Stories from October 2008

Content: Dear Sam: After spending 13 years with my last employer, I was recently laid off and am beginning a job search. This entire process is new to me; I've never really had to look for a job, and when I did look back in the 1980s, it was a very different environment. ...

As cold weather approaches, it's time to turn attention to the basement and the various systems it houses. Here are some tasks that can make for a safer, more comfortable home, without frightening leaks, squeaks or monster utility bills. n Have your furnace inspected and serviced. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Lee Andrew "Lamus" Hamilton, 70, of Sikeston died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born May 16, 1938, in Kewanee, Mo., son of David and Morean Hamilton. Hamilton attended Hooe Public School. He retired from General Motors Corp. in St. Louis in 1972. He was a member of Masonic Harmony Lodge 40, and New Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Haywood City, Mo...

PATTON, Mo. -- Carol Ann DeSpain, 40, of Patton died Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 29, 1968, at Kirkwood, Mo., daughter of the Rev. Robert Carl "Bobby" and Carolyn W. Berry Trentham. DeSpain was a medical assistant with A.W.L. Medical Center and attended First General Baptist Church in Jackson...

NEW YORK -- Wall Street snapped back Tuesday after its biggest sell-off in years amid growing expectations that lawmakers will salvage a $700 billion rescue plan for the financial sector. But the seized-up credit markets where businesses turn to raise money showed no sign of relief...

Southeast Missouri State's Board of Regents wanted to make sure athletics wasn't going to be forgotten in the university's strategic planning process. On Friday, the board added an objective specific to athletics to its five other Priority One objectives. The initial objectives are being discussed in meetings over the next few weeks as a strategic plan is developed for presentation to the board in December...

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team has received a verbal commitment for the 2009-10 season from a junior college point guard. Jeremy Lay, a 6-foot sophomore at Northern Oklahoma College, said Tuesday he plans to sign with Southeast during the early signing period in November...

This female hummingbird was resting directly above her feeder so she could keep the others away from it.

This is my sister's (Jeanne) miniature horse, Samson. He's a true John Deere fan.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- During their open week, Missouri coaches and players learned an important lesson watching several top-ranked teams. With Saturday's Big 12 opener at Nebraska approaching, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel's message of overpreparing rang true for his 4-0 team...

Jackson freshman Law Duncan demonstrated his nose for the goal yet again Tuesday. Duncan scored twice to help lead the Indians boys soccer team to a 4-0 victory over Sikeston. Tyson Stoverink added a goal and an assist for Jackson (6-8). Notre Dame 6, Anna-Jonesboro, Ill. 0...

By now you know how happy I am when a new cookbook comes into my possession. Last week Jamie Jones, the Parent Liaison from our children's former elementary school, called to alert me of their annual fall book fair and the large selection of cookbooks that were available. ...

TOKYO -- Dolphins at a Japanese marine park are going on a low-fat diet after developing pot bellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances. Kinosaki Marine World in western Japan said Tuesday that all its 19 dolphins have been on a low-fat diet since late August, when they started failing to hit jumping targets and keep upright while treading water...

A rising unemployment rate indicates a slowdown in Southeast Missouri's economy, according to the latest newsletter from the Center of Economic and Business Research at Southeast Missouri State University. While data from April to June indicates total employment rose by nearly 2 percent from the previous quarter and unemployment decreased by almost a percentage point, those statistics are deceiving, said center director Bruce Domazlicky...

Today is the first day of October, a month which has been officially designated as National Pretzel Month. You might not think we need an entire month dedicated to the pretzel, and, frankly, neither did I until I visited Lititz, Pa., the birthplace of the American pretzel. ...

Cape Girardeau Fire fighters responded to the following call Monday: n At 5:43 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1300 block of Ashland Hills Drive. n At 9:34 p.m., box alarm at 2010 Woodlawn Ave. Fire fighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

SCOTT COUNTY, Mo. - Two women and men - all residents of Morley, Mo. - were injured Tuesday evening in a single-car accident at County Road 427, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol crash reports Web site.The accident occurred 1 mile south of Morley at around 6:30 p.m. ...

To the editor: When I read the response from the believers in our community, I wished 200-plus residents of Saxony Village could have signed that letter. Come on, folks. Dance with God. Doing God's will is like leading. He leads, we follow. Jesus is our dancing partner through life. Without him, life is jerky and unfulfilled...

Highway 34 in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane while Missouri Department of Transportation crews repair shoulders on Wednesday. The lane reduction will take place from County Road 302 to County Road 402 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information on this and other road work projects call MoDOT at 888-275-6636...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's army chief named a general considered a hawk in the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban to head the country's powerful spy agency, asserting his control at a time of U.S. concern that rogue operatives are aiding Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan...

SCOTT COUNTY, Mo. - A Scott City man and a Chaffee, Mo., woman were injured Tuesday in a two-car accident at County Road 201, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol crash reports Web site.The accident occurred 2 miles west of Scott City at around 12:45 p.m. as a 1998 Dodge driven by Tony E. Miller, 35, of Scott City was making a left turn and struck a 2002 Mitsubishi driven by Cassie Stoffregen, 22, of Chaffee...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger ducked the media last week, afraid of what he might say after getting benched by Scott Linehan. Bulger got his job back Tuesday, the biggest development of new coach Jim Haslett's first full day in charge of the winless team. The highest-paid player in franchise history, who ran the scout team offense last week, also broke his silence...

Strong language is the primary cause for a book being challenged. Next is a sexually explicit nature. Violence is also high on the list. "Books are challenged for a variety of reasons. Typically it's done to protect the young reader," said Julia Jorgensen, librarian at Central High School in Cape Girardeau...

ANAHUAC, Texas -- In this town on the edge of Trinity Bay, alligators normally outnumber people three to one, and the annual Texas GatorFest draws 30,000 people -- more than 10 times the town's population. But not this year, not after Hurricane Ike. ...

WASHINGTON -- In a bid to revive the multibillion-dollar financial rescue plan, Senate leaders scheduled a vote for tonight on a version of the bill that adds substantial tax cuts meant to appeal to Republicans when it reaches the House. The goal is to net at least 12 more House votes than the rescue proposal received Monday, when lawmakers rejected it...

RICHMOND, Va. -- The federal government is chipping in nearly $30 million for 15 passenger rail projects across the country as Americans continue to drive less and take the train more, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said Tuesday. Peters announced the funding Tuesday at the downtown Richmond Amtrak station, one of the sites that will benefit. The projects are aimed at boosting intercity rail capacity and on-time performance...

Let him go WHO CARES how many restroom breaks children get in school? If a child has to use the restroom, let him go. I would hate to see what would happen if you were told you couldn't use the restroom when you needed to go. Working family I AM 25 years old and have been married for six years. ...

JODHPUR, India -- Thousands of pilgrims panicked by false rumors of a bomb stampeded at a Hindu temple in western India on Tuesday, killing at least 168 people in the crush to escape. Television footage showed dozens of bodies lying on the sidewalk, while nearby frantic people tried to revive unconscious devotees, slapping their faces and pressing on their chests...

CHICAGO -- Thanks to Jim Thome's bat and Ken Griffey Jr.'s arm, the AL Central has a winner at last: the Chicago White Sox. John Danks pitched eight innings of two-hit ball on short rest, Thome homered and Griffey threw out a runner at the plate with a tough tag by A.J. Pierzynski, helping Chicago beat the Minnesota Twins 1-0 in a 163rd-game tiebreaker for the division title Tuesday night...

SEOUL, South Korea -- The chief U.S. nuclear negotiator with North Korea will propose a face-saving compromise during a trip today to the communist nation to try to salvage a derailed disarmament pact, U.S. officials said. Envoy Christopher Hill said his goal was to persuade North Korea's vice foreign minister Kim Kye Gwan to agree to Washington's demand for a verification system to account for the North's nuclear arsenal...

LOS ANGELES -- Britney Spears' attorney has asked a judge to delay the singer's upcoming trial on a misdemeanor charge for driving without a valid license. Attorney J. Michael Flanagan filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday seeking a stay in the criminal case. Flanagan also wants an appellate judge to order the judge overseeing the case to grant Spears' motion to dismiss...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A Portageville, Mo., man was to be arraigned Tuesday on murder charges in connection with the death of his wife. Jon Patrick Ellington, 39, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the death of his wife, Carolyn Sue Ellington, 48. He is being held in the New Madrid County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond...

BAGHDAD -- The number of Iraqi security forces killed in September rose by nearly a third to 159 compared with the same period last year, Associated Press figures showed Tuesday. U.S. troop deaths for the same period fell by nearly 40 percent to 25...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Lord Louis Gwinn, 39, 4217 County Road 620, was arrested on suspicion of property damage. n Ashlee R. Broughton, 23, of Irvington, Ill., was arrested on a Cape Girardeau warrant for failure to appear for improper registration...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Charles D. Shrum, 81, formerly of Sedgewickville died Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, at the University of Arkansas Medical Center in Little Rock, Ark. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home...

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders fired Lane Kiffin on Tuesday just four games into his second season, ending a public feud with owner Al Davis that had been simmering since the start of the year. "I reached a point where I felt that the whole staff were fractionalized, that the best thing to do to get this thing back was to make a change," Davis said during a lengthy news conference. "It hurts because I picked the guy. I picked the wrong guy."...

It will be months or years before the full impact of the current world credit crisis is assessed. Millions of Americans are feeling the effects in a variety of ways. And so is Missouri state government, which last month had to give up on a bold financing package for a multibillion-dollar upgrade for some 800 of the state's bridges most in need of repair...

Two men already facing charges for a break-in at a New Hamburg, Mo., bar now face additional charges related to thefts from automobiles in the area of the bar, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said Monday. Charles D. Dobyns, 18, of Benton, Mo., faces seven counts of stealing and his bond has been set at $2,500 cash. Dobyns was arrested Sept. 19 on charges of burglary, property damage and felony stealing for the Aug. 21 break-in at Schindler's Tavern...

25 years ago: Oct. 1, 1983 Beginning tomorrow, no loads of brush or tires will be accepted at the Cape Girardeau city landfill, which is entering its final year of operation at the site just off Highway 177 north of here; brush and tires must be buried deeper than other types of trash, and the landfill is too shallow to accommodate them...

GLENALLEN, Mo. -- A Marble Hill, Mo., woman was seriously injured Monday afternoon as the vehicle she was driving skidded off the left side of the road and overturned off Highway 34, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The 1995 Chevrolet driven by Monica M. Welker, 17, was totaled...

Scott County Women in Agriculture to meet The Scott County Women in Agriculture will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at the USDA office on Highway 77 in Benton, Mo. Bernice Kern will speak about "Friends of the Library." All women are invited to attend. For more information, call Kay Dover at 573-545-9027...

DETROIT -- A former postal worker has been charged with stealing thousands of pieces of mail that authorities say she had kept in a storage unit northwest of Detroit. More than 9,000 pieces of mail have been recovered from a storage unit in Fowlerville, federal investigators said Tuesday. Authorities say Jill Hull admitted storing the mail because she couldn't deliver it on time. Some mail has postmarks from 2005...

The fearless Department of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University has mounted another successful and entertaining musical. This time it's "The 1940s Radio Hour," written by Walton James and directed and choreographed by Dennis Courtney...

FULTON, Mo. -- When a Callaway County jury issued a not-guilty verdict Tuesday on whether Steven R. Julian committed involuntary manslaughter in shooting and killing a parole jumper while trying to cuff him, Julian's family members and co-workers breathed a single, audible gasp...

Sikeston, Mo., native Neal E. Boyd will find out tonight if he's the winner of the $1 million prize on NBC's "America's Got Talent." Boyd, an opera singer, is one of five finalists who performed last Wednesday on the popular NBC show. The tenor sang Puccini's "Nessun Dorma," the same aria he performed on the first show of the season, when all three judges declared him the competition's immediate front-runner...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston City Council members are hoping residents will sound off on a proposed quiet zone. "The city has the opportunity to establish what the railroad calls a quiet zone through town,"said John Chittenden of Waters Engineering. ...

Taken in Capaha Park

The cost of using water from Delta is about to nearly double. Mayor Bonnie Bradshaw said the news is upsetting, but "we're in a position where we have to bite the bullet." The water and sewer system is currently losing at least $20,000 a year, she said...

The Southeast Missouri State University Agriculture Research Center is holding an open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 11. The Center is located at 6885 State Hwy. 25, one and one-half miles south of Gordonville, Mo., on the east side of Highway 25...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The atmosphere was tense in Randy and Charlotte York's Sikeston home in the few minutes leading up to the announcement of the winner of "America's Got Talent" on Wednesday night. But in an instant, the tension was broken, replaced by pure jubilation when the 50 or so friends and family of Neal E. Boyd heard their hometown boy had won the hugely popular national talent show and the $1 million prize that went with it...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Several factors, including the slumping economy, are impacting the nation's postal service and translating to a change in how things are done. Beginning Saturday, mail at the Sikeston Post Office will be sorted in Cape Girardeau instead of at the Sikeston location...

DEXTER, Mo. -- A Dexter city alderman was issued a summons on Friday afternoon for third-degree assault, and the second party involved in the confrontation received a summons for trespassing. Dale Ray Pixley, 43, who was elected in April to serve as Ward III alderman, was issued the summons following a confrontation at his place of business, Pixley Auto Repair, on Business Highway 60, according to Dexter police...

Someday, Michael Cera will show us what else he can do. He surely must have someone else inside of him besides the poignantly verbal but sweetly awkward nerd we've come to know and love in movies such as "Superbad" and "Juno" and the late, great TV series "Arrested Development." He seems too smart, too substantial, to be just a one-trick pony; then again, maybe it's easy to want good things from him because we like the person we've gotten to know so far...

SIKESTON, Mo. — The atmosphere was tense in Randy and Charlotte York's Sikeston home in the few minutes leading up to the announcement of the winner of "America's Got Talent" Wednesday night. But in an instant, the tension was broken, replaced by pure jubilation when the 50 or so friends and family of Neal E. Boyd heard their hometown boy had won the hugely popular national talent show, and the $1 million prize that went with it...

I'm tired. I'm probably not as tired as Neal E. Boyd will be in a few hours, though. Right now it's about 11:55 p.m. on Wednesday night, and Sikeston, Mo., native Boyd just won "America's Got Talent" and a $1 million prize. I spent a couple of hours tonight in Sikeston, at the home of Randy and Charlotte York, friends of Boyd's family, watching the tenor win it all. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, at first. But that tension was replaced by cheers of joy. Amazing...

DALLAS -- Southwest Airlines Co. plans to begin service next March to Minneapolis, its first new city in more than a year, even as the airline faces a "very significant risk of slowing demand" due to an economic slowdown, chief executive Gary Kelly said Wednesday...

ORAN, Mo. -- Elvira B. Metz, 91, of Oran passed away Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 31, 1916, in Grafton, Ill., daughter of Frank A. and Stella E. Vogelbacher Metz. Elvira graduated from Oran High School May 11, 1934. She later graduated from Latamier Business College in Cape Girardeau...

NEW YORK -- The financial markets saw some relative calm Wednesday as investors uneasily awaited a Senate vote on the banking bailout plan, with Wall Street falling only moderately and the credit markets still showing signs of strain. The Dow Jones industrials zigzagged during the session, losing more than 200 points in early trading but closing down about 20 -- far from the huge swings the blue chips saw during the first two sessions of the week...

How far down the road has Southeast Missouri State traveled toward hiring an associate athletic director for external operations? It depends whom you ask. Athletic director Don Kaverman said last month and repeated Tuesday that Southeast has not begun the process of filling the newly created position, but university president Dr. Kenneth Dobbins confirmed Wednesday through a spokesman that the university spoke with two candidates this summer...

Walter Peoples called being moved back to wide receiver late last season "the best day of my life." It's also worked out pretty well for the Southeast Missouri State football team. Peoples has taken off in his first full season on offense, leading the Ohio Valley Conference in receptions per game and ranking sixth in receiving yards per game...

