Stories from June 2012

ST. LOUIS -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday it has awarded $20 million worth of contracts to three firms to repair the Birds Point levee, which was intentionally breached last year to alleviate flooding on the Mississippi River...

NEW YORK -- Want to super-size that soda? Sorry, but in New York City you could be out of luck. In his latest effort to fight obesity in this era of Big Gulps and triple bacon cheeseburgers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing an unprecedented ban on large servings of soda and other sugary drinks at restaurants, delis, sports arenas and movie theaters...

Model airplanes doing precision acrobatic stunts are filling Galaxy Park in Cape Girardeau for the fifth annual 3D Fly-Low-In. The event at 441 Gizmo Lane off Big Bend Road began at 9 a.m. Thursday and continues through Sunday. Nearly 300 model aircraft fliers from all over the country are expected. ...

Some staff of Cape Girardeau public schools may receive pay raises in the 2012-2013 school year if board members approve a proposal outlined by administrators during a special meeting held Thursday. The board will approve the district's budget for the coming school year at its regular meeting set for June 18...

Emotions are still raw for friends and family of Jacque Waller one year after the mother of triplets disappeared. Although her body has never been found, in April prosecutors filed a murder charge against her estranged husband, Clay Waller. Anybody who has had a loved one die unexpectedly can empathize with her family's loss, said Stan Rawson, Jacque Waller's father...

The Oran baseball team captured third place in Class 1 for the second consecutive season.

A stretch of railroad from Gordonville to Delta planned for abandonment may find a new use. The Cape Girardeau County Commission heard Thursday from a group of trail enthusiasts and a representative from the city of Jackson who are looking into converting about 13 miles of tracks into a rails-to-trails project that would create a recreational area for cyclists, runners and hikers. But not everyone is excited about the prospect...

Gov. Jay Nixon visited the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, signing legislation providing the state's seven veterans homes with a dedicated funding source.

Photo was taken yesterday evening at the corner of High and Larch Streets in Jackson. The scattered storms left much to be desired for the area.

What could be more beautiful than the arrival of the Calla Lily's gracing our gardens. I must plant many more colors this fall. They are so awesome in an flower arrangement.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Swimming beaches at two Missouri state parks will remain closed while the parks undergo construction and repairs. Last year's flooding along the Missouri River in northwestern Missouri caused extensive damage at Lewis and Clark State Park near St. Joseph. The park's day-use areas have reopened, but the Missouri Department of Natural Resources says the campground and swimming beach are still closed...

Why pay to dispose of your electronics when you can have them recycled for free? Virtually anything with a cord or battery can be recycled during the Free Electronics Recycling Event on June 9 at the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department. Free Electronics Recycling Event...

A motorcycle rider was seriously injured Wednesday afternoon when he attempted to pass a farm tractor just as it turned off a rural road west of Jackson, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. About 1:35 p.m., Tommy J. Sousley, 47, of Millersville was eastbound on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on Missouri Highway 72, about eight miles west of Jackson, when he attempted to pass an eastbound Case tractor on the road, the patrol said...

GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A Bloomfield, Mo., teen sustained serious injuries in an ATV accident Wednesday six miles south of Greenville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Andrew T. Bond, 16, was a passenger in a 1997 John Deer Gator ATV driven by Claude E. Clinton, 17, of Greenville, when the ATV left the roadway and struck a utility pole...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission awarded bids on two highway department projects Thursday and agreed to allow private developers to pave a small portion of public road at no expense to the county.

Today is Friday, June 1, the 153rd day of 2012. There are 213 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 1, 1912, Paramount Pictures had its beginnings as Adolph Zukor incorporated the Famous Players Film Co., which later merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co...

The 36th annual Scott City Summerfest kicked off Thursday night with the opening of the fair grounds and illusionist Chad Bles. But the main events of the festival, which runs through Saturday, are coming to Scott City Park this weekend. Scott City Parks Department director Phyllis Crump said the summer carnival is an important event for community development...

Colorado-based "modern acoustic" quartet Head for the Hills will perform at Port Cape in Cape Girardeau tonight, with The Big Idea opening the show. The concert will begin at 9 p.m. Admission is $5. For more information, visit headforthe-hillsmusic.com...

The summer movie season is here again, and June releases look to be what we've all come to expect from summer films: lots of superheroes, comedies, remakes, sequels and big budgets. Here's my small rundown of what's in store for moviegoers this month...

Sometimes, you just want to head out of town. Luckily, there are cities and towns just a short drive away that are suitable for day trips or long weekends, family fun or getaways with your special someone. Check out our city guides for a sampling of what these destinations have to offer...

Mark your calendars and get ready to attend these noteworthy annual events in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois

From museums to historic architecture, Southeast Missouri and the surrounding area showcases the past.

Whether it's hitting the golf course or admiring artwork in a gallery, there's plenty to entertain you in Southeast Missouri and the surrounding area.

Fun outings suitable for the entire family

Hiking, biking, fishing and boating are just a few of the activities the Southeast Missouri area offers outdoor enthusiasts.

Claire Culwell had a rough start to life. Her mother, at the age of 13, became pregnant and chose to have an abortion, not knowing she was carrying twins. One of the twins died in the procedure. Claire, who wasn't known to exist, survived. When Claire was discovered the pregnancy was too far along for a second abortion. ...

The white lines on Independence Street at the intersection of Kingshighway need to be repainted. A recent caller suggested that President Obama should spend more time touting his accomplishments. You have to be kidding! He brags incessantly that he got Osama bin Laden. ...

I have spent most of my life asking questions. That's what newspaper folks do for a living. I'm also a curious person. Over the years, I've been asked a few questions too. To me, some of the questions have been funny -- funny enough to remember for years and years...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's Revenue Department says a contract has been withdrawn for a member of the St. Louis County Council to operate a state license office. The contract for the Maplewood license office went to Kathleen Burkett. In a statement Thursday, the Revenue Department said she failed to satisfy financial assurances required in its proposal. Revenue officials gave no other details...

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- John Edwards' campaign finance fraud case ended in a mistrial Thursday when jurors acquitted him on one of six charges but were unable to decide whether he misused money from two wealthy donors to hide his pregnant mistress while he ran for president...

COOS BAY, Ore. -- Several thousand Oregon Coast residents on alert after last year's devastating earthquake in Japan took part in their first tsunami evacuation drill Thursday, stopping what they were doing and walking uphill to assembly points where volunteers handed out bottles of water and grab-bags of essentials...

BOSTON -- A battle over a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman appears headed for the Supreme Court after an appeals court ruled Thursday that denying benefits to married gay couples is unconstitutional. In a unanimous decision, the three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said the 1996 law deprives gay couples of the rights and privileges granted to heterosexual couples...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Triumphant from start to finish, the SpaceX Dragon capsule parachuted into the Pacific on Thursday to conclude the first private delivery to the International Space Station and inaugurate NASA's new approach to exploration...

BEIRUT -- Syria on Thursday blamed up to 800 rebel fighters for the massacre in central Syria last week that killed more than 100 people, nearly half of them children, in its most comprehensive explanation to date of the bloodshed. The narrative contradicted accounts of witnesses who blamed "shabiha" or the shadowy gunmen who operate on behalf of President Bashar Assad's regime. ...

Mamie L. Kraemer Bachmann, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at her home. She was born Dec. 15, 1921, in Scott City, to Fred W. and Laura H. Windeknecht Kraemer. Mamie was a member of Hanover Lutheran Church. She worked at Campbell Mattress Co. more than 30 years...

Rena Ellis, 99, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at Ratliff Care Center. She was born March 25, 1913, to Bert Raymond and Lula Jane Newby Ellis. Rena was preceded in death by all her siblings. Most recent was Ruth Dempster of Fresno, Calif., who died May 4, 2012. Her other siblings were Sybil Firkovich (Doc), Margaret Hubbard (Chester), Claude Ellis (Dolly) and Ray Ellis...

James Charles Baker, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 31, 2012, at Des Peres Hospital in Des Peres, Mo. He was born March 26, 1929, in Advance, Mo., to Eddie and Reva Marie Bond Baker. He and Anna Belle McClain were married Sept. 5, 1947, at Arbor, Mo...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Melba Jean Stevenson Ruhl, 72, of Springfield, Ill., passed away Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield. She was born Oct. 31, 1939, in Greenbrier, Mo., daughter of Wilbur and Elsie Crites Robins. She and John Ruhl were married March 22, 2003, in Advance...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Cornelia M. Clements, 86, of Perryville died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born May 23, 1926, at Apple Creek, Mo., to Louis and Dorothy Buchheit Hennemann. She and Oscar B. "Doc" Clements were married June 10, 1950, at Apple Creek. He preceded her in death April 23, 2002...

Henry Earl "Hank" Niemann, 81, of Gordonville passed away Thursday, May 31, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 4, 1930, in Gordonville, son of Henry Herman and Clara Elizabeth Sandvos Niemann. He and Mary Schweain Tilley were married May 20, 1998. She passed away Jan. 18, 2011...

Ralph J. DeBrock, 68, passed away Thursday, May 31, 2012, at his home in Jackson. He was born Nov. 16, 1943, in Blomeyer, Mo., to Fred and Martha Vandeven DeBrock. He and Berneice Koenig were married June 18, 1966. Ralph attended school at Leopold, Mo. ...

Jerry Lynn VanDover, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Landmark Hospital. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Rev. Paul Patrick Joseph, 84, of Perryville died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be after 5 p.m. Monday at Mary Mother of God Chapel of the Vincentian Residence in Perryville...

Son to Randy Scott and Brandy Ruth Ratcliff of Patton, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 8:21 a.m. Sunday, April 22, 2012. Name, Remington Gauge. Weight, 2 pounds, 11 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Ratcliff is the former Brandy Hays, daughter of Ruth Hays and James Hays of Patton. Ratcliff is the son of Ron and Rachal Ratcliff of Perryville, Mo., and Mike and Shirley Bollinger of Marble Hill, Mo. He is a logger...

Wet Gene's Water Slide, along U.S. 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson, has reopened under the name LicketySplit Water Slide; its new owner is Phillip "Bud" Leuckel of Cape Girardeau. The Lutheran Home on Bloomfield Road is expanding; the new wing will add 60 beds...

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

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

O Heavenly Father, may those who mourn experience your comfort. Amen.

FIRST FRIDAY RECEPTIONS The Artist Studio New work by Judy Barks-Westrich will be featured. Reception from 5 to 9 p.m. 38A N. Main St.; 651-4464 Arts Council of Southeast Missouri Works by local mixed-media artists Rochelle Steffen and Elizabeth Thomas will be on display. The show features solo exhibits by both artists. The Visual Arts Co-op will exhibit new works from members. Reception from 5 to 9 p.m...

Rochelle Steffen has been a part of First Friday for a long time. Her work has been in nearly every local gallery and has featured a variety of subject matters. But even though she has many fans of her work, she has never had her own show … until now...

The Jackson City Park band shell will be the place to be for percussion fans Thursday. The Jackson Municipal Band will be joined by the Southeast Missouri State Steel Drum Band for an extended concert. The Steel Drum Band, directed by Dr. Shane Mizicko, will play at 7 p.m. The Jackson Municipal Band, directed by Scott Vangilder, will perform at 8 p.m. This is just one performance in the bands summer lineup. For a full schedule, visit jacksonmunicipalband.org...

Tunes at Twilight will be adding a little blues to go with its folk sensibilities tonight. John Latini, who also performed during last year's Tunes at Twilight spring/summer series, is an award winning singer and songwriter, and was the Detroit Blues Challenge Champion in 2008 and 2009. Latini is known for his clever, literate songs and powerful vocals with a hard-driving guitar style...

Oran only started three seniors at the Class 1 final four

The Redhawks senior was selected second-team Louisville Slugger All-American

Former Notre Dame Regional High School star Lauren Reinagel signed a letter of intent to play softball at Southeast Missouri State.

The Plaza Tire Capahas baseball team opens its season tonight at Capaha Field.

KANO, Nigeria -- Kidnappers stabbed a captive German engineer to death Thursday as soldiers unaware of the hostage's presence raided a home in northern Nigeria, officials said, five months after his abduction by proclaimed al-Qaida-linked terrorists...

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis man's effort to put solar panels on the roof of his bar is meeting with some resistance, highlighting a problem that is occurring around the country. Bob Hiscox owns the Soulard Bastille Bar in St. Louis' Soulard neighborhood. Soulard is a local and national historic district and does not allow visible panels, regardless of the environmental benefits...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Former NFL coach Dick Vermeil is starring in a new public service campaign for the legendary ocean liner SS United States. Vermeil makes a personal appeal to save the ship in the ads, which will be distributed to television stations in connection with the 60th anniversary this year of the launch of the world's fastest ocean liner...

TRANG BANG, Vietnam (AP) -- In the picture, the girl will always be 9 years old and wailing "Too hot! Too hot!" as she runs down the road away from her burning Vietnamese village. She will always be naked after blobs of sticky napalm melted through her clothes and layers of skin like jellied lava...

Southeast Missouri's communities know how to celebrate. Fireworks for July 4th and Santa Claus coming to town are just the beginning.

Sweet Tyler and Colten loving Destin Beach

Today is Saturday, June 2, the 154th day of 2012. There are 212 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey, 16 months after the death of her father, King George VI; it was the first such ceremony to be televised...

City Councilman Frank Bean is calling for a freeze on the budget of the city's chief operating fund, with the revenue savings going to fund capital improvements. Reacting to a last-minute argument from Chamber of Commerce President Robert Hendrix and others, the City Council has decided to place a gross receipts tax "sunset" measure on the August ballot...

Jessie Marie "Sally" Holmes Miller, 68, of Pineville, La., died Friday, April 13, 2012, at her home. She was born in 1943 in Fornfelt, daughter of Jesse A. and Clara Marie Hill Holmes. She was a 1961 graduate of Illmo-Scott City High School...

John Ernest Schreiner III, 69, of Jackson died Thursday, May 31, 2012, at his home. He was born Oct. 14, 1942, in Jackson, to John Ernest and Vera Jean Welker Schreiner Jr. He and Martha Ann Orrell were married Dec. 3, 1960. John served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1963...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Robert Morgan, 80, of Charleston died Friday, June 1, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 17, 1931, at Datto, Ark., to Clarence Everett and Pearl Elizabeth Fears Morgan. He and Donna Reeves were married May 27, 1955...

Jerry Lynn VanDover, 78, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Landmark Hospital. He had been hospitalized several weeks with acute respiratory disease. He was born Oct. 29, 1933, in Poplar Bluff, to Al and Nell Sliger VanDover...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Gary Earl Stephens, 61, of Marble Hill passed away Friday, June 1, 2012, at Sells Nursing Home in Matthews, Mo. He was born Dec. 4, 1950, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., son of Gerald Earl and Dorothy Mae Berry Stephens. Stephens had worked at the pallet mill...

In what basically amounted to a farewell address, Sen. Jason Crowell on Friday discussed his 12-year career as a Missouri lawmaker and highlighted accomplishments from the most recent regular legislative session -- one that also happened to be his last...

