Stories from May 2012

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Rams have submitted plans to upgrade the Edward Jones Dome, a key step to making sure the team doesn't leave town. The team turned in its counterproposal on Tuesday, declining to release details. The plan was given to the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, the operator of the dome that announced its own plan in February. The CVC said it will begin the review process, but spokeswoman Donna Andrews declined further comment...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- A weekend fight in Caruthersville resulted in part of a man's ear being bitten off. About 10:25 p.m. Friday officers with the Caruthersville Police Department responded to a call of a large fight with weapons involved in the 1200 block of Vest Street, according to a news release from the department...

The Southeast Missouri State University Symphony Orchestra, University Choir and Choral Union will collaborate in performance of Gabriel Faure's "Requiem."

The Discovery Playhouse will see the departure of executive director Jennifer Mullix this month, and the growing Cape Girardeau children's museum will be searching to fill her position by early summer. Mullix is leaving to pursue graduate studies that will build on her passion for the importance of hands-on learning opportunities. ...

Martha Hamilton was disappointed when she found out the DNA test results turned out negative for a woman she thought might be her sister, who has been missing since 1965, but she wasn't discouraged. Her search might help others find their missing family members...

The Notre Dame baseball team defeated Jackson 11-3 to win the SEMO Conference tournament championship Monday at Capaha Field.

One intersection will close to traffic on Friday and another will reopen as the ongoing $4.5 million Broadway corridor project continues its seven-month march westward toward what Cape Girardeau officials say will end with a much improved and highly decorative streetscape.

Blanchard Elementary was again evacuated Monday when carbon monoxide was detected in the building, but Cape Girardeau School District officials say they have now found the cause and solved the problem. Students and staff exited the building around 10:30 a.m. and remained outside until close to noon while crews from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department

Curtis Branch, pictured above signing his letter of intent to attend and play basketball at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, MO, is flanked by his mother Edna Henry and Coach Drew Church. Standing at left is Coach Tommy Delph of SEMO Elite Basketball, a mentoring organization, and Principal Scott McMullen, Alternative Education Center. ...

In 1931, Cape Girardeau's school board chairman called the still-new brick two-story school on Louisiana Street the "show house of the city's public school system." The board pinched money to provide it for the community, according to a newspaper article from the time, when Albert M. Spradling addressed the need to expand the school after just a few years since its doors opened in 1927...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon warned Monday that funding for state-run veterans homes could be in jeopardy unless lawmakers act soon to approve a new dedicated funding stream.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday reviewed two bids from local title companies who will provide lien search services for the collector's office. The collector's office contracts yearly with an independent title company to provide lien searches for land being sold at auction when owners fail to pay taxes. The lien search provides potential buyers with information about any additional claims that might have been made against the land...

Southeast Missouri will graduate its largest-ever class during this year's spring commencement exercise. According to a news release from the university, 1,322 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees at 2 p.m. May 12 at the Show Me Center...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Gov. Jay Nixon says he does not intend to get involved in a campaign to raise Missouri's lowest-in-nation cigarette tax. Supporters are expected to turn in petition signatures this week for a November ballot initiative asking voters to raise the Missouri's tax on a pack of cigarettes to 90 cents from the current 17 cents...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- Missouri lawmakers are considering whether initiative petition canvassers should have to collect signatures from throughout state to qualify for the ballot. Currently, initiative supporters must get signatures equal to 5 percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election, from two-thirds of the congressional districts. ...

Several state and local agencies, working in conjunction with the Humane Society of Missouri, seized and removed about 25 animals from a home near Millersville on Monday, officials said. A rural crimes task force removed nine dogs, five cats, five horses and several birds, the Department of Agriculture said in a news release. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A 22-year-old Frohna, Mo. man will pay $1,358.50 in fines and court costs after he pleaded guilty last week to 17 charges of taking wildlife illegally, according to a Missouri Department of Conservation news release. Eldon Edgar Luckey made the plea in Perry County on Tuesday, online court records show. ...

Looking into your family ancestry can be interesting. For some, the experience can confirm family stories. For others the research can reveal new information that can be passed down to the next generation. Like a personal genealogy, it's good to look at a community's history, too...

A correction to our previous correction: The B'nai Israel building is currently being used as a private studio, not a commercial operation. We apologize for the misunderstanding. SCOTT HOUSE, Cape Girardeau

Human circus performers go on willingly, but elephants have to be cruelly beaten and electrically prodded to go out and perform totally unnatural acts for a few minutes of entertainment. Animal abuse in circuses has been well documented, with a major circus recently having been fined the largest ever of its kind in the U.S. by the USDA/AWA for violations...

I read about the mice overpopulation at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High. We are resorting to glue traps. They are slow, painful and inhumane, and they provide death for a basic creature. Compassion starts at the bottom level. If a person does not have respect for basic creatures, how will they learn respect for people? Yes, they need to be removed, but glue traps? It's barbaric...

O Lord Jesus, may we show your love to others by feeding those in need. Amen.

The Missouri Municipal League, an organization composed of most of the cities in Missouri, has declared the week of April 30 to May 4 as Local Government Week. During this week, each community can highlight the various services delivered to the citizens of that community. Because it is so vital to keep citizens informed about what is happening, I am serious about my responsibility for writing this article and my weekly column in the Cash-Book Journal...

CHICAGO -- The number of children being diagnosed with concussions doubled in recent years, emergency room data suggest, but the injuries don't seem to be getting any worse. In fact, the percentage of children hospitalized after ER treatment for concussions declined during the 10-year study. ...

In general, berries should be dry, firm, well-shaped and eaten within a week after purchase. If you can't eat them that soon, remember that berries freeze well. It's best to buy berries that are in season as they'll cost less and are more ripe and flavorful than out-of-season berries...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A leader of the Missouri legal marijuana movement says the campaign faces an uphill fight to gather enough voter signatures to make the November statewide ballot. A group called Show-Me Cannabis must turn in about 144,000 signatures by early May to get its proposals on the ballot.

A semi accident on U.S. 67 south of the Black River bridge in northern Butler County caused a power outage for 1,700 Ozark Border Electric Cooperative customers at 2 p.m. Sunday. "The truck ran into a 65-foot pole, knocking out two feeder lines," Ozark Border general manager Stan Estes said...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Sheriff's deputies seized 15 marijuana plants that were near the Mississippi River just outside New Madrid city limits during a narcotic investigation, according to New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens. About 2:30 p.m. Saturday, following a tip from a confidential informant, officers discovered the plants, which authorities estimated had a street value of $15,000. ...

NEW YORK -- One World Trade Center, the monolith being built to replace the twin towers destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks, claimed the title of New York City's tallest skyscraper Monday, as workers erected steel columns that made its unfinished skeleton a little over 1,250 feet high, just enough to peek over the roof of the observation deck on the Empire State Building...

HELENA, Mont. -- A federal judge Monday dismissed a civil lawsuit against author Greg Mortenson, calling claims "flimsy and speculative" that the humanitarian and his publisher lied in his best-selling "Three Cups of Tea" and "Stones Into Schools" books to boost sales...

PARIS -- They are France's millions-strong minority with a voice that usually falls silent at election time. But this year, there is a special new effort to mobilize French Muslims to speak up at the ballot box in Sunday's presidential race -- amid a surge of Islam-bashing among the French right...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Opal A. Fulbright, 83, of Marble Hill passed away Sunday, April 29, 2012, at her daughter's home. She was born March 17, 1929, at Hurricane, Mo., daughter of Jonas and Nancy Elizabeth Garland Long. She and the Rev. Truman Fulbright were united in marriage in November 1945. ...

An early morning two-alarm fire destroys a landmark business building at 503 Maple St.; the two-story brick building had most recently been used by Cletus Winchester, who operated a motor vehicle transmission overhaul and repair shop there. Despite bids much higher than estimates, the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents has approved a contract with Kiefner Brothers Construction Co. to build a 13,000-square-foot, three-story addition to its nursing building...

David Sylvester Williams, 79, of Scott City died Friday, April 27, 2012, at his home. He was born Aug. 24, 1932, in Sikeston, Mo., to John G. and Katie Ann Biby Williams. He married Janice Hope McCormick on Dec. 19, 1969, in Chaffee, Mo. She preceded him in death Aug. 25, 2000...

Lorene C. Sander, 91, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, April 29, 2012, at Monticello House in Jackson. She was born April 24, 1921, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Otto H.A. and Alma O. Helwege Schlegel. She and Winfred D. Sander were married May 27, 1959. He died Feb. 22, 1994...

Janet Lee Roberts, 90, of Cape Girardeau gallantly and peacefully passed away Saturday, April 28, 2012, at her home. She was born March 28, 1922, at Jackson, to Eldon and Eula M. Linebarger Roberts. Janet was a 1940 graduate of Jackson High School where she played clarinet in school band five years, starting in seventh grade. She also played in the Oscar T. Honey Infantry Band of Chaffee, Mo., and Jackson Municipal Band...

Edna Anna Kirchhoff, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, April 28, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Oct. 20, 1918, in Egypt Mills, to Charles H. and Lillie Gerlach Maevers. She and Glenn V. Kirchhoff were married Aug. 4, 1940, at Egypt Mills. He preceded her in death Feb. 14, 2010...

Ethel M. Helwege, 87, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, April 29, 2012, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Oct. 27, 1924, in Tilsit, daughter of Walter and Ida Hoffmeister Birk. She and Ervin Helwege were married Nov. 2, 1946. He passed away Jan. 28, 1966...

Mary Virginia Eakins, 83, of Jackson, formerly of Burfordville, died Friday, April 27, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

On this day, May 1 Cape river level: 45.9 feet Cape flood stage: 32 feet Cairo river level: 59.73 feet Cairo flood stage: 40 feet Rainfall: 2.79 inches Fifteen roads in Cape Girardeau were closed. Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block federal officials from breaching the Birds Point levee. The court refused to halt the plans...

ATLANTA -- A cancer diagnosis often inspires people to exercise and eat healthier. Now the experts say there's strong evidence that both habits may help prevent the disease from coming back. New guidelines issued Thursday by the American Cancer Society urge doctors to talk to their cancer patients about eating right, exercising and slimming down if they're too heavy...

Ray Moore carded his fourth career hole-in-one last week at Kimbeland Country Club. Moore used a wedge to ace No. 4, a par 3 playing 115 yards. Charlie Menz and Jeff Schott witnessed the shot. -- From staff reports...

ST. LOUIS -- Anze Kopitar scored twice in a four-goal, first-period blitz to help the Los Angeles Kings embarrass the St. Louis Blues from the opening faceoff Monday. The Kings whipped the Blues 5-2 on Monday night for Los Angeles' fifth straight road win this postseason...

Southeast Missouri State sophomore left fielder Derek Gibson's incredible weekend was recognized by the Ohio Valley Conference when he was named the league's player of the week Monday. Gibson batted .571 (12 for 21) in Southeast's four games last week. He had 10 hits, including three home runs and three doubles, while driving in 13 runs during the Redhawks' three-game OVC series at Tennessee-Martin...

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

The Cape Central golf team won the SEMO Conference tournament Monday at Dalhousie Golf Club.

Today is Tuesday, May 1, the 122nd day of 2012. There are 244 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 1, 1982, the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tenn., was opened by President Ronald Reagan. The fair's theme: "Energy Turns the World." (The six-month exposition's last day was October 31.)...

The Southeast Missourian has closed its front doors as work on the Broadway corridor project moves into the 300 block. The Southeast Missourian and Concord Publishing will have customer service representatives set up in the rear of the building at 301 Broadway to accommodate customers until the block reopens to traffic. Several spaces in the parking lot behind the building will be reserved for customers. For more information, call 335-6611...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri revenues are coming in a little above what was expected for the budget. Figures released Wednesday by the state Office of Administration show Missouri's net revenues were up 3.1 percent through April, a period that covers the first 10 months of the state fiscal year. That's slightly ahead of the projected 2.7 percent growth upon which the 2012 budget was based...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri lawmakers have delayed formal negotiations on the state budget until at least Thursday. A budget conference committee meeting that had been scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled, though informal discussions among House and Senate budget writers are ongoing...

A 21-year-old man is dead after he fell or jumped into Apple Creek on Tuesday afternoon, according to a Perry County Sheriff's Department news release.

So far this year, 20 Cape Girardeau County businesses have lost their sales tax licenses for failing to turn tax payments over to the state. Many of the businesses listed on the Missouri Department of Revenue's "Who Is Not Paying" website are no longer operating, but some remain open...

TAMMS, Ill. -- A state commission recommended Tuesday that the Tamms Correctional Center not be closed to save the state money.

The St. Vincent girls soccer team scored the game's first two goals and held on for a 2-1 victory over host Notre Dame.

On Friday, April 27, during Administrative Professionals Week (APW), Girardot Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) had a special breakfast at Bob Evans Restaurant to honor administrative professionals. The APW committee consisting of Cecilia Larson, CAP, Chair; Lavetta Bratton, CAP, Co-chair; Brenda Glastetter, CAP-OM, and Debbie Scott planned the special event which included door prizes and a flower for all in attendance. ...

Seventeen brand-new U.S. citizens weren't born but made in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, and for many, it was only after years of patient waiting.

Central Municipal Pool in Cape Girardeau will close May 7-13 for spring maintenance and bubble removal. The pool will re-open for lap swimming only from May 14-25. Summer hours officially start on May 26. Lap Swim Hours May 14-25 Sunday 5:30-7:30 p.m...

ST. LOUIS -- A year after the intentional breach of the Birds Point levee in Southeast Missouri, Sen. Roy Blunt is criticizing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its rebuilding pace.

My babies, Macy and Izzy, smiling because they are getting to do their favorite thing....going for a ride!

Put on your favorite pair of dazzling high heels and join this fun run, all while supporting those affected by brain cancer. Sponsored by Southeast SportsCare, the High Heel Dash will be held Saturday, May 5, at 10 a.m., with registration at 9 a.m. The Dash will be held on High Street in Jackson. Registration cost is $20 for ages 18 and under; $30 for ages 19 and over...

Champ is a 3 year old Shepherd mix. He is already neutered. Champ is available for adoption at The Humane Society 573-334-5837. See more pets available at www.semopets.org.

Purchase a family pass to Cape Splash for your chance to win a free, individual pass for the summer. The Osage Centre will have extended hours from May 14-19 for those wanting to buy passes. The free pass can be used by the winning family for a grandparent, babysitter, or other special person...

Randy Sutton had heard that the three-star general with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had officially made the decision. He had seen the Missouri National Guard trucks roll through, ordering everyone from their homes. And now, the Mississippi County farmer was along a dark rainy roadway with everyone else awaiting the blast...

Jefferson Elementary principal Mark Cook will be honored this weekend with a retirement reception at the school where he has served in his position for 14 years. An open house in Cook's honor will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the school. Cook has been an educator for 32 years...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Senate has approved a proposed constitutional amendment revising the selection process for appellate judges. Members of the Missouri Supreme Court and the state Court of Appeals are appointed by the governor from three finalists recommended by a special commission. The commission is made up of one Supreme Court judge, three lawyers and three non-lawyers picked by the governor...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- A recent survey of supply managers suggests growing economic strength in a nine-state region of the Plains and Midwest. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index rose to 60.0 in April, compared with 58.6 in March and 58.4 in February...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A string of vacant structure fires occurring within a month's time are under investigation in Charleston. About 12:25 a.m. Monday, the Charleston Department of Public Safety was called to a fire at a vacant residence at 605 W. Commercial St., according to department chief Robert Hearnes...

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has been announced as the speaker at the monthly meeting of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club. The meeting is on noon Friday at Dexter Bar-B-Que. Kinder is seeking re-election to a third term. He was elected the state's 46th lieutenant governor in 2004...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A Missouri judge ruled Tuesday that a man twice convicted in the 1990 slaying of a local farm wife was the victim of "a manifest injustice" and that no jury would have convicted him had investigators done their jobs. Boone County Circuit Judge Gary Oxenhandler, who was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to review the case, said prosecutors failed to turn over key evidence to Mark Woodworth's lawyers and overlooked numerous conflicts of interest among prosecutors, a judge and law enforcement.. ...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. manufacturing grew last month at the fastest pace in 10 months, suggesting the economy is healthier than recent data had indicated. New orders, production and a measure of hiring all rose. The April survey from the Institute for Supply Management was a hopeful sign ahead of Friday's monthly jobs report and helped the Dow Jones industrial average end the day at its highest level in more than four years...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- About six weeks after he vetoed legislation that would have changed the state's workers' compensation system, Missouri's Democratic governor is signaling that he would be open to compromise with Republican lawmakers. In a letter to Senate leaders obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Gov. ...

NEW YORK -- In what authorities called the most serious terror threat since the Sept. 11 attacks, a New York City man was convicted Tuesday of plotting with two of his former classmates at a Queens high school to attack the subways as suicide bombers...

HAVANA -- After controlling the comings and goings of its people for five decades, communist Cuba appears on the verge of a momentous decision to lift many travel restrictions. One senior official says a "radical and profound" change is weeks away...

BURABURI, India -- Rescuers on Tuesday had recovered 103 bodies from a turbulent northeastern river after a heavily packed ferry capsized, saying they feared that dozens of others had been swept by the current to neighboring Bangladesh. The overloaded ferry overturned and broke into two pieces in stormy weather late Monday. About 100 people were still missing Tuesday evening...

WASHINGTON -- The blind Chinese lawyer at the center of a diplomatic storm between Washington and Beijing is a taboo topic in each capital. Neither side wants the biggest human-rights issue between the two since Tiananmen Square to disrupt high-level strategic and economic talks set to begin Thursday...

WASHINGTON -- After two weeks of revelations about a prostitution scandal, the Secret Service and its supporters are circling the wagons to restore the "secret" part of its mission. Retired agents have been instructed to stop talking to reporters. Secret Service agents are dismantling Facebook accounts, hanging up on reporters and notifying headquarters -- even calling police -- when journalists knock on their doors at home for interviews about the investigation...

Grading and clearing work is underway on a tract of land south of Highway 74 and east of South Kingshighway; the total tract, on both sides of Highway 74, is 191 acres, and is being developed as an industrial park by 630 Inc. People and places that make up Cape Girardeau will be captured on film next week, as photographers document "A Day in the Life of Cape Girardeau"; the photo essay, sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, will feature the town's best professional photographers highlighting the city; they will take pictures during a 24-hour period Thursday.. ...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Firefighters responded to the following call Sunday:...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday:...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests The Department of Public Safety released the following item. Arrests do not imply guilt. Assault...

Gary Dean Tanner, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Mary Ann Kuehn, 74, of Jackson died Monday, April 30, 2012, at her home. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jimmy Corbin officiating...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Larry W. Christisen, 71, of Perryville died Monday, April 30, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Miller Family Funeral Home in Perryville and from 6:30 a.m. until time of service Friday in the funeral home chapel...

Harry Frank Bertrand Jr., 59, of Jackson died Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with the Rev. John Harth officiating...

ST. LOUIS -- A Missouri trial judge ruled Tuesday that a state law allowing students to transfer from unaccredited districts to nearby schools cannot be enforced because it violates a part of the state constitution that prohibits unfunded mandates...

PARIS -- President Nicolas Sarkozy is the underdog, and he knows it. Not a single poll has predicted he will win re-election Sunday, and leading figures in his government are already lining up new jobs. In televised interviews, Sarkozy's on the defensive and paints himself as a victim. At campaign rallies, he's boxer-like, punching the air, torso soaked with sweat within minutes of taking the podium...

As Southeast Missouri State University students prepare for the end of the semester, the university's recently announced athletic director is getting ready to step into his new role on campus. Mark Alnutt, senior associate athletic director for administration at the University of Missouri and former football player for the Tigers, was introduced last month as Southeast's new athletic director...

I wanted to agree with a previous caller who was complaining about the radio station coverage of St. Louis Cardinals baseball games. I live in Scott City, and a lot of times I can't get them at home and sometimes I can't even get them when I am in my car going through town. They need to pick a different station or that station needs to pick up the ball and run...

As May arrives, we are once again greeted by the ever-popular Occupy Wall Street crowd, which is little more than a union-financed political street theater designed to deflect attention away from a stalled economy. The theory behind the Occupy Wall Street gang is to highlight the disparity of income in America. But it takes little work to see the true purpose -- which is clearly to rally some odd support for the Obama administration especially in the wake of the tea party success...

NEW YORK -- There was something for virtually everyone to smile about on Broadway on Tuesday after 30 of 37 shows this season got at least one Tony Award nomination. The people at "Once" had the most reason to celebrate at their working bar on stage...

O Father God, may we remember that you are God and we are not. Amen.

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- On a swift, secretive trip to the war zone, President Barack Obama declared Tuesday night that after years of sacrifice the U.S. combat role in Afghanistan is winding down just as it has already ended in Iraq. "We can see the light of a new day on the horizon," he said on the anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death and in the midst of his own re-election campaign...

On this day, May 2 Cape river level: 46.2 feet Cape flood stage: 32 feet Cairo river level: 61.05 feet Cairo flood stage: 40 feet Rainfall: 1.44 inches The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers exploded a large section of the Birds Point levee just after 10 p.m. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri House committee has endorsed legislation that would let some low-income families earn more money without losing their state subsidies for child care. The bill would create a pilot program to test the idea. Families whose income rises above the threshold for subsidized child care would keep the benefit but pay 44 percent of the excess income to the state as a "premium."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri lawmaker wants tourism officials and government agencies in the Show-Me State to start using another slogan he believes tells more about the state's heritage and attractions. A resolution by Sen. John Lamping encourages the Division of Tourism to incorporate the slogan "The Great Rivers State" in its marketing...

ABBOTTABAD, Pakistan -- One year since U.S. commandos flew into this Pakistani army town and killed Osama bin Laden, Islamabad has failed to answer tough questions over whether its security forces were protecting the world's most wanted terrorist...

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Lance Brown was hungry and homeless, so he decided to get thrown in jail by hurling a brick through a glass door at the Columbus courthouse building. Brown, 36, spent nine months in jail before his April trial. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to another month behind bars, and three years of probation that includes a six-month stay in a halfway house...

CLEVELAND -- Five men described by federal authorities as anarchists angry with corporate America and the government were charged Tuesday with plotting to bomb an Ohio bridge linking two wealthy Cleveland suburbs. The men were arrested Monday night after unknowingly working with an FBI informant for months, a strategy that federal investigators have used repeatedly in recent years to nab alleged terrorists...

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Hundreds of activists across the U.S. joined the worldwide May Day protests Tuesday, with Occupy Wall Street members in several cities leading demonstrations against major financial institutions. In Oakland, stinging gas sent protesters fleeing a downtown intersection where they were demonstrating. It was unclear whether police fired the gas, but officers took four people into custody...

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

The Southeast Missouri State softball team snapped a five-game losing streak by winning the nightcap of Tuesday's doubleheader at Saint Louis University. Southeast dropped a 1-0 pitcher's duel in the opener before prevailing 6-1. The Redhawks are 23-30 and SLU is 22-32...

ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright finally made it back into the win column. It didn't hurt that the St. Louis Cardinals finally scored some runs for the right-hander. Wainwright worked seven solid innings for his first victory since September 2010, and the Cardinals got big nights at the plate from David Freese and Matt Holliday to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-7 on Tuesday...

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Jeff Carter realizes how smooth the Los Angeles Kings' 6-1 run through the postseason must look from the outside. The power forward knows most people don't realize how the Western Conference's eighth seed had to grind, scratch and scrape just to get a chance to look so good...

Southeast Missouri State's Derek Gibson saw his hitting streak end at 29 games in the baseball team's 4-0 loss to Saint Louis University.

Notre Dame's Jesse Schott felt like he wasn't hitting the ball well entering the SEMO Conference baseball tournament. "I'm trying to get out of a slump that I've had for a while now," he said. "I'm trying to simplify everything down to just hit the ball. That's about it right now. Just hit the ball."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Republican Missouri House member has publicly announced he's gay and is calling on GOP leaders to end legislation that would limit discussion of sexual orientation in public schools. Rep. Zachary Wyatt held a Capitol news conference Wednesday at which he said he was disclosing his sexual orientation for the first time. ...

Today is Wednesday, May 2, the 123rd day of 2012. There are 243 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces at his Pakistan compound, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run...

NAME: Bob Parker AGE: 55 PLACE OF BIRTH: Wichita, Kansas SPOUSE, CHILDREN'S NAMES: Wife Karen, daughters Angela and Amanda, 5 grandchildren. EDUCATION: NCHS Professional School of Real Estate Ozarks Agricultural University of Hard Knocks See complete background on my website www.electbobparker.com...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Medicare's payment system, the unseen but vital network that handles 100 million monthly claims, could freeze up if President Barack Obama's health care law is summarily overturned, the administration has quietly informed the courts...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, was one of three Republican legislators who stood by fellow GOP Missouri House member Zachary Wyatt on Wednesday as he publicly announced he's gay. But Lichtenegger stopped short of joining the Kirksville, Mo., Republican in calling on House majority leaders to end legislation that would limit discussion of sexual orientation in public schools, saying she had yet to read the so-called "don't say gay" bill...

Around 100 area students were able to see how local governments function Wednesday during the 28th annual Youth in Government Day. Students representing Jackson, Cape Girardeau, Notre Dame, Saxony Lutheran, Oak Ridge and Delta high schools participated in this year's program in which they job-shadowed elected officials and staff in Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County...

Stephen dunn 17 and Gage rowland 17 will be trying thier luck with the best pit bike racers in the country this weekend in Las Vegas Nevada, Todd Rowland Powersports and Midwest painting sponsoring the 2 boys riding thier highly modified kawasaki klx 110;s loaded the the truck and trailer Sunday and and it took off for the 2,000 mile one way journey on tuesday morning, They will compete Sunday the day after the last round of AMA supercross series completes thier indoor season. ...

IMMEDIATE RELEASEj MO Vet Goes on Hunger Strike over Missouri Senate Lack of Action Stover, Missouri -- May 3, 2012 - A Missouri veteran has launched a hunger strike to raise awareness of the Missouri State Senate's lack of action over continued funding of the state's seven veteran homes and five cemeteries. ...

Food and Fitness for Strong Bones Kelly Maher,Nutrition Educator, St. Louis District Dairy Council Our lives today are filled with a variety of physical activities, including working, exercising, and spending time with friends and family. To maintain our active lifestyles, we need strong, healthy bones. While we may think that osteoporosis is only a natural part of aging, researchers today know how to prevent bone loss throughout your life...

National studies released so far this spring show mixed prospects for new graduates seeking jobs as Southeast Missouri State University prepares to release diplomas to the largest-ever number of students in the college's history. A recent analysis of government data conducted for the Associated Press showed that while opportunities for college graduates vary widely, job prospects for bachelor's degree recipients fell to the lowest level in a decade last year...

The City of Cape Girardeau will hold a public auction on May 19 at Arena Park, beginning at 9 a.m. The event is open to the public. Auction items include tractors, golf carts, construction and office equipment, unclaimed found property, and much more...

A turnout far below last year's crowd at the Cape Girardeau Storytelling Festival has organizers rethinking their approach. The festival committee has disbanded and will reorganize to try to fix sinking attendance numbers and falling interest. Although they represented 17 states, just 350 people purchased passes to the festival. ...

East Missouri Action Agency Inc. will accept nominations June 1 through 30 to select a member of its governing board to represent low-income residents of Cape Girardeau County. Low-income residents may pick up a nomination form from their local EMAA outreach office. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri House members have endorsed legislation requiring school districts to bolster policies against bullying. Districts would need to develop procedures for reporting bullying, investigating significant cases and responding. Schools also would need to post policies for dealing with bullying throughout their buildings and give annual notice to students, parents and staff members...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri revenue is coming in a little above what was expected for the budget. Figures released Wednesday by the state Office of Administration show Missouri's net revenues were up 3.1 percent through April, a period that covers the first 10 months of the state fiscal year. That's slightly ahead of the projected 2.7 percent growth upon which the 2012 budget was based...

ransported to the hospital for observation after his vehicle overturned in Scott City on Wednesday morning. About 10 a.m., the truck belonging to J and K Trucking of Ellsinore, Mo., was southbound in the 2700 block of East Outer Road when it ran off the road and overturned, Scott City traffic officer Mike Culler said. The unidentified driver, who suffered bumps on his head and a bloody nose, had to be extricated from the vehicle, a co-worker said...

The preliminary hearing for a Cape Girardeau man charged with perjury was rescheduled to June on Wednesday. Verdist Poindexter, 45, faces a perjury charge for allegedly failing to disclose he was biased against police when he was chosen as a juror in a felony drug trial, court records show. Poindexter was chosen as a juror in the January trial of Charles Anthony Robinson, who was accused of trafficking crack cocaine, court records show...

A Cape Girardeau resident was assaulted during a home-invasion robbery late Tuesday afternoon, police said. About 5:05 p.m., the resident of an apartment in the 1000 block of Bloomfield Street and three other people were in the residence when a man entered, displayed a handgun and demanded money, according to Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Darin Hickey...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The misdemeanor animal abuse case for Kelley Barks, 36, of Marble Hill was moved to Cape Girardeau County on Wednesday on a motion for a change of venue, Barks' attorney said. Barks, formerly a deputy with the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department, shot a small dog during a domestic dispute call in February 2011 and left the sheriff's department soon after. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- Because a proposed consolidation of county 911 services with Sikeston will not come to pass in the immediate future, Scott County officials will soon have to consider what upgrades are needed at the county's Communications Center...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's financially strapped veterans nursing homes could gain a permanent earmark for tens of millions of dollars from casino fees under legislation passed Wednesday by the House in an attempt to shore up the proposed state budget.

One of the benefits of living in a university town is the opportunity to enjoy an array of arts activities. This weekend presents one such opportunity as students from the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Theatre and Dance host the Senior Showcase...

There are a lot of comments indicating an assumption that the U.S. Congress can pass legislation simply because one party has a majority of members. This isn't true. An oppositional minority of only 34 percent can block the majority using a filibuster. ...

Thank you, O God, for pouring your love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We have clear evidence, again, demonstrating why President Obama has held fewer news conferences than any other contemporary president. Without a teleprompter and speechwriters, Barack Obama can make listeners nostalgic for the rhetorical agility of George W. ...

LONDON -- The 17 countries that use the euro are facing the highest unemployment rates in the history of the currency as recession once again spreads across Europe, pressuring leaders to focus less on austerity and more on stimulating growth. Unemployment in the eurozone rose by 169,000 in March, official figures showed Wednesday, taking the rate up to 10.9 percent -- its highest level since the euro was launched in 1999. ...

NEW YORK -- When hiring slumps, so do stock prices. That was at least the message investors sent Wednesday, when they ignored flashes of positive news about the economy and instead homed in on troubling reports about jobs in the U.S. and Europe...

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission recently awarded a contract for bridge painting. The $299,000 contract was awarded to Thomas Industrial Coatings Inc. of Pevely, Mo., for painting 14 bridges throughout the Southeast District. The Missouri Department of Transportation will alert drivers before any changes in traffic...

BEEBE, Ark. -- When she plucked a winning lottery ticket out of the trash, Sharon Jones' luck changed instantly. The $1 million prize let her pay off debts, give thousands of dollars to her children and buy a gleaming new pickup truck. But now her jackpot is in jeopardy. ...

CAIRO -- Egypt's worst violence in months escalated the confrontation between political forces and the ruling military ahead of a landmark presidential election, as suspected army supporters attacked mainly Islamist protesters outside the Defense Ministry on Wednesday, sparking clashes that left at least 11 people dead...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan's president has branded his U.S. allies as corrupt, wasteful and contemptuous of Afghan lives. Once he even threatened to join the Taliban. Nonetheless, Hamid Karzai signed a deal that could keep thousands of U.S. troops in his country for years...

Harry Frank Bertrand Jr., 59, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 2, 1953, in Cape Girardeau, son of Harry and Dorothy Huettig Bertrand. Harry graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School in 1971. He served in the U.S. Army as a SP4 in Germany from 1972 to 1975. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he attended Southeast Missouri State University, graduating in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in horticulture...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Aaron Jacob Howe, 21, of Perryville died Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Perry County, Mo. He was born May 17, 1990, in Perryville to Pete W. Howe and Diana LaRose Howe. Aaron graduated from Perryville High School, Class of 2008, where he was a standout football player wearing jersey No. ...

Mary Ann Kuehn, 74, of Jackson passed away Monday, April 30, 2012, at her home. She was born Nov. 15, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Richard Calvin and Carrie Ester Robinson Conley. She and William Fred "Bill" Kuehn were married Sept. 29, 1956. He passed away April 10, 2002...

Gary D. Tanner, 71, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Springfield, Ill., died Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 26, 1940, in Williamson County, Ill., to Willie and Rosie Hill Tanner. He and Charlotte O'Keefe were married Jan. 2, 1960...

Ellen Ruth Noel Greene, 75, of San Ramon, Calif., died unexpectedly of a heart attack Monday, Feb. 6, 2012. She was born March 1, 1936, in Jackson. Ellen was raised on the family farm near Gravel Hill, Mo., the second oldest of six children of Arthur and Frances Noel...

Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel marks its 20th anniversary with a service of praise and thanksgiving in the morning; the Rev. William A. Matzat, pastor, gives the sermon on the anniversary theme, "Growing in Christ." Christmas came about five months late for members of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department; but no one complained yesterday when a representative of Grumman Emergency Products of Roanoke, Va., delivered their new 102-foot aerial platform ladder truck; the $450,000 truck will be placed in service in about two weeks.. ...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

Get an audience together and learn how some sewage plants use sewer lice to clean sewage water. STEP 2: Fill the transparent container halfway with "sewer water" (Mountain Dew). STEP 3: Drop several "sewer lice" (raisins) into the sewer water and observe...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri lawmakers have endorsed legislation intended to make the timing of yellow traffic signals more consistent. The bill provides for Missouri's Transportation Department to set minimum times for yellow lights based on federal guidelines...

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

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

FRIDAY "The Avengers," rated PG-13 @ Cape West 14 Cine "LOL," rated PG-13 @ Cape West 14 Cine SATURDAY Sunday NEXT WEEK "Phantom Breaker" X360 "Starhawk" PS3 "Underworld Awakening" R "The Vow" PG-13 Keane, "Strangeland"...

Central Junior High teacher Mike Dumey has been directing and producing student musicals in Cape Girardeau for many years, and his students have yet to fail him. Dumey expects nothing different out of the group of 150 students that will perform the Broadway musical "Annie" at 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday in the junior high auditorium...

Scholarships -- From staff reports ...

NEW YORK -- One of the art world's most recognizable images -- Edvard Munch's "The Scream" -- sold Wednesday for a record $119,922,500 at auction in New York City. The 1895 artwork -- a modern symbol of human anxiety -- was sold at Sotheby's. The buyer's name was not released...

SAN DIEGO -- A college student picked up in a drug sweep in California was never arrested, never charged and should have been released. Instead he was forgotten in a holding cell for four days and says he had to drink his own urine to stay alive...

Pertinent address: 2387 W. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, Mo.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Newt Gingrich, the colorful former House speaker and fiery partisan, formally exited the Republican presidential contest Wednesday and vowed to help Mitt Romney's bid to defeat President Barack Obama.

ST. LOUIS -- Carlos Beltran drove in a career-best seven runs with a pair of three-run home runs an and RBI single in the first three innings to lead the way as the St. Louis Cardinals punished A.J. Burnett and the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-3 on Tuesday night...

Southeast Missouri State senior third baseman Trenton Moses has been named to the USA Baseball 60-man midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List. The Golden Spikes Award annually goes to the top amateur baseball player in the country. Moses leads the nation in numerous offensive categories. He is tied for the lead in home runs with 17 while ranking first in on-base percentage (.551) and slugging percentage (.825)...

Ashton Luttrull, a 5-foot-8 junior point guard at Highland (Mo.) High School verbally committed to the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team.

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

Daughter to Andrew Jason and Heather Dawn Elfrink of Leopold, Mo., Southeast Hospital, 1:53 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, 2012. Name, Blair Isabella. Weight, 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Elfrink is the former Heather Crader, daughter of Patricia Crader of Whitewater and the late Lender Crader. She is a counselor for Delta School District. Elfrink is the son of Donna Elfrink of Leopold and the late William Elfrink...

The Southeast Missouri State softball team went 4-17 in one-run games this season.

A group of local motocross racers will be hitting the big time in miniature style this weekend in Las Vegas. Courtney Cagle, Kody Lorenz, Brian Huckstep and Keith Huckstep will test their motocross skills in the MiniMotoSX World Finals. The riders make up the Campus Motoworkz Promotions team that is stepping onto the national stage in the 12-inch bike competition...

Today is Thursday, May 3, the 124th day of 2012. There are 242 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 3, 1937, Margaret Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, "Gone With the Wind." On this date: In 1791, Poland adopted a national constitution...

A Jackson man was being held in the Cape Girardeau County Jail on a charge of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child Thursday after police responded to a report of an injured infant being treated at Saint Francis Medical Center.

Double chocolate cupcakes, cinnamon rolls and cherry pies might not be the first foods shoppers expect to find at a farmers market, but they're there. Mixed in between the booths of fruits and vegetables at farmers markets are tasty treats that require more preparation and are subject to more regulations...

It took three innings for Chaffee's bats to warm up Thursday. They overheated the next two innings. The Red Devils pounded 13 hits and 14 runs over the fourth and fifth innings to post a 16-1 victory in five innings over host Saxony Lutheran. "That's [two] things all year long we've been real good @ -- pitching and defensively," said Chaffee coach Brian Horrell, whose team improved to 20-2. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. (AP) -- While the nation commemorates the Civil War battles of Appomattox and Gettysburg, and of Bull Run and Shiloh, one of the key battles in the western theater of the War Between the States was fought at New Madrid. Local historians want the public to know there is a lot to learn about the war and those who fought in it in New Madrid...

ANNA, Ill. -- Despite a state commission's recommendation that the Tamms Correctional Center not be closed because of budget cuts, Southern Illinois law enforcement leaders gathered Thursday afternoon outside the Anna City Hall to discuss the effect of a closure on their communities. Area residents, worried about their jobs and adverse effects of a closure, expressed frustration at the lack of information they are getting about proposed cuts.

This year's Historic Preservation Walking Tour will be Thursday, May 31 at 6 p.m., highlighting both current and previously-existing buildings on Broadway in Cape Girardeau. The purpose of this walking tour is to highlight sites that have been preserved through private investment and government action. Each year in May to honor Historic Preservation Month, Cape Girardeau's Historic Preservation Commission sponsors a walking tour of a historic area in the city...

I took this beautiful sunset picture about 2 weeks ago at Bent Creek in Jackson. It was breathtaking and got prettier the longer I waited!!

It was a beautiful day for a stroll across the Old Appleton Iron Bridge!! I'm so glad they were able to rebuild it after it being washed away many years ago!

This class will encompass what you need to know about how to read a map, orient it to the world, using a compass to navigate in the wilderness and successfuly navigate from point to point. The advantages of knowing this skill are more than you can imagine in everyday life, following street signs, using your GPS or just feeling comfortable knowing you KNOW where you are...

Montgomery Bank and it's employees proudly dontate $13,900 to the United Way of Southeast Missouri.

After months of failed attempts to connect, the new Texas-based owner of the former federal building met with Cape Girardeau County officials Thursday, a step that could reignite the county's efforts to buy the high-profile Broadway building. RDRH Holdings Inc. ...

It was his call. Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh became a familiar figure in the days leading up to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' activation of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway. The soggy masses awaited word daily from the silver-haired two-star general who held the fate of communities in a half-dozen states in his hands. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Negotiators charged with crafting a final version of Missouri's $24 billion budget decided Thursday to make no decisions until the Senate takes action on a new funding plan for veterans' nursing homes. The stalemate appeared likely to drag the budget talks into next week, causing lawmakers to bump up against a May 11 constitutional deadline to send a budget to Gov. Jay Nixon. Missouri's new budget year begins July 1...

HAYTI, Mo. -- The Caruthersville Humane Society is offering a reward for information regarding a cat that was set on fire Wednesday night in or around the 200 block of East Jackson Street in Hayti, according to a news release from the humane society...

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee today will feature this year's Leadership Cape class group presentations. Five groups will present their plans for projects they believe will benefit the community. A continental breakfast begins at 7 a.m. followed by presentations at 7:35 p.m. at the Show Me Center...

SILVA, Mo. -- Matthew Hedgecorth can now afford to go back to school after he won a $1 million prize on the only Missouri Lottery Scratchers ticket he bought in Silva. According to a Missouri Lottery news release, Hedgecorth, a 19-year-old Greenville, Mo., resident, said he was with his father Friday when they stopped at Break Time convenience store at the junction of highways 67 and 34 in Silva. While inside, he decided to try playing one of the Lottery Scratchers...

About 25 animals seized from a Millersville-area home Monday will remain in the custody of the Humane Society of Missouri pending a disposition hearing expected to be scheduled for later this month, according to Missouri Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Christine Tew...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri senator who is a family physician vowed Thursday to try to block legislation authorizing a government database to track drug prescriptions unless it is put to a statewide vote. Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, asserted that the prescription database -- which already is authorized in 48 states -- amounts to an infringement on individual liberties for which he is willing "to stand here as long as my legs hold up" on the Senate floor to prevent the measure from coming to a vote in the chamber. ...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The Drug Enforcement Administration's recent effort to collect unused prescription drugs has netted nearly 47,000 pounds in part of the Midwest. The DEA's St. Louis office said Friday that the six states covered by the office saw 46,686 pounds of medication collected on April 28, National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Nationwide, more than a half-million pounds of unwanted or expired medications were turned in for disposal...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri House members approved legislation trimming taxes on businesses. The measure calls for gradually reducing by half the taxes businesses would owe when Missouri tax collections hit certain levels. Sponsoring House member Jerry Nolte, a Republican from Gladstone, says Kansas has lowered taxes on businesses and that Missouri must compete against its neighbors for jobs. He says lower taxes would help Missouri recruit businesses and encourage job growth...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Advocates submitted petition signatures Friday to get a proposed increase in the state's cigarette tax on the November ballot. The proposal would raise Missouri's tax on cigarettes to 90 cents per pack up from the current 17 cents, which is the lowest in the nation. It also would increase taxes on other tobacco products while steering the additional money to education and smoking cessation and prevention programs...

"If you don't laugh, you cry" goes the adage. While this isn't necessarily true, considering the vast emotional range between "happy" and "sad" (including boredom, smugness and sitting next to a sleepy and dribbling person on a bus), laughter is still an important part of our culture, and part of the argument that we as humans need comedy...

FIRST FRIDAY RECEPTIONS The River View Room Buckner Brewing Co. will showcase work in the River View Room with a reception at 7 p.m. It will also display work in the lounge at 6 p.m. 123 N. Main St.; 334-4677 The Artist Studio Works by Judy Barks-Westrich will be on display. The studio will be open from 6 to 9 p.m...

Old Town Cape will begin its spring Tunes at Twilight series at 7 p.m. May 11 with the Leslie Dysinger Band. The outdoor concert series is held Friday nights at the Common Pleas Courthouse gazebo in Cape Girardeau. In case of rain, the concerts will move indoors to Rose Theatre at Southeast Missouri State University. ...

Enjoy music from well-known films at The Southeast Missouri State University Percussion Ensemble's performance at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Bedell Performance Hall. This family-friendly concert will feature music from films such as "Star Wars," "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Harry Potter," "Madagascar" and "The Lion King." The Jackson High School Percussion Ensemble will also perform...

This First Friday, and for the next two months, consider looking at art through its reflections. An exhibition of still-life paintings from a nationally touring artists group will be on display through June 30 in the Crisp Museum at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus...

Every organization needs strong leaders. Whether a church, not-for-profit or business setting, effective leaders can help sustain strong organizations and improve struggling ones. Today leaders across the globe will participate in the Chick-fil-A Leadercast. "Choices that leaders make" is the theme for the event...

Hey, Mr. President, you put a moratorium on drilling and as a byproduct killed thousands of jobs. Here's a suggestion -- put a moratorium on government-sponsored conferences. Maybe that will shrink government a little by getting rid of the party planner jobs. ...

By Molly A. Strickland As the Cape Girardeau director of Lutheran Family and Children's Services who uses social services tax credits, I cannot tell you how valuable they are to those we serve. Tax credits have been a hot issue in the Capitol for several years and for good reason. While the state's budget has been steadily declining and important services have been cut time and time again, Missouri's tax credits have not been touched...

A state senator from St. Louis County wants to replace the Show Me State, Missouri's time-honored slogan, with this: The Great Rivers State. Let's hope he and his colleagues in the Missouri Legislature come to their senses before it's too late. Cape Girardeans should be especially prickly about the proposed change. After all, it was a Cape Girardean who coined the "show me" moniker...

O Lord Jesus, our Savior and God, may we earnestly follow after you. Amen.

Wall Street gnawed on a muddle of economic data and corporate earnings news Thursday, then sent stock indexes lower for a second day. April sales results from big retailers set the tone early on. Costco, Macy's and Target, among others, reported sales that were weaker than analysts had predicted. Colder weather and renewed concerns about the economy weighed on shoppers...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy's recovery looks enduring. It's just not very strong. Hiring, housing, consumer spending and manufacturing all appear to be improving, yet they remain less than healthy. Economists surveyed by The Associated Press expect growth to pick up this year, though not enough to lower unemployment much...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A Carter County jury deliberated for three hours Wednesday before acquitting a Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman of charges in connection with a 2009 boating accident on the Current River. Radeena Proffer, 29, was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter with a vessel, three counts of second-degree assault with a vessel and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt has declined to choose a favorite among the Missouri Republicans seeking to join him in Congress. Blunt told reporters the three best-known Republican Senate candidates each have helped him in the past and that he would assist whoever wins the August primary. U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, St. Louis businessman John Brunner and former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman are campaigning to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill...

NEW YORK -- Facebook, the company that turned the social Web into a cultural and business phenomenon, is worth as much as $95 billion, according to the price range for its upcoming initial public offering of stock. Facebook's IPO, expected in a couple of weeks, would be the biggest ever for an Internet company. Facebook disclosed the price range of $28 to $35 per share in a regulatory filing Thursday...

NEW YORK -- It has been a year of milestones for the families of those killed on Sept. 11, with the death of Osama Bin Laden followed by the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Now another painful chapter is set to begin: the prosecution of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of 9/11...

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- An interior designer testified Thursday about his role in funneling secret money from a reclusive millionaire to an aide of John Edwards' in a scheme that included checks labeled for fake antique furniture purchases. Bryan Huffman described, for example, receiving a $100,000 check from 101-year-old heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon with "Antique Charleston Table" written in the memo line. ...

GILBERT, Ariz. -- Many considered Jason Todd Ready to be the most high-profile neo-Nazi in Arizona. He led groups of heavily armed civilians into the desert to look for illegal immigrants as he repeatedly tried to win public office. But Ready's beliefs and actions got so extreme, including statements that land mines would be a good way to stop border crossers, that the state's most conservative politicians distanced themselves from him...

AMSTERDAM -- Former Liberian president Charles Taylor deserves an 80-year sentence for the war crimes he was convicted of last week, including aiding and abetting murder and rape on a mass scale, prosecutors said in a written filing Thursday. Judges at the Special Court for Sierra Leone on April 26 ruled Taylor played a crucial role in helping rebels continue a bloody rampage during that West African nation's 11-year civil war, which ended in 2002 with more than 50,000 dead...

TOKYO -- Another long, hot summer is looming for Japan just as it shuts down its last operating nuclear power reactor, worsening a squeeze on electricity and adding urgency to calls for a green energy revolution. On Saturday, the last of the country's 50 usable nuclear reactors will be switched off, completely idling a power source that once supplied a third of Japan's electricity. ...

BARCELONA, Spain -- European Central Bank president Mario Draghi offered little prospect that the bank would deliver more support for the struggling economies of the 17-country eurozone, instead urging governments to agree a growth strategy that would work with spending cuts...

BEIRUT -- Syrian forces stormed student dormitories Thursday during an anti-government protest at Aleppo University, firing tear gas and bullets in an hours-long siege that killed at least four students and forced the closure of the state-run school, activists said...

BEIJING -- The diplomatic disarray deepened Thursday after a blind activist reversed course and asked to leave China with his family, abandoning an arduously negotiated agreement even though he had left the protection of the U.S. Embassy and was in a Beijing hospital ringed by Chinese police...

WASHINGTON -- Letters from Osama bin Laden's last hideaway, released by U.S. officials intent on discrediting his terror organization, portray a network weak, inept and under siege -- and its leader seemingly near wit's end about the passing of his global jihad's glory days...

WASHINGTON -- Medicare's payment system, the unseen but vital network that handles 100 million monthly claims, could freeze up if President Barack Obama's health care law is summarily overturned, the administration has quietly informed the courts...

WASHINGTON -- Military leaders are telling commanders to get their troops in line and refrain from misconduct such as urinating on enemy corpses, in a sharp response to the photos and other examples of bad behavior that have enraged Afghans and complicated war-fighting...

Clara M. Broadhacker, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 3, 2012, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Dec. 5, 1934, in Bollinger County, to Carl and Ivy Hartle Hennecke. Clara was a member of Bethel Assembly of God Church. She worked in housekeeping at Southeast Hospital 12 years. She volunteered at Southeast as well as several nursing homes...

Velda Pauline Green, 96, of Cape Girardeau passed away peacefully in the early morning hours Thursday, May 3, 2012, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born May 27, 1915, in Doniphan, Mo., to Henry Charles and Cora Lee Perkins Nicolaides. She and William "Billy" Green were married June 4, 1942, at Charleston, Mo. ...

Ellen Ruth Noel Greene, 75, of San Ramon, Calif., died unexpectedly of a heart attack Monday, Feb. 6, 2012. She was born March 1, 1936, in Jackson. Ellen was raised on the family farm near Gravel Hill, Mo., the second oldest of six children of Arthur and Frances Noel...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Donna Martin, 69, of Marble Hill died Thursday, May 3, 2012, at the home of a daughter in Cape Girardeau. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

MOUND CITY, Ill. — Darrell George, 79, of Marietta, Ga., formerly of Mound City, died Wednesday, April 25, 2012, in Marietta. Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City is in charge of arrangements.

Editor's note: The following babies were listed as being born at the wrong hospital. The notices are being reprinted with the correct hospital. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error. Elfrink Daughter to Andrew Jason and Heather Dawn Elfrink of Leopold, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 1:53 p.m. ...

On-again, off-again efforts to develop the Westborough Mall property are on again; developers have announced construction work on a 45,000-square-foot supermarket is expected to get underway on the 67-acre tract in the near future; Cape Girardeau Centre will eventually include a second major anchor store, restaurants and retail specialty shops...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Charlie James Rimel, 75, of Dexter died Thursday, May 3, 2012, at his home. The son of the late Jacob L. and Lucille McDowell Rimel, he was born March 6, 1939, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Rimel was a retired lineman with Ameren. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Dexter, active in United Methodist Men, past president of Dexter Lions Club and University of Missouri Agricultural Extension Council...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff teenager was placed on probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to throwing Molotov cocktails into a local church and then setting the church on fire when the devices didn't work. Dylan W. Causbie, 17, pleaded guilty as charged to second-degree arson, according to Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour...

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

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Jackson Firefighters responded to the following call Thursday:...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence says he wants to limit lobbyist gifts to public officials as part of an ethics proposal. A plan released Thursday by the Republican businessman would also require elected officials to wait after leaving office to become lobbyists, although it does not say for how long...

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

The Southeast thrower is named OVC male freshman of the year By MARTY MISHOW Southeast Missourian Kevin Farley's impressive rookie track and field season at Southeast Missouri State was recognized with a major Ohio Valley Conference honor Thursday...

The Redhawks look to win their third consecutive conference series against Jacksonville State

Southeast Missouri State came away with a team title the last time it hosted the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor track and field meet five years ago. Coach Eric Crumpecker hopes history repeats itself this weekend when Southeast welcomes eight other schools for the OVC outdoor championships...

Pittsburgh pitchers recorded 17 strikeouts in the Pirates' 6-3 victory

LOS ANGELES -- Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists, Jonathan Quick made 18 saves and the Los Angeles Kings moved to the brink of an unlikely second-round sweep with a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 3 on Thursday night. Mike Richards scored the Kings' first power play goal in six games before setting up Doughty's clinching goal with 11 minutes, 48 seconds to play for the eighth-seeded Kings, who improved to 7-1 in the postseason with their third consecutive dominant win over second-seeded St. ...

St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau will serve as one of the hosts for the Chick-fil-A Leadercast being held today.

Today is Friday, May 4, the 125th day of 2012. There are 241 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 4, 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval clash fought entirely with carrier aircraft, began in the Pacific during World War II. (The outcome was considered a tactical victory for Imperial Japan, but ultimately a strategic one for the Allies.)...

Adam Stone will never forget 2004 when, for the first time, he experienced Alzheimer's disease. Stone's spoken-word ballet, "A Life Unhappening," will be performed at 2:30 p.m. May 13 at Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. Stone based the ballet on personal experience, and it's no coincidence the performance is on Mother's Day...

Fire in the morning destroys the Cape Flea Market near the intersection of Highway 74 and South Kingshighway; one of the oldest established flea markets in the city, it was established in 1970 by Tom Howard. The Jackson Board of Aldermen last night unanimously and resoundingly turned down a proposal submitted to it by the State Highway Department to improve Highway 61 with a three-lane improvement in front of the Wal-Mart plaza...

Today is Saturday, May 5, the 126th day of 2012. There are 240 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 5, 1862, the Battle of Puebla took place in Mexico as forces loyal to Benito Juarez defeated troops that had been sent by Napoleon III during the so-called French Intervention. (The Cinco de Mayo holiday commemorates Mexico's victory.)...

A Cape Girardeau City Council subcommittee has drafted a proposal that it says should serve as a road map for how to spend the roughly $3 million in revenue it expects to begin collecting after Isle of Capri's new casino opens this fall. From creating an endowment fund to setting aside a significant portion for capital improvements, committee members said the draft proposal has the potential to be a long-range and comprehensive spending policy that guides city leaders for generations...

Wayne Smith has been named president and CEO at SoutheastHEALTH, a position he's been filling on an interim basis since last summer. Southeast Hospital Board of Trustees Chairman A.M. Spradling III announced Smith's selection as CEO Friday. He replaced Debbie Linnes, who left her post as CEO in June 2011...

An aquarium, an outdoor amphitheater, botanical gardens and a dog park were all suggested by this year's Leadership Cape class as projects to improve the quality of life in Cape Girardeau. Leadership Cape participants presented these proposals during the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center on Friday...

Hundreds of people showed up Saturday for the debut of the Cape Riverfront Market in the parking lot at 35 S. Spanish St. in Cape Girardeau. The weekly market consists of vendors, demonstrations and entertainment. Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape, said the market came about through a "community process of finding out what the community wanted." Old Town Cape is a not-for-profit organization that works toward revitalizing and preserving the historical integrity of Cape Girardeau...

I was curious if you would please publish our story, I have started an organization out of my home called Dreams 2 Reality! For some, school dances will become a wonderful memory they will relive over and over again through their long and happy lives. ...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- One person is dead after a one-car crash Thursday night on a rural highway east of Advance. Amanda D, Allenbaugh, 28, of De Soto, Mo., was killed after the vehicle she was riding in ran off the roadway and overturned, striking several road signs and a utility pole at around 11:45 p.m. ...

CATRON, Mo. -- One is dead and another in custody following a shooting near Catron in Stoddard County early Saturday. Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner said the shooting happened shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday. He confirmed that one person is dead and a "person of interest" was in custody but that no charges had been filed as of 10:30 a.m. Saturday...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Two 6-year-old first grade students at Woodland Elementary who went missing at morning recess have been found. Bollinger County Sheriff Leo McElrath said the students were found in the early afternoon after they went missing during recess at about 10:30 a.m.

Southeast Missouri State track and field coach Eric Crumpecker had few complaints about the way his teams competed over the weekend. But the Redhawks did not have enough firepower to end Eastern Illinois' Ohio Valley Conference dominance. The Redhawks came up a bit short and finished second in both divisions during the OVC outdoor championships held under sweltering conditions Friday and Saturday at Southeast's Abe Stuber Complex...

Jennifer Marcel Stokely and Timothy D. Slinkard were married April 6, 2012, at Immanuel United Church of Christ. The Rev. Sam Roethemeyer performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Deborah K. Hardin of Rafe, Ark., and Dale W. Diem of Jonesboro, Ill. The groom is the son of Michael Slinkard of Cape Girardeau, and the late Sharon Slinkard...

Lonnie and Debbie Lusk of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Elizabeth Lusk, to Nicholas Scott Landon. He is the son of Scott Landon and Marlene Johnson of St. Charles, Mo. Lusk is a 2008 graduate of Central High School. She received a degree in history from Truman State University in 2012...

Kenneth and Joyce Loos of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Kelly Lauren Loos, to Rusty Carl Neumann, both of Chatham, Ill. He is the son of Laurie Foster and Ted Neumann of Quincy, Ill. Loos received a doctorate in physical therapy from Maryville University in St. Louis. She is employed at Premier Physical Therapy in Springfield, Ill...

Mr. and Mrs. R. Graham Wagoner of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary May 1, 2012. Wagoner and Evonne Phillips were married May 1, 1942, by the Rev. O.A. Wayman, at the bride's home near Bates City, Mo. Their attendants were Ozelle Wagoner, sister of the groom, and Gordon Barnett, cousin of the groom...

Polly Parham of East Prairie, Mo., and Stanley Parham of Sikeston, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Suzanne Necole Parham, to Jason Bickings, both of Scott City. He is the son of Gary and Diane Bickings of Kelso, Mo. Parham is a 2000 graduate of East Prairie High School. She is a registered nurse at Southeast Hospital...

Cape Christian School A Honor Roll 4th grade: Kristen Barwick, Matthew Blunt, Megan Casasola, Morgan Green, Landon Harris, Savanna Pecord, Garrett Richey, Dalton Upchurch. 5th grade: A.J. Branson, Olivia Carlson, Clayton Deimund, Colton Jones, Scott Limbaugh, Carson Miles, Audrie Seabaugh...

The Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri, a not-for-profit social services agency, will cater to women with its upcoming benefit event, "Boas and Bling." The event is set to take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Ray's Plaza Conference Center...

Last week on a cool cloudy afternoon I was alerted to the presence of this bat by a downtown Cape Girardeau business owner. The bat was hanging onto the bottom outdoor side of a seldom-used exit door. A few hours after taking this photo I returned to the site. The bat was gone...

The Diabetes Self-Management Support Group will hold its Diabetes Product Fair from 10 a.m. to noon Monday at the Osage Centre. The fair will showcase new and trusted products that assist in diabetes management. For more information, call the Southeast Diabetes Center at 339-0121...

Is your yard going to the dogs? Muddy lawns and ankle-twisting craters are just two of the problems that frustrate pet owners each spring. But with some simple design steps, you can reclaim your backyard. Begin by thinking about your dog's specific behavior and needs. Most dogs will take the shortest route between two points, creating a muddy trail in the yard and along property lines...

The Hill in St. Louis certainly has to be one of the most celebrated culinary sites in the Midwest. This mostly Italian community is full of fabulous restaurants, grocery stores and bakeries like no others. As written in the cookbook "A Taste of the Hill": "The Hill has always had a strong commitment to the city of St. ...

Name: Hyatt Owner: Julie About Hyatt: Hyatt, our border collie, gets a little energy out playing frisbee with his owner. ...

The New McKendree United Methodist Women met May 1 in the church fellowship hall with 31 members present. The meeting was opened with the reciting of the UMW Purpose. The minutes were read by Gale King, secretary, and Marilyn Fronabarger, treasurer, gave the treasurer's report. They were approved...

Scott Thomas Wood would have celebrated his 21st birthday last Friday. Wood died Feb. 9 after a four-year battle with a rare form of bone-marrow cancer. He spent the afternoon before in the company of his fraternity brothers from the Lambda Chi Alpha Chapter at Southeast Missouri State University...

Oran Junior & Senior High 12th grade: Ashlyn Agee, Zach Baker, Austin Blocker, Blake Carlyle, Molly Cook, Mitchell Crites, Bethani Davis, Carrissa Dirnberger, Samantha Downing, Courtney Graviett, Blake Henson, Bethany Holmes, Kali Mills, Lauren Nenninger, Bethany Phillips, Adam Schaefer, Courtney Scheeter, Brandi Taylor, Tara Tilley, Kelsie Wilburn...

A Honor Roll 5th grade: Matthew Babcock, Maggie Grimm, Luke Richmond, Etienne Soto, Austin Widner. 6th grade: Anna Al-Sayed, Sam Hahs, Amanda Mabry, Jade Samanta, Ireland Smith. 7th grade: Andrew Aufdenberg, Nathan Aufdenberg, Emily Buerck, Ian Cameron, Ben Daniel, Natalie Grimm, Emiy Killen, Elizabeth Ustinov, Joshua Varnon, Emily Weber, Drew Zieba...

6th grade: Brianna Amschler, Jordan Barker, Brianna Harrison, Alex Johnson, Jordan Layton, Amanda Meyer, Travis Sides. 7th grade: Beth Mize, Brynn Myers, Katelyn Oehl, Maci Schamburg, Jarett Seabaugh. 8th grade: Elizabeth Baylor, Nathan Bolin, Jordan Gilliland, Jessica Hahs, Madison LeGrand, Ashley Lemonds, Tessa Mangels, Abby Matthews...

4th grade: Blake Barnes, Jaylan Bradberry, Heather Conaway, Shaylee Eaves, Kayden Fisher, Hannah Hedrick, Collin Hill, Ann Marie McClard, Nadia Myers, Taryn Overstreet, Cade Rodgers, Persia Sebastian, Alec Bailey, Eva Clubbs, Caleb Craft, Taylor Crites, Lane Crowden, Noah Dameron, Shannon Law, Hannah Lawless, Reagan Leckie, Dawson Macke, Jada Martin, Christian Mastropierro, Reyt Middleton, Devin Porter, Michael Schneider, Ramsey Gahner, Cami Brazel, Matthew Bumpus, Isaiah Cougill, Kalin Ellis, Maegan Farrow, Ryan Kinder, Rilee Leckie, Donya Marx, Caitlin Meinke, Tristan Rhodes, Colby Rushing, Grace Sanderson, Cheyenne Sanford, Mackenzie Stoner, Hana Utama, Braiden Wagganer, Jacob Cantoni, Taylor Goodson, Kallie Henson, Logan McClanahan, Sydney McCraw, Alex Meyer, Destinee Monighan, Alaina Teague, Blaise Winder.. ...

Cape Central Junior High School A Honor Roll 7th grade: Sarah Barker, Madison Bittner, Isaac Buck, Katherine Carns, Jordan Collins, Tessah Conatser, Victoria Crisman, Natalie Davis, Skylar Deimund, Gabrielle Desrosiers, Madison Dush, Sophia Gentle, Zachary Glenn, Gavin Green, Andrea Guebert, Madalyn Guiterrez, Tara Hester, Matthew Holman, Nia Johnson, Kimberly Jones, Noah Jones, River Ketcherside, Bennett Kidd, Spencer Kidd, Kathleen Kinder, Nikkie Le, Trenton Leimer, Anna Margetta, Hannah McGill, Alex Miller, Destiny Minor, Alexander Modglin, Mackenzie Moore, Elizabeth Orr, Claudia Price, Olivia Priest, Conner Propst, Bennett Robinson, Anna Rollins, Jamonte Rush, Sabrina Sander, Keegan Stout, Amanda Stricker, Levi Strickland, Alicia Stull, Hope Tegel, Drew Thatcher, Rachel Thornsberry, Ella Valleroy, Allison Vaughn, Kirstin Weinzetl and Katy Wikel.. ...

4th grade: Zachariah Bell, Elijah Bratton, Bryce Bruenderman, Maria Enderle, Mia Gates, Paige Gershuny, Colin Higgins, Matthew Higgins, Trey James, Sydney King, Marisa Lanzotti, Savannah LaValle, Spencer Little, Emma Loken, Hudson McVay, Blake Morris, Andrew Mueller, Deven Mueller, Casey Patterson, Avery Perez, Tanner Peters, Elisabeth Seabaugh, Griffin Stewart and Justice Thoma...

Dennis and Mary Beth Break of Marshfield, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Erica Renee Martin, to Christopher William Plorin. He is the son of Mark and Sue Plorin of Colleyville, Texas. Martin is a 2007 graduate of Marshfield High School. She attended Ozark Community Technical College in Springfield, Mo., and is pursuing a degree in early childhood education...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Jim and Pat Henry of Arlington, Texas, announce the engagement of their daughter, Sara Kay Henry, to Joseph Burk Humphrey, both of North Richland Hills, Texas. He is the son of Kenna and Mike Lutes of Marble Hill and Dennis and Bonnie Humphrey of Salisbury, Mo...

Darrell and Cheri Medlin of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Meridith Elizabeth Medlin, to Jeremy Robert Brinkmeyer. He is the son of Denise Brinkmeyer of Cape Girardeau, and the late Robert Bruce Brinkmeyer. Medlin is a 2007 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School. ...

There was a festive mood in the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse on Tuesday as 17 people were sworn in as new citizens. Newly certified citizens were from Mexico, the Philippines, Canada, India, Somalia, Pakistan, Egypt, Vietnam, China, Peru and Sri Lanka...

You can talk about ‘social justice' all you want. But who is taxed, how much they are taxed, whether they are taxed, whether they receive kickbacks from the government based upon their chosen lifestyle or life circumstances -- it all boils down to letting morally bankrupt politicians take money from the hardworking and the responsible citizen to pay for goodies that politician has promised to the least industrious among us, or to those incurring the consequences of their irresponsible life choices. ...

O Lord Jesus, may we, as your people, humble ourselves and pray and seek your face. Amen.

Test-tube babies have higher rates of birth defects, and doctors have long wondered: Is it because of certain fertility treatments or infertility itself? A large new study from Australia suggests both may play a role. Compared to those conceived naturally, babies that resulted from simple IVF, or in vitro fertilization -- mixing eggs and sperm in a lab dish -- had no greater risk of birth defects once factors such as the mom's age and smoking were taken into account...

NEW YORK -- Moans, sighs and exclamations erupted Saturday as relatives of Sept. 11 victims watched four closed-circuit TV feeds from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that showed the self-proclaimed mastermind of the attacks and co-defendants trying to slow their arraignment, a move that drew outbursts from viewers of "c'mon, are you kidding me?"...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Two Americans detained and accused of spying after hiking near the Iraq-Iran border three years ago were to be Saturday in the San Francisco Bay area. A private wedding ceremony for Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd was set for 4 p.m. at an undisclosed location, said San Francisco lawyer and family friend Ben Rosenfeld...

OMAHA, Neb. -- Warren Buffett insists he's feeling good after his recent prostate cancer diagnosis. Based on the questions he got at Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting, shareholders are taking him at his word. Despite the fact that Buffett just disclosed his cancer diagnosis last month, he didn't face the first question about his health until well into Saturday morning's questioning. ...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Authorities in Kentucky are making use of old school buses that are being turned into ambulances. Each one can carry up to 18 patients, which officials say will be of great help in case of a major accident or disaster. The Kentucky Hospital Association is helping with the conversions through a grant program. Counties must buy the buses, but the association will help pay to convert them into ambulances...

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- A Connecticut seventh-grader says workers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City didn't believe him when he pointed out an inaccuracy with a map that was on exhibit. The map purported to show the Byzantine Empire at its largest size in the 6th century, but he noticed that Spain and part of Africa were missing from the depiction...

Robert Lee "Bob" Ogles, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 3, 2012, at Southeast Hospital.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Terry A. Wingerter, 74, of Perryville died Friday, May 4, 2012, at his home.

BEIRUT -- A bomb struck a carwash Saturday in Aleppo, killing at least five people, a day after government troops opened fire to break up large protests against a violent university raid in Syria's largest city. Aleppo, an important economic hub, has largely stayed out of the revolt against President Bashar Assad that erupted nearly 14 months ago, but the raid on Aleppo University that killed four students earlier in the week has swelled the crowds of protesters...

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- An American drone fired a volley of missiles into a house close to the Afghan border Saturday, killing eight suspected militants and indicating U.S. resolve to continue with the attacks despite renewed Pakistani opposition, officials said...

JERUSALEM -- Ten Palestinian prisoners participating in a mass hunger strike in Israeli jails were placed under medical supervision as their conditions worsened, officials said Saturday. The ten men are among 1,500 to 2,500 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike to demand better conditions and an end to detention without trial...

CAIRO -- Egypt's military officials moved swiftly Saturday to prosecute protesters they blamed for an attack on the Defense Ministry, in an attempt to put down increasingly violent protests against their authority just weeks before the country's presidential election...

PARIS -- Voters in France's overseas territories began casting ballots for Nicolas Sarkozy or Francois Hollande on Saturday in a presidential election that could affect everything from Europe's efforts to fight its debt crisis to how long French troops stay in Afghanistan...

Wynne Avritt, 79, of Harrisburg, Ill., died at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 4, 2012, at the home of her daughter. She was born Feb. 23, 1933, in Marble Falls, Texas, to Willie and Sidney Morrow White. Wynne is survived by two daughters, Ida Avritt of Harrisburg and Gail (Todd) Knaup of Cape Girardeau; three sons, Luther "Skip" Avritt of San Antonio, Daniel Avritt Sr. of Montgomery, Minn., and Robert Avritt of Johnstown, Colo.; eight grandchildren; nieces; nephews; and other relatives...

Donna Kay Martin, 69, of Bollinger County, Mo., died Thursday, May 3, 2012, at the home of her daughter, Annie, in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 29, 1943, in Bollinger County, to Paul Linus and Gladys Mae Welker Martin. Donna loved to sing, clean and make people happy...

Milton Armor George, 79, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, May 4, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 27, 1932, in St. Louis, son of Homer Armor George and Ruth Elizabeth Ingram George. Milton graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School and St. ...

Mary Virginia Eakins, 83, of Jackson passed away Friday, April 27, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Her last year in life was challenging. Still mourning the 2011 death of her husband, Coy, her spirits sank lower with the loss of the two family dogs, Lady and Kitty. ...

The Salvation Army is planning to repair the old bank building at Sprigg and Good Hope streets that serves as its headquarters and construct an adjoining chapel and a multipurpose room. Workers for Kelley Construction Co. are removing railroad ties from the crossing on Independence Street near the Plaza Galleria; the work is part of the removal of railroad tracks from the entire length of the abandoned Missouri Pacific branch line that runs through Cape Girardeau...

TOKYO -- Thousands of Japanese marched to celebrate the switching off of the last of their nation's 50 nuclear reactors Saturday, waving banners shaped as giant fish that have become a potent anti-nuclear symbol. Japan was without electricity from nuclear power for the first time in four decades when the reactor at Tomari nuclear plant on the northern island of Hokkaido went offline for mandatory routine maintenance...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:...

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

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

MONDAY--Corn dog or turkey & cheese on bun, corn, pears, vanilla wafers. TUESDAY--Cheeseburger or ham & cheese on bun, potato tots, grapes. WEDNESDAY--Cheesy baked lasagna casserole or turkey & cheese on bun, candied carrots, garlic breadstick, mixed fruit cup...

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's message to Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club members and several Republican officeholders and candidates Friday centered on his opposition to the Affordable Healthcare Act, but he also took the opportunity to endorse efforts of the tea party and Mitt Romney for president. He also encouraged his party's representatives to connect with minorities for votes and find ways to unify for the benefit of the GOP come November...

Woody is a 1-year-old terrier mix that is housebroken. Woody is a sweet dog that would make a great family pet. He is available for adoption at Safe Harbor, 243-9823.

Marla is 5 years old. She is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837. ...

Mia Friese had her seventh birthday party April 28 at Discovery Playhouse and requested pet supplies instead of birthday presents. Friese donated these pet supplies to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. Bashin' Trash on the Riverfront Sixty-one Bashin' Trash participants picked up 67 bags of trash April 28 along the Mississippi River floodwall...

Most people think they must always be accomplishing something. This tendency often originates in childhood. Even if you can't remember what activities and interests you were involved in, it's likely that you attempt to teach your children so they'll grow up fitting into the particular norms and images you envision. ...

Brian R. Goff, son of Celeste Goff of Cape Girardeau, completed Warrant Officer Candidate School on April 25 at Fort Rucker, Ala. He earned his commission as a WO1, Army aviation officer, and will immediately begin 16 months of aviation training to learn how to pilot helicopters...

I am a project guy. I have notebooks of stuff clipped out of magazines to reference and perhaps build. I look at things, architecture, trim work and furniture trying to dissect it to get a mental picture of how it was made so that one day I can attempt to reproduce it. I receive a great feeling not from taking projects but finishing them...

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com A crew with Fronabarger Concreters tears up the intersection of Broadway and Lorimier Street where an old trolley rail emerged Friday, May 4, 2012. The crew is working west on the Broadway corridor project. The intersection was closed starting Friday, and will be closed for about three weeks....

Aaron Shust grew up in the church, first singing on Sunday nights as a child and later in the adult choir. He later served as a worship leader in a Georgia church. Today the singer/songwriter is one of the top names in Contemporary Christian music. His latest album "This Is What We Believe" features the hit song "My Hope Is In You." Shust will perform at 7 p.m. Friday at Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.itickets.com...

Not long ago, Advanced Placement exams were mostly for top students looking to challenge themselves and get a head start on college credit. Not anymore. In the next two weeks, 2 million students will take 3.7 million end-of-year AP exams -- figures well over double those from a decade ago. ...

Southeast Missouri's regional youth mentoring organization helps "Littles," as 350 Cape Girardeau and Scott County children are known to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Slowly but steadily, according to the organization's staff, the effect of having a special relationship with a "Big" is helping more children succeed in school...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced Friday the results of the 26th annual 8th District art competition and congratulated the winners. A reception and an awards ceremony were held Friday evening at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. "This contest is a great credit to the creativity and artistic skill of our students in Southern Missouri," Emerson said via news release. ...

HOUSTON -- St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia entered Saturday night's start 0-3 in five career starts against the Astros. Make that 0-4 after another major clunker. Chris Johnson hit his first career grand slam off Garcia, Bud Norris continued his dominance of the Cardinals and the Astros beat St. Louis 8-2 to win a fifth consecutive game for the first time since late 2010...

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Kings weren't immediately sweet on the Jolly Rancher. When coach Darryl Sutter took over in December after Terry Murray's firing, his doleful facial expressions and that low-pitched, gravelly voice bedeviled the Kings. They couldn't figure out when Sutter was joking, when he was being serious -- or even what he wanted sometimes...

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

Victoria Smith scored for the Jackson girls soccer team to lead it past visiting St. Vincent 1-0 on Friday

A Campbell woman charged with lighting an occupied nursing home bed on fire in November pleaded guilty Wednesday. Joyce Johnson, 59, was charged with first-degree elderly abuse and first-degree arson. She pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree elderly abuse...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The Oran Eagles followed to perfection the scouting report on how to beat the Chaffee baseball team this season. The report reads: Limit the Red Devils to one run, then find a way to score two. It took the Eagles nine innings to see through the plan, but they were rewarded with a 2-1 victory Friday at Harmon Field...

The Jackson boys track and field team won the SEMO Conference North title Friday.

Southeast Missouri State senior shortstop Kenton Parmley, fresh off breaking a notable school record, has been named to the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award watch list. The Wallace Award recognizes the nation's top shortstop. Parmley, who ranks among the national and Ohio Valley Conference leaders in several offensive categories, made his mark in NCAA history earlier this season with a 47-game hitting streak...

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team will have a shot at its third consecutive Ohio Valley Conference series victory after splitting a pair of tight games with Jacksonville State. Southeast won 5-3 on Friday by taking advantage of four unearned runs before the host Gamecocks bounced back Saturday to foil a Redhawks rally with a 4-3 triumph...

Brian Grote was the most unlikely of Southeast Missouri State's six individual champions at the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor track and field meet. Grote came to Southeast three years ago never imagining he would participate in the sport. Grote actually wanted to try his hand at baseball and went out for the Southeast team as a freshman but failed to make the cut...

Results from the Class 2 District 1 and Class 1 District 1 track and field meets.

DEXTER, Mo. -- A Dexter woman faces a second-degree statutory rape charge after admittedly having sex with a 16-year-old boy. According to a probable-cause affidavit from Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver, the boy, shared information of the incident at school, stating he had had sex with Larissa Hurley, 37, in her backyard Tuesday morning before school. When school officials became aware of the claim, they contacted authorities...

Southeast Missouri State senior Jessica Dickey explains what will happen during the living history performance 'Meet Me in 1904 or A Tale of Victorians Unbound,' Saturday, May 5, at the Glenn House, 325 S. Spanish, in Cape Girardeau. Presented by the Southeast Missouri State History Department students dressed in period costume to give performances examining the role of class, gender, technology, leisure, family in 1904 Victorian era...

Today is Sunday, May 6, the 127th day of 2012. There are 239 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 6, 1937, the hydrogen-filled German airship Hindenburg burned and crashed in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 35 of the 97 people on board and a Navy crewman on the ground...

Editor's note: This essay was written Feb. 22, 2011, following the death of Holly Little. Bob Towner, pastor of Christ Episcopal Church, remembers her. By Bob Towner Holly Little had been real sick for the better part of the year. Most of her friends started missing her months before. One day she was shuttling about in her Dodge van on errands for other people...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Most Missouri employees could get a pay raise under an agreement reached by legislative budget negotiators. House and Senate budget conferees agreed Monday to provide a 2 percent raise, beginning July 1, to state employees earning up to $70,000 a year. More than 54,000 employees would qualify for the pay raise, which covers nearly 97 percent of the workforce...

WELDON SPRING, Mo. (AP) -- Here's an early warning for those traveling in eastern Missouri over the Memorial Day weekend: Drive the speed limit, and drive courteously. Troop C of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says it will have troopers patrolling at approximate 20-mile intervals on May 25 and May 28, the Friday and Monday of the long weekend. The patrol's plans for Saturday and Sunday of that weekend were not disclosed...

National Weather Service meteorologists said Cape Girardeau reached 93 degrees Sunday. According to the Weather Underground website, that was a record high temperature for May 6. The old record of 87 was set in 1986, the website said. NWS meteorologists forecast a 70 percent chance of rain today. The high temperature today is expected to reach into the mid-80s, but highs Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to reach only the mid-70s...

LOS ANGELES -- Anze Kopitar skated down Dustin Brown and just plain tackled him, dropping the Los Angeles Kings captain to the ice as a sellout crowd expelled 19 years of frustration. Brown's goal into the empty St. Louis net had just secured a spot in the Western Conference finals for the Kings, who steamrolled their first two playoff opponents the same way Kopitar flattened his longtime teammate...

Tuesday, May 8, 2012, is National Teacher Day. Thank a teacher for making public schools great! Teachers in Perryville and in communities across the nation will be in the spotlight on National Teacher Day, as students, parents, school administrators and the community all learn how teachers are making great public schools for every student...

IMMEDIATE RELEASE MO Vet Enters 5th Day of Hunger Strike over Senate's Lack of Action May 7, 2012 (Stover, MO) -- A Missouri veteran enters his fifth day of not eating as a protest over the Missouri State Senate's lack of action regarding a permanent funding solution for the state's seven veteran nursing facilities and five state cemeteries. ...

I would like to take time to thank all of the people who helped at the food bank from Sikeston and all the other people from Fruitland Community Church. Thanks so much; appreciate it so much. A very thank you for each and everyone who helped. God bless you all...

I am handicapped and my wonderful neighbor, Glennetta Houck, has been bringing my newspaper across the street and putting it on my car in the carport for several years. I am truly grateful to her for her kindness. Sincerely, Mary Lange

Lightning from the May 5th 2012 storm.

On Saturday May 5, 2012 the Classy Sassy Chicks chapter of The Red Hat Society hosted an afternoon tea. The event took place at the First Baptist Church in Jackson. Approximately 100 ladies from Missouri and Arkansas attended. Entertainment was provided by the IC Choristers of Jackson. This is the second tea the chapter has hosted...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Authorities have arrested six people in Pemiscot County for property damage following a report from a local farm operation. According to Pemiscot County Sheriff Tommy Greenwell, Pemiscot County deputies and Bootheel Drug Task Force agents arrested six people late Thursday afternoon for property damage...

No one was injured when a tractor-trailer carrying about 30,000 pounds of automobile parts overturned on Interstate 55 in the Cape Girardeau city limits Sunday morning, police said. About 10:15 a.m., the tractor-trailer was southbound in the right lane near the Lasalle Avenue exit when a black passenger car cut in front of it, the unidentified tractor driver told police...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The explosion of a trailer containing hydrochloric acid early Sunday morning at a Sikeston power plant resulted in 7,500 gallons of the liquid spilling, Lt. Jim McMillen of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety said in a news release...

MARSTON, Mo. -- Change has never been easier at Noranda. A grand opening for Noranda's new $4 million change house was Friday morning at the facility, the latest structure to go up at the aluminium company's New Madrid, Mo., plant at the St. Jude Industrial Park just outside of Marston...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A grant from the State Emergency Management Association will provide funding for the first building on Three Rivers College's Sikeston campus. Three Rivers College announced Friday in a news release the receipt of over $3.3 million in grant funding from SEMA...

MALDEN, Mo. -- A man charged with first-degree burglary following a reported home invasion at the residence of a 70-year-old Malden man was recently convicted sentenced to 12 years in prison. Richard O. Jenkins, 38, of Campbell, Mo., was sentenced March 14 by Dunklin County Circuit Court Judge Stephen R. ...

John A. Huber's brewing hobby has become a microbrew business with a growing customer base. John A. Huber Brewing Co. started producing its flagship beer, Hubrew Blonde Ale, earlier this year near Fruitland. He started brewing in 2003, after his sons, Matt and Chad, gave him a home brew kit for Christmas...

Writing is something that has always come naturally to Cape Girardeau author Barbara Mack. "I wrote my first story when I was only 4 or 5 years old, and had my first poem published for $10 when I was 11 years old," says Mack. "I always knew that I wanted to be a writer."...

Downtown Cape Girardeau isn't just a destination for people wanting to shop and play. It's also a good place to live, which Old Town Cape hopes to showcase with the third annual Downtown Historic Home and Garden Tour. Dr. Lisa Bertrand, an Old Town Cape volunteer, has organized the tour each year. Bertrand and her husband are originally from Cape, but moved away for 20 years before coming back to the area...

Joyce Penny relays because she doesn't want her children and grandchildren to hear the word "cancer" from their doctor. But she doesn't just "Relay for Life" -- she leads teams for the American Cancer Society fundraiser, raises funds on her own and tells everyone she knows what a difference the organization can make for them. A four-year survivor of cancer, she's also participating in a clinical trial and is a 2012 Hero of Hope in the ACS High Plains Division...

Jeanne Thompson began going gray at 23. She colored her hair for years as she worked her way into management at a large Boston-area financial services company, then gave up the dye for good about a year ago. The earth didn't shake, and the 44-year-old Thompson was promoted to top management the following year...

Summer kicks off later this month with Memorial Day weekend. For most people, that means cookouts or picnics with family and friends. But there's one party guest you don't want to make an appearance: Bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year an estimated 30 million food poisonings occur in the United States; more than half of those cases are the result of unsafe food handling practices at home...

So your TV finally breaks down after years of faithful service. Replacing it can be overwhelming, especially with all the new technology out there and the fact that you haven't had to shop for a TV lately. Brush up on the basics and know what questions to ask with these tips from local salesmen:1. ...

The Discovery Playhouse, Cape Girardeau's children's museum, is an organization on the rise. The museum's director, Jennifer Mullix, announced recently that she will be leaving to pursue educational interests. She'll leave behind a growing organization that is supported by an active board, including Jeff Brune, president; Clifton Brooks, vice president; Debbie Simmons, treasurer; Jackie Wortmann, secretary; and Victoria Moon, Robert Rutty and Terry McDowell...

Congressmen Bill Burlison is now in his 80s and I have seen him run in 5k races the last two weekends. In fact, he won his age division both times. Now, that is a man to be admired. That is what I want to do. I want to be able to keep running until I am in my 80s...

O God, thank you for the beauty that surrounds us, a great display of your creation. Amen.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Quahog, R.I., the fictional hometown of Peter Griffin and his dysfunctional "Family Guy" relatives, is coming to life. The show melded with reality over the weekend when a local tourism council sponsored an all-day bus tour highlighting the Rhode Island institutions featured -- for better or worse -- on the Fox network's hit series...

Several employees were recently recognized for outstanding performance and workplace longevity at the Mineral Area College Awards Banquet. General services supervisor Tom Bowyer of Park Hills, Mo., was among the three top award winners. He received the Classified Staff Employee of the Year Award. ...

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- The U.S. has finally started the prosecution of five Guantanamo Bay prisoners charged in the Sept. 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, but the trial won't be starting anytime soon, and both sides said Sunday that the case could continue for years...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Afghan soldier killed one U.S. marine and wounded another before being shot to death in return fire Sunday in southern Afghanistan, the latest in a series of attacks against foreigners blamed on government forces within their own ranks...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Three people charged after a Highway Patrolman was shot during a vehicle stop in March were bound over for trial. During a preliminary hearing Friday, Associate Judge Charles Spitler ruled that Tonya M. Brown, Jermaine K. Dennis and Maurice Ely should stand trial on charges of second-degree murder, assault on a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and distribution/delivery/manufacture/production or attempt to possess a controlled substance. ...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- An Advance man charged with a March rape and abduction from a local bar is set to appear in court May 16. Steven Clark Rendleman, 51, has been charged with felony forcible rape with aggravating acts and forcible sodomy, felony kidnapping, felonious restraint, two counts of first-degree felony assault of a law enforcement officer, felony property damage and felony resisting arrest...

Daughter to Dustin Michael and Hannah Ruth Welker of Perryville, Mo., Southeast Hospital, 5:50 p.m. Monday, April 16, 2012. Name, Evelyn Faith. Weight, 7 pounds, 10 ounces. First child. Mrs. Welker is the former Hannah Winningham, daughter of Paul and Diane Winningham of Uniontown, Mo. She is employed at Perryville Family Care Clinic. Welker is the son of Michael and Bonnie Welker of Perryville. He is employed by Anheuser Busch and owner of Musical Moments...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State Sen. Danny Staples says he is looking at several options for 1988, but has decided against challenging 8th District Rep. Bill Emerson for his seat; the Eminence, Mo., Democrat had been mentioned as a possible foe for the four-term congressman...

401 Independence St. Study session, 5 p.m. today Meeting, 7 p.m. today Items for discussion...

SANAA, Yemen -- An airstrike Sunday killed a top al-Qaida leader on the FBI's most wanted list for his role in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole warship, Yemeni officials said. The drone attack was carried out by the CIA, U.S. officials said. Fahd al-Quso was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle, along with another al-Qaida operative in the southern Shabwa province, Yemeni military officials said. ...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:...

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

Juanita June Zimmer Hoffmann, 90, died Sunday, April 29, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 13, 1921, in Detroit, the daughter of Ludo Little and Mabel Mary Bradley Zimmer. She married Gerard Francis Hoffmann on Jan. 2, 1943, at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Providence, R.I. He preceded her in death May 2, 2005...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Melba Cissell, 98, of Perryville died at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 4, 2012. She was born Nov. 6, 1913, in McBride, Mo., the daughter of Francis C. and Mary E. Yeager Hoffman. She was married April 3, 1937, in Belgique, Mo., at Belgique Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Catholic Church to Leo Cissell, who preceded her in death in February 1967...

BLODGETT, Mo. -- Barbara Gail Cooper, 70, died at her home in Blodgett on Friday, May 4, 2012. Born on Feb. 13, 1942, in Sikeston, Mo., to Virginia Dunn Beggs of Sikeston who survives and the late W.A. "Dubb" Beggs. She was a member of Miner Baptist Church...

Cash Mob Cape is being formed not to loot but to help support local businesses. Groups in Cleveland and Buffalo, N.Y., claim credit for originating cash mobs last year, but the concept has filtered into more than 30 states. What's a cash mob? A group of shoppers who, at a specific time, descend on a locally owned business to boost sales by spending a predetermined sum, usually $10 or $20. ...

One of the two Southeast Missouri State men's basketball assistants that coach Dickey Nutt recently decided not to retain wasn't out of work long. Kyle Gerdeman, who spent the past three seasons on Nutt's staff, is joining the Central Michigan staff under recently hired Keno Davis, also a former Southeast assistant...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Supporters of raising Missouri's minimum wage and limiting payday loans have submitted petitions to get the measures on the November ballot. The minimum wage proposal would boost Missouri's minimum pay to $8.25 an hour starting 2013, with an annual cost-of living adjustment in subsequent years...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers are considering a new way to help pay for construction on college campuses. The proposal calls for creating the Higher Education Capital Fund, which could be used to provide state matching funds for local contributions to capital improvement projects at colleges and universities...

Jacksonville State rallied for an 8-7 victory against Southeast in OVC baseball action Sunday

HOUSTON -- Adam Wainwright hasn't felt like himself this season in his return from elbow-ligament replacement surgery that cost him all of last year. He finally felt close to being the pitcher he once was Sunday. Tyler Greene hit a career-high two homers and drove in four runs, Wainwright continued his dominance of the Astros, and the St. Louis Cardinals got an 8-1 win over Houston...

WASHINGTON -- The Senate is the newest arena in the election-year face-off over federal student loans, and both sides are starting out by pounding away at each other. With Congress returning from a weeklong spring recess, the Senate plans to vote Tuesday on whether to start debating a Democratic plan to keep college loan interest rates for 7.4 million students from doubling July 1. ...

The Jackson Heritage Association welcomed dozens of visitors during its third annual Wine Tasting and Tours fundraiser at the Oliver House Museum in Jackson on Sunday. The Oliver House is a museum decorated in a late 19th-century style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Homes...

Today is Monday, May 7, the 128th day of 2012. There are 238 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 7, 1812, English poet Robert Browning was born in London. On this date: In 1789, the first inaugural ball was held in New York in honor of President George Washington and his wife, Martha...

She saw a possibly horrific future in the Asian eyes of a 5-year-old girl. Later, she saw the heartbreaking results in those who had seen that play out into a terrible reality. During her recent three-week public service trip to Thailand, Felicia Bratti became painfully aware of the toll of human trafficking...

Just weeks before Jefferson Elementary School holds its final classes for the year, staff and friends held a retirement celebration for the institution's outgoing principal. Mark Cook has spent 32 years as a teacher or administrator of elementary schools in Cape Girardeau. Over that time, the 57-year-old has made long-time friends and gained the respect of his peers, said Sandy Elfrink, his administrative assistant...

Dunklin Street in Cape Girardeau is closed today between Penny Avenue and Caruthers Avenue while city crews make street repairs, according to the Cape Girardeau city government. The closure isn't expected to last beyond today, the city said.

An event scheduled for May 16 is being billed as a "Broadway neighborhood meeting," but officials say it's really another attempt to keep business owners informed as road crews continue to chew up the chunks of pavement in front of their buildings. Business owners situated all along the $4.5 million Broadway corridor project in Cape Girardeau from Water to Pacific streets were invited to attend the meeting that begins at 5:30 p.m. ...

More than 13 miles of disused train tracks between Gordonville and Delta that were part of Southeast Missouri's first rail line are likely to be abandoned and removed, pending federal approval. The Jackson, Gordonville and Delta Railroad Co. is planning to file a notice to abandon the portion of tracks with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on May 14. Approval is expected within 50 days, based on a rule that allows abandonment after a line has been out of service two years...

Feed the deer, face a fine. The Cape Girardeau City Council gave final approval to an ordinance Monday night that bans feeding whitetail deer within the city limits, but one member called it but a "first step" toward reining in the growing herd. The bill takes effect in 10 days, and violators face a maximum punishment up to $500 and no more than 90 days in jail. The law was passed unanimously on a 5-0 vote, with council members Mark Lanzotti and Kathy Swan not in attendance...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Growing up, Spc. Drake Mann, of West Plains, always knew he wanted to join the military. "I used to watch military movies and documentaries all the time as a kid," said Mann, 21. "I knew that that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to go to West Point since I was in middle school."...

On May 3, 2012, Myriah Miller, daughter of Tommy and Sonya Miller and granddaughter of Gene and Faye Thompson, of Scott City was selected to receive the Tony E. and Viola Statler scholarship for the 2012-2013 school year. This award is for $3,500.00 and is based on a full-time enrollment, each semester, with satisfactory academic progress. ...

This is "D.C." enjoying the nice cool clover and waiting on a tummy rub.

The Jackson chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America Phi-Beta Lambda held their annual spring banquet at the KC Hall on May 3, 2012. The banquet included dinner, awards, installation of new officers, and a recap of another successful year in FBLA...

Ellie Kidd, a senior at Cape Central High School, is one of fifteen Missouri students honored by the Missouri State Board of Education and the Missouri Bar as recipients of the 2012 Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship Award. She is pictured above with Cape Public Schools Board of Education President Stacy Kinder, left, CHS Principal Dr. Mike Cowan, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jim Welker, right, during a recognition ceremony at the April board of education meeting...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Eleven blind residents scaled the steps of the Missouri Capitol on Monday -- service dogs at their heels or white canes in their hands -- to publicly plead with lawmakers to preserve funding for a state program that provides health care to more than 2,800 blind people who lack private insurance and have limited wealth...

WASHINGTON -- Highway deaths declined again last year, reaching their lowest rate when compared to miles driven since such record-keeping began in 1921, according to preliminary government data released Monday.

A Cape Girardeau man accused of assault and armed criminal action was arraigned Monday morning on amended charges connected to a 2011 shooting. Seth Summers, 32, has been held at the Cape Girardeau County Justice Center on a $200,000 cash bond since an Aug. 28 shooting that left a man with a gunshot wound to the head...

A Cape Girardeau man was charged with second-degree robbery after he threatened to strike another man with a pipe if the victim didn't give him beer money, said Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Jason Selzer. Investigators said Kerry Glen Maurer, 31, was in a friend's apartment in the 200 block of South Hanover Street about 8:20 p.m. ...

A 23-year-old Cape Girardeau man was arrested on a charge of unlawful use of a weapon, a felony, after he allegedly threatened an employee of a downtown bar with a knife early Saturday morning, police said. About 12:40 a.m., an employee of Hot Shots Bar, 15 N. ...

The Cape Central baseball team defeated Hillsboro 9-2 on Monday.

BENTON, Mo. -- A 35-year-old Morley, Mo., man remained in the Scott County Jail on Monday on a felony charge of illegal possession of a controlled substance after he dropped a package of pills in a business, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said in a news release...

Today is Tuesday, May 8, the 129th day of 2012. There are 237 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 8, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced on radio that Nazi Germany's forces had surrendered, and that "the flags of freedom fly all over Europe."...

He wasn't the favorite going into the race, but by the end of the day I'll Have Another was the winner of Saturday's Kentucky Derby. The derby is a popular event that many around the country go all out for. It's no exception locally as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri held a derby party Saturday...

I would like to submit a few words of wisdom from one of our country's greatest men to compare and contrast with the complete disaster that is Obama. "We all declare for liberty, but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some, the word liberty may mean for each to do as he pleases with himself and/or the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. ...

Your editorial praising local teacher Cynthia King was right on the money. She is the embodiment of the idea that teaching is an art and not a science and that it is far better to foster the creative impulse in students than to try and reduce those in her charge to little more than letters, numbers and other so-called quantifiable data that large segments of the public and thus, the schools, wrongly demand...

O Lord God, may we rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Amen.

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks star Amare Stoudemire scored 20 points in an NBA playoff win Sunday, but the bandage on his left hand reminded fans that he'd recently made headlines in quite a different way: smashing the glass of a fire extinguisher case after losing in Miami six days earlier...

In diabetic eye disease, high blood glucose and high blood pressure cause small blood vessels to swell and leak liquid into the retina of the eye, blurring the vision and sometimes leading to blindness. People with diabetes are also more likely to develop cataracts -- a clouding of the eye's lens, and glaucoma -- optic nerve damage. Laser surgery can help these conditions...

OMAHA, Neb. -- Billionaire Warren Buffett said Monday that Europe will have a hard time resolving its fiscal problems because of the structure of the European Union and this weekend's election results in Greece and France. But he says the turmoil in Europe won't keep him from investing. Buffett said Berkshire planned to add to its stakes Monday in two U.S. companies...

LOS ANGELES -- Hulk, smash. That's what Captain America tells the Incredible Hulk to do in "The Avengers," and that's what the Marvel Comics superhero mash-up did at the box office, smashing the domestic revenue record with a $200.3 million debut...

WASHINGTON -- Asserting that cyberattacks against the U.S. don't come only from China, the U.S. and Chinese defense ministers said they agreed Monday to work together to avoid miscalculations that could lead to future crises. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that since China and the United States have advanced online capabilities, it is important to develop better cooperation...

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's election-year vagueness on gay marriage is coming under fresh scrutiny. Education Secretary Arne Duncan broke ranks with the White House on Monday, stating his unequivocal support for same-sex marriage one day after Vice President Joe Biden suggested that he supported gay marriage as well...

John E. Pepper, president of Procter & Gamble Co., was guest speaker yesterday at the 10th annual Marketing and Small Business Conference at Southeast Missouri State University. An increase in the state's gasoline tax by 4 cents a gallon will likely only keep Cape Girardeau County's bridge-building program at its present level; the tax increase will bring the county about $100,000 in additional road and bridge funds; however, revenue sharing, which brought the county $165,000 annually, has been discontinued.. ...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday:...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests The Department of Public Safety released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri park officials will be teaching people camping skills this summer at state parks. Park officials plan five seminars in June at different parks with experts to help teach 40 families basic skills. People interested in participating must apply by May 11 and explain in 500 words or less why they should be chosen. Winners will be contacted by May 15...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri House committee is backing legislation that would let young drivers take the wheel under the supervision of an older friend or relative. Current law lets teens drive if they're at least 15, have temporary permits and have a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or driving instructor along as a passenger...

CASEYVILLE, Ill. -- Melvis F. "Mel" Stephens, 88, of Caseyville, formerly of Cahokia, Ill., died Sunday, May 6, 2012, at Caseyville Nursing and Rehab. He was born March 16, 1924, in McGee, Mo., son of William and Cladza Smith Stephens. Stephens was retired from Anchor Industries in St. Louis. He was a member of Emeth Lodge 1030 A.F. & A.M. of Cahokia, Ainad Temple, Scottish Rite Bodies Valley of Southern Illinois, Knights Templar and White Shrine of Jerusalem...

Matthew Aaron Sander, 26, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 7, 2012, at his home. He was born July 3, 1985, in Cape Girardeau, son of Karen Irene Sander. Matthew was a cashier at Kidd's. He loved to watch and attend wrestling events and play poker. His favorite music group was ICP. He also loved watching movies and playing video games...

James N. Reed, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 6, 2012, at Life Care Center. He was born Dec. 18, 1933, in Illmo, to Henry M. and Flora Cox Reed. James worked as a custodian at Southeast Missouri State University and the Show Me Center. He also was a painter, roofer and mowed lawns...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Irma Nell Mize Essex, 87, of Villa Ridge, formerly of Mounds, Ill., died Monday, May 7, 2012, at her home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to service time Wednesday at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge. The funeral will be at noon Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Larry Miller officiating. Burial will be in Shiloh Cemetery near Villa Ridge...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission approved Monday a contract with an electronic document processing company toward further using digital technology in the recorder's office. Simplifile LC of Provo, Utah, will securely process official documents according to specifications set by the recorder's office. The cost of filing is paid by those submitting the documents, so there is no cost to the county for using the service...

WASHINGTON -- The CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said Monday...

ISLAMABAD -- A 70-year-old American aid worker kidnapped nine months ago in Pakistan said in a video released by al-Qaida that he will be killed unless President Barack Obama agrees to the militant group's demands. The White House called for his immediate release...

PARIS -- The day after Francois Hollande rode to power in France on a slogan of "change now," the conversation in Europe was already different Monday: Austerity had become a dirty word. What replaces it, though, was anything but clear. The newly powerful in France and Greece want to roll back the spending cuts and tax increases that have defined Europe's response to its 3-year-old debt crisis. ...

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has spent much of his career praising the socialist ideas of famed atheists such as Karl Marx and Fidel Castro. Now in the thick of a prolonged battle against cancer, however, the leftist leader is drawing inspiration more than ever from a spiritual leader: Jesus Christ...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Southeast Missouri State University and Franklin Elementary students perform "We Came to Dance" on Monday night during "Last Chance to Dance" at the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus. ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Wary of tax increases, weary of layoffs and determined to avoid bankruptcy, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras had only to gaze up at his city's Ivy League campus to see a way out of the morass. On College Hill sits Brown University, with a $2.5 billion endowment and property worth an estimated $1 billion. Brown would pay the city $38 million in property taxes each year -- more than enough to solve the city's budget problems -- if only it wasn't tax exempt...

CHICAGO -- Men rarely get breast cancer, but those who do often don't survive as long as women, largely because they don't even realize they can get it and are slow to recognize the warning signs, researchers say. On average, women with breast cancer lived two years longer than men in the biggest study yet of the disease in males...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A New Madrid County man was to be arraigned Monday on murder charges. New Madrid County Sheriff Terry M. Stevens reported his officers were notified of the shooting at 9:20 p.m. Saturday. According to Stevens, Timothy Dewayne Richmond, 46, of Tallapoosa, Mo., had gone to his neighbor's house, asking them to call 911...

An unidentified worker died on a Jackson construction company's property early Monday morning, authorities said. The male worker was helping change a track on a crane in the yard at Penzel Construction Co., 325 W. Jackson Blvd., when he was trapped between the track and some railroad timbers, said Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton...

Golfers get ready to head out on the course at the Cape Girardeau Country Club Monday, May 7, 2012, during the 29th annual Kohlfeld Companies Redhawks Spring Golf Tournament. Twenty-six groups of four took over the course to raise funds for Southeast Missouri State University student-athlete scholarships...

The Notre Dame baseball team let an 8-1 lead slip away and lost 10-8 on Monday.

ST. LOUIS -- It seems only natural that many St. Louis Blues think the Los Angeles Kings can go all the way. The Blues were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and the top team standing. Hopes were high for a deep Stanley Cup run given the President's Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks were out, along with other perennial title threats in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Chicago...

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

PHOENIX -- Lance Lynn wasn't at his best Monday night -- just good enough for five scoreless innings and another victory. The big, young St. Louis right-hander gave up three hits to become the majors' first six-game winner, and the Cardinals held on for a 9-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks...

The Jackson Chamber of Commerce held its Educator of the Year banquet Thursday at the Knights of Columbus hall in Jackson. From left are Justin Keen, Jackson R-2 Foundation; Linda Puchbauer, chairwoman of the education committee; Julie Vangilder, elementary winner; Dan Burkemper, high school winner; Deidre Hartmann, private school winner; Anne Brown, specialty winner; Roseann Bruns, junior high winner; state Rep. Donna Lichtenegger; Marsha Haskell of AT&T; and state Rep. Billy Pat Wright...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Highway 91 in Scott County will be closed from County Road 445 to County Road 440 as contractor crews replace the bridge. Weather permitting, work will begin at 6 a.m. May 23, and the bridge will reopen Aug. 15. The work zone will be marked with signs. ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The obesity epidemic may be slowing, but don't take in those pants yet. Today, just over a third of U.S. adults are obese. By 2030, 42 percent will be, says a forecast released Monday. That's not nearly as many as experts had predicted before the once-rapid rises in obesity rates began leveling off. But the new forecast suggests even small continuing increases will add up...

Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr administered the oath of office to aldermen members elected in April and appointed members to five city advisory boards Monday night. Aldermen Tim Welker of Ward 1, Dave Reminger of Ward 2, Larry P. Cunningham of Ward 3 and Joe Bob Baker of Ward 4 all ran unopposed and held their seats in the general municipal election April 3...

We live in a beautiful city, punctuated by the Mississippi River, trees, rolling hills, and a temperate climate with beautiful spring and fall seasons. We have a unique asset with the many thousands of trees throughout our community. I have, as mayor, been remiss in not keeping our city beautification programs identified and promoted on a continuing basis. ...

NAME: Gary L. Gaines AGE: 66 PLACE OF BIRTH: Dexter, Missouri SPOUSE'S, CHILDREN'S NAMES: Wife: Darlene E. Gaines Children-one son: John Freeman Gaines EDUCATION: B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Missouri at Rolla (Now Missouri S&T) M.S., Civil Engineering, Missouri S&T...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Senate has passed legislation that guarantees a dedicated funding stream for veterans' nursing homes. The bill approved Wednesday would earmark casino fees to the state-run facilities that house more than 1,300 military veterans. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- House and Senate negotiators have agreed to provide an additional $3 million to several Missouri universities to resolve a dispute that had held up the state's budget. A budget conference committee approved the money Wednesday as a replacement for a proposal that would have allotted an extra $2 million to Southeast Missouri State University...

The search for the area's lead economic developer is moving forward now that the deadline for candidates to submit their resumes has passed. More than 25 applicants turned in resumes by the May 1 deadline and are under consideration to become Cape Girardeau Area Magnet's new executive director, according to search committee member Barbara Lohr, who is also mayor of Jackson. There is a mixture of local candidates and several from out of state, she said...

The Cardinals outfielder blasted a grand slam against the Diamondbacks

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A disagreement over whether Southeast Missouri State University deserves a $2 million funding increase was contributing to a stalemate Tuesday on Missouri's $24 billion budget plan.

This photo was taken on April 23rd at our home in Jackson. We had the pleasure and privilege of watching two baby cardinals leaving their nest and venturing out into the world. This little guy (gal?) paused for a photo op before taking off!

