Stories from November 2012

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Another economic slump may be developing in the Midwest and Plains states, according to a survey of business leaders released Thursday. The Mid-America Business Conditions index is based on monthly surveys of business leaders and supply managers in nine states. It includes a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor...

The Institute for Supply Management, formerly the Purchasing Management Association, began formally surveying its membership in 1931 to gauge business conditions. The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group uses the same methodology as the national survey to consult supply managers and business leaders. Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss oversees the report...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Ernie Hays, an organist who was a fixture at St. Louis sporting events and provided the soundtrack of Cardinals baseball for four decades, has died, the team said Thursday. The St. Louis native, who spent 40 seasons as the baseball team's organist, died Wednesday night at age 77. A cause of death was not disclosed...

BRIGANTINE, N.J. -- President Barack Obama, swooping in for a somber look at Sandy's storm-whipped destruction, pledged to the hurting people of New Jersey and beyond on Wednesday that "we are here for you and we will not forget." Commanding the federal response to the disaster, Obama spent a day doling out hugs, handshakes and promises of military might to help. And he soaked in the praise of one of Republican challenger Mitt Romney's top surrogates, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie...

WASHINGTON -- There is nothing like a natural disaster to test the depth of politicians' preference for small government. And so it turns out that after superstorm Sandy battered the East Coast, Mitt Romney is far more supportive of the government agency in charge of coordinating disaster relief...

STANTON, Iowa -- A Jackson teenager was killed last month when she was hit by a train in Iowa. Jessica Lynn Randolph, 18, was killed Oct. 19 at Stanton, according to the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency. Police were called at 5:24 p.m. by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train reporting a train versus pedestrian accident. Randolph was pronounced dead at the scene...

No matter what happens Tuesday, two Southeast Missouri sheriffs are assured their badges for at least four more years. Not so in two nearby counties where that iconic five-pointed star is up for grabs in races between a 20-year incumbent with a familiar foe and two who are trying to replace a sitting sheriff who has already been set aside...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Adam M. Hahn apparently has become a familiar face to those in Perry County law enforcement. Considering the circumstances under which they have met, the faces generally are not friendly. On Tuesday, the 23-year-old Perryville resident saw felony charges of burglary and theft filed against him, marking only the latest accusations against a man who has seen a year marked by a string of such charges on various offenses...

SIKESTON -- Chris Martin wanted redemption, and he got it. The Central senior scored on a 4-yard touchdown plunge with 45 seconds remaining to lift the Tigers to a thrilling 17-14 victory over No. 1 seed Sikeston in a Class 4, District 1 semifinal Wednesday night...

High blood pressure is a chronic disease that occurs and affects a large number of people around the globe annually. Patient suffering from high blood pressure may suffer from severe illness and complications caused by the syndrome and some of the major complications caused by high blood pressure are heart attack, cerebral and cardiac damage, stroke, paralysis, renal failure, organ failure, etc. ...

STRINGTOWN, Mo. -- A second mountain lion sighting has been confirmed in Southeast Missouri in the last few weeks. The latest involved a cat captured by two separate trail cameras on a northeast Ripley County farm off County Road K-5 by Lee Ray Pickrell. The photos were taken just after 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday...

Broadway, said the mayor of Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, should never be done. "We want it to be constantly evolving," Harry Rediger told local officials, city staff, downtown business owners and community group leaders who gathered in the 500 block of the street to cut the ribbon on a $4.4 million road resurfacing and streetscape project. The reworked stretch of road opened completely to traffic and pedestrians last month...

Broadway business owners, who struggled through a summer of construction, celebrated Wednesday that the $4.41 million street project is now complete. They say they're encouraged and excited to see their neighbors taking the initiative to paint or put up new signs in an effort to upgrade their own businesses. Improvements on Broadway are contagious and spreading upward from the new street and sidewalks to the tip tops of the buildings that line it...

A Trivia Night to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will be held on Friday November 30, 2012 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Jackson. Doors will open at 6 PM and trivia will begin at 7 PM. The cost is $20/ person and teams will consist of 8 players. Snacks and drinks will be available...

Cape Central Middle School sixth grade Students of the Month for October are, from left: (front row) Matthew Diamond, Hannah Taylor, Luke Laramore and Jeffrey Bittle; (second row) Jamila Campbell, Kaitlin Ritter, Trinaton Ware and Graeme Moore; (third row) Emily Webb, Levi Wilson and Trevor Ogdon. SoutheastHEALTH recognizes these students in its role as a Partner in Education with Central Middle School...

Cape Central Middle School fifth grade Students of the Month for October are, from left: (front row) Avery Rayfield, Mason Dunn, Jowairia Khalid and Kennedy Keys; (second row) Anna Priest, Gabe Bengston and Mina McKee; (third row) Lydia Garner, Haley Scott, Karley Thomas and Gunner Crosnoe. SoutheastHEALTH recognizes these students in its role as a Partner in Education with Central Middle School...

Master Printmaker, Margaret Craig, Chair of the Printmaking Department at San Antonio, Texas, Southwest School of Art is in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for the Mid America Print Council conference at Southeast Missouri State University (Nov. 1-3 at the River Campus)...

The Boy Scouts of America is hosting an unprecedented closed-door symposium today with representatives of other national organizations. They hope sharing strategies to combat future child sex abuse. The 10 participating groups, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters, will hear presentations from some of the nation's top experts on the subject...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A sign marking the Spc. James Burnett Jr. Memorial Highway will be dedicated at 4 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Advance Elementary School cafeteria, 33790 State Highway 91 North, in Advance, Mo. State Sen. Rob Mayer sponsored legislation naming Highway 25 in Stoddard County, from the city limits of Advance to one mile south of the city limits, after. ...

Today is Thursday, Nov. 1, the 306th day of 2012. There are 60 days left in the year. This is All Saints Day. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 1, 1512, Michelangelo's just-completed paintings on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel were publicly unveiled by the artist's patron, Pope Julius II...

BEIRUT -- When the Hamas rulers of Gaza recently gave a hero's welcome to the ruler of Qatar, an arch foe of the Syrian regime, it sent a strong message reverberating across the capitals in Tehran, Damascus and Beirut. The powerful, anti-American alliance of Iran, Syria and militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, once dubbed the "Axis of Resistance," is showing signs of fraying...

Perryville public schools fifth graders in Becca Sides' music classes are learning to play recorders using a series of tests where they can earn "belts" if they advance to the next level. "Recorder Karate" rewards students with ribbons to tie around their instruments much like martial arts students earn belts for mastery of their art. Pictured are fifth-grader Sabrina Sides rehearsing for an attempt to earn a white belt with instructor Becca Sides...

Tom Vaughn knows about discovering a passion for music at a young age. It eventually led him to perform in cabarets in New York City and release two albums. Vaughn, a graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University, recently shared his story at home with students at Deer Creek Christian Academy, advising them to follow what they love to do...

Some of you might have cracked an egg this morning, but did you know you can use a water bottle to separate the yolk from the white. MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1: Crack the uncooked egg and place the contents onto a plate. STEP 2: Squeeze the water bottle, place the opening of the water bottle close to the yolk of the egg, and then release the water bottle until the entire yolk is inside the water bottle...

McLEAN, Va. -- War and video games seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. But those games usually involve tanks and machine guns and Tet offensives; not horses, bayonets and Bunker Hill. One of the biggest game releases for the upcoming holiday season is immersing players in the Revolutionary War, with key cameos from George Washington, Ben Franklin and other founding fathers...

This week the east coast of the United States has been hammered by superstorm Sandy. Many of us have family and friends in the areas affected by the storm, and our hearts go out to all who have been injured or seen property damage. An Associated Press story in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian tallied U.S. ...

I would like to comment about all the problems and difficulties the United States has been going through for it seems like years and years. Just a thought, maybe, just maybe, America ought to bring God back into the picture. We've taken prayer out of schools, we've done a lot to eliminate God from our daily presence. Maybe we should put him No. 1 in our lives and see how our problems go. If our politicians had God No. 1 in their lives they wouldn't be slinging mud to get into office...

Daughter to Richard Gordon and Emily Lee Lewis of Jackson, Southeast Hospital, 12:57 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. Name, Logan Elise. Weight, 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Sixth daughter. Mrs. Lewis is the former Emily Paschall. Lewis is employed by Pyramid Home Health Services...

Less than a week from now we should know. But given the closeness of this presidential election, there's a slight chance a week from now this election outcome may still remain in limbo. I feel a sense of frustration that the circulation of this small column will reach readers already a solid majority in support of Mitt Romney...

Several local students have been awarded scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2013-2014 academic year:n Allyson Bock of Uniontown, Mo., was awarded the University Scholarship and Residence Life Leadership Award. --From staff reports...

