Stories from Friday, September 14, 2007

PASCOLA - Matt and Erin Greer are the parents of their third child, second son, born at 9:18 a.m. Aug. 9, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Trace Canyon Greer weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces, and was 18 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Faron and Kim Fowler...

SIKESTON -- Brown, crunchy leaves attached to dead-looking trees have become the norm among the tree population in the area this year, but local forestry officials say not to worry -- most trees will be just fine. "This has happened before, and it's cyclical," said Allison Vaughn, natural resource steward for Big Oak Tree State Park in East Prairie. "... This is part of Missouri's weather, and I think the state will be able to come back from it -- although it's sad."...

ST. LOUIS - Dorothy C. White Tate, 78, died Sept. 13, 2007, in St. Louis. The daughter of the late Thomas and Clara Carter White, she married Virgil L. Tate, who preceded her in death. Survivors include: three sons and one daughter-in-law, Jimmie Tate Sr., Jackie Tate Sr. and Johnny and Lorene Tate Sr.; one daughter, Debra Morehouse; and nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...

ST. LOUIS - Juanita Curtis Benham, 84, died Sept. 13, 2007, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Born May 17, 1923, in Conran, she was the daughter of Dellar and Elbert Curtis. She worked for AT&T in California before moving to St. Louis. Survivors include: one daughter, Marcie Edwards of the state of California; two brothers and seven sisters; and two grandchildren, Donald Hampton of Memphis, Tenn., and Travis Edwards of the state of California...

SIKESTON -- James Douglas Kent, 81, died at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13, 2007, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. Sunday at the First Assembly of God Church in Charleston where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday...

DEXTER - Wanda E. Walker, 84, died Sept. 13, 2007, at the St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete with Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Dexter.

DEXTER - Gladys Mae Mallory, 69, died Sept. 14, 2007, at her home. Arrangements with the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter are tentatively set for visitation on Saturday evening and services to be conducted on Sunday afternoon.

EAST PRAIRIE -- The East Prairie Lady Eagles were in search of their second straight victory on Thursday afternoon, when they hosted the Kelly Lady Hawks, but were defeated in six innings, 10-0, due to the mercy rule. "This was just typical Kelly softball," East Prairie head coach Steve Stokes said. "They can all hit the ball and they capitalize on mistakes."...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston High School girls tennis team won its third match of the season Thursday with a 9-0 decision against Caruthersville. The Lady Bulldogs dominated play against the Lady Tigers, winning seven times by 8-0 shutouts. The other two matches were SHS victories by 8-1 scores...

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Shipman of Sikeston are parents of a baby girl today. --- SIKESTON - Miss Betty Anderson will leave Tuesday for Jacksonville, Ill., where she will enter McCurry College. Bill Anderson will return to Illinois College next week...

SIKESTON -- When Abby Harper received a package in the mail from Six Flags two weeks ago telling her she was one of six Dream Nite winners, she thought it was a scam. "I didn't think it was real at first," the 15-year old said, adding that she had never heard of it before. "But then my mom got on the phone and got all the details."...

Charleston fire personnel responded to a report of a fire in a shed next to the residence at 713 West Marshall about 10:17 a.m. Thursday. "It wasn't anything major," said Robert Hearnes, director of the Charleston Department of Public Safety. The fire was soon extinguished and the scene was cleared by about 10:50 a.m. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. "It's still under investigation," Hearnes said...

SIKESTON -- The city of Miner will pay less this year for their liability insurance. The Board of Aldermen approved renewing the city's liability insurance policy with St. Paul Travelers Insurance Company through Newton and Company insurance agency in Sikeston during their regular monthly meeting Thursday...

I am confused, as to not only to Sikeston School busses not stopping at stop signs, but to the apparent disregard of seat belt laws ignored by the BMU and the DMU. These violations are systemic to say the least. The paper has also shown front page pictures of city workers not using personal protective equipment that should be required not only to prevent accidents but to keep insurance costs at a minimum. I don't want to be negative, only observant...

CHARLESTON -- Irrigation is good for crops but bad for roads. Commissioner Homer Oliver said during the regular Mississippi County Commission meeting Thursday that Richard Wallace, county road and bridge superintendent, attributes a significant amount of the county's road and bridge money goes to repairing damage done by irrigation water on county roads...

BENTON -- The Sikeston/Miner Convention Visitors Bureau has been officially recognized. During the Scott County Commissioner's meeting Thursday, commissioners approved a resolution which designated and recognized the organization to solicit and service tourism in Scott County for participation in the Missouri Division of Tourism's Cooperative Marketing program...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Portageville man has pled guilty for unlawful possession of firearms. Jorge Burk, 34, entered a plea of guilty to one felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm during an appearance Thursday before U.S. District Judge Charles A. Shaw...

Sikeston High School pitcher Sarah Hopson delivers the ball Thursday afternoon against the Twin Rivers Royals at the Sikeston Sports Complex. Sikeston dropped the game 5-0.

CHARLESTON -- Lindsay Burke and Jade Schwieger have been only playing prep tennis together for the last four years, but the Charleston natives have been friends for life. On Saturday, Burke and Schwieger, who qualified for the MSHSAA state finals in 2006, teamed up to win the doubles tournament at the Sikeston Invitational. For that performance, Burke and Schwieger have been selected as The Standard-Democrat's "Athletes of the Week" for the period of Sept. 3-9...

SIKESTON -- The Comeback Kids they were not. Well, almost! On Thursday at the Sikeston High School Field House, the Lady Bulldogs varsity volleyball team rallied from multiple deficits of four or more points before falling to Poplar Bluff in three games 17-25, 25-23, 21-25...