Stories from Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Trying for its eighth final four trip in 12 years, Kelly will feature six new starters and 15 underclassmen on a 20-man roster.

Planning for a return trip the semifinals is made a little easier when you have one of the state's most dominant pitchers on staff.

Sikeston lost four seniors, one being its offensive juggernaut Maggie Shepherd, after finishing the year with a 15-13 record and its first-ever appearance in the Class 3, District 1 championship game.

SIKESTON -- With assistance from one of their school's alumni, students at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Sikeston will receive a technology boost in their education this school year. Charles B. Luber, chief executive officer of the Lay Family Foundation, presented a check for $45,000 to the Sikeston school during a back-to-school open house Monday night. The funds will be used to purchase 72 iPads for all teachers and students in the upper grades...

By now, you have probably seen the disturbing undercover videos that show Planned Parenthood executives discussing how they sell body parts of unborn babies. It sickened and troubled me to hear administrators talking so callously about the dismemberment of babies -- valuable, precious lives taken too soon. The videos were vile, and Planned Parenthood's actions potentially violate federal law...

The 2015-16 school year is one of transition for the Poplar Bluff R-I School District and its athletic teams.

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. BANGKOK BOMBING CARRIED OUT BY 'A NETWORK' Thailand's national police chief says the man seen in a grainy security video leaving a backpack behind just 20 minutes before the explosion did not work alone...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Poplar Bluff High School was placed on lockdown Tuesday morning after a teacher saw a man walking near campus with what appeared to be a rifle. Police and school officials said they did not believe students were in danger but initiated the lockdown as a precautionary measure. The lockdown went in to effect at 8:05 a.m. and was lifted at 9:10 a.m...

A 7-year-old girl testified against a man known to many area children as Santa Claus during his preliminary hearing Tuesday on sexual-abuse charges. Jeffrey Moffat, 55, of Jackson initially faced charges of first-degree statutory sodomy and first-degree statutory rape. Cape Girardeau County Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp dropped the statutory rape charge but found probable cause to go forward with the sodomy charge...

POPLAR BLUFF -- The second-youngest member in the history of the Poplar Bluff City Council was unanimously named Monday to fill a vacant at-large council seat. Jerrica Fox, 23, will serve the eight months remaining before the next regular election, after a 6-0 vote of the council. Fox replaces Dr. Jack Rushin, who resigned in July amid accusations of nepotism...

BENTON - Scott County deputies responding to a call arrested a Sikeston man and woman. Donald R. Lewis, 52, is charged with the felony of unlawful possession of a firearm and the misdemeanor of endangering the welfare of a child. Crista South, 22, is facing charges of driving while intoxicated and assault of a law enforcement officer following an incident on Sunday...

The American Eagle, part of the American Cruise Line, brought more than 100 passengers from the U.S. as well as Australia, New Zealand and Germany to tour the community Monday afternoon. One of four planned stops by the boats traveling up and down the Mississippi River, the passengers had the opportunity to visit the New Madrid Historical Museum, the Higgerson School Historic Site, the Hunter-Dawson Historic Site and the Hart-Stepp Art Gallery. ...

DELTA -- Lawrence Ambrose Brucker, 91, died Aug. 18, 2015 at Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MULKEYTOWN, Ill. -- Clyde Carrol Treadwell, 92, died Aug. 16, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. -- Karen Sue Deal, 54, died May 4, 2015. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Diana Gail Elsworth, 57, died Aug. 17, 2015, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

PARMA -- Bernice Henson Daniels, 93, died Aug. 16, 2015, at the Golden Living Center in Malden. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BENTON -- Evelyn Aline Compas, 83, died Aug. 17, 2015, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Patsy Moore, 81, died Aug. 14, 2015, at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Mary Jane Woodard, 73, died Aug. 17, 2015, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

PUXICO -- Syble Jean Curd Moore, 74, died Aug. 15, 2015, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

YORK, Pa. -- Jeffrey Paul Tangeman, 49, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Aug. 14, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BENTON -- A road swap with the state is a necessary step toward realizing a new I-55 interchange in Scott County. County Commissioners signed documents for the exchange of roadway sections during their regular Tuesday meeting. Eric Krapf, project manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation's Southeast District, explained trading road mileage is a necessity of MoDOT "operating under a directive from the Highway Commission to not add mileage to the state system."...

scottw@standard-democrat.com MINER -- Miner voters will be asked to keep the city's capital improvement sales tax going. The Miner Board of Alderman approved during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday placing a half cent capital improvement sales tax on the November ballot...

By just about all accounts, Missouri's Sen. Claire McCaskill is a savvy politician who honed her political skills in the Missouri Legislature before being thrust into the national spotlight. McCaskill was one of the very early supporters of Barack Obama in 2008 and this year has become the go-to spokesperson for Hillary Clinton...

Just read another comment in SpeakOut about your July 12 "Silent Majority." Yes, we silents are to blame for who is in the White House and other offices. And yes, I'm guilty. I didn't like either candidate, so I just didn't vote. Big mistake. I'm sure there were many of us who did that, but I won't be guilty of it again and maybe others have learned their lesson also. ...