Stories from Friday, March 6, 2015

DEXTER, Mo. - The New Madrid County Central Eagles varsity boys basketball program moved one step closer to its first final four appearance since 2002 Friday afternoon as it secured a 105-92 double overtime victory against the Charleston Bluejays in a Class 3 sectional at the Bearcat Event Center...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Mingo National Wildlife Refuge will sponsor a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) employment program for the summer of 2015. This is a long standing educational work program at the refuge, spanning 30+ years. The eight-week educational work program, scheduled from June 1 to July 24, 2015, is for young men and women, 15 (before or on 1st day of work) through 18 years of age (cannot reach 19 during duration of program)...

BERNIE, Mo. -- The Bernie Board of Alderman passed an ordinance closing a portion of Judy Street from where it dead ends near Highway 25 to Oak Street. The board met in regular session earlier this week. The issue was discussed at the February meeting of the board, and they recommended closing only the portion of Judy Street from the dead end to Oak Street. They instructed City Attorney Robin Northern to prepare the ordinance at the March meeting...

Alex Zheng, son of Ricky and Sandi Zheng of Dexter, was among the young guests at Keller Public Library's Story Hour this week. Local storyteller, Kim Cook, entertained children with the reading of "A Family for Franny" and other animal tales. See additional photos in Photo Galleries at www.dailystatesman.com...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Southeast Missouri State University board of regents announced Wednesday the appointment of Carlos Vargas-Aburto as the 18th president of Southeast. Vargas, acting president at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, will succeed president Kenneth Dobbins on July 1...

Once again, the weather leads in this week's headlines. For the second time in two weeks, snow has forced school closings across Stoddard County, hampering travel and kept city and MoDOT crews busy around the clock. Six to 10 more inches of snow fell Wednesday afternoon and evening, within hours after substantial rainfall had finally ridded the area of most of the snow that had wreaked havoc in the area less than two weeks ago...

Jonnie Maddox, daughter of the late Howard Leamon and Nora Lee Powell Cantrell, was born in Portageville, Mo., on June 2, 1953, and died at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on March 3, 2015, at the age of 61. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Dexter is in charge of all arrangements...

Maggie Marie Eaves, daughter of the late Egbert James and Maggie Florence Middleton Ussery, was born in Owensville, Mo., on July 13, 1940, and died on March 6, 2015, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, at the age of 74. She had been raised in Mountain Grove, Mo., and has lived in Sikeston for many years where she had worked as a bus driver for the Sikeston Public Schools. She was a member of the Old Bethel Baptist Church...

For one evening in April, downtown Dexter will take a step back in time. Golden oldies will be played, poodle skirts and saddle shoes will be back in style and parked up and down Stoddard Street will be classic cars, trucks, motorcycles -- and even antique tractors and boats...

Bloomfield resident, Diana Cooper, captured the beauty of a male Cardinal, huddled up against the cold wind following one of the significant snowfalls. Anyone with snow photos they would like to share is asked to email them to nhyslop@dailystatesman.com...