Stories from Tuesday, February 7, 2017

CARDWELL, Mo. -- The top-seeded Risco Tigers drained 16 3-pointers and was ahead by 38 points after the first quarter in its 86-8 win over No. 8 Southland during the first round of the Tri-County Conference Tournament Monday at Southland High School...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- With their stout, man-to-man defense the Charleston Bluejays held Malden to it's third-lowest scoring output of the season. Charleston may have also locked down a top seed in the district by doing so. The Bluejays took down district foe Malden 59-48 Tuesday at Charleston High School giving them a clear path to the Class 3, District 1 top seed...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - When Shawn Johnson walked onto the stage at the Show Me Center on Monday night dressed in black boots, black leggings and a black leather jacket, she looked like the definition of "cool." That's if the audience wasn't already sold on the room full of medals and trophies -- both from the Olympics and "Dancing With the Stars" -- that reside at her parents' house and which the family refers to as "The Shawn Museum."...

The Christian Academy has announced the December Good Character students. The word of the month was "gratitude" which is defined as the feeling of being thankful for what has been done for you. Pictured are: front row, Leevi Stanley, Lexton Hammontree, Ava Martinez; second row, Ethan Mueller, Micah Stengler, Conner Simmons; third row, Mackenzie Mason, Chandler Duncan; and back row, Connor Shelby, Spencer Slaten and Karleigh Coleman...

Welding Technology students competed in the Seventh Annual Missouri Welding Institute Vocational Welding Contest in Nevada, Mo., recently. Sikeston Career and Technology students took home more than $10,000 worth of scholarships and prizes. Pictured from left are: Jason Andrew, Spencer Davied, Lucas Boner, Clayton Cooper, Chance Wheetley, Edward McClain, Caden Bailey, Arturo Franco, Danny Hicks and Chance Lovins...

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Phyllis Hubbard Colbert died Feb. 5, 2017, at The Neighborhoods nursing home in Columbia from complications of renal failure at the age of 83. Phyllis was born on April 8, 1933, the only child of Van Allen and Minta B. Hubbard, in Chaffee. ...

GRAYRIDGE, Mo. - Johnnie Davis, 83, died Jan. 31, 2017, at her residence in Grayridge. Born Aug. 1, 1933, in Hartman, Ark., the daughter of the late John William and Jessie Jane Dorney Scott, she had lived in the Grayridge area for several years. She worked for the post office for several years as the postmaster and attended the General Baptist Church in Grayridge...

SIKESTON -- Gerald Douglas Summers, 69, died Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, at his home near Sikeston. Born July 18, 1947, at Wyatt, to the late George Melton Summers and Ruby Lee Hamilton Summers Johnson, he had lived in Wyatt, Charleston, East Prairie and then Sikeston. He had been employed as a carpenter and painter and was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Lloyd "Red" Harris, 85, died Feb. 5, 2017, at the Bloomfield Living Center in Bloomfield. Born March 28, 1931, in Sturdivant, to the late Manuel Everet Harris and Annie Rona Simmers Harris Scowden, he had lived in Puxico for many years until moving to Advance in 2011. ...

SIKESTON - Earl Ray Underhill, 77, died Feb. 4, 2017, at his home in Sikeston. Born Aug. 12, 1939, in Sikeston, to the late Earl M. and Ila Beck Underhill, he served in the United States Navy and the Air National Guard for 28 years. He was also a member of the Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston...

ESSEX, Mo. - James Freeman Hampton, 69, died Feb. 5, 2017, at the Ridgeview Living Center in Malden. Born Feb. 18, 1947, at Trail Back near Essex, to the late James Willie "Buddy" and Ruby Mae Halcrombe Hampton, he had lived in Essex and Sikeston most of his life. He had worked on road construction with MODOT. A member of Mt. Zion Church near Essex, he was a veteran of the U. S. Army...

ORAN, Mo. - Margot Crystal Westrich, 81, died Feb. 6, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born on April 10, 1935, in Frankfurt, Germany, to the late Oma Zimmerman, she retired from the cutting department with Floreshim Shoe Factory after 32 years, spending 18 years with the Chaffee factory and 14 years with the Cape Girardeau factory. She was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Onia Faye Hendley True, 72, died Feb. 6, 2017, at her daughter's home in Poplar Bluff. Born June 23, 1944, in Kennett, daughter of the late Burl "Watermelon" and Maudie Mae Davis Smith, she had lived in the Wappapello and Dexter areas before moving to Poplar Bluff several months ago. She worked as a truck driver for Snider National and as a waitress and had attended non-denominational church...