Stories from Friday, April 24, 2015

SIKESTON -- Two Sikeston residents are celebrating a recent $1 million Missouri Lottery Scratchers win. Samantha Lankheit, 39, and Ashley Rogers, 31, claimed their prize on April 14, after uncovering the $1 million top prize on a "Millionaire Riches" Scratchers ticket. The friends purchased their ticket on April 10 from Huck's Food Store, 823 E. Malone Ave. in Sikeston, and plan on splitting the $1 million prize...

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Regional Chamber of Commerce honored local citizens at the 65th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet held Thursday night at the Sikeston Armory. Leading the list of honorees was Scott Matthews who accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award...

I always figured I'd end up on a stage in LA, and this past weekend it came to fruition. Of course the big city lights were replaced by sunrises and sunsets, the movie stars were instead friendly Cajuns, and Santa Monica Boulevard was a cypress laden bayou. Northern Louisiana is home to one of, if not the best, crappie fishing lakes I've ever visited...

MALDEN, Mo. - The Malden Green Wave took home the top prize at its own nine-team two-day tournament Saturday. Malden beat Cooter 6-2 and Portageville 13-3 in five innings in the championship pool. Cooter beat Portageville 9-2 in the other championship pool game...

NEW MADRID -- It is an 80 percent scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., but Wiley Allred, commander of New Madrid County Memorial VFW Post 7183, believes it will have 100 percent of the impact. When the Traveling Wall is on display May 7 through 10 in New Madrid's Scott Street Park, Allred, who served in Vietnam in 1968-69, said he will carefully look through the 58,000 inscribed names of those who lost their lives in Vietnam...

"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" Luke 24:49 We have a big problem in the world today; we do not know how to wait. This has been going on for a long time, it is not a new problem, and it just seems to get worse instead of better. If we want something we want it now, not tomorrow or the next day we want it now. There are times though we have to wait...

The governor took time last week to sign into law two pieces of legislation designed to further strengthen Missouri's multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry. The governor signed the Dairy Revitalization Act (HB 259) that takes a three-pronged approach to support the state's struggling dairy industry. ...

This week, I voted to repeal the death tax and help put the American Dream back within reach for family farmers across southeast and southern Missouri. Since I was first elected to Congress, I have worked to get a vote on repealing the death tax for family farmers, including cosponsoring this important piece of legislation. ...

sports@standard-democrat.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeston boys golf team took first place in a three-team match at the Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau Thursday. The Bulldogs posted a team score of 174 squeak past Advance, who finished with a 178. Saxony Lutheran took third place with a 202...

sports@standard-democrat.com EAST PRAIRIE -- For the second time in its five-year existence, the East Prairie boys track team won its prized home meet. The Eagles racked up 157.5 points to take top honors during the 5th Annual Eva G. Hinshaw Memorial Thursday at East Prairie High School. Kelly came in second with 101 points while Charleston finished third with 88 during the 11-team meet...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Adding five insurance runs in their final trip to the plate, the Sikeston Bulldogs took down East Prairie 7-2 Thursday to push themselves two games above .500 on the season. "We can't wait until the sixth inning to get the bats going," Sikeston head coach Alan Scheeter said. "Fortunately our pitching and defense kept us in it. We got the two runs we needed in the third and our pitching kept us in it. We have to find a way to score more runs."...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. HOSTAGE DEATHS A REMINDER OF RISK OF 'DEADLY MISTAKES' With the deaths of two Western captives in a CIA drone strike, Obama is brutally reminded of how civilians can be lost in wartime...

Mississippi County Recorder of Deeds George Bays, pictured front, and other recorders who have served more than a single term look on as veteran office holder Robert Dixon of Taney County shares with newly elected recorders lessons learned over his years on the job. ...

scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- Sometimes a final deadline really isn't so final after all. Mississippi County Commissioners agreed during their regular weekly meeting Thursday to request another 90 days to finish the last remaining disaster recovery project from the spring 2011 flooding and activation of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway...

SIKESTON -- With nearly 5 inches of rain already recorded this month in Sikeston, local farmers are having a tough time getting corn planted. More rain is expected today and Saturday. "Farmers are just waiting for it to dry out," said Richard DeLoughery, University of Missouri Extension specialist in Charleston...

SIKESTON -- Debra Blunt, 57, died April 22, 2015, at her home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Services for William E. "Bill" Neal, 84, who died April 17, 2015, have been rescheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CHAFFEE -- Betty "Janie" Dooley, 55, died April 23, 2015, at the family home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

POPLAR BLUFF -- William "Bill" Moore, 72, died April 22, 2015, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Evelyn Lorene Campbell, 84, passed away on April 22, 2015, at the home of her daughter in Sikeston. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

Didn't the U.S. Post Office sponsor the Olympics two or three years ago? If they had so much money, why is the post office in such a bad shape now? And why is the service so terrible? Don't tell me they spent our money on the Olympics! I'm the one that called in about people being half-dead, laying on the couch and can't do their housework or anything. ...

Lilbourn Elementary School announced its Outstanding Students for the first semester of the 2014-2015 school year. Certificates were awarded to, front row from left: Jamarrius Henderson, Arrion Williams, Karyssa Perkins, Skylar Thomas, Emma Howard, Harley Davis, Alyssa Hunt, Lamya Nelson, Ayden Roberts, Xavier Sexton, Dakota Hollins, and Zariah Robinson; second row: Kaniyrah Vincent, Michael Henry, Landon Akridge, Tomarion Pettigrew, Sophia Bobo, Taylor Shaw, Malakhi Hughes, Laine McElveen, Nicholas Evans, Jessie Perry, Jaxon Akridge and Madilynn Gammons; third row: Sawyer McElveen, Madison Scallion, Kamille Tanner, Kayden Minner, Luke Johnson, Gage Morgan, Za'Naria Madison-Key, Lajaveon Moore, Brandon Waters and David Sloan; and back row: Riley Young, Jimmya Caldwell-Newsom, Anthony Robinson, Buddy Newsom, Shia Fountain, Caitie Cox, Kayleigh Austin, Shalexia Thomas and Destiny Hughes. ...

The Sikeston R-6 Kindergarten Center announced its March "Pups of the Month." Pictured front row are: Will Evans, Caroline Warren, Kvone Long, Nathan Bennett, Isaiah Lewis, Aalyric Patterson, Rhylee Odum and Brooklyn Metz. Second row are: Huda Alkalani, Olivia Aldrich, Dequan Mays, Dezmond Sibley, Tra'von Turner, Austin Tate, Kayden Ballew, Jackson Mau and Isaac Foy. ...

SIKESTON - Joseph Sauceda, a fourth grader at The Christian Academy in Sikeston, will put his math skills to the test in a state competition. Joseph attended the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics elementary math competition March 28 at Southeast Missouri State University. He won first place in the sprint individual test and fourth place overall out of 71 competitors...

The Sikeston R-6 Public School's preschool "Pups of the Month" for March were announced recently. Pictured are Braylon Bowser, Austin Rudisill, Elijah Reed, Robert Ragsdell Sloat, Trey Gibson and Austin White with Principal Jenny Hobeck, Buddy the school mascot and Sarah Carbaugh, assistant principal...