Stories from Thursday, August 21, 2014

The Portageville High School Lady Dawgs hosted their first-ever Softball Jamboree on Friday. Participating teams included Neelyville and Twin Rivers. Each game consisted of four innings, with no tie breakers. The jamboree was held Friday at Portagaville's Adams Park...

We are collectively closing in on one of the busiest times of the year for avid outdoorsmen. While serious fishermen are no strangers to arduous preparations before a trip (I've certainly had my fair share,) serious hunters work twice as hard and then some. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) stocked alligator gar today as part of a program that began in 2007 at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and has grown throughout areas of Southeast Missouri. Salvador Mondragon, an MDC fisheries management biologist, said the project is part of the Department's mission to protect and manage a valuable fishery in the state...

Many have heard from the Star WarsŪ movies, "May the Force be with you!" For one local Portageville man, the Force was with him in November. Tom Doering, suffered a massive stroke, and survived. In previous years, he had two other smaller strokes, but nothing as compared to the last one. Doering, a veteran police officer of the Portageville Police Department, saw his career come to an end, but the Higher Force, God Almighty, still has plans for him...

As far as God is concerned the Christian is dead to sin. Therefore, sins grip has been broken. As the believer reckons upon this truth day by day they experience victory in their Christian life. Paul says in Romans 6:8-9 that Christ was raised from the dead. That is a liberating truth. His resurrection is our victory...

We are tempted to conform to this world in our relationships with others perhaps more than in any other arena of life. We feel compelled to respond to others as they have dealt with us. When we have been cursed, we tend to curse back or, at least, let ourselves feel resentment about the insult. ...

Average retail gasoline prices in Missouri have risen 7.6 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.34/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 3,940 gas outlets in Missouri. This compares with the national average that has fallen 2.0 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.45/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com...

Portageville School's Agriculture Department is wasting no time this school year. They are starting off with an instructor who received a conference award over the summer, and the program been awarded a Monsanto Site Grant. "Agriculture, like many other industries, is changing rapidly due to technology," said Sara Blattel, agriculture instructor at the Portageville School District. ...

Utility regulators won't agree to cutting electric rates by 25 percent for Noranda Aluminum

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Both the Sikeston Bulldogs and Charleston Bluejays enter the 2014 football season on similar paths. Lots of youth. Lots of inexperience. Both will attempt to answer some internal questions about their teams when Charleston visits Sikeston tomorrow in the 129th game in the long, storied rivalry at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium at 7 p.m...

BENTON -- "With every stop I'm learning something. The diversity in agriculture in our district is unreal," said Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith as his second day of his annual Farm Tour got underway on Wednesday. Smith, who had just completed a tour of the Tribute Dairy Farm in Scott County, was on his way to Charleston to tour Concept Ag-Seed and later in the day would be at the AC Riley Cotton Gin. ...

Our prep football glance gives vital information for our local teams entering their weekly matchups. Learn your team's opponent, go-to players and the series history between the two throughout the season.

NEW MADRID- A Portageville man has been arrested after stealing from irrigation equipment at local farms. According to a release from New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens, a tip about stolen irrigation equipment was received by his office on Tuesday evening. Stevens contacted an on-duty deputy and sent him to the area to investigate...

NEW MADRID- A major transformer blew in the rectifier yard at the Noranda Aluminum smelter in New Madrid last Thursday morning. The explosion was extremely loud and sent up large amounts of smoke, according to Mark Christian, communications director for the plant. No one was injured and the fire was contained by the Noranda Emergency Action Team, with assistance from the Associated Electric Cooperative emergency response team...

CARUTHERSVILLE -- Police are investigating a disturbance that took place in Caruthersville on Wednesday night. According to the Caruthersville Police Department, officers took two reports of a group of black males walking and throwing rocks at vehicles, causing damage to the vehicles between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday...

PARSONS, Tenn. (AP) -- A Benton, Mo., man died Wednesday in West Tennessee when the crop dusting plane he was piloting went down. Decatur County Emergency Management Director Kevin Cagle said the plane crashed about 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Bible Hill community in the northern part of the county, about five miles north of Parsons...

ARCHDALE, N.C. -- Ira Lee Humphreys, 84, died Aug. 13, 2014, at his home. For the complete obituary, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat.

SIKESTON -- Elsie Pace Lyons, 92, died Aug. 19, 2014, at Sikeston Convalescent Center in Sikeston. For the complete obituary, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat.

CAIRO, Ill. -- George Edward Porter, 56, died Aug. 18, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. For the complete obituary, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat.

DEXTER -- Martha Minton, 96, died Aug. 20, 2014, at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Facility in Dexter. For the complete obituary, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat.

DEXTER -- Eunice Irene Pullum Hendrickson, 67, died Aug. 19, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete obituary, see the Thursday edition of the Standard Democrat.

I just read Michael Jensen's column on the death penalty about remembering the victims not the murderers. I believe the death penalty should be televised live for everybody to see and I believe Michael Jensen should participate in one of these executions. I want to see him push the button or hit the switch. I want to see it live. I want to see him do it as a Christian, then I want to see him go to church and see what people think...