Stories from Thursday, February 21, 2008

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A little over a week after an ice storm hammered parts of Missouri, another winter storm on Thursday brought more sleet and ice to the Show-Me State. By Thursday morning, most of the state was getting something -- snow, sleet, ice, all of the above. Dozens of accidents were reported around Missouri. Schools were closed, pavers and salt spreaders were busy and utility workers -- still weary from dealing with thousands of outages last week -- were preparing for another round...

KIRKWOOD, Mo. (AP) -- The family of Kirkwood Mayor Mike Swoboda says he's showing encouraging signs of a slow recovery. His family tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he responds to their questions with nods, gestures and smiles. But they don't know whether -- or what -- he remembers about the night of February 7th, when a gunman killed five city employees...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) -- St. Joseph police say officers shot a man after he and two other men robbed a McDonald's restaurant by crawling through the drive-up window. Three Kansas City-area men are in custody, and one of them is being treated for a gunshot wound to the thigh...

Southeast Missourian Former public defender Patrick Cox of Anna, Ill. plead guilty to a Class 2 felony charge of theft Wednesday. According to a Union County State's Attorney news release, Cox admitted to taking between $10,000 to $100,000 that he had held in a trust for clients and others, including a juvenile, between Jan. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas City police are searching for a missing 12-year-old girl. Kansas City police spokesman Sgt. Tony Sanders says Tiffany Lyles was last seen by her brother at her school in midtown Kansas City on Wednesday afternoon. He said Tiffany is black, about 5-foot-2 and weighs about 100 pounds. She was wearing a black coat with a ripped sleeve on the left side, white tennis shoes, a brown turtleneck and dark blue school pants...

PERRY, Mo. (AP) -- A trench in northeast Missouri collapses killing a city employee from Perry and injuring another worker. City officials said a crew was digging out a sewer main that was blocked when the two men entered the trench to fix the blockage on Tuesday night...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. (AP) -- A popular downtown bed and breakfast, said to be the oldest in the state, has been lost to fire. Firefighters early Thursday fought through the icy weather to control the raging fire at the Inn St. Gemme Beauvais bed and breakfast. It was housed in a building built in 1848...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Filling teacher vacancies will require using nontraditional methods, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings told members of the Missouri State Board of Education on Thursday. She pointed to federal programs such as Teach for America to recruit more college students and alternative certifications for people with other careers who want become teachers...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Critics of the way some Missouri judges are selected file a proposed constitutional amendment to let voters pick a new method. Judges for the state Supreme Court, three appeals courts and some trial courts are picked by a selection committees. A judge, lawyers chosen by the Missouri Bar and citizens nominated by the governor serve on the panel...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Two Kansas City-area attorneys have been accused of helping their clients avoid millions of dollars in income tax payments through fraudulent tax schemes. In lawsuits filed Wednesday in federal court in Kansas City and disclosed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a judge to permanently ban A. Blair Stover Jr., of Platte City, and Allen R. Davison, of Overland Park, Kan., from providing tax advice or representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- House members approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would clarify the right to pray publicly if it doesn't bother others. The measure was approved 132-11 and now goes to the Senate. If approved by senators, then it would be voted on by Missourians...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A state audit of the governor's office released Thursday points out continued problems with political and personal use of state vehicles. The audit from Democratic State Auditor Susan Montee recommends legislation be enacted to explicitly define when state-owned cars can be used by the governor for purposes other than official business...

Scott City police arrested two people on their way to St. Louis Wednesday in connection with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. They were driving a rental car, coming from Texas, when Scott City police officer Jeremy Perrian stopped them for speeding near the 89-mile marker of Interstate 55, said police chief Don Cobb...

ARLINGTON, Va. -- U.S. Sen. Kit Bond has endorsed his Republican Senate colleague John McCain as his preference for the party's presidential nominee, according to a news release sent out Thursday afternoon by McCain's campaign. "I am pleased to support John McCain as our nominee for president," Bond was quoted in the release. ...

