Stories from Saturday, April 14, 2007

Popp's BBQ and Restaurant recently celebrated their opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Pictured starting third from left with members of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce and employees of the restaurant are: Leslie Winchester, president of the SACC; Paul Poston, general manager; Mary Poston, manager; owners Marie Anderson and Rickey Anderson; and Missy Marshall, the SACC's executive director...

DELTA - Kaci Menz and Shea Smith from Delta High School signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff. Menz plans to play both softball and basketball, while Smith will concentrate solely on basketball...

Water accumulates on a railing at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium Friday. Rain showers and cold conditions forced cancelations of area sporting events Friday afternoon, including the first ever Sikeston Twilight Relays. The track and field event is scheduled to be made up tomorrow at 4 p.m...

SIKESTON -- If you think a pit bull is a great dog to have, keep in mind: with that great dog comes great responsibility when living in Sikeston. "We have very strict guidelines concerning pit bulls," said Trey Hardy, community redevelopment coordinator...

Knowing it makes no difference whatsoever, let me weigh in on the issue of Don Imus. Unless you reside under a rock, you know that shock-jock Imus put his foot in his mouth by making an off-hand comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team. The three-word faux pas cost Imus his 30-year radio career and reopened the long-going discussion of race in this country...

Two cheers for Fads come and go in tonight's SpeakOut. I told my great- great-grandson's don't come to my house holding your pants and other parts of your body. It is nasty and it is filthy. I'd like to speak out in regards to the article in the SpeakOut where they was smashing this old lady for bringing something to drink in the sanctuary in the church. ...

SIKESTON - Arthur Ziegenhorn and Bob Lee opened the new A&B Oil Co., Highway 60 East, near the airport Saturday. SIKESTON - Playing before a large audience at the Junior High School assembly Monday, a five-student band called The Nonames took first place in a field of 17 contestants in the Junior High School Talent Show...

Bell City senior Will Bogan signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Southeast Missouri State University.

POPLAR BLUFF - The Sikeston boys and girls eighth grade track and field teams both finished in fourth place at the Poplar Bluff Invitational Meet on Thursday. Sikeston's boys team tallied 107 points while the girls totaled 104 points. On the boys side, Sikeston's Ray Clark took first in the long jump at 17-feet, 4-inches. He also took second in the 100 meter dash at 11.83...

NEW MADRID -- The levee at New Madrid, overlooking the wide bend of the Mississippi River, is a popular spot for locals and visitors. The completion of a new boat ramp, parking area, sidewalks and park improvements just over two years ago were welcomed improvements but were limited to just one area of the riverfront. Now, two grants awarded to the city of New Madrid, will expand the riverfront walk...

SIKESTON -- Local agriculture officials spent the past week fielding questions from farmers concerned about the effects this month's cold snap had on their corn crop. The short answer? It's too early to know for sure. The state witnessed an unprecedented climatic event over a three-week period when an unusually warm two-week period beginning March 21 quickly transitioned to a record six-day cold wave beginning April 4, according to Pat Guinan, University of Missouri Extension climatologist with the Commercial Agriculture Program.. ...

Alyssa McClellan, a junior at Sikeston Senior High School, unpacks boxes in one of the chemistry labs in the new Math and Science Center on the Senior High campus Friday. Friday marked the first day of classes in the new building, which will house the math and science departments and ninth grade classes...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Robert P. Gee, 81, died April 14, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

NEW MADRID -- Eveline Taylor, 81, died April 13, 2007, at her home. Born Oct. 12, 1925, in Marston, the daughter of the late James and Nellie Croach Shephard, she was a member of the New Madrid Presbyterian Church where she was a Sunday school teacher for many years...

NEW MADRID -- Beatrice Gist, 87, died April 13, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- James Louis "Jimmy" Adams, 34, formerly of East Prairie, died at 6:30 p.m. April 12, 2007, at his home. Born July 25, 1972, in Charleston, the son of Larry E. Adams of East Prairie and Linda Gentles Lopes of Olympia, Wash., he moved from East Prairie to Jacksonville, N.C., in 1982. ...

