Stories from Sunday, December 17, 2006

With Christmas but a week away, it's time for me to offer my wish list. Feel free to fulfill any of my personal wishes if you like. After all, Santa is somewhat burdened this time of year. Speaking of Santa, that guy has a pretty cushy job if you think about it. He works one day a year and is held in extremely high esteem by people throughout the world. He dresses funny, is obviously overweight and is surrounded by some odd characters. Yet we can't help but love the guy. Go figure!...

I read the article that you had about the fish in Morehouse. My husband and I went over there last Friday and I must agree. It is the best fish around. We went over and it was really good. I would like to comment on Lean on Louisiana. My father has $80,000 worth of debt. My mother has called every commercial they have on TV trying to get $100. Most likely, if he is working for cash, you are not going to get any money...

SIKESTON - Workmen began this week on excavating a full basement for a six-room house being constructed for A.M. Jackson on Moore Avenue. SIKESTON - More than 3,000 city auto licenses have to be sold before the Dec. 31 deadline. About 2,000 licenses have been sold to date. Last year, 5,500 licenses were sold...

SIKESTON -- Not sure which doll little Susie wants for Christmas this year? Or does Tommy already have the action figure you're planning to buy him? Then maybe a gift card or certificate is the answer. That's what more and more people are opting to give to children for the holidays...

LOS ANGELES -- A Sikeston man has been recruited by a television star to turn a novel into a screenplay. After breaking into the movie biz years ago by doing computer graphics, Martin Garner is now getting a chance to do what he really loves: writing...

SIKESTON - Parents everywhere are looking for ways to provide their children with a head start in education. Since Oct. 13, several parents in the Sikeston-Miner area may have found that advantage, choosing to send their children to Hand in Hand Learning Center, located at 205 AA Highway...

SAN ANTONIO -- At a technician recognition awards banquet held in San Antonio, Crayton Hughey with Duckett Truck Center of Sikeston, Mo., was honored as the Freightliner/ASE Master Medium/Heavy Truck Technician of the Year. Kevin Holland, manager of the Service Alliance Division, Freightliner Corporation; Mike Hyatt, ASE Board of Directors chair; and Ronald H. Weiner, ASE president, presented the award to Hughey at ASE's annual Board of Directors' Industry Awards Dinner...

MATTHEWS -- David and Barbara Yant have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Dawn, to Richard Dale Oliphant Jr., son of Barbara Sterling of Sikeston and Richard Oliphant in East Prairie. A 1997 graduate of New Madrid County Central, the future bride is employed at Tetra Pak. She is the granddaughter of Norma Jean Yant of Sikeston and the late Charles "Bud" Yant and Durwood and Mattie White...

CHAFFEE -- Randy and Connie Spane have announced the engagement of their daughter, Leigh Anna Denbow, to Brian Keith Manley, son of Charles and Janette Manley of Sikeston. The future bride is a respiratory therapist at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, where her fiance also works as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Randy and Linda Bickel have announced the engagement of their daughter, Stacie Lynn, to Matthew Ryan Rebstock, son of Chris and Kay Rebstock of New Madrid. A 1998 graduate of Jefferson City High School, the future bride earned a Bachelor of Science in American sign language/English interpreting from William Woods University in 2002 and a Master of Arts in American sign language/English interpreting from Gallaudet University in 2004. ...

EAST PRAIRIE - The East Prairie Eagles notched a win before the Christmas holiday at home on Friday night over the Richland Rebels, 81-68. East Prairie had four players reach double figures and the backcourt tandem of Paris Tipler and Randy Woods combined to score 46 points for the Eagles...

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City boys basketball team connected on 11 3- pointers Friday, seven by Jay Simmons, and routed visiting Advance 85-59. Alex King led the Rams with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Simmons finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Former Sikeston, Mo., resident Garland "Cas" Castleberry was recently awarded aviation's 2006 Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award. He was honored at a special dinner in Washington at the annual conference and exposition of the Air Traffic Control Association...

SIKESTON -- The Notre Dame Bulldogs turned Friday's SEMO Conference game against Sikeston into a track meet -- and the hometown Bulldogs just couldn't keep up as Notre Dame raced away for an 86-75 victory at the Field House. The victory in the battle of the Bulldogs gives Notre Dame (8-1, 2-0 SEMO Conference) the inside track at getting the top seed in February's Class 4, District 1 Tournament. For Sikeston, the loss leaves last season's Class 4 state runner-up searching for answers...

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Vivian Main, 94, died Dec. 13, 2006, at Palm Springs. Born March 16, 1912, in Nashville, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Claude and Alma Sossoman. Survivors include: three sons and daughter-in-laws, James H. and Anita Silvers of Midland, Texas, Earl T. and Jo Ann Silvers of LaQuinta and Daniel C. and Ruby Silvers of Matthews, Mo.; and 11 grandchildren, 17 great-...

ST. LOUIS -- Carl Wayne Downing, 61, died Dec. 13, 2006, at the KFJ Manor in University City. Born July 30, 1945, in Kennett, son of Odessa Downing of Kennett and the late Carl W. Downing, he had lived in St. Louis most of his life. He served in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine Corps, from which he retired, and was of the Baptist belief...

NEW MADRID - Syble Maxine Byerly, 77, went to be with the Lord Dec. 15, 2006, at her home in New Madrid. Born Aug. 21, 1929, in Lilbourn, to Myrtle M. Evans Smith of Lilbourn and the late Loy Smith, she was a member of the Crowe Methodist Church, near Matthews, and also a member of the American Legion Post 595 Women's Auxiliary in New Madrid...

SIKESTON - Emma Louise Butler, 95, died at 1:30 p.m., Dec. 15, 2006, at the Miner Nursing Center. Born Sept. 27, 1911, at Randles, to the late James Clark and Emma Lee Holmes, she had previously lived in St. Louis where she was a seamstress and men's suit tailor at Scruggs, Vanderverk and Barney Department Store. She lived in Sikeston for many years, where she worked as a seamstress for the Elite Shop Ladies Store...

SENATH - Goldie Louella Thompson, 81, passed away Dec. 12, 2006, at Miner Nursing Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 22, 1925, in Arbyrd, she was the daughter of the late David and Josephine Abernathy Lincoln. On March 18, 1949, in Piggott, Ark., she married Joe Thompson, who preceded her in death on Sept. 30, 2003...

SIKESTON - Robert Wefenstette, 74, formerly of Fulton, died at 6:14 p.m. Dec. 15, 2006, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Maupin Funeral Home in Fulton. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel of Sikeston was in charge of local arrangements.

NEW MADRID - Alberta Ramsey, 81, died Dec. 15, 2006, at Golden Living Center in New Madrid. Arrangements are incomplete with Richards Funeral Home of New Madrid.

NEW MADRID - William Gene "Billy Gene" Fowler, 76, died Dec. 14, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 6, 1930, in Akron, Ohio, son of the late Emma Jacobs Fowler Moore and Alfred Fowler and stepfather, Amos Moore, he was a resident of New Madrid, where he was a farmer before semi-retiring in 1989. ...