Stories from Friday, February 26, 2016

On Sunday February 7th the Bootheel Racers Swimming program traveled to Tunica, MS to compete in the MSSC (Mid-South Swimming Conference) Championships. Five athletes from Portageville helped the Racers swim to a 3rd place team finish at the competition...

There are two ways of doing most things- the hard way and the smart way. Completing hunter education early is definitely the smart way! A surprising number wait till the last minute to sign up for hunter education. By that time most hunting seasons have started, school is in full swing, and it gets harder and harder to work one more thing into your already busy schedule. So get in before the rush and get your certification!...

Not exactly how the Lady Bulldogs coach wanted to end their season as Portageville (4th seed) lost their first round district game to New Madrid County Central (5th seed), 53-56. Basketball is a game where you can when or lose by free throws, "If we had scored five more free throws, we would have won. We missed 25 of them," said head coach Kellye Penn Fowler...

Nationally More Low-Income Students Starting Day with Breakfast

At a recent meeting, a hospice provider gave a presentation about their services. She spoke about many myths about hospice and also the benefit people experience from using hospice. Hospice care is a much underutilized program that is paid for by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance...

Friends of Music will continue its 2015-2016 season with a program of sacred music performed by Bill and Sandy Hook on Sunday, February 28, 2016, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 300 St. Francis Street in Kennett. Kennett native Bill Hook holds a B.M.E. ...

"When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days, I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." -- Nehemiah 1:4 Nehemiah is the last book in the Old Testament which chronologically documents the history of God's people. Throughout the book, there are two themes that run simultaneously; (1) the accomplishing of a work of God, which for Nehemiah was the rebuilding of the city walls in Jerusalem, and (2) the making of a worker...

"These guys have just rose to the occasion all year. Nothing was different tonight. Just super proud of them."

sports@standard-democrat.com MALDEN, Mo. -- Senior Tyrone Alston scored 22 points as the second-seeded Caruthersville Tigers took down top-seeded Malden 61-57 to win the Class 3, District 1 championship Thursday in Malden, Mo. The Tigers (16-9) trailed by two entering the final frame but outscored Malden 19-13 to pull out the win. Alston scored 12 points in the fourth quarter going 6 of 8 from the free throw line to help seal the victory...

sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs wrapped up its regular season schedule with a final performance to remember on Thursday. Sikeston defeated De Soto 69-31 on Senior Night at the Field House in a dominant effort to finish one of the greatest regular seasons in school history at 24-1...

Scott Central's third-straight win over Chaffee led to its third district championship in the last four years in a rematch of last year's district final.

DEXTER -- A lot was on the line Thursday when Sikeston visited the Dexter Lady Bearcats on senior night for both team's regular season finales. A Dexter win would give the Lady Bearcats sole ownership of the SEMO Conference regular season championship outright...

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday: 1. WHICH REPUBLICAN CAME OUT SWINGING Marco Rubio finally takes on Donald Trump in a freewheeling Republican debate ahead of Tuesday's crucial primaries, but is it too late?...

CAIRO, Ill. -- William Elmer "Bill" Edwards Jr., 86, died Feb. 24, 2016. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.


SIKESTON - Billy Gardner, 72, died Feb. 25, 2016, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, log on to the electronic edition.

I read with an open mind I hope about Trump's success was due to Obama's failures. Michael Jensen, you must be a moron like the rest of the Republicans to let Trump get into the Republican party like he has. You people in the Republican party make me want to be something besides a United States citizen. ...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- For more than a half century, Erma Brooks was as much a part of the New Madrid County Library as the books that line the shelves. Now Brooks, who died last May, will continue to be a part of the library she loved. Earlier this month, the annex to the Portageville Library was named in her honor...

SIKESTON -- It was parenting, not race, that was the deciding factor for Hubert Douglas Bankhead. Bankhead's story started on a farm near Wyatt. "I went to High School in Charleston and knew a lot of people in Sikeston," Bankhead, 74, said. "I was born and raised in Southeast Missouri during segregation," he said. ...

BERTRAND, Mo. -- A Bertrand man is in custody after his arrest on drug-related charges. According to Missouri Case.net, Timothy Lee Wasson, 33, was arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has issued an Endangered Person Advisory for a missing woman. Missing is Jessica "Jessi" Nole, a 23-year-old white female who is 5 feet, 2 inches tall, weighs 230 pounds and has blonde hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion with tattoos on both arms and neck. She was last seen wearing a pink tank top, blue jean capris and tennis shoes...

Kelly FCCLA competed at the District level of STAR events at Southeast Missouri State University on Jan. 25. Students competed in various categories all of which relate to the family and consumer science classroom. Pictured from left with their results are: Bethany Knight, top gold; Kenize Ikerman, top gold; Lillian Hudgens, gold; Kelsey Buckner, gold; Rebecah Nall, top gold; McKenzy Barrett, gold; and Caitlin Latham, top gold. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Bobby Aycock Jr. of New Madrid is the new District 1 Associate Commissioner for New Madrid County. Aycock was named Friday to the position by Gov. Jay Nixon after it became vacant upon the resignation of former District 1 Associate Commissioner Thomas Bradley. Bradley resigned on Feb. 2...