Stories from Wednesday, April 29, 2009

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for services conducted on Tuesday at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter for Jessie Pullum, 84, who died on April 25, 2009, were: Chuck Pullum, Stacy Pullum, Darrell Heuring, Roger Qualls, Steve Sanders and Paul Sanders. Honorary pallbearer was Tommy Pullum...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for services conducted Tuesday at the Faith Lutheran Church in Dexter for Maxine Lemons, 85, who died on April 24, 2009, were: Jackie Lemons, Benny Lemons, Larry Lemons, Ernie Hill, Darell Peck and Gary Christian. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements...

BETRAND -- Dennis W. Collinsworth, 90, died April 27, 2009, at the Bertrand Nursing Center. Funeral arrangements are with McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for services held Tuesday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Donnie Joe Morgan, 73, who died on April 22, 2009, were: Chris Matthews, Scott Matthews, Steve Joyce, Tony Cogdill, Richard Wallace and Andy Marks. Honorary pallbearer was Tommy Romines...

DEXTER -- Bennie Joe Jordan, 77, died April 27, 2009, at Missouri Southern Healthcare at Dexter. Funeral arrangements are with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CLARKSTON, Mich. -- Irene Mae (Shelton) Sikes, 95, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died April 25, 2009, at Clarkston Specialty Healthcare in Clarkston. Funeral arrangement are with Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

I'm honored to say I've made Speak Out once again -- over the Cardinal country. I guess I didn't state my claim clearly enough that I don't hate the beloved St. Louis Cardinals, I actually am a true fan -- I have jerseys and hats to prove it, as well as tickets in September against the Cubbies. It's wonderful however, that some people have enough time, or make enough time, in their busy lives to dial up the hotline and leave me kind messages about how I'm doing the Redbirds wrong...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs lost a hard-fought battle against the visiting Perryville Lady Pirates on Tuesday afternoon on a controversial late goal. The goal was scored at the 5:15 mark in the second half after a long kick towards the left side of Sikeston's goal got behind Sikeston defender Arianne MacGillivray and a Perryville player. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Dylan Drury and the Notre Dame Bulldogs proved on Tuesday afternoon why they are the No. 1 team in the SEMO Conference. Handing the visiting Sikeston Bulldogs a 5-0 loss, they improved their record to 15-0 on the season. Drury was solid on the hill as he threw a complete game, giving up no runs on four hits while walking two and striking out seven...

Staff Reports news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The wait is almost over. Tickets will be available for sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday for the Kenny Rogers/Neal E. Boyd benefit concert set for June 24 at the Sikeston Field House. All proceeds will go toward the expansion of the Kenny Rogers Children's Center...

SIKESTON -- Community residents continue to look toward the future of downtown Sikeston. Tuesday night, downtown Sikeston business owners and others concerned with the future of the area met for the fourth annual town hall meeting to discuss projects...

NEW HAMBURG -- William Kluesner lives on a farm in Oran. But that didn't stop the Guardian Angel student from learning quite a few things about life on the farm Tuesday at the Eighth Annual Scott County Women in Agriculture Farm Day. He and about 300 other Scott County third grade students circled through nine total stations...

BENTON -- A bad economy means good business for libraries. Officials from the Riverside Regional Library presented the library district's 54th annual report during the regular Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday. Nancy Howland, director for the Riverside Regional Library, said the library is well financed and is seeing a rise in users lately...

Caroline Bain, daughter of James and Karen Bain, is the Standard Democrat's Calendar Girl for the month of May. Bain, fifth alternate in the 2008 Miss Sikeston Contest, plans to attend the University of Mississippi and major in education. For more pictures and stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Federal indictments were handed down last week from the 2008 robbery at a Sikeston business. The robbery occurred on July 30 at Paul's Jewelry and Pawn in downtown Sikeston. The victim reported a white female and a black female entered the store around 10 a.m. and robbed her at gunpoint. The victim said they stole cash, guns and jewelry after tying her up...

There is a Proverb quote that goes something like: "Pride and poverty don't get along, but often live together." Very poignant stuff and also something that I found to be true this last week. Everything started so innocently as it most often does. I was sitting with a couple of co-workers, typing up track results, when the topic of how fast we could or couldn't run came up. ...