It took numerous crews of firefighters from area departments several hours to finally clear the scene of a fire that severely damaged a family's home in Cape Girardeau County Friday. The Cape Girardeau Fire Department received a report of a fire in a garage at 11:11 a.m., according to Chief Rick Ennis. Crews responded to the home of Kevin and Diane Edwards on County Road 206 west of Cape Girardeau and found the end of the house containing the garage fully involved...

The 36th annual Summerfest was held in Scott City Park over the weekend. The three-day event featured a magician on opening night Thursday and beauty contests Friday. Saturday night included talent competitions, live music and culminated in a fireworks display...

Rep. Ellen Brandom has a few distinct advantages over her opponent at this point in the race for Missouri Senate -- she's been campaigning longer, has raised significantly more money and has served in the Missouri legislature three times as long...

WASHINGTON -- Another bad month for the U.S. job market is lengthening the list of perils facing the global economy. American employers added only 69,000 jobs in May, the fewest in a year and not even close to what economists expected. For the first time since June, the unemployment rate rose, to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent...

Scott City, MO 06/3/2012 -- Local author, Catherine Stovall, Images Vinyl Lettering and Graphics, Busch Pet Products, JDS Mechanical, Bob's Food Liner, and many other local businesses will host Reading for Rescues pet food and supply drive on June 23rd. The drive will be held from 9 am to 3 pm at Scott City, MO Plaza. All donations will help provide Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary, a no kill shelter in Jackson, MO, with supplies needed to help care for homeless pets until adopted by a loving family...

Evie Wiley was crowned Tiny Miss Summerfest Queen Friday June 1st in Scott City.She is the daughter of Donnie and Lyndsey Wiley of Scott City.

My son showing his son the first view of the Ocean.

Something that usually does not happen many times in a life time. 5 Generations: From Back to Front Gracie Dennis, Cindy Shaffer, Michelle Moore, Rachel Moore and the newest of our family Kyla Alexis Grace Rains.

MILLER CITY, Ill. -- These farmers say they didn't have a choice. They couldn't wait for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the Miller City levee after last spring's record-setting flood. They had crops to get planted and those crops needed protection...

The city of Jackson has released information on the quality of its drinking water. The required annual report, known as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Consumer Confidence Report, must be made available to water customers by July 1 and describes the water sources used in the city's water system, identifies contaminants found during routine testing and provides general information on drinking water...

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team finished third in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament after entering as the No. 6 seed.

Today is Sunday, June 3, the 155th day of 2012. There are 211 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 3, 1937, Edward, The Duke of Windsor, who had abdicated the British throne, married Wallis Warfield Simpson in a private ceremony in Monts, France...

Randi Lee Ungerank and Christopher Mark Dirnberger were married Aug. 20, 2011, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in DeSoto, Mo. The Rev. Patrick Nwokoye performed the ceremony. Readers were Rita Dirnberger and Cindy Gannon of Cape Girardeau. Vocalist was Kim Drummond of DeSoto...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Dana Kathryn Vickery and Andrew Lee Hoffman were married Aug. 13, 2011, at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Brentwood, Mo. The Rev. Jack Siefert performed the ceremony. Lectors were Suzie Vickery of Cape Girardeau, aunt and godmother of the bride, and Grace Hoffman of Belleville, Ill., godmother of the groom. Giftbearers were Jessica Worley of St. Louis and Kristin Mitchell of Winchester, Ky., cousins of the bride...

Wesley and Debbie Kinder of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Dana Marie Kinder, to Cody Daniel McClard. He is the son of J.B. and Kim McClard and Charlotte McClard, all of Cape Girardeau. Kinder is a 2005 graduate of Central High School. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Chester Butler of Jackson celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary May 24, 2012. Butler and Betty Harris were married May 24, 1952, in Parma, Mo. The couple has two children, Donna Schrautemeier and Rick Butler. The have one grandchild...

Japanese honeysuckle was introduced into the U.S. in 1806, coming to Long Island, N.Y. From there it was accepted at botanical gardens, and plant nurseries began offering it for sale as a vine good for home beautification and use in helping control dirt erosion...

The Vitae Foundation is hosting a pro-life benefit dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus hall, 3305 N. High St. in Jackson. Guest speaker is Claire Culwell, an abortion survivor. The meal is free. For more information and to make a reservation, call Kristina Davis at 800-393-5791 or email her at kristinad@vitaefoundation.org...

Recently we had a graduation party for our son Ross. Several people asked for recipes, and I can't remember exactly who wanted which recipes, so I am including those that I know for sure. It was such a great time having so many of the kids together and friends to celebrate the class of 2012 and their accomplishments. I hope you enjoy these recipes, and they find a place into your recipe files as some of your favorites, as they have mine...

The show is over: Spring blooming shrubs and vines have strutted their stuff. With blossoms past, they are melding into other landscape greenery. Don't turn your back on these plants, though, because pruning may be needed now to encourage repeat performances next year and in years to come...

Bruno is 4 months old. This adorable puppy is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837. Bruno is 4 months old. This adorable puppy is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837....

Name: Sophie Owners: Tiffany and Jeff About Sophie: Sophie is 3 years old and is quite possibly one of the best dogs any one could ever own. She likes to eat, sleep and repeat. Her only flaws? Snoring too loud and not wiping her paws at the door. ...

Vanessa, Marion and Snickers are 8-week-old cute and playful kittens ready for adoption! For more information about these kittens or any other kittens we currently have, contact Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary at 243-9823. ...

"Life is what you make it." That statement sounds ordinary and trite, doesn't it? However, it contains pearls of wisdom. You contain everything within that you need to make your life a successful one, or a failure. We are like snowflakes in that we are all different. People are all different sizes, shapes and possess separate gifts. Every person also has his own schema of what makes him a success or a failure. What is yours?...

This past Memorial Day I ran my first 5K. When I woke up that morning, all I wanted to do was go back to bed. But I was already committed to the race, so up I went. There are times when God reminds me of something profound in unique ways. When the race was over I read the back of a T-shirt another runner was wearing. It simply said, "Someday is not a plan."...

MONDAY--Beef & potato casserole, mixed veggies, fruit. TUESDAY--Fish patty, potatoes, fruit. WEDNESDAY--Meatballs in sauce, green beans, buttered bread, fruit. THURSDAY--Chicken strips, peas, fruit. FRIDAY--Hot dog, tater tots, fruit...

CLAYTON, Mo. -- Sophie, a mutt of a dog with draping ears and dotted brows, is helping people in St. Louis County court tell stories of crime to judges, investigators and attorneys. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Sophie is the region's first court therapy dog and one of only three known to be working in Missouri. She has been part of St. Louis County courts since October...

Southeast Missourian Wavis Jordan is not your traditional staff preacher. The Mississippi native moved to Cape Girardeau after high school and with the prayers and support of others, he's embraced a role as a lay minister. Recently Jordan shared his thoughts with the Southeast Missourian on being a lay minister...

A weekend does not a summer make, but clearly the Cape Splash aquatic center is off to a good start in 2012. Attendance for the holiday weekend was up significantly over a year ago, mainly due to last year's cool and wet weather conditions compared to this year's record highs that drew 3,713 to the park for the weekend. In one hour of operations May 26, the park made more revenue than last year's entire first day...

Thank you to everyone who assisted and attended our successful Memorial Day service in Jackson. On behalf of the American Legion Post 158 and the Ladies Auxiliary, we appreciate the community efforts and participation in this event. The Memorial Day Service is a very special event in our community to honor veterans who gave their lives for our great country...

I don't know why it takes so long and so much work, so much paper work and so much moaning and groaning among Cape Girardeau City Council members who oppose urban deer hunting. Loretta Schneider is right on target. Euthanize them or allow bow hunting to kill the deer and donate the meat to local food banks. End of story. Get on with more important matters...

O Lord Jesus, thank you that through you we have hope. Amen.

The Nancy Hunter Chapter NSDAR met May 23 at the Cape Girardeau Country Club for the end-of-the-year luncheon and meeting, hosted by Edna Ruth Fischer. Ruth Lang, vice president, opened the meeting with "The Pledge of Allegiance." Lang introduced guests, Morgan Lake, state recording secretary; Lorilee Short, district director; and Jerry Kenner, a prospective member...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri has been named a Gold Standard agency by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. The award recognizes agencies that achieve quality outcomes for the children and families they serve. It is one of 13 agencies of 350 across the United States to have received the award and the only organization in Missouri to have done so...

Lauren Lamb, left, of Central High School's National Honor Society presents a check for $200 to Susan McClanahan of the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. The honor society held a dance in March and took up collection for the center; it also added to the amount to donate to the center...

Rick Springfield remembers Sahara Aldridge as someone it was hard not to connect with. The Grammy-winning musician will perform a benefit concert following next month's Hoops for Life 5K Run/Walk. Both events will benefit pediatric brain tumor research in memory of Sahara Aldridge...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A wall of smoke advances across a vast swath of rugged country in southwestern New Mexico where the nation's wilderness movement was born nearly a century ago. From the air, the smoke stretches as far as the eye can see. On the ground, firefighters talk about the steep canyons that keep them from directly attacking what has become the largest wildfire in New Mexico's recorded history and the largest currently burning in the country...

LOS ANGELES -- Years of ferocious storms have threatened to gnaw away the western tip of a popular beachfront park two hours drive north of Los Angeles. Instead of building a 500-foot-long wooden defense next to the pier to tame the tide, the latest thinking is to flee...

SANFORD, Fla. -- The credibility of Trayvon Martin's shooter could be an issue at trial after a judge said George Zimmerman and his wife lied to the court about their finances to obtain a bond, legal experts say. That's because the case hinges on jurors believing his account of what happened the night the 17-year-old was killed. ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- When police responded to a report of shots fired near San Francisco in February 2011, they wound up in a standoff with 29-year-old Joseph Camilleri and his girlfriend. The two were barricaded inside a home with as many as 20 guns, including 12 illegal assault weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition...

TROMSO, Norway -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday ventured north of the Arctic Circle and urged international cooperation in a region that could become a new battleground for natural resources. On her trip to the northern Norwegian city of Tromso, she conveyed that message of working together in one of the world's last frontiers of unexplored oil, gas and mineral deposits. ...

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is warning American businesses about an unusually potent computer virus that infected Iran's oil industry even as suspicions persist that the United States is responsible for secretly creating and unleashing cyberweapons against foreign countries...

Son to Daniel Richard and Mackenzie Marie Davis of Blairsville, Pa., Magee-Women's Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh, 2:13 a.m. Friday, April 13, 2012. Name, Loren Daniel. Weight, 8 pounds. Second son. Mrs. Davis is the former Mackenzie Huffman, daughter of Joice Ann Whitby of Cape Girardeau and Randy G. Huffman of Fruitland. Davis is the son of Melinda Kaufman of East Brady, Pa. He is a coal miner...

Only two of five fee measures were apparently approved by Cape Girardeau voters in a special election yesterday that was marked by confusion over vote totals; measures to increase golf course and Arena Building usage fees passed. With further depletion of the end-of-the-year balance in the Cape Girardeau School District budget anticipated for next June, the school board is strongly indicating it will ask voters in October to approve an increase in the district's property tax levy...

ACCRA, Ghana -- A Boeing 727 cargo plane attempting to land at the international airport in Ghana's capital crashed Saturday, slamming into a bus loaded with passengers on a nearby street, killing all 10 people inside the vehicle, emergency responders and airport officials said...

BRUSSELS -- The U.N.'s top human rights official said Saturday that there should be no amnesty for serious crimes committed in Syria, even if the threat of prosecution might motivate members of the regime to cling to power at all costs. Asked if Syrian President Bashar Assad should be allowed to leave power in exchange for safe haven, U.N. ...

SINGAPORE -- From this island nation in the South China Sea, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta sent a message Saturday that America's new military focus on the Asia-Pacific is not intended to raise tensions in the region or threaten Beijing. The Pentagon chief appeared to offer an olive branch to the communist power and said often feuding rivals must learn to work better together for the benefit of the entire region...

CAIRO -- Former President Hosni Mubarak got a life sentence Saturday for failing to stop the killing of protesters during Egypt's uprising. But he and his sons were cleared of corruption charges, setting off protests for greater accountability for 30 years of abuses under the old regime...

WARSAW, Poland -- Hundreds of gays, lesbians and their supporters marched Saturday through the capitals of Poland and Latvia, demanding more rights in Eastern European societies where they still face high levels of intolerance. The parades were supported by the governments of the United States and other Western countries that are pushing for an end to discrimination and violence toward gays...

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. DWI The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's 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...

Ada King, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 2, 2012, at the Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee, Mo.

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Kimberly Ann "Kim" Shepherd Kaufman, 56, of Villa Ridge, formerly of Mounds, Ill., passed away at 10:25 a.m. Saturday, June 2, 2012, at her residence following a brave battle with breast cancer. Kim was born Oct. 24, 1955, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of Jack and Ella Nora Newell Shepherd...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Dawn M. Donachy, 47, of Perryville died Friday, June 1, 2012, at her residence in Perryville. She was born May 29, 1965, in Shawano, Wisc., daughter of Orville and Laverne Steffens Schaefer of Perryville. Dawn Donachy was an assembler at TG USA and a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church...

Sarah Antoinette "Sally" Burke, 86, passed away Friday, June 1, 2012, at home with her family in Jackson. She was born Nov. 20, 1925, in Colfax, Iowa, to Anton L. and Francisca M. Eickmann Horn. She and Thomas A. Burke Jr. were married Nov. 3, 1951, in Victor, Iowa. They moved from Iowa to Jackson in 1972 and had been married 42 years when Tom passed away May 9, 1994...

Route F in Cape Girardeau County between County Road 377 south and County Road 377 north will be closed Monday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the road.

NEW YORK -- The St. Louis Cardinals believe they are one inning away from an offensive outburst. They've been there ever since they arrived in New York. R.A. Dickey followed Johan Santana's no-hitter by shutting out the Cardinals, and David Wright homered to help the New York Mets win 5-0 on Saturday...

A roundup of American Legion and Senior Babe Ruth action from the area.

Kody Campbell has a busy summer planned, so he doesn't know how much he'll be able to play for the Plaza Tire Capahas. Expect Campbell to make as many games as he can based on how he has started his third season with the Capahas. Campbell belted home runs in each of the Capahas' first two contests to help Plaza Tire post two seven-inning run-rule routs over the visiting Valmeyer (Ill.) Lakers, including Saturday's 21-8 blistering...

Dustin Hunter enjoys playing for the Plaza Tire Capahas, and he was excited to get his first opening-night starting pitching assignment for the team. But forgive Hunter if he hopes his fourth season with the Capahas is a brief one. Hunter had a strong performance to help the Capahas kick off their 2012 campaign Friday night with a 15-1 rout of the visiting Valmeyer (Ill.) Lakers. The game was stopped after 6 1/2 innings because of the 10-run mercy rule...

