Stories from Sunday, April 11, 2010

DEXTER -- Wilma Morrow, 78, died April 9, 2010, in the emergency room of the Missouri Southern Healthcare at Dexter. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Gerald Jackson, 71, died April 10, 2010, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- Mary Cooney, 73, died at 7 p.m. April 9, 2010, at her home. For this obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Grady Lee Spears, 77, died April 8, 2010, in the North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville, Ark. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mary Kathryn "Kathy" Kirkpatrick Markey, 73, died April 6, 2010. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Keith Presson Williams, 52, died April 7, 2010, due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CHARLESTON - Fred Castleberry, 67, died April 9, 2010, at his home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Norma Jean Samons, 79, died at 7:15 p.m. April 8, 2010, at her home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

sd_sports@yahoo.com NEW MADRID -- For New Madrid County Central's Jasimane Flennoy, this past Thursday will be one of the those days she remembers for the rest of her life. In front of family and friends in NMCC's cafeteria, Flennoy signed her letter intent to play women's basketball for Shawnee Community College...

sd_sports@yahoo.com CHARLESTON -- Whether it was at the plate, on the bases or in the field, the New Madrid County Central Lady Eagles seemed to do no wrong Friday afternoon in a 15-0 win over Charleston in five innings. "We came ready to play," said NMCC coach Steve Rogers. "We ran the bases well, we hit well up and down the lineup. Kelly (Robey) was her usual stellar self. What balls they put in play we handled. All-in-all it was just a real nice performance for us."...

sd_sports@yahoo.com CHARLESTON -- Staying on a roll, Charleston dropped 10 runs on visiting New Madrid County Central Friday afternoon for their third consecutive win, defeating the Eagles 10-5. "I thought we came out and swung it real well," Charleston's Zach Rowland said. "A lot of people stepped up when they needed to and that's a good thing to see."...

sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Josh Heitt's seventh inning single for Cape Central wasn't the hardest hit ball of the day. In fact, it was a slow bleeder just over the heads of both Blake Newman at short and Luke Keefer at second. But it turned out to be the biggest hit of the day...

There's a famous Norman Rockwell painting that hangs on my office wall entitled Country Editor. The painting portrays a small Missouri newspaper office during the 1940s. It illustrates the daily hectic pace of small newspapers, not unlike today's Standard Democrat in some ways...

BENTON -- Six Scott County residents remain in custody after deputies uncovered two drug-manufacturing operations. Detectives Jeff Schmitt and Branden Caid responded to a residence on Southwest Loop outside of Benton for reported drug activity on Thursday...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Veterans Park is getting better and better, one brick at a time. Since the beginning, the Veterans Park has honored Sikeston veterans without being a burden on the city's taxpayers -- built, maintained and improved through the efforts of the Veterans Park Committee...

michellef@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Over the next week, the town of Charleston will be at its finest, while townspeople finish preparations and celebrate the 42nd annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival. "People are working in their yards, mulching and making sure the tour route is just as special," said Claudia Arington, executive director of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates the event...