Stories from Thursday, July 17, 2014

CHARLESTON -- Despite staying on Charleston's heels all night long, the Portageville Bulldogs never quite got the big hit needed to up-end the defending state champion Fighting Squirrels. Working out of jam after jam, Charleston held off the Bulldogs for a 7-3 win the keeps them in the winner's bracket of the Senior Babe Ruth Missouri State Tournament at Hillhouse Park in Charleston...

We've all heard the old saying, "you don't get a second chance to make a first impression." While this may be accurate, sometimes an overwhelmingly positive second impression can completely overturn the first. I'm talking of course about our dear friend the polar vortex (DUN DUN DUNNNN!!) I lambasted the weather media for exploiting a doomsday-ish term they found lurking in the first printing of the Encyclopedia Britannica, used simply for sensationalism and attracting viewers, back in January when it first appeared. ...

What's Going On!! at the New Madrid County Family Resource Center Tuesday, July 8 MMP Worksite meeting -- FRC -- 5:00 pm. Thursday, July 10 MMP Young Parent meeting -- FRC -- 5:30 pm. Friday, July 11 Youth in Action meeting -- FRC -- 3:00 pm. Saturday, July 12...

Area law enforcement agencies made two drug-related arrests last week in Portageville. The Portageville Police Department (PPD) conducted a 6 a.m. drug raid last Thursday, on a residence at 712 E. Ninth Street in Portageville. The Gideon Police Department's drug dog assisted in the raid. ...

As early as this Thursday, the New Madrid County Commission could have a decision on where its prisoners will be housed for the next six months. Following a meeting of the New Madrid County Commission on July 10, all prisoners at the New Madrid County Jail were moved and the jail facilities closed...

Colossians 3:3 says, ". . .your life is hid with Christ in God." His verse, written to those who had received Jesus Christ as personal Savior, expresses a tremendous truth that provides great assurance of the security that we have in Christ. Bertha Smith, now gone to be with the Lord, having retired as a missionary to China was speaking one time on how our lives are hid with Christ in God. ...

There are some people who, quite frankly, are impossible to love. You can't dig deep enough, can't try hard enough, can't believe enough, and can't go far enough to make it happen. And I'm not talking about the likes of Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson, either. If only a few such sinister creatures existed, then the world could sing together one great chorus of "Kum Ba Ya," and move on to the Promised Land...

The Charleston Fighting Squirrels rally behind Cody Payne's one-hit gem to bring home it's seventh Senior Babe Ruth Missouri State championship in eight seasons on Wednesday.

The Senior American Legion District 14 tournament will be one team short. Sikeston Post 114 will not be present when the now three-team tournament begins today at Notre Dame High School. Post 114 could not field the required 12-man roster leading to its early departure. It's the second time in the last three seasons Sikeston has dropped out of the tournament for that reason...

SIKESTON - History isn't just numbers and dates agreed Dick Kent Withers and Dixie Rolwing. It is the story of the people. Rolwing of Charleston has delved deep into her own family's genealogy. "You can go to a tombstone and find the date of birth and the date of death, but I want to know more. I'm interested in what happens in between," said Rolwing about her research...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- County roads and center pivot irrigation end guns go together like oil and water. Mississippi County Commissioner Mitch Pullen during Thursday's regular County Commission meeting joined a long line of county officials over the years who have asked area farmers to consider county roads when setting up irrigation equipment...

It had been a year since they had all been together. The children of Harry and Kathern Clay met at Mary Ada's in Portageville recently.The three children: Donald is a retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer. Dickie retired after 30 years with KAIT Jonesboro. Delphia was a newspaper columnist among other things. Not only did they enjoy talking and reminiscing with each other, they saw friends they had not seen in years...

New Madrid County R-1 School District will begin the 2014-2015 school year on Friday, August 8, 2014 with school in session for a full day. New students should pre-enroll before attending school. Pre-enrollment will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. July 28th --August 5th in the principal's office at each school. Any new student who has not pre-enrolled by August 5th will not be allowed to enroll or attend school until Monday, August 11th...

The New Madrid County R-1 School District will be conducting their annual "Open House" at each site in the district. The goal of this annual event is to help strengthen the relationship between the school and the community. Parents will have the opportunity to meet their child's teachers, become familiar with the curriculum and discuss requirements for individual classes. ...

The following items, categorized by grade level, are needed per child for the 2014-2015 school year: KINDERGARTEN- 1 plastic school box, 1 pack of pencils, 1 pair of scissors, 1 backpack (no wheels), 4 boxes 24-count crayons, 4 large glue sticks, 1 large pink eraser, 2 one-subject notebooks (wide ruled), 1 box of Kleenex, 2 bottles of hand sanitizer, 1 container of Clorox wipes, and 1 box each of gallon and quart size Ziploc bags...

CHARLESTON - An inmate who attempted to sneak a syringe and hypodermic needle into the Mississippi County Jail now faces additional charges. Jeremy Bradley Pearson, 34, of Sikeston, was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of possession of a weapon/dangerous item in the county jail...

CHARLESTON - A Charleston resident is charged with cocaine possession after she attempted to visit an inmate in the Mississippi County Detention Center. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, the investigation began when corrections staff noticed Desiree Allen in the Sheriff's Department lobby waiting to visit an inmate. Following a records check, it was determined Allen had several felony warrants and she was placed under arrest...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is investigating what appears to have been a drive-by shooting on Moore Street early Wednesday. DPS officers responded at about 12:45 a.m. to several reports of shots fired and found seven shell casings on the 200 block of Moore Avenue, according to Capt. Bill Mygatt of DPS...

CHICAGO -- Siphal Chhor, 54, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., died at 5:01 a.m. July 17, 2014, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Paul Stiltz, 76, died July 16, 2014, at his daughter's home near East Prairie. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

PORTAGEVILLE -- Beatrice Fox, 85, died July 16, 2014, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

WEST PLAINS -- Daniel James Raymond Hunsaker, 26, died July 14, 2014, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Timothy Terrell Davis Jr. died at birth July 15, 2014, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was the son of Timothy Davis and Cynthia Morrison. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition...

SIKESTON -- Carl A. Crow, 82, died July 14, 2014, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CHARLESTON -- Don W. Stracener, 68, died July 15, 2014, at his home in rural Charleston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BENTON -- An altercation with a family member has left a Sikeston woman in jail. Kasey L. Schrunk, 22, is charged with felony domestic assault in the second degree and the misdemeanor of endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log in to our electronic edition...

Obama asked for $500 million for Syria to get rid of ISIS. Is he kidding? Maybe he can write them a personal check since we have to borrow to give. This country is already underwater in debt and now he wants to handle immigration on his own. We should maybe send several busloads of immigrants to the White House to be taken care of by Obama and Congress. ...