Stories from Wednesday, April 12, 2017

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Kasten Campbell blasted a two-run home run to center in the top of the seventh to give the East Prairie baseball team a 7-5 win over New Madrid County Central Tuesday in New Madrid, Mo. Campbell also earned the pitching win after throwing the last two innings and giving up one hit while striking out four...

One of the favorite parts of my job is getting to work so closely with those who really care about seniors and what is going on in the world today. People who take it upon themselves to use their time and effort to advocate for causes that are important to them and all seniors in Missouri, my Silver Haired Legislature...

On Friday, with the confirmation of our newest Supreme Court member, Justice Neil Gorsuch, the American people were finally able to claim victory over liberal obstructionists in the United States Senate. With Gorsuch behind the bench, we have a Justice who respects personal freedom and liberty. He knows our Constitution is a document that defers power from the federal government to the states, and puts the rights of individuals ahead of the interests of bureaucrats in Washington.  ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A new initiative, announced last week, will bring broadband internet access to over 100 rural Missouri schools that currently have no access to high speed internet. State Rep. Don Rone met with Governor Eric Greitens in Jefferson City to discuss the impact high quality internet access will have on our local schools...

The Portageville Lady Dawgs participated in the Swing Pink in Dexter Saturday. "The record doesn't show the true results, but they stuck to it. There will always be things to work on," said coach Ashlie Case Patton. The girls lost to Van Buren, 8-3 and to Greenville 10-9 in extra inning. They did win against Southland 10-1. Van Buren was the Fall Season State Champs. "It was a long day, but they held their own," she said...

Winifred “Winnie” Young Bell was born May 10, 1915 in Portageville, to Charlie Young and Tommie Ann Gowan Young. She died Tuesday March 14, 2017 at Golden Living Center in New Madrid, at the age of 101 years, 10 months and 4 days. Preceding her in death were her parents, Tommie Ann Gowan Young and Charlie Young...

William Cleo “Joe” Elrod Jr. was born May 5, 1934 in Batesville, Ark. to Wayman Cleo Elrod and Cornelius (Smith) Elrod. He passed away Sunday, March 26, 2017 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston at the age of 82 years, 10 months and 22 days...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston soccer coach Gabe Dement had been reminding his girls for days the importance of Wednesday's game against conference and district foe Farmington. The Lady Bulldogs took that to heart, scoring two early goals and dominated the Lady Knights 3-1...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston track team broke a school record during Wednesday's Twilight Relays at Sikeston High School.

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Nearly one week after being arrested on 18 charges, Mississippi County sheriff Cory Hutcheson has released a statement through his lawyer stating his innocence. In an e-mailed statement from N. Scott Rosenblum, an attorney from Clayton, Mo., Hutcheson thanked everyone for the tremendous support he has received from the community...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston church and its members collected items to ensure local children in foster care have a "hoppy" Easter. Recently, the Fellowship Baptist Church in Sikeston placed a white, artificial pine tree topped with bunny ears in its church. The tree was full of paper-egg ornaments stating the needs of a local foster children. Church members who wanted could pull an egg from the tree and purchase items requested for a child in need and bring them to the church...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. - Two East Prairie residents are accused of burglarizing a home, one while armed with a hatchet. Terry Dean, 46, and Shawna Johnson, 40, are each charged with first degree burglary, domestic assault and child abuse or neglect of a child with bond set at $25,000 each. According to online court records, they are scheduled for arraignment today before Judge S. Rob Barker...

The Junior Class of Portageville High School will be hosting Grand March in conjunction with “A Night In Paris” Prom on Saturday, April 22, 2017. Grand March will begin at 7:00 PM at the Rone Hall, due to gym floor being repaired. A ticket is required to attend Grand March. ...

Norma Jean Durbin was born Dec. 6, 1944 in Selmer, Tenn., to John Sweat and Zilpha Evans. She died Thursday, March 16, 2017 at her residence in Portageville, at the age of 72 years, 3 months, and 10 days. Preceding her in death were her parents, Zilpha Evans and John Sweat; her husband, William Elbert Durbin; one brother, John Sweat Jr.; five sisters, Jewell Jones, Virginia Ann Wilkins, Lois Lynn Cole, Linda Kay Cole, and Betty Carolyn Cole; and one granddaughter, Crystal Ramirez...

Betty Sue Ellis was born Feb. 8, 1933 in Portageville, to Walter Tanner and Eula (Montgomery) Tanner. She died Friday, March 31, 2017 at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, at the age of 84 years, one month, and 23 days. She was a member of the St Eustachius Catholic Church and loved being around her family and friends, going shopping and playing cards. ...

Joan Carolyn Foster was born Nov. 16, 1942 in Charleston, W. Va., to Basil and Opal Green. She died Monday, March 27, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, at the age of 74 years, 4 months and 11 days. She was united in marriage to her husband of 54 years, Jimmy D. Foster, on March 1, 1961, in Chicago, Ill. He preceded her in death on Feb. 6, 2015. Also preceding her in death were her parents, Basil and Opal Green, and one brother, Kenneth Green...

