Stories from Sunday, July 16, 2006

DEXTER - MaryEllen Medler, 80, died July 13, 2006, in the Missouri Southern Healthcare at Dexter. Born Jan. 19, 1926, at Bloomfield, daughter of the late Elmer and Elizabeth Launius Aslin, she was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Dexter and a former secretary for the United States Navy Civil Service and the Stoddard County Draft Board...

HAYWOOD CITY - Pallbearers for the funeral service conducted Saturday at the New Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Haywood City under the direction of the Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter for Marcus Aundrea Wilkins, 28, who died July 8, 2006, were: Chatoris Jones, DuJuan Jones, Damathan Stevens, Alan Turner and Wesley Wilkins...

MOREHOUSE - Wanda Faye Newman, 84, died July 14, 2006, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. Born March 18, 1922, in Doniphan, daughter of the late William and Roxie Kennedy Merriman, she was a member of the First Methodist Church of Morehouse and had worked at Skateworld in Sikeston before retiring...

SIKESTON -- Lola M. Adcock, 79, died July 14, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born June 30, 1927, in Sikeston, daughter of the late Otto and Bertha Wagoner Rettig, she was a member of the Illinois Avenue General Baptist Church and had been supervisor of the alterations department for Famous-...

The Sikeston Historic Midtown Development Group held its monthly meeting July 6. Members present were Jim Bucher, Chuck Grant, Kathy Medley, Missy Marshall, Don Pratt, Larry Tetley, Ed Dust, Joel Evans, Larry Braden, Mike Marshall, David Freidman, Jonathan Maloyed, Mike Marsh, Courtney Corbett, Marcia Witt and Susie Kennedy. Duane DeCota, Monique Rice, Jethro Gator, and Mike and Mickey Gadberry were present as guests...

Missy Marshall, executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce, shows SEMO Title Company employees Rosemary Latham, Donna Marshall and Sarah Ruby the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" T-shirts. The Sikeston Jaycees are encouraging area businesses to purchase the shirts for employees to wear on Aug. ...

NEW MADRID - Kontek Industries, a national leader in research and development of ballistics protection materials and products, was awarded a delivery order amount of $5.2 million as part of a $15 million contract from the Department of Defense for the construction of storage munitions igloos. The "igloos" will be used as weapons storage facilities for the Air Force's Whiteman Air Force Base...

JACKSON - Richard Proffer has joined University of Missouri Extension as a business development specialist in Jackson. The southeast Missouri native works with business owners and managers in Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Scott and Stoddard counties...

AMARILLO, Texas - Ronald G. Hall II, Pharm.D., BCPS, an assistant professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, was recently selected by the National Institutes of Health to be one of 14 clinical scholars working at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center...

SIKESTON - When Greg Boyd decided to make a career change, he had to look no further than his brother for an idea of what field of work he should try. Boyd followed his brother Keith's footsteps becoming an independent insurance agent. Then he went one step further opening the Keith Boyd Insurance Agency in Missouri...

ST. LOUIS -- Dennis Thompson and Jill Elder of St. Louis have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jessica Lynn Thompson, to Michael L. Jensen Jr., son of Michael Jensen and Cheryl Jensen of Sikeston. A St. Louis native, the future bride is a 2003 graduate of Flagler College and works as an executive assistant for the Carpenter's Union in St. Louis...

SIKESTON -- Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Jackson have announced the engagement of their daughter, Sarah Michelle, to Kevin Michael Overcash, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Overcash of Oakland, Tenn. A 1999 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School, the future bride graduated in 2003 from Union University with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts. She is the branch manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Memphis, Tenn...

ESSEX -- Billy and Cheryl McClure of Essex and Paul and Vicky Woodard of Ft. Riley, Kan., have announced the engagement of their daughter, Charlene Denise "Charlie" Tilley of Essex to Ryan Ray Decker of Poplar Bluff, son of Jay and Cindy Decker of Poplar Bluff and Kay and Royce Hanson of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla...

