Stories from Friday, February 8, 2008

I read an article in the Standard Democrat's SpeakOut section dated 1/21 titled "Preaching on Teaching." In it, the author railed on "boo-hooing, belly aching mouthing teacher educators." I don't know which disappointed me more, the hateful attitude of the author toward those who so educate your children or the lack of response from those of us who benefit from teacher's efforts. ...

SIKESTON - Arnold Paul Bowman, member of a prominent Sikeston family, died Sunday afternoon in Farmington. --- SIKESTON - Dr. W.I. Sidwell, 78, Sikeston optometrist, died of a heart attack at his home today. SIKESTON - The Sikeston Board of Education voted last night to set March 5 as the election date on a proposal calling for a 15-cent tax levy to support a public school kindergarten next fall...

ST. CHARLES -- The Lindenwood University football program picked up another local athlete on Thursday, as East Prairie's Tony Jones signed on to play for the Lions next season. "When I first got this job, I went to East Prairie high school," said Shawn Jackson, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Lindenwood University. "Tony Jones was the first guy I wanted. SIU and SEMO both wanted him."...

NEW MADRID -- The Kelly Lady Hawks traveled to New Madrid County Central to take on the Lady Eagles on Thursday night, the Lady Hawks came away with a victory in close one, 56-51. The "battle of the lady birds" was a tight one the whole way. The biggest lead for either team was nine points, which was achieved by the Lady Hawks in the fourth quarter...

SIKESTON -- Three teenage boys were arrested Thursday after attempting to burgle some booze. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call at 4:13 p.m. from an employee at Pizza Hut advising they spotted juveniles removing boxes from the storage shed of the Cactus Cantina located next door...

CARUTHERSVILLE - A Sikeston man wanted on statutory sodomy charges was taken into custody in Caruthersville. On Thursday, Caruthersville police with the assistance of the Casino Aztar security staff arrested Gene Edward Haynes, 34, on a Scott County felony warrant charging him with first degree statutory sodomy. Bond is set at $75,000...

SIKESTON - A pedestrian was seriously injured after being struck by a car, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Jimmie Williams, 40, of Sikeston was pushing a shopping cart along Highway 61, one mile south of Sikeston, when he was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by Blaze C. Schrieber, 18, of Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Crime statistics for Sikeston last year show more traffic stops and robberies on the streets than the previous year. "Overall, 2007 wasn't a lot different than 2006 other than we made a concerted effort to increase traffic enforcement over 2006," said Capt. John Martin of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. "That was our major push last year."...

BENTON -- Josh DeBrock tied the Bobcats' scoring output on his own. DeBrock scored a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Hawks improved to 10-11 with an 85-22 win over Delta. Kelly jumped out to a 34-point lead at halftime, and bumped the lead to 60 entering the final quarter...

EAST PRAIRIE -- A short-handed East Prairie Lady Eagles squad took to the court Thursday evening, battling sickness as well as the visiting Oran Lady Eagles. For the home team Lady Eagles, sickness and the visiting team both prevailed, as Oran downed East Prairie by a final score of 76-57...

SENATH -- The Portageville Lady Bulldogs improved to 19-3 with a win over the Malden Lady Wave Thursday night in conference tournament play, 80-39. "Malden came out and played really well. They disrupted us on offense and caused us to miss a lot of shots in the first half," said Portageville head coach Eric Ellerbrook. "But we regained focus in the second half, got back to fundamentals and really played well for the rest of the game. I was really pleased with the girls' effort tonight."...

NEW MADRID -- The rivalry match-up between the Scott County Central Braves and the New Madrid County Central Eagles got off to a slow start on Thursday night, as both teams struggled to find any rhythm early on. Unfortunately for NMCC, the Braves found their rhythm first, going on to defeat the Eagles, 61-46...

CHARLESTON -- The Lady Bluejays captured their second win of the season Thursday night after beating arch-rival Sikeston 44-29. The Lady Bulldogs had a hard time finding a handle on things without senior point guard Amber Minner, who was out due to sickness, as numerous turnovers and an unsteady tempo seemed to plague the visiting team throughout...

CATRON -- Louis Chism Jr., 74, died Feb. 1, 2008, at the Health and Rehabilitation Center in Grenada, Miss. Born Oct. 17, 1933, in Grenada, to the late Louis and Emma Cunningham Chism, he had lived in Missouri since 1978. He was a retired auto diesel mechanic and a member of First Baptist Church in Catron...

SIKESTON - Ted Watson, 81, died at 12:48 p.m. Feb. 7, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Feb. 24, 1926, at Lawrenceburg, Tenn., to the late William Thomas and Elizabeth Susan Nolley Watson, he was an over-the-road truck driver and of the Church of Christ belief...

NEW MADRID -- Artie Mae Morlan, 84, died Feb. 6, 2008, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Born July 27, 1923, in East Prairie, she was the daughter of the late Roland "R.C." and Maudie Jenkins Rust. She married Doyne Lindsey who preceded her in death on Sept. 19, 1953. She later married Tom Morlan who preceded her in death on April 7, 2000...

O'FALLON -- Hugh H. Klasing, 81, formerly of Charleston, died Feb. 6, 2008, at the Progress West Healthcare at O'Fallon. Born March 8, 1926, in St. Louis, to the late Henry and Janet McKenzie Klasing, he had lived in St. Louis most of his life where he was employed as the assistant director of the Business and Industrial Development Commission by St. ...

SIKESTON -- Jo Standley died Nov. 25, 2007, in New York. She and her family lived in Sikeston for many years, where her father was manager of the Reiss Dairy and president of the School Board. She graduated from Sikeston High School in 1956. A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Sikeston Depot Museum. If attending, RSVP to 471-0472...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Alfrieda Lee McAfee, 84, died at 4:05 a.m. Feb. 7, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 14, 1923, in Wolf Island, to the late Lee and Pairlee Coffer Browning, she lived most her life in Mississippi County and was a member of the Temple Baptist Church in Sikeston...

HAYTI -- Mary Blankenship, 68, died Feb. 7, 2008, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Born June 24, 1939, at Marston, she was the daughter of the late Katie Wiley and William Sawyer. On Aug. 18, 1962, at Portageville, she married George Blankenship who preceded her in death on March 29, 1995...

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Lowell Edward Washburn, 73, died Feb. 7, 2008, at his home. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University, served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and retired in 1996 after a 37-year career as salesman, manager, and owner of business and agricultural products...

DEXTER -- John Shipman, 71, died Feb. 6, 2008, at his home. Born Oct. 29, 1936, in Dexter, son of the late Charles Eugene and Ruby Opal Stoker Shipman, he was a retired engineer for Elder Manufacturing. A veteran of the U.S. National Guard, he was a member of the Elks, NRA and the First Baptist Church in Dexter...

MOREHOUSE - Helen Margaret Murrie Davis Owings, 100, a longtime resident of Morehouse, died Feb. 7, 2008. She was the daughter of William and Teresa Riney Murrie, born on May 6, 1907, in Morehouse. She graduated from Morehouse High School and attended Cape Girardeau Teacher's College...

SIKESTON - Olive Epperly, 91, died Feb. 8, 2008, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- Dorothy Mae Reynolds, 85, died Feb. 7, 2008, at her home. Born Oct. 20, 1922, in Sikeston, to the late Virgil and Irene Westmoreland Williams, she was employed for 31 years at the International Shoe Company in Sikeston. She was a charter member of Calvary Temple Assembly of God Church in Sikeston, where she was active in the Women's Adult Sunday School Class and served as secretary. ...