Stories from Wednesday, June 27, 2007

SIKESTON - Gov. Matt Blunt on Tuesday signed House Bill 741 an economic development bill aimed at promoting agriculture in Southeast Missouri's Bootheel region. "Missouri's Bootheel has for generations relied on agricultural practices best suited to their distinctive land and resources," Blunt said. ...

BENTON -- Scott County Commissioners will review a list of potential candidates for a county Enhanced Enterprise Zone board. County Developer Joel Evans presented Scott County Commissioners with a list of members of the county's various taxing entities during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday...

SIKESTON - A new company will mean some 50 new jobs for Sikeston and Southeast Missouri. Today, Simon Halliday, general manager and owner, announced his company, Ace Building Systems, which manufactures floor, wall and roof panels used in the construction of residential, multifamily and light commercial buildings, will fill the industrial site at 821 W. Wakefield. The building previously housed Heritage Homes...

SIKESTON -- When people donate used clothing, they often want to help others. With several beneficiaries, local residents should consider how they want their donation used. Red donation boxes, which accept clothes and shoes, have popped up around the area since April. The boxes are owned by U'SAgain -- pronounced "use again" -- a for-profit textile recycling company...

SIKESTON - Building permits totaling $42,000 are on file with the city clerk for the last half of June. SIKESTON - A teacher education clinic drew 30 persons at the opening session of a three-day manpower training program. SIKESTON - Scott County prosecuting attorney Fielding Potashnick has announced that he will not run again for the position. Potashnick, who will have completed two terms, said that he thought four years as the prosecuting attorney was enough. 20 years ago...

This is for "Taking a side" in Wednesday's paper. Where do you work? Now tell the truth. This is in response to the 6/19 'Government aids' posting. I am utterly shocked, yet not surprised, at the user's uneducated comments concerning a gentleman with TB and the "homosexual with HIV". ...

Thanks to Mike Marsh, Mike Jensen, the Sikeston Depot volunteers and many others who made it possible to honor the publication of my late mother's memoirs, "And God Answered." The turnout at the Depot was a real tribute to her and her decade's long accomplishments in the realm of creative fiction, non-fiction and newspaper columnist...

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. - Lennie Opal Stilley Cantwell Bartholomew, passed away peacefully on June 20, 2007, in Fayetteville "My appearance into this world came on a cold, blustery day, March 21, 1916, the first day of spring. I don't know if the weather was a portent of the stormy, eventful life I would lead, or that birth on the first day of spring was an assurance that my heart would remain forever young. "...

BERNIE - Margie L. Boyle, 85, died June 22, 2007, in the Malden Nursing Center at Malden. Born Nov. 26, 1921, at Bernie, daughter of the late James Walter and Maude Belle Bonner Livingston, she was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church of Bernie...

MURRAY, Ky. - Pallbearers for services for James H. Freeland, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., who died on June 25, 2007, will be: Wayne Mays, Danny Mays, Luke Copeland, Chad Freeland, John Olson, Myron Huitt, Wayne Huitt and Larry Huitt. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel where services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday...

A friend of mine had a bad day Monday. You might think that I talked to my friend in person or over the phone and found out this bit of information, but no, I found out through Facebook. That's right, I am one of the 24 million active users of the Facebook community and to be quite honest, it is a little depressing. That is because out of those 24 million users, I have a total of six friends...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Sikeston girls soccer team improves by leaps and bounds every year since its inaugural season six years ago. People are starting to take notice. Sikeston had two players honored when the Class 1 All-State teams were released. Junior Jordi Ferrell was picked as a first-team forward, the second time she's been given a postseason award after making second team last year...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Senior Legion Post 114 had a tough loss to swallow in the first game of a doubleheader with Mayfield Post 26 on Tuesday at VFW Stadium, falling 8-7. Results from the second game of the doubleheader were not available at press time...

Is anyone - other than myself - completely bored with our obsession with Paris Hilton? I'll be real honest - I just don't get it. But then again, maybe I do. Poor Paris has now paid her debt to society and will be welcomed by Larry King and thousands of media sharks. The endless stream of Paris will bombard our miserable lives until the next celebrity steps on a landmine...

Tommy Worley of Farmington is pictured with his winning sprintcar after taking first in the Midwest All-Star Race during last Friday's action at the Auto Tire and Parts Racepark. Worley is the current points leader at the AT&P. LOCAL?RACING Auto Tire and Parts Racepark...