LEBANON, Mo. -- Police in a small southwest Missouri town are looking for thieves who broke into a charity and stole Christmas toys meant for needy children. The thieves got away last week with thousands of dollars in toys from the Lebanon Free Store...

NEW YORK -- Stocks closed mixed Wednesday in their first session since Hurricane Sandy forced a historic two-day shutdown of trading. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 10.75 points to 13,096.46. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose, but barely -- up 0.22 of a point to 1,412.16...

CLAYTON, Mo. -- A St. Louis-area school resource officer is facing charges for alleged sexual contact with a student at the high school. St. Louis County prosecutors have charged 27-year-old Ronald Freeman with one count of sexual contact with a student. He is jailed on $50,000 bond and does not have a listed attorney. Freeman is a Wellston police officer and works as a school resource officer at Normandy High School...

Dr. August T. Mennicke, first vice president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is guest preacher at Trinity Lutheran Church; he delivers the sermons for Reformation Day Festival services, and is the keynote convocation speaker for the Bootheel, Cape Girardeau and Jackson circuits of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod...

NEW YORK -- Two days after superstorm Sandy brought business in New York City to a standstill, stores that lost power are again serving customers, albeit by flashlight. Companies with closed offices are setting up shop in coffeehouses. And the owner of the Skylight Diner is borrowing bacon from his neighbors because the restaurant's cupboard is bare...

NEW YORK -- Flights resumed, but slowly. The New York Stock Exchange got back to business, but on generator power. And with the subways still down, great numbers of people walked across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan in a reverse of the exodus of 9/11...

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- It only takes a few minutes playing with the iPad Mini, which starts at $329, to realize the scaled-down tablet computer will be a surefire hit with longtime Apple disciples and potential converts. The iPad Mini is 7.87 inches tall and 5.3 inches wide, compared with the full-size iPad, which is 9.5 inches by 7.31 inches...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

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

Bryan Robert Walker, 47, of Hendersonville, Tenn., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian in Pittsburgh. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau...

Wanda Nolen, 81, of Jackson, formerly of Anniston, Mo., died Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until time of service today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, Mo. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. today at the funeral home, with David Pringle officiating. Burial will be in Dogwood Cemetery...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Lois G. Farmer, 89, of Kennett departed this life Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 16, 1923, in Cape Girardeau, to Truman E. and Irene M. Ehrenschneider Gladish. She and Everett Emro Farmer were married June 12, 1947, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death June 2, 2012...

Scott City lost 42-0 to Caruthersville in Class 2 District 1

Vianney superstar junior tailback Markel Smith got his yards in the rematch. Jackson got just about everything else. The host Indians continued their resurgent season by dismantling Vianney for the second time this year, 54-14 Wednesday night in a Class 5 District 1 semifinal...

FESTUS, Mo. -- St. Pius won the pre-game coin toss and elected to attack with the wind in the Class 1 District 1 championship soccer match Wednesday afternoon. It provided the fast start the Lancers wanted. St. Pius netted two first-half goals and claimed their second consecutive district title 3-1 over Saxony Lutheran...

Ty Margenthaler's second year as Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach already has started eerily similar to his first. Margenthaler only can hope things get better. Southeast is once again riddled by injuries before the season even begins...

Four Southeast Missouri State soccer players were recognized Wednesday by being named to all-Ohio Valley Conference teams. Headlining the list was senior defender Hayley Abbott, honored as the conference's defensive player of the year along with making the all-OVC first team...

Route HH in Stoddard County, between Highway 153 and County Road 785, will be reduced to one lane as contractor crews perform asphalt repairs on the approaches to the bridge. Weather permitting, the work will be done Wednesday, Nov. 7 through Nov. 9 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The work zone will be marked with signs. For additional information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636, or visit www.modot.org/southeast...

CAIRO -- Egypt's capital prides itself on being city that never sleeps, with crowds filling cafes and shops open into till the small hours. So, the government is facing a backlash from businesses and the public as it vows to impose nationwide rules closing stores and restaurants early...

O Heavenly Father, may all turn to you in life's storms. Amen.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. employers added 171,000 jobs in October, and hiring was stronger in August and September than first thought. The solid job growth showed that the economy is strengthening slowly but consistently. The unemployment rate rose to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent in September, mainly because more people began looking for work. The government uses a separate survey to calculate the unemployment rate, and it counts people without jobs as unemployed only if they're looking for one...

The Pirates will face St. Pius X of Kansas City at noon Saturday at the Show Me Center. They finished 3-3 in pool play.

The Cape Girardeau County Clerk's office is receiving calls this week from alarmed voters regarding letters they've received over the past few days containing "voting records" from past elections for themselves and their neighbors. The letters, sent by a Virginia-based conservative organization called Americans for Limited Government, names the recipient and sometimes relatives or people who live close by, and says whether or not they voted in recent general elections...

About 3,600 people passed through the turnstiles in the first six hours of the new Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, according to figures provided by Isle of Capri. The $135 million casino opened to the public for the first time Tuesday. Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, a 137,000-square-foot facility, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the exception of 5 a.m. ...

Police say a Cape Girardeau man was so high on drugs when he rear-ended another vehicle on Oct. 5 that he had trouble getting out of his vehicle and appeared confused about whether there was a crash. Later, the same man assaulted officers while at the police department, according to court documents released Thursday, a day after charges were filed...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Blake Shelton is entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards. "The Voice" star won the award for the first time Thursday night, beating out previous winners Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift and fellow nominee Jason Aldean...

This month the Crisp Museum at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus is highlighting American Indian heritage with an exhibit by mother and son artists. The "Tribal Diversity" exhibit features the work of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and her son Neal Ambrose-Smith...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A retired Springfield police officer is going to prison for secretly videotaping a 14-year-old girl to produce child pornography. The U.S. Attorney's office says 55-year-old Jack Van Matre was sentenced Thursday to 19 years and seven months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty in June to sexual exploitation of a minor...

TROY, Mo. -- When a man wearing a Chucky mask robbed the Peoples Bank & Trust in Troy, Mo., he surely didn't expect the bank president to turn into Dirty Harry. But on Tuesday, David Thompson pulled a gun and kept the robber from getting away. Many in the eastern Missouri town are hailing Thompson for his actions...

Both Perry and Scott counties will have one county commissioner returned to office by virtue of running unopposed, but there could be new faces on their commissions after Tuesday's elections if incumbents facing challengers are defeated. In Scott County, Democratic First District Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn is facing no opposition and neither is Republican Second District Commissioner James Sutterer in Perry County. ...

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. -- Bill Goldberg's first reaction upon entering his flood-damaged home in this popular Jersey Shore resort community was unprintable. His second was that life as he knew it had just been turned upside down -- along with his refrigerator, freezer, and kitchen and dining room furniture...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - November's arrival means Missouri's "cold weather rule" is in effect, protecting many residents from having their heat cut off when it's freezing outside. The rule applies to natural gas companies and electric utilities regulated by the Public Service Commission...

BENTON, Mo. -- In the time he walked the halls of the Scott County Courthouse, there's little doubt that Tom Dirnberger knew not everyone he passed understood exactly what his job was. But those who got to know him during those 16 years say they knew exactly what kind of man he was -- magnanimous, hardworking and preternaturally kind...

Southeast Missouri State University theater students will tackle an American classic when they perform Arthur Miller's Tony Award-winning drama "The Crucible" starting next week. Miller's play will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Nov. 10 at the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre at the River Campus, with other performances scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 9 and 2 p.m. Nov. 10 to 11...

If you've watched much TV lately, chances are you've noticed advertisements in the Missouri Senate race that pits 162nd District Rep. Terry Swinger, a Democrat from Caruthersville, Mo., against Poplar Bluff, Mo., businessman Doug Libla taking up noticeable commercial time...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Just days before the presidential election, U.S. officials are striking back at allegations they failed to respond quickly or efficiently against the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, detailing for the first time a broad CIA rescue effort...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri state workers will get an extra day to digest Thanksgiving turkey for the first time in two years after Gov. Jay Nixon signed an executive order Friday closing state offices the Friday after the holiday. In granting the extra vacation day, Nixon pointed to efforts to cut state spending, improving state revenues and more certainty over the budget. ...

One Southeast Missouri race for the state House is based completely in Advance, Mo. Ryan William Holder, a Democrat and field representative for the Laborers International Unit Local 1104, and Republican Dennis Fowler, retired superintendent of the Stoddard County Juvenile Detention Center and a longtime law enforcement officer, share the same locale but not political views...

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, meaning that clocks should be turned back one hour before going to sleep Saturday night.

The moon last night, coming up over our woods.

