Stories from Thursday, August 13, 2015

The Bootheel Racers Swimming program had a successful first year. Led by Coach Spence Royer, Racers Swimming made its presence felt in the Mid-South. The team is comprised of athletes ranging in age from 5-18. And the skills levels of the swimmers range from beginner to top tier competitors. The 2014-2015 season culminated with the Racers taking third place overall at the Mid-South Swimming Championships in Tunica, MS...

The Portageville Boy Scout troop #4351 participated in a C.E.R.T Boot Camp. It was held July 30th-Aug 2nd at the Benton Baptist camp ground. The event was sponsored by Troop 4041 from Sikeston. There were 50 boys enrolled and as a group they earned 250 merit badges. The Portageville troop earned six badges while attending Search and Rescue, Fire Safety, Safety, Emergency Preparedness, First Aid, and Radio. The two scouts from Portageville include Eric Muller and Daniel Wigfall...

A changing of the Alderman took place last Monday, Aug. 3rd. at the monthly City Council meeting. The meeting was held in council chambers at City Hall. When Floyd Simmons was elected to the office of Mayor, he was a Ward II Alderman. After he won the mayor's seat, that left his alderman seat open. Alderman Vince Berry who was an alderman for Ward I moved into Ward II which made him eligible for the Ward II seat...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Preliminary investigations indicate molten aluminum hitting water caused explosions that injured more than 30 employees at a Southeast Missouri aluminum plant, a federal agency said Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the explosions that occurred Tuesday at the Noranda Aluminum plant...

It seems as if every time there is an improvement developed to make life simpler for us there are a bunch of people who figure a way to use the development to scam us.

A young skeptic was challenged with the claims of Christ. He said, "What's so great about Jesus Christ? He never wrote a book, fought a battle, traveled far from his hometown?' The response was, "He's the Savior." "But what gives him the right to be Savior," questioned the skeptic. ...

BENTON - The apparent suicide of a Scott County inmate is under investigation. Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said Scott County Jail inmate, Gary Ray Corder Jr., 31, was found unconscious Tuesday, following what appeared to be a suicide attempt. The inmate was transported by ambulance to the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau where the inmate was later pronounced dead. According to Scott County Coroner Scott Amick, Corder had hanged himself...

MARSTON - Officials are continuing to assess the damage from the Aug. 4 molten metal explosion which heavily damaged Noranda Aluminum Co.'s cast house. According to Mark Christian, the explosion did not damage the smelter or the new redraw rod mill under construction...

SIKESTON -- Kari Wilhelm remembers as a first grader when her teacher pulled her aside to show her the correct way to position her paper and hold her pencil when writing. The only left-handed student in her class, Wilhelm's handwriting books also offered alternative directions for left handers, she recalled...

MINER -- According to a story from the Riverfront Times, Lambert's Cafe is being sued for a roll-related injury. Lambert's Cafe, famous for being known as the "Home of the Throwed Rolls," features servers to toss dinner rolls across the room to guests...

KENNETT (SEMO News Service) -- According to Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder, the suspect in the early morning home invasion and shooting that occurred at 506 Sagebrush, Kennett, was apprehended late Wednesday afternoon after a lengthy vehicle pursuit. The Dunklin County Sheriffs' Office received information that the suspect may be in Arkansas and would be returning to Missouri. Information provided was the vehicle he was driving was a White Nissan Altima...

JACKSON (SEMO News Service) -- A Jackson man is facing charges after allegedly sexually assaulting a child. Jeffery B. Moffat, 55, has been charged with first-degree statutory rape and first-degree statutory sodomy involving a 7-year-old. Moffat allegedly "knowingly had sexual intercourse" and "deviate sexual intercourse" with the girl, according to the complaint filed in the case. The incidents are alleged to have taken place between Aug. 1, 2014, and Jan. 31, 2015, in Cape Girardeau County...

There was a lot of excitement Wednesday morning at the Sikeston Kindergarten Center as new students were welcomed for the first day of the 2015-16 school year.

SIKESTON -- Gary Ray Corder Jr., 31, died Aug. 11, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

KANSAS CITY -- Cora Lee Pettis, 80, died Aug. 5, 2015. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

LILBOURN -- Georgia D. Estes, 94, died Aug. 11, 2015, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BELL CITY -- Lyle Davis Sr., 68, died Aug. 13, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

POPLAR BLUFF -- Charles W. Ward, 73, died Aug. 11, 2015, at Kindred-St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Louis. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DOGWOOD -- Hardy Wilson "H" Duke Jr., 88, died Aug. 11, 2015. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- It has been almost 20 years since Missouri's law enforcement standards were updated. Sikeston's Public Safety chief will be working on fixing that. Sikeston Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden was appointed to the Missouri Department of Public Safety's Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission Aug. 6 in St. Louis by Gov. Jay Nixon...

I don't really consider myself a "Southerner" although I appreciate many southern customs which set the people of the South apart from others in the U.S. - their respectful use of "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" and the way they pull to the side of the road when meeting an approaching funeral procession. ...