Stories from Friday, July 25, 2008

I was reading in the paper about the chances of someone being elected president that does not own a pet. I thought it was kind of funny that Obama says he is going to buy his daughters a dog after the election. I would like to predict that he will buy a dog before the election. ...

SIKESTON - Leon Brucker, 20, of Oran, lost his left arm at the shoulder in the collision of a car and truck on Highway 55 near Oran Sunday afternoon. SIKESTON - Watermelons and cantaloupes by the hundreds were placed on the market this week. Quality of melons is excellent, but lack of rain has downed the size. Heavy suppliers near Sikeston are the James brothers, who have 50 acres in watermelon and cantaloupes...

RISCO -- Ruby Lee Hensley, 88, died July 23, 2008, at her home Born April 2, 1920, in Morrilton, Ark., to the late Frederick Lewis and Synthia Emmaline Weaver Sowell, she was affiliated with the First Baptist Church in Risco. On July 25, 1942, she married Giles Edward Hensley who preceded her in death on Feb. 20, 1966...

CHARLESTON - Don Reginald Reynolds, 67, died at 2:45 p.m. July 21, 2008, in Memphis, Tenn. Born April 10, 1941, in New Madrid County in the Barnes Ridge community, to the late Robert Reginald and Lorene Moore Reynolds McMinn, he lived most of his life in Mississippi County. After serving four years in the U.S. Air Force, he attended Arkansas State University. He was a retired truck driver having been employed by Schott Trucking in Advance over 10 years...

SIKESTON -- Lyman F. Dale celebrated his 100th birthday with about 65 family members and friends from five states June 21 at the First Baptist Church in Sikeston. Dale was born June 23, 1908. An 80-plus-year member of the First Baptist Church where he started the church basketball league, he has also been a member of the AF&AM Masons in Sikeston for over 60 years...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Everett "Bud" Milligan, 78, died at 1:13 p.m. July 23, 2008, in the emergency room at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 17, 1929, at Steele, to the late Raymond Buford and Vivian Elizabeth Cope Milligan, he was a retired truck driver and a former transportation teamster local worker in Cape Girardeau. A U.S. Army veteran, he was a member of the American Legion Post No. 63 and the Church of Christ, both in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Pauline Griffy, 71, formerly of Dexter, died July 24, 2008, at her home. Born Aug. 3, 1936, near Bloomfield, she was a member of the First General Baptist Church in Jackson and was a former high school librarian in the Sunrise School at DeSoto and the Richland School District at Essex...

DEXTER -- Dr. E. G. Bailey Jr., son of the late Dr. Earl G. Bailey Sr. and Lessie Pittman Bailey was born on Aug. 1, 1920, in Maywood, and departed this life on July 24, 2008, at his residence in Dexter, at the age of 87 years. Dr. Bailey graduated from the Texas A & M University in 1943 and was a veteran of the United States Army, having served as a major with the Veterinarian Corps. Dr. Bailey spent 15 months in active duty in the South Pacific during World War II...

PUXICO -- Arzie Cato, of rural Puxico, died July 24, 2008, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico.

ORAN -- Kerrington Blaik Moss, 19, died July 23, 2008, as the result of injuries sustained in an auto accident. Born May 17, 1989, in Cape Girardeau, son of Cheryl Sue Moss of Oran, he had attended Scott City High School. In addition to his mother, survivors include: his fiancee, Marki Coomer of Scott City; one sister, Chelsie Moss of Oran; his stepfather, John Maynard of Chaffee; maternal grandparents, Rick and Sue Williams of Oran; aunts and uncles, Chris and Regina Moss of Benton, Tom and Lynn Caines of Blodgett and John and Dionne Maynard of Chaffee; and seven cousins, Hannah and Justin Moss, Dillon Kimball, Tesla and Tyler Smith and Devon and Kallie Brewer.. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Paul Edwin Shankle, 75, passed away at his home July 23, 2008, with his family by his side. Paul was born April 9, 1933, at Portagevile to the late John and Gladys Wright Shankle. He grew up in Portageville and attended Portageville schools where he played football. On Nov. 7, 1951, almost 57 years ago, he married his high school sweetheart, Connie Joyce Dacus...

The Senior Babe Ruth Midwest Plains Regional began this morning at Charleston's Hillhouse Park. Here you can see the new brick press box as well as the flags for the states competing in this weekend's tournament.

Eric Chappell of the YMCA?of Southeast Missouri shows youngsters how to start a sprinting event at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium Thursday afternoon as part of sports camp. The week-long program allowed children in kindergarten through the fifth grade to learn and participate in a different sport each day...

SIKESTON -- A teenager is in custody following an attempted robbery Thursday at convenience store in Sikeston. Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call around 2:30 p.m. Thursday of an attempted robbery at KD's Convenience Store at 903 W. Malone, according to a news release. Several officers and detectives responded to the area as Sikeston communications gave a description of the fleeing suspect...

SIKESTON -- Members of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce got to hear from those vying for office on Aug. 5 at Thursday's monthly luncheon. Those running for county, state and national offices representing Scott and New Madrid counties -- including those unopposed -- were invited to the luncheon to speak for two minutes. ...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County officials are waiting on approval from state and federal highway officials for the county's latest Off-Systems Bridge Replacement Program project. Dennis Cox of Smith and Company in Poplar Bluff presented county commissioners with a copy of the final plans for a 60-foot long and 24-foot wide bridge on County Road 522 crossing the Wolf Hole Lateral southeast of East Prairie during their regular meeting Thursday...

BENTON -- Scott County is exploring its options when it comes to repairing bridges and roads damaged by spring flooding. During Thursday's regular commission meeting, Joel Evans, county developer and director of emergency management, spoke with commissioners about possible plans for three areas near Rockview...

SIKESTON - It was classical music with sweat equity. Under Sikeston's sweltering sun Thursday, the 144 members of the Crossmen, a competitive drum corps, rehearsed for their Saturday performance in Atlanta, Ga. Their music was by Beethoven, Holst, Strauss and Mahler. The sweat was all their own...