Stories from Sunday, February 24, 2002

BENTON - Candidates for countywide offices will have their first opportunity to officially signal their election intentions on Feb. 26. But there will be no lines forming early with candidates hoping to be the first on the ballot, Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties are all using a lottery format to place the names on their ballots of those who file Tuesday...

CHAFFEE - Tessie Pearl Reynolds, 95, died at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21, 2002, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Born July 2, 1906, in Chaffee, daughter of the late Jesse Robert and Columbia Arbelle Proffer Wilkinson, she was a member of the General Baptist Church at Crump...

DEXTER - Harold "Bud" Layton, 75, died Feb. 21, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born June 9, 1926, in Malden, son of the late William B. and Elsie Tuttle Layton, he was a construction superintendent for Brown Construction in Dexter for 25 years...

SENATH -- Over the last 11 years, Portageville has won eight district titles. The Bulldogs will look to add to that notable run this week at Senath-Hornersville High School, site of the 2002 Class 2A District 1 tournament. Here is a look at each of the nine teams in the district, as seeded...

The Class 3A, District 1 Basketball Tournament has come and gone without much of a hitch. The only surprise would be Sikeston's girls defeating Doniphan to snap their four-year stranglehold on the district. As far as the boys side, everything went as seeded. New Madrid County Central put on a clinic in their two games, throttling Kennett in the semifinals and blowing past Dexter with a big second half...

SIKESTON - Everything seemed to be going right for the Sikeston girls basketball team in the Class 3A, District 1 Tournament. After all, the girls were playing in their first district championship ever and it was on their home court in front of a packed Sikeston Field House on Friday night...

SIKESTON - Fellowship of Christian Athletes meets young people where they are in their spiritual journey. It focuses on the person, not on traditions or denominational labels. And the changes that have been made in the lives of those who've joined the group since it started here five years ago are immeasurable, said Mike Moyers...

SIKESTON -- New Madrid County Central took its first step towards defending the state crown on Friday night, beating Dexter 71-50 in the 3A District 1 championship game at the Sikeston Field House. The Eagles (25-3) tied the 1988 school record for wins, and will now face District 2 winner Park Hills Central in Wednesday's sectional at Poplar Bluff...

DEXTER - The Rev. Earl Hume, 91, died Feb. 22, 2002, at Missouri Southern Healthcare. Born July 20, 1910, at Dexter, son of the late Charlie and Nancy Jane Fortner Hume, he lived in Michigan where he built a church for 30 years before moving to Dexter in 1972. He was a member of the Second General Baptist Church and had served as pastor for several area churches...

We are in vital need of help and the law is not doing it. People talk about the west end of Sikeston being so bad. What about the west end in Morehouse? It's one big crack house and you never see the law out there in Morehouse in New Madrid County. The only time you see the law is the state patrol. Please print this and let the people in Morehouse know we've got to clean up our act. Please have New Madrid County at least circle the area to make our neighborhood safe...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Wanda Holley, 8-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.E. Holley, received dozens of Valentines from her class at May Green School. The girl has been in St. Francis Hospital since Nov. 28 for treatment of burns she suffered in a fire in her home...

LIBERTY, Texas - Martha Ann Pullum Williams, 90, died Feb. 21, 2002, at the Liberty-Dayton Hospital. Born Aug. 28, 1911, in Essex, daughter of the late Herbert and Serena McCoy Pullum, she was a former resident of Essex, Malden and Dexter, Mo. Survivors include: two sons, Cletus Ray Parris of Cleveland and Billy Joe Pope of Festus, Mo.; three daughters, Evelyn Jane Moore of Liberty, Shirley Maxine Fadler of Barnhart, Mo., and Delores Ann Corlew of Clarkton, Mo.; three brothers, Lloyd Pullum of Dexter, Floyd Pullum of Malden and Leo Pullum of Essex; one sister, Dorothy Wilson of Overland, Mo.; and 14 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.. ...

BENTON - Duck taped to the bleachers from neck to toe, Thomas W. Kelly Elementary Principal Fara Jones and Assistant Principal Karen Powers sported shower caps and goggles as they waited for Vicki LeGrand's third grade class to cream them with pies on Friday afternoon in the high school gym...

SIKESTON - Student led and student initiated, the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes also has an adult chapter that offers the youths support which includes anything from leg work to behind the scenes help. The adult chapter plays a big role in helping the youths raise money to attend leadership camp at Ausbury College in Lexington, Ky. ...

Public education has certain responsibilities to students and parents when it comes to teaching our kids the ingredients needed in life and society. And I, for one, think the education system by and large is successful. But sometimes between algebra and mandatory foreign language, the system fails the students when it comes to teaching life skills. My issue is driver's education...

MORLEY -- The Scott County Central Braves (15-10) survived a shootout Friday night, edging Delta's Bobcats (8-17). Senior Chris Johnson hit the big shot on the night for SCC as he drain a trey with nine second left to give the Braves a 100-97 win. "We had people in his face," said Delta head coach Robert Stein. "I have to give him credit, it was a huge shot and he hit it."...

BLOOMFIELD - In the Class 2A, District 2 Tournament at Bloomfield, you have Notre Dame and Charleston, then you have the rest of the field. At least that's how most of the coaches in the district feel about the tournament. Notre Dame, the defending champions, defeated Charleston in last year's district final. This year, the Bulldogs are favored to win once again as they garnered the top seed. Charleston picked up the No. 2 seed...