Stories from Friday, April 4, 2014

Once upon a time, the animal kingdom decided it must do something to help humanity face the challenges of the world. So the animals organized a school. They adopted a systematic curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. All animals were required to take all the subjects...

It is strange to think about what the crappie at Reelfoot must have seen Sunday, as they suspended a few feet off the bottom, snuggled up to their favorite stump with defiantly closed mouths. Peering up (the only way a crappie can peer) through the sunrays that were beaming deep into the lightly stained and perfectly calm water, watching the shadows of 1,000 giant, floating spiders easing around the surface! I suppose it wouldn't have triggered an appetite in me either!...

Shelia Rouse, who has extensive newspaper management experience in Southeast Missouri and Western Tennessee, has assumed the publisher position at the Missourian-News. It will be an expanded role within Rust Communications for Rouse, who has been publisher of the State Gazette in Dyersburg (Tenn.) since 2001. ...

Staff Reports sports@standard-democrat.com ORAN -- The Oran Eagles pounded out 13 hits on their way to a 14-0 victory over Charleston Thursday in five innings. Hunter Schlosser led the Eagles (2-2) with three hits and two RBIs. Seth Ressel earned the win on the mound after striking out six and walking one. Ressel also went 2 for 3 with a double at the plate...

The Junior Class of Portageville High School will be hosting Grand March in conjunction with a "Midnight Masquerade" Prom on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Grand March will begin at 6:30 PM at the Portageville High School Gym. A ticket is required to attend Grand March. ...

Many people want to live the American dream by owning their own business. In fact, over half of all new businesses started are small business owned by local people. One of the biggest hurdles they face is planning their new business venture and is why over 70 percent of new businesses fail in their first year...

Ace Cannon, a Rockabilly Hall of Fame member known as "the Godfather of the Sax," will be performing in Kennett on Friday, April 11, 2014. The event will take place at the Kennett High School Auditorium, beginning at 7:00 p.m. His wide and varied repertoire contains everything from rock and roll to country standards to pop, and he is also no stranger to jazz and blues, which makes his music appeal to audiences of all ages and musical preferences. ...

Common Core is about loss of local control, centralization of education and minimum standards -- not high expectations, Stacy Shore, legislative liaison for Concerned Women of America of Missouri told an audience of 117 at the Rose Theatre on Sunday...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHAT'S NEXT IN MALAYSIAN PLANE SEARCH An intensive hunt for pings from Flight 370's black boxes begins with two ships covering a 150-mile stretch of the Indian Ocean...

LAKE ST. LOUIS -- Virginia L. "Jenny" McClain, 89, died April 1, 2014, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Martha Sue "Marty" Rowland, 54, died April 2, 2014, at Southeast Healthcare of Stoddard County Hospital. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Robert Taylor Griggs, 89, died April 3, 2014, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

HILLSBORO, TEXAS -- Robert Allen "Bobby" Retz, 62, died March 31, 2014, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. -- Charles Leonard Parr Jr., 60, died April 2, 2014, at Baptist Memorial Hospital--Desoto in Southhaven. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BERTRAND -- David William Stephenson, 76, died April 3, 2014, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- A homeless man is facing charges after a dispute at a Sikeston home. At about 7:46 a.m. Wednesday, the Sikeston Department of Pubic Safety received a call reporting someone had broken windows in a home on 100 block of Fulton and refused to leave. The suspect also reportedly had swung a pole at the home's resident...

MINER -- A vehicle pursuit by the Miner Police Department ended in some flat tires for the driver and an arrest for a Haywood City man. According to news release from Miner Police Chief Chris Griggs, a Miner police officer on patrol Wednesday morning around the McDonald's restaurant near Matthews Lane noted a vehicle with suspicious activity and traffic violations...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The news a lot of people are waiting for is finally out -- Bret Michaels is the Saturday night performer at this year's 62nd annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. "We have been working on this deal with Bret for awhile," said Craig Templeton, entertainment chair for this year's rodeo. "It took time to work out all of the details of the contract."...

I know this won't get put in the paper before the election, but I think there needs to be something put in about this teacher who was threatened and bullied by our fine school administration for speaking out at the state capital against Common Core. ...

CHARLESTON - A suspected bank robber is in custody after he fired on law enforcement officers as he fled from Illinois into Missouri. Around 9 a.m. Friday, a Pulaski, Ill., county deputy stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. According to Corporal Clark D. Parrott, Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop E public information officer, when the deputy returned to his patrol car to get information on the stopped vehicle, the vehicle sped from the scene...