Stories from Saturday, June 25, 2011

SIKESTON -- Finding a rental property in Sikeston hasn't been easy in recent years. But since the spring flooding displaced many, leaving them searching for temporary housing, it's tightened even more. "It's terrible," said Sue Rogers, co-owner of First Realty in Sikeston, who manages around 140 units, a combination of homes, duplexes and apartments for rent in Sikeston...

History will be made - in a sense - on Monday morning when construction begins on a new Public Safety building for the city of Sikeston. And because of the importance of this undertaking, all of Sikeston should be proud. When the Public Safety officers vacate the aging current facility, it will mark a giant step for the efficiency and organization of this critical city agency. It is hard to explain just how cumbersome and costly the current facility has become...

DEXTER -- Vesta VanBibber, 93, died on June 24, 2011 at the Golden Living Care Center in Dexter. Arrangements are incomplete.

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- When it comes down to it, players seem to have the same agenda as their coaches when getting ready for football season. "We're looking to get better, work on our plays and get chemistry going," Sikeston linebacker/wide receiver Keldon Warfield said. "We need to get prepared for the season."...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs got their first glimpse of life without last year's senior crop this past Thursday and Friday at the 2011 SEMO Coaches Association Contact Camp held at Sikeston High School. Competing against three other local schools in a scrimmage style setting, the Bulldogs showcased this coming year's squad in six scrimmage style games over the two days...

SIKESTON -- After spending more than 40 years in its current building, there will be a groundbreaking for a new Sikeston Department of Public Safety building on Monday. City leaders and DPS personnel plan the ceremony for 8 a.m. at the site of the new building, located at South Kingshighway and Trotter Street...

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news@standard-democrat.com MINER - It is indeed a special occasion when the community can come together and celebrate the service and wonderful life of one of its members. An upcoming event would certainly qualify as one of those occasions. At 3 p.m. ...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- At least two counties in Southeast Missouri are reaping benefits from state grants to control the mosquito population in their flood-stricken communities. Earlier this month, the Missouri Foundation for Health provided the Mississippi County Health Department in Charleston with $47,710 to equip the county and three municipalities -- Charleston, East Prairie and Wyatt -- with mosquito control supplies and equipment...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County officials hosted visitors from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand on a tour of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway. By viewing the area firsthand, the visitors hoped to gain insight on the breaches blasted into the frontline levee by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the impact of the subsequent flooding in the spillway...