Stories from Friday, June 17, 2022

It was 1984 and I was excited for a day of hiking with my fellow high school freshman Ron. We planned to eat beans from the can like on the adventure movies and I put the cans in my backpack. We hiked through the mud and hills by the creek and in about 20 to 30 minutes came to the Missouri River...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Lifelong Missouri native Eric Garris has announced his bid for State Representative of the 149th District of Missouri, which represents New Madrid County and parts of Scott, Mississippi and Pemiscot Counties. As a Republican conservative, Garris said he has the people of the 149th District at heart...

SIKESTON — With sunny, hot days in this week’s forecast, local farmers may be planning to take advantage of the dry weather to get their wheat crops out of the fields. According to the Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report released on Monday, winter wheat harvest was only at 2%, compared to the five-year average of 12%. However, the winter wheat condition was rated 1% very poor, 7% poor, 29% fair, 54% good and 9% excellent...

I noticed several weeks ago there was a comment about speeding vehicles on Glenn Drive. The same happens on Ashley Drive. Though the absolute worse is the speeding from Southeast Elementary to AA. I’ve been in that area between 4-7 p.m. weekdays and off and on some weekends driving and had cars pass me or see them speed up right pass the school. I think speed bumps need to be placed a little before Ables each direction and possibly before Glenn Drive. This also would assure cars slowing down faster when entering the school zone. There are a lot of children in the area surrounding Southeast Elementary.

CIRCLE CITY, Mo. — Elizabeth Gail Smith, age 61, passed away at her residence in Circle City on June 15, 2022. She was born on Aug. 6, 1960, at Sikeston, Missouri, to William and Dorothy Fisk Paxton.

DOGWOOD, Mo. — Jimmie Dale Batton, 90, also of Orange Park, Florida, died June 16, 2022, at his home in Orange Park. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, Missouri.

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. - Two people were injured in a single-vehicle accident Wednesday. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, at 12:03 p.m. Wednesday at the 36 mile marker on Interstate 55, a northbound pickup truck driven by Cristian H. Salazar, 27, of Las Vegas, Nev., ran off the roadway into the median...

MATTHEWS, Mo. — Michael Ray Cook, age 70, passed away on June 16, 2022, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.