Eliazbeth & Dawson Seabaugh visiting the Jackson Police Dept, Halloween Day 2012. They thanked the Policemen for working to keep Jackson a safe place for them to live. Dawson was thrilled to meet a real Policeman & present him with treats for the Dept. His Police Costume was very authenic with the real uniform of the Policemen. Elizabeth & Dawson received treats & very special treatment. They are the children of John & Michelle Seabaugh & grandchildren of Dale & Winnie Seabaugh, all of Jackson...

My grandson Trenton does his best Darth Vader.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson addressed members of the Cape County Republican Women's Club on Friday, encouraging fellow Republicans to band together to bring the party success in local, state and federal elections. She also spoke briefly on government regulations, response to attacks on American security forces in Libya and the economy...

Halloween pumpkins decorated by patrons of the Jackson Senior Center.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Steve Shaffner conducts the Central Junior High School Orchestra prior to the dedication of the Louis Lorimier Library Thursday, Nov. ...

NEW YORK (AP) -- The blue and orange finish line is in place in Central Park, no superstorm debris in sight. Little else is normal with the New York City Marathon. The course will be the same since there was little damage but getting to the finish line could still be an adventure for runners from outlying areas...

Perryville opens plays at the Class 3 final four at 3 p.m. Friday at the Show Me Center.

Today is Friday, Nov. 2, the 307th day of 2012. There are 59 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 2, 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered a brief statement to the nation in which he said that aerial photographs had confirmed that Soviet missile bases in Cuba were being dismantled, and that "progress is now being made toward the restoration of peace in the Caribbean."...

Notre Dame Regional High School students will perform the play "Our Town" at 7 p.m. Thursday through Nov. 10. Performances will be at the school cafetorium at 265 Notre Dame Drive, off Route K. Tickets are $8 and are available by calling 335-6772 ext. 311, or online at www.notredamehighschool.org...

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee will host a program on 2012 statewide ballot issues presented by Tracy King, vice president of governmental affairs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A continental breakfast begins at 7 a.m. Friday followed by the presentation at 7:40 a.m. at the Show Me Center. The event is open to chamber members...

NEW YORK -- Khaled Hosseini's next novel will be a journey across time and space. The author of the million-sellers "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" has finished his third book, "And the Mountains Echoed." Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) and publisher of his first two novels, announced Monday that "And the Mountains Echoed" comes out May 21...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

After a three-game losing streak, the Southeast Missouri State University football team rebounded Saturday with a 48-27 road victory over Austin Peay. The Redhawks (3-5, 2-3 OVC) have had their share of challenges this year, including the season-ending injury to quarterback Kyle Snyder. But there have been some positives, including the collegiate debut of redshirt freshman quarterback Scott Lathrop, who has done an admirable job leading the offense...

Think you're a "conservative"? Check again. You may be more "liberal" than you realize. The same can be said of liberals with conservative tendencies. Know this, that you are not alone. Many of us don't exactly "fall" into perfect placement when it comes to conservatism vs. liberalism. I dare say there are many "closet" liberals as well as conservatives that don't always make their inner thoughts known, but do always stand by their beliefs and principles...

Libertarian candidate for president Gary Johnson may serve a useful purpose in helping deny the presidency to Mitt Romney. No ticket rip-offs Again this year, the MSHSAA state volleyball championships are being held at the Show Me Center. This draws parents and fans from all over Missouri. SEMO collects revenue from parking fees that are unnecessary. Let's present our city and university with pride, not as a "rip-off" to our visitors...

Eric Grant Bradshaw, 53, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Whitewater, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Poplar Bluff. He was born Dec. 27, 1958, in Cape Girardeau, to J.R. and Mary Belle Mouser Bradshaw. Eric was a member of First Baptist Church and Bluff City Eagles in Poplar Bluff. He worked as a farm hand on a dairy farm in Whitewater, Whitewater Co-op and Tierney Farms in Chaffee, Mo...

Carl Bushard, 97, died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, at Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, Ill. He was born Jan. 7, 1915, in Chaffee, Mo., son of Thomas Bernard and Luta Estelle Hileman Bushard. He and Hazel Hahs were married May 26, 1940, at her family home in Bollinger County. She died at IVH in 2003...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Isaac Nathanial Grebenick, 17 months, of Chaffee earned his angel wings Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, at St. Louis Children's Hospital in St. Louis. He was born May 11, 2011, in Cape Girardeau, to Teddie Grebenick Jr. and Kaylee Kohler...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Rosa L. Renaud, 87, of Perryville died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, at Perry Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Perryville. She was born Nov. 26, 1924, in Perryville, to Leo and Mary Myrtle Moore Vessells. She and Milton Renaud were married Aug. 11, 1945, in Perry County...

Stephen Harrell Cunningham, 68, died suddenly Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, at his home in Alba, Texas. He was born March 12, 1944, to W.H. "Jugo" and Ruth Spradling Cunningham. Steve graduated from Chaffee High School in 1962. While in high school, he was an outstanding athlete in baseball, football and basketball. ...

Gertrude E. Mirly, 99, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Shawneetown, passed away Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Oct. 11, 1913, in Shawneetown, daughter of Adolph and Pauline Ladreiter Rudert. She and Alfred B. Mirly were married Aug. 25, 1935. He passed away June 21, 1995...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Adam Lee Hugo Wunderlich, 20, of Altenburg passed away Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, at Heartland Care and Rehab in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 24, 1991, in Normal, Ill., to Donald Gene and Jennifer Wunderlich Jr. Adam was a NASCAR fan and a perfect playmate for his nephew, Kaydon...

Bryan Robert Walker, 47, of Hendersonville, Tenn., died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, at a Pittsburgh hospital following a lengthy illness. He was born March 14, 1965, in Cape Girardeau, to Paul R. Walker and Donna E. Bauer. After graduating from Central High School in 1983, Bryan joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Louise L. Petzoldt, 72, of Altenburg died Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today and from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Young and Sons East Perry Chapel in Altenburg...

Son to Robert Dale Davault Jr. and Bethanney Dawn Thele of Glenallen, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 10:02 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Name, Brayden William Lane. Weight, 8 pounds, 2 ounces. Third child, second son. Ms. Thele is the daughter of Jody Thele of Fredericktown, Mo., and Rick McClard of Jackson. She is employed in the deli at Country Mart. Davault is the son of Robert Davault and Theresa Davault of Glenallen. He is self-employed...

More than 200 windows at Nell Holcomb School and nearly 100 windows at Cape Girardeau public schools were broken over the weekend in what appears to be post-Halloween vandalism; in Cape Girardeau, Alma Schrader School received the most damage. Cape Girardeau police were haunted by an excessive amount of Halloween pranks over the weekend; nearly 50 property damage incidents were reported; at least 39 reports involved vandalism to vehicles...

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

ARTS COUNCIL OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI Works from the Mid America Print Council Member's Juried Exhibit will be on display featuring 42 printmakers from across the nation. Bowls for the Empty Bowls fundraiser will be displayed for purchase. Reception from 5 to 9 p.m...

DOSWELL, Va. -- Five days before the election, Republican challenger Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama vied for the mantle of change Thursday in a country thirsting for it after a painful recession and uneven recovery. Early voting topped 22 million ballots...

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The "conspiracy of silence" that protected Jerry Sandusky extended all the way to the top at Penn State, prosecutors said Thursday as they charged former university President Graham Spanier with hushing up child sexual abuse allegations against the former assistant football coach...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Anthony Peairs with the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department does a test run of the city's new automated leaf-collection truck on Sherwood Drive Thursday afternoon, Nov. ...

Perryville's Luke Schlichting saw the play developing. The Pirates had just coughed up a 2-0 lead in the Class 2 District 1 soccer championship game, and the Perryville sophomore knew he had to make a run. Schlichting sprinted from midfield, cut in front of a Central defender and deflected a cross into the net, propelling the Pirates to their first district crown...

It was a couple weeks ago the Perryville volleyball team watched a video that changed their defense and their season. "We've gotten so much better at defense within this last two weeks that it's obviously why we won the Lutheran South game," senior Natalie Gremaud said, referring to her team's 21-25, 25-23, 25-23 Class 3 quarterfinal win that earned it a spot in today's final four at the Show Me Center...

By Scott Roscovius ~ Southeast Missourian Joe Wolsey had made a mistake, and he knew it. Wolsey, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound Central senior, plays left tackle for the Tigers football team. Central trailed top-seeded Sikeston 14-10 in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night's Class 4, District 1 semifinal in Sikeston...

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team continued its late-season push Thursday. Fourth-seeded Southeast slipped past fifth-seeded Belmont 1-0 in the opening round of the six-team Ohio Valley Conference tournament in Martin, Tenn. Southeast, which finished fourth in the 11-team OVC, improved its record to 7-9-4. The Redhawks are are 5-0-1 in their last six games...