Buried alive by soybeans in a grain bin, surviving long enough to be rescued came down to one thing: staying calm. Bruce Robinson of New Madrid is completing his recovery today at Cape Girardeau hospital after being rescued from a grain bin entrapment Monday in New Madrid...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- After nearly a year of proclaiming his innocence, James Jankowski has plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter. As speculated earlier this week, Jankowski plead guilty to the Class B felony of involuntary manslaughter in an appearance before Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen R. Sharp Wednesday morning...

While Thursday's ice-slickened roads led to school cancellations and knocked out some people's power, many officials are considering the storm minimal in comparison to last week's walloping. And with a predicted high near 35 degrees, meteorologists are predicting little to no ice or snow accumulation Friday...

Feb. 21, 2008 Dear D.M, At the exhibit "Body Worlds 3" in St. Louis, real human bodies are brought back to life, in a way, through a process called Plastination. Fluids and fat have been replaced by plastics that prevent the bodies from decaying. The skin is removed to expose the underlying self. The self beyond our image of ourselves...

One hundred cases of beef shipped to the Jackson School District have been recalled, but none of the meat was served to students, superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said Wednesday. The Cape Girardeau and Scott City school districts were not affected by the recall...

Additional work on the new federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau should begin the first week of March, and the building may be ready for occupancy by May, more than a year and a half after the originally projected July 2006 opening. Last month, Congress granted approval for additional spending on contracts needed to complete the roof, lighting and hardware replacements, said Charlie Cook, spokesman for the federal General Services Administration...

Dr. Sharon Coleman retired, but came back to Southeast Missouri State University this spring to teach a freshman chemistry class. In her 35 years at the university, the science lab she has taught in has remained virtually unchanged. The bare cement floor, peppered with pits from acid spills, is still the same, as are the corroding benches and equipment that were placed in the lab when it was built in 1959...

CHICAGO (AP) -- Psychiatrists say it's a common scenario - troubled patients stop taking their medicine, because of cost, side effects, the stigma, or delusions that they don't need it. The consequences can be tragic, though rarely as horrific as the Valentine's Day suicide-slaughter at Northern Illinois University...

Useless laws; Good investment; No chip and seal; Hard-working crews; Waive my taxes?; Chaffee crews; No plates; Praise for Citizens; County crews; What a waste; Cater to danger; Stunning statement; People will decide

An ice storm warning is in effect from 6 a.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, according to a National Weather Service statement. The warning affects the following Missouri counties: Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry, and Union County, Ill. Freezing rain Thursday morning will continue through the day, mixing at times with sleet and snow. As much as a quarter inch of ice may accumulate, particularly on raised surfaces...

To the editor:I was born and raised in Cape Girardeau, and this ice storm has made me realize what a great region of the country we live in. I am currently in the Army stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky. I drove home this Presidents Day weekend right after the ice storm. ...

In 2006, Missouri legislators thought they were putting an end to caps on campaign contributions. Under the old system that limited how much donors could give to candidates, there were massive amounts of campaign funding being funneled through political committees which, in turn, spread the money to other committees. The result, under the old system, was that millions of dollars in political contributions were made but couldn't always be easily tied to any particular candidate...

With an ice storm warning put into effect late Wednesday, emergency management officials started applying lessons from last-week's storm. With rain, sleet, snow and up to a quarter inch of ice are predicted, work crews started getting ready a bit earlier...

The amount of a proposed bond issue to repair city streets, sewers and water-supplying equipment has been set at $1.5 million by the Scott City Council. The Knights of Columbus Council 1111 of Cape Girardeau presented its annual Knight of the Year and Outstanding Woman of the Year awards Saturday to Charles Felter and Judy Griffaw, respectively...

The job county commission candidate Ken Evans held at Procter & Gamble was incorrectly described in an article in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian. Evans spent 29 years at Procter & Gamble and his last job there was as a human resources developer. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error...

