Stories from Friday, November 30, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A winning Powerball ticket purchased in Missouri will provide an unexpected, though modest, boost for state government coffers. Budget director Linda Luebbering on Thursday said the state could collect approximately $10 million for income tax on the jackpot, assuming Missouri's winner opts for a lump-sum payment. The current year's budget is $24 billion, which includes about $8 billion from general tax collections...

Isle Of Capri Casinos Inc., the company that built and owns Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, announced second-quarter earnings results Thursday, but revenue from the company's newest operation was not included because of the opening date of the casino falling shortly after the end of the quarter...

Because of a low water level on the Mississippi River, the Dorena-Hickman Ferry will exclude commercial trucks from the Missouri-to-Kentucky crossing. The low river level makes it difficult for trucks to move on and off the ferry at the Missouri landing. Commercial trucks that normally travel via the ferry will face a detour of up to 80 miles, depending on their destination, the Kentucky Transportation cabinet said...

ST. LOUIS -- A federal appeals court has issued an order temporarily blocking implementation of the contraception mandate of the federal health care law for a Missouri business owner. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday on behalf of Frank O'Brien and his company, O'Brien Industrial Holdings LLC of St. Louis...

Police were on the lookout Thursday for a Cape Girardeau brother and sister, a day after prosecutors labeled them attackers in the July beating and robbery of a 14-year-old boy. Sierra L. Irions, 18, and Ryan G. Irions, 17, were not in custody Thursday, but a judge had signed arrest warrants and set individual bonds at $30,000. Single counts of second-degree robbery against the siblings mean they could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted...

When it comes to their thrift store, local Salvation Army leaders say location is crucial. And the store's current location just isn't helping fund the organization and assisting its clientele. The Salvation Army of Cape Girardeau will close its thrift store on Morgan Oak Street today and look for a new place to do business....

My grandson Willie had a blast picking out the Christmas tree this year. We are carrying on our family tradition.

The Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education during the November board meeting recognized several outstanding students for their leadership, scholarship and service to others. Recipients of the Terrific Tiger Award are pictured above with School Board Member Philip Moore, left, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. ...

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. (AP) -- Lottery officials say a 52-year-old mechanic from northwest Missouri holds one of the two tickets matching all six numbers in the record $588 million Powerball jackpot. A Missouri Lottery news release says Mark S. Hill bought the winning ticket for himself and his wife, Cindy, at a gas station in Dearborn.

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) -- A man wielding a sharp-edged weapon killed one person in a Casper neighborhood Friday before killing a male teacher and himself in a community college classroom, causing a campus-wide lockdown as authorities tried to piece together what happened.

Rebecca Allen wrote a story but no one was there to take a picture. Wm. Paul Young was signing books at the First Assembly of God Church in Scott City. It looked like Christian Author night in Scott City. That night Stan Crader was on hand, the Marble Hill based author of 3 local books and so was Debbie Anderson another local author...

Today Paul Young came to Scott City and spoke at the Scott City School for an Assembly. The bleachers were packed as the High School and Middle School listened to Paul share his life story as a missionary son and ups and downs in his life. He spoke on the events that led up to him righting the book as a Christmas gift for his children. ...

Wm. Paul Young speaking at Scott City School assembly Friday 11/30/12 Paul is the author of the Shack, it was an all time best seller and he came to Scott City to speak to the school and sign his newest NY Times Best selling book called Cross Roads.

United Way (UW) officials cited Cape Girardeau Public Schools for their successful UW campaign during the November meeting of the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education. UW Executive Director Nancy Jernigan, above left, noted that the District surpassed its goal of $24,000, with a district-wide pledge of $24,374.48! Each of the District's 10 campuses, as well as staff at Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center, ran individual campaigns and fund-raisers ranging from dunking booths, luncheons, auctions, pig-kissing and an elementary principal who consented to having her hair dyed blue. ...

Paul Young author of the Shack and Cross Roads at Scott City School Assembly this is the full bleachers listening to him. Friday 11/30/12. Paul is on a nationwide tour, he took time out to come to Scott City. Shack one of the all time best sellers and Cross Roads was just released and is already top ten NY Times...

The Jackson Junior Indians 9 & under team placed 2nd in The King of the Hill Tournament in Owensboro,KY, November 10&11. The tournament consisted of 14 teams from Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Michigan. Cael Welker and Randol McDowell both won MVP awards, while Bryce Norman won the Big Hit award. The Junior Indians placed 1st in the Jake the Great tournament in St. Louis, November 17&18. They defeated Hillsboro, St. Charles, and Jefferson County...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones said Thursday his chamber would seek ethics and campaign finance legislation that includes requiring more organizations to disclose their donors. Jones said Republicans would add improving accountability in Missouri's political process to an agenda that includes economic development, energy and education. The 2013 legislative session begins in January and continues until mid-May...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A former Boy Scout summer camp leader in Columbia and Hannibal, Mo., faces federal charges of using a false Facebook identity to trick seven underage victims into sharing nude photos they thought were sought by a woman. A federal grand jury in Jefferson City indicted 23-year-old Ian Francis Burow of Columbia on seven counts of receiving and distributing sexually explicit material involving a minor...

