Stories from Tuesday, February 26, 2008

CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- A southwest Missouri man will stand trial on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of an 18-year-old woman during a drinking party last year. Brandon Rimes of Monett is accused of pouring large amounts of liquor and beer through a "beer bong" -- a funnel and hose -- into Jessica Murphy's mouth...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri's political season is officially under way. Dozens of candidates for state offices lined the halls of the secretary of state's office Tuesday so they could put their names on the 2008 ballot. First in line was Richard Kline, 68, a four-time unsuccessful congressional candidate from southeast Missouri who this time is running as a Republican for governor...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri House has given preliminary approval to legislation cracking down on teachers accused of sexually abusing students. The measure restricts teacher Web sites and requires school districts to establish policies for telling other districts about former employees. The state would keep records of sex abuse allegations against teachers -- even unproven ones...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Charles County officials who did not charge anyone in an online hoax played on a 13-year-old girl who committed suicide also will not pursue charges against bloggers falsely posing on the Internet as a woman linked to the case...

Three new lawmakers sworn into Mo. House JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Three new House members officially have become lawmakers. House Speaker Rod Jetton on Tuesday swore in Republicans Mary Kasten, of Cape Girardeau, and Mark Parkinson, of St. Charles, and Democrat Michele Kratky, of St. Louis...

CREVE COEUR, Mo. (AP) -- A suburban St. Louis mayor who was shot twice in the head by a disgruntled resident at a city council meeting will be discharged from the hospital. Kirkwood Mayor Michael Swoboda will be released to a rehabilitation hospital on Wednesday for further treatment. His friends and family say doctors are amazed at his recovery so far...

A single-vehicle accident that occurred Tuesday afternoon on Route K left one dead, but an autopsy will be performed to determine whether the fatality was due to a medical condition or a result of the wreck, said Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton...

A list of people who've filed for office in Southeast Missouri's Aug. 5 primary on the first day of the filing period. Filing closes March 25.

Two Republicans will file today for the 158th District Missouri House seat, setting up an August primary for the legislative seat representing Cape Girardeau. But the Democrat who challenged Mary Kasten in the Feb. 5 special election, expressing a revulsion over Kasten's decision not to seek a full term and some of the last-minute tactics used in the election, said he's not certain he will make another bid. Mike Keefe, a former Cape Girardeau postmaster, captured about 44 percent of the vote...

A coroner's inquest into the shooting death of 23-year-old Zachary Snyder will be held at 6 p.m. today at the Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse. Snyder was shot and killed Feb. 14 when a fugitive apprehension investigator with the Missouri Department of Corrections attempted to serve a warrant for his arrest on parole violation. The shooting occurred in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 2857 Themis St. Twelve witnesses will be called to testify at the inquest...

Nine of the 11 announced candidates for the District 1 seat on the Cape Girardeau County Commission filed for office this morning, setting up what could be the most hard-fought local political battle for 2008. Of the nine filed candidates, eight are Republicans. Candidates started lining up outside County Clerk Kara Clark's office door shortly before 8 a.m...

A fugitive wanted for a Cape Girardeau murder will have to avoid contact with police nationwide after the city police department posted a notice of her arrest warrant on a national database. Tambra T. Turner, 29, of Sikeston, Mo., faces a possible death sentence for the early Friday shooting death of Chabreshea R. Egson at Egson's home at 1523 N. Spanish St. Prosectors have charged Turner with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and burglary in the shooting death...

Cape Girardeau's stature as a medical hub serving parts of five states took another giant leap last week with the announcement that Saint Francis Medical Center plans to build an $84 million cancer and heart hospital. Officials said the new hospital, to be attached to the existing medical center, will provide focused care for the two biggest killers of Missourians...

State and federal politicians gather in the evening at the Arena Building as part of the annual Lincoln Day activities and dinner; guest speaker is California Congressman Dan Lungren, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. In front of a sellout crowd of 2,600 at Houck Field House, the Southeast Missouri State University Indians trounce the visiting University of Missouri-St. ...

By Clint E. Lacy How interesting it was to read House Speaker Rod Jetton's views in the Feb. 22 issue of the Southeast Missourian ("Jetton: Lazy Missourians could learn from Mexicans"). In it, reporter Rudi Keller writes, "A lot of lazy Missourians, including many in Southeast Missouri, could benefit from adopting the work ethic of Mexican immigrants, House Speaker Rod Jetton said Thursday. ...

