Stories from Thursday, April 26, 2007

You would think a question about school days missed would be a relatively simple matter. And it would be until you have a legislative body jump smack dab into the middle of the situation. The result is a bureaucratic hodgepodge that makes you wonder if they don't have more important matters in Jefferson City...

CHARLESTON -- With sunny, windy conditions and the temperature near 80 degrees, a record 149 runners competed in the 29th Dogwood Azalea 5K race. Christian Sanchez of Cape Girardeau won the male division with a sparkling time of 15:23 and Adela Sams of Jackson was the female winner in 21:41...

BLOOMFIELD -- An investigation into several thefts of copper wire from irrigation systems has resulted in the arrest of three Puxico residents. Brandy Reynolds, Timothy Hart and Charley Reynolds were charged with four counts of class C felony stealing and four counts of class D felony property damage after the investigation confirmed they were involved in a multi-county theft ring of copper wire, said Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner...

Sikeston Public Works employee Jeff Archie places bricks on New Madrid Street Wednesday. The city workers were busy in preparation for Sikeston in Bloom, a festival of events planned for Downtown Sikeston on Saturday.

SIKESTON -- It's every parent's worst nightmare -- their child being abducted. To help local parents assist authorities in recovering a missing or abducted child, the Sikeston Masonic Lodge will sponsor the Missouri Child Identification Program, or MoCHIP, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 5 at the Sikeston Junior High School...

POPLAR BLUFF - Region XVI point guards beware. One of the top defenders in Southeast Missouri is coming to a gym near you. That defender is Scott County Central's Brittney Peet and the 5-5 point guard signed her letter of intent Thursday to play basketball with Three Rivers next season...

KENNETT -- The Sikeston Bulldogs golf team shot their best round of the season en route to winning the quad meet hosted by Kennett Tuesday afternoon. Sikeston won the event by posting a 170, followed by NMCC (181), Kennett (189) and Doniphan (197). Bill Green and Clayton Mayfield were the medalists on the day each shooting 42s. De Bizzell and Dustin Hampton each shot 43 to lead the Bulldogs to the win...

FAIRFIELD, Pa. -- A documentary focusing on fascination with the paranormal slated for release Tuesday has a Sikeston, Mo., connection. "The Other Side: Giving Up the Ghost" was made as a result of Gettysburg's ghost stories but really isn't about ghosts, according to Tonya Keyser, a former Sikeston resident who produced the DVD along with her husband, Andy...

SIKESTON - Bob Scott was admitted to Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau Tuesday as a medical patient. SIKESTON - Tomorrow's election of the city's proposed purchase of Missouri Utilities for $950,000 will be held from 6 a.m. until sundown or 7 p.m., whichever comes later. Clear and cool weather is forecast. Voting is expected to be heavier than the turnout for the city elections April 4...

In answer to Packed like sardines, who would one contact to have this situation investigated, about how many people could legally live in a trailer. Since Heckemeyer Acres is not in city limits they will have to call the county commissioner to have it investigated...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs soccer team ran into a buzzsaw known as the Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs on a windy Wednesday night. Notre Dame (11-2-1) scored four goals in the first half and cruised to the 5-1 home win. Senior Meridith Medlin, who recently signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Three Rivers Community College, scored two goals in a 10-minute span to take the wind out of Sikeston early in the first half...

SIKESTON -- A familiar team is back in the role of favorite in the SEMO Conference baseball tournament this year. Sikeston (12-5), which has played in the tournament championship game in each of its six years, is seeded first heading into this year's tournament. Opening-round play-in games will begin Thursday with Kelly hosting Poplar Bluff and New Madrid County Central playing host to Kennett...

DEXTER - The Sikeston Bulldogs tennis team continued their winning ways on the road Wednesday afternoon with a 7-0 match win over the Dexter Bearcats. "We were able to get the match in just before it started raining," said Sikeston head Brian James. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Pallbearers for services to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Edith Ellen Parsons, 86, formerly of Sikeston, who died April 23, 2007, will be: John Parsons, Charles Parsons, Scott Rushing, Curtis Rushing, Paul Nordin, Phillip Nordin, William Chappell and Alan Basinger...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for the funeral services conducted Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for Michael C. Robinson, 19, who died April 2, 2007, were: Billy Robinson, B.J. Grimes, Eric Grimes, Brandon McCutchen, Wade Laffoon, Jerry Elliot, Joe Cecil and Shawn Keith...

SIKESTON -- Wilma D. Austin, 86, died April 24, 2007, at Pacific Care in Pacific. Born July 12, 1920, in Knoble, Ark., daughter of the late William E. and Nellie Wiseman Brown, she was a member of Calvary Temple and had been a cook of Sheehy's IGA in Sikeston and Running Horse Cafe in Morehouse before retiring...

MURRIETA, Calif. - Herbert "Bud" Brown, 79, died April 6, 2007, at Loma Linda VA Hospital. Born May 25, 1927, in Morehouse, Mo., he was a resident of Murrieta for 10 years. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946 and was a member of Las Brisas Bible Fellowship Church in Murrieta...

SIKESTON - Katherine Hart Hequembourg, 87, formerly of Charleston, died at 2:50 a.m.. April 26, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Feb. 15, 1920, in Brinkley, Ark., to the late Clyde Thomas and Lady Maud Hardwick Hart, she had lived in Sikeston for a number of years. While living in Charleston, she was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted today at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston for Nancy J. Estes, 51, who died April 24, 2007, were: Curby Helton, Daniel Wilson, Dan Jackson, Dickie Dockins III, Elven Baker, Trey Stewart, William Johnson and Jesse Hammock...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for the funeral services conducted Wednesday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for Jimmie Corzine Sr., 65, who died April 21, 2007, were: Ray Jones, Bob Flippiak, Mike Gray, Jeremy Corzine, Caleb Shafer and Rick Garcia...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for the funeral services held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home for Dora Bishop, 93, who died April 24, 2007, were: Mike Perry, James Roy Bixler, Gene Shaw, Russ Weekley, Cecil Owens and Roger Tesney.

LILBOURN - Lillian Pearl Riley, 88, died April 24, 2007, at Bedford County Nursing Home in Shelbyville, Tenn. Born Oct. 20, 1918, in Collingwood, Tenn., daughter of the late Luther Brown and Mallie Nowlin Middleton, she was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Lilbourn...

JONESBORO, Ark. -- Jean F. Harris, 70, died April 21, 2007, at her home. Born July 13, 1936, in Cape Girardeau, Mo., daughter of the late Ellis and Deene Whitten Reid, she lived in Blytheville before moving to Jonesboro in 1977. She taught school at Brookland Elementary and worked several years as a secretary/...

America, Unite in Prayer As American troops wage the War on Terror, fighting for democracy and liberty around the globe, citizens of the United States are preparing to celebrate their freedom to gather, worship and pray. Millions will answer the call to prayer on May 3rd in observance of the 56th annual National Day of Prayer (NDP). ...