Stories from Friday, June 13, 2014

Well, it's not so much the fish that are being slowed down by the rain, but the fishermen! It certainly isn't news that it's been a wet June so far, and while I hope our farmers get all the rain they need, personally I've had enough for a while. My grass is growing so fast it looks like my house is shrinking!...

The following students have distinguished themselves as honor roll students at New Madrid County Central High School by having a 2nd semester GPA of 3.0 or greater. 9th Grade-Madison Adams, Thomas Akins, Zachary Alsup, Justin Anglin, Ashlee Ash, Destoni Austin, Kaitlyn Barnes, Kristen Barnes, Craig Beasley, Nicholas Bell, Brock Blakey, Bailey Branum, Annmarie Brown, McKayla Burris, Palmer Campbell, Alicia Cook, Makayla Curry, Shaniah Fountain, Karlie Frazier, Allison Gilmer, Matthew Givens, Eddie Grandberry, Phillip Henry, Turner Holmes, Joel Hopkins, Courtney Ivie, Aaron Lewis, Kaitlyn Long, Katherine Madigan, Ethan Marler, Eddie Maxwell, ShaTara Nellums, Kyra Nelson, Raul Nieves, Marqueisha Owens, Erica Palmer, Ricky Patton, Cornelius Patton, Teresa Rangel Reyes, Harley Robertson, Devon Slayton, Aneshia Smith, Felawn Smith, Susan Spencer, JaMonte Sykes, Kambria Tipler, Isaiah Viverette, Emanuel Williams, Joshua Williams, Javarcus Word, Austin Young. ...

NEW MADRID - Swirling winds and heavy rain caused damage throughout New Madrid Saturday evening. "This was one of the worse storms I've seen since I've been here," said Agnes Harrington, who was dispatching for the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department Saturday evening as the storm blew through." It didn't last long but while it was here it was pretty bad."...

Sharing faith, in Christian terms, is known as "evangelism." This is the English rendering of a Greek word meaning "to proclaim the good news." That's a problem, because the news isn't always good. There was a subtext to the evangelization method I was taught that went something like this: "God is really ticked off with you. ...

CHARLESTON, MO, June 2, 2014 -- Ms. Patricia Vance of East Prairie says that she is "absolutely thrilled" with repairs recently completed at her home. Ms. Vance contacted the local USDA Rural Development office in Charleston and worked with them to utilize the 504 Home Repair Program. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- SEMO Pirates coach Jeremy McCain considered his team's error-filled game against the New Madrid Babe Ruth Ducks the squad's worst defensive game so far this summer. Despite McCain's assessment, the Pirates were good enough to hold on for a 5-4 win in their first-round game of the Fighting Squirrel Classic at Notre Dame High School on Thursday...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Two runs was all it took for Jackson to top Sikeston American Senior Legion Post 114's deflated offense. Jackson Post 158 came away with a 2-0 win behind a complete game shutout by Joe Elfrink Thursday at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston...

sports@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Despite coming in as the reigning champions, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels find themselves out of the hunt after the first round in this year's Fighting Squirrel Classic. Unable to hold on to an early four-run lead against Crawford County on Thursday, Charleston was pushed to the consolation bracket with a 6-5 loss in 10 innings on a walk-off single...

Workers with Kevin Williams Excavating & Demolition work to tear down the Village Green Shopping Center property, located at the intersection of South Main and Kingshighway on Thursday. Tenants of the old Walmart building and strip mall, John's Mexican Villa, Mattress Express and Fax Tax, were told in February of the city's acquisition of the property and plans to tear down the building. (David Jenkins photo)...

On May 22, 2014, students from Missouri competed in a state/regional speech contest sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal financial services organization. Prior to the contest, the students had already won first, second or third place in their local and county/district competitions. They shared their presentations on this year's topic, The Importance of Healthy Living...

Three Rivers College is launching a new "Alumni and Friends" program that will help alumni and community members keep in touch with events and developments at Three Rivers at no cost, according to college officials. The Alumni and Friends program is replacing the college's "Alumni Association" program, according to Emily Parks, Director of Development at Three Rivers. ...

A nationwide audit of veterans' hospitals has flagged two facilities that serve patients in Cape Girardeau, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Cited for further investigation are the Marion VA Medical Center in Marion, Illinois, and a community-based outreach clinic in West Plains, Missouri. Other regional facilities in Kansas -- the VA Medical Center in Leavenworth and the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita -- also are under scrutiny...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. INSURGENTS MAKE NEW INROADS IN IRAQ Al-Qaida-inspired militants push into an ethnically mixed province northeast of Baghdad, capturing two towns there, officials say...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County will clean up the property with the rubble of the old Dogwood School and bill the owner -- just as soon as they are able. "The county is extremely busy right now doing a lot of other things that are critical to the infrastructure of the county," Carlin Bennett, presiding county commissioner, said during the regular County Commission meeting Thursday...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - For a small town guy, Michael Gurnow's first book tackles a subject that is making repercussions around the world. Gurnow has written "The Edward Snowden Affair: Exposing the Politics and Media Behind the NSA Scandal." The book is a detailed look at whistleblower Snowden and the National Security Administration's surveillance program...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Betty Sue Strawser, 75, died June 12, 2014, at the Golden Living Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON - Wanda Hilliard, 72, died June 12, 2014, at the Bertrand Retirement Home in Bertrand. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Richard L. Campbell, 64, died June 10, 2014, at the home of his sister in Chesterfield, Mo. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Evelyn Lankford Ponder, 95, died June 11, 2014, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Children aren't the only ones who need to stay up-to-date on their immunizations. Health officials say it's just as important for adults to receive vaccinations, too. Thousands of adults die each year in the United States from diseases or their complications that vaccines can help prevent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many more get sick and miss work, and they may infect others...

I would just like to express my thanks to Mr. Lynn Lancaster and Montgomery Bank for the beautiful Friday evenings at the park. We enjoyed it very much and looking forward to the next several Friday nights in the park. This is a comment on the leadership changes needed at the VA in the guest editorial in the Monday paper. ...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is investigating the burglary of a Sikeston business using security cam footage. DPS officers responded at about 10:15 p.m. Thursday to a burglary alarm for Cole Insurance located at 1515 East Malone Avenue...