Drug guardian; Social Security bonds; Butt out, government; Great rock show; Late notice; Extra duty; Backup alarm; Disgusting film; For big government; Time for trimesters?; Thanks to carrier; Keeping traditions; Cadets help clean up; Thanks for coverage; Coffee's ready

To the editor:I found the opinion columns in the Sunday edition of the Southeast Missourian to be right on. I especially appreciated Michelle Malkin's 'Michelle's America' to be right on target. I applaud her and agree whole heartedly. Even smiley Gene Lyons made a little sense...

After politely listing her favorite actors, explaining how she got into showbiz and saying, no, there aren't any real jerks on set, Phyllis Smith is asked a question that makes her snort. A junior high girl wants to know: Now that you're famous, do you go shopping all the time on Rodeo Drive?...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Real estate values in cities around the country have been falling or remaining flat, but prices for agricultural land in Kansas and Missouri remain strong, thanks largely to high crop prices. "In 2007 and probably continuing into 2008, agriculture is back in the driver's seat," said Rodney Jones, a farm management economist at Kansas State University...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The House on Monday narrowly approved a program to allow the families of drunken driving victims to buy highway signs to memorialize their dead relatives. The measure would allow families -- or close friends, if the family consents -- to pay $1,040 to get a sign for 10 years on each side of the road. It would be up to the Missouri Department of Transportation to erect and repair the signs...

The Cape Girardeau school board approved changes to the district budget Monday to include an additional $746,598 in revenue -- interest that had not been paid on investments dating back to June 2004. Misty Clifton, director of finance, said that "on the bank's side," the account was somehow miscoded from interest bearing to non-interest bearing, and the district "never recognized" the mistake...

Reno Richard Cova Jr., convicted of two drug-related felonies and a misdemeanor, faced five years in prison. On Monday, Circuit Judge Benjamin F. Lewis ordered five years of supervised probation. Cova, a local doctor, was convicted Jan. 11 of possession of crack cocaine and powdered cocaine, both felonies. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The purchase of federally owned property on Sikeston's west end will enable the city to remove a health and safety hazard and clear the way for redevelopment. An emergency bill approving the purchase of properties located at 221 Felker and 223-225 Felker was passed during Sikeston's City Council meeting this morning...

DALLAS -- The Boy Scouts of America, about to turn 100, have turned to one of their own as part of a marketing campaign to celebrate the anniversary and try to reverse a membership slide. A logo designed by Philip Goolkasian, a 17-year-old Eagle Scout from Fresno, Calif., was picked from more than 4,000 entries for anniversary events...

MOREHOUSE, Mo. -- The fire marshal was in Morehouse this morning to investigate a fire that broke out around 4 a.m. Chris Beavers, secretary of the Morehouse Volunteer Fire Department, said firefighters were paged out at 4:15 a.m. to a building on the 200 block of West Beech Street. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the building, which Beavers described as a business/storage shed, was fully involved...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The official results are in, and Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are still the winners of Missouri's presidential primaries. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan on Monday certified the results of the Feb. ...

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. -- A Metro East mother soon hopes to get back the body of her son after it was mistakenly buried by another family, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Crews will disinter Kenny Stainback's body at a Millstadt cemetery so that Kathleen Beecher can hold a proper burial for him. ...

CLAYTON, Mo. -- A woman was sentenced in St. Louis County Circuit Court to four years in prison in a shooting melee that left one teen dead and a second wounded, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Alma King pleaded no contest earlier this month to a single reduced charge of second-degree assault. ...

DEKALB, Ill. -- Mark Kozera walked into Monday's math class at Northern Illinois University a minute or two late and was relieved to hear his teacher and classmates already reviewing for an upcoming test. It meant they weren't discussing the shooting...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missourians struggling to pay utility bills could get some hot-weather relief under legislation endorsed by the Senate. The proposal would prohibit electric or natural gas companies from shutting off service to delinquent customers on days when the temperature is forecast to rise above 95 or the heat index above 105. ...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Wayne L. McIntosh, 75, of Mehlville, Mo., passed away Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, at Cleveland Memorial Hospital in Cleveland, Texas. He was born Nov. 30, 1932, at Portageville, Mo., son of George and Mary Ruth Cullum McIntosh. Wayne was a retired Union warehouse laborer. He was a member of Freewill Baptist Church in St. Louis...

Joyce Marie Young, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, at her home. She was born July 7, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Jacob Benton and Evelyn Flowers Welker. Young had worked at Florsheim Shoe Co. and Superior Electric. Survivors include a daughter, Connie Young; twin sister, Lois Gater; a brother, J. Robert Welker, all of Cape Girardeau; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren...

