Stories from Monday, February 27, 2012

sports@standard-democrat.com BLOOMFIELD -- Looking to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 3, District 1 Tournament, the ninth-seeded East Prairie Eagles fell to the eighth-seeded Twin Rivers Royals 70-48 in Saturday's play-in game. "I felt like tonight everybody wanted to step up and be 'the man' instead of playing as a team," East Prairie head coach Casey Knight said. ...

sports@standard-democrat.com BLOOMFIELD -- Unable to rebound from a rough first half, the Charleston Lady Bluejays saw their season come to a close with a 75-56 loss to Doniphan in the opening round of the Class 3, District 1 Tournament on Saturday...

DEXTER -- Billy Ray Sanders Sr., 62, died Feb. 24, 2012, at his home. Born June 1, 1949, in Essex, son of the late Elmer Junior and Clara Jane King Sanders, he had lived all his life in Essex and Dexter where he had worked in the sanitation department at Tyson Foods and was a member of the Lighthouse Christian Center...

BIRCH TREE -- Charles Wayne Halter Jr., 52, died Feb. 21, 2012, at his home in Birch Tree. Born Sept. 25, 1959, in Lincoln, Neb., son of Mary Catherine French Halter of Birch Tree and the late Charles Wayne Halter Sr., Charles was a graduate of Sikeston Senior High School. He spent many years working on the river as a deck hand and First Mate. He loved animals and the outdoors. He will be greatly missed by close friends and the family he loved...

SEARCY, Ark. -- Dorothy Lee Lambert Williams, 79, died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock. Born Feb. 13, 1933, in Sikeston, Mo., to the late Reno and Flora Mae Lambert, she graduated from Blodgett High School. She was a beautician for many years. ...

GREENVILLE -- Chaffee earned a spot in the semifinals with a 57-42 win over Ellington on Saturday afternoon. Taylor Fodge scored 19 points and Adrienne Eichhorn added 15 for the Lady Devils (6-16), who will face top-seeded Meadow Heights in Monday's 6 p.m. semifinal...

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news@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Bernice Kern is about to close the book on an almost 38-year career as the librarian at Riverside Regional Library in Benton. It's the relationships that she's gained over the years that Kern, set to retire Wednesday, said she will likely miss most...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- After two decades, the Sikeston Department of Economic Development has shown results and promises more to come. The latest big accomplishment by the DED is bringing in a new 50,000-square-foot facility to be located north of Orgill's Mid-America SuperCenter...