Stories from Wednesday, February 4, 2004

CHARLESTON - A Charleston man was arrested after drugs and firearms were found at a residence. According to Charleston Public Safety Director Paul Johnson, a search warrant was served at 6 a.m. Sunday by the Charleston Department of Public Safety at 719 W. Marshall St. During the search, officers located crack cocaine, cash and firearms...

POPLAR BLUFF -- A good night shooting helped keep Poplar Bluff undefeated in SEMO Conference play and extended the Mules' home winning streak to 22 games Tuesday night. Poplar Bluff hit 73 percent of their shots in the first half of a 75-58 win over New Madrid County Central...

TOURNAMENT RESULTS INDIVIDUAL RECORDS WRESTLERS OF THE WEEK: Week 1: Cody Ryan Week 2: Lance Berry Week 3: Cody Weeks Week 4: Lance Berry Week 5: Scotty Keenan, Kyle Weeks Week 6: Joe Johnson Week 7: Malcolm Williams Week 8: Shawn Cooper STATE RANKED WRESTLERS:...

FORT CARSON, Colo. - John Ellis and Staci Jo Fort Jr. are the parents of their first child, a daughter, born at 1:01 a.m. Nov. 6, 2003, at the Army Community Hospital in Fort Carson. Dominique Elicia-Joyce Fort weighed 6 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces and was 19-inches long...

FLORISSANT - Homer D. Outlaw, 95, formerly of Lilbourn, died Feb. 2, 2004 at St. Sophia Health Care in Florissant. Born Oct. 21, 1908, in Lee County, Miss., son of the late Jeff and Cora Outlaw, he was a member of the Catron Baptist Church and lifelong member of Local Carpenters Union in Cape Girardeau...

FLORISSANT - Helen "Tudy" Smothers, 77, formerly of Bernie, died Feb. 1, 2004, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born Nov. 18, 1926, in Bernie, daughter of the late Marion J. and Gretta parker Smothers, she was a former operator for the Bell Telephone Company and lived in Florissant for the past 35 years...

ST. PETERS - Marjorie R. Tope Symns, 80, formerly of Lilbourn, died Feb. 3, 2004, at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles. Born Dec. 28, 1923, in Lilbourn, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Hepsy Tope. Her husband, John W. Symns, survives of the home...

BLOOMFIELD - James LeVar Pepper, 86, died Feb. 1, 2004, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Administration Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born June 29, 1917, at Bloomfield, son of the late Earl B. and Hattie Tucker Pepper, he was a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where he served as an elder. ...

CHAFFEE - Anna Mae Halter, 74, died at 2:56 a.m. Feb. 3, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born July 19, 1929, in Chaffee, daughter of the late Levi Andrew and Nettie Thresa Schwepker Miller, she owned and operated Dairy Queen in Chaffee from 1978 until retiring in 1997. A member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg, she was also a member of St. Ann Sodality, VFW Auxiliary 3127 in Chaffee and Knights of Columbus Auxiliary in Cape Girardeau...

BLOOMFIELD - Ella Mae Julian, 83, formerly of Portageville, died Feb. 2, 2004, at Beverly Healthcare in Bloomfield. Arrangements are incomplete at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

CHARLESTON - The Class 3, No. 1 ranked Charleston Bluejays avenged their only loss of the season with an impressive 63-49 win against Jackson on Tuesday at Charleston High School. The Bluejays (17-1, 5-0 SEMO Conference) lost to Jackson in the seMissourian Christmas Tournament, but there would be no upset this time...

BENTON - The Scott County Sheriff's Department received over a thousand cable-style gunlocks Tuesday for free distribution in the county as part of the nation's largest firearm safety program. "They dropped off 1,200 to us," said Sheriff Bill Ferrell. "One thousand for semi-automatics and 200 for revolvers."...

BENTON - Scott County is among the dozens of counties that may be able to maintain their current classification despite growth in total property values under a bill endorsed by the House on Monday. "We need it," said Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel during the Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday...