ST. LOUIS -- The number of flu cases is on the rise in Missouri. KMOX Radio reported that state health officials cited 451 new cases in the past week for 2,088 confirmed this season. That is a nearly tenfold increase over the average for the past five years at this point in the flu season...

MEXICO, Mo. -- A northeast Missouri man has been convicted of killing his wife and stuffing her body in a septic tank on their farm 20 years ago. KXEO-AM reports that an Audrain County jury Thursday found Douglas Howery guilty of first-degree murder. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 4...

WACO, Neb. -- Monsanto plans to spend more than $100 million to expand production at four of its seed processing plants in Nebraska, Indiana and Iowa to meet growing demand for its corn seeds. The Lincoln Journal Star reported that most of the money will be spent at Monsanto plants in Waco, Neb., and Remington, Ind., but capacity will be added at plants in Grinnell and Williamsburg, Iowa...

ORAN, Mo. -- Advance boys basketball coach Andrew Halford preaches defense and rebounding. Thursday night, his team practiced what he preaches. Advance turned up the defensive pressure to open the second half of its game against Oran, outscoring the Eagles 19-12 in the third quarter on its way to a 71-56 victory in the semifinals of the Oran Invitatioal...

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer is asking the White House to reject calls for more water releases from reservoirs on the Missouri River to ease drought conditions downstream. Elected officials from states along the Mississippi River this week said the additional releases are needed to keep vital barge traffic moving in coming months...

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Members of the congressional delegations from the Dakotas, Kansas and Montana are urging President Barack Obama to deny requests to aid Mississippi River navigation by authorizing additional water releases from Missouri River dams...

Cape Girardeau County commissioners on Thursday approved sending four members of the prosecuting attorney's office to experience what former head prosecutor Morley Swingle called "a once in a lifetime opportunity" for his former staff. Assistant prosecutors Jack and Julia Koester, along with Julie Hunter and interim prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff, will travel to Washington, D.C., in January for a local case that has been accepted by the U.S. ...

Today is Friday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2012. There are 31 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 30, 1982, the Michael Jackson album "Thriller" was released by Epic Records. On this date: In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris, ending the Revolutionary War...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A NASA spacecraft has confirmed there's ice at Mercury's north pole. Scientists announced Thursday that the orbiting probe, Messenger, has found evidence of frozen water, even though Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. The ice is located in the permanently shadowed region of Mercury's north pole. It's thought to be at least one-and-a-half feet deep -- and possibly as much as 65 feet deep...

I would like to suggest that some food banks in the area might switch from food to other needed nonfood items such as soap, toothpaste, trash bags, etc. Most of your clients already receive food stamps and food for their children at school. However, the truly needy often are forced to sell or trade part of their food allotment for soap and toilet paper. Just a thought for today...

This weekend's schedule includes a several Christmas events to consider. Lutheran Family and Children's Services will hold its 25th Holiday Home Tour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25 in advance and may be purchased through today at America's Mattress, The Bank of Missouri (Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Perryville and Marble Hill), Lutheran Family and Children's Services, Patrick's Furniture, Southeast Missouri Hospital Gift Shop and Sunny Hill Garden Center. ...

I know most of you are too busy to bother with very many non-shopping details, but life without shopping goes on, believe it or not. What follows is an attempt to offer you some guidance. Not shopping advice. I am the last person you would ever want to consult about shopping. Still, there are some preparations you can make for the realities in life that will save you a great deal of bother...

WASHINGTON -- Three weeks after Election Day, Mitt Romney made it to the White House. For about 90 minutes. After an odd arrival in which a man rushed Romney's SUV and ended up getting arrested by the Secret Service. It wasn't the start of a term as Romney had envisioned. But it was, at least, all on good terms with the man who defeated him, President Barack Obama...

LONDON -- Britain's unruly newspapers should be regulated by an independent body dominated by non-journalists with the power to levy steep fines for ethical lapses, a judge recommended Thursday after a yearlong inquiry. But Prime Minister David Cameron immediately expressed deep misgivings about a key recommendation in the 2,000-page report -- that the new regulator be enshrined in law. Cameron was concerned about government interference in free speech...

The Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra will combine with the University Choir and Choral Union to present the choral and orchestral work, "Vespers," by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on Tuesday at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. Also on the program will be the majestic "Reformation Symphony" by the celebrated Romantic composer, Felix Mendelssohn. ...

LONDON -- As a child, Chris Pine used to be afraid of the bogeyman. Now he fights one on the big screen. The 32-year-old American actor is taking on his first voice-over role as Jack Frost in the DreamWorks animated film "Rise of the Guardians." His winter wonderland character is asked to join Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy -- played by Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman and Isla Fisher -- to defeat a bogeyman called Pitch (Jude Law)...

The Schwag brings their rock/psychedelic/jam band sound at 8 p.m. Friday to Pitters Cafe and Lounge. The Schwag began as a St. Louis based Grateful Dead tribute band, and now averages 150 shows a year. The Schwag likes to emphasize improvisation and spontaneity to give high-energy performances that encourage dancing and good vibes. $10 gets you into the jam session...