The OVC's top rushing attack faces the conferences top rushing defense

The doctor listened to my lungs and heart. I don't know what he was doing, because my distress was in my throat. Small explosions were being set off by unidentified terrorists. Each blast resulted in spasms of coughing intended to quell the enemy. As it turns out, I'm terrible at fighting wars...

Us Instead returns to Rhymer's on the Plaza with its rock, rap and country party. Come out and dance as the band plays favorites from the '80s, '90s and today. Starts at 9 p.m. Saturday at Rhymer's, 10 S. Plaza Way. There is a $5 cover charge.

O Lord Jesus, may we always resist evil, standing firm in our faith in you. Amen.

Editor's note: The editorial has been corrected to reflect the correct day of the final exhibition game. The Southeast Missouri State University basketball team got off to a good start Tuesday in its first exhibition game of the season. The Redhawks defeated Division II Ouachita Baptist 71-60 at the Show Me Center...

The local Marine Corps League and Marine Corps Reserve are kicking off the annual Toys for Tots collection drive today, when they'll be at Toys-R-Us from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. accepting toy donations. Unwrapped toys are requested for ages infant to 12 years old. The drive continues until Dec. 15...

Mariel Bisher shot a 6 point buck during the youth deer hunt.

Today is Saturday, Nov. 3, the 308th day of 2012. There are 58 days left in the year. A reminder: Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday at 2 a.m. local time. Clocks go back one hour. Today's Highlights in History: On Nov. 3, 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd president of the United States, defeating President George H.W. Bush. In Illinois, Democrat Carol Moseley-Braun became the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate...

Plans are proceeding on development of a proposed storm water management ordinance, but City Council members say a method of financing storm water retention structures needs to be determined before an ordinance is adopted. Jackson voters approve a one-half cent sales tax proposition; the new tax is expected to raise around $350,000 annually for roadway improvements and additions...

Sen. Claire McCaskill's campaign hopes the return of a face familiar to Southeast Missouri voters will give her attempt at keeping her seat an extra boost this weekend. Tommy Sowers, a Democrat who challenged Rep. Jo Ann Emerson for Congress in 2010, is traveling throughout the area over the next few days to stump for fellow Democrat McCaskill. ...

DORENA, Mo. -- Loaded semitrailers are again crossing the Mississippi River by way of the Dorena-Hickman Ferry. Water levels on the river have returned to near normal levels following the summer drought that halted ferry operations for about a month earlier this year. ...

A short-lived fire Friday morning at the parsonage of the Red Star Baptist Church is suspected of being caused by arson, the church pastor said. At about 10 a.m., crews from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department rushed to the parsonage after receiving a call concerning smoke coming from its basement. The firefighters arrived and turned off the parsonage's gas and electric lines and contained the fire. The resulting damage was mainly smoke-related, and no injuries were reported...

While races for president, senate and governor have garnered the most attention this election cycle, voters will be asked to cast ballots on four statewide ballot issues as well. They were the focus of a presentation by Tracy King, vice president of governmental affairs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center...

Jo Ann Emerson said Friday she hasn't spent much time on the campaign trail this election cycle. After stopping in Cape Girardeau at a Cape County Republican Women's Club meeting Friday to encourage fellow Republicans to band together and bring the party success in local, state and federal elections, she spoke briefly on government regulations, response to attacks on American security forces in Libya and the economy before heading to a mock election event at Delta High School...

Cape Girardeau's city council will give new rules on pawnshop and resale operations a first consideration at Monday night's meeting. Scheduled for the 7 p.m. meeting is the first reading of an ordinance that has already undergone changes per the request of some local business owners after being tabled by the council last month...

The Cape Neddick Lighthouse at York, Maine is probably the most photographed lighthouse in the United States.

Pearl and Smoke.

The shadow of Batman.

The Bill Emerson Bridge lit up in pink.

This is my daughter, Ashley for Halloween this year. She wanted to be Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile.

The Pirates lost to St. Pius X of Kansas City 25-15, 25-21 in the Class 3 third-place game.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri judge has thrown out the 1983 rape and murder convictions of a St. Louis-area man whose case was taken up by a not-for-profit group that specializes in using DNA evidence to overturn wrongful convictions. Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green on Friday ordered 56-year-old George Allen Jr. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A University of Missouri professor has resurrected his two-decade-old work in the contested field of cold fusion. In 1991, Mark Prelas was part of a research team that conducted a fusion experiment that emitted a burst of millions of neutrons. The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that the work stopped when funding was cut off...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Accused kidnapper and convicted multiple sex offender, Jeffrey Dean Shelton, was charged Thursday with molesting another Butler County child. Four days before Shelton is accused of kidnapping a 5-year-old Poplar Bluff girl, he allegedly kidnapped a Qulin, Mo., girl, age 10, at knife point and took her to Ripley County, where he is accused of sexually abusing her...

A common consensus began forming among Southeast Missouri's county clerks weeks ago -- "we all better get ready," said Cape Girardeau's clerk, Kara Clark Summers, on Wednesday. Presidential elections always mean a larger turnout. Sixty-five percent of registered voters in the state turned in ballots during the 2008 election. This year's statewide prediction of 72 percent, per the secretary of state's office, is one local election official's view as feasible...

Today is Sunday, Nov. 4, the 309th day of 2012. There are 57 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 4, 1942, during World War II, Axis forces retreated from El Alamein in North Africa in a major victory for British forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery...

Misinformation provided by a local political candidate led to the Southeast Missouri publishing inaccurate information about the hours for the Scott County recorder's office. The newspaper published that Republican candidate for the office Alan Pendergrass would keep the office open over lunch after saying the office currently isn't open during that time. However, the office is open during that time, Scott County officials said Friday...

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'" -- Matthew 25:35-40. ...

Artistic style in support of another good cause was the rage Tuesday night at the third annual VintageNOW fashion show in support of the Safe House for Women. With the help of Deb Maevers' antique store, Pastimes Antiques, volunteers came together to produce the largest local fundraiser for the Safe House, which helps women who have suffered from domestic violence. ...

Son to Tyler James Creasman and Jasmine Lynn Markie Gwinn of Sedgewickville, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 12:49 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. Name, Aiden James. Weight, 8 pounds, 5 ounces. First child. Ms. Gwinn is the daughter of Ruby Gwinn and Donald Gwinn of Sedgewickville. Creasman is the son of Laurie Creasman of Fisk, Mo...

Two months after an annexation committee reached agreement on a future boundary line for Cape Girardeau and Jackson, the issue is still unsettled; that's because the agreement has yet to be ratified by the Cape Girardeau and Jackson city councils. Sarah Weddington, the winning attorney who argued the case of Roe v. ...

Lord Jesus, may we feed the hungry and help them find spiritual nourishment in you. Amen.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Aileen Roberts, 93, of Marble Hill passed away Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at Woodland Hills Nursing Home in Marble Hill. She was born July 31, 1919, at Huxie in Bollinger County, daughter of Elmer and Lucy Rowe Eaker. She and Cecil A. Roberts were married July 13, 1940. He passed away April 10, 2002...

Hugo Wendolin "Hook" Robert, 71, of Scott City died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 2, 1941, at Kelso, Mo., to Hugo and Loretta Heisserer Robert. He and Karon Ann Riley were married June 23, 1962, in Cape Girardeau...

Herb Nance, 85, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 23, 1927, in Bell City, Mo., to John H. and Stella Pryor Nance. He and Virginia Watkins were married Sept. 1, 1951, in Cape Girardeau...

Robert E. "Bob" Heath, 81, passed away Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at his home in Friedheim. He valiantly fought right up to the end and will be sorely missed. He was born Nov. 25, 1930, in Cape Girardeau, to Walter "Chick" and Edith Haman Heath. He and Helen B. Rigger were married Feb. 3, 1955, at Larson Air Force Base in Topeka, Kan...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Gayle Ebaugh, 90, of Sikeston died Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born Feb. 3, 1922, at Sondheimer, La., to Henri R. and Anna Dunklin Woodside. She and Paul L. Ebaugh Sr. were married May 29, 1943, at Parma, Mo. Paul died June 7, 1999...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- James Thomas "J.T." Cotner, 91, of Chaffee passed away Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Chaffee Nursing Center. He was born April 15, 1921, to Guy H. and Carrie Sides Cotner in Pocahontas. The family moved to Cape Girardeau when he was 10 years old and then to Chaffee in 1948...

Peter Eugene "Pete" Cooper, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. He was born Oct. 12, 1930, at Scott City, son of Peter Daniel and Ruth Greer Cooper. He and Waneta L. Adams were married May 26, 1952, at Paragould, Ark...

Dorothy Lee Allison Bridwell, 86, of Conway, Ark., passed away peacefully Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012. She was born April 19, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, the oldest daughter of Robert and Christine Allison's family of 10 children. Dorothy was married to Floyd Preston Bridwell on Dec. 22, 1948. He died in 2002...