LAS VEGAS -- Brian Dewhurst always knew he would be a circus act. The English performer was born into a family of knife throwers, jugglers and animal trainers. He made his professional debut on the European circus circuit at 13, with a boyhood education comprised of lessons in juggling, acrobatics, stilt walking and dancing on a tightrope. As an adult, he started his own circus troupe and entertained his two children by trimming the hedges while on stilts...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Even a century after one of the world's largest volcanic eruptions, a strong wind still whips up the ash that rained down on what became known as Alaska's Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Pumice chunks still dot the beaches of Kodiak Island across Shelikof Strait...

MALDEN, Mo. -- The kind hearted and soft spoken man many know around town, comes out of his shell when he steps onto a stage and picks up his guitar. Narvel Felts is a local who grew up in Powe, Mo. and has lived in Malden since April 30, 1962 when he and his wife Loretta were married. ...

By Heather Short More than 140 "good Samaritan" community members invest their personal time volunteering to read with students in local elementary schools with the Read to Succeed program. The Read to Succeed program is a reading intervention program sponsored by United Way of Southeast Missouri GRACES Women's Council. ...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A shooting victim is in St. Francis Medical Center for treatment of a non-life threatening gunshot wound and the suspect in the shooting is in the Butler County Jail. About 11 p.m. Friday, Butler County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported domestic dispute between a father and his stepson at a residence at 50 Haystack Lane...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Crystal Ellison helps her nephew Izzy cast into the pond at Cape County Park North Sunday afternoon, June 3, 2012. Ellison said they had caught 3 fish in just 45 minutes....

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- While most people would welcome a pay raise, the idea terrifies some Missouri parents who stand to lose thousands of dollars a month in day care subsidies if their incomes increase even the slightest bit. To address the problem, the legislature passed a bill on the final day of the session that creates a pilot program geared toward parents who often have to turn down raises because the loss of child care help would be devastating. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon visited every veterans nursing home in the state this past week to proclaim the good news: A new law will provide a dedicated funding source for the state-run homes, ensuring that aging and ailing military heroes can receive the care they need for years to come...

How important are good roads to you? This is one of several questions the Blue Ribbon Citizen's Committee on Missouri's Transportation Needs is asking Missourians to think about. Dexter's City Administrator Mark Stidham co-chairs the committee alongside Rod Jetton and Bill McKenna as well as 18 others from across the state...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, right, poses for a photo at Celebrations in Cape Girardeau Sunday, June 3, 2012 with the three Eighth Congressional District students she nominated to the nation's service academies. ...

As the Cape Girardeau City Council moves ahead with plans to implement an urban deer hunting program, the leader of the group that opposes it says he's done trying to reason with them. He's considering taking his case to voters. "I'm thinking if they are really hard headed enough to push this through, that's probably going to have to be our next step," said Stephen Stigers, who leads Cape Friends of Wildlife. ...

This makes me want to be a kid again to see the world in their eyes.

Mason has set his eyes on being a paleontologist since the age of two!

Barb Blanchard's love for gardening stemmed from picking bouquets of flowers from her grandmother's English flower garden when she was a little girl. Blanchard is the co-chair of the Rose Garden Board of Directors and has volunteered her time to the Rose Garden in Capaha Park since 1969, becoming one of its biggest advocates and keeping the City of Roses true to its former name...

I met an extraordinary artist this month. His name is Abram, and Abram is a 2 year old Rottweiler from Scott City Missouri that is showing his watercolor paintings at The Painted Wren Gallery for the month of June. I did not know what to expect on hearing about the paintings that a local dog in the area did watercolor paintings. ...

A newly hatched baby Cardinal in the yard of Fred and Sherry Lange. We will all watch this tiny baby bird grow into a beautiful adult Cardinal.

Bill was asked to plant thousands of bulbs for a friend, and this is what she sees outside her front windows. Awesome!

Maxx might be one of the most relaxed cats in all of Southeast Missouri. He looks like a giant marshmallow and acts like one as well. One of Maxx's favorite thing to do is sleep. He does it quite well. He also is an avid mouse hunter and laser chaser. This could be one of the reasons why he sleeps so much. He does scratch the furniture sometimes, but it's hard to stay mad at a cross-eyed, lovable feline!...

The City of Jackson Independence Day Celebration Committee has worked since last year to figure out what will attract more people to City Park on July 4. A more elaborate fireworks display, a beer garden and the much-anticipated return of mud volleyball are planned as part of a full day of holiday events...

Jason Chavez jokes that he's "29 going on 40." But Chavez still has a youthful right arm, which he displayed during Sunday's opener of a doubleheader between the host Plaza Tire Capahas and Perryville Longhorns. Chavez pitched a one-hit shutout to help the Capahas roll 8-0. They completed the sweep with an 11-1 romp. Both games were scheduled for seven innings, but the nightcap was stopped in the bottom of the sixth because of the 10-run rule...

In April, the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission included Hanover Lutheran School as one of the city's 10 most endangered buildings as the church that owned it weighed its fate. Looks like the old one-room school house can be taken off the list...

Today is Monday, June 4, the 156th day of 2012. There are 210 days left in the year. Today's highlight in history: On June 4, 1942, the World War II Battle of Midway began, resulting in a decisive American victory against Japan and marking the turning point of the war in the Pacific...

Some claim to make you look and feel younger. Others boast of improving health, spurring weight loss or leading to a longer life. The supplement and vitamin aisle can be an overwhelming place. Pharmacists Abe Funk of John's Pharmacy and Kevin Wood of Broadway Prescription Shop offer some tips for finding the right vitamins and supplements...

Your local senior center is more than a place to have lunch. It's a place to share stories and memories, talk current events and get to know your peers. Whether you come to eat or hang out all afternoon, senior centers have plenty of hands-on activities: A weekly craft group makes table decorations to brighten the center's dining room, and a quilting group makes quilts that are raffled off at fundraisers. ...

We've all seen them. Groups of ladies "of a certain age" donning bright red hats and purple clothing. They pop up at restaurants, concerts and shopping malls, among other places. We've also seen the Red Hat merchandise, from lapel pins to Christmas ornaments to luggage tags, for sale in boutiques and catalogs...

Ever find yourself saying, "I wish I had a talent," or "I'm terrible with arts and crafts?" Wish no more. Whether you're just beginning or a little more advanced, several Cape Girardeau shops provide opportunities to flex your creative muscles. Creative Ewe Pottery...

At this point in your life, you've probably already paid off your home mortgage or are close to it. If you've reached this stage and wish you had some of that money available for other expenses, a reverse mortgage might be an option. With a regular mortgage, you borrow money to buy a house, then make monthly payments and watch the balance go down. A reverse mortgage is just the opposite: You receive payments from the lender, and your balance goes up...

The Oran High School baseball team no doubt felt the weight of its town on its shoulders. Making the school's 11th appearance in a state's final four, the Eagles desperately wanted to bring home the school's first state title. Like the teams before it, Oran's baseball team came up just a bit short. Oran lost 3-2 in the state semifinal (in extra innings, no less) before winning the third-place game a day later...

On the 29th, I left my purse when leaving Qdoba. Two young women caught up to me to return it, and I was so rattled by leaving it, I forgot to say thank you. Thank you very much! I think everyone would agree this telemarketing needs to stop. There are people who need to sleep through the day and other factors. This nonsense needs to stop...

O Father God, may we walk in the light as you are in the light. Amen.

There's some good news behind the discouraging headlines on the economy: Gas is getting cheaper. At least two states had stations selling gas for $2.99 on Friday. A plunge in oil prices has knocked more than 30 cents off the price of a gallon of gas in most parts of the U.S. since early April. The national average is now $3.61. Experts predict further declines in the next few weeks...

Belladona Salon & Spa has added several new employees to their City Centre location. Among these additions are: stylist Christie Lind, who is certified colorist for Italy Hair Color; esthetician Martha Parsons-Wakin; makeup artist Ashley Taylor; and licensed massage therapist Debbera Miller. Carissa Heath has also joined the staff at the Park West Centre location. She is a stylist, nail technician and makeup artist...

OAK LAWN, Ill. -- A wig-wearing man broke into a suburban Chicago bank vault and nearly made off with $100,000 but got stuck in an air duct and had to be cut out hours later, authorities said Sunday. Charles Estell, 38, was found early Sunday hiding in an air duct in an office next to the bank, according to Oak Lawn police spokesman Michael Kaufmann...

LOS ANGELES -- A new poll finds California voters are experiencing buyers' remorse over a proposed $68 billion bullet train project, as the number of lawsuits against the rail system grows. Fifty-five percent of voters want to see the high-speed rail bond issue that was approved in 2008 back on the ballot, and 59 percent say they would now vote against it, according to the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times survey published Saturday...

BEIRUT -- Syrian President Bashar Assad defended his government's crackdown on opponents Sunday, saying a doctor performing messy emergency surgery does not have blood on his hands if he is trying to save a patient. In his first speech since January, Assad appeared unmoved by scathing international criticism of his ferocious response to the 15-month-old revolt against his rule, which has killed up to 13,000 people, according to activist groups. ...

WASHINGTON -- Two months before Egyptian police stormed the offices of U.S.-backed democracy organizations last year, seven Egyptian employees resigned from one of the American groups to protest what they called undemocratic practices. They complained that the U.S. ...

Simply Lovely Artistry & His Blessings Books Consignment Shop is now open at 3184 High Street at Hubble Creek Antiques in Jackson. The shop features crafts, collectibles and home decor, as well as new and used Christian books. "My family makes all different types of scarves and keepsake items," said owner Sara Bohnert of Altenberg, Mo. "People give us their old clothing; we make a remembrance for a person by turning their things into things they can wear or use to decorate their home."...

ANKARA, Turkey -- A Turkish court Friday formally charged an internationally known pianist and composer with insulting Islamic religious values in comments he made on Twitter. The court in Istanbul voted to approve an indictment against Fazil Say, who has played piano with the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, National Orchestra of France and Tokyo Symphony...

Son to Michael Lee and Diane Marie Huntington of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 3:05 p.m. Friday, May 25, 2012. Name, Samuel Edmond. Weight, 6 pounds, 15 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Huntington is the former Diane Griffith, daughter of Robert Griffith and Mary Griffith of Cape Girardeau. She is a teacher at Immaculate Conception School. Huntington is the son of Carol Magoc of St. Louis. He is manager at Phoenicia...

Three of five park fee measures were approved by Cape Girardeau voters Tuesday in an election marked by confusion over vote totals in which the outcome changed three times; 17 hours after the initial tabulation of votes, the final outcome was announced; measures to increase golf course and Arena Building usage fees and to establish recreation program fees were approved...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:...

William M. "Jack" Vaughan Jr., 90, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 2, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Vaughan was born June 28, 1921, in Vermillion County, Ind., to William M. and Mabel Willis Vaughan. He and Erma Jean Malugen were married March 31, 1967, at Sikeston, Mo...

Alberta Mae Heimbaugh, 89, went to her eternal heavenly home Friday, June 1, 2012. Alberta passed away at her home of more than 60 years. She was the ninth child of Louis J. and Elizabeth Mueller Riske, born May 5, 1923, at Elmont, Mo. She had eight sisters and two brothers...

Basil "Mr. B" Barnes, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 3, 2012, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. To leave online condolences, visit www.crainsonline.com.

Well, Jo Ann Emerson did it again. She was the only Missouri Republican to vote to keep the union monopoly on military contracts. It's our money and I would like to have contracts done by the lowest competent bidder -- union or not. Jo Ann also co-sponsored the bill that will bail out bankrupt union pensions. I don't care what kind of benefits a union negotiates, just don't make me pay for them...

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

NEW YORK -- Jonathon Niese struck out a career-high 10 over six scoreless innings, and the New York Mets shut down the slumping St. Louis Cardinals for the third straight game. The Mets got a homer and three RBIs from rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis in a 6-1 victory Sunday night...

The Ford & Sons Cape Girardeau Senior American Legion Post 63 baseball team hit two home runs and beat visiting Marion (Ark.) 6-3 on Sunday. Cape's victory was part of the inaugural Ford & Sons Showcase at Central High School that featured seven games over two days...

The building that houses the Cape River Heritage Museum is a piece of history itself. "The building used to be a police and fire station," says John Holcomb, president of the museum's board. "It was built in 1908 and used until the police moved to a new station at Sprigg and Independence (streets)."...

Southeast Missouri State should be represented well during baseball's amateur draft that begins today with the first round, followed by rounds two through 15 on Tuesday and rounds 16 through 40 on Wednesday. Junior pitcher Shae Simmons is a virtual lock to be selected. Baseball America has the Scott City High School graduate ranked as the 446th best draft prospect, which could place him in the top 15 rounds or so...

Although Illers Top of the Hill Berry Farm in Millersville is only open for picking a few weeks each year, it's a year-round job for Don Illers. "You prune, you spray, you fertilize, there's something to do just about all year long. There's more than people realize," said Illers, who's been growing berries for 31 years...

The Jackson Board of Aldermen on Monday night heard a grievance from a local business owner who said the city's parks are in "terrible shape."

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- A 47-year-old Southeast Missouri man has pleaded guilty to killing two elderly couples whose bodies were found in their burned-out homes two years ago. David Youngblood, of Doniphan, was charged with murder in the June 2010 deaths of his aunt and uncle, 80-year-old Irene and 77-year-old Loyd Piatt. He was also charged with killing 81-year-old Edgar Atkinson and 69-year-old Bonnie Chase, who were found dead three weeks later in their burned-out home in Current View...

A circuit court judge Monday sentenced the man accused of assaulting Advance, Mo., police chief Donnie Bohnsack to three years in prison.

Clay Waller, the man accused of killing his estranged wife Jacque Waller in Cape Girardeau County last year, was arraigned on a murder charge Monday. Circuit Court Judge Gary Kamp set a preliminary hearing in the case for 9 a.m. July 25. Clay Waller's case was also assigned to the public defender's office...

Local audiences will have an opportunity to see a New York cabaret when area native and cancer survivor, Tom Vaughn, brings to town his highly acclaimed, "Trail of Cheers." During National Cancer Survivors' Week, on June 7 and 8, Vaughn will perform at Port Cape Girardeau with a following show June 14 at The Hickory Log in Dexter, the town his parents and generations of Vaughns call home...

Modern Woodmen has partnered with American Red Cross and the Salvation Army to provide money to the victims of the recent disasters that have plagued our area. We are holding an event in the Jackson City Park as a Family Fun Festival. We will have a raffle for a weather radio, washer tournament, horseshoe tournament, food stands, face painting, and much more...

Jonathan Russell Sarno, son of Dr. and Mrs. Wayne A. Sarno, graduated from Mizzou College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, magna cum laude on May 12. 2012. During his time at Mizzou, Mr. Sarno accomplished many goals. He was Resident advisor for 2 years, was invited to join 2 honor societies, participated and was very active in the Newman Club. ...

Sunset before storm on Monday 6-4-2012

Jeremy James Sarno graduated May 23, 2012, a 2LT in the United States Air Force, in Colorado Springs. While attending the academy, Jeremy majored in biology and received a Bachelor of Science degree. Lt Sarno attained Commandant's list among other honors during his 4 years. ...

