Stories from Monday, January 28, 2002

Last Sunday's Standard Democrat included an editorial calling for stepped-up community education efforts to promote the drafted Sikeston City Charter. I agree wholeheartedly that we face a challenge in helping the public understand the changes that passage of the charter can bring about, and would like to offer an update on the initial publicity efforts that are under way...

To the people who called in about the German Shepherd that was missing and is black and tan and has a white belly, we're out at Pharris Ridge. Call me at 481-0777. Has there been anyone sentenced in the death of Wayne Limbaugh from Sikeston? I have not heard anything on the news. I know a man was charged with shooting him in the back. Any information you could publish would be appreciated...

I agree with the caller who called about the Cardinals. It's a dirty shame the St. Louis Cardinals have to across to the East to get a ball player for them, especially where there are so many Americans who need jobs over here and so much American talent in ball players. It's a dirty shame that jobs that are much-needed here in America are taken overseas...

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. J.F. McMullin celebrated their 50th anniversary at their daughter's home. Friends from Sikeston, East Prairie, Dexter and Essex attended. SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Leslie have been informed that their son, Joe, has been accepted for admission to Ohio University, Athens, Ohio...

SIKESTON - Mrs. Helen Shy hosted a gathering of 20 young girls and boys at her home. The party was held in honor of her daughter's birthday. Helen Marie is 7. SIKESTON - The Sikeston City Council passed three ordinances to pave the way for the new Canvas Products Co. plant to open here. The agreement includes a 99-year lease on land where the plant will be located...

COLUMBUS, Miss. - James W. Gardner, 93, died Jan. 26, 2002, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus. Born Oct. 16, 1908, in Fayette County, Ala., son of the late Moses E. "Buddy" and Apsie L. Manasco Gardner, he was a farmer in Fayette and Marion counties in Alabama before moving to Sikeston, Mo., in 1951. He also farmed and retired from the Sikeston Public Schools and lived in Columbus for the past 18 months...

BLOOMFIELD - Lillie Mae Kem, 79, died Jan. 26, 2002, at her home. Born Aug. 13, 1922, in Canalou, daughter of the late John Rufus and Emma B. Sanders Chaney, she was a longtime resident of New Madrid County and member of the First Christian Church in Matthews...

SIKESTON - Wilford Waters, 74, died at 7:55 p.m. Jan. 25, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Sept. 11, 1927, at Central Ridge, Ark., son of the late George and Pearl Hill Waters, he was a farmer and of the protestant belief...

DEXTER - Robert Leroy Hale, 67, died at 1 a.m. Jan. 26, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Dec. 11, 1934, in Woodruff County, Ark., son of the late Duncan and Mary Myrtle Bailey, he was a retired boilermaker and was a member of the Eagles Club in Dexter...

MOREHOUSE - Terry Comstock, 55, died Jan. 25, 2002, at his home. Born Jan. 25, 1947, in Sikeston, son of the late Leo and Barbara "Betty" McDowell Comstock, he was a self-employed building contractor. In July 2001, he went to work as a commercial sales pro for Lowe's Warehouse in Sikeston and was of the Baptist belief...

PEORIA, Ill. - Virginia Dixon, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died at 9 p.m. Jan. 25, 2001, at Proctor Hospital. Visitation is from, 6-8 p.m. Monday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston where services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. .

SIKESTON - Lucretia Bennett, 88, died Jan. 23, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Blanchard Funeral Chapel.

BLOOMSDALE - Philomena Mary Jirik, 96, formerly of Chaffee, died at 4:15 p.m. Jan. 24, 2002, at Jefferson County Memorial Hospital in Crystal City. Born Dec. 29, 1905, in Oran, daughter of the late Louis and Frances Blattel Schramm, she was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church of Bloomsdale and former member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Chaffee...

BLOOMFIELD - Dorothy Anna Duncan, 88, died Jan. 25, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born Oct. 22, 1913, at Hunterville, daughter of the late Cyrus E. and Lula Bradford Blevins, she had lived in the Hunterville and Circle City area for 62 years before moving to Bloomfield 26 years ago. She was of the Baptist belief...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Patsy Joe Fitzgerald, 71, died Jan. 27, 2002, at the Beverly Healthcare Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter.

SIKESTON - Patrick Joseph Regan Jr., 65, died Jan. 26, 2002, at the Sikeston Health Care Center. Born Feb. 24, 1936, in Central Falls, R.I., son of the late Patrick Joseph and Mable Brogan Regan Sr., he was of the Catholic belief. A U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, he was a service station manager before retiring...

SIKESTON -The second of two public input meetings for the Home Rule Charter is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday. Home Rule Charter commissioners will present the current draft of the Charter for a review by the public and hope "to hear from people from every corner of the community," according to Harry Sharp, commission chairman...

Chris Hart and Mitchell Shaw, employees of the Sikeston Department of Public Works, "recycle" Christmas trees Friday at the Cy Wing Lake at the R.S. Matthews Park located on the south side of the city. The pair bundled up trees and dropped them into the lake weighted with concrete blocks. The trees will provide fish habitat for the lake...

SIKESTON - Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties are among seven being included in a value-added agricultural production feasibility study. "The study will see if we can get enough support from the soybean farmers to effectively put up, operate and maintain a soybean-sunflower processing plant," according to Ray Fowler, project coordinator. Fowler said the plant will be a farmer-owned, farmer-controlled co-op...

