Stories from Sunday, March 9, 2003

SCOTT CITY -- Carol Jean Wilburn, 50, died at 10:39 a.m. March 6, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Oct. 14, 1952, in St. Louis, daughter of Eugene Colvin of Ocala, Fla., and the late Ruth Gale Heaver, she was a member of Father's Arms Fellowship in Scott City...

ELLSINORE - Russell D. "Rusty" Adams, 46, formerly of Sikeston, was pronounced at 5:45 p.m. March 6, 2003, near Ellsinore. Born May 10, 1956, in Dexter, son of the late Eula Smiley Rainey, he was the adopted son of Hershel and Euna Hampton Adams of Camden, Tenn. He had been a self-employed farmer and was of the Pentecostal belief. A musician, Adams had played guitar with several bands in the Southeast Missouri area...

CARROLLTON, Texas - Carolyn Blissett Hunt, 44, died March 4, 2003, in Carrollton. Born Nov. 28, 1958, she was the daughter of Frances Blissett of Columbus, Ohio, and the late Elder E.L. Blissett. She married Solomon Hunt who survives of the home. Other survivors include: two daughters, Kristen Bech of Columbus and Brittany Bobo of Carrollton; 13 sisters, Rosie Lovett of Milwaukee, Wis., Annie Rushton of Youngstown, Ohio, Ethel Alexander and Dorothy Watson of Peoria, Ill., Hattie Blissett, Deborah Arnold and Sandra Blissett of St. ...

SIKESTON - When Lontas McClinton was younger, playing on AAU basketball teams during his elementary school and middle school years, everybody that saw him knew they were witnessing something special. No matter the size of the opponent or the caliber of teams, McClinton was always unstoppable when it came to scoring and grabbing rebounds...

So just how good is Lontas McClinton? Well, in my short experience of Sikeston hoops, I would certainly say he's one of the best in school history. I think that's obvious and I don't think anybody would dispute that. The greatest player in Sikeston history is anybody's guess. Many of the old-schoolers think it's Fred Towns, the dominant 6-5 center in the late 1960s...

He scored what ended up being a season-best 29 points in a double-overtime loss to Marion, Ill. Of that total, 25 points came in the second half. He also had 15 rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals. (12-3-02) In Sikeston's first win against Dexter since 1999, McClinton led all scorers with 23 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter. He also had 10 rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots. (12-6-02)...

"He's a big-time player and he's a great athlete, there's no doubt about it." -- Blytheville coach David Hixson. (11-26-02) "McClinton hurt us tonight, but you knew he was going to -- he hurts a lot of people. He jumps 20 feet in the air and it's hard to guard that. He's just a good player."...

CHARLESTON - The word is out nationwide about Charleston's Dogwood Azalea Festival. The AAA magazine, AAA Midwest Traveler, has named the festival a "Midwest Travel Treasure." The Travel Treasure series is part of each bimonthly issue of the magazine. Featured in the March/April issue of the AAA Midwest Traveler, the festival was selected as a "Treasure" for its appeal to typical AAA members. Also the festival is featured in a half-page article in the magazine...

Amanda Shaver and Kristi Tidwell warm up by a fire during Sikeston's first Civil War re-enactment Friday. The event is hosted by Boy Scout Venture Post 149. Today's battle will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Scott Matthews' land south of Sikeston across Highway 60 between Highway 61 and Interstate 55...

PORTAGEVILLE -- When Kyle Tatam arrived as a foreign exchange student in Southeast Missouri last fall, little did he know he was setting foot on the ground where one of his professional basketball idols started out. The 6-foot-7 senior at Portageville High School finished his first basketball season in America Thursday night and overall, Tatam's experience was a positive one, he said...

SIKESTON - Sikeston teenagers learned about government while tackling some of the community's difficult issues. A controversial amendment to the city's animal control ordinance addressing aggressive animals was passed 4-1 by the young people as they took on Sikeston city government roles Friday...

The so-called California dentist who did that to those kids should have all his teeth drilled and pulled without pain medication, then thrown in to kill for the rest of his evil life. Where was the health department people who should have given the guidelines to these parent? Everyone needs to go with their kids into the room of a dentist, doctor or anyone else, every time. ...

SIKESTON - H.G. Sharp Jr., who has been an agent for the Metropolitan Life Insurance here for the past three and a half years, has been promoted to assistant manager and will be located at Poplar Bluff. SIKESTON - Charles F. Simpson, business manager of the Board of Public Works, was named honorary chairman for the 1963 Easter Seals Campaign in Scott County by Miss Rose Marie Johnson, chairman of the campaign...

Maybe it's my age or perhaps my cynical nature. Regardless of the reasoning, it takes quite a bit to truly impress me these days. But by any measure and through any definition, Dr. Elson Floyd, the new president of the University of Missouri, is an impressive man. Dr. Floyd (or Elson, as he is quick to say) was in the Missouri Bootheel Friday in his first round of visits to this region since his appointment in January...

WYATT - Willie Jackson, 88, died March 5, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 15, 1914, in Round Pond, Ark., son of the late Wills and Hattie Jackson, he lived in Missouri since 1945. He was a self-employed carpenter and member of Faith Temple Church of God in Christ in Wyatt...

DEXTER -- Francis Ilene Kembrel, 78, died March 7, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Dec. 15, 1924, in Essex, daughter of the late William and Marguerite Howell Kimbrel, she was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Dexter...

CHAFFEE - Colleen Gibbons, 78, died at 12:55 p.m. March 7, 2003, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Born Feb. 11, 1925, in Kennett, daughter of the late Wilburn and Lottie Mae Johnson Fish, she was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON - Theon John Compas, 85, died at 6:05 p.m. March 7, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born April 3, 1917, in Kelso, son of the late Joseph and Anna Bollinger Compas, he was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He owned and operated Compas Alignment in Sikeston for 45 years before retiring in 1993 and was a member of Murray Lane Baptist Church and Henry Meldrum American Legion Post 114 in Sikeston...