Stories from December 2010

There have been other humble football players at Southeast Missouri State. But when it comes to combined talent and humility, senior tailback Henry Harris, who has put together one of the best individual seasons in the program's 104-year history, has few peers...

A Sedgewickville man is in serious condition following a Tuesday accident. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 2008 Nissan driven by David C. Hyche, 39, traveled off the road and struck two trees at 4:20 p.m. on Highway 72, three miles west of Millersville...

A Benton, Mo., woman is in moderate condition following a Tuesday evening accident. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 1999 Chevrolet 1500 driven by Jodie L. McCoy, 44, ran off the road and struck a tree on County Road 247, two miles north of Benton at 6:20 p.m. She was ejected from the vehicle...

CAIRO, Ill. -- A crash involving two trucks has closed the Ohio River bridge at Cairo, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported. Just after 5 p.m. a news release indicated the bridge would likely be closed for two hours. According to the release, reports indicate two trucks collided. One made it across the bridge into Illinois, and the other may be partially overturned at the bridge approach on the Kentucky side...

A system tracking pseudoephedrine purchases at pharmacies around Missouri isn't enough to curb the state's methamphetamine problem, Gov. Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster said Tuesday at the Cape Girardeau Police Department, where they announced they'd like the state to become the third in the nation to require a doctor's prescription to purchase cold medication with pseudoephedrine...

Breathe Easy of Cape Girardeau has a sufficient number of signatures to put a smoking ban on the ballot, Cape Girardeau city clerk Gayle Conrad confirmed Tuesday. Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark verified 2,571 of the collected 2,678 signatures...

When the Girl Scout Cadettes in Girl Scout Troop 50088 heard that there would be girls living in the new Habitat for Humanity home in Marble Hill, they knew they wanted to do something special for those girls. They saved $250 from troop fundraisers to support their service project idea. ...

Our dog when he was a puppy, I believe he was trying to sneak up on the cat, but little does he know a cat will jump about 6 ft. into the air if startled.

At a standing-room-only public hearing Tuesday night, no resident in attendance spoke in favor of peripheral zoning. Cape Girardeau City Council member Mark Lanzotti was the strongest voice in support of the plan, telling the crowd of almost 400 at the Osage Community Centre that without the protections offered through peripheral zoning, it was entirely possible for a strip club or adult novelty shop to open across the road from homes and farms...

The Cape Girardeau Noise Disturbance Committee seeking public input on what to change or leave the same in the city's current noise ordinance heard more residents' concerns than their suggestions Tuesday at a one-hour hearing at the Osage Community Centre...

JEFFERSON CITY -- For the fourth consecutive year, Senator Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, sponsored the top prizes for Missouri Department of Transportation Southeast District's seventh-annual bridge building competition. "This competition is a great way to spark student interests in civil engineering" said Sen. Crowell. "The experience encourages students to call upon their creativity and mathematical knowledge to craft a bridge that will withstand the toughest of tests."...

My Uncle Matt Hix is a Marine and over seas in Afghanistan right now, My Christmas Wish is to have my Uncle to come home for Christmas,it would make everyone happy, my Grandma Hix is very sad and says its not Christmas without Uncle Matt. All i want for Christmas is for my Uncle to be able to come home...

Original Stone Sour drummer Joel Ekman to preform at Pitter's with his new band Isaac James. On January 22 2011 PITTERS CAFE & LOUNGE will host a show from The Isaac James band. Featuring Joel Ekman former drummer for the grammy nominated band Stone Sour,...

St. Louis Raggae and Blues act Aaron Kamm & The One Drops bring the jam back to Cape for 3 big shows. Pitter's Cafe & Lounge will host the act on December 17, January 15, and again Feburary 12. Aaron Kamm is one of St. louis' best Raggae acts and Pitter's gives you a rare change to see this gem in Cape. Club owner Glinda "Pitter" Seabaugh says "She is delighted to have this very talented band return to Pitter's by popular demand."...

Celebrity designer Jeff Lewis of Bravo TV's "Flipping Out" hopes his appearance to support the Lutheran Family and Children's Services Holiday Home Tour will make people flip open their wallets to support the local charity. Lewis, who designed the home of Angie and Shannon Davis on Fox Hollow off Lexington Avenue, will be in town for a VIP exclusive event Friday featuring appetizers, cocktails and a private tour of the home...

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon's study on gays in the military has determined that overturning the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on serving openly might cause some disruption at first but would not create widespread or long-lasting problems. The study provides ammunition to congressional Democrats struggling to overturn the law. ...

DEMING, N.M. -- Robbers, beware of clerks wielding pastries. Police in Deming, said a clerk foiled a robbery last week when she hit the culprit on the back of the head with a package of empanadas, a type of Latin American pastry. Police say the masked man had grabbed the cash register at Amigo's Mexican Food and tried to flee...

CANCUN, Mexico -- Stuck in a blame game led by "big players" U.S. and China, the rest of the world should take on the climate crisis more aggressively "with or without them," said Mexican President Felipe Calderon. That example -- through such basic steps as switching out Mexico's light bulbs -- will rally public opinion and bring political pressure on the biggest contributors to global warming, Calderon said...

SEOUL, South Korea -- A top South Korean official dismisses China's nuclear negotiator as "incompetent." A Chinese envoy mocks North Korea as a "spoiled child." After a major escalation of sporadic skirmishes between the rival Koreas, an international effort is trying to rein in rising tensions. But U.S. diplomatic memos leaked this week call into question whether regional powers -- most notably China -- have any insight into or influence over enigmatic and defiant North Korea...

CAIRO -- President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party has captured nearly all the parliament seats that were decided in a first round of voting, according to results announced Tuesday from elections that Egypt's opposition has decried as riddled with violations...

WASHINGTON -- The government scrambled Tuesday to prevent future spills of U.S. secrets like the embarrassing WikiLeaks' disclosures, while officials pondered possible criminal prosecutions and Interpol in Europe sent out a "red notice" for nations to be on the lookout for the website's founder...

ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday kicked off a four-nation diplomatic tour dogged by the WikiLeaks disclosure of U.S. diplomatic cables, an act she called an assault on the international community. WikiLeaks' release of more than a quarter million diplomatic files came up as Clinton fielded questions from an audience of students and civic leaders at Eurasian University after meeting privately with several Kazakh women's rights and political leaders on her first visit to the nation.. ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

Cape Girardeau has many assets. Topping the list are the talented people who live and work in our community. Jack and Beverly Smart are two such individuals. Jack Smart has worked at Teen Challenge for nearly 31 years, 20 of those years as the organization's executive director. His strong leadership abilities and heart for the organization has led to his promotion with Teen Challenge USA in Ozark, Mo...

THANK you to the nice person who recently turned in my two glasses at Bob Evans. I really appreciate your honesty. Thank you very much. EVERYBODY complains about government intrusion in our lives. One area we can directly address this intrusion is in the proposed smoking ban in businesses. Let business owners decide whether they want to allow smoking in their business...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Wilma Kathleen Pfeffer, 83, of Advance passed away Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, at Advance Nursing Center. She was born Jan. 10, 1927, at Risco, Mo., daughter of Dennis and Nora Glass Cecil. Wilma was a member of the Church of Christ...

Daughter to Adonis Lamarr Davis and Victoria Lynn Clark of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 5:02 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, 2010. Name, A'Kiyah Nevaeh. Weight, 4 pounds, 1 ounce. Ms. Clark is the daughter of Vickey Clark of Cape Girardeau. She is employed at National Asset Recovery Services. Davis is the son of Aaron Davis of Cape Girardeau and Mary Morris of East Prairie, Mo. He is employed at Havco Wood Products Inc...

The first Sunday of Advent is noted at churches in Cape Girardeau; at St. Mark Lutheran Church, the first of four Advent candles on a wreath prepared by the altar committee is lit; serving on the committee are chairman Carl Train, Juanita Aukeman, Dessie Poe, Audrey Wooldridge and Adrianne Powers...

Dr. Eric Morton I'm concerned about the state of health care in Southeast Missouri. As a resident of this area for nearly 10 years, I think Southeast Missouri has some of the best health care in the U.S. for a town of its size. I have lived many places around the country, and I have been involved in the health care system since the early 1990s. Cape Girardeau's two hospital systems are what drove me back to this area, and I plan on staying here for the rest of my career...

O Lord, we thank you that your love endures for ever. Amen.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston woman received moderate injuries following a Monday night accident. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Alexa C. Barnes, 21, lost control of her 2007 Toyota and struck an embankment on U.S. 61, five miles north of Sikeston...

A federal judge ordered a Piedmont, Mo., man to be released Monday afternoon following his sentencing for calling in a bomb threat at a Piedmont factory. Marty Allen Shriver, 27, of the 600 block of Dryden got "time served," which in this case was about 11 months, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell. Shriver had been in federal custody since his December 2009 arrest on one felony count of using a telephone to make a false bomb threat...

Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's appearance on Fox News has been rescheduled, according to a news release from his office. Kinder will appear on Greta Van Susteren's talk show "On the Record." at 9 p.m. Wednesday. Kinder's director of communications, Gary McElyea, said the lieutenant governor will be discussing his lawsuit challenging the federal health care law and developments in some of the other lawsuits across the country. ...

BRUSSELS -- European Union regulators will investigate whether Google Inc. has abused its dominant position in the online search market by deliberately lowering links to smaller rivals' sites in its search results. The European Commission's move, announced Tuesday, is the first formal investigation by a major regulatory agency into whether Google has been manipulating its search engine to stifle competition and funnel more traffic to its own services...

WASHINGTON -- If Congress lets unemployment benefits expire this week for the long-term unemployed, they won't be the only ones to feel the pain. The overall economy would suffer, too. Unemployment benefits help drive the economy because the jobless tend to spend every dollar they get, pumping cash into businesses. A cutoff of aid for millions of people unemployed for more than six months could squeeze a fragile economy, analysts say. Among the consequences they envision over the next year:...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The annexation of land into Sikeston's city limits for a new Three Rivers Community College campus has moved another step forward. The Sikeston City Council accepted a petition of annexation during its special meeting Monday morning...

CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each scored his second goal of the game late in the third period Tuesday night to shut off a St. Louis Blues rally and send the Chicago Blackhawks to a 7-5 victory. Kane scored on a rebound off a shot by Viktor Stalberg with 6 minutes, 18 seconds left to put the Blackhawks up 6-4 after they nearly let a 5-1 lead slip away in their first home game since going 4-2 on a road swing out West...

Southeast Missouri State football fans will be able to watch the first playoff game in the program's 104-year history without making the long trip to Cheney, Wash. It was announced Tuesday that Saturday's contest at Eastern Washington will be televised live on WQWQ, the Heartland's CW, which is channel 12 on Charter Cable. Kickoff is set for 3:05 p.m. local time...

The Zalma boys basketball team rebounded from a heartbreaking one-point loss to Meadow Heights on Monday to defeat Woodland 77-47 on Tuesday night at the Woodland tournament. The Bulldogs advanced to the consolation final at 5 p.m. Friday with the victory. Their opponent has not been determined...

Southeast Missourians have started to dig out their heavy coats and sweaters to stay warm, but what can be done to keep their houses warm this winter? When the weather cools off, drafts in the home become much more noticeable and costly. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5 to 30 percent of the energy a household uses...

If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas, look no further than the cookbook rack at the book store or, in this case, at Capaha Bank locations. The new "Friends For All" Relay For Life Team cookbook is available at the bank's branches. Already in its second printing, the book offers a variety of recipes in 150 pages. ...

The Blue Jays reached the semifinals with a 75-71 victory

If your holiday parties seem like seas of hummus and sour cream-based dips, consider changing it up with a festive and flavorful tapenade made from canned beets. Not only is this bright red spread a beautiful addition to a holiday buffet, it also comes together quickly and is low in fat and calories. Serve it with toasted baguette rounds, bread sticks or pretzels...

There are those nights when breakfast is the only way dinner is going to get on the table. But that doesn't doom you to a bowl of cold cereal in front of the television. There are plenty of easy ways to add a dinner-like sophistication -- or at least satisfaction -- to your breakfast staples. And that was the inspiration for this rich and cheesy take on eggs and toast...

All the area high school events reported Tuesday to the Southeast Missourian.

ST. LOUIS -- Faced with a surplus of infielders, the Los Angeles Dodgers traded Ryan Theriot to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday for pitcher Blake Hawksworth. The Dodgers made the move while also announcing they had signed free agent infielder Juan Uribe to a three-year contract...

NEW YORK -- Johnny Depp's flamboyant portrayal of Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean" was good enough for an Oscar nomination, but the actor says Disney was less than thrilled. Depp talked about it in an interview with rocker Patti Smith for the January edition of Vanity Fair magazine...

One in five Americans suffers from a mental illness. Or at least that's the finding from a recently-released report from government researchers. Now over the years, I have grown increasingly wary of "government studies" because I suspect that too often the studies simply reflect the thinking of the researchers. But that's an opinion, not necessarily a fact...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Thefts...

Eliminating nearly half of Missouri's tax credit programs and changes to most others are suggestions in a report released today by the Missouri Tax Credit Review Commission. In July, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed 27 people to the tax credit review commission to evaluate the state's 61 tax credit programs...

Stotts, a 5-foot-11 guard and forward, averaged more than 23 points a game as a junior, but he exceeded that total in each of his team's first three games.

A Millersville man received moderate injuries following a two-vehicle accident Wednesday in Gordonville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 2003 Dodge driven by William S. Claussen, 26, failed to yield while making a left turn and was struck by another vehicle. The accident occurred at 4:15 p.m. on Route Z in Gordonville...

With plenty of public school systems seeing jumps in health insurance premiums, the Jackson School District may be counting its savings. The Jackson School Board recently approved a health insurance renewal contract with carrier Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for 2011. The district's premiums will rise 5 percent, which is lower than the projected 10 percent increase for the Cape Girardeau School District and below the projected national average uptick of 8.2 percent...

Several local photographers will use their skills to give back to their community as part of the national Help-Portrait event this Saturday. The Help-Portrait event in Cape Girardeau will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Marshall Portrait Studio...

Some leaders in the pharmaceutical industry expressed their disappointment Wednesday in Gov. Jay Nixon's recent announcement regarding pseudoephedrine, instead favoring a state database already in place to block sales of the drug. In a series of visits Tuesday, Nixon announced he'd like Missouri to become the third state in the country to require a doctor's prescription to purchase medications such as Sudafed, Claritin-D and Advil Cold and Sinus, which all contain pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in manufacturing methamphetamine.. ...

