Stories from Sunday, April 24, 2005

CHAFFEE -- Stephanie Rose has announced the engagement of her daughter, Danielle Marie Watkins, to Steven Scott Pigg, son of Phillip and Marie Pigg of Sikeston. The future bride expects to graduate from Charleston High School in May and is employed by Mexican Villa...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Gene and Kim Watson have announced the engagement of their daughter, Misty Nacole, to Anthony William Chism, son of Gary and Pat Chism of Sikeston. A graduate of East Prairie High School, the future bride works for Aramark Uniforms. The prospective bridegroom graduated from New Madrid County Central High School and is employed by Halls Transport...

MATTHEWS -- Thomas and Tina Gantner hav announced the engagement of their daughter, Natalie Danielle, to Joseph Matthew Werts, son of Richard and Nancee Werts of St. Charles. A 2001 graduate of New Madrid County Central High School, the future bride works for Hunter Acres...

SIKESTON -- Ana Jackovic and John and Pam Jackovic of Sikeston have announced the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Jackovic, to Scott Jenkins, son of Dana Jenkins of Sikeston and the late Robert Jenkins. The future bride attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and works as a sales associate for ESI in Sikeston. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Jackovic of Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Karen Leann Wilburn and Jeremy David Crook were married in a 4:30 p.m. ceremony April 24, 2004, at North Acres General Baptist Church. Steve Tippen, pastor, performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Glenn and Vanita Wilburn of Sikeston and the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Wilburn and Mr. and Mrs. Derris Gray. Parent of the bridegroom is Gail Groves of Bertrand. He is the grandson of Edna Fussell of Bertrand and the late Lloyd "Bud" Crook...

SIKESTON - Every year the Ed Nunnelee Memorial Tennis Tournament seems to get bigger in different ways. This year will be no exception for the 15th Annual event scheduled for June 3-5 at the Sikeston High School and Sikeston County Club tennis courts...

ORAN -- Norman "LuLu" LeGrand, 79, died at 5 p.m. April 21, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Aug. 30, 1925, son of the late Zeno and Weldon Antonia Stike LeGrand, he retired in 1992 as a shipping clerk for International Hat Factory in Oran. A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, he was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, St. Joseph Sodality, Knights of Columbus Council 4311 and Morley VFW Post 5368...

DEXTER -- Robert Lane, 87, formerly of Essex, died April 22, 2005, at his home. Born Feb. 14, 1918, at Essex, son of the late George Wesley and Ellen Elizabeth Dunham Lane, he was a retired farmer. A member of the Trotter General Baptist Church near Essex, he was a former member of the Essex Masonic Lodge...

FLINT, Mich. -- George T. Kaiser, 65, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died at 10:50 a.m. April 21, 2005, at Genesys Health Park in Grand Blanc Township. Born Aug. 12, 1939, in Sikeston, to the late Harvey and Lou Ethel Hyatt Kaiser, he had worked for General Motors Company for 33 years. ...

ORAN -- Stella "Suggie" Graviett, 79, died at 3:19 a.m. April 22, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born May 24, 1925, in Oran, daughter of the late Emil and Bertha Metz Stubenrauch, she was a homemaker. Survivors include: three sons, Edward L. ...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers at services held Friday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for John W. Wood, 67, who died April 19, 2005, were: Floyd Edwards, Jerry Brown, Bill Ogden, Larry Hawkens, Todd Wood and Jeff Vandiver.

SIKESTON - James Albert Lewis Sr., 64, died April 20, 2005, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Born June 9, 1940, in Black Oak, Ark., to the late George Albert and Lena Maude Washburn Lewis, he was of the Assembly of God belief. He was a concrete contractor, working for Cowan Construction and later self-employed until his retirement...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers at services scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at Blanchard Funeral Chapel in Sikeston for Bobbie Ford, 62, who died April 21, 2005, will be: Timmy Ford, Vince Ford, Billy Ford, Christopher Ford, Vincent Ford, Jim Dunagan and Chris Traflet...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Ernest "Buddy" Brown, 77, formerly of Wyatt, died at 3:15 a.m. April 23, 2005, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call after 5 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, where services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday...

