Stories from Tuesday, June 1, 2021

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — An East Prairie man was killed in a single-vehicle crash late Monday in Mississippi County. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at 8:05 p.m. on Miller Road, two miles north of East Prairie, as the northbound vehicle driven by Conor P. Chance, 21, of East Prairie ran off the right side of the road and struck a tree...

SIKESTON — Michael “Mike” Gentry, age 62, passed away on May 30, 2021, at his home in Sikeston. He was born on Oct. 23, 1958, in Blytheville, Arkansas, to the late William Henry and Dorothy Lorene Mullis Gentry. Survivors include: three brothers, Billy Gentry of Wausau, Wisconsin, Garry (Marilyn) Gentry of Green Bay, Wisconsin and Jerry (Terisa) Gentry of Sikeston; four sisters, Barbara (Roy) Smith of Bertrand, Debbie White of Sikeston, Tammy Heavener of Sikeston and Lisa Gentry of Anniston...

SIKESTON — Rosie M. Baker, 85, died May, 29, 2021. Visitation is from 10 a.m. until service time at noon Saturday, June 5, 2021, at the Power House of God in Sikeston with Betty Ware, pastor, officiating. Driver Funeral Service of Sikeston in charge of arrangements and services...

SIKESTON — Christopher Antonne Nabors, 53, died Thursday, May, 27, 2021, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 1, 1968, to Florida Nabors who survives. He attended Sikeston Public Schools and worked as a cook in several area restaurants...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Conor Presley Chance, age 21, of East Prairie, died Monday, May 31, 2021. He was born Dec. 29, 1999, at Cape Girardeau, to Robert Glenn “Bobby” Chance and Jennifer Ann Page Chance, he was a 2018 graduate of East Prairie High School and employed at Lamberts Café in Sikeston...

SIKESTON — Phyllis West, age 69, passed away on May 26, 2021, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born on Oct. 31, 1951, in Lampasas, Texas, to the late Ermon McKinnie and the late Marion Simmons McKinnie Skaggs. She lived most of her life in Sikeston where she raised her three children as a single mother. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — A preliminary hearing is scheduled later this month for a Sikeston man facing multiple charges after allegedly running over a woman with a vehicle in Charleston. Ronald Lee Taylor, 34, of Sikeston was charged with first degree domestic assault-serious physical injury; armed criminal action; stealing-motor vehicle; possession of methamphetamine; and making a false report, according to online court records...

SIKESTON — The Sikeston R-6 School District’s regular school year concluded with an early dismissal on Friday, and some children celebrated the milestone where numerous children have gone for the past 15 years on the last day of school: Ms. Rita Savage’s home in Sikeston...

New data released late last week by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations shows a continuing decline in unemployment rates in virtually every Missouri county. While the new numbers indicate more Missourians are returning to work as the state recovers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, some economists say a shrinking workforce is also a contributing factor as some working-age Missourians who had previously been in the workforce chose not to seek employment in April.. ...

Barry Richardson Sr. received the prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA in March. The award, which was presented by Rick McCord, recognizes pilots who have demonstrated professionalism, skill and aviation expertise by maintaining safe operations for 50 or more years. ...

A new columbarium wall was dedicated Monday afternoon at the Missouri Veteran’s Cemetery during the annual Memorial Day service. The ceremony opened with Kara Boone singing the national anthem and Chaplain Madonna McDonald leading the invocation. “Memorial Day is about the men and women who bravely served and paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said keynote speaker, Rep. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Six people died in traffic crashes over the 2021 Memorial Day weekend counting period of 6 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Monday. Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers investigated the following over the 2021 Memorial Day holiday weekend:...

HAYWARD, Mo. — Geneva DeRousse, 89, died May 31, 2021, at her home in Hayward. Visitation is from noon until service time at 2 p.m. Thursday at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville with the Rev. Jackie Studie officiating. Burial will follow in the Portageville Cemetery...