Stories from Thursday, October 16, 2003

SIKESTON -- Stuart and Carla Marsh have announced the engagement of their daughter, Cynthia, to Edward Freeland Jr., son of Edward and Teresa Freeland Sr. of Sikeston. The future bride is a 2002 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School. A 1998 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School, the prospective bridegroom is employed at Dave's Security Locksmith Shop in Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Motorists renewing their driver licenses at the Sikeston License Bureau Wednesday and thereafter are receiving licenses with a new "ghostly" appeal. Since April various license bureaus across the state have issued driver license, permit and non-driver license documents with a new format and enhanced security features, but Wednesday was the first day the Sikeston License Bureau began issuing them...

Sikeston Jaycees season Boston Butts Wednesday night at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds. The Jaycees were cooking the meat for the annual YMCA BBQ Day which is being held at the First Baptist Church today.

SIKESTON -- Deer hunters in Scott and Stoddard counties will have the option of taking part in the second installment of the Missouri Conservation Department's testing of chronic wasting disease when firearms deer hunting season begins next month. "Right now, we don't see a problem with chronic wasting disease," said Leother Branch, Missouri Conservation Department agent for Scott County. ...

SIKESTON - John David Shaw III, 63, died Oct. 6, 2003, in the Forest Park Hospital in St. Louis. Born Aug. 8, 1940, in White Hall, Ill., son of Thelma Lillian Grittith of Austin, Texas, and the late John David Shaw II, he retired from Harris and Marriott Hotels in St. Louis. He was a member of the First United Pentecostal Church of Sikeston...

MOREHOUSE - Cordia E. Abernathy, 85, died Oct. 15, 2003. Born Sept. 8, 1918, in Morehouse, daughter of the late Charlie and Ardie Kirby Leffew, she was a resident of the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston and lived in Morehouse most of her life. She was a member of the First United Pentecostal Church in Morehouse and had worked with the Foster Grandparents Program...

DEXTER - Helen Louise Horton, 77, died Oct. 14, 2003, at her daughter's home in Poplar Bluff. Born Oct. 9, 1926, at Clay Center, Kan., daughter of the late Walter William and Mary Mayse White, she was of the Methodist belief. She was a former Ombudsman at Vintage Villa Nursing Center and Central Gardens Residential Care Center in Dexter...

BLOOMFIELD - Sylvia French, 90, died Oct. 15, 2003, at Cypress Point Health Care in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home.

RIVERDALE, Utah - Chester "Marty" Ivester, 56, died Sept. 25, 1947, at the Dolly Varden Mine in Nevada. Born Sept. 25, 1947, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., son of Connie Ivester of Jackson, Mo., and the late Jewell Ivester, he served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He was a mechanical engineer for ATK Thiokol Propulsion...

SANDUSKY, Ill. - Joseiphine Merriweather, 73, died Oct. 14, 2003, at her home. Born Nov. 28, 1929, in Sunflower, Miss., daughter of the late Willie and Callie Rodgers Seals, she lived in Illinois for more than 55 years. She was a retired cook and member of Mount Tabor Missionary Baptist Church in Sandusky...

BILOXI, Miss. - Robert C. "Bobby" Wallace, 54, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 14, 2003, at the Veterans Hospital in Biloxi. Born Nov. 25, 1948, in Clinton, Tenn., son of the late Robert Henry and Nola Wallace, he was of the Baptist belief...

SIKESTON - Mrs. C.E. Robbs had as dinner guests Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Van Robbs and children, Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Hawkins and son, Needola Bledsoe of New Madrid and Herman Ray of Greensville, Pa. SIKESTON - Miss Marjorie Cooney, New York representative of the Community Concert Association, sounded the note for the annual drive opening, which will continue through Oct. 19. Eighty campaign workers met at the Sikeston Country Club on Monday evening for their annual campaign dinner...

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich is running for president. He's one of those remaining nine Democratic wannabes you see from time to time, each trying to distance himself from the others in their quest for the almighty dollar needed to fuel their national campaigns. Kucinich has no prayer whatsoever of making any impact on next year's election. He's the Gary Coleman of the Democratic field - an oddity in a necktie who will soon be forgotten as well he should...

I am calling about the motor scooters. There was an article in a Sunday paper and again in SpeakOut. There are little scooters all over in Miner and some have little children riding on them. A little girl turned one over and almost caused me to have an accident. ...

BENTON -- Kelly qualified for the quarterfinal round of the Class 2 state playoffs on Wednesday afternoon, beating Elsberry in the sectionals 6-0. With the victory, the Lady Hawks are just one win away from reaching the Final Four. "(The girls) are ready," said Kelly coach Rhonda Evans. "They know they're one game away from the Final Four."...