Stories from Tuesday, December 23, 2014

sports@standard-democrat.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- In a final tuneup before the Southeast Missourian Christmas tournament, Scott County Central saw a rough start to the second half lead to a 69-59 loss to host Notre Dame on Monday. "We just could never really get started," Braves head coach Frank Staple said. "I give Notre Dame a lot of credit for that, but if we're going to compete in games like this our effort has to be a lot better. I just think we didn't play hard enough tonight."...

sports@standard-democrat.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- For the first time in his coaching career at Sikeston, head coach Matt Schonhoff has topped Notre Dame. The fifth-year coach led his team to a resounding 56-34 win over Notre Dame during the third place game at the Kelso Supply Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau on Monday...

DEXTER -- Nova Inez Curd, 85, died Dec. 21, 2014, at Golden Living Center in New Madrid. A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Chalk Bluff Cemetery in Dexter with Rev. Joe Payne officiating. Burial will follow in the Chalk Bluff Cemetery...

An 80 percent chance for showers tonight with a low around 41. Wednesday will be cloudy with a 60 percent chance for showers and a high near 42; there will be a north northwest wind 11 to 13 mph becoming west in the afternoon with gusts as high as 21 mph. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A local construction company has been cited for 13 serious safety violations, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration after the June 17 death of a 16-year-old worker...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Mid Continent Nail in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park has announced plans for a nearly $5 million expansion project and the hiring of 91 workers. The firm will install a new line in its original 118,000-square-foot plant in the industrial park on the north side of Revere Plastics. Equipment has been ordered and will be installed as soon as possible...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. N KOREA INTERNET SERVICE RETURNS AFTER OUTAGE Key North Korean websites are back online after an hours-long shutdown that followed a U.S. vow to respond to a cyberattack on Sony Pictures that Washington blames on Pyongyang...

SIKESTON -- Verna L. Hyde, 72, died Dec. 21, 2014, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Visitation will be held from 9-11 a.m. on Friday at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel where services will follow at 11 a.m. For the complete obituary, see the Wednesday edition of the Standard Democrat...

CHARLESTON -- Billy G. Brown, 86, died Dec. 22, 2014, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church in Charleston. For the complete obituary, see the Wednesday edition of the Standard Democrat...

news@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- The Scott County Courthouse is closed today and Thursday for Christmas Eve and Christmas but will be back open Friday. Business during the Scott County Commission's regular Tuesday meeting was pretty much just "paying final bills," said Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger. "Everything kind of slows down right before the holidays."...

HOWARDVILLE -- DeMarkus Williams, 33, died Dec. 14, 2014, at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation is from 11 a.m. until time of service at noon Saturday at the First Baptist Church in New Madrid with Earl Grissom officiating. Williams Funeral Home of Howardville is in charge of arrangements...

BLOOMFIELD -- Gordon Waggoner Sr., 93, died Dec. 23, 2014, at his home near Bloomfield. Visitation is from 11 a.m. until service time at 1 p.m. Friday at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter with Curtis McClard Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the Sycamore Cemetery in Bloomfield...

Six New Madrid County Central FFA members participated in the annual FFA Fall Public Speaking. During this competition FFA members have the opportunity to prepare and present a 6-8 minute speech on different topics sponsored by various Missouri agriculture interest organizations. ...

Sikeston Junior High School named its students of the month for November. The word of the month was citizenship. Students worked on lessons throughout the month of November to learn more about citizenship, and faculty and staff nominated students who actively displayed this characteristic. ...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- A holiday jam tradition is going public and for a good cause. Music for Papa Mike Smith's Holiday Cheer Jam will begin at 8 p.m. Friday at Cheers. The cost is $10 at the door with additional donations welcomed...