Stories from Saturday, March 10, 2012

Rush Limbaugh is an interesting character. As the outspoken voice of the conservative movement, Limbaugh has countless supporters and an equal number of opponents. And when Limbaugh says something, it becomes news. That simply is the power he commands...

CHARLESTON -- Beverly Dianne Chandler Stark, 67, died March 8, 2012, at her home. Born Dec. 12, 1944, at Jonesboro, Ark., to the late J.C. and M. Ernestine House Chandler, she was a 1962 graduate of Charleston High School. She had worked for the Charleston R-1 School District a number of years. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Agnes Elfrink, 92, died March 8, 2012, at the Monticello House in Jackson. Born June 8, 1919, at Glennon, daughter of the late Jacob and Rose DeBrock Beel, she was a homemaker and a member of St. Eustachius Catholic Church in Portageville and Immaculate Conception in Jackson...

ORAN -- Marie DeShazier, 69, died March 8, 2012, at her home. Born Sept. 22, 1942, in Alabama, daughter of the late Noke and Maylene Tidwell Dozier, she was of the Pentecostal belief. She married Granville DeShazier who preceded her in death on Dec. 16, 2011...

SIKESTON -- Jewell Crawford, 87, died March 8, 2012, at the Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 20, 1924, in Pollard, Ark., to the late Chappie and Ada Grissom Crawford, he was a carpenter for over 50 years and had been employed by Matthews Farms Inc. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a member of the Murray Lane Baptist Church in Sikeston...

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. -- Abner Mansfield Beck, 75, a resident of Marco Island, Fla., and Collierville, Tenn., and formerly of Charleston, Mo., died March 5, 2012, at the NCH Hospital in Naples. Born March 2, 1937, at Cape Girardeau, Mo., to the late John Abner and Hazel Mansfield Beck, he graduated from Charleston High School and from the University of Missouri where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho. ...

SIKESTON -- William Bridges Malone III, 69, died March 3, 2012, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 1, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, to the late William Bridges and Marie Rigdon Malone Jr., he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and was of the Catholic belief...

SIKESTON -- William Bridges Malone III, 69, died March 3, 2012, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 1, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, to the late William Bridges and Marie Rigdon Malone Jr., he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and was of the Catholic belief...

MORLEY -- Jessie L. Abernathy, 92, died March 9, 2012, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete with Amick Burnett Funeral Home in Oran.

MARSTON -- Harold L. "Pee Wee" Hayes, 80, died March 8, 2012, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born June 7, 1931, in Ridgely, Tenn., to the late Jack and Clara Faucett Hayes, he was a member of the First Baptist Church in Portageville where he served as a deacon. He was a farmer, served in the National Guard and was a board member of the New Madrid County Ambulance District...

ESSEX -- Tennie L. Houchins died March 9, 2012, at The Golden Living Center in Bloomfield. Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

DEXTER -- Dale Whittenberg, 76, died March 9, 2012, at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete with the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

CHARLESTON -- The Charleston Bluejays haven't entered a season like this in quite some time. After facing minimal turnover from the year prior to make a run to the Class 2 Show-Me Showdown, the Bluejays enter this season with as many as seven spots open for competition...

SIKESTON -- As baseball practice gets into full swing at area high schools this spring, one thing is missing: the ping. Long a common sound at high school baseball games, the high pitched ping of an aluminum bat striking a baseball is now gone as a new standard for baseball bats is expected to change the way the game is to be played...

SIKESTON -- They have the depth, tons of experience and may finally be at full strength. The Sikeston Bulldog baseball team has all the tools to be a district title favorite during the 2012 campaign. Losing five seniors to graduation last season, the Bulldogs have five seniors replacing them as well as a junior class that saw a host of minutes on the diamond...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Discouraged by their 8-10 season last year, the East Prairie Eagles are looking to turn things around. Although they lost four starters and six seniors, the Eagles will take the field with their remaining five starters. Lost from last year's team are: Connor Scott, Mikey Russell, Aaron Miller, Alan Miller, Zach Barker, and Ryan Trankler...

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Rams will be looking to improve on last year's 12-10 record with a surplus of returners in 2012. The Rams lost Chris Limbaugh, Alex Eichhorn, Jamie Brant, Justin Modglin, Corey Rogers and Zack Johnston but return plenty of players who saw action in 2011...

CHAFFEE -- Despite losing their ace and a pair of solid hitters to graduation, the Chaffee Red Devils will enter the upcoming season with hopes of contending for a district championship. Last year Chaffee made a run to the Class 3, District 2 championship where they fell to Valle Catholic 6-3 to end the season with a 19-7 record. That loss signaled the end of the careers of Jason Cicardi, Andrew Terhune and Andrew Dooley...

DEXTER -- Coming off a 10-11 season that ended with a Class 3, District 1 semifinal loss to Kennett, the Dexter Bearcats are looking to see last year's youth movement pay off in this year's win column. "Since we were so young last season we suffered some growing pains," Dexter head coach Brian Becker said. "Hopefully the experience we gained will reap benefits this season...

SIKESTON -- Graduation hit the Scott County Central Braves hard. A team that set the school record for wins said goodbye to five starters who were an integral to their one of their few winning seasons. "We are a very young group that has to work extremely hard every day," Scott Central coach Matt Limbaugh said. "The sophomores and freshman will have the job of stepping up and filling the void of the departed seniors."...

ORAN -- It won't be easy for the Oran Eagles to top last year's trip to the Class 1 Show-Me Showdown. Finishing the season at 24-3, the Eagles made a final four run before falling to Liberal 6-5 in the state semifinals. Rebounding, Oran defeated St. Elizabeth 10-0 to close out the season to place third in the state...

SIKESTON -- The Bootheel BassBusters held their annual banquet on Feb. 18 at Cheers in Sikeston. Awards for the 2011 tournament season were handed out at the banquet. Greg Gooch won the 2011 Angler of the Year title. Ty Garrett was second in the 2011 Angler of the Year race and John Wilson and Jerry Dement shared third place 2011 Angler of the Year honors...

BENTON -- The Scott County Circuit Clerk's office is going electronic. "January 4, we began scanning all filings, all pleadings -- basically anything that goes into a file with the exception of probation violations," said Christy Hency, circuit court clerk for Scott County. "It's a step toward e-filing. We're not going to get there overnight but scanning is a step toward that."...

Artist, Wanda Parker, discusses her artwork with Karen Stotts during Friday night's Downtown monthly Gallery Walk. Parker's artwork was on display at the Sweet Gum Gallery.

Re-enactors set up their tent as they arrive at the Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site in New Madrid Friday afternoon. Throughout the weekend, the re-enactors will give a glimpse of what life was like in March 1862 when New Madrid was occupied by Union soldiers. The living history event is planned from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday...

SIKESTON --When school teacher Sandy Glaser of Sikeston retired from her profession, she decided volunteering for a worthy organization was just what she needed to do. "I guess because giving back to your community and providing service is in my blood, I felt like I had something to offer," Glaser said...

SIKESTON - Brad Robb took a glass of water and poured it over the cotton hoody in his hand. The water rolled down to the table. Robb was illustrating a point to Sikeston area farmers about a new fabric, made from a familiar product - cotton. The hoody is one of several clothing items being introduced by Under Armour made from "Charged Cotton."...