Stories from Sunday, January 18, 2009

SIKESTON -- Tammy Deen was chosen by her co-workers at Bootheel Counseling Services as the employee of the quarter for the fourth quarter 2008. Deen was chosen for this award for her devotion to her job, respect shown toward her employees, efficiency in meeting deadlines, taking ownership in her responsibilities, and upholding the values of Bootheel Counseling Services...

Cash City recently held its grand opening ribbon cutting with the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce. The business specializes in payday, title and signature loans. Cutting the ribbon is Wes Bye, co-owner, and to his right is partner Jerry Menz. Also pictured are family, friends and members of the SACC. Cash City, located at 900 S. Main in Sikeston, also offers bonding services. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. The phone number is 471-0202...

SIKESTON -- First impressions can mean everything. And that's why Keith and Jeanetta Daum work hard to make Electric Rayz Tanning Salon a clean and friendly place to tan. The two also aim to be accessible to the clientele. The two purchased the former T-N-T Tanning Studio in August and reopened it in September under a new name. A month of cleaning and renovations preceded the opening...

History will be made Tuesday with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our nation's president. For those of us who did not favor his candidacy, it's time to shelve partisan politics for the moment and to celebrate the peaceful, democratic change in our government...

President Elect Obama has called on all Americans to make Jan. 19, a day of public service. This doesn't have to be a big, organized project, and since many of us will be working that day, it doesn't require an all-day commitment. Take a moment and look around your neighborhood or workplace. ...

SIKESTON - James E. Butler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Butler of Sikeston, is scheduled to take part in the inaugural parade in Washington, D.C., tomorrow as a member of the Navy Band. ORAN - Pupils of the high school here were sent home Friday shortly before noon when a fire broke out and filled the cafeteria and administration offices with smoke. Fire damage was slight, but Supt. R.E. Sharp said the students were sent home to prevent any possible danger to them...

SCOTT CITY -- The Sikeston Bulldogs kept things rolling Friday as they downed the Scott City Rams 70-26 in Scott City. The Bulldogs had to once again play on the road with out their three-time all-stater Michael Porter. Porter remained on the bench Friday in what coaching and medical staff call a precautionary measure...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The New Madrid County Central Eagles ventured to Cape Central on Friday evening and salvaged a victory by a slim margin of 33-28. For the Eagles, it was a battle from the opening tip as they were held to just seven points in the first half while the Tigers managed to score 13...

SIKESTON -- A very special night at Ronnie Cookson Gymnasium was capped off by a romp by the Scott County Central Braves on Friday night as they took care of the Charleston Bluejays 82-41. The Braves scored the game's first 11 points as that was pretty much all it took. Scott Central (13-1) lead 22-4 after the first quarter...

CAMPBELL -- The Risco Tigers, ranked No. 10 in Class 1, dropped their third-straight game Friday night, 72-61 to the Campbell Camels. The game was won at the free throw line as Campbell hit 23-of-34 from the charity stripe while Risco was only 11-of-24...

SIKESTON -- Mr. and Mrs. Michael Baker celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a renewal of their vows during a 6 p.m. ceremony Dec. 27, 2008, at Jubilee House of Prayer. Audrey Gayle Emmanuel, pastor, officiated. A "Celebration of Love" reception followed at the BRI Community Room in Sikeston...

BERTRAND -- Jessica Syre and Corey Higgins have announced their engagement. A 2008 graduate of Charleston High School, the future bride is employed by American Homecare in East Prairie. She is the daughter of Allen and Angie Syre of Bertrand. The prospective bridegroom is a 2007 graduate of Charleston High School and is enrolled at Three Rivers Community College. He is the son of Lynne Higgins and John Rodgers of Sikeston...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Delbert and LaRue Wilson of East Prairie have announced the engagement of their daughter, Julie Margaret Wilson, to Troy David Johns, son of Alice Johns of Kewanee and the late Ralph Johns. A graduate of East Prairie High School and Southeast Missouri State University, the future bride is a supervising tax auditor with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Field Compliance Bureau in Cape Girardeau...

MOREHOUSE -- Tommy Bonds, 77, died Jan. 16, 2009, at his home. Born Nov. 22, 1931, in Clinton, Ark., to the late Mae Bonds, he was a self-employed farmer. On Oct. 4, 1952, in Piggott, Ark., he married Melba Davis, who survives of the home. Other survivors include: one son and daughter-in-law, Wade and Rhonda Bonds of Sikeston; one daughter and son-in-law, Joy and Jim Taylor of Morehouse; two sisters, Audene Farmer of Oroville, Wash., and Syble Thompson of Shafter, Calif.; one granddaughter, Malena Bonds; one stepgrandson, Chris Taylor; and one great-stepgrandson, Kyle Taylor.. ...

CAMPBELL -- Bennie Leon Plunk, 63, died Jan. 15, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Born June 30, 1945, at Toccopola, Miss., to the late George Edward Plunk and Vallie Louise Snider Plunk Inmon, he had been employed at Noranda Aluminum. He was a U.S. Navy veteran serving during the Vietnam War and a member of the American Legion in Malden...

PERRYVILLE -- Helen C. Schott Welker, 93, died Jan. 15, 2009, at her home in Perryville. Born June 6, 1915, in Perry County, daughter of the late Joseph and Theresia Sauer Buchheit, she was a seamstress at Ollie Moore Dress Factory and was a housekeeper for St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Perryville. A member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, she also belonged to the Ladies Sodality...

MORLEY -- Keith Taylor, 56, died Jan. 16, 2009, in a truck accident outside his home. Born Sept. 12, 1952, at Parma, son of the late C.B. and Hazel Lee Hensley Taylor Sr., he was a mechanic at Heartland Application in Grant City. He was a member of Morley Baptist Church...

SIKESTON -- Every summer for the past 10 years, Leslie Kelsheimer said she and her four sisters would comb through the crowds at Sikeston's annual rodeo, hoping for a glimpse of their younger brother, Terry Hopkins. They would do the same thing again at the town's Cotton Carnival in the fall...

SIKESTON -- The offices of the Standard Democrat will be closed Monday, and no paper will be published in observance of Martin Luther King Day. The office will reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

BENTON - A Morley man is in custody on eight sexual offenses. Gary W. Calhoun, 51, is charged with six counts of statutory rape and two counts of statutory sodomy. As of press time, he remains in the Scott County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash only bond...

BENTON - Three Sikeston residents face charges after a search warrant was served at a residence at Crowder. Elizabeth Scowden, 39, and Jack Hargraves Jr. 41, are charged with possession of a controlled substance. Bond for Scowden is $10,000 cash or surety while Hargraves' bond is $1,500 cash only. Jamie White, 31, is charged with unlawful use of a firearm and has a bond set at $5,000 cash or surety...

SIKESTON - Eighteen persons were arrested following a three-day investigation targeting individuals believed to be involved in the production of meth. Officers from the SEMO Drug Task Force and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in Sikeston Wednesday through Friday, targeting individuals purchasing methamphetamine precursors from local retail stores. The investigation also led to the seizures of three methamphetamine labs...

SIKESTON -- With methamphetamine production back on the rise, narcotics officers are rounding up offenders and pushing for tighter restrictions on precursor drugs. Precursor drugs are chemical substances frequently used to manufacture illicit drugs...