Fourteen Southeast Missouri highway bridges chosen in May to be painted as part of their ongoing maintenance programs will have to wait until at least August before they get face-lifts. The delay stems from small intruders, swallows that nest under the structures...

Mayor Harry Rediger is having second thoughts. As the Cape Girardeau City Council continues to try to fine-tune a proposal that would allow urban deer hunting in the city limits, Rediger said Monday night that he is not as certain about the plan as he was. Once a firm supporter, Rediger said he's now unsure how he will vote when a final ordinance is complete...

Photograph of Venus passing between the Earth and the Sun. Viewed from Cape County Park

ST. LOUIS -- A hot, dry spring has led to drought conditions for much of Missouri, and lawns and grass are taking a beating. St. Louis typically gets 4.7 inches of rain in May, but the metropolitan area received only 1.7 inches last month, making it the 15th driest May in 140 years of record-keeping by the National Weather Service, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported...

ST. LOUIS -- Nearly 30 years after Times Beach, Mo., was evacuated in one of the nation's most notorious environmental disasters, scientists with the Environmental Protection Agency are returning to the site for a new round of soil sampling. EPA officials expect the examination to confirm that the Times Beach site, now Route 66 State Park, is free of concerning levels of dioxin, spokesman Chris Whitley said Monday. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Wyoming company that processes horse meat for human consumption is considering opening a plant in western Missouri after cost considerations and local opposition stalled plans for another location in the state. Sue Wallis, a Wyoming state representative and CEO of Unified Equine LLC, said the company has found a former beef processing plant in a rural area along a state highway that could be retrofitted for horse slaughter, but she declined to name the location because the property deal is not complete.. ...

The contractor that is overseeing the $4.5 million Broadway corridor project will be closing Broadway from the west side of Spanish Street intersection to just to the east of the Fountain Street intersection today beginning at about 10 a.m., city officials said. The stretch of Broadway should reopen after 6 p.m. Wednesday...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission on Monday tabled a request for personnel changes by the collector's office pending clarification of how salary changes would affect county budgets. County Collector Diane Diebold approached the commission to ask for salary adjustments for two employees, one who was relocated from Jackson to the county's satellite office in Cape Girardeau and one who would be moving from part time to full time...

Today is Tuesday, June 5, the 157th day of 2012. There are 209 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 5, 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel after claiming victory in California's Democratic presidential primary. Gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was immediately arrested...

Veterans are giving folks. Service in defense of country is a noble calling, and many men and women have answered this call -- some completing multiple deployments overseas. When these heroes return home, many want to continue a lifestyle of service. The Mission Continues, a St. Louis-based veterans program, has stepped up to help veterans with this ambition continue giving to their communities...

Thanks for the detailed essay on the growth of cotton in Missouri. (Bootheel farmers boost cotton acres, Southeast Missourian, by Melissa Miller, May 29, 2012, pages 1A and 5A.) However, there is a major oversight in the article. It emphasizes that five counties in the Bootheel raise cotton and names them as Pemiscot, Dunklin, New Madrid, Scott and Stoddard...

If you think President Obama is a bad president, thank your lucky stars that Mrs. Hillary Clinton didn't get in there because they'd be teaching the kids about gay marriage in the schools now. When is the Cape Girardeau Police Department going to start cleaning our parks up around here? I am trying to take my kids to swing and you've got some dude pulling out a marijuana cigarette right in front of them. ...

O Lord God, may our faith in you bear fruit. Amen.

NEW YORK -- Starbucks Corp. is looking to offer a more tempting menu, with a $100 million cash deal to buy a small bakery chain. The Seattle-based coffee shop chain says baked goods from La Boulange will start replacing its current lineup early next year, starting with French pastries such as the croissant. Products will start appearing in Bay Area stores first then roll out nationally...

WASHINGTON -- Faced with a fizzling job market, many economists have turned more pessimistic and no longer think U.S. economic growth will accelerate later this year. Friday's surprisingly bleak jobs report for May followed a spate of weak U.S. economic data last week. Manufacturing activity slowed, an index of home contracts fell and consumer confidence tumbled. Mounting troubles in Europe and elsewhere have heightened economists' concerns...

CHICAGO -- Doctors have successfully dropped the first "smart bomb" on breast cancer, using a drug to deliver a toxic payload to tumor cells while leaving healthy ones alone. In a key test involving nearly 1,000 women with very advanced disease, the experimental treatment extended by several months the time women lived without their cancer getting worse, doctors planned to report June 3 at a cancer conference in Chicago...

If you're 65 years of age or older, are generally fit and have no limiting health conditions, you can follow these guidelines:Older adults need at least: Two and 1/2 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week, AND...

WASHINGTON -- "Maxed out on the medications" is how Bill Ezzell describes his struggle with blood pressure. It's dangerously high even though the North Carolina man swallows six drugs a day. Hypertension may be the nation's sneakiest epidemic, a time bomb that's a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure, and one that's growing worse as the population rapidly grows older...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A 20-year member of the Missouri Supreme Court has announced his resignation effective Aug. 1. Judge William Ray Price Jr. told Gov. Jay Nixon in a letter Monday he's leaving the high court to return to private legal practice...

Daughter to Anthony Graves Batton and April Renea Crites of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 10:58 a.m. Monday, May 28, 2012. Name, Joliene Courtney Inez. Weight, 6 pounds, 12 ounces. First child. Ms. Crites is the daughter of Tim Crites and Marlene Crites of Jackson. She is employed in the deli at Country Mart. Batton is the son of Jerry Klette and Tami Gilbert of Cape Girardeau. He is employed at Casey's General Store...

Construction of the 150-bed, $8.5 million Missouri Veterans Home in northwest Cape Girardeau should begin early next spring and will have a major impact in the area when completed, said Ron Norris, director of the Missouri Division of Design and Construction, speaking at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday:...

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

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Valerie Fay Higgins, 65, of Cunningham, Ky., formerly of Mounds, died Monday, June 4, 2012, at her home. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until time of service Wednesday at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Ill. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Aaron Burnett officiating. Burial will be in Cache Chapel Cemetery east of Ullin, Ill...

Heaven received an angel Sunday, June 3, 2012, when Basil Lee Barnes, 76, passed away in Cape Girardeau, with his family by his side. He was born Jan. 18, 1936, in West Frankfort, Ill., to Virgil and Golda Barnes, and was the second oldest of five children. He attended Frankfort Community High School...

LONDON -- Elton John sang "I'm Still Standing," Stevie Wonder crooned "Isn't She Lovely," and Paul McCartney sent "All My Loving" as musical royalty celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 60-year reign with a concert outside Buckingham Palace on Monday. But the joy was tempered by news that the queen's husband, Prince Philip, had been hospitalized with a bladder infection...

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Police dogs sniffed for dead bodies Monday in the rubble of buildings destroyed when an airliner crashed into them, killing all 153 aboard, as cranes lifted away heavy pieces of debris in the grisly aftermath of Nigeria's worst air disaster in nearly two decades...

BERLIN -- A Canadian porn actor suspected of murdering and dismembering a Chinese student and mailing his body parts to Canada's top political parties was reading about himself on the Internet when he was arrested Monday at a cafe in Berlin. Canadian investigators say 29-year-old Luka Magnotta's obsessions led him to post Internet videos of his killing kittens, then a man, and finally to his arrest at the cafe where he had spent two hours reading media coverage of himself...

JERUSALEM -- When Sandra Tamari arrived at Israel's international airport, she received an unusual request: A security agent pushed a computer screen in front of her, connected to Gmail and told her to "log in." The agent, suspecting Tamari was involved in pro-Palestinian activism, wanted to inspect her private email account for incriminating evidence. The 42-year-old American of Palestinian descent refused and was swiftly expelled from the country...

WASHINGTON -- NASA has received a gift from an unexpected source -- the nation's satellite spy agency. The space agency confirmed Monday that it has received a pair of giant identical telescopes from the National Reconnaissance Office, which oversees the country's constellation of spy satellites. NASA says the spy agency built them and then decided it didn't need them. The transfer last summer was only recently declassified...

Wesley Stoverink and Mike DaVault teamed to win the SEMO Horseshoe Association's 20-team tournament at the Scott City Knights of Columbus. Jeff Miller and Terrie Rose finished second, while Dale Burger and Lachelle Cook were third. The team of Ron LeGrand and Kelcee DaVault won the 16-team tournament at the Leopold Knights of Columbus...

Camps Southeast camps: Southeast Missouri State will hold a variety of sports camps beginning in June. Camps offered will be for baseball, men's and women's basketball, football, gymnastics, soccer, softball and volleyball. All the camp information can be found on the Southeast athletics department website at gosoutheast.com...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals had five picks on the first day of the draft, partly thanks to Albert Pujols' free agent departure for the Angels. They loaded up on college talent. The World Series champions took Texas A&M right-hander Michael Wacha with the 19th overall pick and took three more college players before selecting Texas high school catcher Steve Bean with the 59th pick Monday night...

Jamie Brant earned the win on the mound in the Chaffee Senior Babe Ruth baseball team's 11-3 victory in six innings over Jackson Senior Babe Ruth. Brant added a double at the plate Monday. Cole Hanna went 2 for 3 in the win. C.J. McAlister suffered the loss for Jackson...

NEW YORK -- Mike Matheny tried all sorts of things to snap the Cardinals out of their hitting funk. The St. Louis manager let his players show up late to the ballpark. He gave Yadier Molina a rare chance to bat cleanup. He encouraged star Carlos Beltran to swing away at a 3-0 pitch...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Highway 34 between Highway 49 and County Road 454 in Wayne County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make repairs to the bridge over the Black River. Weather permitting, work will be performed Monday through June 14 from 6:30 a.m. ...

HANOI, Vietnam -- "If Dad calls, tell him I got too close to being dead but I'm O.K. I was real lucky. I'll write again soon." That poignant message never reached the mother of Army Sgt. Steve Flaherty. He was killed in Vietnam in 1969 before he could mail the letters he was carrying, including one he might have been writing when he died. The letters were taken by the Vietnamese after his death, U.S. officials said in releasing excerpts on Monday...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Highway 77 between U.S. 61 and Route W in Scott County will be reduced to one lane today and Wednesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulder repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near the area. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636 or visit www.modot.org/southeast...

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- Six months after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan sent four aircraft carriers to the tiny Pacific atoll of Midway to draw out and destroy what remained of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. But this time the U.S. knew about Japan's plans. U.S. cryptologists had cracked Japanese communications codes, giving Fleet Commander Adm. Chester Nimitz notice of where Japan would strike, the day and time of the attack, and what ships the enemy would bring to the fight...

Summer is a busy time in Jackson. Activity in the park picks up a great deal with baseball and softball league games going on. With two grandchildren participating in those leagues, I am one of those spending extra time in the park in the summer. The swimming pool opened May 26. It is a popular spot in the summer. For questions about the swimming pool or for swim lesson information, call 243-8343...

NEW YORK -- Though Facebook bans children under 13, millions of them have profiles on the site by lying about their age. The company is now testing ways to allow those children to participate without needing to lie. This would likely be under parental supervision, such as by connecting children's accounts to their parents' accounts...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Richard Dawson brought a saucy, unabashedly touchy-feely style to TV game shows as host of "Family Feud." The British-born entertainer, who died Saturday at age 79 from complications related to esophageal cancer at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, earlier had made his mark in the unlikely 1960s sitcom hit "Hogan's Heroes," which mined laughs from a Nazi POW camp whose prisoners hoodwink their captors and run the place themselves...

NAME: John D. Weiler AGE: 61 PLACE OF BIRTH: Perryville, Mo SPOUSE, CHILDREN'S NAMES: None EDUCATION: BFA degree in Industrial-Environmental Design, AAS degree in Architectural Technology, Certificate in Machine Tool/CNC Technology and Certificate in Automotive Maintenance Technology...

NAME: Tammy Sladek AGE: 47 PLACE OF BIRTH: Jackson, Missouri (and have been a lifetime resident of Cape Girardeau County) SPOUSE, CHILDREN'S NAMES: Tom Sladek - spouse of 28 years Michael and Jessica Sladek - son and daughter in law Bryan Sladek - son...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Highway 77 in Scott County will be reduced to one lane between Route W and Route A today and Thursday, as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make shoulder repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily...

Make and model: 1992 S10 4-Door Blazar Owner(s): Brandon McArthur Owner's hometown: Jackson, MO Rock Crawler with a Turbo 400. One of kind Blazar. My car's name: The Short Bus My truck will go places few have the nerve to try. I have lots of fun climbing rocks, playing in water and mud with my family and friends. Love to go to Outlaw and Bricks, too...

NEW YORK -- Sheryl Crow revealed that she has a benign brain tumor, but her rep says it's nothing to be alarmed about. The 50-year-old told an audience about her condition at a recent concert, but her representative, Christine Wolff, said it's very common...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Turnout was low for the vote to redirect Marble Hill's half-cent sales tax toward the general fund instead of toward capital improvements, and the vote to defeat it was close: 40 no votes, 35 yes. Mayor Michael Sowers said the issue will be brought to the board of aldermen at next week's meeting. He said he will recommend that the voters be asked to consider the issue again in August...

A court appearance has been rescheduled for a former Cape Girardeau teacher accused of a January assault on a student in a downtown parking lot. Roman D. Smith, 32, will appear before Judge Michael Bullerdieck for a pretrial conference at 1:30 p.m. June 20 at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson. The appearance was originally scheduled for today...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- An Austin, Texas, man is in custody after 300 pounds of marijuana was allegedly discovered in his vehicle. Michael S. McHale, 42, was arrested Saturday on a charge of second-degree drug trafficking. According to the probable-cause statement provided by New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney Lewis Recker, McHale's vehicle was stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer Saturday on Interstate 55 after it was seen following another vehicle too closely and having a window tint violation.. ...

DIEHLSTADT, Mo. -- An EF-2 tornado with winds up to 115 miles per hour ripped through southeastern Scott County Monday night, tearing apart a mobile home along Highway 77, killing an elderly man and his two grown sons.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A Bollinger County man is in police custody, accused of kidnapping and second-degree domestic assault. According to the Bollinger County Sheriff Department's probable-cause statement, Robert J. Reynolds, 29, became angry with his girlfriend Friday at their residence in Bollinger County. ...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A 55-year-old Marble Hill man being held in the Bollinger County Jail on seven charges, including assault on a law enforcement officer, reportedly killed himself in his cell early Tuesday morning.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Two teenagers were killed and one was seriously injured when their vehicle was struck by a train in southern Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident happened early Tuesday at a railroad crossing in Butler County...

Visitors taking in the beautiful blooms at the Capaha Park Rose Garden will soon have a new path beneath their feet. Members of the Rose Garden's board of directors have been selling engraved granite pavers to line the new "Walkway of Honor" path for the past year in an effort to raise funds for the garden's continued care...

