Stories from Wednesday, February 27, 2013

When Rush Limbaugh said last week he was "ashamed" of this country for the first time, I cringed thinking of the all-too-predictable liberal backlash. But then a hidden nugget of pure lunacy crossed by desk. And I understand Limbaugh's frustration, disappointment and anger...

Having pets is sometimes like having children. For me and my pets, it is like having children who are too smart for their own good. Take my dog, Kramer. The little rat terrier could figure out a Rubix's Cube if it had food in it, probably in world record time...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Wilma Underwood, 82, died Feb. 22, 2013, at her daughter's home in East Prairie. Born Sept. 18, 1939, in Portageville, to the late Walter and Eula Agnes Montgomery Tanner, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Portageville where she was a Sunday School teacher. She worked at New Madrid County Library for many years...

SIKESTON -- Bonnie Lee Gray, 96, died Feb. 26, 2013, at Miner Nursing Center. Born Feb. 15, 1917, in Senath, daughter of the late James and Ida Bell Williams Palmer, she was of the Baptist belief. She had worked in the housekeeping department of Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis before retiring...

SIKESTON - Florida Mae Robinson, 81, died Feb. 26, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Driver Funeral Service of Sikeston is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete.

SIKESTON - The Rev. Henry Clarence Burnett Jr., 76, formerly of Prattsville, Ark., died Feb. 25, 2013, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born April 23, 1936, in Mt. Pine, Ark., to the late Henry Clarence and Idalia Harris Burnett Sr., he was a retired Assembly of God minister who pastored churches in Arkansas and Mississippi. He also served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean War and for many years was a referee for basketball, baseball and football games...

SIKESTON -- Willie Parker, 54, died Feb. 23, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Oct. 2, 1958, in Sikeston, to the late Milton and Mae Francis Williamson Parker Sr., he was a self-employed landscaper for over 25 years, an employee of Williams Funeral Home as a grave digger for over 20 years and a graduate of Sikeston High School...

PORTAGEVILLE - Sandy Gayle Mudd, 59, died Feb. 26, 2013, at her home in Portageville. Arrangements are incomplete and under the direction of DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.

SIKESTON - John Henry Yount Jr., 97, died Feb. 26, 2013, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

ATLANTA -- Gretta Joyce Graham-Kinder, 59, formerly of Wilson City, Mo., died Feb. 21, 2013, in Atlanta. She was born April 26, 1953, in Charleston, Mo., to Earline Jones Graham of Wilson City and the late Roy Graham,Sr. She married Sonny Kinder and Marvin Hills who both preceded her in death...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Doris B. Bartle, 64, formerly of Sikeston, died Monday Feb. 18, 2013, at the Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Born June 4, 1948, in McDougal, Ark., to the late Burl Isaac and Ruth Mae Warren, Doris was the owner and operator of The Down Spout Restaurant in Jackson several years...

O'FALLON -- Lowell Ernest Groves, 64, died Feb. 25, 2013, at Barnes Jewish St. Peters Hospital. He was born April 14, 1948, in Bertrand, to the late Arnold and Lela Van Poole Groves. He married Pamala Lea Duncan who preceded him in death. She was also preceded in death by one brother, A.J. Groves...

MURRAY, Ky. -- James Milton Smith, 78, formerly of Marshall County, died at 11:15 p.m. Feb. 22, 2013, at his home. Mr. Smith was a self-employed truck driver. He was a veteran of the United States Army, a member of the Alford Masonic Lodge 925 F & AM and a member of Aurora Baptist Church...

BLODGETT - Virgie "Boots" Holt, 80, died Feb. 26, 2013, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

DEXTER - Jenny Lynn Mayberry, 33, died Feb. 25, 2013, at the Missouri Southern Healthcare emergency room in Dexter. Born May 19, 1979, at Fort Pendleton, Calif., daughter of Brian Oxley of Muscatine, Iowa, and the late Terri Heath Oxley, she was a former certified nursing assistant and was originally from the Iowa City, Iowa, area before moving to Dexter...

BENTON -- Last year it was the north wing. This year it's the south. Scott County commissioners said during their regular meeting Tuesday they don't know how much will be involved in repairing the roof over the south wing of the Scott County Courthouse yet...

The Sikeston Bulldogs basketball team defeated Kennett 84-71 to set up a district championship game against Cape Central on Thursday night at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter. Sikeston will be seeking their fifth-straight district championship...

LILBOURN - Clean up continues today from a train derailment which spilled coal and blocked roadways. Sixteen rail cars derailed from a loaded Union Pacific coal train just after 5 a.m. Tuesday as it traveled through Lilbourn. According to Raquel Espinoza, corporate relations and media director for Union Pacific Southern Region, the train included three locomotives and 119 rail cars, all which were loaded with coal going to the New Madrid Power Plant at Marston...

DEXTER -- For the first time in seven years, Sikeston will face a team other than Notre Dame for the district championship. Top-seeded Sikeston did its part, holding off No. 4 seed Kennett 84-71 in the first semifinal matchup, but second-seeded Cape Central defeated No. 3 Notre Dame 61-55 in overtime in the other semifinal to snap a streak of eight straight district final appearances by Notre Dame...

BLOOMFIELD -- It may not have been the same type of game, but the result was just the same. The Scott County Central Braves defeated the Risco Tigers for the fourth-straight time in Class 1 Sectional play Tuesday 83-77. Larandis Banks led Scott Central (16-13) with 27 points. Jaylen Porter added 13 and Chris Brown chipped in 11...

BLOOMFIELD -- For the better part of their 20-win season, the Scott County Central Bravettes played like a team wise beyond their years despite featuring only a pair of seniors and not much in the way of postseason play. After an exciting run to the Class 1, District 2 title, however, the Bravettes' inexperience finally caught up with them Tuesday in a 65-51 sectional loss to Naylor...