Stories from Tuesday, August 18, 2009

SIKESTON-- Fall is often regarded as the season of football, softball, soccer and volleyball, but for a handful of Sikeston High School athletes, it's all about cross country. The Bulldogs will feature returning runners in junior Will Holifield and sophomore Caleb McGee, as well as first-year runner Jacob Wilson and several members of the Sikeston soccer team...

BENTON -- Cory Campbell has a lot on his plate these days. He's the new athletic director at Thomas W. Kelly High School, the new middle school P.E. teacher and the new cross country coach as well as the head coach of the track and field team in the spring...

New Madrid County Central quarterback Dontre Jenkins (center) follows the blocks of G'Darius Stevenson (4) and Jacob Kimball (65) in last season's Class 3 state quarterfinal game against Cardinal Ritter. NMCC's opening game of the season has been moved back a day to Aug. 29 when the Eagles travel to Poplar Bluff to take on the Mules at 7 p.m...

SIKESTON -- When it comes to preventing a swine flu outbreak, most local school districts are treating the illness as they do any communicable disease. "We put in a procedural plan when all the MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) hit (last school year) so we're including this in that," said Cindi Jones, New Madrid County R-1 special education director who's also in charge of the district's nursing staff...

MOREHOUSE -- A man was killed in an early-morning accident near Morehouse. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety assisted in the accident, which occurred just after 4 a.m. today at the intersection of Highways 60 and FF. The crime incident report states a male victim trying to cross the highway was hit several times by a semi-truck...

SIKESTON -- The city will move closer toward the creation of a railroad quiet zone. City Council members discussed the possible zone during a Monday morning meeting. The issue of establishing quiet zones was originally discussed by the council last fall...

SIKESTON -- Within two months, the bidding process should be open for a new Department of Public Safety headquarters. The building project was discussed at Monday's meeting of the Sikeston City Council. DPS Chief Drew Juden brought amended plans for the building project he recently discussed with the council when everyone was "a little shocked by the price."...

CHARLESTON - Arrangements have been finalized for Wednesday's State Funeral in the Missouri Capitol for former Governor Warren Eastman Hearnes, who died Sunday night at age 86. The body will lie in State in the Rotunda from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, with State Funeral Service with Military Honors at 2 p.m. in the Rotunda...

SIKESTON -- A proposal to require domestic animals within Sikeston city limits be spayed or neutered raised several concerns at Monday morning's city council meeting. The overlying questions was how the ordinance would be addressed. "We don't have the luxury of staffing to enforce lots of the nuisance laws," said Chief Drew Juden of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

CHARLESTON -- Warren Eastman Hearnes, 86, 46th Governor of the State of Missouri, passed away of natural causes Aug. 16, 2009, at his beloved home in Charleston. He was the first Missouri Governor to serve two consecutive four year terms in office. He also stands as one of the most unique of all Missouri public officials, as the first person in Missouri history to serve in all three branches of government during his public service career...

SCOTT CITY - Rose Marie "Tootie" Blattel, 73, died Aug. 16, 2009, at Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements are with the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

MATTHEWS - Elaina Nichole Grace Carlisle died Aug. 12, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. SFuneral arrangements are with the Ford and Sons Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

DEXTER -- Amos J. Kennedy, 79, died Aug. 16, 2009, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Funeral arrangements are with the Watkins Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CHAFFEE - Dennis M. Strahan, 61, died Aug. 16, 2009, at Chaffee Nursing Center. Funeral arrangements are with the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

MAUMELLE, Ark. -- Gwen Moxley Hearnes, 96, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died at at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 17, 2009, at the South Haven Assisted Living Center at Maumelle. Arrangements are incomplete at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

SIKESTON -- Kenneth Vernon Lawrence, 56, died at 6:15 a.m. Aug. 17, 2009, at his home. 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...

NEW MADRID -- Emma Jane Chamberlain, 72, formerly of Lilbourn, died Aug. 17, 2009, at the Golden Living Center in New Madrid. Arrangements are incomplete with DeLisle Funeral Home of Portageville.

FAIRFIELD, Iowa -- Ruby Jane King, 80, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Aug. 17, 2009 at Jefferson County Health Center. Behner Funeral Home and Crematory in Fairfield is in charge of arrangements.