Stories from Friday, December 12, 2014

The 2014 Southeast Missouri All-Region football teams selected by a panel of sportswriters from eight publications. OFFENSE First team QB -- Dante Vandeven, Jackson, Sr. 6-2, 190 lbs. RB -- Braion Owens, Cape Central, Sr. 5-11, 190 lbs. RB -- Earnest Fobbs, Sikeston, Jr. 6-1, 170 lbs...

After many months of effort, the newly expanded and improved medical center at the Bootheel Youth Museum is now officially opened. In a ceremony Tuesday, representatives of Southeast Health, the sponsor of the venture, gathered with members of the Bootheel Youth Museum (BYM) Board...

The world values achievement, reputation, wealth, self-assurance, prestige, and the like. Not so with God. Jesus told James and his brother John that "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." The idea of servant hood runs so counter to our human nature and the spirit of this age, that few Christians have genuinely experienced this basic Kingdom truth. ...

700 years before Christ was born Isaiah took his pen, dipped it in the ink of inspiration and he painted a picture of the Christ child who would be born. Over and over again in the book of Isaiah you will find beautiful pictures of Jesus, the Christ, and the Messiah, who would come. Isaiah is called the gospel of the Old Testament because of its beautiful portrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ...

As we sink into the cold winter months, poor families and young people in our state are looking at their energy bills and trying to ensure they can enjoy the holidays with their families without having to worry about making ends meet. We need energy policies that bring economic relief to these families and young individuals, not policies that hurt them...

SIKESTON -- Christmas came early for the more than 500 seventh and eighth graders who attend Sikeston Junior School. Through the nonprofit organization Rural Compassion, every student in the school received a free pair of new shoes on Thursday. Allen Basham, pastor of Cape First of Sikeston, said a friend of his who works for Rural Compassion in Springfield contacted him because they'd received 90,000 pairs of shoes to give away...

sports@standard-democrat.com WARDELL -- With a dominant fourth quarter the Richland Rebels secured their first win of the season Thursday, taking down North Pemiscot 77-63. The Rebels trailed 33-29 at halftime before closing within a point entering the final quarter, 46-45. That where Richland made their run, outscoring North Pemiscot 32-17 in the fourth to pull out the win...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- What Sikeston couldn't do in their opening round loss to Charleston proved to be the key to Poplar Bluff booking their first ticket to the SEMO Conference tournament finals since 2009. The Mules held Bluejay star Delfincko Bogan to a mere mortal 17 points in Thursday's semifinals matchup. Poplar Bluff held off a late Charleston rally for a 76-67 win giving them a shot at their first tournament title...

By Chris Pobst sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- New Madrid County Central's Willie Jimerson turned out yet another stellar performance, which has become the norm the past two seasons. He led his fifth-seeded Eagles to a 59-49 win over No. 1 Jackson on Thursday during the SEMO Conference semifinals at the Sikeston Field House behind 18 points, six rebounds and a perfect night from the free throw line...

Just ahead of the holiday season, Ameren is providing tips to its customers to safeguard them from scam artists who are using intimidation and other tactics to defraud the company's customers in Missouri and Illinois. Ameren urges customers to be on alert for phone calls from scam artists who threaten disconnection of utility service unless a payment with a Green Dot Money Pak card or other pre-paid card is made immediately. ...

The Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield will participate in the annual Wreaths Across America Program on Saturday, December 13, 2014. The program will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the cemetery at the Committal Shelter Pavilion. Master of Ceremony for the program will be Mr. Randy Dunn...

Mr. Ray Blurton of Wardell (left) is the winner of the $1000 shopping spree at Wood's Lumber Co., Inc. Wood's held a drawing on December 1 for their Fall/Winter 2014 Do It Best Catalog give away.

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. HOUSE APPROVES BILL FINANCING GOVERNMENT The $1.1 trillion measure passed despite Democratic complaints that it would ease bank regulations imposed after the economy's near-collapse in 2008...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Whether the final disaster recovery project is finished in time or not, Mississippi County will not owe FEMA any money, county officials clarified. "KFVS had another erroneous report on the news about Mississippi County," Carlin Bennett, presiding commissioner, said during the regular weekly County Commission meeting Thursday...

BENTON - A man was arrested in relation to a lightning rod scam. William E. Riley, 50, of Hannibal is charged with attempted financial exploitation of the elderly. According to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter, on Dec. 1, Riley contacted an elderly woman at her rural Scott City home and requested to inspect the lightning rods on her house after producing some type of certification papers. ...

