Stories from Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Brown Shoe Company employee Diana Moit shows William "The Refrigerator" Perry the fan costume she made for his delivery of a 24-foot diameter industrial grade ceiling fan from the Big Ass Fan company Tuesday morning. Perry was also presented the key to the city. For more on Perry's visit, turn to sports on page 9...

BENTON -- Scott County has been given temporary custody of Forest Hill Memorial Gardens' records and is looking at ways of maintaining the cemetery until a new owner can be found. Commissioners discussed maintenance of the cemetery during their regular meeting Tuesday...

MINER -- City Hall will be closed election day. During the regular monthly Miner Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday, Peggy Holman, board member, suggested closing city offices and locking the courtroom's back door during the election April 3 to control extraneous traffic...

COLUMBIA -- The Charleston Bluejays are hoping the fifth time is the charm in this year's Class 3 final four. Charleston is competing in its fifth straight Class 3 semifinal, but have come away with no championships, taking third twice and second twice...

SIKESTON - A "refrigerator" was awarded the key to the city of Sikeston on Tuesday morning at the Brown Shoe Company. It wasn't the Kenmore or Whirlpool variety, but former Chicago Bears defensive linemen William "The Refrigerator" Perry. Perry was in town as the official spokesperson for B.A.F. (Big Ass Fans), a vendor for Brown Shoe. Perry was presented a key to the city of Sikeston by Mayor Mike Marshall, as he signed autographs for the company employees...

Nobody asked me but...the Charleston Invitational...I mean the Class 3 final four will tip off on Thursday morning. Seriously folks, the other three teams need not show. Scratch that. They should show up so one of them can pick up the second place trophy...

SIKESTON - For his support of Sikeston's youth baseball programs over 23 years, the Sikeston Park Board elected Charlie Miller to its Honors Board. Miller will be the 34th Honors Board inductee to be recognized for his volunteer contributions to youth programs in the community. He has the distinction of being the first second-generation honoree on the board, joining his father, the late Don Miller Sr., who was installed on the Honors Board in 1992...

BENTON -- Gloryland will need to get a ballpark value for the building they wish to purchase before Scott County will offer sponsorship for a grant. Bishop Charles Green from Gloryland Community Development Corporation met with Scott County officials during their regular meeting Tuesday to discuss the Community Development Block Grant application...

SIKESTON -- Most of Sikeston High School's graduating class of 2006 are either employed or attending college, a district report says. Dr. Larry Bohannon, assistant superintendent of professional development and secondary education, briefed the Sikeston Board of Education with a follow-up report of the 2006 graduates during the board's regular meeting Tuesday...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston High School cage team ended its season by taking second place in a tournament, losing the final game to Cape Central, 40-22. SIKESTON - Low electrical rates will be realized by customers if the sale of facilities belonging to the Missouri Utilities Co. is completed to the Sikeston Board of Public Works, BPW manager Dick Inman said today...

This is in response to A time to celebrate in the March 5th SpeakOut. No. 1, against Notre Dame, Michael Porter had 27 points and 8 rebounds. So that tells me right there you don't know what you're talking about. No. 2, it wasn't the fact that Notre Dame ran all over Sikeston's floor. ...

I have a preoccupation, of sorts, with the unique defense strategies used to minimize the penalties imposed on criminals during the sentencing phase of trials. Once a jury has convicted a person of first degree murder for example, the jury (or judge) will then decide the penalty. Their choices are usually limited to life without parole or execution...

WASHINGTON -- Joe M. Hampton, 85, died March 12, 2007, at the Grandview Healthcare Center in Washington. Born Oct. 4, 1921, near Steele, son of the late David and Mary Hamlett Hampton, he was a retired plumbing contractor and lived most of his life in St. Charles and Robertsville. From 1992-2006 he lived in Dudley and New Madrid before moving back to Beaufort...

SIKESTON - Mary Ann Reed, 66, died March 8, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 3, 1941, in Sikeston to the late Wilma and Lessie Bonner, she was a 1960 graduate of Sikeston High School. She moved to Chicago where she worked and retired from the Williams Wrigley Jr. Co. and was a member of the New Covenant Pentecostal Church. Upon returning to Sikeston, she became a member of Greer's Chapel...

HUNTERVILLE, N.C. -- Jimmy "Boone" Hunter, 42, formerly of New Madrid, Mo., died March 12, 2007, in Hunterville. Arrangements are incomplete at Raymer Funeral Home in Hunterville. Richards Funeral Home of New Madrid is in charge of local arrangements...

EAST PRAIRIE - Carrie Mae Hughes Wiley, 41, died March 5, 2007, at her home in East Prairie. Born Feb. 20, 1966, in Charleston, daughter of Robert Lyons of Charleston and the late Dorothy Hughes, she attended Charleston High School. Survivors include: one son, Shawn Hughes of Charleston; two daughters, Rita Hughes of Sikeston and Jaresha Bell of East Prairie; seven brothers, Robert Hughes of Bloomington, Ill., Robert Lyons, Russell Lyons, Ronald Lyons and Gary Lyons of Indianapolis, and Eddie Lyons and Albert Lyons of Charleston; seven sisters, Betty Hughes and Brenda Hughes of Carbondale, Ill., Dianne Hughes and Peggy Biles of Charleston, Truly Riggs and Janie Watson of Bloomington and Dorothy Macon of Cleveland; and three grandchildren.. ...

WYATT - Sallie Orr, 76, died March 12, 2007, at her home in Wyatt. Born Sept. 30, 1930, in Macon, Miss., she was the daughter of the late Albert and Lucille Johnson Reed. Survivors include: five sons, Less Tate Jr. of Youngtown, Ohio, Ernest Tate, Wiley Orr and Jimmy L. ...

NEW MADRID - Mary Anna Coleman, 79, died March 12, 2007, at Baptist Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Born Aug. 2, 1927, in Blytheville, Ark., to the late Benjamin Winston and Mary Catherine Smith, she was a member of the Ladies Golf Association at the New Madrid Country Club...

WILSON CITY -- Lela Mays, 95, died March 11, 2007, at the Bertrand Retirement Home. Born Aug. 20, 1911, in St. Francis, Ark., daughter of the late Mack and Ada Ford Graham, she was a member of Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Wyatt. On Dec. 27, 1931, she married to Emmerson Amos Mays, who preceded her in death on May 21, 1995...

AUSTIN, Texas -- Alfred Roland Henson, 89, formerly of Portageville, Mo., died March 12, 2007, at his daughter's home in Austin. Born Sept. 19, 1917, in Elvins, Mo., son of the late Benjamin and Myrtle Crites Henson, he was a U.S. Army veteran who served during World War II...

PORTAGEVILLE - Terry Meador, 44, died March 13, 2007, at his home in Rainbow Village. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.

HOWARDVILLE -- Roy Jackson, 77, died March 13, 2007, at the Golden Living Center in New Madrid. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.

Ever since I have been married, my wife has wanted a gun. She has always claimed it would make her feel safer but I could never get the image of her "accidentally" using it against me. You know, innocently walking into the house after my wife is in bed only to be greeted by a chest-full of lead...