PUXICO - Pallbearers at funeral services conducted Friday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico for Betty Smith, 74, who died April 18, 2005, were: Matt Reasons, Derek Reasons, Jared Smith, Dustin Smith, Andy Henington and Canon Smith.

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted Friday at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston for Mary Lee Arnold, 64, who died April 20, 2005, were: Kent Koch, David Armstrong, Kevin Armstrong, Michael Garner, Ellis Bradshaw and Donald Hudgens.

NEW MADRID - Kontek Industries will demonstrate its steel bollards, vehicle barriers, mobile troop housing with mortar shield roof, erectable mortar shield canopy and .50 caliber armor-proof, blast tested guardhouse at the invitation-only 5th Force Protection Equipment Demonstration at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Va., this week...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Charter Communications has launched Charter High Definition Service, or Charter HD, to offer super-clear high-definition programming to residents of Southeast Missouri. Charter HD will offer customers designated cable channels in high definition, including ESPN, TNT, HBO, Showtime, HDNet and HDNet Movies. HDNet and HDNet Movies are the first national networks that transmit all of their programming in 1080i HD, the highest-quality format of high-definition television...

SIKESTON - Amy and Greg King are in hopes more and more Sikeston residents will sign up. As the owners of Royal Signs and Graphics, 900 E. Malone Ave., the couple are working to create their own sign company providing everything from billboards to magnets and everything in between...

Gentle Hands Chiropractic LLC held a grand opening ribbon cutting Wednesday afternoon. The business, located at 274 N. Ranney rear, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cutting the ribbon is chiropractor Matt Holstein. From left are: Robin Pace, past Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce president; Heather DeWitt, member; Elis Holstein; Holstein; Allana Holstein; and Missy Marshall, SACC executive director...

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column on the need for Medicaid reform in Missouri. I mentioned that some members of our society would rather spend money on "shiny new rims" for their autos than health insurance or house payments, etc. Well that got its share of responses. A minority newspaper in St. Louis branded me a right-wing racist who wanted to practice genocide on the low-income segment of society...

I was reading Congressman Emerson's article in the April 13 Democrat about the farmer's 95-gallon fuel tank on the farm tractor. How about the 250 to 300-gallon tank on an 18-wheeler? It cost the truckers about $450 to $480 to fill their tanks. It costs the truckers about $1500 to go around 3000 miles. ...

SIKESTON - Malone Theatre today and tomorrow, "Winged Victory" with Lon McCallister, Edmond O'Brien and Joanne Crain. Rex Theatre, "Lifeboat" with Tallulah Bankhead and William Bendix. SIKESTON - The Sikeston Junior Chamber of Commerce last night officially announced the star of this year's rodeo will be Jim Nabors of "Gomer Pyle." The show appears on Channel 12 at 8:30 Friday nights...

ST. LOUIS - AmerenUE, Missouri's largest electric company, has received all regulatory approvals that will allow it to deliver electricity to Noranda Aluminum, Inc., the state's largest consumer of electricity. AmerenUE has presented its notice of intent to serve Noranda, with service to begin on June 1...

SIKESTON -- It's little changes like friends having different jobs and new wallpaper at mom and dad's house that Zach Petty noticed most when he returned home from serving a year in Iraq with the 1140th Engineer Battalion. "I love every piece of grass around here and to see farm equipment instead of a camel is nice," said Petty, a specialist E-4 with Charlie Company...

U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement personnel were stationed outside the Commercial Driver Training Academy located at 315 Lynual St. in Sikeston Friday. Officers would not comment on why they were at the site or why they were checking all vehicles coming into the area. No further information was available at press time...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston's "mighty mite" in track and field is on track to become one of the top jumpers in school history. At a diminutive 5-7, 150 pounds, Larry currently has the state's top long and triple jumps in Class 3. "Everywhere I go, everybody (competition) is like 6-foot-2 or 6-3 and I'm thinking they're going to kill me," said Larry, "but I usually do all right." For sure...