Stories from Friday, December 29, 2023

SIKESTON — Participants in the weekly prekindergarten story hour celebrated the new year a few days early Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, at the Sikeston Public Library. Children’s librarian Lisa Munger kicked off the New Year’s-themed hour by reading children’s books, “The Night Before New Year’s” by Natasha Wing and “Happy New Year, Spot!” by Eric Hill. ...

Today I went and shopped at Hobby Lobby in Cape and spent $200. When I got home, I noticed that my receipt said there was a state tax of $7.91, a county tax of $2.81, a city tax of $5.15, a district tax of $1.87 and a food tax of 64 cents. Food tax? I didn’t even buy any food. OMG. What in the world? Please help.

Just as soon as Christmas gets here, it seems to quickly leave. Too soon, the decorations come down and life returns to its normal routine. The change from weeks of so much festive activity to none rattles us in such a way that it can lead to the January blues. This Christmas pattern of up, up, up and then down is nothing new. It happened to Joseph and Mary, too...

SIKESTON — Beware of holiday cheer turning into fear. As the new year rolls in, scammers increase their efforts to trick unsuspecting victims through real estate, rental, bail money scams and more. Spotting the red flags of scammers, according to Sgt. Tyler Rowe, public information officer for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and Sikeston R-6 school resource officer, is crucial for avoiding falling victim to fraudsters.  ...

SIKESTON — The 2024 Sikeston Hot Air Balloon Festival is adding a splash of color to the skies and wardrobes alike with a first-ever T-shirt design contest. Festival organizers invite attendees to express their creativity and love for this event through their unique designs. There will be only one winner. ...

SIKESTON — Phyllis Marks, 78, died Dec. 29, 2023, at her home in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

SCOTT CITY, Mo. — A Benton, Missouri, man and Cape Girardeau woman are hoping a new museum exhibit will bring increased awareness for their missing sister. Anthony Scherer and Diane Scherer-Morris were 17 and 14 years old, respectively, when their sister Cheryl Scherer, 19, vanished from a Scott City gas station in 1979...

SIKESTON — After the holiday season, blood donors are in great need to offer someone else a second shot at life. The American Red Cross of Southeast Missouri invites anyone who is eligible to donate blood to do so for people in need. January is also National Volunteer Blood Donor Month...

SIKESTON — The 2024 MU Crop Conference is set to take place in Miner, a crop conference that gives local farmers the information they need to kick-start the growing season. Miner Convention Center will host the conference on Jan. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m...

PADUCAH, Ky. — Major flooding in Sikeston in August was among the National Weather Service’s top 10 weather events of 2023. “The year 2023 was very active, particularly through early August,” the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, said. “While the region witnessed one of our warmest winters on record, we still managed a couple impactful wintry precipitation events during the last week of January. ...

SIKESTON — Betty Jean Busby Tingle, age 86, of Sikeston died Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born June 17, 1937, at East Prairie, Missouri, the late Paul and Florence Bibb Busby.

BERTRAND, Mo. — Barbara Janice Walker Haubold was born Dec. 25, 1943, in Mississippi County, Missouri, to the late William Eugene Walker and Blanche Oliphant Walker and passed to her heavenly home, Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, at her home in Bertrand.