Stories from Monday, February 24, 2014

By Samantha Rinehart SEMO News Service SIKESTON -- Unity was the word of the night when renowned surgeon and commentator Dr. Ben Carson spoke to a crowd of more than 1,500 Saturday evening in Sikeston. The Sikeston High School choir and Sikeston native and the 2008 winner of "America's Got Talent" Neal Boyd began the evening by singing a selection of patriotic songs. Boyd said it was "a great day for Sikeston."...

sports@standard-democrat.com CHAFFEE (SMNS) -- Charlie Montgomery scored a game-high 25 points to lead the second-seeded host Red Devils to victory over No. 7 Viburnum. Jimmy Golden added 14 points and Trevor Morehead tossed in 10 points for Chaffee (17-9)...

sports@standard-democrat.com DELTA -- In the final game of the day at the Class 1, District 2 Tournament, Bell City took advantage of several Richland turnovers to roll into the semifinals with a 65-32 win. Richland hung tough in the first quarter with senior Adam Lane scoring eight of his team's 10 points, but Bell City sophomore Nate Finney scored seven points to help the Cubs take a 15-10 lead...

sports@standard-democrat.com MALDEN -- With a hard-charging second half, third-seeded New Madrid County Central rolled to a 69-44 win over sixth-seeded East Prairie Saturday in the opening round of the Class 3, District 1 Tournament. "It's a good way to start," NMCC head coach Travis Day said. "We just have to clean up the little stuff. There was a couple times we had turnovers we probably shouldn't have had...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The world's third-largest fast-food chain is making more strides toward elimination of controversial pig cages. 
Fast food giant Wendy's says it will require its suppliers to provide quarterly reports regarding their ability to provide pork produced without the use of gestation crates. ...

(Walnut Ridge, Ark.) - Chelsy Pate of Braggadocio, Mo., has been awarded a Leadership Scholarship to attend Williams Baptist College. The scholarship is awarded to incoming WBC students based on their college entrance examination scores. Pate is a senior at Deering Delta C-7 High School. She is the daughter of Scott Page of Braggadocio and Cristy Hemingway of Portageville...

JEFFERSON CITY- Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, of the 25th District commends Noranda Aluminum in New Madrid for filing an overearnings complaint with the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) against electric utility provider Ameren Missouri. Key consumer groups across the state, including the AARP, Consumers Council of Missouri, Missouri Association for Social Welfare, who are members of the Fair Energy Rate Action Fund, support this filing because it saves ratepayers potentially millions of dollars a year. ...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. ARREST WARRANT OUT FOR UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT The acting government accuses Viktor Yanukovych, who was last seen in Crimea, of mass crimes against protesters in Kiev...

Twenty-eight singers in a wide range of ages took part in the Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon Idol audition, prompting the judges to decide to accept all those who tried out and to create two categories of competition, which will be part of the March 29-30 telethon. A $1,000 prize will be awarded to the winner in the adult division and in the youth division...

SIKESTON -- Mary Linda Howard Berry, 67, died Feb. 22, 2014, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Visitation will be held Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Ponder Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. at First Christian Church. The Rev. Randy Cook, pastor, will officiate...

PUXICO - Leo Hoopingarner, 67, died Feb. 22, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

JACKSON -- Jeanette P. Joyce, 88, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Martha Elizabeth Oswalt Bell died Feb. 23, 2014. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

news@standard-democrat.com BENTON - Filing opens Tuesday to fill several county offices. County offices in Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid which will be filled in 2014 include four-year terms as associate circuit judge, presiding commissioner, county clerk, clerk of the circuit court, recorder of deeds, county treasurer, prosecuting attorney and collector of revenue. ...

SIKESTON -- The case began with a young man claiming several people had kidnapped him at gunpoint on a July night in Sikeston, Mo., held him hostage and beat him for several hours. It ended with two men pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault charges...

Hello Mike, I'm so glad that you have printed the TV Guide so us older people can read it. I'm 87 years old and I've gotten to the place where I couldn't even read it with glasses on. I wanted to let you know I appreciate it so very much. I don't know why it would make a difference how a man and wife files their income tax. ...

At approximately 10:49 p.m. Saturday, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety's Fire Division was dispatched to Walmart, 1303 South Main, for a vehicle fire. According to DPS, there was a propane explosion inside the recreational vehicle while people were inside the RV. ...

BENTON -- A Morley man was arrested following a sexual assault investigation. Eddie S. Hamblin, 39, of Morley is charged with the two counts of first degree child molestation and one count of first degree statutory sodomy. According to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter, the Missouri Children's Division contacted his office on Jan. ...

SIKESTON -- Elitha "Kate" Jo Aiello, 62, died Feb. 24, 2014, at her home. No public services are scheduled Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For the full obituary see Wednesday's Standard Democrat...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- A planned redevelopment of a trailer park is fine but whoever owns the property needs to clean it up in the meantime. Bills which would rezone property along Harry Avenue from R-6 manufactured housing to R-2 single family residential and change the name of the street to Dockins Drive were read for the first time during the Sikeston City Council's regular monthly briefing session Monday...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Cleaning out Greenbrier Ditch is just another part of a bigger effort to keep Sikeston dry, according to city officials City Council members authorized during their regular monthly briefing session Monday paying for engineering specifications and starting the bid process for a cleanout of Greenbrier Ditch...