Stories from Thursday, August 27, 2009

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Two additional cases of H1N1, also known as swine flu, were confirmed Wednesday in the Doniphan School District. Officials confirmed Monday that the first student there was sick with the virus. At least two of the students with the virus have a direct connection, according to officials...

BENTON, Mo. - Two people are in serious condition following a Wednesday afternoon accident on Highway 77. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Thomas W Frobase, 72, of Benton was driving his 1996 Yamaha motorcycle when a 1999 Buick driven by Rosa L Buchanan, 83, of Sikeston, Mo., pulled into his path. Frobase then struck the Buick at around 4:23 p.m...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Tory F. Bowns, 50, of Marble Hill, faces 15 charges associated with sexual abuse of three children under the age of 14. According to a probable cause statement written and signed by Bollinger County Sheriff's Deputy Jerry Lee Gilliam, the majority of the alleged incidents involving the children occurred on June 1, and one in January of 2005...

Joe T. Buerkle, a Jackson lawyer, surrendered his law license earlier this month before the Missouri Supreme Court.

Members of the Cape Parks and Recreation Co-Ed division-3 summer team tournament champs pose after their tournament win Wednesday August 26th at the Shawnee Park softball complex.

Looking at the coverage in this week's entertainment section, you'd think Cape Girardeau is a music town. We're something of the sort, but this area also produces writers and artists to chronicle and draw the experiences of living in Southeast Missouri...

Cape Girardeau - The River City Rodders Car Club in conjunction with Old Town Cape will be hosting the River Tales Classic Car Show on Sunday, September 20. The Rodders' 32nd annual car show will again be held in historic downtown Cape. Vehicles will be displayed along Main St. and in the downtown parking lot across from Hutson Furniture...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- A port nearly 30 years in the making took one step closer to becoming reality with Wednesday's groundbreaking of the New Bourbon Port. Located on 72 acres 3.5 miles south of Ste. Genevieve, the port will include a harbor and berthing and maintenance area for a ferry that will travel from Modoc, Ill., to Ste. Genevieve. Officials in Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties think the port will stimulate significant expansion of the local economy...

We saw this herd of buffalo on the way to Altenburg, Mo.

The Notre Dame Bulldogs are well known for their speed on the bases. They showed off their bats as well Wednesday. The Bulldogs exploded for 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning and downed Central 14-0 in five innings in the season opener for Notre Dame, which finished second in the state in Class 3 last season...

Local singer, songwriter and musician Dan Wiethop revels in harmless fun. Whether he is performing solo or with his musician friends, Wiethop entices the crowd to "lose the blues and have a little harmless fun." "I just made it up. Everything is so focused on the blues. People go to blues events who never listened to the blues when they were younger kids or adolescents," he said. "I do some good blues songs, but I don't do just that -- I have a little harmless fun."...

The local Tour of Missouri organizing committee needs 60 to 75 more volunteers to fill its roster in advance of the Sept. 8 stage 2 race from Ste. Genevieve, Mo., to Cape Girardeau, volunteer coordinator Troy Vaughn said Wednesday. The Tour of Missouri is visiting Cape Girardeau for the first time this year. Begun in 2007, the race will attract 120 riders from top world and U.S. teams who will participate in seven race stages beginning Sept. 7 in St. Louis...

Patrick A. Naeger, 44, of Perryville, Mo. was re-appointed to the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan Board of Trustees, according to a media release from the governor's office. The board is responsible for of the administration and operation of the plan which covers medical expenses of state employees, retirees, their families and survivors, the release said...

Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton closed the investigation into the death of Max Ellison on Wednesday.

Students returned to a more secure Southeast Missouri State University campus in bigger numbers this week.

Two from Morehouse were killed and an Essex mother and son sustained moderate injuries in a Tuesday evening wreck on U.S. 60 in New Madrid County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The patrol responded to a call at Route E and U.S. 60 at about 7:30 p.m., where 74-year-old Winford R. Towe and 68-year-old Betty L. Vaught were pronounced dead at the scene, the Daily Statesman newspaper reported...

BENTON, Mo. -- Residents are taking part in a weekend of fundraising efforts in support of the Scott County Sheriff's Department's investigation into the unsolved 1992 murder of Mischelle Lawless.

WASHINGTON -- NASA will test the first stage of its new Ares moon rocket today, a milestone in a program that has already spent $7 billion for a rocket that astronauts may never use. When that first stage is tested, it will be mounted horizontally. ...

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico now has one of the world's most liberal laws for drug users after eliminating jail time for small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and even heroin, LSD and methamphetamine. "All right!" said a grinning Ivan Rojas, a thin 20-year-old addict who endured police harassment during the decade he has spent sleeping in Mexico City's streets and subway stations...