Today, the Southeast Missourian concludes its three-part series on local National Merit semifinalists, all of whom are enrolled at Cape Girardeau Central High School. Out of a competitive field of more than 1.5 million students who took the PSAT last year, these high-achieving seniors have joined this year's class of 16,191 semifinalists nationally, 341 from Missouri. They are the only representatives from an 18-school area in Southeast Missouri...

Wednesday marked the start of the Christmas season in Jackson with the arrival of Santa's house at the courthouse lawn. The house was refurbished this year to provide St. Nick with an improved place to receive visitors and their Christmas wish lists...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After nearly two decades of planning, dreaming and plenty of politics, a casino in Cape Girardeau that was once considered a long shot is finally becoming a reality.

It's not every day that a couple learn they're having triplets. When Timothy Clark first heard the news, he didn't believe it. "I had to put the doctor on the phone to convince him I was telling the truth," says Nicole Kinder. Clark, who is himself a twin, says he and Kinder had joked about having twins, but they were shocked when he found out about the triplets. "It took a while for it to sink in," he says with a smile...

Larry, formerly a neighborhood feral cat has adopted us and the Holiday spirit.

Blue Heron sits high above the ground at the Robert Delaney Conversation Area in Mississippi County Missouri.

The annual Madrigal Feaste "will usher in the Christmas season splendiferously," according to Cape Central High School Choral Director Dina Casey on Dec 10 and 11. Celebrations will cater the event, which will be held in the Commons at the high school. ...

Now that the Missouri Gaming Commission has approved Isle of Capri's plans for a Cape Girardeau casino, the company is finishing design work so construction bidding can begin. The realignment of Main Street will be the first step in the construction, expected to take 18 to 24 months, said Jill Haynes, Isle of Capri communications director...

The Redhawks have attempted and completed the fewest passes in the Ohio Valley Conference while ranking third nationally in rushing offense with an average of 271.1 yards per game.

While Americans are by and large generous people, they do take exception with excessive government spending and inefficiency. According to a USA Today analysis, the number of federal employees earning $150,000 or more a year has doubled in the past two years. ...

I'M not at all disgusted by the choices in television programming. The History Channel has great shows about events that I wasn't alive to witness, such as the Battle of the Bulge. On the Discovery Channel, I "visit" countries I'll probably never get to go to in person. On several channels I can watch sitcoms from when I was a child and laugh at Lucy and Desi...

Dec. 2, 2010 Dear Sally and Doug, I'm writing out of a concern that being an Ohio State fan has become your religion. It's not just Sally's Ohio State license plates and the fact that we usually buy Doug red Christmas gifts because that's the team color. It's not that your son Kyle graduated from Ohio State. With more than 55,000 students enrolled, many thousands do every year...

O God, may we walk in righteousness, along the paths of justice. Amen.

Gary Rust included in a recent column a section titled "The collapse of socialism." An excerpt said, "The unavailability of additional sovereign credit, the persistent excessive spending and deficits, the accumulated sovereign debt and other indications of insolvency validate the conclusion that socialism has failed." This does not sound nearly as bad as our capitalist form of government with its $10 trillion national debt, $1.3 trillion budget deficit and $123.3 billion trade deficit.. ...

What's happening this weekend

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Obama administration will maintain a long-standing oil drilling ban in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida after considering loosening it before the BP spill, a senior administration official said Wednesday. Just a month before the spill started in April, the Obama administration had announced plans to allow drilling in the eastern portion of the Gulf as part of the management plan for the Outer Continental Shelf...

DETROIT -- All major automakers but Toyota reported strong U.S. sales increases in November as the auto industry's slow-motion recovery continued to gain traction. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Hyundai and Honda all reported double-digit increases, and only Toyota, which has been hurt by a string of safety recalls, had a sales drop. ...

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve revealed details Wednesday of trillions of dollars in emergency aid it provided to U.S. and foreign banks during the financial crisis. New documents show that the most loan and other aid for U.S. institutions over time went to Citigroup ($2.2 trillion), followed by Merrill Lynch ($2.1 trillion), Morgan Stanley ($2 trillion), Bank of America ($1.1 trillion), Bear Stearns ($960 billion), Goldman Sachs ($620 billion), JPMorgan Chase ($260 billion) and Wells Fargo ($150 billion). ...

Stocks started December with a jump. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 249 points Wednesday, its biggest one-day gain since Sept. 1 and the sixth-largest this year. An encouraging employment report and hopes that Europe's debt crisis may ease boosted major indexes on Wednesday, erasing nearly two weeks of losses. Bond prices and the dollar fell as investors moved money into riskier assets...

INCHEON, South Korea -- A South Korean fisherman whose neighborhood was swallowed by flames in last week's North Korean shelling saw a TV image of the North's leader, Kim Jong Il, and cringed. "I want to kill him," said Kwak Yong-sun, who now lives on the floor of a public bath house on the mainland. "I almost died because of that man."...

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Soldiers raided three militant camps Wednesday hidden in the winding creeks of Nigeria's oil-rich and restive southern delta, seizing heavy weaponry in an attack rebels claimed killed more than 100 people. The attack started Wednesday afternoon in Delta state, an oil-producing state in the middle of Niger Delta, military spokesman Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha said...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State conservation officials have confirmed the sighting of a mountain lion in northwest Missouri. The Conservation Department said a photo taken last week by a Platte County landowner clearly shows a mountain in a tree on his property. The department also identified claw marks and collected hair samples from where the animal was perched...

Perry Elmer Cook, 79, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010, at Woodland Hills Nursing Home in Marble Hill, Mo. He was born Aug. 20, 1931, at Mayfield, Mo., son of Elza Elmer and Maude Fulbright Cook. He and Bessie Ruth Stratton were married Dec. 5, 1951...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Murla M. Moore, 80, of Perryville died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010, at her home. She was born Jan. 1, 1930, in Menfro, Mo., daughter of Edmund Martin and Hilda Emilie Tiedemann Gross. She and Gilbert P. Moore Sr. were married July 8, 1950...

ORDWAY, Colo. -- Dollie Madine Moyers Riemenschneider, 80, departed this life to meet her Savior on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010, at her home, surrounded by her family. She was born Sept. 15, 1930, in Club, Mo., daughter of Marion Harrison and Mary Florence Eads Allen. On Oct. 11, 1947, she was united in marriage to Robert Edgar Moyers, who preceded her in death March 13, 1970, in Hiram, Mo...

Col. Ronald R. Fee, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at the Missouri Veterans Home. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Nathan Burgell officiating...

Two small John Deere tractors, valued at $45,000, were reported stolen yesterday from Compas and Strack Inc., an implement dealership in Jackson; the tractors were parked on display at the dealership on Birk Road. CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Ignoring Mayor Robert Capshaw's concerns about insurance liability, the Chaffee City Council unanimously votes to continue housing Scott County's prisoners and then overrides Capshaw's veto of its original vote...

POLICE The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Summonses Assault Miscellaneous FIRE Firefighters responded to the following call Monday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Summonses Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston City Council passed a bill during its Monday morning meeting regulating the use of motorized wheelchairs on city streets and alleyways. "The whole purpose of this was safety for everybody's sake," said Linda Lowes, director of governmental services...

BENTON, Mo. -- The Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence's is expanding with a new facility in Benton. Tammy Gwaltney, director of the SEMO-NASV, met with Scott County Commissioners during their regular meeting Tuesday to provide an "update on what's happening with our organization, particularly in this county," she said...

KENNETT, Mo. -- A Campbell, Mo., man was sentenced to six years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to assaulting his father with a knife before the father shot him in self-defense. Ricky Lee McCurter Jr., 28, pleaded guilty to felony second-degree domestic assault before Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp, according to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Sokoloff. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- After months of preparations, the Scott County Public Water Supply District No. 4 now has water running to its first customer. "On Wednesday, when the kids were out of school (at Thomas W. Kelly), we started flushing out the system," said Tim McIntyre, system manager. "We added pressure to the lines to clean them out on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday."...

WASHINGTON -- The universe may glitter with far more stars than even Carl Sagan imagined when he rhapsodized about billions upon billions. A new study suggests there are 300 sextillion of them, or three times as many as scientists previously calculated. That is a 3 followed by 23 zeros. Or 3 trillion times 100 billion...

NEW YORK -- Americans jumped on deals and promotions offered online on Cyber Monday, spending $1 billion and making it the busiest online shopping day ever, according to new data. Research firm comScore Inc. says revenue rose 16 percent from a year ago to $1.03 billion on the Monday after Thanksgiving, the first one-day spending total above $1 billion...

Penzel Construction Co. Inc. of Jackson was awarded a $248,727 contract Wednesday for improvements to Highway 51 in Bollinger County by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. The project includes replacing the bridge over East Fork Longs Creek near Patton, Mo. ...

It's that time of the year when money may be burning a hole in your pocket. Did you know you can actually burn money without damaging it? A few materials from around the house that will protect your money from fire. Adult supervision is recommended for this experiment...

A Sedgewickville, Mo., man is in serious condition following a Tuesday accident. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 2008 Nissan driven by David C. Hyche, 39, traveled off the road and struck two trees at 4:20 p.m. on Highway 72, three miles west of Millersville. Hyche was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was not wearing a seat belt...

BENTON, Mo. -- A Benton woman is in moderate condition following a Tuesday accident. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 1999 Chevrolet 1500 driven by Jodie L. McCoy, 44, ran off the road and struck a tree on County Road 247, two miles north of Benton at 6:20 p.m. She was ejected from the vehicle. McCoy was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was not wearing a seat belt...

Route M in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane from Route BB to County Road 223, while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine drainage maintenance. Weather permitting, work will be done from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Friday. ...

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded a $103,625 contract to Apex Paving Co. of Cape Girardeau on Wednesday for improvements to the U.S. 61/Route K/Route M interchange at Scott City. The project includes coldmilling and resurfacing in the interchange area. ...

WASHINGTON -- A package of spending cuts and tax increases drew challenges from both the left and right on President Barack Obama's deficit commission Wednesday, putting approval in doubt. However, both parties' Senate budget point men embraced the plan, and even opponents called it a starting point for efforts next year to control the nation's ballooning debt...

BENTON, Mo. -- A 37-year-old Morley, Mo., man was arrested this week after a girl reported the man sexually assaulted her during a sleepover. Terrial Tyler is charged with forcible rape, forcible sodomy and felony restraint. Sheriff Rick Walter said in a news release Wednesday that Tyler is accused of luring the girl, whose age wasn't given, to a bathroom where he allegedly raped and sodomized the victim...

I recently went to see the movie "Waiting for Superman." I am very disappointed with the way the movie portrays public education. The movie does not provide a balanced or fair perspective. It promotes charter schools, when in reality, public schools outperform charter schools 83 percent of the time. It uses an emotional story to condemn public education, when in reality, public schools provide excellent learning opportunities...

All the scores from Wednesday that were reported to the Southeast Missourian.

ST. LOUIS -- The Washington Capitals discovered Jaroslav Halak is not perfect after all. Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves for his fourth straight win since recovering from a groin injury, and the Capitals got back at the goalie who knocked them out of the playoffs last spring with a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday...

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team begins Ohio Valley Conference play today against the two-time defending OVC tournament champion. Austin Peay (1-6), which has represented the OVC in the past two NCAA tournaments, visits the Show Me Center for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff. Southeast has another 5:30 p.m. OVC home game Saturday, against Tennessee State (3-3)...

The first six games of the season failed to go the way Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt envisioned. Southeast is off to the program's worst start since moving up to Division I in 1991-92, surpassing the 2001-02 squad that lost its first five games...

The head of the Missouri Gaming Commission has a message for Isle of Capri: They will be watching. The commission that regulates all gambling in Missouri will be closely monitoring Isle of Capri as it builds the $125 million casino over the next two years to make sure the company delivers on its promises, chairman Jim Mathewson said Thursday.

Of the 1,000 Missouri pharmacies connected to an electronic database that catalogs pseudoephedrine purchases, two of Cape Girardeau's top chain pharmacies recorded the most sales for November.

As the Southeast Missouri State University football team kept winning, this season's crowds at Houck Stadium kept growing. Average attendance at this season's five home games was 8,342, an increase of more than 2,500 from last year's average attendance...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission unanimously voted down Cape Girardeau's request for peripheral zoning within two miles of the city limits. Thursday's vote came after weeks of public outcry among potentially affected residents.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Road crews have tested their snow plows and equipment and stocked their buildings with salt in preparation for the season's first snow fall. Now they're waiting to see what Mother Nature has in store for them. "Usually by Nov. 1, our salt bins are stocked up, and by now, most of the trucks have snow plows and spreads put on them, and every thing has been tested and calibrated," said Stan Johnson, area engineer for Missouri Department of Transportation's District 10. ...

Shoulder pads. Check. Helmets. Check. Long underwear. Checkmate. Those red-hot Redhawks are set to play in a cold and snowy climate when they face off Saturday against Eastern Washington University in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. And Southeast Missouri State football players are getting some new equipment to survive the blustery Northwest conditions...

The new North Main Street to be built for the Isle of Capri casino will run right through what is now Jim Pledger's house at 217 Mason St. The 74-year-old, who has signed a purchase agreement with the casino, said he doesn't like the idea of moving away from the house he's lived in the past 25 years, but he knows it has to be done...

The Southeast Missouri Harley Owners Group, along with the Cape Elks and Kohl's, sponsored a toy run and food drive on November 14. Bikers met at Kohl's with bags of food and toys for the food pantry and Toys for Tots program. Pictured are Elks Exalted Ruler Ron Bollinger, SEMO H.O.G. director Steve Floyd, and Elks treasurer Steve Reed. We wish to thank everyone for their participation and contributions...

An aerial photo of the International Shoe Co. factory from the 70s. The Isle of Capri gambling casino is slated to go there. For more photos and some interesting factoids about the shoe factory, go to http://www.capecentralhigh.com/cape-photos/cape-downtown/shoe-factory-to-cape-casino/...

An aerial photo of the site of the old International Shoe Co. factory site which is slated to become a gambling casino. For more photos, including a vintage aerial of the shoe factory in the 70s, go to http://www.capecentralhigh.com/cape-photos/cape-downtown/shoe-factory-to-cape-casino/...

Sara Bradshaw took a 9 point with her Crossbow

The Redhawks came back from a double-digit deficit midway through the second half but fell 78-60.

"I absolutely would not have missed this. I really wanted to be here," said Bill Gosche, vice-president of the Southeast's Executive Booster Board.

