Stories from Sunday, December 31, 2006

On Dec, 15, the Steward Steel Door Division honored the service of seven employees for their outstanding contributions to the success of the company. Employees pictured left to right are: Darrel Maclin 20 years; Sean McFarland, five years; JJ Steward, 10 years; Chad Stark, 15 years; Doug Ellis, five years; and Todd Lenderman, 20 years. Also James Adams received a plaque for five years of service...

DEXTER -- A Dexter biodiesel plant will receive half a million dollars in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. Greg Branum, state director for the USDA's Rural Development, presented a certificate for $500,000 to Jerry Bagby and Harold Williams, co-owners of Global Fuels LLC...

Missouri Association of Realtors awarded Kathy Duncan of Southern Home Realty the Eagle Award for her service as the Sikeston Board of Realtors president for 2006. The Sikeston Board of Realtors was established in 1955 and currently covers all of Scott, New Madrid, Mississippi, Pemiscot and Dunklin counties. Presenting this award was Jim Asbury the 2006 treasurer and the 2007 president--elect of the Missouri Association of Realtors...

SIKESTON - The city of Sikeston recognized more than 25 employees during the annual awards dinner Dec. 8. Years-of-Service certificates were presented by Mayor Mike Marshall to the following employees: Five years of service - Zach Albright, Tim Bartlett, Richard Bramlett, Jon Broom, Keith Brown, Lois Cokenour, Kerrie Gilmore, Amanda Groves, Chris Hart, Joey Henry, Keith Hente, Cliff Jackson, Barry McDowell, Chris Merideth, James Tigart, and Don Tinnin;...

DYERSBURG, Tenn. -- The Sikeston Bulldogs dropped their second straight game in the Dyersburg Christmas Tournament with a nailbiting 74-73 setback to Jackson North Side on Friday afternoon. In a back-and-forth game, Sikeston appeared to be in control with a 73-68 lead with a minute to go and possession of the basketball...

BLOOMFIELD - The Malden Green Wave captured first place in the 50th Annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Friday night with a 66-61 win over the Doniphan Dons. The Puxico Indians won third place over the South Pemiscot Bulldogs, 57-48. Portageville captured fifth place over the Dexter Bearcats and 16th-seeded Richland rose from the ashes to win the consolation trophy over the Kennett Indians...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Once may be a fluke, twice may be unlucky, but four times may qualify as a trend. For the fourth straight year as a top seed, the Charleston Bluejays again failed to reach the final of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament...

CHARLESTON -- Lori Beth Stricker and Brandon Lee Gross were united in marriage during a 1 p.m. ceremony June 24, 2006, at St. Henry Catholic Church in Charleston. The Rev. James Seyer performed the ceremony. Parents of the bride are Marion and Mary Ann Stricker of Charleston, and parents of the bridegroom are Teresa Gross Geringer of Biehle and the late Roy Gross...

SIKESTON -- Erin Elizabeth Shepherd and Stephen Anthony Drake were united in marriage during a 2 p.m. ceremony July 8, 2006, at United Methodist Church of the Shepherd in St. Charles. The Rev. Bob Farr, pastor, officiated. Parents of the bride are Mary and Stan Shepherd of St. Peters, and parents of the bridegroom are Jane and Carroll Drake of Sikeston...

BLOOMFIELD -- Dora Alice Coakley, 81, died Dec. 28, 2006, at her home. Born March 27, 1925, at Aurora, Ill., daughter of the late Doc and Zola Tippey Jennings, she was a former production worker at Barber-Greene in Aurora and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Willene Garner, 64, died at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 29, 2006, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Arrangements are incomplete at the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

SIKESTON -- William A. "Dub" Scobey, 79, formerly of New Madrid, died Dec. 29, 2006, at the Clearview Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at the Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid.

SCOTT CITY - Kelly and Ronald Watson are the parents of their first child, a son, born at 10:35 p.m. Nov. 1, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Kobe Jett Watson weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. Maternal grandparents are M.G. Cook and Sandi Cook of Scott City...

I just stood in line in a local grocery store behind a young woman who paid for two packs of cigarettes with her ADC card. I asked the cashier about it and she said that was acceptable. I just want to know why our tax dollars are paying for that lady's cigarettes. What a total drain on society...

SIKESTON - Dr. Leo H. Schnurbusch, formerly of Sikeston, has located at Marshall for the purpose of starting his practice, chiropractic surgery. SIKESTON - Most residents will have two days to ponder their New Year's resolutions before returning to work Tuesday, since Monday is a holiday. City, state, as well as retail stores and shops in the Sikeston area will close and observe the holiday. No mail deliveries will be made...

SIKESTON - Due to the New Year's Day holiday, the Standard Democrat office will be closed on Monday and no paper will be printed. The office will reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and publication will resume. The employees at the Standard Democrat wish all of our readers and their families a happy and prosperous new year...

SIKESTON -- Controversy, celebrations, elections and more marked this past year. The Standard Democrat has compiled our picks as the top five news events of 2006, listed below in no particular order. This year may be remembered as the "year of the train" with controversy about increased train traffic spilling over from 2005...

BENTON -- The Scott County Sheriff's Department will train two officers in 2007 for a very special beat: cyberspace. The sheriff recently received notification from the Missouri Department of Public Safety that the county will receive Internet Cyber Crime Grant funding...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Not a lot of people in Portageville remember Major Gloria Dean Davis. "She's been gone from here for a long time," said Glendell Hamilton of Marston, a longtime family friend who has known Davis, 47, since she was born. But that didn't stop them from going to Davis' memorial service Saturday. Streets were packed to say goodbye to the Portageville soldier, who had served in the military for over 18 years...

I hereby resolve to make not one New Year's resolution. That way, I'm assured of not breaking resolutions as I have so often in the past. There's a new report out that says 90 percent of New Year's resolutions are abandoned or broken within three days. ...