Stories from Monday, July 15, 2019

Legislation to Reform Missouri’s Criminal Justice System Signed into Law (HB 192 and SB 1 and HB 547) Gov. Mike Parson recently signed into law three bills that will provide significant reforms for Missouri’s system of criminal justice. Passed by lawmakers during the 2019 regular session, the bills will modify Missouri’s minimum sentencing requirements, put an end to debtors’ prisons, and expand the list of crimes that can be expunged from a person’s record...

Chelsea Taylor Hunt and Adam Henry Allen Buchanan of Portageville are the proud parents of Jax Allen Buchanan. He was born on June 17, 2019, at 7:22 am and weighed 7 Lbs. 10 Oz. and 18 3/4 long. He joins one sister sibling. He was born at St. Francis Healthcare, Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON — Lorena Ledbetter, 77, formerly of East Prairie, died June 29, 2019, at Cottonpoint Living Center in Matthews. Born Sept. 26, 1941, in Lilbourn, daughter of the late Ed and Beaulah Busby Warren, she was a homemaker and member of Old Bethel Baptist Church in Sikeston...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Robert Lee Nowell, 94, died July 2, 2019, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.   Born  July 29, 1924, in Portageville, son of the late Allie Estes Beaton Nowell and Isaac Columbus “Ike” Nowell, he worked for the highway department as a heavy equipment driver before retiring. Mr. Nowell served in the United States Army during World War II  receiving several awards and commendations...

Jacob and Eliza Alsup of Jackson, Mo. are the proud parents of twin boys, Emmett Maylon Alsup, and Anthony James Alsup. They were born on June 13, 2019, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. The maternal grandparents are the late Maylon Phelps and MaxAnn Floyd of Sikeston...

USDA Invests in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure in Three Rural Missouri Communities

Jason Bean has been named the Interim Superintendent of the Fisher Delta Research Center (FDRC). Mr. Bean has served as chairman of the Fisher Delta Research Center Advisory Board for 20+ years. He is a fifth-generation farmer and a graduate of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a minor in animal sciences. This new appointment is effective on July 22, 2019...

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Dorothy Adams, 88, died June 21, 2019, at her home in Southaven. Born Aug. 10, 1930, in Portageville, Mo., daughter of the late Elizabeth Laster and Ralph Smith, she   On Feb. 2, 1949, she married Alfred E. Adams, who preceded her in death on Dec. 11, 1971...

SIKESTON — Betty Maria Jimerson, 60, died June 24, 2019, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.  Born June 3, 1959, in Sikeston, daughter of the late Melissy Myers and Ananias Davis, she attended Sikeston Public Schools and was employed as a homemaker by White and Associates Home Assistance Inc. She was a member of Grace Tabernacle Church in Sikeston...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Charles Henry Spencer, 70, died June 22, 2019, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born March 7, 1949, in Portageville, son of the late Theolene Burgess Spencer and Emery Spencer, he had been a member of the Hayward Baptist Church since 1959...

LILBOURN, Mo. — Donald Ray Townley, 79, died June 21, 2019, at his home in Lilbourn. Born Nov. 18, 1939, in Alabama, son of the late Odell Ray and Rosie Blanche Davis Townley, he was a self-employed carpenter with his brother for many years before owning and operating Townley's Station and Car Wash...

WARDELL, Mo. — Donald J. Boatwright, 91, died July 1, 2019, at the Gideon Care Center in Gideon. Born June 1, 1928, in Portageville, son of the late Mary Zook Boatwright and Dave Boatwright, he worked 43 years for the Little River Drainage District, serving as foreman. He served in the U.S. Army...

PORTAGEVILLE — Albert E. “Bud” Sisson, 77, died June 28, 2019, at the New Madrid Living Center in New Madrid. Born July 22, 1941, in Sewickley, Penn., son of the late Edward Nufer Sisson and Cleo Gregory Sisson, he and his family moved to Mayfield, Ky., where he was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Mayfield High School in 1959. ...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Robert Wayne Hicks of Portageville, Missouri, passed away June 17, 2019, surrounded by his wife and sons in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Bob was born May 21, 1940, in Holland, Missouri, to the late Helen (nee Watkins) and Anderson Hicks. He married Deanna Pikey on Oct. 18, 1963. He was preceded in death by their infant son, Sean Pikey Hicks; and his brother, George Hicks.  ...

6- Total 4- City 2- Rural On 06-09-19 at 14:46 Portageville Fire was paged to SRG Global Factory for a Fire Alarm. Engine 1 responded and upon arrival after a sweep of the perimeter there was no fire just a trip in a fire alarm system 8 Fire Personnel Responded...

HOMESTOWN, Mo. — A Caruthersville, Mo., teenager was killed in a one-car accident Sunday evening in Pemiscot County. At 6:25 p.m., a vehicle driven by Hunter D. Shelton, 18, of Caruthersville, was traveling northbound on Route B, two miles south of Homestown when it ran off the roadway, struck a ditch and ejected three of the passengers...

PUXICO, Mo. — James Petit, 89, died July 12, 2019, at his home near Puxico. Born Jan. 14, 1930, in Waterbury, Conn., son of the late Leonard and Natalie Flynn Petit, he had been a world traveler before making his home in Puxico. He was a veteran of the U. S. Air Force, a member of the V.F.W. Post 1991, Disabled American Veterans and the Paragould Pilots Association...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. — Larry D. Hanback, 57, died July 13, 2019, at his home in Scott City. Born Sept. 6, 1961, in Sikeston, son of Jane Hanback and the late Doyle Hanback, he was a former engineer for Union Pacific Railroad. On May 27, 1982, in Benton, he married Pamela M. Wagoner, who survives of the home...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Opal L. Hahn, 81, died July 14, 2019, at the Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 15, 1938, in the Dogwood Community, daughter of the late Jess Dalton Douglas and Dovie Jane Woods Douglas, she had lived the past several years in Charleston where she was employed for over 18 years at the Mississippi County Detention Center until her retirement. She was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Charleston...

SIKESTON — Hazel Bernice Ensor, age 90, passed away at Delta South on Sunday, July 14, 2019. She was born Nov. 22, 1928, in Dell, Ark., to the late John William and Kitty Avitt Widner. She was a homemaker and member of Hunter Memorial Presbyterian Church in Sikeston...