Gov. Matt Blunt has appointed Kelly D. Francis as Bollinger County associate commissioner. Francis will represent residents of the county's 2nd District, filling the seat of Wayne Whitener, who died at his home Nov. 19. Francis, 70, is a lifelong resident of Bollinger County and said he was honored by Wednesday's appointment...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A judge rewrote the ballot language Wednesday for a proposed constitutional amendment banning a particular kind of embryonic stem-cell research after supporters claimed the state's original description was biased. The ruling marks the second time courts have struck down ballot summaries prepared by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan for initiatives. Last month, a judge rewrote the ballot language for a proposal limiting affirmative action programs...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Senators voted to repeal Missouri's campaign contribution limits Wednesday after turning back an attempt to allow public financing of political campaigns. If the legislation passes both the Senate and House, individual contribution limits would be abolished as soon as Gov. Matt Blunt signs the bill into law. That means large checks could start flowing to candidates well in advance of the November general elections...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- That famous saint named Patrick will have his green-drenched party this year, but it's unclear when the guests are supposed to arrive. For the first time since 1940, St. Patrick's Day will fall during Holy Week, the sacred seven days preceding Easter...

Robert George "Bob" Nitsch, 80, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008, at the Monticello House in Jackson. He was born Aug. 1, 1927, in Jackson, son of George and Amanda Hartung Nitsch. He and Gladys Thompson were married Sept. 23, 1951, at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson...

Eugene Holloway Sr., 75, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008, at his home. He was born Dec. 9, 1932, in Cape Girardeau, son of Harvey E. and Edna B. Michael Holloway. He and Joyce M. Nichols were married Feb. 24, 1957, in Cape Girardeau. Eugene "Papa" Holloway was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He faithfully followed his Lord Jesus Christ throughout his life and was always an inspiration to his family and friends...

Richard Eugene "Gene" Nothdurft of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. He was born June 15, 1926, near Whitewater, to Herman and Edith Wilferth Nothdurft. He was confirmed at Trinity Methodist Church. Richard and Mary Elizabeth "Louella" Rhodes were married Aug. 28, 1947, in Cape Girardeau...

n At 4:37 p.m., emergency medical service in the 500 block of Clark Avenue. n At 6:18 p.m., emergency medical service in the 2500 block of Lisa Drive. n At 6:32 p.m., emergency medical service in the 300 block of Park Drive. n At 7:25 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1000 block of William Street...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Gordon W. Kasten, 78, of Altenburg died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 6, 1930, in Altenburg, son of Alfred and Natalie Koenig Kasten. Kasten was a farmer. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg...

Barbara Alice Stone, 60, of Jackson died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at Monticello House. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Orena Mae "Renee" Ancell, 99, of Sikeston, Mo., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, at Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. She was born May 15, 1908, in Piggott, Ark., daughter of James Douglas and Sarah Winkleman Carter. She and Fred Moore Ancell were married Dec. 22, 1934, in Vienna, Ill. He died Dec. 29, 1988...

Hilda R. Ruehling, 94, of Pocahontas died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 24, 1913, daughter of Andreas H. and Ida L. Wallman Koeberl. She attended the former St. John's School. She and Hugo Ruehling were married Jan. 25, 1942, at Pocahontas. He died Oct. 3, 1974...

Elizabeth J. Morris, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at the Lutheran Home. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Melva Crowell, 69, of Scott City died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at her home. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

A benefit will be held for 6-year-old MacKinzie Hazel-McIntyre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Cape Girardeau Eagles, 321 North Spring Ave. in Cape Girardeau. MacKinzie is the daughter of Travis and Missy Sutton of Cape Girardeau. There is no prognosis for MacKinzie's condition. She cannot eat or drink, and she is 100 percent disabled...