Priority I: Athletics The wording of the objective approved by the Southeast Missouri State board of regents on Friday for inclusion as one of six Priority I objectives in the university's strategic plan: "Evaluate and enhance the quality of all athletic programs, including providing opportunities for student participation as both student athletes and fans; strengthening and enhancing funding and facilities; enhancing the educational experience, retention and graduation rates of student athletes; and cultivating meaningful relationships with fans and benefactors.". ...

Jackson running back Adam Zweigart will not play in the Indians' home contest against Farmington on Friday because he will be serving a one-game suspension. "It was an incident at school," Jackson coach Van Hitt said. "It's non-football related."...

Jackson pitcher Jessica Tuschhoff called her team's game against rival Central on Wednesday exciting but also scary at times. It appeared like it would be a pitchers' duel early, with the score knotted 2-2 after four innings. But both offenses came alive in the fifth inning...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The return of William Moore comes at a good time for Missouri, as the fourth-ranked Tigers prepare for their Big 12 opener at Nebraska on Saturday. Moore, a Hayti graduate, sprained a foot in the season-opening win over Illinois, then aggravated the injury in a 69-17 win over Nevada on Sept. 13...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Whenever Jim Pillen talks to Bruce Dunning, he invariably asks, "Do you still have James Wilder's cleat marks on your forehead?" They can laugh now. Pillen and Dunning were members of the last Nebraska football team to lose to Missouri in Lincoln. That was in 1978, on a day Wilder ran for 181 yards and four touchdowns, running over Dunning for the last score in a 35-31 victory that dashed the second-ranked Huskers' national championship hopes...

Kelly junior Danielle Dock dominated the Oran softball team Wednesday. Dock tossed a no-hitter, striking out 10 and walking five over seven innings. Katee Moore went 3-for-4 with a triple, double, and an RBI, while Casey Kern added a solo home run, double and two RBIs...

A publisher called Jack Gantos' first children's tale "the most boring book" he'd read. Future attempts at getting published -- including a picture book about pigs, written entirely with 'oink' dialogue -- also failed. From the rejection, and a thorough examination of successful books, Gantos developed a sense of what sells. Children want relatable characters with distinct personalities, he discovered...

NAMPA, Idaho -- Rose Harn peers out at the world with one working eye, her arms curled tightly against her shriveled body. A rag under her chin catches her drool. In the two decades since Harn was left brain-damaged and paralyzed by a 16-year-old driver, her husband has taken her to numerous Mothers Against Drunk Driving events in Idaho as an object lesson in the consequences of drinking and driving...

To the editor: A recent story in the Southeast Missourian described how changes to Missouri's workers' compensation system made in 2005 have benefited employers, changing the system to favor the employer over the worker. Indeed, that has happened, and with disastrous results for Missouri workers...

LOS ANGELES -- A Metrolink engineer sent a cell phone text message 22 seconds before his commuter train crashed head-on into a freight train last month, killing 25 people, federal investigators said Wednesday. Cell phone records of engineer Robert Sanchez, who was among the dead, show he sent a message after receiving one about a minute and 20 seconds before the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a press release...

Lappe Triplet son and daughters to Michael Robert and Jamie Marie Lappe of Sedgewickville, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008. Austin Michael was born at 8:19 a.m. and weighed 5 pounds, 5 ounces. Chelsea Nicole was born at 8:20 a.m. ...

Performing arts "1940s Radio Hour" See the drama and comedy of putting on a live radio show in the 1940s. Where: Bedell Performance Hall, River Campus When: 7:30 p.m. today through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday Healing With Magic: a comedy/magic show...

A variety of efforts to maintain and expand the vitality of Cape Girardeau's downtown area in recent years, many of them under the umbrella of the Old Town Cape organization, appear to be working. This success is measured by surveys, and the latest survey of nonresidents visiting the downtown area showed they like the restaurants, shopping and entertainment in the area. And these visitors spend money when they come...

Highway 34 in Jackson will be reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today with a 16-foot width restriction while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine drainage repairs. This section of road is from Limbaugh Lane to Old Cape Road in Jackson. For more information, call MoDOT’s customer service center at 888-275-6636...

KARALETI, Georgia -- Burned houses dot this village in a buffer zone separating the Russian-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia from territory controlled by Georgia. The torched homes formed a backdrop for Wednesday's arrival of European monitors, who residents hope will protect them from further violence...

You crazy Cape Girardeans. Now I get it. You just want to dance. From what I saw -- when I was paying attention -- the crowds at the River City Music Festival gathered at bands who had a beat you could find and words you could sing. Fat Pocket on Friday was the biggest hit, in my opinion. The crowd really got into that show. The 10-piece funk band even came out for an encore performance...

WASHINGTON -- After one spectacular failure, the $700 billion financial industry bailout found a second life Wednesday, winning lopsided passage in the Senate and gaining ground in the House, where Republicans opposition softened. Senators passed it by a 74-25 vote a month before the presidential and congressional elections...

Oct. 2, 2008 Dear Leslie, One night a week, the cooling temperatures of fall don't affect DC. She is learning how to blow glass at the Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis. Third is the degree of burn potential while blowing glass. The atmosphere near the furnaces is torrid. Great care must be taken. A fine concentration is one of the demands...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- "It's ya boy, Young J to the Nix." That's not the latest tagline for Attorney General Jay Nixon's campaign for governor. "Young J," as he dubs himself in a track recorded a few years ago, is Nixon's eldest son, Jeremiah, the rapper...

PHILADELPHIA -- Cole Hamels was so dominant the Milwaukee Brewers were glad to see Brad Lidge come in. The switch to their perfect closer nearly cost the Philadelphia Phillies. Behind their top two arms, the Phillies grabbed their first postseason victory in 15 years -- barely...

Football n Missouri watch party: The Southeast Missouri Black and Gold Chapter of the Mizzou Alumni Association will host a watch party for the Missouri football game against Nebraska at Beef O'Brady's in Cape Girardeau. The party begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. Info: Larry Simon, 270-1487...

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Those reunion rumors weren't just cut bait: Four years after disbanding, the time seems right to Phish. The Vermont-bred foursome on Wednesday announced three concert dates next March in Hampton, Va., a longtime favorite venue for the band and its fiercely loyal fans. Other 2009 dates will be announced later, according to a notice posted on the band's website...

It takes a long time after sitting down to write a review before I do any writing. Do I give it a thumbs up or down? Should I spend time explaining the plot or save the words for the film's deeper meaning? Maybe I should talk about the technical craft? Or maybe I should go off on a tangent rather than write about a film no one will remember is six months?...

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. -- A hiker in rugged eastern California found an ID and other items possibly belonging to Steve Fossett, the adventurer missing more than a year since going on a pleasure flight in a borrowed plane, authorities said Wednesday. The items were found in the area of the town of Mammoth Lakes, Inyo National Forest spokeswoman Nancy Upham said...

Winnie A. Essmyer, 69, of Whitewater died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Two area Optimist clubs are living up to their mission, planning for the third time to host the Ducks on the Mississippi race canceled by weather twice this year. The first of two races will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday near the Broadway floodgate. The finish line is at the south end of Riverfront Park. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Even after his quick demotion back to the St. Louis bench, Trent Green is glad he's still playing. Green was at quarterback Sunday when the Rams lost to Buffalo, 31-14. The loss dropped St. Louis to 0-4. Coach Scott Linehan was fired the next day, replaced by defensive coordinator Jim Haslett...

George Lee Taylor, 74, of Scott City died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 28, 1934, in Wirth, Ark., son of Charlie and Velda Louthan Taylor. He and Betty Hardcastle were married Feb. 5, 1965, in Rockford, Ill. Taylor was a farmer. He worked for the Thayer, Mo., street department many years. He was a member of Rose Hill Baptist Church...

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- More than 25 years after his death, presidential aspirants continue to call on Harry Truman's hometown, where his popularity and no-nonsense politics still resonate. Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Wednesday became the latest to pay tribute, using a morning speech at the Truman Presidential Library and Museum to focus on the nation's economic crisis hours before he was to head back to Washington for a vote on a revamped bailout package...

Three-week Jars of Clay class starts Tuesday @SL_body_copy_ragged:Jars of Clay Pottery Studio will start a three-week hand building class Tuesday. Stevie Longwith will teach the class in the studio, in the basement of Garden Gallery, on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The class cost $75. For more information, call Linda Bohnsack at the Garden Gallery, 573-332-7123. A wheel-thrown class will begin in November...

Roy Vernon Downing, 79, of Grandview, Mo., passed away Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, at Kansas City Hospice House. He was born March 30, 1929, in St. Louis, and lived in Granite City, Ill., with his parents, Robert and Blanche Downing. His family moved to the White Gate Farm near Patton, Mo., and he graduated from Patton High School in 1947. He married Geneva Seabaugh Oct. 21, 1950. In 1962 the family moved from Granite City to Grandview...

Long before rock 'n' roll, country or even jazz and blues, there existed a style of music whose practitioners played exclusive gigs to the aristocracy of Europe. It is classified as "baroque," which predates even what is considered "classical" music...

Saffron may have changed locations, but the great food and charming atmosphere are still the same. The walls are covered in a mix of bold red and black, and the smell of sushi and soy sauce hangs lightly in the air. A fully stocked bar sits in the corner. The new location seats about 90 people, including the bar, with a staff ready to serve a mix of pan-Asian cuisine...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to abusing her infant son who suffered injuries doctors describe as being consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Heather M. Lane, 23, of Poplar Bluff pleaded guilty to felony abuse of a child before Presiding Circuit Judge Mark Richardson, according to Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour...

ST. LOUIS -- Lee Stempniak had two goals and an assist and the St. Louis Blues chased Curtis Joseph with six goals on their first 12 shots in a 7-3 preseason victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. "I know what I've got to do, I know where I've got to go," the 41-year-old Joseph said. "Just a bruised ego, that's all. I can get over that."...

NEW YORK -- For an audition to be second fiddle, today's debate between newcomer Sarah Palin and veteran Joe Biden offers unusually large pitfalls -- and promise. For once, the whole world may be watching. Already, 3,100 media credentials have been issued, the most the Commission on Presidential Debates ever needed in seven vice presidential debates it's hosted...

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter will not have surgery for a nerve problem in his shoulder, hoping he'll be ready for spring training after therapy and rest. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak confirmed the course of action Wednesday. Carpenter, who was shut down for the season in early September, visited a fourth specialist in New York this week...

BEIJING -- The parents of a 1-year-old boy who developed kidney stones after drinking infant formula tainted with an industrial chemical are suing the dairy at the heart of the scandal, state media reported, as tests implicated 15 more companies Wednesday...

MADRID, Spain -- Western intelligence agencies have long suspected that elements of Pakistan's spy service have aided the Taliban in Afghanistan, but a Spanish government report leaked to the media appears to be the first published assessment that spells out such cooperation...

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Somalia will allow foreign powers to use force if necessary against pirates who are holding a ship loaded with tanks for $20 million ransom, raising the stakes for bandits who are facing off against the United States and soon Moscow on the high seas...

Route W in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform drainage work. This section of road is between County Road 620 and Perryville Road. For more information, call MoDOT’s customer service center at 888-275-6636...

Southeast Missouri State University leaders hope the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour stop Wednesday at Southeast Missouri State University will inspire its students to have a greater entrepreneurial mindset in their careers and everyday lives. Founded by 25-year-old entrepreneurs Micheal Simmons and Sheena Lindahl, the tour is expected to bring 150 to 200 business and nonbusiness majors together to learn more about the process through speakers, exhibits and hands-on learning activities...

WASHINGTON -- A new poll shows Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain running about even in Missouri. The CNN/Time/Opinion Research poll of 744 likely Missouri voters had Obama at 49 percent and McCain at 48 percent. The poll, conducted Sunday through Tuesday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Rev. Dolan Franklin Rogers, 83, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Sept. 25, 1925, in Sardis, Tenn., son of Stephen Franklin and Mary Jane "Janie" Robins Rogers. He and Mary E. Brewer were married July 14, 1952, in Lavinia, Tenn...

CHICAGO -- Manny Ramirez and Joe Torre brought their winning postseason ways to the Los Angeles Dodgers -- and Wrigley Field. James Loney hit a go-ahead grand slam off a wild Ryan Dempster, Ramirez and Russell Martin homered and the new-look Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2 in their NL playoff opener Wednesday night...

TYLER, Texas -- As Hurricane Ike blew through Texas, a different kind of storm was brewing inside an old Wal-Mart hastily converted into a shelter for evacuees. The building, vacant for two years, quickly became a caldron of tension, with 1,600 people crammed into a structure with a leaky roof, few indoor bathrooms and almost no privacy. Fights soon broke out, and one ended after police allegedly used pepper spray on dozens of evacuees and a Taser on a 15-year-old boy...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Two 14-year-old boys were cited into juvenile court for assault and peace disturbance. n Two suspects were custody pending charges of domestic assault...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- An industrial chemical blamed for sickening thousands of infants in China has been found in candy on American shelves. Connecticut consumer protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. said Wednesday that tests on White Rabbit Creamy Candy found melamine...

WASHINGTON -- The Senate has sweetened its $700 billion rescue package for tottering financial companies with tax breaks broad enough to save 20 million people an average $2,000 a year in higher taxes and narrow enough to help makers of wooden toy bow-and-arrow sets...

Art is rewarding. Seven art galleries in Cape Girardeau have started a "Gallery Giveaway" to reward patrons of the arts with the best thing they can: art. Each month, representatives in the Around Town Network from Edward Bernard Gallery, Westray Gallery, Garden Gallery, Crisp Museum, Global Cafe, Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and The Artist Studio will pull a name and give away a piece of art...

25 years ago: Oct. 2, 1983 Many churches across Cape Girardeau hold their annual FISH Food Drive in conjunction with World Communion Day; the proceeds from the food drive will help restock the FISH pantry for the upcoming winter months. The Southeast Missourian retires its venerable nameplate and replaces it with a more up-to-date type face; also part of the change is the dropping of "The" from the newspaper's official name...

You could fill a library with all I don't know about politics and an equal amount with what I don't know about the foibles of the economy. Last week, I pondered all of the unanswered questions about the economy that have thrown us into a financial panic smack dab in the middle of a presidential campaign. And after listening and reading what seems endlessly about the crisis, I still am as dumb as a proverbial rock...

CASPER, Wyo. -- A police officer didn't think much of a call to shoo off a bothersome "kitty cat" at a home in Casper. Then the officer arrived at the home of Beverly Hood. It was no ordinary domestic feline -- but a male mountain lion weighing 80 to 90 pounds...

Charles Dykes Shrum, 81, of Blytheville, Ark., passed away Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, at the University of Arkansas Medical Center in Little Rock. He was born June 30, 1927, in Lixville, Mo., son of Clarence E. and Florence S. Myers Shrum. He and Virginia Fellows were married Feb. 28, 1948...

Children's center prepares for charity walk SIKESON, Mo. — Supporters of Kenny Rogers Children's Center will participate in the center's 35th annual charity walk Saturday. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. at First Assembly Recreational Complex on North Ingram Road (across from Bootheel Golf Club). The walk begins at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided at First Assembly Recreational Complex, the final destination. Fundraising prizes will be awarded...

NEW YORK -- The AIDS virus has been circulating among people for about 100 years, decades longer than scientists had thought, a new study suggests. Genetic analysis pushes the estimated origin of HIV back to between 1884 and 1924, with a more focused estimate at 1908...

FENTON, Mo. -- Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Nixon outlined his plans for bolstering the state's auto industry Wednesday, meeting with auto workers in a St. Louis suburb hit hard by industry layoffs. Nixon, currently the state attorney general, told Chrysler workers in Fenton that Missouri is a prime location for the auto industry to launch production of electric and other energy-efficient vehicles...

