Stories from Thursday, July 10, 2008

WILSON CITY -- Leroy G. Wade, 61, died July 7, 2008, at his home. Born Oct. 22, 1946, to the late George W. and Ella Mae Graham Wade, he attended Lincoln High School in Charleston. He was employed by Levee District No. 3 in Mississippi County and was of the Baptist belief...

GAMALIEL, Ark. -- Mary Louise Matthews, 74, died July 4, 2008, at Baxter Regional Medical Center. Born July 20, 1933, in Sikeston, Mo., daughter of the late Norval and Vida House Hornback, she was a homemaker and had lived in Gamaliel for 30 years, moving from Sikeston. She was a member of New Life Bible Way Assembly Church in Gamaliel where she was the pianist...

DEXTER -- Wilmer Niehaus, 92, died July 9, 2008, at his home in rural Dexter. Born Jan. 2, 1916, near Dexter, to the late Henry William and Sophia Lowenstein Niehaus, he was a farmer and a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Dexter. On Feb. 2, 1941, at Parma, he married Anna Backfisch who preceded him in death on April 9, 1998...

SIKESTON - Lillian Lee White, 94, died July 7, 2008, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. Born March 20, 1914, in Portageville, to the late Claude and Eula Smith Spence, she was a homemaker and a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Sikeston...

PORTAGEVILLE - An attempted break-in is under investigation by the Portageville Police Department. At about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, officers responded to 1001 DeLisle Street. According to Police Chief Ronnie Adams a side door had been forced open. The chief said apparently the suspect or suspects had fled when police responded. Nothing was reported missing...

SIKESTON -- There aren't any catches, and this isn't a scam. If you're a disabled veteran or retiree, the Internal Revenue Service wants you. The IRS recently launched a new summer campaign to reach retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who qualify for the economic stimulus payment but have not filed a 2007 federal tax return to claim it...

NEW MADRID - The Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office, New Madrid County Sheriff's Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are continuing an investigation into the incident which occurred at the Fourth of July Celebration in New Madrid...

Crystal Sharp, a YMCA of Southeast Missouri counselor in training, squeegees a back window during their car wash Wednesday morning. Money raised will be donated to the Bootheel Food Bank. The CITs will have another car wash July 24 at Homestead Electronics parking lot in Sikeston...

This is in regard to the Cott Beverage Co. laying off a bunch of their workers. I think everybody needs to contact Wal-Mart (because Cott Beverages is the one that makes Sam's Choice colas) and tell Wal-Mart Corporation to call Cott Beverages and tell them to keep the employees that they have and not cut the jobs or we are just going to boycott Wal-Mart stuff. This affects a lot of people here in Sikeston. It is going to affect the economy as well. It's time to stand up for the common workers...

July 10, 1948 SIKESTON - Mrs. Wade Malcolm and Mrs. Hugh McCollum entertained Friday with a surprise birthday party honoring Mrs. Malcolm's mother, Mrs. John Adams, whose birthday was July 4. July 10, 1968 CANTON - Lonns Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Wood, has been named to the Dean's List for a second semester at Culver-Stockton College in Canton...

SIKESTON -- Here's a reason to rhyme: free rodeo tickets. Poets of all ages are invited to submit their best original work with a rodeo or cowboy theme for the Sikeston Depot Museum's first "Poetry of the Rodeo" contest. "We thought a lot of people like to write country western songs," said Mike Marsh, Depot Museum director. "After all, a cowboy poem is just a country and western song without the music!"...

SIKESTON -- This weekend area softball players will join together for a common cause: to save "second base." The "Saving Second Base" Charity Softball Tournament is part of the Sikeston Jaycees' "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" fundraiser, which promotes breast cancer awareness. All proceeds of the fundraiser go to the local American Cancer Society to use for wigs, turbans, bras, breast prosthesis and transportation assistance in the Southern Missouri area...

The American Cancer Society has other fundraisers planned to help raise money for "Tough Enough to Wear Pink." They are: A dunking booth during the Community Day activities following the rodeo parade Aug. 2. Five attempts cost $3, or 10 attempts cost $7. Those being dunked include Mayor Mike Marshall, Drew Juden and Mike Bohannon, among others...