Notre Dame FCCLA sponsors seniors' dance The Notre Dame FCCLA will sponsor a dance from 2 to 4 p.m. today for area senior citizens featuring the sounds of the Jerry Ford Orchestra in the school cafeteria. Snacks and drinks will be provided for this free event...

March Cape Girardeau Public Library Adult Services Department has scheduled these activities in March:n The library will be closed March 7 for a staff development day. n Dianne Moran, historic re-enactor and folklorist, will present "Zerelda James, Mother of Frank and Jesse James" at 2 p.m. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- William Woods University horses and riders took home many awards from the Missouri Horse Shows Association 2007 awards presentation held recently in Columbia. William Woods equestrian student Morgan Williams of Cape Girardeau was recognized for high point awards and received champion training level for Sahara's Raja and champion 2nd level for Sahara's Starr. She also won champion amateur adult...

Fish and shrimp dinner held at Leopold KC Hall A shrimp and fish dinner will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Knights of Columbus in Leopold, Mo. Bingo and shooting match to follow. New McKendree to serve catfish, chicken tenders The United Methodist Men of New McKendree will hold a fried catfish and chicken breast tenders dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. ...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Stephen L. Joyner, 54, of Poolesville, Md., died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008, at his home. He was born in Cairo, son of Harry C. and Helen Whitis Joyner. Joyner was a 1970 graduate of Camelot Parochial School in Cairo and a graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville...

Patsy Seabaugh, 62, of Jackson died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

PATTON, Mo. -- Victoria Florene Smith, 33, of Patton died Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, at her home. She was born May 25, 1974, in Belleville, Ill., daughter of Winford Harvey and Iva Jean Queen Johnson. She and Elmer Smith were married July 2, 2000. Survivors include her husband; mother; a son Sebastian Smith of Patton; a stepson, Joshua Smith of Ste. ...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n A subject is in custody pending formal charges of driving while intoxicated. n Michael Sutherland, 46, of 111 Cape Hills Road, was arrested on suspicion of stealing...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew returned to Earth on Wednesday, wrapping up a 5 million-mile journey highlighted by the successful delivery of a new European lab to the international space station. The shuttle and its seven astronauts landed at 9:07 a.m. at NASA's spaceport at Kennedy Space Center, where the crew's families and top space program managers gathered to welcome them home...

WASHINGTON -- She's still fighting, but it's awfully hard to find encouraging news for Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic homestretch. She's behind in money, delegates and momentum. She's selling experience when everyone seems to want change. And all the cheering for the man who could be the first black president is drowning out any excitement for the first female...

WASHINGTON -- A Navy missile soaring 130 miles above the Pacific smashed a dying and potentially deadly U.S. spy satellite Wednesday and probably destroyed a tank carrying 1,000 pounds of toxic fuel, officials said. Officials had expressed cautious optimism that the missile would hit the satellite, which was the size of a school bus. ...

NEW ORLEANS -- Strokes have tripled in recent years among middle-aged women in the U.S., an alarming trend doctors blame on the obesity epidemic. Nearly 2 percent of women ages 35 to 54 reported suffering a stroke in the most recent federal health survey, from 1999 to 2004. Only about half a percent did in the previous survey, from 1988 to 1994...

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve lowered its projection for economic growth this year, citing damage from the double blows of a housing slump and credit crunch. It said it also expects higher unemployment and inflation. The updated forecasts come at a time Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues are concerned the economy could continue to weaken, even after their aggressive interest rate cuts in January, according to minutes of those private deliberations released Wednesday.. ...

Sweeney

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Fed up with violence and economic hardship, voters in the deeply conservative northwest have thrown out the Islamist parties that ruled this province for five years -- a clear sign that Pakistanis are rejecting religious extremism in a region where al-Qaida and the Taliban have sought refuge...