BENTON, Mo. — Janet Sue Bond, 66, of Benton died Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Benton.

Cathryn Webb Clack Adams, 92, of Jefferson City, Mo., passed away Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, at her home. She was born Oct. 1, 1920, in Cairo, Ill., the second child of Elsie Webb and Ernest Clack. She was raised in Jackson and Cape Girardeau, graduating from Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University with a B.A. in business and history...

Class 3 final four play did not start or end well for the Perryville volleyball team on Friday. In between the Pirates handed the No. 1-ranked team in the state its only loss of the day and swept last season's state runner-up, but that wasn't enough to reserve them a spot in the state championship match...

The Oak Ridge boys cross country team came up just short of a team state medal for the second straight year. Oak Ridge finished fifth Saturday at the Class 1 state meet in Jefferson City, Mo. The Blue Jays scored 142 points to place behind fourth-place Valle (128). West Platte won the title with 87 points...

U.S. 61/Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau County, between Interstate 55 and Lexington Road, will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday...

Northbound Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau County from Route FF to Route E will be reduced to one lane with a 12-foot width restriction as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday...

Route 177 in Cape Girardeau County from Route W to Route V will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Southeast Missouri State football team had been in contention during the fourth quarter of its three Ohio Valley Conference losses. Saturday afternoon the Redhawks laid their first true OVC egg of the season -- and on Senior Day, no less. Southeast dug itself an early hole with turnovers and never really threatened Eastern Kentucky as the visiting Colonels romped 31-7...

Today the 2012-13 Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team will have its only chance to test itself against outside competition before the season begins. Southeast hosts Southern Indiana in it's only exhibition contest of the season at 2 p.m. at the Show Me Center...

NEW YORK (AP) -- With the runners ready but ravaged residents still recovering from Sandy, this weekend's New York City Marathon was canceled Friday when Mayor Michael Bloomberg reversed himself and yielded to mounting criticism that this was no time to run a race...

You'd have to say it was a pretty good day for Levi Terrell despite Southeast Missouri State's most lopsided loss of the season. Terrell, among 23 Southeast seniors making their final home appearance Saturday, was naturally disappointed after Eastern Kentucky routed the Redhawks 31-7...

The Southeast Missouri State women's soccer team's inspiring late-season run ended Friday in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. Host and top-seed Tennessee-Martin eliminated fourth-seeded Southeast from the six-team tournament with a 1-0 victory in Martin, Tenn...

Four years ago, Blake Peiffer was a wide-eyed college freshman about to embark on a new phase of his life as a football player for Southeast Missouri State University. Four years -- quick years -- later, Peiffer, an All-American senior linebacker from Jackson, finds himself passing the torch to the Redhawks of the future...

The Department of Defense honored Mary Craven, MRI supervisor for SoutheastHEALTH, with the "Patriot Award." Craven was recognized for her support of employees that serve in the National Guard and Army Reserve. She was nominated for the award by 1st Lt. Daniel Guettermann, a health services officer in the 325th Combat Support Hospital, U.S. Army Reserve and MRI technician for SoutheastHEALTH...

SIKESTON -- It won't be loaves of bread and baskets of fishes, but the Rev. Deborah Young still hopes to create something of a miracle by helping feed the hungry on Thanksgiving Day. Young, who is part of the Lion of Judah International Association of Ministries, is working to gather support for the group's project to offer a Thanksgiving meal for the homeless and homebound seniors in Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties...

Q: Other than the "Thin Man" series, how many movies did William Powell and Myrna Loy star together in? -- R.L.B., Wiota, Wis. A: Powell and Loy starred in 14 films together -- eight of them not as Nick and Nora Charles: "Manhattan Melodrama" (1934), "Evelyn Prentice" (1934), "The Great Ziegfeld" (1936), "Libeled Lady" (1936), "Double Wedding" (1937), "I Love You Again" (1940), "Love Crazy" (1941) and "The Senator Was Indiscreet" (1947)...

HERE ARE THE OUT OF THE PAST TRIVIA QUESTIONS FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE FOR SUNDAY, Nov. 4. Out of the Past trivia covering the week of Oct. 28-Nov. 3: Q: What church was dedicated Oct. 28, 1962? A: Third Baptist Church, corner of Lynwood and Randol (Ref: Oct. 28)...

Saturation traffic in the downtown section of Broadway is often the rule, even during non-rush periods. The two-lane, two-way thoroughfare offers parking on both sides and congestion worsens as number of cars increases. Relief of the Broadway traffic situation remains one of the unfinished tasks facing the municipal administration. The view here is toward the east from the 800 block. (Southeast Missourian photo)...

I know what you're thinking about the photo above. This scene couldn't possibly come from Missouri. This must be some mountain vista in West Virginia or another place far away. No, it really is Missouri. The water is the good ole St. Francis River in Madison County, not far from Fredericktown...

Despite my best efforts, I've been unable to locate a good photograph of the old Coca-Cola Bottling Co. on West Broadway. I've received many inquiries about the building, mostly in connection with the structures that were formerly in the neighborhood of McDonald's and Pfister's. The best image I've found of the Coca-Cola plant is an advertisement from Dec. 31, 1941, shortly after the building was constructed...

At first glance this mid-sized butterfly may appear to be a monarch butterfly, but it isn't. It is a gulf fritillary. Although bright orange like the monarch butterfly, the gulf fritillary has fewer white spots and its wings are shaped differently. Gulf fritillaries migrate in autumn and sometimes large groupings are seen as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. This is where the gulf fritillary gets its name...

Delbert Ikerman, 75, of Benton. Julian Pease, 70, of Sikeston. Mary Smith, 50, of Jackson. John VanGennip, 83, of Leopold. Georgia Biri, 82, of Jackson. Deborah Witte, 57, of Midland, N.C. Clara Wheeler, 80, of Pulaski, Ill. Everett Norris, 45, of Cape Girardeau...

It's not every day a dentist's office requests candy, but Ruopp & Ruopp Dentistry of Cape Girardeau is asking children to bring in their Halloween bounty for a candy buyback. Through Nov. 11, children can receive $1 per pound of wrapped candy which will be sent out to deployed soldiers through Operation Gratitude. Children are also encouraged to write a letter to the troops...

The members of Westminster Presbyterian Church of Cape Girardeau spent the summer competing. The congregation was divided into two teams, and for nearly three months members would get points for collecting food items for the FISH food pantry, bringing a guest to church, volunteering at the church, volunteering in the community and other acts of service...

The Heartland Pops 2012 Christmas Show will be at 3 p.m. Dec. 2 at in the Jackson High School Auditorium. Featured performers include the 18-voice Pops Chorus and the 20-piece band, Leopold Concert Choir and the Immaculate Conception Church Choristers. ...

Wayne and Jane Unterreiner of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachael Unterreiner, to Aaron Jenkins. He is the son of Mark and Sherri Jenkins of Kelso, Mo. Unterreiner is a 2006 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Missouri State University in 2010, and expects to graduate from the family nurse practitioner program at Southeast Missouri State University in 2013. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Dement of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Jami Lynne Dement, to Zachary Lee Hudson. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Hudson of Cape Girardeau. Dement is a 2006 graduate of Central High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2009. She is employed at Red Letter Communications...

Mike and Mary Louie of Gurnee, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Jessie Louie, to Dan Kerber, both of Chicago. He is the son of Kelly Kerber of Jackson and Danny Kerber of Cape Girardeau. Louie received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from the University of Illinois in 2005. She is a fourth grade teacher in Wilmette, Ill...

Lora Potts and Darrell Potts of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Sara Ashley Potts, to Jeremy Don Martin, both of Lebanon, Mo. He is the son of Terry and Lisa Martin of Lebanon. Potts is a 2004 graduate of Central High School. She is employed at Mercy Hospital in Lebanon...

Pam and Jack Cook of Jackson and Larry Seal of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Rochelle Lee Seal, to Shawn Lenard Jackson, both of Scott City. He is the son of Rick and Regina Jackson of Scott City. Seal is a 2006 graduate of Jackson High School. She is employed at Doctors' Park Surgery Center...

Jim and Tammy Bohnert of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Alisha Bohnert of Midland, Mich., to Lt. Aaron Schimm. He is the son of Thomas and Naomi Schimm of Bay City, Mich. Bohnert is a 2006 graduate of Saxony Lutheran High School. She received a bachelor of music from Concordia University in Seward, Neb., in 2011. She is director of parish music at St. John's Lutheran Church in Midland...

