Stories from Sunday, February 4, 2007

BENTON -- Linda Raper has announced the engagement of her daughter, Jennifer Nicole Raper, to Jeffery Lyle Massey, son of Syndi Massey of Benton and Art Massey of Doniphan. Raper is also the daughter of Kevin Raper of Chattanooga, Tenn. Plans are under way for a September wedding...

SIKESTON - It looks like any gathering of young people for an evening out - lots of talking and laughter as they get to know one another. But really it is much more. For the Sikeston Young Professionals, it is an opportunity to get to know others in business in Sikeston and the surrounding area...

I want to use this opportunity to encourage the citizens in the Sikeston and Miner areas to participate in this year's Annual Award nomination process. The Chamber sent out the nomination forms in our January SACC newsletter and at our 57th Annual Awards Banquet we will give out the following Awards: Lifetime Achievement, Educator of the Year, SACC Member of the Year, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Sikeston Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, Civic Group of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Community Volunteer of the Year, Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year.. ...

SIKESTON - Kathy Anglin is the new assistant vice president of the Sikeston branch facility of FOCUS Bank. Anglin joined FOCUS Bank in 2005 as a relationship development officer/ mortgage lender. With more than 25 years of banking experience in Sikeston, Anglin is also an active member of the Sikeston Lions Club, Missouri Delta Medical Center Foundation Board, American Heart Association Go Red for Women, and other civic clubs and organizations...

El Torero Family Mexican Restaurant, 211 N. Main St. in Sikeston, held a ribbon cutting to celebrate their opening recently. Cutting the ribbon is manager Jose Alvarez. The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. From left are employees and Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce members: Missy Marshall, Carlos Jiminez, Fiqrencio Obil, Paulina Aragon, Alvarez and Keith Parker...

NEW MADRID - The New Madrid Chamber of Commerce will host its Annual Awards Banquet Feb. 24 at Rebecca Sharp's Catering in New Madrid. The annual banquet honors individuals and businesses which have gone above and beyond expectations to make a difference in the community, according to Margaret Palmer, executive director...

The 2007 Board of Directors for the Southeast Missouri Human Resource Association include, front row: Janie Thurman, Missouri Department of Economic Development, Workforce Readiness director; Valada Harp, Burch Foods, SHRM Foundation director; Peggy Gates, Food Giant, secretary/treasurer; Sheila Swisher, PHR, MoDOT, past president; Megan Looney, PHR, Duckett Truck Centers, membership director; second Row: Denny Callen, PHR, Casino Aztar, certification director; Darryl Minner, PHR, Associated Electric Co-op, president; Hugh Boon, PHR, Siegel-Robert Automotive, president-elect; and Tim Bucheit, Steward Steel, programming director. ...

SIKESTON -- Monte and Janie Thurman have announced the engagement of their daughter, Ashley Thurman, to Randy Casey, son of David Casey of Charleston and the late Paula Casey. A 2003 graduate of Sikeston High School, the future bride expects to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in social work from Southeast Missouri State University...

SIKESTON -- Angela Pauline Shanks and Christopher Leigh Payne were united in marriage during a 3 p.m. wedding Aug. 5, 2006, at First Baptist Church in Parma. Cecil Williams performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Diane Stricklin of Sikeston and Stanley Shanks of Morehouse. Parents of the bridegroom are Jesse and Raymond Montoya of Parma...

ORAN -- Dorothy Halter, 80, died Feb. 2, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born April 27, 1926, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of Seth and Mary Eaker Craft, she was a member of the Guardian Angel Catholic Church and St. Ann Sodality at Oran, the Ladies Auxiliary of Cape Girardeau VFW Post No. 3838, and the KCettes of Oran Council No. 4311...

BERNIE - Shirley M. Pickett, 70, died Feb. 1, 2007, in the Missouri Southern Healthcare at Dexter. Born April 29, 1936, at Gideon, daughter of the late Joseph Raymond and Myrtie Chambers Teel, she was a homemaker and of the Full Gospel belief. On Oct. 15, 1952, at Piggott, Ark., she married Claude E. Pickett who survives of the home...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at funeral services set for 1 p.m. Monday at the at the Church of the Rock for the Rev. J.F. Worthington, 71, who died Feb. 1, 2007, will be: Mike Tinnin, Matt Sautter, Troy Wade, Kyle Newkirk, Sam Worthington and Allen Danels...

DEXTER -- John Irvin, 53, died Feb. 2, 2007, at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

MORLEY -- Clyde H. Curtis Sr., 72, died Feb. 1, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born Feb. 6, 1934, at Cuba Landing, Tenn., son of the late Melvin B. and Flora Ella Williams Curtis, he was retired from Stovall Construction in Cape Girardeau where he was a heavy machine operator engineer. He was a member of Hope Baptist Church in Oran and Operating Engineer Local 513 in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON -- Shirley Joann McEntire, 68, formerly of Charleston, died at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 2, 2007, at her home. Born Feb. 2, 1938, at Charleston, daughter of the late Luther Jackson and Ruby Mae Pointer Peevyhouse, she lived most of her life in Charleston and attended the First Baptist Church. She later lived for 10 years in Cairo, Ill., before moving to Sikeston...