GNJILANE, Kosovo -- Kastriot Sadiku has a confession: Like a good Muslim, he was near a mosque when Kosovo declared independence. But like a good Kosovar, he was just around the corner, sipping suds at his favorite pub. As minaret loudspeakers broadcast afternoon prayers, "I was having a beer," said Sadiku, 25. "In the entire Muslim world, I think that's probably something that can only happen here, where our religion doesn't interfere with the rest of our lives."...

LOS ANGELES -- A judge put the brakes on Britney Spears' driving-without-a-license case Wednesday after her attorneys said they don't believe the troubled pop star is capable of resolving the matter. Superior Court Judge T.K. Herman continued the misdemeanor case until March 20 after lawyer J. Michael Flanagan said Spears' conservatorship attorneys "do not think she is qualified or capable of entering into a binding agreement" at this time...

Before last season, as Southeast Missouri State looked to bounce back from its worst record under Mark Hogan, the veteran baseball coach faced plenty of question marks. Hogan got many of the answers he was seeking, which makes his outlook more comfortable as the Redhawks prepare to open the 2008 campaign...

As successful as the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team has been this season, the Redhawks have enjoyed few breathers. A rare exception was Wednesday night as the red-hot Redhawks pulled away in the second half to roll past visiting Austin Peay 67-47...

JACKSON -- Cape Central's upset bid stalled in the third quarter Wednesday night as top-seeded Poplar Bluff won 53-37, advancing to the Class 5 District 1 championship game. Central pulled within five in the opening minutes of the second half, but never got closer...

JACKSON -- The Jackson girls basketball team lives and dies by the 3-pointer most nights. The Indians lived by it against Seckman in Class 5 District 1 semifinal action Wednesday. Jackson, which scored 13 points in the first 13 minutes, 12 seconds of the contest, caught fire from 3-point range late in the second quarter and stayed hot throughout the third quarter to overcome a 10-point first-half deficit and rout the Jaguars 66-41...

PERRYVILLE -- The tune-ups turned out as expected. After top-seeded Sikeston finished off a 20-point win against Dexter on Wednesday night in the Class 4 District 1 semifinals at the Perry Park Center, Notre Dame blitzed Fredericktown with a 76-39 decision that put the two state-ranked teams in Friday's 7 p.m. championship game...

Zach Bohnert scored 16 points while Garrett Ruppel added 14 to lead the Saxony Lutheran boys basketball team to an 83-50 victory over Zalma on Wednesday. Colton Bailey struck for 23 points for the Bulldogs (9-13). Saxony Lutheran (18-5) used a 31-point second quarter to pull away...

MARANA, Ariz. -- Tiger Woods produced another incredible comeback in the desert Wednesday, playing the final five holes in 5-under par to turn what looked like certain defeat into an unlikely victory in the Accenture Match Play Championship. Woods fell behind J.B. Holmes on the first hole when his tee shot sailed into the desert and out of play, and he was three holes down with five to play after taking another penalty shot...

Mark Hogan has had his share of local products during his first 13 years as the Southeast Missouri State baseball coach. That share is bigger than usual for Hogan's 14th season, thanks to an influx of area newcomers. "We've had quite a few very good local players over the years," Hogan said. "It depends from year to year, but it just so happens that last year's senior class was very strong."...

The Southeast Missouri State track and field teams will tune up for the Ohio Valley Conference championships by holding their only home meet of the indoor season. Southeast's Broadway Prescription Invitational will take place Friday at the Student Recreation Center, with field events beginning at 5:30 p.m. and running events at 8 p.m...

The Eagle Ridge girls basketball team won the MCSAA Class 2A state championship under first-year coach Tonya Blunt. The Eagles earned victories over Christian School of Springfield, 58-25, Liberty Christian Academy of Wright City, 53-18, and Training Center Christian School of Garden City, 37-25, to capture the championship...

JUPITER, Fla. -- The St. Louis Cardinals wasted no time handing out Scott Rolen's old number. Left-handed pitcher Ron Villone, signed to a minor-league contract Tuesday, arrived at spring training camp Wednesday and was given jersey No. 27, previously worn by the third baseman dealt to Toronto in the offseason in exchange for Troy Glaus...

