Top Ten Stories

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson speaks during the first of four debates for Missouri's 8th Congressional District begins Monday, Oct. 11, 2010 in Shuck Hall at the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University. (Fred Lynch)

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson speaks to members of the Mississippi River Commission about the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Monday, Aug. 16, 2010 aboard the motor vessel Mississippi at the Cape Girardeau riverfront. Commission members, from right: Brig. Gen. John R. McMahon, R.D. James, Maj. Gen. Michael J. Walsh, Sam E. Angel and Wm. Clifford Smith, hidden. (Fred Lynch)

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson speaks at a news conference with U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, left, Sunday, May 1, 2011 at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port. (Fred Lynch)

Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh announces at a news conference Monday, May 2, 2011 that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will activate the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway starting at 9 p.m. Col. Vernie Reichling Jr., center, also spoke. At right is U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson. (Fred Lynch)

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson speaks to members of the Mississippi River Commission Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 at New Madrid, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson speaks to members of the Mississippi River Commission aboard the MV Mississippi Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 at New Madrid, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

U.S. Rep Jo Ann Emerson mingles at a gun show Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

People fill the gaming floor on opening day Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 of Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Isle Cape Girardeau General Manager Chet Koch speaks with media on the gaming floor Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 during a media tour of the new Isle of Capri Casino. The $135 million casino will open to the public next week. (Laura Simon)

Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger throws the first dice at the craps table Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 at Isle of Capri in Cape Girardeau. The $135 million casino opened to the public Tuesday morning. (Laura Simon)

Leif Nelson spins the wheel at the roulette table on the gaming floor of the new $135 million Isle of Capri Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 during a media tour of the new casino complex in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Keller's skydeck Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 on opening day of Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Joe Watson explains the rules of Three Card Poker during a media tour of the new $135 million Isle of Capri casino complex Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. The casino will open to the public next week. (Laura Simon)

The gaming floor of the new $135 million Isle of Capri casino complex Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

An outside view of the new $135 million Isle of Capri casino complex Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

People line up outside for opening day Tuesday morning, Oct. 30, 2012 of Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Clay Waller waits to be escorted out of the courtroom after his preliminary hearing Wednesday morning, July 25, 2012 at the Jackson Courthouse. Waller is charged with the murder of his wife Jacque who went missing June 1, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Clay Waller is led out of the Cape Giardeau County Courthouse after his preliminary hearing Wednesday, July 25, 2012. Waller is charged with the murder of his wife Jacque who went missing June 1, 2011. (Adam Vogler)

Clay Waller is led out of the Cape Giardeau County Courthouse after his preliminary hearing Wednesday, July 25, 2012. Waller is charged with the murder of his wife Jacque who went missing June 1, 2011. (Adam Vogler)

Chad and eighteen month-old Chase Kinder climb from the dry bed of a stock pond on his grandfather, right, Kirk Kinder's Daisy, Mo., farm while Chad's brother Cody, 15, watches Thursday, August 9. A work crew dug a new well on Kinder's farm with help from an emergency cost-share program through the State Soil and Water District Commission. Gov. Jay Nixon has directed $18.7 million in unallocated reserve funds to county soil and water districts to help livestock producers and farmers. (Adam Vogler)

The dry bed of a stock pond on Kirk Kinder's Daisy, Mo., farm Thursday, August 9. A work crew dug a new well on Kinder's farm with help from an emergency cost-share program through the State Soil and Water District Commission. Gov. Jay Nixon has directed $18.7 million in unallocated reserve funds to county soil and water districts to help livestock producers and farmers. (Adam Vogler)

Lack of rain has left this cornfield in southern Scott County withered and dry. (Adam Vogler)

Barges navigate the Mississippi River near the SEMO Port Tuesday, Nov. 27. The Army Corps of Engineers is reducing the outflow from the Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River in South Dakota creating concern that the already low Mississippi will drop lower hampering or even halting barge traffic. (Adam Vogler)

The dry bed of a stock pond on Kirk Kinder's Daisy, Mo., farm Thursday, August 9. A work crew dug a new well on Kinder's farm with help from an emergency cost-share program through the State Soil and Water District Commission. Gov. Jay Nixon has directed $18.7 million in unallocated reserve funds to county soil and water districts to help livestock producers and farmers. (Adam Vogler)

Eighteen month-old Chase Kinder plays in the dry bed of a stock pond on his grandfather, Kirk Kinder's Daisy, Mo., farm Thursday, August 9. A work crew dug a new well on Kinder's farm with help from an emergency cost-share program through the State Soil and Water District Commission. Gov. Jay Nixon has directed $18.7 million in unallocated reserve funds to county soil and water districts to help livestock producers and farmers. (Adam Vogler)

Corn in a field near Pocahontas has been cut early due to drought conditions as seen Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012. (Fred Lynch)

A crew with Fronabarger Concreters tears up the intersection of Broadway and Lorimier Street where an old trolley rail emerged Friday, May 4, 2012. The crew is working west on the Broadway corridor project. (Fred Lynch)

Construction on Broadway Street is winding down on some sections of the street as it begins on others. (Adam Vogler)

Workers overlay asphalt on Broadway at the Sprigg Street intersection Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

Vehicles are parked on the south side of the 500 block of Broadway Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. The width of the parking spaces is a concern of some business and property owners. (Fred Lynch)

Construction continues on Broadway Street between Pacific Street and Sprigg Street Thursday, September 6. The intersection of Broadway and Pacific is expected to be closed Monday as the final phase of the project begins. (Adam Vogler)