Maybe this whole rest business is overrated. CC Sabathia pitched the Milwaukee Brewers into the playoffs while taking only three-day breaks. Mark Buehrle, John Danks and the Chicago White Sox made it there the same way. So did Old Hoss Moyer and the Philadelphia Phillies...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: n At 8:26 p.m., emergency medical service in the unit block of South Henderson Avenue. n At 9:07 p.m., emergency medical service in the 700 block of South Pacific Street. n At 11:41 p.m., emergency medical service in the 800 block of North Sprigg Street...

NEW YORK -- PBS journalist Gwen Ifill, moderator of the upcoming vice presidential debate, dismissed conservative questions about her impartiality because she is writing a book that includes material on Barack Obama. Ifill said Wednesday she hasn't even written her chapter on Obama for the book "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama," which is to be published by Doubleday on Jan. 20, the day a new president is inaugurated...

ANNA, Ill. -- Willis Lloyd Belcher, 94, of Anna died Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, at Union County Nursing Home. He was born Jan. 5, 1914, in Union County, son of Roy and Dora Boyce Belcher. He and Marie Tinckham were married Dec. 12, 1936, in Anna. She died Jan. 26, 2001...

Judy L. Dodd, 57, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born July 2, 1951, in Washington, Mo., daughter of William and Margaret Daugherty McCormick. She and Truman E. Dodd were married Oct. 25, 2004, in Marble Hill, Mo...

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama has a seven-point lead over John McCain one month before the presidential election, lifted by voters who think the Democrat is better suited to lead the nation through its sudden financial crisis, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll...

'Simba' is a friendly guy who is full of personality! He is 6 years old, neutered, declawed and litter box trained. He's ready to go home - he's just waiting for the right person to come along. Simba is available for adoption at the Humane Society of SEMO 573-334-5837, Mon-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun. 1-4pm...

Starting with December's bill, people using the water and sewer services from Delta will see higher rates. The increase is necessary to make the utilities pay for themselves, according to Mayor Barbara Bradshaw. Currently water and sewer users pay less as they use more water, a backward billing plan that costs the city thousands every year, she said...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A Butler County Judge found Charles E. Rothman guilty of three counts of statutory rape at a bench trial on Wednesday. The 65-year-old man, of Scott City, was arrested last May after apparently trying to fake his death to evade prosecution by setting his fishing boat adrift in the Diversion Channel...

SIKESTON, Mo. — The atmosphere was tense in Randy and Charlotte York's Sikeston home in the few minutes leading up to the announcement of the winner of "America's Got Talent" on Wednesday night. But in an instant, the tension was broken, replaced by pure jubilation when the 50 or so friends and family of Neal E. Boyd heard their hometown boy had won the hugely popular national talent show and the $1 million prize that went with it...

Collin Dannenmueller was asked to do a little bit of everything Friday night when the Chaffee Red Devils played the Scott City Rams. And he succeeded ˜ scoring one touchdown on a pass reception, scoring another one on a reverse and helping lead the defense with eight tackles to help the Red Devils post a 28-6 victory for their second straight in the rivalry...

Interstate 55 in Scott County will continue to be reduced to one lane through 5:30 p.m. Friday while Missouri Department of Transportation crews patch the roadway in the southbound lanes.The work will take place from Route H to Interstate 57.For more information call MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MODOT...

The news is everywhere today -- a product of Southeast Missouri has won a big national competition show. I speak of none other than the now-famous Neal E. ...

Rep. Scott Lipke, R-Jackson, has recently won the endorsement of two groups and an award for his legislative service from the Judicial Conference of Missouri.Lipke is seeking his fourth term in the Missouri House. ...

NEW YORK -- Pessimism about a protracted economic downturn washed over the financial markets Thursday, sending stocks plunging and further tightening the credit markets. Reports on declining factory orders and a seven-year high in jobless claims stoked fears that the government's financial rescue plan won't ward off a recession, and the Dow Jones industrials skidded nearly 350 points...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A few Poplar Bluff School District educators, students and parents had the opportunity Tuesday to share their views on education and the upcoming presidential election with the 150 million listeners of BBC Radio World Service. The United Kingdom's British Broadcasting Corp. is sending a crew on a 15-state tour covering presidential debates and holding town hall-type conversations...

Mick Wessel, the only football coach in Chaffee history to lead the Red Devils to the state playoffs, used to do almost anything to motivate his team to earn a victory. Wessel, the Red Devils head coach from 1978 to 1993, told his players before one game in the 1980s that if they were to win he would eat a worm at the next practice...

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- The Southeast Missouri state volleyball team made short work of host Eastern Illinois Thursday night. Southeast rolled past the Panthers 25-21, 25-12, 25-21 as the Redhawks improved to 6-6 overall and 4-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play. EIU fell to 3-13 and 0-6...

Farmington (4-1) at Jackson (2-3) Last week: Hazelwood Central 35, Jackson 7; Farmington 45, Summit 28. Last year: Jackson and Farmington did not play last year. Outlook: Jackson coach Van Hitt said Farmington uses a deceptive spread offense. Farmington employs a no-huddle and is fast getting back to the line. ...

ORAN, Mo. — Juanita Joyce, 85, of Oran died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 25, 1922, at Randles, daughter of Floyd Dee and Beulah Spain Blue. She and J.C. Joyce were married Nov. 1, 1941. He preceded her in death June 15, 1986...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Beverly A. Brewington, 65, of Perryville died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Ste. Genevieve Memorial Hospital in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. She was born March 9, 1943, in St. Louis, daughter of James R. and Velma Safriet Austin. She and Jack Brewington were married March 29, 1979, in Perryville. He died Dec. 12, 2006...

The Scott City softball team eased past visiting St. Vincent 10-5 on Thursday despite having just six hits. Melanie Lacey picked up the pitching win for the Rams, who improved to 6-13. Holly Shemonia went 2-for-2 to lead the Rams offensively. Lacey helped her own cause with a triple...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Anton R. "Tony" Ponder, 77, of Perryville died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. He was born May 13, 1931, in Biehle, Mo., son of William Ponder and Clara Trapp Ponder. He was a plasterer for Hunt's Plaster. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, a member of Amvets and the VFW. He served in the Navy during the Korean War...

Air is everywhere, but because it's transparent how do we really know it's there? Here's an experiment that will prove air is all around us and one you can try at Science Day 2008. This experiment will help set a world record today at Science Day 2008...

WASHINGTON -- Banks and investment firms ramped up borrowing from the Federal Reserve's emergency lending facility over the past week. The Fed's report released Thursday said commercial banks averaged $44.5 billion in daily borrowing over the past week. That compared with a daily average of $39.36 billion in the previous week...

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Missouri Waterfowl Festival and Sports Show in Kennett will be Oct. 31 through Nov. 1 at the Kennett American Legion Building and Fairgrounds. Activities include duck calling and shooting contests. For details, visit www.missouriwaterfowlfestival.com...

GENEVA -- Hollywood mom Salma Hayek is lending her star power to a UNICEF campaign to eradicate tetanus in mothers and babies around the world within four years. Hayek, a paid spokeswoman for Pampers' tetanus vaccine program, recounted her experiences during a recent trip to the West African nation of Sierra Leone, where she met with tetanus victims...

ST. LOUIS -- Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin accused Barack Obama of voting against funding for U.S. troops in combat Thursday night in her much-anticipated debate with Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, whom she chastised for defending the move, "especially with your son in the National Guard" and headed for Iraq...

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. -- More than a year after the mysterious disappearance of millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett, searchers have found the wreckage of his plane in the rugged Sierra Nevada along with enough human remains for DNA testing. The remains were found amid a field of debris that stretched 400 feet long and 150 feet wide in a steep section of the mountain range, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday at a news conference. ...

Carl W. Revelle, 59, of Jackson died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Winnie A. Essmyer, 69, of Whitewater died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at her home. She was born Dec. 16, 1938, in San Angelo, Texas, daughter of Jim and Zora Joyce Wheat Allen. She and Dr. Joseph K. Essmyer were married Sept. 19, 1968, in Modesto, Calif...

Friday n New movies "American Carol" Rated PG-13, running time 1 hour, 23 mins @ Cape West 14 Cine "Appaloosa" Rated R, running time 1 hour 54 mins @ Cape West 14 Cine "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" Rated PG. running time 1 hour 25 mins @ Town Plaza Cinema...

Missouri Department of Trans­portation work will result in lane closures today and next week. From 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. today, Route OO between Highway 34 and Route HH in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced to one lane for tree trimming. From noon to 4:30 p.m. today in Bollinger County, traffic will be confined to one lane on Highway 51 from Route FF to the Marble Hill city limits for shoulder repairs...

City of Cape Girardeau officials have announced that Fronabarger Concreters, a contractor for the city, has completed the second stage of the Independence Street Project from Hanover Street to West End Boulevard.   Starting Monday, Independence Street will be closed mid-block between Louisiana Avenue and West End Boulevard to just east of the West End Boulevard and Independence intersection. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County's 2007 Delta Regional Authority funding will prepare roads for Orgill's traffic. Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said during the regular Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday that he had received an e-mail Sept. 25 regarding the county's request for a "change of scope."...

NEW YORK -- The man was naked, teetering on a building ledge and jabbing at police with an 8-foot-long fluorescent light bulb as a crowd gathered below. Lt. Michael Pigott responded by ordering an officer to fire a stun gun at the man, who froze and plunged headfirst to his death in a scene captured on amateur video and replayed frequently on the Internet...

To the editor: By 2-to-1 margins Americans detest handing over $700 billion to financial institutions as a reward for buying dead paper. But these institutions are not the ultimate beneficiaries nor the originators of the disaster. ACORN, with the news media solidly behind it, produced this disaster with intimidation tactics which ACORN used starting in Chicago bullying banks into giving money to people who had no means of repaying a mortgage under the guise of promoting affordable housing. ...

25 years ago: Oct. 3, 1983 A new bridge over the Diversion Channel near Allenville should be in place by winter; the Cape Girardeau County Court grants a contract to build the bridge to Rickard Construction Co. of Cape Girardeau. CAIRO, Ill. — The Cairo Association of Teachers has voted to call a strike, but no date has been set for a walkout; teachers are still assessing the situation and organizing details...

NEW DELHI -- India banned smoking in public places Thursday, leaving public health officials with a much tougher task: get the nation's estimated 120 million smokers to stub out their cigarettes. As more countries have clamped down on smoking in recent years, Indians have freely puffed away at playgrounds, railway stations, sidewalk cafes and even hospitals. No more, and a violator will get a $5 fine...

Jason Lindsey, outreach science educator for the Bootheel Youth Museum in Malden, Mo., will gather more than a thousand science enthusiasts today in an effort to break a world record by ... blowing up balloons. The event marks Science Day, a day proclaimed by governors in Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee in an effort to raise the profile of science...

A joint memorial service for Marvin H. and Ruby Wilkening of Socorro, N.M., will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Zion United Methodist Church near Old Appleton. The Rev. Susan Hoyle will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Marvin Wilkening, 88, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006...

To the editor: Surveillance practices are being entrenched into American life. I just flew where I prepared by leaving otherwise innocuous items at home, kicking off my shoes, removing my belt and other metal possessions and sheepishly tiptoeing through a scanner. I did so willingly, understanding the impact of the 9/11 attacks on our concerns about security...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI n Jerrica L. O'Kelly, 20, of Whitewater was arrested on Cape Girardeau County warrants for driving while intoxicated and intentionally inhaling fumes...

Cape Girardeau County has 35 jurisdictions levying property taxes on some or all of the county's 72,000 residents. Several of them have more one tax rate, depending on the purpose of the revenue. Of the 35 jurisdictions, 18 have increased taxes for 2008, three decreased taxes and 14 kept taxes unchanged...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- A grain bin complex caught on fire early Thursday in Mississippi County, destroying at least one building. About 4:30 a.m., the East Prairie Fire Department responded to a blaze at Mount Level Farms on East Main Street just outside city limits...

Neal E. Boyd's story would make an inspiring movie. And now that Boyd has won $1 million and the opportunity to headline a Las Vegas show, don't toss out the notion. Sikeston, Mo., native Boyd, who has been selling insurance in St. Louis, was named the winner Wednesday night of the months-long "America's Got Talent" television competition, during which Boyd told viewers that he got hooked on opera as a child. ...

BAGHDAD -- Suicide bombers struck two Shiite mosques in Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 24 people and wounding dozens during celebrations marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. To the north, suspected Shiite militiamen gunned down six members of a Sunni family, including women and children, police reported...

NEW YORK -- The World War II aircraft carrier Intrepid, powered by tugs and accompanied by a festive Hudson River traffic jam, was returned Thursday to the Manhattan pier where it has served for 24 years as a military and space museum. Onlookers gathered along the riverbanks and in passing pleasure craft as the huge vessel was ceremoniously escorted Thursday on its five-mile journey from Staten Island...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Anthony J. Moranville, 78, formerly of Perryville, died Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, at Riverview Manor in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. He was born Sept. 13, 1930, in Perryville, son of Anthony V. and Lunetta A. Jannin Moranville. Moranville was a meat cutter at Kroger Grocery Store in Perryville. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville, and a 3rd Degree member of Knights of Columbus...

To the editor: I have observed a multitude of "Vote Pro-Life" signs in the yards of churches. This has prompted me to ask what exactly "Vote Pro-Life" means to the leaders of these churches. Does it mean vote for the candidate who says he believes life begins at conception and opposes abortion? The same candidate supports stem-cell research as long as it is performed on embryos that are destined to be destroyed. This is a conflicting position...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Both those who are critical of gambling and those who support expanding it in Missouri said Thursday that they have formed political committees to oppose a casino measure that's on the November ballot. The measure, called Proposition A, would repeal Missouri's unique law limiting gambling losses to no more than $500 in a two-hour period; cap the number of new casino licenses; and increase the tax rate for casinos to 21 percent from 20 percent...

Proper action I WANT the Cape Girardeau Police Department to know this is one citizen who stands behind it 100 percent, especially the officer who was involved in the shooting. If that person had not pulled a gun of any kind, none of this would have happened. ...

PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE, Texas -- The world's longest undeveloped barrier island now looks as if people have been living and dumping their things on it for decades. Tons of debris swept up by Hurricane Ike last month were carried by Gulf of Mexico currents hundreds of miles from the upper Texas coast to this ordinarily pristine landscape just north of the Mexican border...

A slowing economy has forced Grace Cafe in Cape Girardeau to close its doors, effective Oct. 15. "We've cut corners everywhere we can, but it just hasn't worked out," said owner Grace Parry. "This really needs an owner who can devote 40 to 60 hours a week to this business, and since I have a family I can't do it. We don't have extra money to put into this, and my family needs me."...

BOSTON -- Deborah Anderson had heard the urban legends about the contraceptive effectiveness of Coca-Cola products for years. So she and her colleagues decided to put the soft drink to the test. In the lab, that is. For discovering that, yes indeed, Coke was a spermicide, Anderson and her team are among this year's winners of the Ig Nobel prize, the annual award given by the Annals of Improbable Research magazine to oddball but often surprisingly practical scientific achievements...

PHILADELPHIA -- With one more loss to the Phillies, CC Sabathia and the Milwaukee Brewers will have all winter to rest. Brett Myers rankled Sabathia with a pesky at-bat and dominated the rest of the Brewers from the mound, and Philadelphia beat Milwaukee 5-2 on Thursday night behind Shane Victorino's grand slam for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five NL playoff series...

When Cape Girardeau County property tax bills start appearing in mailboxes in November, many people in the county will need to dig a little deeper to cover the costs. While only one taxing jurisdiction -- Delta School District -- held an election where voters approved higher taxes, 17 other jurisdictions are also increasing their levies. For almost all those jurisdictions, the higher rates are being imposed to recapture revenue that would otherwise be lost to falling personal property values...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Butler County judge found Charles E. Rothman guilty of three counts of statutory rape at a bench trial on Wednesday. The 65-year-old Scott City man was arrested in May 2007 after apparently trying to fake his death to evade prosecution by setting his fishing boat adrift in the Diversion Channel...

