Stories from Saturday, June 2, 2012

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sports@standard-democrat.com ORAN -- Though a state title wasn't in the works as Oran made it's 11th trip to the Class 1 final four, this year's crop of Eagles can look back knowing they defied expectations. With the team losing core players such as Zac Chasteen, Tyler Heuring and Nolan Urhahn to graduation following last year's Class 1 third-place finish, many expected Oran to spend this year building toward the future...

CHARLESTON -- A routine traffic stop conducted by Mississippi County deputies turned into an eight-hour manhunt in the county. As Deputy Marc Tragesser made a traffic stop Wednesday on a vehicle driven by James Brice Owens, 34, of East Prairie, Owens reportedly exited the vehicle and ran into a nearby cornfield...

SIKESTON -- Construction of the new multi-use trail in the Recreation Complex is complete. The new trail from Campanella Drive near the Ingram Road park entrance down to the south parking lot in Veterans' Park, including one lap around the lake, is over 1.5 miles. The paver brick path through Veterans' Park is a quarter mile loop...

SIKESTON -- An interim executive director will lead the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce as the board determines the organization's future. Effective June 4, Susan Glasgow Lawrence will assume the responsibilities of executive director, according to Chamber President Darrin Johnson. Lawrence replaces Missy Marshall, who accepted a position with Three Rivers College earlier this month...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Women who undergo routine mammograms at Missouri Delta Medical Center now have the latest screening and diagnostic technology available to them. The Sikeston hospital is one of the few women's centers in the United States to offer 3-D breast tomosynthesis for breast cancer screening with a digital mammography system, which creates a three-dimensional picture of the breast using x-rays...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- When things don't make sense -- like FEMA's new floodplain maps -- it sometimes helps to follow the money. Sikeston city officials, like those of other area municipality and county governments, have expressed serious concerns about the Federal Emergency Management Agency's new floodplain maps...

It's just a sign of the times, I assume. I find it ironic and somewhat concerning that the United States Forestry Service is running public service announcements asking people to quit tweeting and texting and whatever else you can do with our new emerging technology and instead get out in the real world...