Randon Grissom and Lillian and Alan Holford of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Lindsey Jo Grissom, to Lance Weldon Limbaugh. He is the son of Douglas and Carol Limbaugh of Jackson. Grissom is a 2003 graduate of Kelly High School at Benton, Mo. ...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Leslie Jean Rainey and Brent Harvey Thompson were married July 21, 2012, at Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, Mo. The Rev. Randy Tochtrop performed the ceremony. Organist was Lanell Lange of Randles. Readers were Amanda Ward, sister of the groom, and Connie Sherman, both of Advance...

Mandie Rose Foltz and Brent William Presser were married April 28, 2012, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. The Rev. Robert Henrichs performed the ceremony. Organist was Matt Palisch of Jackson, and soloist was Brittany Moore of Oak Ridge, cousin of the bride...

Victoria Anne Ventrella and Clinton Thomas Meyer were married Oct. 8, 2011, at the Elks Lake in Cape Girardeau. Brett Schott of St. Louis, uncle of the groom, performed the ceremony. Readers were Tina Ventrella of Spring Grove, Ill., sister of the bride, and Carrie Staffen of Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Fiddler was Steve Schaffner and guitarist was Chuck Sowers...

Most people, and all Catholics, in this country know there is a shortage of priests to work in Catholic parishes. It is hard to believe that the U.S. is actually looked upon as missionary work for Catholic priests internationally. In 2007, a young Haitian priest, the Rev. Rahab Isidor, came to serve the members of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Cape Girardeau. Bright eyes, big smile and even bigger "amens."...

Have you wondered how you can truly be happy all the time? Being happy is a goal everybody strives for but most look in the wrong places to find it. In fact you can't actively "find" happiness. It's something that comes when you least expect it. Bouts of pleasure are easy to come by but they aren't lasting. ...

Finally, an extra hour of sleep I don't have to feel guilty for! In case you've missed it, or are awake at what is "supposed" to be your normal routine, daylight saving time has ended. We are now, at least if you are outside of Arizona, Hawaii and parts of Indiana, in standard time. After living near and driving through Indiana for four years, I would have never thought that the Hoosier and Aloha states had something in common...

Highway 177 in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced to one lane from Route W to Route V as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. Weather permitting, work will begin today and continue through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- As Missouri voters head to the polls on Tuesday, they will be casting ballots in the several races ranging from president to U.S. Senate, governor and Congress. Here are five things to know about Election Day in Missouri: Polls in Missouri will be open from 6 a.m. ...

As a divisive 2012 election season draws to a close Tuesday, memories of the hard-fought campaign will undoubtedly linger in the minds of voters, whether or not their candidate won a particular race. It will be a time of jubilation for some and acceptance for others...

As winter approaches in Southeast Missouri, it's possible that many have already considered the preparation that goes with it, getting an early buy on snow shovels and the salt used to melt icy sidewalks. But as temperatures dip lower, also on the minds of area residents may be the costs of electricity and natural gas bills they use to stay warm during the season...

As a newly elected sheriff in 1995, John Jordan liked the idea that was then in its infancy -- a public registry of the "worst of the worst" sex offenders. By Jordan's estimation, such a public listing of convicted rapists, child molesters and perpetrators of other violent sexual offenses could only help potential victims and their families stand guard against attack of what seemed to be a growing number of would-be predators...

Southeast rallies for 68-62 exhibition victory against Southern Indiana

Zachary Thurman, age 12 shot this 7 point buck while hunting with Paw Paw Freund on Sunday, November 4th.

Kaylin Thurman helped Maw Maw Freund rake leaves then had fun playing in them.

These two are so funny!!! My Granddaughter tells me she is jealous of Trinity and Trinity is jealous of her!!! They both would prefer to be right at my side!!!! Both of these girls looked great in their halloween costumes!

Thirty eight Cape Central Orchestra members recently earned membership in the Southeast Missouri District Honor Orchestra after auditioning October 16. The select orchestra will present a concert at Sikeston High School Fieldhouse on Friday, November 16, at 6:00 PM. ...

Sponsors needed for abandoned kittens By LINDA REDEFFER Banner Press While dumping unwanted animals out in the country is one of the most inhumane things anyone can do, it's probably the good fortune of 11 kittens and three mother cats that they were dumped where they were...

Sign up now for the 2013 Girls Youth Basketball League, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department and the Noon Optimist Club. Team and individual registration is ongoing through Nov. 9. The league will have four divisions; 1-2 grade, 3-4 grade, 5-6 grade, and 7-8 grade. Games will be played on Saturdays beginning on Jan. 5...

Maxx(Chorkie Breed) getting his picture took.

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis has too many vacant lots and no solid plans for what to do with them, so city hall and Washington University are teaming up for a contest aimed at enlisting the public's help in solving the dilemma. The "Sustainable Land Lab" contest will hand over four vacant lots in north St. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- It could take up to six months before conservation agents figure out what a Missouri hunter shot when he thought he was bagging an unusually large coyote. The man -- who asked officials not to disclose his identity -- was hunting for deer Tuesday at Franklin Island Conservation Area when the animal came into range...

Today is Monday, Nov. 5, the 310th day of 2012. There are 56 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 5, 1912, Democrat Woodrow Wilson was elected president, defeating Progressive Party candidate Theodore Roosevelt, incumbent Republican William Howard Taft and Socialist Eugene V. Debs...

JERUSALEM -- The Palestinian president has set off a strident debate by shattering a once-inviolable taboo, publicly suggesting his people would have to relinquish claims to ancestral homes in Israel. Mahmoud Abbas' comments on the refugee issue, made in an interview on Israeli TV over the weekend, triggered hot responses from Palestinians and Israelis alike...

Dr. Nicole Allcock, director of pharmacy for SoutheastHEALTH, has received the 2012 Health System Pharmacy Alumni Service Award from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Pharmacy. She earned her doctor of pharmacy degree at the University of Missouri Kansas City school of pharmacy. ...

NEW YORK -- George Lucas is done with "Star Wars," but not with filmmaking. The "Star Wars" creator says he still plans to make his "own little personal films." Lucas spoke Friday night while attending Ebony magazine's Power 100 Gala, days after announcing the sale of his storied Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.05 billion. The deal would allow for more "Star Wars" films. While Lucas will be a creative consultant, longtime collaborator Kathleen Kennedy will be in control...

Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri State University were briefly placed in the national spotlight in a way that could have been the stuff of nightmares when a young man from Bangladesh was arrested in October for attempting to detonate a 1,000-pound car bomb in New York City...

Son to Carrie Marie Vermillion of Scott City, Saint Francis Medical Center, 9:50 a.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2012. Name, Dominic Gunner-Lee. Weight, 5 pounds, 13 ounces. First child. Ms. Vermillion is the daughter of Tracy Vermillion and Scotty Vermillion of Scott City...

A measure to extend the restaurant gross receipts tax to include convenience stores and other businesses currently not paying the tax is being consider by city officials; a number of restaurant owners have complained that convenience stores and ice cream parlors aren't required to pay the tax...

To pet lovers: Do not let your cat or dog chew on cardboard boxes from China or any other foreign country. China is notorious for using paint on toys or anything else that has lead. My cat went blind because he chewed on a box that was from China that had lead paint in it. He is totally blind now. It is my fault; I had no idea...

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

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. DWI...

Apple Creek Vineyard & Winery will open Saturday in conjunction with the Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail "A Taste of the Holiday Wine Trail Event." The winery, owned by Doug and Pat Hunt along with Matt and Shellie Gamel, is in North Cape County, 2.8 miles west of Old Appleton at exit 117 off Interstate 55...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. — Russell Smith, 64, of Olive Branch died Sunday at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill.

Robert Hugh "Bob" St. Clair, 82, of Pine Bluff, Ark., formerly of Scott City, died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. He was born Aug. 6, 1930, in Fornfelt, to John Grover and Pearl Ennis St. Clair. He moved to Pine Bluff, where he graduated from Pine Bluff High School...

BENTON, Mo. -- Janet "Sue" Bond, 66, of Benton died Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, at her home. She was born Oct. 26, 1946, the daughter of Harry Russell and Emma Josephine Reams Clark Sr. She and Donald Ray Bond were married Sept. 2, 1989 at Truman, Ark...

NEW YORK -- Shivering victims of superstorm Sandy went to church Sunday to pray for deliverance as cold weather settling in across the New York metropolitan region -- and another powerful storm forecast for the middle of the week -- added to their misfortunes and deepened the gloom...

Southeast Missouri State basketball teams have put in weeks of practice. They've tuned up with exhibition games and scrimmages. Now it's just about time to get things going for real. Both Southeast squads tip off the 2012-13 season Friday, the men at Kansas and the women at home against Wright State...

(2) Rockwood Summit (7-3) at (1) Jackson (7-2) Last week: Rockwood Summit 34, Fox 0; Jackson 54, Vianney 14 Last year: Rockwood Summit 66, Jackson 0 Outlook: Jackson can claim its first district title since the 2007 season with a win at home tonight...