Our dog (Duke) always lays on our son to get him to wake up in the morning!

been riding all day in the heat , decided to take a break.. Debbie Essner with Haskell Sheeks

Bob Parker knows he's not going to outraise her. So he plans to outwork her. The Texas County farmer was in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, again attacking U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's conservative credentials in his second attempt to unseat the 16-year incumbent Republican...

Venus at sunset on the evening of 6/5/12.

Venus eclipse at sunset of 6/5/12. Taken from Cape County Park North.

Today is Wednesday, June 6, the 158th day of 2012. There are 208 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 6, 1944, during World War II, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on "D-Day," beginning the liberation of German-occupied western Europe...

If you spent Memorial Day weekend in Southeast Missouri you probably saw numerous displays of patriotism. While the weekend is considered an unofficial start to summer, the real meaning is to honor those who gave their all in defense of this great country. Several events in the area were held to do just that...

Just wanted to say I am against the killing of the deer in Cape Girardeau. They are God's creatures the same as we are. Why not take the advice of the Speak Out caller and feed them contraceptives instead. This would be a much more humane way to cut their numbers down. ...

My wife and I eat frequently at Burger King on Broadway and were pleasantly and kindly treated by another customer recently. He was there for lunch also and came by our table and laid down several dollar bills to pay for lunch. He said to my husband, I saw you blessed your food before eating and it really made me feel good. And I want to thank you. We were really touched by this kind expression...

The deadline to submit your nomination for the Southeast Missourian's Spirit of America Award is quickly approaching. Readers in Cape Girardeau, Perry, Bollinger, Stoddard and Scott counties in Missouri, and Union, Pulaski and Alexander counties in Illinois are invited to submit nominations. ...

The pope last week proposed that rich families should help poor people in other countries. His charitable message was well received. But surely he wasn't speaking to the United States. Through our foreign aid program, the United States is hands-down the most charitable country in history. Our nation provides well over $55 billion in annual foreign aid and most of that is for economic support to help feed those who cannot feed themselves...

O Heavenly Father, may we live our lives pleasing to you in all ways. Amen.

NEW YORK -- The nation's school districts are turning up their noses at "pink slime," the beef product that caused a public uproar earlier this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the vast majority of states participating in its National School Lunch Program have opted to order ground beef that doesn't contain the product known as lean finely textured beef...

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court refused Tuesday to reconsider a landmark ruling by two of its member judges that struck down California's ban on same-sex marriage, a move that finally puts the voter-approved measure on a long-anticipated path to the U.S. Supreme Court...

NEW YORK -- As world leaders searched for a way out of Europe's mounting debt crisis, U.S. investors moved to the sidelines. The major market indexes closed modestly higher after wavering between slight gains and losses throughout the morning. Trading volume was light and the stock moves were small. In Europe, markets were mixed...

GENEVA -- Syria has agreed to allow humanitarian workers and supplies into four of its provinces hit hardest by violence, a promise of some relief in a nation where 1 million people need aid urgently due to the fighting, officials said Tuesday...

SANAA, Yemen -- Yemen's army battled al-Qaida militants in two contested southern towns, killing at least 26, the country's Defense Ministry said Tuesday, part of its weeks-long offensive against the militants. In a separate development, sectarian clashes in northern Yemen have left at least 16 dead over the past two days...

LONDON -- Pealing church bells, artillery salutes and crowds cheering "God save the queen!" greeted Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday, the last of four days of Diamond Jubilee celebrations honoring her 60 years on the throne. The queen was without Prince Philip, her husband of 64 years, who was hospitalized Monday for treatment of a bladder infection...

MOSCOW -- Russia's lower house of parliament approved a bill Tuesday that would raise the fine for participating in an unauthorized protest 150 times. If, as expected, the bill becomes law, protesters whose rallies aren't officially sanctioned will face fines of up to $9,000, up from the current $60...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a Democratic bill calling for equal pay in the workplace. But President Barack Obama and his congressional allies aren't finished appealing to women on the No. 1 concern for all voters: the cash in their wallets on the heels of recession...

WASHINGTON -- Former president Bill Clinton said Tuesday that broad tax cuts that expire in January should be temporarily renewed, including for the wealthiest Americans, to give lawmakers time to reach a deal on a longer-term extension that should exclude the rich...

Freda Jean Whiteside, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Jan. 24, 1935, near East Prairie, Mo., to Raymond and Mildred Mayberry Dick. She and J.F. Whiteside were married March 1, 1958, at Charleston, Mo...

Lillian E. Pohlman, 86, of Oak Ridge died Monday, June 4, 2012, at Independence Care Center of Perry County in Perryville, Mo. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 6:30 to 8 a.m. Friday at Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim, with the Rev. Roger Steinbrueck officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery...

William H. Pender, 70, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 3, 2012, at Fountainbleau Lodge. There will be no service. Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Brad Eyler and Kristen LeeAnn Licare of Jackson, Southeast Hospital, 8:17 a.m. Saturday, May 5, 2012. Name, Keaton Bradley. Weight, 6 pounds. Ms. Licare is the daughter of Lisa Licare and Scott Licare of Jackson. She is employed at Comfort Care. Eyler is the son of Mike Eyler of Washington, and Linda Essner and Mark Essner of Cape Girardeau...

Design location of a new, four-lane bridge over the Mississippi River connected to Interstate 55 by a new four-lane highway across Cape Girardeau has been approved by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission; while a new bridge here has long been discussed, this is the first disclosure by the department that it is considering a new highway to run east-west through the south-central part of town...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Federal regulators approved changes Tuesday to Ameren Missouri's boundaries at the Lake of the Ozarks, protecting 1,500 homes and businesses from possible removal. There has been controversy in the past year focused on the land near the lake that is formed by a hydroelectric project now operated by St. Louis-based Ameren Missouri. Land included in the project falls under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's authority. Other land does not...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route WW between County Road 476 and County Road 470 in Stoddard County will be closed Thursday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe beneath the roadway. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near the area...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's tax revenue is running a little ahead of projections heading into the final month of the state budget year. Figures released Tuesday by the state Office of Administration show general revenue is up 3.4 percent compared to 2011. That's ahead of the projected 2.7 percent growth upon which the 2012 budget was based...

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

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

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker beat back a recall challenge Tuesday, winning both the right to finish his term and a voter endorsement of his strategy to curb state spending, which included the explosive measure that eliminated union rights for most public workers...

Jackson will host an e-cycle event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 23 at the recycling center. The event provides Cape Girardeau County residents and businesses with an opportunity to dispose of obsolete and unusable electronic items, small and large appliances and other metal objects...

HONOLULU -- None of us will likely see Venus pass, like a moving beauty spot, across the face of the sun again. From the U.S. to South Korea, people around the world turned their attention to the daytime sky Tuesday, and early Wednesday in Asia, to make sure they caught the rare sight of the transit of Venus. The next one won't be for 105 years...

Two Ohio Valley Conference baseball players were selected in the first 15 rounds of the amateur draft.

HOUSTON -- Astros closer Brett Myers didn't expect to pitch Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals after Houston entered the ninth inning ahead by five runs. Myers quickly had to warm up after St. Louis put up two quick runs on a triple off David Carpenter...

One future and one former Southeast Missouri State women's basketball player are members of the New Zealand National Team with their sights set on the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Incoming guard Jordan Hunter and former forward Natalie Purcell recently made the final cut for the New Zealand National Team. The Tall Ferns travel to China this week for some games before their quest for London culminates with a qualifying tournament June 25 through July 1 in Turkey...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A U.S. drone strike in northern Pakistan has killed al-Qaida's second-in-command, American officials said Tuesday, the biggest success so far in the controversial military program and a significant setback to a terror network that has lost a string of top figures since the death of Osama bin Laden last year...

BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Connections with Penn State weren't necessarily keeping prospective jurors from being chosen Tuesday to decide former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's fate on child sexual abuse charges. After nine of the 12 main jurors were seated, their ranks included a longtime football season ticket holder, a rising senior in the university, a man with bachelor's and master's degrees from the university and a soil sciences professor who retired after 37 years there...

BOSTON -- Herb Reed, the last surviving original member of 1950s vocal group the Platters who sang on hits like "Only You" and "The Great Pretender," has died. He was 83. Reed died Monday in a Boston area hospice after a period of declining health that included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, manager Fred Balboni said...

NEW YORK (AP) -- A 200-point charge turned the Dow Jones industrial average positive for the year following a dismal stretch in May. The Dow surged 235 points to 12,363 less than an hour before the closing bell. The last time the Dow gained more than 200 points was March 13...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The mood was somber Tuesday night along the railroad tracks at the Wilcox Road crossing north of Poplar Bluff as about 125 people lit candles and remembered two teenagers killed earlier in the day when their sport-utility vehicle was struck by a train...

Scott City's Shae Simmons and Advance's Trenton Moses were selected during Wednesday's final day of the 40-round major league amateur draft.

DIEHLSTADT, Mo. -- A big effort was underway Wednesday to clean up damage Monday night's fatal storm left in the small southeastern Scott County town of Diehlstadt. By the end of Tuesday, a pile of fallen trees, limbs and other debris had formed. Several dump trucks hauled it away Wednesday, making a significant dent in clean up efforts, said Tom Beardslee, Scott County emergency management director...

Capaha Park and the Cape LaCroix Recreational Trail are two of the most popular spots in Cape Girardeau, enjoyed by thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year, Troy Vaughn says. That's why the chairman of the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board says that planned upgrades in the works for each facility need to be done right...

Peyton Redinger & Ricki Vaughan ran 2 miles for National Running Day. Taylor Vaughan ran with them & Eric (Red) Redinger took the picture.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The 55-year-old Marble Hill man who killed himself in the Bollinger County Jail early Tuesday morning had recently returned from a hospital after a failed suicide attempt, his attorney said Wednesday. Cape Girardeau lawyer Pat McMenamin said he was shocked that Charles Daniel Hovis was not under a suicide watch. McMenamin was representing Hovis on criminal charges...

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band kicked off its 112th regular season Wednesday night with a concert at the Capaha Park band shell.

Emily cut her "locks of love" to donate to Locks of Love in memory of her brother, Jacob Boyd.

Emily cut her "locks of love" to donate to Locks of Love in memory of her brother, Jacob Boyd. Picture of Jacob is from a Target calendar page. P.S. This is the 2nd of pics I sent for this story. Please use the one showing Jacob, if you can. Thanks...

For the past three weeks, several area schools and many classrooms at Southeast Missouri State University have played host to visitors from a faraway place. Four college students from Ukraine -- Kseniia Dabizha, Olena Melnyk, Tetyana Kucher and Tetiana Bondarenko -- said they've never visited a place like Cape Girardeau. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Tent. Sleeping bag. Backpack. Computer? Eleven Missouri state parks are now offering free wireless Internet access at campgrounds. And more could come online this summer. State Parks Director Bill Bryan says parks have long been great places to get away from a hectic schedule, but campers also have been asking to stay connected to the online world...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston City Council has picked what appears to be the lesser of two evils: accepting the Federal Emergency Management Agency's new flood plain maps. Council members approved an amended version of a bill accepting the maps during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday...

A Friday house fire in Cape Girardeau County caused extensive damage, with the total loss valued at $1 million, State Fire Marshal Greg Carrell said Wednesday. The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to a call Friday morning, reporting a house fire off County Road 206 in Cape Girardeau County...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The new head of the local Missouri Department of Natural Resources regional office is someone familiar to Southeast Missouri as he has spent much of his nearly 23-year career with the agency here. Jackson Bostic, who took over May 1, replaces Gary Gaines, who retired in February, the Daily American Republic reported. ...

Today is Thursday, June 7, the 159th day of 2012. There are 207 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On June 7, 1892, Homer Plessy, a "Creole of color," was arrested and fined for refusing to leave a whites-only car of the East Louisiana Railroad; his case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which at the time upheld "separate but equal" racial segregation, a concept overturned in 1954 by Brown v. Board of Education...

There are plenty of things outdoors to do this time of year, including several musical events. Here are a few worth checking out in the days and weeks ahead. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy some fun open air performances. For more information about these concerts and other local events, check out www.semoevents.com...

As our country approaches a new election this year, there are two issues that we have to come to grips with. No. 1, we have to quit spending more money then our government has. We have to reduce our debt. No. 2, and more importantly, we have to come back to God. ...

May you, Lord Jesus Christ, dwell in our hearts through faith. Amen.

Vincent Bertrand was ordained a priest yesterday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson, Bishop John J. Leibrecht conducting the service. The first in a series of community worship services is held in the evening at the band shell in Capaha Park; the United Methodist Churches of Cape Girardeau are in charge...

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

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

Freda Jean Whiteside, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Jan. 24, 1935, near East Prairie, Mo., to Raymond and Mildred Mayberry Dick. She and J.F. Whiteside were married March 1, 1958, at Charleston, Mo...

Patricia Anne Schlosser, 78, of Scott City died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Lillian E. Pohlman, 86, of Oak Ridge died Monday, June 4, 2012, at Independence Care Center of Perry County in Perryville, Mo. She was born Oct. 11, 1925, in Perry County, daughter of William and Esther Dede Aurich. She and Delmar F. Pohlman were married Jan. 6, 1946. He preceded her in death March 29, 2009...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Everett Emro Farmer, 93, of Kennett departed this life Saturday, June 2, 2012. He was born Jan. 16, 1919, in Charleston, Mo., son of Jerry C. and Ada Baker Farmer. He and Lois Gladish were married June 12, 1946, in Cape Girardeau...

Scholarships honors, achievements -- From staff reports Neil Kanneberg...

Use the sun and a few materials from around the house to help you cook your next meal. STEP 2: Carefully fold the flap back along the uncut edge to form a crease. STEP 3: Use the tape to secure a piece of aluminum foil to the inside of the cardboard flap...

ST. LOUIS -- Missouri's economy remained relatively flat last year, lagging behind the growth that occurred in much of the rest of the nation, according to figures from the U.S. Commerce Department. When adjusted for inflation, Missouri's economy in 2011 grew 0.04 percent compared with a national average of 1.5 percent. ...

LAGOS, Nigeria -- A Nigerian airline whose airplane crashed in the country's largest city, killing 153 on board and more on the ground, defended itself Wednesday against growing public criticism, saying its own chief engineer died on the doomed flight...

CAIRO -- Hosni Mubarak's health sharply deteriorated Wednesday, days after he was sentenced to life in prison, and specialists were evaluating whether to transfer him to a better-equipped hospital outside the penal system, security officials said...

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- North Korea's young leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday made his second speech at a major public event since taking power in December, addressing a children's rally aimed at winning a new generation's support. About 20,000 young people gathered at Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Stadium for a speech that capped an unprecedented six-day children's festival. ...

FRIDAY n Rock in Rock Garden @Jackson City Park Rock Garden, Jackson, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY Sunday NEXT WEEK "Rock of Ages," rated PG-13 @ Cape West 14 Cine starts midnight June 14 "That's My Boy," rated R @ Cape West 14 Cine starts midnight June 14...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy grew moderately in most regions of the country this spring and companies kept hiring, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. The mostly upbeat survey offered a hopeful sign after last week's more dismal data on hiring and manufacturing. Those reports sketched a picture of an economy that is slumping after a promising winter...

HAVERHILL, Mass. -- A Massachusetts teenager was sentenced Wednesday to spend a year in jail for a fatal traffic accident that happened while he was texting. Aaron Deveau of Haverhill was sentenced to 2 1/2 years behind bars with a year to serve and the remainder suspended for the February 2011 crash that took the life of Donald Bowley Jr., 55, of Danville, N.H., and seriously injured Bowley's girlfriend...

BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- A jury dominated by people with Penn State loyalties was selected Wednesday to decide Jerry Sandusky's fate in the child sexual abuse scandal that rocked the university and led to football coach Joe Paterno's downfall. The seven women and five men who will hear opening statements Monday include an engineering administrative assistant at Penn State, a dance teacher in the continuing education program and a professor who has been on the faculty for 24 years...

DETROIT -- At 118 miles per gallon, the Honda Fit electric vehicle is the most fuel-efficient in the United States. But getting that mileage isn't cheap -- and it isn't always good for the environment. Honda announced the figure Wednesday, making the small, four-door hatchback more efficient than electric rivals like the Ford Focus, Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV. It goes on the market this summer in Oregon and California...

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder is accepting nominations for the Veterans Service Award. The deadline to submit nominations is June 30. This award recognizes Missouri veterans who provide volunteer service to their communities. Nominees are required to have served or be currently serving in any branch of the U.S. ...

Jesse Schott has been on a home-run binge for the Ford & Sons Cape Girardeau Senior American Legion Post 63 baseball team. None of Schott's four homers so far this season was more important than Wednesday's at rival Jackson Post 158 in the first game of a doubleheader...

Justin Halter defeated John Austin Palmer in a putt-off to win the boys 14 to 19 nine holes division at the Gateway Junior PGA Series tournament at Kennett Country Club. Halter and Palmer both carded 59s. Amy Blattel defeated Adele Soutar in a putt-off to win the girls 14 to 19 nine holes division...

HOUSTON -- Allen Craig and Daniel Descalso homered to back Adam Wainwright, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Wednesday night. Descalso's homer came during a three-run first inning, and Craig connected in the third to make it 4-1. Craig also had an RBI single in the first...

Dear Editor, At the last Pachyderm meeting May 17, when commissioner candidate Jay Purcell was allowed the opportunity to present his candidacy, he truly showed his colors. Instead of showing his appreciation to the Pachyderms for the invitation, he came right out of the box combative and adversarial. ...

The Plaza Tire Capahas suffered their first loss of the season Wednesday night in their road opener. The St. Louis Golden Spikes hammered out 17 hits and took advantage of five errors to rout the Capahas 14-4. The game was stopped after 6 1/2 innings by the 10-run rule...

SAINTE-MARIE-DU-MONT, France -- With World War II-era military planes darting overhead and Normandy's Utah Beach visible in the distance, a bronze statue emerged from beneath a camouflage parachute, in tribute to a man whose quiet leadership was chronicled in the book and television series "Band of Brothers."...

SIKESTON, Mo. — Highway 77 in Scott County will be reduced to one lane between Route W and Route A today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make shoulder repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded a $525,000 contract Wednesday to Collins & Hermann Inc. of St. Louis for improvements to various roadways throughout Southeast Missouri. The project includes on-call guard cable and guardrail repair on U.S. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded a $1,067,054 contract Wednesday to Magruder Construction Co. Inc. of Eolia, Mo., to replace two bridges on U.S. 67 in Butler County. The bridges are north of Route MM near Neelyville, Mo., two miles south of the four-laning project that will be underway on U.S. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Ray Bradbury imagined the future, and didn't always like what he saw. In his books, the science fiction-fantasy master conjured a dark, depressing future where the government used fire departments to burn books in order to hold its people in ignorance and where racial hatred was so pervasive that some people left Earth for other planets...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- A woman now faces charges in connection with a shooting which left one person injured. Fonda Baxter, 31, of Steele, Mo., is charged with hindering prosecution and endangering the welfare of a child for her role following an April 9 shooting in Holland, Mo...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Dexter, Mo., hotel manager has been arrested following a dispute in which authorities say he brandished an ax. Hemant "Harry" S. Patel, 35, was charged with second-degree assault and armed criminal action Monday. According to a probable-cause affidavit, Dexter police officer Lori O'Dell received a report Sunday of a male subject wielding an ax at the Econolodge in Dexter...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Ripley County Prosecuting Attorney Monte Phillips resigned Wednesday citing an insufficient budget for his office as hampering his ability to fulfill his duties. He was elected in November 2010. Phillips, who emailed his resignation to the county commission, will leave office June 15, which is the last day Edward Thompson will serve as assistant prosecuting attorney...

On Saturday, the Southeast Missouri American Red Cross and Southeast Missouri Salvation Army chapters will hold a Family Fun Festival to benefit local victims of disasters...

ATLANTA -- Think your teen would never text while driving? More than half of high school seniors admitted in a government survey that they've done just that. It's the first time the question was asked in a teen poll on risky behavior, and the finding comes amid a renewed federal crackdown on distracted driving...

Dustin Oehl from the Arnsberg 4-H Club in Cape Girardeau County was elected to the Missouri State 4-H Council as the 2012-2013 State Council President. The retiring State 4-H Council President was Tyler Lappe who was also from the Arnsberg 4-H Club in Cape Girardeau County. This is the first time in the history of the State 4-H Council that two State Council Presidents from the same county have been elected in consecutive years...

Thirteen people, including three dentists, from Cape traveled to Croix des Bouquets, Haiti to establish a dental clinic from May 23 to May 27. Croix des Bouquets is a small village, which is forty five minute drive from Port Au Prince. The Cape Girardeau Zonta Club partners with the Haitian American Caucus to donate various items for their school and women's programs. ...

June is Dairy Month and the perfect time to salute local dairy farmers for the nutritious and delicious milk and dairy foods they produce. First observed in 1937 as National Milk Month, then as June Dairy Month, the designation highlights the importance of including dairy foods in the diet every day...

NACO, Honduras -- Capt. Charlie Legerwood, the S-4 supply officer with the 1140th Engineer Battalion, Headquarters, Headquarters Company, understands the concept of teaching and learning; and will use a little bit of both as he serves down in Honduras for his two-week annual training exercise in support of the Beyond the Horizons 2012 mission...

NACO, Honduras -- The Beyond the Horizons 2012 Honduras operation has passed the halfway point in the overall mission of providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Honduras. The changes and projects are coming together by the day, most notably the engineering projects around the area...

United Way and Old Town Cape joined the Braodway Construction today!

Students in some of Cape Girardeau's public school classrooms may be asked by their teachers to open and read from a computer instead of a textbook starting in August.

Smoldering tensions that had surrounded the Gordonville Volunteer Fire Department for several months may have erupted Wednesday night when the department's board voted to terminate its chief. Randy Morris, the chief for the past three years, said he was "just floored" by the board's decision...

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- A jury found the man accused in the death of a Cape Girardeau native guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday. Keayn Dunya was accused of killing his estranged wife, Kriston Peterman-Dunya, 32, on July 3. Because Keayn Dunya used a shotgun in the incident, the sentence for the murder is enhanced, officials in the Whatcom County prosecuting attorney's office said. Dunya, who is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. Monday, faces a minimum of 25 years in prison...

Isle of Capri has moved up the opening date for its Cape Girardeau Casino to no later than Nov. 1, two months ahead of its original schedule. The budget for the project has also been increased $10 million for a total of $135 million. These announcements were made this morning as the casino released its quarterly earnings...

Jackson police are investigating several incidents in which tires were slashed on vehicles in uptown Jackson overnight Tuesday. A log of incidents compiled by the police department and sent to media outlets Thursday morning included reports of property damage on West Main, West Adams, South Hope and other streets in the uptown area...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Puyallup, Wash., resident will return to court next week on charges stemming from a fatal shooting. Following this week's preliminary hearing for Andra R. Phillips, 34, the court determined there was sufficient evidence of Phillips' involvement in the shooting death of Gregory Gary, also of Puyallup. Gary was found dead April 10 in Charleston from an apparent gunshot wound to the abdomen...

A man was hospitalized after a car struck the motorcycle he was riding on William Street on Thursday afternoon. About 5:45 p.m., the unidentified rider was northbound on Mount Auburn Road on a red and silver Harley-Davidson when he crossed William Street, Cape Girardeau police said. A westbound black Ford Fusion ran a red light and struck the motorcycle, police said...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The investigation is continuing into the death of an inmate at the New Madrid County Jail. John Wayne Reynolds Jr., 49, died around 8 p.m. Tuesday after he was assaulted by other inmates at the jail, according to New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens...

KRCU radio's development director will soon take over a new role in the university community. Amanda Lincoln, development director with KRCU radio, was recently named director of development with the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation, according to a university news release...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri education officials are planning adjustments to the state's school funding formula in hopes of preventing drastic swings in the amount distributed among the state's more than 500 school districts. Shortfalls in the formula have prompted concerns that money distribution problems will lead to a significant boost for some districts while others suffer. ...

ST. LOUIS -- As the Missouri Supreme Court decides whether to set execution dates for six condemned killers, attorneys for death row inmates are citing concerns over the state's new one-drug lethal injection method as among the reasons why the executions should not proceed...

Today is Friday, June 8, the 160th day of 2012. There are 206 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 8, 1972, during the Vietnam War, a South Vietnamese Air Force jet dropped a napalm bomb onto the village of Trang Bang. Associated Press photographer Nick Ut captured the image of a screaming 9-year-old girl, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, as she ran naked and severely burned from the scene of the explosion along with other victims...

Natty Nation will bring its blend of reggae, roots and dub music to Pitter's Cafe and Lounge tonight. The Wisconsin band is celebrating 17 years of spreading positive messages through its music. It will be joined by Soup and Monstars. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. There will be a $7 cover...

BRANSON, Mo. -- Big Idea Entertainment has announced that the "Veggie-Tales Live! God Made You Special" show is coming to Branson for three weeks, June 20 through July 7. Popular VeggieTales characters Bob, Larry and the rest of the cast will share timeless values and lessons that celebrate just how unique and special each person is in this high-energy musical extravaganza. ...

Almost everyone loves summer, and for good reason. Schools are out, vacation plans are realized and the weather is perfect for camping or hitting up a swimming hole. It's also a great time for relaxing with your summer soundtrack. These are the songs that instantly make one think of past summers with late night bonfires, old relationships or spending the day in the park. ...

Jess Bolen, 70, is entering his 46th year as the manager of the Capahas baseball team, and after three wins and one loss by the Plaza Tire crew this week, Bolen has now pushed his overall record to 1,410-380. The Boys of Summer are a little younger this year, according to the longtime manager and Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee...

I was just reading the May 27 Speak Out. There is a comment called "Not deranged." That should have never been put in the paper. Rush is from Cape Girardeau, and I don't think that should have been put in the paper because he deserves better than that...

We are not ghost people in Killough Valley in the Ozarks over yonder. Sure, we believe in the Holy Ghost, even though we can't say for sure what that means. And most churches have purged the ghost right out of the Trinity, leaving us with the Holy Spirit. I can't say we understand our theology any better now...

O Father God, may we be rooted and established in love. Amen.

MANCHESTER, Conn. -- Manchester, Conn., police are investigating the theft of an American flag from a man in a chicken suit. The Hartford Courant reported that Eric Didio was waving the flag and dancing outside a newly renovated Boston Market restaurant Wednesday as part of his job, when a man jumped from a car, grabbed the flag and took off...

CAIRO -- Hosni Mubarak's condition has deteriorated so much that doctors at the Cairo prison where he is serving a life sentence had to constantly administer oxygen to him overnight, security officials said Thursday. The officials at Cairo's Torah prison said 84-year-old Mubarak is suffering breathing problems, high blood pressure and depression. ...

JERUSALEM -- Israel's plans to build hundreds of new homes in Jewish West Bank settlements have put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at odds again with Washington and the Palestinians, without appeasing settlers furious over the government's plan to dismantle an illegally built settler enclave...

MADRID -- Spain is under increasing pressure to find a quick way to save its troubled banking sector from collapse. Politicians and investors around Europe are worried that the recession-hit country will not find the money to cover the toxic property loans weighing its banks down. The expectation now is that Spain's government will have no choice but to seek an international bailout to help it bolster its lenders...

WASHINGTON -- Suicides are surging among America's troops, averaging nearly one a day this year -- the fastest pace in the nation's decade of war. The 154 suicides for active-duty troops in the first 155 days of the year far outdistance the U.S. forces killed in action in Afghanistan -- about 50 percent more -- according to Pentagon statistics obtained by The Associated Press...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Corine M. Bohnert, 101, of Perryville died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Perry Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was born June 27, 1910, in Perry County, to Charles and Elizabeth Lappe Berkbuegler. She and Otto Bohnert were married April 20, 1931, at Brewer, Mo. He preceded her in death Jan. 28, 1972...

Leston Morrison, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at his home. He was born Feb. 20, 1917, in Marble Hill, Mo., to Chester and Maggie Sadler Morrison. He and Virginia Huffman were married Sept. 18, 1946, at Drum, Mo. Leston served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II from Jan. 31, 1942, to Nov. 21, 1945...

Patricia Anne "Sis" Schlosser, 78, of Scott City passed away Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at her home. She was born Nov. 14, 1933, in Kelso, Mo., to Lambert and Lorraine Dohogne Drury. She and Theon Louis "Junior" Schlosser were married Nov. 5, 1955, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death April 1, 2012...

Gary Joseph Streiler, 64, of Jackson went to his eternal heavenly home Wednesday, June 6, 2012. He passed away at home surrounded by his loving family after fighting a long battle with lung cancer. He was born at St. Francis Hospital March 17, 1948, to the late Harry J. and Ollie M. Wood Streiler...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. — Peter J. Clarke, 81, of Olive Branch died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo, Ill.

TAMMS, Ill. -- Ebby Harvell, 72, of Tamms died Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at her home. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Clark Short officiating. Burial will be in McCrite Cemetery...

Ada Wendel, 87, of Scott City died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. Arrangement are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Daughter to Luke Roger Trankle and Tara Dawn Myers of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 12:03 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, 2012. Name, Emma Louise Alline. Weight, 6 pounds, 9 ounces. Ms. Myers is the daughter of Melissa Myers and Stephen Myers of Bollinger County. Trankle is the son of Kathy Irvin of Cape Girardeau and Roger Trankle of Jackson. He is employed at Logan's Roadhouse...

About 3,000 Southeast Missouri residents have been sent a 14-question survey concerning the SEMO District Fair; it's meant to gauge the fair-going habits and interests of area residents. A citizens utility committee is considering recommending a city takeover of the electric system here, but not Union Electric's gas and water systems; the tentative recommendation is contained in a memorandum drafted by committee chairman Peter Bergerson and committee member Jim Trickey...

