Stories from Friday, January 19, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Just before 3:30 a.m. Friday, Sen. Matt Bartle did something he hadn't done in almost 17 hours -- sat down. Facing the likely confirmation of Kansas City businessman and embryonic stem cell research supporter Warren Erdman as a member of the University of Missouri system Board of Curators, Bartle finally gave up his grueling filibuster...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Twenty-six IRS computer tapes containing taxpayer information that were delivered to City Hall in August are missing, Kansas City officials say. The tapes contain information the Internal Revenue Service and Kansas City share. City officials use the information to enforce collection of a 1 percent city earnings tax, which people living or working in the city must pay...

I'm no architect, but I know what I like. In the course of our 40 years-plus of marriage, my wife and I have moved so many times that we have to borrow each others fingers or toes to count them all. In some cases, like our 12 1/2 years in Cape Girardeau, we have moved more than once in the same town. When we arrived here, we lived in an apartment. We told ourselves we would only stay there until we found a house to buy. Three and a half years later, we did exactly that...

The Cape Girardeau post office has reversed course and is no longer forcing new residents of established neighborhoods to put up curbside mailboxes. "We're rethinking the whole thing. We're going to study it a bit more," said customer services manager Dan Strauss. "We're not totally abandoning it, but we want to re-evaluate it."...

A Cape Girardeau man convicted of sodomy against a young girl in 1995 was arrested Wednesday for failing to register as a sex offender following an anonymous tip to the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Eric L. Johnson, 30, of 813 S. Sprigg St., was in custody at the Cape Girardeau County Jail Thursday evening with a $7,500 bond. He is the 10th person charged with failing to follow state registration laws in the last two months in Cape Girardeau County...

CAIRO, Ill. -- No applicants have been seeking to cast absentee ballots for the Feb. 27 municipal elections in Cairo, Alexander County Clerk Kent Thomas said Thursday. That's good, he said, because there aren't any ballots yet. "No one has been turned away," Thomas said. "No one has even tried yet."...

Walking to mailbox; Fair warning; Faster assembly; Setting the standard; Arrest me, please; A better place; Why Spanish?; Too many complaints; No rubber stamp; Try it and see

Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2001 Toyota Avalon that I bought in January 2006 with 88,000 miles. Within the first week of owning the car, it started blowing blue smoke. By the time I brought it back to where I'd bought it, they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. ...

By Jason Crowell I am writing in response to the Jan. 14 article titled "Tax exemption for seniors may face Senate resistance." The article focused on what the reporter says is a popular notion in the Missouri House to eliminate the state income tax on Social Security benefits, but then alleges that there is a lack of effort in the Senate to embrace the idea. ...

There are many heroes who led to the arrest last week of a Kirkwood, Mo., man who has been charged with abducting two boys from rural Missouri. Among those an eyewitness who provided essential detailed information. That observer was a teenager on the same school bus as Ben Ownby, who disappeared shortly after getting off the bus in Beaufort, Mo. ...

The Cape Girardeau School District must hold a school board election in April even though only two candidates are running for the two seats, school and local elections officials said Thursday. In a brief letter he personally delivered to the school district central office, Don Howard Jr. withdrew his candidacy Wednesday, the day after the filing period closed for the April 3 election...

PARKVILLE, Mo. -- A St. Joseph man was injured Thursday when a freight train hit his pickup truck on private property just north of Kansas City. Police said Craig McCormack, 29, was conscious and alert after the wreck but was taken to North Kansas City Hospital with internal injuries. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican House leaders will have more power this session than they did last year. The House approved new rules Thursday that give the chamber's leaders greater say in awarding committee assignments, office space and parking spots. House rules are generally tweaked every two years, and this year the changes partially reverse a compromise made 20 years ago that allowed the minority party to select its committee assignments...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Carol Jean Searle Phillips, 57, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007, at Chaffee Nursing Center, from complications related to a 1986 automobile accident. She had been a resident of Chaffee Nursing Center since 1988. She was born May 22, 1949, in Erie, Pa., to Harold and Gertrude Robison Searle. She and James David Phillips of Oran, Mo., were married Nov. 26, 1978. He died as the result of an automobile accident Dec. 9, 1981, in Youngstown, Ohio...

