Stories from Friday, March 17, 2017

JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Department of Transportation is kicking off an enhanced pothole repair initiative starting today. Through the rest of March, maintenance crews throughout Missouri are committed to repairing potholes with asphalt as quickly as possible after it’s reported. MoDOT will aggressively respond and patch potholes to keep state highways smooth and safe for Missouri motorists...

Equipment Launch is Latest of Many System Upgrades

Sikeston, MO) Plans are in place for the 4th Annual Sikeston Regional Women’s Show presented by K-103 and SEMO Health Network to be held at the Miner Convention Center on Saturday, March 25th from 9am-3pm. “I am very pleased with our previous shows”, explains Kyla Evans, Coordinator of the event and Marketing Director for the Sikeston Outlet Stores, “We have seen over 800 in attendance from all areas including Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and even Western Kentucky! Our show seems to be a one of a kind vendor show that speaks directly to women’s interests including everything from health information to our expanded section of hand-made crafts,” explains Evans.. ...

DAEOC Head Start is now taking applications for eligible children between the ages of 3 and 4, as well as 5 year olds that will miss the Kindergarten deadline. Early Head Start is accepting applications on children ages 0 to 3 years old. Special Needs children are strongly encouraged to fill out an application. Contact the nearest Head Start/Early Head Start Center or DAEOC County Office to fill out an application...

Smith led a bipartisan effort with more than 60 colleagues asking Trump Administration to rescind Obama-era regulation

USDA Reports and Supply & Demand Tables Corn In the March 9 USDA report, corn saw only minor revisions from last month.  Feed was cut 50 million bushels and corn for ethanol was increased 50.  Ending stocks were left unchanged at 2.3 billion bushels and the national average corn price was left unchanged at $3.40.  World corn production was increased 9.0 mmt with 6.0 mmt from the larger crops in Brazil and Argentina.  World ending stocks jumped 3.0 mmt to 220.  One bright spots is a 6.0 mmt increase in world corn use.  Any problems with the U.S. ...

Kony Ealy has a new home after spending his first four years in the National Football League with the team that drafted him. The Carolina Panthers traded Ealy and a third-round draft pick to the New England Patriots for New England's second-round pick on Friday...

4th annual event to be held July 8 at the River Campus

Hunters should expect a similar spring turkey season as 2016

In Psalm 32:5, David writes, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” The terms David uses here to describe sin were used in verse one and two of this psalm. Now they are used in a context of personal confession. In this penitential psalm David rejoices in the knowledge that God will respond to confession and repentance with complete forgiveness...

One of the frustrations in the newspaper business is when I run into someone and they say, "I wish there were a place people could find out what's happening in town." These are usually folks who are organizing events, and they want to get their message to the public. And, the truth is, the newspaper has historically been the "town crier" for such events. In fact, we dedicate thousands of pages a year telling people about upcoming events...

I am proud to report that my House Bill 603 was reported Do Pass this week by the Administrative Oversight committee. This bill removes the union lobbying exemption. Click here to keep track of this bill's progress!  House Bill 662 has moved through the House and is now scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate on Monday, March 13th. I drafted this bill specifically to deal with the misuse of herbicides and the penalties that offenders will endure...

SIKESTON - Vendors will be asked to include their ideas on recycling, frequency of pickup as well as types of containers Sikeston residents will use when they submit their proposals to serve as the city's solid waste collection service. During a council meeting conducted Thursday evening after the March 6 meeting was canceled due to lack of quorum, the city council unanimously gave its approval to the requests for proposals made by city staff for residential solid waste collection...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Charleston couple is facing felony drug charges following a narcotics investigation that ended with a traffic stop by a deputy with the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson, the arrests stem from a late-night traffic stop conducted by Sergeant Ryan Hill on a vehicle with defective equipment driving through Charleston...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Jaycees have announced two acts for this year's Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. The Jaycees announced Thursday that Kennett native David Nail will headline Saturday night of the rodeo. Last week it was announced that Dylan Scott will headline Thursday night...

SIKESTON -- As most school districts enter the fourth quarter, -- signaling the end of the school year is near -- their youngest, prospective students in preschool and kindergarten are already gearing up for the new school year. "This is a once-shot performance. It's not an IQ test; it's strictly developmental," said Sikeston Kindergarten Principal Jenny Hobeck. "It may show things they need to work on, or it could just be the child didn't perform that day."...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - The Missouri State Highway Patrol is asking for the public's help in finding a suspect wanted for rape, kidnapping and assault. Warrants were issued for Heath B. Miller, 25, of Rector. He's charged with first degree rape, first degree kidnapping and first degree assault.The charges were filed in Dunklin and Ripley counties...

