Stories from Thursday, May 24, 2012

sports@standard-democrat.com NAYLOR -- Needing just one more win to make it back to the MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown the Oran Eagles got the kind of clutch pitching and timely hitting against Naylor on Wednesday that has defined their postseason. In a rematch of last year's Class 1 regional, pitcher's Seth Ressel and Kody Moore combined for seven innings of four-hit ball as Oran held on to an early lead for a 4-1 final...

CHARLESTON -- An East Prairie man has been arrested on a drug-related charge. According to Missouri Case.net, Paul G. Wheatley, 29, was arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, deliver or manufacture...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Ronald Givens, 55, died May 23, 2012, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete with Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

SIKESTON -- Alice Lee Matthews Gardner, age 82, of Sikeston, died May 22, 2012, at her daughter's home in Carrollton, Texas. Alice was born Jan. 12, 1930, in Clarksville, Ark., along with her twin sister, Jewel Marie, to the late Flora Lee and Herbert Spencer Matthews. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Reuben Dabney Dickenson III, 89, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, May 21, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, his home for the past 12 years. Reuben was born Aug. 19, 1922, in Christian County, Ky., to the late Reuben Dabney II and Julia Della Hopson Dickenson. ...

SIKESTON -- Miles C. Reece Jr., 89, formerly of Kansas City, Mo., died at 9 a.m. May 21, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Sept. 24, 1922, in Falls City, Neb., to the late Miles Canter Reece Sr., and Emma Katherine Strunk Reece, he was the regional sales manager for Redball Transportation and a U.S. Navy veteran having served during World War II...

COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. -- Donald Neil Crader, 84, formerly of Germantown, died May 18, 2012. Born in 1927, in Oran, to the late Dr. Earl and Luda Dillingham Crader, he lived most of his childhood in Diehlstadt, Mo., and graduated from Diehlstadt High School. ...

WASHINGTON, Ill. -- Shirley Jean Dixon, 64, of Washington, Ill., passed away at 8:18 p.m. Monday, May 21, 2012, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Born Dec. 23, 1947, in Sikeston, Mo., to the late Everett W. and Nola Mae Hampton Hays Sr., Shirley worked in housekeeping for 23 years at Washington Christian Village, retiring in 2004. She enjoyed bowling, drawing and paint by numbers. Most of all, Shirley enjoyed spending time with her grandkids...

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Leola McMikle Roach, 82, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., died May 20, 2012 at Bloomington Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete with McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, Mo.

SIKESTON -- Colin Speakman, 68, died May 23, 2012, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at the Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Rodney Houstin Keeton, 67, died at 11:16 a.m. May 22, 2012, at the University of Arkansas Medical Center in Little Rock, Ark. Born July 22, 1944, in St. Louis, to the late Charles Firest and Pauline Parker Keeton, he lived most of his life in East Prairie. He was a retired millwright and a member of the Local 1076 and Millwright's Local 1544....

EAST PRAIRIE -- Earl D. Simpkins, 84, died at 1:20 p.m. May 22, 2012, at his home. Born Jan, 20, 1928, in Hornersville, to the late Earl Lockhart and Dora Kathleen Pollard Simpkins, he lived most of his life in East Prairie where he was a member of the First Baptist Church. A retired sales representative for Beaver Janitorial Services, he was a veteran of t#he U.S. Army serving during the Korean War...

SIKESTON -- Four Sikeston players were named to the 21-player first team Class 4, District 1 baseball team. Junior pitcher Trey Tigart, senior outfielder Luke Keefer, junior outfielder Patrick Smith and junior outfielder Tyler Anderson all earned first team honors while senior catcher Trent McMillan was an honorable mention...

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BLOOMFIELD -- The public is invited to attend Memorial Day Services on Monday at the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery. Stan Baughn, Missouri Veterans Cemetery program director and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, will be the guest speaker at the ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m. Monday at Committal Shelter Plaza in the Cemetery, 17357 Stars and Stripes Way...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Alternative schools and better tracking of absentees seem to be key factors in school districts obtaining high graduation rates. In 2011, Sikeston High School had one of the region's highest graduation rates at 92.7 percent compared to the state's average rate of 86.7 percent, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. ...

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scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- A proposed electricity rate hike will likely be put off till fall. The first reading for a bill which would authorize an increase in Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities electrical rates was tabled during a special Sikeston City Council meeting Wednesday...