Stories from Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Charleston Squirrels coach Michael Minner wanted a look and he got it during his team's 16-5 win over what were called the triple-A Squirrels. "I want to see them," he said. "I wanted to see them in game situations and it was a nice, solid night."

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo - Seven people died in traffic crashes over the 2016 Memorial Day weekend. Last year, eight people were killed during the three-day weekend, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. During the counting period of 6 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Monday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated 347 traffic crashes which included 128 injuries and six of the seven fatalities. The Springfield Police Department investigated the remaining fatality...

Jayci Williams is the June Standard Democrat Calendar Girl. The daughter of Jeff and Kristi Williams, she is a 2016 graduate of Sikeston High School and was a finalist in the 2015 Miss Sikeston Contest. She plans to attend Missouri State University this fall, majoring in public relations.

SIKESTON -- The Scott County Transit is sporting a new Sikeston Jaycee-themed vehicle depicting the wide range of the nonprofit's community involvement. The Sikeston Jaycees recently donated $10,000 to the transit system to help with the purchase of a new vehicle for Scott County...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Elizabeth West, 73, died May 29, 2016, at the Portageville Nursing Home. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


WHITEWATER, Mo. -- Janice Faye Payne, 72, died May 30, 2016, at her home. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


ALLENVILLE, Mo. -- Brenda Kay Sebastian, 67, died May 31, 2016, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON -- Arvil Edwards, 62, died May 31, 2016, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Donald Evans, 69, died May 30, 2016, at Saint Francis Medical Center at Cape Girardeau. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON - Alberta McMurtry, 73, died May 31, 2016, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

SIKESTON -- Ellis Charles Atchison, 100 years of age, passed away on Memorial Day, May 30, 2016, in Sikeston. Visitation will be on Saturday, June 4 beginning at 11 a.m. at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel, 205 North Stoddard, in Sikeston with funeral services to follow at 1 p.m...

I am a liberal Democrat. I am voting for Trump this time because I am sick and tired of the Trump bashing, sexism, racism, the name calling, the bashing and everything. I am voting for Trump just to spite all the haters that hate Trump. And that's the way it is...

Most Americans this week hopefully paused and pondered the significance and meaning of Memorial Day. Artist and activist John Sims has a different tradition. The Florida-based civil rights and reparation advocate uses the truly American holiday to push for the removal and destruction of all Confederate flags through his Burn and Bury project. (We'll get to that later.)...

CROWDER, Mo. -- Mary Louise Bell, 80, died May 30, 2016, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday. For this obituary and more, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat...

There are certain professions in our society that are afforded the privilege of knowing what's going on. They have daily contact with a number of residents within the community and more than just a few minutes to listen to their concerns. In the cities, it's the taxi cab drivers who seemed to have their thumb on the temperament of the populace. Today, Uber drivers could be added to that list...