SIKESTON - Vendors will be asked to include their ideas on recycling, frequency of pickup as well as types of containers Sikeston residents will use when they submit their proposals to serve as the city's solid waste collection service. During a council meeting conducted Thursday evening after the March 6 meeting was canceled due to lack of quorum, the city council unanimously gave its approval to the requests for proposals made by city staff for residential solid waste collection...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - The Missouri State Highway Patrol is asking for the public's help in finding a suspect wanted for rape, kidnapping and assault. Warrants were issued for Heath B. Miller, 25, of Rector. He's charged with first degree rape, first degree kidnapping and first degree assault.The charges were filed in Dunklin and Ripley counties...

SIKESTON -- As most school districts enter the fourth quarter, -- signaling the end of the school year is near -- their youngest, prospective students in preschool and kindergarten are already gearing up for the new school year. "This is a once-shot performance. It's not an IQ test; it's strictly developmental," said Sikeston Kindergarten Principal Jenny Hobeck. "It may show things they need to work on, or it could just be the child didn't perform that day."...

SIKESTON -- Paul David Holifield, 54, died March 16, 2017, in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Mary Etta Branum, 89, died March 16, 2017, at Southeast Hospital. Visitation will be from 9:30 until time of service at 11a.m. Tuesday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau. Burial will be at Garden of Memories in Sikeston...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Ollie J. Jennings, 77, died March 13, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born June 2, 1939, to the late Ardelia Qualls and Ulysses Fisher, she was a member of the Zion Rock Church at Portageville. Survivors include: four sons, John Jennings, Carl Jennings, Donnie Ray Jennings and Edward Charles Jennings of Portageville; four daughters, Dorrie Jennings of Lilbourn and Arvelie Jennings, Daisy (Sammie) Jennings and Loretta Jennings of Portageville; one brother, Charles Wilhite of Tunica Miss.; three sisters, Maxine Hoskins of Gilbert, Ariz., and Velma Thompson and Edna Phillips of Chicago; and eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.. ...

SIKESTON -- Thomas James Cantrell, 74, died March 16, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Ivan Sander, 89, died March 16, 2017, at his home in Moss Point. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston, Mo.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Harold G. Smith, formerly of rural Sikeston, passed away March 15, 2017, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 15, 1927, he was the son of the late James T. and Wilamina Caroline (Mina C.) Lohear Smith. Mr. ...

MOREHOUSE, Mo. -- James Ray "Jim" Taylor, 70, died March 15, 2017, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 11, 1946, in Sikeston to the late Ernest and Winnie Stewart Taylor, he was a resident of this area all of his life. He had been a member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and worked in shipping at Lewis Bakeries and later at Brown Shoe...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Mary Etta Branum, 89, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, March 16, 2017, at Southeast Hospital. She was born June 27, 1927 in Chaffee, Mo., to John and Elizabeth (McIntyre) Crader. Mary Etta was a longtime member and former Sunday school teacher at Lynwood Baptist Church. For many years she volunteered as a "Pink Lady" at...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - Dannie Richard Givens, 54, died March 9, 2017, at the Boone County Medical Center in Columbia. He was born Aug. 12, 1962, in Catron, to the late William and Hattie Roston Givens. Survivors include: four children and their spouses, Marcus and Daphne Waters, Kendrick and Christine Waters, and Shanel and Edward Tillman of Columbia and Hartly and Sue Tillman of Poplar Bluff; four sisters, Patricia Leach, Bessie M. ...

BERTRAND, Mo. - Linda Laverne Northern Heppe, 74, died March 17, 2017, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Feb. 6, 1943, in Mississippi County, to the late Leslie and Flora Lee Swinney Northern, she had lived in Bertrand most of her life and was of the Baptist Belief...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Norma Jean Durbin, 72, died March 16, 2017, at her home in Portageville. She was born Dec. 6, 1944, in Selmer, Tenn., to the late John and Zilpha Evans Sweat. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Elbert Durbin; one brother, John Sweat Jr.; five sisters, Jewell Jones, Virginia Ann Wilkins, Lois Lynn Cole, Linda Kay Cole and Betty Carolyn Cole; one granddaughter, Crystal Ramirez...

SIKESTON - June Cope, 99, died March 17, 2017 at her home in Sikeston. Arrangements incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. - Gary Scott, died March 17, 2017, at his residence in East Prairie. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- Thomas James Cantrell, 74, died March 16, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 3, 1943, in Sikeston, to the late Thomas and Bertha McCormick Cantrell, he retired from Monsanto in 2010. On Aug. 7, 1981, in Sikeston, he married Bonnie Parker, who survives of the home...