Stories from Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WEINER ADMITS SEXTING AGAIN But the ex-congressman and his wife appeared together to say he is not dropping out of the New York City mayor's race...

VANDUSER - Jewell Milda Barrick, 90, died July 23, 2013, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON - Carl Eugene Basinger, 66, died July 22, 2013, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Richard Lee Howard, 76, formerly of Charleston, died July 22, 2013, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MOREHOUSE -- Fredia Wyrick, 87, died July 22, 2013, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

ST. LOUIS -- Annie Jane Boyd Parker, 93, formerly of Charleston, died July 19, 2013, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

ORAN -- Eliza Mae Lane, 103, died July 17, 2013, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

sports@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- For the sixth time in seven years the Charleston Fighting Squirrels have laid claim to the Missouri Senior Babe Ruth state championship. Their most recent title came on Tuesday when Charleston finished off one of the most dominant performances in tournament history with a 14-4 win over Boonville in the title game...

scottw@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Scott County officials don't know how changes to the National Flood Insurance Program will affect the county -- but intend to find out. "Something has changed with the flood plain rules," Tom Beardslee, county emergency management director, said during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday. "I need to know what the changes are so I can help administer the program here in Scott County."...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Crime rates are down as compared with a decade ago, according to public safety officials -- thanks to the 1-cent sales tax. How the next 10 years will go depends on what voters decide Aug. 6. The 1-cent sales tax approved by voters to provide funding for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority and for the construction of the Sikeston Area Higher Education Center, now called Southeast Missouri State University-Sikeston, expires Sept. ...

Our founders said, "A government should fear the people in a free country, for the people to fear the government is tyranny." Our country is the first in all history to give the responsibility of freedom to the citizens, with citizens' control of the government. ...

Our federal government can continue to function even with highly unpopular positions. Our federal government can continue to function even with partisan bickering, major social divisions and slow erosions of personal freedoms. But a federal government cannot continue to function when it loses the trust of the American public...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A power outage in the central campus of Southeast Missouri State University is delaying the start of classes and office openings this morning. The power outage affects the following buildings: Memorial, Art, Serena, Carnahan, Crisp, Cheney, GS1 and Parker...