Ryan Koch with K&K Electric hangs a metal halide light fixture above Broadway near the corner of Lorimer Street Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. The light fixture of one of 30 that will hang above the new Broadway corridor. The lights at each intersection along Broadway will be 320 watts and the intermittent lights will be 250 watts. (Laura Simon)

Joe Wiseman with Fronabarger Concreters, right, and coworker Ricky Pecaut fill and smooth a drain box at the intersection of Pacific and Broadway Monday, Sept. 24, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. This intersection is the last one to be completed as part of the $4.5 million Broadway corridor project. (Laura Simon)

Workers with the City of Cape Girardeau and Fronabarger Concreters watch as a fire hydrant is removed from the corner of Pacific and Broadway Monday, Sept. 24, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. This intersection is the last one to be completed as part of the $4.5 million Broadway corridor project. (Laura Simon)

The Broadway Corridor Project features a promenade sidewalk. Finished improvements include a new street surface with decorative enhancements, new lighting and landscaping. Final improvements will include benches, trash cans and bicycle racks. (Fred Lynch)

From left, Cape Girardeau City Manager Scott Meyer, Old Towne Cape Executive Director Marla Mills, Vice President for Commercial Development at Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Tim Arbeiter, Councilwoman Kathy Swan, Councilwoman Loretta Schneider, Mayor Harry Rediger, Old Towne Cape President Lisa Bertrand, Councilman Trent Summers, Assistant City Manager Kelly Green cut the ribbon Wednesday morning, Oct. 31, 2012 in honor of the completion of the $4.5 million Broadway corridor project. (Laura Simon)

Southeast Missouri State president Ken Dobbins speaks during a news conference about former Southeast Missouri State student Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, 21,Thursday, October 18. Nafis was arrested in an FBI sting Wednesday after attempting to blow up a fake car bomb outside the Federal Reserve building in Manhattan. (Adam Vogler)

Does stand in a field near the intersection of Sprigg and Bertling streets in January. (Laura Simon)

A car travels north on Sprigg St. as three does graze in the field near the intersection of Sprigg and Bertling streets Friday, January 20, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Dave LeLine signs a referendum petition with Gene Pulley, left, outside the Arena Building Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 in Cape Girardeau. Keep Cape Safe volunteers are working to gather 2,446 signatures needed to put the urban deer hunting question to voters. (Fred Lynch)

Kevin Glaser of the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, left, presents Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney Morley Swingle with a plaque in recognition of his work with the task force during a farewell reception for Swingle Tuesday, November 13, at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson. Swingle is stepping down at the end of the month to accept a position as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney's office. Swingle started with the county prosecutors office as an assistant in 1982, becoming the county's 30th prosecutor in 1986. (Adam Vogler)

Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney Morley Swingle unwraps an iPad, a gift from his coworkers, during a farewell reception for Swingle Tuesday, November 13, at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson. Swingle is stepping down at the end of the month to accept a position as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney's office. Swingle started with the county prosecutors office as an assistant in 1982, becoming the county's 30th prosecutor in 1986. (Adam Vogler)

Ground is broken for the $127 million, two-phase "Building on Excellence" expansion and renovation project. From left: Marilyn Curtis, Vice President -- Professional Services, Dr. Matthew Schumer, family medicine physician; Dr. C. Edward LaValle III, infectious disease physician; Dr. Duc Nguyen, cardiologist; Dr. Andrew Godbey, neurologist; Dr. Deborah Price, internal medicine physician; Dr. Robert Gile, anesthesiologist; Dr. Carmen Keith, pain management physician; Dr. Clifford Talbert, cardiologist; Dr. Karlyle Christian-Ritter, neonatologist; Dr. Ann Behrend-Uhls, obstetrician/gynecologist; Dr. Brian Schafer, orthopedic surgeon; Steven C. Bjelich, President and CEO; Dennis Marchi, Chairman of the Saint Francis Healthcare System Board of Directors.

The statue of St. Francis of Assisi has stood since 1976 at Saint Francis Medical Center.

Shawn Roll-Huston, left, Nathan Bahr and Matt Underwood help lift the statue of St. Francis of Assisi from its pedestal in the fountain at Saint Francis Medical Center Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 after a groundbreaking ceremony. The statue stands five feet, three inches to the top of the crucifix. The front entrance will be closed Dec. 4 as the $127 million expansion and renovation project begins. (Fred Lynch)

The statue of St. Francis of Assisi is removed from the fountain at Saint Francis Medical Center to accommodate the expansion project.

Students model examples from the potential uniform policy at Cape Girardeau Public School Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. (Laura Simon)

Carla Fee, principal at Cape Central Junior High School and dress code committee chair talks about the benefits of the proposed school uniform policy for Cape Girardeau Public Schools during the second of two public forums on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, at Cape Central Junior High School. (Kristin Eberts)

Eric Redinger, standing, demonstrates ways to test whether or not a garment passes the dress code requirements during a parent meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the Cape Girardeau school district could enforce its current dress code. (Kristin Eberts)

Eric Redinger, standing, demonstrates ways to test whether or not a garment passes the dress code requirements during a parent meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the Cape Girardeau school district could enforce its current dress code. (Kristin Eberts)

Cape Central High School students fill the hallways as they change classes during their first day of school Thursday morning, Aug. 16, 2012. (Laura Simon)

Families look through what is left of the clothing available during a Cape Girardeau School District dress code distribution event Tuesday, July 31 at Cape Girardeau Junior High School. The district held a clothing drive from July 23rd to July 27th to provide clothes that meet the district's new dress code to families that need them. (Adam Vogler)