Stories from Thursday, July 12, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY - The Small Business Administration has approved a SBA Economic Injury Disaster Declaration for businesses in Mississippi, New Madrid, Scott and Stoddard counties as a result of freezing temperatures from April 5-10. Small, non-farm businesses in the counties may now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. These disaster loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by the freeze...

SIKESTON -- Members of the Bootheel Quilters Guild say they're so close, they are practically sisters. "I had to leave my daughter's to come home yesterday so I could go to the meeting," member Carolyn Lawson said at Tuesday's meeting. Group members go to dinners, quilt shows and other outings together...

SIKESTON -- The Missouri Department of Conservation has expanded its Southeast Youth Conservation Corps program in Sikeston to include a second team this year. The Southeast Youth Conservation Corps program, which has roots in the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, was established four years ago and put together its first full-time Scott County crew last year...

Yes, this is a resident of Sikeston, Mo., and I was calling to speak out about the road issue. I see that they are redoing Main and Malone, and that's fine and dandy. But what about the side streets? In the 200 block of Moore, as soon as you turn onto Moore, this is horrible. ...

SIKESTON - Sikeston won the golf tournament held Sunday afternoon over Charleston, 148-82. SIKESTON - Scott County Rep. Tony Heckemeyer told the Optimist Club Monday at the Rustic Rock Inn that the state legislature, for the first time in Missouri's history, went past the billion-dollar mark in spending...

You know the old business adage - "the customer is always right." Well don't tell that to the Sprint wireless phone company. Sprint this week disconnected more than 1,000 subscribers for excessive complaints. And when the dust clears, I applaud the company for saying "enough is enough"!...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - A Scott County man was sentenced to prison on felony drug charges. Brian Wayne Burns, 40, of Sikeston was sentenced to 110 months in prison on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in a court appearance before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autry. Upon release from prison, Burns will be placed on supervised release for a period of four years...

CHARLESTON - Eathel Holmes Scheffer, 95, died at 8:55 a.m. July 11, 2007, at the Charleston Manor. Born July 22, 1911, in Morehouse, to the late Mart and Susie Roach Holmes Null, she had lived most of her life in Charleston. She was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church where she was a member of the Legion of Mary and Daughters of Isabella...

CENTRALIA -- Debbie Lou Smithey, 49, died July 10, 2007, at Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Mo. Born Sept. 19, 1957, in Sikeston, the daughter of Charles and Lillian Brewer Williams of Sikeston, she had worked at various places and volunteered at the Central Missouri Food Bank and the Help Center. She was a member of Lockewood Park Baptist Church...

ERIN, Tenn. - Pallbearers for graveside services today at Memorial Park Cemetery for Buford Allen Williams, 75, who died July 8, 2007, were: Bill Emerine, Tim Tolbert, Chester Kordahl, the Rev. Dennis Lowe, Bob Davis and Brian Martin. Nunnelee Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements...

CHAFFEE -- Maxine Marie Stacy, 72, died July 12, 2007, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Home in Chaffee.

ORAN -- Lorene Patterson, 87, died July 11, 2007, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home in Jackson. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Home in Oran.

UNION?CITY, Tenn. -- The Sikeston Bulls fell to 16-19 on the season with a 12-2 loss to Union City. The Bulls will play Union City the next two nights before returning home to host league leader Fulton on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Richland High School graduate Zach Cain has signed a letter of intent to play baseball at William's Baptist College. Cain was selected as captain and MVP?for the Rebels' high school team this past spring. He compiled a .440 batting average as struck out 75 batters in 50 innings pitched. ...

Being a born and raised Sikestonian, but somewhat displaced in St Louis, I read the Standard via the web to keep tabs of you all back home. This morning I checked the paper and saw Mike Jensen's article "American made is a thing of the past." It really hit me because not about a week ago I started checking the same thing...

PORTAGEVILLE - Virginia Lenand, 85, died July 10, 2007, at Portageville Nursing Center. Born Nov. 9, 1921, at Caney, she was the daughter of the late Martin and Lena Halter Menz. She was a member of St. Eustachius Catholic Church where she served with the Ladies of Sodality...

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Betty Jane "B.J." Powell Thurman, 64, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died March 23, 2007, at Methodist North Hospital in Memphis. Born Sept. 17, 1942, in Columbia, Mo., to the late H. Rowe and Elizabeth "Betty" Powell, she was a graduate of Charleston High School. She had lived most of her life in Memphis where she was a retired supervisor for the Shelby County Tax Assessor office and an administrative assistant with Fed Ex Express...

MATTHEWS -- Gene Curtis, 69, died at 2:49 a.m. July 11, 2007, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Aug. 28, 1937, in Matthews, to the late Alvin R. and Ollie Elizabeth Winters Curtis, he served in the U.S. Army at the end of the Korean War and was president and operator of a poultry farm. ...

Pictured are the winners of the Bootheel Dart League for the 2007 first session. The team members from left are Larry Frasier, Barry Alberson, Chris Ray and Buddy Barger.