Stories from Thursday, August 10, 2017

When we talk about mental health many people feel uncomfortable. It is easy in many cases to see if someone is sick physically, but it is harder to tell if they are suffering from a mental illness, and when they are we don’t know what to say or how to help...

How to Test the Feasibility of Your Business Idea Class Offered People have business ideas every day but the questions come when they try to determine the feasibility of those ideas. Will it work? Are there enough customers for it? More importantly, will it be profitable?...

Two of the Bootheel counties face economic challenges on a level unrivaled in Missouri. Mississippi and Pemiscot Counties rank among the highest in percentage of adults with less than a high school diploma, highest in unemployment rates, highest percentage of single parent households, highest in poverty rates, lowest in median household incomes, and highest with children in free and reduced lunch programs. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - The New Madrid County Port Authority's slack water harbor will celebrate turning 30 with a facelift. Rather than nip and tuck, however, this will be a scoop and a dredge. The Memphis District of the Corps of Engineers has scheduled annual maintenance of the Port's slack water harbor for 12 days, beginning Sept. 8. The city of New Madrid's Harbor will be dredged beginning Aug. 27 through Sept. 7...

Some may think of going through an airport security system when they enter the New Madrid County Courthouse. In the south foyer of the courthouse is a new security body scan and desk that will soon be operational to get in the courthouse to conduct your business. The new body scan security system was announced last week by the New Madrid County Commission...

Continuing our study in Jeremiah 29 we come this week to consider God’s message to his people who had been taken to Babylon. God had a solomn and stirring message for the Jews in captivity. First he wanted them to know that he was responsible for it. ...

CHARLESTON, MO – The USDA Rural Development Direct Home loan program allows eligible families and individuals to purchase homes.  The low 3.25% interest rate makes it a great time to purchase a home through this program.  USDA’s current fiscal year runs through September 30, 2017 and there is currently funding available for this program...

People have business ideas every day but the questions come when they try to determine the feasibility of those ideas. Will it work? Are there enough customers for it? More importantly, will it be profitable? A class being offered by the University of Missouri Extension Small Business Technology & Development Center of Cape Girardeau County will address these issues and go over a method to help you decide the feasibility. ...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Both the Stoddard and Scott County Republicans and Democrats will hold meetings to select a candidate for State Representative for District 151 (all of Stoddard County and a small portion of Scott County) for a special election to be held Nov. 7, 2017...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- For a fifth year, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith traveled the 8th District to visit farms and learn about the diverse agricultural enterprises as part of his annual Farm Tour. Smith visited Cane Creek Sod Farm on Monday in Poplar Bluff and talked with area farmers and local officials to hear some of their concerns...

BENTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was seriously injured in a one-vehicle accident Wednesday that left five injured. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Jessica Williams, 32, of Sikeston, was driving westbound on County Road 408, four miles southeast of Benton, when she slid off the left side of the roadway and struck a utility pole...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Police are investigating a robbery attempt that resulted in the shooting of a man late Sunday in Charleston. About 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Charleston Department of Public Safety received a call of a person shot in the 600 block of Paul Street, according to Director Robert Hearnes...

Aaron Scott has been hired as an AgVenture yield specialist to provide area growers with access to AgVenture brand seed products and year-round professional crop support to get the most out of every acre.

The road to success for Dhafer Al-Makute has been riddled with potholes, but for the Iraqi-born chef and proprietor of Dhafer's Mediterranean Steakhouse in downtown Dexter, every obstacle in his path has served as an inspiration to work harder. That philosophy recently earned him a spot on the prestigious list of the Top 10 Best Steakhouses in Missouri.

The Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way celebrated one year in their new office at First State Community Bank on July 20.

SIKESTON -- Betty Ann Cook, 75, died Aug. 9, 2017, at Clearview Nursing in Sikeston. Born March 20, 1942, in Biloxi, Miss., she was the daughter of the late James and Pearl Wilson Gaedchens. On Dec. 23, 1960, in Biloxi, she married Henry L. Cook who preceded her in death on Aug. 12, 2012...

CABOT, Ark. -- Fred O. Lawrence, 84, died Aug. 7, 2017. Born Jan. 11, 1933, in Appleton, Ark., he was the son of the late Lester and Mae Stroud Lawrence. His wife, Mary Lou Lawrence, survives of the home. In addition to his wife, survivors include: two daughters and sons-in-law, Melinda L. and Doug Thompson and Debbie and Glen Guttenfelder; four sisters, Leta Wise, Marilyn Shipley, Wanda Simpson and Pat Copeland; and six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren...

LEAD, S.D. -- Nita Ellen Brown, 83, died July 31, 2017, at Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City. Born July 8, 1934, near Straubville, she was the daughter of the late Gerald and Catherine McMahon McGregor. She was also preceded in death by three sons, Richard, Donald and Mark Hagen; one daughter, Cheryl Hagen; five brothers, Bill, Don, John, Jim and Douglas McGregor; and one sister, Margaret Mocoloiac...