Stories from Wednesday, September 14, 2005

I write often in this column about the dependent population in this country. And when people comment on this column, more often than not they voice agreement that some members of society take advantage of the vast array of government programs available to help those in need...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston 8th grade football team dropped its season opener on Tuesday at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium, 36-0 to New Madrid County Central. NMCC took charge of the game on its opening possession as Kony Ealy took an end-around for a 4-yard touchdown...

Nobody asked me but...it was an enjoyable experience for this scribe to cover the North County/NMCC game last Friday night. The Raiders will be a load for anyone to stop this year. With their running backs and huge offensive line, look for North County to once again advance far in Class 4...

CHARLESTON -- Two SEMO Conference unbeatens tangle in a much- anticipated marquee matchup on Friday night. Charleston meets South Division rival Caruthersville in an early-season preview of a potential down-the-road playoff clash. Should both teams win their respective districts, as expected, they would do battle in the sectional round for the right to advance in the state playoffs...

SIKESTON -- Here are Saturday's results from the Sikeston Drag Strip. In the Super Pro Class, Mark Murakami captured first place with a 6.19 run on a 6.197 dial at 108 mph. His reaction time is .515. Rob Sample took second place with a 5.08 run on a 5.087 dial at 135 mph with a .517 reaction time...

Josh McClendon, a city of Sikeston Public Works employee, levels ground Tuesday afternoon. The city is repairing the sidewalk in the 800 block of Sikes.

Gaines Construction completes drainage improvements near the new stoplight at Highway 61 and HH/ZZ. The stoplights are operational but are now in a testing period to make sure they work properly, according to Darius Dowdy, resident engineer at the Missouri Department of Transportation project offices in Sikeston and Jackson. "The traffic department will, if they haven't already, put in a timing sequence," Dowdy said...

SIKESTON - Pickup days for the city's Fall Cleanup have been set. Each resident has two chances in one week to dispose of bulky rubbish. Monday and Thursday cleanup days will be Sept. 19 and 22; Tuesday and Friday pickups will be collected on Sept. 27 and Sept. 30...

KELSO - Cyril Jacob Elfrink, 72, died at 6:15 a.m. Sept. 13, 2005 at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born May 23, 1933, in Leopold, son of the late Martin and Anna Beel Elfrink, he was a farmer. A a veteran of the U.S. Army, he was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso...

HAYWOOD CITY - John "Snap" Turner, 92, died Sept. 9, 2005, at his home. Born July 6, 1913, in Pleasant Grove, Miss., son of the late Fletcher and Clemente Drake Turner, he had lived in Missouri since 1926 and was a member of St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church in Sikeston...

BELL CITY -- Willie Peat, 78, died at 9:55 a.m. at Hunter Acres Caring Center in Sikeston. Born June 15, 1927, in Crawford, Miss., son of the late Arste and Lizzie Owen Peat, he worked for many years in the Bell City community as a farmer until his illness...

DELTA -- Frances Evelyn Simpher, 82, died Sept. 13, 2005, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 3, 1923, in Chaffee, daughter of the late Otto B. and Maude Ina Dowdy Golightly, she was a retired nurse technician from Chaffee General Hospital in Chaffee...

OMAHA, Neb. -- Lavonia D. Overfield, 82, died Sept. 11, 2005, at Fremont Care Center. Born May 22, 1923, in Marmaduke, Ark., daughter of the late Carl and Lula Stoker, she was a 1941 graduate of Lilbourn (Mo.) High School. She was employed by United Airlines in Omaha until her retirement. She was a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church...

MINER - The Missouri Department of Transportation's plan to replace Bradford pear trees along Interstate 55 in Miner with crape myrtles did not work out so well. MoDOT had offered to replace the trees at their cost with the lower-growing foliage as the trees were blocking billboards. The crape myrtles never got much of a chance, however, as they didn't get the water they needed when first planted and were mowed down by those maintaining the state's right-...

SIKESTON -- A nonvoluntary truancy court implemented by the Sikeston R-6 School District has proved so successful over the past three years that morning tardies may soon be addressed by the court. First implemented during the 2002-2003 school year, the Juvenile Court pilot program was created to reduce truancy and educational neglect among public schools. Court is held at 7 a.m. in the Board of Education Office meeting room every Wednesday...

BENTON - Devastation from Hurricane Katrina is having a trickle-down effect on Scott County. County officials are still hoping to have the county's E-911 equipment moved to the new dispatching center at the jail and up and running by Oct. 1. "The holes are drilled and all the prep work is complete," Commissioner Jamie Burger said during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs soccer team ran into a hot Cape Central club here on Tuesday night as they fell 4-0. Coming into the match, Cape Central was riding a six-game winning streak and won first place last weekend at the Francis Howell Tournament in St. Peters...

60 years ago Sept. 14, 1945 SIKESTON - As soon as the arrangements can be made, a new War Price and Rationing Office will be opened in Sikeston to serve both Scott and Mississippi counties. The present board at Oran and Charleston will be closed...

Nobody asked me but Chris Moore's comment that Tiger Boyd is the best running back he has ever seen from this area shows that he hasn't been around for that long. All of Boyd's accomplishments were on the high school level only. On the other hand, James Wilder had a stellar high school record on the last undefeated team in Sikeston history. ...

BENTON -- Four runners from the Sikeston cross country team won medals at the Kelly Invitational Saturday. Leading the way was Matt Rushing who won the 60 runner junior varsity competition in 19.35 over the 3.1 mile course. Jordan Roberts finished eighth in the same race in 21.05...