NEW YORK -- A minor league pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization was suspended Wednesday for the first 50 games of the season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Scott Vander Weg, a 25-year-old righty, was 5-5 with a 4.12 ERA for Palm Beach in the Class A Florida State League last year...

Frozen precipitation is already falling in Southeast Missouri. A small round of sleet passed through, covering roads. Forecasters expect the sleet and snow to turn to freezing rain, which should fall off and on throughout the day. Most if not all schools have canceled classes...

What makes local bluesman Big Larry Williams so special? To start, Williams, in his 60 years of music experience, has toured around the world, met music legends B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy (among others) and -- at nearly 81-years-old -- is releasing a new album with his band The Down Home Blues Band...

"American Gangster" Ridley Scott teams up for a third time with his "Gladiator" star Russell Crowe, but it's Denzel Washington who dominates this crime saga. Washington stars as Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, who commands New York's heroin trade with a supply smuggled directly from Southeast Asia, with Crowe playing a rogue cop who brings him down. Ruby Dee earned a supporting-actress Academy Award nomination as Lucas' mother...

More than two centuries after his birth, Gioachino Antonia Rossini might be best known for the overture he wrote to his opera "William Tell." Every episode of "The Lone Ranger" radio and TV series began with the familiar melody. But Rossini's prodigious career included 37 operas, including the legendary "The Barber of Seville," along with scores of chamber and sacred music compositions...

Times are getting tight in Hollywood. When a film can only muster up an $80 million to $100 million budget, compromises must be made. These days it seems the first to go is a tripod. I'm not sure what the going rental rate is, but it must be just outrageous. The absent tripod seems to have a domino effect on the camera folks, who must be so nervous about handholding the camera that they end up being shakier than the average low-grade wedding video...

1. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle 2. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro 3. "The Appeal" by John Grisham 4. "Bratfest At Tiffanys" by Lisi Harrison 5. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne

This weekend I made it my mission to do anything and everything "artsy" in Cape Girardeau. I went out like it was my job. Actually, I guess it is my job now. Hey, I've got a pretty sweet job. Does that mean I get to expense cover charges and turn in "business tabs" now?...

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- If it truly is a pleasure just to be nominated for an Oscar, Alan Menken must be Hollywood's happiest man. The co-composer of songs from Walt Disney's musical hit "Enchanted" has three of the five nominations in the original-song category going into Sunday's Academy Awards...

Art exhibit ends run at River Campus This is the last weekend to see art from area high schoolers displayed in the Crisp Museum at the River Campus for the Annual High School Art Exhibit. High school juniors and seniors from Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois were judged and 90 pieces of sculpture, paintings, drawings and fibers were accepted. Visit the show until Sunday...

NEW YORK -- The Oprah touch doesn't just work for traditional books. More than 1 million copies of Suze Orman's "Women & Money" have been downloaded since the announcement last week on Winfrey's television show that the e-book edition would be available for free on her Web site, www.oprah.com...

Hey did you see that movie? You probably haven't seen any of these. Starting today and running through March 2, The Big Muddy Film Festival at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will show 78 films -- styles range from documentary and experimental to animation and narrative...

Less than 2 hours away Scottrade Center, St. Louis Smucker's Stars on Ice welcomes Sasha Cohen to its 2008 Tour. Other performers include Olympic gold medalists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, world champion Todd Eldredge, two-time Olympic bronze medalists Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao, world champion Yuka Sato, two-time world silver medalists Marie-France Dubeuil and Patrice Lauzon, two-time world bronze mdalist Michael Weiss, world bronze medalists Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman and six-time Canadian champion Jennifer Robinson. ...

the top-selling CDs at P-Mac Music, Feb. 11 to 17 No. 1 Robert Plant and Alison Drauss, "Raising Sand" No. 2 Jack Johnson, "Sleep Through the Static" No. 3 Buckcherry, "15" No. 4 Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black" No. 5 Jaheim, "Makings of a Man"...

