Stories from Wednesday, January 9, 2013

BELL CITY, Mo. -- A Morley woman sustained moderate injuries in a wreck involving a farm tractor on Rt. N, just north of Rt. Y Tuesday. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Mary L. Dollins, 69, was driving her 2006 Dodge Caravan southbound on Rt. N just before 1 p.m. when she attempted to pass a John Deere tractor driven by Jose G. Torres, 39, of Kennett. Dollins reportedly ran off the roadway during her attempt to pass Torres, overcorrected, and then struck the tractor...

The former Missouri Southern Healthcare facility in Dexter recently began a new phase in its existence with a name owner and a new name. Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County will be the facility's new name. SoutheastHEALTH, based in Cape Girardeau, Mo., has closed on its acquisition of the leasehold interest in Missouri Southern Healthcare...

Dexter executed just a little bit better than Bloomfield in the fourth quarter Tuesday night at the Bearcat Event Center and the Bearcats improved to 3-0 in SCAA play with a 52-48 win over Wildcats. It was a tight came from the opening tip as both teams played to within a point in each of the first three quarters. The two teams went into the fourth tied at 40-all, but 8-of-10 free throw shooting by the 'Cats over the final 2:44 helped secure the win...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. - The Caruthersville Tigers varsity boys basketball team moved back above the .500 mark Tuesday night with a convincing 76-54 home win against the state-ranked Bernie Mules. The Tigers outscored the Mules by single digits in every quarter...

Opal P. Montgomery, daughter of the late Albert Anderson and Nettie Blagg Anderson, was born on Oct. 9, 1909, and died Jan. 2, 2013, at West Vue Nursing Center in West Plains, Mo., at the age of 103. Mrs. Montgomery was a resident of Dexter and was a co-owner of Nina's Dress Shop, which is now Lois' House of Fashion, in Dexter for 15 years. She was a member of the Assembly of God Church and also played the piano and organ by ear at the church...

Michael James Sharp, age 67, died Jan. 3, 2013, in Lowndes, Mo. He was born Nov. 28, 1945, in Toledo, Ohio, to Charles and Nellie Ackerman Sharp. Michael attended school in Toledo and spent much of his childhood in Holland, Ohio. In October of 1965, he began his service in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1971...

Gerald Wayne Ratley, son of Ramona Slover Ratley and the late Harold Dow Ratley, was born on Aug. 24, 1946, in Bonne Terre, Mo., and died on Jan. 7, 2013, at his residence in Dudley, Mo., at the age of 66. Mr. Ratley was employed as a financial advisor for W. W. Wood. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and belonged to the First Baptist Church in Farmington, Mo. He was an avid bass fisherman...