Deborah A. Kinder, 46, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, at her home. She was born Sept. 24, 1961, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of William and Joyce M. Welker Young. She and Kevin L. Kinder were married May 1, 1999, in Cape Girardeau. Kinder worked out of Laborer Hall 1107...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Violet Simmons, 87, of Olive Branch died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 23, 1921, in Wardell, Mo., daughter of William and Sarah Broadhacker Porchie. She married Louie Simmons Oct. 17, 1938. He died Jan. 13, 1979...

Christopher Charles Moyers, 19, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, at his home. He was born Jan. 12, 1989, in Cape Girardeau, son of Jim and Rosezetta Dunn Moyers. Moyers was a graduate of Central High School and played baseball growing up...

Clarence Ercel Mabrey, 91, of Jackson died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, at Monticello House. He was born Aug. 17, 1916, at Drum, Mo., son of Henry Lee and Annie Louise Markham Mabrey. He and Velma Gladys Ross were married Nov. 21, 1935. She died Dec. 31, 2001...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: n At 7:29 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1200 block of William Street. n At 8:13 p.m., a fire alarm at 1050 Greek Drive, Apt. H. n At 11:56 p.m., a fire alarm at 207 S. Kingshighway...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Stephanie C. Bishop, 18, 156 Star Drive, No. 10, was arrested on a Dexter, Mo., police department warrant for failure to appear for a seat belt violation...

BERLIN -- Police dogs in the western German city of Duesseldorf will no longer get their feet dirty when on patrol: The entire dog unit will soon be equipped with blue plastic fiber shoes, officials said Monday. "All 20 of our police dogs -- German and Belgian shepherds -- are currently being trained to walk in these shoes," Andre Hartwich said. "I'm not sure they like it, but they'll have to get used to it."...

Stoffregen; Dailey; Russell; Silver; Bollinger; Burger

NEW YORK -- Stocks are shaky, credit is tight, the economy may be tipping into a recession. Not the best of times to be going to the markets for what could be the largest initial public offering in U.S. history. That's the gamble Visa is taking as it gave details Monday about an IPO that could raise up to nearly $19 billion: If it works, it could be an encouraging sign to the stock markets and may even help loosen the credit knot...

WASHINGTON -- By 2017, consumers and taxpayers will spend more than $4 trillion on health care, accounting for one of every $5 spent, the federal government projects. The 6.7 percent annual increase in spending -- nearly three times the rate of inflation-- will be largely driven by higher prices and an increased demand for care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Monday. ...

CHICAGO -- A woman dying of Alzheimer's has a fever. Should she be given antibiotics? Many people would say yes. But a provocative new study suggests that antibiotics are overused in people dying of dementia diseases and should be considered more carefully because of the growing problem of drug-resistant superbugs...

WASHINGTON -- Bone tests aren't just for women anymore. New guidelines are calling for older men to get a routine check for bone-thinning osteoporosis. There's news for women, too: A new computerized tool uses more than bone-density tests to predict who is at highest risk of breaking a bone in coming years by adding in such important risk factors as whether a parent ever broke a hip...

Calendar Today n Angels of God prayer group: 6 p.m. in the Pastoral Care conference room at Saint Francis Medical Center. For parents who have lost a child of any age. Call 331-5146 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with questions. The day you plan to attend, call 331-5118 and leave a message for Father Augustine...

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is projecting that when the U.S. troop buildup in Iraq ends in July there will be about 8,000 more troops on the ground than when it began in January 2007, a senior general said Monday. Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, operations chief for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that by July the troop total is likely to be 140,000. ...

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- Swirling dancers and musicians beating traditional drums welcomed the New York Philharmonic to North Korea on Monday for a historic cultural exchange between countries that have been technically at war for more than a half-century...

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon said Monday it has a "high degree of confidence" that the missile fired at a dead U.S. spy satellite in space destroyed the satellite's fuel tank as planned. In its most definitive statement yet on the outcome of last Wednesday's shootdown over the Pacific, the Pentagon said based on debris analysis it is clear the Navy missile destroyed the fuel tank, "reducing, if not eliminating, the risk to people on Earth from the hazardous chemical."...

GREENSBORO, Ga. -- Nearly four decades after this rural Georgia county stopped segregating its schools by race, it wants to divide students again -- this time by sex. Greene County is set to become the first school district in the nation to go entirely single-sex, with boys and girls in separate classrooms -- a move born of desperation over years of poor test scores, soaring dropout rates and high numbers of teenage pregnancies...

The best word to describe the red-carpet fashion at the Academy Awards: red. Katherine Heigl, Helen Mirren, Miley Cyrus, Ruby Dee, Anne Hathaway and Heidi Klum were among the stars in red gowns Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Shades of plum were worn by Cate Blanchett and Jessica Alba...