BAGHDAD -- Special forces have recovered a stolen Picasso and arrested a man planning to sell the painting during a raid of his house in southern Iraq, Iraqi police said Wednesday. The painting, "The Naked Woman," apparently had been among the artwork looted from Kuwait during Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion, said police spokesman Maj. Muthana Khalid...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: Jackson Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

Williamson; Cook; Davis; Wilson; Evans; Martin

WASHINGTON -- Consumers and businesses went on a big-ticket spending spree in July, sending home, car and equipment sales up by the largest amount in years. The sales, detailed in two government reports Wednesday, confirmed shift in confidence about the economy. New home sales increased almost 10 percent from June, while orders for long-lasting goods such as appliances, planes and computers rose nearly 5 percent in July, the third increase in the past four months...

Cape Girardeau: Arrests; Summons; Thefts; Jackson: Thefts; Property damage; Miscellaneous; Southeast Missouri State University: Thefts

25 years ago: Aug. 27, 1984 Cape Girardeau Police Chief Ray Johnson is appointed by the County Commission to fill a vacancy on the Cape Girardeau County Mental Health Board; Johnson replaces Milton Mouser, who resigned. "Laughable" and "outrageous" are just a couple of the ways area residents describe Union Electric's proposed $639 million rate increase to the Missouri Public Service Commission at a public hearing in Cape Girardeau; the proposed increase is to offset the cost of the new Callaway nuclear plant.. ...

Parent greeter; Follow the rules; Emergency funds; College prep; School manners; Going broke; Late-night work; Enforce the laws

Putting a salad bar into the school lunch menu is a great idea. Cape Girardeau should take a closer look at our children's menu offerings. Having children myself, I fully understand that it is hard to get a child to eat right, so let's teach them good eating habits now. The food will cost a little more. Fresh healthy food does cost a little more. It's worth it...

Cape Girardeau officials are looking at several options for garbage collection, including hiring a contractor, turning over trash collection to private companies or investing in new trucks and bins that encourage recycling. All of these options deserve a thorough review. Whatever the choice, any restructuring in trash hauling should result in service improvements without imposing additional costs...

Aug. 27, 2009 Dear Julie, This is my first week back at school. This semester I will teach college sophomores to write for the mass media. The first day of class, we talked about how much the mass media has changed in only a generation. I don't think 19- and 20-year-olds can understand how much. The Internet has always been their home away from home...

Give us wisdom and patience, O God, as we make crucial decisions. Amen.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's death silenced a voice of bipartisanship at a time when colleagues are working with constituents and each other over a plan to overhaul the nation's health care system. Some lawmakers said Tuesday the current stalemate is the result of Kennedy's absence for the past few months. Some hope to rescue the embattled legislation as his legacy...

NEW YORK -- Sen. Edward Kennedy did not live to see his dream of universal health care passed, but he did complete a cherished and more personal project: his memoir. "True Compass," the summation of his life and career, comes out Sept. 14 with an announced first printing of 1.5 million copies. Kennedy, diagnosed with a brain tumor in May 2008, just months after his book deal was announced, died Tuesday night at age 77...

BENTON, Mo. -- At their regular county commission meeting Tuesday, Scott County officials discussed how to handle and document money raised for DNA testing in the Angela Mischelle Lawless case. Independent Forensic Services, a private company based in the Netherlands, was selected to test the DNA. ...

Independence to be reduced for weeks The eastbound lane of Independence Street between Sprigg Street and Lorimier Street is closed for three to four weeks as Fronabarger Concreters of Oak Ridge works on the sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Traffic will be rerouted to Themis Street during the work, which is being funded by the city's Transportation Trust Fund sales tax. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Jim Rome urges his listeners (or "clones," as he so lovingly calls them) to have solid takes, to bring it, when they dial into his sports talk radio show. Patton Oswalt's character in "Big Fan," Paul Aufiero, ensures that his takes are solid because they are his raison d'etre. ...

Gov. Jay Nixon wants to enhance an already good disaster-response relationship between the state, and faith-based organizations and a meeting in Cape Girardeau will kick off a series of regional meetings to discuss how. Nixon met Wednesday in Jefferson City with a group of religious leaders and emergency management officials to discuss the state's Faith-Based Disaster Initiative. The initiative seeks to speed help to people who are victims of natural disasters...

Karleigh DeLong hopes her senior volleyball season is as satisfying as her junior campaign was frustrating. DeLong, an outside hitter for Southeast Missouri State, is counting on it. "I'm just trying to stay healthy and make sure I have a great senior year," DeLong said. "I'm feeling great."...

Southeast Missouri State's volleyball team is looking for a return to the top of the Ohio Valley Conference after taking a step back last season. The 2008 Redhawks dipped to 13-14 overall, including an 11-7, fifth-place OVC mark. That came after the 2007 Redhawks claimed a share of the program's first OVC regular-season title since 2000 and won 20 matches for the first time since 2002...