Joyce Ellen Kowal, 68, of Canton, Ill., died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007, at her home. She was a native of Oran, Mo., and formerly of Cape Girardeau. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Kain; Ladd; Ahern; Probst; McAdoo; Buchheit; Jackson

n At 5:41 p.m., a pole fire at 2005 N. Kingshighway. n At 10:13 p.m., an odor investigation at 1340 W. Cape Rock Drive. n At 3:25 a.m., medical assist in the 2000 block of Perryville Road. n At 8:32 a.m., emergency medical service in the unit block of South Sprigg Street...

DWI; Theft

WASHINGTON -- Satirist Art Buchwald, who turned his infectious wit on the life of Washington and then on his own failing health, is dead at 81. Buchwald's son, Joel, said his father passed away quietly at his home late Wednesday with his family. The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author chronicled the life and times of Washington for four decades, then cheated death and laughed in its face in a richly lived final year that medical science said he wasn't supposed to get...

WASHINGTON -- The crash of a commuter jet that took off from the wrong runway in Lexington, Ky., last summer has thrown a spotlight on the FAA's "sterile cockpit" rule -- a commonly violated and difficult-to-enforce prohibition against extraneous conversation between the pilots...

JERUSALEM -- Israel said Thursday it would free $100 million in frozen tax funds to boost moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas -- the first Israeli payment since the militant Hamas group won Palestinian legislative elections and took office last year...

WASHINGTON -- Senators still suspicious of the government's domestic spying program grilled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Thursday over whether new oversight by a secret court will help protect peoples' privacy rights. Gonzales offered few answers, maintaining during 3 1/2 hours of sharp rebukes that disclosing details of the program would expose sensitive security information...

LONDON -- Hurricane-force winds and heavy downpours hammered northern Europe on Thursday, killing 25 people and disrupting travel for tens of thousands -- including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose plane was forced to circle for 15 minutes before landing amid winds gusting to 77 mph...

A growing percentage of students are settling for their second and third choices for college, a new national survey says. But that's not necessarily because they didn't get in to the one at the top of their lists. Half of this year's freshmen attending a second-choice school were accepted by their top pick, but chose not to enroll -- and money appears to be a significant reason why...

LOS ANGELES -- The heated controversy at ABC's top show, "Grey's Anatomy," boiled over Thursday as the network rebuked co-star Isaiah Washington for an anti-gay comment and Washington issued a lengthy apology. "We are greatly dismayed that Mr. Washington chose to use such inappropriate language at the Golden Globes, language that he himself deemed 'unfortunate' in his previous public apology," the network said in a statement...

ATLANTA -- Ian Bogost takes some of the fun out of video games -- and replaces it with opinion. The Georgia Institute of Technology professor creates games -- or "playable editorial cartoons," as he calls them -- that are packed with political messages...

The list of new, small hatchback cars keeps growing. But only Suzuki's SX4 comes with the lowest retail price for an all-wheel drive vehicle. New for 2007, the compact, five-passenger SX4 has a starting suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $15,594...

Southeast Missouri State entered Thursday's Ohio Valley Conference game against Tennessee State playing its best basketball of the season. But the Redhawks took things up several notches during an early barrage that basically ran the Tigers out of the Show Me Center before halftime...

Southeast Missouri State's women had little trouble bouncing back from their first loss in more than a month. The Redhawks, who had an eight-game winning streak snapped Saturday at Austin Peay, rolled past visiting Tennessee State 64-46 Thursday night at the Show Me Center...

A rebuilding Jackson wrestling team had enough talent to take second place at the annual Tiger Classic in December. Now the Indians will try to overcome some personnel losses as they try to win their third straight SEMO Conference title. The conference meet begins today and concludes Saturday at Ste. Genevieve...

Central swimming coach Dayna Powell expects the largest field in the history of the City of Roses Invitational when the event kicks off Saturday at Central Municipal Pool. A field of 16 schools, including schools from Springfield, Columbia and the St. Louis area, are expected to invade the bubble...

HONG KONG -- Martin Scorsese's hot crime thriller "The Departed" -- in which Boston gangsters try to sell computer technology to ethnic Chinese villains -- won't be showing in China. A state-run distributor has rejected the film, an industry executive said Thursday...

