Stories from Sunday, December 7, 2003

Lost in the hoopla of the 58th Annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Gridiron Banquet on Wednesday, where SEMO Conference linemen of the year are awarded as well as the prestigious Carr Trophy, was Sikeston High School's award. For the first time ever, the Southeast Missouri officials, comprised of 18 different crews, selected the school with the top sportsmanship...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Two Dexter residents were seriously injured Friday when they were involved in a one-vehicle accident. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident, which was reported at 10 a.m., occurred as Curtis W. Lowery, 89, was driving north on County Road 205 in Cape County, one and a half miles south of Cape Girardeau. Lowery's vehicle slid off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree...

SIKESTON -- As shoppers pack stores looking for gifts to give their friends and relatives we are reminded that Christmas is just 18 days away and work on the Community Christmas Campaign is at a fever pitch. Donations have come from as far away as St. Louis and the baskets are slowly coming together, however, there are still needs...

FARMINGTON -- New Madrid County Central suffered its second loss of the season on Friday night, falling 73-37 to Cape Central in the Farmington Tournament. The Eagles were outscored 17-14 in the first quarter, 19-10 in the second, 24-10 in the third, then 13-3 in the fourth. Ryan Delph did the most damage, leading the Tigers with 20 points. He was followed by Scott Chestnutt with 17 and Alex Ray with 11...

ORAN -- Through Scott City's first two games, coach Lance Amick has been waiting for senior center Tyler Ward to play up to his 6-foot-9 frame. In the final minutes of Friday night's Oran Tournament championship, Ward finally did, converting two huge 3-point plays to give the Rams a 59-56 win over Bell City...

DEXTER - Not much went right for the Sikeston Bulldogs in their season opener against Blytheville two weeks ago. Just 10 days later, the Bulldogs looked light years ahead of what they were against Blytheville. Although it didn't result in a win, as Sikeston lost at Dexter 72-63 on Friday night, the performance inspired some hope for the rest of the season...

The federally-mandated No Child Left Behind law of 2002 has created more controversy in education circles than anything that has come along in recent memory. Though noble in design, the law is a flawed concept that has absolutely no chance of success. And yet before this dismal law is changed, countless school districts will suffer immeasurable harm. Many in our region may well fall into that category...

The First Baptist Church Adult Choir will present "Bethlehem Morning" at 6 p.m. today at the church, 301 S. Main St. in Charleston, where the Rev. Gerald Collier is pastor. The presentation will feature Christmas selections set with arrangements created by Marty Hamby. Guest narrator is Virginia Brewer and featured soloists include Marty Katherine Branum and Terry Parker. Director is Betty C. Hearnes and rehearsal pianists are Meekee Graham and Deidre Reed...

I have an old piano that needs a little work done on a couple of the keys. I will give it to anybody who can come and take it away. It will take four or five men to move it. Call me at 667-9036. I am calling about the courthouse in Charleston where they are putting a paved stone on the property. ...

SIKESTON -- Despite flu confirmations throughout the state and in surrounding areas, local health officials say the illness hasn't really hit the Sikeston area . . . yet. "It doesn't seem to have hit us," said Judy Johnson, Missouri Delta Medical Center emergency room nurse manager, on Friday. "We've seen a little bit of the stomach virus, but we haven't had the full-fledged flu."...

DEXTER -- A Dexter man has been arrested on murder charges after the death of his six-month-old son. According to the Scott County Sheriff's Department, Jeremy A. Whittemore, 23, of Dexter was arrested on a warrant for endangering the welfare of a child and first degree murder. Bond was set at $750,000 cash and he remains in jail at this time...

SIKESTON - Sgt. Wayne W. Stephens, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.J. Stephens of Sikeston, was killed in action in Italy Nov. 10, according to a telegram from the War Department received Wednesday by the parents. DEXTER - Jimmy Bland of the Dexter High School Bearcats has been named to the all-state first team by the sportswriters and sportscasters of the state. He joins 10 other high school athletes from all parts of the state to comprise the mythical 1963 Missouri All-State team...

EAST PRAIRIE - Kevin Wayne and Mandi Jan Stevenson are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 10:11 p.m. Nov. 10, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Zachary Austin Stevenson weighed 7 pounds, 6 1/2 ounces and was 21 1/2-inches long...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Captain David Spencer Bill, Jr. USN (Ret.), 87, the former director of amphibious warfare on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations died Nov. 29, 2003, at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Born Oct. 22, 1916, in Richmond, he descended from John Bill who settled in Boston in the 1620s. ...

