Stories from Thursday, March 25, 2021

OLD APPLETON, Mo. — La Vonna Decker, age 58, passed away on March 22, 2021, at her home in Old Appleton. She was born Feb. 20, 1963, in Sikeston, to Douglas Decker who survives of Dexter and Betty Scales LaGree who survives of Jackson with her husband, Mike LaGree...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. — Charles A. Deal of Scott City passed away on March 23, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 11, 941 in Atkins, Arkansas, to the late W.O. “Skeet” and Mary “Taft” King Deal. He married Norma Rampley on Sept. 21, 1958, in Morehouse. After 57 years of marriage, she preceded him in death on June 16, 2016...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Carolyn Dawson Hedgepeth, 83, died at 9:15 p.m. March 22, 2021, at Baptist Reynolds Hospice House in Collierville, Tennessee. No visitation is planned, and funeral arrangements are pending.

SIKESTON — Thomas Sutton, 59, died March 24, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

SIKESTON — A fire alarm goes in the middle of the night and a firefighter jumps out of bed to respond, greeted by planting his feet in cold water that has soaked the floor. Unfortunately this is a realization of Sikeston firefighters who man Station 2, located on North Main. And is only one of the many issues with a building that houses important emergency personnel and equipment for Sikeston...

SIKESTON — William Burton, 44, died March 24, 2021, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

NEW MADRID, Mo — The city of New Madrid is warning residents of a recent scam attempt. A resident reported to the city’s Municipal Light and Power office about receiving a call from an individual who claimed to work for the city. The caller threatened to turn off the resident’s utilities unless payment was made immediately...

With America in COVID-19 pandemic form, political turmoil, riots with other diversities on the citizens, with the loss of energy jobs, with governmental threats of gun control and the loss of freedom of worship — it appears we are near pandemic stage and that brings a high level of grief...

Today, I saw beauty. What is beauty? It is a life changed and living in hope. Today, I was talking with one of Sikeston’s retired dentists Wendell Weathers. He was so excited and alive he could not contain himself. Next week is Resurrection week (Easter) and we celebrates Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins and rising from the dead...

The number of Scott County residents who currently have COVID-19 is under 10 as more vaccine clinics are being offered through Missouri Delta Medical Center. According to the Scott County Health Department, four new positive cases of the virus were reported Tuesday and Wednesday while 24 more have recovered. That leaves the total number of active cases at 7 while 3,899 have recovered and 82 deaths have been reported...

WYATT, Mo. — James Anthony “Tony” Seagroves, 54, passed away Monday, March 22, 2021, at his home in Wyatt. He was born June 12, 1966, in Hammond, Indiana, to Mary Frances “Fran” Crosno-Rose. He had been employed by the levee district working in Mississippi County and was of the Baptist faith...