Stories from Sunday, March 13, 2005

BLODGETT -- There's always going to be work to do on a family farm, but if it's up to Donnie and Sheila Beggs, there will always be plenty of fun to be had on the farm, too. "A couple decades ago everybody had a relative on a farm and today there's not that many people who have many relatives on the farm," Donnie Beggs said...

FRANKFURT, Germany - Harley and Holly McCurter, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., are the parents of their third child, second daughter, born at 2:17 a.m. Feb. 1, 2005, at the Heidelberg U.S. Army Hospital. Morgan Lucille McCurter weighed 7 pounds, 11 1/2 ounces and was 20 1/2-inches long...

MATTHEWS -- Michael Blasingain Sr. and Paula Burleson of Matthews have announced the engagement of their son, Michael Wayne Blasingain Jr., to Tonya Marie Kelly, daughter of Kim Polk of Matthews and Bob Kelly of Michigan. The future bride works as a nurse aide for Bootheel Services, and her grandparents are the late Patricia Shaw, Henry Young and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kelly...

AIKEN, S.C. -- Mr. and Mrs. Stanley M. Harmon have announced the engagement of their daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, to Jason L. Adams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Adams of Anderson. The future bride is the granddaughter of Fred and Thelma Harmon of Portageville, Mo., and Julian Conrad and Lorenia Walker of New Ellenton. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Harvey and Sharon Washer of Benton and Russ and Sandy Wills of Cape Girardeau have announced the engagement of their children, Diana Marie Walker, to Ryan Michael Wills. A 2000 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School, the future bride is pursuing degree in business at Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed by Tri-State Water Treatment Inc. in Cape Girardeau...

BLOOMFIELD -- Ron and Linda Graviett have announced the engagement of their daughter, Aunna Cecelia, to Justin Cody James, son of A.C. and Wendy James Jr. of Sikeston. The future bride plans to graduate from Bloomfield High School in May and is employed by Screen Graphic Impressions...

SIKESTON -- Alyshia Dawn Lovell and Joshua Kaleb McClendon exchanged wedding vows Aug. 21, 2004, in an outdoor ceremony at their home on Oklahoma Street in Sikeston. J.D. McClard performed the ceremony. Parents of the bride are Barry and Susie McBride of Vanduser, and the bridegroom is the son of Nathan and Linda Mays of Sikeston and Kenny McClendon of Clarksville, Ga...

PUXICO - Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico for J.W. "Dub" Young, 79, who died March 7, 2004, were Wayne Young, Mack Young, Larry Young, Michael Young, Jerry Young and Billy Young.

ELLISVILLE - Louise Blunt, 86, formerly of Lilbourn, died March 12, 2005, at Bethesda Meadows Nursing Home. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

MINER - Rose Bryant, 94, formerly of Charleston, died at 8:25 a.m. March 12, 2005, at the Miner Nursing Home. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

DEXTER - Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter for Thomas Pulliam, 87, who died March 8, 2004, were William Pulliam, James Pulliam, Darren Pulliam, Todd Teague, Terry Etherton and Scott Northern.

SIKESTON - Edward C. Piper, 71, formerly of Bloomington, Ill., died at 2:35 p.m. March 1, 2005, at the Hunter Acres Caring Center. A memorial service is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church in Matthews. Beck Memorial Home in Bloomington is in charge of arrangements...

LEBANON, Tenn. - Jacqueline Sue Lewis Mason, 43, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died March 11, 2005. Born Jan. 25, 1952, daughter of Polly Lewis of Sikeston and the late Jack Lewis, she was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Lebanon, a supporter of Walk for Life for Cancer Survivors, and an active volunteer at Friendship Christian School in Lebanon. ...

NEW MADRID -- Pallbearers at services scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid for Earl O. Culbertson, 85, who died March 10, 2005, will be: Mike Culbertson, Josh Culbertson, Tim Kellick, Gerald Jackson, Joe Munger and Joe Rice...

Barbara Jo Wood worked at the South County Mall in St. Louis. If you've shopped the mall - and many of us have - you may have one day come across Barbara Jo. She was 44 years old in 1994 when she was abducted from the mall's parking lot, shot and eventually thrown from a bridge into the Mississippi River. Her body was found eight months later...

