Stories from Wednesday, January 11, 2017

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- New Madrid County Central knew they were the smaller team heading into its SEMO Conference battle against Charleston. The Bluejays were well aware of that, too. Charleston did most of its damage in the paint and made a star out of 6-5 sophomore Delontre Gillespie during their 75-67 win over NMCC Tuesday at Charleston High School...

DEXTER, Mo -- With the seeds for the Stoddard County Activities Association Tournament soon to be decided, Dexter and Bloomfield had one of their final chances to impress voters Tuesday night when they faced off at the Bearcat Event Center. Cold starts to both halves and foul trouble by the Wildcats proved to be the difference as the Bearcats led start-to-finish for a 57-48 win...

RISCO, Mo. -- The Risco Tigers nearly let a double-digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter but hung on for a 73-71 conference win over Clarkton at home. Risco (11-2, 2-0 Tri-County Conference) led by 15 at halftime but that advantage dwindled to nine at the start of the fourth. ...

On Saturday, January 7, while conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle,officer's observed a silver GMC van parked on the south side of the Bob's Storage Sheds, located on Highway T South of Portageville. During the course of the traffic stop investigation, officers learned the two white male individuals had tried breaking to into the storage sheds by cutting a lock on the sheds. ...

MINER, Mo. -- Top soybean experts from the University of Missouri and the University of Kentucky headline the Jan. 18 Soybean Crop Management Conference at the Miner Convention Center. MU Extension specialist Bill Wiebold shares his research on which soybean maturity varieties fared best in research from southeastern Missouri. Entomologist Moneen Jones of the MU Fisher Delta Research Center in Portageville tells of two new invasive soybean pests...

SIKESTON -- Dr. Victor R. Wilburn, a professor of child development and interim chair of the Department of Human Environmental Studies at Southeast Missouri State University, will be the keynote speaker during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day event Monday at Green Memorial COGIC Church, 113 Clayton Ave., in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Residents can take a closer look at the life of Dr. Martin Luther King during a celebration hosted by And Justice For All on Monday. Kicking off the celebration will be a march followed by a program featuring guest speakers coach Lennies McFerren and blues performer Sam Mosley. This year's theme is "The Anatomy of Dr. King's Legacy."...

BENTON, Mo. -- A reorganization of the circuit court offices is underway at the Scott County Courthouse in Benton. "We've always wanted to get the clerks all together in one space; there's just a lot of obstacles to overcome to do that," said Scott County Circuit Clerk Christy Hency...

HAYTI, Mo. - An endangered person advisory was issued on a missing teen. The Hayti Police Department reported Shamar Holmes, 15, was last seen at 10 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Cleveland Apartments in Hayti. Holmes, a black male, is described as 6-feet tall and weighing 204 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes, a dark complexion and a scar on his abdomen. He was last seen wearing a white button-up shirt, khaki pants and a blue coat...

SIKESTON -- Now is an ideal time for those who plan to host a party with cover charges and alcohol to review Missouri's laws on the matter. "Sikeston DPS would like to remind our citizens that it is illegal to host a party in which there is a cover charge for food and entertainment where alcohol is being possessed or consumed without a liquor license," said Sgt. Jon Broom, public information officer with Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

In just over a week, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the nation's 45th president and by virtually any measure, America will take on a new direction. I can't think of any past comparison where an incoming administration is so starkly different from the current regime...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Lisa Kirby, 55, died Jan. 1, 2017. Born Aug. 19, 1961, in Charleston, to the late Kenneth "Mickey" George Sr. and Francis Lowry Hale, she was a cook for Luhr Bros. Boat Company. Survivors include: three children and their spouses, Tabbatha and Scott Sisk of Charleston, Corey and Destiny Weakley of East Prairie and Matt and Courtney Gerler of Sikeston; 12 siblings, Tammy Crowley of Bertrand, Ty Hale of Benton, Tashi Hale and Susan Clark Anglin of Cape Girardeau, Retta Hale, Leo Hale and Kenneth George Jr. ...

PARMA, Mo. -- Jimmy Lynn Smith, 61, died Jan. 9, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 20, 1955, in Malden, son of the late Willie Bon and Wilma Dean Reavis Smith, he had lived in the Parma area all his life. He was an area manager with...

MATTHEWS, Mo. -- Eddie L. Polk, 65, died Jan. 10, 2017, at his home in Matthews. Born Jan. 23, 1951, in Canalou, son of the late Alvin and Evelyn Scott Polk, he served in the Vietnam War and was a Silver Star recipient. Survivors include: two sons and one daughter-in-law, Lucas and Dora Polk of Matthews and Aaron Polk of East Prairie; four brothers, Larry Polk, Lonnie Polk and Andrew Polk of Matthews and Joe Polk of Portageville; three sisters, Mable Walker and Lydia Howard of New Madrid and Gail Polk of Millington, Tenn.; and three grandchildren.. ...

ANNISTON, Mo. - Margaret Thurman, 97, died Jan. 9, 2017, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Feb. 17, 1919, in Caruthersville, to the late Julius Edwin and Anna Hagedorm Hilf, she was employed by Prairie Manufacturing Co. and was a toy department manager at Sikeston Walmart. She was a member of the Victory Baptist Church...

DEXTER, Mo. - Melba J. Sherfield of Dexter, 95, died Jan. 8, 2017, at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter. Born Aug. 15, 1921, in Bloomfield, the daughter of the late Willie Aubrey and Grace Chasteen Fulkerson, she had lived in the Dexter area all her life. A homemaker, she was of the Methodist faith...

SIKESTON -- Scott County Central High School has announced the honor roll students for the second quarter of the 2016-2017 school year. They are: Seventh grade Colin Avance, Jayden Bilderback, Jimmy Brown, Shelby Bryant, Kobie Burton, Levi Glueck, Zoe Harrison, Ezekiel Johnson, Kaden Sadler, Johnny Sisco...

SIKESTON -- Saint Francis Xavier School has announced the honor roll students for the second quarter of the 2016-2017 school year. They are: Second grade Beth Bollinger, Joey Grojean, Jesse Haley, Kami Marshall, Joey Najjar, Charlie Ressel, Claudia Rowland, Cash Thomas...

Bryden Alexander, Shona Barber and Maggie Crader were named the Sikeston R-6 Parents as Teachers children of the month for December. Bryden is the son of Brian Alexander and Laura Alexander; Shona is the daughter of Janice and Daniel Barber; and Maggie is the daughter of Valerie and Cal Crader and is pictured with her mother. For more information about PAT program, contact Maryiln Schlosser, PAT educator, at 471-0653...