Over the next few weeks, the Southeast Missourian will introduce you to some extraordinary students: three National Merit semifinalists. National Merit semifinalists scored big on the PSAT-- beating 99 percent of other test-takers. Out of more than 1.5 million juniors who took the test, only 16,000 were named semifinalists. They will now compete for finalist standing by submitting records, an application and recommendations -- with the hope of winning a scholarship...

Frankly, I'm too old to learn how to use a new phone system. But as I look out into the newsroom just outside my office, I can see ominous stacks of brown cardboard boxes imprinted with a brand name that screams "computerized audio communications device."...

WASHINGTON -- Desperate to avoid another market-crushing defeat, House leaders won key converts Thursday to the $700 billion financial industry bailout on the eve of a make-or-break second vote. President Bush and congressional leaders lobbied for the dozen or so supporters they'd need to reverse Monday's setback and approve a massive rescue plan designed to stave off national economic disaster...

HONORS n Jessica Livingston of Whitewater, Marcus Painton of Oran, Mo., and Haley Bohnert and Matt Taylor of Cape Girardeau have been appointed as Presidential Ambassadors to Southeast Missouri State University. The ambassadors assist the university president in greeting guests and serving at presidential functions...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Supporters say an initiative on November's ballot will help both home health-care workers and the disabled and elderly Missourians who need them to remain independent. But others are raising concerns that the initiative -- Proposition B on the ballot -- is a stealth attempt to unionize home health-care workers in Missouri...

Ji-Yai Shin of South Korea shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday to take the first-day lead in the LPGA Tour's Samsung World Championship, topping Paula Creamer's 68 Lorena Ochoa, the two-time defending Samsung champion, and five-time winner Annika Sorenstam matched Yani Tseng, Na Yeon Choi, Song-Hee Kim and Angela Stanford at 69...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: n At 5:59 p.m., a motor vehicle accident at William Street and Kingshighway. n At 7:46 p.m., an alarm sounding at 3253 William St. n At 10:21 p.m., emergency medical service in the 100 block of South Henderson Avenue...

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball program has taken another hit. It was learned this week that Mark Caviness, arguably Southeast's co-top signee for the 2008-09 season, did not meet NCAA eligibility requirements and will not play for the Redhawks this year...

JACKSON — Freshman Clayton Baker was asked by Jackson coach Zack Walton to take on a new role as a forward when this fall season began. Baker, who played mostly midfield while playing soccer in St. Louis before entering high school, scored the game winning goal against Notre Dame on Thursday, leading the Indians past the rival Bulldogs 1-0 in double overtime...

Ruth Powers grew up hunting with her dad in northern Iowa. Though the Jackson woman continued hunting as an adult, mostly for deer, she said hitting moving targets is the toughest. "If they're not standing still, I'm afraid to take a shot. I don't want to wound it and have to track it or leave it to die in the woods. That's not my idea of fun," she said...

Just a few months ago, Sikeston, Mo., native Neal E. Boyd was just your average working man -- albeit an average working man with a powerful singing voice -- selling insurance for AFLAC. On Wednesday night, that all changed when the 32-year-old was catapulted to instant stardom after winning NBC's "America's Got Talent" and the $1 million prize that went along with it...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.-- Harold Ray Porterfield, prominent Poplar Bluff and Southeast Missouri architect, died suddenly Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was 81 years old. After having served two years in the U.S. Army during World War II and attending the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville School of Architecture, Mr. Porterfield began his architectural career moving to Poplar Bluff in early 1950...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Terry L. Favier, 54, of Perryville died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, at his home. He was born Aug. 2, 1954, in Perryville, son of Clark and Anna Layton Favier. He and Myrna Aldrich were married July 9, 1999. Favier was a manager with Schaefer Water Center...

Carl Ray Farless, 71, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of California, died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, at his home, following a long-term illness. He was surrounded by his family. Carl had a deep love of his faith and loved to be around friends and family. He was born March 25, 1937, in Mojave, Calif., son of Jesse and Alice Farless...

JACKSON -- The special teams did it. After Jackson put together three scoring drives in the second half and finally found a way to slow Farmington's spread offense, it was the special teams that helped the Knights rally for a 42-38 victory Friday night...

GILCHRIST, Texas -- One of North America's renowned bird migration and bird-watching areas is strangely silent. Blame Hurricane Ike. "We had red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, a bunch of migrating birds," recalled Ernest Stone, 75, leaning on his cane and surveying debris on the cratered moonscape that used to be the family beach house on Bolivar Peninsula...

CINCINNATI -- Officials want to see more green roofs on building tops in Cincinnati. The city council on Wednesday became the first in Ohio with a plan to channel grants and loans to residents and businesses to replace tar and shingles with vegetation...

Rick Springfield arrived at PMac Music right on schedule to the whoops and applause of fans. A line of autograph seekers curled around the Cape Girardeau store's aisles and reached the door. Springfield, a Grammy-winning musician and one of the stars of the TV soap "General Hospital," came to Cape Girardeau for a benefit concert between tour dates to promote his new album, "Venus in Overdrive," which includes three songs written about Sahara Aldridge, who died Nov. 5, 2007...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Rosealie H. Kimberlin, 70, of Tamms, formerly of Bradley and McClure, Ill., and Albuquerque, N.M., died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, at her home. She was born May 14, 1938 in Niles, Mich., to Zephyrie and Eileen Gephardt Martin. She married James Kimberlin April 23, 1954...

The finest of fall weather surely encouraged attendance at this year's River City Music Festival in downtown Cape Girardeau. You can also chalk up the success of the festival to the organization and planning that went on months before the musicians took to the various stages around the riverfront area. Hats off to those many organizers who worked so hard...

TBILISI, Georgia -- A car exploded Friday, killing seven soldiers outside Russia's military headquarters in South Ossetia, and Russian authorities charged it was a terrorist bombing meant to wreck the tense cease-fire that ended their war with Georgia...

WASHINGTON -- Millions of taxpayers, thousands of businesses and groups as diverse as solar power developers and natural disaster victims will see tax relief with the House vote Friday to approve and send to the president a $700 billion financial rescue plan...

LAS VEGAS -- A jury began deliberating Friday whether O.J. Simpson and his co-defendant robbed two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a casino hotel room. The 61-year-old former football star and a golfing buddy, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, each face five years to life in prison if convicted of kidnapping, or mandatory prison time if convicted of armed robbery. They've pleaded not guilty to 12 charges, including conspiracy, coercion and assault with a deadly weapon...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Nancy Anderson, 49, of Tamms died Friday, Oct. 3, 2008, at her home. Jones Funeral Home in Tamms is in charge of arrangements.

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Everett L. Jackson, 95, of Jonesboro died Friday, Oct. 3, 2008, at Jonesboro Rehab and Health Care Center. He was born Sept. 14, 1913, in Reynoldsville, Ill., son of Harry and Frances Mayberry Jackson. He and Golda Land were married Dec. 24, 1941, in Jackson. She died June 6, 2002. He then married Mary Belcher July 10, 2003, in Anna, Ill...

Cape Girardeau officials have announced that Fronabarger Concreters, a contractor for the city, has completed the second stage of the Independence Street project from Hanover Street to West End Boulevard. Starting Monday, Independence Street will be closed midblock between Louisiana Avenue and West End Boulevard to just east of the West End Boulevard and Independence Street intersection. ...

SEOUL, South Korea -- A senior U.S. envoy's trip to North Korea did not stop the communist nation from restoring its nuclear facilities, the State Department said Friday. Assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill returned to South Korea from a three-day trip to the North to try to salvage a six-party disarmament pact after North Korea reversed the dismantlement of its nuclear facilities. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Same-sex marriage. Stem-cell research. Transportation funding. Missourians have been asked to vote on some high-profile ballot issues in recent years. But this isn't one of them. Missouri voters will be asked Nov. 4 to change part of the constitution that permits the awarding of state grants and loans for local storm water projects in first-class counties...

Crude oil is selling for less than $93 a barrel, down $15 in the past two weeks. Gasoline is trading for $2.20 a gallon on New York exchanges, down 40 cents in the past two weeks. Drivers in some parts of Missouri are enjoying a respite from high prices -- on Friday a gallon of gasoline cost as little as $2.89 in Springfield, while in Kansas City the cost was as low as $2.85. Statewide, the average cost of a gallon was $3.29, according to the price-tracking website gasbuddy.com...

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan -- Two suspected U.S. missile strikes Friday on villages close to the border with Afghanistan killed at least 12 people, most of them militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said. American forces recently ramped up cross-border operations against Taliban and al-Qaida militants in Pakistan's border zone with Afghanistan -- a region considered a likely hiding place for Osama bin Laden...

BROWNWOOD, Mo. -- Frankie Annette Talley, 51, of Brownwood died Friday, Oct. 3, 2008, at her home. She was born Nov. 9, 1956, in Macon, Ga., daughter of William and Emily Irene West Futch. She and Kenny Talley were married March 30, 1973, in Griffin, Ga...

KELSO, Mo. -- Don and Wilma Heisserer of Kelso recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. A Mass of thanksgiving was held at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, with the Revs. Oliver Clavin and Jim Seyer as concelebrants. A reception, dinner and dance was then hosted by their children and grandchildren at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Scott City...

Carl and Christine Gross of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Diana Gross, to Matthew Roethemeyer. He is the son of Samuel and Marilee Roethemeyer of Jackson. Gross is a 2000 graduate of Jackson High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University in 2004, and expects to receive a master's degree from William Woods in December. ...

April Brooke Cecil and Travis Ryan Helwege were married May 31, 2008, at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Rev. Patrick Nwokoye performed the ceremony. Lectors were Lauren Henson, sister of the bride, and Briar Helwege, sister of the groom. The bride is the daughter of Gretchen Pembroke, Charlie Cecil, Glen and Stacy Henson, all of Caruthersville, Mo. The groom is the son of Ray and Christine Fochler of Gallatin, Tenn., and Gary and Sandy Helwege of Cape Girardeau...

Sarah Jane Eftink and the Rev. James Vinson Wingo exchanged wedding vows May 24, 2008, at the Water's Edge in Gordonville. Chief Paul White Eagle performed the ceremony. Recorded music was played. The bride is the daughter of Charlotte Eftink of Jackson, and the late Joseph Eftink. The groom is the son of Dr. Otha and Ann Wingo of Cape Girardeau...

Jessica Ann Rainey and Kyle David Applewhite were united in marriage Sept. 20, 2008, at Grace Methodist Church in Rockview, Mo. Frank Husted performed the ceremony. Music was by Troy Shy of Oran, Mo., brother of the groom. The bride is the daughter of Barbara Johnston of Cape Girardeau and Donald Rainey of Benton, Mo. The groom is the son of Danny and Marla Shy of Oran...

Dale Bremer and Ann Winkler of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Danielle Lea Bremer, to Charles Montgomery Brown. He is the son of Robert Brown Jr. and Doreen Brown of Cape Girardeau. Bremer is a graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School, and is attending Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed by Big River Telephone and is a graphic designer/assistant campus minister for the Archdiocese of Detroit in Michigan...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Theresa Besand of Perryville announces the engagement of her daughter, Angela Anne Evans, to Lariedon Anthony Engelen, both of Perryville. He is the son of Leonard and Barbara Engelen of Leopold, Mo. Evans is also the daughter of the late Robert Evans Jr...

NEW HAMBURG, Mo.-- David and Karen Harper of New Hamburg announce the engagement of their daughter, Kristin Nicole Harper, to Donald Joseph Tyra. He is the son of Allen and Brenda Fry of Dexter, Mo., and the late Charles Tyra Sr. Harper is a 2005 graduate of Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. ...

Michael and Diana Kembel of Maineville, Ohio, formerly of Cape Girardeau, announce the engagement of their daughter, Leslie Kembel, to Frank Morris II, both of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the son of Frank Morris of Peru, Ind., and Claudia Henderson of Logansport, Ind...

Sidney and Alice Miller of Risco, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Lindsay Star Miller, to Daniel Zachary Moore, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Daniel and Shelley Moore of Poplar Bluff, Mo. Miller is a 1997 graduate of Risco High School. She received a bachelor of science degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 2001. She is a job developer with MERS/Goodwill Industries...

Jimmy and Lori Wimberley of Sikeston, Mo., and Timothy and Sally Porch of Scott City announce the engagement of their children, Joyce Ann Wimberley and Matthew Clayborn Porch. Wimberley is a graduate of Kelly High School. She is employed by AT&T in Cape Girardeau...

Cleo and Theresa Wright of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Brittany Nicole Wright, to Joshua Ryan Zyduck. He is the son of Perry and Sharon Zyduck of Mosinee, Wis., formerly of Scott City. Wright is a 2006 graduate of Kelly High School in Benton, Mo...

Nancy Anderson TAMMS, Ill. -- Nancy R. Dowdy Anderson, 49, of Tamms died Friday, Oct. 3, 2008, at her home. She was born Jan. 13, 1959, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of the late Norman and Juanita Bennett Dowdy. Anderson was a beautician. Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Brandy and Bradley Clark, Deena and Brent Hart, all of Tamms; two brothers, Jim Dowdy of Tamms, Kenny Dowdy of Ullin, Ill.; maternal grandmother, Zelva Bennett of Tamms; three grandchildren, Steven Raffety, Madalyn Clark and Ella Hart; a dear friend, Herbie Tribout of Tamms; and a host of other relatives and friends.. ...

Mary Crader Mary Helen Crader, 75, of Scott City died Friday, Oct. 3, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Oct. 10, 1932, at Bell City, Mo., daughter of Jimmie and Sylvia Helen Morris Lee. She and Herman Eugene Crader were married Feb. 28, 1976, at Scott City...

Clyde Besand PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Clyde J. "Blackie" Besand, 74, of Perryville died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was a resident of the Missouri Veterans Home. He was born Oct. 23, 1933, at Perryville, son of Bertrand G. and Frances Ann McCauley Besand...

Jacob Thompson was awarded a Boy Scouts of America National Certificate of Merit at a recent troop court of honor. Thompson and Aaron Shive, both 11 years old, were partners during the Scouting for Food last November. When Aaron tripped and cut his head on a set of brick steps, Jacob remained calm and assisted the leader in caring for Aaron. ...

Newly elected officers for the Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary for 2009 are president Dorothy Taylor, vice president Jeanette Patterson, recording secretary Judy Brown, corresponding secretary Betty Heisserer, treasurer Carolyn Brant. Barbara Campbell will serve on the board as past president...

At a recent Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary dinner, volunteers reaching service milestones and award recipients were honored; new officers were elected. Volunteers Dick and Helen Hammond received the Ilena Asiln Auxiliary Service Award at the annual recognition dinner for their many contributions to the auxiliary. ...

An overview of the lives of 15 people interred at Old Lorimie cemetery will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the cemetery in Cape Girardeau. The event is sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitor's Bureau, The formal ceremony will be at 2:30 p.m. ...

The 5th Annual Corporate Games were held Sept. 14 to 26, in Cape Girardeau. Companies competed in several sports and intellectual competitions to earn points and a win. Events included opening and closing ceremonies, a banner contest, soccer, softball and other games. The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department sponsors the event each year...

Volunteer Marian LaFoe received the Margaret Foster Roberts Award at the Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary dinner. The award was established in 2003 to pay tribute to the innovative, enthusiastic and exemplary leadership of the late Margaret Roberts, the award recognizes volunteers with fervor and creativity. ...

The parenting role of caring for special needs children never really ends. Even after a parent's life ends, special needs children will still need financial resources that will enable them to continue enjoying life. Special needs is an umbrella term to include children who need extra care, whether they have a learning disability, mental retardation, terminal illnesses, developmental delays and a myriad of other complications...

Food pantry in need of stock The Scott City Food pantry is low on canned goods. Cans of fruit, vegetables, meat, spaghetti sauce or cash donations to buy food can be dropped off from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays at 804 Rear Main Street. Tax deductible donations can be sent to Scott City Food Pantry, 900 N. Scott St., Scott City, Mo. 63780-1668...