Expectations of converting nearly 80 acres of land near Dutchtown into a sanitary landfill for Cape Girardeau have dimmed as a result of an opinion from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that the proposed site is not economically feasible...

Three stars (out of four) This one had me on the edge of my seat. As a matter of fact, if you sit two rows up and the sixth seat over, you will find where I gripped the arm rest so hard that I left an impression. "Primeval" takes place in Africa where there is a civil war going on. ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Two weeks ago, Lovie Smith made the three-hour trip from Chicago to watch Tony Dungy's Colts take on Herman Edwards' Chiefs in a first-round NFL playoff game. The night before, the three old friends and their wives dined at P.F. Chang's in downtown Indianapolis in what was as much a symbolic meeting as a gathering of old pals -- three black coaches celebrating the arrival of their teams in the NFL playoffs...

At this point in high school basketball history, the pairing of the Central girls basketball team against Saxony Lutheran still is an odd coupling. While the Tigers entered the game with a .333 winning percentage, the Class 5 school still had far too much talent for the the first-year girls varsity program at Saxony Lutheran, a Class 2 school...

For the first time in several years, Cape Girardeau will play host to a card of boxing and mixed martial arts on Saturday night. The Eagles Aerie 3775 is presenting "Rumble on the River" at 7 p.m. Saturday night at its club, located at 321 N. Spring St...

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. -- Scott Verplank spoiled a bogey-free round with a shot that found water on the final hole Thursday, but his 6-under 66 still was good enough for a share of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic lead. Justin Rose holed a pair of bunker shots on the way to a 65 that also put him at 12 under and tied at the top through two rounds of the five-day tournament...

PHOENIX -- George Mitchell, former senate majority leader, warned baseball owners that a lack of cooperation with his investigation into steroid use will "significantly increase" the chances of government involvement. Speaking to owners at baseball's quarterly meetings, Mitchell said he intends to interview active players and raised the possibility that Congress or other government authorities could compel testimony...

SAN DIEGO -- Marty Schottenheimer will return as coach of the San Diego Chargers next season, but turned down a one-year extension for 2008 worth $4.5 million. Three days after the talented Chargers melted down in a 24-21 playoff loss to New England, team president Dean Spanos announced that the embattled coach will be back for the final year of his contact...

Local and state government officials and local business recruiters meeting in Scott City Thursday morning announced a wire-making firm's expansion into Scott City that will account for 25 new jobs and possibly more. Nashville, Tenn.,-based Mid-South Wire Co. will set up a manufacturing facility in Scott City the company hopes will be operational by late April, said company president John T. Johnson Jr...

UNION, Mo. -- The parents of a Missouri teen told Oprah Winfrey in a show that aired Thursday that their son hasn't told them directly but they believe he was sexually abused during the more than four years he was missing. "OK, I'm going to go there and ask you, what do you think happened? Do you think he was sexually abused?" Winfrey asked Craig and Pam Akers, parents of 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck...

RICHWOODS, Mo. -- In the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood where Shawn Hornbeck was held captive, he drew no one's concern. In the town of Richwoods where the boy grew up before his abduction four years ago, he became everyone's child. The community continues to celebrate the return of Shawn, now 15, found alive in that Kirkwood apartment on Jan. ...

The establishment of three new businesses in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson-Scott City area has left industrial recruiter Mitch Robinson optimistic about economic growth this year. Robinson used the Cape Girardeau Area Magnet's annual business and industry luncheon Thursday to celebrate the new industries -- National Asset Recovery Service Inc., Signature Packaging and Paper, and Mid-South Wire Co. -- that are bringing jobs to the area...

Tickets on sale now for Show Me Center Rodeo; Moscow Ballet to perform at Shryock; BBQ judging school coming to Cape Girardeau; Southern Illinois resident publishes memoir; -- From staff reports

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in December, down from 5.1 percent in November but still higher than the national average, according to data released Thursday by the state Department of Economic Development. Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also was below the 5.2 percent rate of December 2005. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Efforts to attract more tourists to Missouri are getting an extra boost next year in the governor's proposed budget. Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder announced Thursday that Gov. Matt Blunt's budget recommendations would make the tourism budget -- at more than $20 million -- the largest ever if lawmakers accept it. ...