BEIRUT -- Internet service went silent Thursday across Syria and international flights were canceled at the Damascus airport as a road near the facility was closed by heavy fighting in the country's civil war. Activists said President Bashar Assad's regime pulled the plug on the Internet, perhaps in preparation for a major offensive. Cellphone service also was out in Damascus and parts of central Syria, they said. The government blamed rebel fighters for the outages...

CAIRO -- Islamists on Thursday rushed to approve a draft constitution for Egypt without the participation of liberal and Christian members, aiming to pre-empt a court ruling that could dissolve their panel and further inflaming the clash between the opposition and President Mohammed Morsi...

WASHINGTON -- Superstorm Sandy packed a bigger economic punch than most people had thought. On Thursday, Kohl's, Target and Macy's blamed the storm for weak sales in November. Macy's and Nord-strom Inc. reported their first monthly sales drop since late 2009, when the U.S. economy was emerging from the recession...

FORT MEADE, Md. -- An Army private charged in the biggest security breach in U.S. history testified Thursday that he felt like a doomed, caged animal after he was arrested in Baghdad for allegedly sending classified information to the secret-spilling website WikiLeaks...

Motorists who normally use the 1700 block of Independence Street to get to work have to find a different way in the morning; a break in an underground Union Electric Co. natural gas line at Independence Street and Caruthers Avenue forces police to close off the area to traffic for about seven hours...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

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

NEW YORK -- The future of Twinkies is virtually assured. Hostess Brands Inc. got final approval for its wind-down plans in bankruptcy court Thursday, setting the stage for its iconic snack cakes to find a second life with new owners -- even as 18,000 jobs will be wiped out...

Olwen Margaret Riehn, 95, of Jackson died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, at her home. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday at Ford & Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Hobbs Chapel Cemetery in Cape Girardeau...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Betty J. Kenser, 69, of Perryville died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, at the Independence Care Center in Perryville. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. today at Young & Sons Funeral Home and 6:30 to 8:15 a.m. Saturday at Young & Sons Funeral Home...

ANNA, Ill. — Margie Wallace Hayden, 101, of Anna, formerly of Mounds, Ill., died Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, at the Union County Long Term Care Facility. Crain Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

WASHINGTON -- The White House is seeking $1.6 trillion in higher taxes over a decade and an immediate infusion of funds to aid the jobless, help hard-pressed homeowners and perhaps extend the expiring payroll tax cut, officials said Thursday as talks aimed at averting an economy-rattling "`fiscal cliff" turned testy...

Recording engineer and producer Malcolm Springer has seen his share of studios in places like Los Angeles and Nashville, Tenn. Now he's setting up shop in Cape Girardeau. The man who's worked on several major-label, hit records featuring artists like Matchbox Twenty, Faith Hill, Collective Soul, Shinedown and many others is a Southeast Missouri native...

There would be no second-half comeback for the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team this time. Southeast's last two wins came after the Redhawks trailed by double figures at halftime. They were 0-17 when behind at halftime a year ago. Missouri made sure it wouldn't happen Thursday night as the Tigers, ahead by 10 points at the break, ran away to an 80-51 rout in Columbia, Mo...

The Southeast men notched their second road victory with an 83-67 triumph

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

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Leopold finally got the revenge it was looking for. The Wildcats took down Perryville 66-30 in the first semifinal of the Woodland Tournament on Thursday night. The win not only placed Leopold in today's 8 p.m. championship match against Scott City, it erased two years of bad memories...

Daughter to Brandon Shawn Emmett and Amber Gail Seabaugh of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:56 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Name, Rylah Gail. Second child, first daughter. Weight, 5 pounds, 9 ounces. Seabaugh is the daughter of Bambie Rogers and Tim Seabaugh of Cape Girardeau. She is a stay-at-home mother. Emmett is the son of Terry and Nolan Crank of Sedgewickville, Mo. He is employed by Isle Casino Cape Girardeau as a cook...

Lord Jesus, our hearts are filled with joy this Christmas as we celebrate your birth. Amen.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The much anticipated second semifinal of the Woodland boys basketball tournament lived up to its hype. And its seeding. Second-seeded Scott City pushed past third-seeded Oak Ridge 52-43 late to claim a spot in today's 8 p.m. championship game against top-seeded Leopold...

ORAN, Mo. -- Out of the corner of his eye, Jaylen Porter saw the scoreboard. Malden had just pulled within five points of Scott County Central, 49-44, with 1 minute, 53 seconds left in the third period of their Oran Tournament boys basketball semifinal Thursday night...

BRUSSELS -- European Union foreign ministers say they have agreed to open free trade negotiations with Japan. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht says an agreement would generate about 400,000 jobs in Europe and boost GDP by 0.8 percent. The EU also is close to concluding free trade agreements with Canada and Singapore, and is looking at ways to boost trade with the United States, which currently amounts to about $2.3 billion a day...

Every holiday season the bells, horns, strings and voices of Christmas ring out across Southeast Missouri. Churches, touring groups, college ensembles and more produce a slew of concerts featuring the music of the holiday season. Below, we've compiled a list of many of those concerts. ~ Matt Sanders...