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - David Pickett Ray, 61, formerly of Mississippi County, Mo., died Jan. 27, 2002, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, Mo.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Ollie Mae Getter, 79, who died Jan, 21, 2002, were: Glen Cole, Harles Cain, Lawrence Cole, Charles Hill, Silvester Herrion and James Hampton.

WASHINGTON, Ill. - Virginia Louise Dixon, 76, died at 9 p.m. Jan. 25, 2002, at the Proctor Hospital in Peoria. Born May 10, 1925, at Mayfield, Ky., daughter of the late Charles R. and Lura B. Duty Gregory, she was a member of the Leisure Acres Golden Agers Club in Washington and was of the Baptist belief...

SIKESTON - Lucretia Bennett, 88, died at 9:10 p.m. Jan. 23, 2002, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born Dec. 4, 1913, in Puxico, daughter of the late Wilfred L. and Myrtle Jane Beard Buckley, she was a member of Trinity Baptist Church. She was a member and had served as worthy matron of Sikeston Chapter 137 Order of the Eastern Star and was also a member of the Sikeston Past Matrons and Past Patrons Club...

CHAFFEE - Maggie Groves, 86, died at 3:54 a.m. Jan. 27, 2002, at her daughter's home in Zalma. Born Feb. 27, 1915, in Diehlstadt, daughter of the late Robert and Sophia Stuppy McBride, she was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, the Daughters of St. Ambrose and Chaffee VFW Post 3127 Ladies Auxiliary...

CHARLESTON - William David McCormick, 95, died at 3:20 p.m. Jan. 26, 2002, at the Charleston Manor. Born Feb. 4, 1906, in Paris, Tenn., son of the late Fonzie and Mary Ann Mayhew McCormick, he lived in Charleston most of his life where he was a member of the United Methodist Church. He was also a member of the Coon Hunters Association and owned and operated McCormick's Barber Shop until his retirement...

SIKESTON - If you're only as old as you feel, Nell Rettig must be in her teens. She sews, gardens, cans and heads to the YMCA religiously for her biweekly workout. Rettig will celebrate her 90th birthday on Monday. She insists what keeps her young at heart is an active lifestyle and positive outlook. She refuses to sit idly and watch the world go by...

SIKESTON - It's difficult enough for some people to motivate themselves to exercise indoors when the weather is nice, much less doing it outside during the winter months when you dread even taking the family dog out. But the New Madrid County Health Department says winter weather doesn't have to be an excuse for inactivity. By following a few simple suggestions, outdoor physical activity in the winter can be a safe and pleasant experience...

SIKESTON - Nearly 40 bright-eyed children and half as many bleary-eyed adults were up Saturday after a sleepover at Victorian Inn, ready for a day of history lessons in New Madrid. To the casual onlooker, it might have been a big birthday party or school celebration...

Neal Boyd, background, sings "God Bless America" as World War II veterans stand in front of a crowd at the Sikeston/Kelly basketball game Friday night. The veterans were honored in a ceremony between the varsity and junior varsity basketball games...

MALDEN - A Malden man remains in jail as the result of a multijurisdiction investigation into what authorities describes as a theft ring between Missouri and Arkansas. According to Malden Police Chief Rod Dill, Harvey Nix III is charged with receiving stolen property. He is being held in the Dunklin County Jail on $10,000 bond...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs basketball team went back over the .500 mark on the season with a 68-42 win over the Kelly Hawks on Friday night at the Field House. It was Sikeston's first home game since Jan. 4. The Bulldogs (9-8) played Portageville on Saturday. Results from that game will be in Monday's edition. On Friday, the Bulldogs were sluggish out of the gates, falling behind 10-2...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Dexter Bearcats claimed their fourth consecutive Stoddard County Tournament title Friday night, outlasting the Bell City Cubs 87-85. After being down 17 with 6:54 left, the Cubs made a furious run at the Bearcats (16-2) and had a chance to win, but a long three pointer from Dominitrix Johnson was on line, but fell just short...

NEW MADRID -- New Madrid County Central ran its SEMO Conference record to 5-0 on Friday, shellacking Doniphan 102-52. The Eagles' offense was firing on all cylinders once again as 10 players contributed to the final score. "Offensively, we looked real good," said NMCC coach Joby Holland. "Defensively, we lunged a little too much and didn't play good containment defense in the first half. The second half we did a better job, and that kind of got our offense going a little bit."...

By all accounts, the state of Missouri is facing a tight financial situation in the coming year. Blame that on the economy, blame it on lawmakers who over the years have fattened the state budget with questionable yet expensive programs or blame it on a growing low-income population with poor health histories that takes more tax dollars to support each year. ...

PORTAGEVILLE - The Sikeston Bulldogs' roller-coaster season continued on Saturday with a 75-37 road loss to Class 2A state ranked Portageville on homecoming night. The highly anticipated game didn't live up to expectations as Portageville dominated every phase of the game...

SIKESTON - The Scott County Central Braves kept up its solid play as of late with a 77-54 home win over Scott-Mississippi Conference rival Chaffee on Friday. The Braves (12-6, 3-1) held the Red Devils to 17 points in the middle two quarters to post the blowout win...