Stories from Wednesday, June 30, 2004

SIKESTON - Here are the results from Tuesday's Sikeston Area Youth Baseball action. Tim Bell was the winning pitcher for Market, striking out four and walking seven. House of Color's Zack Friend and Nick Lambert combined for the loss. Lambert led the offensive attack with two doubles. Friend, Gabe McClung and Mark Freed each had a double...

SIKESTON -- Rob Wagner of St. Louis captured the feature race, the Outlaw Street event, at the Sikeston Drag Strip on Saturday. Wagner's elapsed time was 5.497 seconds at 117.21 mph with a reaction time of .422 seconds. Kevin Leutert of Quilin finished second with a time of 5.782 at 117.89 mph with a reaction time of .409...

In late 2003, the City Council along with a large group of concerned citizens met to identify problems within our community. Of primary concern was the deterioration of our neighborhoods and the ever-growing number of vacant/abandoned buildings - both commercial and residential. This, coupled with insufficient funding to sustain municipal services, presented a very big obstacle to Sikeston's future growth and prosperity...

What's up with all these pizza places advertising more cheese. More cheese in between crust, cheese in the end of the crust. Pizza has enough cheese Lueegi. What we want is more meat and more toppings. What ever happened to that good old Godfather's Pizza? They really piled on the toppings. I suggest everyone make their own pizza for a while. Then these places will get the message. Enough cheese, already!...

SIKESTON -- The cause of the fire at Arby's Restaurant is still under investigation according to the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. At 6:20 p.m. Monday, DPS received reports of a fire at the restaurant located at 1203 S. Main. According to Sikeston DPS Director Drew Juden, when officers arrived, heavy smoke conditions were found in the restaurant...

Charlie Richey, daughter of Tom and Terry Richey, is the Standard Democrat's Calendar Girl for July and a finalist in the 2003 Miss Sikeston Contest. Miss Richey plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia in the fall.

BENTON - Scott County officials now have some storage space following a "massive cleanup" at the courthouse Monday. Scott County Commissioner Jamie Burger said during the Commission's regular meeting Tuesday that 16,000 pounds of old records were shredded and disposed of during the courthouse's cleanup...

SIKESTON - T.E. Stallings, for the past five years principal of the local high school, was named superintendent of schools at a meeting of the school board late Thursday to replace R.A. Harper, who resigned June 30 to take a new position in Maryville, Tenn...

SIKESTON -- After almost three years, Sikeston R-6 is beginning to feel the crunch of the less than fully-funded state foundation formula, which supplies the school district with most of its revenue. And according to Lori Boardman, director of business services, things are only going to get worse...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Four area men appeared in federal court Monday on drug-related charges. They are Larry D. McCauley, 23, of Charleston; Steven A. Lawrence, 39, of New Madrid; and James C. Baker III, 30, and Michael Woods, 19, of Caruthersville. U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel heard the cases...

At long last, Gov. Bob Holden has agreed to debate his Democratic primary challenger Claire McCaskill in two broadcast meetings July 19-20. The two will debate in Kansas City and then the following day in St. Louis. No word on any debate in the rural area of the state but that's probably expecting too much...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston's Junior American Legion team scored in each inning in a 14-2 romp over De Soto on Tuesday at VFW Memorial Stadium in the first game of a doubleheader. Leading 10-2, Post 114 scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to invoke the mercy-run rule...

SIKESTON - Eula Mae Hill, 95, died June 24, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born July 12, 1908, in Guntown, Miss., daughter of the late Will and Roxie Clark Hardges, she lived in Missouri for more than 70 years. She was co-owner of Hill's Grocery Store before retiring and was a member of West End Missionary Baptist Church since 1942, where she served on the Usher Board and Mothers Board. She also played the piano for several area churches and was a member of the Goodwill Club...

EAST PRAIRIE - Harold Benjamin Ellis, 82, died June 29, 2004, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston after an extended illness. He was born April 30, 1922, in East Prairie to James Ellis and Frona Orsborn Ellis, who preceded him in death. On Oct. 25, 1943, in East Prairie, he married the love of his life, Nina Douglas. To this union three children were born...

KEVIL, Ky. - Shantez Yates, died June 27, 2004, of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Services will be conducted at 1 p.m. today in Kevil. Williams Funeral Home of Charleston, Mo., is in charge of local arrangements.

LILBURN, Ga. - Julius Fair, 84, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died June 24, 2004. Born Jan. 5, 1920, in Cairo, Ill., son of the late Dan and Gertrude Fair, he was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was the recipient of three Bronze Stars. He was a mechanic and owned and operated Julius' Garage until 1970. He then worked for Breuderman's Grocery Store until retiring in 1999. A founder of The Ten Tall Ones Club in Charleston, he also had served as the club's president...

EAST PRAIRIE - Brittany Renee Tipler, 14, died June 27, 2004, of injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Wyatt. Born Sept. 11, 1989, in Sikeston, daughter of Robbie Ray and Norma Jean Jones Tipler, she was a freshman in East Prairie Public Schools, where she was active in girl's basketball and track. ...

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, Ark. - Allie Vee Dunavant, 77, died June 25, 2004, in a Hot Springs hospital. Born Aug. 5, 1926, at Lepanto, daughter of the late Henry and Allie Boland Denton, she was a member of the Mountainside Methodist Church in Hot Springs Village...