Stories from Wednesday, December 11, 2013

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Coming into this week's SEMO Conference Tournament it had been nearly four years since the Charleston Bluejays let a game slip to the Notre Dame Bulldogs. Winners of six straight meetings, the Bluejays looked prime for another on Tuesday when Delfincko Bogan hit an overtime inducing 3-pointer to cap a double-digit fourth quarter comeback...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- In a hard-fought contest, the top-seeded Sikeston Bulldogs defeated No. 8 seed New Madrid County Central 61-47 in the first round of the SEMO Conference Tournament on Tuesday at the Sikeston Field House. The Bulldogs advance to the semifinals where they will take on fifth-seeded Notre Dame tomorrow at 7 p.m...

The 2013 Media All-State football team was released late Tuesday night giving plenty of local athletes the all-state nod. Portageville's Ben Story made the Class 1 first team as a defensive back. The 5-9, 175 senior finished the season with 41 tackles, 11 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston eighth grade basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a 57-51 victory over Charleston. Sikeston rallied from a 25-point third quarter deficit to pull out the win. Charleston led 16-11 after one quarter and held a 32-20 lead going into halftime...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. GRIDLOCK EASES ON CAPITOL HILL A budget deal is reached that would avert about $63 billion in automatic spending cuts. It's expected to be approved by both houses...

By Leonna Heuring leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston R-6 School District received a clean audit report for the 2012-2013 school year Tuesday during its Board of Education meeting. Michael A. Radake, certified public accountant with Van de Ven LLC of Cape Girardeau, presented the audit for the 2012-2013 school year...

By Scott Welton scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Area road crews are not letting things slide; it's just hard to break the ice until things warm up. "We at the city of Sikeston are set up to push snow and slush, but cutting into the ice is difficult given our utility limitations in the street corridor," said Jay Lancaster, director of Sikeston's Department of Public Works. ...

SIKESTON -- From mid-December through New Year's Day, Sikeston police will be out in force as part of the annual nationwide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" crackdown on drunk driving. The nationwide drunk driving crackdown from Dec. 13 through Jan. 2 will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb drunk driving over the winter holidays...

SIKESTON -- A partnership between Southeast Missouri State University and Missouri State University-West Plains has paved the way for students at Southeast's three regional campuses to now earn a two-year Associate of Arts from Missouri State-West Plains...

LILBOURN - Jearlean W. Henderson, 80, died Dec. 6, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CANALOU -- Ila Faye "Toot" McDaniel, 73, died Dec. 5, 2013, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Doyle E. Denbow, 78, died Dec. 9, 2013, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BELL CITY - Pallbearers for services held Tuesday at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel for Clarence Alvie Boze, 89, who died on Dec. 5, 2013, were: Mike Dockins, Terry Dockins, Ron Nichols, David Scherer, Brian Johnson and Johnny Johnson. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition...

DEXTER - Susan Kay Woodard, 40, died Dec. 8, 2013, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BLODGETT -- Rolley Dean Riley, 82, died Dec. 9, 2013, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

Sin is sin. The Bible says we've all sinned and fell short of the glory of God. But gays and lesbians choose the lifestyle they choose to live. We are not born that way. And when you have these so-called TV preachers who don't have the backbone about them to call it what it is, sin, you have a problem. They are called wolves dressed up in sheep's clothing. These preachers are all about pleasing the people not the Lord Jesus Christ. They don't need to be behind the pulpit preaching...

SIKESTON -- Nearly two quarters into the first year of implementing the use of iPads at Sikeston High School, and officials say the program is going very well. Shannon Holifield, academic leader principal for high school, said she's proud of how hard the teachers have worked to implement Project iLearn...