I called about the striping on the road by Wal-Mart and think my call may have been misunderstood. I'm talking about the striping on the road from the 4-way light to the 4-way stop at J.C. Penney's between Wal-Mart and Penney's. You can barely see it...

Emergency personnel remove a passenger-side door from a pickup Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 55. The pickup was part of a three-vehicle accident that resulted in the truck's passenger to be air-lifted to an area hospital.

DEXTER -- The Dexter Bearcats rebounded from a loss in the championship game of the Stoddard County tournament by pounding the Richland Rebels 91-27 Tuesday night. Derek Demaree led the way for the Bearcats (14-5) with 21 points as Dexter jumped out to a 25-8 first quarter lead and never looked back...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Jordan Sanders scored 18 points including four 3-pointers to lead the East Prairie Eagles to their seventh win of the season against nine losses with a 63-48 win against Puxico. The Eagles opened the contest on a high note when four of the five starters scored in the first quarter led by Sanders' seven points. The Eagle defense employed a full-court press that stressed the Indian offense and Puxico could manage only eight points in the frame. East Prairie led 17-8 after one...

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. George L. Dye have returned from New Orleans, La., where the former has been employed with the government. SIKESTON - Sikeston is going to get a new post office. The Post Office Department will advertise for bids on a new post office for Sikeston on Feb. 10. The building will be located on the south side of North Street...

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. - Velva Laneta Parrish, 81, formerly of Sikeston, Died Feb. 3, 2004, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

SPRINGFIELD - Clarence LeeAllen Mustain, 83, formerly of Malden, died Jan. 31, 2004, at Springfield Skilled Nursing. Born May 7, 1920, in Peach Orchard, Ark., son of the late William and Margaret Staten Mustain, he retired as a salesman for the food service industry. He owned and operated the former Plymouth/Dodge dealership in Malden. A former member of Bethany General Baptist Church in Campbell, he was a member of the South Haven Baptist Church in Springfield...

McGEHEE, Ark. - Shirley Owens "An-Mama" Tullis, 70, died Feb. 2, 2004, at the McGehee Desha County Hospital in McGehee. Born Oct. 27, 1933, in Cherry Valley, Ariz., daughter of Odena Owens of Conway and the late Mike Owens, she was a substitute teacher for McGehee Public Schools and was active in children's sports activities in McGehee. ...

BENTON - The primary election to choose a candidate to represent their party drew few voters to the polls Tuesday. Scott County, which had the Sikeston sales tax election on the ballot, had a 15 percent turnout while some 11 percent or 1,233 of New Madrid County's 11,576 registered voters cast ballots Tuesday...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldog wrestling team took to the mat at home for the final time this season and in the process put the Poplar Bluff Mules wrestlers to the mat repeatedly in a convincing 66-6 win Tuesday night. Sikeston coach Chris Hodgkiss said the dual match was good preparation for their upcoming district meet...

BENTON -- After months of controversy, Sikeston voters approved the 10-year 1-cent general revenue sales tax for the City of Sikeston with 1,378 to 1,017 votes during Tuesday's Presidential Primary Election. "I am very happy and proud of the citizens of Sikeston for voting for this," said Sikeston Mayor Mike Marshall. "Someone once said Sikeston's best years were behind us, but with this, Sikeston's best years are yet to come."...

If you accept the much-debated idea that Sikeston has in recent years become a city in crisis, then surely Tuesday's sales tax approval here will be the turning point in the ongoing battle to improve the community. Sikeston voters gave strong approval - though short of overwhelming - to imposing a net half-cent city sales tax to address some long overdue issues...

I wholeheartedly agree with your thinking. It is becoming more and more apparent that the government still can't see the error of their ways. They give our money to those who are just too lazy to go help themselves. I have no problem helping or assisting those who are out trying to do something, even if it is picking up trash on the highway. At least they are doing something...