Stories from Tuesday, December 26, 2017

BENTON, Mo. -- Two Scott County men face multiple felony charges after allegedly kidnapping, assaulting and raping a woman they met through social media. Jason Andrew Brashear II, 22, of Benton and Jacob Michael Owens, 29, of Sikeston were each charged through the Scott County with the following felonies: first degree rape or attempted rape, first degree sodomy or attempted sodomy, armed criminal action, first degree assault or attempt causing serious physical injury or special victim; and first degree kidnapping, according to online court records.. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- A Jackson man faces felony first-degree assault on a police officer and armed criminal action charges following a traffic stop with Scott County authorities over the weekend. Elijah Cook of Jackson is charged with two counts of felony first-degree assault or attempt to cause serious physical injury on a police officer, felony unlawful use of a weapon, felony armed criminal action, felony delivery of a controlled substance except 35 grams or less of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid, misdemeanor possession of a marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid of 11-35 grams, two counts of misdemeanor unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor failure to drive on the right half of the roadway when the road was of sufficient width, according to online court records.. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- New Madrid County R-1 officials are looking for former NMCC Eagles. But they aren't stopping there. They want to find former Pirates, Panthers, Owls and Indians, too. As part of the R-1 District's new website, nmceaglenation.com, the district has added an alumni section designed as a spot where NMCC alumni and graduates from local schools before consolidation can renew old ties as well as a link between the district and former students...

SIKESTON -- Local residents will have the opportunity to recycle their real Christmas trees in a conservation effort to benefit area fishermen by participating in the annual Christmas Tree Collection program which began Tuesday and runs through Jan. 8...

DIEHLSTADT, Mo. -- Jackie Leon Groves, 61, of rural Charleston, died Monday, Dec. 25, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 11, 1956, at Wyatt, to Rayola Essary Groves, who survives of Benton, and the late J.L. Groves, he had lived in the Charleston area most of his life and had been employed with Major Brands Distributing and then the Lohr Distributing as a sales person. ...

SIKESTON -- Charles Alan Western, 58, died Dec. 23, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born July 3, 1948, in Sikeston, son of Lillian Tyra Sizemore of Sikeston and the late Charles David Western, he had been employed by Aramark Laundry...

ESSEX, Mo. -- Willa "Bo" Gardner, 92, died Dec. 23, 2017, at her son's home in Ashland City, Tenn. Born Feb. 22, 1925, in Manilla, Ark., daughter of the late William Allen and Clara Emma Lowery Neal, she had lived in the Grayridge and Essex areas most of her life. She had worked as a floral designer for 40 years at area florists and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...

SIKESTON -- Lisa Yvonne Lane, 49, died Dec. 24, 2017, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born April 7, 1968, in Sikeston, daughter of Jessie Marshall Lane of Sikeston and the late Tommy Lee Lane, she graduated from Sikeston High School in 1986 and attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- John P. Buck, 73, died Dec. 25, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Born May 14, 1944, in Leachville, Ark., son of the late Marion and Opal Hoskins Buck, he was vice president of Bunny Bread and a member of the Doniphan Masonic Lodge...