Stories from Tuesday, November 30, 2021

SIKESTON — A social media post regarding a sex trafficking incident at a local retailer has been deemed unfound by Sikeston Department of Public Safety. On Monday Sikeston DPS said via a post on its official Facebook account it was notified of a social media post over the weekend in reference to a subject who was claiming someone wrote on her vehicle’s bumper on Nov. 26. The subject’s post claimed she believed this to be linked to her vehicle (occupant) being targeted sex trafficking, DPS said...

SIKESTON — Thelma Kellett, age 93, passed away on Nov. 28, 2021, at Delta South Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Sikeston. She was born on June 7, 1928, in Metropolis, Illinois, to the late Ray and Alvena Meyer Westerman. In December of 1960, she married Ernest Kellett who preceded her in death on March 7, 1997...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Barbara Howard Rowland, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

 She was born Jan. 22, 1942, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to Clifford Derrington and Gladys Ward.

 She and John Howard were married March 18, 1965, in Germantown, Tennessee. ...

SIKESTON — Donnie Ray Wolford, age 74, passed away Nov. 28, 2021, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He was born Feb. 5, 1947, in Dorena, Missouri, son of the late Hobert Wolford and Gertie Hale Bridges. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had worked for Noranda Aluminum in Marston before retiring...

SIKESTON — Wadine Eaker, age 87, died peacefully at her home in Sikeston on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. She was born April 10, 1934, in Sikeston, to Wade and Elizabeth Adams Malcolm. Following her graduation from Sikeston High School, she began her teaching career in Blodgett, Missouri, and taught a short time before taking several years off to raise her family. ...

SIKESTON — The Rev. Victor A. Williams, 81, passed away peacefully on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Nov. 6, 1940, in Sikeston, to the late Johnnie and Margaret Williams. Rev. Williams, “Tucker,” as he was affectionately known to many area residents, attended Sikeston Public Schools and was employed for many years as a driver for ABF Trucking Co...

SIKESTON — The Sikeston City Council has begun the process of deciding on the redistricting of municipal wards. During Monday’s Sikeston City Council meeting, two different proposals were introduced to the Council with a vote on the districts to be held at a future meeting...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — A Bertrand man has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a minor. According to a news release from the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, a multi-agency investigation between the Sheriff’s Office, Missouri Children’s Division and the Network Against Sexual Violence led to the arrest of Kenny Loflin, 72...

DEXTER, Mo. — A death investigation is underway in Dexter. According to Dexter Police Chief Hank Trout, the Dexter Police Department responded to 122 Condor Drive, regarding a medical assist call of cardiac arrest on Monday. Trout said when officers and emergency personnel arrived, CPR was in progress on a 49-year-old male...

Joshua Koonce pled guilty Monday to the stabbing death of Jimmy Casey.  Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver said in a news release that Koonce entered the guilty plea 30 minutes before the trial was scheduled to begin and the state extended no plea bargain to the defense. Koonce plead guilty to the charges of murder and armed criminal action...

According to data cited by Delaware-based internet financial news website 24/7 Wall St. LLC, three counties in the Missouri Bootheel — Dunklin, Mississippi and New Madrid — are among the 50 most sedentary counties in America. Using information compiled by a joint report of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, the top three most physically inactive U.S. counties are all in Arkansas: Prairie, Dallas and Nevada...

Boone Thompson hangs Christmas lights at his home on Bradley Street Saturday. With the passing of Thanksgiving, many local residents have began decorating for Christmas.

SIKESTON — Delores Jean Sharp Scott, 78, died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, at Delta South Nursing Care and Rehabilitation Services in Sikeston. She was born March 12, 1943, in Dorena, Missouri, to the late Monroe and Louise Coleman Sharp. Friends may call Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, from 11 a.m. until the funeral hour of noon at Opportunity Church of God in Christ in Charleston, Missouri, with Pastor Steve Betts officiating...

The Journey I planned a trip to Kenosha during the final week of the Rittenhouse trial. My intent was to discover only the essential facts related to this and the Jacob Blake case, the underpinning of the Kenosha riots of 2020. Did I really need to go? I’m just a freelancer, with only local experience. ...

The Journalism Education Association (JEA) released the results from their fall national journalism contest last week. Richland R-1 School yearbook students took home four superiors, two excellents, and two honorable mentions. In the photography portion, seven total superiors were presented in the nation and four of them went to Richland students, including in the Portfolio division, to which The Rebel Editor-in-Chief Dacie Ritch took home the top prize of the photography contest, making her the highest rated high school photographer in the nation. ...

SIKESTON — Scott County Central Elementary has announced its honor roll for the first quarter of the 2021-2022 school year. Super Bugs 1st grade Simon Craig, Reagan Dunn. Christen Gregory, Brendyn Holifield, Karson Johnson, Quentin Long, Jonathan Rogers, Annalyn Sanders amd Solan Scheffer...

SIKESTON — Sikeston Career and Technology Center is offering a spring 2022 short-term, night training option for high school seniors or recent graduates interested in a career in manufacturing welding. Sikeston CTC has partnered with the local Workforce Development Board to offer a pre-apprenticeship after-school training program specifically for high school seniors and youth 24 and under. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — On Oct. 2, the Charleston High School Cheerleaders entered the St. Louis Regional Cheer Competition with hope and determination and walked away with a first place victory in the Class 1 small division and earned their spot in the state competition later this month...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - A new mural attempts to capture the many interests of a New Madrid County Central High School student, who died less than a year following her graduation. The family of Annemarie Brown attended the unveiling of the mural Nov. 16 at New Madrid County Central High School. The work was completed by NMCC students and their art teacher, Whitney Smith...

LILBOURN, Mo. - At the Lilbourn Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7183’s fall awards banquet, they wanted to allow students to take flight with their creativity as they vied for honors in the Post’s Patriot Pen and Voice of America competitions. This year the students also had the opportunity to learn how their careers could take flight. The evening’s guest speaker was Dr. Ken Jackson, director of Aviation Operations at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - On the morning of Nov. 22, officers investigating an assault that had occurred over the weekend received information about a subject who was wanted out of Ohio. When the officers learned the man’s identity they found that he had a warrant for parole violation and escape from custody after walking away from a halfway house in Ohio...