Pieces de Peru is an occasional travel column by Cape Girardeau native Matt Wittmer. On the top floor of the Cafe Andino in Huaraz, Peru, well-to-do Europeans -- not a stitch of natural fiber among them -- lounge like big cats fresh off highland kills. ...

Part IV in an occasional series By Bob Miller and CALLIE CLARK MILLER We arrived at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri on a Thursday morning not long ago, another assignment in our Knee Deep series, the one where we don the boots and gloves and get ourselves dirty...

If you love taking in the outdoors but don't feel like being bitten by the remaining bugs and ticks, the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center will be your ideal destination throughout the month of October. Nature photography will be featured all month at the Nature Center in Cape Girardeau with photographs by Noppadol Paothong, staff photographer for Missouri Conservationist...

Notre Dame senior Tori Pfau hardly could believe her eyes when she glared at the time clock while nearing the finish line at the Notre Dame Invitational on Saturday. Pfau had been running her 5-kilometer races in the 22-minute range this season before Saturday. She was hoping to run the home course in the 21-minute range...

Notre Dame senior Dillon Klaffer always runs his best times when competing at his home meet, the Notre Dame Invitational. Klaffer covered the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 23.86 seconds Saturday, finishing first on his team and running the best time of any local runner...

The Perryville boys soccer team posted a pair of wins to win the Saxony Lutheran tournament Saturday. The Pirates (13-2) downed Fredericktown 2-1, and edged Kennett 3-2. Tyler Lawrence scored the game-winning goal against Fredericktown and added an assist against Kennett...

Amelunke reunion The Amelunke family reunion includes a carry-in meal to begin at 12:30 p.m. today at Immanuel Lutheran Church Parish Hall, 496 Route F, Jackson, near Tilsit. For more information, call 243-2788. Trinity Lutheran School supper A fried chicken, ham, chicken and dumplings supper will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran School, Church St., Altenburg, Mo. Child-sized portions discounted. Proceeds will benefit the school building improvement project. Carryouts available...

An army tent set up for sculptors, sidewalks colored with chalk and ink renderings of animals and landscapes were part of the Nature and the Arts program Saturday. The program brought about a dozen artists to the Conservation Campus Nature Center to demonstrate their crafts...

Jacob R. Gentry, member of Boy Scout Troop 5 ,was recently honored with the rank of Eagle Scout, Scouting's highest award, at a court of honor ceremony held at VFW Post 3838. Gentry's Eagle Scout project was installing an automatic lawn sprinkler system in the prayer garden at La Croix United Methodist Church. Gentry, 15, is a sophomore at Cape Central High School. He is the son of Dick and Susan Gentry of Cape Girardeau...

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- Timmy Holloman was happy to be back on the field Saturday night. Even if he couldn't do much about Southeast Missouri State's 38-17 loss to host Jacksonville State. Holloman, a senior tailback, returned from his one-year NCAA suspension for undisclosed reasons...

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- Southeast Missouri State upset Jacksonville State at home in last season's final game, giving the Redhawks hope they could duplicate that feat on the road. But this is a much different JSU squad, thanks in large part to the addition of Ryan Perrilloux...

Cape Girardeau is beginning to feel like "home away from home" for Rick Springfield. For that, his fans in Southeast Missouri can thank Sahara Aldridge. Springfield, a Grammy-winning musician and one of the stars of the TV soap "General Hospital," came to Cape Girardeau for a benefit concert between tour dates to promote his new album, "Venus in Overdrive," which includes three songs written about Sahara Aldridge, who died Nov. 5, 2007...

LOS ANGELES -- A judge ordered a Texas doctor and his wife Friday not to distribute videotaped footage of Anna Nicole Smith's breast augmentation surgery in 1994. The order settles a lawsuit filed last year by Howard K. Stern, the executor of Smith's estate, who was trying to stop Dr. Gerald Johnson and his wife from distributing the tapes of the former Playboy Playmate...

Cigarette sets off fireworks in man's car CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. -- A Rhode Island man faces charges after the cigarette he was smoking inside a car apparently ignited fireworks. Police arrested the 28-year-old Sunday after an officer found a sedan smoking in the middle of the street. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The buffet offers a variety of pizzas, with whole-wheat crust, organic toppings and hormone-free cheese. The salad bar includes some greens and vegetables grown without pesticides in a nearby garden, perhaps topped with homemade croutons and organic dressing...

A petition drive is underway to put an issue on the Cape Girardeau County ballot next April that would, if passed, establish a property tax to raise funding for a new, tax-funded countywide ambulance service. The Friends of Cape Girardeau County Ambulance District is holding informational meetings and making presentations. The group is proposing a 30-cent tax on each $100 of assessed property value...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri workers earning minimum wage will make an extra 40 cents per hour in 2009. The state Labor Department announced Friday that Missouri's hourly minimum wage would increase from $6.65 to $7.05 starting Jan. 1. Voters in 2006 approved a ballot measure that requires the state minimum wage to increase annually along with inflation...

Remember the veterans FINANCIAL MARKETS aren't the only thing in this country that need fixed. So do our veterans benefits and disability systems. I am a Vietnam veteran. I served three tours of duty. I came home to an airport entryway lined with Americans exercising their right to object to the war. ...

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- When Richard Maponya did well as a clothes salesman, his white boss could not promote him under the rules of apartheid. So the boss offered instead to sell Maponya damaged clothes for cheap. Maponya resold the clothes after work and on weekends, and earned enough to go into business himself...

VIENNA, Austria -- Israel accused North Korea on Saturday of covertly supplying at least half a dozen Mideast countries with nuclear technology or conventional arms. The allegation was made at an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting in Vienna where world powers urged the North to stop reactivating its nuclear weapons program...

If a three-bedroom ranch with above-ground pool and private backyard are what you're after, this could be the home for you. This property has a backyard privacy fence, retaining wall, flower beds bordered in pavestone and a full maintenance-free deck floor at poolside...

NEW YORK -- Long overlooked by society at large, and even by younger gays, elderly gays and lesbians are emerging as distinct community, getting more help and attention as they confront challenges that differ in many ways from their heterosexual counterparts...

The name Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. is finally on display at the new federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau. And just in time. On Monday, anywhere from 500 to 700 invited guests are expected to gather on the lawn of the new courthouse, opened in June after years of delay and millions in cost overruns, to dedicate the $62 million facility. ...

DEXTER, Mo. -- It is a much-anticipated local event involving many helping hands and generous hearts. It's the Festival of Sharing, and on Saturday, the mini-festival will conduct its sixth annual effort to collect and distribute items to aid the needy in much of the Bootheel...

25 years ago: Oct. 5, 1983 Rain -- not a little, but a lot -- is welcomed by farmers and home gardeners alike; 2.49 inches of rain was recorded at the municipal airport yesterday and early today. Scott City city administrator Vicki Thompson resigned her position last night; she says she felt frustrated over a "lack of direction in Scott City government."...

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has shelved plans to set up a diplomatic outpost in Iran, in part over fears it could affect the U.S. presidential race or be interpreted as political meddling. The proposal to send U.S. diplomats to Tehran for the first time in three decades attracted great attention when it was floated over the summer, but has now been placed on indefinite hold as November's election nears and Iran continues to defy demands to halt suspect nuclear activities, officials said.. ...

WASHINGTON -- Nine major U.S. airlines are farming out aircraft maintenance at twice the rate of four years ago and now hire outside contractors for more than 70 percent of major work, the government says. Contractors overseas handled one-quarter of the outsourced maintenance...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The father of a measurement known as the "Smoot" returned Saturday to be honored at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the school where he and his fraternity brothers invented it 50 years ago. Oliver Smoot was the shortest pledge in the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity in 1958 when its members decided to lay him on the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge. ...

WASHINGTON -- Getting the financial rescue through Congress may have been the easy part. Getting it to work may prove the tougher task. After two weeks of debate, Congress passed and President Bush signed the plan to save the financial industry and prop up the economy in hopes of avoiding a free fall with Election Day just a month away...

LAS VEGAS -- O.J. Simpson, who went from American sports idol to celebrity-in-exile after he was acquitted of murder in 1995, was found guilty Friday of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room. Simpson, 61, could spend the rest of his life in prison...

GALVESTON, Texas -- The final hours brought the awful realization to victims of Hurricane Ike that they had waited too long. This storm wasn't like the others, the ones that left nothing worse than a harrowing tale to tell. George Helmond, a hardy Galveston salt, watched the water rise and told a buddy: I was born on this island and I'll die on this island...

Ron Eakins PACIFIC, Mo. -- Ron E. Eakins, 56, of Pacific died Friday, Sept. 26, 2008. He was born Nov. 21, 1951, at Cape Girardeau, son of Carl and Dorothy Boggess Eakins. Eakins served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a Vietnam veteran. Survivors include a son, Eric Eakins of Cape Girardeau; his mother; a brother, Steven Eakins of San Diego; a sister, Sheri Mott of Pacific; and three grandchildren...

CHICAGO -- Every Illinois voter who goes to the polls next month must be notified of misleading language on the ballot, a judge ruled Friday. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Nathaniel Howse Jr. ordered state election officials to print notices directing voters to disregard the false information, which deals with a referendum on whether Illinois should hold a constitutional convention...

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea's official news agency said leader Kim Jong Il attended a soccer game in Pyongyang -- his first public appearance in more than a month. The Korean Central News Agency reported Saturday that Kim watched a game held to mark the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the university named after his late father, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung...

Billy Joe Todd CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Billy Joe Todd, 77, of Chaffee died Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008, at Chaffee Nursing Center. He was born Oct. 2, 1931, at Oran, Mo., son of Elree and Elizabeth Kaylor Todd. He and Velma Jean Hurt were married in 1974. She died in 1990...

Dear Dr. Dobson: My wife has been involved in an affair with her boss for six months. I've known about it from the beginning but just haven't been able to confront her. Melanie acts like she doesn't love me anyway. If I give her an ultimatum, I could lose her completely. Can you assure me that won't happen? Have you ever offered the Love Must Be Tough advice and had it backfire, ending in divorce?...

WASHINGTON -- One month before Election Day, Barack Obama sits atop battleground polls in a shrinking playing field, the economic crisis is breaking his way and the Democrat has made progress toward winning the White House. The onus is on Republican John McCain to turn the race around under exceptionally challenging circumstances -- and his options are limited...

Presbyterian Women The first quarterly meeting of the Jackson Presbyterian Women's 2008-2009 year was held Sept. 26 at the church. Copies of the minutes from the August coordinating team meeting and the last quarterly meeting held in May, along with copies of the treasurer's report were distributed...

SAGINAW, Mich. -- With a winning bid of just $1.75, a Chicago woman has won an auction for an abandoned home in Saginaw. Joanne Smith, 30, recently was the top bidder for the home during an auction on eBay, The Saginaw News reported. Her bid was one of eight for the home...

MONROE, Wash. -- An online advertisement offered $28.50 an hour to anyone who wore a blue, long-sleeved shirt, yellow safety vest, eye protection and ventilator mask and waited near a bank. Apparently, it should have been labeled "decoys wanted." Police said a number of people wearing the specified outfit were waiting near a Bank of America branch Tuesday when a similarly dressed man accosted a Brinks armored truck guard with pepper spray during a cash delivery in Monroe, a town about 25 miles northeast of Seattle. ...

BAGHDAD -- Two U.S. helicopters collided while landing at a base in Baghdad on Saturday, killing one Iraqi soldier and wounding four people, including two Americans, the military said. It was the second helicopter crash in two weeks. The U.S. military said hostile fire did not appear to be the cause...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday: n At 4:32 p.m., fire alarm at 535 Broadway. n At 5:09 p.m., fire alarm at 535 Broadway. n At 8:33 p.m., emergency medical service in the 400 block of Marie Street. Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday:...

Golf n Industry appreciation tourney: The 2008 Industry Appreciation golf tournament will take place Monday at Bent Creek Golf Course. The four-person scramble will begin with a light lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Cost: $115 per person. Info or to register: Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, 335-3312...

Howard, Glasscock capture senior title The team of Dave Howard and George Glasscock scored a 59 to win the championship flight of the senior two-man scramble at the Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course. The team of Clinton Ruppel and Robert Hedden was second with a 63, while Ray Wilhelm and Harold Schott shot a 64...

BOULDER, Colo. -- Someone tossed a firebomb into a fraternity house about a block from the University of Colorado, setting off a brawl in a nearby alley that sent one man to the hospital, police said. The firebomb early Friday caused no injuries or significant damage, and residents had put the blaze out by the time firefighters arrived, police spokeswoman Sarah Huntley said...

SUZHOU, China -- She's around 80 years old. He's 100. Breathless scientists watched as the world's most endangered turtles successfully mated. But the attempt to breed the species' last known female with the last known male in China has failed because the eggs didn't hatch, disappointed conservationists said Saturday...

MONROEVILLE, Pa. -- Clergy and lay members of the Pittsburgh diocese have voted to break from the Episcopal Church. The Pittsburgh diocese is one of several that disagree with the U.S. church regarding Biblical teachings on salvation and issues including homosexuality...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n A 16-year-old boy was cited into juvenile court for false declaration and curfew violation. n Derek D. Renshaw, 18, 1700 County Road 651, was arrested on suspicion of being a minor in possession of alcohol by consumption...

RENO, Nev. -- The sky was clear that morning, the wind light. Steve Fossett took off alone from hotel magnate Barron Hilton's ranch about 70 miles southeast of Reno in a blue and white stunt plane with orange stripes and blue sunbursts on the wings...

JERUSALEM -- In Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, where the rule of law sometimes takes a back seat to the rule of God, zealots are on a campaign to stamp out behavior they consider unchaste. They hurl stones at women for such "sins" as wearing a red blouse, and attack stores selling devices that can access the Internet...

DEAUVILLE, France -- Armed pirates aboard fast-moving skiffs have increasingly turned the shipping lanes off Somalia into a lucrative hunting grounds: commandeering vessels large and small and leaving the world's maritime powers frustrated about how to stop the seafaring bandits...

HERMITAGE, Mo. -- Recently retired, Floyd and Gail Worley aren't supposed to be worried about the economy. They have no jobs to lose, after all. But low interest rates and falling stock prices have put their retirement savings in jeopardy. So is the economy an important factor in their choice for president?...

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas hopes its newest museum will be a hit. The city is opening The (redacted) Museum: The Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, which will showcase southern Nevada's colorful and storied past in organized crime...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is doing its best to stay out of the spotlight in the final days of the presidential campaign and while the other two branches of government struggle to deal with turmoil in the financial markets. The justices open their new term Monday with no cases on abortion, race or other social issues that might split the court and the nation...

Bicyclists galore arrived in downtown Cape Girardeau Saturday morning for the ninth Tour de Cape. Many riders brought friends and relatives. The fundraiser drew 321 cyclists, nearly 50 more than last year, who spent $15 to pedal one of four long-distance routes, ranging from 15 to 100 miles. ...

Community leaders often refer to Southeast Missouri State University as a "teaching institution," as the faculty's primary role is instruction. While faculty are encouraged to conduct research, widespread recognition of progress is infrequent. So when Dr. Ken Dobbins mentioned two professors' attempts to develop new medications during his presidential "State of the University" address, it drew attention...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Missouri unleashed 30 years of pent-up frustration on Nebraska. The 52-17 final score said as much. Chase Daniel threw three touchdown passes, Derrick Washington ran for 139 yards and scored three times and the fourth-ranked Tigers beat the overmatched Cornhuskers late Saturday night for their first win in Lincoln since 1978...

The University of Missouri Extension will offer a Missouri Business and Farm Income Tax School on Oct. 23 in Cape Girardeau to educate tax preparers and lawyers on the latest tax information issues with an emphasis on business and farm taxation. Area and national agricultural business specialists and disaster coordinators will teach the classes. ...

Modern Woodmen announces awards Krysten Price and Ginger Dunn received Modern Woodmen of America's Sure Start Stage 1 award, given to employees who have achieved a certain production level in their first 90 days. Ken Volkerding was the recipient of two company awards for the month of September. ...

