Stories from Wednesday, October 18, 2006

There's a problem in this country with drivers who continue to drive despite suspended or revoked licenses. The problem is that these offenders often get a slap on the hand but repeat their driving violation. Since their crime is not one of violence, jail time is rare...

Did you know? That the voters in the New Madrid County Ambulance District will be asked to consider changing the method the Ambulance District is funded on November 7th? They will be asked to approve a 1/4 cent sales tax to fund the Ambulance District in place of the .15-cent on $100 of assessed property evaluation as they have now...

KENTUCKY LAKE, Ky. -- The Bootheel BassBusters held their ninth tournament of the year on October 8th on Kentucky Lake out of KenLake Marina. Mike Estes won the tournament with five fish weighing 12 lbs. 13 oz. Leon Miller was second with three fish weighing 7 lbs. 4 oz. and also won the "Lucky Drawing."...

SIKESTON -- Problems plagued pumpkin growers throughout Missouri and other states this season, but somehow seemed to miss the hills of Scott County. "We had an excellent crop, and it ran early," said David Diebold, owner of Diebold's Orchard in Benton...

CHARLESTON -- A Charleston man was indicted for the March murder of Justin Robinson during the recent term of the Grand Jury in Mississippi County. Trone Kent, 26, of Charleston was charged with first degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, according to Capt. Robert Hearnes of Charleston Department of Public Safety...

Members of the Miner Police Department, Sikeston Department of Public Safety, Sikeston Rescue Squad and the South Scott County Ambulance District lower a victim from the roof of the former Raudmont Inn Tuesday. The victim's leg was broken when his leg went through the roof of the building. The South Scott Ambulance District called for the Sikeston DPS which used its ladder truck to lower the victim to the waiting ambulance...

CARUTHERSVILLE - Maybe Dad should have waited until she turned 16. Caruthersville Police officers were called to the Westside Elementary School at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday after a vehicle ran into the building. According to a report from Caruthersville Police Chief Chris Riggs, the driver told officers he had accidentally run over one of the orange cones in the driveway of the school and the cone had become lodged under the front tire of the vehicle...

I was at home for lunch, minding my own business, eating a meatball sub I might add, when the phone rang and rang and rang again. In the time it took me to eat my sandwiches, the phone rang five times. Keep in mind these weren't phone calls from my wife asking me what we were going to do for dinner or a phone call from my parents seeing if I was still alive. No, they were calls from politicians and political groups. And these weren't the first I've gotten either...

First of all, I would like to say that in spite of a loss, I am very proud of the way the Sikeston Bulldogs played Friday night. They should hold their heads high. It is just too bad that the games prior to this one were quite the opposite. Winning one game in four years tells us that some changes need to be made. ...

SIKESTON - Work of pouring the footings of the foundation for the Missouri Delta Community Hospital is to begin Thursday or Friday, according to John J. McCarty. SIKESTON - Homecoming queen of the high school will be chosen by vote of the football squad from senior girls. Candidates for queen will ride in the motorcade around the football field Friday night and sit together in the stadium...

BENTON - The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team has qualified for the Class 2 final four and will face the Westran Lady Hornets at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Columbia at the Rainbow Softball Center-purple field. Marion C. Early Panthers (27-2) will face the Palmyra Panthers (25-1) in the other Class 2 semifinal. The finals are set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in Class 2...

SPRINGFIELD -- The championship pairings haven't been set, but Sikeston singles tennis player Jenni DeWitt feels she's as prepared as ever for the Class 1 Tennis Championships in Springfield. DeWitt, a junior, will be making her third straight trip to the state tournament after winning her second straight district championship. She also qualified her freshman year after taking second in the district with a 15-3 record...

Nobody asked me but...what has happened to letting the Little League football players play an exhibition before or after Sikeston football home games? Last year, the kids played at halftime of one game and by all accounts was a success. It would be great if they played at every game, but one game is a stepping stone. Hopefully they will get it done in one of Sikeston's final two home games...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeston freshman football team demolished the Cape Central Tigers on Saturday, 55-0 in Cape Girardeau. Sikeston got on the board in the first quarter on a 39-yard Eli Jackson run. Jackson ran in the two-point conversion. Later in the first quarter, Juqualin Wiggins had a 21-yard run to make it 14-0...

WYATT - Sanden Benjamin Richardson, 27, died Oct. 16, 2006, at his home. Born Feb. 26, 1979, at LaMirada, Calif., to Phillip Allen Little of Las Vegas and Suzey Mangum Richardson of Wyatt, he lived most of his life in Las Vegas and the state of Oregon and had been employed as a chef before moving to Wyatt in 2006...

SIKESTON - Pallbearers for funeral services held Tuesday at Ponder Funeral Home for Earnest Sammie "Sam" Fodge, 78, who died Oct. 14, 2006, were: Donald Fodge, Vyron Fodge, Tim Fodge, Jason Presley, Darren Fisher and Brandon Harper. Honorary pallbearers were: Donald Lewis Fodge, Sam Fodge and Zach Fisher...

SIKESTON - Lucy Brooks, 80, died Oct. 17, 2006, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete with Ponder Funeral Home of Sikeston. .

CHARLESTON - Max H. Spoon, 81, died at 7:15 p.m. Oct. 17, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete with McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

TEXARKANA, Ark. - Billy Gene Chandler, 41, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died Oct. 17, 2006, at Texarkana. Arrangements are incomplete with McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

WYATT - Sanden Benjamin Richardson, 27, died Oct. 16, 2006, at his home. Born Feb. 26, 1979, at LaMirada, Calif., to Phillip Allen Little of Las Vegas and Suzey Mangum Richardson of Wyatt, he lived most of his life in Las Vegas and the state of Oregon and had been employed as a chef before moving to Wyatt in 2006...