The Salvation Army will host its first "Fill the Vans With Fans" collection from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Fred's Discount Store in Cape Girardeau. It will have a van at the store to fill with new and working used fans and will accept cash donations. On Saturday, fans will be available for purchase at Fred's for a discounted rate...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- With about 60 days left leading up to their 60th annual rodeo, the Sikeston Jaycees are busy readying the grounds for the city's biggest event. "We get fantastic support through the community for this event," said Chris Deen, general chairman of this year's rodeo. "As long as we have that, we'll have everything we need."...

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

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

WASHINGTON -- Slumping job growth has alarmed some economists who fear the U.S. economy is in trouble. Ben Bernanke doesn't appear to be one of them. The Federal Reserve chief sketched a hopeful outlook in testimony to a congressional panel Thursday and sent no signals that the Fed will take further steps soon to aid the economy...

HOUSTON -- The St. Louis Cardinals have placed left-hander Jaime Garcia on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. Garcia skipped a turn in the rotation before lasting just two innings Tuesday against Houston. His stint on disabled list is retroactive to Wednesday...

Defending champ Pete's Blues is among the 14-team field

Ford & Sons Cape Girardeau Senior American Legion Post 63 won its opening game in the 16-team Fighting Squirrel Classic with a 15-5 victory against New Bloomfield Legion in five innings Thursday at Notre Dame. Cam Womack and Alex McRaven both had three hits and two RBIs for Cape, which improved to 8-5...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has awarded a $1,513,845 contract to H.R. Quadri Contractors of Van Buren, Mo., to replace a section of Route T at Lake Wappapello. That section was washed out during the 2011 flood. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has awarded a $17,394,655 contract to Robertson Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for improvements to U.S. 67 South in Poplar Bluff. The project will include the upgrade of U.S. 67 to four lanes from south of Route M to south of U.S. 160. When completed, the improvements will provide a four-lane highway from U.S. 160 in Poplar Bluff to St. Louis, in addition to strengthening the connection from U.S. 160 to U.S. 60...

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney outraised President Barack Obama in May, the first time the Republican presidential challenger has jumped ahead of Obama and his prodigious fundraising apparatus. The numbers illustrate how Romney and the Republican Party have jelled as a force after a protracted GOP primary...

BEIRUT -- U.N. observers came under fire Thursday as they tried to reach the site of the latest reported mass killing in Syria -- about 80 people, including women and children who were shot or stabbed. The deaths added urgency to diplomatic efforts to end the escalating bloodshed...

HOUSTON -- David Freese hit a grand slam and a two-run homer, and rookie Lance Lynn struck out a career-high 11 to earn his ninth win as the St. Louis Cardinals cruised past the Houston Astros 14-2 on Thursday night...

ROME (AP) -- An eight-ton gilded bronze door so splendid Michelangelo dubbed it the "Door of Paradise" will be unveiled to the public again after 27 years of restoration work. But Lorenzo Ghiberti's 15th-century door -- which bears scenes from the Old Testament -- won't be going back in its place on the baptistery of Florence's duomo, or cathedral. ...

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Triple Crown. Three races in a five-week span at varying distances on different tracks. So tough only 11 horses have won it, none in 34 years, by far the longest gap ever. Now it's your turn to try, I'll Have Another, on Saturday at the Belmont Stakes...

The start of June means area farmers markets are open and in full swing. And, even with drought-like weather conditions and an early growing season somewhat affecting what's available, so far people are coming out in droves to get their locally produced products at markets in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Marble Hill, Mo. and Perryville, Mo...

The summer festival season is upon us. As you read this, more than 80,000 folks are rocking at one of the biggest music, arts and camping festivals in the nation, Bonnaroo in southeastern Tennessee. If you are wishing you were one of them, don't fret; the last weekend in June will bring with it Southeast Missouri's miniature version of Bonnaroo, the Bloom Heavy River Romp...

NEW YORK (AP) -- I'll Have Another's bid for a Triple Crown ended Friday morning with the shocking news that the chestnut colt was out of the Belmont Stakes because of a swollen left front tendon. According to Dennis O'Neill, brother of trainer Doug O'Neill, the heavy 4-5 betting favorite galloped early and after a veterinary scan, his tendon seemed "kind of tender."...

Matt Gibson recieved the Eagle Scott Award recently at a Court of Honor held by Troop 5 of Cape Girardeau. Matt is a student at Jackson Senior High School. Troop 5 is sponsored by the Cape Girardeau VFW Post 3838. Pictured left to right are Brian Weiss, Scout Master, Mattt Gibson, Eagle Scout Recipient, and Joe Wosley, Asst. Scout Master...

Today is Saturday, June 9, the 161st day of 2012. There are 205 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 9, 1972, heavy rains triggered record flooding in the Black Hills of South Dakota; the resulting disaster left at least 238 people dead and $164 million in damage...

The Scott County Commission has appointed Fred Surman of Chaffee, Mo., to fill the unexpired term on the board of commissioners of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority; he will serve the remaining term of Scott City Mayor Alvie Modglin, who resigned recently because his job takes him out of town frequently...

Edward J. Rodgers, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, June 8, 2012, at Marian Cliff Manor in St. Mary, Mo. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Ada Juanita Wendel, 87, of Jackson died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 19, 1924, in Randles, to August John and Elizabeth Clementine "Lizzie" Menz Schlosser. She married Ray Wendel Sr. on Feb. 15, 1942, in Oran, Mo. He preceded her in death April 19, 1999...

ELLINGTON, Mo. -- Geneva O. George, 86, of Ellington departed this life Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Mercy Skilled Nursing Center in St. Louis. She was born Dec. 5, 1925, in Ellington, daughter of Myrtle Ferguson and James Widger. She and John H. George were married Sept. 4, 1942, in Piggott, Ark., and to this union two sets of twins were born. John preceded her in death Aug. 24, 1986...

Thelma V. Sutton, 87, of Tucson, Ariz., passed away peacefully Sunday, May 27, 2012, in Tucson. She was born Jan. 21, 1925, at Sedgewickville, Mo., to Jesse and Metta Loberg. Thelma is survived by her beloved husband of 70 years, retired Lt. Col. Alvin I. Sutton; a loving sister, Maxine Fellows and husband Edward of Jackson. She and Al were blessed with five children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren...

Berton William "B.W." Andrews, 83, of Tucson, Ariz., passed away peacefully Monday, June 4, 2012, in Tucson. He was born June 12, 1928, in Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his wife, Eva Anne McNeel Andrews; a sister, Marilyn Sue (Robert) Montgomery; a son, Christopher (Margaret) Andrews; three grandchildren, Eric, Travis and Clark; and four great-grandchildren...

ST. LOUIS -- Vincent Joseph "Vince" Friedel, 55, of St. Louis, a gregarious and loving man who touched the hearts and souls of those around him, passed away Sunday, June 3, 2012, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He will be remembered most fondly for his faith-filled life and love of people. He was a compassionate healer, who had a degree in both chiropractic and naturopathic medicine...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Peter J. Clarke, 81, of Olive Branch died Thursday, June 7, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 27, 1930, in Cairo, Ill., the son of the late John Earl and Mary Langan Clarke. He was a conservation police officer with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources before his retirement. ...

Make and model: 1957 GMC with 850 Holmes Wrecker Owner(s): John Johannes Owner's hometown: Jackson Engine is modified (by GMC) Oldsmobile V8 with a 6 speed Allison automatic transmission and a 4 speed auxiliary transmission behind that. Wrecker has 40 ton capacity and is the largest mechanical wrecker made...

A Fenton, Mo., man was killed and six others were injured in a rollover crash caused by a tire blowout Saturday morning on Interstate 55.

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Five people have been charged in connection with a fatal assault at the New Madrid County Jail. New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney Lewis Recker filed second-degree murder and first degree assault charges against Joshua Darter, Maurice Ely, Henry Lewis Hill, Pedro S. Rivera and Trevor J. Hatton, who were prisoners in the New Madrid County Jail on Tuesday with John Wayne Reynolds...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson plans to tour areas of Scott County on Monday that were damaged by last week's tornado. Emerson will accompany Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter on the tour, according to a news release from her office. The National Weather Service-confirmed EF-2 tornado and downburst that hit Diehlstadt, Mo., during storms last Monday night killed three when winds tore apart a mobile home. Around 50 structures in the town were also damaged...

Missouri House hopefuls Gerald Adams and Van Hitt have been knocking on doors from Pocahontas to Delta for weeks to introduce themselves to voters and -- they hope -- get enough support to oust an incumbent. But the woman who already has the job, Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, is doing the same in hopes of making a convincing case that she should be allowed to keep it...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- A Bloomfield, Mo., man died Saturday after driving around barriers into a construction zone along Highway 146 and crashing head-on into a stationary paving roller.

In an effort to better serve more clients, SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence will open a new service center this fall in a former car dealership. The former Cape GMC Pontiac dealership building on Kingshighway, near Highway 74, in Cape Girardeau will be transformed into a place where those with disabilities can receive assistance with everything from finding a job to modifying their vehicle to enable them to drive to that new job...

Technology is already in use in varying degrees in the classroom Amber Prasanphanich uses to teach business, ACT prep courses and computer applications at the Cape Girardeau School District's Alternative Education Center. Students use an online dropbox to turn in their homework and assignments done in class, activities are completed using computer programs and lessons are taught using digital materials and textbooks.

Lou Muegge Field at Cape Girardeau junior and middle school bustled with activity Saturday morning as more than 150 veterans and volunteers gave the facility a face-lift during The Mission Continues and FOX Sports Midwest's "Summer Service Slam" campaign. They painted and repaired the bleachers, fencing, dugouts and buildings and placed gravel in the playground. They planted and mulched around the buildings. Robert Wake, a Malden, Mo., veteran, was the project leader for the event...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission will look at proposals for a study of the county's courthouses and offices at its Monday meeting, according to the meeting agenda. The agenda lists an opening of proposals for a "court facility assessment" at 9:15 a.m. ...

Andy Walker, riding for team Cyclewerx, placed 2nd in the age 50-54 category and 3rd in the overall age 50+ in the 2012 Missouri State Road Race. The 69 mile race was held in Ste Genevieve on June 10.

Happy Father's Day Scooter! Thank you for helping me accomplish my goals!

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The search for a new superintendent of Sikeston public schools is under way. Southeast Missouri State University announced on May 25 that Sikeston Superintendent Steve Borgsmiller was hired as the new director of the university's Sikeston campus with his duties beginning around July 1...

A federals appeals court has upheld the dismissal of an atheist's lawsuit challenging a state grant given for restoration of Bald Knob Cross of Peace. Robert Sherman of Buffalo Grove, Ill., filed the lawsuit against the state in 2010, claiming a $20,000 grant awarded to fundraising group Friends of the Cross in 2008 violated rules of separation of church and state...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- Two horses are in the custody of the Caruthersville Humane Society after running for several days, endangering traffic and tearing up recently planted crops. According to the Caruthersville Humane Society, officers responded to a call from the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department on Monday in reference to two horses running loose in a field near U.S. 61 and Interstate 55 in the Steele, Mo., area...

Today is Sunday, June 10, the 162nd day of 2012. There are 204 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 10, 1942, during World War II, German forces massacred 173 male residents of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in retaliation for the killing of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich...

Rachel Dawn Schmidt and Michael Brandon Bachmann were married Sept. 17, 2011, at Salem Lutheran Church in Farrar, Mo. The Revs. Roger Abernathy and Gene Stueve, uncle of the bride, performed the ceremony. Organist was Keith Koenig of Cape Girardeau, and soloist was the Rev. Roger Steinbrueck of Friedheim...

Mark and Mary J. Bader of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Kevin and Linda Shults of Red Bud, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Charity Jayne Trotter of Poplar Bluff, to Jason Scott Metheny of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Tom and Beverly Metheny of Marble Hill, Mo...

Don and Chris Porter of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Katie Porter, to Ryan Schaal, both of Columbia, Mo. He is the son of Bob and Angie Schaal of Columbia. Porter is a 2004 graduate of Central High School. She received a bachelor of occupational therapy degree in 2008, and a doctorate of physical therapy degree in 2011, both from the University of Missouri. She is a physical therapist at Cooper County Outpatient Therapy and Sports Medicine in Boonville, Mo...

Brian and Kimberly Drew of Delta announce the engagement of their daughter, Amanda Jo Drew, to James Mical Masters, both of Advance, Mo. He is the son of Anthony Masters and Lori Malone of Advance. Drew is a 2008 graduate of Delta High School. She received an associate degree in radiologic technology from Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She is a radiologic technologist at Saint Francis Medical Center...

KELSO, Mo. -- Vernon and Pat Wilson of Campbell, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Cheyenne Wilson, to Kyle Matthew Curry. He is the son of Kevin and Debbie Curry of Kelso. Wilson is a 2006 graduate of Campbell High School. She is a 2007 graduate of American College of Hair Design in Sedalia, Mo. She is employed at Mousse Salon and Spa in Jackson...

Richard and Rose Bueltemann of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Shannel Christine Bueltemann, to Michael Thomas Duby, both of Jackson. He is the son of Jim and Cindy Duby of Montrose, Mich. Bueltemann is a graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Rich Behring of Cape Girardeau will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary June 17, 2012, with a reception at Hanover Lutheran Church. Hosts will be their children. Behring and Dotty Ahner were married June 17, 1972, at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Ill...

Rodney and Dimple Bridges of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Smoky Mountains with their children, grandchildren, and Rodney's mother, Mary Lou Bridges. The couple was married June 10, 1972, at Anna United Methodist Church in Anna, Ill...

The Rev. and Mrs. Richard Combs of Jackson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception June 3, 2012, at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson. Hosts were their children. A musical selection was presented by a granddaughter, Maria Zuccarini...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cook of Sedgewickville recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family gathering May 25, 2012, at the home of a daughter, Cheryl Cook. Cook and Nancy Culbertson were married May 25, 1962. Their attendants were George and Wilma Flowers...

Mike and Lynette Clardy of Whitewater observed their 45th wedding anniversary in January. They celebrated in April by attending the annual French Quarter Fest in New Orleans and taking a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico, with friends Bill and Gloria Jamieson of Burfordville...

Saint Francis Medical Center will offer a six-week breast cancer support group beginning this week. Held on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Health and Wellness Center Conference Room 1 (Entrance 8), this support group helps recently diagnosed breast cancer patients meet the common challenges and questions that arise after a cancer diagnosis. ...

There are hundreds of kinds of wild garlic and wild onion throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Asia to North America. It is often very difficult to accurately distinguish wild garlic from wild onion. Wild garlic usually has a more slender rigid flowering stem with a white, greenish and sometimes pinkish flowering seed head. Wild garlic also rewards you by leaving a strong offensive odor on your hands if you handle it...

Charleston, S.C., knows a thing or two about revolutions. The siege of Charleston was a key battle of the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War started there when Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor was fired upon. These days the city is in the midst of yet another revolution -- a culinary one. ...

Exchanging recipes with friends and family can be a lot of fun. Oftentimes, the ones we exchange are not written fancy on cards but rather on a scrap of paper, a napkin or a clean paper plate while sitting around a table. Amazingly, the end result is always satisfactory for a memory recited recipe and scribbled down...

