Stories from Wednesday, February 29, 2012

RISCO -- The Risco Tigers are a team that can score in bunches and you never know where it's going to come from. Utilizing plenty of depth and plenty of scoring options, the top-seeded Tigers knocked off fourth seed and Tri-County Conference rival Clarkton, 100-74, on Tuesday at Risco High School in the Class 1, District 1 Tournament...

BLOOMFIELD -- Weathering through a blistering start by Twin Rivers on Tuesday, the New Madrid County Central Lady Eagles advanced to the Class 3, District 1 championship game with 79-50 win over the Lady Royals. "I knew coming in after not playing Saturday we would probably be a little rusty having never played in this gym before," NMCC head coach David Crockett said. "We weathered that storm when Twin Rivers came out and shot really well...

HAYTI -- Getting double digits from both Latavia Harris and Taylor McCoy, the third-seeded Portageville Lady Bulldogs advanced to the championship game of the Class 2, District 1 Tournament on Tuesday by defeating Senath-Hornersville 49-37 at Hayti High School...

CLASS 4 SECTIONAL at Mineral Area College Sikeston v. De Soto, 7:45 p.m. CLASS 3, DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT at Bloomfield Charleston v. Caruthersville, 6 p.m. Kennett v. Doniphan, 7:30 p.m. CLASS 4 SECTIONAL at Mineral Area College Dexter v. Park Hills Central, 6 p.m...

SIKESTON -- Bette Jean Sorrells, 78, died at 7:10 a.m. Feb. 28, 2012, at her home. Born Feb. 11, 1934, in the Whiting community near East Prairie, to the late Lillard Dee and Clara Thrower Davis, she lived most of her life in Sikeston where she was a retired rural mail carrier with the Sikeston Post Office. She was a member of the First Christian Church in East Prairie...

SIKESTON -- Bobby Joe Lambert, 40, died Dec. 6, 2011, at the Goldschmidt Cancer Center in Jefferson City. Born July 21, 1971, in Chicago, to Marilyn Lambert of Germantown, Tenn., and the late Arthur Jackson, he was a graduate of Lee County Senior High School in Marianna, Ark. A member of Salem Baptist Church in Forrest City, Ark., he worked as a professional cross-country truck driver...

NEW HAMBURG -- Monsignor Philip Bucher, 76, died Feb. 27, 2012, at Presbyterian Hospital Center in Albuquerque, N.M. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Benton.

My television-viewing habits would best be described as eclectic. Sprinkled between the never-ending news cycles and the obligatory sports menu, I find welcome escape with sitcoms. Sitcoms are like popcorn - light, non-filling and easily consumed. Talk of deficits, wars and political stalemates all seem to evaporate for a brief, 30-minute snack on a sitcom diet...

SIKESTON -- Dates for the city of Sikeston's Spring Cleanup are set for the two weeks beginning March 12. The Spring Cleanup program gives residents two opportunities to dispose of bulky rubbish during their regular solid waste pickups. Residents with Monday and Thursday trash collection will have their Spring Cleanup opportunities on March 12 and 15. Those with Tuesday and Friday solid waste pickup will have their Spring Cleanup collections on March 20 and 23...

BENTON -- The Scott County Emergency Management Agency is now official. County Commissioners approved during their regular meeting Tuesday an ordinance officially establishing the county's emergency management agency and the position of county emergency management director...

SIKESTON -- Races for the August Primary Election are forming as filing began Tuesday. Local offices eligible for the Aug. 7 election included associate circuit judges, county commissioners, sheriff, assessor, collector-treasurer, county treasurer, public administrator, coroner, surveyor, and township or ward committee men and women. Filing ends at 5 p.m. March 27...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The August primary election will bring several races to the area. For State Senator from District 27, Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau and Ellen Brandom of Sikeston have filed on the Republican ticket. No Democrat had filed on Tuesday at the Secretary of State's office in Jefferson City...

Hillary Parker, daughter of Tony and Tina Parker, is the Standard Democrat Calendar Girl for March. Parker, second runner-up in the 2011 Miss Sikeston Contest, plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University and major in physical therapy or counseling and social work...

SIKESTON -- Heavy storms passed through the Bootheel early this morning. A Mississippi County spokesperson said they had dime-size hail and strong winds, but no reports of any damage. According to a spokesperson with the Scott County Sheriff's Department, at around 5 a.m. today they received reports of power lines and trees downed. This was between the Morley and Benton area and along highways, 91, 401, 408, 416, 403 and 61...