Stories from Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The more you read about the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the more you realize what a colossal failure this bureaucratic flop has become. I have always agreed with the philosophy behind the federal mandate but I have also always recognized it was doomed from the very beginning. Why don't we just abandon the concept and accept the reality?...

SIKESTON - Derick and Teah Newson are the parents of their fourth child, second son, born at 11:55 a.m. March 17, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Deri'on Le'muel Newson weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 19.25 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Erma L. Green and Nathaniel E. Green Sr...

Springtime. The time of year for new beginnings, when little furry animals frolic and blah, blah, blah. Springtime to me means only one thing: time for yard work. Unfortunately several years ago my wife and I left the care free world of renting apartments to the work-filled world of owning a home. And for the first time in our lives we had our own yard to maintain...

No doubt there are some people in southeast Missouri who believe the outcome of the railroad question will not affect them. Anyone who travels on U.S. Highway 60, however, may want to take a second look. In 1999, during the final phase of the construction of Sikeston's north interchange on I-55, they had to stop traffic to place the girders across the supports. They only did this a couple of times and at night when traffic would be lighter...

I am deeply concerned with the current state of the news media and with the quality of your news coverage. Information is the lifeblood of democracy. We depend on our media to provide us with what we need to know, so that we can make informed decisions about the things that affect our lives...

SIKESTON -- Tuesday afternoon's baseball game between Sikeston and Charleston had more momentum shifts than some teams may see in a season. But in the end, Sikeston dealt the final blow as they won 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning on Scott Droddy's walk-off single...

NEW MADRID - Gertrude Burrage, 57, died April 17, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Sept. 22, 1948, in New Madrid County, daughter of the late Roscoe and Elizabeth Davis Strong, she was a member of the Good Hope Baptist Church in Marston...

SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Minnie Mae Collier, 77, died April 8, 2006, at Sunnyvale. Born Dec. 27, 1928, in Hodge, La., to the late William Lee and Harriett Elizabeth Julian, she was raised in Gray Ridge, Mo., where she graduated from Gray Ridge High School. She worked at the school as secretary from January 1947 to July 1948, when she moved to California to work as a civilian employee for the U.S. Air Force, retiring after 44 years of service...

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Howard T. Mercer, 77, formerly of Bertrand, Mo., died April 6, 2006, at the home of his daughter. Born Oct. 31, 1928, in Cairo, Ill., to the late Lawrence and Dorothy Sligar Mercer, he served in the Army Air Corps from Feb. ...

This is to all the grandmas and grandpas of the world who choose to cut out all ties with their grandchildren when their children divorce their spouses. Don't you think that losing a mom or dad is hard enough on your grand kids? We are yours whether or not you like it. ...

NEW MADRID -- A former New Madrid County Central standout was recently named the next head basketball coach at his alma mater. Travis Day, an all-conference player as a senior in 1990, was a three-year starter for the Eagles, including the 1988 Class 3A state championship team...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Missy Whitney cemented her legacy at Three Rivers with another All-American selection. Whitney was named a third-team All-American last week, joining Paul Corder as only the second player in Lady Raiders history to receive the honor twice. "She's been the centerpiece of our program the past two years," Three Rivers coach Jack Childress said of Whitney. "She's really come to the top and it would be a slam to our program and Region XVI if she wouldn't have gotten something...

RISCO -- A local reward fund has been set up for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the disappearance of Teresa Butler, a 35-year-old wife and mother who disappeared from her home just east of Risco on Jan. 25...

BENTON -- Rural Scott County residents can still sign up for service from the new Public Water Supply District No. 4 for $150 but that price may soon go up. Phil Lyon, president of the district's board of directors, provided an update on the district's progress during the regular Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday...

SIKESTON -- As the skin cancer rate soars in the United States, a new bill recently introduced to Congress sets out to better inform the public of the irreversible damage indoor-tanning exposure can cause. In February, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., along with Rep. Ginny Brown-...

NEW MADRID - A new member has joined the New Madrid County R-1 School Board. Jonathan Maloyed was sworn in as a new board member along with incumbent Ralph Barnwell during the April board meeting. Because Maloyed and Barnwell did not have opponents it was not necessary to have an election in April for the two three-year terms open on the R-1 Board...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston tennis team suffered its first loss of the season, falling 5-4 to Cape Central on Tuesday. Sikeston (5-1) is still playing without some of its top players due to the Easter break. "We lost too many close matches today," said Sikeston coach Brian James. ...

Nobody asked me but...tickets to the new Busch Stadium...$19, regular soda...$4.50, hot dog...$4.75, peanuts...$3.75, watching the Cincinnati Reds shutout the Cardinals...priceless. Yes, your humble scribe took a little adventure up to St. Louis to check out the new ballpark. ...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs soccer team suffered a tough loss to visiting Cape Central Lady Tigers on Tuesday, 2-1. The game-winning goal for Central was on free kick after a Sikeston penalty in the Lady Tigers offensive end. Sikeston defender Katelyn Turnbow received a penalty in Central's box, as a result, Megan Orr kicked in the free kick for the goal...

DEXTER -- The Sikeston boys and girls track and field teams competed at Dexter in a quad-meet on Tuesday. Sikeston's boys team captured first place with 90 points followed closely by Notre Dame with 89 points. Dexter followed up with 45 points and Hayti had 27 points...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- An old baseball adage states "good pitching beats good hitting." And so it was as New Madrid County Central, a potent offensive club, had its bats quieted by Cape Central ace Brad LaBruyere in a 10-2 SEMO Conference loss on Tuesday...

SIKESTON - Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. J.M. Law entertained for her daughter, Sue Ann Law, who that day celebrated her fourth birthday. Those present included Anna Louis Schwegier, Harold C. Cope Jr., Wade Allen and Carolyn Gurley. SIKESTON - Drivers in Sikeston are proceeding with caution because of inoperative traffic lights in the downtown area. ...