Stories from Wednesday, September 5, 2007

SIKESTON -- After a long absence, dairy farming is returning to this area. This dairy operation will be somewhat different than many people might expect, however, according to Peter Gaul, chief executive of the Tiller investment group and the coming Tiller-Cohen Farm...

I remember a time when I was little and I actually enjoyed going to school. Playing tag, pulling girls' hair and mingling with friends was the high point of the day. Of course, all of that was done during recess, something that is almost a dirty word in schools today...

BLOOMFIELD -- Susanna Melissa Ezzell, 99, died Sept. 2, 2007, at the Golden Living Care Center in Bloomfield. Born Jan. 4, 1908, in Bloomfield, daughter of the late Jonathan Randolph and Louisa Jane Sifford Ezzell, she was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Bloomfield. She was a 50-year member and past matron of the Bloomfield Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter 385, and taught in the Bloomfield School System for more than 40 years...

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Bueta "Billie" V. Gleason Whitney, 80, died Aug. 20, 2007, following an extended illness. Born July 10, 1927, at Lisbon, to the late Myrtle and Merle Bills and Stanley Gleason, she attended school in Sikeston from 1942-1944. She graduated in Marion in 1945. She had been employed for 28 years with Collins Radio and later Rockwell Industries before retiring. She was also employed at Square D Credit Union for seven years...

NASHVILLE, Ill. - Allen J. Mercer, 73, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Aug. 27, 2007, at his home of cancer. He was born April 27, 1934, in Wardell, Mo., son of Allen and Ruby Velma Mercer. He was a veteran of the Air Force, serving as a crew member on a B-36 bomber. ...

DEXTER -- Judy Moore, 59, died Sept. 4, 2007, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Dec. 21, 1947, in Dexter, daughter of Vivian Hunt Patterson of Dexter and the late William Henry Patterson, she was a member of First Baptist Church in Dexter and a former administrative assistant in the Department of Opthamology for the University of Texas, Southwest Medical Center in Dallas...

DEXTER -- Jeanette Keasler, 93, died Sept. 4, 2007, at Crowley Ridge Care Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

CHAFFEE -- Wilma Pauline Benton, 89, died at 9:45 p.m. Sept. 1, 2007, at Monticello House in Jackson. Born June 26, 1918, in Tanner, daughter of the late Charles Emmit and Tillie Emeline Harmon Romine, she was a retired machine operator from Florsheim Shoe Company in Chaffee. She was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, the Daughters of St. Ambrose and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Chaffee VFW...

CHARLESTON - Antoine L. Walker, 30, died Sept. 2, 2007, from injuries sustained from being struck by an automobile in Charleston. Born Jan. 20, 1977, in Charleston, to Vienna Walker and Ralph Mitchell of Charleston, he was a 1995 Charleston High School graduate and a veteran of the U.S. Army...

DEXTER - Pallbearers for services conducted on Tuesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter for Barry James Barnes, 44, who died on Aug. 31, 2007, were: Greg Lintz, Scott Blunt, Michael Wolpers, Colby Barnes, Derek Ray and Brandon Barnes.

BERNIE -- Kathleen Ward, 92, died Sept. 5, 2007, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

SIKESTON - Eugene Travis Jr., 80, died at 1:40 p.m. Aug. 30, 2007, at his home. Born July 17, 1927, in Lilbourn, to the late Eugene and Mary May Evans Travis, he lived most of his life in Sikeston. He was a self-employed tuckpointer and a U.S. Army veteran, having served in the Air Corps...

SCOTT CITY -- The Kelly High School softball team scored seven runs during its seventh inning Tuesday to secure a 10-1 win against Scott City. The Lady Hawks (8-2 overall) plated one run in the first inning and added two more tallies in the second, and led 3-0 all the way until Scott City scored its run in the sixth...

BERTRAND -- Seburn Henry Crumley, 83, died at 10:08 a.m. Sept. 4, 2007, at the Bertrand Nursing Center. Born Nov. 24, 1923, in New Holland, Ga., son of the late John and Ozena Adams Crumley, he had been employed as a painted with the General Motor Company in Doraville, Ga. He had lived in Bertrand since 1978, where he was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy. He was a World War II veteran, having served in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy...

In August, Sikeston native Tyler Anderson, who competed as a member of the Sikeston 12-year-old All-Star baseball team, was named the Batting Champion of the 2007 Cal Ripken World Series. In four games at Aberdeen, Md., Anderson had a .583 batting average (7-for-12) with six runs scored, one double, four home runs and four RBIs. His slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-...

Sikeston's Tyler Neal avoids the tackle of a New Madrid County Central defender during Tuesday night's football jamboree at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs softball team was back on the diamond Tuesday afternoon, but suffered a heartbreaking loss 3-0 to the Cape Central Lady Tigers. Sikeston's defense -- improved from earlier this season -- only gave up three runs, while committing just one error in the game...

SIKESTON - The YMCA of Southeast Missouri is for everyone so backers of the Y's capital campaign want everyone to donate to make the expansion possible. As the YMCA winds down its campaign to raise $6.5 million dollars, every effort is being made to reach that goal, said Jeff Partridge YMCA executive director. The money raised will be used to reconstruct the current YMCA facility and will create an indoor aquatic center and several new areas for workout equipment...

My comment is about the people in Sikeston wanting or not wanting a skate park. Has the city council and area Chamber of Commerce lost their minds? Skate parks are no good for any town they've been in. I would rather see these parents that are so intent on getting this skate park to teach their skateboarders more on personal hygiene, such as showers and washing their hair and manners in a public place. ...

SIKESTON - W. Hargrove, formerly of Sikeston, has announced the opening Monday of the City Radio Service, 121 E. Malone Ave. --- SIKESTON - A continuous stream of veterans of World War II lined up at three windows at the Bank of Sikeston yesterday and cashed $64,728.51 in terminal leave bonds...

Robert Williams and Harry Mitchem, both Bizzell Nursery Co. landscapers, plant flowers and bushes around the walkway in front of the Sikeston Depot caboose Tuesday. The landscaping was part of the Missouri Department of Transportation Enhancement Grant...

BENTON -- Scott County is a step closer to having the ability to communicate in case of a disaster. During Tuesday's regular commission meeting, Sheriff Rick Walter and Joel Evans, county developer, reported $50,500 was approved as part of the federal Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program Interoperable Communications Grant...

SIKESTON -- Area skaters will soon have a city skatepark. During their regular meeting Tuesday, City Council members unanimously approved allocating space at the Sikeston Sports and Recreation Complex to locate a skatepark as recommended by the city's Park Board...

SIKESTON -- The strip of land between the old Elk's Lodge and Al's Reefer Service will finally become a real road. City Council members took action to establish and build the road during the regular Sikeston City Council meeting held Tuesday due to the Labor Day holiday Monday...

If I've heard the question asked once, I've heard it a thousand times - why do some young males today wear the baggy pants that hang down near their knees with their boxer shorts showing? For starters, it can't be comfortable having to hold your britches up with one hand as you walk along. And if it's called "style" then give me a leisure suit instead. And finally, I'm not too interested in seeing your boxers...