I'm new to SpeakOut and am calling in regard to the issue of closing alleys to the garbage pickup. I am so glad someone had enough common sense and fairness to all not to close the alleys. The alleys should be kept and maintained - not closed just to please certain individuals by making the trash pickup easier for them. ...

SIKESTON -- As the April 5 election nears, some residents have voiced concerns over more than the new math and science center proposed in the $4.53 million bond issue by the Sikeston R-6 School District. According to members of Better Schools Build Better Communities, a group advocating the bond issue, several of them are fielding questions from the public -- many of which don't even pertain to proposed building...

SIKESTON - When the lights go up March 19 and 20 on the 25th Annual Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon, there will be singers, musicians and emcees who welcome donors onto the stage. But they will all step aside for the Telethon's real stars - the children who receive therapy at the Center...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston man is in jail after a search warrant was served at his home. George Brown, 46, was charged through the Scott County Prosecuting Attorney with the Class B felony of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. Bond was set at $500,000...

HAYTI -- The Pemiscot County Sheriff's Office is currently conducting a missing person investigation on a local 40 year old Pemiscot County man. Andrew Brian Watkins, a white male of rural Hayti, was reported missing by friends and family and was officially classified as missing Saturday. Watkins was last seen by a friend on the evening of March 2 at a local bar in Caruthersville...

SIKESTON - Sikeston General Hospital: Mrs. Early Lambert, Sikeston, Route 3, entered March 4 and a baby boy was born to her on the fifth. Mrs. Cecil Roberts, Sikeston Route 1, entered on March 4 and a son was born on the following day. MOREHOUSE - The Board of Education of Morehouse Public Schools, at its last regular meeting, selected Harold Ralph, a former Morehouse teacher, to be superintendent of schools in the Morehouse School System for the coming year. ...

Brad Armstrong, a member of the 10th Tennessee, stokes the fire at the camp ground of the "Battle of Sand Ridge" Friday afternoon. The two-day event is being held on Highway 60, one-half mile east of Highway 61 at the Scott Matthews Farm (or two miles west of Interstate 55 on Highway 60). Today the battle will start at 1 p.m...

DEXTER - Tom Bell, a construction analyst for Rural Development in Dexter, was recently honored for outstanding service. "The agency is pleased to extend recognition to Tom Bell for his excellence performance in all aspects of his duties and providing exceptional assistance to rural residents," said Greg Branum, Missouri state director for USDA Rural Development. "Tom is headquartered out of Dexter but provides valuable technical construction assistance throughout Missouri."...

SIKESTON - Out of more than 1,500 Avon district sales managers nationwide, only 179 were awarded with Avon's Circle of Excellence award and Sikeston resident Carolyn Cox was among this group. The award recognizes the top 10 percent of district sales managers in Avon with the largest sales increase over the previous year. As a Circle of Excellence winner, Cox will receive an all-expense paid trip to the Hawaiian Island of Maui in May...

SIKESTON - The Missouri Department of Transportation Southeast District will hold an informational workshop for anyone interested in applying for transportation enhancement grant funds. The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at the Southeast District office in Sikeston...

SIKESTON - Moving her business to larger quarters still brings a cheer from Joyce Winchester. Winchester, owner of Cheer's Bar and Grill, said moving to 1212 Linn St. has brought continued growth to the business. "It was a very good move for us. The location is much better and there is an excellent view," she said pointing to the dining room overlooking a lake and the ducks paddling through the water...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs tennis team returns one state qualifier and will be counting on numerous underclassmen for the 2005 season. The Bulldogs, district champions four of the last five years including an upset of Charleston last year, will have little experience other than Marc Leible, who went 13-3 last year in singles competition while taking second in the district...

SIKESTON -- Although the Sikeston girls soccer team has already sustained two major player losses, hope abounds with a talented group of freshmen ready to make their varsity debuts. Nine of 14 varsity members are freshmen. "I'd put these freshmen up against any team I've ever had," said Derrick Long, the only head coach in the four-year existence of girls soccer at Sikeston High School. ...