Stories from Thursday, February 19, 2009

A Republican victory in Missouri's open U.S. Senate seat will be vital to maintaining a "speed bump" in the way of Democratic Party initiatives, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt said several times Thursday as he announced he will seek the job in 2010. Blunt, a former Missouri secretary of state who has been in Congress since 1996, spoke to about 40 Republican Party activists and community leaders in a Cape Girardeau stop at the Common Pleas Courthouse. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Property records show the house where the Southern California woman who gave birth to octuplets lives is under the threat of foreclosure. Los Angeles County property records indicate the house was in mortgage default Feb. 9. The home in Whittier is owned by Angela Suleman, the mother of octuplets mom Nadya Suleman...

Two hours is a long time in my book. If I needed to, I could write about two stories. If I wanted to, I could make a trip to St. Louis. If I paced myself, I could run about 10 miles, but I might get bored. I sometimes have a short attention span. I know, I know — hard to believe. Case in point, I walked away from writing this column right after that sentence...

Kyle Gumieny isn't easing into his first Division I start on the mound. Gumieny, a junior college transfer, will get the ball Friday night when Southeast Missouri State opens its season at nationally ranked Alabama in the first of a three-game series...

CLARENCE, N.Y. -- The woman and her daughter who barely escaped when an airplane plowed into their house, killing the woman's husband and all 49 people aboard the plane, returned to the scene Wednesday. While she was there, investigators continued to collect evidence they hope will tell them what brought down the aircraft...

WASHINGTON -- A medically unfit pilot, an ineffective captain and poor communication between the two were the cause of a November 2007 accident leading a ship to spill thousands of gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay, officials said Wednesday...

MESA, Ariz. -- President Obama threw a $75 billion lifeline to millions of Americans on the brink of foreclosure Wednesday, calling for drastic action -- not only to save their homes but to keep the housing crisis "from wreaking even greater havoc" on the broader national economy...

BATON ROUGE, La. -- A handful of Republican governors are considering turning down some money from the federal stimulus package, a move opponents say puts conservative ideology ahead of the needs of constituents dealing with record foreclosures and soaring unemployment...

JERUSALEM -- Israel said Wednesday it will not open the Gaza Strip's blockaded borders until Hamas militants free a captured Israeli soldier, dealing a blow to Egyptian efforts to broker a long-term cease-fire. The decision was condemned by Hamas, which wants border crossings to be opened in order to start repairing destruction from Israel's military offensive in the coastal territory last month...

Business as usual HOW quickly we've learned President Obama's own words from his inauguration mean nothing. "Those of us who manage the public dollars will be held to account to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and our government." By throwing borrowed dollars that our children will have to pay back at liberal pet projects without a careful examination of the bill, Obama confirms his words were lies. ...

CAIRO, Ill. -- The Alexander County Sheriff Department called the death of Sheriff David Barkett's mother-in-law "a tragic vehicular accident" in a written statement issued Wednesday. The woman had Alzheimer's disease according to a brief statement issued Wednesday afternoon by chief deputy Stephen W. Thomas. The statement said the woman lived next door to her son-in-law...

I am 78, and my wife is 73. After searching for some time, we bought a home and settled in Scott City in 1992. My wife is a native Coloradoan. The main reason for leaving Colorado was high taxes. We have never regretted this decision. We have a competent police force and fire and rescue department. My wife had a heart attack in the early 1990s. The rescue people were at our residence immediately. Their response and professional competence may have saved her life...

The owners of The Mississippi Mud House decided to try something new. Friday will be the first run of Movies at the Mud House. Cape Girardeau's newest coffee house/entertainment venue will be screening the director's cut of "Miller's Tale," written, produced and directed by Steve Turner of Schrader Turner Films. A question-and-answer sesssion with the cast and crew will follow the screening...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Mary Elizabeth Burnley, 87, of Cairo died Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at her home. She was born Oct. 24, 1921, in Barlow, Ky., daughter of Louis Holbert and Opal Mae Pace Rice. She married Edwin Lake Burnley, who died in 2006. Burnley was a member of Kevil United Methodist Church, Ladies Auxiliary to American Legion Post 3 in LaCenter, Ky., and was a Kentucky Colonel...

