Stories from Sunday, July 3, 2011

The 4th of July, of course, is a uniquely American holiday. We pause - or at least we should - on this one day to recognize and appreciate our freedoms, the sacrifices made for those freedoms and the immense opportunities that this great country offers...

SIKESTON -- Starting July 11, Scott County Central baseball coach Matt Limbaugh will be hosting the YMCA Baseball Camp for boys ages 6-12. The camp will focus on such basic aspects of the game such as hitting, fielding and base running "We're trying teach kids the fundamentals of the game," Limbaugh said. "We're not going to make you an all-star after one week, but we're trying to teach you the (basics) of the game...

SIKESTON -- All the hard work and time in the pool has paid off for local swimmers Kaitlin Burton and Sydney Raymond. Competing in a qualifying meet held at Polar Bluff, both swimmers posted fast enough times in several events to earn their way to the Junior Olymics to be held at August 1-6 at the University of New Orleans pool in New Orleans...

SIKESTON -- Now at the midway point of the summer season the Sikeston Sharks held their Swim-a-thon on Thursday at the YMCA pool with proceeds going to the swim team. Counting each trip down the pool as one lap, the Shark swimmers solicited sponsors to donate money for each lap they could complete. The swimmers were required to swim non-stop and if they stopped to take a break were taken out of the marathon...

SIKESTON -- After spending the past few months looking for an opportunity to continue his baseball career, Scott County Central graduate Ben Freed has signed a letter of intent to play for Crowley's Ridge College. "I've been looking at colleges all summer and I finally found the one that wants me," Freed said. ...

Another beautiful weekend resulted in a lot of people enjoying the great outdoors. We had some strong storms come through in spots but outside of some hail and wind they mostly just cooled down the air. The bass are really firing up and the Mississippi River is on a slow rise which is making for some dynamite catfishing...

PEACH ORCHARD -- A man was found dead early Friday morning in the floodway ditches in Pemiscot County after an apparent all-terrain vehicle accident. At around 10 p.m. Thursday, Pemiscot County deputies were called to the floodway ditches near Peach Orchard after the family of Larry "Joe" Crafton contacted authorities with concerns, according to a news release issued by Lt. Ryan Holder...

Blair Kelley is the July Standard-Democrat Calendar Girl. The daughter of Colen Kelley and Kathy Kelley, Kelley is a 2011 graduate of Sikeston High School and a finalist in the 2010 Miss Sikeston Contest. She will attend Southeast Missouri State University-Sikeston this fall and is planning to major in dentistry...

Last week's sunny skies gave workers plenty of opportunity to work on the new brick path through Sikeston's Veterans Park. Pictured from left are John Dillingham, Dylan Schweer and Robert Lewis who will place 50 pallets of Holland stone brick in the park to complete the path. Work on the path should be completed in the next week...