Stories from Friday, January 18, 2008

SIKESTON - Frank "Diesel Doctor" Lewis, 80, died Jan. 16, 2008, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born Nov. 5, 1927, in Potosi, to the late Omer E. and Irene Rector Lewis, he was owner and operator of Frank's Truck Repair for 28 years. He previously was a diesel mechanic for Cooney Equipment Co. and Saunder's Leasing Co. He was a member of New Beginnings Fellowship Church and previously belonged to the Smith Avenue Church of God. He served as Sunday school superintendent for both...

DEXTER - Lelia Backfisch, 92, died Jan. 18, 2008, at the Golden Living Center in Dexter. Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete.

BLOOMFIELD -- Clarence J. Foushee, 82, died Jan. 18, 2008, at the Golden Living Center in Bloomfield. Arrangements are incomplete at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

BERNIE - Jesse Lee Hester, 52, formerly of East Prairie, died Jan. 15, 2008, in the John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born Aug. 16, 1955, in Sikeston to the late Delmas Leon and Mary Pauline Carter Hester, he lived in Bernie for the past few months and was of the Baptist faith. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Elma Ruth Renaud, 78, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died Jan. 15, 2008. Born Nov. 30, 1929, in Charleston, she lived there before moving to Louisville in 1953. She was a member of St. Athanasius Church, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Buechel Manor Homemakers' Club...

SIKESTON -- James Tallon Hyde, infant son of Walter "Noony" and Yolanda J. Mijares Hyde Jr. of Sikeston died at birth Jan.16, 2008. In addition to his parents, survivors include: three brothers, Justin "Caleb" Hyde, Quenton Hyde and Jacob Hyde, all of the home; maternal grandparents, Betty and Manuel Mijares of Matthews; paternal grandparents, Walter and Wanda Hyde of Sikeston; and paternal great-grandfather, George Hubbard Sr. of Sikeston...

CRYSTAL CITY -- Lillian Opel Marie Bratcher, 73, died Jan. 16, 2008, at the Fountainbleau Nursing Home in Crystal City. Born June 8, 1934, in Cadet, to the late Franklin Taylor and Mary Elizabeth Evans Barton, she had lived most of her life in the Parma and Catron areas. She was a member of the Eastern Star and of the Baptist belief...

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BENTON -- A traffic stop resulted in the arrest of a Delta man for possession of drugs Wednesday in Scott County. Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said around 5 p.m. Wednesday on Highway H, north of Blodgett, deputies saw a vehicle driving erratically and speeding. After stopping the driver, Bradley J. Brown, 28, of Delta, officers learned he had an active warrant from Cape Girardeau. In a search resulting from the arrest, deputies found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia...

SIKESTON -- After pulling off a 53-38 victory over Chaffee Monday, the Sikeston girls basketball team tried to make it two in-a-row Thursday night when they hosted Poplar Bluff. However, the Lady Mules proved to be too much, coming away with a 65-21 win...

DEXTER -- For one half it seemed like Dexter junior Katelyn Heil and the rest of her Lady Bearcat teammates couldn't miss in Thursday night's 81-66 victory over Portageville. Heil scored 23 first half points on her way to a career-high 42-point performance as Dexter, ranked No. 9 in Class 4, built a 48-26 halftime lead...

DELTA -- In the second semifinal game at the Scott-Mississippi tournament Thursday night, the No. 6 seed Kelly Hawks made a late push to try and knock off the No. 2 seed Scott City Rams but came up short, 56-52. It was back-and-forth between the Hawks and Rams early in the game. The score ended up being tied at 12 by the end of the first quarter...

I would like to speak out about Hillary Clinton. I think she is the most rude person I have ever seen. I've seen her sit up there on the row behind President Bush and shake her head and make faces while he is making speeches. She has no courtesy about her. ...

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lynn were Sunday dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Barnett. After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Lynn were given a surprise party for their 25th anniversary. --- SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Lee William announce the arrival of a daughter, born Jan. 16 at Sikeston General Hospital...

NEW MADRID -- The NMCC Lady Eagles won their second-consecutive game Thursday night, defeating Charleston at home 54-42. NMCC (7-10) led 29-13 at half and were able to hold on for the victory. The Lady Eagles were led in scoring by Tameika Williams who finished with 17. Shameika Williams and Jasmine Flennoy finished with 16 and 15 respectively...

ORAN -- The Oran Lady Eagles suffered a heartbreaker on their home floor Thursday night, as the Delta Lady Bobcats squeaked by with a 43-36 victory. Oran fell behind early in the contest, as the Lady Bobcats rushed out to a 12- 1 lead late in the first quarter. A Kirstie Mangles' field goal gave the Lady Eagles a total of three points, as the first quarter came to a close 12-3 in favor of Delta...

CHARLESTON -- Three Charleston residents were arrested Thursday in two separate drug busts. Drug investigators from the SEMO Drug Task Force, Sikeston's Special Operations Group tactical team and the Charleston Department of Public Safety successfully served search warrants at two residences in a coordinated joint operation resulting in the arrests and the seizure of cocaine, marijuana and almost $18,000...

BENTON -- Full reimbursements from the state for mandates would relieve some stress from county budgets, say Scott County Commissioners. "If the state of Missouri would fund prisoner reimbursements and everything else the county has to do on behalf of the state, I don't think you'd see the state of Missouri standing up there and saying they have a surplus," said Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger at Thursday's regular Scott County Commission meeting. ...

Amy Jo Hunter, a preschool teacher at the Sikeston Early Childhood Center, helps Austin Nance and Ryan Skinner play a peanut counting game at the Kindergarten Center. The Kindergarten, ECC and Parents as Teachers Program will hold their annual birth-4 years screenings Feb. 4-7. The free screenings will check the vision, dental, hearing, speech and developmental areas of the children attending...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County needs some dry weather and good gravel. The poor condition of the county's gravel roads was once again discussed during their regular County Commission meeting Thursday. "We're in a predicament," said Commissioner Homer Oliver. "We've got to have dry weather."...