Stories from Thursday, August 31, 2023

SIKESTON — Emma Qualls, daughter of Travis and Jamie Qualls, is the Standard Democrat’s Calendar Girl for September. Qualls, a finalist in the 2022 Miss Sikeston Contest, attends Mississippi State University where she is majoring in biological sciences with a pre-medicine concentration to work toward being a dermatologist...

SIKESTON — Lajuana R. Harrington, 72, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born on May 1, 1951, in Sikeston, to the late Willie Joe and Carleen (Howard) Harrington. She was a 1969 graduate of Sikeston High School and was a member of (the former) Smith Chapel United Methodist Church in Sikeston...

SIKESTON — Roosevelt Mitchell III, a native of Charleston, Missouri, will conduct a free master class for children ages 7 and up on how to write a book in 30 days. The free master class with Mitchell, a nine-time author and an award-winning educator, will be from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Charleston Clara Drinkwater Newnam Library...

SIKESTON — The Missouri Department of Transportation Aviation Project Amendment No. 2 was put into effect with Sikeston City Council approval during their regular meeting Monday, Aug. 28. Using money from MoDOT Aviation, Sikeston Airport is currently constructing a new fuel farm. Public works director Jay Lancaster informed the council that replacing the fuel system is one of the things they have needed to complete for a certain period of time...

Mini Farm Mafia BBQ Food Truck & Catering, not only boasts one of the longer names for a local entrepreneurial enterprise, but owner and pitmaster Jeff Long said he has one of the lengthiest mobile units, too. “Our trailer from tip-to-tip is 34 to 35 feet long, so I say we’re one of the biggest in Southeast Missouri,” said Long (no relation to the author of this article)...

KENNETT, Mo. – U.S. Rep. Jason Smith and other Missouri state officials, including Secretary of State John Ashcroft and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, toured the recently-opened Cim-Tek Filtration plant in Kennett Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. Smith’s tour of the plant was one stop on his annual Ag Summit which reaches across the 28 counties of the Eighth Congressional District...

MORLEY, Mo. — Gena Ann Sloan Vick, 69, died Aug. 29, 2023, at her home in Morley. Private family services will be held. McMikle Funeral Home of Sikeston is in charge of arrangements.