The Redhawks basketball team will host Truman State before playing Kansas on Friday

The Tennessee-Martin women's soccer team repeated as Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion Sunday with a 2-0 win over Austin Peay. Top-seeded UTM, the tournament host, earned the OVC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Skyhawks scored both goals Sunday in the game's final 20 minutes to knock off second-seeded Austin Peay...

About 225 people gathered Sunday afternoon at the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau in support of the seventh annual Empty Bowls Banquet. The dinner is one of the major fundraisers for the Salvation Army's community meals programs. The event is the result of a year of involvement on the part of community members to fight local hunger. ...

O Lord Jesus, may our country turn to you and seek your will. Amen.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- An Army investigation into secret chemical testing in impoverished areas of St. Louis during the Cold War era has corroborated three previous studies that the testing posed no health risk to those who lived in the areas, according to a letter from a top Army official...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Accompanied by a fleet of astronauts spanning NASA's entire existence, Atlantis made a slow, solemn journey to retirement Friday, the last space shuttle to orbit the world and the last to leave NASA's nest. Atlantis reached its new home at the Kennedy Space Center's main tourist stop close to sundown, after a one-way road trip that spanned nearly 12 hours...

Black Friday is traditionally thought of as the start of the Christmas shopping season, but savvy shoppers have a chance to cross a lot of gifts off their list the weekend before Thanksgiving. On Nov. 17 and 18, Cape Girardeau will be home to arts and craft fairs featuring hundreds of vendors, offering everything from handmade jewelry to home goods and homemade jellies...

What started out as a hobby has turned into quite a booming business for Betty Glastetter of Oran, Mo. Glastetter, who is 73, worked as a sewing machine operator for Thorngate in Chaffee, Mo., for more than 24 years. "I'd probably still be there if they hadn't closed down," says Glastetter...

USA Today poll indicates more than 3.2 million Americans with disabilities feel "sidelined" on Election Day, and voter turnout is 11 percent lower among people with disabilities than with those who are not disabled. "There has been, historically, a motivation gap by eligible voters with disabilities due to social isolation and a total disinterest in politics," says Miki Gudermuth, executive director of the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence. ...

While crisp, cool weather may leave a healthy-looking rosy glow on cheeks, colder seasons can be harsh on skin. Extreme changes and inclement weather during the fall and winter can leave skin dry, chapped and cracked. Itching and dryness are, without question, the biggest concerns among senior patients, says Dr. Charles Moon of Advanced Dermatology in Cape Girardeau...

DETROIT -- And the winner is ... Japan. Japanese brands took the top seven spots in Consumer Reports' annual reliability rankings, pushing aside their U.S. and European rivals. Toyota Motor Corp.'s Scion, Lexus and Toyota brands took the top three spots and the Toyota Prius C, a subcompact hybrid, got the best overall score. Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura were close behind...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is highlighting his work on veterans and business issues as he makes a final campaign swing before the election. Nixon was joined Monday at a Columbia diner by Democratic secretary of state candidate Jason Kander, a former Army intelligence officer who served in Afghanistan. Nixon highlighted several programs for military personnel, including a job-placement effort that he says has helped find work for 3,700 returning veterans...

ST. PETERS, Mo. (AP) -- Republican gubernatorial challenger Dave Spence is urging supporters of presidential candidate Mitt Romney to keep checking the Republican box as they move down the ballot. At a campaign event Monday in St. Peters, Spence says he's believes a "groundswell of conservative voters" will turn out for Tuesday's election...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In their final campaign appeals Monday, Republican challenger Todd Akin claimed voter enthusiasm was on his side while Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill sought to remind voters of what she believes is the stark choice between a moderate and extremist...

The Missouri Supreme Court has sanctioned a Cape Girardeau criminal defense lawyer on two charges of professional misconduct, opting for a penalty of probation that will stay on his permanent disciplinary record but still allows him to practice law...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers, left, and county election supervisor Joey Keys begin to set up voting booths for today's election at Shawnee Park Center in Cape Girardeau. ...

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. -- A week after superstorm Sandy pummeled the East Coast, wiping out entire communities, residents were bracing for yet another potentially damaging storm. A nor'easter taking shape Monday in the Gulf of Mexico was expected to begin its march up the coast, eventually passing within 50 to 100 miles of the wounded New Jersey coastline Wednesday. ...

Hillsboro scored in the final minute to claim the Class 4 District title with a 28-20 win

Jeanne Seiler submitted this photo of her granddaughter, Maci Schamburg, with the 8-point buck she killed opening morning of youth season. Good job Maci.

A recent visitor to Cape's Airport was this Boeing 727 Cargo Conversion. It was on our ramp for a couple hours, being loaded with vehicle parts for a trip up to Canada.

Several outstanding students were honored for their leadership, scholarship and service to others by the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education during the October board meeting. Recipients of the Terrific Tiger Award are pictured above with School Board President Stacy Kinder and Superintendent of Schools Dr. ...

Thursday, Nov. 1, was a warm, sunny day in Cape Girardeau--perfect for the dedication of the new Louis Lorimier Library at Central Junior High School (CJHS). The ribbon cutting and dedication took place in front of the handsome brick and curved-glass structure, one of many construction projects and improvements made possible by the community's support of a bond issue approved in 2010...

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 6, the 311th day of 2012. There are 55 days left in the year. This is Election Day. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 6, 1888, Republican Benjamin Harrison won the presidential election, defeating Democratic incumbent Grover Cleveland with an electoral vote count of 233-168, even though Cleveland led in the popular vote...

October is probably my favorite month of the year, and this October has been beautiful. We were all worried that the summer drought would mean less color on the tress, but I thought the trees were as pretty as ever. October has also been a very busy month. We started with many activities to celebrate and support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We closed the month with the Pink Moon Run/Walk on Oct. 28 to support breast cancer research...

ZURICH -- A leading neurosurgeon called for better protection for young athletes from head injuries Friday, as a research project involving 100 retired NFL players seeks a diagnosis for a brain disease linked to multiple concussions. At a FIFA-hosted international conference on concussions in sports, Robert Cantu urged the outlawing of tackling in football, heading in soccer and body-checking in ice hockey in youth matches...

Immunizations are not just for kids. Regardless of age, we all need immunizations to keep us healthy. With time, immunity from childhood vaccines can wear off and you may be at risk for new and different diseases. The specific immunizations you need as an adult are determined by factors such as your age, lifestyle, health conditions, locations of travel and previous immunizations. Throughout your adult life, you need immunizations to get and maintain protection against:...

LONDON -- Breast cancer screening for women older than 50 saves lives, an independent panel in Britain has concluded, confirming findings in U.S. and other studies. But that screening comes with a cost. The review found that for every life saved, roughly three other women were overdiagnosed, meaning they were unnecessarily treated for a cancer that would never have threatened their lives...

PITTSBURGH -- A zoo where a 2-year-old boy fell into an exhibit and was fatally mauled by African wild dogs had met or exceeded all safety standards for animals and visitors, proving that no exhibit is "fail-proof," the zoo's president said Monday...

LONDON -- Director Danny Boyle has joined leading British arts figures urging a cash-strapped local authority not to sell off a valuable Henry Moore sculpture -- arguing it should be erected in London's Olympic Park instead. "Draped Seated Woman" is owned by London's Tower Hamlets Council and stood for years on a public housing complex in the city's East End...

After months of campaigning, the 2012 election concludes today. For some there will be a sigh of relief. No more automated phone calls during dinner. No more negative ads. Yard signs will soon be removed. But for all the political distractions, it's critical to remember the importance in voting. Many have fallen on the battlefield to preserve liberty, and the opportunity to vote in free and fair elections is one we should never take for granted...

On behalf of the clients, staff, volunteers and board of directors of the Safe House for Women, I want to share our sincere appreciation for the community support of the 2012 Vintage NOW 3 Fashion Show. The vision of the Safe House for Women is a community in which residents live free from abuse and violence. ...

The city and the SEMO District Fair Association are looking at jointly acquiring an air-supported structure; Southeast Missouri State University has offered to give the "bubble" to the city, provided the city pay for the cost of moving it; the structure would be set up at Arena Park...