Nominees for "Queen of Bling"

Picture #1: This little girl was at the Lutheran Family Services "Boas & Bling" Event Tuesday evening AND SHE STOLD THE SHOW! Her beaming little personality out-shined all the other bling at the party! I can't remember her name. She was there with her mother. Her little tee shirt reads, "It's all about ME!"...

The Queen WORE NO BLING!

Authorities have identified the worker killed in a Jackson construction accident early Monday morning. Matthew Pooker, 29, of Festus, Mo., was helping change a track on a crane in the yard at Penzel Construction Co., 325 W. Jackson Blvd., when he was trapped between the track and some railroad timbers, Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said...

A group of residents who live near Southeast Missouri State University is lobbying Cape Girardeau officials for special parking permits that would only be available to those who own their own homes, a notion that has left some city leaders leery. Some residents who live in the Boulevard Historic District, which is adjacent to the campus, asked the Cape Girardeau City Council on Monday night to consider implementing a parking sticker system for certain side streets, such as portions of Park Avenue, West End Boulevard, Highland Drive and Normal Avenue.. ...

Our 3 month old boxer, Jack, how can you not love that face!!

Residents from the Regency House of Marble Hill, an apartment building for individuals with developmental disabilities, participated in the Relay for Life on May 4th. "The Regency Gang" raised $1,900 for the American Cancer Society.

Bank of America made a $5,000 corporate donation to United Way of Southeast Missouri. Local employees of Bank America also donated $4,566.10 to the annual campaign. Employee results were not available at the time of the photo. L to R: Joleta Ludwig, Bobby Khan, Erika Newell, Joyce Emmedorfer, Ashley Hobeck, Kathy Elfrink, Liz Hillier, Kristy Nordin & Josh Carter...

Montgomery Bank and employees donated $13,900.41 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. Back row L to R: Debbie Pensel, Jennie Beltz, Kevin Dye, Debbie Suhre, Cory Daniel, Ted Williams, Sarah Keys, Tracy Dannenmueller, Debbie Davis, Debbie Dirnberger...

Ameren Missouri and employees donated $27,558.34 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. Front row L to R: Natalie Dowdy, Janice Collier, Jean Mason, Laura Klipfel, Cheryl Kern, Lee Ann Nace. Back row L to R: Dave Goehring, Tim Beussink, Dan Kohler, Jim Fees, Russ Burger, Randy Armstrong...

Procter & Gamble and employees donated $281,906.50 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. Procter & Gamble is United Way's largest campaign. Front row ladies L to R: Elia Lopez, Carolyn Ervin-Mobley, Kim Voelker, Tonyua Townsend, Amy Eggen, Donna Wills, Regina McElmurry, Fred Atchley, Teresa Scowden Back row L to R: Matt Miller, Darrick Johnson, Todd Shelton...

US Bank and employees donated $12,584.70 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. L to R: Daryl Leine, Kim Skrob, Jim Ham, Stan Penn

Wood & Huston and employees donated $6,552.00 to United Way of Southeast Missouri in the 2011-12 annual campaign. L to R: Claudia Murphy & Clint Karnes

KFVS12/The Heartland CW and employees donated $20,157.39 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. Pictured are Kim Voelker and Randy Ray

Cape Public Schools along with the faculty, staff and student body donated $23,246.95 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. L to R: Dr. Sherry Copeland, Teresa Haubold, Dr. Jim Welker

Jackson R-2 Schools faculty, staff and student body donated $23,155.38 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. Pictured: Mr. Mabuce, Mr. Ford, Mrs. Dillingham, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Lipe and members of Jackson Jr. High Student Council...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- A Hayti, Mo., woman is accused of burning her child with an iron. Angela Smith, 27, is to appear in court Thursday on charges of felony second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. According to Pemiscot County Sheriff Tommy Greenwell, county deputies and officials from the Missouri Children's Division began an investigation in March following a report of a child being physically abused and believed to have been burned with an iron. ...

A 48-year-old Cape Girardeau man who flagged down police was later arrested for allegedly assaulting a man in his home and then struggling with police, said Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Jason Selzer. Lee Williams was being held Tuesday in the Cape Girardeau County Jail on $5,000 cash-only bond. He is charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, third-degree assault and first-degree trespassing, jail records said...

The theft of a motor scooter from outside a home in the 100 block of South Lorimier Street left a Cape Girardeau resident puzzled. Police said the owner of the scooter told investigators she parked the vehicle about 11 p.m. Sunday. And even though she still had the key, about 11 a.m. Monday she noticed the scooter was gone, said Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Jason Selzer...

Today is Wednesday, May 9, the 130th day of 2012. There are 236 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 9, 1712, the Carolina Colony was officially divided into two entities: North Carolina and South Carolina. On this date:...

It's a day four years in the making for most students. For others, the journey has taken a bit longer. But for all graduates that walk across the Show Me Center stage at Saturday's Southeast Missouri State University commencement ceremony, it will be a monumental day filled with joy...

Republican House Speaker John Boehner doesn't believe President Obama should be speaking to college students and urging them to help him in his fight to keep student loan interest rates from doubling. If Boehner doesn't like it, he is surely free to visit institutions of higher learning and give students his rationale as to why the interest on the loans should increase that much...

O Lord Jesus, may we encourage one another and build each other up. Amen.

ST. LOUIS -- Extra security is in place for Sen. Claire McCaskill following a comment at a tea party rally last week. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday that St. Louis-area activist Scott Boston told a tea party gathering in Springfield, Mo., that "We have to get Claire McCaskill out."...

LOS ANGELES -- Homeowners with a Bank of America mortgage have good reason to check their mailbox. The lender said Tuesday it has begun mailing out letters to customers who may qualify to have their home loans reduced as part of a multistate settlement over alleged foreclosure abuses...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bill Tuesday to preserve low interest rates for millions of college students' loans, as the two parties engaged in election-year choreography aimed at showing each is the better protector of families in today's rugged economy...

YORK, Neb. -- A 23-year-old southeast Nebraska man has legally become Tyrannosaurus Rex. The York News-Times reported the man entered the York County courtroom Monday as Tyler Gold and left it with the moniker Tyrannosaurus Rex Joseph Gold. Gold said in his public filing for the change that the dinosaur's name is cooler. He said that "as an entrepreneur, name recognition is important and the new name is more recognizable." The newspaper report does not describe his line of business...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A first-of-its-kind ban on a controversial form of psychotherapy aimed at making gay people straight could face a key vote soon by a group of California lawmakers. Supporters say the legislation, which is before its final committee, is necessary because such treatments are ineffective and harmful...

ATHENS, Greece -- The debate over European austerity flared hotter Tuesday as the left-wing politician trying to form a new Greek government declared that his country is no longer bound by its pledges to impose crippling cutbacks in return for rescue loans...

WASHINGTON -- A pill that has long been used to treat HIV has moved one step closer to becoming the first drug approved to prevent healthy people from becoming infected with the virus that causes AIDS. The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that Gilead Sciences' Truvada appears to be safe and effective for HIV prevention. It concluded that taking the pill daily could spare patients "infection with a serious and life-threatening illness that requires lifelong treatment."...

Brenda Mae Shannon, 80, of Holts Summit, Mo., died Saturday, May 5, 2012, at Heisinger Bluffs Senior Services Center in Jefferson City, Mo. She was born Aug. 26, 1931, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Walter and Cora Roth. She was united in marriage to James Ronald Shannon on May 21, 1960, in Cape Girardeau...

Larry Eugene Vermillion Sr., 64, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, May 6, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. He was born Feb. 12, 1948, in Englewood, Calif., to Marvin Eugene Vermillion and Wilma Kennedy Shockley. He and Valerie Jaco were married Dec. 23, 1969...

Mildred Abbott, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 7, 2012, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Aug. 15, 1917, in Etowah, Tenn., to Thomas H. and Katherine Lee Gary DeLaney. She and Robert M. Abbott were married March 16, 1960, in Etowah. He preceded her in death May 10, 2002...

Agnes Florine Roberts Bailey, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at her home. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to service time Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Phillip Roop officiating. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Shady Grove Cemetery in Bald Knob, Ark...

Gene H. Patterson, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Glenna Marie "Pat" Dunn Niestrath, 90, of America, Ill., formerly of Mound City, died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Daystar Care Center in Cairo, Ill. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City...

Dr. Allan W. Ostar, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, speaks to nearly 800 undergraduate students at Southeast Missouri State University's commencement exercises at Houck Stadium. Cathy Baker of Cape Girardeau has proposed that the city consider providing a skateboard park for youngsters; she suggests that the southwest portion of Cherokee Park be used as a "skate-a-rena."...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, becoming the latest state to effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages. With most of the precincts reporting Tuesday, unofficial returns showed the amendment passing with about 61 percent of the vote to 39 percent against. North Carolina is the 30th state to adopt such a ban on gay marriage...

ELSBERRY, Mo. -- For the third time this year, an eastern Missouri man has won a substantial prize in the Missouri Lottery. Lottery officials say Ronald Cordsiemon Sr. of Elsberry's latest prize is a $20,000 winner for the "Silver Anniversary" scratchers game, purchased at a Casey's General Store in Elsberry. He also won a $100,000 Lottery prize in January and $610 playing Lotto...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's elk population is about to double. The Department of Conservation says 35 elk are expected to arrive May 18 at the Peck Ranch Conservation Area in southern Missouri. The animals are coming from Kentucky, where they were captured as part of an elk restoration agreement with Missouri...

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

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- Obama administration officials say a new timetable developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should speed up the search for a permanent method of protecting the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other invasive species...

DETROIT -- Rising car and truck sales have prompted Ford Motor Co. to add a week of production at 13 North American factories so the company can make another 40,000 vehicles this year. Ford said Tuesday that it would cut in half the normal two-week summer shutdown at six assembly plants and seven engine and parts plants. Auto plants normally close for two weeks around the July 4 holiday as they switch over to make vehicles for the next model year...

NEW YORK -- Gasoline prices likely won't set any records this summer, thanks to a recent drop in the price of oil. The government on Tuesday slashed its forecast for average gas prices to $3.79 per gallon for the summer driving season. That's down from an initial estimate of $3.95 and below 2008's record average of $3.80...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Thanks to quick action by Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities personnel and the regional hazardous materials team, things are back to normal at the Sikeston power plant after a weekend chemical spill. Board officials reported the explosion of a trailer at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday that resulted in a spill of about 7,500 gallons of hydrochloric acid...

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

ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri attorney general will release details next week on how the St. Louis Rams want to renovate the Edward Jones Dome despite the team's desire to keep the plan secret. The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which runs the dome, and the Rams are in the midst of negotiations aimed at bringing the dome up to top-tier status among the 31 NFL stadiums. Otherwise, the Rams could break their lease and potentially move after the 2014 season...

Scott City senior Brandon Shemonia reasserted his dominance at the Class 2 Disitrict 1 track and field meet. Shemonia finished 4 for 4 in his events at the meet. He captured the district title in the 1,600 by more than 7 seconds. He crossed the line in 4 minutes, 37.5 seconds...

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

DAMASCUS, Syria -- International envoy Kofi Annan gave a bleak assessment of the crisis in Syria on Tuesday, saying violence remains at "unacceptable levels" and warning that his peace plan is the country's last chance to avert a disastrous civil war...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The governor of Puerto Rico is trying to do what more than a century of American citizenship has failed to accomplish: teach Puerto Ricans to speak English as well as they do Spanish. Gov. Luis Fortuno, who has been mentioned as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate, has proposed an ambitious, and what critics call far-fetched, plan to require all public schools to teach all courses in English while still offering Spanish grammar and literature classes...

WASHINGTON -- Six-term veteran Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar lost a bitter challenge from the right flank of his own Republican Party on Tuesday night, his nearly four-decade career in the Senate ended by a tea party-backed GOP foe. "I have no regrets about running for re-election. Even if doing so can be a very daunting task," the 80-year-old Lugar said as he conceded to state Treasurer Richard Mourdock...

ST. LOUIS -- The sale of the NHL's St. Louis Blues appears imminent. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the sale of the team to a group led by St. Louis-area businessman Tom Stillman could close today, with a news conference announcing the sale as early as Thursday...

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of a terrorist bomb plot disrupted by the CIA, the U.S. advised some international airports and air carriers Tuesday about security measures for passengers traveling to the U.S. The guidance from the Transportation Security Administration was a reminder of methods the U.S. ...

NEW YORK -- Maurice Sendak, the children's book author and illustrator who saw the sometimes-dark side of childhood in books like "Where the Wild Things Are" and "In the Night Kitchen," died early Tuesday. He was 83. Longtime friend and caretaker Lynn Caponera said she was with Sendak when he died at a hospital in Danbury, Conn. She said he had a stroke Friday...

By Dave Drebes Missouri Scout Nothing was accomplished Monday in the Senate. Here's how nothing got accomplished. At the beginning of the session, SB 498 was "read in" from the House where it passed last week. This bill had been twice refused last week by Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer. It has the funding for the veterans' homes that is considered crucial for the budget conferees...

NAME: Charlie Herbst AGE: 49 PLACE OF BIRTH: Cape Girardeau SPOUSE, CHILDREN'S NAMES: Sydney (spouse), Erin, Allyson, Taylor, Travis, Claire OCCUPATION: Sales EDUCATION: Cape Central High School, Southeast MO State University, SEMO Law Enforcement Academy...

ZALMA, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon told students in the Zalma School District that although their school is small, they are as well prepared as students from any school to compete in a global economy.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The Marble Hill Board of Aldermen and Mayor Michael Sowers disagreed over the powers of a city employee, coming to loggerheads at the board's Monday meeting. Board members wanted city attorney Alan Beussink to draw up an ordinance that will take away some of the city administrative assistant's responsibilities and give them instead to the board. ...

About 300 people are expected to attend the annual Seniors and Lawmen Together law enforcement memorial scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Cape County Park North. The annual public event recognizes the 48 Southeast Missouri law enforcement personnel, including five Cape Girardeau police officers and one Cape Girardeau County sheriff, who were killed in the line of duty, Jackson police chief James Humphreys said...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Breaking a budget logjam, Missouri lawmakers agreed Wednesday to continue funding a blind health care program that had been targeted for elimination, but they attached strings that could require some people to pay premiums and eliminate coverage for others with higher incomes...

The Cape Central boys tennis team defeated Oakville to win the Class 2 District 1 team title Wednesday.

Cape Girardeau's newest home improvement retailer, Menards, will open Tuesday. The $8 million project is the largest retailer to open in Cape Girardeau since 2006, when both Kohls and Sears Grand opened their doors. The Menards Mega Store includes 162,340 square feet of retail space, a garden center and lumber warehouse...

United Parcel Service and employees donated $14,551.08 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. From L to R: John Chanley, Jack Trickey, Brad Borgfield, Paul Spragg, Ryan Mcgill, David Wallis, Brain Nugent, Sally Lee, Brian Obermann, Tim Clippard, Steve Kramer, Gabe Walter, Layton Beggs,Ralph Clements, Mike Colon, Larry Lohman, Bob Tenholder, Jason Hecht, Dennis McCoy, Nate Miller, Jeremy Seabaugh, Dave Tatum, Leslie Vance...

Southeast Missouri State University faculty and staff donated $20,338.16 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-12 annual campaign. Pictured are Dr. Dennis Holt and Tammy Underwood