Stories from Friday, April 8, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senators would have to push their own elevator buttons. House members would go without their free gym. Food on Capitol Hill would be sparse. And the lawmakers' restrooms? Perhaps not as fresh. Congress would feel the pinch of a government shutdown, but nowhere near the pain that would be inflicted on the massive federal work force it is supposed to govern...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Perilously close to a government shutdown, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders forged an agreement late Friday night on a deal to cut more than $37 billion in federal spending and avert the first closure in 15 years. Obama hailed the deal as "the biggest annual spending cut in history," and House Speaker John Boehner said that over the next decade it would cut government spending by $500 billion...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- The Carter County Commission appointed an interim sheriff Tuesday morning to serve until a special election can be held in July. The commission's unanimous choice was Richard J. Stephens Jr., the Van Buren police officer recently appointed to serve as the chief deputy for the sheriff's department...

One thing is certain: Storytellers talk a lot and oftentimes, they talk to themselves. They recite stories in the car, in front of imaginary friends or inside their heads before finally getting on stage at storytelling festivals around the country and telling it to audiences. ...

WASHINGTON -- Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, a sign that layoffs are dropping and employers may be hiring more workers. The Labor Department said Thursday the number of people seeking benefits dropped 10,000 to 382,000 in the week ending April 2. That's the third drop in four weeks...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perryville sophomore Natalie Gremaud noticed a trend from St. Vincent goalie Katie Mattingly during Thursday's soccer game. So when Gremaud found herself in the box late in a tied game, she used that information to her advantage...

For the past 14 years, students at Trinity Lutheran School have taken an annual trip to the nation's capital to visit historical treasures like the Smithsonian museums, the presidential memorials and the hallowed halls of Congress. But when the Cape Girardeau school sends its group of eighth-graders back to Washington, D.C., next week, a looming federal government shutdown may force them to scratch a few sites from the schedule...

Three of our German Shepherd dogs strike a pose on a large fallen red oak tree. They enjoy scrambling up onto the large trunk.

Calling small businesses "a mighty force for job creation," Gov. Jay Nixon announced $27 million in new loan programs to help businesses grow during a roundtable discussion in Jackson Thursday. Nixon talked with six Southeast Missouri small business owners at Main Street Flooring about the challenges they're facing and ways the state can help...

Cape Girardeau, MO -- Japanese students at Southeast Missouri State University raised money for the disaster victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Over a two week period at the end of March the students raised $4,026.80 which they gave to the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri Chapter for the Japan relief effort...

Cape Girardeau, MO -- Members of the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi at Southeast Missouri State University raised money to help the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The Zeta Omicron Chapter donated $145.72 to the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri Chapter for the Japan relief effort...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Mississippi River Commission (MRC) will conduct the Memphis District portion of its annual high-water inspection trip on the Mississippi River Monday and Tuesday. Two public meetings have been scheduled aboard the Motor Vessel Mississippi in selected towns along the river so commission members have the opportunity to meet with local residents and hear their concerns, ideas and issues. The meeting places, dates and times are as follows:...

Sorry, Jetsons. Lauren Hoxworth and her fellow fourth-graders at Jefferson Elementary School don't see flying cars as part of their future in the next decade. Frankly, they've never heard of "The Jetsons," the futuristic cartoon that envisioned robot maids, skybound apartments and fast interstellar travel...

WASHINGTON -- Time growing short, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders failed to reach agreement Thursday night on a compromise to cut spending and head off a government shutdown at midnight today that no one claimed to want. Obama, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid all said the differences had been narrowed in a pair of White House meetings during the day. They directed their aides to work through the night in pursuit of a deal...

A group of area children helped to plant flowers in Cape Girardeau during last year's Friends of the Parks Day. This year's event is April 16.

Local residents of all ages help beautify Capaha Park during last year's Friends of the Parks Day. This year's event is April 16.

Volunteers help add mulch to the rose bush beds in the Rose Garden at Capaha Park during last year's Friends of the Parks Day. This year's event is April 16.

NEW MADRID, Mo. (AP) -- Noranda Aluminum Inc., one of the state's largest power users and an economic engine in southeast Missouri, says its electric rates are unfairly high. The company claims the rate increases are threatening its viability. However, a study from the Missouri Office of Public Counsel showed that Noranda pays less than its fair share and that its rates are too low...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- School districts would have to inform the state within 24 hours when a teacher is accused of sexual misconduct involving a student and the state would oversee investigations of such claims under a measure the state Senate unanimously approved Thursday.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri House committee has rejected a proposal to downsize its own chamber. The proposed constitutional amendment would have reduced the state House from 163 members to 103 members starting in 2015. A House committee voted Thursday to reject the plan...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Thousands of Missouri residents cut off of federally funded jobless benefits soon could regain eligibility under a plan embraced Thursday by the state Senate -- but their gain could come at the expense of people laid off in the future.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission said the county's 2011 sales taxes are on an unstable ride so far this year. According to the sales tax comparison chart provided by the Cape Girardeau County treasurer's office, the January sales tax receipts were down 16.56 percent from January 2010. In February, receipts rose 21.83 percent over last year, and in March it dropped 19.65 percent compared to March 2010. April is up 20.86 percent from last year so far...

Arts and entertainment briefs

On Saturday, the high-definition broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera will be Gioacchino Rossini's "Le Comte Ory." The performance will begin at noon at the AMC Town Plaza 5 in Cape Girardeau. The spectacular tenor Juan Diego Florez will sing the title role. Soprano Diana Damrau will be the Countess and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sings the role of Isolier, Ory's young male page...

The visual and the performing arts have creatively coexisted for four years at their thriving River Campus home, but Southeast Missouri State University's artistic entities have never truly collaborated on a grand scale. That all changes next week when music, dance and visual arts converge for "Spring into Dance 2011" at the Bedell Performance Hall...

Three Jackson Middle School students recently made a lifelong memory when they headed to Chicago as part of the national honor choir. The students were among the 300 selected out of a field of 800 applicants to sing in the choir and study at the American Choral Directors Association national conference...

Congratulations are due to those who voted no to the proposition to ban smoking in public places. Now that the majority of Cape Girardeau voters have recognized the rights of smokers to ruin their health and shorten their own lives at the expense of exchequer, I have a request to smokers on behalf of those who lost the smoking ban initiative: Keep your butts in your own cars. ...

I would like to comment on the story in the Southeast Missourian of Feb. 10 on the future of oil shale productions in our western states. I lived at the foot of the oil shale outcroppings at Palisade, Colo., for many years, a beautiful fruit-growing community...

DON'T know when I heard such foul language in a high school play. The students even used the F-word. Thank you, Cape Girardeau Central High School, for influencing our students in such a positive way. WHY waste all the money on this bike trail when there are so many other things to use the money on that would have a real purpose? Do you really want your child riding on a bike trail on Lexington or Cape Rock? I don't think so...

The Jackson Art Group will have April Second Saturday reception featuring Karron Kidd with acrylics, jewelry, scarves and hand-painted Easter eggs. Kidd will also show her bleeding heart series. The Jackson Art Group began hosting openings with local artists in November. ...

Lord Jesus, we're thankful that you are the resurrection and the light. Amen.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Senate has passed legislation expanding the state's no-call list to wireless phones. About 2.7 million residential land-line telephone numbers already are on the attorney general's list, which prohibits most calls from telemarketers...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri House members have rejected legislation addressing the care of developmentally disabled people living in state facilities. The bill called for the state Department of Mental Health to develop a plan by 2013 to change how residents in those facilities are cared for. The measure was defeated 87-67 on Thursday...

NEW YORK -- The name of New York City's most elusive snake is Mia for "missing in action." The moniker won out over four other finalists Thursday in a contest to name the slippery Bronx Zoo cobra. More than 33,000 nominations were submitted to the Bronx Zoo and New York Daily News for the contest...

