Stories from Saturday, July 11, 2009

The Plaza Tire Capahas began their quest for a fifth consecutive National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional title with a victory. They largely can thank Brad LaBruyere for that. LaBruyere pitched a three-hitter as the Capahas beat the stubborn Pine Bluff (Ark.) Braves 4-0 on Friday night in the opening game of the three-team, double-elimination tournament at Capaha Field...

Don Jacobs, 72, maneuvered around a few kicks from his opponent Randy Brooks, 58. Jacobs went in for the punch and earned a point during a sparring match. Jacobs, who spent some time boxing during his 27 years in the Air Force, said he prefers the punch...

The Missouri Tourism Commission set up a potential battle over its independent status Friday by voting to stick by its support of the Tour of Missouri bicycle race and by verbally challenging Gov. Jay Nixon's authority over its spending. During a special meeting called after the state's $1.5 million commitment to the tour was frozen by Nixon's administration, members asserted they could spend tourism promotion dollars as they saw fit. ...

A former maintenance worker at the Cape Girardeau Public Library has been charged in connection with recent break-ins and thefts at the building.

Southeast Missouri State University is not interested in imposing internal policies to ensure only in-state students are educated through its programs expanded by the Caring for Missourians initiative. Southeast's board of regents this week responded to requests from Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, to regulate programs established at universities and community colleges through the initiative...

If you look closely you can see a double rainbow. This was taken in my field behind my house. How cool is that!

Each Fourth of July the Southeast Missourian's Spirit of America Award honors an individual who represents the nation's and our community's highest ideals of family values, business integrity and community service. Harry Rediger, this year's winner, continues to make exemplary contributions in each of these areas...

Jackson's actions; Inspiring article; Spending options; Health care

The following letter was sent to state Sen. Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau by the regents of Southeast Missouri State University in response to a previous letter from Crowell regarding the Caring for Missourians initiative. For background on this issue, please see the story on Page 1A of today's Southeast Missourian....

By Clint E. Lacy Marble Hill wants to raise water rates to $15 a month from $12.60 for up to 2,500 gallons used and to 37 cents from 25 cents for every additional 100 gallons used. Last August I posted a blog saying that the city was planning on doubling the water rates. ...

Preserve and protect, O God, those who defend our great nation. Amen.

Angel Food Ministries new menu The Church of Jesus Christ in Jackson, a host site for Angel Food Ministries, is taking orders for the new July menu. Angel Food Ministries is a reduced-cost food program. Payment must be made by 6 p.m. Monday; pickup is from 2 to 6 p.m. There is a drop box for prepaid orders on church property, or it may be mailed in. For more information, call 204-7087...

Assisted living beds, bedside commodes and folded-up walkers lean up against an old cross with a flame in a shed behind Maple United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. The cross with the flame symbol represents the Methodist faith. The medical equipment represents Bill Sparks' new program Help, which collects used medical equipment and assisted living devices and loans it out to people in need...

I have a terrifying thought for many of you this morning. School is scheduled to begin in less than six weeks. A feeling of panic struck when I saw the first row of back-to-school supplies being stocked at the store. It's happening again. Pencils, crayons, backpacks, all the great stuff of school, but do they have to be there the first of July?...

When my father-in-law died seven years ago in northwestern Pennsylvania, it was my privilege to have a share in his funeral. Funerals, at least in the Christian tradition, are worship services. In other words, the purpose is to give praise and thanks to God for the life of the just-deceased individual. ...

DETROIT -- General Motors completed an unusually quick exit from bankruptcy protection Friday with ambitions of making money and building cars people are eager to buy. Once the world's largest and most powerful automaker, new GM is now leaner, cleansed of massive debt and burdensome contracts that would have sunk it without federal loans...

MOSCOW -- A Russian TV channel has reportedly cut a segment of the ribald U.S. cartoon comedy South Park that appeared to mock Vladimir Putin. The channel "2X2" reportedly cut material from the show that aired Tuesday, portraying Putin as a greedy and desperate leader -- a decision that prompted criticism and furious discussion on Russia blogs...

Mo. to check report of buried barrels at tannery ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- State investigators will look into reports of barrels buried at a St. Joseph tannery that is being sued for allegedly spreading sludge carrying a cancer-causing chemical in the area...

Interior secretary visits Arch in St. Louis ST. LOUIS -- There's a long-running discussion in St. Louis that more should be done to better connect the famed Gateway Arch that stands near the Mississippi River with the rest of the city's downtown...

New Mo. law expands foreclosure protections JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation requiring the new owners of foreclosed homes to give tenants notice before evicting them. The new law was prompted by cases in which renters were unaware that landlords had failed to pay their mortgages and got hit with sudden eviction notices on the foreclosed homes. The law requires new owners of foreclosed properties to give renters at least 10 days notice to move out...

A Cape Girardeau man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base, according to a news release from acting federal prosecutor Michael W. Reap's office. With his plea, Shaundale Johnson, 27, admits to selling crack cocaine to an informant Dec. ...

A Sikeston, Mo., man who admitted downloading hundreds of child pornography images was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison. Danny Clayton White, 39, was sentenced on one felony federal count of possession of child pornography. Upon release from prison, he will be placed on supervised release for the remainder of his life. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. in Cape Girardeau...

