Stories from Thursday, April 8, 2004

SIKESTON - Second chances are nice when they come along. Sikeston city officials are mailing a second personal property tax notice to residents Friday for the first time. Personal property tax for 2003 was due Dec. 31, 2003. "If they have a outstanding 2003 bill, they will get a statement," said Vicky Jordan, city collector...

SIKESTON -- When it comes to being a librarian, there's more to the job than checking out books and straightening shelves. Librarians must be able to locate a periodical on demand and work a computer, among other things. Most importantly, they must be able to tell a patron whether the book they're checking out is worth the read or not...

SIKESTON -- National Library Week is April 18-24 and in honor of the nation's libraries and librarians, the Sikeston Public library is conducting several activities. For example, a fine free week will be conducted and all area residents have to do is bring in the overdue item and simply donate dry dog or cat food, treats or toys. The donations will go to the Sikeston Area Humane Society. Forgiven fines do not include the fines that already exist...

ORAN - The Oran Eagles baseball team lost their first game of the year with a 12-11 setback to Scott City on Wednesday at Oran High School. Scott City zipped out to a 9-2 lead before the Eagles made things interesting in the latter stages. Oran (5-1) cut the lead to 9-7 before allowing three runs to the Rams in the top of the seventh to fall further behind at 12-7...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston golf team defeated Notre Dame on Wednesday at the Bootheel Golf Course, 157-to-172. "Sikeston showed a spark of the team I've expected they can be today," said Sikeston golf coach Rick Oetting. "It was warm and low wind today which help you feel good about being on the course."...

Two St. Louis police officers are out of a job this morning as a result of a bizarre shooting episode last week. The two cops fired 28 shots into a fleeing vehicle last week only to discover later that the vehicle also contained a woman and three small children in addition to the driver. That "overkill" cost them their jobs and that perhaps is justified...

SIKESTON -- Kenny and Joy Lawrence have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kimberly Dawn, to Jeremy Kyle Hunt, son of Tom and Earlene Barnett of Sikeston and Jack and Malichia Hunt of Cape Girardeau. A 1998 graduate of Sikeston High School, the future bride graduated in 2003 with a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University at Cape Girardeau. She is a registered nurse at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

GATLINBURG, Tenn. -- Tina Alexander Morgan and Paul W. King were married Feb. 27, 2004, at the Chapel by the Stream in Gatlinburg. The bride is the daughter of the late Carolyn Alexander and the bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. King of Sikeston, Mo. Relatives and friends of the couple attended the ceremony...

SIKESTON - Virgie Marie Hayes, 74, died at 6:10 a.m. April 7, 2004, at her home. Born May 9, 1929, in Kennett, daughter of the late Grover and Minnie Dillon Neldon, she lived in Sikeston most of her life. On Feb. 16, 1949, at Kennett, she married Albert Snowden Hayes who preceded her in death on April 5, 1985...

DEXTER - Alice Louise Oliver, 84, died April 6, 2004, at Cypress Point Health Care in Dexter. Born Feb. 8, 1920, at Senath, daughter of the late William Henry and Parlee Tatum Bishop, she attended the Southwest Church of the Nazarene. On June 25, 1956, at Kennett, she married Orla E. "Dike" Oliver who preceded her in death on Feb. 19, 1973...

MURRAY, Ky. - Rosa Ivy, 94, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died at 9:40 p.m. April 6, 2004, at the Westview Nursing Home. Born Dec. 2, 1909, in Kennett, Mo., daughter of the late Calvin and Nellie McKenzie Green, she was a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church...

CANALOU - Charles Nelson Lumsden, 88, died April 6, 2004, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born May 23, 1915, in Landers Ridge, son of the late Charles C. and Ora B. Wilmurth Lumsden, he was a graduate of Matthews High School and a retired farmer. A lifelong member of the First Christian Church in Matthews, where he had served as an elder and treasurer, he was also a member of the Gideons...

BLOOMFIELD - Jake Leon Pounds, 83, died April 7, 2004, at his home. Born June 21, 1920, at Ward, Ark., son of the late Jacob Levi and Gertrude Anderson Pounds, he was a member of the Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church near Bloomfield. He retired in 1967 as a chief petty officer for the U.S. Navy. He was employed by the W.E. Sears Youth Center, retiring in 1985...

Michael Jensen wrote on April 1 about political possibilities we may consider. That does seem to ring a bell. It is kind of a mirror image of our last presidential election. De ja vu again. Thank you for your one-sided political observation. Several weeks ago we read in SpeakOut that the construction on I-55 south of Cape would be completed by late winter. ...

PORTAGEVILLE - Lily Finney Duckworth, 87, died April 6, 2004, at Marston. Born Dec. 16, 1916, in Portageville, daughter of the late John William and Mary Ella Warren Young, she was a teacher's assistant for many years and of the Baptist belief. On May 5, 1937, she married Bill Finney who preceded her in death on May 3, 1960. She and Vernon Duckworth were married March 10, 1978, and he died July 3, 2003...

WISNER, La. - Alfred E. Higgerson Sr., 73, died April 6, 2004, formerly of New Madrid, Mo., at the Mary Anna Nursing Home in Wisner. Born Nov. 28, 1930, in New Madrid County, son of the late Andrew and Lena Higgerson, he was a lifelong farmer. He was a member of New Madrid Masonic Lodge 429 AF&AM...

SCOTT CITY - Sue Snider, 61, formerly of Bloomfield, died April 8, 2004, in Scott City. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

RUSTON, La. - Doris M. Newberry, 76, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died April 4, 2004, at the Alpine Guest Care Center in Ruston. Born May 10, 1927, in Rogers, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Emil and Carrie Erickson. She was a nurse at the Kneibert Clinic in Poplar Bluff, Mo., for 10 years, had worked for Sears in Charleston and Cape Girardeau, Mo., for 20 years and the worked for Southwestern Bell and AT&T in Sikeston for 10 years before retiring...

EAST PRAIRIE - Bulah Louise Wallace, 77, died April 7, 2004, at her residence in East Prairie. Born May 10, 1926, in Hickman, Ky., to the late William Edward and Fronin Aday Burney, she was a member of the Church of God in East Prairie. For 33 years she worked for Burkart Foam Company in Cairo, Ill...

SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. J.A. McCarver entertained a group of boys and girls at a surprise birthday celebration Sunday for their son, Robert. SIKESTON - Joel A. Montgomery, chairman of the board of directors of Montgomery Investment Co., announced that Eugene E. ...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The Sikeston Bulldogs baseball team will compete in the McCracken County Wooden Bat Tournament starting tomorrow at Reidland High School. Sikeston will be pitted against Millington (Tenn.) and Reidland on Friday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively, both to be played at Reidland High School...