Stories from Wednesday, August 5, 2015

EAST PRAIRIE -- Billy Thomure, 58, died Aug. 4, 2015, of injuries sustained in a work accident. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

VANDUSER -- James Roger Achter, 26, formerly of East Prairie, died Aug. 2, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Marilyn Lucille Grant, 78, died Aug. 1, 2015, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

SIKESTON -- Vera Rainey, 60, died Aug. 2, 2015, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Gladys Faye Holford, 80, died Aug. 3, 2015, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Thomas Wesley "Tommy" Ice, 70, died at 11:40 p.m. July 30, 2015, after a long battle with cancer. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Jimmie Charles Midgett, 64, died July 31, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

DEXTER -- Sharon Mae Goodman, 67, died Aug. 1, 2015, at Southeast Health of Stoddard County. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

ORAN -- Don Vance, 80, died Aug. 2, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

MARSTON -- An explosion, reportedly caused when molten aluminum came in contact with water, blew a hole in the roof of the cast house at Noranda Aluminum Co. around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Local emergency response units and Noranda's on-site emergency response team quickly arrived on the scene. Noranda spokesman John Parker said the approximately 20 workers in the area where the explosion occurred were quickly accounted for and there were no life-threatening injuries...

jillb@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- It isn't the regulations that bother Rick Landers. It's the regulations that follow the regulations. According to Landers, utility manager for the Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities, Sikeston is currently spending $4 million to bring its wastewater emissions in compliance with federal regulations. ...

jillb@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- It only took one meeting for Ryan Lindsey to become involved in the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. Lindsey recalled he accompanied a couple of friends to Sikeston Jaycee meeting in October 2008. Before the night was over, he not only was a member, but also the co-chairman of the Rodeo ticket office...

EAST PRAIRIE -- An East Prairie man was killed after the tractor he was operating overturned on a levee Tuesday in Mississippi County. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, at 12:45 p.m., William H. "Billy" Thomure, 58, of East Prairie was operating a tractor on private property, about six miles south of East Prairie...

NEW MADRID -- New Madrid County voters gave the nod to an additional 1/4-cent sales tax to help fund ambulance services across the county. With 321 yes votes and 268 no votes cast in Tuesday's election according to unofficial results, the proposal to provide an additional 1/4-cent sales tax for the New Madrid County Ambulance District was approved. A simple majority was needed...

How are you supposed to read the newspaper when your husband won't pay the paper bill? I read where someone witnessed a dog in a shopping cart at a grocery store. I wish the name of that grocery store could be published, because I certainly wouldn't shop there anymore. Anyone that would allow animals to ride in shopping carts is ridiculous...

WEST PADUCAH, Ky. -- Gloria Joyce Kelley, 65, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., died at 10:14 p.m. Aug. 3, 2015, at Baptist Health in Paducah. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

The Eagles 9U baseball team took first place during the 2015 Show Me State Games July 17-19 in Columbia. Behind its motto, '#9strong,' which refers to competing with just nine players, outscored opponents 47-5 on its way to its first place finish. Players are, from left, Evan Kenedy, Ty Wallace, Tate Henderson, Beau Hunter Warren, Carson Bradley, Peyton Hodges, Noah Johnson, Mason Adams and Aaron Dunlap. Coaches were Mikey Johnson, Brad Kenedy, Jon Warren and James Hodges. (Submitted photo)...

Both events in Tuesday's edition of slack at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo featured tough competition near the top of the leaderboard with the top 10 barrel racers finishing less then a third of a second apart.

It's been a year since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Mo., following an attack on a police officer. Despite massive protests and riots over false reports that Brown was assassinated with his hands held in the air, not a whole lot has changed...