Stories from Thursday, September 1, 2011

The names may have changed but the game remains the same. Park Hills Central lost most of its skilled position players from last season's playoff team, but the Bearcats can still expect the Rebels to bring a hard-nosed, power-running style of play to the field...

Dexter's Lady Bearcats tennis team made it two shutouts in as many matches with a 9-0 win over Sikeston at home Wednesday afternoon. It was a relative easy win for the Lady 'Cats with the exception of the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches. Dexter's top player, Jessica Snider, had to rally and force a tiebreaker with Sikeston's Kelsey Dial. The left-hander then took the win, 9-8 (7-2)...

A little boy named Matthew is looking only to a bright future as he extends his arms with two thumbs up. Three siblings, close in age, pose with smiles that hide any trace of what trials they have faced in their young lives. A pensive young boy named Willie offers an apprehensive grin...

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) (far left) visited the Stars & Stripes Museum/Library Wednesday afternoon on his tour through the area. Blunt, a former history teacher, discussed many of the items inside the museum to great depth with local historian Jim Mayo, who conducted his tour...

Joe W. Gibbons, son of the late Charles Franklin Gibbons and Oma Usrey Gibbons was born on Oct. 24, 1927 at Greenville, Mo. and died in the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center on Aug. 31, 2011 at the age of 83. Mr. Gibbons was a member of the Dexter Church Of Christ, a veteran of the United States Army, and an educator for 41 years. ...

Where were you? What was the first thing you did when you heard the news about the planes crashing into buildings? Please share your thoughts and emotions of that dreadful September morning.