Stories from Thursday, July 20, 2006

I stand accused from time to time of promoting a pro-Republican stance in this column or, as others might say, an anti-Democrat stance. Let me clear the air without reservation. I promote a conservative stance of self-reliance, accountability and personal responsibility. That position defies party labels. But in fact, on several occasions, the conservative stance is the position held by the Republican Party. That is not always the case if you've been paying attention...

SIKESTON - A Sikeston resident's effort to preserve a bit of his family history is earning big recognition. Edward C. "Ned" Matthews III and his book "Matthews: The Historic Adventures of a Pioneer Family" will be honored this fall by Gov. Matt Blunt. Matthews will receive the 2006 Governor's Humanities Book Award conferred by the Missouri Humanities Council...

EAST PRAIRIE -- City officials and residents gleamed with joy as a brand new fire truck rolled into East Prairie Wednesday morning. "I love it," said John Gifford, fire chief, as he stared at the shiny red engine. "I wish we had three of these."...

CHAFFEE -- The Sikeston Senior American Legion Post 114 baseball team saw its season come to an end late Wednesday night as they fell to Jackson 7-5 in the District 14 Tournament at Chaffee's Harmon Field to finish .500 for the season. Sikeston had built a 5-2 lead before Jackson rallied with four runs in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulls struggled against the Kitty League leaders Owensboro, Ky. Oilers again on Wednesday night and lost 15-5 in a one- sided affair at VFW Stadium. After taking the first game of the series on Monday night, the Bulls have been outscored 24-5 in the last two games...

The Sikeston 7-year-old Diamond Dawg baseball team recently took third place in the "Play It Again Sports" tournament in Hopkinsville, Ky. Teams from Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois were represented in the tournament. Pictured first row from left: Camden Sapp, Trey Smith, Gavon Turner, Austin Dill and Will Pratt; second row: Sam Cox, Ty Householder, Peyton Kennard, Austin Green, Jason Erwin, Wyatt Pratt and Josh Stinnett. ...

SIKESTON - Linda Graham and Torress Baker are the parents of their third child, third son, born at 12:16 p.m. June 14, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Torress Romel Baker Jr. weighed 5 pounds, 8.5 ounces, and was 18.5 inches long...

To the vet that said there's been a lot of articles in the SpeakOut about the American flag that flies over the post office here in Sikeston. I've complained about it. Where have you complained about it? If you are a member of the VFW have you gone to the meetings to complain about this? If not a member of the VFW, do you go to the American Legion to complain about it? Or do you just complain to people in general who really don't have any choice about it? And why is it those organizations' fault that the flag is in that shape?. ...

SIKESTON - Sikeston's postal employees, like employees of other post offices, went without getting paid last week because Congress failed to pass the treasury-post office appropriation bill. NEW MADRID - Important changes in the administrative department of both the Lilbourn and New Madrid school systems have been announced. ...

BENTON -- A community volunteer organization is taking on a new community issue: obesity. Officials and volunteers from Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium Inc. recently met with Scott County commissioners to provide information on their organization...

BENTON -- Scott County Emergency Management and the city of Portageville are among the 30 Citizen Corps Councils to be awarded Homeland Security funds recently. "We were approved for $7,000," said Joe Burton, emergency management director for Scott County. "This money from Citizen Corps is mostly used for education efforts for the local public. It can be used for some classes like first aid classes and CPR classes - it's basically used for education."...

PEACH ORCHARD -- Otto Bean Jr., 68, died at 10 p.m. July 15, 2006, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., following a battle with leukemia. Born Jan. 1, 1938, in Gideon, son of the late Otto and Alice Marie Lee Bean, he had represented the 163rd district for two terms. ...

BLOOMFIELD -- Finis Elvin Capps, 86, died July 20, 2006, in the emergency room of the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Jan. 30, 1920, near Bloomfield, son of the late Alfred and Bertie Sitz Capps, he had been a resident of the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center in Bloomfield for the past six years. A Missouri Department of Transportation retiree, he lived in Stoddard County his entire life except for time spent in the U.S. Navy during World War II...