Stories from Wednesday, February 15, 2006

JOPLIN -- Chris Gephart traveled with Team St. Louis to Joplin this past weekend to compete in the Heartland Regional of the USA Boxing Tournament. Gephart advanced to the finals Saturday night to compete against Arkansas' State Champion, Courtney Boden. This was the most talked about match-up of the weekend and was building up to be a great bout between two of the biggest guys in the whole arena that weekend...

MINER -- Miner's Board of Aldermen will wait for a legal review by the city's attorney before approving a written agreement with Scott County E-911. The agreement would put in writing the verbal agreement that is already in place by which the dispatching centers take over calls for each other in an emergency situation...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Two Alabama men pled guilty to charges of unlawfully possessing a firearm in connection with an incident in Scott County. Marvin Alton McKay, 31, of Hamilton, Ala., and Larry Lavon Lay, 61, of Jasper, Ala., pled guilty to one felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. They appeared Tuesday before United State District Judge Catherine D. Perry...

CHARLESTON - The Charleston Bluejays basketball team won their last home game of the season on Tuesday night, with a 67-59 victory over the visiting Cape Central Tigers. A sophomore point guard and turnovers killed the Tigers. Shawn Sherrell torched Cape Central for 30 points and while the Bluejays committed eight turnovers on the night, the Tigers were forced into 23 turnovers...

We've been talking about the train situation in our household. The other day we were going over the tracks and happened to have to stop for a train. My 3-year-old said, "Mommy, why don't they just build a bridge where you can drive over the train?" So come on Union Pacific, if a 3-year-old can figure it out, you can too...

SIKESTON - State Highway Patrol trooper E.H. Priest has been transferred from Jefferson City to Sikeston and will take up residence there. EAST PRAIRIE - Jeanette Butler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Butler, is one of three high school seniors in eastern Missouri chosen winners in the third annual youth recognition programs sponsored by Home Economics in Business of Greater St. Louis...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs overcame a slow start to post their eighth straight victory, defeating New Madrid County Central 84-56 on Tuesday night at the Field House. The Bulldogs are now 17-6 on the season heading into Friday's regular season finale against Kennett at the Field House...

JACKSON -- Kelly, coming off an emotional win the previous night, appeared to run out of gas in the fourth quarter of its loss to the Jackson Indians. Host Jackson took control in the final quarter for a 56-36 decision over the Hawks on Tuesday. "Obviously, it's going to have some (effect) after you play a game like we did last night with such emotion and such meaning and play as hard as we did," said Kelly coach Cory Johnson...

I guess it was just a matter of time. A city councilman from Central Florida is proposing that smokers be banned from city jobs. He wants all job applicants to indicate if they smoke and, if so, they will not be considered for a city job. I'm a smoker and it's hard to defend the habit. It's nasty and has major health implications but so does alcohol abuse and obesity. Funny how the councilman omitted these issues...

The New Madrid County Family Resource Center would like to thank all the businesses and community members who are supporting the daily operations this year through volunteering or monetary donations. All donations are used to better the communities in which we live by increasing opportunities for employment, housing, food, clothing, youth mentoring and working adults towards self sufficiency...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston man was fatally injured in a construction accident Monday. At 2:04 p.m., the Department of Public Safety was dispatched to assist EMS personnel with the South Scott County Ambulance District at 1101 Willow Way "The call was originally that multiple subjects had fallen through a roof," said Lt. Ken Dicus of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. "Upon our arrival we found that two subjects had fallen from the roof and one was in critical condition."...

Amelia Murray, Title I math teacher, helps a student during a calculator-use lesson Tuesday at the Sikeston Kindergarten Center. The Center is hosting a Kindergarten Round-up at 6 p.m. Feb. 23. Future students and parents will have the opportunity to visit the school and classrooms, meet teachers, receive some information about kindergarten and make appointments for kindergarten screenings, which will be March 6-9. ...

BENTON -- In the event of an emergency, Scott County officials will be able to keep in touch with other authorities in the area. Scott County Developer Joel Evans presented commissioners with laminated cards during their regular meeting Tuesday which list phone numbers for all known satellite phones in Southeast Missouri so far...

SIKESTON -- Members of the Sikeston R-6 Board of Education awarded about $2 million in various bids for the construction of its math and science center during the regular meeting Tuesday. Sikeston R-6 construction manager Randy Bratton of Montgomery Martin Contractors LLC in Memphis, Tenn., made recommendations to the board for 11 bid packages. ...

Ivan Robison, seen here at a wrestling match in December, has resigned his position as Sikeston's head wrestling coach and design drafting instructor. His resignation was accepted by the Sikeston R-6 School Board on Tuesday night.

