Stories from Sunday, August 31, 2008

SIKESTON (SMNS)-- Several organizations are bringing a national speaker on economic change to Southeast Missouri. Scheduled for Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Southeast Missouri State University-Sikeston, the seminary "Retooling for Economic Change" will feature Ron Crouch, director of the Kentucky Data Center at the University of Louisville. Crouch will analyze population trends in Southeast Missouri and how they impact the future...

SIKESTON -- Thanks to funds from the Missouri Division of Tourism, the Sikeston-Miner Convention and Visitor's Bureau will have more bang to their buck when it comes to tour ism-marketing activities designed to attract tourists to Scott County. The Missouri Division of Tourism has awarded $19,898.21 to the CVB, Rep. Ellen Brandom recently announced. Scott County will match each dollar of state funding with $1 of local funds...

SIKESTON -- Hairdresser Delores Allred will begin work Sept. 2 at A Touch of Class, located at 938 S. Kingshighway. She formerly worked at Beauty Inn. For appointments, call 471-7002. POPLAR BLUFF -- University of Missouri Extension Telecenter will offer "Estate Planning-What you need to know and a whole lot more" from the University of Missouri's Osher Life Long Learning Institute. ...

La Villetta, a steak and pasta house, held its grand opening ribbon cutting Aug. 18. Pictured cutting the ribbon is Mike Marshall, the city of Sikeston's mayor. Also pictured are management and staff of the restaurant and members of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce, who sampled the menu following the ribbon cutting. ...

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, Brandon Kuehn, as the new Executive Director of the Historic Midtown Development Group. I am really excited to be a part of this organization. It is filled with many enthusiastic and active people, and is truly heading in a positive direction. HMDG is on the cusp of making some major changes to downtown Sikeston and it's great to come on board at this time...

SIKESTON -- Mandy Truelove and Adam Friga were united in marriage at 6 p.m. June 21, 2008, at Best Western Coach House Inn in Sikeston. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Dean Wallace. Parents of the bride are Marilyn Truelove of Cape Girardeau and Jimmy Truelove of Lilbourn. The bridegroom is the son of Mark and Sandy Friga of Oran...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Mr. And Mrs. Harold A. Dial have announced the engagement of their daughter, Christina Lynn Dial, to Steven Charles Clayton, son of Mr. And Mrs. Brent Clayton of McComb, Miss. The future bride is the granddaughter of the late Mr. And Mrs. ...

SIKESTON -- Family and friends of Bob and Lorraine Simpson of Sikeston are invited to attend a 50th wedding anniversary celebration in the couple's honor from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 14 at the First Christian Church Family Life Center in Sikeston. The couple request no gifts for the occasion...

SIKESTON -- Lydia and Kevin King are the parents of their second child, first son, born at 5:33 p.m. July 23, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Ethan Dale King weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and was 21 inches long. Maternal grandparent is Louise Skinner of East Prairie...

SPRINGFIELD -- Dr. John Doggett, 85, formerly of Sikeston, died at 2:30 a.m. Aug. 29, 2008, at the Veterans Home in Mount Vernon. Tentative arrangements at the Blanchard Funeral Home are for a Memorial Service Sept. 6.

FLORISSANT -- Betty Jean Webster, 54, died at 1:16 p.m. Jan. 23, 2003, at her home. Born May 11, 1948, in Gray Ridge, to Liza Mae Farr Lofton of Howardville, she attended school at Gray Ridge and Howardville, graduating from Howardville High School in 1966. She worked a number of years at Nabisco and, upon retiring from the company, worked as a government contractor...

LILBOURN -- Cecil B. "Preach" Atchley, 90, died at 3:20 p.m. Aug. 29, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 24, 1917, in Matthews, he was the son of the late Noah and Carrie Gibson Atchley. On May 16, 1942, he married Ruby Christine Smith who preceded him in death on July 11, 1997...

SIKESTON -- Frederick William Johnson, 94, formerly of St. Louis, died at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 28, 2008, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born June 22, 1914, in Allistown, Ill., son of the late Richard Stanley and Frances Jane Bennett Johnson, he was a member of the Machinist Local No. 387 in St. Louis. He was of the Lutheran belief...