PORTAGEVILLE - Velma Crowe, 85, died Dec. 5, 2003, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home.

SIKESTON - A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11 beginning at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church to honor the late Tharon Stallings. The public is invited to the memorial service and a reception that will follow. The church is at 1101 N. Main St. in Sikeston...

PORTAGEVILLE - Anna Belle Penrod, 67, died Dec. 5, 2003, at the Portageville Nursing Center. Born Nov. 28, 1936, in Portageville, she was the daughter of Jane Thorton Houston of Huntington Beach, Calif., and the late Charles Houston. Survivors in addition to her mother include: three sons, Ronald Taylor of Portageville, Donald Taylor Jr. ...

ST. LOUIS - Dorothy High, 73, formerly of East Prairie, died at 6:45 a.m. Dec. 6, 2003, at her daughter's home in Eatonville, Wash. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

CHAFFEE - Eugene Carroll, 65, died at 12:35 p.m. Dec. 5, 2003, at his home. Born July 26, 1938, in Chaffee, son of the late James Edward and Amanda Marie Willie Carroll, he was a concrete truck driver for the McDonald Concrete Company in Cape Girardeau before retiring. A member of Grace United Methodist Church at Rockview, he was also a member of Teamsters Local 574 in Cape Girardeau...

WEST PLAINS - Ruby M. Hamby, 82, formerly of Puxico, died Dec. 4, 2003, at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City. Born May 17, 1921, in Puxico, daughter of the late Andy E. and Nettie M. Wright Hubbard, she had lived in Blytheville, Ark., most of her life and lived in West Plains for the past 28 years. She owned an operated several cosmetology schools before retiring...

WILSON CITY - Ethel Lee Milton, 88, died Dec. 2, 2003, at the Charleston Manor. Born March 15, 1915, in Blame, Miss., daughter of the late Rivers and Maggie Milton, she lived in Missouri for 30 years. She was a member of Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Wyatt, where she sang in the choir...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at Tanner Street Church of God for Lessie Louise Marshall, 84, of Joplin and formerly of Sikeston, who died Dec. 2, 2003, were: Lewis York, Danny Marshall, Woody Marshall, Don Rand, Kevin York and Wendell Fisher...

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Gary Lee Miller, 51, who died Dec. 2, 2003, were: Jim Miller, Keith Miller, Travis Miller, Gail Miller, Bobby Eaton and James Cartwright.

ST. LOUIS - Timothy P. Gilmore, formerly of Sikeston's Gilmore Law Office LLC, has joined the law practice of McCarter and Greenley LLC. Gilmore focuses on estate planning; business formation, planning and disposition; real estate transactions;and employment law matters. He also assists clients regarding commercial lending and banking law, health care law and wealth preservation for public assistance recipients...

NEW MADRID - Two new physicians will join the staff at the Semo Health Network. Dr. Jyoti Kulkarni will provide family practice care at the Sikeston Family Clinic beginning in the summer of 2004. Dr. Ilyas Burny, a pediatrician, will join Semo Health Network in 2004 also and will see patients at the Sikeston Family Clinic and the Portageville Family Clinic...

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who worked on or donated to the 33rd Annual Farmers Recognition Banquet. It was a great evening celebrating or agricultural community. Congratulations to our farm families: Donnie Deline family in Charleston, Tony Johnson family in Vanduser, J.W. Minehart family in New Madrid and the Harold Fleeman family in Puxico...

EAST PRAIRIE - Randy and Shari Cook wanted to create something unique when they opened their restaurant here. They decided to take diners back to the 1950s and the comfort foods the era was famous for. The Highway 105 Diner, located a mile east of East Prairie, just off Highway 105, is easy to spot. A 1950s car hood and what appears to be the world's largest 45 RPM record top the building...

Horrell H. "Bud" Townsend, left, of New Madrid was honored with a 50-year service award at the 2003 Shelter Insurance Companies Service Awards Banquet in Columbia. Don Duello, president and CEO, made the presentation. Townsend joined the insurance group on Nov. 18, 1953. He is one of the first two agents to achieve this status in Shelter Insurance Companies, which operate in 13 states...