Stories from Thursday, February 13, 2020

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — A rumor of an armed man led to a brief lockdown of Portageville schools. The Portageville Police Department reported Wednesday that the Portageville School District went into lock down after a suspicious person was reported in the area...

I grew up in Glasgow, MO (population 1200) and graduated from Mizzou with a degree in General Agriculture. My grand-father was a cattle farmer. Agriculture is in my blood and I have always thought of how incredible our farmers are. I decided to start a tradition that the last Sunday in February would be Agriculture Sunday at our church (First Baptist Church of Sikeston). ...

SIKESTON — Sikeston resident Freida Cardwell said she felt for a long time God urging her to write a book, but she never seemed to find the time. But after resigning from most of her commitments to help her parents, she finally found time to write a daily devotional entitled, “Jesus is Talking to Me.”...

Recently-filed court information describes surveillance footage of a fight on the dance floor moments before a Jan. 26 shooting occurred inside River Valley Banquet Center, also known as The River, injuring five patrons and causing the hundreds of others in attendance to erupt in chaos...

Last spring, shortly before the school year ended, Richland R-1 School District learned that it had won the Makerspace contest sponsored by the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA). “The competition was an effort by MSTA to promote Makerspace in schools throughout the state,” explains Lisa Taylor, Makerspace facilitator for the Richland district. “Districts had to produce a video illustrating how they were utilizing Makerspace in their schools.”...

Youngsters lean in for a closer look as New Madrid County librarian Mona Walls reads a Valentine’s Day themed book to them Saturday at the Library in Portageville. The library’s main branch at Portageville will begin hosting a story hour at 10:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month for children ages 4 to 8. In addition to a story, the event will also feature an activity...

SIKESTON — A later starting date per the new Missouri law as well as a weekly early dismissal for teacher collaboration are among the changes in the Sikeston R-6 School District’s calendar for the next two school years. Sikeston R-6 Board of Education members approved the recommended calendars for both the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years Tuesday during their regular monthly meeting...

SIKESTON — School board members were recognized for Missouri School Board Appreciation Week. “We are fortunate to have some great board members who volunteer and serve our district and community, our students, staff and families,” said Sikeston R-6 Superintendent Dr. Tony Robinson. “We appreciate all that you do and your commitment to helping promote the great things going on in our school district and helping us to improve and get better.”...

SIKESTON —Gordon Bruce Chapman II, 44, died Feb. 12, 2020, at his home in Sikeston. Born Nov. 14, 1975, at Sikeston, son of Bruce Chapman of East Prairie and Carletta Welch Samons of Bertrand, he was a 1994 graduate of East Prairie High School. Having lived in Mississippi County most of his life, he attended the Mid-America College of Funeral Service at Jeffersonville, Ind., and later worked with custom fuels and Gates Rubber Company and most recently with the Drury Hotel Company. ...