Stories from Thursday, December 4, 2008

CHARLESTON -- Paul and Alisha Brown are the parents of their second child, second daughter, born at 8:27 a.m. Oct. 27, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Kaleigh Rennee Brown weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 19 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Gary and Debbie Worthy...

HARDIN, Ill. -- Geraldine Freeman, 73, died Dec. 3, 2008 at Calhoun Rehab and Nursing Center in Hardin. She was born on Nov. 1, 1935, in New Madrid, Mo., daughter of the late Loy and Opal Hunt Freeman. Survivors include: two sisters, Imogene Mocabee of West Plains, Mo., and Bernice Crowden of Hardin...

LAUGHLIN, Nev. -- Phillip Stanley Rodgers, 67, formerly of New Madrid, Mo., died Sept. 23, 2008, at his home. Born March 1, 1941, in New Madrid, he was the son of the late Thurman Leroy and Sue Beatrice Haynes-Rodgers. He married Nancy Bush who preceded him in death on April 10, 2008...

BLODGETT -- Ben F. "Benny" Marshall III, 81, died Dec. 1, 2008, at his home. Born Oct. 14, 1927, in St. Louis, to the late Ben F. and Catherine Mooney Marshall Jr., he served in the U.S. Army and was a retired farmer. He was the chairman of the Scott County Democratic Committee for 40 years...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Ruth Louise Chaney, 84, formerly of Sikeston, died Dec. 2, 2008, at the Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Born March 31, 1924, in Pyletown, to the late Ellis and Wrista Fulkerson Alcorn, she was a member of First Baptist Church in Sikeston. A homemaker and member of the Red Hat Society, she had worked for Brown Shoe Co. in the business office...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Alice Marlin Fisher, 80, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, in Scottsdale. She was born on Jan. 17, 1928, in Naylor, Mo., to the late John Marshall Marlin and Nora Mohan Marlin. On July 29, 1951, she married Paul Gordon Fisher; he preceded her in death on March 3, 2003...

SIKESTON - Private First Class Maurice F. Righter, son of Mrs. W.L. Righter of Sikeston, was awarded a Bronze Star medal at the Atlanta General Depot on Dec. 2. LILBOURN - Seventy-eight guests attended the fourth annual Senior Citizens Party in Lilbourn, sponsored by the Senior Citizens Committee of Missouri Community Development, Civic Improvement Club, Kiwanis Club, volunteer fire department and local churches...

This is not an attempt to convince, cajole, intimidate, threaten or otherwise. However, if you are still sporting a McCain-Palin sign in your yard or a bumper sticker on your car, it might be in your best financial interest to remove it. In fact, it might be even better if you replace it with an Obama-Biden sticker. If you're someone who might benefit, you don't won't to be left out of the wealth redistribution...

SIKESTON -- For the first time in about two decades, the Sikeston Senior High cheerleading squad will compete to qualify for national competition. "It's something new," said Wanda Throop, one of the squad's sponsors. "The state changed the rules last year to allow cheerleading squads to compete at nationals if they want to."...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Traffic crash and enforcement totals for the Thanksgiving holiday in Southeast Missouri were released Wednesday by Missouri State Highway Patrol. During the 2008 Thanksgiving weekend traffic crash counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Nov. 26 and ended at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 30, Troop E officers investigated 45 traffic crashes, which included two fatalities and 16 injuries, according to Capt. George E. Ridens, commanding officer of Troop E in Poplar Bluff...

SIKESTON -- A 100-year-old recently refurbished Sikeston house is one of three homes featured in this weekend's Eighth Annual Sikeston Christmas Home Tour. Set for 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, the tour sponsored by the Sikeston Depot Museum includes the homes of the Rev. Rick and Marie Anderson, 303 Dorothy St.; Rene and LaDona DeKriek, 102 Wickerwood Drive; and John and Joy Whitten, 1020 N. Kingshighway...

BENTON -- A Chaffee woman is in jail on charges of distributing and making methamphetamine. Shelly Spear, 30, was charged with distribution and manufacturing of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana...

Todd Kennard positions leaves for collection on Murray Lane near Jaycee Street for the annual Leaf Collection Program. Operating the suction tube behind Kennard is Glenn Hoskins. Pictured driving the tractor is Jeff Archie.