Stories from Sunday, May 16, 2010

Just two weeks ago, I wrote about the ongoing issue of capital punishment in this country and how sharply divided our society is over sentencing someone to death. For those who oppose the death penalty, meet Nathanael Sloop. Sloop was charged this week with murdering his 4 year-old stepson near Salt Lake City, Utah. Police say he "engaged in a systematic and progressively more violent pattern of abuse toward" his stepson...

SIKESTON -- Margaret Robey, 79, died May 14, 2010, at her home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for funeral services held Friday at Ponder Funeral Home for Amanda Lynnette Quinonez, 37, who died May 11, 2010, were: Frank A. Wright, Phillip Sanders, Paul Nesslein, Sammy Wright, Jerry Wilbanks and Shane Taylor. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Bobby Dale Tatum, 73, died May 13, 2010, at his home in East Prairie. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

ESSEX -- John Fredrick "Freddie" Baugher, 54, died at 5:30 a.m. May 10, 2010, at his home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

BELL CITY -- When looking at what college to attend, one of this weekend's Southeast Missouri State University graduates looked no further than her family history. Katelin Niemczyk, a 2005 graduate of Bell City High School, was one of 1,173 students to receive a degree from SEMO on Saturday. Not only did both of her parents, Rhonda and Pat Niemczyk, as well as her older brother, graduate from the university, she has roots tracing back five generations to the university...

BENTON -- A rural Benton man was arrested on a number of sexual-related crimes Thursday. Charles Justin Willcomm, 20, has been charged with first degree statutory rape with a person less than 14 years of age; eight counts of first degree statutory sodomy with a person less than 14 years of age; and five counts of first degree child molestation, according to a Friday news release from Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter...

Sikeston (13-7) enters the tournament as the two seed and will take on No. 7 Festus at 7 p.m. Monday in Perryville.

"He's a Three Rivers type," said Charleston head coach Danny Farmer about Jones, who was a Raider himself. "He's a great kid to be around. He works hard and he's going to do everything they ask him to do in practice."

After spending the past three years coaching at Kelly High School, Nate Wills has decided to accept an offer to become boy's head basketball coach and athletic director at Bell City.

Sikeston cheerleading captain Emily Eaves led her squad to a fourth consecutive state championship this season.