Stories from Friday, December 27, 2013

sports@standard-democrat.com BLOOMFIELD -- Nearly undone by a rough third quarter, the seventh-seeded Dexter Bearcats escaped the opening round of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Thursday with a 54-49 win over 11th-seeded Portageville. "We had a good first half and then in the second half I think we got tired a little bit at times," Dexter head coach Rob Nichols said. ...

sports@standard-democrat.com O'FALLON -- The Sikeston boys and girls basketball teams had mixed results in the first round of the 20th Annual St. Dominic Christmas Tournament on Thursday at St. Dominic High School. The top-seeded Sikeston boys team defeated No. 8 seeded St. Dominic 61-41, however, Sikeston's sixth-seeded girls fell to third-seeded St. Dominic 41-28...

sports@standard-democrat.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The first round of the seMissourian Christmas Tournament were filled with lopsided scores as the favorites took each of the first eight games. The second-seeded Charleston Bluejays defeated No. 15 Bell City 99-21 in the second game of the day...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Friday: 1. OBAMA SETS HIS SIGHTS ON 2014 Having signed bipartisan budget deal and defense bill that cracks down on sexual assault, raising the debt ceiling and health care law showdowns are next...

BENTON -- A Sikeston man is in custody for burglary, sexual misconduct, assault and resisting arrest. Ryan Andrew Tropf, 17, was arrested by Scott County deputies at approximately 6:25 p.m. Wednesday at a residence in Vanduser, according to a news release from Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter. Deputies were dispatched to the residence after complainants reported that a man was exposing himself...

By Scott Welton scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- In 2005, a heroin arrest was unusual; rare even, according to Jane Pfefferkorn, executive director at Mission Missouri. "Now it is all over," Pfefferkorn said. "Heroin is moving from the city to the suburbs to rural areas -- and it is happening all over the country."...

NEW MADRID -- Neecie Clark Beaird, 29, died Dec. 24, 2013, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

RISCO -- Georgia Marie Halford, 51, died Dec. 24, 2013. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Alvin Mallard died Dec. 26, 2013, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Argan Bunch, 99, died at 11:45 p.m. Dec. 26, 2013, at the East Prairie Nursing Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

RISCO -- Mary Alice Fortner, 68, died Dec. 24, 2013, at Southeast Hospital in Dexter. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Marilyn Sue Baker Montgomery, 81, died Dec. 25, 2013, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

PORTAGEVILLE -- Anna Margaret Brands, 96, died Dec. 26, 2013, in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BENTON - Jon Jeffrey Thomas, 44, died Dec. 26, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Jacqueline Laverne "Jackie" Sheehy, 80, died Dec. 25, 2013, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CHARLESTON -- An offender has died of apparent natural causes at Southeast Correctional Center. At 8:30 p.m. Sunday, offender Kenneth Richards was pronounced dead at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, according to a news release provided by the Charleston prison...

I was very disappointed that the Sikeston Choir's Christmas program was held on Sunday evening this year. Whatever happened to schools working around church nights for their events? I hope this don't happen anymore. I recently moved here from Kansas. I just want to say, I can drive back to Kansas and buy a book of stamps quicker than I can get them standing in line at your local post office...

SIKESTON -- As 2013 comes to a close, the flu season is just beginning to get under way across the region. Barbara Mickel, nurse practitioner at Express Care in Sikeston, said within this past week, the healthcare clinic at Missouri Delta Medical Center has seen an increase in positive flu cases...