Stories from Wednesday, February 8, 2017

CARDWELL, Mo. -- The top-seeded Risco Tigers advanced to the championship game of the Tri-County Conference Tournament with a 76-38 win over No. 5 Cooter Tuesday at Southland High School. Nathan Burnett led the Tigers with 17 points. Morgan Ludwig and Ethan Pipkin each scored 14...

NEW MADRID, Mo -- In a game of runs New Madrid County Central ran out of time Tuesday as visiting Caruthersville further solidified their status as one of the top teams in Class 3, District 1. Deandre Davis led the Tigers with 29 points and 12 rebounds, both game-highs, to help his team hold off a late Eagles comeback and secure a 65-62 win...

Missouri high school and middle school baseball pitchers will be operating under new pitch count restrictions when they take the mound this spring. In June 2017, the National Federation of State High School Associations changed Baseball Rule 6-2-6 to state: “Each NFHS member state association will be required to develop its own pitching restriction policy based on the number of pitches thrown during a game to afford pitchers a required rest period between pitching appearances.”...

There was a lot of action in the Malden High School gymnasium during the Bootheel Conference Tournament which began on Saturday, January 28 and continuing through Friday, February 3. When the dust settled, the Hayti Indians had claimed the junior varsity boys’ tournament championship; the Malden Green Wave had earned the girls’ varsity title; and the Caruthersville Tigers had written their name on the boys’ varsity final...

A public hearing was held Tuesday for a bill proposed state Rep. Don Rone aimed at increasing penalties for the misuse of the herbicide dicamba, as oversight officials detail the potential costs of the measure. HB 662 is one of three dicamba-related proposals introduced by Rone, R-Portageville, but it as the first one to be passed on to a committee hearing...

City Council Chambers filled Monday night; Trash Department services discussed Scott Seal Portageville Missourian There are times when one goes to the City Council meeting there just is not too much happening, or items may be tabled until further information is received...

As the state and the nation celebrate Black History Month in February, members of the Missouri House are working to recognize “hidden figures” in their district. The annual event is meant to celebrate the achievements made by black Americans, and to recognize the central role African Americans have played in the nation’s history...

President Trump exercised one of the most significant responsibilities given to him by Article II of the United States Constitution this week when he nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Filling Justice Scalia’s shoes will be no easy task, but I have no doubt that a conservative pro-life judge like Gorsuch will be up to the challenge...

After beating four of the seven teams in their field during the regular season, the Charleston Bluejays were chosen as the Class 3, District 1 top seed. Charleston has won their respective district the last six years running and will look to continue that stretch Feb. 18 at Malden High School...

SIKESTON -- The Charleston Bluejays were happy to get the No. 1 seed during Wednesday's Class 3, District 1 seed meeting. They celebrated with a thorough beat down over Scott County Central at coach Danny Farmer's old stomping grounds. The Bluejays dismantled the Braves 73-43 for its fifth win in six games behind another stellar defensive effort and balanced scoring...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Charles A. Counts was named the superintendent for Dexter Public Schools. Counts, who is currently the superintendent at East Prairie Schools, was approved by the Dexter School Board in a special executive session Monday night. Counts has been at East Prairie since 2014. He has also worked for the Twin Rivers, Advance and East Carter County school districts and has more than 26 years teaching experience and 15 years in school administration...

BENTON, Mo. -- The Scott County Commission took time to hear from some of the county's fire chiefs regarding consolidation during their regular meeting Tuesday. "We're pro consolidation," Scott County Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said of the Scott County Commission which includes himself, First District Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn and Second District Commissioner Donnie Keifer...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The New Madrid County Central Middle School archers stood across from their targets, letting arrow after arrow fly, all hitting the target. Many hitting the bullseye. What stood out about the young athletes was not just their enthusiasm and their skill but also their differences. Some were short, some were tall, some were boys, some were girls. One was in a wheelchair...

SIKESTON - Consultants presented their vision for taking the former Union Pacific Railroad corridor in Sikeston to a trail designed to draw visitors into the community and community members outside and active. Stephen Ibendahl with the I5Group, which specializes in urban and community planning and landscape architecture, and R. ...

SIKESTON - Street and stormwater improvements are on tap for Sikeston. During Monday's City Council meeting, the Department of Public Works got the go-ahead to develop plans and bidding specifications for the 2017 street and drainage improvements. Jay Lancaster, director of Public Works, presented the proposed list of improvements, which he noted are spread across the city with each of Sikeston's four wards to see work. ...

As I have said repeatedly, protests are part of the fabric of our democracy and have been a staple in American politics since the very beginning. And protests of all sorts give voice to those who feel their views and positions are not being heard. But it's also important to draw a line between protests and riots. What we are too often seeing these days are riots camouflaged as protests...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- William Alfred Craven Jr., 66, died Feb. 5, 2017, at the Charleston Manor Skilled Nursing Facility. Born Oct. 16, 1950, in Charleston, son of Ameila Craven Morgan of Charleston and the late William Alfred Craven Sr., he worked at Brown Shoe Company for over 25 years until it closed. He also worked for the Charleston Manor Skilled Nursing Facility for more than 15 years...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- William Betts, 76, died Feb. 7, 2017, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at the Williams Funeral Home of Charleston.

ROGERSVILLE, Mo. -- Carolyn A. McDonnold, 70, formerly of Morehouse, died Feb. 2, 2017, in Springfield. Visitation will be from 1 p.m until time of services at 2 p.m. Friday at the J.D. Lee and Sons Funeral Home at the Rogersville. Burial will follow at White Oak Cemetery, Rogersville...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Mary Gail Dial, age 71, was born on Dec. 21, 1945, in Piggott, Ark., to Verian Paul and Mary Afton Ellis. She died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Gail was preceded in death by her parents, Verian Paul and Mary Afton Ellis; her brother, John Richard Ellis...