Stories from Saturday, July 16, 2011

SIKESTON -- As contractors work to set the beams for the new Route H overpass located south of Blodgett, Interstate 55 will be closed from Benton (Exit 80) to Miner (Exit 69) for a 24-hour period this weekend. Traffic is detoured to Route 61 from 9 p.m. Saturday to 9 p.m. Sunday...

sports@standard-democrat.com CHAFFEE -- For the second day in a row, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels made use of their potent hitting lineup to bounce back from an early deficit. Down 4-2 at one point, the Squirrels pounded out eight runs in four inning to defeat Booneville 10-5 on Friday in the second round of the winner's bracket during the 2011 Missouri Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament in Chaffee...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Senior Legion Post 114 baseball team hasn't won as many games as they would have hoped this season, but coach Chris Crosby always felt his team could make some racket in a long, grinding district tournament...

With absolutely no fanfare, Gov. Jay Nixon this week signed into law a bill by Rep. Ellen Brandom that mandates drug testing for some welfare recipients. The reason for the silent treatment at the signing was obvious. Nixon would alienate many of his voters had he signed the bill with ample hoopla...

SIKESTON -- Regional softball tournaments are once again returning to Sikeston. The 2011 Babe Ruth 14U and 16U Midwest Plains Regional softball tournaments will be held next week at the Sikeston Sports Complex, marking the second-straight year that the Sikeston Area Youth Baseball League has hosted softball regionals...

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sports@standard-democrat.com CHAFFEE -- The Charleston Woodpeckers were eliminated from the state tournament on Friday at the hands of Mineral Area, 17-4. After falling behind by an 8-0 margin, the Woodpeckers fought back to cut the deficit in half with four runs in the fourth inning...

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news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. In his proclamation, Reagan recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by 90 percent of the nation's population...

michellef@standard-democrat.com ORAN -- Not many people can say they've had a close working relationship with someone who has gone on to become United States president. But Jack Engram of Oran can. After serving in combat during World War II, the 85-year-old Oran man spent about six months working as a guard for the then-General Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, in Frankfort, Germany. Engram stood guard over one of the four main gates...