Stories from Tuesday, December 20, 2005

BENTON - David and Angela Christian are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 10:25 p.m. Nov. 11, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Nicholas David Christian weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. Mrs. Christian, daughter of Carl and Bernadette Stricker of Charleston, is employed as a dental hygienist for Dr. Jeffrey Patton in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON -- Greg Bain's love for the trumpet began when he picked the instrument to play in the sixth grade. And he hasn't stopped playing since. "It came natural, and I just like music," said Bain, a senior at Sikeston Senior High, about his talent. "It didn't really start until ninth grade when I got motivation after hearing all of the upperclassmen play."...

BROSELEY -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs won their opener at the ninth annual Lady Royals Christmas Classic on Saturday. No. 7-seed Sikeston, with Alli Blurton and Latoya Gipson leading the way, defeated No. 10 Twin Rivers 65-46 to advance to the winners bracket quarterfinals...

CLASS 4 Dexter Bearcats (0-7) Sikeston Bulldogs (5-2) CLASS 3 Charleston Bluejays (7-2) East Prairie Eagles (2-5) Kelly Hawks (5-2) NMCC Eagles (1-5) Portageville Bulldogs (2-3) CLASS 1 Bell City Cubs (6-1) _ Oran Eagles (2-3) _ Richland Rebels (3-4)...

SIKESTON - Castor R. Alsup, 81, died Dec. 17, 2005, at his home. Born July 6, 1924, in Sikeston, the son of the late R.M. Alsup and Ruth Amanda Dollar Alsup, Castor was a member of Miner Baptist Church and had been a deacon at the First Baptist Church for over 50 years. He was a farmer and was also active in Real Estate before retiring...

DEXTER - Mary Della Wilson, 86, died Dec. 19, 2005, at the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter. Born Feb. 18, 1919, in Hackleburg, Ala., to the late Franklin C. and Rebecca Lizzy Armstrong Gregg, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter, a former employee with Brown Shoe Co. in Dexter and a for 10 years she was a hostess for McDonalds in Dexter...

PARMA -- Wesley "Tony" McIntosh, 48, died Dec. 17, 2005, at his home. Born Dec. 12, 1957, in Sikeston, son of the late Wesley Ervin and Myrtle Hearren McIntosh, he had lived in Parma for many years. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Ray McIntosh, Kenneth McIntosh and Leon Hearren...

LILBOURN - Mary Ellen Hubbard Jones, 71, died Dec. 19, 2005, at Wesley at Dyersburg Nursing Home in Dyersburg, Tenn. Born Feb. 12, 1934, in Catron, daughter of the late Ralph and Alma Hubbard, she worked as a librarian in Jonesboro, Ark., assisted her parents on their farm near Catron, was involved in the United Methodist Church ministry and lived in retirement in Lilbourn and Ripley, Tenn...

SIKESTON - Myrtle Goldman, 89, died at 8:25 p.m. Dec. 19, 2005, at Hunter Acres Caring Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Home in Sikeston.

Well I've been fed up with these people not wanting to say Merry Christmas to me when I go into a store. I'm tired of this Happy Holiday stuff. I get home today and I open up my mail and here is my Christmas card from George W. Bush. But guess what? He doesn't even say Merry Christmas. He says, "Have a happy Holiday Season." Okay folks, what's wrong with the President?...

SIKESTON - Ensign Bob Montgomery, who is serving with the Navy at Portsmouth, Va., will arrive today to spend the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Montgomery, and his sister, Mrs. A.S. Waters and family. MOREHOUSE - The Lilbourn Panthers with good defense, good spirit and all out team effort, placed the Morehouse Tigers in a tie for last place in the conference last night. Long was the big gun for the Panthers leading the way with 16, followed by Blankenship with 15...

I'm really not sure where to begin. Let's start by acknowledging that this great nation of ours has many strengths and a fair share of weaknesses. Our weaknesses can be traced to a wide range of issues and causes. But a new report out this week sheds some interesting light on one of our glaring weaknesses. It's so simple and yet so difficult to address...

SIKESTON -- The city has found another temporary tenant for the former Essex building. During the special Sikeston City Council briefing meeting Monday, City Council members gave their OK for a lease contract with Cott Beverages USA. "They authorized the mayor to sign it," said Linda Lowes, director of governmental services for the city...