Stories from Sunday, September 30, 2012

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Missouri's walnut crop this year is expected to be lackluster. Buyers start hulling the nuts this week, and prices are high, with buyers offering as much as $13 per hundred pounds after hulling. But no one is expecting a run to cash in...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Some of GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's prominent supporters are reversing course and backing Missouri GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin's embattled campaign against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. Former Missouri senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent said Friday they are now behind the candidate they once shunned for his remarks on "legitimate rape."

A judge denied a motion to lower the bond of a Jackson man charged in a shootout with police, but granted him visitation rights with his estranged wife at a Friday hearing. Lawrence A. Guthrie, the Jackson man who allegedly exchanged gunfire with police and then turned the gun on himself in a Jackson subdivision in June, sought to amend the conditions of his bond in order to seek treatment for mental health issues. ...

The Democratic candidate for Missouri's 8th Congressional District, Dr. Jack "Duke" Rushin, met with supporters at a fundraiser Saturday at Jackson City Park. A Poplar Bluff chiropractor who has worked in health care for 31 years, Rushin said he has been an advocate in both Jefferson City, Mo., and Washington, D.C., on medical issues...

Monday's meeting of the Cape Girardeau City Council looks to hold no shortage of discussions and decisions on a plethora of issues. "It's kind of the perfect storm," Mayor Harry Rediger said. "There are several issues that could potentially take quite a bit of time."...

A Cape Girardeau day care already under supervision by state licensing authorities for rule violations was shut down Thursday after its owner was allegedly found to have sold drugs to an undercover informant. Documents on file with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Section for Child Care Regulation say that Keisha L. ...

When it comes to choosing where to move or expand a business, companies consistently rank workforce as one their top three considerations. A 2011 survey of corporate site selectors by Area Development magazine, ranked highway accessibility as the No. 1 factor in choosing a location, but labor costs and availability of skilled labor were in a two-way tie for No. 2...

As I was taking out my dog last night, I looked up and saw this. It was so cool, that I ran back to my apartment and grabbed my wife and camera and we went outside and stared at it for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what it was and how it was doing it...

Hundreds descended on Capaha Park on Saturday for one of the final events of the second annual Electric Vehicle Convention in Cape Girardeau. Forty cars that had been converted to run on electricity were on display and their owners were on hand to talk specifics with spectators...

Bobber fishing at Whipperwill Lake

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A bullet narrowly missed a Sikeston man who was sitting inside his vehicle Thursday night. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety was searching Friday for a suspect who fired a gun at Christopher Jackson, 28, as he was sitting inside his vehicle behind a residence in the 300 block of Lee Street. It was the second shooting suspect the police department announced that it was looking for this week...

An early morning fire caused moderate fire and smoke damage at a Cape Girardeau apartment building. The fire broke out shortly after 5 a.m. at 417 MarrosseAnn Drive, according to a Cape Girardeau Fire Department news release. The fire department reported the blaze broke out on the third floor in an apartment kitchen. Five trucks responded to the fire, which was under control in less than 10 minutes...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Firefighters battled a massive blaze at a North Main Street apartment complex Thursday night in which a number of families lost everything, including their homes. The call for the apartment building at 1113 N. Main St. came in at 8 p.m., according to battalion chief Mike Moffitt, who described the building, owned by Costas Papanicolaou, as having 12 apartments on multiple levels. "As soon as I arrived on the scene, I called for a nine-man call back...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Since being appointed as the Missouri Department of Agriculture director in 2009, Dr. Jon Hagler has spent a lot of time in Southeast Missouri. The spring 2011 flooding which led to the Birds Point levee breach and this year's drought have brought him to the area several times. "I kind of feel like we are next of kin right now," he said...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Three Rivers College Board of Trustees voted Thursday in a special meeting on requirements donors must meet to participate in the initial offering of a donor secured bond sale. Three Rivers has $5.4 million in bonds to sell, with preference given until December to those who contribute to the Three Rivers Endowment Trust...