NEW YORK -- The economic recovery keeps defying expectations and getting stronger. Robust consumer spending in March is the latest sign that the rebound is entering a self-reinforcing cycle of improvement. Shoppers shrugged off worries about higher gas prices and treated themselves at the mall last month. Retailers from Costco to Victoria's Secret reported surprisingly good sales Thursday, and analysts said people would have spent even more but for the late Easter...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- As the 30th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch draws near, the focus is not so much on the past but the future: Where will the shuttles wind up once the program winds down? Twenty-one museums and science and visitor centers around the country are vying for one of NASA's three retiring spaceships. They'll find out Tuesday on the 30th anniversary of Columbia's maiden voyage...

ATLANTA -- A pharmaceutical company in India that supplied a key lethal injection drug to at least one U.S. state and reached out to a half-dozen others announced Thursday it was no longer selling the drug to American prison officials, drying up yet another source of the drug amid a severe shortage...

SAN FRANCISCO -- How many gay men and lesbians are there in the United States? Gary Gates has an idea but acknowledges pinpointing a solid figure remains an elusive task. Gates is demographer-in-residence at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, a think tank based at the University of California, Los Angeles. ...

H&R Block Inc. on Thursday said it will record a 5-cent-per-share charge in its fiscal fourth quarter, due to losses on its Emerald Advance line of credit. The nation's largest tax preparer blamed the charge on losing some former clients who got Emerald Advance loans during the holidays. The high unemployment rate also likely played a role, the company said...

AJDABIYA, Libya -- An apparent NATO airstrike slammed into a rebel combat convoy Thursday, killing at least five fighters and sharply boosting anger among anti-government forces after the second bungled mission in a week blamed on the military alliance...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House approved a series of economic incentives Thursday aimed at attracting sporting events, science-related jobs and data centers to the state. The bills easily won bipartisan approval, and supporters say the various incentives will help to boost economic development in Missouri...

JERUSALEM -- An anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip struck a school bus in southern Israel on Thursday, wounding two people, one of them critically, and prompting fierce Israeli retaliation that killed five Palestinians. Israel unleashed airstrikes and tank fire against Hamas targets across the border. ...

CAIRO -- A top aide of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's was arrested Thursday in a corruption investigation, the highest ranking ex-official to be jailed since Egypt's longtime ruler stepped down in February under pressure from a popular uprising...

RIO DE JANEIRO -- A gunman opened fire at a public elementary school in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, killing at least 11 students before taking his own life. At least 18 other people, mostly students, were hurt and brought to local hospitals, said Rio state Health Secretary Sergio Cortes. At least four were in grave condition...

WASHINGTON -- Those yearly statements that Social Security mails out -- here's what you'd get if you retired at 62, at 66, at 70 -- will soon stop arriving in workers' mailboxes. It's an effort to save money and steer more people to the agency's website...

WASHINGTON -- Terror alerts from the government will soon have just two levels of warnings -- elevated and imminent -- and those will be relayed to the public only under certain circumstances. Color codes are out; Facebook and Twitter will sometimes be in, according to a Homeland Security draft obtained by The Associated Press...

ELKHART, Ind. -- John Putman, 69, of Elkhart passed away Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at Hospice House of Elkhart. He was born Aug. 31, 1941, in New Madrid County, Mo., to Marlow and Margaret Putman. He and Sherrie Merritt were married Dec. 27, 1996, in Las Vegas...

FROHNA, Mo. -- Elton W. "Fletch" Haertling, 77, of Frohna passed away Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at his home. He was born Aug. 10, 1933, in New Wells, to Theo and Olga Koch Haertling. He and Grace Fiedler were married Oct. 21, 1961, in Altenburg, Mo...

Harold Webb, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, April 7, 2011, at his home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Kevin Sawyer, who lost his race for Jackson Ward 2 alderman to incumbent Don Cook by one vote in last week's election, has filed for a recount of the votes in circuit court. Four-year school board veteran Catherine Otto is elected president of the Cape Girardeau public schools governing body during an organizational meeting; oaths of office are administered to Otto and James F. Hirsch, winners in last week's election...

Sandra S. Fluegge, 67, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at her home. She was born Sept. 11, 1943, in Cape Girardeau, to William and Mildred Huey Floyd. She and Larry Fluegge were married June 23, 1962, by the Rev. Ralph C. Fessler at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Imoludene "Deanie" Baker, 82, of Deltona, Fla., formerly of Mounds, passed away Thursday, April 7, 2011, at Florida Hospital in DeLand, Fla. Deanie was born July 4, 1928, in Pulaski, Ill., daughter of Warren and Cora Anglin. She and William R. Baker were married Nov. 14, 1946...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- A Caruthersville man faces charges after attempting to swallow a bag of crack cocaine to keep it from the hands of police. Caruthersville police officers were called to the 400 block of East 14th Street on Tuesday evening following a report of shots fired. According to Caruthersville City Marshal Chris Riggs, as officers arrived on the scene they saw a car leaving the area by driving through a yard...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- A Chaffee woman was seriously injured in a Wednesday afternoon automobile accident.

Three people were arrested Wednesday night and charged with the attempt to manufacture a controlled substance after neighbors reported an alleged methamphetamine lab to police. Cape Girardeau police responded to a call at 9:35 p.m. at 3007 Themis St., Apt. C, after receiving a call about odors related to methamphetamine production coming from the apartment...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- An 82-year-old man is in police custody following an incident at his home Wednesday in which he allegedly brandished weapons and threatened to harm police. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call at 9:13 a.m. regarding a well-being check from the man's family. ...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- An Ellsinore, Mo., man has been charged with burning multiple Ellsinore homes in 2010 and 2011, including the modular home of former Carter County Sheriff Tommy Adams. Gary W. Bender, 45, was charged Monday with four felony counts of second-degree arson by Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Rocky Kingree...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

The Jackson Police Department reported the following incidents. Arrests do no imply guilt. Arrests...

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

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team returns to Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at the league's defending regular-season champion. Southeast and Tennessee Tech will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a 1 p.m. contest Sunday in Cookeville, Tenn...

The Southeast Missouri State women's tennis team notched its first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season Thursday, beating visiting Tennessee State 7-0. Southeast, which snapped a five-match losing streak, improved to 2-11 overall and 1-5 in OVC play. TSU is 0-12 and 0-6...

It shall be the responsibility of the Tree Board to study, investigate, counsel and develop and/or update annually, and administer a written plan for the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting, removal or disposition of public trees in parks, along streets and in other public areas. ...

We're all friends here, right? Because I need to get something off my chest. Make a confession, you know? Up until Tuesday, I had never bought an original piece of art. I have posters with images by famous painters. I have my own photographs framed and hanging on my walls. I have a few reproductions of work by a South American painter I bought while studying in Ecuador...

SENDAI, Japan -- A big aftershock rocked quake-weary Japan late Thursday, rattling nerves as it knocked out power to the northern part of the country and prompted tsunami warnings that were later canceled. The quake was initially measured at magnitude-7.4, though the U.S. ...

Route N in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties will be closed next week while Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway. The section of road is between County Road 418 and County Road 254. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Signs will mark the work zone, and motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near the area. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route A in New Madrid and Stoddard counties will be closed Tuesday while Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway. This section of road is from County Road 6294 to County Road 797. Weather permitting, work will be done from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near the area. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route B from Highway 72 to Route M in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane next week while Missouri Department of Transportation crews make pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorist are urged to use caution while traveling in the area. For more information, call MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Work to replace the Route W bridge over the District 3 Main Ditch in Scott County is scheduled to begin April 25, weather permitting. As construction is underway, the road will remain closed from Route CC to Highway 77. A mid-June completion is anticipated. ...

St. Louis downplayed its sluggish offense that resulted in a 2-4 homestand

Live music can be a risky investment. If you're out on a Friday or Saturday night and decide to hear a new band, you can pay the $5 cover and hear something original, well-practiced and balanced, or you might hear a messy, poorly written attempt at entertainment...