Stories from Thursday, April 26, 2012

LOUISIANA, Mo. (AP) -- A Mississippi River crossing in northeastern Missouri will close for a week starting Friday evening, creating potential problems for commuters and the businesses that rely on them. The 84-year-old Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana, Mo., will close for major repairs at 6 p.m. Friday. The repairs were prompted by a fatal accident in December on the narrow, two-lane span that connects northeast Missouri and western Illinois...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri House has approved legislation that could make it harder for employees to be shielded from retaliation by their employer for reporting wrongdoing in the workplace. In an 86-66 vote Thursday, the House approved a measure that limits "whistleblower" status to employees who report or refuse to carry out illegal acts. The bill also caps the amount of punitive damages a person can recover if a company retaliates against the whistleblower...

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is organizing a "Red Nose Ride" today to help child victims of domestic violence. The ride starts at Bootheel Harley-Davidson at 6:30 p.m. Motorcycle riders will travel from the store through Cape Girardeau to the Show Me Center, where they'll be greeted by the circus performers. Riders will arrive at the Show Me Center about 7:15 p.m...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Doctors are ordering George Jones to postpone all tour dates through May 20 to recover from an upper respiratory infection. A statement from Jones' publicist, Kirt Webster, says the 80-year-old singer is resting at his home near Nashville. He spent about a week in the hospital last month receiving antibiotics for the infection...

The St. Vincent girls soccer team defeating visiting Jackson 2-1 on Wednesday

Prosecutors have filed perjury charges against a 45-year-old Cape Girardeau man for failing to disclose he was allegedly biased against police when he was chosen as a juror in a felony drug trial, court records show. A preliminary hearing for Verdist Poindexter is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday in Jackson...

No one was injured when an unidentified man robbed two people at gunpoint on William Street early Wednesday morning, police said. About 1 a.m., two people were sitting in a pickup in the 900 block of William Street when a man opened the passenger door and forced his way into the vehicle, police said. The man displayed a handgun and demanded money from the victims, investigators said...

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County authorities say a Benton mother faces child endangerment and tampering charges after she allegedly locked her child in a bedroom at night by screwing a piece of plywood over the door. Brenda Daniels, 30, is charged with four counts of first-degree child endangerment and two counts of tampering with a victim...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Two men pleaded guilty to arson charges Wednesday morning in association with fires in Cairo, officials said. Richard Pitcher, 19, and David Patrick, 24, each pleaded guilty to two charges of arson, in association with fires on 33rd Street in Cairo and others near the Mississippi River levee in January 2011. ...

UNION, Mo. -- A three-day trial has been set for Ryan Harkey, the Jackson man accused of murder in a December stabbing outside of a Cape Girardeau bar. The case is scheduled to occur from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28 in Franklin County on a change of venue that was granted March 19. ...

Contact was finally made between Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy and the federal building's new owner Wednesday, with both sides agreeing to a sit-down within the next two weeks, when the developer from Austin, Texas, intends to be in town...

Found this busy Bee on a Azalea bush.

Took this photo on a recent visit to The Rose Garden in Cape Girardeau, there are so many beautiful roses there.

Grasshopper in a dewy web , taken on a recent visit to General Watkins Conservation area, near Benton Mo.

Axel is 5 months old. He is incredibly loving! Axel is available for adoption at the Humane Society 573-334-5837. See more pets available at www.semopets.org.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Over 400 people attended the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center annual Froggy Friday event April 13. Frog presentations highlighted spring peepers, western chorus, cricket, leopard and green frogs, as well as bullfrogs, the American toad and the Fowler's toad. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Naturalist Greg Jacobs said the numbers of frogs in the world are surprising to most...

A close up of a rose.

Kelly Middle School SEMO Conference Results Boys 100 Meter Dash- Maurice Davis, 3rd Mile- Jacob McClain, 2nd 400 Meter Dash- Trey Bolen, 3rd 800 Meter Run- Maurice Davis, 3rd 4X400 of Aaron Birk, Robbie Hopper, Trey Bolen, Jacob McClain - 3rd Triple Jump- Jacob McClain, 1st...

From radio spots to billboard advertising, several area students are using their creativity to market their attitudes toward alcohol and drug use. Southeast Missouri State University freshman Nic Barna, a Jackson High School graduate, is a member of the Southeast Missouri Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. ...

MOREHOUSE, Mo. -- Ed Stinnett kept a close eye on the red marks he and other Morehouse residents spray-painted on buildings in late April last year. During the afternoon and into the late evening of April 27, they checked them every hour. They knew more water was coming, and they might have to get going. They might have to leave their homes and businesses behind, at least for a few days...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri senators have rebuffed a legislative effort to intervene in a contract dispute involving the state's Medicaid system. The state recently awarded new Medicaid managed care contracts under a policy change that capped the number of participating insurers at three, instead of allowing an unlimited number of companies...

WASHINGTON -- The Senate offered a lifeline to the nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday, voting to give the struggling agency an $11 billion cash infusion while delaying controversial decisions on closing post offices and ending Saturday delivery.

Today is Thursday, April 26, the 117th day of 2012. There are 249 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 26, 1937, German and Italian warplanes raided the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, resulting in widespread destruction; estimates of the number of people killed vary greatly, from the hundreds to the thousands. (The raid inspired Pablo Picasso's famous antiwar painting, "Guernica.")...

On this day, April 26 Cape river level: 42.3 feet Cape flood stage: 32 feet Cairo river level: 56.53 feet Cairo flood stage: 40 feet Rainfall: 1.93 inches The Corps delayed the decision to intentionally breach Birds Point. "I don't want anybody blowing up any levees in my state," Gov. Jay Nixon announced. Cairo's mayor asked for voluntary evacuation of the city. A shelter for pets was opened in Arena Park. Meanwhile, another 2 inches of rain was expected...

SAN DIEGO -- A sergeant will be discharged for criticizing President Barack Obama on Facebook in a case that called into question the Pentagon's policies about social media and its limits on the speech of active duty military personnel, the Marine Corps said Wednesday...

SCHOLARSHIPS HONORS, ACHIEVEMENTS -- From staff reports Megan Hodges ...

The 100th anniversary of Burfordville Baptist Church is observed with special activities in the morning and a basket dinner at noon; guest speaker is Dr. Adrian Lamkin, director of the Center for Baptist Historical Studies at William Jewell College...

Learn how to pick up a pingpong ball from a table by using a funnel. STEP 1: Place the funnel over the ball and blow through the stem of the funnel. STEP 2: Continue to blow through the stem, lift the funnel, place your hand under the funnel, and then stop blowing...

BEIRUT -- France raised the prospect of military intervention in Syria on Wednesday, saying the U.N. should consider harsher measures if an international peace plan that has been shaken by violence ultimately collapses. The statement reflects mounting international frustration with daily attacks that have kept a cease-fire between troops loyal to President Bashar Assad and armed rebels seeking to oust him from taking hold...

Lil Angle earned medalist honors at the Chip A Ways weekly outing at Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course. JoEllen Haas and Sharon Dow shared play of the day honors, which was scores on even holes. Waunite Van Dan Dyke recorded the lowest putts. Danny Williams and Lachelle Cook took first place in the SEMO Horseshoe Association's tournament at the Backyard Club...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams did their best to stamp out a rumor the day before the draft, saying running back Steven Jackson is not unhappy with his contract. The Rams also say they're not interested in trading the two-time Pro Bowler. Jackson is coming off his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season and has two years to go on a deal that'll pay him about $7 million in 2012...

CHICAGO -- David Freese wanted to make sure the Cardinals weren't swept, so he took matters into his own hands. Freese homered and Lance Lynn threw eight strong innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon...

News from around the world of Southeast Missouri State athletics.

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

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is questioning Arizona's tough "show me your papers" law aimed at driving illegal immigrants out of the state, amid objections from the Obama administration that states have a limited role to play in immigration policy...

In a boost to animal welfare activists looking to get livestock out of cramped cages, Burger King will be the first major U.S. fast-food chain to give all of its chickens and pigs some room to roam. On Wednesday, the world's second-biggest burger chain pledged that all of its eggs and pork will come from cage-free chickens and pigs by 2017, hoping to satisfy rising consumer demand for humanely produced fare and increase its sales in the process...

NEW YORK -- The Nasdaq composite index is closing more than 2 percent higher, its biggest gain of the year, powered by a surge in Apple. The iPhone maker's stock climbed $50 Wednesday after the company blew past Wall Street's profit forecasts. Apple, the biggest component of the Nasdaq, climbed 8.9 percent after reporting that its earnings doubled from January through March. The company sold 35 million iPhones, twice as many as a year ago...

BENTON, Mo. -- A man accused of molesting a child has been found not guilty. After more than two and a half hours of deliberation Friday, a Scott County jury returned a verdict of not guilty for Johnny Joshua Jones on a felony charge of first-degree statutory sodomy...

POPLAR BLUFF, MO. -- The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center announced Monday that Marjorie Hedstrom has been selected by the Department of Veterans Affairs as medical center director of the Poplar Bluff facility and its outlying clinics. Hedstrom currently serves as associate director for resources and operations for the VA Central Iowa Health Care System, and brings with her 33 years of experience in a wide range of medical and administrative fields. ...

POPLAR BLUFF, MO. -- A Neelyville, Mo., man was sentenced to four years in prison Tuesday afternoon in connection with a hit-and-run accident that left a local teenager dead. Cletis W. Powell Jr., 36, of the 2700 block of County Road 246 appeared before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for sentencing after having pleaded guilty as charged in February to tampering with physical evidence...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The presence of asbestos has forced the closure of the Bloomfield post office. According to a sign on the door, the post office has been temporarily closed. After calls to the newspaper office questioning the sign, The Daily Statesman contacted the U.S. Postal Service office in Kansas City about the event...

Disasters have plagued a number of areas around the country in recent years. The destruction resulting from an EF5 tornado in Joplin, Mo., in May is one example. The storms that hit Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois more recently also come to mind. While no one wants to go through a disaster, the good news is that in many of these cases there have been faith-based groups who have worked with other organizations to help those in need...

Frederick Douglas, an escaped black slave and abolitionist wrote in the late 1800s: No matter how well intentioned, or enlightened, no one can be safely entrusted with the liberties of another. Frederic Bastiat wrote near the mid 1800s: There is no evil greater than legislation that makes it legal for government to steal and rob from its citizens...

Recently you had a very nice article about cooking with the pads from prickly pear cactus. If you go down Highway 77 near Kelly High School, you will find fields full of prickly pear cactus that are growing wild, and the fact is the neighbors think they are weeds. If you want to cook with these prickly pear cactuses, how do you remove all these stickers and get to where they are edible? That's the real part of cooking...

O Lord Jesus, our risen Lord, may we boldly proclaim your name. Amen.

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

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

Roger Eugene Wilcoxson, 79, of Jefferson City, Mo., passed away Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was born April 14, 1933, in Harrison County, Mo., son of Everett Glen and Miriam Madonna Haskins Wilcoxson. Roger and Wilma Louise Jones were married Sept. 27, 1953...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Robert "Bob" Whittenburg, 92, of Bell City passed away Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 21, 1920, at Zalma, Mo., to Lawrence Venit and Effie Ritchey Whittenburg. Bob was a retired farmer and worked for many years at Mirley Implement Co. in Advance, Mo. He was a member of Bell City United Methodist Church and a 32nd Degree Mason...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Ellen Teresa Siebert, 91, of Chaffee died Wednesday, April 25, 2012, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 13, 1920, in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., to Frank and Olivia Roth Arnold. She and John J. Siebert were married Oct. 20, 1941. He preceded her in death April 13, 1978...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Andrew L. "Andy" King, 72, of Perryville died Monday, April 23, 2012, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born July 4, 1939, in Wittenberg, Mo., to Henry L. and Frona Shaw King. He and Donna Boxdorfer were married June 11, 1960...

Roger Dale Felty, 64, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, April 23, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. He was born Aug. 6, 1947, in Arbor, Mo., to the late Marvin Dale and Norma Brown Felty. Roger was in the U.S. Air Force and served in the Vietnam War. He was a retired brakeman with Burlington Northern Railway Co. in Chaffee, Mo. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau...

CAIRO, Ill. — Darlene Davault of Cairo died Wednesday, April 25, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Barkett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Kathleen "Kay" Casey, 91, of Anna died Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at Union County Hospital. Visitation will be after 11 a.m. Friday at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Enloe Clemons officiating. Burial will be in Anna City Cemetery...

Dr. Edward Dunne Campbell Jr., 70, of Phoenix passed away Saturday, April 21, 2012, in Phoenix. He was born Jan. 1, 1942, in St. Louis, to Dr. Edward D. and Bernadean Avis Campbell. Campbell graduated from Central High School, went to Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans and completed orthopedic residency at the University of Texas in San Antonio...

ANNA, Ill. -- Brandy Brock, 29, of Anna died Tuesday, April 24, 2012, as a result of an automobile accident near Mill Creek, Ill. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Crain Funeral Home in Ullin, Ill. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with Jeff Starr officiating. Burial will be in Ullin Cemetery...

HOLCOMB, Mo. -- A 14-year-old student was struck by a vehicle after exiting a school bus Tuesday afternoon. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. M.L. Scoggins, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Richard Mathews, 46, of Malden, Mo., was traveling eastbound on Highway 25, just east of Holcomb when he attempted to pass a school bus and another vehicle, driven by Houston McElwrath, 18, of Kennett, Mo., on the right hand side...

BENTON, Mo. -- A Bertrand, Mo., man was arrested Monday and charged with sex crimes. Darrell Wilkerson, 23, is accused of deviate sexual assault and incest, according to a news release from the Scott County Sheriff's Department. Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said in the release that his office received information regarding the alleged crimes a few days ago and started an investigation that resulted in Wilkerson's arrest...

Federal District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. speaks during a ceremony held by The Nancy Hunter Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution at the Rush H. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- Arrangements for the Scott County Courthouse's centennial celebration are moving along. Deborah Gunter, corresponding secretary, and Glenda Milam, member, of the Scott County Historical and Genealogy Society met with Scott County Commissioners during their regular meeting Tuesday to discuss ongoing planning for the courthouse celebration set for June 16 at the courthouse...