Stories from Friday, January 4, 2008

SIKESTON -- A slow second and third quarter for the Lady Bulldogs proved to be too much for Sikeston to overcome Thursday night, helping the Kelly Lady Hawks to cruise to a 51-34 road victory. "Kelly is a very tough team," said Sikeston head coach Homer Jackson. "They play in a system where all their players are on the same accord, with each fulfilling their roles and you got to give them credit."...

EAST PRAIRIE -- It was a battle for the 'W' on Thursday night, as the Scott Central Bravettes rolled into East Prairie and stole a win from the Lady Eagles in overtime by a score of 66-61. Scott Central held the lead through the first three quarters, 36-35, heading into the fourth...

ESSEX -- After a lack-luster showing at the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament, the East Prairie Eagles traveled to Rebel country Thursday night, to try and get back on the right track. The Eagles did get back on track, by taking advantage of a few key injuries to rout the Richland Rebels, 61-32...

CAPE GIRARDEAU--Sikeston's eighth and ninth grade boys basketball teams both notched victories on Thursday evening against Cape Central, with the eighth grade winning 47-25, and the ninth grade winning 55-22. In the eighth grade game, Sikeston had a lead of 24-12 at half time, and eventually pulled away to the 47-25 victory on 18 field goals, including one 3-...

BENTON -- While finalizing Scott County's budget this month, commissioners will face several obstacles, dealing with a shortchange of revenue and some increased expenditures. "This is probably going to be one of the hardest budgets we've ever done," said Dennis Ziegenhorn, commissioner, at Thursday's regular meeting. According to state statutes, the budget must be finalized by Jan. 31...

Makyla Nicole DeBose holds the finger of her mother Shironda Holloman Thursday morning at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. Makyla was the first of two baby delivered at 10:49 a.m. at MDMC on New Years Day. She weighed 6 lbs 14 oz and was 20 1/2 long...

POPLAR BLUFF - The highways in the 13 counties of Southeast Missouri making up the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Troop E were busy and occasionally dangerous during the Christmas and New Year's counting periods for the Troop E area. During the New Year's counting period, which began at 6 p.m. ...

CHARLESTON -- Ending fund balances are up for Mississippi County. County Clerk Junior DeLay presented commissioners with a statement of changes in fund balances as part of a public hearing on the county's 2008 operating budget held during the regular County Commission meeting Thursday. The hearing is required before beginning the budget preparation process, according to DeLay...

City of Sikeston Public Works employees Todd Kennard, Randy Gaines and Jeff Archie collect leaf along Pam St. Thursday morning. The public works crew braved cold temperatures, which caused the piles of leaves to freeze, to remove the fall decorations...

SIKESTON -- Motorists probably haven't noticed a change in gasoline at the pumps or in the performance of their vehicles -- and they won't either. The Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard went into effect Jan. 1. The statewide standard requires petroleum marketers to use the alternative fuel E10 whenever the price is less than regular unleaded gasoline. E10 fuel is a blend of 10 percent ethanol and unleaded gasoline...

NEW MADRID -- New Madrid police are seeking a man in connection with a New Year's Day home invasion robbery. At 10 p.m. Tuesday, the New Madrid Police Department received a dispatch to a residence on Davis Street concerning a home invasion and strong-armed robbery...

I was eating pizza the other day where they have the buffet and I saw a girl take a soda cup and go up there and fill it full of salad to take home with her. I'm surprised they didn't say something to her about it. What if everybody did that? The place would be out of business before long. If you needed a salad, why didn't you go tell them and pay for it instead of getting it off the buffet? I could not believe this...

SIKESTON - In a picture featured on the front page of the Jan. 5 paper are two sisters, Mrs. Lottie Cantrell, 67, and Mrs. Alice Kellett, 65, of Sikeston, who were shown examining a deluge of Christmas mail received after an anonymous friend wrote to a St. Louis paper about them...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for services conducted today at 2 p.m. at Blanchard Funeral Chapel for Ruby Lee Stovall, 78, who died Jan. 2, 2008, were: David Wey, Gary Lutes, Carl Pearson, Rodney Jernigan, Jeremiah Blagburn and Steve Shipley.

