Stories from Sunday, July 22, 2012

BERTRAND -- Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at Abundant Grace Church in Bertrand for Linda F. Wages, 75, who died July 17, 2012, were: Matt West, Nick Wages, Wesley McDermott, Dale Beach, Elbert Parden and Pete Wells. Honorary pallbearer was Chris West...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Mrs. Virgie A. Lawfield, 84, died at 1 a.m. July 21, 2012, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Sunday at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Evergreen Cemetery...

SIKESTON -- Paul J. Sherrard Jr., 77, died July 19, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

CHAFFEE -- Jackie Woods, 39, died July 20, 2012, at her home. Born Sept. 15, 1972, in St. Louis, she was the daughter of Marie Morris Payne of Advance and the late Jack Murphy. Her husband, Wayne Woods, survives of Chaffee. Other survivors include: one daughter, Krysta Marie Stevens of Zalma; two sons, Ronnie Hunter Woods and Keagan Woods both of Chaffee; two brothers, Pat Murphy of St. Louis and Delbert Murphy of Jackson; and one sister, Theresa Simms of Advance...

SIKESTON -- Don Duane Ashley Sr., age 74, formerly of Lilbourn, died July 19, 2012, at Sikeston Convalescent Center in Sikeston. He was born Dec. 26, 1937, near Osceola, Ark., son of the late Reno and Helen Crews Ashley. Don was a member of Lilbourn United Methodist Church and sang in the choir. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Karson Michael Stringfellow, 1-month-old son of Kayla Masters and Kade Stringfellow of Portageville, died July 18, 2012, at Children's Hospital in St. Louis. He was born June 13, 2012, in Sikeston. In addition to his parents, survivors include: one sister, Kadence Stringfellow of Portageville; one brother, Kaden Stringfellow of Portageville; maternal grandparents, Michael and Connie Masters of Portageville; paternal grandparents, Lora Daniels of Hampton, Ark., and Marvin Stringfellow of Fordyce, Ark.; and one great-grandmother, June Blagg of Portageville.. ...

SIKESTON -- Kim Maclin, age 53, died July 19, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. She was born Oct. 16, 1958, in Royal Oak, Mich., daughter of James King of Piggott, Ark., and the late Marilyn Gallagher King...

With virtually every cup of coffee I share or every conversation I have, the refrain is the same - "I'm getting sick of politics already..." Have those words come out of your mouth? In my mind, thousands of heads are nodding in agreement. But the protracted political season is as much our fault as the candidates...

MONTRODE Co. -- A day after falling into the loser's bracket of the Midwest Plains Regional Tournament, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels saw their season come to a close on Friday with a 7-4 loss to Eastview, Minn. "We didn't play well today," Charleston head coach Michael Minner said. "It was one of our worst defensive games of the year. We gave up six unearned runs and that's not how we wanted to finish the year."...

POPLAR BLUFF -- A Charleston man has entered a guilty plea to second degree murder for a fatal shooting in Charleston. Devonte Marquez Johnson, 19, entered the guilty plea during a hearing at the Butler County Courthouse in Poplar Bluff, according to Mississippi County Prosecuting Attorney Darren Cann. Johnson is charged in the Aug. 13, 2011, death of Nicholas Munn...

SIKESTON -- A nonprofit organization based in Sikeston has received extra funds to keep more Southeast Missourians healthier during the flu season and to explore future expansion options. Bootheel Counseling Services in Sikeston, which provides mental health services for Scott, New Madrid, Mississippi and Stoddard counties, received two grants from Missouri Foundation for Health totaling $27,680...

NEW MADRID -- A Portageville man will be arraigned Monday for second degree murder in connection with the death of his infant son. Kade Reaves Stringfellow, 23, is charged with abuse of a child resulting in death and second degree murder, following the death of Karson Stringfellow on July 18 at the St. ...