Stories from Thursday, January 11, 2007

I have no idea if committing more troops to the war in Iraq is the right thing to do. When the President announced Wednesday night that more than 20,000 additional soldiers would be sent to the Middle East, I listened with cautious optimism. But that's only because I want to be optimistic and hopeful that the nightmare in Iraq will soon have a successful ending...

BERTRAND -- Billy Dean Finley Sr., 59, died at 5:45 p.m. Jan. 10, 2007, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 23, 1947, at Anniston, to the late Tom and Ruby Nell McMillen Finley, he had lived his entire life in Mississippi County and was employed with the Southeast Coop near Bertrand. He was a U.S. Army veteran...

SIKESTON -- Louie Glenn Goetz, 68, left for his heavenly home from Missouri Delta Medical Center on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007. Born June 26, 1938, at Blodgett, to the late Francis F. and Theta Pry Goetz, he worked for Inman Freight Lines for 16 years and owned and operated Shaklee Enterprises for 30 years. He was a faithful servant and member of Church on the Rock in Sikeston...

DEXTER - Leon Jones, 89, died Jan. 10, 2007, in the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born May 29, 1917, at Damascus, Ark., to the late Rob and Jannie Mayhan Jones, he was a member of the Dexter Church of Christ and employed by Morgan Furniture in Dexter as a salesman...

MALDEN - Robert Floyd Carden, 70, died Jan. 10, 2007, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. Born Sept. 2, 1936, in Dorena, son of the late Briggham "Red" and Rachel Threlkeld Carden, he was a minister of the Church of God Prophecy. He was first married to Bonnie Sue Andition of Delta. He later married Bobbie Taylor, who survives of the home in Malden...

SIKESTON - Theresa A. Crowe, 85, died at 8:21 a.m. Jan. 9, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Jan. 1, 1922, at Idalia, to the late John Albert and Helen Grace Parrott Long, she was a housewife and member of the St. Joe Baptist Church at Idalia. She had previously worked for Carter Carburetor Plant in St. Louis during World War II. She also worked in Sikeston for the Crouther's Gift Shop...

The "Show-Me Rebels" of Richland High School, a United States American Volleyball team, will compete in their first tournament Feb. 4. USAV teams compete in weekend tournaments at high schools and colleges across Missouri. Team members are: Tiffany Brown, Emily Richards, Harley Waller, Whitney McClung, Brittany Allen, Amy Holloway, Abby Holloway, Keri Isbell, Toni Langloss, Christine Farrah and Kaleigh Evans. Coaches are Lora Copeland and Ralph Sexton...

SIKESTON - The Kelly Lady Hawks basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Scott-Miss. Conference Tournament with a 54-24 win over the Chaffee Lady Devils on Wednesday night at Scott County Central. Kelly led 30-13 at halftime and put the game away in the third quarter by outscoring Chaffee 19-8...

I would like to speak out about whoever it was that said Sikeston was not better than Charleston and would never beat them. They also said something about they heard Sikeston fans talking about Charleston. Well, do you hear what Charleston says about Sikeston? Sikeston beat Charleston Friday, January 5th and Charleston is not the best team either. ...

SIKESTON - Judson Boardman, a veteran of World War II, has taken a position with the post office. SIKESTON - Seven directors at the Sikeston Industrial Development Corporation were elected at the annual stockholder's meeting Wednesday night at the city administration building...

CARUTHERSVILLE - One-year-old twins died Wednesday evening in a rural house fire. According to Pemiscot County Sheriff Tommy Greenwell, at 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, the sheriff's department received a report of a house fire at 1301 County Highway 524. As fire personnel arrived on the scene they were told by witnesses and victims there were possibly two children inside the residence...

SIKESTON -- For Southeast Missouri residents wanting to catch a glimpse of local Elvis Presley memorabilia collections, it's now or never. To mark the Presley's 72nd birthday, which was Monday, and the 30th anniversary of his death in August, the Sikeston Depot Museum created an exhibit, "Elvis! Is In The Building," which is on display through the end of the month...

MATTHEWS - Last spring tornadoes and high winds left a path of devastation through Caruthersville. A few months later, the small town of Crossville was nearly blown off the map by a twister. However, when it comes to man against nature, a few precautions can mean the difference between life and death in small towns...