Stories from Wednesday, February 15, 2017

SIKESTON -- Scott City's Dylan Keller didn't make it easy, but the Scott County Central Braves were able to stay undefeated in conference play. The Braves held off a shorthanded Scott City team 84-69 despite Keller's phenomenal shooting display at Scott County Central High School Tuesday night to sweep both the Scott-Mississippi Conference tournament and regular season championship with a perfect 7-0 conference record...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Gabe Jackson scored a game-high 21 points but it wasn't enough as Dexter fell 76-46 during SEMO Conference match in Poplar Bluff. Dexter (16-8, 1-5 SEMO Conference) fell behind 20-13 after the first quarter but their deficit ballooned to 41-19 at the half...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- With two SEMO Conference games left on the schedule, Sikeston needed to win just one of the two to clinch the league title outright for the second straight year. Sikeston got the job done on Tuesday night with a 79-56 win over New Madrid County Central on the Eagles' Senior Night...

With nearly two years under their belts, Precision Ag Aviation has taken off, literally into the sky. A small group of investors purchased Hampton's Flying Service in 2015 and have been taking their business to the air serving customers in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, and as far north into the Kansas City, MO area...

The Portageville Police Department received an unexpected gift recently. The gift is a bench in memory of Lt. Tom Doering. “Tom has served as a Lieutenant and Detective for the Portageville Police Department for nearly 23 years,” said Police Chief Ronnie Adams. ...

One suspect is in custody after a weekend shooting at a Caruthersville nightclub that left one person dead and six others injured. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the shooting happened Sunday in the parking lot of Club Envy at around 3:50 a.m. Six of the victims suffered gunshot wounds, while another person was injured by a window during the altercation...

As the rumors mills stirred up controversy on the trash department, Portageville residents had several comments and concerns on the recent tax increase on the sewer during last Monday's City Council meeting. Prior to discussion of the sewer tax, the City Council needed to pass a resolution that deals with the agreement with SRG Global and the property on which their new plant is being constructed...

Southeast Missouri is at the center of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, the most active seismic area east of the Rocky Mountains

The Portageville High School volleyball team were recently recognized by the Missouri High School Activities Association for their Excellence in Academics.  The Junior Varsity team was recognized with Outstanding Scholastic Achievement with a team Grade Point Average of 3.60 and the Varsity Volleyball team was recognized with Outstanding Scholastic Achievement with a team Grade Point Average of 3.75.  Congrats to all the players for their achievements on the court and in the classroom...

Xtend Herbicide Technology Meetings - Two Locations in Southeast Missouri Preparing for the Xtend Trait in 2017: Lessons learned and where we go from here February 27, 2017 - 
MU Fisher Delta Research Center, Portageville, MO   Time:  1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ...

The Bloomfield Wildcats picked up a 67-57 win on Portageville Tuesday night at the Portageville High School gymnasium. Portageville honored their seniors as it was the last home game of the season. Tim Hector led the Wildcats with 24 points followed by Peyton Bell and Alex Gibbs with 20 and 10 points, respectively...

SIKESTON -- It was her last game on her home floor and Sikeston's Tyeshia Mitchell made it one to remember. Mitchell torched the visiting Cape Central Tigers for 35 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Sikeston girls basketball team to a 67-49 win Wednesday at the Sikeston Field House...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Coming into Friday's matchup against Portageville, Charleston junior Mardareyon Clark stood just seven points from hitting the 1,000 point milestone in his varsity career. It took Clark just four minutes into the contest to meet that mark, finishing with a game-high 21 points as the Bluejays routed the visiting Bulldogs 74-43 on homecoming night...

The seedings have been released for the Class 3, District 1 boys and girls basketball tournaments. The tournaments will take place Feb. 18, Feb. 20, Feb. 21 and Feb. 23 at Malden High School. Charleston has received the No. 1 seed in the boys bracket. ...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- Two men face charges for their alleged involvement in the death of another man Sunday. On Monday, Travis L. Ware II, 25, of was arrested and charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action, according to Sgt. Clark D. Parrott, public information officer for Missouri State Highway Patrol's Troop E...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston mother and her boyfriend face charges in the death of the woman's son. Kayla M. Williamson, 23 and Louis A. Hollis, 31, of Sikeston are each charged with felony child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and felony murder through Scott County Circuit Court, according to Sgt. Jon Broom, public information officer with Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

BENTON, Mo. -- A north Scott County bridge will be replaced after a state inspection deemed the structure unsafe. Every two years the Missouri Department of Transportation inspects bridges, and in January, it conducted an inspection of the bridge on Scott County Highway 220, which is located off of State Highway RA in Chaffee and goes to Lake Tywappity...

CHARLESTON, Mo. - An infant is expected to make a full recovery after an investigation into a report of child abuse at a rural Mississippi County home. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson, the investigation began Sunday morning when his office received a report of child abuse...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. - A tip lead to the arrest of three East Prairie residents on drug and other charges. James Michael Evans Jr., 34, is charged with two felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance, and two felony counts of unlawful possession of a firearm...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. - Two people are facing charges after a Portageville man was injured in an assault. Tony L. Portwood, 37, and Brittany E. Cates, 28, of Doniphan are each charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with a disturbance reported around 4:30 p.m. Saturday...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. - Two people are facing charges after a Portageville man was injured in an assault. Tony L. Portwood, 37, and Brittany E. Cates, 28, of Doniphan are each charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with a disturbance reported around 4:30 a.m. Saturday...

