Stories from Tuesday, July 23, 2002

I will vote in favor of Proposition B on the upcoming August statewide ballot though my vote will not be an overwhelming vote of confidence for the Missouri Department of Transportation. I have reservations about the spending proposals that will be funded from Prop B and I have a lingering fear that the money may well not stretch as far as state officials are saying. But the alternative to Prop B is much less appealing and for that reason alone, I will cast my vote in favor...

SIKESTON - W.E. Lancaster, living north of town, had the first cantaloupes on the Sikeston market Friday morning. A very fine one was presented to the editor, for which we return thanks. SIKESTON - White's Drug Store is under a new owner but the same policy that has made the name "White's" a synonym for integrity, efficiency and courteous service for virtually half a century will be continued, the new owner said today. ...

This is in response to "Unheard of" in the July 14 SpeakOut about paying 43 cents for a glass of water. I work at a restaurant here in the Sikeston area and the 43 cents is for the cup, water, ice and straw. We have had people who come in the restaurant and basically sit and drink the water and never buy anything else. ...

Scott Balcer pours water on his head to cool off Monday afternoon. Area residents taking part in outdoor activities braved temperatures in the mid 90s with heat index of over 100.

SIKESTON -- It's bad enough it was a Monday morning, but when he heard the National Weather Service predicted the day's high to be 95 degrees with a heat index of 108, well, let's just say Arthur Cassell was less than motivated to get up and start his day...

To all blood donors, surely you are angels of mercy, to all who are giving blood. Two weeks ago I was transfused with three units of blood and am now well on the road to recovery. Without your blood, donors, I might not be here writing this note of thanks...

SIKESTON -- Blanchard Funeral Home took seventh place in the American League this year with a 2-10 record. In the year-end tournament, the squad was eliminated by Fabick in the first round. "We played well all year long, we just had trouble getting things together and playing a complete game," said Blanchard coach Chris Silman. ...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston 12-year-old district all-stars have been very busy in the month of July. The stars have played in three tournaments, posting a 13-0 record with three first place finishes. The first tournament was the Sikeston Invitational. The squad won six games in a round-robin, posting impressive victories over Sikeston Black, Bloomfield, Dexter and East Prairie twice...

SIKESTON - The Senior American Legion District 14 Tournament got underway on Monday at VFW Stadium in Sikeston. In the first round, No. 4 seeded Jackson defeated No. 5 Chaffee 8-7 in 10 innings and in the nightcap, No. 3 Cape Ford & Sons exploded late to defeat No. 6 Stoddard County 17-0 in seven innings...

ST. LOUIS - The Sikeston Auxiliary Unit 114 baseball team took second place at the Junior American Legion Zone Tournament in St. Louis over the weekend. After being rained out on Thursday, Sikeston lost its first game on Friday to Chesterfield 12-2 in five innings, forcing Unit 114 to fight its way through the loser's bracket...

NEW MADRID - Richard Odell and Rachael Michelle Howell Jr. are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 7:40 p.m. June 29, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Caden Lee Howell weighed 7 pounds, 12 1/2 ounces and was 21-inches long...

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Leda May Daugherty, 92, formerly of Morley and Sikeston, Mo., died July 13, 2002, in Phoenix. Born Jan. 9, 1910, near Morley, she was the daughter of the late William Ward and Maud Estelle May Daugherty. Many people who called her "Miss Leda" were her students during the 31 years she taught school in Morley and Sikeston. ...

EAST PRAIRIE - Maxine Kitchen, 85, died at 8:10 a.m. July 23, 2002, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home.

SCOTT CITY - Trenton Dee Pinkston, son of Corey Michael Pinkston and Deja Renee Craver, died at birth July 20, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Other survivors include: one brother, Dillon Kane Pinkston of Scott City; paternal grandparents, Benny Pinkston of St. ...

BLODGETT - Betty Lou Sexton, 52, died July 19, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, following a brief illness. Born Jan. 27, 1950, in Mattoon, Ill., daughter of the late Charles and Leola Spurling Bosley Sr., she was a member of Living Grace Fellowship Church in Miner where she served as a Sunday school teacher and was secretary/treasurer...

STAUNTON, Ill. - Donald Raymond Austin, 61, died at 10:25 a.m. July 22, 2002, at Community Memorial Hospital in Staunton. Born March 14, 1941, in Vanduser, Mo., son of Wilma Delores Brown Austin of Sikeston, Mo., and the late Freeman Walter Austin, he was a truck driver for the Interstate Distributor Company in Tacoma, Wash., for more than 40 years...

WYATT - George Hunter Raffety, 88, died at 1:40 p.m. July 21, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Nov. 21, 1913, at Bird's Mill near Wyatt, son of the late Ulysses G. and Julia T. Norris Raffety, he lived in Wyatt most of his life. ...

WYATT - Dennis and Sally Hodges have announced the engagement of their daughter, Sharon Renee, to Zachary Gale Smith, son of Don and Tonya Evans of Charleston. A 1993 graduate of Charleston High School, Hodges graduated in 1997 from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. She is a fifth grade teacher for Sikeston Public Schools...

SIKESTON - With Friday's 390-point Dow Jones plunge - the worst close in nearly four years - followed by another tumble Monday, stock brokers are advising things should turn around in the market. When that will happen is yet to be seen. "We've had a major correction in the NASDAQ, and we've had a major correction in the Dow," said Mike Bohannon of Raymond James Financial Services in Sikeston. ...