Stories from Tuesday, November 25, 2003

It's far from glamorous but the Medicare overhaul bill now winding its way through Congress may well have more of an impact on your pocketbook than any legislation in recent memory. For the first time since Medicare was created in 1965, the bill would provide a prescription drug benefit. Supporters and opponents alike are nearly evenly divided on the merits of the legislation...

BENTON -- Steve Johnson of Ozark and Helen Freeman of Ava have announced the engagement of their daughter, Tina R. Johnson, to Jeffrey C. Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy P. Johnson of Benton. The future bride is pursuing a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston Department of Public Safety officers were busy Monday morning searching for 60 people who had failed to pay their fines owed to the city. By noon, officers had arrested 20 and three people showed up to pay fines so warrants would not be served. Meanwhile, the municipal court staff was flooded with phone calls from people asking if they needed to have their fines paid to avoid arrest...

CONWAY, Ark. - David and Nancy Taylor are the parents of their first child, a daughter, born at 11:49 a.m. Oct. 8, 2003, at Conway Regional Hospital. Micah Nancy Taylor weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces and was 19-inches long. Mrs. Taylor is the daughter of James and Charolyn Manley of Lilbourn, Mo., and is an education coordinator for CAPCA...

SIKESTON -- As local residents get into the holiday spirit, putting up Christmas lights, trees and other seasonal decorations, local professionals remind them to keep the season a safe one, too. Harrison Walter Waltrip definitely has the experience of putting up interior and exterior Christmas lights. For the past 15 years, the Sikeston resident has decorated his home for one of his favorite seasons, he said...

SIKESTON - As winter temperatures settle in, work continues for those charged with maintaining public property. "The routine changes somewhat," said Tom Bridger, Sikeston's Public Works Department director, "but the majority of what we do is outdoors."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Sikeston junior varsity basketball team got off to a good start to the season as they romped past Farmington 56-38 on Monday in the Notre Dame Junior Varsity Tournament. The Bulldogs led 10-6 after one quarter and extended the lead to 23-12 at the half...

EAST PRAIRIE -- East Prairie opened the 2003-2004 season with an impressive 79-38 win over Oak Ridge on Monday night. Jordan Sanders led the way with 26 points, knocking down eight 3-pointers. "He shot the ball really well tonight," said East Prairie head coach Jason Irby. "He was getting some open looks and the other kids did a good job of finding him. That's what we expect out of him."...

I am a volunteer with the Area Agency on Aging and the person who needs help with a wheelchair ramp can call me at the office at 471-8059. Someone had stolen my purse out of my car and officers with the Sikeston Police Department so diligently rode up and down the street and found it. My purse was returned to me with everything in tact except for one item and the money was still in there too. I would like to thank DPS for being so kind to call me at home and tell me they had found it...

SIKESTON - With temperatures above 75 degrees recorded in Sikeston in the past several days, the weather has continued fair with no rainfall. SIKESTON - The first of three concerts of the Delta Community Concert Association, held Sunday afternoon at the junior high auditorium, drew one of the largest crowds in the history of the association. The entertainers were The Ramblers Three, a young trio from the New England states. The audience numbered around 400 persons, many of whom were teen-agers...

ESSEX -- Mr. and Mrs. Rondal Taylor of Essex have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kimberly Diane, to Landall Kyle Carter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Landall Carter of Dexter. The future bride is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Halterman and Juanita Taylor of Essex and the late Vesteen Taylor. ...

SIKESTON - Regina R. "Gina" Murr, 35, died Nov. 23, 2003, near Cape Girardeau of an apparent heart attack. Born Nov. 16, 1968, in St. Louis, daughter of Mary Ruff of Sikeston, she was employed by Kenneth Story and also worked at B.G.'s in Sikeston...

BARTLETT, Tenn. - Anna Chancellor, 94, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died Nov. 22, 2003, at her daughter's home in Bartlett. Born Nov. 20, 1909, at Nevada, Mo., daughter of the late Louis Aubrey and Grace Rackleff Boatright, she was the former children's librarian for the Dexter Library. She was a member of the Bartlett Baptist Church and former member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Beatrice Marie "Bee" Barde Shaver, 74, died Nov. 12, 2003, in San Antonio. Born Oct. 9, 1929, in Washington, D.C., daughter of the late Elmer and Beatrice Bard, she graduated from Christian College in Columbia, Mo., with an associates degree in music; from Vanderbilt University in Nashville with a bachelors degree in choral directing; and from the College of New York in New York City with a masters degree in adult education. ...

CHARLESTON - Anna Louise Morris, 76, died at 7 p.m. Nov. 24, 2003, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 10, 1927, in Charleston, daughter of the late Frank M. and Mary Anna Evans, she had lived in Charleston most of her life, where she was a member of the First Baptist Church. She was employed as a payroll clerk at the Brown Shoe Company in Charleston for 24 years until retiring in 1989...

ELLISVILLE - Wanda Lee Tedford, 66, formerly of Sikeston, died at 6 a.m. Nov. 24, 2003, at Gambrill Gardens Retirement Community in Ellisville. Born April 17, 1937, in Portageville, daughter of the late James F. and Lelia Mae Stewart Barham, she had been a member of the First Baptist Church in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Ponder Funeral Home for Vester "Bill" Ross, 63, who died Nov. 22, 2003, will be: Billy Ross, Donnie Holifield, Kenny Graham, Chuck Kimber, Bobby Kimber and Erv Kimber. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home...