Stories from Wednesday, April 28, 2021

CAIRO, Ill. — The construction of a new inland port at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers took another step forward today as the Alexander Cairo Port District completed a project labor agreement (PLA) with the Illinois AFL-CIO.  The project labor agreement ensures that more than 500 jobs created by the construction of the Cairo port will be filled by local Illinois union workers...

On April 1, Sikeston Lodge 310 AF & AM presented RWB Homer Lee Stallings III, district deputy grand lecturer of the 39th Masonic District, with the Golden Trowel Distinguished Service Award. The Golden Trowel Award is not intended to replace or supersede any individual recognition given a member; it is the Lodge’s formal recognition of a brother for his devoted service to Masonic principles or to his Lodge. ...

Cool and wet weather has slowed planting in Southeast Missouri. However, recent dry days gave area farmers the opportunity to head in to their fields including these who kicked up dust as they traveled along the field located off Route HH in New Madrid County. The Missouri Department of Agriculture reported as of April 18, 14 percent of the state’s corn crop was planted and 26 percent of the rice crop...

I’m just watching the news here and all the problems that are going on at the border down in Texas. They don’t got enough room for all the people coming across. Now poor old Uncle Joe is starting to take heat because it’s going to cost them so much money every week. And you know, the old fool may just wake up someday and say, “you know it come to me in a dream. We don’t have a housing problem for these people. Why look around, every one of you has a house. You’ve probably got one or two bedrooms that you’re not using. So come on man, have a heart. Be compassionate and help us get through this.”

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. —Donald “Don” Alexander, 84, died April 17, 2021. He was the publisher/general manager of the Sikeston Daily Standard in Sikeston, Missouri, from 1987 to 1989. He served on the board of directors of the Kenny Rogers Cerebral Palsy Center, the board of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Lions Club...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Connie L. Nunley, 71, died April 27, 2021, at the Memorial Hospital in Shiloh. Visitation from 10 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m. Friday at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, Missouri.