Stories from Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Harper Bryant, daughter of Cully and Julie Bryant, is the Standard Democrat's Calendar Girl for April. Harper was the third runner-up in the 2013 Miss Sikeston and plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia in the fall and major in broadcast journalism. (David Jenkins, Staff)...

I usually use this space to try to make people laugh by making a few sarcastic remarks and funny comments. However, today I want to take a minute to be serious and tell you why I think everyone should vote no on Tuesday's school bond issue. I admire and respect those trying to push the $32.3 million issue through. ...

SIKESTON -- Claims by a Sikeston R-6 teacher who says she was intimidated by administrators for her anti-Common Core beliefs are under investigation by the school district. At a March 26 hearing of the Senate Education Committee, Susan Kimball, who teaches kindergarten in the Sikeston R-6 district, told lawmakers she was denied the use of a personal day to testify before the committee...

sports@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- After being no-hit in each of their two games this season the New Madrid County Central Eagles got things going Tuesday in a 4-3 win over Charleston. The Bluejays scored a run in each of the first three innings while a three-run outburst by the Eagles in the top of the second left things knotted at 3-3 going into the fourth...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Bad weather conditions have took their tool on the Sikeston golf team of late. A brutally windy afternoon during the Notre Dame Invitational at Bent Creek on Monday resulted in Sikeston's top golfer to break an impressive career streak and slotted the Bulldogs in the seventh position as a team...

A few months back, I penned a column that talked about trust in our government and specifically trust in this administration. The theme then - as it remains today - is that absent trust virtually any act or proposal coming from government officials will be viewed with some level of skepticism...

Don't worry, I'm not doing an in-depth analysis of why your NCAA bracket is in shambles. If you want to know how to pick a perfect bracket, read the rest of the sports section, or follow my lead, and don't start filling it out until after the first few rounds are over! My "March Madness" is due to the fact that I am again writing a springtime column while the mercury in the old thermometer is plummeting. ...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHY MANY CHILEANS DIDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT Authorities keep hundreds of thousands of people out of their beds after a magnitude-8.2 earthquake triggered tsunami warnings...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety will join up with other local, state and federal agencies in forming a task force to address violent and drug-related crimes on a regional basis. For the complete article and more local news stories, see the Wednesday edition of the Standard Democrat. For the electronic edition click here to log on...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The contract to provide Sikeston with animal shelter services will be up for grabs come the city's next fiscal year. The Sikeston City Council voted during their regular monthly briefing session Monday to extend the contract with the Sikeston Area Humane Society through June 30, the end of the city's fiscal year...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston City Council approved $97,680 to upgrade phones at city facilities during their monthly briefing session Monday. For the complete article and more local news stories, see the Wednesday edition of the Standard Democrat. For the electronic edition click here to log on...

NEW MADRID - New Madrid County residents will go to the polls Tuesday to choose their municipal and school representatives. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. There is only one race on the ballot for Canalou residents. In Ward 2 Willard Robinson Jr. and Ellen Russom are seeking the job of alderman. Running unopposed are Donald Cook for mayor; Wilma Hafford for city collector; Rebecca Lasters for city judge and Karen Shipley for Ward 1 alderman...

SIKESTON -- Daisy Lee Green, 68, died March 26, 2014, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Heather Dawn Kingery, 37, died March 31, 2014, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Glenn E. Eastabrook, 94, died March 16, 2014, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Geraldine L. Fodge, 87, died March 31, 2014, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Jo Ann VanGilder, 65, died March 30, 2014, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Marvin Lloyd Keene Sr., 72, died March 30, 2014, from complications of diabetes in Birmingham, Alabama. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MINER -- The city of Miner will be flushing water hydrants April 14-17. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log in to our electronic edition.

I would like to speak out about the Sikeston school bond issue. Sikeston cannot afford this large a tax increase on our property and automobiles and our personal property unless you are a doctor, a doctor's wife or a big shot businessman. We need some people on our school board that have some common sense and that are common working people to know what we can afford. I'll be voting no...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- An Oran man pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm Monday. Joshua L. Rogers, 28, of Oran pled guilty to one felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He appeared before United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri residents should be ready for the possibility of damaging storms to blow through the area. The National Weather Service at Paducah has issued a severe weather alert for the region warning that scattered thunderstorms are possible today into early Thursday in the region...

BENTON - The Southeast Missouri DWI Task Force, along with the Scott County Sheriff's Office, will conduct a DWI checkpoint during April The driving while intoxicated checkpoint will be conducted between the hours of 8 p.m. and 3 a.m., along with heavy DWI saturation patrols in Scott County, according to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter...

Mildred L. Robbins was born in Portageville, MO on March 29, 1937 to Sylvania Phillips and Lovell LeSieur. She passed away on March 30, 2014 in Portageville at the age of 77. Mildred was united in marriage to Bobbie Joe Robbins on October 29, 1952 in Hernando, MS. He survives of the home...

Spencer and JoBeth Martin would like to announce the birth of their daughter Brooklyn Reese Martin. Brooklyn was born March 5, 2014 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro, AR. She weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long. Brooklyn is the granddaughter of George and Tina DeLisle, and Steve and Judy Martin, both of Portageville. ...

JEFFERSON CITY - The battle for dog equality has reached the Missouri Senate, where a bill aimed at outlawing breed-specific ordinances was heard before the Senate General Laws committee. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington, would prohibit a local government from enacting any law that limits the ownership of a dog based on its breed...

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri hunters would be allowed to trespass to retrieve their hunting dogs under a measure presented to a legislative committee. Members of the House Committee on Agriculture Policy heard the plan Tuesday, March 11. The legislation would limit trespassing to hunters trying to retrieve their hunting dogs, and stipulate that they could not enter the property with a firearm...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Every spring, the Missouri Department of Transportation starts preparing for the summer season of roadwork across the state. Part of that preparation includes the observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which is April 7-11...

JEFFERSON CITY--Missouri turkey hunters have reason to be optimistic about the 2014 spring turkey season, according to the state's turkey expert. Missouri's spring turkey season runs from April 21 through May 11. The youth season takes place April 12 and 13. This year's hunting regulations are nearly the same as last year...

COLUMBIA, MO - The 15th Missouri Water and Wastewater Conference, organized by USDA- Rural Development, was held on March 19, 2014. Over 100 attended the conference including consulting engineers, regional planning commissions, community planners, grant writers and other consultants from across the state. Many local, state and federal officials were also in attendance...

Columbia MO (March 28, 2014) -- Two AgFuel Energy Systems biomass furnaces have been purchased by the Climate Foundation, one of several research groups commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to participate in its Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. The systems will be used to convert human waste to heat and energy and produce biochar, a byproduct of the conversion that can be used as soil amendment...

PURCELLVILLE, Va. -- The Home School Legal Defense Association today released its highly-anticipated documentary Building the Machine, a film that investigates the Common Core State Standards Initiative and how it will affect the American education system...