Stories from Thursday, July 5, 2007

KOHLER, Wis. - Sikeston, Mo., native Tom Dawson is among the leaders as the Professional Golf Association's U.S. Senior Open began today at Whistling Straits. As of press time, Dawson was one stroke over par. Dawson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Dawson of Sikeston...

BENTON -- Scott County's fund balances appear to be where they should be after the first half of the year. Scott County Commissioners reviewed preliminary figures for fund balances, revenues and expenditures for the first two quarters of the year during their regular meeting Tuesday...

SIKESTON -- Slip, slap, slop. That's the American Cancer Society's slogan for sun safety, said Marcie Lawson, community manager of health initiatives at the Sikeston office. "You want to slip on a T-Shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat," Lawson explained. "That's just kind of an easy, quick reminder of what you need to be doing."...

POPLAR BLUFF - Sherry Duncan, 66, formerly of Dexter, died July 4, 2007, at the Manor Residential Care in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are incomplete with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter.

BERTRAND - James C. Dickerson, 80, died at 9:10 a.m. July 1, 2007, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 19, 1926, in Smithland, Ky., to the late T.C. and Katie Dickerson, after serving in the Army during World War II he moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he was employed as a conductor with the P&LE Railroad for many years. He received certification as a licensed auctioneer, worked as an auctioneer and owned his own auctioneering business for 30 years until retiring in 1988...

CHAFFEE - Earl Douglas Calhoun, 53, died at 2:15 a.m., July 1, 2007, at his home. Born May 21, 1954, in Nashville, Tenn., to the late Anna Calhoun, he served in the U.S. Army and was a retired bricklayer. Survivors include: one daughter and son-in-law, Natasha and Jason Holweg of Allenville; three grandchildren, Cassie Eichhorn, Kendall Holweg, and Presley Holweg; one brother-in-law, one sister-in-law, two nieces, one great-niece, one great-nephew, and a special friend, Teresa Wilkins of Pleasantview, Tenn.. ...

EAST PRAIRIE - Doris J. Sarver, 71, died at 9:15 a.m. July 3, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 4, 1935, in East Prairie, to the late Burrell Otto and Floy Noreene England Williams, she lived all her life in Mississippi County. She was the former owner of the Family Florist in East Prairie...

SIKESTON - The Rev. Gaylord E. Grindstaff, 73, died at 10:15 p.m. July 2, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born June 1, 1934, in Fremont, he was the son of the the late John Elton and Laura Mae Bristol Grindstaff. He worked for 15 years for Dow Chemical Co. ...

PORTAGEVILLE - Cassie E. Jean Gooch, 76, died July 4, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born May 23, 1931, in Conran, to the late Clarence C. and Clara B. Fields Hayes, she was a member of the J.Y. Church of God. In 1946, at Piggott, Ark., she married Stanley Gooch, who preceded her in death on Feb. 20, 1984...

NEW MADRID - Joan Duffy Cooper, 73, died July 3, 2007, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born June 8, 1934, in Chattanooga, Tenn., to the late Jim and Dixie Altman Duffy, she attended Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga and received an English degree from Sienna College in Memphis, Tenn. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church in New Madrid...

KEWANEE - Ralph V. Johns, 61, died July 2, 2007, at Golden Living Center in New Madrid. Born Feb. 9, 1946, at Matthews, to the late Jesse and Betty Blankenship Johns, he was a retired auto mechanics instructor at New Madrid County R1 Enlarged. He was a member of the New Madrid Country Club and New Madrid American Legion Post No. 595...

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- Sikeston native Blake DeWitt continued his onslaught at the plate as he went 5-for-5 in leading the Inland Empire 66ers to a 7-4 victory over High Desert on Monday. He also had two runs, a double and an RBI. DeWitt is batting .477 in his last 10 games with 21 hits, six doubles and 15 RBIs...

SIKESTON -- The Bulls may struggle at getting bunts down from time to time, but if they swing the bats and run the bases like they did on Tuesday then it may not matter. Sikeston jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and cruised to an 8-4 victory against Farmington at VFW Stadium...

SIKESTON - Mrs. P.J. Schlosser gave a birthday party for her daughter, Brenda, Saturday. SIKESTON - James E. Sullivan has been appointed patrolman for the city, according to City Manager Raymert Miller. Sullivan is the third patrolman hired since May 1. Provisions for hiring three patrolmen were called for in the budget for this fiscal year...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is currently investigating the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy at his home. At 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sikeston DPS officers responded to 207 Luther St. to check on an unresponsive teen. It was reported that the family of the victim was outside the home and went inside a bedroom where they found the victim, Antonio Dewayne Patterson, bleeding from the head...

We were wondering when Mr. Bush and Mr. Blunt retire from office, if they are going to play Batman and Robin in the Batman movie? Or maybe President Bush can be The Terminator and Mr. Blunt can play in the Young and the Restless. They are used to high-paying jobs, and I think these actors get a pretty good salary. Or maybe since Bush owns these oil fields, he can play Jed Clampett in the Hillbillies, part two...

Just when I thought I had seen it all, I read the story of Robert Kosilek. I'm not really sure where to begin.OK, Kosilek is a convicted murderer serving a life sentence in Massachusetts. Kosilek strangled his wife in 1990. He says it was in self-defense after his wife spilled boiling tea in his lap. Jurors didn't buy that argument...

Above:?Gerald Howard decorates the front of his Edmondson Street home. The veteran placed dozens of American Flags in his yard to celebrate the Fourth of July. Right:?The Sikeston Elks Lodge held the annual July 4th fishing derby Wednesday morning at the Sikeston Sports Complex. Over 200 children and parents participated in the event. Casting out a line is 5 year-old Jacob Lovel...

BENTON - A Chaffee man is being held in the Scott County Jail in connection with a weekend fire and burglary at a Chaffee residence. Anthony F. Siebert, 23, was arrested on three felony counts Tuesday afternoon. He is charged with second degree arson, second degree burglary and felony stealing...