Stories from Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Columbia, MO ­ The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is again asking farmers of land in targeted watersheds in Missouri to partner with the agency to monitor the quality of water that runs off their fields. NRCS State Conservationist J.R. Flores said NRCS will pay for about 75 percent of the cost of monitoring equipment. NRCS will also provide funding to install voluntary conservation practices if landowners agree to allow the effectiveness of those practices to be monitored...

DEXTER -- The schedule has been released for the upcoming Rib City boys basketball shootout slated for June 19-20 at Dexter. 41 boys basketball teams will compete in the event. Games are scheduled to take place on three courts at the Bearcat Event Center, the Dexter High School Gymnasium, the Dexter Middle School Gymnasium and the Southwest Elementary Gymnasium...

The final spring baseball rankings from the 2014 high school baseball season have been released with several local teams making the top 10 in the state of Missouri. After their fourth place finish during the Class 3 state tournament, the New Madrid County Central Eagles held that spot in the final rankings...

sports@standard-democrat.com FULTON -- With a pair of wins over Blair Oaks and New Bloomfield, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels finished the William Woods Alumni Showcase undefeated. Their 3-0-1 record during the round-robin style tournament was the best among all participants and leave the Squirrels with a healthy 18-3-1 mark on the season...

sports@standard-democrat.com POPLAR BLUFF -- One of Sikeston's winningest all-time guards will be playing closer to home this fall. Former Sikeston Bulldog Vashawn Ruffin has transferred to Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff following his freshman year at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Ill...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston Public Library's bookshelves are already filled with over 45,000 items, and now through a new circulation system, patrons have access to over 1 million titles. The library's new circulation system, "Missouri Evergreen," went live Monday, and library staff members and patrons began adjusting to the change...

JACKSON -- Former Scott County deputy Ivan Norman Brant Jr. waived formal arraignment Monday in connection with charges of possessing a controlled substance. Judge Gary Kamp set Brant's preliminary hearing for July 1. In May, Brant, 37, of Scott City was charged with possession of a controlled substance for his role in allegedly helping former Scott City police officer Samuel J. Lincoln, 26, of Whitewater sell the hormone testosterone to a Jackson police officer...

SIKESTON -- Whether or not the city will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales tax revenue in the next fiscal year or not will remain unknown until September. Gov. Jay Nixon last week vetoed 10 bills passed at the end of the legislative session's close providing special tax exemptions. The Missouri General Assembly will have the opportunity to overturn those vetoes during a veto session in September...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Movies in the Park may get rescheduled due to rain, but they are back. Movies in the Park was presented by Michael Carnell last year for the first time as a free, family-friendly event. "We did two in the fall," Carnell said. "We did 'The Goonies' first. We expected about a hundred people, max, and about four or five hundred showed up. So we decided to definitely do it again."...

SIKESTON - Area residents have the opportunity to weigh in on a list of transportation projects and improvements proposed by the Missouri Department of Transportation during a meeting from 4-7 p.m. June 23 at the Miner Convention Center, 2610 E. Malone...

Staff report news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The theft of some copper line resulted in a big loss for a local grocery store. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call reporting the theft of some copper from the roof of the Food Giant on North Main at about 8:49 a.m. Monday...

I think it would be better if the Standard Democrat, since we get a Friday paper, why do they print on Saturday a Friday and Saturday TV guide since we get a Friday paper with a Friday TV guide and then on Saturday we get the Friday and Saturday TV guide and then we don't get a Sunday paper. ...

On Friday afternoon, as is the practice of this White House, the Obama administration quietly announced that over two years of email from embattled IRS official Lois Lerner has been "lost." So on the eve of a special Congressional investigation into the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, we're to believe that sensitive and potentially illegal activities outlined in thousands of emails have somehow just simply vanished into thin air...

I hate getting old but each day I get closer to sitting on my porch, shaking my cane screaming "GET OFF MY LAWN!" I realized I was one step closer the other day when I was driving and looked over and saw a young teen, head buried in her cell phone, passing me on the highway like I was standing still. That was followed by my reaction which sounded something like: "Look at the road and slow down you young whippersnapper!"...

HAYWOOD CITY -- Helen Gene Johnson, 77, died June 17, 2014 at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


DEXTER -- Ella Mae Dixon, 94, died June 16, 2014, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


CHAFFEE -- Jeremy P. Evans, 34, died June 15, 2014, north of Doniphan at Deer Leap Recreation Area on Current River. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


PORTAGEVILLE -- Ora Lee Caldwell Johnson, 66, died June 9, 2014. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON -- Pallbearers for services conducted Monday at Ponder Funeral Home for Wanda Hilliard, 72, who died on June 12, 2014, were: Bill Riegert, Jason Curtis, Brock Powers, Doug White, Randy Hilliard and Josh Burnett.

TUPELO, Miss. -- Marian Marie Preusse Tenkhoff, 87, died June 16, 2014, at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Charleston man who used a bomb threat as a ruse to divert police before robbing a bank has admitted his guilt. Deidrick Reed, 26, pled guilty Tuesday to one felony count of making a false bomb threat, one felony count of armed bank robbery, and one felony count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in U.S. District Court...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - An Oran man could spend more than four years in federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm. The United States Attorney's office announced Tuesday that Joshua L. Rogers, 28, was sentenced to 57 months on one felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm...

Mildred Ann Porter, of Portageville, died Monday, June 8, 2014 in Cape Girardeau, MO. She was 75 years, 11 months and 18 days old. Mildred was born June 22, 1938 in Portageville to Opal Redman and Bill Leonard. Preceding her in death were her parents, Opal and Bill; a son, Mike Slusher; two brothers, Billy and Millard Leonard; and three sisters, Betty Winters, Nadine Vance and Margaret Calkins...