Stories from Wednesday, June 27, 2012

It will come as no surprise to many of you, but I have officially gone to the birds. Some who don't share my political views are surely not surprised. With a couple of bird feeders, I have a newfound "hobby" of feeding birds and watching their antics...

KELSO -- Josephine Mary Messmer, 94, died June 25, 2012, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center in Cape Girardeau. Born June 1, 1918, in Chaffee, to the late Joseph Andrew and Bertha Theresa Seyer Himmelsbach, she was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, St. Anne's Sodality, Kelso Senior Citizens, VFW Post 6407 Ladies Auxiliary and a volunteer at Saint Francis Medical Center...

MOREHOUSE -- David Ray Jones, 43, died June 26, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Sept. 24, 1968, in Fort Worth, Texas, he was the son of the late Mary Sue Parker. On Sept. 24, 2006, in Conran, he married Laurie Nett, who survives of the home in Morehouse...

SIKESTON -- Lindell Lacy Taber, 74, died June 26, 2012, at the Hunter Acres Caring Center in Sikeston. Born Sept. 11, 1937, in Matthews, to the late Lacy B. and Eva M. Lancaster Taber, he was employed by the Laborers Union as a construction worker and was a member of the Sikeston Eagles Aerie 3319...

SCOTT CITY -- James John Mirgeaux, 87, died June 26, 2012, at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee. Born Feb. 24, 1925, in Fornfelt, to the late Joseph and Alice Rozmerski Mirgeaux, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II. He was also a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso and V.F.W. Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau. He was a self-employed bricklayer...

DEXTER -- Iva Celeste Holden, 82, died June 26, 2012, at the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Home in Dexter. Born Sept. 10, 1929, in Rombauer, daughter of the late Hershell M. Yates and Geneva Mondy Yates, she attended the First Baptist Church in Dexter. S...

SIKESTON -- Anna Lou LeCroy, 78, died June 23, 2012, at the Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. Born Sept. 19, 1933, in Atkins, Ark., to the late William Houston and Ezzie Ethel Parham Payne, she had been employed as a custodian for the Sikeston Middle School and was of the Baptist belief...

MOREHOUSE -- Patricia Staggs Turner, 65, died June 23, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Memorial services are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday at First General Baptist Church in Morehouse with the Rev. Randy Thomas officiating. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

DEXTER -- Beunah Hutchcraft, 90, died June 25, 2012, at the Golden Living Center in Dexter. Born April 26, 1922, in Bernie, to the late Sherman and Carrie Pendergrass Pippins, she was a member of the First Christian Church in Dexter. She worked as a housekeeper at Doctors Hospital in Poplar Bluff and as a sales clerk at Stovall's Department Store in Dexter...

SIKESTON -- Ralph L. Sexton Sr., 88, died June 26, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston, where services will begin at 10 a.m. Friday.

BENTON -- A Chaffee man was arrested on burglary and drug charges. Kurt A. Knuckles, 46, of Chaffee, is charged with second degree burglary, felony stealing, stealing a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of synthetic cannabinoid and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia...

DES MOINES, Iowa -- It has been a rough go for Blake DeWitt of late. Since activated from the disabled list on June 16, the former first round draft pick and Sikeston native is batting .172 with five hits in 29 at-bats. He has one RBI during the stint which was earned on June 22 against the Round Rock Express as part of an eight game series which ended Tuesday night...

CHARLESTON -- In their second of three straight nine-inning contests this week, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels got back to the .500 mark on the season with a win over Kennett Senior Babe Ruth. Led by starter Ryan Moses' seven innings of five-hit ball, the Squirrels scored in all but one frame on Tuesday to run away to a 9-3 decision...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Senior Legion Post 114 baseball team got a strong pitching performance and timely hitting to rally past Jackson Senior Babe Ruth 7-2 on Tuesday at VFW Stadium. Post 114 fell behind 2-0 in the top of the second inning but the pitching of southpaw Austin Godwin held Jackson's bats in check the rest of the way...

By Mark Blanton news@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Dry conditions have prompted the Scott County Commission to issue an advisory about the dangers of burning and fireworks. In a meeting Tuesday, the Commission issued a restricted burn notification for the county, due partly to high temperatures and low humidity. "We are critically dry," said Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger...

SIKESTON - Rumors of a 20-foot snake are down the drain. Sikeston Department of Public Safety began receiving reports last week of a large snake in the north end of Sikeston. According to DPS Lt. Jim McMillen, a resident in the Meadowbrook and Greenbrier area photographed a snake about 2-inches in diameter and 7 to 9-feet long from her bedroom window as it navigated its way through a small tree. The residence is near a tree-line drainage ditch that runs just north of the neighborhood...

SIKESTON -- The public is invited to walk the ceremonial first lap around the Recreation Complex lake with Mayor Jerry Pullen to dedicate the new addition to the City's multi-use trail at 9 a.m. July 14. In addition to a ribbon-cutting and the official first lap, participants can take part in health screenings in the Clinton Building until 11 a.m. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - A convicted felon found with ammunition and weapons could soon be in prison. Steven J. Webb, 29, pled guilty to one felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. He appeared Tuesday before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr...

SIKESTON -- Extremely dry weather conditions have fizzled some local residents' fireworks plans. On Monday and Tuesday some towns and counties issued fireworks bans and no-burn notices until the area receives some much-needed rain. However, sunny skies with highs reaching triple digits are forecast over the next several days, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky...