Stories from Tuesday, December 23, 2008

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Nikki Redcloud and Dennie Bratcher are the parents of their second child, second daughter, born at 8:47 p.m. Nov. 18, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Mali Drew Bratcher weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long...

SIKESTON -- Jim Robison, 78, died at 5:52 a.m. Dec. 23, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

CHARLESTON -- Hattie Shoffner, 85, of rural Charleston, died Dec. 22, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

SIKESTON -- Geraldine Hall, 80, formerly of East Prairie, died Dec. 22, 2008, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born Nov. 28, 1928, in Mississippi County near Charleston, to the late Edd and Willie Bullard Badgett, she was a member of the Nelson Memorial Methodist Church in East Prairie. She had worked for 14 years as a bookkeeper at Winchester Chevrolet in East Prairie and also managed farm ground...

AIKEN, S.C. -- Nita Louise Kirrane, 82, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., passed away unexpectedly Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008, at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. She was born Dec. 6, 1926, in Bloomfield, Mo., to John and Iva (Bennett) Skelton. The family moved to Sikeston where Louise attended school. She graduated from Sikeston High School in 1944...

PUXICO -- Russell "Pud" Kelley, 86, died Dec. 19, 2008, at the Avalon Gardens in St. Louis. Born Nov. 5, 1922, in Puxico, to the late Leonard and Leslie Brown Kelley, he had lived in St. Louis before moving to Puxico in 1985. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, a life member of VFW Post 7522 in Puxico and a member of the Puxico Masonic Lodge...

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldog cage squad was eliminated from the championship bracket in the Cape College Invitational Tournament yesterday when they were defeated by the Delta Bobcats, 41-36. SIKESTON - Discarded Christmas trees will be disposed of Thursday evening by the Sikeston Jaycees, project chairman Lloyd Stoner said today. There will be no charge for the pickup...

In regard to the young lady who wrote about "He is your president." I have lived over twice the length of time you have. I am 60. I am very much against Barack Obama, for many issues, not just abortion, or his socialist ideas in health reform and redistribution of wealth. ...

If there had not been a first Christmas, there would be no: Stockings on the mantle, no wreaths on the door, no letters to Santa, tinsel, ornaments, candy canes, Christmas lights, cards, reindeer, Christmas trees, elves, Santa, St. Nicholas, carolers or Christmas music, no decorations. December would be cold, bleak and eventless...

DEXTER -- For the first three minutes of Monday's varsity contest between the Dexter Lady Bearcats and the Fredericktown Lady Cats, the Lady Bearcats were held scoreless. That would be the only time that would happen. The Lady Cats held a 4-0 lead at the 5:00 mark but 45 seconds later, the Lady Bearcats held an 8-4 lead and went on to outscore them 20-10 at the end of the first quarter...

JEFFERSON CITY - Mississippi County will receive public assistance, due to severe weather and September flooding. On Monday, Gov. Matt Blunt announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved his request to add of Mississippi and Randolph counties for public assistance, as well as Montgomery County for individual assistance...

SIKESTON -- Tough economic times are filling up not only homeless shelters but animal shelters as well. Lanette Baker, director of the Sikeston Area Humane Society, said she is seeing local pet owners giving up their pets due to financial pressures here as well...