'Be Kind Rewind'; 'Vantage Point'; 'Witless Protection'; '27 Dresses'; 'Alvin and the Chipmunks'; 'The Bucket List'; 'Cloverfield'; 'Definitely, Maybe'; 'Fool's Gold'; 'I Am Legend'; 'Jumper'; 'Juno'; 'Meet the Spartans'; 'Over Her Dead Body'; 'Rambo'; 'Spiderwick Chronicles'; 'Step Up 2 the Streets'; 'Untraceable'; 'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins'

'American Idol' songs and performances will be available on iTunes starting this week CUPERTINO, Calif. -- "American Idol" fans will be able to download their favorite performances thanks to a new agreement between the Fox talent show and Apple Inc...

The name The Drop Zone alone is an attention-getter. It is a military term referring to a safe location for a landing, where troops can rest and refuel. But if this term is used near Cape Girardeau, it probably refers to the restaurant known for having the best catfish around...

LIVE MUSIC Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Seether and Hurt Rock out at this general admissions alt-rock show. When: 7 p.m. today Where: Show Me Center Doug Rees Country-infused rock and folk from Jackson singer/songwriter. When: 7 to 11 p.m. today...

FRIDAY live music Classic Country Band @ the Jackson American Legion Hall, 7 p.m. Losing Altitude @ Broussard[']s, 9 p.m. Exposed @ Club Moxy, 9 p.m. Mathien @ Buckner Brewing Co., 9 p.m. Fat Pocket @ Rude Dog Pub, 9 p.m. Live piano music with Jennifer Jolls @ Royal N[']Orleans, 7:30 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau area is getting a temporary break from the ice falling from the sky, but it won't last long. National Weather Service meteorologist Pat Spoden, based in Paducah, Ky., said just after 11 a.m. today that the winter storm is regrouping in southwest Missouri and Arkansas, and another large batch of winter precipitation in the form of freezing rain should hit Southeast Missouri early this afternoon. ...

With great power comes no responsibility in this high-concept science fiction adventure "Jumper" about a young man with the ability to teleport or "jump" to wherever he wishes. "Jumper" has been panned by better critics than me, but I happened to like it -- well most of it. ...

Charles Franklin Stone, 72, of Belleville, Ill., died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, at his home. He was born Oct. 10, 1935, at Fornfelt. Charles was a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a former president of Missouri Manufactured Housing Association. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A state audit of the governor's office points out continued problems with political and personal use of state vehicles. The audit from Democratic State Auditor Susan Montee recommends legislation be enacted to explicitly define when state-owned cars can be used for purposes other than official business...

Due to Icy Road Conditions Non- Emergency Personnel Report to Work at 10 a.m. The City of Cape Girardeau is urging citizens to limit travel to only necessary trips as the impending storm moves through the Cape Girardeau area. Road crews are working diligently to clear roads, though City officials are also suggesting businesses to delay opening if at all possible...

After a mid-day respite, Cape Girardeau is getting struck by icy precipitation again that could last until after midnight. Skies darkened and ice began steadily falling, putting on a strain on utility workers preparing for evening commuters. Jackson Public Works started cindering roads at 5 a.m., and Cape Girardeau crews started at 4 a.m. ...

The City of Jackson is asking city residents to submit photos of the recent ice storms. The photos will be used "for archival purposes and will be posted on the City's official web site," according to a news release sent out this morning. Photo credits will be included...

The National Weather Service is warning some people in Southeast Missouri that icy precipitation could last through Friday morning. The weather service issued a statement on the winter weather late this afternoon saying freezing rain and sleet is expected to pick up overnight in the Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger County areas of Southeast Missouri and Union County in Southern Illinois...