Stories from Sunday, January 6, 2008

CARUTHERSVILLE -- The New Madrid County Central Eagles routed the Caruthersville Tigers 59-24 Friday night. Kony Ealy scored 16 to lead the Eagles (6-6) while Josh Minner added 12. NMCC also won the junior varsity game 44-30. Jeremy James led the Eagles (4-3) with 17 points and Isacc Ray scored 13...

SIKESTON -- A fast start by the Scott County Central Braves helped them cruise to a win Friday night, defeating the Portageville Bulldogs, 94-68. "Well, we ran into a buzzsaw," Portageville head coach Jim Bidewell said. "We were hoping that we had enough wind. We probably gave them too much time off after the Bloomfield tournament, But, my hats off to coach Cookson, they were ready to play. They're fun to watch, but not very fun to play against."...

Happy holidays to the many women and men that are serving overseas. God bless you and may you return home safe. You don't know how much it means to me. My father was a veteran of the Army. I wear my flag pin proudly and I fly a flag everyday in his honor and for the other men and women who give their lives for our country. And thank you to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross for all the things they do for the service men and women...

What if one day you awakened to learn that everything you thought you knew was no longer true? What if those who want to revise history simply changed the rules and right was wrong, up was down, left was right? What if a lifetime of learning was instantly wiped out and those who advance political correctness won the day?...

SIKESTON - Acting on a petition signed by property owners, the city council authorized the construction of sidewalks on the east side of East Street from Greer to Matthews, the west side of East Street from Matthews to a public alley, and the west side of East Street between Matthews and Kathleen...

SIKESTON -- Often tourists, as well as those who live in or around Sikeston, drive through the historic streets to look at the homes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And now, through a cooperative effort of several groups and individuals, a brochure with locations and history of those homes was developed to share those stories with locals, as well as attract more tourism to the downtown area...

SIKESTON -- Amended contracts with the Sikeston Power Plant's partner cities are no big deal, according to Board of Municipal Utility officials. "This is just standard, routine business we're required to do by the EPA," said Geoff Comer, systems analyst for the BMU...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Lillie Bell Patton, 65, died Jan. 3, 2008, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 12, 1942, in Oran to the late Jonas and Idell Lewis Thornton, she was a member of the Bible Believers Outreach Ministries in Marston...

SIKESTON -- John William "Jay" Reed III, 32, died Jan. 4, 2008, in Sikeston. Born Jan. 5, 1975, in Jefferson City to John William Reed II and Prudence Garber of Jefferson City, he was a member of the Miner Baptist Church and a self- employed building contractor...

ESSEX -- Michael Avery, 60, died Jan. 5, 2008, at the St. Francis Medical Center at Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

PORTAGEVILLE -- Bertha Ann Crawford, 75, died Jan. 4, 2008, at the Pemiscot Memorial Health Center at Hayti. Born Jan. 27, 1932, in Advance, to the late Jesse and Martha Juanita Long Greene Greene, she was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Portageville...

NEW MADRID -- Louis Albert "L.A." Johnson, 85, died Dec. 25, 2007, at the Golden Living Center. Born Jan. 14, 1922, in New Madrid, to the late Louis and Tudie Mabley Johnson, he was a member of the VFW Post 7183 of Lilbourn. He married Laura Lee Crockett who preceded him in death on Nov. 7, 1999...

PORTAGEVILLE -- C.D. Pyle, 80, died Jan. 4, 2008, at his home. Born Feb. 6, 1927, in Caruthersville, to the late Bryant and Lillie Pyle, he was a retired employee of the Swift Oil Company. A member of the Methodist Church in Portageville, he was a veteran of U.S. Army serving during World War II...

DEXTER - Pallbearers for services conducted Friday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for Virginia Pauline Whitaker, 89, who died on Dec. 31, 2007, were: Cecil Wright, Allen Hunt, Ervin Putman, Carl Getter, Marvin Finch and Jody Finch.

COMMERCE -- Isabelle Knight, 88, died at 1 p.m. Jan. 4, 2008, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Born Sept. 18, 1919, at Benton, to the late William Daniel Edmonds and Mary Emmaline Robertson, she was a homemaker and a member of Commerce Baptist Church in Commerce...

Martindale Chevrolet gave away $2,500 in a Christmas Cash drawing Dec. 19. Of 5,000 pieces of mail sent out for people to bring in for a chance to win the cash, 22 brought it in. The winner, Ronald Davis of Sikeston, right, is pictured with Brad Kolwyck of Martindale Chevrolet...

SIKESTON -- Georgia and David McAfee didn't know a thing about sewing when they opened a fabric and craft store three months ago. All they knew was that there was a need for a fabric and craft store locally. "Otherwise, people would have to go to Cape," said McAfee...

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The new year brings new faces to the SACC board of directors and new officers for 2008. The SACC board of directors accepted the new slate at their December board meeting. The new additions to the 28 member board include returning members Dr. ...

SIKESTON -- The December employee of the month at Sikeston Health Care is Brandy Thornton. Thornton, a licensed practical nurse, graduated from L.P.N. school in 2006 and has been employed at Sikeston Health Care since August. Thornton enjoys spending quality time with her two daughters, bowling, dancing and mentoring the youth at her church. She believes that nursing is not a job, it is a spiritual calling and a smile, compassion and kindness can go a long way with the residents...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County sheriff's was trying to do things by the book in resolving a totaled patrol vehicle. The Mississippi County Sheriff's Department recently received numerous inquiries from citizens about the 1998 Jeep involved in an accident following a discussion of the insurance settlement during a County Commission meeting Dec. 27...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston man was killed in what appears to be a firearm accident Friday. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call at approximately 10:20 a.m. Friday reporting a person was shot at Re-Armms, a local gun shop and firing range located at 801 S. Main in Sikeston...

Mike Ziegenhorn and members the 1951 Sikeston Bulldog football team give a signed game ball to Sikeston High School principal Tom Williams Friday night at halftime of the Sikeston/Charleston basketball game. The football belonged to Keith Ziegenhorn, a member of the 1951 football team that went 9-0-2. Ziegenhorn died on Nov. 9...

SIKESTON--On a cold Friday night outside, the rivalry between the Sikeston Bulldogs and the Charleston Bluejays kept plenty of fans nice and warm inside the Sikeston Field House as the Bulldogs won the contest by a score of 56-47. For Sikeston, it was the first win over their rival at the Field House since the 1999-2000 season...

SIKESTON -- O.L. Kimes of Ocala, Fla., and Sandra Colson of East Prairie have announced the engagement of their daughter, Emily Kimes, to Justin Williams, son of LaVern and Anita Williams of Sikeston. A 2001 graduate of Arkansas State University, the future bride is employed by AT&T. Her fiance is a 2004 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and works in the accounting department at Burch Foods...

SIKESTON - Shaun and Jennifer Sletten are the parents of their third child, third son, born at 12:46 p.m. Oct. 31, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Hunter Lee Sletten weighed 7 pounds and was 19 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Stephen and Apryl Craft of Sikeston. Great-...

SIKESTON -- Jan Quertermous Hon has announced the engagement of her daughter, Danielle Lee Hon, to Craig Allen Kuczka, son of Gene and Mary Kotthoff of St. Charles. The future bride is a 1997 graduate of Sikeston High School and a 2003 graduate of St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She is employed as a pharmacist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis...