Stories from Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Staff Report news@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Voters in the Sikeston R-6 School District rejected the multi-million dollar bond issue during Tuesday's municipal election. In a vote of 2,905 to 1,536, Sikeston R-6 voters in Scott and New Madrid Counties struck down the $32.3 million general obligation bond proposal for school improvements...

FREDERICKTOWN -- Thanks to a clutch shot from freshman Grace Hamra, the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs picked up their second win in as many days with a 1-0 decision over host Fredericktown on Tuesday. "We had tons of chances to score goals in the second half, but didn't finish one until the very end when we got a penalty kick," Sikeston head coach Gabe Dement said. "I picked Grace to take it because I knew she would put in the corner. Sure enough, she did."...

EAST PRAIRIE - An East Prairie man is in custody today in connection with the armed robbery of KC's Jiffy Mart in East Prairie. Irvin Michael Swim, 24, who was taken into custody in Dexter following an investigation by the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department, is charged with robbery in the first degree and several felony stealing charges. His bond is set at $250,000 cash only...

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) -- A Missouri House member is facing two charges of driving while intoxicated stemming from arrests in the capital city. Democratic Rep. Steve Hodges, of East Prairie, was charged Friday for two separate events, one that occurred last week...

BENTON - A Sikeston man was arraigned Tuesday on stealing charges in connection with a series of thefts from vehicles. Chadwick Hopgood, 18, was arraigned on the Class C felony of stealing of a firearm and the Class A misdemeanor of stealing before Judge Scott T. Horman...

Staff report news@standard-democrat.com NEW MADRID - Hotly contested school board elections apparently helped to bring voters to the polls Tuesday in New Madrid County. According to unofficial results from the office of New Madrid County County Clerk Clement Cravens, 2,816 persons cast ballots. This was 23.48 percent of the county's 11,995 registered voters and according to Cravens exceeded previous April turnouts...

Staff report news@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Charleston voters approved a tourism tax in the city in Tuesday's election. The 3 percent tax on each room occupied at local hotels and motels in the city was approved with 392 votes in favor of the tax and 60 votes against it. Proceeds from the tax will be used to promote tourism...

Staff report news@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Tuesday's municipal election proved every vote counts as many contested races were decided by a narrow margin. In Sikeston, John Graham defeated Gerald Settles by 10 votes in the bid for Ward 2 city councilman with a vote of 397 to 387. This one-year unexpired term on the Sikeston City Council was created following the death of Tom Hedrick...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Sikeston head boys basketball coach Gregg Holifield has accomplished much in his coaching career, and now he is receiving the ultimate compliment for his success. The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association will induct Holifield into its Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held April 26 at noon at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield...

I notice where a small Canadian town - about the size of Sikeston - is accepting only online voting in their upcoming municipal election. Given the recent massive snafus with the Affordable Care Act website, you would think there would be some major concerns with solely online voting...

NEW MADRID -- It is the largest audience the 25 students have ever performed for but they are expecting a home run. On June 20, members of the choir program at New Madrid County Central High School will travel to Busch Stadium in St. Louis where they will take the field during the seventh inning stretch to lead the crowd in singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."...

BENTON -- Scott County and 15 other counties in Missouri are currently in an appeal process with the State Tax Commission over Ameren-Union Electric Company's refusal to pay taxes for the 2013 tax year. The counties assessed Ameren-Union Electric Company (Ameren) taxes based on the standard taxing calculations of original cost less depreciation of the property multiplied by the percentage of taxes by statute, according to a news release from the office of Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Boyd. ...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Tennis courts at the Sikeston Sports and Recreation Complex have held up well but will now get needed maintenance. The Sikeston City Council awarded during the regular monthly meeting the contract for three-coat resurfacing on four tennis courts at the Complex to General Acrylics as recommended by staff...

When it comes to dancing, I'm like a fish out of water. At least that is what I look like. Especially when I hit the floor to do the worm. That is why I was happy to read a news article about men dancing. Researchers recently used 3D cameras to film men dancing and then asked women to rate them in order to decide what kind of dancing women found most attractive. I'm glad they weren't researching something as trivial as cancer or Alzheimer's and instead focused on such a hard-pressing issue...

TANNER -- Pallbearers for services conducted Tuesday at Ponder Funeral Home for Glenda L. Becker, 78, who died on April 4, 2014, were: Mark Fulkerson, Joe Head, Harold Head, Mark Hensley, Todd Backus and Tim Backus. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition...

MIAMI -- Brenda Holmes, 49, formerly of Chicago, died March 28, 2014, in Miami. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- William "Sonny" Woodruff, 76, died April 6, 2014, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Clyde Francis Nickell, 88, formerly of Sikeston, died April 6, 2014, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Harold S. Wooldridge, 98, formerly of Benton, died April 6, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Margaret A. Hill, 92, died April 7, 2014, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MATTHEWS -- Eugene Woodall, 78, died April 6, 2014, at his home. For the complete paid Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

JACKSON -- A memorial service for Mary L. Doggett, 85, formerly of Sikeston, who died Jan. 15, 2014, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. For the complete paid Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition...

ST. PETERS -- Julia Carter Davis, 97, formerly of Charleston and Cape Girardeau, died April 5, 2014, at Barnes Hospital in St. Peters. For the complete paid Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DELTA -- The Rev. Eric Payton Hodge, 50, died April 6, 2014, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete paid Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Seventeen people are in custody following operation "Spring Fling," a warrant roundup primarily aimed at those dealing with illegal drugs in Sikeston. Approximately 32 persons were recently indicted mostly for drug offenses and a few for property crimes and crimes against people, according to Capt. ...

In 2007, there were only 18,000 adoptions of babies in the United States. Only one percent of the nation's 1.7 million unwed births or about one percent of the 1.2 million abortions that year. Women should know that there are different kinds of adoptions, such as open adoptions where you can be in control and be involved if you want to be. ...