JACKSON -- James and Kathy Lowes have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jamie N. Lowes, to Rick A. Eftink Jr., son of Rick and Pam Eftink of Oran. A 1999 graduate of Jackson High School, the future bride graduated from Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center in 2005. She is employed as a licensed practical nurse at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Wayne and Machele Mossman have announced the engagement of their daughter, Alicia E. Mossman, to Jason M. McDonald, son of Dennis and Donna Mitchell of Cape Girardeau and Kevin and Michelle McDonald of Bellegrade. A 2003 graduate of Poplar Bluff Senior High School, the future bride graduated in 2006 from Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Bethany Poole and Samuel Godwin have announced their engagement. The future bride is the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Eugene Poole of Portageville and is employed by Aldi Foods. Godwin, son of the Rev. and Mrs. Tom Godwin of Bertrand, is employed by Shivelbine's Music Store...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Kellie Trentham has announced the engagement of her daughter, Tabetha Trentham, to Aaron Massey, son of Lisa Massey and Donald Massey of Sikeston. The future bride is a 2006 graduate of East Prairie High School. Her fiance is a senior at East Prairie High School and employed by Sikeston Auto Service...

McCLEANSBORO, Ill. -- Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Johnson have announced the engagement of their daughter, Dawn Denise Johnson, to Brent Allen McKown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary McKown of Sikeston, Mo. A 1998 graduate of McCleansboro High School, the future bride received a degree in elementary education in 2002 from Murray State University in Murray, Ky., where she is pursuing a master's degree. She is a fourth grade teacher at Fancy Farm Elementary in Graves County, Ky...

SIKESTON -- Mike and Janie Drews of Dexter and Bobby Landers of Canalou have announced the engagement of their daughter, Lacey Veralea Hicks, to Samuel David Worthington, son of David and Sonya Worthington of Sikeston. A 2004 graduate of New Madrid County Central High School, the future bride is employed at Express Care of Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She is the granddaughter of Frankie Hicks and the late Rev. Jerry Hicks...

CHARLESTON -- For the second straight year, a Charleston High School player earns the nod as the Standard Democrat Male Athlete of the Year. Jamarcus Williams, the Blue Jays junior basketball and football standout, follows graduated Charleston star Ashton Farmer, the 2005 Athlete of the Year. And the odds for a three-peat are high as Williams has yet another season to add to his already impressive credentials...

SIKESTON -- Amazing athlete and great attitude. Those are words commonly used to describe the Standard Democrat Female Athlete of the Year, Allison Blurton from Sikeston. A quiet leader who let her play do the talking, Blurton was a key part of Sikeston High School's softball, basketball and soccer teams...

BENTON - Amanda Johnson and Brannon Roberts are the parents of their second child, second daughter, born at 10:08 a.m. June 7, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Breanna Kay Roberts weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 19 inches long...

SIKESTON - Since the Scott County Transit began offering transportation for local citizens in 1981, the program has grown by leaps and bounds. However, after a recent 30 percent budget cut, the transit will be forced to take a small step back. The cut is a result of reduced funding of the Work Force Investment Board, which provides the majority of funds for the transit...

Blake Wyatt and Hannah Wyatt walk during the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at the Sikeston Sports Complex. Hannah, who is a cancer survivor, and Blake were among the few participants that braved the rain to walk.

SIKESTON -- Adam McGee loved competing no matter what the sport. With that in mind, Adam's family organized a duathlon -- a run-bike-run event -- held last month to raise money for the scholarship created in his memory. The 11-year-old died in his sleep April 16, 2001, after suffering a rare heart defect -- a condition his family didn't know about...

BENTON -- So long as the equipment can move in the sandy soil which is ideal for potato growing, its just another day in the fields, rain or shine. "Sometimes we have to work in the rain to get the semi loads out," said Linda Bula, co-owner of Bula's Heartland Potato Farm in Benton...

I'd like to respond to the city of Sikeston about the rental property. I've learned my lesson the hard way. Always research. When someone comes up to you and wants to rent your piece of property, do a background check. It will save a lot of heartache in the future. ...

The Missouri Legislature has one of those rare golden opportunities to actually make a difference for the state when they enter the special session of the Legislature in September. Gov. Matt Blunt this week said he was willing to restore some health care programs for the needy if the legislators, in turn, would toughen laws against fraud by health care providers...

SIKESTON - Maximum temperatures remained in the 90's for Sikeston for the past few days, but the nights mainly are cool. The top mark for the past several days was 93. MATTHEWS - A water shortage which has curtailed service to the city's 150 subscribers for more than three weeks has been blames on an inefficient and wasteful method of charging for water usage, Harold Burch, alderman, said...

FALL ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------- -----------------------------------------------------------------...

SIKESTON -- Bob Ralston surprised himself a bit with a wire-to-wire victory at the Health Facilities Rehab Heartland Senior Tournament. Ralston, the leader throughout, shot a final round 68 to win the three-round tournament contested by Heartland Players Senior Tour professionals at Bootheel Golf Club on Friday...