Stories from Monday, October 20, 2008

Members of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety stand near the Southeast Missouri Regional Bomb Squad truck at the Sikeston Field House this morning. At 6:41 a.m., Tom Williams, principal of Sikeston Senior High, called to report a brown cardboard box in front of the Math and Science Center. ...

BELL CITY -- Tosha Sanford and James Daniels II are the parents of their third child, first son, born at 3:32 p.m. Sept. 17, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. James Henry Daniels III weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and was 20 inches long...

SIKESTON -- Sybil Wathen, 71, died Oct. 18, 2008, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

CHARLESTON -- Becky Stewart, 36, died at 1:15 a.m. Oct. 20, 2008, at the St. Louis University Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

CANALOU -- Walter Vernon Britt, 81, died Oct. 18, 2008 at his son's home in Columbia. Born Jan. 19, 1927, in Cape Girardeau, son of the late John and Helen Marie Manis Britt, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served during World War II in the occupational forces stationed in Okinawa, and had worked for MFA Fertilizer in Sikeston before retiring...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for services held at 1 p.m. today at Tanner Street Church of God for Andrew Gregory Bailey, 31, who died Oct. 23, 2008, were: Paxton McReynold, Andy Eason, Tim Bartlett, Jerod Posey, Tanner Smith, and Jim Bob Daugherty. Honorary pallbearers were: Andy McGill, Justin Lankheit, John Douglass Potashnick, Roy Colwick, Bryan Montgomery, Tom Nunnelee Jr., Chris Barbre, Jordan Masters, and Garrett Taylor...

BLUE SPRINGS -- John McGregor, 59, of Blue Springs, died Friday Oct. 17, 2008, at Kansas City Hospice House. John was born Dec. 1, 1948, in St. Louis, to W. E. "Gene" and Betty Hodges McGregor. He worked for Montgomery Ward for more than 30 years and later he worked as an over-the-road truck driver. His last employment was with CVS as a receiving clerk. John was a part-time carpenter, home remodeler and loved football...

BLOOMFIELD -- Doy Creed, 97, died Oct. 18, 2008, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born July 26, 1911, at Bloomfield, son of the late Alfred Leroy and Cora Elizabeth Dempsey Creed, he spent all his life in southeast Missouri and was a retired farmer...

SIKESTON -- Myrtle Mae Wallace, 76, died at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 2008, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born May 29, 1932, in the Windyville community of Mississippi County, to the late Albert Daniel and Mamie Inez Green Dillie, she had lived in Sikeston since 1978 and was a child care provider. She was of the Church of Christ belief...

BERTRAND - Mr. and Mrs. Jack Powell entertained at their new home in Bertrand with a dinner in celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Will Bradley of Blodgett. SIKESTON - Speaking in a meeting of the Citizens Advisory Council last night, Superintendent Lynn Twitty said that some courses offered in the public schools may not be offered next year and the teacher-pupil ratio may be increased if more state aid is not received in the next session of the state legislature...

I watched Neal Boyd on America's Got Talent, especially the last song he sung and I had chills going up and down my spine listening to him sing. He really touched my soul. I am proud of him for writing about his hometown the way he did. Some people don't think you are important unless you come from a big and famous city, also that he gave such praise to his mother...

ORAN -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs volleyball team took second place in the SEMO conference tournament as they fell to New Madrid County Central 19-25, 26-24,26-24 Saturday in Oran. Sikeston was able to advance to the championship game with a 25-16,25-15 win over the Charleston Lady Bluejays in the semifinals...

BALLWIN -- The Kelly Lady Hawks' 22nd win of the season has landed them a spot in the 2008 Class 2 State Tournament. The Lady Hawks won their bid to the coveted tourney by defeating the Fatima Lady Comets 7-1 in front of a packed crowd at the Ballwin Athletic Association on Saturday afternoon...

SIKESTON -- The city of Sikeston is exploring the creation of a railroad quiet zone. Federal railroad regulations require the sounding of locomotive horns at all public grade crossings 15-20 seconds before entering a crossing. The pattern for blowing the horn -- two long, one short, and one long -- is repeated until the locomotive clears the crossing. Newly enforced regulations require the horns to be sounded at 96-110 decibels...

DEXTER -- A Dexter is facing felony charges for printing money. Jerry Brandon Gross, 26, Dexter was arrested Friday and has been formally charged with forgery, a class C felony. The arrest was made after the Dexter Police Department received a complaint of an alleged counterfeit bill passed at a Dexter business. Responding officers determined there was indeed a counterfeit bill and located the suspect within the city...

Darrell Dunahue, 5, bundled up and braved the cool winds Saturday to take part in the New Madrid County Lions Club's fishing derby at New Madrid. The fishing derby was one of several activities conducted for youngsters throughout the day.

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By Michelle Felter michellef@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON --When Ken Hollowell joined the Coast Guard almost 34 years ago when he lived in Paducah, Ky., he had no idea where it would take him. "I've really enjoyed my career," he said. "I've done things and been places that probably without the military, I wouldn't be able to go and do."...