DEXTER -- Donald J. Hester, 79, died Aug. 29, 2008, at his home near Dexter. Born June 29, 1929, in Flint, Mich., son of the late Daniel and Minnie Baker Hester, he had lived in Waterford, Mich., for many years before moving to Dexter in 1998. He was a member of Second General Baptist Church in Dexter and retired from General Motors in Pontiac, Mich., after 32 years of employment...

CHARLESTON -- Virginia Brown "Tiny" Clark, 57, died Aug. 28, 2008, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 8, 1950, in Wyatt, daughter of the late William and Mable Brown, she attended Charleston Public Schools and worked as a nurse's aide. She was of the Baptist belief...

Labor Day marks the end of the summer season. It's the way we celebrate the carefree days of summer one last time and head into the busy fall season. But Labor Day, unfortunately, provides one last opportunity to worry about drunk drivers on the roadways...

I have read many editorials concerning Sen. Obama's run for President of the United States and I have heard many Blacks criticize your paper as not being fair. But when asked, none of them have submitted their voice. I am submitting mine to prove them wrong...

Jo Ann Emerson, I just read your article in the newspaper about the Social Security situation, and it was the biggest bunch of baloney that's come from you yet. The finger of blame that you're pointing at others should be directed back at you. You claim to have railed against increases in entitlement programs, but all I remember you doing is railing for increases in food stamp payments. ...

SIKESTON - Seventy-four boys reported to Coaches Kenneth Knox and Dean Own yesterday at the high school athletic field for the initial practice of the Bulldog Football squad. SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Pierce of St. Louis will observe their golden wedding anniversary Sunday at the home of Rebecca Pierce, a sister of Mrs. Pierce...

SIKESTON--The Sikeston Lady Bulldog softball team used stellar defense and sound hitting to surge past the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules in a 6-2 victory Friday afternoon at the Sikeston Sports Complex. With the win, the Lady Bulldogs improve to 2-1 on the season...

HAYTI -- The Hayti Indians started the season off on a positive note Friday night, holding off the game East Prairie Eagles 27-6. Hayti, who rolled through the regular season last year undefeated, were led on the ground by Keenan Williams. Williams ran for three touchdowns in the game while picking up 120 yards on 20 carries. George Hamilton added another touchdown for the Indians in the fourth quarter...

CHARLESTON -- The bright lights of Friday night did not shine in the Charleston Bluejays favor during their season opening game at Charleston High School, as they fell to the Kennett Indians 32-22. The passing and receiving tandem that was Blake Parr and Jarvis Finley created all kinds of problems as well as the spread offense that the Indians used lining up four to five receivers at a time. ...

FREDERICKTOWN -- The Sikeston Bulldogs kicked off the football season on Friday evening as they traveled north to play the Fredericktown Blackcats. After an intense four quarter battle the home team prevailed as the Blackcats downed their visiting opponent 42-29...

Children enjoy one of the rides at the Benton Neighbor Days. The two-day event was Friday and Saturday and featured food, games and other entertainment.

SIKESTON -- The offices of the Standard Democrat will be closed Monday and no paper will be published in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The office will reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The staff and families of the Standard Democrat wish you a safe and happy Labor Day...

POPLAR BLUFF -- A program designed to provide maximum manpower during the travel days will be implemented by Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers over the holiday weekend. Captain G.E. Ridens, commanding officer of Troop E in Poplar Bluff, said the program, "15-mile Trooper," will provide a trooper at least every 15 miles on Interstate 55 and U.S. Highway 60...

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CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Eighth District Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's upcoming 2008 Farm Tour of Southern Missouri agricultural production will provide a look at everything from dairy cows to the production of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. This year, the annual Emerson Farm Tour will run from Tuesday through Sept. 5...

SIKESTON -- With the timing of opening day for dove season, in addition to weather conditions over the past few months, hunters will likely be packed together a bit more closely when the season begins on Monday. "The way things are looking right now as far as the availability of places to hunt, it's probably going to be one of the years that not a lot of places are available," said Leother Branch, conservation agent for Scott County. ...

SIKESTON -- After years of planning and efforts, improvements to the downtown area are finally being made. "The Historic Midtown Development Group is just thrilled that it has begun," said Melissa Leible, design committee chairman for HMDG. "A lot of years of planning went into this; we've been working on this a long time."...

SIKESTON -- Cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana were among the drugs discovered by law enforcement officers following the execution of three search warrants Friday in Sikeston. The effort was a joint investigation by Sikeston Department of Public Safety and the SEMO Drug Task Force...