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Geronimo's descendants have sued Skull and Bones -- the secret society at Yale University linked to presidents and other powerful figures -- claiming its members stole the remains of the Apache leader decades ago and have kept them ever since...

BUXTON, Australia -- The crayon colors on the page were bright -- orange, red, sunny yellow. But the drawings were as dark as the blackened remains of the landscape near the tiny Australian schoolhouse. Inside, 9-year-old Phillip Watt pressed a finger to each image and remembered what he saw on that day when his town, his house and his beloved bicycle were destroyed in Australia's deadliest wildfires. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The top federal prosecutor in western Missouri is stepping down at the end of the month. Federal prosecutor John F. Wood issued a statement Wednesday saying he submitted his resignation to President Obama, effective Feb. 28. Wood said serving in the position "has been the highest honor of my professional career."...

The Missouri Corn Growers Association will hold a public forum Friday to discuss 2008 Farm Bill programs. Registration begins at 9 a.m., with the program starting at 9:30 at LaVilleta restaurant, 1617 E. Malone Ave. in Sikeston, Mo. Lunch will be provided courtesy of the association...

SANDY, Utah -- A Utah man took his newly acquired used sport utility vehicle to a mechanic to find out why the gas gauge always read half-full. The mechanic looked inside the gas tank and found about 35 pounds of marijuana in plastic-wrap packages. They filled about half of the tank's volume. Police estimate the pot is worth about $35,000...

STAMFORD, Conn. -- As authorities considered criminal charges, the woman whose 200-pound domesticated chimpanzee mauled a friend backtracked Wednesday on whether she gave the animal the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. Sandra Herold said Wednesday she never gave the drug to her 14-year-old chimp, Travis, who was shot dead by Stamford police Monday after he grievously wounded Herold's friend Charla Nash...

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team had no answer for Murray State's big three the last time the squads met. Southeast will need to find a way to at least slow down that trio in tonight's 7 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center. On Jan. 24 in Murray, Ky., senior stars Ashley Hayes, Amber Guffey and Paige Guffey combined for all but six of the Racers' points in their 80-65 win...

Junior Clay Rouse, one of eight Jackson wrestling state qualifiers, attended the state meet several times during his life, but never has participated in it. Rouse traveled to the meet with the Jackson team last year so his practice partner, qualifier Levi Rayburn, would have someone to work out with during the three-day event...

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve warned Wednesday that the nation's economy is even worse than thought and predicted it would deteriorate throughout 2009, with no sign that the housing market will stabilize. The Fed's estimates indicated that unemployment could climb as high as 8.8 percent this year and that the economy would contract for a full calendar year for the first time since 1991...

Keasling Son to Weylan Edward Keasling and Jessie Marie Waggoner of Sedgewickville, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:48 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009. Name, Michael Edward. Weight, 7 pounds, 11 ounces. First child. Ms. Waggoner is the daughter of Kathy Waggoner and Curtis Waggoner of Sedgewickville. Keasling is the son of Barb Keasling and Randy Keasling of Patton, Mo...

Feb. 19, 2009 Dear Julie, If it is possible for winter to have dog days of its own, these are Southeast Missouri's, chilling and often gray. The kind of days that keep you indoors aching for spring, mornings when you eat your oatmeal thinking about things you don't ordinarily think about...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri school districts could require student uniforms and it would be harder to sue teachers under legislation passed by the House on Wednesday. The provisions are part of a broader measure, approved 160-0, that lawmakers hope will improve school safety. ...

Valentine's Day may be over, but love is still in the air with the production of "Sweet Charity," a musical about love and eternal optimism personified by Charity Hope Valentine. Charity is a taxi dancer, a woman who dances with men for money. ...

Did you see all the Oscar nominated films? If you didn't, you're not alone. Going by U.S. box office receipts, only two of the Best Picture nominees cracked the top 100: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" ended up at 20, and "Slumdog Millionaire" came in at 40. If you're wondering, the others were "Milk" at 105, "The Reader" at 123 and "Frost/Nixon" at 125...

