Stories from Sunday, October 16, 2005

SIKESTON - Growing up in Chicago, Donald Freeman said he heard all types of music - rock and roll, jazz, classical, soul. "I loved it all, but I especially love rhythm and blues," he said. Also he recalled the clubs where the music was featured and where adults could unwind and enjoy themselves...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Alliance Bank has added Angie Sharp and Shawn Wyatt to the staff. "I am very excited to have Angie Sharp and Shawn Wyatt on staff here at Sikeston," said J. Michael Pobst, community bank president. "They both have the ability to assist with making anyone's banking experience an enjoyable event and that's what we strive to do here at Alliance Bank."...

WEST PLAINS -- Jack and Charlene Cobb have announced the engagement of their daughter, Joanna Kristen, to Jesse John Branson, son of Nancy Branson of Oran and the late Richard Branson Sr. A 1999 graduate of West Plains High School, the future bride received a Bachelor of Science in agriculture education from Missouri State University in Springfield. She is an agriculture teacher with Sikeston Career and Technology Center in Sikeston...

At the September meetings of the Advisory and Commission Boards, we reviewed the 2006 fiscal year budget for the Sikeston and Miner Convention and Visitors Bureau. After much planning and discussion, we've determined what we need to do at the Bureau this coming year...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Leonard and Willine Niekamp have announced the engagement of their daughter, Mary Beth, to Benjamin Brotherton, son of James Lynn and Lori Brotherton of New Madrid. Wedding plans are being finalized for a 2 p.m. ceremony Nov. 5 at St. Martin's Catholic Church in Jefferson City...

MALDEN - Jodie McCoy, a resident of Sikeston, completed the course of studies at the Southern Missouri Truck Driving School. She graduated with a 94 percent grade point average. She was presented with her diploma by Chester Graham, her instructor. SCOTT CITY - Debbie Bertrand of Scott City, an employee of Care-A-Lot Learning Center, was awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential in recognition of outstanding work with young children. ...

EAST PRAIRIE -- The final score of the Charleston-East Prairie game may be a bit deceiving. Charleston won 47-26, but East Prairie was in the game as late as midway of the fourth quarter, trailing by only eight at 34-26. Two late Charleston touchdowns 12 seconds apart, with the clock under two minutes, inflated the final margin...

STE. GENEVIEVE -- This is not exactly what New Madrid County Central had in mind the week before district football action begins. NMCC, which many figured to be a favorite to win the Class 3 District 1 field, saw its four-game winning streak snapped by Ste. Genevieve in a 54-7 loss Friday night at Dragons Stadium...

BLODGETT -- Suzanne Hatley of Morehouse and Daniel Roland of Blodgett exchanged wedding vows in a double-ring outdoor ceremony Sept. 3, 2005, at Blodgett. Presiding at the ceremony was Russell Rice, pastor at the Church of Christ. The bride is the daughter of Bob Hatley of Sikeston and the late Margaret Hatley. The bridegroom is the son of Walter Roland of Mariposa, Calif., and Mabel Matz of Retting, Penn...

DEXTER - Sharon Oliver, 57, died Oct. 14, 2005, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 15, 1947, at Galesburg, Ill., daughter of Ruth Sharp of Galesburg and the late Gerald Sharp Sr., she was a United States Air Force veteran. On Dec. 19, 1998, at Aquilla, she married Richard Oliver, who survives of the home...

BLOOMFIELD - Myrtle "Cedie" Driskill, 72, died Oct. 13, 2005 at the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Born Nov. 23, 1932, at Selmer, Tenn., the daughter of the late John Edward and Annie Pearl Jones Wyatt, she had worked at the International Hat Company in Dexter...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Sharon "Sherrie" Kay Leonard and Christopher Burrell Perry exchanged marriage vows in a 2 p.m. ceremony Saturday at the couple's home in East Prairie. The bride is the daughter of Wanda Leonard of Sikeston and the late Bill Leonard. Parents of the bridegroom are Allen and Patsy Perry of Decatur, Miss...

URBANDALE, Iowa - Dr. Alouise Carter Fenton, 89, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died Oct. 5, 2005 at her home. Born Nov. 22, 1915, in Paducah, Ky., daughter of the late James Edward and Annie Lee Vaughan Carter, she had resided at Senior Suites for the past nine years. ...

Rice Petre "Pete" Burns receives his Hall of Fame-Honor Wall plaque from Sikeston Public Schools Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller Friday night during halftime of the Sikeston/Kennett football game. Andrew Lawson and Jim Warf and the three Sikeston Senior High cheerleaders 1997 through 2000 were also inducted into the Hall of Fame...

SIKESTON - The Sikeston Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season on Friday night as they held on to defeat Kennett 26-20 at SPS Stadium. Sikeston posted a season-high in offensive yardage with 219 and rushing yardage with 191. The Bulldog defense also had its best night of the year, limiting the Indians to 193 total yards and just 37 rushing yards...

DEXTER - The Dexter Bearcats football team showed balance in the rushing and passing game which spelled doom for the visiting Caruthersville Tigers on Friday night as the Bearcats prevailed 50-14. Junior quarterback Josh Stevens of Dexter threw for 137 yards with two touchdowns and all-everything running back Alex Becker carried 27 times for 145 yards and scored two touchdowns...

CHAFFEE -- Preschools and daycare centers are entrusted with our most precious resource but good help is hard to find. Some providers are perpetually understaffed while others face a high turnover rate. "I think that's an issue some places are faced with," said Tara Golightly, owner-director-teacher of TLC Preschool in Chaffee. "Unfortunately, part of the problem is we are not able to pay employees what they really deserve."...

A bomb squad member from the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Jefferson City sets up a water cannon on a suspected bomb Friday night in the parking lot of Wal-mart. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call at around 8 p.m. of a suspicious briefcase at the Sikeston store. As a precaution, both Wal-mart and McDonald's were evacuated and closed for several hours until the suitcase was removed. Further details were not available at press time...

It's fairly obvious that America has become a country filled with pessimists. And as ironic as it may sound, that is not a pessimistic assessment. For some reason or another, we look for the downside to events and issues long before we consider the potential for optimism...

This is in regard to, " You ought to be ashamed". This is America. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Actually, I'm not a bitter person. I'm quite content with my life. At least I don't ask for handouts when I can freely get my own. I am not working to support another state, let alone, another city! I've got a family of my own to take care of. ...

The following are the minimum graduation requirements approved earlier this month by the State Board of Education: Minimum High School Graduation Requirements...

SIKESTON -- Now that high school graduation requirements are a little tougher, local school officials are working on ways to implement the changes into their curriculums. The state Board of Education voted Oct. 6 to raise the credits needed to graduate from 22 to 24, with fewer electives, beginning with students who graduate from high school in 2010. So this year's eighth graders will need to keep the requirements in mind next year when planning their courses to take in high school...

SIKESTON - Sikeston High School news: Dorothy Matthews was elected by the student body as the high school's queen candidate for the Cotton Carnival to be held Saturday. --- SIKESTON - Vodrel Kirby and Billy Walker are attending the World Series baseball games in Chicago this week...