Stories from Wednesday, August 18, 2010

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Verlon Preston "Wig" Wiggins, 83, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., died at 8:25 a.m. Aug. 17, 2010, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete.

SIKESTON --Ron Smith died Aug. 17, 2010, at his home in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- Jewell H. Ramsey, 89, died Aug. 17, 2010, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete.

TALLAPOOSA -- Donna Gale Brasher, 48, died Aug. 18, 2010, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete.

CHARLESTON -- Keith Adams, 47, died Aug. 17, 2010, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete.

SIKESTON -- JoAnn Hickman-Brown, 68, died at 6:30 a.m. Aug. 17, 2010, at the Miner Nursing Center in Sikeston. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

MATTHEWS -- Paul Ray Wilson, 63, formerly of East Prairie, died at 11:20 p.m. Aug. 16, 2010, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

SPRINGFIELD -- Thomas Roy Blankenship, 48, died Aug. 15, 2010, at his home. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

CHAFFEE -- Matthew Leslie Jaynes, 34, died Aug. 14, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

OCALA, Fla. -- The Sikeston 10-year-old All-Stars ended the pool play portion of the 10-and-under Cal Ripken World Series on a high note, defeating Weimar, Texas, 15-6 on Tuesday night. Sikeston trailed 4-2 after the first inning but scored seven runs in the fourth to break the game open. The Missouri All-Stars scored three in the fifth and sixth to run away with the win...

sd_sports@yahoo.com BENTON -- A staple in the Kelly Lady Hawks softball program will not be in the mix once the Lady Hawks take the field in the 2010 season. At least not for a while. Head coach Rhonda Ratledge is and will be on maternity leave towards the beginning of the upcoming season. Assistant coach Melanie Heuring has taking over the coaching duties until Ratledge's return...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Looking to get back to the authentic cook-off, a group of campers from Southeast Missouri have created the first King of the River Barbecue Cook-off set for this weekend near Marble Hill. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.
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michellef@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- In times of an emergency that involves a search and rescue, a lot of people want to get involved and help, but don't have the training to be totally effective. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.
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scottw@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Commissioners will seek references on a company offering to add video to the county's website. Commissioners viewed some examples of work by CGI Communications of Rochester, N.Y., during their regular meeting Tuesday...

scottw@standard-democrat.com MINER -- Miner's voters will once again be asked to approve diverting a portion of the city's bed tax for capital improvements and for general revenue. During their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, the Miner Board of Aldermen approved, by a 3-1 vote, placing a measure on the November ballot which would allow 75 percent of the tourism tax to be used for purposes other than tourism...

Going into the Class 4, District 1 tournament as the No. 3 seed just a year ago, the Sikeston Lady Bulldog softball team looked to be in prime position to make a little noise within the tournament for the first time in recent years as a formidable threat.