Stories from Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Several Portageville High School students participated in the Class 2 District 1 Scholar Bowl Tournament.  Portageville High School finished second, losing to Bernie 210-230 in the championship game on Saturday, April 6. 

On Friday afternoon, March 29, Congressman Jason Smith (R), Mo. Eighth District, stopped in Portageville at the New Madrid County Library-Portageville branch to donate books from the Library of Congress. In all, he brought 11 boxes of about 25 books each, nearly 275. “Many of small-town libraries just to do have the resources that folks need in researching, and/or simply read,” said Smith...

The following cases were heard in the Portageville Municipal Court on March 7, 2019, by Judge Chris Stinnett. Fines ordered include Court Costs: Henretta Bledsoe – No Valid Operator’s License $225.00; James Lamont Bracy – Failure to Register Vehicle $80.00; Jimmy Caldwell – Open Container $80.00; Antonio Fletcher – Expired Registration $50.00; John-Carlos Guevara – Stop Sign Violation $55.00, No Insurance $225.00; Michael Hartman – No Valid Operator’s License $225.00; Breanna Holmes – No Insurance $150.00; Nichole Lee Hydle – No Child Restraint x 2 $134.50; Adrian Michelle Long – No Insurance $225.00, Failure to Register Vehicle $80.00; Tacaria Pratcher – Expired Registration $80.00; Kevin Ray Thomas – Speeding $109.50; Courtney Williams – No Insurance $150.00. ...

The New Madrid County Health Department will be offering a Skin Cancer Screening. Skin Cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. One in five Americans develops skin cancer in the course of their lifetime. With the careful inspection of the skin, most skin cancer can be found early and treated successfully...

The North Pemiscot Fifth graders planted Bald Cypress trees last Wednesday. Men from the Missouri Department of Conservation and Forestry Service brought the trees for the fifth graders to plant. - Charlotte Angotti photo

Corn USDA’s report on Tuesday was neutral to bearish.   USDA used the quarterly stocks from the March 31 report to update the demand for 2018-19.   Ending stocks were increased 200 million bushels to 2.035 billion. The trade guess was 2.01 billion.  Feed and exports were both cut 75 million bushels and food, seed, and industrial was cut 50 million bushels.    World ending stocks were increased 5.5 mmt from last month to 314 mmt.    However, it is 16 mmt less than last year. ...

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The Portageville Chamber of Commerce held their annual GLOW Egg Hunt last weekend. The event was held at Meatte Memorial Park. Thanks to all who came out to participate, and congratulations to all of the winners!!!

BRANSON, Mo. – Mark Jones, Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance agency sales manager (ASM) in Pemiscot and New Madrid counties, achieved membership on the Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance Companies’ NHA/NHS Unit Count Pyramid. Jones is one of the company’s top producers qualifying for the award this year...

The M&M Cross Service Center has served area farmers and motorists for 73 years. This year, Mark Cross celebrates his 44th year at M&M. “The original business began in 1946 in Portageville with my father and uncle,” said Cross. The original place was located Portageville where Leroy Tires and Trisha’s BBQ is now, he added. On Friday as part of their Customer Appreciation event, the service center hosted a Crawfish and Shrimp boll, along with drawings and discounts throughout the day...

House Members Continue to Stand in Defense of Missouri Taxpayers (HB 1094)
The House has given preliminary approval to legislation that would give Missourians a break on late payment of taxes. The bill comes in response to issues within the Department of Revenue that have resulted in many Missourians owing more income tax or getting smaller tax refunds this year.
 
For months a special House oversight committee has investigated issues within the department. ...

Trudy Murphee and Micah Stengler make mobile food packs over the weekend during the seventh annual Feed My Starving Children MobilePack Event at the Sikeston Armory. Volunteers weighed, measured and packed ingredients for more than 300,000 meals for the most critically hungry people in the world. Volunteers had to be at least 5 years old...

CHESTERFIELD, Va. — Marjorie Laverne Spivey Hopkins, 91, died April 3, 2019, in Chesterfield. Born July 30, 1927, in Sikeston, Mo., daugther of the late Elmes H. and Dona Martin Spivey, she attended went school in Sikeston, graduating in the class of 1945. ...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Rev. James N. Howard, 79, died April 6, 2019. Born Aug. 25, 1939, in Sikeston, Mo., son of the late Ed and Jennie Howard, he was one of 12 other students from Lincoln School to join the Sikeston Public School System during integration of the junior and senior classes in fall 1954. ...

ELVERTA, Calif. — Kenneth “Kenny” Long, 74, died March 30, 2019, in Elverta. Born April 4, 1944, in Tennessee, he was raised in Missouri and had been an iron worker. He is survived by his wife, five children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. — Travis Clay Davis, 37, died April 12, 2019, in Jackson. Born June 17, 1981, in Sikeston, son of LaDonna Haynes of Matthews and the late Ricky Howard Davis, he had formerly attended the Lighthouse Christian Center in Dexter and was affiliated with the Connection Point Church in Jackson. He worked as a union laborer for Penzel Construction in Jackson and had just completed his apprenticeship to become a journeyman laborer. He was a member of Union Local 1104...

SIKESTON — Rosa Lee Harris, 87, died April 15, 2019, at her daughter’s home. Born Jan. 26, 1932, in Spanish Fort, Miss., daughter of the late Walter and Jessie Bell (Taylor) Hill, she attended school in Mississippi and received her high school diploma in 1954. She was a member of New Morning Star Baptist Church where she served on the Mother’s Board...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Five Troop E officers were among the 31 recognized during the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s annual awards ceremony Saturday in Cape Girardeau. Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, congratulated the following employees who accepted awards at the Patrol’s annual awards and The MASTERS banquet Saturday...

Lawson Warren, 5, reads the letters as nurse Daun Brewer points to them on the eye chart at the Sikeston Kindergarten and Early Childhood Center. Kindergarten enrollment and screenings will be April 22-25, and vision screenings are just one part of he process. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – April 20, also referred to as 420 by cannabis enthusiasts as code for smoking marijuana, has quickly spread as a celebratory day across the country. While cannabis is now legalized for recreational and medicinal use in many states, it is still illegal in all states to drive under the influence of it...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — A former deputy clerk has accused Stoddard County Clerk Cecil Weeks of illegally certifying the April 2 municipal election after she told him two unregistered voters cast ballots in Dexter, Missouri’s Ward 2. Ginger McCoy, who recently was fired from the clerk’s office where she had worked for 13 years, filed a complaint April 8 with the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department...