Stories from Thursday, February 21, 2002

SIKESTON - The 21st Annual Southeast Missouri Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held Saturday at the Sikeston American Legion Hall on South Kingshighway. A reception will begin at 6 p.m. with the banquet and program following at 7 p.m...

DEXTER - Two of Dexter's top police officers remain on the job nearly a month after a Stoddard County grand jury indicted them on criminal felonies involving another officer who pleaded guilty to statutory rape and deviant sexual intercourse. At least one officer says the city's decision to let the two continue working in the department in plain clothes is disrupting to police and the community...

STE. GENEVIEVE - Donald T. Hefflinger, of Ava, Ill., received the jury's maximum recommended sentence on Tuesday morning for his involvement in the death of Portageville Elementary teacher Joyce Preslar. Hefflinger, who turns 30 on Sunday, will spend the next 12 years of his life in jail...

SIKESTON - Third grade schoolchildren in the area and around the country will learn how food gets from the farm to their table as National FFA Week is celebrated by local members. "It's a nationally-recognized week showcasing our local FFA chapters and state chapters within our communities," said Jackie Waller, who along with fellow agriculture education teacher Nick Nordwald serves as faculty advisor for the Sikeston Career and Technology Center FFA Chapter...

SIKESTON - In what may be the biggest win in the history of Sikeston's girls basketball program, the Lady Bulldogs eliminated the defending Class 3A runners up and the top-seeded Doniphan Donettes on Wednesday 56-51 in the Class 3A, District 1 Tournament at the Field House...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Class 2A District 2 girls basketball tournament starts this Saturday at Bloomfield and will run through next Friday. Here is a look at each team in the district as seeded: Notre Dame has won the district five years in a row, and is the heavy favorite to win this year's event...

JEFFERSON CITY - The state's financial crunch will keep the new South East Correctional Center in Charleston from upgrading to a maximum security facility in the foreseeable future. The delay means the prison, which will continue to receive medium-security inmates, will employ 80 fewer workers than originally planned...

SIKESTON - The right heart and right attitude can make all the difference in the world. And that's what the youths at the First Baptist Church are counting on. Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday around 30 youths will go for 30 hours without eating in recognition of World Vision's National 30-Hour Famine. The program allows young people to make a significant impact on the problem of world hunger...

Were the story not so sad it would be downright hilarious. Actually since no one died, I guess I can make fun of it regardless of the nature or consequences. So here goes. It seems that 54-year-old Thomas Ray Mitchell has a bit of a problem. Well so does his girlfriend Barbara Jenkins...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Lottie Harkness, 94, who died Feb. 18, 2002, were: Edward Parsley, David Hawthorne, Clay Faries, Chad Hawthorne, Bill Stroud and Russell Taylor.

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston for Margaret Ernestene Marion, 63, of Lilbourn, who died Feb. 18, 2002, were: Joe Elrod, Jake Fisher, Scott Foster, Russell Marion, Jason Hunt and Kaceshus Hill...

SIKESTON - Dolly Georgean Brown, 80, died at 7:20 a.m. Feb. 21, 2002, at the Clearview Nursing Center. Born Dec. 28, 1921, in Sikeston, daughter of the late John Franklin and Milbrey Collins Little, she was of the Pentecostal belief. Her husband, Virble Brown, preceded her in death on Dec. 9, 1988...

CHARLESTON - Calvin Lawrence Bohannon, 78, died at 6:50 a.m. Feb. 19, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 14, 1923, at Dogwood, son of the late Grover Lawrence and Celia Ann Brodhacker Bohannon, he had lived in Charleston for the past 47 years. A retired farmer, he served his community as a Little League Baseball coach, Boy Scout Leader, St. Henry High School basketball timer and most recently on the Calvary Cemetery Board of Directors...

PORTAGEVILLE - George J. Champion, 68, died Feb. 19, 2002, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti. Born Oct. 12, 1933, in Oxford, Miss., son of Eavie Smith Champion Reid of Portageville and the late Norman J. Champion, he was a veteran of U.S. Air Force Military Police...

CHALMETTE, La. - William H. "Hubert" McDonald, 77, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Feb. 19, 2002, in Chalmette. Born May 18, 1924, in Double Springs, Ala., son of the late William and Anna McDonald, he was a retired truck driver and veteran of World War II...

CHARLESTON - Richard H. Carr, 76, died at 1 a.m. Feb. 20, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born May 1, 1925, in Charleston, son of the late Thomas Wellington and Agnes Kettel Carr, he was a lifelong resident of Charleston where he was assistant city manager for many years before retiring in 1968. He was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus in Charleston...

SIKESTON - An exploding water tank at the home of A.F. Freeman caused $1,200 damage. No was injured in the blast at 327 E. Gladys St. SIKESTON - Taylor Noles has filed for re-election to his position on the city council. SIKESTON - Two men are dead and two others critically injured in a collision between a pickup and a semi tractor-trailer rig, which was carrying 8,100 gallons of gasoline. ...

Ted Turner says the reason the Trade Towers were demolished were because people live in abject poverty and don't have any hope for a better life. Ted, it must be sad to live in abject stupidity and not have any hope for a better brain. I stand amazed to see that someone in the Sikeston community isn't speaking out against youth groups being taken to eat where beer is served. ...