CHENEY, Wash. -- The Southeast Missouri State football team got its first taste of the fire-engine red turf at Eastern Washington University during Friday's hour-long practice. The Redhawks players trickled from the locker room before the 5 p.m. light workout got under way. The players wore helmets and most donned sweatpants and sweatshirts as the temperature hovered just below freezing...

The members of the Doobie Derby Band knew each others' musical style before they knew everyone's name. The band consists of Jason Heeter on bass, Brian Davis on guitar, Wes Weber on drums and Matthew Caldwell on electric banjo. "I came to a party in February, and when I came in, there was this awesome bass and drums going on downstairs," Davis said. "So I go down there, and there's a guitar and an amp, and we jammed for an hour and a half."...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. said Thursday it lost $1 million in its fiscal second quarter partly because of higher interest expense. The loss was smaller than Wall Street expected. Executives of the casino operator remain cautious about the future...

Though there will be several ways to ring in the new year, one party has a nobler purpose. The Bavarian Halle in Fruitland will play host to the St. Jude New Year's Eve Fundraiser. The glitzy holiday will get real-world treatment with the event -- a casual dinner and dance party. A catered dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a raffle at 7:30 and music by The Big Ticket at 8...

First Friday offers a variety of events every month, and today, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri adds a little more variety with one show: the annual Regional Juried Art Show. The exhibits this year reach into the triple digits and cover many media, from sculpture to photography to painting...

Order a 13x22 broadsheet reprint.

Arts and entertainment briefs

River Campus Art Gallery The graduating seniors will show their final works in the BFA Seniors Exhibition on display through Dec. 17. The students will be at the opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. 518 S. Fountain St.; 651-2143 The River View Room...

A great way to celebrate this "most wonderful time of the year" is tonight's annual Old Town Cape Downtown Christmas Open House. Featuring horse-drawn carriage rides, caroling, pictures with Santa, refreshments and a chance to win a $1,500 shopping spree, there is something for everyone. The event, which takes place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., will feature 14 downtown merchants...

I will not be popular making the next statement, but in principle, I support planning and zoning. I understand many of the concerns regarding adding restrictions, but my perspective is centered on having a forum that hears objections with the ability to act, specifically on something that effects my property value and quality of life. Today in the county, there is no process to determine if a subdivision, rock quarry or meatpacking plant is good for the overall community...

SMOKING is my right. It is not someone else's right to decide what I can do. If I want to smoke, I will smoke. This is America, not Russia. If I want to smoke and take the risk of killing myself with lung cancer, that's my decision. If you don't want to be near my cigarette smoke, then don't come near me...

If you like Southern charm and history next to an ocean, you can't beat Savannah, Ga. That's where my wife and I spent much of Thanksgiving week. We had never been there, which is always a good enough reason to go anywhere. With nearly 300 years of history, Savannah's large historic district with 24 public squares woven into its grid of streets offers beauty rarely found in urban areas...

O Lord, show us your favor as we seek your will for our lives. Amen.

KENNETT, Mo. -- A Malden doctor charged with two sexual abuse felonies for allegedly inappropriately touching two female patients was granted a continuance and will appear in court Tuesday. According to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff's office, Dr. Martin McDonald, represented by attorney Jasper N. Edmundson of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 30, but asked that the date be reset...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Talk about a close shave. An SUV crashed into an Anchorage barber shop, narrowly missing shop owner Heng Song and his two customers. But Song wasn't about to let the horrifying moment get in the way of a good haircut. He was momentarily stunned, yes, when the vehicle burst through a door and window Wednesday afternoon as he was clipping a customer's hair...

MEGADIM, Israel -- Dozens of Israeli guards trying to rescue prisoners threatened by the worst forest fire in the country's history died Thursday when their bus became trapped in the same inferno. As the guards raced toward the prison holding mostly Palestinians, a lone tree fell across the road, blocking their path. With no way out, many of them were burned alive inside the vehicle. Others perished while trying to flee the flames...

THE FORMER hacker is wanted by Swedish officials on sex charges

The Bill wouldn't preserve cuts for higher earners

WASHINGTON -- Veteran Rep. Charles Rangel, the raspy-voiced, backslapping former chairman of one of Congress' most powerful committees, was censured by his House colleagues for financial misconduct Thursday in a solemn moment of humiliation in the sunset of his career...

NEW YORK -- Shoppers had retailers' registers ringing in November, getting the holiday season off to a roaring start. Retailers on Thursday reported revenue figures that topped expectations and showed the second-biggest monthly percentage gain in four years, according to one measure. And the reports raise hopes spending might remain strong for the rest of the holiday season and help the economy recover...

MIAMI -- The mother of a Florida child who was kicked out of his kindergarten class after the teacher held a vote among fellow students about his disruptive behavior has reached a $350,000 settlement with St. Lucie County education officials. Federal court documents show the county school board and teachers union agreed to pay the settlement to Melissa Barton and her son, Alex...

WASHINGTON -- November marked a two-year low for the number of people applying for initial unemployment benefits, suggesting that the tight job market may be easing at last. The slowing of layoffs and a solid month for retailers are the latest evidence of a strengthening economy in the final months of the year. Even the struggling housing market showed signs of improvement: On Thursday, it posted a third straight monthly increase in signed contracts for home purchases...

Rosalie J. Dalton, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born May 8, 1924, in Cape Girardeau, to Ernest A. and Edna B. Loos Lehne. She and Lowell O. "Butch" Dalton were married April 25, 1942, in Cape Girardeau. He died Dec. 22, 2008...

Col. Ronald R. Fee, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at Missouri Veterans Home. He was born July 21, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, to Ira and Nevada Gaines Fee. He and V. Lee Ross were married Feb. 3, 1951, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Fee was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. He retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army after a 40-year military career...

Pearl Frances Jones Buelow, 83, of Clinton, Iowa, died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. She was formerly of Cape Girardeau. The service was held Nov. 20 at Snell-Zornig Funeral Home and Crematory in Clinton...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Larry Gene Rosson, 69, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jack Richardson officiating. Burial will be in Jonesboro Cemetery...

Michael Mark McCollum, 63, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at his home. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Bollinger County Memorial Park Cemetery, with the Rev. Jeff Wells officiating. Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill, Mo., is in charge of arrangements...

Thelma Inez Uhls Fiehler, 83, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, in Victoria, Texas. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Chris and Christina McAuley of Washington, Mo., St. John's Mercy Hospital in Washington, 6:10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, 2010. Name, Gracelynn Kay. Weight, 6 pounds, 11 ounces. Second child. Mrs. McAuley is the former Christina Raisch, daughter of John and Kay Raisch of Belgrade, Mo. She is a consumer support specialist with Reliable Home Care. McAuley is the son of Ed and Ellen McAuley of Cape Girardeau. He is a sales assistant with Aurora Bank...

Cape Girardeau lawyer David S. Limbaugh says he is considering running for a city council seat despite the fact that the current council has refused to rule on his eligibility as a candidate; Limbaugh has asked the council to rule on whether he meets the charter's four-year residency requirement...

POLICE The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Property damage Miscellaneous FIRE Firefighters responded to the following call Tuesday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: ...

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

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Summons Assault Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous...

The Southeast sophomore has practiced kicking in the snow

The Redhawks fell 65-57 to Austin Peay in their OVC opener

SENECA, Mo. -- The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma is breaking ground on an $85 million casino and hotel in southwest Missouri. The casino complex will be about a mile from Seneca in Newton County. The Joplin Globe reported that the tribe already owns and operates Bordertown Casino just across the Oklahoma state line from Seneca...

WASHINGTON -- A doubting John McCain led Republican opposition Thursday to letting gays serve openly in the military, sternly clashing with the Pentagon's top leaders and warning that troops would quit in droves if Congress repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" law...

The list of possible factors for the Southeast Missouri State football team to worry about is lengthy as it prepares for its playoff opener Saturday. The Redhawks must travel across the country. Their flight wasn't scheduled to leave until about 9 p.m. Thursday...

The Eastern Washington University football team has qualified for the playoffs five of the past seven years, including three of last four. Southeast Missouri State is making its first playoff appearance in the program's 104-year history. That doesn't mean the Eagles -- ranked first in both major Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) polls and the fifth playoff seed -- automatically have a decisive edge over Southeast...

The St. Louis running back has been a marked man with a rookie QB running the offense

I'm a planner. I like knowing about things and going to them. Luckily, the nature of my job keeps me updated on the latest events and community get-togethers. I'm constantly looking at the calendar and planning advance stories and coverage of concerts, plays, musicals and the like...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A former administrator at the University of Missouri has been named chief of the Missouri Department of Higher Education. David Russell has been serving as interim higher education commissioner since July. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education decided Thursday to make his position permanent...

A Millersville man received moderate injuries following a two-vehicle accident Wednesday in Gordonville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 2003 Dodge driven by William S. Claussen, 26, failed to yield while making a left turn and was struck by another vehicle. ...

Southbound Interstate 55 in Scott County will be reduced to one lane from U.S. 61 at Scott City to one mile south today while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine bridge maintenance. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636...

Route BB in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane between Route M and County Road 252 today while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine drainage maintenance. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs...

Route N in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane from County Road 416 to County Road 438 today while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs...

All the area high school events reported Thursday to the Southeast Missourian.

Jackson School Board members up for re-election plan to make another run, according to Jackson School District superintendent Ron Anderson. Board president Terri Tomlin, T. Wayne Lewis and Bruce Thomas intend to submit candidacy papers, Anderson said. ...

The annual Happy Slapowitz's Toy Bash will be Thursday. In the past, the adults-only fundraiser for Toys for Tots collected toys instead of a cover at Rude Dog Pub, but this year the event has expanded to three locations. The Mike Renick Band will play at Rude Dog, The Intention will play at The Library and the Pour House will have karaoke. ...

Duke trying to relax & Otis up to no good!

I took this picture in the woods in front of my house the week after Thanksgiving.

City Council member and mayoral candidate Loretta Schneider says establishment of a university district could help preserve the residential neighborhoods around Southeast Missouri State University; by establishing such a district, the council could enact occupancy permit and rental housing regulations which would apply only to that district...

Pamela "Pam" Reisenbichler, 46, of Jackson passed away Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at her home. She was born Jan. 28, 1964, in Cape Girardeau, to the late Roy E. and Mary L. Grimes James. She and Kevin L. Reisenbichler were married Feb. 13, 1982...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Laura J. SanGeorgio, 74, of Perryville died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. The funeral was held Saturday at Miller Family Funeral Home. Burial was private.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Jean Swoboda, 88, of Cairo died Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at Daystar Care Center. She was born Nov. 7, 1922, in Cairo, daughter of Edward J. and Abbie Williams Stuart. She married Roy E. Swoboda, who preceded her in death in 1989...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- JoAnn Statler,63, of Perryville died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 21, 1947, at Dexter, Mo., daughter of Robert and Geraldine Pruitt Ridenhower. She married Kelly Statler on July 26, 1969, at Dexter...

Inez Uhls Fiehler, 83, a longtime resident of Cape Girardeau, died of Alzheimer's disease Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, in Victoria, Texas. She was born Sept. 23, 1927, in Blytheville, Ark., to the late Frank and Agnes Gaines Kesler, the first of seven children. She married the late William Joseph "Joe" Uhls on May 30, 1950, after graduating from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Southeast Missouri State University)...

The game was tied at halftime, but Southeast was outscored 20-0 over the final 30 minutes

Desmond Bryant says sometimes it's hard going home and talking to his old friends. The 19-year-old Southeast Missouri State University sophomore says a lot of the guys he used to run with in his St. Louis neighborhood didn't go on to college. Many of them didn't finish high school, and some didn't make it out of junior high...

Shiny black horses with even shinier silver bells played a holiday song all their own Friday night jingling and clip-clopping down Main Street during the Old Town Cape Christmas Open House. Carriage rides, strolling carolers and twinkling Christmas lights all added to the holiday atmosphere...

If Cape Girardeau's new casino is to be the destination, then think of Broadway as the welcome mat. Providing an attractive roadway into the city -- and one that leads to a $125 million casino -- has become a more pressing priority to city officials, who are speeding up plans to improve Broadway so it can be completed in time for Isle of Capri to open its doors...

A $6 million project at Chateau Girardeau will create expanded health care services and about 15 jobs.

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- It was a program that seemed to be good for Mississippi County, good for the Southeast Correctional Center and good for the participating prisoners. Now the prison's work release program with the county is no more. A letter from the Missouri Department of Corrections dated Nov. 9 addressed to Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said the work release contract with the county has been terminated...

Hundreds of people lined the streets of uptown Jackson on Saturday to welcome Santa and the holiday season to town at the annual Christmas parade. Angie Nix of Jackson has been attending the event for 15 years and said it is a great way to get in a festive mood...

Seniors Henry Harris and Joshua Jackson beamed with pride during their postgame interviews.

A. J. Cook with Girl Scout Troop #50292 passes out candy in the 2010 Jackson Christmas parade.

BENTON, Mo. -- A Scott County official has been chosen to serve on the Missouri Association of Counties Executive Board. County Recorder Tom R. Dirnberger was elected third vice president Nov. 22 during the annual conference at Tan-Tar-A. MAC is a not-for-profit corporation with provides assistance to the 114 counties in the state in matters pertaining to local, state and federal government activities...

The Cape Girardeau city government was recently awarded a $253,702 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health to fund bike lane striping, bike racks, cycling safety education and promotion of cycling's health benefits, according to a city news release...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- University of Missouri system president and former Cape Girardeau resident Gary Forsee is taking a leave of absence after learning that his wife has cancer, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune. Sherry Forsee's diagnosis followed an emergency appendectomy last week, Board of Curator member Warren Erdman told the Daily Tribune...

Erica Danielle Schnurbusch and Aaron Robert Bornstein were united in marriage June 19, 2010, at Lemp Mansion in St. Louis. Dan Greene performed the ceremony. Pianist was Molly Young of Cape Girardeau. The bride is the daughter of Craig Benz of Pacific, Mo., and Beth Nielsen of LaVergne, Tenn. The groom is the son of Allan and Nancy Bornstein of Cape Girardeau...

Greg O'Quinn and Penny O'Quinn of Tupelo, Miss., announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashleigh O'Quinn, to Christopher Daniel. He is the son of Charles and MaryAnn Daniel of Cape Girardeau. O'Quinn received a bachelor of art in journalism and a master of education in counseling from the University of Mississippi. She is employed with PaperSoPretty in Houston, Texas...