Today is Sunday, Sept. 30, the 274th day of 2012. There are 92 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 30, 1962, James Meredith, a black student, was escorted by federal marshals to the campus of the University of Mississippi, where he enrolled for classes the next day; Meredith's presence sparked rioting that claimed two lives. ...

Aleshia Nicole Trovillion and Andrew Ray Mungle were married Aug. 18, 2012, at Cotton Bayou Beach in Orange Beach, Ala. The bride is the daughter of Jeff and Melinda Trovillion of Whitewater. The groom is the son of Mike and Merri Mungle of Sedgewickville, Mo...

BENTON, Mo. -- Julia Ann Vetter and Clayton William Nuelle were married May 5, 2012, at Saint Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis. The Rev. Peter Jarret of South Bend, Ind., performed the ceremony. Eucharistic minister was Sister Theresa Westrich of St. Paul, Minn., aunt of the bride. Giftbearers were Lenny and Jane Burford of Benton, godparents of the bride...

Angela Jo Mulch and Adam Christopher Garrett were married July 28, 2012, at Cape Bible Chapel. James Green performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Stephen and Delinda Mulch of Sutter, Ill. The groom is the son of Larry and Cindi Garrett of Cape Girardeau...

Megan Elizabeth LeGrand and Gene Gould Kerns were married April 28, 2012, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson. The Rev. John Harth performed the ceremony. Organist was Geri Beussink of Jackson. Soloists were Ashley Rapisardo of Jackson and Jimmy Simmons of Benton, Mo...

A.D. and Judy Hoffman of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Danielle Carla Hoffman, to Lucas David McIntosh. He is the son of Dr. Douglas and Joyce McIntosh of Jackson. Hoffman is a 2006 graduate of Jackson High School. She received a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2009, and a master's in business administration from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn., in 2011. ...

Mr. and Mrs. James "Larry" Ruble of Jackson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Saturday in St. Louis with family and friends. Ruble and Elma Cox were married Sept. 29, 1962, in St. Louis. The couple has two children, James Ruble Jr. of St. Louis, and Lori Ann Ruble Eftink who is deceased. They have four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren...

The great blue heron in this photo has just made a strike on a fish called a drum. The great blue heron is widespread and common in most of North America. It is one of the world's tallest shore birds. Looking gangly and clumsy while walking, it is a most graceful bird while in flight. It can glide long distances often low over water without making a wing beat. This photo attests to this bird's great eyesight, for it has caught a fish in muddy waters...

Lloyd Engelmann has been a pastor since the age of 28. Now at 90 years old, he enjoys retirement and the rewards of knowing he has done what he was called to do. Q: Can you please tell us a little about yourself? A: I began to pastor when I was 28. I started at County Line Baptist Church, left there, pastored other churches, was invited back to County Line and retired there. The Lord called me to pastor bivocationally as a mechanic and carpenter...

In Cape Girardeau and other college towns, autumn brings evidence that university students have returned to the city. It's harder to find a place to park, stores are more crowded, the neighborhoods near the campus aren't as quiet as they were over the summer, and local grocers are hard-pressed to keep shelves stocked with ramen noodles...

The official calendar season of fall has arrived, and I have to say I am ready. After the extremely long, hot, dry summer, I am ready for cooler weather, rain and the wonderful foods that fall brings to us. So, over the next couple of weeks, we will be concentrating on those amazing foods that welcome fall into our homes. If you have a favorite recipe you enjoy making this time of year, please send it in so it can be included in this column...

Out in the middle of Scott County, several miles outside the limits of the quaint county seat of Benton, Mo., you'll find Kelly High School. It is a district of some 338 students, tiny when compared to districts in nearby Cape Girardeau and Jackson, but pretty typical of the small rural schools you'll find in Southeast Missouri...

O Lord Jesus, thank you for the glorious gift of salvation through you. Amen.

I wish people would vote for the person they think would do the best job rather than the political party or race. Another drinker of the Obama Kool-Aid wrote in to tell us how wonderfully successful Obamanomics has been and how it has overshadowed Reaganomics. ...

NEW YORK -- Suri Cruise would never wear denim, is on the Dukan Diet and considers Jay-Z and Beyonce's daughter, Blue Ivy, a rival. Not the real Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, but the one written about in a snarky blog -- and now book -- "Suri's Burn Book: Well-Dressed Commentary from Hollywood's Little Sweetheart."...

The Chaffee football team had little trouble snapping its four-game losing streak. Chaffee rolled past visiting East Prairie 35-8 on Friday night. The Red Devils improved to 2-4 while dropping the Eagles to 0-6. Sophomore quarterback Peyton Montgomery completed 10 of 15 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown...

Baseball Real Basic Instincts camps: Real Baseball Instincts in Jackson is offering fall hitting camps featuring St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguer Jeremy Patton, a Southeast Missouri native. Camps begin the first week in October and run five weeks, one night per week. Camps are for boys and girls. Cost: $200. Info: 243-7247 or www.realbaseballinstincts.com...

The team of Lewis Bock, Tom Froemsdorf, Paul Giebler and John Harding shot a score of 59 to win the Championship flight of the Habitat for Humanity tournament at Dalhousie Golf Club. Janice Lumsden, Todd Lumsden, Nelson Ringer and Brian Rivenberg shot a 63 for second place...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- There's still two games to go in the regular season, but the undefeated Portageville Bulldogs can now lay claim to at least a share of the SEMO Conference Southern Division title. The Bulldogs, led by the dual threat of running backs Daniel Allen and Denzell Simmons, were able to pound out 349 yards on the ground and 400 yards overall as they ran away from visiting Scott City for a 46-13 win Friday night...

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team scored just four goals in its first 10 games this year. Murray State proved to be just what the doctor ordered for Southeast's ailing offense. The host Redhawks exploded for six first-half goals Friday night and romped 6-0 win for their first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season...

Part of coach Bill Davis' strategy for Notre Dame's girls cross country team is to let senior Breanna Conklin run fast from the beginning of a race and go for the win. That plan hit a snag Saturday at the Notre Dame Invitational when Herculaneum's Kaitlyn Fischer broke the course record with a time of 18 minutes, 12 seconds...

Jackson cross country teams swept Saturday's Marshall County (Ky.) Invitational as the boys and girls were both first. Jackson's Chelsea Drum was the individual girls champion with a time of 20 minutes, 3 seconds. Zhao Ni Dirnberger placed fourth (22:15)...

The Southeast Missouri State football team hung with Jacksonville State most of the way Saturday. But the Gamecocks scored the game's final 14 points to pull away for a 31-16 Ohio Valley Conference victory in front of nearly 17,000 fans at Burgess-Snow field in Jacksonville, Ala...

TORONTO -- The last Western detainee held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay returned to Canada on Saturday after a decade in custody and was transferred to a maximum-security prison where he awaits parole, Canada's public safety minister said Saturday...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Police in Puerto Rico say a 27-year-old woman is suspected of killing her boyfriend after he became upset about her activities on Facebook. Lt. Candido Pagan said there were two children in the house when the killing occurred Saturday morning: a nearly 2-month-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. Pagan said both belonged to suspect Wilnilia Sanchez Falcon, but it's unclear if they witnessed the killing in the central mountain town of Comerio...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Isolene Helen Harriman, 83, of Sedgewickville passed away Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, at Stockoff Nursing Home in Fredericktown, Mo. She was born Feb. 12, 1929, in Richland Center, Wis., daughter Clarence and Sadie Young Wheeler. She and Irl Eugene Harriman were married Sept. 14, 1948, in Richland Center. He passed away Feb. 17, 2009...

BARCELONA, Spain -- A tornado swept through a fairground in a Spanish town, knocking down a Ferris wheel and injuring 35 people, while the death toll from flooding in the same southern region of the country rose to 10, authorities said Saturday...

MADRID -- Tens of thousands of Spaniards and Portuguese rallied in the streets of their countries' capitals Saturday to protest enduring deep economic pain from austerity cuts. In Madrid, demonstrators approached parliament for the third time this week to vent their anger against tax increases, government spending cuts and the highest unemployment rate among the 17 nations that use the euro currency...

Bill Lands, 78, of Jackson died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be after 5 p.m. today at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk, Mo.

Stanley Grimm, husband, father, grandfather, lawyer, former circuit court judge and retired state of Missouri Court of Appeals judge, died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. He and Jane Morgan of Sedalia, Mo., were married between semesters of his first year in law school. His father, the Rev. Victor Grimm, officiated at the Feb. 1, 1957, ceremony at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sedalia...

Gregory Alan Vogelsang, 61, of Jackson died Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 8, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, to Earl E. and Geraldine Bierschwal Vogelsang. Gregory attended Perkins Baptist Church and worked for Cotton Belt Railroad from 1971 to 1996...

Ruby Mae Stearns, 99, of Millersville died Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 28, 1913, in Lixville, Mo., to William Henry and Myrtle Dell Blaylock Bangert. She married Elmer Stearns on March 17, 1936. He died July 7, 1980. Ruby was co-owner and operator of Stearns Phillips 66 Gas Station and convenience store near Millersville...

Donald V. Kogge, age 88, beloved husband of the late Eloise M. Loving father of John Kogge (Heather) of Liberty, Ind., David Kogge (Janet, deceased) of Los Angeles and Elizabeth Tippit (Carl) of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Dear grandfather of Christian, Sean, Eric, Jesse and Gabriel. ...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Helen L. Westermann, 88, of Metropolis, Ill., formerly of Memphis, Tenn., and Mound City died Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, at Southgate Health Care Center in Metropolis. Visitation is at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mound City, where friends may call from 10:30 a.m. until time for services Wednesday...

Daughter to Daniell Scott and Wendy Lynn McCall of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:46 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Name, Mia Danielle. Weight, 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Mrs. McCall is the former Wendy Vandeven, daughter of Gary and Kim Vandeven of Leopold, Mo. She is employed at Cape Care for Women at Saint Francis. McCall is the son of Jenny Long of Marble Hill, Mo., and the late Lester Crader. He is employed by FGR Mechanical...

City hall 401 Independence St. Study session, 5 p.m. Monday Meeting, 7 p.m. Monday Items for discussion Planning and Zoning Commission report Appearances regarding items not on the agenda Communications/Reports...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous Cape Girardeau County The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt...

The City of Jackson, Mo., reminded residents to keep streets clear of leaves and yard waste to prevent fall street flooding in a news release Friday. "Help prevent flooding problems in your neighborhood by disposing of leaves and yard waste properly and promptly, and by keeping streets and storm drains free from debris," said Rodney Bollinger, director of public works. ...

MONDAY--No classes. TUESDAY--Crispito with cheese, refried beans or cherry tomatoes or baby carrots, cinnamon applesauce. WEDNESDAY--Rotini pasta with chicken, alfredo & cheese breadstick, candied carrots or cherry tomatoes or baby carrots, mixed fruit cup...

DWI Thefts Burglary Property damage Miscellaneous...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors donated $1,209.82 to Mending Hearts. The money was raised at the annual bowling tournament for the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors. Pictured from left is Teresa Welch, Joy Baldwin, Karen Daugherty (all with Mending Hearts), Debbie Thurman, Tina McMahon and Beth McFerron (all Realtors)...

Old McKendree Day is scheduled for 3 p.m. today at Old McKendree Chapel, 4060 Bainbridge Road in Jackson. The Rev. Mike Schreiner will deliver the message, and special music will be provided by Stones Cry, featuring Chip and Jamie Sepulvado. Refreshments will be served following the service. For more information, visit www.newmckendree.org...

PET NANME: Spencer OWNER: Abbey Renee Holder ABOUT SPENCER: Spencer is such a pretty baby boy. PET NANME: Spencer OWNER: Abbey Renee Holder...

Ned is 3 months old. He is loving and playful. Ned is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837. Ned is 3 months old. He is loving and playful! Ned is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837....

Audrey is a uniquely marked calico cat. Audrey is extremely friendly and she loves attention. She is spayed and up-to-date on shots. For more information, contact Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary at 243-9823. ...

Free will is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. It amazes me that God would give each of us free will, that he trusts me so much that he wants to let me choose how to live my life, to choose how I want to serve him. This basic fact tells us so much about our God's character, so much about love itself. ...

During a recent stay in a bed-and-breakfast in St. Mary's, Mo., the proprietor said the following to my wife and me: "On a certain day in April, for many years, people came from all around to this hilltop to watch the migration of the passenger pigeons. They filled the sky. It must have been something to behold. Of course, the passenger pigeon is now extinct."...

St. Mary Council of Catholic Women held their meeting on Aug. 16 in the Huels Room. The Rev. Tom Kiefer, pastor of St. Mary Cathedral, installed the officers: Becky McLean, president; Mary Buxton, vice-president; Pat Eftink, treasurer; and Imelda Nenninger, secretary...

CHICAGO -- A joke by the satirical newspaper The Onion appears to have gotten lost in translation. An Iranian news agency picked up -- as fact -- a story from the paper about a supposed survey showing an overwhelming majority of rural white Americans would rather vote for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad than President Barack Obama. But it was made up, like everything in the just-for-laughs newspaper, which is based in Chicago...

LOS ANGELES -- Arnold Schwarzenegger says his wife, Maria Shriver, was told to "snap out of it" by her mother for her attempts to persuade him against running for California governor in 2003, a conversation that ultimately opened the door to his successful candidacy...

WASHINGTON -- Bank of America said it has agreed to pay $2.43 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch at the height of the financial crisis. In the lawsuit, shareholders alleged that Bank of America and some of its officers made false or misleading statements about both companies' financial health...

The American Red Cross will hold wilderness first aid and rescue training from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 13 and 14. The training sessions will be held at its office at 2430 Myra Drive in Cape Girardeau. Topics to be covered will include head, brain, neck and spinal injuries; heat-related emergencies and hypothermia; allergies and anaphylaxis; and burns, wounds and infections. For more information, contact Terra Jeffres, terra.jeffres@redcross.org...

WASHINGTON -- When last we saw the chief justice of the United States on the bench, John Roberts was joining with the Supreme Court's liberals to uphold President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Progressives applauded Roberts' statesmanship. Conservatives uttered cries of betrayal...

BEIRUT -- A fire sparked by battles between Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops and rebel fighters tore through Aleppo's centuries-old covered market Saturday, burning wooden doors and scorching stone stalls and vaulted passageways. The souk is one of a half-dozen renowned cultural sites in the country that have become collateral damage in the civil war...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- In this modern, civilized age, motorists driving along Highway 25 past the First Commercial Bank of Bloomfield would never guess that the location holds a deadly secret. According to an article in the Cape Girardeau Missouri Democrat of July 3, 1862, three "Union men" were hanged at the location on a tree called the "Fatal Tree."...

Southeast Missouri State University students are given the opportunity to meet with representatives of 70 potential employers and graduate schools during the university's annual Career Day; about twice as many employers participated this year as last...

Former Cape Girardeau resident and newspaper photojournalist Ken Steinhoff presents a glimpse into the past in a new exhibit at the Lutheran Heritage Center and Museum in Altenburg, Mo. The retrospective, "Ordinary People Doing Ordinary Things," is on display until Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily...