleston most of her life, moving to Auburn Creek Assisted Living in Cape Girardeau in 2003. She was a member of the St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston and a former member of the Daughters of Isabella...

SIKESTON - Ina "Tina" Browning, 58, died Feb. 20, 2006, at her home. Born Feb. 6, 1948, in Sikeston, she was the daughter of the late Ernest and Francine Treece Browning. Survivors include: one son and daughter-in-law, Gene and Ruby Basinger of Sikeston; and two grandchildren, Emily Basinger and Clayton Basinger II of Sikeston...

NEW MADRID -- Kimberly Joann Meeks Earnest, 40, formerly of Mississippi County, died at 5:10 p.m. Feb. 20, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 2, 1965, in Charleston, daughter of Robert Gene "Bob" Meeks of Wyatt and the late Barbara Jean Peevyhouse Meeks, she had lived in New Madrid since 1998 and was of the Assembly of God belief...

SIKESTON -- The top seeds held up in the first round of the Class 4, District 1 girls tournament at the Sikeston Field House on Tuesday. Fourth-seeded Notre Dame held on to defeat No. 5 Sikeston, 57-53, and third-seeded Perryville advanced with a 45-33 victory over No. 6 Ste. Genevieve...

CLARKTON - The East Prairie Eagles basketball team lost their last regular season contest on the road Tuesday night against the Clarkton Reindeer, 91 -58. The perfect storm ransacked the Eagles, as a combination of missing starters and excellent outside shooting by Clarkton, doomed East Prairie...

How has your life changed since being drafted out of high school? It really hasn't changed a whole lot. Sikeston's a small town. I knew everybody before. Nothing's really changed except that I am gone all of the time. I was in high school living at home year round and now I'm gone more than I'm home. That's really about the only difference, I guess...

MARBLE HILL -- The Eagles built a 15-point lead by halftime at Woodland and held off the Cardinals. Kody Campbell scored 15 points to lead the Eagles. Robert Lang scored 12 points, and Chris Asmus added 10. Chantz Barham scored 12 to lead Woodland (5-17)...

When Gov. Matt Blunt proposed that school districts in Missouri spend at least 65 percent of their budget on student instruction, his heart was in the right place. But Blunt should have known that you don't take any control away from local school boards. Because of stout opposition to the proposal as a mandate, Blunt weakened the idea to a mere suggestion. Some school officials think that is even going too far...

Nobody asked me but...congratulations to the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs basketball team for a stellar season. Although their year did not end the way they wanted with a district loss to Notre Dame, the girls should hold their head high after an 18-7 season...

SIKESTON - A recent e-mail circulating around Sikeston has caught the attention of the Department of Public Safety and an investigation into the contents has proven that it was all a rumor, said Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden. The e-mail stated an elderly person was attacked while going to her vehicle parked in a handicapped zone right at the front of the Wal-Mart store. ...

BENTON -- Preliminary autopsy results for the Green Meadows Retirement Home client that died Feb. 1 show no cause for concern. Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn said during the regular Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday that county officials had asked Dr. Don Cento, pathologist for Missouri Delta Medical Center, to keep them informed about results from the autopsy...