Sikeston Standard Democrat: News

David Jenkins

David Jenkins
Does this float your boat?
For the last two months I have been living vampire hours while covering high school basketball games. That left me out of the informational loop so in getting back with the swing of things I decided to read some back issues of our great paper. That's when I saw that our Sikeston Department of Public Safety was getting an inflatable boat...

Michael Jensen

Michael Jensen
Earmarks prove to be tough issue
Federal budget earmarks - those well-hidden local pork projects - generate as much negative public reaction as just about any antic undertaken by our lawmakers. When the public hears horror stories about million-dollar fruit-fly projects or equally expensive swine-odor projects, there is virtually universal opposition...

Woman is hit by train (03/18/10)
SIKESTON -- An elderly woman was seriously injured after she was struck by a train at a Sikeston crossing this morning. The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. at the Wakefield Street crossing, said Chief Drew Juden, director of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety...

200 years (03/18/10)
leonnah@standard-democrat.com NEW MADRID -- The oldest Methodist church in continuous service west of the Mississippi River will celebrate its 200th anniversary this weekend in New Madrid. It was March of 1810 when Jesse Walker and John Scripps traveled from Cape Girardeau across the dreaded "Big Swamp" to preach to residents of New Madrid and formed the foundation of today's First United Methodist Church, then known as New Madrid Methodist Church...

Group fosters business growth (03/18/10)
michellef@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- Missy Marshall knows the importance of small businesses. "They are the backbone of our economy in Sikeston, in Missouri and in the U.S.," said Marshall, executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce...

Four arrested for meth lab (03/18/10)
BENTON -- Four Scott County residents were arrested in connection with a methamphetamine laboratory. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

Body recovered from river (03/18/10)
CHARLESTON -- An East Prairie man's body was recovered from the Mississippi River Wednesday, a day after his boat was found overturned in a muddy channel in Charleston. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

Resident struck by train (03/18/10)
Sikeston Department of Public Safety and ambulance personnel load an individual onto the Air Evac helicopter early today. At approximately 7 a.m., authorities were notified an individual was struck by a train along the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks running parallel to Davis Boulevard. Further details will be posted as they are available...

KRCC Telethon kicks off Saturday (03/17/10)
SIKESTON -- As the Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon approaches every year, Center staff use the faces and stories of the children who receive treatment to solicit donations. "I think the poster kids really help the community understand what we do at the center," said Brandy Dallas, physical therapist and clinical coordinator. The KRCC's 30th Annual Telethon is Saturday and Sunday at the Sikeston Field House...

Career Day (03/17/10)
Junior Kameryn Wood, senior Mallory Cowger, and Kasey Barborek, a junior at Kelly High School, look at different parts of a newspaper during a Career Day session conducted at the school on Tuesday. Twenty speakers led sessions teaching the high school students about different careers...

Faced with less revenue, school districts weigh options (03/17/10)
SIKESTON -- While specifics about the state budget continue to be discussed by Missouri legislators, local school district officials are preparing to trim their budgets tighter than ever before. Over the years school districts have made cuts to their transportation, supplies or building and grounds budgets. Some are being forced to now look at making cuts in their personnel, which often make up 70 to 85 percent of a district's budget...

Burke elected president at Ole Miss (03/17/10)
CHARLESTON -- A Charleston native will soon take the helm at Ole Miss. Virginia Burke, 21, was elected student body president of the University of Mississippi in Jackson, Miss., on Feb. 16. Her inauguration is scheduled for April 5. "It's very exciting," Burke said...

Drug stings bring multiple arrests (03/17/10)
SIKESTON - Several people are in custody following two sting operations by the Sikeston Public Safety and the SEMO Drug Task Force. The undercover operations to arrest people purchasing methamphetamine precursors such as pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in manufacturing meth began in February, according to a news release from Sikeston DPS...

They play pianos (03/16/10)
For more pictures and stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition....

