Stories from Thursday, July 18, 2013

PORTAGEVILLE -- Ricky Durbin, 61, died July 17, 2013, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

NEW HAMBURG -- Viola "Monica" Dirnberger, 82, died July 17, 2013, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MATTHEWS -- Leland Edward "Butch" Harper, 68, died July 16, 2013, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

ANNA, Ill. -- Norma Jean Showmaker, 61, died July 16, 2013, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

Sikeston native Neil Boyd throws out the ceremonial first pitch on Wednesday as part of the opening day festivities at the 2013 Midwest Plains Region 12U Softball Tournament. The tournament will run through Saturday at the Sikeston Sports Complex.

sports@standard-democrat.com SENATH -- Coming off an encouraging finish to the regular season Sikeston Legion Post 114 will enter today's District 14 American Legion AAA Tournament looking to make people forget about the disappointing way in which last year ended...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Fighting back from a late one-run deficit on Wednesday the Sikeston All Stars rallied for two runs in the sixth inning to claim a 4-3 win over Sante Fe, Colo., to open pool play in the Midwest Plains Region 12U Tournament...

CHARLESTON -- Two Bertrand residents were arrested for the theft and resale of dozens of items stolen in Mississippi County. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, the investigation began in late June, when a deputy was notified that a local business had unwittingly bought dozens of items stolen from a Bertrand residence...

CHARLESTON -- Two Mississippi County residents were arrested on drug-related charges Monday following an investigation by the sheriff's department. Ira Lee Mosier Jr., 31, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, and Keria Love Tripp, 22, is charged with possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia...

CHARLESTON -- A Charleston shooting suspect who fled to North Carolina is fighting extradition back to Missouri. During an extradition hearing Monday in Cumberland County, N.C., Mark Mowery, who is a suspect in the July 4 shooting of a 39-year-old Charleston man and his 10-year-old son, declined to waive extradition and return to the state of Missouri, according to a news release from Robert E. Hearnes, director of Charleston Department of Public Safety...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- A low flying plane in the Bootheel is working for the government but they aren't looking at you -- or anything else on the ground. They are interested in what is going on underneath the surface. The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a special survey, explained Rick Blakely, research geophysicist for the USGS out of Menlo Park, Calif., to get a clearer idea of what is going on with the New Madrid Fault...

Is there anybody out there that can turn my cassette music into a disc? If so, call 475-5612. I'm so proud of you Michael Jensen. My heart is just pounding and bursting with pride at your article, "Prejudice is more than just one word." Bravo for you! You are a good man...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston High School students will pick up more than books during their back-to-school orientations next month. They'll also receive iPads for use in the new school year. To help both the students and parents with the implementation of Project iLearn, which will put the tablet computers in the hands of all high school students for the 2013-2014 school year, mandatory orientations have been scheduled for Aug. 5-9...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- The complaint is nothing new, but it usually doesn't come from a farmer. Mitch Pullen, commissioner, said during the regular Mississippi County Commission meeting Thursday that he received a complaint about some center pivot irrigation systems hosing down roads with the end guns...