Stories from Thursday, October 1, 2015

NEW MADRID -- A New Madrid County jury found a Caruthersville man guilty of the killing of Rodney Maxwell in 2013. According to a release from Caruthersville Police Department, Kevin Tyrone Tilson was found guilty of second degree murder and armed criminal action after appearing before jury in New Madrid County and Judge Fred W. Copeland...

SCOTT CITY -- Portageville senior Daniel McCray passed on his frustrations to the Scott City Rams on Friday night. A 1,300-yard rusher as a junior, McCray had been held to 22 yards a week earlier in a loss to Hayti, his third straight game under 100 yards in a three-game losing streak for the Bulldogs...

Despite the early Saturday morning rain, Main Street Madness continued on with what appeared to be on the the largest Saturday event in a very long time. Several vendors were available ranging from arts and crafts to food and drink, children's fun run and and bouncy slides to beauty pageants. According to many of the vendors and store owners, Main Street Madness was a huge day for them and saw several new faces...

After being moved to the Portageville Community Center for fear of fowl weather continuing Saturday morning, the annual Soybean Queen Pageants pressed on as usual. The 2015 Soybean Festival Queen is Courtney Roberts of Holcomb, MO. She is the daughter of Tammie Roberts...

PARMA -- One person has been jailed after a shooting in Parma on Saturday afternoon. According to reports, Michael Tyrone Johnson, 21, was jailed after a shooting on South Broad Street in Parma, between a community building and Main Street on Saturday afternoon...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 A few weeks ago I needed to get gas and stopped at Casey's and gas was $1.91 a gallon, so I filled up. Just a few days later as I drove by Casey's gas was $2.14 a gallon and I thought to myself, "I don't understand how in just a few days time the gas price jumps like that."...

Sikeston, which hasn't won a conference title since 2012, owns the tiebreaker with Cape Central by virtue of its 23-19 victory over the Tigers in Week 3.

PORTAGEVILLE -- Playing the role of spoiler on Portageville's senior night, Sikeston came back from a near loss in the first set Tuesday to sweep the home team 26-24, 25-13. "They stuck with it," Sikeston head coach Steve Beydler said. "We kind of had some issues on our serve in the first set. ...

Fourth-seeded Poplar Bluff swept the three doubles matches then scored two victories in singles to advance to the tournament semifinals against Sikeston.

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. Records: Kelly 2-4; Caruthersville 3-3 Series History: Caruthersville leads 2-0...

SIKESTON -- If there's one piece of advice breast cancer survivor Marilyn Schwaninger would give to other women, it's to get that annual mammogram -- and one that is three-dimensional. Schwaninger has always scheduled the annual procedure around her birth date in August...

Hanna Conner, daughter of Jeremy Conner and Rosanna Williams, reacts to receiving her Little Miss Cotton Carnival ribbon while Little Mr. Cotton Carnival, Cooper Bryan, son of Jeff and Lori Bryan, mugs for the cameras Wednesday night at the Cotton Carnival...

SIKESTON -- Royce Gates, 83, died Sept. 30, 2015, at his home. For the complete Standard Democrat obituary log in to our electronic edition.

CHARLESTON -- A Scott County resident is facing felony charges following a fraud investigation by the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, the investigation began earlier this year when an East Prairie business owner notified Deputy Cory Hutcheson that one of her customers had made purchases with checks later found to be written on a closed account...

VIBURNUM -- An Endangered Silver Advisory was issued late Wednesday for a missing adult in Iron County. The Iron County Sheriff's Office issued the alert following an incident at 9 a.m. Monday at the Zepher Station, 147 Route Y in Viburnum, according to a news release from Missouri State Highway Patrol...

NEW MADRID -- Michael Comer describes New Madrid and the Battle for Island No. 10 as an almost forgotten piece of Civil War history. Comer explains during the Civil War, the Mississippi River was key to both the North and the South. New Madrid, situated along a bend in the river, and nearby Island No. 10, which dominated the river way, were considered strategic to the control of the Mississippi...

NEW MADRID -- The Fifth Annual New Madrid Fall Festival on Saturday features big fish, fun and food. The festival kicks off with the Riverbend Jaycees Run the River 5K run/walk. Registration is at 7 a.m. and the race begins at 8 a.m. A free fishing rodeo for children up to age 12 will take place at the city's pond on Highway WW. Registration is at 8 a.m. and fishing is from 9-11 a.m. Children need to bring their own poles and bait; prizes will be awarded...

CHARLESTON -- A former employee of the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department was arrested after an internal investigation turned up evidence of criminal violations. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, the investigation began last week when Mississippi County Jail Administrator Cory Hutcheson developed information that Communications Officer Julie Tatum Day had engaged in inappropriate conduct in violation of county policy...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- A Sikeston man is facing a felony drug charge following a DEA bust. DeMichael Devonte McCray, 20, is charged with possession of a controlled substance, cocaine, with intent distribute, a class B felony. McCray was arraigned Wednesday by Scott T. Horman, associate judge for the Circuit Court Division 5, and is set to appear before Horman again Oct. 14...

I don't understand why our school administrators are continuing to choose to use Common Core in Sikeston. I thought at first that this school district was forced to use Common Core curriculum and materials because the state education department was making them. ...

news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- A local surgeon's autobiography is back on the market with electronic-age options and additional content. "Max the Knife: The Life and Times of a Country Surgeon" is available again but a lot has changed over the past decade...

scottw@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Sikeston residents will need to make other arrangements for leaves this year and not rake them to the curb. "Because of budget constraints and limited manpower, the Council after consulting with city staff made the decision to not continue the curbside leaf collection plan this fall," said Jay Lancaster, public works director for the city of Sikeston. ...