Peter and Valerie Nguyen of Chesapeake, Va., announce the engagement of their daughter, Thao Thu Nguyen of Virginia Beach, Va., to Luke Hodgson Balsamo of Norfolk, Va. He is the son of Charles and Sue Balsamo of Cape Girardeau. Nguyen is a graduate of Indian River High School in Chesapeake, and received bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees from the University of Richmond. She is a partnership vice president with United Surgical Physicians International...

Richard and Kathleen Leimbach of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Dawn Marie Leimbach, to Tyson Lee Rellergert, both of Durango, Colo. He is the son of Jerry and Mary Fulton and Leroy Rellergert of Perryville, Mo. A March 5, 2011, wedding is planned at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville...

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gerler of Gordonville celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Oct. 22, 2010. Gerler and Ann Oehlert were married Oct. 22, 1960, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, Mo. Their attendants were Wanda Dow Hunt and Clinton Gerler...

HOLTS SUMMIT, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. John Stuckey of Holts Summit celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception Nov. 7, 2010, at Union Hill Baptist Church in Holts Summit. Hosts were their children. Stuckey and Pat Lynn were married Nov. 4, 1960, at Benton, Mo., by the Rev. Wesley Clark. Their attendants were Larry and Karen Kappler Diamond...

Cape Girardeau Elementary MONDAY--Hot dog or turkey & cheese on bun, mac & cheese, apple crisp. TUESDAY--Taco salad or ham & cheese on bun, refried beans, banana. WEDNESDAY--Ravioli or turkey & cheese on bun, green beans, garlic breadstick, pineapple...

Kathy Boisvert, who teaches preschoolers with special needs near her home in Massachusetts, had never been overseas before she signed up with World Teach, a not-for-profit organization that matches volunteer teachers with overseas assignments. Boisvert spent her third summer at a tiny school in a small community an hour northeast of Cape Town, through World Teach. ...

When the Girl Scout Cadettes in Troop 50088 heard that there would be girls living in the new Habitat for Humanity home in Marble Hill, Mo., they knew they wanted to do something special for those girls. They saved $250 from troop fundraisers to support their service project idea. ...

This picture shows a small willow tree that a whitetail buck deer has used to rub his antlers. During late summer and early autumn male deer push their antlers against, up and down the trunks of tree saplings in an effort to remove velvet from their antlers...

Calvin is about a year old and. He's well-mannered, friendly and loving. He enjoys being handled. For more information, contact the Humane Society at 334-5837. ...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Hunter D. Almond recently graduated from One Station Unit Training at Fort Leonard Wood in Waynesville, Mo., which included basic military training and advanced individual training. Almond also completed the military police specialist course to acquire skills to provide combat area support, conduct battlefield circulation control, area security, prisoner-of-war operations, civilian internee operations, and law and order operations. ...

Kennett Jaycees continue annual 'Good Neighbor' project The Jaycees program in Kennet, Mo., is continuing its annual tradition of delivering holiday food baskets to families in need this Christmas season. Through community support and donations from area schools, businesses, organizations and individuals in Dunklin County Jaycees members are currently collecting a wide variety of food items to be included in their "Good Neighbor Project" for 2010. ...

Jackson resident Tyler R. Martin has recently graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. During the nine weeks of training, Martin studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, and physical fitness. He also received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises. ...

A casino locating in Cape Girardeau has been discussed and debated for nearly two decades, and the most recent process of determining which community and casino applicant would receive the state's final license was nothing short of thorough. Cape Girardeau citizens had the opportunity to vote on whether they support the operation of a casino in the city. ...

The two-day delay until Friday that Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson obtained before their debt-management commission decides on their tough-medicine recommendations may not be enough to produce the votes needed to send those proposals on to Congress...

Thank you, O God, that you didn't send your Son to condemn the world, but to save us. Amen.

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's intelligence minister accused the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency of sending spies in the guise of inspectors to collect information about Iran's nuclear activities, state TV reported Saturday. The claim was another sign that Iran has hardened its stance since the assassination a week ago of a prominent nuclear scientist and the wounding of another. ...

CANCUN, Mexico -- The slow-moving U.N. talks on combating global warming took a step forward Saturday with revised proposals for a $100 billion-a-year climate aid fund and other issues for debate by the world's environment ministers this week. Despite that advance, the chairwoman of key closed-door negotiations warned the open conference that obstacles remain to what delegates hope will be a package of decisions Friday on financial and other side matters under the U.N. climate treaty...

BERLIN -- WikiLeaks has lost a major source of revenue after the online payment service provider PayPal cut off its account used to collect donations, saying the website is engaged in illegal activity. The announcement also came as WikiLeaks is struggling to keep its website accessible after service providers dropped contracts, and governments and hackers hounded the organization...

Inez Uhls Fiehler, 83, a longtime resident of Cape Girardeau, died of Alzheimer's disease Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, in Victoria, Texas. She was born Sept. 23, 1927, in Blytheville, Ark., to the late Frank and Agnes Gaines Kesler, the first of seven children. She married the late William Joseph "Joe" Uhls on May 30, 1950, after graduating from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Southeast Missouri State University)...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Jean Swoboda, 88, of Cairo died Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at Daystar Care Center. She was born Nov. 7, 1922, in Cairo, daughter of Edward J. and Abbie Williams Stuart. She married Roy E. Swoboda, who preceded her in death in 1989. In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by two sisters, Eleanor Powell and Betty Stuart; a brother, Edward Stuart Jr.; and two infant sisters...

Pamela "Pam" Reisenbichler, 46, of Jackson passed away Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at her home. She was born Jan. 28, 1964, in Cape Girardeau, to the late Roy E. and Mary L. Grimes James. She and Kevin L. Reisenbichler were married Feb. 13, 1982. In addition to her husband, loving survivors include three children, Jessica and Curtis Reisenbichler and Crystal (Jason) Schuler, all of Jackson; six grandchildren; five siblings, Sheila (Mac) Young of Wood River, Ill., Marty (Joyce) Aldrich of O'Fallon, Mo., Manuel James (fiancee Judy) of Springfield, Ill., Frankie James of Jackson and Carla James of Jackson.. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- JoAnn Statler, 63, of Perryville died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 21, 1947, at Dexter, Mo., daughter of Robert and Geraldine Pruitt Ridenhower. She married Kelly Statler on July 26, 1969, at Dexter...

Jack Dean Hatley, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 11, 1942, in Corning, Ark., to Milford E. and Della Mae Ware Hatley. He and Deborah Susan Crow were married April 12, 2004, at Gatlinburg, Tenn...

Erthel Keesee Jenkins, 99, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 5, 1911, in Leora, Mo., to John and Ella Phelps Lufcy. She and Claude Keesee were married in 1928 in Jackson. Later she married George Jenkins...

Terry Louis Schmitt 52, of Paducah, Ky., lost his courageous battle with cancer Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Western Baptist Hospital. Terry was born Oct. 16, 1958, in Paducah to loving parents Norbert and Amilda Kaufman Schmitt. On Aug. 28, 2004, he married the love of his life, the former Linda Job of Cape Girardeau, who joined him as a video producer at S&W Productions...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Dennis Gene Brown, 52, of Marble Hill passed away Dec. 4, 2010, at Woodland Hills Nursing Home in Marble Hill. Born Feb. 7, 1958, in Lutesville, Mo., he was the son of Floyd Edgar and Virginia Alta Marie Crites Brown. A graduate of Woodland High School in 1976, he lived in Houston for more than 30 years, working in banking and security. ...

Wilma Laverne Allmon, 82, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 8, 1928, in Advance, Mo., to James and Mattie Nothdurft Dunning. She and Claude Allmon were married Sunday, April 18, 1948, in Delta...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Laura J. SanGeorgio, 74, of Perryville died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. The funeral was held Saturday at Miller Family Funeral Home. Burial was private.

ANNA, Ill. -- Robert Allan Vitt, 75, of Anna, formerly of Cobden, Ill., died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at Jonesboro Rehab and Health Care Center. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Cobden. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Cobden, with the Rev. Uriel Salamanca and the Rev. Federico Higuera officiating. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Cobden...

Ella Mae Stone, 73, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Wickliffe, Ky., and Villa Ridge, Ill., died Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be after 11 a.m. at Milner and Orr Funeral Home in Wickliffe. Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Earnest Brown officiating. Burial will be in Wickliffe City Cemetery...

Daughter to Jeremy Dean and Jessica Ann Tanz of Perryville, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 12:54 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010. Name, Shaely Olivia. Weight, 7 pounds, 2 ounces. Third child, first daughter. Mrs. Tanz is the former Jessica Fabian, daughter of Allan and Sharon Fabian of Ava, Ill. ...

Over the objection of Cape Girardeau City Council member Loretta Schneider and council candidate Ken Richardson, the council last night gave final approval to a conflict-of-interest measure which allows its members to do business with the city. Cape Girardeau lawyer David S. ...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Police investigating an arson fire at the Islamic center where the Somali-born suspect in a Portland mass killing plot sometimes worshipped have searched a neighboring home and taken body cell samples from the man who lives there, court records show...

WASHINGTON -- The nation added only a trickle of jobs in November, far fewer than experts had expected and a reminder the economy is still recovering fitfully. The job market was weak all around: Stores, factories, construction companies and financial firms all cut positions. The unemployment rate nudged closer to double digits again -- 9.8 percent, after three straight months at 9.6 percent...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans derailed legislation Saturday to extend expiring tax cuts at all but the highest income levels in a political showdown that clears a path for a compromise with the White House on steps to boost the economy. "We need to get this resolved and I'm confident we can do it," President Barack Obama said shortly after the near party-line votes. The public must have "the peace of mind that their taxes will not go up" on Jan. 1, he added...

Jackson School Board members up for re-election plan to make another run, according to Jackson School District superintendent Ron Anderson. Board president Terri Tomlin, T. Wayne Lewis and Bruce Thomas intend to submit candidacy papers, Anderson said. ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday:...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- The Democratic candidate for Mississippi County presiding county commissioner has asked for a recount. The defeat of Jack Feezor by Republican Carlin Bennett in the Nov. 2 election was a narrow margin: seven votes. According to state statutes, a candidate can request a recount if they are within 1 percent of their opponent...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The historic 2011 session of the state legislature got a little more historic Thursday when presumptive Speaker of the House Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, announced that three of the 42 House committees will be chaired by minority party Democrats...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- An apparent dispute over what authorities describe as a "common girlfriend" put one Poplar Bluff man in an intensive care unit and another on the run. Jerome Webb, 35, of the 200 block of East Midland Street underwent surgery overnight at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center to "repair the damage from the gunshot wounds, and he is in the ICU at this time," Poplar Bluff Deputy Chief Jeff Rolland said Friday morning...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Malden, Mo., man who was wanted in Stoddard County and was recently arrested in New Orleans has now been relocated to the Stoddard County Jail. Chris Rauscher, 38, is facing charges from a July incident. Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner said Rauscher arrived at the jail late Saturday night by means of a private prisoner transit company...

Karen McLane, president, was the Lamplighters FCE hostess as 13 members and a guest met for its November meeting in the Oak Ridge Methodist Church basement. McLane called the meeting to order, led members in repeating the pledge of allegiance and the club collect. She then shared devotional thoughts "A Time" based on Eccelasties 3: 1-14, "Seven Wonders of the World," and "Hard Times Knocking."...

One of my favorite Christmas stories is unbelievable. It sounds too good. This happened, but you won't believe it. I was a minister at a church where my wife and I were involved in a small group Bible study with some other couples. A week or two before Christmas a desperate mother called my office...

The Rev. Joshua Trotter, lead pastor of Vantage Point Church, believes his work for God has been a lifelong mission. Trotter was saved when he was 6 years old and said has seen God strategically place him into various leadership roles throughout his life. ...

Horses grazed in the fields, their gracefully curved necks stretching toward the ground. The once-green blades of grass were now brown and crunchy; they bowed down unable to stand in the crisp fall temperatures. Trees released their lifeless leaves to the ground so nature could bring more next season. The soil would gain healthy nourishment from those discarded leaves...

The Osage Community Centre will hold its annual Hot Shot Basketball Tournament competition at noon today. The competition consists of shooting from five hot spots on the court in three one-minute rounds. The competition is for boys and girls ages 7 to 16. ...

It is understandable for the administration to underplay the significance of the WikiLeaks State Department cables. But while it is wise not to go into a public panic, it is delusional to think that this is merely embarrassing gossip and indiscretion. The leaks have done major damage...

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The St. Louis Rams are favored on the road and a threat to win the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals are in a free-fall with no sign of the bottom. My, how things have changed since Arizona's 17-13 season-opening victory at St. Louis...

ORAN, Mo. -- Scott County Central overwhelmed Oran from the opening tip. The result? A third consecutive Oran Invitational boys basketball championship. The Braves blew past the host Eagles 84-32 to capture the title. SCC (4-1) wasted little time establishing its dominance, jumping out to a 13-0 lead in the first three minutes...

The Central boys basketball team rolled to the title of the Potosi tournament Saturday with a 59-25 victory over Fox in the championship game. T.J. Tisdell led the Tigers with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Andrew Williams netted 18 points. James Lane had 12 points and six rebounds for the Tigers (3-0)...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- You know the basketball line about free throws and close games? The one that says making free throws wins them? Well, build a big enough lead and you can afford to miss a few. The Perrville Pirates demonstrated that in a 54-50 win over Leopold in the championship game of the Woodland Tournament on Friday night...

The Redhawks fell to 0-8 with a 77-67 loss to Tennesee State

Southeast claimed its first OVC victory of the season

Southeast managed just 26 yards in the second half against EWU's defense

CHENEY, Wash. -- It took Joshua Jackson virtually all of four seasons to notch his first collegiate interception. And when Jackson finally got one, he didn't leave it at that. He also scored his first collegiate touchdown on the play during Saturday's 37-17 loss at top-ranked Eastern Washington...

CHENEY, Wash. -- Saturday's Football Championship Subdivision playoff game featured two of the nation's premier running backs on the FCS level, and neither disappointed. But Taiwan Jones' Eastern Washington squad bested Henry Harris' Southeast Missouri State team in a battle of Walter Payton Award candidates, which is presented to the best player on the FCS level. The Eagles knocked off the Redhawks 37-17...

All the area high school events reported Friday to the Southeast Missourian.

College basketball coaches need to develop strong sales skills to succeed in the business. It's imperative they develop successful strategies to sell their programs and schools to potential recruits if the coaches hope to enjoy success. Coaches agree there's no better sales pitch than the prospect of playing for a winner...

