Stories from Tuesday, June 9, 2015

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston R-6 School District will improve its communication with a new phone system. During its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, the R-6 Board of Education awarded the bid to provide Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, services for the district to Business Communication Specialists...

Today will be sunny, with a high near 90 then becoming mostly clear tonight with a low around 68. Sunny on Wednesday with a high near 92 while Wednesday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 71. Thursday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 91 then becoming partly cloudy Thursday night with a low around 72. ...

CARUTHERSVILLE - Southbound Interstate 55 in Pemiscot County will be closed near the Missouri/Arkansas state line. Work will be underway in Arkansas as the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department performs pavement repairs. Traffic will shift to northbound I-55 with a 12-foot width restriction from the Pemiscot County line to south of Route O. Drivers can expect head-to-head traffic in this area and should use caution...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- It's a given the Nothdurft family wants clean water for themselves and their farm. However, with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers implementing a new measure within the Clean Water Act, they are among many farmers concerned about changing the way they do things...

SCOTT CITY - A traffic route leading to the Southeast Missouri Port now officially bears the name of Irvin H. Garms, the internationally recognized contractor who pushed the port access road's construction and served two decades on the port authority's board...

BENTON - Don't expect to see former businessman Keith Monia facing trial in Cape Girardeau County before 2016. Monia, who appeared in court Monday for a case review before Judge Benjamin Lewis, had his case continued to late September to allow time for his two other jury trials to take place...

BLOOMFIELD -- Two Dexter area women told the Stoddard County Commission about plans to establish a 501c3 non-profit organization to start a domestic violence shelter in Dexter. The shelter would serve women, men and families who are the victims of domestic violence. The presentation was made at the regular commission meeting Monday morning...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday: 1. FALLOUT CONTINUES FROM VIDEO OF POOL PARTY AS PROTESTERS TAKE TO STREETS The white police officer's actions against the black teen raised tensions and led to protests in a Dallas suburb, where some community activists accused him of racism while others urged calm until the facts are investigated...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Laverne Johnson, 88, died at 10 a.m. June 8, 2015, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Visitation is after 5 p.m. Wednesday at 302 Washington Street in East Prairie, where services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday with Mike Johnson and Eric McGruder officiating...

DEXTER -- Robert George Turner, 87, died June 8, 2015, at Golden Living Center in Dexter. Visitation is after 11 a.m. Thursday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Graveside services will follow at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield with Dr. Barry Winders of Dexter officiating...

SIKESTON -- Russell E. Turner, 51, died May 31, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. No services are scheduled. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For this obituary and more, see the Wednesday edition of the Standard Democrat...

SIKESTON -- Boby Long, 55, died June 8, 2015, at the result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident near Vanduser. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday at Ponder Funeral Home where services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday.His brother, Benny Joe Long, will officiate...

FISK -- David Edward Hughes, 77, died June 7, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation is from 11 a.m. until time of service at noon Saturday at the New Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Haywood City with the Rev. Alex Sims officiating...

SIKESTON -- TyRussell Davis, 22, died June 6, 2015, in Sikeston. Visitation is form 1 p.m. until time of service at 2 p.m. Saturday at Green Memorial Church of God in Christ with Melvin Williams, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the Sunset of Memories Cemetery with Williams Funeral Home of Sikeston...

scottw@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Ag land owners have until the last Monday of the month to appeal new property values. Reassessments for the 2015 tax cycle are looking at agricultural land values, Teresa Houchin, Scott County assessor, said during the Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday...