Stories from September 2012

Jackson's defense served as a barricade against Vianney and one of the premier high school running backs in the state of Missouri.

Today is Saturday, Sept. 1, the 245th day of 2012. There are 121 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 1, 1939, World War II began as Nazi Germany invaded Poland. On this date: In 1715, following a reign of 72 years, King Louis XIV of France died four days before his 77th birthday...

Cape Girardeau County leads all of its neighboring counties in population growth since the 1980 census; according to the Census Bureau, the county grew to 61,300 as of July 1, 1986, an increase of 4.3 percent over the 1980 census. An offer has been made to purchase University Hall -- the former Saint Francis Hospital -- from Southeast Missouri State University; sale of the former student housing unit hasn't been finalized, however...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- The remains of Robert K. Goins, 43, of OImsted were removed from the Mississippi River Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Sunday at Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City, Ill...

CAIRO, Ill. -- William R. "Bill" Stokes, 87, of Cairo died Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at the home of a son and daughter-in-law in Charleston, Mo. He was a veteran of World War II. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo, and from 9 a.m. to service time Monday at First Southern Baptist Church...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Bessie Johnson Smith, 92, passed away Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, at Daystar Care Center in Cairo. She was born July 8, 1920, in Joppa, Ill., daughter of Albert and Hazel Johnson. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at IOOF Cemetery in Metropolis, Ill., with the Rev. Mike Duncan officiating...

H. Vincent "Vinnie" Ashley III, 60, of Galatia, Ill., passed away Monday, Aug. 6, 2012, at St. Louis University Hospital. He was born Sept. 2, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, to the late Dr. Hugh V. and Dora Angelyn Smith Ashley Jr. Vinnie was a 1969 graduate of Cape Central High School...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Michael David Johnson, 26, of Chaffee passed away Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in Chaffee. He was born Nov. 9, 1985, in Paducah, Ky., to Thomas Kevin Johnson and Jenny Lou Shemwell. Michael married Emily Susanne Upchurch...

Central narrowly missed a shutout Friday night as the Tigers beat visiting St. Charles West 28-7.

A new director and business manager have been chosen to lead the Show Me Center at Southeast Missouri State University. Wil Gorman is currently project manager with DNC-Sportservice at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona and Rangers Ballpark of Arlington, Texas, is the new director. He will begin his duties Sept. 17. Shannon Buford, who has been educational director at Metro Business College in Cape Girardeau since 2011, took over as business manager on Aug. 27...

U.S. Sen Claire McCaskill pledged to continue "rattling some cages" in Washington D.C. in her fight to save rural post offices during a Southeast Missouri stop Friday at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority. McCaskill has been touring the state in recent days to tout her efforts to save more than 100 of Missouri's rural post offices from closure, including Cape Girardeau's Richard G. ...

Members of the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors will return to Cape Girardeau's city council meeting Tuesday night to make a second attempt at convincing the city to change a proposed rental licensing ordinance. Ken Kiefer, chairman of the board's governmental affairs committee, said the board supports an ordinance that would promote safety for tenants through inspections, but the way the ordinance is currently written could allow unauthorized property inspections and creates liability risks for real estate agents.. ...

Southeast Missourian readers will need to look for the Schnucks circular in the Wednesday issue starting this week. Following the lead of other stores in the supermarket industry, Cape Girardeau's Schnucks supermarket will now start its weekly sales on Wednesdays instead of Sundays...

The Southeast Missourian will not print an edition on Monday and offices will be closed in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Normal printing and office hours will resume on Tuesday.

The Rams scored 23 points in the fourth quarter of a 29-20 victory over

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt stopped at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce on Friday to speak with local officials and businesspeople about government regulations following a tour of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway, where he viewed progress thud far to rebuild the levee after last year's intentional breaches...

While a recent report by the Missouri Hospital Association showed hospitals in the greater Southeast Missouri region behind the rest of the state when it comes to electronic medical records, hospital officials say they are making progress. Hospitals in Cape Girardeau, Perryville and Sikeston are higher than the regional and state average in their compliance with 24 key electronic records functions included in federal health care reform...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The remnants of Hurricane Isaac spun off tornadoes in Southeast Missouri and have dumped several inches of rain on the state.

praying mantis sitting on a basket handle at a garage sale

Storm clouds over Charleston MO Saturday Sept. 2nd 2012

Storm clouds over Charleston, MO on Satuday Sept. 2nd 2012

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Noranda Aluminum Inc. and the United Steelworkers of America, the union that represents about 780 employees at the Southeast Missouri aluminum plant, have agreed to a one-week extension of the current collective bargaining agreement...

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri received a grant of $10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts, according to a Friday news release. The grant will allow the organization to host an artist-residency program in conjunction with classes offered at the Alternative Education Center in Cape Girardeau. ...

Today is Sunday, Sept. 2, the 246th day of 2012. There are 120 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 2, 1945, Japan formally surrendered in ceremonies aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, ending World War II. On this date:...

Kelsey Paige Gjerstad and John Thomas Koenig began their wedded life together June 2, 2012, in a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony at Landings at Spirit Golf Club in Chesterfield, Mo. John Rice performed the ceremony. Vocalists were Hannah Smith and Hannah Hill of St. Louis. Brandon Smith of St. Louis and Gary Gjerstad of Mesa, Ariz., uncle of the bride, were instrumentalists...

Chelsea Dale Niswonger and Ryan Andrew Dillick were married June 2, 2012, at Cape County Park. The Rev. Zack Strong of Christ Church of the Heartland performed the ceremony. Saxophonist was Spencer Day. A biblical reading was given by Sarah Robison...

John Peter and Jerrianne Wyman of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Murielle Estee Wyman, to Cody Michael Gaither. He is the son of Quentin Wade and Karen Gaither of Cape Girardeau. Wyman is a graduate of Central High School. ...

Tammy Jordan and Ralph Hendrickson of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Erin Hendrickson, to Bradley Paul Shuh. He is the son of Robert R. and Delores A. Shuh of Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Hendrickson attended Notre Dame Regional High School. She received a bachelor's degree in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University. She is a registered nurse at Southeast Hospital...

John and Kathleen Cavey of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Kate Cavey, to Chad Gettinger. He is the son of Althea Gettinger and Paul Gettinger of Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Cavey expects to receive a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and a bachelor of science degree in economics from Southeast Missouri State University in December...

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Roberts of Jackson recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Branson, Mo. Hosts were their children. Roberts and Joann Brumlow were married Aug. 21, 1962, in Paducah, Ky. He served more than 30 years in the U.S. Air Force, then with the National Guard. He retired after more than 20 years at Noranda in Marston, Mo. Joann volunteered more than 20 years at Sikeston Public Library...

This is the only albino groundhog I have ever seen. I watched as it ate vegetation on the opposite side of a woven metal fence about 100 yards away. As I contemplated how to approach the fence and animal for a decent photo, the groundhog suddenly decided to make a hasty escape. It slid under the fence and surprised me by running toward me. I photographed it as it ran across a well-mowed pasture going into trees nearby. I had unwittingly stopped close to this animal's den or place of safety...

Zack Rhodes received the Eagle Scout award Aug. 19 at the Honor Court hosted by Boy Scout Troop 5 of Cape Girardeau. Zack is a sophomore at Central High School and the son of Mark Rhodes and Pam Rhodes. ...

MIZ-ZOU! MIZZOU-Rah! Woo-Pig-Sooie! Whatever your favorite SEC team cheer is, if you are familiar with the cheers, then you are an official fan. Yes, SEC football is underway and the excitement across the conference is building. I don't even particularly like football, but I do love the food, tailgating and the marching bands of football season...

According to Nelson Rockefeller, four-time governor of New York and the 41st vice president of the United States, "No candidate for any office can hope to get elected in this country without being photographed eating a hot dog." His comment points to a truth long known to politicians: what we eat says a lot about us, or, as the 19th-century French epicure Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin put it, "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are."...

PET NAME: Luna OWNER: Kerry Davis ABOUT LUNA: This is Luna wearing a Steelers sweater. You can call it whatever you want. I have called it lots of things such as "Here we go Steelers here we go!" "GO TEAM!" "THROW THE BALL!" and "Half time is nap time."...

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

A few years ago I created a recipe for a killer barbecue sauce. It was exactly the way I like it -- thick, rich, a lot savory, a little sweet and bursting with cumin, smoked paprika and so many other delicious seasonings. Like most homemade barbecue sauces, it's so much better than anything you can buy. And yet I almost never make it...

Submitted photo AARP Chapter 4041 held its 25th anniversary celebration on Aug. 6. Shown are past presidents and active charter members, from left, Doris Langston, past president; Muriel Day, active charter member; Laverne Nothdurft, past president; Mary Berry, active charter member; Brucie Woods, past president; Bob Harper, past president; Marcie Fuller, past president; and Opal Collins, active charter member...

Question: Several friends and I have been debating about who voices Howard Wolowitz's mother on "The Big Bang Theory." Two of us believe Simon Helberg (the actor who plays Wolowitz) is doing his mother's voice, while the others say it is a female cast member. We have a small wager on the outcome. Can you help us?...

Editor's note: Andrea and Jeff Cunningham founded Melaina's Magical Playland. The all-accessible playground at Cape County Park North is scheduled to open in the spring of 2013. It's named in honor of the Cunningham's daughter who died at the age of 3 from complications of nemaline myopathy, a neuromuscular disorder....

When it comes to the reasons for Monday's Labor Day holiday, the U.S. Department of Labor offers a good historical review. The first Labor Day celebration was in New York City in 1882 and was organized by the Central Labor Union. Right off the bat, the holiday was associated with the first Monday in September. ...

At the Southeast Missourian we take accuracy seriously. Usually that sentence in a column from an editor spills into a horrific (in an editor's eyes) apologetic montage about some ghastly factual or potentially libelous error that was published. Errors made by newspaper folks come in many forms and sizes, and we are certainly not immune from errors. We make plenty...

O Lord Jesus, we praise you for you are our Savior most worthy of praise. Amen.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The actor who played David Starsky in the 1970s police drama "Starsky & Hutch" is fighting a drug charge in Kentucky for what he says is medical marijuana from California. The Daily News in Bowling Green reports an attorney entered a not guilty plea on Thursday on behalf of 69-year-old Paul Michael Glaser of Venice, Calif...

CAIRO -- The pile of trash overwhelmed the median divider on Ahmed Zaki Street and spilled into oncoming traffic -- eggshells, rotten eggplants, soiled diapers, bottles, broken furniture, junked TV sets. Flies swarmed and the summer sun baked up a powerful stench...

MANILA, Philippines -- Thousands of villagers who fled their coastal homes during a powerful earthquake in the central Philippines have returned home, but hundreds more still jittery from the temblor remained in evacuation centers Saturday, officials said...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran and North Korea signed a scientific and technological cooperation agreement Saturday, bringing the two nations deeply at odds with the U.S. closer together. Iranian state TV did not provide further details on the document but said it will include setting up joint scientific and technological laboratories, exchange of scientific teams between the two countries and transfer of technology in the fields of information technology, energy, environment, agriculture and food...

Daughter to Chris Pierre Moore and Terra Rene Warren of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 3:38 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012. Name, JaCiona Rayne. Weight, 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Ms. Warren is the daughter of Karla Holloway of Sikeston, Mo. Moore is the son of Lydia Pettis of Cape Girardeau. He is employed by TG Missouri...

Cape Girardeau's top administrative personnel will receive pay raises in the 3 percent range this fiscal year, amounting to about $1,116 on average; of the top 10 positions, only city manager Gary A. Eide isn't receiving a raise. Construction crews are hard at work widening the Nash Road bridge over Interstate 55; the span is being widened from 26 feet to 42 feet, 10 inches to better accommodate the heavy truck traffic...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold an informational workshop Sept. 12 at Dexter, Mo., for cities and counties interested in applying for Transportation Enhancement funds. The workshop will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- U.S. 61 in Perry County will be reduced to one lane Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make bridge repairs. The bridge is between routes E and P. Weather permitting, the work will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636, or visit www.modot.org/southeast...

WILLOW SPRINGS, Mo. -- Route F in Stoddard County, from U.S. 60 to Route J, will be reduced to one lane Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews continue to partially overlay the road. The work will be done from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. The work zone will be marked with signs. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636, or visit www.modot.org/southeast...

PUXICO, Mo. -- An investigation into alleged wildlife violations landed a rural Puxico couple in jail and facing arraignment after recently being charged with drug-related violations, the Daily American Republic reported. Darrell Lee Buttry, 51, and his 33-year-old wife, Laura M. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- U.S. 60 in Butler County will be reduced to one lane Tuesday, as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine bridge maintenance. The bridge is between Route N and County Road 554. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636, or visit www.modot.org/southeast...

The Missouri Department of Conservation announced the fire ban in conservation areas has been lifted, in a news release Friday. "Although we don't believe we are completely out of danger," forestry management chief Mike Hoffmann said in the release. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Farm Bureau is reconsidering its endorsement of Republican Rep. Todd Akin for U.S. Senate because of comments he made about women being able to thwart pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape," an organization spokesman said Friday...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Former Missouri House speaker Steven Tilley is now a registered lobbyist in Jefferson City. Tilley, a Republican from Perryville, Mo., announced his resignation from the House in mid-August, five months before his term would have ended.

Centenary United Methodist Church's pastor came home Thursday night to find the parsonage where he resides being burglarized by two men. Cape Girardeau police spokesman Darin Hickey said the pastor reported to police seeing one man in a nearby alley and another standing in the open doorway when he arrived at the house at 700 Bellevue St. around 8:45 p.m. Thursday.

It took a while, but investors eventually decided they liked what they heard from Ben Bernanke, and stock indexes rose enough Friday to put them into positive territory for August. Stocks gyrated after the Federal Reserve chairman spoke on Friday morning. They first gave up their morning gains, then bolted to their highs for the day, before settled in-between...

PHOENIX -- The federal abuse-of-power investigation into America's self-proclaimed toughest sheriff may have been closed without criminal charges but Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's legal troubles are far from over. A civil case brought by a small group of Latinos who accuse Arpaio's office of systematically racially profiling is awaiting a verdict from an Arizona-based federal judge...

WASHINGTON -- A senior Obama administration political appointee and longtime aide to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano resigned Saturday amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior lodged by at least three Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees...

OLD BRIDGE, N.J. -- Unhappy with his life as a Marine stationed in California, Terence Tyler posed a question three years ago on Twitter: "is it normal to want to kill ALL of ur coworkers?" Struggling with depression, he left the Marines and recently started working at a supermarket in New Jersey...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Don't expect President Barack Obama to try to reinvent himself next week at the Democratic Party's national convention. Instead, he and a slew of his supporters will seek to convince voters to stick with the president they know rather than gamble on someone new, a challenging task given that most Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction...

GRANTS PASS, Ore. -- Nina Musselman had no trouble finding a family doctor when she retired to rural Oregon nine years ago to be closer to her children. But then that doctor moved away, leaving her to search for another who would take Medicare...

NEW ORLEANS -- As the remnants of Hurricane Isaac pushed their way up the Mississippi valley on Saturday, spinning off severe thunderstorms and at least four tornadoes, some on the Gulf Coast were impatient with the pace of restoring power days after the storm dragged through the region...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday:...

Grammy award-winning band Mannheim Steamroller is coming to the Show Me Center in December. The group will perform Dec. 13 as part of their "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" tour. The tour, now in its 27th year, was one of the top 20 concert tours in the nation last year, according to Billboard. Mannheim Steamroller's two touring ensembles will hold more than 90 performances throughout the United States this year...

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

CAIRO, Ill. -- William R. "Bill" Stokes, 87, of Cairo died Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at the home of a son and daughter-in-law in Charleston, Mo. He was a veteran of World War II. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo, and from 9 a.m. to service time Monday at First Southern Baptist Church...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Bessie Johnson Smith, 92, passed away Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, at Daystar Care Center in Cairo. She was born July 8, 1920, in Joppa, Ill., daughter of Albert and Hazel Johnson. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. today at IOOF Cemetery in Metropolis, Ill., with the Rev. Mike Duncan officiating...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Michael David Johnson, 26, of Chaffee passed away Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in Chaffee. He was born Nov. 9, 1985, in Paducah, Ky., to Thomas Kevin Johnson and Jenny Lou Shemwell. Michael married Emily Susanne Upchurch. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Cairo, Ill. He was a delivery driver with Morley Building Supply in Morley, Mo...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Phyllis Hamm, 78, of Chaffee died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call after 4 p.m. Monday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. Monday...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- The remains of Robert K. Goins, 43, of Olmsted were removed from the Mississippi River Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time today at Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City, Ill. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at the funeral home, with the Rev. John Windings officiating. Interment will be in Concord Cemetery in Olmsted...

Byron D. Fluegge, 81, of Jackson passed away Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 18, 1931, in Jackson, to Robert and Martina Peetz Fluegge. He and Darlene Shoemake were married March 24, 1972. Fluegge was baptized March 12, 1931, and confirmed March 24, 1945, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit. ...

H. Vincent "Vinnie" Ashley III, 60, of Galatia, Ill., passed away Monday, Aug. 6, 2012, at St. Louis University Hospital. He was born Sept. 2, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, to the late Dr. Hugh V. and Dora Angelyn Smith Ashley Jr. Vinnie was a 1969 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School...

George Kelly Abernathy, 68, of Friedheim passed away Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at his home. He was born Sept. 24, 1943, in Zalma, Mo., son of Marvin and Haley Slaughter Abernathy. He and Liz Ross were married Aug. 15, 1962, and recently celebrated their 50th anniversary...

WASHINGTON -- St. Louis leads the National League in batting average and runs, not that anyone would assume that lately. Pitcher Adam Wainwright dominated during his first five starts in August, not that anyone would believe it based on Friday night...

The Southeast Missouri State football team already has lined up its "money" game for the 2014 season. It was announced Friday that the Redhawks will play at Big 12 Conference member Kansas on Sept. 6, 2014, at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. The meeting will be the first between the programs and will mark Southeast's second-ever matchup against a Big 12 opponent. Southeast lost at then-No. 6 Missouri 52-3 in 2008. The Tigers have since joined the SEC...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Marcus Murphy scored on punt returns of 72 and 70 yards and Zaviar Gooden and Michael Sam fueled a lightning-fast start with early defensive touchdowns in Missouri's 62-10 season-opening rout of Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday night...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams kept undrafted rookie Austin Davis as the backup quarterback behind Sam Bradford, and veteran Kellen Clemens was among the cuts to get to a 53-man roster. The Rams also released former first-round draft pick Vernon Gholston and veteran fullback Ovie Mughelli, sticking with incumbent Britt Miller. NFL teams had until 8 p.m. Friday to make moves...

WASHINGTON -- The Cardinals entered Saturday's game scuffling at the plate and searching for a win. They took care of both those problems. David Freese homered, drove in three runs and had a go-ahead single in the ninth inning Saturday to help the St. Louis Cardinals end a four-game skid with a wild, 10-9 win over the Washington Nationals...

NEW YORK -- Serena Williams does not enjoy viewing videos of her losses. Not one bit. She used to engage in that sort of film work, she said, but "it was so painful; it was like stabbing myself." So even though Williams knew her third-round opponent at the U.S. Open would be the same woman she lost to at the Australian Open, preparing by studying a replay of that January defeat simply was out of the question...

NORTON, Mass. -- The Deutsche Bank Championship has had a fair amount of heavyweight bouts in only 10 years. This Labor Day weekend is shaping up as another one, featuring stars from two generations. Rory McIlroy at times made it look easy on his way to another 6-under 65 to take the 36-hole lead. Tiger Woods couldn't buy a putt and still had a 68, leaving him two shots behind. In between was Louis Oosthuizen, a former British Open champion...

Cape Girardeau native Susan Beth Scott placed fifth in her first event at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. Scott swam a personal-best 28.92 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle Friday. Scott's next individual event is the 100 backstroke Tuesday. She may compete in the 400 freestyle relay Monday...

The Leopold volleyball team avenged a pool-play loss to Advance to win the Woodland Tournament on Friday night. The Wildcats swept the championship match 25-20, 25-14. Advance had beaten Leopold 25-20, 25-21 on Tuesday. Allison Woodfin had seven kills and seven digs for Leopold (5-1), while Sydney Eeftink had nine assists and four digs...

The St. Pius Lady Lancers were crowned champions of the Notre Dame VolleyballFest tournament on Saturday, defeating two-time defending champion Perryville 24-26, 25-21, 25-14 in a three-set thriller. The Lancers are the defending Class 2 state champions...

Oak Ridge took third place in the senior boys division.

The Red Devils lost to St. Pius in double overtime.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cox of Whitewater celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary Aug. 25, 2012, at Arbor General Baptist Church, with a gathering of family and friends. Guests attended from Scott City, Delta, Whitewater, Arbor, Webster Groves, Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Bonne Terre, Mo., and Kentucky...

Chatty is the most beautiful Siamese mix. And friendly. You can pick her right up and she loves attention. She has a crumpled right ear and this may have happened at some point when she lived outdoors but it doen't bother her. Chatty seems like she would be a wonderful companion for a one person household or a family. For more information, contact Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary at 243-9823...

Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge No. 639 hosted the 10th anniversary of the Masters at the Lake, a tennis ball golf fundraiser held June 30 at the Elks' lake nine-hole golf course. This year, $10,000 was raised which was split between Hope for Veterans and the Elks Eyeglasses for Children Fund. ...

The Republicans have nominated their presidential candidate; the Democrats are about to do the same. It is a plum assignment to get to place Mitt Romney and Barack Obama in nomination. These speeches are the equivalent of the alley-oop pass. The nominating speech floats high and lofty; the nominee slams it home the following evening. The crowd cheers wildly...

The past few weeks have been a spiritual struggle for me. I haven't felt like praying. It's seemed like a long time since I've experienced intimacy with God. Reading the Word has sounded anything but appealing, and the word that's come to mind when I think of opening the Bible sitting on my desk has been, "ughh."...

Alexandra is around 6 years old. She is spayed and declawed. Alexandra is available for adoption at the Humane Society, 334-5837.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Starting this weekend, someone walking through Charlotte's central business district could run afoul of the law by carrying water bottles, hair spray, socks or magic markers under sweeping security rules enacted ahead of the Democratic National Convention...

Run for God will hold an informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. Run for God will meet every Monday beginning Sept. 17 for 12 weeks. The purpose is to prepare participants to walk, jog or run a 5K in 12 weeks while learning the parallels between endurance sports and faith. There is no cost. For more information, call Scott McQuay at 573-225-1781 or by email at rscottmcquay@gmail.com...

This fall an event featuring a number of faith-based mission opportunities will be held in Cape Girardeau. Missionfest, organized over the past year by a local group representing several churches and denominations, will be held Oct. 27 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. Exhibits are from 1 to 4 p.m. with a worship service from 4 to 5 p.m. There is no cost to attend...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route FF in Bollinger County will be reduced from Route PP and Route H on Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route H in Bollinger County will be reduced between Route FF and Highway 34 as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. Weather permitting, work will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday. The work zone will be marked with signs...

Another tea party has come and gone at Patches in Cairo, IL. Fourteen young girl and their dolls from Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee arrived at Patches dresed in their most comfortable pajamas. They shared pizza and popcorn as they partied with their dolls. ...

Today is Monday, Sept. 3, the 247th day of 2012. There are 119 days left in the year. This is Labor Day. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 3, 1783, representatives of the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War...

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson wraps up his three-day farm tour at the Larry Bock farm near Jackson; about 30 farmers and agri-business men are on hand to discuss with him a wide range of farm issues. Huge earth movers begin scraping the first earth marking the start of construction of the $10 million Southeast Missouri River Port near Scott City; the heavy construction equipment arrived by river yesterday and was unloaded from a Luhr Brothers Construction Co. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- North- and southbound Interstate 55 in Pemiscot County, between Route U and Route O, will be reduced to one lane today as contractor crews resurface bridge approaches. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- An August survey suggests that the continuing drought and lessening export demand for U.S. products are among the drains on the economy in nine Midwest and Plains states, according to a report released Tuesday. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index remained below growth neutral for a second month in a row, the first time that's happened since July 2009, organizers said. The overall index rose to 49.7 in August from 48.7 in July. June's figure was 57.2...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon ratcheted up the pressure on lawmakers to sustain one of his vetoes Tuesday by releasing data showing that a retroactive reinstatement of local vehicle taxes would primarily hit people who bought cars from fellow Missouri residents as opposed to consumers who went to out-of-state dealers...

The Cape Girardeau Republican Women will host Cole McNary, candidate for Missouri state treasurer, the group said in a release Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled for noon Friday at Dexter Bar-B-Que in Cape Girardeau. The program will consist of lunch, educational programming and an information session with NcNary. The meeting is open to the public, and there is no cost to attend. For more information, contact Holly Lintner at 573-200-4073 or holly.lintner@gmail.com...

The remnants of Hurricane Isaac drenched Southeast Missouri and the region from Friday through Sunday, dropping more than four inches of rain in some areas. From Friday through Sunday, the National Weather Service measured 2.42 inches of rain at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. Some of the rain came in the form of torrential downpours, as thunderstorms rumbled through the area Friday and Saturday, some touching off tornado warnings...

After a year of phone calls, travel and surveys of original Civil War materials, the digital-documentation project at Southeast Missouri State University's Kent Library is now prepared to begin its final phase. The project, titled "Confluence and Crossroads: The Civil War in the American Heartland," has gathered more than 1,600 individual documents, photographs and artifacts from the period that are relevant to the history of the conflict in 23 Southeast Missouri counties and five in Southern Illinois. ...

After Holden's first week of Pre-k we went to Chaffee's first home game of the season, so to celebrate both I made him a Chaffee football shirt with his name on the back

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Democrats open their national convention Tuesday offering President Barack Obama as America's best chance to revive the ragged U.S. economy and asking voters to be patient with incomplete results so far. Michelle Obama, in her opening-night speech, aims to give people a very personal reminder of "the man that he was before he was president."...

Scattered showers, the setting sun and the rising moon combined to create this view of a rainbow and the moon in the same frame. I only had the camera on my cell phone available when mother nature presented this unique scene.

L-R, Gary Schweer, 4-H member and Dale Todt, 4-H Shotgun Leader, In state 4-H Shotgun, Gary Schweer of Jackson placed 4th in the Senior Doubles competition. Gary hit 90 out of 100 shots to tie for 3rd place. In a shoot-off to determine the placing for 3rd and 4th, Gary was short by 1 hit. For additional information on 4-H and 4-H Shooting Sports, contact Jim Lichtenegger, 4-H Youth Assistant at 573-243-1606...

Mark your calendar for the 1st Annual Run/Ride for Ragan, a fundraising biathlon in honor of Ragan Ward Neilson, to be held Oct. 13, 2012. Ragan, a Cape native and daughter of Dr. Robert and Barb Ward, lost her battle with stage four triple negative breast cancer on Oct. 29, 2007. The event will begin at the Boardman/Hutson Pavilion in downtown Cape. The 1-mile Memory/Honor Walk will start at 7 a.m., with the biathlon - a 5K run and 17 mile bike ride - starting at 8 a.m...

New Lorimier School, now Cape Girardeau City Hall, opened its doors in the fall of 1937. These youngsters, pleased with their efforts in a spelling bee, posed for a picture on the steps of the George Boardman Clark house east of the school. The students are Polly Ramsey, Nancy Hunter, Janet Clark, Lloyd Watkins, John Mehrle, Maxine Busch, Rosemary Greenwell, Rosemary Craig, Bob "Bobby" Terry, Viola Whitney, unknown, and Mary Clack. ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- In a tight race for the White House, President Barack Obama exhorted college students not to forget him despite difficult times as Democrats shone the spotlight on his wife at the Tuesday opening of their national convention...

Officers moving within Missouri Guard's 35th Engineer Brigade FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- The Missouri National Guard's 35th Engineer Brigade recently had an informal going-away ceremony for a pair of officers and welcomed in another. Lt. Col. John Findley, the former administrative officer for the Fort Leonard Wood unit, is leaving to be the deputy for the joint staff operations directorate at Joint Force Headquarters in Jefferson City...

The way Rachel tells it, from a side room at the Family Counseling Center last week, she fell into bath salts by accident. A recovering drug addict at the time with some three years of clean time, in a moment of weakness the 32-year-old Cape Girardeau resident bought what she thought was methamphetamine, a drug that had toppled her life -- along with cocaine -- in the years since high school...

Crested duck @ Capaha Park, 9/2/2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A hot summer gave Missourians plenty of reasons to want to cool off at state park swimming beaches, and a drought seems to have helped offer more opportunities to do so. Tests from water samples at state swimming beaches show bacteria levels were high enough to close the beaches less frequently than during the past two years...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Two Missouri groups announced Monday they were dropping their legal challenge to a ruling that they didn't have enough signatures to get initiatives tightening regulations on payday loans and raising the minimum wage on the November ballot.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- My wife and I have canoed and kayaked Missouri waterways since we moved here from the flatlands of Kansas in 2004. We've found each stream and river has a personality of its own -- some offer an energetic, wet romp; others a gentle, contemplative ride. Right now they're all taking it slow and easy, thanks to Mother Nature's decision to turn off the rain spigot...

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 4, the 248th day of 2012. There are 118 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 4, 1962, The Beatles, with their new drummer, Ringo Starr, recorded "Love Me Do" at EMI Studios in London. (The more familiar version with substitute drummer Andy White and Starr playing the tambourine was recorded a week later.)...

For Danny Essner, a founder of the River City Rodders car club, classic cars are about nostalgia. "Old cars are primarily a hobby for older guys," he says. "We started out when we were in our 20s, and we've kind of evolved. We're trying to relive our youth. Now we have the money (to spend on cars) we wanted to have when we were younger."...

What started as a small celebration to honor young veterans has expanded to include all American soldiers. The fifth annual Welcome Home Celebration will be Saturday, Sept. 29, at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The event is free and open to all...

To some, diving for sunken treasure in the sea sounds like the stuff of mysterious novels or movies. But to Randy Barnhouse, sunken treasure diving is a passion that he has pursued for nearly 30 years. "I always liked swimming and being around lakes, rivers and streams," says Barnhouse. ...

Anyone who knows Cape Girardeau understands the city is much more populated than the census numbers suggest. Virtually every city leader, when describing the city for the first time or talking about the city in an economic context, uses the word "hub" as a way to explain the city's growing posture as a thriving city, the unofficial capital of Southeast Missouri...

I've always been impressed by the photographers for the Southeast Missourian, but Laura Simon is a true pro. I've watched her work at the river recently and she is professional. Her pictures don't need captions; they speak volumes. Keep up the good work, Laura. You are awesome...

O Lord God, in all we say and do, may it be for your glory. Amen.

LOS ANGELES -- It wasn't backed by any Hollywood movie studio. Reviews were mostly negative. It premiered in Houston, not Los Angeles or New York. And yet despite the unconventional release of "2016: Obama's America," the movie is now among the most successful political documentaries of all time -- and it doesn't show signs of cooling down ahead of the presidential election...

LOS ANGELES -- Michael Clarke Duncan, the hulking, prolific character actor whose dozens of films included an Oscar-nominated performance as a death row inmate in "The Green Mile" and such other box office hits as "Armageddon," "Planet of the Apes" and "Kung Fu Panda," is dead at age 54...

ISLAMABAD -- A Muslim cleric is accused of stashing pages of a Quran in a Christian girl's bag to make it seem like she burned the Islamic holy book, a surprising twist in a case that caused an international outcry over the country's strict blasphemy laws...

According to a preliminary document filed with the county prosecuting attorney's office by the state auditor's office, nearly $60,000 is missing from Cape Girardeau's municipal court funds; prosecutor Morley Swingle said he has assigned an investigator to further probe the allegations of missing funds...

The Jackson Police Department reported the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday:...

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

CAIRO, Ill. -- Joseph E. Ruiz, 82, of Cairo died Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo. The rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. in the funeral home chapel...

HARTFORD, Ky. -- Dr. Ronald "Ronnie" Earl Price, 78, of Hartford passed away Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at the Ohio County Hospital in Hartford. He was born in Madisonville, Ky., on July 16, 1934, to the late Robert E. Price and Dora Pearl Allen Price...

Lynda K. Hansen, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at the Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Phyllis R. Hamm, 78, of Chaffee passed away Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born in Chaffee on Jan. 23, 1934, to the late Raymond Earl and Thelma Marie Schott Jones. Phyllis married James Roby Rogers on Sept. 23, 1950, and he preceded her in death Aug. 22, 1958. She married Norman "Cowboy" Hamm on July 20, 1963, and he preceded her in death Sept. 10, 1982...

Sondra Gockel Fitzpatrick, 52, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at The Lutheran Home. She was born July 23, 1960, in Cape Girardeau, to Marvin Eugene "Pete" and Laverne Springer Gockel. She graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School in 1978 and from Southeast Missouri State University in 1984. ...

Rita L. Burk, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of service Friday at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.   The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery in Cape Girardeau...

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea said a typhoon that hit the peninsula last week killed 48 people and left 21,000 homeless. The update from the official Korean Central News Agency said Monday that Typhoon Bolaven also left more than 50 people injured or missing, damaged 123,550 acres of farmland and destroyed or inundated 6,700 houses...

BEIRUT -- The Syrian regime said Monday there will be no dialogue with the opposition before the army crushes the rebels, the latest sign that President Bashar Assad is determined to solve the crisis on the battlefield even if many more of his people have to pay with their lives...

JOHANNESBURG -- South African police and security guards fired rubber bullets and tear gas Monday at sacked gold miners who were attacking colleagues to block them from working, the mine owner said. Police said four people were wounded at the mine that used to be partially owned by the president's nephew...

BAGHDAD -- For much of Iraq's youth, sporting blingy makeup, slicked-up hair and skintight jeans is just part of living the teenage dream. But for their elders, it's a nightmare. A new culture rift is emerging in Iraq, as young women replace shapeless cover-ups with ankle-baring skirts and tight blouses, while men strut around in revealing slacks and spiky haircuts. ...

GAPYEONG, South Korea -- Unification Church patriarch Sun Myung Moon leaves behind children who have been groomed to lead a religious movement famous for its mass weddings and business interests -- if family feuds don't bring down the empire...

EPPING, N.H. -- Authorities say a New Hampshire woman has been arrested four times in 26 hours for blasting the AC/DC song "Highway to Hell" and other loud music from her home and for throwing a frying pan. Police first issued a warning to Joyce Coffey on Aug. 28 at her home in Epping. They say they were called back an hour later and arrested her for the loud music...

NEW YORK -- A man hurled acid in his daughter's face in a gruesome attack that sent her into a street screaming for help as her skin peeled and her clothes disintegrated, police and witnesses said. As his 49-year-old daughter sat on his couch in Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon, Jerome Lynch abruptly left the room, returned with a cup of what she thought was water and doused her with it, she later told a cousin, according to the Daily News...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When it comes to following political conventions, Twitter may soon trump television. TV viewership for last week's Republican National Convention dropped sharply from 2008, suggesting interest in this presidential race falls short of some past contests. But the convention was a hit online and on social networks, the latest evidence of the political conversation's gradual migration from traditional media to the Web...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Union activists walked a political tightrope Monday -- voicing support for President Barack Obama's re-election bid while lamenting adversarial attitudes toward organized labor in the state Democrats chose for the presidential nominating convention...

NEW ORLEANS -- Mitt Romney wasted no time after accepting the GOP presidential nomination in heading to Louisiana to see the damage from Hurricane Isaac, changing his schedule on the fly to get there the very next day. President Barack Obama also tweaked his travel plans to make sure he got there Monday, ahead of his own nominating convention...

BERKELEY, Calif. -- School day wake-up calls recorded by celebrities. Weekend makeup classes. Contests with laptop computers, private concerts and cars as prizes. Educators across the nation are using creative strategies as another school year gets underway to convince students and parents that regular attendance matters -- and not just for grades and achievement...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The home state of the president who didn't inhale has become an unlikely front in the battle over medical marijuana. This fall, Arkansas will be the first Southern state to ask voters whether to legalize medical uses for pot, a move that offers supporters a rare chance to make inroads in a region that has resisted easing any restrictions on the drug...

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. -- Chairman Ben Bernanke sent a clear message last week that the Federal Reserve will do more to help the still-struggling U.S. economy. His remarks left two questions: What exactly will the Fed do? And when? Bernanke described the U.S. economy's health as "far from satisfactory" and noted that the unemployment rate, now 8.3 percent, hasn't declined since January...

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. -- This southwestern Kentucky town has hit the astronomical jackpot. When a total eclipse of the sun darkens skies Aug. 21, 2017, the show will last longer in a stretch of bucolic hill country near Hopkinsville than any place on the planet. It will last two minutes and 40 seconds, not much longer than the Kentucky Derby...

Schnucks Cape Girardeau supermarket is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar upgrade that will bring more variety and convenience for shoppers, store manager Dennis Marchi said. Work began last month installing new energy-efficient coolers, brighter LED lighting, new bins in the bakery and much more...

Saint Francis Medical Center has named Steve Firmand the director of training and development. Firmand will be responsible for managing enterprise learning and developing new projects and strategies for more than 2,400 Saint Francis employees. Firmand has worked in training and development in the academic, pharmaceutical and technology industries. He has also worked with other clients as a performance consultant in the United States and abroad...

Roger and Judith Anne Lang have mixed emotions about deciding to close a family jewelry business that has operated in the same location for the past 96 years. "It's very bittersweet," says Judith Anne. "On one hand, we're ready to retire and enjoy life. But, on the other hand, we will miss our customers, as many of them have become dear friends over the years."...

Linda Clark Nash's interest in Pierre de Lorimier, the founder of Cape Girardeau, started early in her life. "When I was a sixth-grade baby boomer student, I was bussed from Alma Schrader school to Lorimier school (which is now city hall) because of overcrowding," says Nash. "That's where my interest in Lorimier really began."...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals took another step toward a playoff spot, thanks to a misstep by the New York Mets. Andres Torres lost an apparent leadoff double in the ninth inning when he was called out for missing first base, and the Cardinals held off the Mets 5-4 on Monday...

I didn't make the trip to Central Michigan for Southeast Missouri State's opening football game Thursday night. Instead I watched the contest online on ESPN3 and came away impressed by the Redhawks, who suffered a 38-27 loss. CMU ultimately seemed to wear down Southeast with its strength, athleticism and depth, which you would expect from a Football Bowl Subdivision program against a Football Championship Subdivision program...

Southeast Missouri State did quite a few things well during Thursday's season-opening 38-27 loss at Football Bowl Subdivision member Central Michigan. Special teams were among the Redhawks' highlights, led by strong performances from junior punter Joe Vucic and senior kicker Drew Geldbach, who are both in their third year as regulars...

The Notre Dame boys cross country team claimed its first top 10 finish at the annual Memphis Twilight Classic on Saturday. The Bulldogs' top-five finishers all were among the top 100 in the field of 322 runners, placing Notre Dame ninth among the 41 teams...

Cape Girardeau native Susan Beth Scott won her first medal at the 2012 Paralympic Games as a member of the U.S.'s 400-meter relay squad that took silver Sunday in London. Scott teamed with Victoria Arlen, Jessica Long and Anna Eames to nip Great Britain for second in 4 minutes, 24.57 seconds. Australia won the gold in 4:20.39...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. home prices are finally starting to increase consistently. A gauge of national home prices rose in June compared with the same month last year, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller index released Aug. 28. The year-over-year increase was the first since September 2010, a year when housing benefited temporarily from a federal home-buying tax credit...

The nation's oil and gas hub along the Gulf Coast is slowly coming back to life in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac. Offshore oil platforms are beginning to ramp up production as crews are returning. Refineries are beginning to restart units as power is restored and floodwaters are cleared out...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Perryville football team fumbled nine times and failed to complete a pass -- yet somehow found a way to win. "It's a very good year to be a Pirate," senior fullback/linebacker Aaron Hadler said. At least through the first two weeks of the season...

In July I gave you information about the Southeast Missouri Medical Center wanting to provide a new community center for the citizens of Jackson. The medical center is a not-for-profit organization formed by Jackson residents back in the late '60s for the purpose of improving health care for the citizens of Jackson and the surrounding area by offering incentives to recruit doctors. At the time Jackson was served by Drs. J.N. Jaeger and E.F. McDonald, who were both nearing retirement...

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A month after a million-dollar Powerball ticket was sold in St. Louis, the winner has yet to come forward. The ticket for the Aug. 4 drawing matched all five white balls, earning the holder a $1 million prize. The ticket with the white-ball numbers 19, 30, 48, 53 and 55 was purchased at Safi Amoco in St. Louis...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Electric customers of Ameren Missouri will get a small break on their bills because of a decline in fuel prices. The Missouri Public Service Commission has reduced Ameren Missouri's fuel adjustment charge, effective Sept. 24. It's expected to save the average residential customer about 21 cents a month...

Make and model: 1947 Studebaker MS Owner(s): Don Kuntze Owner's hometown: Jackson, Mo Names of people in photo: Don Kuntze ** How I fell in love with my ride: It's an old truck that I can drive.

Cape Girardeau's city council decided Tuesday night to take time to work through language revisions that would establish a licensing and inspection program for rental properties. Council members approved tabling the proposed ordinance that would create the program after lengthy discussion with representatives of the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors. ...

The Notre Dame volleyball team played five matches during the tournament it hosted over the weekend. The Bulldogs missed 44 serves and, to hear them tell it, allowed an unfathomable number of their opponents' tips to fall to the court on their way to winning the tournament's silver bracket...

A consultant sought guidance on building designs to be included in a strategic plan for uptown Jackson Tuesday during a sparesely attended public meeting and another private meeting with property owners and school and church officials. Only two people attended the public meeting held Tuesday evening at the city library. A dozen property owners, school and church officials took part in a private meeting with consultants earlier in the day, said Michael Hemmer, project manager with PGAV Planners...

CAIRO, Ill. -- A Southern Illinois county judge Tuesday granted a temporary restraining order that, for now at least, blocks Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to close several state correctional facilities, including the Tamms Correctional Center, in an effort to slash millions from the state budget...

A local man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to child molestation. Quinton W. Headrick Jr., 43, pleaded guilty to felony child molestation and was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge William Syler on Tuesday. With the plea, Headrick admitted that he subjected a 12-year-old family member to inappropriate touching in April. ...

Team members representing the ten campuses of Cape Girardeau Public Schools kicked off their annual United Way Campaign this week, working to meet this year's goal of $24,000-- slightly more than district employees contributed last year. Individual employee support to United Way averaged $122.35 last year...

Through the generosity of Proctor and Gamble Paper Products Company, Sushil Sobti, a Cape Central High School member of the class of 2012, is the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship toward tuition at Washington University, St. Louis. A scholar, musician and athlete, Sobti was also active in the community, supporting efforts of the United Way, Southeast Hospital and Boy Scouts. ...

Come down to the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport for the Airport Open House and Fun Day on Sept. 22. Event admission is free and open to the public. The open house will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A pancake breakfast will be available at Sandy's Place Restaurant from 8 to 10 a.m...

There is still time to register for the 23rd Annual Coors Light/Trail of Tears Triathlon on Sept. 15 in Cape Girardeau. Registration between now and Sept. 13 is $55 per individual and $65 per team entry. All paid participants will receive an event t-shirt and a post-race meal. Awards and door prizes will be handed out...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department has two opportunities available for discounted NFL and NBA tickets this fall, including transportation to games. Watch the Memphis Grizzlies take on the NBA Champion Miami Heat in Memphis on Sunday, Nov. ...

Friday Night Game Nights begin Sept. 21 at the Shawnee Park Center, from 5 to 8 p.m., for ages 5 to 18. Games will include Nintendo Wii, air hockey, table tennis, and board and card games. The entry fee is $2 per participant. Dates that the Friday Night Game Nights will be unavailable will be posted at the Shawnee Park Center and online at cityofcape.org/parks. For more information, contact Heather Davis at 573-339-6346 or hdavis@cityofcape.org...

16th Annual Autumn Open September 8 Shotgun start at 8 a.m. $160 per team (does not include cart or trail fee), 40 team limit Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three places in four flights, depending on the number of entries in each flight. Skins and mulligans are available for purchase. Coffee and doughnuts will be served prior to the tournament's start, and hamburgers and chips will be served during the day...

Jacob Farrar's first 5,000 foot ziplining experience....across the river, through the woods, and back across the river. He was in complete AWE of his birds-eye view!

Taken south of town from cell phone. Rare early morning storm covering Cape.

Macy Sue's parents, Kevin and Ashley (Buchheit) Westmoreland, anticipated their first child's arrival with joy as any new parents would, but life took a drastic change of course on March 22, 2012 when their beloved baby Macy was born with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). 1Leukemia is the most common form of childhood cancer, and Macy is only one in five million infants born with the disease...

The Heartland Writer's Guild (HWG) will meet at 2pm on Sunday, June 16th at the Steck House, next door to the First Presbyterian Church 206 E. Washington Street (near the Courthouse - signs at the corner of the highway and at the House) in Jackson. Carl Armstrong will be guest speaker. His newest book Rivers of Creativity was recently published via CreateSpace...

The third show of the 2012 season is upon us. "The Smell of the Kill" by Michelle Lowe and directed by Holly Raines will open on September 14. This is a mystery comedy and can be enjoyed by ages 12 and up. RCP has not done a show of this type where there are six characters but you only see the three women on stage. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Bertrand, Mo., woman will be arraigned Wednesday in connection with an alleged assault that left an infant with a fractured skull. Maria Foy, 27, is scheduled to appear at 9:15 a.m. before Associate Judge T. Lynn Brown on a charge of first-degree assault. Foy was arrested Aug. 24 following an investigation led by Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore and deputy Janice McCameron...

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 5, the 249th day of 2012. There are 117 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 5, 1972, terrorism struck the Munich Olympics as members of the Palestinian group Black September attacked the Israeli delegation; 11 Israelis, five guerrillas and a police officer were killed in the resulting siege...

The Discovery Playhouse has quickly become a cornerstone for downtown Cape Girardeau. Since opening in 2010, the children's museum has attracted 60,000 visitors -- many local, but others from surrounding communities and states. Recently, Pansy Glenn of Kewanee, Mo., was named the new executive director for the facility. ...

As my 65th birthday approaches, I'm constantly reminded just how out of step I am with modern society. For example, I can't remember the exact moment that I fully abandoned today's musical offerings, but I suspect that may have been the first signal of societal withdrawal...

O Lord God, may we not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Amen.

NEW YORK -- The only worry on Michael Strahan's mind when he made his entrance Tuesday as the new co-host of "Live!": "Don't trip," he summed up after the show. He didn't. When Kelly Ripa introduced him, the gap-toothed former football player jogged onto the morning show set and gathered her up in a bear hug, lifting her off her feet...

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- With slogans like "Don't let your vote go up in smoke!", owners of the free-wheeling cafes where bags of hashish are sold alongside cups of coffee are mounting a get-out-the-stoner-vote campaign ahead of next week's Dutch election...

LONDON -- The public's verdict was clear: Prime Minister David Cameron and Treasury chief George Osborne faced a chorus of boos at London's Paralympic Games -- a rare flash of hostility toward their belief that a sharp austerity drive is the best way to repair Britain's debt-ravaged economy...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Officers with the Kennett Police Department have arrested a 40-year-old Kennett man on charges of first-degree assault and domestic violence. According to official reports, the arrest was made at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Kennett police were dispatched to 308 Liberty St. for a report that a woman had been assaulted by her husband and that he had poured hot grease on her...

Police have determined a suspect in assault allegations made last week by a 92-year-old female resident at a Cape Girardeau assisted-living facility, the Cape Girardeau Police Department announced Tuesday. The department has submitted charges to the prosecutor's office for review, according to an email from spokesman Darin Hickey. The suspect is not in custody at this time, Hickey said...

Daughter to William "BJ" Smith and Heather Phillips of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Hospital, 12:14 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. Name, Elynn Arabella. Weight, 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Third child, first daughter. Ms. Phillips is the daughter of Stephen Franklin and Tammy Phillips of Cape Girardeau. She is manager of Frontier Star LLC. Smith is the son of Danny Smith and Nadine Smith of Cape Girardeau. He is employed in facilities management at Southeast Missouri State University...

A committee studying future annexation of Cape Girardeau and Jackson basically split the difference yesterday; the committee met Friday to resolve a final area of disagreement, which was a four-square-mile area that includes the southwest intersection of Interstate 55 and U.S. 61...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon ratcheted up the pressure on lawmakers to sustain one of his vetoes Tuesday by releasing data showing that a retroactive reinstatement of local vehicle taxes would primarily hit people who bought cars from fellow Missouri residents as opposed to consumers who went to out-of-state dealers...

MONTREAL -- A separatist party won power in Quebec on Tuesday night, potentially placing the French-speaking province on course for another referendum to break away from Canada. Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marios, who becomes Quebec's first female premier, replaces Liberal leader Jean Charest, who headed Quebec for nearly a decade...

JOLIET, Ill. -- Prosecutors in Drew Peterson's murder trial implored jurors Tuesday to use common sense in assessing the circumstantial case against him, while the defense said the state fell far short of proving the former Illinois police officer killed his third wife...

DARIEN, N.Y. -- Authorities say a 35-year-old man tried to swallow several counterfeit $50 bills after he was caught trying to use the bogus money at a New York amusement park. The Genesee County Sheriff's Department says deputies were called to Darien Lake Theme Park and Resort on Sunday night after Larry Jones, of Buffalo, N.Y., bought french fries with a $50 bill...

WASHINGTON -- It didn't take long for the Internet to start buzzing with conspiracy theories after the Social Security Administration posted a notice that it was purchasing 174,000 hollow-point bullets. Why is the agency that provides benefits to retirees, disabled workers, widows and children stockpiling ammunition? Whom are they going to use it on?...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Early voting in the presidential race begins this month, and in the weeks to come millions of people in key states will cast ballots that could prove decisive on Election Day. They did in 2008, when President Barack Obama's margin of victory relied to a great degree on early votes cast in such crucial states as Florida, Colorado, North Carolina and Iowa...

LAPLACE, La. -- At the urging of residents who have long felt forgotten in the shadow of more densely populated New Orleans, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will look into whether the city's fortified defenses pushed floodwaters provoked by Hurricane Isaac into outlying areas...

The U.S. attorney's office released the following information Tuesday for defendants who appeared before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. SENTENCED Name: Alejandro Cruz-Guzman Residence: Mexico Age: 31 Sentence: Five months...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

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

Lynda K. Hansen, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Lifecare Center. She was born Aug. 21, 1950, in Cape Girardeau, to Clyde and Juanita O'Daniel Wallis. Lynda worked at Thorngate Ltd. in Cape Girardeau. She was a former member of the UNITE union where she served as president and secretary...

Sandra D. Farrow, 64, of Randles died Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at her home. A private graveside committal service will be held at a later date. McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Sharlett Ann Eftink, 56, of Chaffee passed away Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, at the family home. She was born Jan. 28, 1956, in Chaffee, to Philip Aloysius and Doris Jean Klipfel Walter. Sharlett married Jerome Eftink on Nov. 23, 1974...

Rita L. Burk, 82, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 31, 1930, in South Bend, Ind., to Robert W. and Rena Stewart Lillard. At the young age of 18, Rita married Marl Burk on Feb. 1, 1949...

PATTON, Mo. -- Hartley Morris Bell, 85, of Patton passed away Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, at Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau. He was born March 19, 1927, in Tunnel Hill, Ill., son of George and Alma Branscum Bell. He and Patricia E. Clark were married June 9, 1988...

Viola M. Ainsworth, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, at Monticello House in Jackson. She was born June 15, 1920, in Cape Girardeau, to Charles S. and Clara Ethel Nichols Long. She and James A. Ainsworth were married in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death...

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

Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt did not get the news he was hoping for regarding freshman point guard C.J. Reese. Nutt said Tuesday that Reese was not approved academically by the NCAA Clearinghouse, meaning he will not be eligible to play for the Redhawks during the first semester...

ST. LOUIS -- Jaime Garcia always has been a better pitcher at Busch Stadium than on the road. The New York Mets saw just how much better the lefty can be. Garcia carried a shutout into the eighth inning, and Yadier Molina got his 1,000th career hit with an infield single that started a three-run second against rookie Matt Harvey in the St. Louis Cardinals' 5-1 victory Tuesday night...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter threw 50 pitches Tuesday in a three-inning simulated game, taking another step in a bid to bolster the club's NL wild card chances. The 37-year-old right-hander underwent surgery in July to relieve nerve compression that resulted in numbness on much of the right side of his body, with the hope he could return for spring training. He upped the ante Tuesday, four days after working two innings in Washington...

BEIRUT -- More than 100,000 Syrians fled their country in August, the highest monthly total since the crisis began in March 2011, the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday. That exodus sharply increased the number of Syrians now living in neighboring countries, bringing the total number of refugees to 234,368 in the past 17 months, the agency said...

PASADENA, Calif. -- Thirty-five years after leaving Earth, Voyager 1 is reaching for the stars. Sooner or later, the workhorse spacecraft will bid adieu to the solar system and enter a new realm of space -- the first time a man-made object will have escaped to the other side...

Jeffery Cronenbold, 50, of Cape Girardeau was arrested Friday on drug and traffic charges, the Perry County Sheriff's Office said in a release Tuesday. "Cronenbold was stopped, and charged with a minor traffic violation" Perry County Sheriff Gary J. ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- First lady Michelle Obama lovingly praised her husband Tuesday night in a prime-time Democratic Convention speech as a devoted spouse and caring father at home and a "man we can trust" to revive the nation's weak economy as president, beckoning the country to return him to the White House despite agonizingly slow recovery from recession...

The date, time and ticket sale information for an annual fall storytelling event at the River Campus are set. Brian "Fox" Ellis and Megan Hicks will be performing at Bedell Performance Hall starting at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at An Afternoon and Evening of Ghost Storytelling, presented by the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau and Southeast Missouri State University. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for those age 14 and under, and are now on sale at RiverCampusEvents.com...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Three Southeast Missouri farmers are helping tell the story of agriculture through a nationally syndicated documentary that broadcast locally last weekend. "Against the Grain: The Year Mother Nature Struck Back"

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake Monday morning near Portageville of 2.6 magnitude. The quake occurred at 7:12 a.m. and was centered six miles east/northeast of Portageville. No damage was reported, but some residents reported having felt the movement...

Make and model: 1964 Chevy Impala Owner(s): Dave and Phillis McLain Owner's hometown: Cape Girardeau, Mo 355 cu in Powerglide. 10 years since total restoration, built for Rt 66 trip. My car's name: Polar Bear I got tired of building 55-57 Chevys and for a change of pace started building Chevys from the 60s. This car is like one my parents had and I learned to drive at 16...

Make and model: 50 Ford Custom Four Door Owner(s): Harold Robinson Owner's hometown: Jackson, Mo My car's name: Old Bess

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Eleven hospitals in rural Missouri will share $262,000 in federal grants to help speed up their Internet connections. Gov. Jay Nixon says the grants will improve the telemedicine capabilities of the hospitals and their affiliated clinics to connect patients with medical specialists located elsewhere...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- New campaign finance reports show Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder emerged from a tough Republican primary to begin September with a fraction of the cash of his Democratic challenger. Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file reports covering the period from July 27 through Sept. 1...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon made the finances of his office look better by shifting $1.7 million of staff, travel and office costs to other agencies over the past several years, according to an audit released Wednesday. The report by Republican State Auditor Tom Schweich says the Democratic governor tapped the finances of more than a dozen other agencies under his control to essentially spend more than the governor's office had been budgeted. ...

JACKSON, Miss. -- Rain from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac could help the drought-stricken Mississippi River, but experts say it's not enough for long-term relief for the vital waterway that is at its lowest level since 1988. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is trying to keep barge traffic flowing on the essential commerce route. ...

Cape Girardeau and Illinois police were sent on a high-speed chase Wednesday that ended with their guns drawn in a trailer park.

Here is another batch of health secrets from homeopathic medicine. Here we look at the uncomfortable, painful situation we know as boils. Here are the best six homeopathic remedies to soothe this condition. Boils are caused by a bacterial infection in your hair follicles. ...

As part of its ongoing commitment to provide value and high quality healthcare services to the region, SoutheastHEALTH President and CEO Wayne Smith announced on Tuesday, Sept. 4, that Southeast is significantly reducing pricing for a number of Imaging services at SoutheastHEALTH...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has found some common ground with Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon. Kinder said Wednesday that he does not believe the Republican-led Legislature should override Nixon's veto of a bill that would retroactively re-impose local sales taxes on vehicles...

Road construction leads to a broken water main on Broadway and Sprigg in front of Howard's.

A Cape Girardeau woman has been charged with elder abuse, one day after police turned over a case of abuse at a local nursing home to prosecutors. Sherri L. Sprenger was issued a summons on a charge of third-degree elder abuse, a misdemeanor, on Wednesday, according to online court records. The records don't list her age, but do list a birth year of 1990...

Sunday September 16th is a VERY SPECIAL DAY and would have been Levi Collom's 4th birthday. Levi died March 18th 2012 of a sudden unexplained death. Levi's family wants to celebrate Levi's life on this day with family, friends, and supporters. Levi's mother Ellie Collom states, " to help our family to get through this very emotional day we wish to see smiles and hear children's laughter"...

Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center has bounced back after having somewhat of a down year, despite a closing weekend marred by wet and windy weather. While the remnants of Hurricane Isaac kept crowds down for part of Labor Day weekend, the last weekend of the water park's season, the numbers for this year were up from the year before. After a disappointing 2011 that was plagued by rain, attendance climbed to 91,300 over a 2012 season that saw record-setting temperatures...

Our one year old grandson, Ben Robert, was visiting from Gallarate, Italy. He absolutely loved Cape Splash and was not at all afraid of the water.

Cape Girardeau police are looking for a woman who reportedly swiped a purse from a local gas station counter, and was observed doing it on video. At 10:15 a.m., Tuesday, a woman entered Shell D Mart at 3415 William St., the Cape Girardeau Police Department said in a news release Wednesday. ...

ROLLA, Mo. -- After some welcome rainfall, Mark Twain National Forest in south-central Missouri is no longer restricting open fires. Forest officials say remnants of Hurricane Isaac dropped enough rain on the forest in the last week to at least temporarily ease fire dangers...

Ed Martin is tacking another layer onto his campaign strategy by acting as chairman of the Missouri Republican Party's "Victory" operation, a role the Republican attorney general candidate said is usually reserved for those who aren't on a ballot. "Others had tougher primaries," Martin said during a short meeting Wednesday at U.S. ...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission meeting scheduled for 9 a.m. today has been canceled due to lack of agenda, the commission said in a release Wednesday. The next commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m., Monday at 1 Barton Square in Jackson...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Sho-Me Technologies of Marshfield, Mo., has contracted to lay fiber-optic cables in Marble Hill sometime in the next three weeks. Sho-Me Technologies is a subsidiary of Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative in Marshfield. It does not provide cellphone service or Internet connections, company spokesman Tim Lewis said, but it provides the technology that enables other providers to hook up their customers...

Today is Thursday, Sept. 6, the 250th day of 2012. There are 116 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 6, 1997, a public funeral was held for Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in London, six days after her death in a car crash in Paris...

JOLIET, Ill. -- As they began deliberations Wednesday, jurors in Drew Peterson's trial immediately zeroed in on the case's trickiest issue: whether to believe secondhand hearsay statements that would often be barred from consideration in a criminal court...

LOS ANGELES -- Next and final stop: The biggest object in the asteroid belt. After spending a year gazing at a giant asteroid, NASA's Dawn spacecraft on Wednesday began the cruise toward an even bigger target -- a voyage that will take nearly three years...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The criminal case against the highest-ranking Catholic official in the U.S. to be charged with shielding an abusive priest is headed for a swift ending after prosecutors and the bishop's lawyer agreed Wednesday to let a judge -- not jurors -- decide the case...

Barbara Marie Hensley, 78, of Scott City died Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 10, 1934, in Commerce, Mo., to Elmer and Mildred Eifert Uelsmann. She married Bobby G. Hensley on Dec. 25, 1951, in Piggott, Ark...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Milton A. "Spitz" Vogel, 87, of Perryville died Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 20, 1925, in Uniontown, Mo., son of John S. and Martha A. Hopfer Vogel. He and Olga N. Richter were married Nov. 24, 1946. She preceded him in death Dec. 19, 2008...

Scholarships -- From staff reports...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- LaVanche Klaus, 79, of Perryville died Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Young and Sons Funeral Home. Graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, with the Rev. Matthew Marks officiating...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Steven P. Cissell, 57, of Perryville died Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, at his home. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today and 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at Young and Sons Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Christ the Savior Church in Brewer, Mo., with the Rev. Bill Rhinehardt officiating. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery...

Bradley Howard Smith, 47, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, at Life Care Center. A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Fellowship Southern Baptist Church in Harviell, Mo. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Scott City is in charge of arrangements...

Son to Eric Michael Beussink and Brook Nicole Pearman of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Hospital, 7:40 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Name, Connor Lloyd. Weight, 7 pounds, 7 ounces. First child. Ms. Pearman is the daughter of Bonnie and Randy Farrow and Sam and Lisa Pearman, all of Cape Girardeau. Beussink is the son of Glen and Paulette Beussink of Cape Girardeau. He is employed at Ruopp Flooring...

Using a few materials from around the house, you can demonstrate what would happen if a football player decided not to wear a helmet. Materials Instructions STEP 1: Place one of the melons inside the football helmet. STEP 2: Have one person hold the helmeted melon and another hold the unhelmeted melon...

Fire fighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

FRIDAY SATURDAY NEXT WEEK "Finding Nemo," rated G, Cape 14 West Cine, opens Sept. 14 "Resident Evil: Retribution," rated R, Cape West 14 Cine, opens Sept. 14 "Away from the World," Dave Matthews Band "Tempest," Bob Dylan "Tornado," Little Big Town "Snow White and the Huntsman"...

Irregular schedules, newfound freedom, endless social interaction, loud and crowded housing, late-night exercise and food washed down by booze or coffee energy drinks can all contribute to sleep deprivation in college, which can end up hurting grades and class attendance...

Six Southeast Missouri State defensive players made their first start for the Redhawks during Thursday's season opener at Central Michigan. Cornerbacks Cantrell Andrews and Reggie Jennings were the only two among that group who had never previously played in a Southeast game...

The Notre Dame volleyball team made short work of visiting Scott City Wednesday night, rolling 25-14, 25-13. "We played pretty good," said Notre Dame coach Tara Stroup, whose squad improved to 6-1-1. Myriah Bernard led the Bulldogs with seven kills. Taylor Rinda and Sarah Lawrence added five kills apiece...

Sarah Losleben Willis has joined the Southeast Missouri State softball program as an assistant coach. Willis will be involved with all aspects of the program, including infield, outfield and recruiting. Willis was an assistant at Princeton University in 2011. She coached the pitchers, catchers, outfielders, handled recruiting and monitored players' academic progress and class schedules among other duties during her time with the Tigers...

MONTREAL -- Police said a man fired a gun during a midnight victory rally for Quebec's new premier, killing one person and wounding another. The new premier, Pauline Marois of the separatist Parti Quebecois, was whisked off the stage and uninjured...

MADRID -- Bullfights returned live to Spanish state TV with a glittering and music-filled display Wednesday evening, six years after the fights were banned from the widely watched public channel. The broadcast featured three of Spain's most famous bullfighters and bulls by a renowned breeder, giving a boost to a tradition hit hard by declining popularity and a dire economic crisis...

BEIJING -- A former police chief whose flight to a U.S. consulate set off China's biggest political scandal in years has been charged with crimes including defection and bribe taking, possibly indicating the turbulent affair is moving closer to a resolution before a key national leadership transition this fall...

BEIRUT -- Turkey accused Syria of "state terrorism" Wednesday after a sharp spike in the death toll from the Syrian civil war, and Iran came under new scrutiny with the U.S. alleging that Tehran is flying weapons to President Bashar Assad's regime across Iraqi airspace...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan authorities have detained or removed hundreds of soldiers in an investigation into rising insider attacks against international service personnel who are their supposed partners in the fight against Taliban insurgents and other militants, officials said Wednesday...

BOGOTA -- The image is seared in Colombian minds: The country's president sits on a big stage looking glum, hands folded in his lap, next to an empty chair. It is January 1999. At the inauguration of peace talks, the founding leader of the Western Hemisphere's biggest leftist rebel army has snubbed President Andres Pastrana...

CANGREJAL, Costa Rica -- A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook Costa Rica and neighboring countries Wednesday, sending panicked people into the streets and briefly triggering a tsunami alert, but causing little damage. Authorities reported one confirmed death...

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- A woman says a 6-week-old kitten hitched a ride on the outside of her vehicle as she drove about 100 miles over upstate New York roads. Stacey Pulsifer told the Press-Republican of Plattsburgh that she recently drove from her home in Plattsburgh to Elizabethtown in the Adirondacks, then back to her apartment. Along the way she stopped for coffee and heard meowing coming from her Jeep...

DENVER -- The parents of 7-year-old Sierra Jane Downing thought she had the flu when she felt sick days after camping in southwest Colorado. It wasn't until she had a seizure that her father knew something was seriously wrong and rushed her to a hospital in their town of Pagosa Springs. She had a 107-degree fever, and doctors were baffled by the cause...

FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- The Secret Service said Wednesday it is investigating the reported theft of copies of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's federal tax records during a break-in at an accounting office in Franklin. Someone claiming responsibility demanded $1 million not to make them public...

NEW YORK -- A colossal international effort has yielded the first comprehensive look at how our DNA works, an encyclopedia of information that will rewrite the textbooks and offer new insights into the biology of disease. For one thing, it may help explain why some people are more prone to common ailments such as high blood pressure and heart disease...

Years ago, in a darkened parking lot in the middle of the night, Kathy Padilla would meet with fellow transgender people who sought support from one another in a society that treated them like outcasts. How things have changed since then for transgender men and women in America, who have made great strides in recent years toward reaching their ultimate goal: to be treated like ordinary people. ...

ALBANY, N.Y. -- No one would confuse the Nite Moves strip club with the Bolshoi Ballet, but what the lap dancers do there is art and entitled to the same tax exemption other performances enjoy, a lawyer argued Wednesday in what was surely one of the racier tax cases ever to go before New York's highest court...

NEW YORK -- U.S. stock prices are closing mixed, held in check by a warning from the huge package delivery company FedEx that its profits would be hurt because of a slowdown in the global economy. FedEx cited weakness in its express package delivery business. That's a sign that FedEx's customers around the world are choosing slower, cheaper delivery options to save money. FedEx's stock fell $1.74 to $85.80...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri has tapped a state reserve fund for cash flow purposes for the second consecutive month. The Office of Administration said Wednesday the state has borrowed $100 million from the Budget Reserve Fund, the same amount borrowed the previous month. The funds must be repaid by May 15...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court considered Wednesday whether criminal defendants can be required to pay cash to be released from jail before trial. Many who are arrested can be released from jail after posting bond. Defendants sometimes contract with a bail bondsman who covers the bond for a fee. Judges also have set cash-only bail that requires defendants to pay the full sum in order to be released...

For sports enthusiasts, this time of year offers an abundance of competitive action. The Major League Baseball regular season is approaching the finish line, with October baseball just around the corner. Wednesday night kicked off the NFL season. And college and high school football, among other fall sports, are in full swing...

Our community was saddened by the loss of Kimberly V. Mothershead last week. On behalf of Southeast Missouri State University athletics and the Walk for Women's Athletics, I would like to extend my heartfelt sorrow to her family and friends. Kim was an inspiration and light of hope for all who knew her. ...

The only thing Obama has built is our debt. Thank you. I had to go into the big Walmart after dark the other evening. Getting into it was fine, but getting out of it, I had to get in the right lane to get to Interstate 55 and there are no lights at all on the pavement or anywhere saying this is an exit. It's very, very confusing...

For many years, journalists have referred to Islam as the "world's fastest growing religion." While statistics of faith practices are difficult to verify, in absolute terms Islam has enjoyed many years of measurable growth at or near 2 percent, compared to just under that for Christianity...

O Heavenly Father, Almighty God, in you we take refuge. Amen.

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

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI Arrests Summonses Assaults Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous...

CORALVILLE, Iowa -- Researchers who hope to prevent children from dying in tractor accidents are turning to a state-of-the-art driving simulator to help determine when kids can safely operate farm equipment. Teens are at least four times more likely to die on a farm than in any other workplace. ...

Jackson police plan to crack down on child seat belt law violations, according to a police department news release sent Wednesday. Missouri law requires all children younger than age 8, who weigh less than 80 pounds and are under 4 feet 9 inches tall, to be in a child safety seat or booster. Jackson Police Department's efforts are in conjunction with Missouri's Child Passenger Safety Week Law Enforcement Campaign, the release said...

The Missouri Department of Transportation is sponsoring its ninth annual bridge building competition for area high school juniors and seniors. The competition challenges students to design and construct the most efficient model bridge using 15 pieces of balsa wood, thread and glue. ...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis police say an argument over a bag of Cheetos ended with a man being stabbed to death. Authorities said two homeless men were quarreling over the snack Tuesday night on a downtown street near the city's convention center. A 42-year-old man was stabbed and later died at a hospital. His name has not been released...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- WSIU and WUSI, the public television stations of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, will be off the air beginning at 11 p.m. Monday, the stations said in a release Wednesday. A station crew will install a new generator system, and stations will remain off the air for four to six hours. For more information, go to wsiu.org or call 618-453-4343...

Baseball Golf Running Justice Jog: The 4-mile Justice Jog will take place at 4 p.m. Oct. 7 at pavilion No. 4 at Jackson City Park. There also will be a quarter-mile youth run, which will start at 5 p.m. Registration: splitmastertiming.com. Steps for Youth Justice run: The 2-mile Steps for Youth Justice run will take place at 8 a.m. Oct. 6 at pavilion No. 2 in Jackson City Park. Registration: splitmastertiming.com...

Cape Girardeau native Susan Beth Scott finished third to earn a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle S10 classification Wednesday at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. Scott touched the wall in 4 minutes, 37 seconds. Scott was sixth in the 100-meter backstroke Tuesday. Her time was 1 minute, 12.04 seconds...

ST. LOUIS -- R.A. Dickey had more than enough to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals and become the first pitcher in the majors to reach 18 wins this season. He didn't have his best stuff, but still managed to strengthen his case in the NL Cy Young Award race...

Jennie and Bill Bell have opened the Ebony-Ivory Lounge at 731 N. Main St.; the structure formerly housed the Mule Lip Lounge and has undergone six weeks of repairs and remodeling. David S. Glastetter, who joined ERA Cape Realty in February 1984, has purchased the business; the purchase ended a three-way partnership which had been formed in June 1982, when Cape Realty and Vernon H. Landgraf Realtors merged...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- President Barack Obama inherited a wreck of an economy, "put a floor under the crash" and laid the foundation for millions of good new jobs, former president Bill Clinton declared Wednesday night in a rousing Democratic National Convention appeal aimed at millions of hard-pressed Americans yet to decide how to vote...

The Jackson High School football game scheduled for tonight against Farmington, Mo., has been moved to 2 pm. Saturday due to the chance of storms. The game was to be played at Jackson. The National Weather Service forecast calls for a high chance of thunderstorms and rain tonight in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson area...

Make and model: 1980 CJ 5 Jeep Owner(s): Michael Barrett Owner's hometown: Cape Girardeau Mo. custom small block 350 chevy,35 inch Mickey Thompsons,6 inch lift,4000 lb. Super winch,custom interior and a custom stereo. My car's name: Pa Pa's Jeeps...

A judge heard arguments Thursday in a lawsuit challenging a permit granted for a quarry near a Fruitland school.

The sight of carnival rides and smell of deep-fried fair treats has delighted generations of Southeast Missourians, and now it's time for these things and more to fill Cape Girardeau once again. The 155th SEMO District Fair begins Saturday in Arena Park. ...

It had been quite a few years since Central beat Cape Girardeau rival Notre Dame on the softball diamond. So the Tigers weren't about to apologize for Thursday's 2-1 home victory in a game that lasted just 4 1/2 innings due to lightning and a tornado warning that eventually gave way to heavy rain...

Work on Cape Girardeau's new $4.5 million Broadway corridor is set to reach its final intersection at Pacific Street next week, launching the final three weeks of traffic interruptions that motorists and business owners have endured all summer as the project has inched its way westward...

I had to look up in order to see this rainbow after the Thursday evening storm--the highest one I've ever seen. I hope others saw it!

ST. LOUIS -- Hurricane Isaac's remnants dumped heavy rain on some key Midwest farming states, dramatically lessening the drought there while corn-producing heavyweights Iowa and Nebraska missed out on that moisture and saw their conditions worsen badly, according to a drought report released Thursday.

Had to capture the Blue Sky pushing the Storm Clouds away 9-6-12. Strange colors in this storm.

After searching unsuccessfully for a refrigerator for the teachers' break room at the new Franklin Elementary school, staff received a call from one of their business partners, Chateau Girardeau. "It was such a thoughtful surprise," said Principal Dr. ...

A line of strong storms that moved through Southeast Missouri touched off warnings about severe thunderstorms and tornadoes late Thursday afternoon, causing some damage reports. Trees were reported down in Wayne and Bollinger counties near towns like Zalma, Piedmont and Greenville...

The effects of federal regulations on Missouri businesses were considered at a luncheon held Thursday at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. The event, co-sponsored by the National Federation of Independent Business and the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, was attended by about two dozen area business people...

Missouri Catholics on tour advocating for the needs of the poor and challenging the federal budget drafted by GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan stopped at the Cape Girardeau office of U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson on Thursday. Nuns on the Bus is a recently organized campaign of lobbying Catholic sisters and clergy members who have been traveling the country to visit congressional offices and political events. ...

A Perryville, Mo., man faces a felony charge of distributing a controlled substance near a school for selling a 100-miligram morphine pill to a confidential informant, the Perry County Sheriff's Department said Thursday. Adam M. Hahn, 23, was arrested Sept. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon began the general election campaign with a cash advantage over his Republican challenger. But businessman Dave Spence vows he will have enough money to go "toe to toe" with the Democratic governor...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- The drought that's dried out much of the Midwest is now fueling an outbreak of a disease often fatal to deer in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Thursday. More than 700 deer are known to have been killed so far this summer in Illinois by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, or EHD, the Department of Natural Resources said. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Republican challenger Dave Spence said Thursday that Gov. Jay Nixon should place a moratorium on "unnecessary travel" -- starting with himself -- to shore up a state budget that already has relied upon $200 million from the state's reserves just two months into a new fiscal year...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri residents have the opportunity to root for Sikeston native Tiffany Seth as she and her two friends compete in a national reality TV food competition. Seth and friends -- operating under the team name Momma's Grizzly Grub -- are among eight teams who will compete in the third season of "The Great Food Truck Race," which premiered Aug. 19 on The Food Network...

"Economic Snapshot: 157 Years of the SEMO District Fair" will be presented by Pete Poe of the SEMO District Fair Board at this month's Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee today. The event begins at 7 a.m. at the Show Me Center with a continental breakfast, followed by the program at 7:40 a.m...

Today is Friday, Sept. 7, the 251st day of 2012. There are 115 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 7, 1812, the Battle of Borodino took place during the Napoleonic Wars as French troops clashed with Russian forces outside Moscow; although France won a short-term victory, Russia was able to ultimately drive out Napoleon's invaders. (The battle was commemorated by composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky with his "1812 Overture.")...

LOS ANGELES -- More A-listers have signed on to support the third Stand Up to Cancer telethon. Organizers say Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Justin Timberlake, Sofia Vergara, and Olympic gold medalists Gabrielle Douglas and Missy Franklin will participate in the hourlong TV special. It is set to air today on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and more than a dozen cable channels...

When you think of the SEMO District Fair, what comes to mind? Is it the visual picture of the rides that light up the evening sky? Is it the auditory memories of music? Is it the nostalgic feel of the agricultural activities? Is it the smell of the guilty-pleasure food wafting through the midway?...

I just spent all week singing "Martha My Dear" by the Beatles under my breath. The week before, it was "I Like Fish" from Yo Gabba Gabba (my daughter's favorite show). But why? As is all too often the case with the interesting parts of science, we don't know much about this phenomenon but we have a good name for it: earworm. ...

In May, after younger son moved from Ireland to the Seattle area, we made the trip to see his new surroundings. One highlight of the visit was an excursion to the Humane Society of Seattle's animal adoption center. As a result, younger son is the obedient servant of a large striped tomcat...

O Lord God, we praise you for you are the Creator. Amen.

Congratulations to Pansy Glenn for being chosen as the new director for Cape Girardeau's Discovery Playhouse. The Southeast Missourian's editorial commending the choice and noting the ongoing attraction of the playhouse was commendable. Melaina's playground...

It's fair time again, and the 2012 SEMO District Fair kicks off its first night with the Hotrod Truck and Tractor Pull. The fun begins 7 p.m. Saturday at the grandstand. General admission seats are $10; trackside seats are $15. This year's tractor pull is sponsored by ITPA and Greenway Equipment Inc...

BRAZEAU, Mo. -- Nationally known comedian David Graham will headline the East Perry County Gala on Oct. 13 at the Brazeau Hall in Brazeau. The event will begin at Hemman Winery, where guests will socialize while awaiting their horse-and-buggy ride to the gala. ...

FORT HOOD, Texas -- The Army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre twice offered to plead guilty and "accept full responsibility" for the crime earlier this year, his lead defense attorney said Thursday. After the government turned him down in January, Maj. ...

PHOENIX -- The most contentious part of Arizona's immigration law finally has approval to move forward, surviving a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, a heated national debate and two years of state politics. But the practical effect of what critics call the "show me your papers" provision remains to be seen...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri bishop who became the nation's highest-ranking Catholic official charged with shielding an abusive priest was found guilty Thursday of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse, a conviction that extends the Church's struggles to shake its reputation for protecting pedophile priests...

CASEVILLE, Mich. -- Two Michigan sheriff's deputies can expect wedding invitations in their future for rescuing a couple who became stranded on an island during a meticulously planned, elaborate marriage proposal that apparently accounted for everything but bad weather...

LOS ANGELES -- Authorities investigating a bizarre bank heist Thursday searched the home of a bank manager who was told to strap what she believed was a bomb to her midsection and was forced to order employees to "take out all the money" from her branch...

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas will soon open a stretch of highway with the highest speed limit in the country. The Texas Transportation Commission has approved the 85 mph speed limit for a 41-mile-long toll road near the increasingly crowded Interstate 35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio...

ISLAMABAD -- The Pakistani government has ordered foreign staff members of Save the Children to leave the country, a spokesman for the international aid group said Thursday. The group has recently come under Pakistani government scrutiny because of reports that it helped facilitate meetings between the U.S. ...

MAREA, Syria -- Lt. Col. Maan al-Mansour's mission is to capture the Syrian air base where he once served. The 22-year air force veteran, who defected in June to the rebellion, led an attack by hundreds of fighters on the Kuwiras military airport last week. In a fierce battle, they hammered the base with mortar fire and rocket-propelled grenades for four hours, nearly overrunning it until they were driven back by sustained strafing and bombing by jet fighters...

ANNECY, France -- French authorities struggled Thursday to explain why no one found a 4-year-old girl for eight hours at a blood-strewn crime scene as she huddled in a car under the skirt of a corpse -- apparently her dead mother or grandmother...

ANKARA, Turkey -- An explosion and blaze triggered by an accidentally dropped hand grenade killed 25 soldiers during a stock check at a Turkish ammunition depot, the government said Thursday. Four other soldiers were injured in the blast, which lit up the night sky late Wednesday with flames, and shattered windows in homes in the nearby town of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey, terrifying residents...

CAIRO -- Human Rights Watch said it has uncovered evidence of a wider use of waterboarding than previously acknowledged by the CIA, in a report Thursday detailing brutal treatment of detainees at U.S.-run lockups abroad after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks...

MOSCOW -- Start with manly ventures -- flying, hunting, scuba-diving. Add an element of danger -- polar bears, tigers, fighter jets. Throw in a bare chest here and there. In Russian politics, Vladimir Putin is both the star of the show and the stuntman...

WASHINGTON -- Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, and a private survey showed businesses stepped up hiring in August. The data sketched a brighter outlook for the job market one day before the government reports on August employment...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. health care system squanders $750 billion a year -- roughly 30 cents of every medical dollar -- through unneeded care, byzantine paperwork, fraud and other waste, the influential Institute of Medicine said Thursday in a report that ties directly into the presidential campaign...

Darrell L. Sebastian, 56, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, at Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. He had been diagnosed with cancer about two years ago. He was born Sept. 11, 1955, in Jackson, to Herman and Louise Young Sebastian. He attended Jackson schools...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Juanita Evelyn Ward Sifford, 89, of Puxico passed away Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Sifford was born Aug. 2, 1923, in Detroit. On Nov. 30, 1941, she married John "Square" Albert Sifford in Puxico. He preceded her in death Sept. 10, 1999...

Harry A. Clough, 88, of Jackson died Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

ANNA, Ill. -- Bill B. Thompson, 59, of Anna died Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at Anna Rehab and Healthcare Center. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Monday at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Clifford Heil officiating. Burial will be in Anna City Cemetery...

Triplet daughters to Danny Scott and Misty Dawn Blair of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012. Josie Raye was born at 12:50 p.m. and weighed 2 pounds, 11 ounces. Gracie Jean was born at 12:51 p.m. and weighed 3 pounds, 6 ounces. ...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

JOLIET, Ill. -- Drew Peterson, the former Illinois police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger wife vanished in 2007, was convicted Thursday of murdering a previous wife in a case centered on secondhand hearsay statements from both women...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Summons Assaults Burglaries Thefts Property damage Miscellaneous...

It's First Friday again, which means a spotlight on the local visual arts community and its galleries. But how can we tell the local "art scene is doing well? Where has it been, and where is it going? SE Live asked four people entrenched in the local visual arts to give us their opinions...

Kelcey Harrison runs along Route Z west of Gordonville on Thursday. Harrison is running across the country to raise money and awareness for lung cancer research through the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and Jill's Legacy. Harrison, who lives in New York, started from Times Square on July 30, bound for her hometown of San Francisco. ...

ARTS COUNCIL OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI Works by Stephen Rust, a Cape Girardeau native who focuses primarily on outdoor spaces and landscapes, will be featured. The Visual Arts Co-op will exhibit new works from members. Window exhibitors are Barbara Ross and Beth Thomas...

Last week: Farmington 45, Trinity Catholic 8; Jackson 43, Vianney 14 Last year: Farmington 50, Jackson 14 Outlook: Many Jackson fans will get their first look at the school's retooled program as the Indians make their home debut tonight...

Mars Hill College football coach Tim Clifton is realistic yet optimistic about the challenge his team faces Saturday at Houck Stadium. Clifton knows the odds are stacked against his Division II Lions when they play Football Championship Subdivision Southeast Missouri State in the Redhawks' 6 p.m. home opener...

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

Rock Levee Road in Scott County will be closed as contractor crews continue construction of the new Interstate 55 Outer Road at Scott City. Weather permitting, the closure will begin Sept. 17 and is anticipated to last two months. The work zone will be marked with signs. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Transportation is preparing to improve traffic signals at five intersections in Sikeston. The signals will be retrofitted with flashing yellow arrows, which will help ease traffic flow. Work to update signals at U.S. ...

SIKESTON, Mo --- East- and westbound U.S. 60 in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane next week as railroad company crews remove the railroad tracks. This section of road is from Highway 114 at Morehouse, Mo., to County Road 593. Weather permitting, the work will take place from 7:30 a.m. ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- President Barack Obama conceded only halting progress Thursday night toward fixing the nation's stubborn economic woes, but vowed in a Democratic National Convention finale, "Our problems can be solved, our challenges can be met."...

NEW ORLEANS -- Laboratory tests show that globs of oil found on two Louisiana beaches after Hurricane Isaac came from the 2010 BP spill. Tests run by Louisiana State University for state wildlife officials confirmed that oil found on Elmer's Island and Grand Isle matched the biological fingerprint of the hundreds of millions of gallons of oil that spewed from BP's Macondo well...

NEW YORK -- The last time the stock market was this high, the recession had just started, and stocks were pointed toward a headlong descent. But on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average hit its highest mark since December 2007, and the Standard & Poor's 500 index soared to its highest level since January 2008 in a rally that seemed destined to mark a milestone: American stocks have come almost all the way back...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Amazon unveiled four new Kindle Fire tablet computers Thursday, including ones with larger color screens, as the online retailer steps up competition with Apple ahead of the holiday shopping season. Amazon.com Inc. showed off the larger Kindle Fire with a high-definition display amid expectations that Apple Inc. will introduce a smaller iPad as early as next week...

For months, I have been fighting to keep Tamms Correctional Center in Alexander County open. I believe Tamms is important for many reasons. It houses the worst-of-the-worst, violent men who have attacked guards or other inmates or who have otherwise disrupted the prison system and created dangerous situations. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Line 'em up when they're all healthy and Missouri's trio of speedy Texas tailbacks would make for quite the race. While waiting for All-Big 12 Henry Josey to recover from a pair of knee operations that will sideline him this season, the Tigers are counting on fellow burners Kendial Lawrence and Marcus Murphy. ...

Only slight problems hamper the 1987 local broadcast of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day marathon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; the local telethon broadcast by KFVS12 is held for the first time at West Park Mall. The Cape Girardeau County Health Department is still searching for a new location, after nearly two months of active looking; the department, which became a separate government entity Jan. 1, is still in the cramped Common Pleas Annex...

A spokesman for the SEMO District Fair announced that the antique tractor pull scheduled for Saturday morning has been postponed until Sept. 15 at 8:30 a.m. The event was postponed because of the muddy conditions of the track.

NEWTONIA, Mo. (AP) -- Civil War enthusiasts are preparing to mark the 150th anniversary of the first battle in the Southwest Missouri village of Newtonia. The Joplin Globe reports (http://bit.ly/O5eeNh ) the 1862 battle will be marked Sept. 29 and 30 with a Civil War encampment featuring re-enactors in period costume...

The Tunes at Twilight concert series performance will go on outside tonight. The free weekly concert organized by Old Town Cape will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Common Pleas Courthouse gazebo in Cape Girardeau. Musician Anne McCue will perform. Showers and storms are in the forecast for tonight, but organizers hope the concert will happen before inclement weather begins...

WarChild Riding Group Chaffee, Missouri Another year has come and gone as those who knew a great man the founder of WarChild RG; David "P-Nut" Grimes grieve his passing from this earth. May he Rest in Peace, July 07, 1960 to September 16, 2006. Six years ago, on September 16, 2006 David Grimes or "P-Nut" as he was commonly referred to by his friends and group members life was taken abruptly in a tragic motorcycle accident in the curve between Delta and Chaffee, Missouri. ...

Today is Saturday, Sept. 8, the 252nd day of 2012. There are 114 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 8, 1892, an early version of "The Pledge of Allegiance," written by Francis Bellamy, appeared in "The Youth's Companion."...

While in Cape Girardeau to kick off a week-long, 19-city "Buy Missouri" tour, Gov. John Ashcroft participates in ground-breaking ceremonies for the new Resin Exchange facility in the Greater Cape Girardeau Industrial Park on Nash Road; the $3 million expansion will add about 84 new workers to Resin's current work force of 35...

Sharon Cook, 65, of Allenville died Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, at her home. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at Morgan Funeral Chapel in Advance. Burial will be in Morgan Memorial Park in Advance.

Harry A. Clough, 88, of Jackson passed away Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was born Nov. 6, 1923, in Maysville, Ill., to Roy O. and Grace Dodds Clough. Harry served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945 and was a POW in Germany...

Cape Girardeau's Main Street, from Park to Spanish streets, will close Monday as contractor Nip Kelly Equipment Co. begins the next phase of the overlay project. Work will last about 10 days, weather permitting. Detours will be set up around the area to direct traffic. Local access will be available through the project for nearby residences and businesses. Drivers are urged to use caution in the work zone...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston police say they have a suspect in custody in connection to a body found in the basement of a home there. Melvin Lawrence Harris, 23, of Sikeston was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of his girlfriend...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Management at Noranda and the United Steelworkers of America have agreed to a contract that will govern labor relations at the New Madrid plant for five more years. The agreement was reached Friday, according to a Noranda news release, one week after the previous contract was extended to allow more time for talks...

The likelihood of a repeal of federal health care reforms was discussed Saturday as Rep. Jo Ann Emerson spoke to health care professionals during a women's health symposium in Cape Girardeau. The event, hosted by the Cape Girardeau County Area Medical Society, drew about 20 doctors, nurses and other health care providers to the Plaza Conference Center...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The American Civil Liberties Union is representing the Ku Klux Klan in a lawsuit over Cape Girardeau's restrictions on leafleting vehicles. The Traditionalist American Knights of the KKK had planned to place leaflets on vehicles Sept. 28. But the Klan group learned the Southeast Missouri city permits fliers to be distributed only when vehicle occupants are willing to accept them...

DEXTER, Mo. -- A body was found off County Road 403 just north of Dexter just after 4 p.m. Thursday, authorities said Friday. The Stoddard County Sheriff's Department is investigating, but Sheriff Carl Hefner said foul play is not suspected at this time...

A Jackson man is in critical condition at a local hospital after his motorcycle was rear-ended on Interstate 55 near Cape Girardeau on Saturday. The accident occurred just north of the 100 mile marker on southbound I-55. Around 4 p.m. a Toyota Highlander struck the back of the Yamaha V-Star motorcycle, said Cape Girardeau Police Department crash investigator David Valentine. It is undetermined how the accident happened and it remains under investigation, he said...

Hundreds flocked to Arena Park on Saturday for the opening day of the 155th annual SEMO District Fair. Although the antique tractor pull was postponed until Sept. 15 due to muddy conditions, 120 antique and restored tractors were on hand for viewing...

There will be no bowhunting for deer in Cape Girardeau this fall. The ordinance that would have allowed deer hunting within the city limits is now officially suspended. Keep Cape Safe, a group opposed to urban deer hunting, collected nearly 4,000 signatures on a referendum petition, which was certified Friday by the Cape Girardeau city clerk.

The Southeast Missouri State football team never has lost during its annual meeting with a lower-division squad under seventh-year coach Tony Samuel. But several of those victories have been far from easy, and Saturday night's home opener against Division II Mars Hill College from North Carolina certainly fits that bill...

The eight-day SEMO District Fair is expected to infuse about $1.3 million into the pocketbooks of local businesses and fair vendors this year, fair board president Pete Poe told local business people Friday. "About 800,000 of that will move around the area before leaving and about $500,000 will leave with the carnival and various food vendors," said Poe, who spoke about the economic impact and history of the SEMO District Fair at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center. ...

Dakotah takes a break to pose for a photo. She was helping fill bags for the SEMO Food Bank's Party For The Good.

We volunteered at Party For the Good. It was a great way to spend some quality Mom & Daughter time.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A Friday morning autopsy confirmed what investigators had already suspected -- that a Bollinger County man died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, and that the shot was fired by someone else. Bollinger County Sheriff Leo McElrath said Friday night that autopsy results on the body of Jeffery Scott Robins, 35, who was found dead in his rural Bollinger County home on Thursday, confirmed Robins' manner of death, and that it was a homicide...

The National Weather Service has received preliminary reports of trees down in areas of Bollinger County, Mo., after a line of storms moved through the area Friday evening. Trees were reported down in and around Marble Hill, Mo., from a weather service cooperative observer. A trained spotter reported trees down near Sedgewickville, Mo., and a county emergency manager reported trees down near Patton, Mo...

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, will make a round of appearances Friday in Southeast Missouri.

State treasurer candidate Rep. Cole McNary plans for the office include extending the work of a committee he led in the Missouri House of Representatives, a focus on long-range planning for state government spending and an examination of the state's pension systems...

Cape Girardeau officially broke ground on a new $55 million wastewater treatment plant Friday, kicking off nearly two years' worth of building on a project that officials hope will solve the problem of overstretched capacity at the current plant off South Sprigg Street...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's Coordinating Board for Higher Education has endorsed a ballot initiative asking voters to raise tobacco taxes. The November ballot item would raise Missouri's cigarette tax to 90 cents a pack. The current 17-cent tax is the lowest nationally. The initiative also would raise taxes on other tobacco products...

Today is Sunday, Sept. 9, the 253rd day of 2012. There are 113 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 9, 1543, Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of Scots at Stirling Castle, nine months after she was born. On this date:...

Tabatha Ann Crabtree and Wayne Thomas Essner were married Sept. 3, 2011, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Mo. The Rev. Oliver Clavin performed the ceremony. Organist was Geri Beussink of Jackson. Vocalists were Adam Cox of Cape Girardeau and Katelynn James of Jackson, cousin of the groom...

Leni Rosalind Fluegge and Matthew Charles Lambdin were married June 4, 2011, on the grounds of Southeast Missouri State University River Campus. Stephanie Voss performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Barry and Brenda Hensley of Jackson and David and Debbie Fluegge of Antonia, Mo. The groom is the son of Randy and Kathy Lambdin of Wolf Lake, Ill...

Herman and Joyce Hummel of St. Clement, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Laura Ranae Hummel of Danville, Ill., to Brandon Kyle Ruth of Olivet, Ill. He is the son of Ken and Brenda Ruth of Cape Girardeau. Hummel received a bachelor's degree in communications from College of the Ozarks in 2003. She is an au pair...

Mark and Jennifer Westrich of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Jessica Allyn Westrich, to Jeremy Glenn Harris, both of Dallas, Texas. He is the son of Teresa Harris of Garland, Texas. Westrich is a 2005 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School. She expects to receive a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Texas-Dallas in May 2013. She plans to pursue a master's degree in social work at the University of Texas-Arlington. She is a nanny...

Mr. and Mrs. George "Kelly" Abernathy of Friedheim celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a dinner Aug. 17, 2012, at The Water's Edge in Gordonville. Hosts were their children. Abernathy and Louisa "Liz" Ross were married Aug. 15, 1962, at Zalma, by the Rev. Lacey. Their attendants were their parents...

I photographed this fly as it sat on my finger. It is a member of a species of flies called tachinid flies. There are countless numbers of tachinid flies throughout most of the world. In North America alone there are well more than 1,000 different variations of tachinid flies...

Q: Where did the phrase "women and children first" originate? -- K.S.Z., Glens Falls, N.Y. A: On Feb. 26, 1852, HMS Birkenhead sank off the coast of South Africa. The ship carried 480 British troops and 20 women and children. ...

The Walk to End Alzheimer's will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday at Cape County North Park in Cape Girardeau. For more information or to start or join a team, call Stephanie Rohlfs at 800.272.3900, email her at Stephanie.Rohlfs-Young@alz.org or visit alz.org...

Gary Rust Sr. received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA at the Cape Girardeau airport Aug. 29. Phil Dixon of the FAA presented the award, which goes to a pilot who has flown for more than 50 years in good standing with three letters of recommendations from pilots. Rust, chairman of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian, is pictured with his 2008 Beechcraft Bonanza G36...

Tamale is a 4-year-old Corgi mix. He is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837. Tamale is a 4 year old Corgi mix. He is available for adoption at The Humane Society 334-5837....

Starla is a beautiful gray and white 1-year-old cat. Her personality seems calm and sweet, and she loved being petted at a recent adoption day. Starla would be great company. For more information, contact Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary at 243-9823. ...

I, like any other foodie, love my kitchen gadgets and especially my bakeware. I am a bakeware junkie. Any baking pan that is different or unique, I am just drawn to it. One of my favorite bake and go pans is the covered jellyroll pan, or sheet pan. When I found one that had a snap-on tightfitting lid, I just had to have it -- well, actually two of them. It is so nice to be able to take sheet cakes to carry-in dinners or to a family who needs food...

DETROIT -- When Jim Mattison was growing up in the early 1950s, he remembers visiting Detroit car dealerships with his family each fall to check out the new models. By the time he was in kindergarten, he could name any car's make and model just by looking at the hubcaps...

Pet Name: Lexi Owner: Vicki Abernathy About Lexi: Lexi's longevity is attributed to lots of love from her family and friends, occasional chocolates (which she has stolen from various hiding places) and having no children. She's not doing too bad for 140 -- in dog years...

"Mom, I saw Sarah at school today. I don't see how she does it," Bella said. Bella attended the same high school as her friend Sarah. Sarah had been involved in a traumatic automobile accident and she was seriously injured. Sarah had stayed in the hospital for many months and consequently missed a lot of school. ...

Contemporary Christian band Big Daddy Weave will make a stop in Cape Girardeau later this month for a concert at Crossroads Church in Jackson. The band will be joined by singer Aaron Shust. Shust is making his second stop in Southeast Missouri in five months. He performed in May at Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Message to convention planners: Three days are enough. Both major parties packed their presidential nominating conventions into 72 hours, one day short of the traditional four-day celebration -- prompting few complaints from either delegates or the viewing public...

When we're in the thick of it, it can seem like politics can bring about the worst in us. The name-calling. The truth-spinning. The arguing and stereotyping. No matter what side of the political aisle you stand, chances are that if you care about the direction of this country, you've probably been irritated or frustrated by the political speak and the negative campaigning we've seen in the 2012 election year...

Your paper's Aug. 26 article "Mississippi County commissioners OK letter against National Wildlife Federation" suggests that the National Wildlife Federation is working to stop the rebuilding of the Birds Point levee. Nothing could be further from the truth...

Lady, I hope you enjoy the money you lifted from our cash box from our yard sale Aug. 25. You have to stoop pretty low to take money from people, but you don't have a conscience anyway. You'll pay one day. I noticed Sunday morning, my mailbox had been knocked off its post. ...

We will sing your praises, O Lord Jesus, for you have been good to us. Amen.

Son to Tim and Rachael Neislein of Perryville, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 4:51 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31, 2012. Name, Thomas Andrew. Weight, 8 pounds. First child. Mrs. Neislein is the former Rachael Miesner, daughter of Richard and Sandra Miesner of Frohna, Mo. Neislein is the son of Frank Neislein and Jane Neislein of Perryville...

Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt, considered among the frontrunners in the Democratic presidential sweepstakes, will make a brief stop in Cape Girardeau on Sept. 17; the focus of his remarks here will be on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Authorities are investigating a fire in a part of the Riverside Components and Supply Co. plant on Nash Road in the Greater Cape Girardeau Industrial Park; the blaze guts the offices of the plant...

BEIJING -- Rescue workers cleared roads Saturday so they could search for survivors and rush aid to a remote mountainous area of southwestern China after twin earthquakes killed at least 80 people. More than 200,000 villagers were evacuated after Friday's quakes toppled thousands of homes and sent boulders cascading across roads in a region of small farms and mines near the border between Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, where some of China's poorest people live...

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan -- A young Christian girl accused of burning pages of Islam's holy book was freed Saturday from a jail near the capital where she had been held for three weeks, a Pakistani jail official said. The release a day after a judge granted her bail is another step closer to ending an episode that has focused a spotlight on Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which can result in life in prison or even death for defendants. ...

LAS COLINAS, El Salvador -- The schoolboys went missing on a Thursday, and it took nearly three weeks for police to discover the mass grave. On July 11, a police investigator, wearing a ski mask to hide his identity, dug up the dead, the youngest 15. One of the mothers stood weeping as the corpses were pulled out, along with curious traces of food and silverware...

LONDON -- French and British police searched the U.K. home of a British-Iraqi couple slain while vacationing in the French Alps, as it emerged Saturday that all four people killed in the attack took two gunshots to the head. Meanwhile, relatives arrived in France to help care for the couple's two surviving daughters, one of whom was badly wounded...

WARWICK, R.I. -- A Rhode Island woman has been accused by her neighbors of violating an animal-noise ordinance by training her cockatoo to cuss. The Providence Journal reports that Lynne Taylor is accused in Warwick municipal court of training the bird, Willy, to say expletives...

WASHINGTON -- As Americans debate whether they are better off now than they were four years ago, there is a similar question with a somewhat easier answer: Are you safer now than you were when President Barack Obama took office? By most measures, the answer is yes...

WASHINGTON -- Finally, the fall season offers the matchup sure to attract the biggest audience of the campaign: President Barack Obama going one-on-one with Republican Mitt Romney in three prime-time debates. Typically the top political draw in the final sprint to Election Day, the debates assume outsized importance this year with the race a dead heat...

CHICAGO -- The vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union said Saturday the city school district's latest offer in contract negotiations was disappointing and that the wrangling would continue throughout the weekend, as tens of thousands of teachers readied to walk off the job Monday...

LAS VEGAS -- Some tourists try to dissuade them by directing icy glares their way. Others stare, zombielike, into the Las Vegas Strip's ubiquitous video screens and light displays in an effort to ignore the pushy handbill distributors. But some tourists accept the pamphlets and glossy cards that advertise all-but-nude exotic dancers. ...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday:...

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

BESSVILLE, Mo. -- Jeffery Scott Robins, 35, of Bessville died Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, at his home. Born on Aug. 29, 1977, in Cape Girardeau, he was the son of Gerald Wayne and Linda Lou Ledermann Robins. He owned and operated HJR Towing and Recovery in Marble Hill, Mo., and attended Christian Fellowship Church in Glenallen, Mo...

BREWER, Mo. -- Novona M. "Sis" Mattingly, 85, of Brewer died Friday, Sept. 7, 2012, at Independence Care Center of Perry County. She was born Nov. 7, 1926, in St. Louis, daughter of Edward Sr. and Mary Leona Siebert Wengert. She and Cullen Joseph Mattingly were married Nov. 23, 1946. He survives in Perryville, Mo...

William "Bud" Holder, 78, of Scott City died Friday, Sept. 7, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 15, 1934, in Illmo to Woodrow and Martha Laws Holder. He married Marian "Toots" Welter on May 30, 1953, in New Hamburg, Mo...

MONDAY--Corn dog, broccoli & cheese or tomatoes or baby carrots, pears. TUESDAY--Super nachos, refried beans or tomatoes or baby carrots, orange sections. WEDNESDAY--Beef steak with or without gravy, whipped potatoes or tomatoes or baby carrots, mixed fruit cup...

The drought conditions this year have been so bad that some I know who planted thousands of acres of corn are only receiving a return of a handful of ears. To add insult to injury, the handful that grew tasted terrible. The only option they have is to plow over the fields. It was just a few months ago that the same farmer was enthusiastic about planting and hopeful for his return. I guess that comes with the territory...

US Bank donated $1,200 to Habitat for Humanity. US Bancorp Foundation donates to organizations that offer support to programs that improve the educational and economic opportunities of low- and moderate-income families. Pictured from left are Stan Penn, regional president at US Bank, Justin Kertz, executive director at Habitat for Humanity, and Jim Ham, vice president at US Bank...

Dave Hardesty and his granddaughter, Marie Getts, enjoy riding their bicycles. This weekend the two Cape Girardeau residents are bicycling not only for their health but to raise funds for the Gateway Multiple Sclerosis Society. On Saturday, Hardesty and Getts started the 150-mile Bike MS: Express Trips Gateway Getaway Ride in Columbia, Mo. They'll finish the trek today. This is Hardesty's sixth ride and Getts' first...

The New McKendree United Methodist Women met Tuesday in the church fellowship hall with 25 members present. Mary Klaproth, president, opened the meeting by leading the group in the reciting of the UMW Purpose. Klaproth called attention to the hand cross-stitched art work depicting the UMW Emblem and Purpose. This framed piece of work was done by Doris Dace and given UMW to hang in the meeting room...

NEW YORK -- Two tornadoes struck the outer edges of New York City on Saturday, hurling debris into the air, knocking out power but causing no serious injuries among startled residents accustomed to thinking of twisters as a Midwestern phenomenon...

Saxony Lutheran won the silver bracket of the SEMO Spikes Invitational volleyball tournament on Saturday at the Show Me Center. The Crusaders defeated Clearwater 25-20, 25-7 in the title match. Natalie Mueller had four kills, while Lauren Hecht had four kills. Kirsti Polhman had 16 assists and eight digs...

Six Crusaders accounted for Saxony Lutheran's six hits in a 4-2 home victory over Twin Rivers on Friday in girls softball action. Kelli Brunke picked up the win in the circle. Brunke improved to 3-1 with the victory. WP -- Kelli Brunke, 3-1. LP -- B. Madison. 2B -- Abby Hadler (SL)...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Central seemed on its heels in the third quarter. The Tigers' 15-point halftime lead was down to a touchdown, and Poplar Bluff was driving. But an interception by Jacob Campbell led to a touchdown three plays later, and the Central defense also made two red-zone stops for a 35-14 SEMO North Conference win...

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

Chaffee saw a halftime lead turn into a 26-point loss at home Saturday afternoon against Hayti. The Indians struck on a 30-yard return on a punt block in the first quarter, but ultimately fell 34-8. The blocked return by sophomore Logan Chapman was followed by a two-point conversion pass from Peyton Montgomery to his brother Charlie for an 8-0 lead...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Trent Elder's touchdown pass to wide receiver Trenton Gremaud put St. Vincent on the scoreboard first midway through the opening quarter Saturday afternoon. An early lead was as good as the Indians' offense could do. St. Vincent suffered a 36-7 loss to conference foe Valle Catholic...

The Jackson Indians continued their winning ways in front of a home crowd for the first time this season. Jackson (3-0) rolled over SEMO Conference foe Farmington 34-15 score on Saturday. The Indians gained a measure of revenge against a Farmington (1-2) squad that had beaten them the past four years, including an 111-33 point margin of victory in the last two meetings...

Notre Dame volleyball coach Tara Stroup wanted Miranda Fowler to put Bernie away. Fowler responded with a right-side spike that was tipped out of bounds. "She's just such a smart player. If she is being blocked on one side, she takes the other side. She knows when to tip," Stroup said. "I looked at her on game point, and I said, ‘Finish this thing,' and she did. She'll step up. She wants that role."...

Southeast Missouri State's defense came up with a whopping six turnovers during Saturday night's home opener. The Redhawks needed virtually all of them, along with an overall solid defensive performance, to hold off Division II Mars Hill College 30-18...

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team continued its strong early-season play by going 2-1 over the weekend at the Saint Louis University tournament. Southeast opened the tournament Friday with a 25-19, 24-26, 20-25, 25-22, 15-9 comeback win over South Florida...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- No. 7 Georgia trailed by eight points early in the third quarter and was down by three late in that quarter. Missouri was rising to the occasion in its SEC debut, fueled by a sellout crowd that anticipated the game for months and had been tailgating much of the day...

DETROIT -- Even before Jim Schwartz was hired by the Detroit Lions in 2009, he joked it was time for the franchise to replace Bobby Layne. The Lions were the butt of jokes, coming off the first 0-16 season in league history, and were widely expected to take Matthew Stafford with the No. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Jake Westbrook threw only 77 pitches in his latest start, but that was apparently enough for St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. Westbrook left the game after five innings Saturday night, with his team trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1. The Cardinals never caught up and lost 6-3...

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The remains of a man who died young while touring the world with Buffalo Bill were hidden for more than a century in an unmarked grave some 1,700 miles from his South Dakota Indian reservation. Now Albert Afraid of Hawk is returning home. He'll be reburied today in accordance with Lakota tradition, thanks largely to a curious and persistent Connecticut history buff...

The student involved in a serious scooter accident on Sunday was Meg Herndon, a soccer player, according to the Southeast Missouri State University newspaper, the Arrow. The accident occurred at the intersection of Sprigg Street and Normal Avenue. Herndon was airlifted to Barnes-Jewish hospital in St. ...

Make and model: 1962 Sunbeam Alpine II Owner(s): Dan and Roberta Brown Owner's hometown: Jackson, Mo Names of people in photo: Dan Unrestored suvivor, 52,000 miles. My car's name: Beamer My first car was a '62 Sunbeam. Roberta and I dated it in all through high school and college...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Arraignments have been scheduled in two cases involving illegal firearms, and an arrest has been made in a burglary, according to a news release from Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore. Father and son Derrick Wilkerson, 48, of Charleston and Jacob Wilkerson, 24, of Bertrand, Mo., are scheduled to be arraigned at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday on charges of receiving stolen property and unlawful possession of a firearm...

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Kennett Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday that they called "suspicious." At about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the department was dispatched to 1713 Willoughby St. regarding a fire in a vacant house. The fire started in the rear of the structure, according to the department...

The man walked into the Cape Girardeau Police Department at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday to report a shooting -- his own. A 37-year-old area man told police he had been shot near his right shoulder following an altercation in south Cape Girardeau, according to the department's Sgt. Adam Glueck. Police initially received a call reporting that shots had been fired on South Benton Street. Shortly after that, the victim walked into the police station and confirmed it...

A Southeast Missouri State University student was hospitalized in critical condition late Sunday afternoon after the scooter she was driving collided with a full-size four-by-four pickup truck, authorities said. Sunday evening, university officials were notifying the student's family, which is not local, said Sgt. Rick Schmidt of the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Until confirmation was received that that had been done, Schmidt said, they were not going to release the student's name...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers face some big decisions this week: Do they override Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of legislation expanding the state's religious and moral exemption for health insurance policies, and should they rebuff the governor's objections to another measure dealing with taxes on vehicle purchases...

The second day of the SEMO District Fair brought hundreds out for the exhibits and competitions. The 4-H building showcased 921 crafts, projects, robotics, computer projects and artwork by area young people. The work was done by 4-H members aged 8 to 18. Also displayed is work done by Clover Kids, which is for younger children. The Clover Kids submitted 70 projects for judging...

DETROIT -- Jeff Fisher hoped his St. Louis Rams could hold Detroit's powerful offense to field goals. They did a pretty good job of that -- until the final quarter. Matthew Stafford threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Smith with 10 seconds left, lifting the Lions to a 27-23 victory over the Rams on Sunday. ...

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012, AARP's You've Earned a Say Tour will make a stop at the Southeast Missouri District Fair in Cape Girardeau to bring the national conversation about the future of Social Security and Medicare to the community. From 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., visitors can visit the Tour that will be located at 410 Kiwanis Drive on the fairgrounds...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- As the Major Case Squad continued its hunt for a killer Sunday, the family of victim Jeffery Scott Robins said they are still in disbelief that someone would want to kill the beloved father of four who -- as one close relative put it -- had a "huge heart" and an "amazing life."...

Friday, September 21, 2012 7:00pm Big Daddy Weave with Aaron Shust. Tickets on sale online now Big Daddy Weave released a brand new album, Love Come to Life, on April 17th and their new album contains songs full of passion and energy which focus on transparency and a spiritual renewal within the band. ...

Recognized for creating a unique approach to help plant workers upgrade their skills, the Johnson Controls plant in Eldon was honored with the 2012 Innovative Industry Training Award by the State of Missouri Department of Workforce Development.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Looking at what Dan Chiles is building in western Greene County, it's hard to tell whether it's a home or a storm shelter. The answer, for Chiles, is both. Chiles, a former Springfield City Council member, began discussing the super-energy-efficient home two years ago. Construction started in January...

Today is Monday, Sept. 10, the 254th day of 2012. There are 112 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 10, 1912, the jungle character Tarzan made his debut as "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs was first published in The All-Story magazine. (The novel was published in book form in 1914.)...

SEOUL, South Korea -- It's a classic tale of a small-town girl who follows her dreams to the big city. But in this case, the girl is a North Korean coal miner, the big city is Pyongyang and her dream is to become a trapeze artist. "Comrade Kim Goes Flying," a collaboration between a North Korean director and two European filmmakers, premiered Saturday at the Toronto International Film Festival before heading to Pyongyang later this month for its North Korean debut...

We frequently hear Republican rhetoric about saving Medicare and eliminating national debt for the future generations. Indeed, these are noble goals. Yet these very Republicans are almost totally blind to the fact that today, due to steady forward march of global warming, ice cap on the North Pole is shrinking more rapidly than ever, glaciers on mountains are receding faster than ever, hurricanes are more destructive than ever, and the age-old weather patterns are changing faster than farmers can keep up with.. ...

And so the glaring hypocrisy of the Democrats continues as they decry voter ID laws while simultaneously requiring ID to enter their convention hall. Reminds me of when they condemned Gitmo under Bush and then kept it open for three years during a Democrat-controlled White House and Senate. ...

We trust in your unfailing love, O God. Our hearts rejoice in your salvation. Amen.

The Southeast Missouri State football program again is represented well on NFL rosters this season. Southeast, in fact, has more former players currently in the NFL than any other Ohio Valley Conference program. New England offensive lineman Dan Connolly, in his seventh NFL season, entered his third campaign as a regular after starting the majority of the past two year at multiple line positions...

It took two days in its latest effort, but the Scott City football team got off to its first 3-0 start since the 2007 season. The Rams concluded a weather-suspended game with East Prairie on Saturday and were rewarded with a 36-0 road victory. Scott City led 21-0 at halftime Friday night when the game was suspended by severe storms that canceled most football games around Southeast Missouri...

Southeast Missouri State interim baseball coach Steve Bieser has filled out his staff with hitting coach Dillon Lawson and pitching coach Lance Rhodes. Lawson replaces Chris Cafalone, who spent the previous six seasons as Southeast's hitting coach before leaving the program...

ST. LOUIS -- Matt Carpenter picked up another series of cuts to his already beat-up hand on Sunday. Not that the St. Louis backup is complaining. Carpenter scored the winning run with a picture-perfect slide on Allen Craig's single in the 10th inning, giving the Cardinals a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers...

BOWLING GREEN, Mo. -- Five inmates have escaped from the Pike County Jail in eastern Missouri. Authorities said an inmate's family member called the sheriff's office Saturday night to report an escape. A check of the jail revealed that the inmates were missing...

Imagine a weathered and wrinkled face, one that has seen nearly a century of life. Now watch as it recoils suddenly into a grimace of fear as another -- this one 70 years younger -- distorts to anger, draws back a wrinkle-free open hand and then uses it on the one that has been smiling almost since the Titanic sank...

WASHINGTON -- Fresh off a five-week vacation, lawmakers return to Washington today for a truncated pre-election session in which Congress will likely punt problems to the future. They face a slew of deadlines and the prospect of a "fiscal cliff" in January, but are expected to take a pass on the big issues of taxes and spending cuts. Their focus seems to be on the bare minimum, preventing a government shutdown when the budget year ends Sept. 30...

Lawyer Michael Maguire has joined the law firm of Lowes & Drusch at 2913 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau. He has been practicing law in Cape Girardeau for 26 years. He specializes in family law and criminal law. Maguire previously worked at Lowes & Drusch before opening his own practice...

Cape Girardeau County sheriff's investigators say arson was the cause of yesterday's fire that heavily damaged Riverside Components and Supply Co. on Nash Road; deputy Lonnie Moore was injured at the scene yesterday, when his arm was struck by a steel beam being removed from the building...

Seven properties will be showcased during a downtown commercial open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 27. The building tour is being coordinated by Old Town Cape and sponsored by Realty Executives and Banterra Bank. Each property will be open to tour and participants can start the tour at any of the properties. A representative will be present at each property to answer questions...

CRETE, Neb. -- The Isis Theatre hasn't changed much since it opened 86 years ago in southeast Nebraska, a stone's throw from the grain elevator and railroad tracks that cut through town. But in the past few years, the movie industry has changed dramatically, and unless the Isis' owner comes up with $85,000 soon to pay for new digital equipment, residents of Crete, Neb., may have to drive 40 miles to Lincoln for a night at the movies...

WASHINGTON -- "Are you falling asleep after dinner?" "Do you have a decrease in libido?" "Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports?" "It could be Low-T." Welcome to the latest big marketing push by the nation's drug companies. ...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday:...

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

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's fugitive Sunni vice president was sentenced Sunday to death by hanging on charges he masterminded death squads against rivals in a terror trial that has fueled sectarian tensions in the country. Underscoring the instability, insurgents unleashed an onslaught of bombings and shootings across Iraq, killing at least 92 people in one of the deadliest days this year...

BAMAKO, Mali -- Sixteen Muslim preachers from a moderate sect were shot dead in central Mali as they traveled by road to a religious conference, the Malian and Mauritanian governments said Sunday. Early reports indicate that the men's long beards aroused the suspicion of Mali's military, which confused them for the extremists who have taken over the nation's north...

BEIGAN, Taiwan -- Cheng Yu-lan surveys the terraced courtyard outside her deserted Matsu tea shop and considers the $2 billion bonanza about to wash over the offshore Taiwanese archipelago -- a bonanza that seems set to change the lives of its 7,000 people beyond all recognition...

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said the Air Force is diligently investigating a widening sex scandal at Lackland Air Force Base after he made a personal visit to the Texas installation on Sunday. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon spent three hours at the base, where he met with Gen. ...

NEW YORK -- Most people wouldn't say New York and tornado in the same breath. But two twisters that touched down in the nation's biggest city Saturday are the latest of about 60 small tornadoes that have hit the area in the past half-century, the years for which complete data are available. Saturday's pair brings to 10 the total number of tornadoes since 2007 in New York City, according to the National Weather Service...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Parents who send their children to private schools in California are much more likely to opt out of immunizations than their public school counterparts, an Associated Press analysis has found, and not even the recent re-emergence of whooping cough has halted the downward trajectory of vaccinations among these students...

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Teachers Union says its members will go on strike today for the first time in 25 years. The union says contract talks with the district failed late Sunday night over issues including benefits and job security. "We will be on the [picket] line," Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis said Sunday night, calling it a difficult decision and one the union hoped could be avoided...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Alvin L. Heberlie, 76, of Perryville died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home. He was born Nov. 15, 1935, in Ste. Genevieve County, Mo., son of Dennis P. and Laura Hoffman Heberlie. He and Ethel R. Brewster were married July 22, 1961. She survives in Perryville...

Debra L. Compas, 58, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

BRANSON, Mo. -- One hundred years ago, a doll whose image was born in a studio near Branson was about to become a global sensation. Rose O'Neill was already a successful artist in 1912. At 38, she had worked 20 years as an illustrator for dozens of magazines, and had produced several compelling paintings and drawings. ...

BOSTON -- With swing voters in his sights, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is tacking toward the center on health care and defense spending now that he's put his final partisan hurdle behind him and the sprint to Nov. 6 is underway...

Award-winning Australian journalist Dave Earley visited Cape Girardeau last week as part of a U.S. media tour. Earley, 33, of Brisbane works as homepage editor for the The Courier-Mail and received the 2012 Rising Star award for community newspapers of Australia...

NEW YORK -- With its huge reflecting pools, ringed by waterfalls and skyscrapers, and a cavernous underground museum still under construction, the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center is a spectacle that moved and inspired some 4.5 million visitors in its first year...

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been edited to reflect the date of Missionfest. When you think about the number of people involved in local ministries, it's incredibly encouraging. Nearly all churches have outreach ministries, in addition to independent organizations. These people help the poor, feed the hungry, minister to those struggling with addictions, and much more. Their faith calls them to do this, and through this lives are being changed...