Bobby Hatchett was in the eighth grade when a college coach talked to him about playing basketball after high school for the first time. The soon-to-be star at Scott County Central was attending a camp at the College of the Ozarks when coach Steve Shepherd pulled him aside...

Approximately 100 Southeast fans made the trip to Washington

Rehearsals and practices are in full swing to perfect the upcoming production of "A Christmas Greeting" performed by the people who attend the Horizon Enrichment Center of Cape Girardeau. Cindy Schmoll, director of the center, said the participants have anticipated this production all year as the highlight of the Christmas season...

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A great performance wasn't needed for the St. Louis Rams to end their eight-game losing streak to Arizona. Whether that's a reflection of how much the Rams have grown or how low the Cardinals have sunk is an open question. Steven Jackson rushed for 102 yards, including 27 on the game's lone TD, and St. Louis sent Arizona to its seventh loss in a row with a 19-6 victory Sunday...

The Cape Girardeau U.S. Army Recruiting Station is giving away surplus computers to school districts in need -- with no recruitment strings attached, according to an Army official. Beneficiaries in the first round are Perryville, Kelly, Scott City, Oak Ridge and Advance high schools, said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Bramlitt, commander of the recruiting station...

The new casino and the proposed smoking ban, two of Cape Girardeau's biggest issues, are on a collision course, and the Cape Girardeau City Council plans to address them both tonight.

CHENEY, Wash. -- The first playoff game in Southeast Missouri State University's 104-year football history presented a different set of circumstances for the program beyond what took place on Eastern Washington's Roos Field on Saturday. Not only did Southeast players, coaches and support staff have to get to the contest nearly 2,000 miles from Cape Girardeau -- they flew on a charter airplane -- all the equipment had to make the long trip as well...

Kelly Creative Creations is once again making their seasonal gift jars. The high school students of Kelly Creative Creations get together daily to discuss ideas and make their products. The gift jars contain seasonal treat ingredients that include soups, cookies, and brownies...

The Jackson Board of Aldermen will vote today on a resolution that would support countywide standards for streets and utilities as recommended by the Jackson-Cape Girardeau Joint Subdivision Advisory Committee. The resolution requests the Cape Girardeau County Commission adopt the recommendations.

Tuesday, December 7th and December 13th your local Papa John's store in Cape Girardeau is donating 20% of their net sales to your local American Red Cross. Order from 11am to midnight either day or even both days and help support your American Red Cross. Order online at www.papajohns.com or call 573-334-9300 and mention American Red Cross. It is that easy to support your American Red Cross and let "Papa" doing the cooking!...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston/Bootheel Area United Way has not only reached the goal for its 2010 campaign, money is still rolling in.

About 14 miles northeast of Springfield, Mo., Fair Grove is a bedroom community that has had a growth spurt over the past decade. The city, with a population topping 1,400 people last year, has grown about 30 percent since 2000. So has the Fair Grove School District. And with the population boom come educational challenges...

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays, For no matter how far away you roam - When you long for the sunshine of a friendly gaze, For the holidays - you can't beat home, sweet home! Being home for the holidays takes on new meaning for residents in assisted care centers. ...

It's the day before Halloween, and Albert the tiny black poodle couldn't look cuter prancing around the mall in his pumpkin costume. He's not my dog, but I love him to pieces. He's up for adoption at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau, and I hope the busy shoppers will stop to meet Albert -- or any of the dogs at today's mobile adoption event. ...

The Cape Girardeau Public Library's adult services coordinator Paula Fetherston, recommends you read "Big Stone Gap" by Adriana Trigiani. "Big Stone Gap is the first in a series of four novels set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. ...

Not many adults can say they're still working their first job -- and that they still love it -- but Dot Myers can say it with confidence. In fact, she's worked at Perry Oaks Nursing and Rehab for 35 years, and was recently named "Activity Director of the Year" for 2010 by the Activity Directors Association of Missouri (ADAM)...

One of the top issues concerning voters this past election was the massive amount of debt the U.S. has accumulated and how we are going to repay it. To address this issue, President Obama appointed Democrat Erskine Bowles, a former chief of staff for President Clinton, and Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, to lead a commission charged with finding ways to address this national crisis. ...

O Lord, thank you for giving us the peace that passes all understanding. Amen.

WASHINGTON -- Their political options limited, Democrats and Republicans appeared to unite Sunday behind the outlines of an economic package that would temporarily extend expiring tax rates as well as jobless benefits for millions of Americans...

GENEVA -- WikiLeaks' elusive founder, his options dwindling, has turned to Switzerland's credit, postal and Internet infrastructure to keep his online trove of U.S. State Department cables afloat. Supporters say Julian Assange is seeking asylum in Switzerland. He told a Spanish newspaper that he faced "hundreds of death threats," including some targeting his lawyers and children, aside from the pressure he is getting from prosecutors in the U.S. and other countries...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri has levied more than $1 million of penalties against dozens of tax credit recipients for violating a state reporting law intended to gauge whether their projects actually are producing the promised results. Records provided Friday to The Associated Press show 56 business entities, not-for-profit groups and individuals have failed to comply with a 2004 state law requiring annual progress reports after receiving tax credits...

A Cape Girardeau man was injured Sunday when his all-terrain vehicle overturned in a field about six miles northwest of Burfordville. Trent E. Tollison, 26, lost control of the 2008 Yamaha ATV he was driving when it overturned in a private field about 12:45 p.m., according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

As a concerned parent, I ask the question, "Who has control over the truancy officer for our schools?" I ask this question because of the recent criminal charges filed against a parent whose child missed more than the allotted ten days. At first I agreed with this ruling. ...

GLENALLEN, Mo. -- Jerry Watts, 65, of Glenallen, formerly of Waterford, Wis., passed away Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 13, 1945, to Eugene and Rose Mary Loiacano Wojciechowski in Milwaukee. Gerald was a Vietnam veteran with United States Marine Corp and he also served as police chief in Waterford for over 10 years. He was also a member of the local American Legion, Masonic Lodge and Eagles Club in Glenallen...

ANNA, Ill. -- Nichole Dover, 26, of Anna died at 10:25 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Oct. 18, 1984, at New Smyrna Beach, Fla., the daughter of Dana and Amy Cunningham Dover. Nichole is survived by her two sons, Kyle and Bobby Dover of Anna; parents, Dana and Amy Dover of Anna; two sisters, Elizabeth Prout of Anna and Renee (Michael) Baity of Anna; maternal grandmother, Audrey Cunningham of Anna; paternal grandmother, Audrey Dover of Anna; nephew, Landon Boner; aunt, Diana (Ernest) Powell of Hampton Beach, N.H.; aunts, uncles, other relatives and many friends.. ...

Charles O. Wilson, 70, of Oak Ridge passed away Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 27, 1940, in Oak Ridge, son of Thomas Edward and Ruby Stearns Wilson. Charles married Loretta Volz on Feb. 14, 1959, in Oak Ridge...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- A 29-year-old man sustained serious injuries in a crash following a police chase Sunday afternoon near Advance, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- George Anthony Kappler, 64, of Sikeston died Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. He was born Feb. 13, 1946, in San Diego to the late Albert and Isabelle Gosche Kappler. Kappler had worked at Malone & Hyde and Flemming Food Distribution Co. as a shipping clerk. He was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council 3151, and was an avid bowler...

Fred B. Goodwin, 80, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Altenburg, Mo. -- Harold D. Vinson, 74, of Altenburg died Dec. 4, 2010, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday between and from 6:30 a.m. to time of service Wednesday at Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville, Mo...

Lillian R. Weber, 83, of Jackson died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010 at the Monticello House in Jackson. Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jacskon.

A fire, started by a child playing with a cigarette lighter, guts a house at 723 S. Ranney Ave., early in the morning; the 2-year-old boy sets a mattress on fire, which quickly spreads to other rooms; no one is injured in the blaze. Longtime businessman F.E. "Gene" Rhodes files as a candidate for Cape Girardeau mayor; also filing on the last day of the monthlong filing period are city council candidates Dennis Lorch and Michael Annis...

Jackson The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Property damage Miscellaneous...

Cape Girardeau firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday: ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI Summons Assaults Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous...

When patrons walk into City Centre they may feel like they've stumbled upon a quaint little European downtown. Using reclaimed brick pavestones, slate and marble storefronts and French-inspired iron gates, the former Rust and Martin building, 2502 Tanner Drive in Cape Girardeau, is being transformed into a new multibusiness development called City Centre...

Tonight the Cape Girardeau City Council will vote on an ordinance to determine whether to require a prescription for the purchase of products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. The Missouri General Assembly will consider a similar measure in the upcoming session. I encourage both the General Assembly and city council to pass such a law based on the following information...

The Southeast Missouri State football team and its fans naturally were disappointed with Saturday's 37-17 playoff loss at Eastern Washington that ended the Redhawks' season. But there is no way anybody could be disappointed with the Redhawks' historic campaign that resulted in one of college football's greatest turnarounds...

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Alexander Steen scored his second goal 6 minutes, 11 seconds into the third period and added an assist as the St. Louis Blues snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night...

BioKyowa CEO Toshihiko Hirao, a native of Japan, is guiding his company's Nash Road plant in an effort to keep up with growing demands for products made here in markets abroad. The company opened in 1982, producing chicken food additives. In the past 10 years, however, the company has converted most of its operations to producing human-grade amino acids. ...

Southeast men take an 0-8 record into tonight's money game

Many early bowl projections put the Tigers in the Holiday Bowl, but the school announced Sunday that it had accepted an invitation to play Iowa in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 28 in Tempe, Ariz.

Landmark Hospital of Cape Girardeau LLC has named Rodney Brown as chief executive officer. Brown previously served as Landmark's chief clinical officer. Brown has extensive experience both as a clinician and business manager. In his new role, he will be responsible for the overall operations of the hospital including but not limited to ensuring quality service, improving processes and managing costs. ...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran delivered a resolute message Sunday on the eve of talks with six world powers: We're mining our own uranium now, so forget about stopping our nuclear ambitions. The Islamic Republic said it has produced its first batch of locally mined uranium ore for enrichment, making it independent of foreign countries for a process the West fears is geared toward producing nuclear arms...

I support law enforcement in doing what needs to be done to effectively address the methamphetamine problem in our community. However, requiring the citizens of Cape Girardeau to go to the doctor to obtain a prescription for over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine is the wrong way to fight methamphetamine...

REGARDLESS if it is city, county, state or federal government, each tend to cause more problems with their proposed solutions. A prescription for over-the-counter medication will cause multiple problems for good, law-abiding citizens with health problems...

On Saturday December 4, families from the Heartland Down Syndrome Association gathered for the group's 4th Annual Family Christmas Party. Over 40 members attended and were treated to a special visit from Santa, who distributed gifts to all of the children...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) recognized Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, for his support of community colleges with a Distinguished Legislator Award on November 5. "Senator Crowell has a strong and genuine interest in ensuring that all students' educational needs are met. ...

Have you "heard the bells on Christmas Day?" Handbell choirs are a long-cherished holiday tradition, but local churches practice and perform year-round. "We've got members who have been playing for a long, long time in the same choir," says Crystal Burress, who directs the 12-member bell choir at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson. ...

A career in law enforcement was always on John Jordan's mind, especially after attending college in Mississippi, where he worked in public safety, mostly fighting fires. With experience at the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department, a spot on the area's Major Case Squad and years of undercover work investigating drug-related crimes, Jordan said, he had a good resume to run for sheriff of Cape Girardeau County in 1994. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois, desperate for relief from its budget woes, is considering a massive casino expansion including one in Chicago that could leave neighboring states playing for smaller stakes and even squeeze out some competition from within...

Countywide street and infrastructure standards received more support Monday as the Jackson Board of Aldermen endorsed a resolution urging the Cape Girardeau County Commission to adopt the regulations. Last month the Cape Girardeau City Council endorsed the regulations presented by the Jackson-Cape Girardeau Subdivision Advisory Committee...

Works from three of classical music's most famous composers will be performed tonight at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus during the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra's second concert of the season.

An 8-foot section of Cape Girardeau's downtown floodwall has been removed near the corner of Independence and Water streets as part of an $8 million project that promises to, when it's finished, shore up the city's aging flood protection system.

State Sen. Jason Crowell wants Southeast Missouri State University to show him the money. In a letter to Southeast president Ken Dobbins, Crowell, a Cape Girardeau Republican, requests Dobbins provide "in detail, the revenue stream or source" that will be used to pay off $58.2 million in bonds for a campuswide maintenance and renovation plan. The university's board of regents is expected to finalize the borrowing plan at its meeting Wednesday afternoon...

The Cape Girardeau City Council decided Monday that the side effects of keeping cold medications containing pseudoephedrine available behind the counter and without a prescription are too much of a risk for the community. The council voted 4-3 in favor of an ordinance requiring a prescription to buy pseudoephedrine, a component in methamphetamine manufacturing. ...

Christopher Marsyla, right, a senior at Cape Central High School, was recently selected as one of 4 basses to the Missouri All-State Choir. His identical twin, Taylor, left, was selected as first alternate bass. "We are proud of this singular achievement," said Principal Dr. ...

McDonalds of Jackson teamed up with the Jackson Police Department to sponsor a McToy Drive Night on Tuesday, November 23. McDonalds donated 25% of all sales from 4-8pm to the Jackson Police Department for thier Annual Toy Drive. Proceeds will be used for the Toy Drive, The Safe House for Women, The Marines Toys for Tots, and the Elk's of Jackson food drive. ...

This is a picture of the parade float made by Lemons Coin Machines, Inc for the 2010 Parade of Lights.

Five generations gathered at the home of JoAnn Hunter. They are from left, Maureen Sadler, JoAnn's mother; JoAnn Hunter; Cyndi Garcia, JoAnn's daughter; 15-month-old Audrina Roach, daughter of Casey Garcia; and Casey Garcia, daughter of Cyndi Garcia...

The Cape Girardeau City Council wants to take a closer look at a ballot measure that will likely ask voters in April to ban smoking in all public places, including bars, restaurants and casinos. The council briefly discussed the smoking ban proposal at its meeting Monday night but ignored the topic of what effect the ban would have on Isle of Capri's $125 million casino that will be built on North Main Street...

Stunning fall decoration of Ozark Forest.

Samuel was named the American Football Coaches Association Region 3 coach of the year.

Cape Girardeau's Ponderosa Steakhouse closed its doors Sunday. A representative from owner Adco Partnership of Paducah, Ky., wouldn't comment on the restaurant's closing or say how many employees were affected. According to a worker who didn't want to be identified, the company told employees the restaurant was no longer profitable...

The United Way of Southeast Missouri is anticipating a decline in contributions from area employees as it struggles to meet its $1.19 million campaign goal. Workplace campaigns are expected to decrease as much as $125,000 this year, said Executive Director Nancy Jernigan...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Google Inc. is making the leap from digital librarian to merchant in a challenge to Amazon.com Inc. and its Kindle electronic reader. The long-awaited Internet book store, which opened Monday in the U.S., draws upon a portion of the 15 million printed books that Google has scanned into its computers during the past six years...

NEW YORK -- Buying out Barnes & Noble would give its much smaller rival, Borders Group, a bigger and firmer stake in the digital world, but some analysts said combining the two largest companies in the shrinking realm of traditional book selling could hurt both -- perhaps irreparably...

WASHINGTON -- Brushing past Democratic opposition, President Barack Obama announced an agreement with Republicans Monday night to extend expiring tax cuts for all Americans, renew jobless benefits and grant a one-year reduction in Social Security taxes for millions...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Russell Gene Rushing, 71, of Chaffee died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 18, 1939, in Chaffee, son of William Elmer and Elsie R. Bell Rushing. He and Judy Ann Keller were married Jan. 6, 1961...

Joseph A. "Joe" Seabaugh, 90, of Jackson passed away Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 18, 1920, at Daisy, son of Benjamin F. and Minnie A. Cobble Seabaugh. He and Imogene Gallup were married Aug. 12, 1951, in St. Albans, N.Y...

Charles O. Wilson, 70, of Oak Ridge passed away Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 27, 1940, in Oak Ridge, son of Thomas Edward and Ruby Stearns Wilson. He married Loretta Volz Feb. 14, 1959, in Oak Ridge...

Sarah Leeanne Culbertson, 30, of Birmingham, Ala., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at her home. She was born July 7, 1980, daughter of Jerry and Kathy Culbertson. Sarah was a 1998 graduate of Jackson High School and a 2002 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University...

Dr. Fred B. Goodwin, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at the Lutheran Home. He was born Sept. 9, 1930, in Cape Girardeau, to Van and Dorothy Pott Goodwin. He and Virginia Keisker were married Aug. 4, 1951, in Jackson. Fred was a talented and versatile man. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A special panel of Missouri House members examining the state budget has turned its attention to spending by elected officials. The state expects a budget shortfall of several hundred million dollars next year. Legislative leaders created the committee to perform a detailed study of spending before the House and Senate begin their annual session next month...

Peyton Shrum, 89, formerly of Cape Girardeau and Jackson, died Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell, Mo. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Daughter to Keith Edgar Abernathy and Christy Lynnette Smith of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 5:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. Name, Harley Lynnette Senciboy. Weight, 6 pounds, 2 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Ms. Smith is the former Christy Senciboy, daughter of Thomas Senciboy of Oran, Mo., and Virginia Magee of Sikeston, Mo. Smith and Abernathy are self-employed. He is the son of Edgar Abernathy and Linda Abernathy of Cape Girardeau...

Ray Porter, who is associated with the International Match Co. of St. Louis, is the speaker at a luncheon of the Christian Business Men's Committee. The Cape County Industrial Development Authority has given preliminary approval to the issuance of $7 million in industrial revenue bonds for expansion and refinancing of the Chateau Girardeau retirement facility at Independence Street and Mount Auburn Road...

EUGENE, Ore. -- An Oregon man has had an Awesome name change. Douglas Allen Smith Jr. said he changed his name to Captain Awesome last month because he was inspired by the nickname of a character on the NBC television show "Chuck" -- Dr. Devon "Captain Awesome" Woodcomb...

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's president is calling for five islands near the disputed sea border with North Korea to be turned into "military fortresses." President Lee Myung-bak today instructed his Cabinet to gradually push to strengthen fortifications on the islands and to create jobs so that local residents can continue to live there...

LONDON -- Julian Assange's attorney was arranging to deliver the WikiLeaks founder to British police for questioning in a sex-crimes investigation of the man who has angered Washington by spilling thousands of government secrets on the Internet...

TOKYO -- A Japanese probe reached Venus today and prepared to enter orbit on a two-year mission that would mark a major milestone for Japan's space program and could shed light on the climate of Earth's mysterious neighbor. The probe, called Akatsuki, which means "dawn," would be the first Japan has ever placed in orbit around another planet and comes after the country recently brought a probe back from a sample-catching trip to an asteroid...

GENEVA -- Talks between Iran and six world powers recessed Monday with no sign that Tehran was ready to discuss U.N. Security Council calls to curb its nuclear activities that could be harnessed to make weapons, an official at the negotiations said...

Many presidents have given speeches that have etched a memory in our hearts and minds forever. The fall of the Berlin Wall is often remembered with President Ronald Reagan's famous line, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. ...

Saturday, Jan. 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. a pro-life rally will be held at the State Capitol Building in Jefferson City. Afterward, a petition drive for the "Personhood Amendment" will begin. This is a grassroots ballot initiative to stop abortion in Missouri through an amendment to the State Constitution declaring "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Approximately 33 other states are working on the "Personhood Amendment."...

THANK you to the Jackson Manor for such a good Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 21. The food was excellent and the residents enjoyed themselves. Also, the entertainment was very nice. Thanks. I love the New York Times Book Review characterization of Alan Greenspan as "the fallen maestro of the Federal Reserve, whose see-no-evil-free-market ideology made a virtue of unchecked financial recklessness."...

O God, thank you for those who bravely served at Pearl Harbor and in World War II. Amen.

Arrests...

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Under pressure to cut costs, state universities and lawmakers across the nation are going after one of the oldest traditions in the academic world: the professor's sabbatical. Professors often use the paid breaks from teaching to write books, develop new courses or collaborate with colleagues around the world. ...

Several Mineral Area College students attended a candlelight vigil Sunday night in Bismarck, Mo., mourning the loss and celebrating the life of fellow student Ericka Wade. Wade, 20, and four others were killed last week in what police believe was a murder-suicide...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Sure, they're more than halfway to their goal of collectively shedding 250 pounds, but the roughly 100 people participating in Stephens College's weight-loss challenge have gained so much more. "It's stopped being about weight," Stephens president Dianne Lynch said. "It's about what this has done for our community. People are so excited about this. They're engaging with one another in ways they never have before."...

An 80-year-old Missouri man is ready for graduate school after finishing his bachelor's degree. Charles Vandegriffe of O'Fallon completed his coursework online and will graduate this month with an undergraduate degree in general studies from Southeast Missouri State University...

St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Na'il Diggs is out for the rest of the season because of a torn pectoral muscle. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said Monday that Diggs would have surgery, probably this week, and that the anticipated recovery time is five months. The 32-year-old Diggs had five tackles in Sunday's 19-6 victory at Arizona, including one for a loss...

The Indians defeated Charleston 65-56 in a first-round game

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team picked up another nice paycheck while suffering another loss. Southeast closed out the guarantee portion of its nonconference schedule Monday night as Iowa State rolled to an 85-58 victory in Ames, Iowa...

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team will look to ride the momentum from its first Ohio Valley Conference win tonight. Western Michigan from the Mid-American Conference visits the Show Me Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The Redhawks improved to 3-5 overall and 1-1 in OVC play with Saturday's 51-46 home victory over Tennessee State...

CLEVELAND -- The scraggly patch of blond hair on Zak MacDonald's upper lip is a source of mockery among his co-workers in this testosterone-laden office, where the art of growing a mustache has become a full-blown competition. Scanning the cubicles, there are several handlebars and respectably bushy mustaches. ...

All the area high school events reported Monday to the Southeast Missourian.

ORAN, Mo. -- Terry Joseph Mattingly, 63, of Oran died Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at Parkland Health Center in Farmington, Mo. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The legal fight over California's gay marriage ban went before a federal appeals court Monday in a hearing that reached a nationwide TV audience anxious for a final decision on whether the measure violates the U.S. Constitution...

Incoming Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy and Assessor Jerry Reynolds have been named as Cape Girardeau County's representatives on the Missouri Association of Counties board of directors. As a first-class county, the county is entitled to two positions on the board. One representative must be a commissioner and the second must be an elected official...

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, followed by declarations of war against the United States by Nazi Germany and fascist Italy on Dec. 11, transformed the course of World War II, but not as the Axis expected. The Japanese hoped to cripple the U.S. ...

ST. LOUIS -- There was no need for rookie magic from Sam Bradford. Not the way the St. Louis Rams' defense was playing. The Rams lifted the pressure off the No. 1 pick's shoulders in Sunday's 19-6 victory at Arizona, shutting out the Cardinals the last three quarters. St. Louis had four sacks and two interceptions, constantly harassing a trio of quarterbacks in a performance that fit defensive-minded coach Steve Spagnuolo's vision...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Cape Girardeau judge will preside over the recount of ballots in the Mississippi County presiding commissioner election. According to Mississippi County Clerk Junior DeLay, the Missouri Supreme Court appointed Judge Gary Kamp of the 32nd Judicial Circuit to hear the recount petition. The 32nd Judicial Circuit includes Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties...

Restructuring $2 million in city-issued bonds could "be the trigger" for a Plan B for the Commander Premier situation at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, city officials said Tuesday. Plan A is still a possibility, however, with a Canadian private investor continuing to say -- as he has for more than a year -- that he is about to close a deal

Movies At Pitter's Presents "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians" Runs at Pitter's every year on December 21 with Drink Speciasl and bounus Christmas music after the movie. Free Movie! Spend the Winter Solstice with this 1964 classic Christmas Film. It will run ALL DAY on the Big Screen in back. Come see this Cult Classic!...

Southeast used a late 20-2 run to defeat Western Michigan 60-56

Move over Tupperware, there's a new party in town. In-home gold buying parties are rising in popularity as the price of gold on Wall Street soars to record heights. With gold at $1,424.10 an ounce Monday, Pamela Barns of Jackson gathered up the broken chains and empty ring settings out of her jewelry box and brought them to a gold party at her neighbor Robyn Hosp's house. She went home with a check for more than $500...

The 100 or more concert goers who entered the Bedell Performance Hall early for Tuesday evening's performance by the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra were treated not only to the musical program but to a brief lecture about the composers and the works they would hear...

Cape Girardeau School District President Paul Nenninger, Vice-president Luther Bonds and board members Don Call, Kyle McDonald, Philip Moore, and Tony Smee, along with Superintendent Dr. James Welker, attended the Missouri School Boards Association Annual Conference in October at Lake of the Ozarks. ...

Cape Girardeau is really breathtaking just before dawn, especially from an altitude of 4,000 feet. I recently had the pleasure of flying Cape Air from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis, one Saturday at 6:50 am. I then had connecting flights to Dallas and Reno. No gambling, no romantic get-a-way, just a conference for work...

Have you ever bought your puppy a puppy to play with? We did, and now they are best friends and inseparable. Looking forward to 12 more years of fun with these two!

Someone once told Brian Loughary he would make a good actor, but he didn't believe it. Now, as he is preparing to take the stage for "A Christmas Carol" in less than a week, he is proving to himself and others that he does possess the talent to act. In his first role, Brian will be portraying Ebenezer Scrooge...

Nine Cape Central players and their coach were honored in Poplar Bluff at the All Conference Banquet recently. Pictured above, left to right, are 1st Team All-Conference Selectees Zach Boerboom -- Tight End; Keilon Moore -- Running Back; Zach Horrell -- Guard; Austin Davis -- Defensive Back; Andrew Hileman -- Kicker; Kevin Flesher -- Linebacker/Guard; Devin Rowett -- Defensive Back; David Huffman -- Defensive Line; and Chris Bird -- Tackle. ...

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents on Wednesday is expected to finalize financing for a $59.2 million borrowing plan to pay for a campus-wide renovation and maintenance campaign. But interest rates have risen on bonds over the past couple of months due to the popularity of a government building loan incentive, driving up the total cost of Southeast's borrowing plan...

Although Cape Girardeau physicians may see an uptick in visits from residents seeking relief from a seasonal cold or allergy via a pseudoephedrine prescription, a few area doctors say they're understanding of the city's decision to limit access to the methamphetamine precursor...

Isle of Capri will present a preliminary development plan to the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission at 7 p.m. Wednesday at city hall. Isle is also asking its 23-acre development site at 800 N. Spanish St. to be rezoned from residential and light manufacturing to a planned development district...

LONDON -- To some it's just a bunch of bird pictures. To others, John James Audubon's "Birds of America" is a rare blend of art, natural history and craftsmanship, unique enough to sell for more than $10 million at a London auction Tuesday -- making it the world's most expensive book...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A contingent of U.N. peacekeepers is the likely source of a cholera outbreak in Haiti that has killed at least 2,000 people, a French scientist said in a report obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. Epidemiologist Renaud Piarroux concluded that the cholera originated in a tributary of Haiti's Artibonite river, next to a U.N. ...

LONDON -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested and jailed without bail Tuesday in a sex-crimes investigation, but his organization scarcely missed a beat, releasing a new batch of the secret cables that U.S. officials say are damaging America's security and relations worldwide...

DUBLIN -- Lawmakers narrowly approved tax increases Tuesday as part of Ireland's most brutal budget in history, an $8 billion slash-and-tax plan imposed as a key condition of the nation's international bailout. Rejection following Tuesday's publication of the long-awaited 2011 budget would have forced Prime Minister Brian Cowen's resignation and snap elections -- and raised doubts about whether Ireland could tap $90 billion from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund...

CANCUN, Mexico -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, trying to revive long-stalled climate talks, told world environment ministers Tuesday he is "deeply concerned" that many years of negotiation have proven largely fruitless. "The pace of human-induced climate change is accelerating. We need results now, results that curb global greenhouse emissions," Ban said at the opening of high-level talks at the annual U.N. climate conference...

It seems that everywhere I go people are planning for a Christmas gathering of some type, which we all know will involve food. I have pulled several of my favorite recipes out of the drawer to have on hand during the school vacation when the children will be home and for the different gatherings we will be attending. If you have some of those good old favorite recipes you can pass along to us, it would be greatly appreciated...

I live on the edge of town where there are open spaces adjacent to woodlands. As I was driving up our lane last week I was surprised to see an Eastern bluebird fly from his perch on the branch of a Bradford pear tree. I normally see them in spring, summer and early fall. This one evidently was either late or early in migrating...

Whether they call it babka, stollen, panettone, king cake, cozonac, kringle, lussebulle or challah, people around the world use rich, festive breads to celebrate holidays. Many of the breads are dense with fruit, nuts and spices. They can be glazed, sugared, topped with streusel or nuts, or decorated with candied fruits. They may be braided or woven, logs or loaves. But whatever their shape or seasoning, they taste of celebration and joy...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues center Andy McDonald has a concussion and will be sidelined indefinitely. The team disclosed the injury Tuesday. The 33-year-old McDonald was hurt during the Blues' 2-1 overtime loss Saturday in Edmonton after he inadvertently hit a rut in the ice and crashed into the leg of Oilers player Shawn Horcoff in overtime...

The Southeast men have mounting injury problems as they visit their regional rival

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- Aging Pearl Harbor survivors on Tuesday heard reassurances their sacrifice would be remembered and passed on to future generations as they gathered to mark the 69th anniversary of the attack. "Long after the last veteran of the war in the Pacific is gone, we will still be here telling their story and honoring their dedication and sacrifice," National Park Service director Jonathan Jarvis told about 120 survivors who traveled to Hawaii from around the country for the event.. ...

WASHINGTON -- Elizabeth Edwards, who closely advised her husband in two bids for the presidency and advocated for health care even as her marriage publicly crumbled, died Tuesday after a six-year struggle with cancer. She was 61. She died at her North Carolina home surrounded by her three children, siblings, friends and her estranged husband, John, the family said...

Missouri's first DREAM Initiative project will be completed this week in Cape Girardeau. City dignitaries will celebrate with a brief ribbon cutting event at 11:30 a.m. today on-site at the new Fountain and Morgan Oak streets roundabout. "This is very exciting for downtown and all of Cape Girardeau," city manager Scott Meyer said. ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests The Southeast Missouri State University Department of Public Safety released the following items. Theft...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

After a remarkable turnaround season for the Southeast Missouri State University football team, the Redhawks fell to Eastern Washington in the second round of the FCS playoffs Saturday. While the loss at Eastern Washington was a disappointing end to the season, there's no denying the success of this year's squad. This year's playoff berth and Ohio Valley Conference Championship were both a first in the program's history...

I have lived in the Cape Girardeau area since 1981. At the age of 13 I began using drugs and alcohol, and my life changed dramatically for the worse. By the age of 15, I had been involved in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. I did whatever I felt I needed to do to have drugs in my pocket. Until just a few months ago, no one would tell me I was addicted to methamphetamine. I was in complete denial...

I am overwhelmed with gratefulness for the photographers who did the photography shoots for those in need. I lost my job in June and I decided to take some pictures myself this year instead of going somewhere for pictures of my daughter. I think that this is such a great gesture. Thanks so much...

There is a trend to wish each other "happy holidays" rather than the traditional "merry Christmas." Congress proclaimed Christmas a federal holiday in 1870. In 1999, a federal court acknowledged the secular aspects of Christmas in rejecting a claim that the holiday impermissibly endorsed and furthered a particular religious belief...

GLENN Beck wants all federal workers' salaries limited to the level of the average American. This would be extremely dangerous. For example, our federal air traffic controllers are a highly skilled group selected from a larger pool of applicants. We live in a country where high skill is generally rewarded with a matching salary...

Peyton E. Shrum, 89, of Campbell, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at General Baptist Nursing Home. He was born Oct. 15, 1921, in Shrum, Mo., to Joe and Nora Long Shrum. He and Mildred Hicks were married in 1953 in St. Louis. Peyton served during World War II in Europe, participating in the air offensive in Normandy, Rhineland, Ardennes and other central European campaigns, receiving six Bronze Stars...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Irene B. Dugger, 95, of Columbia died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at Lenoir Woods Health Care Center. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia. Celebrations of Irene's life will be held with friends and family in three cherished communities where Irene found loving homes: 2 p.m. ...

Lillian Ruth Weber, 83, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at Monticello House. She was born Nov. 3, 1927, in Love Joy Hollow near Pocahontas, daughter of John C. and Esther Eunice Cox Davis. She and Everet H. Weber were married June 25, 1949, at Zion Lutheran parsonage in Pocahontas. He passed away Nov. 27, 2010...

Grace Bessie Sharrock, 90, of Jackson passed away Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at Jackson Manor. She was born July 31, 1920, in Patton, Mo., daughter of Pola Benson and Mary Cook Welker. She and Ralph Sharrock were married May 21, 1937. Grace was a former Sunday school teacher, a former child care provider and a member of Patton Methodist Church...

Elizabeth Elsie Johnson, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Dec. 3, 2010, at her home. She was born April 17, 1918, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., to Adolph and Hilde Wagner Thies. Elizabeth and Harmon H. Johnson were married Aug. 17, 1949, in Poplar Bluff. They began their married life together in Malden, Mo., before moving to Dexter, Mo., in 1952. Harmon preceded her in death Dec. 13, 1999...

Francis Dale Cassout, 73, of Scott City died Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 9, 1936, at Gray's Point, Mo., to Francis William and Elizabeth Ann Lindemann Cassout. Cassout was a mechanic at Twin City Autos and also worked in construction...

ORAN, Mo. -- Terry J. Mattingly, 63, of Ironton, Mo., formerly of Oran, died Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, at Parkland Health Center in Farmington, Mo. He was born Dec. 25, 1946, in Oran, son of Irvan Charles and Ethel Marie Richardson Mattingly. Terry retired from Alco Discount Store in Ironton as a retail manager, after working a total of 40 years in retail management. He was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, Ironton Chamber of Commerce and VFW Post 5896...

Daughter to Scott Andrew and Shelly Renee Engert of Frohna, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 10:51 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. Name, Adalyn Renee. Weight, 4 pounds, 3 ounces. Mrs. Engert is the former Shelly Berkbuegler, daughter of Ronald and Marilyn Berkbuegler of Perryville, Mo. She is an insurance producer with C.M. Brown and Associates. Engert is the son of Bruce and Linda Engert of Frohna. He is a meter reader with Citizens Electric...

In the past two weeks Cape Girardeau has been plagued with a rash of armed robberies; the latest occurs this morning at Shoney's Restaurant, during which a shot is fired; it is the sixth robbery since Nov. 24 and the fifth since Dec. 1. The grand opening of Hecht's in Westport Plaza in St. Louis County was held Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony; the store is similar to the Hecht's women's fashion outlet in Cape Girardeau...

Tax Rates will remain unchanged for all Americans. When no one gets their way, does anyone win? That's the position Congress finds itself in this week as a compromise is announced that will extend the current tax rate while also extending unemployment benefits...

A Cape Girardeau County mother and son were charged with first-degree robbery Friday after the pair allegedly stole another man's Chevrolet truck and fled north to Perry County. Rhonda Jones, 41, and Richard Bowker, 20, allegedly stole the truck from a Cape Girardeau County man who was offering the two a temporary place to live, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case...

All the area high school events reported Tuesday to the Southeast Missourian.

A new health care cooperative planned in downtown Cape Girardeau is expected to create 135 new jobs and renovate several historic buildings. Gov. Jay Nixon will be in Cape Girardeau to join local economic development officials in making the announcement about state incentives Hometown Innovation Team, LLC, will be receiving to assist with the project...

Nursing schools in Southeast Missouri are positioning for the next major wave of students, and a state program is helping to set the stage. On Tuesday Gov. Jay Nixon announced the state's public universities could receive an additional $3 million over the next three years to educate more nurses under a new proposal...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

O Lord Jesus, we sing praises to you, the lamb of God. Amen.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Lawson Burgfeld, commander of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158 in Jackson, places a wreath at the World War I soldier memorial in front of the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson Tuesday, Nov. ...

Route T in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane from Route J to County Road 295 while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine bridge maintenance. Weather permitting, work will be done from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily today through Dec. 16. The work zone will be marked with signs...

Main Street in Jackson will be reduced to one lane Friday from Barton Street to Court Street for crosswalk repairs. In a news release issued earlier this week, the Jackson Public Works Department said both lanes should be open by the end of the day...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced it will conduct DWI saturation operations in some of the 13 counties it oversees during December. "DWI saturations and checkpoints are a part of the Patrol's effort to remove intoxicated drivers from Missouri's highways," said Captain George E. Ridens, commanding officer of Troop E. "The impaired driver continues to be a major contributor to serious and fatal traffic crashes in Southeast Missouri."...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A trailer stolen from a Sikeston business last month has been located in southern Florida. On Monday, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety was alerted that a stolen PTI Trucking trailer was found in Miami. The 53-foot trailer, which contained a shipment of LG Blu-Ray players worth several thousand dollars, was "abandoned and empty," according to DPS officials...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A 24-year-old Perryville woman was served a warrant Monday on suspicion of distributing drugs near a school. Jennifer Anne Hahn was served the warrant for felony distribution of a controlled substance near a school, the result of a Perry County Sheriff's Department undercover operation over the summer. Hahn was served the warrant while in the Perry County jail pending extradition to St. Louis for felony possession of a controlled substance...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois lawmakers are considering a massive casino expansion that experts say could leave neighboring states playing for smaller stakes and possibly even squeeze out some of the competition from within. Illinois is desperate for revenue to deal with a budget deficit that could reach up to $15 billion next year...

WASHINGTON -- The tax deal struck by President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans essentially gives Americans a pay raise -- pumping money into the economy almost immediately and probably creating hundreds of thousands of jobs over the next two years, economists say...

Wilfredo Colon, affectionately known as "Duck," 55, of Coldwater, Miss., died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was formerly of Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 25, 1955, in Essex, Mo., to the late Wilfred and Louise Ayers Colon Sr. He and Francine Sandridge were married Oct. 21, 2000...

Williams and the Tigers took home the championship trophy from the season-opening Potosi Tournament on Saturday.

A Patton, Mo., woman received moderate injuries following a one-vehicle accident Wednesday on Highway 34 west of Jackson. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 1994 Mazda driven by Phyllis D. Acord, 73, ran off the road at 7:35 a.m. and struck a ditch...

'Tis the season for warm holiday memories of family, friends, faith and giving. But not everybody celebrates the holiday season in the same way -- or at all. Southeast Missouri, while predominantly Christian, is home to other cultures. Today, area students share their spiritual memories of Christmas, Hanukkah and traditions of Islam in this special toast to the seasons...

The Jackson Police Department is preparing for a thorough evaluation. On Saturday, the department will welcome two assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, who'll review department policies, its operation as a whole and also ride along with some of the city's officers. The end result: a reaccreditation nearly three years in the making...

The $7.1 million auditorium at Cape Girardeau Central High School will be expanded and enhanced thanks to the generosity of a Houston businessman and Central graduate. Richard D. Kinder, chairman and CEO of Kinder Morgan, one of the largest pipeline transportation and energy storage companies in North America, and his wife, Nancy, will donate $1 million to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation. ...

Lesson learned for the Cape Girardeau School Board: Contract bidding can bring big savings. The board on Wednesday approved an employee health insurance package considerably lower than expected, thanks to the board's decision to put the contract out for bid. The winning bid from the existing provider will save the Cape Girardeau School District nearly $250,000, a turn of fortunes from last month when the district was looking at double-digit premium increases...

The attorney representing VIP Industries sent a letter to the Cape County Board for Developmentally Disabled last week telling the board he has been authorized to file suit against them on behalf of VIP. John E. Toma, a St. Louis attorney, also said VIP is willing to meet with the board in a final effort to avoid litigation...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team remained winless Wednesday, thanks in large part to Jack Crowder's hot hand off the bench and Leon Powell spending too much time on the bench. Crowder, Southern Illinois University's senior reserve guard, had a career night in the first half alone to help the host Salukis open a 13-point lead at the intermission...

A rezoning request and preliminary development plan for Isle of Capri's Cape Girardeau casino were unanimously recommended for city council approval without discussion Wednesday by the planning and zoning commission. "I am happy to be down here with a real project instead of talking about what may happen or what could happen," said Dick Meister, Isle's vice president of design and construction...

The dream goes something like this: Visitors, many thousands of them, pass through the newly extended Fountain Street each year on their way to any number of downtown destinations to open their wallets in Cape Girardeau's restaurants, retail shops and other businesses.

Let the building begin. The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents on Wednesday approved a $59.25 million bond issue to pay for campuswide renovation and maintenance.

Lt. Barry Hovis of CPD helps De'varean Walker select a game with his seventy dollars given to each child for shopping as a result of the Shop with A Hero program. Funds are raised through local police unions, the fire department, private donations, and Walmart. More than eighty children were chosen from schools in the area to shop based on the family's need...

Isiah Harless of Scott City got his wish for a bicycle when heroes from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department and the Scott City Police Department teamed up with the Cape Girardeau Walmart store manager, Gary Elders (third from left), to provide needy children with toys during the Shop with a Hero event...

Brakia and Brad Woods are all smiles after Det. Darren Estes of CGPD helps them cart away the toys they selected during Shop with a Hero at the Cape Walmart

Pam Chavez of Walmart hands out the money envelopes to members of the local police departments, fire department, and first responders who are matched up with a needy child shopping during the Shop with a Hero event held Tues., Dec. 7th at the Cape Girardeau Walmart...

CGPD Officers Mark Wright, Al Spencer, and Jon Ortmann help local children get toys to put under their Christmas tree during Shop with a Hero at Walmart. About six thousand dollars was divided among eighty-one needy children who got to shop for their toys with heroes in our community. Heroes included the Cape Girardeau Police Department and Fire Department, Scott City Police Department, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department, and Cape County Private Ambulance personnel...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Shawn Morningstar, of Cape Girardeau, recently enlisted in the Headquarters Company of the 1140th Engineer Battalion. Morningstar has four years of active duty service with the Marine Corps, and joined the Guard to pursue his education and give back to his community...

We were enjoying a Fall walk, when I caught Sally Jo posing.

A $10 million downtown medical center development that will bring 135 jobs to Cape Girardeau gave city leaders reason to smile Wednesday.

With the holiday season now in full swing, students are looking forward to the winter break but not forgetting about the dreaded semester finals that we must survive first. Finals can be intimidating. With two hours allotted for each one, not only do students fear spending 14 hours testing over the last three days of school before break, but they worry about the fact that the finals make up 10 percent of their grade...

Southeast Missouri high school students share more spiritual memories of the holidays. "For me, it's every Christmas Eve we go to midnight mass. We listen to the choir sing beforehand. The aesthetics at mass are different; it's dark, it's candlelit, the singing is really good, and it heightens the spirituality experience. There is the procession of the child, the manger scenes, and it's the first time the church is in full Christmas decor. It's cool to see it...

What's happening this weekend

BALTIMORE -- A 21-year-old part-time construction worker obsessed with jihad was arrested Wednesday when he tried to detonate what he thought was a bomb at a military recruitment center -- the second time in less than two weeks that an alleged homegrown terrorist was nabbed in a sting operation...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A private company launched a spacecraft into orbit and then, in a historic first, guided it back to Earth on Wednesday in a bold test for NASA that could lead to the first commercial space station supply run next year and eventual astronaut rides...

NEW YORK -- John Lennon's fans celebrated his life Wednesday by visiting Strawberry Fields, the Central Park garden dedicated in his honor, while a newly released interview he gave shortly before his death showed he was optimistic about his future...

SANTIAGO, Chile -- A fire started during an inmate brawl swept through an overcrowded prison on Wednesday, killing at least 81 people and seriously injuring 14 in what an official called the worst disaster in the history of Chile's penitentiary system...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Protesters enraged by the results of Haiti's troubled presidential election set barricades and political offices ablaze, traded blows with U.N. peacekeepers and shut down the country's lone international airport Wednesday, creating the social upheaval many have feared since the Jan. 12 earthquake...

WASHINGTON -- Democrats controlling the House muscled through legislation Wednesday night that would freeze the budgets of most Cabinet departments and fund the war in Afghanistan for another year. The bill would cap the agencies' annual operating budgets at the $1.2 trillion approved for the recently finished budget year -- a $46 billion cut of more than 3 percent from President Barack Obama's request...

A Jackson man and a Scott City woman were seriously injured in a one-vehicle accident Wednesday morning approximately one mile south of Cape Girardeau, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The accident occurred at 10:25 a.m. on Cape Girardeau County Road 206...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Getting caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol will become even more costly in Sikeston this coming year. During its regular monthly meeting Monday, the Sikeston City Council approved a bill which provides for the reimbursement of costs associated with the arrest and conviction on violations involving alcohol and drug-related traffic offenses...

This space if frequently used to encourage the community to get involved and commend those who are already doing great work. This year, our community has been especially active, and today we salute all those in Southeast Missouri who have used their time, talents and treasures for the betterment of our community...

In regard to the casino coming to Cape Girardeau, don't forget the Trojan horse. We are told that this casino will not only bring jobs but also help the downtown merchants and the retail businesses in the city of Cape Girardeau. What we are not told is the countless thousands who will lose their savings and/or their homes and other property in trying to gain back what they lost. ...

Let's think back to 1950 to 1970. the most prosperous times for this country's history. What were the tax rates back then? They were much higher than today. Now think back to George H.W. Bush. He raised taxes, and the Clinton years were the most prosperous for the middle class in a decade...

EPA research indicates that the lifetime cancer risk from wood smoke is 12 times greater than from an equal volume of cigarette smoke. WHERE has marriage gone? Of the seven birth announcements in a recent birth announcement section, only one couple was married. Some announcements in the past list the mother as having six or seven children. No wonder our country is in such dire straights. Who is supporting these children?...

Ralph Ray Bollinger, 81, of Jackson died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, at Monticello House. He was born April 18, 1929, in Millersville, son of Henry Joseph and Ethel Hannah Ellis Bollinger. He and Ilanda Shultz were married Aug. 26, 1949, at Sedgewickville, Mo...

Alma E. Messner, 90, of the Lutheran Home, formerly of Kohler, Wis., passed away Monday, Dec. 6, 2010, in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 26, 1920, in Sheboygan, Wis., daughter of Fred and Theresa Kunz Richter. She and Kenneth E. Messner were married Aug. 24, 1940, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. He preceded her in death July 8, 1993...

Carol V. Rudert, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Aug. 14, 1915, in St. Louis, to Otto and Jessie Vieten Witte. She and Harold J. Rudert were married May 17, 1936, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death June 16, 1974...

BENTON, Mo. -- Unusually thick fog in parts of Scott County causes a cancellation of classes in the Kelly School District. An agreement providing for purchase of $4.85 million in nontaxable sales tax revenue bonds to provide for development of a long-proposed Southeast Missouri Regional Port on the Mississippi River north of Scott City is finalized by the port authority board of commissioners; money from the sale of the bonds will be repaid by the commission over a four-year period with revenue generated by a one-fourth cent sales tax in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties.. ...

Dec. 9, 2010 Dear David, The new issue of Rolling Stone magazine is filled with playlists composed by famous musicians. Bono chose his favorite David Bowie songs. Rod Stewart picks his top Sam Cooke songs. Ozzy Osbourne cues up the Beatles. Elton John picks out new pop classics by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Eminem, Lady Gaga and Kanye West. Ice Cube lays out his universe of West Coast hip-hop. Iggy Pop on Chicago blues. Pete Seeger on folk music. Lucinda Williams on country women...

O Lord, may we be quick to listen and slow to become angry. Amen.

POLICE The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Summonses Thefts Assault Miscellaneous...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI Arrests Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous...

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

BENTON, Mo. -- Two key positions in Scott County will become open as the new year begins. The Standard Democrat reported Joel Evans turned in his resignation as county developer and emergency management director to county commissioners during their regular meeting Tuesday...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Three area residents will serve on Missouri boards, following their appointments by Gov. Jay Nixon. Drew Juden of Sikeston was named to the Homeland Security Advisory Council. The council is tasked with ensuring that proper homeland security plans and coordination are in place at the state and local level and that homeland security grant expenditures are done in a coordinated and efficient way...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- A Clearwater Middle School student faces a long-term suspension after allegedly firing a BB gun on a school bus. An eighth-grade student brought a BB gun to the middle school on Friday, according to Clearwater Superintendent Blane Keel...

Did you know the tasty orange many of you love to eat for a healthy snack is flammable? Adult supervision is recommended for this experiment. STEP 2: Place the candle on a saucer and using the grill lighter, ignite the candle. STEP 3: Hold a piece of the peeling with the outside of the peeling close to the flame and squeeze...

The Southeast Missouri State football team not only had one of the best seasons in program history, the Redhawks evidently beat their opponents with class. The Ohio Valley Conference announced Wednesday that Southeast is the recipient of the league's 2010-11 Team Sportsmanship Award for football...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Tony La Russa predicts a contract extension for Cardinals star Albert Pujols will come either before spring training or after the season -- nothing in between. "I know Albert well enough that once he gets into spring training, he doesn't like distractions," the Cardinals manager said Wednesday at the winter meetings. "I just know once spring training starts, Albert doesn't get distracted by anything."...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams cornerback Ron Bartell and safety O.J. Atogwe did not practice Wednesday while nursing shoulder injuries. Two other members of the secondary, cornerback Justin King and safety Craig Dahl, were limited with shoulder and knee woes...

All the scores from Wednesday that were reported to the Southeast Missourian.

SCHOLARSHIPS The following students received scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University: n Brennen T. Cox of Jackson received the Missouri Boy's State Leadership Award for 2011-2012. -- From staff reports ...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Two weeks after North Korea shelled a South Korean island, the rivals are still trading threats of attacks and counterattacks. Tensions remain at their highest in more than a decade, and though neither side is backing down, all-out war is unlikely...

Central football coach Rich Payne, who led the Tigers to the second round of the playoffs this season, has stepped down as football coach. Payne led Central to a 10-2 mark this season after his teams went 1-19 in his first two seasons. He was named the coach of the year in the SEMO Conference North division and the classes 4 and 5 all-region coach of the year by the media...

December brings many things, not the least of which is dozens of community events and holiday-themed concerts. Many of these shows are as essential to Christmas in Southeast Missouri as reindeer are to Santa. We've rounded up the majority of events here and highlighted a few repeat offenders, picked up for distribution of holiday cheer...

Like the fallen first responders it assists, The BackStoppers Inc. knows a thing or two about a rapid response. As of Dec. 2, the St. Louis-based organization that financially supports the spouses and children of police officers, firefighters and other publicly funded emergency medical responders who die in the line of duty is available to help families in Cape Girardeau County...

After a city council vote Monday, Scott City became the latest Southeast Missouri city to regulate the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine.

He's known to eschew attention, but Rich Kinder -- a world-renowned businessman and philanthropist -- can't help but be in the public eye. Kinder certainly is in Cape Girardeau, where he and his wife, Nancy, will donate $1 million for the planned Cape Girardeau Central High School auditorium. The money will be used to build a balcony, which will add 250 seats to the $7.1 million auditorium, slated for completion in 2012 and to be named the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall...

The 2010 Practical Nursing Graduates from the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center (CTC) have attained a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) for the second straight year. Pictured in the top image are the day-class graduates. The evening-class graduates are pictured in the lower image...

Sunrise on Dec. 9, 2010 from our porch off Hwy B, Millersville.

Coach Rich Payne argues with official during Cape Central vs. Sikeston game at Cape. To see more photos from the game, go to http://www.capecentralhigh.com/sports/football-sports/cape-central-tigers-vs-sikeston-bulldogs/

Entertainment at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus this season has for the most part been primarily mainstream fare -- classical and big band music, a dance troupe, a one-woman comedy and a classic Broadway musical. This Sunday evening, that will change...

Dakota Sander of Boy Scout Troop 4011 in Jackson has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. His Eagle Scout project consisted of building six chairs for the servers at Immaculate Conception Parish in Jackson. Sander is a sophomore at Notre Dame Regional High School and is the son of Keith and Martha Sander...

The St. Mary Cathedral Quilting Ladies recently presented Father Tom Kiefer with a check for $3,000 for the St. Mary Building On Faith Capital Campaign. The ladies meet each Tuesday and raise funds by doing quilting work. Pictured from left to right standing: Hermina Westrich, Father Tom Kiefer, Alena Fels, Betty Kuss, seated: Marie Ostendorf and Janet Walton...

One of Cape Girardeau's oldest existing structures, built in part by slave labor in the days leading up to the Civil War, is about to come face to face with the city's flashy future. And as a brand-new $125 million Isle of Capri casino goes up just yards away from the 153-year-old Reynolds House...

Granny Beth and Papa Tom watch Trenton trimming our Christmas tree.

Geraldine Johanningmeier of the Chateau Girardeau celebrated her birthday with a large cake and many friends and family at the ChateauWed. Dec. 8. Ms. Johanningmeier was born at Whitewater, Mo. the year of 1908. She is still very actived in many ways. ...

Frost Flower found at General Watkins Conservation Area Morley MO

Southeast Missouri State University's Theatre and Dance Department's production of "In the Boom Boom Room" opened Wednesday night, bringing some actors to the stage for the first time and placing them in racy situations. Written by Dave Raber, "In the Boom Boom Room" centers around the life and mishaps of young woman named Chrissy (played by Lillian Johnson). ...

Jackson organizations joined forces to help the less fortunate in their area Thursday. For 25 years, the Jackson Elks have been organizing a Christmas basket giveaway and food drive to benefit families living in the Jackson School District, and the program chairman said community donations have been overwhelming this year...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission approved the recommendations of the county's health insurance committee and awarded the 2011 employee group health insurance contract to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Total annual cost will be $1,007,218.60. The commission also agreed to reimburse employees $500 once their $1,000 annual deductible has been met...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Cutting employees and reducing health insurance benefits are among steps the Poplar Bluff School Board must consider to reduce a projected $2.75 million budget deficit in the next fiscal year, according to information presented Tuesday at a workshop session...

Since its humble beginnings as a trio practicing each day, playing college events and coffee shops, Bears On Fire has grown into a four-piece dance rock group with a full-length album due for release this weekend. Lead singer Jonathan Poston said the new album, "The War Will Be Here Soon," is a good representation of the group as live performers...

Arts and entertainment briefs

Holiday Concert Series 2010 West Park Mall will host a plethora of holiday-themed concerts and choral performances by area musicians. South Elementary students perform today. Other school choirs and community musicians from Southeast Missouri will play throughout the month. Visit semoevents.com for specific times and dates of performances...

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- A fire intentionally set Thursday to destroy an explosives-filled house in a suburban San Diego neighborhood rapidly consumed the structure without major problems as fire crews and curious onlookers watched. Authorities said the home was so packed with homemade explosives that they had no choice but to burn it to the ground...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- This is the end for 40-year-old convictions that left Jim Morrison marked with what today would be considered sex-offender status. Florida's Clemency Board, egged on by departing Gov. Charlie Crist, pardoned The Doors' long-dead singer Thursday on indecent exposure and profanity charges stemming from a wild concert...

The public pins most of the blame for poor college graduation rates on students and their parents and gives a pass to colleges, government officials and others, a new Associated Press-Stanford University poll shows. All sectors of American higher education received high marks for quality. That extends to for-profit colleges, despite recent criticism of dubious recruiting tactics, high student loan default rates and other problems at some schools...

LOS ANGELES -- Authorities were on the hunt for a Pennsylvania couple after the body of a good Samaritan who befriended them was cut into pieces and stashed in a backpack and under a bed in a Skid Row hotel room, police and family said. Edward Garcia Jr., 36, and Melissa Hope Garcia, 25, who also goes by the name Melissa Turner, were charged Tuesday with murder and the special circumstances of torture in the Thanksgiving killing of Herbert Tracy White, 49, of Los Angeles...

NEW YORK -- The Federal Aviation Administration is missing key information on who owns one-third of the 357,000 private and commercial aircraft in the U.S. -- a gap the agency fears could be exploited by terrorists and drug traffickers. The records are in such disarray that the FAA says it is worried that criminals could buy planes without the government's knowledge, or use the registration numbers of other aircraft to evade new computer systems designed to track suspicious flights. ...

WASHINGTON -- The White House and key lawmakers cleared the way Thursday night for swift Senate action to avert a Jan. 1 spike in income taxes for nearly all Americans, agreeing to extend breaks for ethanol and other forms of alternative energy as part of the deal...

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- The European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League have rebuked Israel after its refusal to halt settlement construction forced Washington to drop efforts to relaunch Mideast peace talks. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday stuck to his position that he won't negotiate without a freeze of Jewish settlement building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem -- lands captured by Israel and sought by the Palestinians for their state. ...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans blocked a major year-end push by Democrats to lift the military's ban on openly gay troops Thursday, dealing a huge blow to gay rights groups' hopes for repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" any time soon. President Barack Obama instantly appealed to lawmakers to make another, last-ditch try before going home for the year...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Kathy Ann Wills, 57, of Farmington passed away Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She was born July 24, 1953, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Lorene Triller Newell and the late James Bobby Brown. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her stepfather, Lynn Newell...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Evelyn A. Struessel, 97, of Perryville died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, at Independence Care Center of Perry County. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. to service time Saturday at Young and Sons Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Matthew Marks officiating...