SIKESTON - Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Armstrong and their son, Billy, were in St. Louis Friday and Saturday.
EAST PRAIRIE - The engagement of Joyce Sanders to Clinton E. Wisdom is announced.
NEW MADRID - The battle over grain at the Ristine Grain Elevator was chosen one of the top new stories of 1981. Puxico farmer Wayne Cryts was the central figure in the standoff. Another top story was the standoff at the Western Union station in November. Willie Blackmon held a woman hostage for 20 hours. No one was hurt.
SIKESTON - Desert Shield became Desert Storm. Now it is Desert Share. The military operation in the Persian Gulf brought a half-million soldiers to Saddam Hussein's doorstep. Since tradition says "any army travels on its stomach," one of the biggest projects was providing food for the troops. And, the unexpectedly quick end to the fighting left the military with thousands of tons of uneaten food. That's where the Bootheel Food Bank comes in. The Sikeston facility will receive enough MREs (Meal Ready to Eat), MOREs (larger portion), B-Rations and T-Rations to provide food for 64,000 people. "This comes at a very good time," said the food bank's Executive Director Dorene Johnson. "We were low on other food for our agencies."
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ST. LOUIS - Recess lasted until the end of the first quarter. Then school was back in session with Charleston Coach Lennies McFerren serving as guest lecturer in front of a capacity crowd at the Lutheran North gym. The subject? McFerren's favorite - Defense 101 - or in this case, call it Defense 47. After a sluggish first quarter Friday, the Blue Jays paddled the Crusaders 74-47.