Stories from Friday, September 22, 2006

SIKESTON -- Sikeston High School's volleyball team backed up its biggest win of the season with a subpar performance. The Lady Bulldogs were swept, 25-20, 25-17, by the Scott City Lady Rams on Thursday at the Sikeston Field House. "It was extremely disappointing tonight, extremely disappointing," said Sikeston coach Steve Beydler. ...

I would like to find out why Sikeston Junior. High did not take a moment out for silence, on Monday, Sept. 11th? How very disrespectful of every teacher and principal/principals in that school. My son goes to school there and told me they didn't have anything other then an essay about 9-11 that is due later on. ...

SIKESTON - Miss Laverne Yoffle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Yoffle, will leave this weekend for the University of Missouri. SIKESTON - Sikeston area farmers may be rescued from the prospect of a poor crop this year caused by abnormally heavy spring rains which prevented normal planting of cotton. The prospect hinges on continued good weather which can produce a bumper crop of soybeans - many planted to replace cotton - and higher prices for the beans...

SIKESTON -- Bernice Brooks of Sikeston loves her job. As a receptionist for Missouri Career Center in Sikeston, she gets to greet people, answer the phone, hand out resources, help people find jobs that fit their profile as well as perform other tasks...

Gene Hampton with Richard Hampton Painting and Drywall paints the scoreboard at the Sikeston Public School's Football Stadium Thursday afternoon.

On Nov. 7, Missouri voters will decide whether to increase the state's current minimum wage rate of $5.15 per hour. If approved, the measure would raise the state minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2007.

Oscar Patterson, left, talks with Steve McPheeters with Noranda Thursday afternoon during the job fair hosted by the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce and the Missouri Career Center at the Clinton Building. Twelve businesses from five counties attended the one day fair...

CHARLESTON -- A Charleston hotel will receive tax increment financing assistance to dress up the property. Mississippi County Commissioners gave their approval for the TIF project following a presentation given during their regular meeting Thursday by Bill Green of Corporate Real Estate Solutions, a consultant for the city...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldog 8th and 9th grade football teams both posted victories on Thursday evening against the Charleston Bluejays at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium. The Sikeston 9th grade team defeated Charleston 32-0 while the 8th graders won 26-12...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston home was damaged by fire early this morning. According to DPS reports, firefighters with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a report of a fire at 425 Matthews just before 5 a.m. Upon arrival, fire personnel saw flames coming from the back of the home and were informed all of the residents had evacuated the structure...

SIKESTON -- Charleston and New Madrid County Central square off in a battle of SEMO Conference Central Division foes tonight at Marshall Field in Charleston. Both teams have experienced spotty performances in early season action. The Charleston Bluejays (2-0), coming off a bye week, have been hampered by injury, slowing an expected potent offense. The Jays narrowly got by winless Sikeston 13-6 in their last outing...

SIKESTON - Angela Matney and Kevin Johnson are the parents of their second child, first son, born at 9:48 p.m. Aug. 22, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Ayden Tanner Johnson weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 18.5 inches long...

SCOTT CITY -- Earl R. Walker, 92, died at 6:25 a.m. Sept. 22, 2006, at his home in Scott City. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

NEW HAMBURG - Charles Grojean, 86, died Sept. 21, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Chaffee is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

DEXTER - Wilena Tompkins, 62, died Sept. 21, 2006, at the Mineral Area Hospital in Farmington. Born April 21, 1944, in Dexter, to the late William Cletus and Julia "Ma" Menley Denkins, she lived most of her life in Dexter and was of the Baptist belief...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for the services conducted on Thursday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for Sylvia Stickles, 93, who died on Sept. 19, 2006, were: Jim Hoppes, Roy Stickles, Mike Pullum, Steve Watkins, Darrell Penberthy and Rick Watkins...

CAMPBELL - Noel Owen New, 76, died Sept. 21, 2006, at the Malden Nursing Center. Born April 1, 1930, in Leachville, Ark., to the late Mose and Ruby Hood New, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the First Baptist Church of Malden. On Sept. 6, 1953, he married Dolly Lou Lively, who survives of the home...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - James "Pat" Patterson, 66, formerly of Gray Ridge, died at 12:45 p.m. Sept. 20, 2006, at St. Lucie Medical Center. Born Nov. 24, 1941, in Advance, son of the late Victor and Marie Bess Patterson, he was a self-employed carpenter and attended school at Gray Ridge. He was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in St. Lucie...

BERNIE -- Howard Houston Zimmerman, 89, died Sept. 20, 2006, in the Malden Nursing Center at Malden. Born Dec. 14, 1916, at Bernie, son of the late John Ernest and Nora Ethel McGowen Zimmerman, he was a farmer and lifelong resident of Bernie where he attended the Bernie Nazarene Church...