I have a heart that yearns for adventure. I crave the bigness of creation to be made known to me, and to find the humble honesty in smallness. I crave the heartbreaking beauty of humanity and inspiration found in unexpected places. I crave for my heart to be touched by the gentle sweetness of the only One who knows how to touch that untouchable place in my soul...

The Rev. Tommy Weems of First Baptist Church Jackson has served in churches on the West Coast and Texas. However, Weems said he felt a calling on his life at one point to either continue serving in ministry as a deacon and working as an accountant or choose to embark on a full-time ministry as a pastor. Weems commented on this journey and other topics in this week's Ministry Focus...

Lawrence and Ellen Seyer of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel K. Seyer, to Adam Thomas, both of Thebes, Ill. He is the son of Kenton and Paula Thomas of Thebes. Seyer is a 2007 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University in 2011. She is employed with Midamerica Hotels Drury Restaurants...

Summertime can be trouble time for young people. School is out, and children and teens have a lot of time on their hands. Parenting teenagers is not easy, as the tug-and-pull for freedom vs. responsibility is constant. Each parent and each child handle freedom and responsibility differently...

It is difficult to put into words the gratitude our family feels because of the overwhelming support resulting from the sudden and tragic loss of our 3-year-old grandson, Levi Collom. Of course, nothing can ever replace Levi or close the permanent hole in our hearts, but following his death our family agreed that we wanted him to be remembered in part by making it possible for children to enjoy the many hands-on activities he loved...

I flew to Springfield, Mo., last weekend in a chartered jet. It took 38 minutes at about 522 miles per hour. I've been a pilot for over 50 years, but have never had the delight of such an experience. I was hitching a ride with local author/lawyer David Limbaugh who was provided the jet so he could speak to about 800 people about his new book "The Great Destroyer," which was launched last Monday to the media...

We praise you, Lord God, for you are able to do more than we ask or imagine. Amen.

The home of Verla Mangels provided the setting for the May meeting of Lamplighters FCE Club. Sharon Bogenpohl, vice president, called the meeting to order. There were 10 members who gave a "time saving tip for house cleaning" as the roll call. Mangels shared a devotional thought entitled, "Are you a pack rat?"...

MONDAY--Veggie soup, cheese, crackers, fruit. TUESDAY--Grilled chicken sandwich, green beans, fruit. WEDNESDAY--Grilled cheese, celery sticks, fruit. THURSDAY--Taquitos, potato wedges, fruit. FRIDAY--Meatloaf, corn, butter bread, fruit...

Daughter to Jason C. and Sarah A. Bandermann of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 8:14 a.m. Friday, June 1, 2012. Name, Charli Suttyn. Weight, 8 pounds, 5 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Bandermann is the former Sarah Booth, daughter of Barry and Marilyn Booth of Marble Hill, Mo. She is a radiation technologist at Southeast Hospital. Bandermann is the son of Rick and Pam Bandermann of Cape Girardeau. He is administrator at Physicians Alliance Surgery Center...

A federal grand jury has reportedly joined local authorities, the U.S. Marshal's office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the investigation of last month's attempted escape of a federal prisoner from Cape Girardeau's jail. POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- U.S. District Judge H. Kenneth Wangelin of Poplar Bluff, a federal judge for 16 years and most recently judge of the Southeast Division in Cape Girardeau of Missouri's Eastern District, dies at age 74...

James William Schoen, 80, of Scott City died Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Martin J. Scharenborg, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, June 8, 2012, at his home. He was born May 2, 1939, at Laflin, Mo., to John George and Francis Adeline Vangennip Scharenborg. He and Connie K. Kester married June 2, 1962, at Cape Girardeau. Martin worked for Bunny Bread Inc. for 25 years, retiring in 1988...

Ruth A. Ponder, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, June 8, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. She was born Jan. 2, 1923, in Perry County, Mo., to Benjamin and Alma Brandes Bock. She and Thomas F. Ponder were married Oct. 25, 1947, at Sikeston, Mo. He died Feb. 1, 2006...

Dr. Thomas A. Lovinggood, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Chateau Girardeau. Arrangements are pending with Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Gracie L. King, 62, of Jackson passed away Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born July 20, 1949, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of Chandes and Lillie Bander Hale Sr. She and Nelson King Jr. were married Nov. 7, 1969, at Jackson. ...

Janet Chatman, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 9, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home.

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

ROCKVILLE, Mo. -- A Wyoming-based company plans to build a horse slaughtering plant in Rockville in western Missouri, after its first choice in southwest Missouri was met with fierce opposition from residents. Unified Equine Missouri announced Thursday that a former beef packing plant near Rockville, about 100 miles south of Kansas City in Bates County, is being renovated, and the company expects to open the operation by the end of summer. ...

MEHLVILLE, Mo. -- A Walmart in south St. Louis County is opened again after it was evacuated when police found a "one-pot" methamphetamine bottle inside a woman's purse. St. Louis County police said the woman was arrested for shoplifting Thursday night. Security officers then allegedly discovered a 20-ounce bottle of cooking meth in her purse...

AMSTERDAM -- The International Criminal Court says that four of its staffers have been detained in Libya and is demanding their immediate release. The war crime court says that the four were part of a mission in Libya sent to meet with deposed dictator Moammar Gadhafi's son and former heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, who was captured by revolutionary fighters in November...

BEIRUT -- Bullets and shrapnel shells smashed into homes in the Syrian capital of Damascus overnight as troops battled rebels in the streets, a show of boldness for rebels taking their fight against President Bashar Assad to the center of his power...

MADRID -- Spain became the fourth and largest country Saturday to ask Europe to rescue its failing banks, a bailout of up to $125 billion that leaders hoped would stabilize a financial crisis that threatens to break apart the 17-country eurozone...

ISLAMABAD -- You know a friendship has gone sour when you start making mean jokes about your friend in front of his most bitter nemesis. So it was a bad sign last week when the U.S. defense secretary joshed in front of an audience of Indians about how Washington kept Pakistan in the dark about the raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden a year ago...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. and Philippines said Friday they are expanding intelligence sharing and cooperation on maritime security, as President Barack Obama reiterated Washington's desire to be viewed as a Pacific power. Obama met at the Oval Office with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III against the backdrop of a two-month standoff between Philippine and Chinese vessels at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea...

BEIJING -- China will launch three astronauts this month to dock with an orbiting experimental module, and the crew might include its first female space traveler, a government news agency said Saturday. A rocket carrying the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft was moved to a launchpad in China's desert northwest Saturday for the mid-June flight, the Xinhua News Agency said, citing a space program spokesman...

DONGSHIGU VILLAGE, China -- The fear is palpable and most people only dare whisper Chen Guangcheng's name in this village amid wheat fields where the blind activist was held under house arrest. The guards and cameras are gone, but residents remain terrified of local officials and the fellow farmers who meted out the mistreatment -- and still live nearby. Even Chen's mother says he should not come home...

CAIRO -- A mob of hundreds of men assaulted women holding a march demanding an end to sexual harassment Friday, with the attackers overwhelming the male guardians and groping and molesting several of the female marchers in Cairo's Tahrir Square...

OMAHA, Neb. -- The cost to dine with investor Warren Buffett has apparently spiked in value, with one deep-pocketed bidder forking over nearly $3.5 million during a charity auction. The annual auction for a private lunch with the Nebraska billionaire closed following a flurry of activity in the final hours Friday night. In the end, the highest bid was a record-breaking $3,456,789...

NEW YORK -- People who were stricken with cancer after being exposed to the toxic ash that exploded over Manhattan when the World Trade Center collapsed would qualify for free treatment of the disease and potentially hefty compensation payments under a rule proposed Friday by federal health officials...

The Defense Department recently fired off a round of letters warning state law enforcement officials to track down every gun, helicopter and Humvee that the military had given them under a $2.6 billion surplus program, or have their access to the handouts cut off...

WASHINGTON -- When it comes to saving energy, people in the United States know that driving a fuel-efficient car accomplishes more than turning off the lights at home. But that doesn't mean they'll do it. A new poll shows that while most of those questioned understand effective ways to save energy, they have a hard time adopting them...

PHOENIX -- Flick the switch on these flashlights and they don't light up. They blow up. Three of these bombs have exploded within the last month in the Phoenix area, causing minor injuries to five people and raising fears of more serious ones. Police still have no idea who is behind them and have taken the unusual step of putting up 22 billboards across the sprawling metro area to warn residents about discarded flashlights...

Students attending the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership conference clean up the lot behind Discovery Playhouse, 502 Broadway, on Friday. Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership is holding its 2012 Missouri seminar at Southeast Missouri State University through today. This is the third year the conference, which teaches leadership to students entering their junior year, has been held in Cape Girardeau...

Traffic will be restricted to one lane on the U.S. 51, 60 and 62 Ohio River bridge between Wickliffe, Ky,. and Cairo, Ill., during daylight hours starting Monday. This lane restriction will allow for maintenance and electrical work on the bridge. The work will take place Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. ...

Ameren Missouri and employees donated $27,558.34 to United Way of Southeast Missouri during the 2011-2012 annual campaign. Front row from left: Natalie Dowdy, Janice Collier, Jean Mason, Laura Klipfel, Cheryl Kern and Lee Ann Nace. Back row from left: Dave Goehring, Tim Beussink, Dan Kohler, Jim Fees, Russ Burger and Randy Armstrong...

Pamala Roche was awarded the Appreciation Pin for dedication and service to the Girl Scouts of Missouri Heartland at the Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary celebration in Springfield, Mo. Roche became a co-leader in 2002. She and her "mom mobile" would be loaded with girls heading out to local Girl Scout activities. Although her Scouts have all grown-up, she continues to volunteer by donating a week of her time each summer to be "Nurse Pam" at summer day camp...

Name: Lucy B. Doodle Owner: Joe Bullock About Lucy: On May 19 Lucy B. turned six months old. She's an F1b Goldendoodle bred from a standard poodle and Goldendoodle. Her color is apricot. She currently weighs 31 pounds and is expected to get to 40 to 45 pounds. She's been a great addition to our family. She enjoys people, other animals, car rides, going on walks, playing catch and playing around with her two cat roommates...

Penn Jillette is half of a magician/comedy team. Successful for many years, the 57-year-old ponytailed Jillette now is branching out from magic and comedy to commentary on religion. He is a nontheist. In other words, Jillette is a professing atheist who has written a book titled "God, No!"...

Amanda is 1 1/2 yrs old. She is already spayed. Amanda is available for adoption at the Humane Society, 334-5837.

Curtis is a fluffy black and white kitten that is about 6 weeks old. He loves to play with all of his other kitten friends out at Safe Harbor that also need homes. For more information, contact Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary at 243-9823.

When a floating dock the size of a boxcar washed up on a sandy beach in Oregon, beachcombers got excited because it was the largest piece of debris from last year's tsunami in Japan to show up on the West Coast. But scientists worried it represented a whole new way for invasive species of seaweed, crabs and other marine organisms to break the earth's natural barriers and further muck up the West Coast's marine environments. ...

John Farquhar, co-owner of Mid-State Aviation at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, is known to most people as Papa John. "He will just do anything for anybody," airport manager Bruce Loy said. "He is like the papa of the airport for everyone." Farquhar, 86, said the name originally came from his friend Joe Lewis, who spent a lot of time watching him work at the airport. Lewis observed that Farquhar looked like the papa of his son and all his friends...

Former Southeast Missouri State baseball players Shae Simmons and Trenton Moses now officially are professional baseball players. Simmons and Moses signed with the Atlanta Braves late Thursday night, a day after they were drafted. Simmons, a pitcher and Scott City High School graduate, was selected in the 22nd round...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will be shut down for a month and could be sidelined as long as two months due to an injury the team is calling a left shoulder strain. It's the latest big hit for a World Series championship team ravaged by injuries...

The Jackson Senior Babe Ruth baseball team defeated the Missouri Bulls U15s 4-3 in a Charleston tournament consolation bracket game Friday. Ross Moldenhauer earned the win, while Chase Hagerty took the loss. Moldenhauer allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. He also went 3 for 4 at the plate...

The Capahas baseball team defeated Fairview Heights 6-0 on Friday at Capaha Field.

ST. LOUIS -- Carlos Beltran would prefer to hit in one spot every day. There's no arguing the results no matter where he lands on the lineup card. Beltran, primarily the St. Louis Cardinals' cleanup man, provided some pop batting second in a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night. Beltran hit his National League-leading 17th home run in support of Kyle Lohse, who allowed three hits over 7 2/3 innings to outduel Justin Masterson...

The Capahas baseball team defeated the Springfield, Ill., Pally's 6-1 and 3-1 in a doubleheader Saturday at Capaha Field.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The number of cougars reported in Missouri last year was up significantly over recent years, with most of the big cats heading into the Show-Me state from Colorado, South Dakota and Montana, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Judy Buck has nurtured Southeast Missouri State University's Sikeston campus from the very beginning, and now, after 14 years, the director is preparing to say goodbye. The longtime educator is retiring, effective June 29. "This is my baby," Buck said about Southeast-Sikeston. "Someone said to me: ‘You took it from the incubator stage and on up.' And I have."...

Today is the last day to participate in a survey rating Cape Girardeau's performance and services, according to a news release from the city. Printed surveys were mailed to randomly selected homes and an online invitation was mailed to all businesses. The survey can be taken online at www.cityofcape.org, then clicking on "Take the 10-minute survey now."...

Residents of Frohna, Mo., and Altenburg, Mo., will host a Country Garden and Yard Tour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday to benefit local students. The money raised from the tour will help fund a trip to Washington, D.C., for seventh- and eighth-grade students at United in Christ Lutheran School in Frohna...

An off-duty Cape Girardeau police officer suffered serious injuries when he was involved in a traffic accident Saturday in Illinois. David Tucker was riding a motorcycle when the accident occurred. He was transported to a Nashville, Tenn., hospital, Cape Girardeau police said...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Voters won't have to pick nominees from the major parties in the Perry County sheriff race in August, but the November ballot will see a challenge to the current sheriff by the same man who challenged him in 2008. Incumbent Gary Schaaf, a Republican who is completing his fifth term as sheriff, and Democrat Ted Christisen are the only two candidates on the ballot. Schaaf is one of three incumbent sheriffs in the area facing challenges to their re-election bids...

SEMO ELITE WINS 2nd PLACE IN ST. LOUIS The 5th grade SEMO Elite took 2nd place at the Hawks Summer Hoopfest at Hazelwood in St. Louis, June 9-10. The Elite will also be competing in the MAYB Nationals in August in Wichita, Kansas.

Southeast Missouri State University's administration says its programs will be well recognized for quality during an upcoming evaluation to determine whether reaccreditation is deserved, even though there is a bit of a rush on campus to get ready. Southeast expects a visit in September by a team from its regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission. ...

I was lucky enough to get a picture with Cardinal Legend Al HRobsky at The Mission Continues event on Saturday June 8. What a great guy!