Stories from Sunday, June 10, 2007

Above:?Cancer survivors begin the survivor lap at the kickoff for the Scott County Relay for Life on Friday night at Sikeston High School. The 24-hour event also included live music and games. Left:?Caleb Booker of Portageville walks the survivor lap with two Sikeston High School cheerleaders. Caleb has not suffered from cancer, but sickle cell anemia. In February, his school hosted a mini Relay for Life, in which they raised $10,000 in Caleb's honor...

SIKESTON -- Reorganization of the Sikeston R-6 School District is well under way as the district is in the process of moving from building to building and making leadership changes at some of those facilities. "Basically from grades five and up, we're moving about half of the staff and half of the student body," superintendent Steve Borgsmiller said. "This is a major undertaking."...

CHARLESTON -- A Charleston man was found guilty following a day-long trial for a May 2004 murder at a Charleston residence. After an hour and 15 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Antoine Atchison, 23, of Charleston guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the shooting death of Chance Kitchen, 25, of Charleston on May 9, 2004...

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. -- The Williams Baptist College basketball team will have the services of Spencer Ayers starting this fall. Ayers, who is from Sikeston, Mo., recently signed his commitment to play for the Eagles. Ayers, a 6'3" forward, is a 2007 graduate of Thomas W. Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. He was picked the past two seasons for the All Conference team, as well as the Southeast Missourian Christmas All-Tournament team. He was also named a BA Sports All Star this year...

SIKESTON -- Four Sikeston girls were honored with all-region selections by area coaches recently. Junior Jordi Ferrell was named first team all-region as well as offensively player of the year in the region while sophomore Abbi Keefer was named first team as a forward...

POPLAR BLUFF -- The Sikeston Sharks swim team had several top performers at last week's swim meet in Poplar Bluff. The Sharks' top performer was 11-year-old Natalie Stevens, who placed first in the 100 freestyle, second in the 50 back stroke and second in the 50 freestyle...

Ty Simmons from Beaumont, Texas, tries to hang on during the bull riding competition at Friday's Professional Bull Riders Rodeo at the Sikeston Jaycee Rodeo Grounds. The two-day competition finished on Saturday.

SIKESTON -- Glen Francis of Dexter and Bud and Regina Griffin of Oran have announced the engagement of their daughter, Adrienne Elaine Francis, to Brooks Allen Pratt, son of Harry and Vickie Pratt of Sikeston. A 2001 graduate of Dexter High School, the future bride is a 2005 graduate of Missouri Baptist University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in education with an emphasis in early childhood and elementary education with a minor in psychology. ...

CHARLESTON -- Laura Elizabeth Rolwing and Brian Scott Wilson exchanged wedding vows during an early afternoon ceremony May 19, 2007, at St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston. Monsignor Richard C. Rolwing officiated at the double-ring service. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hunter Rolwing of Charleston. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Harold Dawson and Mr. and Mrs. F.D. Rolwing...

SIKESTON -- With extra time on their hands, high school and college students are now looking for jobs to fill their days and pocketbooks. And they're in luck, because several area employers are looking for help to cover vacations or just add some extra hands...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Seven undergraduate students from the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology at Southeast Missouri State University have received the Noranda Aluminum Scholarship, allowing them the opportunity to receive real-world experience in their future profession...

The Missouri General Assembly recently passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom of the 160th District, pictured right, that will advance nursing regulatory excellence for greater public protection. With the passage of this bill, the Missouri State Board of Nursing is granted expedited hearing authority, allowing the Board to take quick action to stop the unlawful conduct of a nurse. ...

BENTON - Kasey Mathes-Klughart of Benton, a district representative with Modern Woodmen of America, was named Rookie of the Month in the Missouri East Agency for the month of May. The honor is given to a full-time representative that has been with Modern Woodmen of America for less than three years and is leading the agency in production...

Team Combat, a 12-under traveling baseball team, competed in a 12-under AA/ AAA/Major tournament May 19-20 at Fountain Lakes Sports Complex in St. Louis. They won first place beating the St. Louis Outlaws 2-1 in the championship game. Pictured front row left to right are:?Josh King, Drew Harper, Cord Sheehy, Josh Hampton and Kody Moore. Standing:?coach Rod Anderson, Tyler Anderson, ?Connor Landers, Tyler Neal, Tanner Murphy, Ryan Nippe and coach Brian Harper...

EAST PRAIRIE - Megan and Timothy Parker are the parents of their fourth child, second son, born at 9 p.m. May 14, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Tucker Ray Parker weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 18 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Don and Joyce Hart of Matthews and Lee B. and Patty Presson of St. Louis...

MATTHEWS -- Reinterment and memorial services for former Matthews resident Charles Ray Burnett will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Missouri State Veteran's Cemetery at Bloomfield. The Rev. John Goodwin of the Hunter Memorial First Presbyterian Church will officiate...

PERRY, Ga. -- Robert Calvin Brooks, 80, died June 3, 2007, in Perry. Born Oct. 12, 1926, in Manilla, Ark., son of the late Arch Franklin and Virginia Mae Robinson Brooks, he was in the furniture business in Jacksonville, Fla. He was a World War II veteran...

MORLEY -- Marie Watkins, 82, died June 8, 2007, at her daughter's home in Morehouse. Born Aug. 20, 1924, in Lilbourn, daughter of the late Walter and Norellia McCulley Graham, she had been a cook for Holiday Inn and El Capri motels before her retirement...

The Sikeston Housing Authority and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety will soon announce a major initiative and cooperative effort to address crime in our community. Though some of the details of the program have been discussed, this will mark a major level of cooperation that, I think, speaks well for our community...

Thank goodness somebody said something about these kids running around the bar at the American Legion Club. I just really appreciate someone saying something about it. On the turning left at Wal-Mart issue, I am real proud there is a no left turn sign there. ...

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Frank Horne are spending today in Columbia where they are attending the graduation exercises of their granddaughter, Miss Alice Van Horne, where she attends classes. SIKESTON - Bill Burch was chosen as national director of the Junior Chamber of Commerce in installation services Saturday in Columbia. He will serve one year with 300 Jaycees from 50 states on the national board. Burch will represent districts 10, 12 and 13 at state Jaycee functions...

SIKESTON -- After he moved from the bright lights of Las Vegas to Sikeston, Dan Jones said he has grown an appreciation for the small town's history. That's why he's volunteered for the past two years at the Sikeston Depot, as a handyman, in addition to setting up for exhibits...