Stories from Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Let's talk about the poor. Most discussions - political or moral - touch on the issue of assistance to the least among us. Civilized societies have always appropriately put the needs of the poor as a high priority, though we quite often differ on just how to provide the needed assistance...

It is funny that no matter how old and gray I get, I can still learn new things. For example, what the word "full" means. For my entire life I thought "full" meant something that contains as much as possible. I have been told I'm wrong. It happened one night while out to dinner with my girlfriend. As the dinner wound down she still had some food on her plate and offered some to me...

GREENFIELD, Ind. -- Gloretta V. Magee, 75, died March 18, 2013, at Hancock Regional Hospital. Born Aug. 25, 1937, in Powe, Mo., daughter of the late George W. and Erma Woods Davis, she worked for Western Electric in Indianapolis and was a member of the Western Electric Pioneers. ...

SIKESTON -- Lena Bell Draper, 68, died March 19, 2013, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born April 30, 1943, in Sikeston, to Freddie Lee and Armenda Hunt Jones, she was a 1961 graduate of Sikeston High School, attended Bethel AME Church in Sikeston and retired after 25 years from Sikeston Walmart...

BARLOW, Ky. -- Morris Dwayne Lynn, 50, died March 17, 2013, at East Prairie, Mo. The son of Morris and Linda Lynn of Wickliffe, he attended Barlow General Baptist Church. In addition to his parents, survivors include: one son, Brad Morris of Wickliffe; and one brother, Todd Lynn of Union City, Tenn...

SIKESTON -- Dorothy J. Young, 80, died March 18, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Dec. 28, 1932, in Lamar, Ark., daughter of the late Henry and Helena Pearson Waldo, she had worked as an operator for AT&T before retiring. She married Winston Young who preceded her in death Jan. 15, 2010...

ORAN -- Keyoun Deann Blissett, 7, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died March 13, 2013, in Tennessee. Born April 28, 2005, in Cape Girardeau, she was the daughter of Vincent Stevens and LaKeisha Blissett of Cape Girardeau. In addition to her parents, survivors include: one brother, Jamoreoun Nunley; one sister, Kamora Nunley; maternal grandparents, Delois Jackson of Cape Girardeau and Charles Blissett of Oran; and paternal grandparents, Claudette Stevens of Cape Girardeau and Earl Stevens of Haywood City.. ...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Anna L. Hileman, 73, died March 15, 2013, at her home. Born Aug. 9, 1939, in Morehouse, Mo., daughter of the late George W. and Bertha Gurley Cartwright, she was a 1957 graduate of Morehouse High School and worked many years for Tetra Pak as a graphic designer...

MOREHOUSE -- Earnest Thomas "Tommy" Sutton, 56, died March 18, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 22, 1956, in Wyatt, the son of Margaret Cloys Sutton of Matthews and the late George "Jim" Sutton, he had worked for Trigg Shell and then for the city of Matthews for 17 years...

DEXTER -- Charles Alvin Walker, 86, died March 17, 2013, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Born Jan. 9, 1927, in Naylor, to the late Charley and Damie Whitehead Walker, he had lived in Michigan before moving to Dexter. He had worked for Federal Mogal in Malden until his retirement in 1992. He was a member of the White Oak Grove General Baptist Church...

CHAFFEE -- Totaling 10 hits, the Chaffee Red Devils defeated Greenville 12-2 Tuesday in Chaffee. Logan Henson led the Red Devils at the plate with three hits. Devin Yahn added one hit and led Chaffee with three RBIs. Chaffee's Cody Johnson picked up the win on the mound. Johnson pitched four innings and struck out four. He allowed two hits and one unearned run while throwing 65 pitches...

SIKESTON -- Already having to cancel their first two games on the schedule, wet field conditions stole what would have been Sikeston's season opener Tuesday in Sikeston. Sikeston's game against Notre Dame was postponed and will be made up on April 23...

NEW MADRID -- Coming into their first game of the year, one of New Madrid County Central's main concerns was how so much turnover in the lineup this offseason would affect their offense. At least for one day the Eagles got a positive answer as they opened the season on Tuesday with a dominant 18-0 mercy-rule win over Caruthersville...

NEW MADRID -- Backed by a complete game effort from Michaela Townsend, the New Madrid County Central softball team opened the season with an 13-3 win over the Risco Lady Tigers. "It was kind of cool and the field was a little slippery, but we ran the bases and hit the ball well," Lady Eagles' head coach Steve Rogers said. "(Townsend) threw well. We had a few defensive miscues, but that's to be expected...

The Sikeston Bulldogs grabbed third place during the Class 4 Show-Me Showdown. They remained No. 3 after the final rankings were tallied. The 2012-13 final basketball poll has been released telling where teams fell within the top 10 in Missouri. The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association/MOsports.com basketball poll was selected by a panel of coaches representing each of the eight MBCA districts and each of the five Missouri basketball classes...

From left, Sikeston Area Youth Baseball board members Andrea Hess and Drew Hess along with Clark Steward are helping TJ Wilburn (right) sign up his grandson Kaeden Wilburn for the upcoming baseball season. In the background is board member Robin Sitze and her daughter Rachel. The SAYB final two sign-up days are Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at the Clinton Building and Saturday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Field House. Signups can also be done online at www.sikestonbaseball.org...

SIKESTON -- Local Scouts are looking to increase membership by showcasing an indoor activity boys of all ages enjoy: video gaming. An enrollment party for Boy Scout Troop 4041 will be from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday at Myres Vending Party Room located at 221 East Malone...

BENTON -- Local youth will have another option to play football as an organized sport when the Scott County Youth Football League forms in August. Crystal Sides of Benton said the idea to form the league came last fall after Kelly High School completed its first football season since 1957...

Steve Faulkner, senior master instructor with Taser, provided an instruction class at the Sikeston Department of Public Safety Tuesday. Officers from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois and Mississippi took part for instructor certification with Tasers which included instruction on the proper way to fire a Taser...

BENTON -- Scott County will soon be accepting proposals to rebuild the roof over the south wing of the Scott County Courthouse. "The prebid meeting will be April 9," Jamie Burger, presiding county commissioner, said during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday...

NEW MADRID - The Cat in the Hat has come back. And this time he is singing and dancing with his friends Horton the elephant, Maizie the lazy bird, Cindi Lou Who and even the Grinch. Students at New Madrid County Central High School will bring these characters and others to life in the musical, "Seussical" on stage April 11, 12 and 13...