Stories from Sunday, October 28, 2007

BENTON - Nikki and Charles Burlison are the parents of their second child, first son, born at 6:51 p.m. Sept. 19, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Alexander Hayden Burlison weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 21 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Tracy and Cindy Evans of Oran...

BENTON - Three Scott County men were arrested following an investigation into a string of residential burglaries. Timothy Ingram, 20, of Benton, Ronald Davidson, 20, of Oran, and Johnnie Smith, 20, of Sikeston were charged with three counts of burglary, three counts of stealing and three counts of property damage...

(First in a two part-series) EAST PRAIRIE -- Every night before she falls asleep, Paige Archie dreams about the time her son will see her for the first time. "I wonder what he'll do when he sees me," she said. "The thought goes through my head all the time."...

CHERRY HILL, N.J. -- Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Britt of Cherry Hill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 12. The former Nancy Thomas is the daughter of the late Roy and Alma Thomas, who were of Baltimore, Md. Britt is the son of the late Paul and Eva Britt, who were of East Prairie, Mo...

BUNKER -- James and Mona Tefft have announced the engagement of their daughter, Misty Lea Tefft, to Ben Ray Ressel, son of Herman Joe and Doris Ressel of Oran. A graduate of Bunker High School, Three Rivers Community College and Central Methodist University, the future bride is employed by Yellow Book...

SIKESTON -- After asking readers to alert us of small, interesting cemeteries in the area, we received information -- some duplicated -- on a dozen or so graveyards in the region. Of course, there are many, many more, but we could only choose a few to highlight for readers...

DALLAS -- Kevin Jones first cheered for sports teams in Southeast Missouri. Today, he is being cheered by leaders in the cheerleading and dance industry for the role he has played in its development across the country. Jones, president and CEO of America's Best Cheer and Dance Inc. ...

September's Cotton Pickin' Heritage Festival and Saturday's Halloween Family Fun Day were two more successful events in Downtown Sikeston, drawing families to American Legion Park, Malone Park, and our downtown merchants. My thanks go out to Promotion Committee members Lanette Baker, David Friedman, Julie Grant, Harry Howard, Rick Justice, Susie Kenedy, Mike Marsh, Teresa McGill, Kathy Medley, Robin Pace, Don Pratt, Sue Tangeman and Charlette Vanover; Cotton Pickin' and Halloween sponsors Burch Food Services, C&K Lumber, Craftmasters' Kidsmart, Feeders Supply, Movie Time, Pepsi-Cola, Personal Expressions, Sam's Fine Jewelry, Save-A-Lot, Susie's Bake Shop, the Sikeston Area Humane Society, Sikeston Depot Museum, Sikeston Public Library, Standard Democrat, Mike Metzger at U.S. ...

A ribbon cutting was conducted Oct. 24 to officially open Quilting, Fabric and Crafts, 620 S. Kingshighway in Sikeston. Owned by David and Georgia McAfee of Sikeston, the new business will seek to provide all the sewing and craft needs for Southeast Missouri residents, according to Mrs. ...

New to You, the House of Refuge's resale shop, held its grand opening ribbon cutting on Oct. 18. Cutting the ribbon is manager Liz McCord. The resale shop is located at 505 Davis Blvd. and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The business accepts donations of housewares, furniture, clothing, toys, books and movies. To make a donation or to drop off donations call 472-4499...

COLUMBIA - James L. Kellett, 65, formerly of Sikeston, died Oct. 25, 2007, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Columbia. Born June 5, 1942, in Sikeston, to the late Royal and Ruth McKinney Kellett, he was a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and a businessman involved in the sale of agriculture equipment...

LILBOURN - Wilma Brasher Allen, 78, died Oct. 27, 2007, at her home. Born Oct. 31, 1928, in Hayward, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Hazel Ross Brasher. Survivors include: one son, Mitchell Allen of Lilbourn; two daughters, Laura Holloway of Lilbourn and Gwendolyn Spear of New Madrid; three brothers, Donald Brasher of Scott City and Jerry Brasher and Lloyd Allen Brasher of Portageville; one sister, Mary Lancaster of Dexter; and six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren...

DEXTER - Paul T. Roberts, 87, died Oct. 26, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

PARMA - Pallbearers for services conducted Friday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Parma for Bea Parkman, 80, who died on Oct. 22, 2007, were: Vernon Campbell, Harold Campbell, Cathy Heavilon, John Duck, Steve Heavilon and Edward Campbell.

POPLAR BLUFF--The Poplar Bluff Mules were up next on the schedule for the Sikeston Bulldogs football team on Friday night, and the Mules took care of business on their home field, defeating the Bulldogs by a final score of 50-6. The running game was hampered for the Bulldogs due to the muddy field conditions, and what offense the red and black did conjure up against the Mules came in the air from quarterback Chase Ferrell, who was 13-for-26 passing with 132 yards, a touchdown and an interception.. ...

My granddaughter is a Girl Scout Daisy and it was my understanding that the contest didn't start until Saturday. But I saw pictures in the paper today of some troops that had already started. Is that fair that they get to start before the contest officially starts?...

SIKESTON -- Cemeteries never interested Marie Hunter of New Madrid -- until she began working in a funeral home about 10 years ago. "I started going out and looking into these cemeteries," Hunter said. A few years ago a relative of a family of four who were killed on The Autobahn in Germany wrote Hunter looking for their burial site, Hunter recalled...

I hope by the time this column is printed, the wildfires engulfing California have diminished and the tragic episode has ended. But the forces of nature are often beyond the control of mankind and sitting here directly on top of a major earthquake zone, surely people in this region understand the prospects and possibilities of natural catastrophes...

SIKESTON - Amos Davis, who operates a small lunch stand on Center Street was attacked. He is in satisfactory condition. --- SIKESTON - The Sikeston General Hospital is to remain in operation and will not close temporarily for a transfer from the city to physicians of the area for the operation of the emergency hospital...

CHARLESTON -- Police and family members are searching for a Charleston man missing since Oct. 12. Tony Woodworth, 35, was last seen about 4:30 p.m. Oct. 12 walking in Charleston, according to Charleston Department of Public Safety. Woodworth is 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes and tattoos on both arms...

HAYTI -- The Red Devils' upset bid finally hit the skids in the second half. Chaffee led 13-8 at halftime, but the Indians' explosive offense finally took over in the second half to pull out the Class 1 District 2 contest. "I think they just wore us down," Chaffee coach Charlie Vickery said. "It kind of snowballed there at the end."...

CHARLESTON - The Charleston Bluejays (3-6) did not let the rain wash away their district title hopes Friday night, as they clinched the Class 2, District 1 championship defeating the Malden Greenwave (3-6) 27-14. "The kids fought hard," Charleston head coach Dan Kesselring said. "The first half we struggled. Second half we came out, we were determined to win this ball game and get a district title, so you have to give all the credit to the kids."...

PERRYVILLE -- The New Madrid County Central Eagles continued their quest for a district title Friday night as they traveled to Perryville to take on the Pirates. In the end, the Eagles found themselves with better footing on the muddy field of Pirates Stadium, slipping past Perryville 20-0...