Stories from Wednesday, May 6, 2009

BENTON -- Free and cheap labor may help Scott County make ends meet. During their regular meeting Tuesday, Scott County Commissioners discussed participating in MERS Goodwill summer workers and the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston's work release programs...

NEW MADRID -- Due to the dangerously high water levels and the large debris floating under the river's surface from the ice storm earlier this year, Cabela's and the New Madrid Chamber of Commerce have postponed all of the events scheduled for this weekend...

MINER -- Voters in Miner selected their new Ward 2 alderperson in a run-off election held Tuesday. A total 151 votes were cast, with incumbent Deloris Smith receiving 88 votes to opponent Cindy Cole's 63, according to Scott County Clerk Rita Milam. The election was held to break the tie in the April 7 election, in which each received 85 votes. At their April meeting, the Board of Alderman agreed to have a run-off election to break the tie...

SIKESTON -- The little bit of sun in between the rain isn't a huge bright spot for area farmers. With all the rain in the past week and forecast for the next several days, the wet soil is forcing them to delay corn planting for the second consecutive year...

SIKESTON -- Looking to inspire local cancer patients, their caregivers and family members outside the clinical setting, Bethesda Cancer Treatment Center in Sikeston will offer its first "Cancer Survivors Celebration of Life." To do that, organizers have lined up 34-year-old guest speaker Sean Swarner, a two-time cancer survivor who has climbed the highest peaks on all seven continents...

Sikeston Senior High School students Sloane Harris (seated right), Halley Loflin (seated center), Josh Cooper (seated left) and Nicholas Rennier perform a scene in the dress rehearsal for this weekend's spring play, "No Mother to Guide Her." Peeking through the back screen is William Meyer. The production, directed by Barbara Shriver, will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Sikeston Field House. Prices are $3 for adults and $2 for students...

GRAYRIDGE -- Stelline Gross Tyler, 84, died May 3, 2009, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Funeral arrangements are with the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

LILBOURN -- Roberta Maxwell, 90, died April 30, 2009, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are with the Richards Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Mary Emma Shaw, 79, died May 5, 2009, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are with the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

BERTRAND -- Regina E. Walker, 78, died May 5, 2009, at the Bertrand Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

SIKESTON -- Vivian Wake Waters, 93, died May 4, 2009, at her daughter's home in Crowder. Funeral arrangements are with the Ponder Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

ADVANCE -- Berniece "Sis" Hinkle, 90, died May 4, 2009, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Funeral arrangements are with the Morgan Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Arletta Delores Jacob, 86, of Sikeston, died at 2:52 p.m. May 5, 2009, at the Bertrand Retirement Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

CHARLESTON -- Moszel Dunnigan, 49, died May 4, 2009, at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. 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...

STEELE -- For the first time in her young career New Madrid County Central Lady Eagle pitcher Kelly Robey pitched a perfect game against the South Pemiscot Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday afternoon. Robey pitched a total of five innings and struck out 12 batters in the process of the Lady Eagles' 10-0 win...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs picked up a critical district win Tuesday, as they dispatched the Farmington Lady Knights 3-1 at the Sikeston Sports Complex. Sikeston head coach Derrick Long noted the possible importance of the win. For more pictures and stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Heading into Tuesday afternoon's contest against the Sikeston Bulldogs, the Scott City Rams hadn't been on a baseball diamond for nearly two weeks. Within two innings however, the Rams had shaken the cobwebs off as they held off the Bulldogs in a 5-2 victory...

As the baseball season nears an end, it's hard not to think about what's in store for seasons to come. For the Sikeston Bulldogs, several fresh faces have made their way into the dugout as of late and have proven that they're capable of playing with anybody's varsity club, including the Jackson Indians and the Scott City Rams, both respectable teams in the area that they've encountered this week already...

ORAN -- Before the Oran Eagles and the Kelly Hawks began the sixth inning of their game on Tuesday afternoon, Kelly head coach Nate Wills gave a rousing pep talk to his team that reminded them they had only one hit in the previous five innings. That motivational chat couldn't have came at a better time...

KENTUCKY LAKE -- The Bootheel BassBusters held their second tournament of the year on Kentucky Lake out of the KenLake Marina on April 26. For more pictures and stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...