Stories from Wednesday, September 6, 2006

I was glancing at the mail just the other day when I came across my wife's college tuition bill. She is only taking a couple of classes to try and finish her degree. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw the total for two classes. Stupid me, I thought there was a mistake. I kindly asked my wife if she had bought a car to go along with her education and she politely told me that I was an idiot and that college costs have gone up since I was in school. I would say so...

EAST PRAIRIE - Daniel Keith "Danny" Gore, 43, died at 12:25 a.m. Sept. 4, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 19, 1962, in Wyatt, to Freda Mae Imogene Lumsden Gore of East Prairie and the late Loren Alfred Gore, he lived most of his life in Mississippi County and was employed by Scott Bell Farms...

BELLEVIEW - Billy Junious "June" Groves, 75, formerly of Bertrand, died at 4:45 a.m. Sept. 1, 2006, at the Belleview Valley Nursing Center. Born May 12, 1932, in Mississippi County, to the late William Carter and Althea Singleton Grove, he had lived most of his life in Mississippi County where he was employed in farming and was of the Protestant belief...

ULLIN, Ill. - Lillie Mae Haynes 79, died Sept. 4, 2006, at her home. Born Dec. 26, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late Tony and Magnolia Wright, she had lived in Illinois since 1977. She was a member and usher of Ollie Grove Baptist Church in Wilson City...

MATTHEWS - Pallbearers for services to be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Blanchard Funeral Chapel for Doris Burton, 78, who died Sept. 4, 2006, will be: Brian Burton, Eric Burton, Matt Burton, Ben Burton, Gabe Potashnick and Timmy Farrenburg. Honorary pallbearers will be: Jack Plunk, Rick Towery, Eric Towery, Joe Mooney, Ronnie McMillen and Darrell Stovall II...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers at services held at 11 a.m. today at the Blanchard Funeral Chapel for the Rev. William Herschell Newman, 87, who died Sept. 2, 2006, were: Matt Newman, Gary Barker, the Rev. Jerry Adams, Matt Bolen, Ron Graviett and the Rev. Tom McCanless...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for the services conducted on Tuesday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Dexter for Muriel Joy McQuary, 72, who died on Sept. 3, 2006, were: Jeff Hoehn, Mike Deen, Randy Leet, Reggie Greer, Tim Hollmann and Tod Gregory.

The decision last week by the Union Pacific Railroad to abandon their efforts to increase rail traffic through Sikeston is welcome news indeed. We have long said that an alternative to the Sikeston plan was by far a better solution for all involved. It seems that Union Pacific took notice of that local opposition and conceded that the alternative would better suit their business...

"If you exclude the felons, the mentally ill and those who for whatever reason don't register, you have a huge group of people." Both felons who have completed parole and people who have mental illnesses unless classified under very specific levels of incompetence can and and quite frequently do legally vote in Missouri. ...

CHARLESTON - Alisha Shands is the mother of her first child, a daughter, born at 4:20 p.m. Aug. 1, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Scarlett Isabella Shands weighed 8 pounds and was 21 inches long. Grandparents are Mark Shands and Lisa Shands...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs were defeated 12-0 by the Cape Central Lady Tigers at the Sports Complex on Tuesday. The Bulldogs, suffering their sixth shutout in an 0-7 start, were no-hit by Cape's Kelsey Holloway in the five-inning mercy-run rule loss...

Nobody asked me but...the Sikeston football team opened up a renovated Sapp Stadium last Friday night with a whimper against the Caruthersville Tigers. Tiger running back Kendrickus Reed put on a show and I don't think he still has been tackled by the Bulldog defense. Reed finished with 359 yards and is clearly the front-runner for the Carr Trophy...

SIKESTON -- The following board and commission appointments and reappointments were made by Council members during their regular meeting Tuesday: On the Board of Adjustments, alternate member Jessie Redd was made a full member along with Ronald Galemore. Kelley Rushing was named an alternate member...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs soccer team posted their first victory of the season in their first home match of the season at the Sikeston Complex on Tuesday night with a 2-1 defeat of Marion, Ill. The Bulldogs were outshot in the contest 24-12, but nifty ball-handling by Blake Taylor proved to be the difference in the game...

A Sikeston landmark, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post at 709 Smith St., was destroyed by a fire which began around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety called in all personnel to battle the blaze and was assisted by Morehouse Fire Department, which covered the local fire stations. ...

SIKESTON -- Mayor Mike Marshall said he would like the cooperation and resolve displayed during the city's fight to convince the Union Pacific Railroad to choose another route to serve as "a springboard to go forward" in addressing other challenges faced by the city...

BENTON -- Scott County officials and residents are "pleasantly surprised" to hear of the Union Pacific Railroad's decision to drop their request which would have increased train traffic through Scott County, according to County Commissioner Jamie Burger...

Lexis Yarbro, 3, plays on the merry-go-round while her mother, Bobbi, pushes her at the Sikeston Complex Tuesday afternoon. Also playing with Lexis was her younger sister, Kylye.

POPLAR BLUFF - Thirteen people, including one in the Troop E area of Southeast Missouri, died on state highways during the 2006 Labor Day weekend During the four-day weekend, Troop E officers participated in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort). ...

SIKESTON - For the first time in 30 years, two brothers saw each other and enjoyed a visit here Monday night. G.D. Foster, who lives on Greer Street, had not seen J.G. Foster of Los Angeles, Calif., since he left for the state 30 years before. SIKESTON - In city council action Tuesday night, a communication from Gov. Warren E. Hearnes was acted upon, a letter from the regional office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development...

A bunch of us ladies that live here all got together and were trying to get the words to Old Dan Tucker. So if anyone has the words, put them in SpeakOut. We sure would appreciate it. Go to: www.fifedrum.org/wynfm/olddantucker.html I really enjoyed the performance by Trace Adkins at the rodeo on August 9th. ...