Patricia “Patty” Ann Silman was born Jan. 26, 1952 in Sikeston, to Juanita Gearline Thurman and Hugh Jefferson Aldrich. She departed this life on Monday, Apr. 3, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, at the age of 65 years. She was united in marriage on Dec. 27, 2002, in Piggott, Ark. to Danny Michael Silman...

Claudette Gipson was born April 22, 1958 in Portageville, to Georgia Mae Steele and Thomas Minnis. She departed this life on April 3, 2017 in Portageville, at the age of 58 years. She was preceded in death by her parents: Georgia Mae Steele and Thomas Minnis; and two brothers, Doyle Minnis and Movina Minnis...

BENTON, Mo. -- A Chicago man chased Benton, Missouri, woman, ramming her car with his own several times before resisting arrest, police said. The Scott County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Renaldo J. Wilkerson, 46, with second-degree assault, armed criminal action and resisting arrest Monday. All the charges are felonies...

Employees of Riverside Roofing of Cape Girardeau work to clear away the many layers of the back roof of the Scott County Courthouse in Benton. They have worked to restore the roof to its original layer for about five days and plan to finish in a couple weeks. The courthouse is comprised of four roofs, and this is the final roof project to be completed...

On Monday, new Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the high court after a lengthy political battle that included a planned filibuster and the extraordinary use of the "nuclear option" to finally fill the seat of the late Justice Anthony Scalia...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Pat Morgan, 75, died April 11, 2017, at the Gideon Care Center. She was born Aug. 15, 1941, in Boekerton, to the late Paul A. Disher and Alice May Combest Disher. On March 12, 1964, in Boekerton, she married Benny Morgan, who survives of the home...

SIKESTON -- Christopher Davis Nimmo, 28, died April 8, 2017, in Sikeston. Born April 9, 1988, in Sikeston, son of the late Kenneth E. Nimmo Jr. and Patricia Magee Casey, he worked for Monroe Landscaping. Hs wife, Angie Tillman Nimmo, survives of the home...

CANALOU, Mo. -- Georgia Ruth Richardson, 84, died April 11, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 14, 1933, in Mayflower, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Floyd and Millie Self Bowen. Her husband, Amos Richardson, preceded her in death...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Richard M. Scheffer, 53, died at 12:46 p.m. April 9, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 23, 1963, to the late John Henry Scheffer Sr. and Rita M. Scheffer. He had lived in Mississippi County his entire life except when attending college. He was the co-owner and editor of the Mississippi County Times and Scheffer Printing and a member of St. Henry Catholic Church...

CHARLESTON, Mo. - Royce R. Mix, 84, died Monday, April 10, 2017, at the New Madrid Living Center at New Madrid. Born March 24, 1933, at Charleston, to the late Bernie Lee and Odie Bunch Mix, he had lived in Charleston most of his life where he was employed as a carpenter and truck driver. A U.S. Army veteran, he served in the Korean War and was a member of the VFW Post 3174 at Sikeston. He later moved to New Madrid where he had lived the past few years...

SILVIS, Ill. -- Timmy Allen Ergle, 47, died April 8, 2017, at Silvis. Born April 28, 1970 in Rockford, he was the son of Billy W. and Tina D. Briggs Ergle of Newport Ritchie, Fla. Also surviving are two brothers, Greg and wife Robin Ergle of Lebanon and Jeremy Ergle of Rock Island...

Sikeston Junior High School has named its students who showed the Bulldog Character Word of the Month for March. These students were recognized by the staff for displaying determination. Pictured are: Brandon Swilley, Tkaila Freeman, Damizha Hall, Trinity Land, Cortaesha Jackson, Alexis Morgan, Leo Winfield, Sydney Burton, Hudson Kuykendall, Kaitlyn Rudisill, Colton Straw, Carson James, Marcus White, Kyle Williams, Aubrey Wheeler, Ellie Noe, Caleb Gates, Madison Walls, Derisha Wells, Brionna Flye, Ben Chittenden, Nathaniel Clemons and Analiese Montes.. ...

LILBOURN, Mo. - Lilbourn Elementary awarded third quarter honor roll certificates to the following students: Third Grade Lamarkus Anderson, Christopher Burnes, Adriana Cameron, Maddox Childress, *Chloe Clark, Nevaeh DeBose, Nicholas Evans, Morgan Freeman, Mariah Gray, Terrell Grove, *Antrizta Hill, *Emma Howard, Nevada Howard, Alonna Hudson, Isis Huffman, *Malakhi Hughes, *Ariel Johnson, Jason Lynch, Jerrick Martin, *Laine McElveen, *Brooklynn Montgomery, Karyssa Perkins, Jessie Perry, Charlie Resonno, *Lillian Sanders, Jasonna Taylor, *Skylar Thomas, *Brandon Waters and Mason Wood.. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State University has announced the winners in the National History Day in Missouri Region 9 contest held March 10 at Southeast. The theme for History Day 2017 was "Taking a Stand in History" and students competed in junior high and senior high divisions, which each included five categories: performance, website, documentaries, paper presentations and exhibit...

MORLEY, Mo. -- Richard Allen Ivester Sr., 69, died April 10, 2017, at his home. Born Jan. 23, 1948, in McClanesboro, Ill., he was the son of the late Gene and Helen Livingston Ivester. His wife, Linda Christine Ehmpke, preceded him in death on Nov. 28, 2016...