Stories from Friday, December 6, 2019

SIKESTON — The ladies of Christian Women’s Fellowship met Dec. 2. Mandy Newton of the Volunteer Board for Mission Missouri explained the upcoming plans to convert the facility located at 509 Ruth St., Sikeston to a transition center for women returning to the community from rehab or the Department of Corrections...

SIKESTON — The First Baptist Church in Sikeston has a new pastor. Matthew Vroman, who had been a pastor in Detroit, held his first sermon at First Baptist last week. Vroman is no stranger to Missouri. “I was born in Howard County over in Glasgow (Missouri),” Vroman said. “I went to Mizzou and got saved and was called into ministry. I met my wife there and got married.”...

I don’t understand some people can be half dead, can’t do nothing, until a car comes by doing something and then they get in that car and when they get home they’re griping again. If you feel really bad and stuff, you need to stay home. Some people just amaze me. All righty. Thank you .

It’s easy to get tangled up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but this time of year is also great for families to create memories with each other — simply by spending time together, enjoying the Christmas season. Locally, there are limitless opportunities, and they range in price range, but many events are free.

SIKESTON — Sikeston High School seniors Brynna Wiese and Makayla Hutton were named Students of the Month for December. Sikeston Public Schools Foundation, which sponsors the monthly program, names two seniors each month for the honor during the 2019-2020 school year...

BENTON, Mo. — The students of Kelly Elementary will soon have more opportunities to soar in the air during recess as new playground swings have been installed, including rubberized safety surfacing for safe landings. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Nov. 15 on the playground. The new swing set is possible through a $22,000 Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grant through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Bill Seiler family...

Sikeston Kindergarten and Early Childhood Education Center has named its Preschool Pups of the month for November. Pictured are front row, from left:  DaShaun Howard, teacher Keri Wren-Braswell, Dallas Howard, Jacob Rofkahr, Zander Revelle, Livy Gray Hammontree and Griffin Johnson; and back row:  Messiah Draper, Mason Evans, Hunter Mitchell, Eileen Walker, Emma Scott and Noble Gilmore.  Also pictured are Principal Jenny Hobeck and “Buddy” the Bulldog mascot...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Betty Jo Morrow-Spiker, 84, died Dec. 5, 2019, at Country Place Assisted Living in Scott City. Born August 28, 1935, at Braggadocio, daughter of the late Ralph Naile and Ethel Lee Howell Tesney, she was raised by her mother and stepfather, the late William Wes Tesney. She lived in Diehlstadt most of her life and had been employed with Brown Shoe Co. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas sent a message to the university community Friday addressing racist flyers found on the school’s main campus and River Campus earlier in the week. The flyers, purportedly from Church of Creativity -- “White Racial Loyalty Without Compromise” -- espoused white supremacist views and claimed the group’s “golden rule” is “What is good for the White Race is the highest virtue; What is bad for the White Race is the ultimate sin.”. ...

The Scott City Council has named city clerk Mike Dudek to be the town’s new administrator, succeeding Mark O’Dell who left the position in May. And although Dudek’s title is new, his duties are not because he’s been the “unofficial” city administrator since O’Dell’s departure...

SIKESTON — Missouri State Highway Patrol has again joined members of Concerns of Police Survivors in paying tribute to fallen officers and showing support for law enforcement by participating in Project Blue Light. Thirty-one members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol have given their lives in fulfillment of the Patrol’s mission of providing service and protection to Missouri’s citizens, according to Col. Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

SIKESTON — Police are investigating a stolen vehicle report late Wednesday in Sikeston. At 10:16 p.m. Wednesday officers with Sikeston Department of Public Safety responded to the Family Dollar Store, 209 W. Malone Ave., in reference to a dark gray Chevrolet HHR being stolen, according to DPS reports...

BLOOMFIELD — A Poplar Bluff man was ordered Thursday afternoon to stand trial for robbing the Southern Bank branch at Essex. Accompanied by his attorney, Rance Butler with the Public Defender’s Office, Glenn Hamilton appeared before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield for a preliminary hearing on the Class A felony of first-degree robbery...

SIKESTON — The Southeast Missouri Food Bank has been awarded grant money to help achieve a more accurate count in the 2020 Census. The Food Bank was awarded $15,000 from the Missouri Foundation for Health to implement programs to get a more accurate count in the 2020 Census. The Food Bank’s Count Me In program will provide outreach, education and assistance in Census registration to typically undercounted populations...

SIKESTON — A new website has launched to help explain the need and costs of a Sikeston R-6 bond issue that will be on the ballot in April. The site, www.schools4sikeston.com, explains the $21-million bond issue by breaking down what will be done as part of the bond issue and what the costs will be...