Stories from Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Construction continues on Orgill's 795,000-square-foot distribution facility at the Sikeston Business, Education and Technology Park. Despite the January ice storm and other inclement weather putting the project behind schedule, the company is beginning job interviews this week, according to Ed Dust, director of the Sikeston Department of Economic Development, and is slated to begin stocking home improvement products starting May 1...

MINER -- Officers from the Miner Police Department will join the SEMO Emergency Response Team. During their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, the Miner Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of two sets of SERT equipment for $2,163.28 per set. The purchase will be made using drug seizure money as there is roughly $11,000 left in the account, according to city officials...

SIKESTON -- Several staff employments were approved during the Sikeston R-6 Board of Education's regular meeting Tuesday at the district's board office. Tim Regenold was hired as Seventh and Eighth Grade Center principal for the 2009-2010 school year. Cheryl Macke, who opted to retire at the end of this school year, is the building's current principal...

Students in Jami Coppage's fifth grade class at the Fifth and Sixth Grade Center in Sikeston duck near the wall and cover their heads after hearing the three-bell signal for a tornado. The drill was part of a statewide tornado exercise Tuesday.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Sikeston man pled guilty Monday to a felony child pornography charge before U.S. District Judge Charles A. Shaw. Thomas O. Stroud Jr., 27, of Sikeston entered a plea of guilty to one felony count of possession of child pornography. Stroud now faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, followed by a life-time period of supervised release...

ST. LOUIS -- Delores Ann Williams was born in Advance on Dec. 16, 1956, to the union of the late Wince and Ossie Lee Braxton Williams. She died on March 4, 2009, at Christian Hospital Northwest in Jennings. Funeral arrangements are with the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Oran...

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Charles Henry Hellem, 85, died March 4, 2009, at Embracing Hospice in Cumming. Funeral arrangements are with the Ponder Funeral Home of Sikeston For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

MATTHEWS -- Guy Nichols, 76, died at 8:10 p.m. March 9, 2009, at the Miner Nursing Center. Funeral arrangements are with the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CHARLESTON -- George Johnson, 59, died March 6, 2009, in Durham, N.C. Funeral arrangements are with the Williams Funeral Home of Charleston. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

BARDWELL, Ky. -- Annie Elizabeth Pehm, 57, formerly of Mississippi County, Mo., died at 4:47 p.m. March 9, 2009, at Lourdes Hospital. Funeral arrangements are with the Milner and Orr Funeral Home of Bardwell. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

NEW MADRID -- Connie Sue Mauk, 68, died March 9, 2009, at her home. Funeral arrangements are with the RIchards Funeral Home in New Madrid. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for graveside services conducted Tuesday at Memorial Park Cemetery for Clauda Virginia Daugherty, 84, who died March 8, 2009, were: Mike Hogan, Chris Adkisson, Barry Johnson, Jerry Lee Freshour and Tony Sloan. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements...

CHARLESTON - Verlin Uthoff, 87, died March 11, 2009, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. McMikle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete

TALLAPOOSA -- Billy Gene Shafer, 69, died March 9, 2009, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Funeral arrangements are with the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

PARK HILLS -- If you live by the three, you can also die by the three. That philosophy was proven true by the St. Elizabeth Hornets on Tuesday night when they took on the Scott County Central Braves in a Class 1 sectional game at Park Hills Central High School as the Braves pulled out a 105-77 win...

Rumor has it that the state trophy makers have already etched Scott County Central's name into the Class 1 trophy for next week's state competition. The Braves, victorious over the St. Elizabeth Hornets on Tuesday night by putting up the century mark and then some, have a squad that looks impressive each time they're on the floor...