Walk-a-thon will help in fight against cystic fibrosis (03/16/10)
scottw@standard-democrat.com NEW MADRID -- The Bootheel is stepping forward in the fight against cystic fibrosis. New Madrid will hold its first Great Strides walk-a-thon at 10:30 a.m. April 10 at Hunter-Dawson Park. "Great Strides is like the Relay for Life walk for cancer," explained Laura Frye, chair for the event...

Tree inventory under way in Sikeston parks (03/16/10)
news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- To help the Sikeston Park Division with budgeting and future planting, a tree inventory is under way in all 14 of the city's parks. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

Welcome home (03/15/10)
news@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The construction of Shambra Lane's new home on John R. Boulevard in Sikeston was an emotional journey, but it's also one Lane said she enjoyed. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition. ...

Students bid local instructor goodbye (03/15/10)
news@standard-democrat.com NEW MADRID -- As the choir sang the final bars of the Star-Spangled Banner, students' eyes darted across the Fifth and Sixth Grade gymnasium watching carefully the reaction of Dawna Allen. Her eyes were filled with pride. A few co-workers' eyes were brimming with tears...

Fertilizer plant opens in Marston (03/14/10)
MARSTON -- One of New Madrid County's newest businesses is not only contributing jobs and revenue, it's also providing an environmentally-safe product for farmers. Agrium Advance Technologies began production of its coated, time-release fertilizer in early February, said Jon Berg, operations manager...

Plans for new Sikeston Housing Authority facility set (03/14/10)
SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Housing Authority is hoping to add to the momentum of downtown's revitalization with a new facility of its own. "It's decided," confirmed Bobby K. Henry, executive director of the Sikeston Housing Authority. "The architect is working on the plans and specifications and it should be ready to go out for bid the first of April."...

Singer ready to perform at KRCC telethon (03/14/10)
SIKESTON -- In his blog about his fifth USO Holiday Tour to the Middle East last December, southern country rocker Keni Thomas wrote: "Use the gifts you've been given to do the absolute most good. Show up and give it your whole heart." That's exactly what Thomas -- along with his band Cornbread -- plans to do during the 30th Annual Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon set for March 20-21 at the Sikeston Field House...

KRCC's telethon marks 30th year (03/14/10)
This coming weekend will bring the 30th annual Kenny Rogers Children's Center Telethon to our community. By all accounts, this may well be the biggest and best telethon ever. And that's saying a lot! In many ways, it seems unreal that this annual fundraiser is about to celebrate 30 years. From some very humble beginnings, through countless growth spurts, the telethon has become an important tradition in Sikeston...

Wood work replacement (03/12/10)
For more pictures and stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition....

Winning ways: Two selected for Honors Board (03/12/10)
leonnah@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- It was their love of sports and working with children that led them to coaching teams and officiating games, and now two Sikeston men are being recognized for their contributions to local youth programs. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

Large gravel on roadways creates issues (03/12/10)
scottw@standard-democrat.com CHARLESTON -- A load of large-sized gravel may have some good uses but as road material isn't one of them. "Within the last two weeks, county crews hauled in some rather large chat," Commissioner Robert Jackson said during the Mississippi County Commission meeting Thursday...

Last month's revenue was up (03/12/10)
michellef@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- Although tax revenues are still behind for the year in Scott County, there was a slight increase in February. Receipts from the month of February totaled $158,208.23, up from $147,688.86 in February 2009. For the complete article and more stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition...

TV show looks at local murder (03/11/10)
michellef@standard-democrat.com BENTON -- When the murder case of Angela Mischelle Lawless was pitched to CBS news correspondent Erin Moriarty for a 48 Hours documentary, the lawyer-turned-reporter was immediately interested. "I tend to focus on wrongfully convicted and wrongfully accused cases," said Moriarty in a telephone interview Wednesday. "So when I was presented this story, I jumped on it."...