Stories from Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Thankfully the election is over and with no more "vote for me" phone calls taking up every single second of our free time we can move on to more important issues: the weakening of our children. Last month an elementary school in Massachusetts became one of four schools nationwide to enforce a ban on the game of tag. Gaylene Hepp, principal of Willett Elementary School in Attleboro, Mass., said the decision was made because recess is "a time when accidents can happen."...

SIKESTON - Eleanor "Ellie" Burden Bridwell, 84, formerly of Charleston, died at 7:36 p.m., Nov. 6, 2006, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born April 18, 1922, in Advance, to the late Ernest and Nora Pike Williams, she had attended St. Elizabeth Girls Academy in St. ...

CHAFFEE - Frances Alma Beck, 85, died at 4:50 p.m. Nov. 6, 2006, at Chaffee Nursing Center. Born June 27, 1921, at Kelso, to the late Louis and Regina Blattel Hahn, she was a retired baby sitter and had retired from Buckstein Pants Factory in Chaffee as a machine operator. She was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, the Daughters of St. Ambrose and the Ladies Auxiliary Chaffee V.F.W. Post 3127...

SCOTT CITY - Linus A. Heisserer, 87, died Nov. 6, 2006, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Scott City.

NEW MADRID -- Mabel Jeanette Chadd Ritchie, 75, died Nov. 7, 2006, at Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 16, 1931, in Kewanee, she was the daughter of the late William "Bill" Melvin and Dorothy Lucille Lands Chadd. She was married to James Ernest Kennedy, who preceded her in death. ...

SALTILLO, Tenn. -- Gene Bingham, 73, died Nov. 6, 2006, at West Tennessee Transitional Center in Jackson. Born to the late George Levert and Mary Exie Smith Bingham, he was a plant technician for Adamsville CenturyTel Phone Service and member of Saltillo Methodist Church. He was a U.S. Army veteran...

MARION, Ind. -- Beatrice Kelly, 90, died Nov. 5, 2006, at Bradner Village Healthcare Center. Born April 18, 1916, in Washboard, Ark., daughter of the late Gum and Mary Ann Green Warren, she was a homemaker. She married Willie Kelly Sr. who preceded her in death...

LAKE DARDANELLE, Ark. -- The Bootheel BassBusters held their final tournament of the year, a two-day event, on October 27th and 28th on Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas. Ty Garrett won the tournament with a two-day total of 12 lbs. 10 oz. Mitch Allen was second with 10 lbs. 4 oz. and Harold Bays was third with 8 lbs. 4 oz...

As an eighteen-year-old female who does not attend Sikeston Public Schools, rarely do I read the Sports section of the Standard-Democrat. However, yesterday, I skimmed the Sports section out of mere curiosity and read Chris Moore's column. Last night's district soccer game of Sikeston vs. ...

STE GENEVIEVE - The New Madrid County Central Eagles football team will face the Ste. Genevieve Dragons on the road Wednesday night in the first round of the 2006 Class 3 playoffs. The Eagles and Dragons are no strangers when it comes to sectional playoff games. The two teams have met five times with Ste. Gen winning three of those meetings...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina led a preseason All- America team of underclassmen. The 6-foot-9 sophomore forward was the top vote-getter Tuesday on the team chosen by the same panel that selects The Associated Press' weekly college basketball poll...

SIKESTON -- Three Sikeston high school varsity volleyball players earned post season honors when the Class 4, District 1 All-District teams were announced recently. Rachel Beydler and Martika Davis earned All-District First Team honors and Quinn Kaiser earned Second Team honors...

LEOPOLD - Karen and Thomas Null are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 12:58 p.m. Sept. 15, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Levi Thomas Null weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 20 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Steven and Marcia Upchurch of Marble Hill...

Margaret Ann Moon spoke for the entire community Monday when she appeared before the Sikeston City Council and addressed the ongoing issue of roaming gangs of youths creating mayhem and vandalism after dark. Moon took the courageous step to call on the city to implement a "zero tolerance" policy in regard to city curfews and said her experiences were "a snapshot of what is transpiring and will continue to transpire in this community."...

BENTON - Southeast Missouri residents will have two new representatives taking their issues to Jefferson City. Republican Ellen Brandom will be the new state representative from the 160th District. In the 161st District, voters selected Democrat Steve Hodges as their next state representative...

NEW MADRID - Voters agreed to change the funding of the county's ambulance district in Tuesday's general election. Also gaining passage, although one issue just barely, were two proposals from the R-1 School District. According to unofficial results from the office of County Clerk Clement Cravens, the proposal to fund operation of the New Madrid County Ambulance District through a sales tax was overwhelmingly approved. ...

BENTON -- Controversial issues and tight state races brought more than half of Scott County's registered voters to the election polls Tuesday. Nearly 55 percent of Scott County's 24,836 active registered voters cast ballots Tuesday. Scott County Clerk Rita Milam compared the turnout to a presidential election...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County Recorder Judy Rolwing will get another term in office. Rolwing, a Democrat, was victorious over her Republican challenger, Melinda Nelson, 2,739-1,260 in the only contested race for a county office and her first contested election for the job. A single write-in vote was also cast...

SIKESTON - At the Rex Theatre today, "Bring on the Girls" starring Veronica Lake and Sonny Tufts. At the Malone, "Whistle Stop," with George Raft and Ava Gardner. SIKESTON - About 25 people and organizations in Sikeston have contributed money, clothes, soap and toys for the people of Vietnam, Mrs. Ralph Carroll of the American Legion Auxiliary, said today...

I would like to know if we still have code enforcement in the city of Sikeston of alleyways in the older neighborhoods of Scott, School, Ruth, Gladys, Dorothy, William? There are old tires up and down in the alleys, trees are hanging over, old fence posts. Between Murray Lane and Gladys the trees are hitting the tops of the cars. There are abandoned houses with old cars, old tires, fenceposts, garbage cans. Please do something about this...