Stories from Tuesday, January 8, 2008

SIKESTON - Sikeston restaurants, drug stores and taverns have failed to come up to minimum sanitary requirements, according to results of tests completed last month by the mobile unit of the Milk and Food Laboratory of the State Division of Health. SIKESTON - A committee to draw a new constitution for the Sikeston Downtown Merchants Association was named in a special meeting at 10 a.m. today at Two Tony's Restaurant. Stanley Bush will head the committee which will draft the new document...

I just came by the Math and Science Center and noticed there was a cabinet company from St. Louis there doing some work. I was just wondering, on the initial bid of the cabinets that were supplied, did that come from a local source or were they submitted to outside areas in St. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- The Portageville Lady Bulldogs were back in action Monday night as they beat the South Pemiscot Lady Bulldogs at home, 78-21. "I was very proud of the girls tonight," said Portageville head coach Eric Ellerbrook. "They came out after a long break Christmas break with great intensity and focus and really played as a team."...

SIKESTON -- Litter in Sikeston, get thrown in the slammer? "I've noticed lately that litter continues to be a problem here in town," Mayor Mike Marshall said during the regular City Council meeting Monday. Marshall related how he witnessed a motorist tossing garbage out of the vehicle's window while driving in Sikeston last week. "Who do they think picks this trash up?" he asked...

SIKESTON -- Ready or not, the flu season is here -- in a small dose. The Scott County Health Department has confirmed one case of the flu. Other health departments, as well as Missouri Delta Medical Center, have not seen any cases yet. "We're not seeing anything that's different," said Kay Griffin, women's health care nurse practitioner at the Scott County Health Department, about the virus. ...

POPLAR BLUFF - The results of 11 weeks of driving while intoxicated saturations in Troop E were announced recently. According to Captain G. E. Ridens, commanding officer of Troop E, this operation was conducted throughout the 13 counties of Troop E and was designed to increase enforcement activity during late night hours with a goal of removing intoxicated drivers and reducing traffic crashes during the winter holiday season...

CHARLESTON -- A hearing for the Sikeston couple charged with multiple counts of supplying alcohol to minors was continued until Wednesday at the Mississippi County Courthouse in Charleston. According to Mississippi County's Circuit Court, a partial hearing was conducted Monday and will continue at 3 p.m. Wednesday before Associate Circuit Judge Terry L. Brown...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers at services held Monday at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter for Sherman F. Boone, 88, who died Jan. 4, 2008, were: Kevin Boone, Brad Boone, Rocky Boone, Tyler Boone, Darin Rodgers and Josh Rodgers.

BLOOMFIELD - Daptha Link, 75, died Jan. 8, 2008, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete with Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield.

DEXTER - Leon Larsen, 79, died Jan. 7, 2008, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

NEW MADRID -- Pallbearers at services scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Richards Funeral Home for Dorothy Bodine, 82, who died Jan. 6, 2008, will be: Bill Boyd, Jim Steward, Joe Baldwin, Ricky Hayes, Danny Sweatt and Eric Branum. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today...

DEXTER -- Joyce Eskew, 77, died Jan. 6, 2008, at the Gideon Care Center. Born Aug. 2, 1930, in Stoddard County, to the late Cecil and Edith Perry Waggoner, she was a former employee of Purolator Products in Dexter and a member of the Essex Church of Christ...

DEXTER -- Ruby Emma Hudgens, 94, died Jan. 6, 2008, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Nov. 9, 1913, in Dexter, to the late James Franklin and Anna Blunt Sadler, she had lived all her life in Stoddard County and in Dexter since 1972. She was a member of the Sadler Chapel Methodist Church near Dexter and had also attended the Calvary Baptist Church in Dexter where she belonged to the Women's Club...

SIKESTON -- Nearly 10 years after the murder of a Portageville woman and her daughter, with investigators following up on hundreds of leads, new means are being used to find answers. "Basically, this is an activation of the SEMO Major Case Squad," said New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens at a news conference in Sikeston this morning. ...

SIKESTON--The Scott-Miss Tournament got underway on Monday evening, as the Delta Lady Bobcats and the Scott City Lady Rams each notched victories in girls varsity action. In the first varsity match-up of the evening, the No. 8 seed Charleston Lady Bluejays had to play catch-up for four quarters, as No. 1 seed Delta proved to be too much, cruising to victory by a score of 47-28...

SIKESTON -- The Dexter Bearcat wrestlers defeated the Sikeston Bulldogs in a duel match Monday night, 58-18. "Our experienced guys wrestled well," head coach Kent Gibbs said. "Our inexperienced guys did some things that they shouldn't have done. Overall, I thought it was a good night for us."...

Sometimes I agree with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and other times I disagree. The business lobbying group is always active in legislative affairs and its voice carries some impact down the halls in Jefferson City. The Missouri General Assembly returns to work tomorrow and, by most accounts, the upcoming session may best be described as lackluster. ...