Stories from Friday, September 19, 2014

Southeast Lakes Clearwater Lake
Water Surface Temp: 82º
Water Level (Range): normal
Water Type: clear
Fish Reported: 
Crappie: Slow 
Black Bass: Slow 
Bluegill: Slow 
Channel Catfish: Slow 
all species slow.
(Reported on: 9/9/14)...

Liza Priggel, is the seven year-old daughter of Joey and Heather Priggel of Portageville. On Saturday, she won the 2014 Petite Miss Delta Fair in Kennett. Last week at the SEMO Fair in Cape Girardeau, she was the 2014 Young Miss SEMO District Fair Queen. Also, on Saturday, Maisie Hall won the 2014 SEMO District Fair Pre Teen Queen pageant. She is the 13 year-old daughter of Chris and Misty Hall of Portageville. Priggel and Hall are cousins...

"Plus ça change, plus c'est la m'me chose," goes the French proverb credited to Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." It's not that a society or organization cannot be transformed. But such change is often cosmetic or superficial. Reality isn't altered at the deeper, more profound levels...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Department of Transportation is seeking projects outside of the St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield metropolitan areas that could be funded with Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funds. Projects inside the St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield metropolitan areas will be selected through a separate competitive process...

On Saturday, September 27, 2014, at 10:30 am (prior to the PHS softball game), the Portageville Softball Field will be dedicated to an eminent person that has had a tremendous amount of influence in the community. Dr. James A. Deere has been a great inspiration to many people and organizations. ...

CHAFFEE -- After receiving a $10,000 cut in federal funding, Tina Dohogne-Nations decided there had to be a way to raise additional funds for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program/Volunteer Intergenerational Center of Scott and Cape Counties. Her solution? An enlarged, wacky version of horseshoes that doesn't require any type of skill from any of its players as they play through 12 over-the-top horseshoe pits set up on a farm...

BENTON -- Heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Kelly's softball team was still searching for its first hit of the game. A pitching duel highlighted the first 3 1/2 innings as both teams remained scoreless, but the Hawks stayed the course. Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge told her team to continue to bunt, a decision that eventually reaped positive results...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- With an early second half goal from senior Audie Hay, the Sikeston Bulldogs were in prime position Thursday to hand visiting Poplar Bluff its first district loss of the season. Jeffry Hardin had other plans, however, as the Mules' sophomore scored twice in the final 20 minutes to hand Sikeston its second straight loss, 2-1...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- On a night they honored the past, the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs fell back into some old habits. Sikeston's first softball coach, Connie Spears, was honored before the game as part of Sikeston's Alumni Day Tuesday but Chaffee dampened the mood following a 12-11 Lady Devil win...

sports@standard-democrat.com GIDEON -- Portageville, New Madrid County Central and Charleston all advanced to the tournament portion of the Gideon Volleyball Tournament while Richland fell just short in pool play Thursday night. Portageville defeated Delta C-7 (25-9, 25-13), Cooter (25-21, 25-16) and then split with NMCC (25-15, 22-25) to advance to Saturday's tournament play while the Lady Eagles split with Cooter (24-26, 25-13) and swept Delta C-7 (25-21, 25-15)...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A simple, inexpensive sign and a few extra minutes save lives during harvest time. The slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem, a reflective orange triangle bordered with red, is the cheapest safety device in the farm store. But it's also one of the best ways to remind drivers to share the road with farmers during the upcoming harvest season, says Todd Lorenz, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist...

It's time to make your plans to attend the legendary 84th Annual MO/Mid-South Gospel Singing Convention to be held on Friday and Saturday, September 19 and 20, at the Malden, MO Community Center located on Business Highway 25 Douglas Street) in front of the school and just south of Wal-Mart...

A proposed constitutional amendment that would tie teacher evaluations to standardized student testing and get rid of tenure will remain on the November ballot, even though the primary proponent has now dropped its campaign in support of the measure. Because Missouri voters can still approve it, those who oppose the amendment plan to inform the public and move forward with efforts to defeat the measure...

The New Madrid County Family Resource Center is hosting the Mr. & Miss Rock 'n Roll Beauty Pageant on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at the Dixie Theater on Main Street in New Madrid. The first pageant starts at 10:00 a.m., with arrival times for contestants varying per age group...

The Portageville Jaycees are sponsoring a Kids Carnival on Saturday, October 4 during Main Street Madness of the Soybean Festival. The carnival starts at 9:00 a.m. on Main Street, and it will feature games, activities, prizes, treats and more. Kids games and activities are free of charge!...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County may be closer to seeing a federally-owned dilapidated structure being removed. Ken Stevenson, county code enforcement officer, advised the County Commission during their regular weekly meeting Thursday that Edward "Tadpole" Throgmorton of the U.S. Department of Agriculture office in New Madrid visited property on County Road 525 with an old barn county officials have determined needs to be removed...

SIKESTON -- The Law Offices of Blanton, Rice, Nickell, Cozean and Collins is celebrating a century of "country lawyering" in Southeast Missouri. "We have a lot of history here," said Joseph Blanton, a partner and attorney for the law office. "The firm was started by my grandfather, Harry Blanton, in 1914. It was the same year that his father, Charles Blanton, bought the newspaper and moved the family here."...

Sikeston native, Maida Coleman, tabbed to lead new office

SIKESTON -- Ray May died Sept. 19, 2014, at the VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Bobby W. Stone, 65, died Sept. 17, 2014, at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MOORESVILLE, Ind. -- Kinser Edward Clayton, 16 months, passed away unexpectedly at 8:35 p.m. Sept. 15, 2014. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

BENTON -- Harvey Eldon Washer, 74, died Sept. 18, 2014, at his home in Benton. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CHARLESTON - Bernice Brooks-Jones, 67, died Sept. 14, 2014, at the Charleston Manor. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Lillie Mae Foster, 66, died Sept. 18, 2014, at Southeast Missouri Health Center of Stoddard County. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CHARLESTON -- Van Noisworthy, 92, died Sept. 17, 2014. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

Good morning, Mike. Mississippi County is working hard to restore County Road 310 that was destroyed in the flood. They are going to get it fixed, but now we get to the bridge. The bridge is too expensive for Mississippi County to put back in by itself. I think the Corps tore it up and the Corps ought to replace it...