After five years filled with challenges, the Missouri Department of Transportation project on Highway 34/72 in Jackson has come to an end. MoDOT officials gathered with area politicians for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning at the intersection of highways 34 and 72, known as the Starlight intersection...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri is helping lead a national effort to promote civil conversations on college campuses where heated debates can sometimes turn ugly. A rash of politically charged confrontations in recent years led to the $4 million Ford Foundation initiative. It began in 2006 and was expanded this year at a dozen campuses nationwide...

Burgin Claiborne, a Memphis dentist car shopping with his wife Ann, is looking to build on his collection this weekend as Smith's Auction Co. holds its annual Smith Classic Car Auction. "Lots of guys have problems with their wives saying 'no.' Mine just says, 'Yeah, you should buy it,'" Claiborne said...

FEMA opens disaster recovery center for storm victims The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Agency have opened a Disaster Recovery Center at Meadow Heights School, 1 Highway 72 E. in Patton, Mo., for six days beginning Monday. ...

Boil-water order lifted in Marble Hill MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A boil water order for Marble Hill that started Wednesday was lifted today at 12:30 p.m., according to a news release from City Collector Connie Rhodes. On Wednesday water was shut off to part of the city for water line repairs, causing the boil-water order to be issued for the entire city...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday: Jackson Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWIs Arrests Summons Burglaries Thefts Miscellaneous Cape Girardeau County The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt....

Donald Sadler Donald C. Sadler, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, July 10, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born July 26, 1924, in Farmington, Mo., to Monroe and Ada Belle Roberts Sadler. He and Dorothy Eaker were married June 8, 1943, in Cape Girardeau...

Lillian Johnson Lillian D. Johnson, 82, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, July 9, 2009, after a brief illness. She was born Nov. 30, 1926, in Millersville, the only child of Truman and Eula Statler. She and Dr. Earl W. Johnson were married in 1948 and celebrated 60 years of marriage...

Brazel; Meyerott; Gross; Holtzclaw; Karlish; Williams; Bandermann; Koeppel; Palmer; Hunt; Arnzen; Grunloh; Miller; Gray

Charles Brune Charles H. Brune, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, July 10, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Visitation will be from noon to service time Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Entombment will be in Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum...

Kenneth Schreiner MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Kenneth W. Schreiner, 85, of Marble Hill died Friday, July 10, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Hutchings Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

25 years ago: July 11, 1984 An underground gasoline leak at the Mobil Oil Co. terminal at South Sprigg Street and Highway 74 forces the company to transfer about 1.3 million gallons of gasoline from one tank to another, which is expected to take about 17 hours; about 12,000 gallons of gasoline leaked...

Proposed smoking ban for St. Louis is on hold ST. LOUIS -- A proposal to ban smoking in St. Louis bars and restaurants won't be taken up again until the fall. Supporters of the bill failed to move it out of committee before the Board of Aldermen's summer recess, which starts Friday afternoon...

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Seven-year-olds Josh Westbrook, left, and Jarrid Hall race on a water slide Friday, July 10, 2009, during Parks and Rec Day at the Osage Community Centre in Cape Girardeau....

Jackson forceswinner-take-all game The Jackson Junior American Legion baseball team avenged an earlier loss and forced a championship showdown with a 5-0 victory against Cape Girardeau Plaza Tire Post 63 in the District 14 tournament Friday. Jackson (35-4) will face Post 63 again today at 11 a.m. at Central High School...

LUSS, Scotland -- Phil Mickelson will skip the British Open so he can be with his wife as she starts her recovery from breast cancer, ending the longest active streak of majors played at 61. Mickelson said last month at the U.S. Open, where he was runner-up, it was "highly unlikely" he would play at Turnberry next week...

ARCALIS, Andorra -- In the Tour de France duel between teammates Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador, the first big mountain stage went to the Spaniard. Contador, the 2007 winner, unleashed a burst of speed Friday in the last uphill mile into the tiny Pyrenees principality of Andorra -- and Armstrong didn't lay chase...

The Associated Press CHICAGO -- Home runs come a lot easier than triples for Albert Pujols. The St. Louis star managed one of each Friday as the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-3 to kick off the final weekend before the All-Star break. "I was a little tired, but I don't mind," Pujols said of legging out his first three-bagger since September 2007, to help the Cardinals build an early 3-0 lead...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jonathan Sanchez, an unlikely candidate, pitched the majors' first no-hitter this season Friday night, dominating the San Diego Padres with an array of pitches in the San Francisco Giants' 8-0 victory. The 26-year-old left-hander returned to the rotation after a nearly three-week demotion to the bullpen -- and he only got the call because 303-game winner Randy Johnson went on the disabled list earlier this week with a shoulder injury...

Charles Brune was the patriarch of what is regarded as the first family of Southeast Missouri State football, and his involvement in Southeast athletics spanned more than 60 years. "He did so much for the university," former longtime Southeast sports information director Ron Hines said...

Southeast Missouri State senior punter Doug Spada has received yet another All-American honor, being named to the first team of the 2009 Sports Network Preseason All-America squad. Spada earned his second All-American honor this preseason, having been named to the Consensus Draft Services All-America team last month...

NEW YORK -- The free-falling Mets finally made a move, trading Ryan Church to the Atlanta Braves for Jeff Francoeur and cash Friday in a swap of outfielders who had fallen out of favor with their teams. The rare deal between NL East rivals came with both teams below .500. ...