Stories from Wednesday, October 11, 2006

SIKESTON - Robert and Stacy McGee are the parents of their second child, second son, born at 3:03 p.m. Sept. 4, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Riley Morgan McGee weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 20.25 inches long. Maternal grandparent is Nick Brower...

Here is the perfect example why most of us don't trust the federal government to wisely spend our hard-earned tax dollars. You probably remember Hurricane Katrina that struck the Gulf Coast last year. In response to that major disaster, the federal government felt compelled to throw billions of dollars to the southern states in an attempt to restore life as soon as possible. ...

A number of people, and this paper, have said some nice things to me about our effort to avoid the privilege of joining Union Pacific's St. Louis to Houston corridor. Of course, I appreciate it. But before we close the book on this episode, it seems to me some last words of credit are due to others...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Karl Paul Dee Bryzeal, 80, died at 4:45 p.m. Oct. 8, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 4, 1926, in East Prairie, son of the late Claude and Julia Long Berry, he lived all of his life in East Prairie, where he was a member of the First Christian Church, having received a certificate for 47 years of perfect attendance on Sept. 24, 2006...

DEXTER -- Lonnie R. Belcher, 34, died Oct. 9, 2006, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 8, 1972, at Dexter, son of Nellie Jo Ann Cookson Belcher of Dexter and the late Vernon Leon Belcher, he was employed at Dexter Ag Service Inc. in Dexter...

LEAWOOD, Kan. - Jerry Allen Thomure, 40, died Oct. 9, 2006, in Leawood. Born May 5, 1966, in Cape Girardeau, Mo., son of Alice Clark Thomure of Cape Girardeau and the late Jerry D. Thomure, he was a 1984 graduate of Central High School and Stage One Beauty School in Cape Girardeau. He was employed by Hair Inc., as a hairdresser in Overland Park. His home church was Gospel Assembly in Sikeston, Mo...

ORAN -- James "Joe" Tate, 89, died Oct. 10, 2006, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Visitation is after 5 p.m. Thursday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran. Services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Oran Baptist Church.

Misleading and outright false political rhetoric applicating repeal of the estate tax or so called death tax for the benefit of family farmers and small businesses is the heighth of hypocrisy. It is a great disservice to rural America. Instead of helping family farmers and small businesses, the benefits would go to a bare handful of farming empires and super wealthy. ...

SIKESTON - A.R. Puckett was elected president of the Bill Van Horne Post of the American Legion War Dads at a meeting of that organization held Tuesday at the Armory. NEW MADRID - Kim Coon, 3, won the grand prize of a bicycle in the kiddies parade at the American Legion Fall Festival...

Nobody asked me but...despite a great effort on homecoming night against a talented New Madrid County Central football team, the Sikeston Bulldogs remain winless at 0-6 for the 2006 campaign. The Bulldogs did show some signs of life against the Eagles. The passing attack led by sophomore Charlie Bohannon has all the markings of a top notch aerial assault with Joey Williams and Michael Payne at wideouts...

BENTON - The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team will host a Class 2 Sectional contest against District 1 winner Twin Rivers Lady Royals today at 4 p.m. Kelly (23-6) made quick work of its district opponents by man-handling St. Vincent 11-1 in the semifinals and breezing past Crystal City 6-1 in the finals...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs stunned SEMO Conference foe Jackson Indians with a 3-1 win on Thursday at the Sikeston Sports Complex. The victory, the Bulldogs' third straight, avenged a 2-1 double overtime loss to the Indians in late September...

SIKESTON -- The Heartland Wrestling program is getting ready for another season beginning November 2. We're looking to have our best season yet. We will be honored to have (former Sikeston coach) Marc Stevener, who has led several wrestlers to the state championships and leading Hazelwood Central to a 2nd place finish in the high school championships. ...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston R-6's truancy court has proved so successful, it has extended the program to target students who are repeatedly late for school. Bill Lawson, chief juvenile officer for Scott and Mississippi counties, provided the board of education with the annual report for the district's truancy court during Tuesday's regular meeting...

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School principal Mike Eftink tries to squirt his students while being soaked by water guns. Eftink held a incentive for the students to sell magazines for the school's fall fundraiser - each student who sold 15 magazine subscriptions received a water gun to use on the principal. Over 70 students, from preschool through eighth grade, participated in the drenching...

BENTON -- A trailer equipped to help Scott County's response to emergencies could serve several functions, according to county officials. County Developer Joel Evans presented the results of his research into the price of trailers during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday...

I was shocked. As I was leaving a local store recently I heard a young teen tell his mother to shut the heup. Then the mother just let the child say it with no response and no spanking. If I would have said that to my mom or dad they would have spanked me in front of everybody and I would have deserved it. And after a spanking, I would have never said that to them again...