Stories from Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Memorial Day is one of my favorite holidays. The barbecues, swimming and the gathering with family and friends always signifies to me the beginning of summer. I, apparently, am not the only one who enjoys Memorial Day because every person imaginable was on the roadways this weekend. According to AAA, 37.6 million Americans were expected to travel over the holiday weekend. Of course, of those 37.6 million drivers I had to get behind the one that nearly caused me to have a stroke...

SIKESTON - Patsy R. Duncan, 71, died May 30, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with Ponder Funeral Home of Sikeston.

ST. LOUIS - Lenn Wornica, 90, died May 25, 2006. Born Jan. 13, 1916, son of the late J.P. and Mary Wornica, he graduated from Vanduser High School. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving during World War II, and a member of the VFW Post 2593 and the CCC's...

O'FALLON - Lowell Hawkins, 94, formerly of Sikeston, died May 29, 2006, at Garden View Care Center in O'Fallon. Born Sept. 23, 1911, in Obion County, Tenn., son of the late Dock and Pearl Roberts Hawkins, he was a United States Navy veteran. A member of Tanner Street Church of God in Sikeston, he had been a farmer for many years before retiring...

WESTVILLE, Fla. - Services for Virginia Geer, 92, formerly of rural Oran, who died May 25, 2006, were conducted at 11 a.m. today in the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Burial followed in the Forest Hills Cemetery at Morley. Pallbearers were: Philip Black, Zac Black, Eric Kesler, Chad Kesler, Steve Johnson, Andy Johnson and Shelby Dixon...

ST. LOUIS - William "Bill" Hornburg, 55, died May 29, 2006, at Portageville. Born Feb. 1, 1951, in Marston, he was the son of the late William Edward and Ila Fay Hickerson Hornburg. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Rocky Joe Hornburg...

ORAN - Sylvia Marie Hooker McConnell, 84, died May 29, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born May 17, 1922, in Oran, daughter of the late Werner Washington and Rosa Ann Schlosser Hooker, she was a member of the Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, St. Ann's Sodality, Morley V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary 5368 and Cape Girardeau Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Chapter 16...

BENTON -- Scott County Commissioners will wait about two weeks before passing an E-911 addressing ordinance to allow time for public comment. Commissioners discussed various sections of the addressing ordinance draft during their regular meeting Tuesday...

Meredith Null, daughter of James and Paula Null, is the Standard Democrat's Calendar Girl for June. A finalist in the 2005 Miss Sikeston Contest and a 2006 graduate of Sikeston High School, Miss Null plans to attend nursing school this fall.

SIKESTON - Shirley Anderson, an artist for almost 20 years, is continuing to use her talent to help others. Anderson has made two recent donations to local organizations that will aid in their fund-raising efforts. Anderson has donated an embellished reproduction of one of her oil paintings to the Sikeston Area Humane Society and a custom portrait gift certificate to the American Cancer Society...

PINHOOK - An Anniston resident was killed in a one-car accident, which wasn't discovered until Tuesday afternoon. Katherine Powers, 53, was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Terry Parker. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident scene was discovered at approximately 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, after Powers was reported missing...

SIKESTON -- Matt Zimmerman doesn't need any convincing when it comes to the future of ethanol. Over the past couple years, the sales manager at Galemore Motor Co. in Charleston has witnessed firsthand the rise in demand for the corn-based fuel. Today at least 80 percent of the Chrysler dealership's new vehicle sales are "flex fuel" -- vehicles that can run on up to E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline) or regular unleaded fuel, Zimmerman said. ...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulls and the Charleston Riverdogs opened their seasons with an exhibition game at V.F.W. Stadium on Tuesday night. Both teams are experiencing a transition of sorts. The Bulls, a summer league team of current college-eligible players, are under new management in their second season. ...

CARLINVILLE, Ill. -- Jamie Puckett, a senior from Sikeston enjoyed a solid season for the Blackburn College baseball team this spring. A 2002 graduate of Sikeston High School, Puckett batted .356 for Blackburn, which finished tied for second in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In recognition of his efforts, Puckett was a first-team all-SLIAC selection for the second consecutive season and was also named Blackburn's Most Valuable Player...

I am by no means an expert in oil exploration but much of the argument on our current energy crisis involves the lack of drilling and new refineries in this country. That drilling prohibition off the Gulf Coast has been in effect since 1981. Some energy officials say a huge supply of oil is available in that coastal region while others say the potential for environmental impact is too great to allow for the drilling. Quite frankly, I don't know...

I was just reading "It might just be you Missy" in the newspaper, and that is absolutely true. My son has to be on Medicaid and I never thought in a million years that he would have to be. He was able to work, but now he has multiple sclerosis and he is not able to. You just never know what might hit you down the road. That's all I wanted to say...

SIKESTON - Betty Lou Shankle entertained members of her Sunday school class with a bunking party Monday night. SIKESTON - Hart's Bread and the Bank of Sikeston captured opening night victories in Babe Ruth play last night at VFW Stadium. Bank of Sikeston swept past Reiss Dairy 9-4 behind the three-hit pitching of Vaught. Harris and Vaught each collected two hits in leading their team in the seven-hit attack...

BLODGETT -- The first night of Saturday Night Motocross racing at SEMO Raceway was a huge success. The Motocross division is now under new management and several changes have been made to the track surface making it more competitive and challenging...

Nobody asked me but...kudos to the Oran Eagles baseball team for making the final four in Class 1. This marks the eighth time in school history that the Eagles have been in the final four. Oran first made the state tournament in 1980 and again the following season. But since 1998, Oran has been to the big show six times in eight years...

In light of recent developments concerning Union Pacific Railroad's plan to increase train traffic through Sikeston, I am writing to once again state that ever since I was made aware of Union Pacific's plan, I have been adamantly opposed to the idea. In late April I sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board encouraging the members to consider an alternative Union Pacific route that does not go through the center of town...

JACKSON - Santana Crone and Joshua Jones are the parents of their second child, first daughter, born at 1:20 p.m. May 1, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Destiny Denise Jones weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and was 19.25 inches long...