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Serena Williams stayed on track for an improbable eighth Grand Slam singles title, beating fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Friday to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open. Limited to four tournaments last year because of a chronic knee injury, the 2005 Australian Open champion dropped to 95th in the year-end rankings...

There are no lights, no film cameras in Steve Turner's office -- the basement of his home in a Jackson subdivision. The only evidence the basement is being used for the work of creating a feature film comes in the form of the names of film distribution companies written on a dry-erase board, the profiles of actors and actresses tacked to a corkboard and a small stack of scripts on a desk. Other than those things, the office looks like any other office, the kind one might prepare taxes in...

In my two-plus years in Cape Girardeau covering local theater, I've had few contacts as close as Bart Elfrink. That is, unless you count Bryan Parker, but he works here at the Southeast Missourian, so we'll just leave him out. Those of you who don't know Bart and his wife, Meredith, have missed out -- they're intelligent, funny and, most importantly, friendly. ...

The Jackson girls basketball team fired in six 3-pointers in the first period to get off to a great start in a 76-18 victory at Kennett. The Indians outscored Kennett 36-6 in the first period and led 50-13 at halftime. Jackson had 13 players in the scoring column and four players in double figures, led by Ashley Charboneau's 14 points. Gabrielle Garritano added 13 points. Lindsay Poole scored 11, including three 3-pointers, and Amanda Peiffer had 10...

New at the theaters 'Babel' Starring Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, Gael Garcia Bernal, Mahima Chaudhry, Shilpa Shetty and Koji Yakusho. Two Moroccan boys set out to look after their family's herd of goats, but when one of them tests his stolen rifle, the bullet finds an unintended target. ...

Company dollars in the red or black are definitely a measure of business performance. And the health of employees is a major consideration when it comes to the financial health of businesses. Healthy employees are more productive and help reign in the rising cost of health insurance provided by businesses...

The first biodiesel plant in Southeast Missouri is set to begin operations in early February. Global Fuels LLC, owned by Dexter businessmen Jerry Bagby and Harold Williams, is a nearly $5 million facility expected to annually produce 3 million gallons of 100 percent pure biodiesel -- B100 -- from soybean oil...

There's a bass guitar propped up next to the desk in Bill Shivelbine's office. A banjo on the floor. A clarinet and saxophone sitting atop book shelves. Not the kind of shiny, untouched instruments you might see in a museum. Real instruments, well-worn and respected by the touch of rhythmic fingers...

Wanted: Office manager for busy doctor's office. Must be computer literate, able to answer multiple phone lines, speak concise and clear. Smile, file and communicate well with others. Must have experience dealing with insurance companies and possess knowledge of local, state and federal rules and regulations...

The Tri-State Advertising and Marketing Professionals, a local entity of the American Advertising Federation, in February will recognize exceptional advertising created in the tri-state area in all media -- including print, broadcast, out-of-home and public service advertising...

A nationwide shortage of nurses demands hospitals use creative recruiting methods. Both Southeast Missouri Hospital and Saint Francis Medical Center say they benefit by having so many training programs in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois from which to recruit...

As the 94th General Assembly of the Missouri House of Representatives begins, a myriad of bills have been filed addressing a wide-ranging number of issues that ultimately could affect businesses across Missouri. Unlike past years, when the legislature was forced to cut spending to balance the State's budget, this year legislators may have the luxury of a budget surplus. ...

Our state economy is in a much different and a much better place than it was just two years ago. In 2004, Missourians were frustrated with an out-of-balance workers' compensation system, a state civil-litigation environment that was listed as one of the worst in the country and the lack of economic development. ...

Bankruptcies filed through December for the Southeastern Division of the Eastern District of Missouri's U.S. Bankruptcy Court are listed below with their corresponding case number. The Southeastern Division includes the counties of Bollinger, Butler, , Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne. Court is held in Cape Girardeau...

Tax liens and lien discharges recorded at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds, during the month of December are filed by the Missouri Department of Revenue except as indicated by IRS designation. For information concerning the dollar amount of the liens, contact the recorder's office at 243-8123...

Business licenses recorded at the Cape Girardeau Collector's Office during December n Antiques and More, 900 W. Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau n Buffington Concrete, 237 Alpine, Cape Girardeau n Cingular Wireless, 1131 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau...