Stories from Sunday, September 5, 2010

EAST PRAIRIE -- Kenneth Ray Oatsvall, 63, died Sept. 4, 2010, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

PARIS, Mo. -- Ruthe Hahn Blackwell, 96, formerly of Charleston, died Sept. 2, 2010, at Monroe Manor in Paris. Arrangements are incomplete at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

CHARLESTON -- James Douglas "Doug" Simmons, 61, died Sept. 3, 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...

JACKSON -- John Clay Matthews Jr., 66 of Jackson, passed away Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

CHAFFEE -- Marvin L. Burton Sr., 70, died Sept. 3, 2010, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Lila Campbell Dowdy, 81, died Sept. 2, 2010, at the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

ESTILL SPRINGS, Tenn. -- Dustin Paul Tidwell, 23 formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Aug. 28, 2010. For the complete obituary and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

Workers from Satterfield's Wrecker Service in Sikeston work to clear a trailer from the median on Interstate 55 at the 62.4 mile marker. Southbound I-55 traffic was stop-and-go and backed up Friday for the cleanup. The trailer was from a 10 a.m. accident in which a northbound semi tractor-trailer lost control of the vehicle, ran off the left side of the roadway and overturned in the median. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Oran Lady Eagles softball team split their games in pool play of the Notre Dame Softballfest on Friday afternoon, blasting Ste. Genevieve 23-5 before seeing a late rally fall short to Cobden, Ill., 9-7. In their opening game against Ste. Genevieve, Oran scored 11 runs in the second inning and 10 runs in the fourth inning, routing the Lady Hunters 23-5...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Coming off a tough two-point loss to Hayti last weekend, the East Prairie Eagles let their ground game do the talking Friday night against visiting Grandview. Rushing for 199 total yards, East Prairie would build a 34-point lead by half in route to a 41-8 win to improve to 1-1 on the season...

NEW MADRID -- Watching the Poplar Bluff Mules take it to the house from at least 50 yards out on four separate occasions, the New Madrid County Central Eagles couldn't help but be reminded of their week one game against the Cape Central Tigers. And just like the Tigers, the visiting Mules made NMCC pay for giving up the big play...

SIKESTON - Things could not have gotten off to a worse start for the Charleston Bluejays on Friday night at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium. Already heavy underdogs coming into the game, a slow start proved to be a lethal combination for the Bluejays as Sikeston rolled to a 51-6 victory in the 125th meeting between the two rivals...

SIKESTON -- Dates for the city of Sikeston's Fall Cleanup, which gives residents an opportunity to dispose of bulky rubbish during their regular solid waste pick-ups, have been sent for two weeks beginning Sept. 27. Residents with Monday and Thursday trash collection will have their fall cleanup opportunities on Sept. 27 and 30. Those with Tuesday and Friday solid waste pickup will have their spring cleanup collections on Oct. 5 and Oct. 8...

SIKESTON -- The offices of the Standard Democrat will be closed Monday and no paper will be published in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The office will reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston woman is in serious condition after a vehicle accident in New Madrid County on Friday afternoon. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred around 5:15 p.m. on Highway W, four miles west of Kewanee, when a westbound vehicle driven by James W. ...

PEMISCOT COUNTY -- Three people, two of which were children, died as a result of a vehicle crash on Friday in Pemiscot County, while two others are in serious condition. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred around 3:50 p.m. ...

SIKESTON -- Having prior experience in hosting The Moving Wall, Firebase Sikeston is once again ready to serve as hosts for some moving experiences. "We're well on track to having everything ready," Tom Austin, Firebase Sikeston's chairman, confirmed Friday. "I'm extremely pleased with the way things have gone."...

SIKESTON -- There are so many benefits to a healthier workforce. "It reduces absenteeism, increases production, lowers insurance premiums and improves company morale," said Garth Fuchs, program director at the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce. And those are just a few reasons why the SACC and its Community Betterment Committee have brought back a workplace fitness competition, "Get Fit Sikeston." Set to kick off Sept. 13, the competition will wrap up Oct. 13...