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for services conducted Thurday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for Mearl R. Frame, 91, who died Dec. 31, 2007, were: Jim Nations, Dillon Nations, Doug Nations, Ben Nations, Danny Nations and Randy Nations.

PARMA -- Paul E. Miller, 59, died Jan. 3, 2008, at his home. Born May 3, 1948, in McNairy, Tenn., son of the late Loyd Thomas and Gladys Ruth Patterson Miller, he had lived most of his life in Parma where he worked in construction. He was a member of the Free Trinity Church in Marston...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Charlene Gafford, 74, died Dec. 30, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Born Dec. 28, 1933, in Lauderdale County, Tenn., to the late Charlie and Ardella Glenn Dayson, she had lived in Missouri since 1992. Survivors include: one son, Clifton Stringer of Sacramento, Calif.; one daughter, Robin Gafford of Cape Girardeau; two brothers, Robert Robinson and James Robinson of Lilbourn; one sister, Georgia Burks of Griffith, Ind.; and 19 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Lillie B. Patton, 65, died Jan. 3, 2008, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 12, 1942, in Oran, daughter of the late Jonas and Idell Lewis Thornton, she was a member of the Bible Believers Outreach Ministries in Marston...

NEW MADRID -- Jessie Willine WIlliams, 84, died at 7:20 a.m. Jan. 3, 2008, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 23, 1923, near East Prairie, to the late Cleve and Sarah Jane Standfield Jackson, she had lived in New Madrid County all of her life. She was a member of the Kewanee Baptist Church...

PORTAGEVILLE - Bertha Crawford, 75, died Jan. 4, 2008, at Pemiscot Memorial Nursing Center in Hayti. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.

CHICAGO -- Ada Anderson, 75, died Dec. 29, 2007, in Chicago. Born Feb. 23, 1932, in Wolf Island, Mo., daughter of the late Columbus and Addie Anderson, she was a welder by occupation and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include: four sons, Doby Anderson, Richard Haywood, Frederick Douglas and Roderick Douglas of Chicago; three daughters, Phyllis Lindsey, Shirley White and Brenda Alexander of the state of Maryland; two brothers, Lloyd Anderson of Benton Harbor, Mich., and David L. ...

HOWARDVILLE -- Tommie Lee Maxwell, 62, died Dec. 30, 2007, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Born April 19, 1945, in England, Ark., to the late Louis and Roberta Maxwell Sr. of Howardville, he was of the Pentecostal belief...

MALDEN -- Robert Aaron "Bob" Ayers, 76, died Jan. 1, 2008, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born Jan. 5, 1931, at Bragg City, he was the son of the late Fitch Ayers and Julia M. Williams Ayers Thornton. In 1949, he married Alberta Simpson who died Oct. 18, 1981. In 1972, he married Essie Mae Thomas and she died in 1988...

ST. ANN -- Floy Litzelfelner, 89, formerly of Chaffee, died Jan. 2, 2008, at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis. Born June 20, 1918, in Oran, she was the daughter of the late Harvey "Hub" and Agnes Stone Malone. On Dec. 20, 1935, she married Wilbur Litzelfelner who preceded her in death on March 5, 1981...

ADAIRVILLE, Ky. -- Iris June Leek, 70, died Jan. 2, 2008, at her home. Born April 10, 1937, in Sikeston, Mo. to the late Tom and Leona Chaney Gross, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Morehouse, Mo. She was a retail clerk for Dollar General Store, and was the recipient of an award from Dollar General Corp. for her efforts in fundraising for Pro Literacy America...

CHAFFEE -- Edward "Eddie" Schetter, 81, died Jan. 3, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Born June 10, 1926, in New Hamburg, son of the late Otto Charles and Mamie Katie Westrich Schetter, he was a self-employed carpenter. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II is Osaka, Japan, where he received the Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal...

PORTAGEVILLE - C.D. Pyle, 82, died Jan. 4, 2008, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.