Stories from Wednesday, September 8, 2004

ORAN - April Michelle Eftink and Preston Scott Walter are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 3:50 p.m. Aug. 2, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Bret Thomas Eftink weighed 6 pounds, 10 1/2 ounces and was 20-inches long...

If you didn't feel a rush of pride over President Bush's visit to Poplar Bluff on Monday, then something's wrong with you. You don't have to agree with his policies nor even plan on casting a vote for him, but when the President of the United States visits this area, by golly you should swell with pride...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a lawsuit alleging the Sikeston City Council violated the states open meetings law with the 2001 passage of a zoning ordinance that some city landowners opposed. Stoddard County Associate Circuit Judge Stephen Mitchell dismissed the lawsuit as moot in September 2002 after the council had repealed the disputed ordinance a month earlier...

Mark Silman of S and S Tank Co. Inc. sandblasts the childrens pool at the Sikeston Jaycee Municipal Swimming Pool. The company is preparing the site, the pools and chemical room, so they can be repainted later in the week.

SIKESTON - Walid (pronounced Wah-leed) Hanna fielded questions from his fellow students Tuesday morning at the Adult Education and Literacy service site in Sikeston. "Why don't you tell how much money your wife earned'' someone requested. Hanna explained his wife, who worked as a doctor in Iraq, earned $2.25 (in U.S. dollars) per month which could buy about two pounds of "good meat," Hanna pointed out...

In answer to the Bush-hater who talked about Bush going to Iraq, he's already been there. He went over there to see them (troops) for Christmas. Harry Truman sure didn't come see us in Korea. He was too busy looking after his daughter's piano career. He wasn't interested in Korea...

SIKESTON - Staff Sgt. Bervil G. Hillis, who was a member of Company K, is now overseas with a Glider Infantry. SIKESTON - Mrs. Christine Rozeneck gave birth to a baby boy at Sikeston General Hospital on Aug. 20. She entered the hospital the previous day...

JACKSON -- The Sikeston cross country team participated in the Jackson Invitational on Saturday. Runners competed against others of similar age and experience in the meet which was contested in five classes: 7th-8th graders, freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors...

CHARLESTON - The Sikeston junior varsity football team won its season opener on Tuesday with a 26-12 victory on the road against Charleston. Sikeston got on the board first when quarterback Joey Williams plunged in from three yards out which was set up by a Michael Geralds 75-yard run...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston girls tennis team lost a close match to Jackson on Tuesday by the score of 5-4 at the Sikeston High School tennis courts. Sikeston's top three singles players and the number one doubles team all won their matches, but the Lady Bulldogs lost four tight matches which proved to be the difference...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs softball team improved to 7-2 on the season with a 3-1 victory against Cape Central on Tuesday at the Sikeston Recreational Complex. Sikeston got another strong outing on the hill out of Molly Brinkmeyer, who picked up the win in seven innings. She allowed four hits and five walks and one unearned run while striking out six...

NEW MADRID - An inexperienced New Madrid County Central team faces a daunting task in its first-ever meeting with perennial Class 4 power North County on Friday. "They're well-coached, well-seasoned and used to winning," said NMCC coach Arlen Pixley...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The third blast to take down the old Mississippi River Bridge in Cape Girardeau is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. Thursday, weather permitting. Span 1, closest to the Missouri side, will be blasted this week. The Cape Girardeau Police department plans to close traffic within 1,500 feet of the blast at 5 a.m. Traffic will be permitted to leave the area, but will not be permitted into the area until the contractor has given the all-clear notice...

SIKESTON - Nearly 40 citizens were appointed or reappointed to the city's boards and commissions during the City Council's regular meeting Tuesday. All the appointments except for the SAHEC Council positions are effective Oct. 4. Linda Lowes, director of governmental services for the city, said it is customary for Council to appoint an alternate member to the board when a full member resigns or retires after filling the maximum number of terms, and to name a new alternate member from the applicant pool.. ...

SIKESTON - Rental property and vacant lot owners will receive notice and a seven-day grace period for property maintenance violations - but only three times. Following a lengthy discussion during their regular meeting Tuesday, Sikeston City Council members finally agreed to give three e-mail warnings to owners of rental property who are cited for property maintenance violations and to vacant lot owners cited for trash or junk on their lot. ...

I would like to respond to Mr. Harper's letter that ran in the Aug. 29 Standard Democrat concerning the Union Pacific railroad spur removal. I would like to let Mr. Harper and the citizens of Sikeston and Miner know that the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce has been working on this issue since we were notified by Steward Steel that the spur removal was a possibility. ...

CHARLESTON - Committal services for Retired U.S. Army Col. Herbert Marshall Stone, 84, who died Dec. 24, 2001, will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield. At the time of his death, he was buried in the IOOF Cemetery near Charleston...

SIKESTON - Rochester Armstrong, 66, died Sept. 4, 2004, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 11, 1938, in rural Charleston to the late Rufus and Jessie Coleman Armstrong, he was affiliated with the Baptist Church. Survivors include: his wife, Annie Orr Armstrong of Sikeston; nine sons, Richard Lawrence, Freddie Davis, Roy C. ...