SIKESTON -- Thelma Zelene McGill, 98, died at 8:35 a.m. April 13, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Sept. 26, 1908, in Bell City, daughter of the late Robert and Mattie Strainey Overbey, she was a housewife and member of North Acres General Baptist Church. She was a 1927 graduate of Bell City High School and formerly taught school at Rock Point and Little Rock Schools near Bell City and Advance...

SIKESTON -- Alison Beth Potash and John Robert Moorman were united in marriage during a Feb. 21, 2007, ceremony in South Maluaka Beach, Makena in Maui, Hawaii, performed by the Rev. Kenneth Harupa Jr. Parents of the bride are Neil and Susan Potash of Bowie, Md., and parents of the bridegroom are George and Margaret Moorman of Sikeston...

NEW MADRID - Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. has recognized E. Dewayne Hawkins, yard equipment operator, as the 2006 Safety Person of the Year at New Madrid Power Plant. AECI's No. 1 strategic objective is to "Work safely to ensure an accident-free workplace." Last year, employees at AECI's coal plants achieved a new safety record...

NEW MADRID - Kontek Industries was awarded a multiple-award task order contract from the Kansas City District of the Army Corps of Engineers. The New Madrid company is one of three HUBZone companies awarded this contract nationally that involves a $200 million pool of funds...

NEW MADRID - They chose satin and sequined gowns, donned their hats, tossed feather boas around their necks, pulled on a pair of gloves then wobbled in their high heels across the floor. "The ladies" were ready for tea. Although at 4 and 5 years old they were barely taller than the tables where they sat overlooking New Madrid's Main Street, everyone was on their best behavior for the party at Sassy Sooz...

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- John and Debra Burg have announced the engagement of their daughter, Angela Lium Burg, to Brent Justin Armour, son of Dan and Sondra Armour of Sikeston, Mo. A 2001 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in sports management, the future bride is employed as a department supervisor at JC Penney in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She is the granddaughter of Marlo and Jean Burg of Lincoln, Neb., and the late Sherman and Lois Morton...

SIKESTON -- Tom and Athena Zorbas have announced the engagement of their daughter, Angela Zorbas, to Jim Angeletopoulos, son of George and Mina Angeletopoulos of Princeton, N.J. A 1996 graduate of Sikeston High School, the future bride earned a Bachelor of Science in English from Truman State University in 2000, a Master of Arts in elementary education in 2003 and a Master of Education in educational administration and supervision from Loyola University Chicago in 2006. ...

SIKESTON -- Steve and Sandy Turnbow have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kristyn Turnbow, to Brock Wooley, son of Bill and Donna Wooley of Sikeston. A 2004 graduate of Sikeston High School, the future bride graduated in 2005 and completed her instructor training in 2006 from Trendsetters. She is currently employed with Attitudes Styling Salon. She is the granddaughter of Jerry and Wanda Kelley and Doris Turnbow...

ESSEX -- Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Dale Pierce will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary from 2 to 4 p.m. April 21 during a reception in the Family Life Center at the First Baptist Church, 1012 N. Main. St., in Sikeston. Pierce and the former Joyce Lee Moring were married April 26, 1957, in Sikeston and are members of First Baptist Church. ...

BALLWIN - A former Sikeston resident was appointed to the Missouri Training and Employment Council by Gov. Matt Blunt. Neal E. Boyd, 31 of Ballwin, will serve on the Council. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation for a term ending on Aug. 28, 2008...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri 's Business Portal, created to support Missouri's small businesses, has received over 46,000 visitors since launching the new Internet site on February 20. The Missouri Business Portal is a one-stop-shop that connects small business owners with state government resources to help them start their business and maintain reporting requirements with state government. ...

BERTRAND -- Royal George, 70, died at 7:35 a.m. April 14, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.