Stories from Wednesday, August 5, 2009

SIKESTON -- Nancy Lou Moore Williams, 73, entered into rest Aug. 4, 2009, at her home in Sikeston. 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...

SIKESTON - Jearlean Grant Dancler, 58, died July 31, 2009, at her home in Sikeston. Funeral arrangements are with the Williams Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

DEXTER -- Pallbearers for services conducted Monday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home for Floella Magnolia "Flo" Plunk, 73, who died July 29, 2009, were: Shawn Wade, Jason Wade, Donnie Price, Mickeal Cawhorn, Johnny Borders and Carey Sheppard.

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Mike Cooksey, 52, formerly of Dexter, Mo., died July 30, 2009. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 15 at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

For starters this week, I have to admit, there are quite a few things I'd really love to talk about. We're fresh off of the 2nd Annual Heath Self Scholarship benefit golf tournament, and it gave me plenty of column material. My boss penned one about his experience further up towards the front of today's edition so be sure to check that out...

CHARLESTON -- A game that ended in eleven innings didn't end the way they wanted it to. With once scorching bats carrying them throughout post-season play, the Charleston Squirrels lost their poise at the plate as they fell to the Minnetonka Mudhens of Minnesota for the second time during the Midwest Plains Regional which sent the Squirrels home for the winter with a 2-1 loss...

SIKESTON-- The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo has always attracted world class competition, but it may come as a surprise to some that a few of those professional cowboys and cowgirls make their home here in Sikeston. This year's rodeo will include Sikeston natives Carrie Thomas, Ty Ferrell and Shelly Martini. Thomas and Martini will vie for the barrel racing title, while Ferrell and his partner, Jeremy Hemmann, will make their go in the team roping...

SIKESTON-- The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo has always been recognized as a premier event in the world of rodeo, but the 57th Bootheel Rodeo will be even bigger and better. That upgrade is due to Sikeston's inclusion on the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association's Wrangler Million Dollar Tour Silver Series...

SIKESTON -- The arrival of this week's Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo also means the new school year is just around the corner for local students. Classes resume for students in the Sikeston R-6 School District Aug. 11. Open houses in the district are scheduled at various times at each building...

SIKESTON -- Matt Matthews may be the busiest man in Sikeston. As general chairman of the 57th Annual Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, Matthews has spent months preparing for tonight's opening night. With its arrival he will spend nearly every waking minute of the four days to ensure it all runs smoothly...

MINER -- Voters in Miner nixed a bond issue in a Tuesday election. There were 83 no votes and 54 yes votes for the issue, a $2.5 million revenue bond proposal for sewer and water improvements, according to unofficial results provided by Scott County Clerk Rita Milam...

BARING -- A Sikeston teenager drowned Monday while swimming with friends in northeast Missouri. Phillip Wilson, 16, and three other individuals wanted to swim across North Sever Lake in the town of Baring when he apparently got tired and went under the water around 4:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Missouri State Water Patrol...

BENTON -- Scott County commissioners hope a meeting scheduled for next week will result in a solution to a water supply problem. During their regular meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved a letter inviting Ellen Brandom, 160th District's state representative and officials from the county's rural Public Water Supply District No. 4, Public Water Supply District No. 1, the city of Morehouse, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Missouri Department of Natural Resource...