Stories from Wednesday, May 9, 2007

I woke up Saturday morning and surprised myself and my wife with the idea of going to the movies to see "Spider-Man 3." Normally I don't want to go to a movie if I think it is going to be crowded because, well, I don't like people, especially people in a crowded theater. But Saturday I felt different so away we went...

ADVANCE -- Richard R. Mullins, 83, died May 8, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

SIKESTON - Pallbearers for services held at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for David Ervin Ferguson, 75, who died on May 5, 2007, were: Jim Kotner, Dale Keith, David Qualls, Nick Barrett, Ron Barrett and Kendrix Amerson.

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. -- Harold Mims, 74, died May 9, 2007, at Baptist DeSoto Hospital in Southaven. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston, Mo.

PORTAGEVILLE - Milliard Leonard, 68, died May 1, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 22, 1938, in Portageville, son of the late William and Opal Redman Leonard, he was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force serving from 1954-1958...

SIKESTON - Byron DeJuan Simmons, 37, died May 3, 2007, at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born Oct. 30, 1969, in Sikeston, to Turner Marshall of Kansas City and the late Lois Ellen Warfield Dixon, he was a 1988 graduate of Sikeston High School and continued his education in welding at the Missouri Board of Education Adult Center...

DALLAS - Lena Belle Timms, 100, died May 7, 2007, at Grace Presbyterian Inc. in Dallas. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville, Mo.

MOREHOUSE -- William Edward "Bill" Arthur, 76, died Saturday, May 5, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Sept. 23, 1930, in Parma, son of the late Charles Theodore and Emma Douglas Arthur, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during World War II, a member of the Baptist faith and had been a truck driver for Malone & Hyde before retiring...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Leslie "Lessie" Dailey, 72, died May 4, 2007, at Pemiscot Memorial Health System in Hayti. Born Dec. 23, 1934, in Grenado, Miss., he was the son of the late Iona and Willie Meeks. His wife, Neomia Brady Dailey, preceded him in death on May 7, 1993...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Pauline E. Stegall, 87, died at 11:30 a.m. May 7, 2007, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Born June 9, 1919, in Smithton, Ky., she was the daughter of the late George and Mae Roshman Stegall. Survivors include: one sister-in-law, Pat Stegall of Albuquerque, N.M.; one brother-in-law, Charles Kendall of Pocahontas, Ark.; five nephews and one niece...

EAST PRAIRIE - Dr. Randall J. Shurtz, 73, died at 12:10 a.m. May 8, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born April 2, 1934, in Centralia, Ill., to Inez Quinn Shurtz of DuQuoin, Ill., and the late Darrell Shurtz, in 1967, he moved to East Prairie, where he owned East Prairie Chiropractic Office. He was a past board member of East Prairie Chamber of Commerce and of the Senate Bill 40 for 20 years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he was of the Protestant belief...

BERNIE -- J. C. Eaves, 75, died May 6, 2007, in the V.A. Medical Center at Memphis, Tenn. Born Dec. 30, 1931, at Grayridge, son of the late Dave and Hazel Eaves, he was a former farmer and veteran of the U.S. Air Force. On Aug. 25, 1953, at Bloomfield, he married Jacquline Hester, who survives of the home in Bernie...

DEXTER - Katherine T. Midkiff, 83, died at 7 p.m. May 7, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born May 24, 1923, in Kennett, to the late Thomas Pinkney and Donnie Dot Haynes Davis, she was a housewife and homemaker and a member of the Bell City General Baptist Church...

I would like to thank the citizens of New Madrid for taking time out of their schedules to share their ideas, concerns and comments at our town hall meetings. There were some good suggestions made, and the City Council is appreciative of the input. When we all work together, we get the best solutions for our city...

Celebrities are a special breed. We, the public, bestow celebrity status on athletes, musicians and movie stars. We expect them to embrace the limelight and they are more than willing to do just that. But in return, celebrities also want special treatment. All too often, we bestow that on them as well...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston girls soccer team broke through a huge obstacle this season by beating Cape Central for the first time ever, not once, but twice. The Lady Tigers got a measure of revenge on Tuesday as they ran away with a 5-1 victory against Sikeston in the Lady Bulldogs' final home game of the year...

SIKESTON -- The Class 1, District 1 tennis tournament will kick off tomorrow morning at Sikeston High School at 9 a.m. Sikeston, the defending district champion and winners of five of the last seven district titles, will have its hands full with newcomer Farmington added to the field...

CHAFFEE -- The Chaffee Red Devils improved to 15-9 on the season with a 7-4 victory against East Prairie on Tuesday at Chaffee. Adam Uhrhan was the winning pitcher, throwing all seven innings and allowing four runs (one earned) off 11 hits with seven strikeouts and three walks...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeston golf team tied for fifth in the SEMO Conference Meet on Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau. The Bulldogs shot a 359 as a team which tied them with Dexter. Poplar Bluff took first place, shooting a 308. Jackson followed up in second place followed by Cape Central and Notre Dame...

Jennifer Nicholson, a member of the Cleats of Fire Track Club, placed first in the discus throw with a distance of 93 feet, 6 inches, second in the high jump with a height of 4 feet, 4 inches and third in the shot put with a distance thrown of 33 feet, 10 inches...

Lee Hunter Elementary School PTO member Shelley Cox washes one of the teacher's vehicles Tuesday morning at the school. The Lee Hunter PTO chose to do different tasks each day for the teachers to show their appreciation during National Teacher Appreciation Week...

MINER -- Miner's pumper will soon meet Department of Transportation requirements. Miner Fire Chief Randy Allen reported during the regular monthly Miner Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday that he found two items during an inspection of the fire truck that need to be addressed...

CHARLESTON -- A Charleston man was formally charged Tuesday for possession of crack cocaine and other related offenses. Christopher M. Booker, 34, was charged with first degree drug trafficking and receiving stolen property, according to the Mississippi County Prosecuting Attorney's office. Bond is set at $100,000 cash only, and he remains in the Mississippi County Jail...

SIKESTON -- Here are the results from Saturday's Sikeston Drag Strip action. Super Pro Class 1st Place -- Dave McDonald Cape Girardeau DI -- 5.02 ET -- 5.023 MPH -- 133.57 RT - .527 2nd Place -- Cecil Whitaker Dexter DI -- 5.00 ET -- 5.004 MPH -- 138.37 RT - .532...

SIKESTON - Paul J. Trotter was installed Wednesday night at a meeting at the armory as commander of the SEMO Post of Amvets No. 15 for the second year. SIKESTON - For the first time in three generations, the William Huff land, located between the north Sikeston city limits and Tanner Road, has a program of land grading going...

I think President Bush is so absorbed with Iraq that he doesn't see, nor does he look, at the deterioration of his own country. It does not take a great mind to see that band aid treatments will not solve this illegal immigration and border patrol. ...

SIKESTON -- Nearly one year after school districts were mandated by state and federal regulations to adopt wellness policies, a review committee has found Sikeston R-6 school district is in compliance with policy guidelines. Lori Boardman, business services director, briefed the board with the district's wellness committee report during Tuesday's regular meeting...

Sikeston Senior High School Drama Club members Catrina Williams, Andy Brown and Elaine Gibson rehearse for their performance of "It Happens Every Summer." Opening night of the David Rodgers play is Thursday with a repeat performance on Friday. Admission is $3 per ticket and tickets go on sale at the door at 6:30 nightly...