Stories from Tuesday, January 17, 2006

How can we as a nation claim to support our troops when their own families have to pay for body armor out of their own pockets? With all the money Congress wastes on pork barrel projects that help them hold onto their seats, they should be able to come up with adequate protection of our soldiers and Marines...

Holly and Shawn Reed speak during the taping of parents' interview Monday morning for the upcoming Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon. In the background their daughter Brooke is working with KRCC therapists.

SIKESTON -- "The Dream is Still Alive - Don't Let the Dream Die" was the theme for Sikeston's annual tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "Yes, the dream is still alive but make sure that you keep the dream alive in you," said evangelist Janet S. Green, guest speaker for Monday's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day program at the West End Missionary Baptist Church...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs finally hit their stride and defeated the Charleston Bluejays 35-33 at the Charleston gymnasium Friday night. Miller of Sikeston led the scorers, racking up 16 points. SIKESTON - Chief of Police Arthur Bruce was released from Missouri Delta Community Hospital yesterday. He said that he received a clean bill of health. He had been a patient since entering the hospital Jan. 3 for a general checkup...

CHAFFEE -- Oran's Eagles staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to defeat the East Prairie Eagles in the opening round of the Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament on Monday. Fourth-seed Oran advances to the quarterfinals with a 66-54 win over fifth-...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeston junior varsity basketball team defeated Cape Central in overtime in the final day of the Cape Central Junior Varsity Tournament on Saturday. Sikeston improved to 11-3 on the season with the 56-53 victory. The Bulldogs tied the game at 50-50 when Brandon Washington converted a conventional 3-point play with 10 seconds left...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs basketball team got past the Chaffee Lady Devils at home on Monday night, 57-33. A 14-1 Sikeston run to start the second quarter opened the floodgates for the Lady Bulldogs after a first quarter that ended in a tie...

DEXTER -- Taylor Nelson and Mallory Kennedy combined for 27 points as the Dexter Lady Bearcats defeated the Charleston Lady Bluejays, 65-15, at home Monday night. Nelson scored a game-high 14 points and Kennedy added 13 as the Lady Bearcats improved to 10-2 on the season...

For the first time since 1999, a Missouri Governor has proposed to reduce the number of state employees. Granted, Gov. Matt Blunt calls for just a decrease of 194 positions but that will drop the total state headcount to less than 60,000. Blunt's plan was outlined last week during his State of the State address. ...

DEXTER - Mary Colove died Jan. 17, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

MARSTON - Kunigunda Samples, 86, died Jan. 17, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville.

DEXTER - Roland Lee Krost, 85, died Jan. 17, 2006, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

ST. CHARLES - Ruth Elizabeth McCollum, 83, formerly of Sikeston, died Jan. 16, 2006, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

LILBOURN -- Pallbearers for the funeral services scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Lilbourn for T.J. Woods, 82, who died Jan. 15, 2006, will be: Scott Riley, Jim Lovett, Frank Hadder, Jim McCain, David Graham, Dick Weeks and Tom McClarty...

KENNETT -- Jimmy Dewayne Reed, 48, died Jan. 13, 2006, at NHC Health Care. Born Aug. 22, 1957, in East Prairie, son of Barbara Oatsville Reed Burns of Mayfield, Ky., and the late James Nolan Reed, he was an automobile mechanic. In addition to his mother, survivors include: one son, Jimmy Dewayne Reed Jr. ...