Stories from Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Due to inclement weather, Southeast Missouri State University's campuses in Sikeston and Kennett will open at 9:30 a.m. today, Jan. 16. The Malden campus is closed for today, Jan. 16.

The Obama administration keeps referring to the "mandate" given by voters to pursue their big-government agenda. Health care, higher taxes, more regulation, entitlement expansion and now gun control. A review of election returns shows a slim majority for this administration but far from a mandate...

As I looked in the mirror this morning I had to take a second look just to recognize the person staring back at me. Exactly when did I get old? It seems like just yesterday I was 30 and getting carded to buy an R-rated movie. Now I'm pushing 40 and my license has dust on it because apparently only the nice police officer wants to see it nowadays...

SIKESTON -- Freda W. Layton, age 81, went to be with her Lord on Jan. 14, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, after an extended illness. Born Oct. 23, 1931, near Sikeston, to the late Virgil Marion and Ellen Tidwell Williams, she was a member of Miner Baptist Church, had volunteered at Missouri Delta Medical Center and the Sikeston Depot and was employed by Ferrell Enterprises for 36 years before retiring...

MATTHEWS -- James Franklin Lathum, 55, died Jan. 15, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born July 17, 1957, in Sikeston to the late Eber and Freeda King Lathum, he was a self-employed farmer and well driller. He was of the Baptist faith, and was a 32nd degree Mason, Shriner, and lifetime charter member of Big Prairie Jaycees...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home for Toy E. Earp, 83, who died Jan. 13, were: Jeff Hubbard, Harold Pruitt, Willard Bolt, Will Bolt, Casey Tadlock and Christopher Day.

SCOTT CITY - Elberta Marie "Sue" Pettit, 71, died Jan. 14, 2013, at her home in Scott City. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

SIKESTON -- Joe Louis Larry, 74, died Jan. 13, 2013, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Born June 18, 1938, in Hughes, Ark., to the late Ike and Daisy Mae Walker Larry, he had lived in Missouri since 1957. He was employed by Essex Group Incorporated in Sikeston until his retirement in 2001 and was a member of the St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Sikeston where he served as a deacon and a member of the Trustee Board...

CHARLESTON -- Sammie Herbert Dixon, 87, died Jan. 14, 2013, at the home of his niece. Born Jan. 25, 1925, in Thompson Bend, to the late Ozark and Essie Martin Dixon, he retired from the General Motors Corporation in Saginaw, Mich. He received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Nov. 6, 1946...

BENTON - Linda Elaine Hoosier Hatley Fender, 62, died Jan. 14, 2013, at her home in Benton. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

EAST PRAIRIE - Jimmie Graham, 71, died at 7:15 p.m Jan. 15, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Shelby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

Winter weather stormed into the area Tuesday afternoon halting most boys and girls basketball games scheduled that night. The Scott-Mississippi Conference boys basketball tournament was postponed until tonight at Scott County Central High School. Second-seeded Scott Central was scheduled to take on No. 7 Delta as was No. 4 Chaffee against Kelly, the fifth seed...

FARMINGTON -- After suffering its first loss of the season last Friday, Sikeston head coach Gregg Holifield was curious to see how his team could handle the adversity of defeat. Judging by Tuesday's performance at Farmington, the Bulldogs appear to be just fine...

EGYPTIAN, Ill., (SMNS) -- Machela VanGennip scored 39 points and snagged 10 rebounds to lead the Bobcats to a road victory. Chasity Taylor also had 10 rebounds for Delta (2-8). Ashanti Wade led the Pharaohs with 17 points. DELTA (60) -- Machela VanGennip 39, Chasity Taylor 7, Alysha Vessells 6, Tia May 8. FG 23, FT 8-15, F 12. (3-pointers: VanGennip 2. Fouled out: None)...

Scott County Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn looks over progress made by Public Administrator Pam Dirnberger, left, and her staff, Mary Hopper, pictured right, and Terina Westmorlan, not pictured, as they work to get their computers, printers and copiers hooked up in their new office space located across the street from the Scott County Courthouse in Benton...

SIKESTON - Organizers of the 27th Annual King Day Celebration want everyone to become involved in making the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King come true. On Monday, Sikeston residents are encouraged to join in the celebration which includes a motorcade parade and a program...

SIKESTON -- Soybean growers will have the opportunity to learn the latest developments in the industry while also hearing from some of the agriculture's top experts. University of Missouri Extension is hosting the annual regional soybean meeting from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Miner Convention Center...

Laura Westrich, maintenance and custodian for the Scott County Courthouse in Benton, blocks off a slick area on the Scott County War Memorial Tuesday.

CHARLESTON - A sharp-eyed citizen helped prevent a robbery. At 10 20 a.m. Monday, the Charleston Department of Public Safety received a call of suspicious activity behind the Casey's General Store, 1202 South Main St. in Charleston. According to DPS Director Robert Hearnes, responding officers discovered two males behind the business wearing ski masks...

Kylee Ann Carter, 3, tries to catch snowflakes on her tongue in her parents' driveway in Sikeston yesterday. The Tuesday afternoon snow caused very slippery conditions on roadways and was the cause of several accidents as well as the cancellation of many high school basketball games. ...

In my business, information is key. Providing it accurately is top priority. Although I/we try to the best of our abilities to hit that mark, sometimes I/we miss it. I've been thinking a lot lately about our area of coverage and who we provide exposure to for, in it's simplest form possible, entertainment...