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI received Nancy Pelosi, one of the most prominent pro-choice politicians in America, and told her Wednesday that Catholic politicians have a duty to protect life "at all stages of its development." The U.S. House speaker, a Catholic, was the first top Democrat to meet with Benedict since the election of President Obama, who won a majority of the U.S. Catholic vote despite differences with the Vatican on abortion...

The Southern Illinois Miners minor league baseball team has scheduled an exhibition game at Capaha Field as a way to help increase its fan base in Cape Girardeau. The Miners, a member of the Frontier League, will play a preseason game here against the Florence Freedom of Florence, Ky., on May 9...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt is expected to announce today that he's running for Senate in 2010. Sources familiar with Blunt's intentions said he would announce his candidacy at a series of stops across Missouri. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid upstaging Blunt's announcement...

FAT TUESDAY Trippin' Tuesday Celebrate Mardi Gras at Cape's only cajun place. Where: Broussard's When: 9 p.m. Tuesday Mike Renick Band Renick and the gang play their college rock on Fat Tuesday. Where: Rude Dog Pub...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Irl E. Harriman, 87, of Sedgewickville died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Madison Medical Center in Fredericktown, Mo. He was born Aug. 8, 1921, in Highland, Wis., son of John and Alice Merusster Harriman. He and Isolene Wheeler were married Sept. 14, 1948, in Richland Center, Wis...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sally A. Little, 60, of Cairo died Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born Sept. 28, 1948, in Dixon, Ill. Survivors include three daughters, Becky Schoen of Jackson, Elsie Schram of Anna, Ill., Mona Fowler of Paducah; two sons, Elvis Little of Dallas, Travis Little of Barlow, Ky.; several grandchildren; a great-grandchild; several sisters and brothers...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWIs n Andrew J. Sales Jr., 53, of Sikeston, Mo., was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and leaving the scene of an accident...

25 years ago: Feb. 19, 1984 Human rights activist Dick Gregory, speaking at an observance of Black History Month on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, tells his audience to forgo the "bricks and hatred" approach to racial problems in favor of "love, kindness and decency."...

St. Louis opera house offers internships @SL_body_copy_ragged:The Opera Theatre of St. Louis has paid internship positions as a production assistant, production artist or costume apprentice. Open auditions will be Saturday at Nerinx Hall High School in St. Louis and Feb. 28 at the Sally S. Levy Opera Center in St. Louis. Bring resume and representative portfolio. For more information, contact Stephen Ryan at 314-963-4261 or stever@opera-stl.org...

Emotions boiled over as parents and students confronted the Scott City School Board about bullying during a meeting Wednesday night. Three parents sparked a heated discussion about threats to and assaults on their children during school, at times making verbal exchanges with Superintendent Diann Bradshaw-Ulmer...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: n At 7:03 p.m., emergency medical service in the 100 block of South Sprigg Street. n At 10:36 p.m., citizen assistance in the 1700 block of Georgia Street. Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

The sign outside Wib's Drive In on U.S. 61 in Jackson says "Barbecue is our specialty," and it is. The restaurant cooks it right outside, slices it up and serves it to you with its own tomato-based barbecue sauce. The only deviation is the pimento and cheese — and owner A.D. Hoffman makes it, too...

Ronnie Jones resigned as football coach at Scott City on Wednesday after two years at the school. He cited his long commute and the possibility of accepting another position as two of his main reasons for leaving. Some Rams players attended the Scott City school board meeting Wednesday to support Jones' return as coach next fall, but they were informed he had resigned...

Regina A. Yeager, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Nov. 14, 1922, in Vanduser, Mo., daughter of Henry Sylvester and Emma Louise Bullinger Whitfield. She and H. William "Bill" Yeager were married May 8, 1948, at St. Ambrose Church in Chaffee, Mo...

A presentation by National Asset Recovery Services president and chief executive officer Christopher Buehrle and the premiere screening of a new documentary film are among the highlighted events scheduled for National Entrepreneurship Week, Monday through Feb. 27...