Thursday afternoon, I learned Grace Cafe is closing Oct. 15 because the coffee shop at 818 Broadway wasn't doing well financially. I know some of you have stopped there for a cup of coffee, conversation or a sandwich at lunchtime, as I have. The cafe is the latest victim to the tough economic times in Cape Girardeau. ...

A weak economy isn't just affecting people. Dogs, cats, rabbits and goats are feeling the downturn as well. The cash-strapped Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau, has been forced to take measures such as purchasing food for its animals, which normally would have been provided by donations...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI n Rasheena Jean Dykes, 23, 2447 Route B, Oak Ridge, Mo., was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Arrests n Perry Lloyd Harkey, 52, 1230 Sailer Circle, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for nonsupport...

BOSTON (AP) -- Francisco Rodriguez's biggest save of a record-breaking season came in a tie game. Rodriguez wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th inning, Mike Napoli hit two early homers before scoring the go-ahead run in the 12th and the Los Angeles Angels avoided another playoff sweep by beating the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Sunday night...

CHICAGO -- Thanks to John Danks and the White Sox, Chicago still has one team standing. Danks pitched another big game to save the season and well-traveled DeWayne Wise delivered a two-run double as the White Sox beat Tampa Bay 5-3 Sunday, trimming the Rays' lead in their American League Division Series to 2-1...

LAS VEGAS -- O.J. Simpson is being isolated from other prisoners for his own safety, and is focusing on a motion for new trial and a strong bid for appellate reversal of his conviction for kidnapping and robbery, his attorney said Sunday. Attorney Yale Galanter said he will continue to pursue a request for Simpson to be released on bond pending appeal...

Paula Creamer calmly won her biggest LPGA Tour title yet, holding off a large pack in the 20-player Samsung World Championship in Half Moon Bay, Calif. Playing near her hometown of Pleasanton, Calif., the 22-year-old Creamer beat Song-Hee Kim by a stroke Sunday, closing with a bogey-free 3-under 69 for a 9-under 279 total. Creamer earned $250,000 for her fourth title of the year and eighth overall...

CHICAGO -- Warning: young children should not keep hedgehogs as pets -- or hamsters, baby chicks, lizards and turtles, for that matter -- because of risks for disease. That's according to the nation's leading pediatricians group in a new report about dangers from exotic animals...

ANGOLA, La. -- It was an ordinary childhood practice turned into a special middle-aged memory -- early mornings in the kitchen with his mother, sharing the rich coffee and chicory blend so beloved in Louisiana. His mother died while he was in Louisiana State Penitentiary, but their morning ritual evoked a story he tearfully shared with a group of fellow prisoners as a student of the Dale Carnegie self-improvement course...

BAGHDAD -- Egypt sent its foreign minister to Iraq on Sunday for the first time in nearly two decades in a sign of growing Arab acceptance of the country's Shiite-led government. In the north, 11 people including women and children died during a U.S. raid on a house in Mosul, where an extremist detonated a suicide vest -- a reminder that Iraq still faces security challenges despite the drop in violence...

Smoking gun I WOULD like to pass on some advice an elderly friend gave me many years ago. She said if you ever have to pull a gun on somebody, make sure it's smoking when you do. I've never had to pull a gun on anybody, thank goodness, but I've never forgotten her message either. And believe me, if anybody's ever pointing a gun at me and I have to pull one, it's going to be smoking...

SALT LAKE CITY — Rattlesnakes aren't to be trifled with, but if you're trying to collect the sound of every creature in the West that slithers, hops, flies or flops, distance isn't a luxury you can afford. "You get yourself in some strange situations," said Jeff Rice, a soft-spoken University of Utah research librarian who's trying to create the first comprehensive — and free to the public — archive of natural sounds in the West...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Here's a safe bet for uncertain times: A lot of banks won't survive the next year of upheaval despite the U.S. government's $700 billion plan to restore order to the financial industry. The biggest question is how many will perish and how they will be put out of their misery -- in outright closures by regulators scrambling to preserve the dwindling deposit insurance fund or in fire sales made under government pressure...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Roswell, N.M., is usually more associated with little green men than with greenbacks. But nine residents brought different attention to the town Friday when they claimed a Powerball jackpot worth more than $200 million. Holly Baldwin bought the tickets at a gas station two hours before the Sept. 27 drawing. Her group decided to take a lump payment of more than $100 million...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A man was arrested Friday morning following a high-speed chase that began in Morehouse, Mo., and ended on Interstate 55, just north of Sikeston. According to DPS officials, the pursuit began late Friday morning in Morehouse after the suspect allegedly stole alcohol from a business there. Officers followed him into Sikeston on Highway 114, then drove onto Interstate 55. He was taken into custody around the 73-mile marker...

NEW YORK -- The world's financial markets face an uncertain and possibly volatile week as investors await details about how the Treasury will implement the government's financial rescue package -- and watch for any further fallout from the credit crisis around the globe...

NAIROBI, Kenya -- With a Russian frigate closing in and a half-dozen U.S. warships within shouting distance, the pirates holding a tanker off Somalia's coast might appear to have no other choice than to wave the white flag. But that's not how it works in Somalia, where a quarter of children die before they turn 5, where anybody with a gun controls the streets and where every public institution has crumbled...

DEXTER, Mo. -- In early September, the Stoddard County Ambulance District sent two ambulance units and five people to Texas to help with relief efforts following Hurricane Ike. The group returned last week. Working out of a command center in San Antonio, the workers helped with evacuations before Ike and helped transport people back to the coast after the storm had passed...

The news just keeps getting worse for the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball program. As reported last week, Mark Caviness -- Southeast's co-top signee for the 2008-09 season -- did not meet NCAA eligibility requirements and will not play for the Redhawks this year...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday: n At 7:54 p.m., alarm sounding at 2001 N. Kingshighway. n At 8:01 p.m., box alarm at West Rodney and Bevin drives. n At 8:54 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1200 block of Sailer Circle...

BEIJING -- China's food safety watchdog said Sunday no traces of the industrial chemical melamine were found in new tests of milk powder sold domestically, as officials sought to restore public trust in milk supplies. The tests of 129 batches of baby milk powder and 212 batches of other kinds of milk powder showed they were free from melamine contamination, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on its website...

25 years ago: Oct. 6, 1983 Business at the home office of Centerre Bank, Independence Street and Mount Auburn Road, will begin Tuesday morning; records and cash are moved over the three-day weekend from the present main office at Broadway and Main Street; also part of the weekend changeover will be the closing of the bank's West Park facility...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The ballot measure is called the "Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Funding Initiative." But at least at first, not all schools actually would get money from it. In fact, about one-quarter of Missouri's public school students attend class in districts that are projected to get nothing next year from the ballot measure...

CHICAGO -- Now, it's an even 100 years for the Chicago Cubs. The team that posted the best record in the National League is picking up the pieces again after three horrendous performances that resulted in a sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opening round of the playoffs...

WASHINGTON -- Hurricane Ike's winds and massive waves destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks and punctured pipelines. The environmental damage only now is becoming apparent: At least a half million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes, bayous and bays of Louisiana and Texas, according to an analysis of federal data by The Associated Press...

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Officials at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale say they've exceeded their $100 million goal in a six-year fundraising campaign. About $106 million has been raised. The money was announced at an evening event late Friday. ...

MILWAUKEE -- With plenty of power to go with their improved pitching, the Philadelphia Phillies are ready for anything in the NL championship series. Bring on the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I like our chances," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Sunday after Philadelphia clinched its first trip to the NLCS since 1993 with a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers...

East team wins Hieronymos Cup The East team defeated the West squad 16-12 in the Hieronymos Cup, a Missouri Golf Association match-play event hosted Saturday and Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. The format consisted of 28 matches overall — seven 4-ball, seven alternate shot and 14 singles...

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkish warplanes have bombed Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq, the military said Sunday, two days after rebels killed 15 soldiers in an attack staged partly from Iraqi soil. The planes on Saturday bombed rebel hideouts in Iraq's Avasin Basyan region and returned safely to their bases, the military said...

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. -- California officials say recovery efforts around the site of adventurer Steve Fossett's downed plane might not resume until summer. Snowfall ended the search in the Sierra Nevada on Friday. Madera County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Erica Stuart says she does not expect weather conditions to improve enough for crews to return to the site this year...

NEW YORK -- Shock jock Howard Stern has embraced tradition. The radio talk show host known for hosting porn stars married his longtime girlfriend, Beth Ostrosky, on Friday. "I can't wait to marry Howard," she told Newsday before the ceremony at Manhattan's tony Le Cirque restaurant, adding, "I know, everyone laughs!"...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The crime was a shock even to a community that had seen its share of slayings: a little girl's headless body found in the woods. Seven years later, testimony begins against the man accused of killing a 3-year-old who became known to locals as "Precious Doe."...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was fatally injured after his vehicle struck a tree late Thursday. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety reported that Tyrone Sheron, 29, died as a result of a one-vehicle accident on Ann Street in Sikeston. At 11:33 p.m. ...

October is such a busy month, what with Halloween decorating, stalking candy bargains, getting yourself registered to vote by the Wednesday deadline and reminding every woman you know to get a mammogram. But take a minute, perhaps now, to test the smoke detectors in your house...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri revenue declined for the second straight month in September. State figures released Friday show that net general revenue for September was down by 1.2 percent compared with September 2007. Through the first three months of the fiscal year, revenue was 0.9 percent behind 2007. ...

CHICAGO -- More children died from flu last year because they also had staph infections, according to a new government report that urges parents to have their children get the flu shot. The number of deaths wasn't high -- 73 during the 2006-07 flu season -- but there was more than a fivefold increase in hard-to-treat complications. And preliminary figures indicate deaths rose again during this past winter's flu season...

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Tony Stewart ended his frustrating winless season Sunday by earning his first Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway when NASCAR ruled Regan Smith's last-lap pass was illegal. Smith was in second and trailed Stewart for the final three laps around Talladega, and the rookie made one desperate attempt to grab his first career victory by ducking inside of the two-time champion to attempt a pass...

Few world news events in recent years have held the attention of so many individuals than the current economic situation. As government officials around the globe struggle to take whatever action will stabilize credit markets and restore confidence, there is a tendency to look for signs of problems close to home rather than in financial capitals...

The fugitive apprehension team Steven R. Julian worked for when he shot and killed Zachary C. Snyder in Cape Girardeau last February has been disbanded, and the new unit, now run by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, will have several new resources and powers available...

Peyton Manning turned a colossal collapse by the Houston Texans into a stunning victory for the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts scored 21 points in a late span of 2:10 -- two touchdowns thanks to fumbles by quarterback Sage Rosenfels -- then intercepted Rosenfels' last-ditch comeback attempt for a 31-27 win Sunday...

This was a photo I took of my niece on her wedding day, Sept. 13, 2003. We were out at Cape County Park and they were headed for their reception. She rolled down the window of the limo and flashed this beautiful smile. This picture pretty much summed up the day...perfect! It was a moment to remember!...

DEXTER, Mo. — The war in Iraq has affected a multitude of people in a multitude of ways and an effort is currently underway, involving one of Dexter's own, geared toward improving the lives of some of Iraq's innocent victims. The efforts are taking place through a program called "Operation Care and Share."...

The highlights of Delmar Witt's life recently have included a fishing trip and, on Sunday, an afternoon with friends, riders from the "Macho Run" Bikers Helping Veterans poker run. Witt, a former U.S. Air Force master sergeant, lives at the Missouri Veterans Home...

At the end of a ceremony that mixed personal remembrance of Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. and allusions to the difficulties of constructing the building named in his honor, family members and dignitaries cut the ribbon at Cape Girardeau's new federal courthouse...

Sister Pugs born March 18,2008, Crissy and Cissy, owned by Brenda Hargrave and Chris, Michelle and Christopher Cannon of Dexter MO. We call them OUR GIRLS!!

It’s not every day that siblings join the Army, but it happens. It’s less common for a brother and sister to join together. Even less common is that one of the siblings had to lose 46 pounds to join. Brother and sister, Brent and Nikkia Sauceda, of Jackson, MO, joined the Army together on October 3, 2008. ...

Though hand-carving one's own weapon or tool isn't common these days, there are individuals who keep the crafts alive and teach others how they would survive had they lived just a few hundred years ago on the Missouri frontier. The Cape Girardeau Nature Center is hosting long bow and primitive arrow making workshops in October, taught by Scott Kelley of Cape Girardeau, and A.J. Hendershott of Marble Hill...

Local and federal authorities continue to investigate a bank robbery that occurred Monday afternoon at the Bank of Missouri of 372 S. Kingshighway, and a suspect hasn't yet been arrested. Cape Girardeau police received a call at 12:08 p.m., that a male suspect entered the bank, approached an available teller, and slipped a note across the desk, according to Cpl. Jason Selzer, spokesman for the police department...

Neal E. Boyd sent the letter below to the people of his hometown, Sikeston, Mo., last week. Dear Sikeston, How do I begin? The support that the community has given me has been greatly appreciated by both my family and I over the last 32 years. ...

SCOTT COUNTY, Mo. - A Cape Girardeau man was injured Sunday morning as the vehicle he was driving ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a creek embankment off Interstate 55, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol crash reports Website. The 2001 Toyota driven by Robert A. Cunningham, 20, was totaled...

Senior discounts aren't just for restaurants and theater tickets anymore. In Illinois, members of the 65-plus crowd can receive free public transportation. A new law went into effect in January requiring all fixed-route mass transit systems to offer transportation free of cost to riders ages 65 and up...

Calendar Today n Breast-feeding class: 3 to 4:30 p.m. Southeast Missouri Hospital meeting room 107. The class covers topics such as the benefits and techniques of breast feeding, family involvement and support. To register, call 332-1587. n Childbirth refresher class: 6 to 8 p.m. Southeast Missouri Hospital meeting room 107. The class is a one-session review of labor, delivery, interventions and sibling rivalry issues. To register, call 332-1587...

Harold Earl "Doc" Heilig, 83, of Pulaski, Ill., died Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Heilig was born in Pulaski on Dec. 3, 1924, son of the late Warren William Heilig Sr., and Edna Earl (Hennington) Heilig. Mr. Heilig was a World War II Navy veteran; a member and Elder of the Pulaski Christian Church; charter and lifetime member of the VFW Post No. ...

Patton, Mo. -- Sarah Jane Masters, 85, of Patton died Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, at her home. She was born Dec. 22, 1922, in Patton, daughter of Henry John and Pernecia Jane Statler Bahnerd. She and Winford Floyd Masters were married Sept. 21, 1950. He died Nov. 27, 1996...

LIBERAL, Kan. -- James "Jim" Amann, 81, formerly of Jackson, died Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008, at his residence in Liberal. He was born May 3, 1927, in Milwaukee, son of Arthur Ethan and Lillian (Kress) Luedtke. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Ludwig Amann. He and Bernice Mary Mackin were married July 17, 1948, in Milwaukee...

When the sixth season of NBC's dieting reality show, "The Biggest Loser," started, Beth Bushnell Danielson of Elk Grove, Calif., was in front of the tube. Bushnell Danielson has drawn inspiration from "The Biggest Loser." In fact, when she first starting watching, she would get on the floor and do exercises. ...

CHICAGO -- The economy isn't the only thing that's sagging -- so are faces, breasts and bellies as would-be cosmetic surgery patients increasingly opt against costly nips and tucks because of tough financial times. Anecdotal reports and a recent unscientific survey from an industry trade group suggest many cosmetic surgeons have been seeing a drop-off in costly operations, some by as much as 30 percent or more...

Southeast Missouri State has an open date this week, exactly halfway through its 12-game football schedule. Coach Tony Samuel believes the break from competition comes at a good time for the Redhawks. "Right now it's good, coming off that long trip [to Jacksonville State], and there are a few guys nicked up we need to get healed up," Samuel said during his weekly media conference Monday...

