Stories from Saturday, June 27, 2015

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Landowners can learn to use prescribed fire as a land management tool at a Prescribed Fire Workshop presented by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Mineral Area College in Park Hills. This workshop will be given two different times to provide landowners a better opportunity to attend. The first will be from 1 to 4:30 p.m. and the second from 6 to 9:30 p.m...

Less than half of Missouri's farm acres predicted to grow soybeans this year have been planted, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last week.

Hearing the phone ring can be a good thing--your kid calling from college, a friend calling to catch up. Or it can be a mundane call confirming a doctor's appointment, or the mechanic letting you know your car is ready for pickup. But too often, at the other end of the line is an automated recording. An unsolicited, intrusive robocall--universally disliked, that's at best an interrupting annoyance, and at worst a deliberate, fraudulent scam...

Like many of you perhaps, I've been forced to rethink a number of important social issues given the current political climate in America. As a white man, I've been branded a racist even though I've spent a lifetime being even-handed and fair - as much as humanly possible - to everyone regardless of race, income, gender, etc...

I saw the other day on TV where the city of East Prairie's fire department was begging for money to buy equipment. If they hadn't wasted all that money downtown on Main Street they would have plenty of money to buy fire equipment. I don't know why in the world when you call somewhere you don't get a human. ...

SIKESTON -- Shannon Mouser, 40, died June 25, 2015, at his home in Sikeston. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON -- A new learning tool has sprouted in the field behind Southeast Missouri State University's Sikeston campus. The 12-acre field now contains a well and center-pivot irrigation system which will be used to teach the approximately 50 agriculture majors taking classes on the local campus. The lessons are essential to the new generation of agriculture producers and agribusiness leaders, according to University officials...

BENTON -- A Scott County teenager became a national gymnast champion earlier this month in Las Vegas. Molly Hanners, 13-year-old daughter of Mark and Tammy Hanners of Benton, won her division of the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States) Gymnastics Age Group National Championship June 10-14 in Las Vegas...

A spicebush swallowtail butterfly sips nectar from coneflowers in an area garden. The National Weather Service is warning area residents of the chance for isolated thunderstorms and the possibility of continued flooding,

BENTON -- A Sikeston man convicted of statutory sodomy Thursday later took his own life. A jury deliberated over three hours Thursday before finding Shannon Mouser, 40, guilty of one count of first degree statutory sodomy for having deviate sexual intercourse with a child less than 12 years of age at a residence in Scott County between March 16, 2003, to Dec. 1, 2004...

The Matthews Elementary in Sikeston, M.A.D. Dogs Club helped raise $185 during this school year for the Sikeston Humane Society. The students donated pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters to help care for the animals at our local shelter.

The Sikeston R-6 School System's Parents As Teachers "Children of the Month" for May were announced recently. Pictured left are Jaxen Hunt with his grandmother Joy Lawrence. Jaxen is the son of Dawn and Jeremy Hunt. Pictured right is Maverick Pullen with mother Kendall Pullen. He is the...