FARRAR, Mo. -- Hilmer J. Stueve, 89, of Farrar died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Perry Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was born Oct. 9, 1919, in Frohna, Mo., son of Joseph and Wilhelmine Bachmann Stueve. He and Helen Detjen were married Oct. 16, 1943...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon vowed Wednesday to seek every dollar possible from the federal economic stimulus plan and pledged to use it to transform Missouri's economy. The Democratic governor outlined broad categories of emphasis for Missouri's estimated $4.3 billion share of the money, but offered no specific details about how much he hopes to spend in each area. That will be coming later, Nixon said...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Lois M. Nelms, 79, of Paducah, formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah. She was born April 15, 1929, in Cairo, daughter of John and Effe Johnson Tucker. She married Carl E. Nelms. She had been a waitress and was a member of Seventh Day Adventist Church in Paducah...

Linda Ericson-Condon, 68, of Scott City died Monday, Feb. 9, 2009, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born July 28, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Monroe and Velma Jungers Menz. She and John Condon were married Sept. 4, 1993. He died Oct. 30, 1993...

For those who seek knowledge and new skills, we pray to you, O God. Amen.

(R)Congressman Roy Blunt talking about the stimulus bill that was over 1,000 pages long!

Rep. Mary Kasten Introduces Congressman Roy Blunt of Southwest MO!

NO MORE ICE STORMS ''''PLEASE''''

A Republican victory in Missouri's open U.S. Senate seat will be vital to maintaining a "speed bump" in the way of Democratic Party initiatives, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt said Thursday as he announced he will run in 2010. Blunt, a former Missouri Secretary of State who has been in Congress since 1996, spoke to about 40 Republican Party activists and community leaders in a Cape Girardeau stop at the Common Pleas Courthouse. ...

Much of the funding for 911 operations around Missouri comes from a fee on land-line telephones. Cell phones are considered to be radio devices and aren't subject to the 911 charge. As more individuals drop their land lines in favor of cell phones, revenue for 911 operations is dwindling. ...

Congressman Roy Blunt talks to about a room of 30 today at the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau, MO.

Derrick Wilfong and Tyler Welker delivered from downtown Wednesday. The two players bombed a combined 10 3-pointers to lead the Meadow Heights boys basketball team to a 77-52 victory over Delta. Wilfong finished with 28 points while Dustin Hubler added 19 for the Panthers (13-8)...

AmerenUE hasn't begun collecting the latest rate increase approved by Missouri regulators, but top officials at the company are already talking about needing more. In a conference call with investment analysts Tuesday, top officials of Ameren Corp., AmerenUE's parent company, said rising operating and financing costs will force the move, but they could not say when the rate increase would be requested...

Nearly a year has passed since police think Tambra Turner shot and killed another woman who was living with her estranged husband, and still no sign of the suspected murderer.Now Cape Girardeau police, with the help of other law enforcement agencies, have increased the reward they'll pay for information leading to Turner's arrest.Click here for more on this story.. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Members of a Missouri National Guard's 7th Civil Support Team and a group of emergency responders from Southeast Missouri teamed up on Feb. 18 at Jackson City Park as part of a daylong biological attack exercise. More than 35 members of the Southeast Missouri Regional Haz-Mat Team joined the Guardsmen during the eight-hour exercise, which simulated a terrorist attack, said Jackson Fire Chief Jason Mouser. ...

Congressman Roy Blunt of Missouri asking if anyone has any questions!

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Southeast Missouri residents who have struggled without electricity for more than three weeks have had their power restored. Electric cooperatives and municipal utilities said Thursday that with few exceptions, the remaining 200 customers without power have gotten it back...

Higher electric rates for AmerenUE customers became a certainty Thursday when the Missouri Public Service Commission denied several requests to take another look at its recent order allowing the utility to charge 8.1 percent more for power. On a 5-0 vote, the commission rejected Ameren's request to rewrite a portion of the rate case related to the division of profits from unregulated wholesale power sales. ...

The Missouri Public Service Commission on Thursday turned down several requests to take another look at its recent order allowing AmerenUE to increase electric rates. On a unanimous 5-0 vote, the commission rejected Ameren's request to rewrite a portion of the rate case related to the division of profits from unregulated wholesale power sales. ...