Stories from Friday, December 11, 2020

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – An East Prairie, Missouri, man was sentenced on Friday to prison on drug-related charges. Christopher Gephart, 40, of East Prairie was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. to 120 months in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri’s Office. The East Prairie man pleaded guilty to one count of possession of 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine with intent to distribute...

Can you tell me if the Sikeston Junior High honor roll for the first quarter has been in the paper? If so, I evidently missed it. If it has been, can you tell me what date? Thank you very much. As of Dec. 8, we have not received the first quarter honor roll from the Sikeston Junior High.

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Gwendoline Jean Marshall, 92, of East Prairie, died Dec. 8, 2020, at her home. Jean was born Feb. 28, 1928, in Horsham, England, to Richard William Porter and Gladys Rosie Knight. On Sept. 1, 1951, she married Charles Robert Marshall, who preceded her in death on Jan. 9, 2017...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dorothy Ellen Forbey Hess, 90, formerly of Charleston, Missouri, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, in Memphis. Born June 4, 1930, in Charleston, to the late Frank Moses Forbey and Mary Anna Evan Forbey, she lived in Charleston most of her life. ...

SIKESTON — Reba Doris Mills, age 68, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 1, 1952, in New Madrid County, to the late Rex Leon and Ivry Bell Phoenix Hutton, she had lived in Sikeston most of her life and had been employed at Armark Laundry Service and Jay’s Chicken...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Carolyn Blowers Ellis, 76, died Dec. 10, 2020, at her home in Portageville. Visitation is from 10 a.m. until service time at 1 p.m. Monday at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville. Burial will follow in the Portageville Cemetery...

On Thursday, a government panel endorsed the widespread use of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine as local counties continuing to be under the highest risks in the state. Depending on how quickly the Food and Drug Administration signs off on the vaccine, shots could begin in days...

SIKESTON — Sikeston R-6 students, teachers and staff will have a new food service provider when they return to school next month following their holiday break. The food services bid was awarded during a special session Dec. 2 to Fresh Ideas Food Service Management, which was the low bidder of the companies that submitted bids, according to R-6 Director of Business Services Cheryl Essner...

SIKESTON — Substitute teachers for Sikeston R-6 School District will receive a higher pay rate starting next month. Connie Dement, director of R-6 human resources, proposed a change to the district’s substitute salary schedule during the school board’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday in the high school cafeteria...

Students arriving to Warren E. Hearnes Elementary School in Charleston, Missouri, Thursday morning saw an unexpected surprise spreading holiday cheer. Instead of an Elf on the Shelf, students saw a “Principal on the Shelf,” as principal Adam Grindstaff was on the roof of the school, dressed as an elf, to greet students...

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri’s seasons are getting warmer and wetter, especially winter and spring. For farmers, this means a longer growing season, wetter fields and potential for more plant diseases and insects. Four of the five warmest winters in Missouri on record have occurred since the early 1990s, says University of Missouri Extension climatologist Pat Guinan. The five warmest springs on record have taken place since 1977...

Trees are decorated by local churches and businesses at the First Assembly of God Property at 1221 North Ingram, across from the Sikeston Bootheel Rodeo Grounds. The lights and decorations will be displayed nightly through the end of December and residents can take the self-guided tour at their leisure. Signs are posted to make it easy to access and exit...

SIKESTON — It was just a year ago this month when registered nurse Eric Slaughter first heard about the virus that has claimed the lives of nearly 290,000 people in the United States and over 1.5 million people worldwide. Like all front-line essential workers, Slaughter, who is the infection prevention/safety and emergency preparedness coordinator for Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, has been working tirelessly since to understand the virus and treatment while also educating hospital employees and those in the community.. ...

We are definitely excited about the Quarantine Christmas Musical Comedy happening this weekend at First Baptist and Old Bethel Baptist. Be sure and come out for this incredible Christmas event or watch online (First Baptist on Facebook). Did you get your Christmas tree and put the candles on it? Obviously we don’t use a tree for candles, but this is all rooted in the history of the Christmas tree. ...