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team has finally notched its first victory of the season. Southeast held off host Alabama A&M 2-1 on Sunday in Huntsville, Ala. The Redhawks improved to 1-6-2, while Alabama A&M fell to 2-7. Southeast, which had scored just three goals in its first eight matches, found the net twice in Sunday's opening 17 minutes...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Unbeaten Missouri's offense is so potent, players rib well-rested punter Jake Harry that he's a waste of a scholarship. The third-ranked Tigers did not need Harry at all Saturday against Nebraska, and most of their 10 punts on the season have come during garbage time...

Six individuals and the 1990-91 women's basketball team that finished second in the nation comprise Southeast Missouri State's 2008 Hall of Fame inductees. The university's seventh Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Dec. 5 at the Show Me Center...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri and Nebraska have both investigated the spitting incident that allegedly occurred before their game on Saturday and both head coaches say it's time to move on. "We communicated with Nebraska yesterday," Missouri's Gary Pinkel said Monday during the Big 12 coaches call. "As far as I'm concerned, from the University of Missouri's standpoint, it's a dead issue. I'm not going to comment on it."...

Today n Bosom Buddies: 6:30 p.m. HealthPoint Plaza in Cape. This group is open to all women who have or have had breast cancer.

Lauren Reinagel and the Notre Dame softball team turned in another stellar performance Monday. Reinagel pitched her sixth no-hitter of the season as the Bulldogs rolled past visiting North County 8-0. Reinagel struck out 11 batters and walked three as she improved her personal record to 22-0. The Bulldogs are 23-0...

BEIJING -- China's official Xinhua News Agency says 30 people are dead after an earthquake struck Tibet. The news agency said Monday a magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit a county near Tibet's capital Lhasa. The U.S. Geological Survey said there were two quakes. The first measured magnitude 6.6 and struck at 4:30 p.m. 50 miles west of Lhasa, more than 1,600 miles away from Beijing...

BAGHDAD -- The 38-year-old teacher wanted to participate in Iraq's first provincial elections in four years -- until she realized that a new law would require the ballot to list her name, not just her party. Even as violence has declined, lingering fear bred by rampant crime and a small but die-hard insurgency has left many Iraqi women afraid to run in the elections, to be held by Jan. 31...

ST. LOUIS -- From hot-button issues in the newspaper to the fermented beer in the fridge, Americans are surrounded by science all the time. The St. Louis Science Center is launching a festival this week to help people better understand, and enjoy, the ways that science plays a role in everyday lives...

TBILISI, Georgia -- Russian forces stepped up preparations Monday to withdraw from bases and checkpoints surrounding two separatist regions in Georgia, four days before a deadline being closely watched by the West. Moscow must pull back thousands of troops from buffer zones surrounding South Ossetia and Abkhazia by Friday under the terms of a deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Russia left troops in the areas after they routed Georgian forces during an August war...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Maude C. Cossou, 95, of Bell City died Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, at Advance Nursing Home in Advance, Mo. She was born April 27, 1913 in Bell City, daughter of Robert and Mattie Straney Overbey. She and Charles Cossou were married in January 1932 in Benton, Mo. He died July 13, 1999...

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nearly two months after 370 animals were taken from a property in southwest Missouri, some of those animals are now finding new homes. The Humane Society of Missouri and a fish hatchery gained custody of the animals last month. On Sunday, dozens of them were put up for adoption. The animals were seized in August in Polk County...

WASHINGTON -- Three days after providing a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street, Congress is holding its first hearing into what caused the nation's financial markets to collapse last month. Monday's hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will focus on Lehman Brothers, the giant investment bank that declared bankruptcy three weeks ago, setting off a panic that within days had President Bush and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson asking Congress to pass the rescue plan...

After nearly two decades and more than $62 million in construction costs, the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. Federal Courthouse in Cape Girardeau was dedicated Monday. The major steps in the completion of the project were: n 1991: U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson requests a feasibility study for a new federal courthouse for Cape Girardeau...

Two French scientists who discovered the AIDS virus and a German who defied convention in showing a viral cause for cervical cancer shared the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for breakthroughs that have led to lifesaving drugs and a vaccine. Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier of France were cited for their discovery of HIV in 1983. ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: n At 6:25 p.m., emergency medical service in the 900 block of Benton Street. n At 6:33 p.m., an alarm at Themis Street and North Fredierck street. n At 6:35 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1400 block of Perry Road...

Oxford, Miss., the home of Ole Miss, is a place at ease with itself. If only the northern media elite could reconcile Oxford with something beyond their own racial terms, the nation could move forward. As they rail against prejudice in others, the media choose to see Ole Miss framed in their own preconceived narrative of police with fire hoses and German shepherds -- or worse, Fox's Shepard Smith...

CHICAGO -- They rushed toward the mound, these remarkable Rays, and immediately formed a circle. Jumping together like fraternity brothers, they resembled party regulars in the postseason. Worst in the majors last year, Tampa Bay will play for a spot in the World Series...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Authorities arrested three men during a traffic stop outside Dexter, Mo., this morning who they believe are responsible for robbing another man at gunpoint at the Poplar Bluff Pear Tree Inn. "At approximately 9:05 [a.m.], we received a call from the Pear Tree Inn desk clerk, who stated a male victim had been robbed," said Poplar Bluff Police Detective Leigh Raymer, who thinks the victim may have been a hotel guest. ...

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox brushed aside the 100-win Angels in four games, dismissing their best-in-baseball regular season as last month's news. When it turns to October, no one dominates like Boston. Moments after the Angels botched a suicide squeeze, Jason Bay slid headfirst into home plate to score on rookie Jed Lowrie's two-out single in the ninth inning. ...

Internet safety program to be held in Jackson The Jackson School District will hold a presentation for parents called "Internet Safety, Harassment & Bullying: What Parents Can Do to Help" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Jackson High School library. For more information or to sign up, call 243-9501...

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan -- A powerful earthquake struck the mountains of Central Asia, destroying a village in Kyrgyzstan and killing at least 72 people, emergency officials said Monday. The 6.6-magnitude quake near the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan hit the remote village of Nura hard, bringing down dozens of buildings and injuring more than 100 people in addition to the confirmed deaths, Emergency Situations Minister Kamchybek Tashiyev said...

LOS ANGELES -- In the midst of the Los Angeles Dodgers' wild champagne celebration, a dripping Manny Ramirez had a message for future postseason opponents. "We did it once," the dreadlocked slugger screamed. "Believe me, we can do it again." The way they dominated the long-suffering Chicago Cubs in their NL division series, the Dodgers certainly appear to have what it takes to beat anyone, starting with the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL championship series...

A Cape Girardeau man was injured Sunday morning as the vehicle he was driving ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a creek embankment off Interstate 55, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The 2001 Toyota driven by Robert A. Cunningham, 20, was totaled...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrest n Jeffrey Fisher Rose, 44, 537 N. Sprigg St., Apt. B, was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault. Summons...

WASHINGTON -- Running short on time, John McCain has the most riding on the second presidential debate, though Barack Obama will be out of his scripted comfort zone in the town hall-style confrontation. It could be ugly if Monday's tussling is any indication...

WILLIAMS, Calif. -- A bus driver with a string of motor vehicle offenses and a history of substance abuse was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Monday after his casino-bound charter bus ran into a ditch, killing eight people. Investigators also said the bus had an invalid license plate, and they were looking into whether the driver had proper permits to operate the vehicle. ...

Marble Hill, Mo. -- Hattie Mae Plouvier, 88, of Jackson and formerly Marble Hill, died Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, at Jackson Manor in Jackson. She was born Feb. 21, 1920, at New Altenburg, Mo., daughter of John Henry and Ellen Thompson Wiley. She and Bino Plouvier were married May 9, 1937. He died June 13, 1972...

Protecting animals from cruelty and neglect has long been the aim of organizations around the globe. In the United States, there have been agencies looking after animal welfare for well over a century, including the Humane Society of Missouri based in St. Louis, which dates back to 1870...

Cape Girardeau County coroner John Clifton has released the name of a Jackson man who died in a tractor rollover accident Monday evening. Richard Laird was operating a tractor on Monday when he backed into a deep ravine, causing the tractor to overturn and pinning him under the tractor. ...

NEW YORK -- Stephen Colbert was raised in South Carolina to be a Southern gentleman. But he spends his days being a jerk. It must be tough. Not really, says the Comedy Central star. "I was taught to be nice, so it's not in my nature to be a jerk," he told a crowd of fans over the weekend at the New Yorker Festival. "But I do enjoy it."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Matt Blunts wants federal disaster aid for last month's flooding from Hurricane Ike. The governor's office estimated Monday that flooding caused $11.8 million in damage to public infrastructure in parts of Missouri...

Earl Winder, 76, of Jackson died Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

Beyond belief NEAL BOYD is unbelievable. His voice is beyond belief. I can't wait to buy his CD. He should know he has a talent which no other singer can top. He brings joy and tenderness to our hearts when we listen to the reruns of "America's Got Talent."...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- The two men who supposedly exemplified a different kind of politics are engaged in an increasingly bitter campaign as character attacks are emerging to compete with issues like the troubled economy. With the election four weeks away, chances dimmed that Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama could reclaim the often lofty images they cultivated early in their presidential bids as their campaigns focused new attention Monday on decades-old events involving a former radical from Chicago and a convicted thrift store owner from Arizona.. ...

Raymond Charles Leible Sr., 93, of Sikeston, Mo., died Oct. 4, 2008, at his home. He was born Jan. 20, 1915, at Kelso, Mo., son of William Theodore and Emma Goetz Leible. He and Beulah Dempster were married Nov. 18, 1939, at Cape Girardeau. Leible was a retired J.I. Case farm implement dealer. He was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and a charter member of Council 3151 of the Knights of Columbus...

An executive dispelled rumors Monday that Southeast Missouri State University plans to use current property or purchase property with the immediate intent of building a new campus entrance. Parking is more of a priority, said Wayne Smith, executive director of Southeast's foundation. With a swelling student body and a dorm under construction, parking is at a premium, he said...

MIAMI -- Evel Knievel never denied his scrapes with the law -- the late motorcycle daredevil often reveled in them. But even he objected to a 1970s FBI investigation of whether he was involved in a string of beatings. According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, the federal government came close to charging Knievel, who in turn threatened to sue the FBI for alleging he was connected to a crime syndicate. Neither followed through...

ST. LOUIS -- As if an 0-4 start wasn't bad enough, things got even worse for the St. Louis Rams on Monday with the news that tight end Randy McMichael will be lost for the rest of the season. McMichael suffered a broken tibia and torn ligament in his right leg in the Rams' 31-14 loss to Buffalo on Sept. 28. On Monday, the team decided to put him on injured reserve, ending his 2008 season...

Emergency personnel responded to a report of a rescue needed at 6:30 p.m. Monday on Greensferry Road in Jackson. On arrival, they learned there had been a tractor rollover. An adult male was later pronounced dead by Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton...

ST. LOUIS -- The American Mustache Institute is looking for the country's best 'stache. The St. Louis-based tongue-in-cheek group on Monday opened voting for its "Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year" award, naming 16 finalists. Among them: Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi and former baseball MVP Keith Hernandez...

WASHINGTON -- On Day One, the $700 billion plan didn't help. Just the opposite. The government's huge rescue package, aimed at rebuilding economic confidence in the U.S. and around the world, appeared to sound a global alarm instead on Monday, the first trading day after Congress approved the measure last Friday with fanfare and President Bush signed it...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden is coming back to Missouri, a week after debating his GOP rival in St. Louis. A campaign spokeswoman said only that Biden will stump in the state on Thursday and Friday. The trip comes as polls show Democrat Barack Obama pulling even with Republican John McCain in Missouri...

Virginia Matthews Crockett, 95, of Kirkwood, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home...

25 years ago: Oct. 7, 1983 What some believe to be Cape Girar­deau's oldest tree — an American Elm at 1455 Rose Ave. — is being cut down by the Cape Tree Service, the victim of Dutch elm disease. The executive vice president of the Centerre Bank of Columbia, Mo., has been nominated to succeed Bill M. Stanfield as president and executive officer of Centerre Bank of Cape Girardeau; the nomination of Maurice R. Standfort will be submitted Oct. 17 to the bank's board of directors...

For nearly two hours Monday night, members of the Cape Girardeau County road and bridge advisory board combed through a recap of the 2008 road projects with one goal in mind: paving more roads in 2009. The county spent more than $1.9 million to improve about 14 miles of road this year. Another seven miles were ready for grading, but the work would cost $560,000. Only $116,080 remains available in the county paving account funded by Proposition 1...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Transitioning children into kindergarten and into making their own choices are among the goals of early childhood education programs, which also promote greater parental involvement, increased social skills, ability to focus and creativity...

NEW YORK -- Wall Street joined in a worldwide cascade of despair Monday over the financial crisis, driving the Dow Jones industrials to their biggest loss ever during a trading day. Even a big afternoon rally failed to keep the Dow from its first close below 10,000 since 2004...

At a jury trial Friday before Associate Circuit Judge Scott E. Thomsen, one man was found guilty of driving while intoxicated, and another, after he failed to show up for jury duty, was found to be intoxicated. Curtis D. Lemons, 50, of 33 N. Ellis St., Apt. A, had received a summons to appear as a prospective juror to hear the case against Billy L. Blackman, 62, who was being tried on his first DWI offense...

NEW ORLEANS — Ryan Longwell's 30-yard field goal with 13 seconds left lifted the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 comeback victory over the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, spoiling a record-tying performance by Reggie Bush. Bush returned two punts for touchdowns — one 71 yards, one 64 — as the Saints, who trailed by 10 points in the second quarter, took a 27-20 lead in the fourth quarter. ...

Troubles on Main Street, not losses on Wall Street, spurred U.S. Sen. Kit Bond and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson to vote in favor of the $700 billion rescue package, the two Republican lawmakers said Monday. After taking part in the dedication ceremony for the new U.S. courthouse, Emerson and Bond, in separate interviews, said they were pushed to approve the bank rescue plan by insight from economists and reports from constituents that credit was drying up...

The suspect in a bank heist at noon Monday at the Bank of Missouri is still at large, police say. Cape Girardeau police received a call at 12:08 p.m. to respond to 372 N. Kingshighway because of a report of a robbery at the bank. Surveillance video captured a photo of a man sliding a note across the desk of a bank teller, and witnesses told police the suspect showed a handgun when he committed the robbery, according to Cpl. Jason Selzer, spokesman for the police department...

At the end of a ceremony that mixed personal remembrance of Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. and allusions to the difficulties of constructing the building named in his honor, family members and dignitaries cut the ribbon at Cape Girardeau's new federal courthouse...

Content: Dear Sam: I currently own and run a very successful consulting business on a part-time basis. I also maintain a full-time job. My question is how do I incorporate my skills and experience gained from my own business onto my résumé. The work experience is tremendous. - Shawn...

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team will conclude fall practice with its annual Steak & Beans World Series. Southeast will divide its roster for the best-of-seven intrasquad competition that features the winning team being treated to a steak dinner and the losing squad receiving baked beans...

The first game didn't go well for the Perryville volleyball team Tuesday. But the Pirates rallied to knock off Hillsboro in three games. Ava Johnson spiked 14 kills in the win as Perryville kept rolling, pushing its record to 20-7-1. Samantha Amberger added nine kills and Ashley Grogg helped out with nine digs for the Pirates...

Candace Quinn learned a lot about fire safety while growing up in a family of firefighters. She learned the most after escaping from her burning home in 2002. Quinn, chief strategist for Southeast Missouri Hospital, wrote a 90-page book, "I Survived a House Fire ... I Wish My Stuff Had," filled with 200 tips for homeowners...

John Kipper competed in the Duathlon World Championships in Rimini, Italy on September 28, 2008 with 900 competitors from around the world. He joined 216 members of Team USA after qualifying in a national competition in Ohio in 2007. John received a bronze medal for coming in 3rd in his age group and was the first American to finish allowing him to proudly carry the American flag across the finish line. ...

This is the covered bridge at the State Park in Burfordville, Mo.

A tugboat passed under the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge Sunday, as seen from the River Campus.

