Stories from Thursday, April 28, 2011

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. (AP) -- As ominous as a floating hearse, twin barges creep up the Mississippi River carrying a payload of explosives bound for southeast Missouri and a levee facing the prospect of being sacrificed to spare a flood-threatened Illinois town just upriver...

Detonating the Birds Point levee in Mississippi County is off the table -- for now, anyway. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a corps official says, is in a "holding pattern" for the time being, thanks in large part to rising floodwaters that aren't rising as high and as fast as originally forecast...

U.S. Army Corps of Engineer officials say they are doing everything they can to avoid blowing up the Birds Point levee. Col. Vernie L. Reichling, commander of the corps' Memphis district, at a press conference Thursday afternoon said water levels at the Cairo, Ill., river gauge have climbed only slightly -- still a few feet away from the danger zone of 60.5 feet...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri auditor's office will review Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's travel reimbursements. Deputy Auditor Harry Otto said Thursday the review will focus on whether Kinder properly calculated the $52,320 check he wrote to the state earlier this week. Kinder said the money is intended to cover any travel reimbursements he received that might be questioned as inappropriate...

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Lawyers for Kentucky are calling for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to detonate a Missouri floodwall to prevent catastrophic flooding in the city of Hickman. Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said Thursday he had intervened in a federal lawsuit asking a federal judge to allow the Corps to breech the levee...

Flood fighting on the raging Mississippi River and its swollen tributaries these days has come down to a war of inches -- and now it's a race against the clock. Col. Vernie L. Reichling, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District, today said the corps was doing everything it could to avoid blowing holes in the Birds Point levee -- an act that would submerge an estimated tens of millions of dollars of property in the agriculture-rich floodway, destroying its 100 homes and the livelihood of hundreds more.. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The flood of 2011 has proved troublesome for virtually every river town in Southeast Missouri -- and even for dozens of communities situated far from the waterways. More rain fell Wednesday, creating new worries as many rivers neared their crest. For much of southern Missouri, it was at least the sixth straight day of rain, and some parts of the region have received 15 inches in that time, said Mary Lamm, a National Weather Service hydrologist...

Debating the pros and cons of U.S. national security is heady stuff. Doing it against the best debaters in the state is, as Jessica Stearns puts it, like "debate on steroids." "These kids are very intelligent," said the Jackson High School senior and veteran member of the school's speech/debate/drama team...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Around 250 households Wednesday heeded the voluntary evacuation order from Cairo Mayor Judson Child, according to the Cairo Police Department. Residents have been asked to tell law enforcement if they leave Cairo, so if a mandatory evacuation is ordered they'll know who has already left...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Floodwaters leaking past an old earthen levee in Poplar Bluff highlight a larger problem threatening much of rural America: Scores of flood walls built decades ago by farmers are increasingly susceptible to failure.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's Republican-led legislature has given final approval to a new plan redrawing the state's congressional districts based on the 2010 census. The votes Thursday night by the state House and Senate send the redistricting bill to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- As heavy rains pounded the region and floodwaters continued to rise Wednesday, another powerful force seemed to grip the residents of Mississippi and New Madrid counties: fear. For now, they nervously await the decision of Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh, who holds the power of the river over the lives of hundreds of farmers and residents in a 130,000-acre floodway...

The National Weather Service received an unconfirmed report of a tornado Wednesday afternoon about two miles west of Chaffee. A trained spotter reported a possible tornado at 4:10 p.m. The spotter described it as narrow in scope and short in duration, said Beverly Poole, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky...

Madeline Ramsey explores the play structure in her back yard.

Norah Macke, 3 years old, enjoying Spring flowers. Photo was taken in Benton, Mo., by her mother, Marsha Macke.

At the March meeting of VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau, a motion was made and approved to give $500 to Shriner's Hospital for Children in St. Louis. Pictured is E.W. Robbison, chairman of the House Committee for Post 3838, presenting a $500 check to Clem Crain, past commander of the Cape Shriners...

April 28, 2011 on Main St in downtown Cape Girardeau. Families using boats to get from one house to another, many evacuated.

One of the greatest things (at least in my opinion, although I do believe that my fellow sophomores would agree with me) about being a sophomore is reaching the age of sweet 16 and being able to drive. At last my birthday is here and I can get my license...

What's happening this weekend

LOS ANGELES -- With some genetic sleuthing, scientists have fingered a likely culprit in the spread of leprosy in the southern United States: the nine-banded armadillo. DNA tests show a match in the leprosy strain between some patients and these prehistoric-looking critters -- a connection scientists had suspected but until now couldn't pin down...

Which will float: A diet soda or a regular soda? You can use a few ingredients from around the house to find out. STEP 1: Fill the transparent container halfway with water. STEP 2: Drop the regular soda into the transparent container. STEP 3: Drop the diet soda down into the transparent container...

A project to replace the U.S. 61 bridge over Ramsey Creek in Cape Girardeau County has been postponed until May 10, weather permitting, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced Wednesday. The original start date was April 26, but was delayed due to weather...

NEW YORK -- Apple denied that the iPhone has a privacy problem Wednesday -- and then promised to fix it. It took the technology giant a week to respond to a brouhaha over how the devices log their owners' movements. Privacy concerns erupted last week when security researchers said a file found on PCs linked to iPhones allowed them to create maps of the phones' movements for up to a year. ...

GENEVA -- European nations summoned Syrian ambassadors in a coordinated demand that President Bashar Assad stop gunning down his people, and Germany said sanctions were possible if the crackdown did not ease. The United States called on the U.N.'s top human rights body to approve an independent probe and recommend prosecution if violations of international human rights law are uncovered...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A veteran Afghan military pilot said to be distressed over his personal finances opened fire at Kabul airport after an argument Wednesday, killing eight U.S. troops and an American civilian contractor. Those killed were trainers and advisers for the nascent Afghan air force. ...

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Rival Palestinian groups said they reached an agreement Wednesday on reuniting their governments in the West Bank and Gaza after years of bitter infighting that weakened them politically and caused the deaths of hundreds in violent clashes and crackdowns since...

WASHINGTON -- Confronting growing doubts that could undermine his re-election bid, President Barack Obama on Wednesday delivered a rebuttal to those questioning whether he was born in the U.S. and eligible to hold office, producing a detailed birth certificate and pleading for a long "sideshow" to end...

WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday that the Fed can't take additional steps to try to ease high unemployment without escalating inflation. If inflation were to accelerate, the Fed would have to raise rates to slow borrowing and spending and blunt price increases. Hiring might then slow...

Geraldine Stroder, 93, of Jackson died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Monticello House. She was born Nov. 16, 1917, in Whitewater to Edwin Lawrence and Lillian Allen McGuire. She and John Alexander Stroder were married March 31, 1934. He died March 23, 1975...

C.J. Hilton, 82, of Jackson died Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at Jackson Manor. He was born Nov. 4, 1928, in Octavia, Okla., to Carl Walter and Eva Maggard Hilton. C.J. and Doris Mitchell were married Feb. 12, 1949, in Talihina, Okla. C.J. graduated from Smithville High School in Smithville, Okla., and attended Southeast Oklahoma University in Wilburton...

Ronald R. Morton, 71, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 24, 1940, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., son of the late Clarence P. and Dorothy Ellen Webb Morton. He and Dianna Watkins were married April 17, 1960...

GLENALLEN, Mo. -- Bobby Clifford Scott Sr., 77, of Glenallen died Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at his home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Heritage Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Glenallen. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the church, with the Rev. Ivan Dowd officiating. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery at Steele, Mo...

John E. Schneider, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Southeast Hospital. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery...

CAIRO, Ill. — Margaret Hood Haslauer, 90, of Cairo died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Trampas Rikki "Bo" Austin and Amie Lee Brumbaugh of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Hospital, 9:18 a.m. Wednesday, April 13, 2011. Name, Jaden Michael. Weight, 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Second child, first son. Ms. Brumbaugh is the daughter of Jan Brumbaugh of Cape Girardeau and Mike and Linda Brumbaugh of Herculaneum, Mo. Austin is the son of Vonda and Roger Sczepanski of Racine, Wis. He is a foreman with Lix Co...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Earl F. Clifton, 85, of Perryville died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean conflict. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 6:30 a.m. until service time Saturday at Young and Sons Funeral Home...

A wooded area immediately west of the Cape Girardeau landfill is looking more and more like the city dump, says property owner J.E. Deevers, who wants the city to clean up the land. A Senate resolution to name the multipurpose building now under construction on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in honor of Sen. John Dennis is complimentary of the senator's efforts toward the joint city-university project; however, some say the Senate shouldn't be in the business of naming buildings...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri officials pushed through new regulations for the state's dog breeders in a flurry of legislative activity Wednesday that started with Gov. Jay Nixon signing one bill repealing sections of a voter-approved dog-breeding law and ended with the governor signing another measure that implemented a deal between dog breeders and welfare groups...

Around Missouri -- and in some other areas of the country -- many county officeholders have seen substantial cost-of-living salary increases over the past decade plus. Seven of the 11 first-class Missouri counties without a charter government saw cumulative salary increases for county elected officials at the 60 percent level or greater between 1997 and 2010. Among the seven is Cape Girardeau County...

One hundred years ago, 146 workers, mostly young immigrant women, burned to death behind locked doors at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. We'd like to think that something so terrible could never happen today, but over the past year a series of major workplace tragedies proved me wrong. ...

I looked out in my backyard recently and noticed a power line was hanging down lower next to the phone and cable TV lines. I called Ameren, and within the hour the repairman was here and found and fixed the problem, even though I told them we had not lost our power. If it would have been the telephone line, we would be without a phone for at least 24 hours, as well as Internet. A big thank you to Ameren for the outstanding service...

April 28, 2011 Dear Pat, Though the duration is hardly biblical, more than a foot of rain has fallen over the region the past week. Part of one city has been evacuated, and communities around the region are putting up sandbag defenses. Up and down the Midwest, historic river crests are predicted...

Worthy are you of all praise, O Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God. Amen.

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

Honors, Achievements Scholarships The following students received scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2011-2012 school year: -- From staff reports ...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Theft Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

Baseball Basketball Golf Running Submit items by mail, fax or e-mail to be included in the calendar as space permits....

HOUSTON -- Kyle Lohse and Matt Holliday both were under the weather Wednesday night. Their performances made it tough to tell they weren't 100 percent. Lohse pitched another gem and Matt Holliday had three hits, including a homer, as the St. Louis Cardinals held off a late rally by the Houston Astros for a 6-5 win...

Levee at Birds Point being prepared by Corps for possible breach.

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama plans to name CIA director Leon Panetta as the next secretary of defense and move Gen. David Petraeus, now running the war in Afghanistan, into the CIA chief's job in a major shuffle of the U.S. national security leadership, senior administration officials and other sources said Wednesday...

My aunts house on Route 3 in Olive Branch, IL. This photo was taken 4/27 at 2:00pm.

MoDot Gravels Highway 177 @ the city limits to aid stranded residents.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- Receiving an award for her efforts as the Family Readiness Group lead volunteer for the Missouri National Guard's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade is something Janet Shepard never anticipated. Naturally, Shepard was surprised to be called forward to receive the Missouri Conspicuous Service Medal, the highest honor available to civilians, during formation at a recent drill weekend...

Water has risen more over a day. This is April 28, 2011 of flood over highway 177 @ the city limits.

This is the mailbox I photograph daily when the water is up. In 1993 these boxes were underwater. This is April 28, 2011. Day 3 of water over Highway 177.

River City Players first show of the season is near. Our first production is "Faith County" and will open on May 6. This is a comedy written by Landon Mark Smith and is being directed by Andrea Shovan. The dinner show dates are May 6,7,13,and 14. This is a prime rib buffet at the cost of $30. ...

DORENA MISSOURI

Clad in a bright yellow raincoat, Angie Crutsinger stood atop the emergency Dutchtown levee Wednesday watching the water swiftly flow over Highway 25 on the other side.

A barred owl checks out the photographer around 7:30 a.m. on April 8 near Burfordville.

My name is Gypsy and I have been at Safe Harbor for a while, but I really don't know why. I love attention from people and like to be petted. I think it's fun to chase a ball or lounge on a sunny windowsill. I think I'm one of the overlooked "gems" at the sanctuary. I would make an excellent companion!!! I am available for adoption at Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary, 573-243-9823. Please view other adorable adoptables at safeharboranimalsanctuary.org...

Bailey loves getting ready for Easter but sure does get tired hunting all those eggs.