Stories from Thursday, December 18, 2014

Roughly half an hour after Kennett's seventh grade basketball team won the conference tournament at South Pemiscot High School, head coach Jordan Penn appeared in Portageville to lead the high school girls basketball team against the Bulldogs. After four thrilling quarters, Portageville exacted revenge on the Indians by winning 49-47 in the final seconds...

The Portageville Lady Bulldogs are seeing a lot of improvement from last year, but still realize there is more work to be done. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Campbell Monday night, 48-23. The game was held in the Campbell gymnasium. Portageville had three players with 11 rebounds each. Sasha Starnes, Adrienne Duncan, and Jacara Madison. Maura Kellams led in scoring with 13 points followed by Duncan with eight points...

"The new drainage project is now in the hands of Smith and Company Engineering," said Portageville Mayor Denis McCrate, at the last Portageville City Council meeting, held on Monday, Dec. 1. "We do have some preliminary figures, and there are some things that our city departments can do to lessen the cost factors on our portions of the work," he said...

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV)...

In his gospel Matthew tells us in Chapter 1:23 that the Angel said "they shall call his name Immanuel which translated means, God with us." This is the miracle of miracles. This is the wonder of wonders. This is the truth which should rivet the attention of all Christendom. Surely the angels of heaven looked down upon this earthly scene and marvel at the absence of human marvel at the glorious true that the infinite one clothed itself with humanity...

SIKESTON -- Six people were injured in a near head-on collision that delayed motorists on Interstate 55 for hours Wednesday in Scott County. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred at 1:10 p.m. on Interstate 55, just north of Sikeston, at the 68.2 mile marker. Northbound motorist Patricia A. Robinson, 27, of Caruthersville drove the wrong way on the interstate and caused a near head-on collision with southbound motorist, Michael R. Sophie, 33, of St. Louis...

Two Sikeston soccer players were recently named to Missouri all-state teams. Sophomore Sam Cox was selected as an honorable mention all-state player in Class 3 and senior Layton Jones was named to the academic all-state team. Cox led the Bulldogs with 20 goals scored and also had nine assists...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeston seventh and eighth grade basketball teams split with Cape Central on Wednesday night at Cape Central Junior High. Sikeston's eighth graders remained undefeated and improved to 8-0 on the season with a 55-24 win over the Tigers. The seventh grade Bulldogs wrapped up its season at 4-6 with a 56-34 loss to the Tigers...

sports@standard-democrat.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Frustrating sixth-seeded Perryville on both ends of the court Wednesday, the third-seeded Sikeston Lady Bulldogs picked up a convincing 57-25 win to advance to the Kelso Supply Holiday Classic semifinals...

SIKESTON -- It's not too late to do a good deed this Christmas. Volunteer bell ringers are needed for the remainder of the month at multiple sites in Scott County: Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores, Food Giant and Boomland in Miner, Sikeston and Benton, respectively...

SIKESTON -- Filing for local school board elections began Tuesday, and some districts already have contested races. Board members in the Sikeston R-6 School District whose three-year terms will expire in April are vice president David Jones and member Chris Hodgkiss. Filing for candidacy in the district so far are Heather Drury, Jay Elliott, Matt Tanner and Hodgkiss...

BENTON -- A Benton area man is in custody after a child molestation investigation by the Scott County Sheriff's Department. Dustin Sauceda, 20, of Benton has been charged with the unclassified felony of attempted statutory rape in the first degree by attempting sexual intercourse with another person under 14 years old...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHAT DROVE OBAMA'S DECISION ON NORMALIZING WITH CUBA The president was driven in part by realizing that the policy toward Cuba was isolating the U.S. from the rest of the world...

ADVANCE -- Ora Mae Hart, 96, died Dec. 16, 2014, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Judy Hammontree, 74, died Dec. 17, 2014, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Betty Lou Davis Minton, 87, died Dec. 16, 2014, at her home near Dexter. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Sammy Dean, 72, died at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16, 2014, at East Prairie Nursing Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

PUXICO -- Maggy Bess, 70, died Dec. 12, 2014, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Glen J. Hinkebein, 62, died Dec.17, 2014, at the family home in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

ORAN -- Freda Almeta Mansker, 88, died Dec. 16, 2014, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

I've been listening to the news. Obama, Holder and Sharpton need to go buy them a mirror where then can look at themselves to see where the problem actually is. It's not with anyone else. All these riots and stuff, they can see anything they want, but this is the most radical, racial president that we've ever had from day one. ...

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Filing for local school board elections began Tuesday, and some districts already have contested races. Board members in the Sikeston R-6 School District whose three-year terms will expire in April are vice president David Jones and member Chris Hodgkiss. Filing for candidacy in the district so far are Heather Drury, Jay Elliott, Matt Tanner and Hodgkiss...