Voter registrations in some Southeast Missouri counties have already set records, and prospective voters have one more day to add to the surge. Cape Girardeau County has 50,996 registered voters as of Tuesday afternoon, a number that has increased by 1,636 since the Aug. 5 primary, County Clerk Kara Clark said. That number is more than 1,000 more than the previous high point, set in 2006...

Trinity Lutheran thanks everyone who stopped at their booth at the SEMO District Fair booth. Winners of the crosses were Bambi Wheeler from Doniphan, Aaron Eaton from Scott City and Nancy Kester from Cape Girardeau.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Eleven teenagers traveled to Perry County, Saturday, Oct. 4, to participate in wild caving for the first time in their lives. The "Caving in Conservation" program was one of the monthly "Racers" programs offered by the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center for 12 to 17 year olds...

The Cape Girardeau School District will spend up to $175,000 this school year to send Central Middle School students to private tutoring sessions. The federal government requires the district to offer "supplemental services" because for three consecutive years middle school students did not meet proficiency standards in communication arts...

The Missouri Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday to uphold the conviction of a Cape Girardeau man for driving while intoxicated but remanded his case for sentencing because of a change in state law reflecting how a prior and persistent DWI offender can be charged...

An Oran, Mo., man was taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital Tuesday morning following a one-vehicle crash on Bloomfield Road, two miles south of Cape Girardeau.Michael A. Bollinger, 19, received moderate injuries when his vehicle ran off the road and overturned shortly before 7 a.m. ...

Here's a test of the afternoon news email. There's a really neat story on our site right now that cuts to the heart of the biofuel debate. Biofuel companies throughout the Midwest are really struggling right now, including some here in Southeast Missouri. Click here to read more about it. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- City residents seem to be in favor of making Sikeston a "quiet zone" for trains passing through although there are some questions they would like to see answered first. A public hearing on the proposed quiet zone for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad was held during the regular Sikeston City Council meeting Monday. ...

The Cape Girardeau recycling drop-off facility will switch to winter hours beginning next week. The drop-off center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 2007 Southern Expressway for city solid waste customers. Summer hours that include allowing for Saturday drop-offs will end this weekend. Summer hours will resume on April 4...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A pair of Georgia men were back in the Butler County jail today after felony charges were filed against them in connection with an alleged robbery of a friend at the Pear Tree Inn. Erntavious Bernard Martin, 23, of Albany, Ga., and Clayton Pierce Davis, 23, of Leesburg, Ga., were booked into jail after their arrests at 10:30 a.m. ...

Fresh off its first place finish in the Arkansas State University Playday on Sept. 27, the Scott City volleyball team blasted through three more teams last week to improve to 21-1-2. Brooke Simpson played a big role in the Rams‚ recent success...

Central's Zach Zaruba has had more opportunities to score goals the past four games after being moved from midfielder to striker. And he has scored often. During that stretch, the senior has netted 10 goals, including two Wednesday to help Central rout SEMO Conference opponent Perryville 7-1 at Central High School...

Perryville dropped its Class 3 District 2 opener 6-3 to Herculaneum on Wednesday. The Pirates finished their season 9-14. The Class 4 District 1 tournament was postponed for a day because of wet field conditions. Jackson is scheduled to play Sikeston at 6 p.m. today in Poplar Bluff...

Last week: Poplar Bluff 21, Central 20; Windsor (Imperial) 33, Seckman 28. Last year's meeting: The two teams did not play each other last year. Outlook: Central and Seckman, two winless football programs, meet tonight. The Tigers lost by one point to SEMO conference opponent Poplar Bluff last Friday night at home. ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Ohio Valley Conference's men's basketball coaches and sports information directors expect Southeast Missouri State's free-fall to continue. That group voted the Redhawks eighth among 10 teams as the OVC preseason poll was announced at the league's media day Wednesday...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Unlike last year, Southeast Missouri State's women are not the Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorites. But coach John Ishee doesn't see any reason why the Redhawks can't continue their impressive OVC run. The Redhawks are a perfect two-for-two in OVC regular-season titles since Ishee took over the program. He believes they have the personnel to emerge again with a championship...

Steve Koch, 56, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Oct, 7, 2008, at Monticello House in Jackson. He was born Aug. 7, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, son of J.L. and Helene I. Nagel Koch Jr. Koch was a graduate of Central High School. He was employed at Heartland Distributing...

Edna Marie Seabaugh, 66, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, at her home. She was born Feb. 10, 1942, in Leachville, Ark., daughter of George A. and Lillie Newell Smith. She and Otis W. Seabaugh were married Oct. 14, 1960. He passed away June 26, 2001...

BENTON, Mo. — Saundra Kay Blankenship, 44, of Benton died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, at her home. She was born July 30, 1964, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Gary Jerriett and Carolyn Jean Young Wright. She and Ricky Keith Blankenship were married Aug. 19, 1985, at Commerce, Mo...

GALVESTON, Texas -- The coast here doesn't have the whitest sand or the clearest water, but to millions of Houstonians and other Texans, this is the beach. And thanks to Hurricane Ike, it's also a mess. The remains of houses, rotting cattle carcasses and other debris are scattered along Galveston Island. In some spots, all the sand was sucked back out to the Gulf of Mexico, leaving only rocks...

ABBOUDIYEH, Lebanon -- A few tents and trucks dotting a green hill across the river are about all that is visible of a Syrian troop deployment on Lebanon's northern border -- a buildup that has raised concerns of a possible Syrian incursion. There was no sign Wednesday that the Syrian troops were preparing to cross the border. Syria says the deployment -- first made public several weeks ago -- is aimed at preventing smuggling from Lebanon...

Oberlohr team captures afternoon title The team of Ken Oberlohr, Bryan Millman, Todd Smith and Todd Ladd took first place in the afternoon championship flight at the Notre Dame Fall Golf Classic at Dalhousie Golf Club. The team of John Wiggins, David Rotolo, Larry McKinney and Mark Allen was second, followed by the team of Mark Kohlfeld, Chris Janet, David Cantrell and Tim Welter...

To the editor: My sincere thanks to Dan's Key and Lock Shop and to the vendors at the farmers market for coming to my rescue when I carelessly locked my keys in my car. Thanks to Dan's for coming so quickly and to the vendors for taking time to make the call. Your kindness and generosity will not be forgotten...

WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court on Wednesday temporarily blocked a judge's decision to immediately free 17 Chinese Muslims at Guantanamo Bay into the U.S. In a one-page order, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued the emergency stay at the request of the Bush administration. The three-judge panel said it would postpone release of the detainees for at least another week to give the government more time to make arguments in the case...

Cape Girardeau County's plan to pave 53 miles of county roads by 2012 may have been too ambitious. So far, only 19.4 miles are done; the county commission promised in June 2007 to pave 35 miles of road by the end of 2008. This year, county highway administrator Scott Bechtold told the commissioners and members of the road and bridge advisory board, some projects cost more because of rising oil prices, which affected everything from shipping costs to oil-based supplies such as asphalt. ...

Friday night, in the city "where the river turns a thousand tales," storytellers will raise the stakes and, maybe, the hair on the back of your neck with "An Evening of Ghost Stories: Where the River Turns a Thousand Chilling Tales."...

The good news is that there is plenty of flu vaccine this year. The bad news is that many area residents won't get a flu shot, raising both the risk to their own health as well as to others. There were nearly 31,000 confirmed cases of influenza in Missouri last year. ...

25 years ago: Oct. 9, 1983 A Scott City woman thwarted an attempted armed robbery at the Par Gas service station and convenience store, 1004 William St., Friday night when she threw two six-packs of soda at the robber, who was holding a tire iron to the throat of one of her employees...

LILBOURN, Mo. -- It's one of the newest buildings in this small agricultural town. Aligned between two city water towers, the 120-foot-long biodiesel plant gleams in the sun. The paint on its sign hasn't even chipped. But weeds have begun to encroach on the Great River Soy biodiesel plant, which produced just 94,000 gallons over two weeks before it ran out of money and was closed...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday over how to resolve a long-running dispute over whether environmental laws may be used to limit the Navy's use of sonar to protect whales. The court heard arguments in the Bush administration's appeal of court rulings that restrict sonar in submarine-hunting naval training exercises off the Southern California coast. Sonar can interfere with whales' ability to navigate and communicate...

GLOUCESTER, Mass. -- Schools in the Massachusetts city where girls reportedly made a "pregnancy pact" will allow contraceptives to be distributed -- with parental consent. Gloucester school board chairman Greg Verga said the vote Wednesday night was unanimous. It allows contraceptives to be distributed at the high school's health clinic...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. -- Chunks of granite crashed to the Yosemite Valley floor in a cloud of dust Wednesday, injuring at least three people and destroying several cabins and trees at one of the park's most popular lodging areas, officials said...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Joel A. Fuentes, 21, 1937 Merriwether St., was arrested on suspicion of forgery, expired plates and no operator's license. n Michaela E. Saffold, 24, 621 Good Hope St., Apt. B, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for two counts of distribution of a controlled substance...

PATTON, Mo. — Corrie "Nell" Yount, 75, of Herculaneum, Mo., formerly of Patton, died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Crystal City, Mo. She was born Dec. 26, 1932, in Okolana, Miss., daughter of Talbot and Nina Jones Howell. She married J. Glen Yount...

Golf n SEMO booster tourney: The Southeast Missouri State booster club will hold its annual golf tournament Oct. 17 at Bent Creek Golf Course. The six-person scramble begins with a lunch at 11 a.m. followed by a 12:15 p.m. tee off. Cost: $90 per person, which includes cart. Deadline: Friday. Info: 651-2005...

LONDON -- When NATO defense ministers meet in Budapest, Hungary, today, they will face a worsening situation in Afghanistan and vexing questions about whether the war can be won. Increasingly, military commanders and political leaders are asking: Is it time to talk to the Taliban?...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A public hearing on a proposed quiet zone for trains passing through Sikeston was held during the regular city council meeting Monday. The hearing began with an overview of the proposal by John Chittenden of Waters Engineering. Chittenden said the establishment of a quiet zone would mean Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad trains would not have to blow their whistles as they approach road crossings in the city...

Some kids dream of being a firefighter, a doctor, the president. Shawn Masters wanted to own a pizza place. "When I was 13 years old, I walked around with a restaurant plan in my pocket," Masters said from behind the counter of the Marble Hill business he now c-owns: Mario's Italian Grill...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Voter registration ahead of November's election is up about 1.5 percent over 2006 in Missouri, the secretary of state's office said Wednesday, and the rolls are expected to keep growing as new registrations are tallied. Wednesday was the final day to register in Missouri for the Nov. 4 election, and several county clerks reported steady streams of citizens signing up...

IRON MOUNTAIN LAKE, Mo. (AP) — An eastern Missouri man is accused of drunken driving — on a riding lawnmower, according to the Park Hills Daily Journal. The suspect's name has not been released. He lives in Iron Mountain Lake, about 60 miles southwest of St. ...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — A Bernie, Mo., man is in custody at the Stoddard County Jail under a cash-only bond of $125,000 following his arrest on drug charges, according to the Dexter Daily Statesman. Police said they are searching for the man's wife, who faces similar charges. ...

Shamrock's Irish Pub Music Festival You're in luck. Shamrock's Pub is taking advantage of the fall weather and throwing a party. Rock out to music by Blue County, John D. Hale Band, Jimmy Lee Band, Caney Creek, Ninth Life and Boone Project...

"Appaloosa" continues in the modern tradition of serious westerns tearing away at myths and exploring the gritty reality of our past. Though I don't believe "Appaloosa" is the "first Oscar caliber film of the season," as its ads want to promote, I do say that "Appaloosa" is a really good western, and with the quantity of bad to terrible films filling our screens lately, it is the best film of the season, so far...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri officials are sifting through possibly hundreds of questionable or duplicate voter-registration forms submitted by a group that has been accused of election fraud in other states. Charlene Davis, co-director of the election board in Jackson County, said many of the forms came from the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now...

WASHINGTON -- Wall Street bounced higher and lower Wednesday trying to make up its mind about an unprecedented coordinated interest rate cut by central banks around the world. In the end it settled on a familiar feeling -- fear -- and plunged again...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Bernie, Mo., man and a Bloomfield woman, both charged in connection with a methamphetamine lab in a Bloomfield apartment, have been sentenced to prison. The pair, 39-year-old Keith Leon Allen of Bernie and Nicole Lovena Ferguson, 35, of Bloomfield, were nabbed by Stoddard County Sheriff's Department deputies at Ferguson's home on South Prairie Street in Bloomfield after an investigation into the suspected manufacture of methamphetamine, according to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner. ...

WASHINGTON -- Global financial markets remain severely strained, underscoring the need for quick action to implement the government's $700 billion rescue program, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Wednesday. Paulson said all the financial market turmoil has seriously affected the economy, but he said the administration is moving quickly to begin the largest government rescue effort in history...

BAGHDAD -- A U.S.-Iraqi security agreement spelling out how American troops and contractors operate was supposed to be in place over the summer, but the thorniest issues remain unsettled and neither side is budging. Time is running out. The deal must be finished and ratified by Iraq's parliament before Dec. 31, when the U.N. mandate authorizing the U.S. military mission expires. Otherwise, there will be no legal basis for the U.S. presence in Iraq...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A jury on Wednesday convicted a man of killing a 3-year-old girl long known as "Precious Doe" by kicking her in the head and waiting hours without seeking help while she died. Harrell Johnson, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Erica Green. He also was convicted of endangering the welfare of a child and abuse of a child. The jury deliberated for about three hours before returning the verdict. Johnson showed no emotion as the verdict was read...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A customer opened fire in a crowded shopping mall Wednesday afternoon, killing a clothing store employee before he was shot and wounded by police officers, authorities said. Witnesses said the gunfire sent people "stampeding" for cover...

The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven will come alive Tuesday inside the Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. Under the direction of Sara Edgerton, the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra will perform the music at its gala, season-opening concert, accompanied by guest soloists David Halen and Jonathan Vinocour from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra...

The latest live, high-definition broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera will be Richard Strauss' shocking opera "Salome." The performance begings at noon Saturday at the Town Plaza Cinema; the encore broadcast will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Finnish soprano Karita Mattila will be playing the part of Salome, the daughter of Herodias and the stepdaughter of King Herod. When this opera premiered in Dresden, Germany, in 1905 it was quite a scandal. No one had ever seen anything quite like it...

MORLEY, Mo. — A strong-arm robbery Tuesday night in Morley left a female victim injured. Scott County deputies and Morley police are searching for the suspects involved. The victim, a woman in her early 40s, was attacked outside her home while she was unloading groceries around 11:20 p.m. ...

PHILADELPHIA -- For all their big hits and long homers during the regular season, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard have to provide the Philadelphia Phillies with more offense in October. The slumping stars were a combined 4-for-26 (.154) in the first round of the playoffs against Milwaukee, but strong pitching and timely hitting from other Phillies carried the team into the NL championship series against Los Angeles. ...

OMAHA, Neb. -- More than a dozen children have been abandoned under Nebraska's unique safe-haven law, which allows children as old as 18 to be abandoned without fear of prosecution. But the case of a 14-year-old girl from Iowa has stoked fears of an influx of unwanted out-of-state children...

KARALETI, Georgia -- Russian troops pulled back from their positions outside Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia but held their ground in contested areas, setting the stage for more tension between the two countries that waged war in August...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Robby Benson knows how it sounds. But his reason for making a movie about the life of a young Billy Graham, the director says, is simple: "I wanted to make a movie about goodness." "Billy: The Early Years" focuses on Graham's life as a teenager growing up on a dairy farm in Charlotte through his years as a young man, when he became a super-evangelist, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to his preaching tour "crusades."...

By Jack H. Knowlan Sr. I should use the statement recently used in Speak Out: "Anyone with an ounce of brains should know better." But I won't. I will say I was completely dumbfounded at the lack of insight, foresight, knowledge or logic of the majority of our elected officials. ...