WHITEWATER - John Kennedy, 78, died Feb. 2, 2007, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Home in Chaffee.

SIKESTON - Pallbearers for the funeral services held Friday at Ponder Funeral Home for Aaron Dobbs Jr., 68, who died Jan. 31, 2007, were: Mike Evans, Hubert Evans, Gary Livingston, Walt Whaley, Jeff Whaley and Terry Couch.

MOREHOUSE - Bonnie Sue Keith, 60, died at 7 a.m. Feb. 3, 2007, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Monday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel where services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

CHARLESTON -- Family and friends of Harvie Jackson are invited to attend his 90th birthday celebration from 2-4 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Charleston Assembly of God Church, 608 S. Main St., in Charleston. The event is hosted Jackson's daughters, Barbara Chapman, Ruth Watson and Janice Nolen. The family requests no gifts...

ORAN -- The Bell City Cubs came out of the halftime break on fire to blow open a close contest with the host Oran Eagles. Bell City captured its 13th straight with a 75-57 victory over Oran on Friday. Leading by only one point at the half, the Cubs, triggered by Nick Niemcyzk's 11 points, outscored the Eagles 24-9 in the third quarter...

ORAN -- The Bell City Cubs came out of the halftime break on fire to blow open a close contest with the host Oran Eagles. Bell City captured its 13th straight with a 75-57 victory over Oran on Friday. Leading by only one point at the half, the Cubs, triggered by Nick Niemcyzk's 11 points, outscored the Eagles 24-9 in the third quarter...

MORLEY - The Scott County Central Braves basketball team survived a late rally from the New Madrid County Central Eagles at Ronnie Cookson Gymnasium Friday night, but held on for the 77-72 win on homecoming. The Braves jumped out to a 41-29 lead at halftime, as they outscored the Eagles 27-14 in the second quarter...

Lost in the discussion this week on global warming and presidential politics was a little-noticed article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that is most troubling. It says much about society and sadly perhaps, it may well tell us what lies ahead. By way of background, 22-year-old Mousa Abuelawi of St. ...

DEXTER - Cassandra Meredith and Randy Carnell Jr. are the parents of their third child, second daughter, born at 5:12 a.m. Dec. 13, 2006, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. MaKayla LeAnn Carnell weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and was 20 inches long...

SIKESTON -- Surrounding counties showed signs of improvement in the overall state rankings of children's health, according to the latest Kids Count report. Three of the area's counties -- Scott, New Madrid and Mississippi -- fared better in their overall rankings from the previous year. Scott County dropped from 87th worst county to 83rd; New Madrid went from 112 to 103; and Mississippi County from 107 to 98...

POPLAR BLUFF -- For the first time in weeks, the Sikeston Bulldogs basketball team seemed to have everything clicking during Friday night's SEMO Conference game at Poplar Bluff. The Bulldogs started quickly, maintained a sizable lead, and more importantly, closed out the game strong to defeat Poplar Bluff 74-43 at Peters Gymnasium...

THAYER -- Ruby Clark, 92, died Feb. 3, 2007, at the Shady Oaks Nursing Home. Born Oct. 10, 1914, in Missouri, daughter of the late Steven William and Emma Jane Elliott Jones, she was a homemaker. On Jan. 12, 1929, at Caruthersville, she married Thomas "T.P." Clark, who preceded her in death on Dec. 22, 2005...

SIKESTON -- The Rev. Harold Oliver Norton, 70, died at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 2, 2007, at his home. Born July 8, 1936, in Coal City, Ill., son of the late Harold Franklin and Pearl Rossio Norton, he was a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in education. He received his master's in English from Webster University in St. Louis and graduated from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City...

SIKESTON -- As many as 100 million Americans are expected to tune into Super Bowl XLI today. But not everyone is a diehard football fan. It's estimated two out of five Super Bowl watchers are not even football fans, according to SuperBowlMonday.com...

The Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts will vie for the Super Bowl XLI title. (By the way, the winner's trophy is called the Vince Lombardi Trophy.) The following are a few facts about the two teams squaring off today: Other nicknames: Da Bears, the Monsters of the Midway...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Being active in the Mississippi Delta Grassroots Caucus gives Southeast Missouri a voice that can be heard all the way to Capitol Hill. "It is critical for our counties to have a voice and be part of the Delta Caucus," said Dr. Martha Ellen Black, executive director of the Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center and Missouri coordinator for the Caucus. "I believe we have to do this."...

SIKESTON - John Harper and Anne Hollenbeck of the eighth grade have achieved outstanding distinction in spelling lessons held in Language Arts class throughout the semester. SIKESTON - Gary Grant, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Grant of Sikeston, has been selected to participate in the fourth annual month-long summer European seminar tour of the Student Leaders of America...

Hats off to the person who commented on a Bum rap. I agree with him 100 percent. I would only buy American made cars. Their cars look better, they drive better and they last better than any foreign made cars. I wish more people would be like you and I. ...