Delta used a seven-hit attack to down host Scott City 5-0 in softball action Wednesday. Kendra Burnett earned her second victory, allowing only three hits with no walks and striking out six. Rachel Reed faced 27 batters, allowing seven hits and three earned runs for the Rams...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Adam Carriker is back at practice after an ankle injury, but the 2007 No. 1 pick is working with the third-string defense, at least for now. Carriker hurt his left ankle during a scrimmage Aug. 7, the same ankle that bothered him last season. He returned to individual drills Monday, then resumed working out with the team Tuesday and Wednesday...

Jacob Scott Schneider, 20, of Jackson died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, at his home. He was born March 27, 1989, in Cape Girardeau, son of Steven Lee and Judy Lynn Wollenweber Schneider. Schneider graduated from St. Paul Lutheran School, and from Jackson High School on May 17, 2007. While in high school he played trumpet in the high school band...

Rick L. Proffer, 53, of Jackson passed away Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, at Gads Hill, Mo., near Piedmont, Mo. He was born Feb. 26, 1956, to Linville "Bill" and Alma Loos Proffer. Rick was a 1974 graduate of Jackson High School. He was a lifelong truck driver and had been employed at SEMO Ready Mix, Farrow Logging, Mid-America Dairy and Tom Beussink Excavating, all in Jackson. In May 2008 he became employed at Agri-Trans in Cape Girardeau...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Roy C. Green, 60, of Perryville died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, at his home. He was born Nov. 12, 1948, in Fairfield, Ill., son of Herbert and Maria Locke Green. He and Wendy Jo Tisher were married Sept. 23, 1995, at Steeleville, Ill...

Rose L. Musgraves passed away Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, on her 94th birthday, at Monticello House in Jackson. She was born Aug. 25, 1915, in Elberon, Iowa, to Otto and Caroline Baresh Kubalek. She and Arthur Musgraves were married Feb. 12, 1965. They had been married 28 years when Art passed away June 21, 1993...

Odelia Elizabeth Daniel, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, at the Lutheran Home. Visitation will be from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral, with the Rev. Tom Kiefer officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery at Charleston, Mo...

OLD APPLETON, Mo. -- Matilda B. Rellergert Buchheit, 85, of St. Louis, formerly of Old Appleton, died Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Kutis Affton Chapel in St. Louis. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Mark Catholic Church. Burial will be in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery...

A health care reform forum will be held today at Mount Auburn Christian Church in Cape Girardeau. Robert Wood Johnson Fellow Dr. Susan Hinck, AARP representative Jay Hardenbrook and Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance representative Brian Colby will be on hand to answer questions about the health care proposals in Congress. The event will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 930 N. Mount Auburn Road. Lunch will be provided...

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will hold a town-hall meeting at 6 p.m. today at the Cape Girardeau VFW Post 3838 headquarters, 1049 N. Kingshighway, to discuss the location of the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. The clinic has a new location near West Park Mall in the space formerly rented by Pier 1 Imports. The clinic was at the Missouri Veterans Home...

ST. LOUIS -- When Joel Pineiro's sinker is working, St. Louis Cardinals infielders get plenty of ground balls. The pitcher, too, with Pineiro's glovework triggering two double plays that helped him win his seventh straight decision. Pineiro contributed four assists while working eight strong innings and the Cardinals jumped on Roy Oswalt early in a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night...

SAN FRANCISCO -- An appeals court ruled Wednesday that federal agents were wrong to seize the infamous drug list and samples of 104 Major League Baseball players who allegedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. In a 9-2 vote, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with three lower court judges who chastised investigators who had a warrant for only 10 drug test results as part of the BALCO investigation into Barry Bonds and others...

Dan Wiethop, Don Greenwood and Chris Moore came together for their first album titled, "Have a Little 'Harmless Fun,'" released Friday. Wiethop blends his own form of folk and fun from a number of musical genres -- Americana, bluegrass, country, classical, blues, jazz and swing. While he plays everything from guitar to harmonica to banjo to autoharp, Moore's bass guitar gives the songs low end and Greenwood's congas add some spicy drums to the mix...

WASHINGTON -- Georgia's Republican senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, voted against the $787 billion economic stimulus package, blasting the bill as a bloated government giveaway. But their disdain didn't stop them from later asking Defense Secretary Robert Gates to steer $50 million in stimulus money to a constituent's bio-energy project...

In a small town, having a band meant having something to do. Jeff Bell and Matt Sanders, both originally from Bloomfield, Mo., have been playing together in various combinations since their early teens. "It was something people gathered around," Sanders said. When there was a weekend night, there was the band and their friends...

The issue of whether Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties will be put under stricter air pollution rules will be discussed today when U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson meets with members of the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission.

The week's entertainment options