State Fair Community College held its graduation ceremony on Friday. These happy Roadrunners are pictured eagerly waiting outside for the ceremony to begin. According to SFCC, a record 857 degrees and certificates were awarded to 756 candidates for graduation during Friday night’s commencement exercises, including 431 associate of arts degrees, 255 associate of applied science degrees, 34 associate of arts in teaching degrees, two associate of science degrees, 80 professional certificates, and 55 skills certificates. The numbers include students who attended SFCC-Lake of the Ozarks, SFCC-Clinton and SFCC-Whiteman AFB.

Deidre Esquivel, Amanda Blackburn and Betty Albrecht could barely contain their excitement Wednesday morning.

State Fair Community College has announced the 2012-13 Theatre Arts awards and productions planned for its 2013-14 theatre season.

The lineup has been announced for the annual Mo Blues Cruise & BBQ, slated for June 1 at the Swine Pavilion on the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia.

Teachers, administrators and support staff were honored Monday at the Sedalia Community Educators’ Association’s annual banquet.

Sergeant 1st Class Trenton L. Rhea, 33, of Kansas City, died May 15 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was a member of the 603rd Military Police Company in Belton and deployed under Operation Enduring Freedom.

LA MONTE — Jeremy Payne took the lead from Zack VanderBeek on the eighth lap, and he raced to victory in the 40-lap main event Friday night during the 7th Annual Schwab’s Tinker Shop Show-Me Shootout at LA Raceway.

Windsor’s Tyler Brockman and Cole Camp’s Kaleena Logan were the top performers from the Democrat’s coverage area this weekend in the Class 2 state track and field championships at Lincoln University in Jefferson City.

Sedalia resident Anna Lee Bail was shocked when she looked in her mailbox in March and found a letter from Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, telling her state Rep. Stanley Cox had nominated her for the Senior Service Award.

Residents who use two wheels rather than four to get to work Friday may be rewarded during Bike to Work Day.

CONCORDIA — After a scoreless second half and a scoreless first overtime, the St. Paul Lutheran Saints broke through in the second overtime to beat Sacred Heart 2-1 and claim the Class 1, District 9 championship on Wednesday.

Nan Hutcheson, of Sedalia, received the Olen and Alpha DePew Memorial Scholarship at the 2012-13 Annual Student Awards Ceremony on April 25 at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout. She is a home-school graduate.

Aric Gooch has received a variety of honors this school year. He is the son of Curtis and Vicky Gooch, of Bolivar, and grandson of Frank and Patsy Gooch, of Sedalia.

Jacob Schuster, a junior mathematics major from Pilot Grove, was the recipient of the Libby Scholarship Award during the annual Honors Day Convocation held May 13 at Culver-Stockton College in Canton.

Knob Noster High School recently held its music banquet and presented instrumental awards.

Ben Sims, of Nelson, received the Tom Smith Agriculture Award at the 2012-13 Annual Student Awards Ceremony held on April 25 at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout.

The Concert Band, K-Town Jazz Band, Concert Choir and Pulse Show Choir from Knob Noster High School participated in the Music In The Parks competitive music festival hosted at College of the Ozarks in conjunction with Silver Dollar City in Branson April 26-28. 

(NAPSI)—There’s hopeful news for struggling writers. An annual contest is designed to encourage them and honor the best of their work. This year’s award ceremony was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

(StatePoint) As families nationwide are packing their gear and heading out by car, plane and boat, recent data suggests that this summer travel season could be substantially busier than in years past.  

(BPT) - Today, the majority of adults have a mobile phone, and we’re using it for far more things than simply making phone calls. According to a 2012 report from The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, of the 85 percent of American adults who own a cellphone, 85 percent use their cellphones to take photos.