Stories from Thursday, November 8, 2007

Dear Editor, California has been burning. The raging inferno has reminded some of Hell. Remember the platitude, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." News Flash: wood and biomass burn; the more fuel, the bigger the fire; and big fires are more likely to burn out of control. ...

I don't often use this column to talk about sports. In fact, I'm not at all certain when sports were mentioned in this brief daily dribble. But today is an exception. Well sort of. Here's the deal. The Pittsburgh Pirates this week named John Russell as their new manager. Truth is, I have never heard of John Russell. But that doesn't matter...

Scott CHARLESTON - Jamie and Christopher Scott are the parents of their first child, a daughter, born at 9:33 p.m. Sept. 28, 2007, at St. Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Cambree Leeann Scott weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and was 18 inches long...

DEXTER - John Joseph Jibben, 48, died Nov. 4, 2007, at his home. Born May 23, 1959, at Poplar Bluff, son of Noemy Jibben of Dexter and the late Dr. Robert E. Jibben, he attended school in Dexter and graduated from Dexter Senior High School in 1977. He was a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for many years and recently the First United Methodist Church of Dexter. ...

ORAN -- Edvera Welter, 83, died Nov. 7, 2007, at Mount Carmel Senior Living in St. Charles. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. Friday at the Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran with parish prayers scheduled at 7 p.m. followed by KC prayers. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Guardian Angel Catholic Church with the Rev. Normand Varone serving as celebrant...

BELL CITY -- Harlie Franklin "Frank" Jones, 74, died at 12:14 p.m. Nov. 6, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 28, 1932, at Scottsville, Ark., to the late Charles Franklin and Clemmie Agnes Boze Jones, he was a retired self-employed farmer and elevator manager from Bunge Corporation in Avert. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he was a charter member of Hooe Baptist Church near Oran and a member of AMVETS in Bloomfield...

CHAFFEE -- Glenda Faye Bass, 66, died at 2:44 p.m. Nov. 6, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 21, 1941, in Cape Girardeau to William Oscar "Bud" & Faye Irene Martin Eaker. She was a member of First Assembly of God Church in Chaffee. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Dr. James Dewey Grable passed away at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday morning, Nov. 7, 2007, after a brief illness. He was born Sept. 24, 1927, to Clyde Thomas and Norma Hammock Grable, in Quitman, Ark. The oldest of four brothers, he was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Herbert C. Grable and Jack I. Grable. He is survived by his youngest brother, Kenneth N. Grable of Nashville, Tenn...

NEW MADRID -- Claudius "Dude" Clark, 85, died Nov. 8, 2007, at Golden Living Center in New Madrid. Arrangements are incomplete at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid.

DEXTER -- Jerry Lynn Pullum, 54, died Nov. 6, 2007, at Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Feb. 1, 1953, at Dexter, he was the son of the late Harold and Ellen Pursell Pullum. Survivors include: two brothers, Harold Pullum and David Pullum of Dexter; and three sisters, Joyce Dowdy and Alice Moore of Dexter and Judy Standfield of Highland, Ill...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Nancy Janet Brooks, 69, died at 6:17 a.m. Nov. 7, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born May 17, 1938, in Algora, Ark., to the late James Fred and Roxia Murrial Cannon Cogdill, she lived most of her life in Mississippi County. For 22 years she worked as a certified nursing assistant in area nursing centers and was of the Baptist belief...

NEW MADRID -- The football season rolls on for the New Madrid County Central Eagles, as they advanced to quarterfinal game on Monday by defeating the Fredericktown Blackcats Wednesday night 30-20. After electing to decline the toss, and receive in the second half, the Eagles forced Fredericktown to go three downs and out, and quickly started up their offensive attack...

BENTON - Two local men were arrested late Wednesday for attempting to manufacture methamphetamine. Teren Eskew, 31, of Sikeston and Jack Hargraves, 39, of Crowder were charged with the class B felony of attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, class C felony of possession of chemicals, the class D felony of possession of drug paraphernalia and class C felony of child endangerment...

SIKESTON -- Mark Ellison's life changed when he was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, last May. "He really has gone down," said his sister, Dianne Shantz. "He can't speak and he's lost virtually all mobility." Now that Ellison gets around in a wheelchair, it's difficult to get through his home and even take a shower. ...

SIKESTON -- The Veterans Day Ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m. Friday at the Sikeston Field House with the presentation and posting of colors by the Sikeston National Guard Unit. The Sikeston High School Band, Choir and Orchestra will perform the "National Anthem" with the "Pledge of Allegiance" led by Mike Watson, commander of VFW Post 3174...

CHARLESTON -- In one of the most thrilling games of the season, the Charleston Bluejays (4-6) hopes of continuing a playoff run fell short by one point on Wednesday night, as the Crystal City Hornets (10-1) defeated the Bluejays 29-28. "To lose the first ball game like we did by a couple points and then come back and lose this ball game by a point it just rips through you," Bluejays head coach Dan Kesselring said. ...

I'd like to call about this deal about Peter Myers and this lady representative we have. You know what it was down there in New Madrid, they was gonna put this big pump there to pump the water out of the lowlands. Now these people have got this all confused. ...

SIKESTON - Much enthusiasm was shown at the presentation of "Lovzapoppin" last night at the armory, sponsored by the local Order of the Eastern Star. Chris Francis was awarded first prize and Avelle Williams second in the beauty contest. SIKESTON - A monthly high record for construction in Sikeston is likely to be reached this month, City Clerk John Vaughn said today...

SIKESTON -- Snow and ice storms aren't the only winter weather worries anymore. Area residents should also be on the lookout for tornadoes during the cool season. "Seems like it hardly ever snows anymore so our big threat really is tornadoes we get during the cool season. ... We may look at some winter storm cases, but we only have one every three or four years so this is the bigger emphasis for us," said Pat Spoden, science operations officer for the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky...

SIKESTON -- X-rays and other hospital images have entered the digital age at Missouri Delta Medical Center. The Picture Archiving and Communications System, which went live at MDMC early last month, is already making things easier for physicians, patients and staff, according to Dr. Mahmoud Ziaee, radiologist...