Stories from Thursday, December 29, 2011

sports@standard-democrat.com BLOOMFIELD -- Looking for their first trip to the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament finals since 2008, it would have been easy for Portageville to come into overtime deflated after watching Doniphan erase a four-point deficit in the final 12 seconds of regulation...

sports@standard-democrat.com O'FALLON -- In a rematch of last year's championship game in the St. Dominic Christmas Tournament, the Sikeston Bulldogs once again proved to be too quick, too fast and too deep for the bigger Wentzville Holt Indians, winning 87-63 on Wednesday at St. Dominic High School...

DYERSBURG -- The New Madrid County Central Eagles dropped their second game in the Dyersburg Christmas Tournament on Wednesday, falling 74-48 to Lausanne Collegiate out of Memphis. Lausanne jumped out to a 23-13 lead after one quarter and led 38-30 at the break before pulling away in the second half...

HERMANN -- Jewell Genevieve Sever, 90, died Dec. 28, 2011, at the Frene Valley Health Center Nursing Home in Hermann. Born Oct. 21, 1921, in Huntsville, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Elizabeth Saville Hicken. She was preceded in death by three brothers, two sisters, her husband, Dr. Benjamin Sever, in 1968; and her son, Dr. Mark Sever in 1993...

SIKESTON -- Debra Kay Blagg, 54, died at 3:15 p.m. Dec. 27, 2011, at her home in Sikeston. Born Oct. 17, 1957, in Gideon, to the late William and Helen Collins Oakes, she was a housewife. She was married to Don Edward Blagg, and he preceded her in death on Oct. 2, 2011...

SPRINGFIELD -- Catherine Joyce Dyson, 64, formerly of Sikeston, died Dec. 25, 2011, at the Jordan Creek nursing facility. Born July 11, 1947, in Stewardson, Ill., daughter of the late William and Catherine Koppen Robertson, she worked for Unilever's north plant in Sikeston before retiring due to health issues...

DEXTER -- William "Bill" Hutchen, 67, formerly of Piedmont and Rolla, died Dec. 27, 2011, at his home. Born Oct. 20, 1944, in St. Louis County, to Alma Killian Hutchen of House Springs and the late Marshall Hutchen, he was a member of the Dexter Elks Lodge and a security guard at Tyson Food...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Clarence Dean Bryan, 82, formerly of Mississippi County, Mo., died at 10 p.m. Dec. 27, 2011, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Born May 23, 1929, in Anniston, Mo., to the late Donald Blake and Ella Bell Choate Bryan, he lived for the past several years in Cairo where he was a retired construction worker...

DALLAS -- Geraldine Pauline LeGrand Brock Douglas, 90, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 27, 201, in Dallas. Geraldine was born April 23, 1921, in Flat River, Mo., to Andy and Agnes Welter LeGrand. Geraldine married Glen Albert Brock in 1938 and had two daughters. Glen preceded her in death on Feb. 16, 1946. She later married Don Douglas and moved to Dallas, and together they had four children...

scottw@standard-democrat.com EAST PRAIRIE -- Charity may begin in the home but a local community was happy to expand that circle. East Prairie Schools continued their tradition this year of helping struggling families in the district and the surrounding areas by holding a clothing and toy drive in the weeks leading up to Christmas...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Historic Downtown Sikeston is hoping donations will put more time on their clock. Downtown merchants and property owners are pleased with what has been accomplished so far and want to keep the ball rolling, according to Kim Robinson, executive director of Historic Downtown Sikeston...

Portageville will take on Kennett tonight in the finals of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament. For more on the tourney, see today's sports section.

DOGWOOD -- A former school building-turned-residence was destroyed in a fire late Tuesday in Mississippi County. East Prairie Fire Chief Kyle Hutcheson said the volunteer department received a call at 9:43 p.m. Tuesday of a fire at the residence located at 1011 South Highway B in the Dogwood community...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- With the holidays over, more people are focusing on making those New Year's resolutions. The beginning of a new year brings an opportune time to start a new exercise program, get the home organized or learn a new hobby...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Setting priorities will be the first step toward getting Mississippi County roads back in acceptable condition. "I've been riding some roads -- they're in such bad shape," Commissioner Robert Jackson said Thursday during the last regular County Commission meeting of the year. "Let's fix the roads, not just fill holes. ... We need to establish a priority list and start fixing these roads."...