Stories from Sunday, July 27, 2008

SAN ANTONIO -- Ralph and Donna Henderson have announced the engagement of their daughter, Rebecca Kathleen Henderson, to Joshua Christopher Clark Sibley, son of G. Jeanne Sibley of Matthews, Mo., and the late Michael Joe Sibley. A graduate of Texas State University where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater education, the future bride is a debate and theater teacher at North East Independent School District...

WYATT-- Megan Colleen Johnson and James Edmond Williams have announced their engagement. A 2004 graduate of Charleston High School, the future bride attends Southeast Missouri State University, where she is pursuing a degree in elementary education and performing arts. She is employed at Buffalo Wild Wings in Cape Girardeau and is a dance instructor for Class Act Family Fitness in Jackson. Her parents are Daniel and Sandra Johnson of Wyatt...

MOKANE -- Loran Hume has announced the engagement of his daughter, Lauren Elane Hume, to Tyler Walker Nelson, son of Kelley and Anita Nelson of Sikeston. Hume is also the daughter of the late Sharon Hume. The future bride is employed by Joy's Bridal in Sikeston. Her fiance attends Southeast Missouri State University and is employed by Fed Ex...

MURRAY, Ky. -- Jenny Colson and Brian Lewis were united in marriage July 4, 2008, during a beach ceremony in Destin, Fla. Parents of the bride are Thomas and Doreen Colson of Murray. Her grandparents are Cletus and Wanda Colson of Murray and the late Hugh and Gladys Billingham...

SIKESTON -- Mr. and Mrs. T.L. Hager Jr. of Sikeston will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary July 31.

DEXTER -- In a conservation effort to reduce energy costs, the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission Executive Board has approved a change in office hours, beginning Aug. 1. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with lunch from noon to 12:30. It will be a temporary measure for fiscal year 2009...

The new "ground ring" built by Covington, La.-based Consolidated Grain & Barge at Semo Port is a facility for the temporary storage of grain. Dan Overbey, director of the Semo Port, said he believes the new storage facility will strengthen the port's ability to serve the region. ...

SIKESTON -- You don't have to have a green thumb to get fresh vegetables and fruit this summer. Just head downtown any Saturday morning to the Downtown Farmers Market for some locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade jellies, salsa and baked goods. My daughter and I stopped by this past Saturday and purchased more vegetables and fruit than the family could possibly eat in a month, but everything looked great and the price was right...

SIKESTON -- Just because someone is dining in Sikeston doesn't mean they can't have an authentic Mexican experience. That's the philosophy of the new leadership at El Torero in Sikeston. "We're trying to make it feel like you are in Mexico, even though you are in the States," said Rigobarto Trajo, manager. "We try to make it feel like a good experience."...

Camp is super fun for super campers at the Y

Final game of opening round is postponed due to weather

I am a taxpayer of Mississippi County. I do not feel that it is fair that some of the roads in Mississippi County get filler or paving work done every year, like county road 423. My road is part blacktop and part limestone. I can't tell you the last time we had any filler or work done on our road. ...

SIKESTON -- Charges have been filed for Thursday's robbery attempt of a deliveryman at KD's Convenience Store. Mitchell Tramine West, 17, of Sikeston was charged Friday with first degree attempted robbery, according to a press release from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

BENTON -- A Chaffee man was arrested Thursday on drug charges following the execution of a search warrant at a Chaffee public housing unit. Oriedo T. Lumas, 31, was charged Friday with possession of under 35 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a child, according to a press release from the Scott County Sheriff's Department...

Contract will be honored regardless of who is elected governor in Nov.

SIKESTON -- Those enrolled in a new program at Southeast Missouri State University-Sikeston are learning by doing when it comes to dental hygiene, and filling both a short- and long-term need in the community. Last August, seven students were accepted into the dental hygiene program, offered as a distance learning program through Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. They are on track to earn their associate's degrees in May...

Tanner Street Church of God will be the site for fourth through sixth grades

Carole Duncan places a ring onto the "Ding Thing" as her husband Fred drives their trike during the Trike Bike Rodeo Ring A Ding game Friday afternoon at the Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores. The 2008 Trike Riders International Rally ended Saturday. More pictures from the three-day event will appear in Monday's paper...

SIKESTON -- Tracye Harris Green, 44, died July 22, 2008, at the Christian Northeast Hospital in St. Louis. Born March 12, 1964, in Sikeston, to Alonzo Harris Sr. of Sikeston and the late Carrie Nabors Harris, she was a 1982 graduate of Sikeston High School and a 1986 graduate of Rust College in Holly Springs, Miss. She was a career foster parent and a member of Rhema Word Ministries in Cape Girardeau...

MOREHOUSE -- Caiden Jaymes Hubbard, infant son of Jamie Nichole Stevens and Larry Glen Hubbard of Morehouse, died at birth July 23, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. In addition to his parents, survivors include: his maternal grandparents, Kathy Combs and Thomas Carter of Neelyville; paternal grandparents, Virgil and Deborah Hubbard of Sikeston; maternal great-grandparents, Leonard and Ann Combs of Ellington; paternal great-grandmother, Eula Hubbard of Sikeston; and maternal great-great-grandmother, Laverne Combs of Ellington.. ...

ST. LOUIS - William "Billy" McCollum, 47, died July 24, 2008. He was born May 3, 1961, in Lilbourn, to Mary J. Russom Merritt and the late Issac W. McCollum. He was married to Willadean Hayes, who preceded him in death on Nov. 17, 2003. In addition to his mother, survivors include: one daughter, Norma Holmes of St. ...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Linda Carol Vinson Sutton, 65, died at 3:10 a.m. July 26, 2008, at her home, following a long battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Born Aug. 12, 1942, in Hickman County, Ky. to the late James Henry and Nina Ferguson Vinson, she lived most of her life in Dorena. Seven years ago, she moved to East Prairie, and she was employed by the East Prairie Nutrition Center for 13 years. She was a member of the Dorena Baptist Church...

PUXICO -- Arzie Dale Cato, 83, died July 24, 2008, at his home. Born Dec. 24, 1924, in Zalma, to the late Dolph Franklin and Gladys Deckard Cato, he had lived in the Puxico area all his life. He was a member of the Oak Grove General Baptist Church in Kinder, where he served as a deacon, and had worked until retirement for the Missouri Department of Transportation...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for services conducted on Friday at the Watkins and Sons Chapel for Carol Ann Woodall, 67, who died on July 22, 2008, were: Everett Taylor, Rick Garza, Larry Wayne Busby, Caleb Crum, Roger Garza Jr. and Derek McKown.

SIKESTON -- Natish Newman and James Ebanks are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 1:58 p.m. June 10, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Landen James Ebanks weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Rosemary and Mike Newman of Sikeston...

Even staunch Republicans privately acknowledge that this election cycle does not bode well for the GOP. Of course, as is so often the case, predictions made in the summer can prove embarrassingly inaccurate in the fall. There will be countless twists and turns before voters cast their ballot in November. But first comes the August primary elections...