Daun Brewer, school nurse, gives an eye test to London McClinton. Eye exams are just part of the screenings which will be offered during the annual free screenings from Feb. 21-24 to children from ages birth to 4 years old in the Sikeston School School District. The screenings will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m Feb. 21 and 23, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 22 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 24. Parents should call 471-0653 to make an appointment and for more information...

This is where we find ourselves three months-post 2016 presidential election. All semblance of unity has clearly been abandoned by the left in favor of continued protests and disruptions. The United States has given way to disunity by a grievance class financed and supported by those who loath western values...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. - Lavern Lillian (Grigsby) Perrin Richards, 94, died Feb. 14, 2017, at Sikeston Convalescent Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 3, 1922, in Arkansas to the late Walter and Veda (Berry) Grigsby, she was of the Church of Christ faith and had worked for Brown Shoe Company in Pocahontas, Ark., before retiring...

The Christian Academy hosted a Spelling Bee, in association with Scripts National Spelling Bee. Local winners are from left, Landri Hammontree (second), Grace Hester (champion) and Lyndsi Terrell (third). Grace will represent The Christian Academy in the regional round at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff...

The Sikeston Kindergarten Center announced their Pups of the Month for January. The honorees are: front row, Amirah Evans, Logan Tehee, Bentley Bolt, Jaxon King, Jarrod Pfiffer, Noah Phelps, Dakotah Eftink, Gracin Brimer and James Gordon; middle row, Masyn Darbonne, Ja'Andrea Johnson, Olivia Fabing, Brayden Branion, Trey Gosnell, Landon Myer, Chase Shaver, Khi'Mauri Peet, McKaylnn Fair, Amaurie Tipler and Clint Lawrence; and back row, Jasmine Halbert, Claire Sitz, Brady James, Luke Pfefferkorn, Chloe Stevens, Jack McGill, Bryce Atkins, Clara Beth Drake, Caleb Heitzman and Bella Graham. ...

Jami and Mike Geske visited with Samantha Pullen's second grade class at Matthews Elementary in Matthews and read "Seed, Soil and Sun: Earth's Recipe for Food" by Cris Peterson. Afterward the students were able to ask questions about the book and about farming. The Geskes then donated the book to the Matthews Elementary library...

SIKESTON - Davy Hampton, 53, died Feb. 14, 2017, at his home in Sikeston,Mo. Arrangements incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel

HOWARDVILLE, Mo. - Jacqueline Lisa Williams, 49, died Feb. 10, 2017, at her home in Howardville. Born Oct. 4, 1967, in Malden, to the late Rufus Whitmore and Rosie Lee Jones, she attended school in Bernie and was of the Baptist faith. On Dec. 13, 2003, she married Curtis Williams, who survives of the home...

DEXTER, Mo. - Jess Marion Brown Jr., 88, died Feb. 12, 2017 at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 29, 1928, in Frisco, the son of the late Jess Marion Sr. and Lura Mae Wilson Brown, he grew up in Frisco before moving to California. He...

CHARLESTON, Mo. - William Henry Betts, 76, died Feb. 7, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born April 17, 1940, in Charleston to the late Jim and Mattie Johnson Betts, he attended school in Charleston. He was employed with the Charleston R-1 School District as a custodian at the Charleston Middle School for 36 years and was the owner of Betts Laundry for 25 years...

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Lee Ernest Stevens, 66, formerly of Haywood City, Mo., died Feb. 7, 2017, in Columbus. Born Oct. 30, 1950, in Macon, Mo., to the late John Henry and Mary Alice Stevens, he graduated from Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff with a degree in education, and he also earned degrees in counseling and divinity from Triune Biblical University. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Thelma Jean Allred Masterson, 72, of New Madrid, died Feb. 10, 2017, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, with loving family by her side. Born to the late Albert Lee and Edna Odessia "Morris" Allred of Lilbourn on Oct. 20, 1944, she grew up in Lilbourn and graduated from high school there. ...

EAST PRAIRIE, MO. - Lavern Richards, 94, died Feb. 14, 2017, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Arrangements are incomplete at this time with Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

SIKESTON -- Mary Ellen Whitmire, 74, died Feb. 11, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 29, 1943, in Lake City, Ark., to Lorene (Holt) Starkey Crader of Miner and the late Troy Starkey, she had been a school bus driver for several years in Texas and had moved back to the Sikeston and Dexter area about four years ago...

SIKESTON - Billy Dicus, 79, passed away, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Aug. 20, 1937 in Clifton, Tenn., to the late Frank R. and Besse (Miller) Dicus. On June 3, 1956, at Corinth, Miss., he married Jerline Hunt, who survives of the home in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Mona K. Scheeter, 72, died Feb. 12, 2017, at the Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Born March 10, 1944, in Mountain Grove, Mo., to the late Fred and Eunice (Rutter) Sutton, she was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and had worked for Wohl/Brown Shoe Company before retiring...