Jeff Allen, a member of American Legion Riders Chapter 369 of Benton, unloads a box of wreaths in preparation for Saturday's Wreaths Across America ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m. at St. Denis Cemetery in Benton. Allen is also the co-coordinator of the Scott County ceremony. A ceremony is also planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield...

SIKESTON - Norris Hyde, 79, of Sikeston, went home on Dec. 9, 2014, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON - Glenda Satterfield, age 70, died Dec. 11, 2014, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON -- Dorothy E. Collins, 76, passed away Dec. 10, 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.


SIKESTON -- Timothy Joe Hardin, 54, died Dec. 6, 2014, at his brother's home in Bertrand. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON - Bessie Ruth Kersey, 82, formerly of Mississippi County, died Dec. 8, 2014, at her home. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


NEW MADRID -- Mona Tennison, 87, died Dec. 11, 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.


This call is about the Ferguson supporters. We have a coward governor and a chicken president. We passed the law after 9-11 called the Homeland Security Act and the actions that were done in Ferguson were considered terrorism. They are homegrown terrorism. ...

Southeast Elementary named its Students of the Month for November. The word of the month was self-control. Pictured are front row, from left: Landen Richardson, Mason Ballew, Destiny Brown, Landon Wheetly and Ashley Roth; second row: Kenya Bowden, Ryder Estes, Trnyece Lockhart, Ebony Johnson, Mazie Hubbard and Savannah Griggs; and back row: Riley Spencer, Rilee Moore, Kharis Andrews and Braylon Webb. Not pictured are Joshua Hornback and Jayla Johnson...

SIKESTON - Two Sikeston High School students will perform with students from across Missouri in the All-State Choir. Brenden Morgan, a junior, and Dalton Martin, a senior, were selected recently for the choir. They were among five students from SHS to audition for the select group...

The SHS Chapter of National Honor Society had its induction ceremony Nov. 13. NHS is a nationwide organization, and selection is based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service and character. Current members include: seniors: Kaitlyn Ayers, Gage Barber, Lauren Beydler, Elizabeth Blanton, Ivy Clinton, Lexi Curtis, Josh Eifert, Kennedy Frohawk, Mary Claire Gleason, Zach Grady, Colton Hampton, Yeremyah Hawkins, Jenny Keller, Morgan Krokstrom, Madison Lancaster, Madeline Limbaugh, Sebastian Matos, Natalie Regenold, Kylie Ritter, Cody Rodgers, Elizabeth Sewell, Crystal Sharp, Maggie Shepherd, Madison Smith, Hannah Stash, Cole Thornton, Gabe Wheeler, Luke Williams and Madeline Williams; and juniors: Alana Basham, Kaylan Butler, Erin Crader, Jordan Crawford, Hunter Crowley, Christina Gaines, Caroline Gleason, Elizabeth Hay, Erica Irwin, Clayton Johnson, Hope Mannon, Sarah Martin, Anniegeorgia O'Brien, Alexis Price, Katie Smith and Jayci Williams. ...

Kelly FCCLA students attended the New Dawn State School in Sikeston on Nov. 12 to make Thanksgiving crafts. Students created turkey hats with their buddies and each hat had what the student was thankful for. Kelly FCCLA students said they appreciated the opportunity to pair up with another school to celebrate the meaning of Thanksgiving...

SIKESTON -- Kaitlyn Paige Ayers and Zachary Samuel James Grady were named Sikeston High School Students of the Month for August. Sikeston Public Schools Foundation, which sponsors the monthly program, names a male and female senior each month. Character, leadership, service, citizenship and scholastic ability are criteria used to select one "Student of the Year" at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. ...

Recently, students from Sikeston High School participated in the "Graduate for Mas Challenge" from Taco Bell. Students were asked to sign a pledge card promising to graduate from high school on time with their peers, and they had to say the pledge aloud also The school is participating in this challenge against other schools around the nation. Pictured are volunteers Madlyn Basham and Luke Williams, and signing the pledge are Layton Jones, Colton Hampton and Kobe Hutcheson...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The following students have been awarded scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2015-2016 academic year: Paige Sailors of Sikeston has received the Regents' Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2015-2016 academic year. Sailors is the daughter of Amy and John Sailors Jr. of Sikeston, and will be a 2015 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School...

The Fifth and Sixth Grade Center invites parents to eat with their children each year during American Education Week. This year there were over 225 parents in attendance.