Stories from Sunday, August 4, 2002

ADVANCE - Kenneth "Joey" Phillips, 26, formerly of Oran, died Aug. 2, 2002, at Wappapello Lake, of an apparent drowning accident. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. - Donna Faye Lumley, 37, died July 29, 2002, at the Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville Beach. Born Sept. 18, 1964, in St. Louis, Mo., daughter of Don Lee Lumley of St. Louis and Alice DeProw Lumley Darmofal of Tallapoosa, Mo., she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Tallapoosa...

ADVANCE - James Dale Talley, 48, died Aug. 2, 2002, at his home. Born July 30, 1954, at Advance, son of Merlene Rea Hill of Advance, he was a painter and veteran of the U.S. Navy. Survivors in addition to his mother include: three sons, Jeremy Talley of Farmington, Jody Talley of Brownwood and Travis Talley of Advance; one daughter, April Robinson of California; five brothers, Sammy Talley of Cape Girardeau, Kenny Talley and Michael Sparkman of Brownwood, Tooter Talley of Dexter and Terry Sparkman of Sikeston; one sister, Cindy Umfleet of Brownwood; and one grandchild.. ...

JACKSON - Ralph Lee Lape Jr., 54, died Aug. 1, 2002, near Portageville. Born April 13, 1948, in Cape Girardeau, son of the late Ralph and Edna Marie Graser Lape Sr., he retired as a railroad conductor with the Burlington Northern Railway Company in Chaffee. ...

SIKESTON - Elaine Scowden, 58, died Aug. 3, 2002, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Blanchard Funeral Chapel.

LANSING, Mich. - Alfred Lee White, 43, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died July 29, 2002, at the Bixby Hospital in Adrian. Born Dec. 2, 1959, in Sikeston son of Pearlie Mae White of Sikeston and the late Johnny White Sr., he graduated in 1978 from Sikeston High School and served with the U.S. Navy. He was a former member of Smith Chapel Methodist Church in Sikeston...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Elena M. Peer, 98, formerly of Chaffee, Mo., died at 10:10 p.m. Aug. 1, 2002, at Baptist Memphis Memorial Hospital. Born Oct. 7, 1903, in Morehouse, Mo., daughter of the late Adolphus and Ollie Bratton Moseley, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Chaffee and former member of Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 48 in Chaffee...

Jessica Ballinger, daughter of Bill and Kim Ballinger, is the Standard Democrat's August Calender Girl. Ballinger, a finalist in Miss Sikeston contest, plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University in the fall.

SIKESTON - Corey and Holly Butrum are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 3:14 p.m. July 9, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Jacob Hunter Lee Butrum weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 1/2-inches long. Mrs. Butrum, daughter of Brenda Smith, Jimmy Smith and Carol Smith, is employed by Heartland Living Services...

SIKESTON -- Sonny's Solid Waste took first place in the American League this year, finishing with a record of 10-2. "I think the year was very successful," said Sonny's coach Jeff Young. "The kids were enthusiastic and we had a lot of support from the parents. We were very successfully, and I base that in large part because of the effort the kids put forth."...

Lance Hanlin Standard Democrat SIKESTON - The 2002-2003 high school sports year officially kicks off Aug. 12, with fall sports practice. Several new faces will be on the sidelines, leading area teams this upcoming year. Here is a look at coaching changes in our coverage area:...

SIKESTON -- Alabama, Lonestar, Gary Allen and Trace Adkins won't be the only superstars performing at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo this year. The top cowboys in the world will also be in attendance, showing off their riding, roping and wrestling skills, hoping to earn a share of the $115,000 purse...

SIKESTON - Census figures and concerns about the economy don't seem to be stunting Sikeston's growth much presently and things look good for the near future. "Overall commercial is up but residential is down as compared with this time last year," said Tom Bridger, public works director...

Staff Reports Standard Democrat BENTON - While much of the attention Tuesday will be on the two tax propositions, Scott County voters will select their next prosecuting attorney in the county's only contested race. If approved by voters, Proposition A will add a 50-cent E-911 tax to wireless phones. Proposition B seeks to increase taxes for highways and transportation...

You probably won't vote Tuesday. Oh sure, you'll mean to vote and you'll have the best of intentions to vote. But you probably won't. County election officials tell us that almost 8 out of every 10 eligible voters won't go to the polls on Tuesday. Sad to say, that's not abnormal. So judging from that, a strong majority of the readers of this column won't vote Tuesday...

Remember when your 401K was actually worth something? Remember the Contract With America, when the Republicans asked for the removal of government regulations so businesses could grow? The next time we go to the polls, we will remember Republicans and George Bush's contempt for government capitalism has allowed corporate piracy to drive the nation to financial ruin. George Bush has never worried about making a mortgage payment or a tuition payment in his life. And that's a fact...

SIKESTON - Miss Phyllis Harrison will entertain at a block dance this Friday evening in front of her home on Sikes Avenue, complementing her house guest, Miss Dolores Neal of Leavenworth, Kan. SIKESTON - Listen, all you terpsichorian addicts: Tomorrow night's the night when you can tap your feet and enjoy the while of the dance to the music of the Rhythm Aires...