ZALMA, Mo. -- Bell City's Phillip Gross knew he and his teammates were in store for a fun game Monday against Bunker when he threw up a shot during the first quarter while falling down. The attempt bounced off the top of the backboard, up in the air and then fell straight down through the net for two points...

ZALMA, Mo. -- Leopold's Darren VanGennip was confident in his ability to deliver in the clutch during a tie game against Zalma on Monday with 26 seconds left in overtime. "I just had the ball and I felt like I needed to score," VanGennip said. "So I just made up my mind and shot it...

JUPITER, Fla. -- St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had interest in signing Barry Bonds the last two offseasons, but each time the team's front office decided against it. La Russa, who was looking for a power bat to protect No. 3 hitter Albert Pujols each year, said he was told the asking price for the home run king was too high. This winter, La Russa said he dropped the issue after a discussion with new general manager John Mozeliak...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- As Missouri attempts to climb the Big 12 standings and earn a potential first-round bye in the conference tournament next month, it is still trying to find leaders that will take it there. An up-and-down conference season has Missouri in a three-way tie for eighth place in the conference, but only one game back from four teams tied for fourth place...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- It's Tennessee's turn to feel the pressure of playing as No. 1. The Volunteers ascended to the top of The Associated Press college basketball poll for the first time in the program's 99-year history after their 66-62 win over previously unbeaten Memphis, which dropped from No. 1 to 2...

The Scott County Central boys basketball team raced out to a 41-point halftime lead and cruised to a 94-37 first-round victory over North Pemiscot in Class 1 District 1 action at Gideon High School. The Braves scored 38 points in the first quarter and led 63-22 by halftime...

JUPITER, Fla. -- Rick Ankiel is finally close to being where he wants to be for the next 10 years after making the transition from starting pitcher to an everyday outfielder. His path to a starter in the Cardinals' outfield -- most likely in center field -- was not an easy one as he battled injuries, family issues and questions about his use of human growth hormone...

Southeast Missouri State's women's tennis team knocked off Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday to pick up its first win of the season. The Redhawks won four of six singles matches and two of three doubles matches to earn the 5-2 victory over UNK (2-2). On Sunday, the Redhawks fell 7-0 to undefeated Nebraska (9-0)...

FONTANA, Calif. -- For Carl Edwards, it's a signal. At least one NASCAR Sprint Cup team is ready to take on Hendrick Motorsports. Edwards won the rain-delayed Auto Club 500 on Monday, finishing ahead of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. In a race that resumed with the 88th of 250 laps, Edwards assumed the lead for good with 13 laps left...

By DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press MARANA, Ariz. -- The closest anyone came to a perfect season on the PGA Tour was Ben Hogan. He won every major championship he played in 1953, and every official tournament he entered except for the Seminole Pro-Am Invitational, where he tied for second. Then again, Hogan only played six times that year because of battered legs from a bus accident...

A maximum of 150 points can be attained in a race for the driver-rating formula, which appears in the results. The formula combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps, lead-lap finish...

When the Rev. Grant Gillard is not shepherding his flock at the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, he's tending to 100 beehives. Making honey is a profitable hobby, but his crop faces a long-term threat. In 30 states and two Canadian provinces, honeybees are disappearing at a faster rate than the normal 10 to 15 percent a year. ...

Cape Girardeau County Democrats and Republicans will get another chance to show their support for their party's presidential candidates. On Thursday, Democrats hold their county mass meeting, the event that will elect local delegates to the party's congressional district and state conventions. The delegates elected to the district and state conventions will choose the people who will be delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August in Denver...

A coroner's inquest just began at the Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse into the shooting death of Zachary Snyder, 23, who was killed Feb. 14 at a Themis Street apartment complex. The inquest marks the first time the name of the shooter, Steven R. ...

At the beginning of an inquest held at the Cape Girardeau Court of Common Pleas Tuesday night, Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton informed the three men and three women on the jury of their obligation to determine whether the death of Zachary C. Snyder was a felony or justifiable homicide. Snyder was shot to death Feb. 14 by Steven R. Julian, a fugitive apprehension investigator for the state Department of Corrections...

Steven R. Julian committed a felony in shooting Zachary C. Snyder in the back during an attempt to take him into custody, a coroner's jury decided after deliberating for an hour. After the jury's verdict was announced, the victim's mother, Edith Snyder, sobbed quietly in the rear of the courtroom at the Cape Girardeau Common Pleas Courthouse...