Nobody asked me but...Sikeston is looking primed and ready for a playoff push. Class 4, District 1 tournament starts next week and the good news for Bulldogs fans is that the games will be played in the "Dog Dome." Since the Superman Classic, freshman Michael Porter and junior Julian Beard have stepped up their respective games. Porter is becoming a monster down low and looks like a player beyond his years...

DELTA -- Terrence Below set Delta's single-game scoring record with 55 points, and the Bobcats scored 45 points in the fourth quarter en route to an 89-87 victory against Chaffee on Tuesday at home. Below, who broke the record that his uncle, Sam Below, and Neal Hester shared (48), was 22 for 27 from the field, all on 2-point field goal attempts. He hit all 11 of his free throws and scored 21 points in the fourth quarter...

EAST PRAIRIE - Gladys M. Lippmann, 98, died at 6:55 p.m. Feb. 13, 2006, in the East Prairie Nursing Center. Born Feb. 26, 1907, in Mississippi County to the late Ashley Crockett and Elizabeth Baker Presson, she had lived in the St. Louis area several years where she worked at Famous Barr, before moving back to East Prairie in 1972. ...

BERNIE - Thomas C. Cross, 82, died Feb. 13, 2006, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born July 24, 1923, in Bernie, son of the late James Thomas and Viola Gann Cross, he had resided in Bernie all his life and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bernie...

ADVANCE - Betty M. Callaham Agee, 52, died at 10:05 p.m. Feb. 13, 2006, at her home following an extended illness. Born Oct. 18, 1953, in Sikeston, to the late John and Irene McAdow Callaham, she had worked for several years as an inspector at the Paramount Headwear Hat Factory in both Dexter and Advance. She had attended the Perkins Baptist Church and was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Advance Eagles Club...

MARYLAND HEIGHTS -- Sheila K. "Penny" Smith, 47, formerly of Sikeston, died Feb. 12, 2006, peacefully at her home. Born Aug. 15, 1959, in Sikeston, she was the dear daughter of Alton and Wanda Sullenger. Beloved wife of Mike Smith, she was also the dear mother of Brandy, Shane and Jordan Smith; dear sister of Tina (Steve Bryson) Sullenger and the late Butch Sullenger; dear granddaughter of Marie Ernest; dear sister-in-law of Mark, Tim and Jim Smith and Kim Strong; beloved aunt of Danielle, Kayla, Stephanie, Steven, Patrick, Richard and Lauren; dear stepsister of Chuck, Richard, Terry, Sam and Katrina Jackson, dear niece, cousin and friend to many.. ...

SIKESTON -- Lance Simmons, 30, died at 6:10 p.m. Feb. 14, 2006, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

SIKESTON -- Larrell Cantrall Taylor, 24, died Feb. 9, 2006, in Sikeston. Born July 24, 1981, son of Dorothy Carmona of Sikeston and Otis Johnson Sr. of Blytheville, Ark., he attended Sikeston public schools and was a member of the Powerhouse of God Church in Sikeston...

DEXTER - Michillino "Mike" Ferrara, 86, died Feb. 13, 2006, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Oct. 31, 1919, son of the late John and Mary Christine Ferrara, he was the owner and operator of Ferrara Gulf Service Station in Dexter for many years, was affiliated with the Dexter Church of God and a veteran of the United States Army, having served in World War II...

SIKESTON -- Keith Gene Hyde, 42, died at 6:30 a.m. Feb. 14, 2006, at his home. Born July 15, 1963, in Sikeston, son of Norris Gene and Verna Louise Smith Hyde of Sikeston, he worked for J&L Construction Company in Sikeston and was a member of Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau...

MINER -- William E. Raney, 68, died Feb. 14, 2006, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home.

SIKESTON -- Willis B. "B" Green Sr., 52, died Feb. 8, 2006. Born Dec. 8, 1953, in Bell City, to the late James and Viola Taylor, he graduated from Bell City High School in 1972. He worked as a retail specialist at Falkoff's Men's Shop from 1972 to 1975 and as a machinist for 33 years for Arvin Ameritor in Dexter. ...

SIKESTON -- Anna Lorene Eaton, 77, died at 1:54 p.m. Feb. 14, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Tentative arrangements are for visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston with a service held Friday.

NEW MADRID - Emma Faye Bledsoe Baird, 85, died Feb. 14, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 8, 1920, in Matthews, daughter of the late Samuel H. and Faye Brooks Bledsoe, she was a member of the First United Methodist Church in New Madrid for more than 50 years and served in many capacities including president of the Women's Society. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Frank Henry Brands, 96, died Feb. 14, 2006, at Portageville Nursing Center. Born Jan. 18, 1910, in Leopold, son of the late Theodore and Sena Elfrink Brands Sr., he was a retired farmer and a member of St. Eustachius Church in Portageville...

I was up late the other night looking for something on television when I came across the Winter Olympics. Now, I'm not hip on a lot of winter sports but I consider myself an American so I decided to stop and watch and see what the 2006 games had to offer...