Stories from Thursday, March 18, 2010

Sikeston Department of Public Safety and ambulance personnel load an individual onto the Air Evac helicopter early today. At approximately 7 a.m., authorities were notified an individual was struck by a train along the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks running parallel to Davis Boulevard. Further details will be posted as they are available...

EAST PRAIRIE - Carl Tanksley, 65, died March 16, 2010. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers at services conducted Wednesday at Ponder Funeral Home for Clyde Lee Pruett, 97, who died March 15, 2010, were: Dick Happe, Steve Nilles, Tony Heckemeyer and Bob Pruett.

LILBOURN -- Michael Johnson, 41, died March 12, 2010, at the Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti. Funeral arrangements are with the Bradshaw Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

NEW MADRID -- Charles Edward Baker, 85, died March 16, 2010, at the Golden Living Center in New Madrid. Funeral arrangements are with the Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

BLOOMFIELD -- Imogene Harper, 82, died March 16, 2010, at her home. Funeral arrangements are with the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Elsie Dee Young, 91, died March 16, 2010, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Funeral arrangements are with the DeLisle Funeral Home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CHARLESTON -- An East Prairie man's body was recovered from the Mississippi River Wednesday, a day after his boat was found overturned in a muddy channel in Charleston. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

BENTON -- Four Scott County residents were arrested in connection with a methamphetamine laboratory. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

michellef@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Missy Marshall knows the importance of small businesses. "They are the backbone of our economy in Sikeston, in Missouri and in the U.S.," said Marshall, executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com NEW MADRID -- The oldest Methodist church in continuous service west of the Mississippi River will celebrate its 200th anniversary this weekend in New Madrid. It was March of 1810 when Jesse Walker and John Scripps traveled from Cape Girardeau across the dreaded "Big Swamp" to preach to residents of New Madrid and formed the foundation of today's First United Methodist Church, then known as New Madrid Methodist Church...

SIKESTON -- An elderly woman was seriously injured after she was struck by a train at a Sikeston crossing this morning. The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. at the Wakefield Street crossing, said Chief Drew Juden, director of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

Replacing your school's all-time leading scorer is always a challenge but it is even harder when your team is made up of mostly underclassmen. That is what is what faces the Sikeston girls soccer team, but they seem ready for the challenge.

"My goal, personally, is to get top 30 in state," Deere said. "It's a lot better than I did last year, but it's definitely reachable.