Look around at the beautiful fall colors and you can see God's coloring book. Thank you. Thank you, Southeast Missourian, for addressing the ballot issues that we will vote on. I had seen these four items recently on an absentee ballot and was wondering how I could learn more. That weekend (Oct. 21) you gave an easy-to-read synopsis of each issue, as I had hoped you would. Thanks, again...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Russell R. Smith, 64, of Olive Branch died Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 7, 1948, son of Roy Tillman and Etta Mae Warren Smith. He and Debra Coleson were married in 1975...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Florence B. Neu, 88, of Perryville died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Independence Care Center of Perry County. Visitation will be from 4:30 p.m. until service time Friday at Young and Sons Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Matthew Marks officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Arnold, Mo...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Mary Alice Jaco, 94, of Marble Hill passed away Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, at Woodland Hills Nursing Home. She was born Sept. 13, 1918, in Hiram, Mo., daughter of Dave and Jennie Dickerson Carver. She and Harley R. Jaco were united in marriage Dec. 29, 1932. He passed away Aug. 29, 1995...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Mary Virginia "Jenny" Hartman, 87, of Mounds died Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, at her home. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Ill. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 13 at the funeral home, with the Rev. Larry Miller officiating. Burial will be in Mound City National Cemetery in Mound City, Ill...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Donald Curtis Counts, 59, of Marble Hill died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at his home. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Hutchings Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's army chief warned against efforts to undermine the military in a rare public statement Monday that analysts interpreted as a response to unprecedented pressure from the government, media and judiciary. Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's message triggered some concern within Pakistan because of the army's history of seizing power in military coups...

JERUSALEM -- Israel's prime minister ordered the military to go on high alert for a looming attack on Iran's nuclear program two years ago, but backed off following strong objections from senior security officials, a respected Israeli news program reported Monday...

BEIRUT -- New chaos engulfed Syria's civil war Monday as Palestinian supporters and opponents of the embattled regime were swept up in intense fighting in Damascus, while rival rebel groups clashed over control of a Turkish border crossing. The rare infighting -- accompanied by car bombs, airstrikes and artillery shells that killed or maimed dozens of people -- heightened fears that if Syrian President Bashar Assad falls, the disparate factions battling the regime will turn on each other.. ...

MACAU -- Hordes of Chinese high rollers flooding into Macau have turned the city into an Asian casino boomtown, but they're also posing a challenge for China's next generation of leaders. Macau's casino industry has mushroomed over the past decade after its government eased restrictions, drawing a flood of mainland Chinese visitors that have helped supercharge the economy, created tens of thousands of well-paying jobs and made vast fortunes for a few U.S. ...

HOBOKEN, N.J. -- For utility crews racing to restore power to residents of this waterfront city that have been sitting in the dark for a week, the task is both mundane and monumental: Clean a bunch of gunk off electrical equipment with rags and cleaning spray...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The White House the prize, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney raced through a final, full day of campaigning Monday through Ohio and other battleground states holding the keys to victory in a tight race. Both promised brighter days ahead for a nation still struggling with a sluggish economy and high unemployment...

The American Red Cross, Southeast Missouri chapter will hold a new volunteer orientation from 6 to 9 p.m. today at its office at 2430 Myra Drive in Cape Girardeau. The orientation will introduce the Red Cross' mission, available services and programs and match volunteers with positions. Topics to be covered include local disaster response, large-scale disaster response, services to military, health and safety course offerings and community education...

A future hall of fame baseball manager who is a household name among St. Louis Cardinals fans is coming to Cape Girardeau. Former Cardinals manager and three-time World Series winner Tony La Russa will present a speech, "Leading Successful Teams," at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Show Me Center...

Jackson's resurgent football season came to a crashing end Monday night. A powerful Rockwood Summit team and too many turnovers did in the Indians. The Falcons, who made the trip to Jackson from the St. Louis area, scored 31 points off five Jackson turnovers and rolled to a 38-14 victory in the Class 5 District 1 championship game...

The Southeast men defeated Truman State 80-75

A 41-year-old Cape Girardeau woman and her teenage attacker both tearfully told a judge Monday how their lives have been inexorably changed by their previous encounter -- when the high-school student was punching and kicking the openly gay women in front of the woman's home...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday:...

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

O Heavenly Father, may we elect principled leaders who seek wisdom from you. Amen.

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals have promoted John Mabry to hitting coach to replace Mark McGwire, who told St. Louis he won't return after three seasons and appears headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mabry, whose 14 major league seasons included three stints with St. Louis, and was assistant hitting coach last season...

Some local pawnshop owners still have a fight for "a level playing field" on their hands, scooter riders will need to buy helmets and know the roads on which they can drive and those younger than 21 will still be allowed in bars after 10 p.m. for at least some time to come after Monday night's meeting of the Cape Girardeau city council...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Early indications are that state officials' prediction of a strong turnout for the election might be accurate. Spokeswoman Stacie Temple says the Missouri Secretary of State's Office was hearing reports of long lines shortly after polls opened at 6 a.m. The office also is receiving many phone calls from people checking their registrations or verifying their polling places...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says he's feels good about his chances of winning re-election. His Republican challenger, Dave Spence, also is making plans to become governor. Spence voted early Tuesday with his wife and children at a St. Louis County library. Nixon was greeted by two dozen cheering supporters when he voted a couple hours later with his wife in Jefferson City...

Southeast Missourian editors tonight will conduct a live election chat similar to one they led on primary election night, Aug. 7. Look for the chat window on the semissourian.com home page to discuss local, state and national elections with fellow readers and the editors. Also look to semissourian.com and semissourian.com/election for updated stories and numbers...

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Campaign 2012 packed frantic suspense to the finish, with Vice President Joe Biden flying in unannounced next to Republican Mitt Romney's campaign plane in battleground Ohio on Tuesday even as voters across the country were deciding who would win the White House...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis polling places are reporting good turnout as voters take part in the national election. Gary Stoff, Republican director for the St. Louis Board of Elections, says St. Louis polling places have been very busy Tuesday, and no major problems have been reported...

Republicans turned to voters in nearly a dozen states Tuesday in hopes of broadening the party's hold on governors' mansions across the country, with some GOP candidates viewing this election as their best opportunity to win in a quarter-century. Two years ago, Republicans snatched six governors' office in the midterm elections, giving the party 29 governorships to 20 for Democrats and one independent. This year, 11 states are picking their chief executive...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney dueled for the White House on Tuesday in a tight-to-the-finish election shadowed by a weak economy and high unemployment that crimped middle class dreams for millions...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- To change course or not? That was the decision before Missouri voters on Tuesday as they were deciding whether to oust Democratic incumbents in the presidency, Senate and governor's office in favor of Republican challengers...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri secretary of state's office has pared back its website to try to prevent it from crashing as people look for election results. Secretary of state spokeswoman Stacie Temple said people were unable to use the site Tuesday to find information on businesses, as they normally can...

Voters' views of Tuesday's elections, according to a preliminary exit poll conducted in Missouri for The Associated Press: _ VOTERS SPLIT ON ABORTION Republican Todd Akin's remark that women's bodies have a way of preventing pregnancy after "legitimate rape" put a spotlight on abortion in Missouri, and turnout among pro-choice voters and abortion opponents appeared neck-in-neck. ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Around the country on Election Day 2012 with AP reporters bringing the latest developments to you: _ ROMNEY WINS KY, OBAMA GETS VT Polls are starting to close on the East Coast. The AP has called Kentucky (and its eight electoral votes) for Republican Mitt Romney, and Vermont (three electoral votes) for President Barack Obama...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mitt Romney has captured West Virginia and its five electoral votes. President Barack Obama is unpopular in the state, and West Virginia GOP officials have been hoping that would lead to victories for other Republicans on the ballot...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mitt Romney has won in Indiana, a state won by President Barack Obama four years ago. Romney is also the winner in South Carolina, a state where Obama is deeply unpopular. Those states have 20 electoral votes between them. Obama has won his home state of Illinois, as well as Mitt Romney's home state of Massachusetts and Vice President Joe Biden's home state of Delaware...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama won the reliably Democratic Northeast, and Republican Mitt Romney secured his conservative base Tuesday night in a duel for the White House shadowed by a weak economy and high unemployment. The critical battlegrounds with the key to victory were unsettled, Virginia, Ohio and Florida among them, with long lines in many locations after poll-close time...

WASHINGTON -- Rising prices and unemployment were heavy on the minds of voters Tuesday even as a glimmer of optimism peeked through, with 4 in 10 saying the nation's economy is getting better. There was wide agreement that the economy still has far to go -- three-fourths of voters said it was poor or not so good, according to preliminary results of exit polls. Only a fourth thought they were better off financially than four years ago when President Barack Obama was elected...

Residents in Maine, Maryland and Washington voted on ballot measures to legalize same-sex marriage, and Minnesota voted on whether to place a ban on gay marriage in the state constitution...

Incumbent sheriff Gary Schaaf has easily won re-election in Perry County. Schaaf, a Republican, beat challenger Ted Christisen by 6,457 votes to Christisen's 1,362. Schaaf was first elected in 1992, and in beating Christisen he defeated the Democrat for the second straight time. In 2008 Schaaf won by 5,000 votes...

Democratic incumbent Donnie Kiefer has retained his seat on the Scott County Commission. Kiefer, who represents the county's northern 2nd District, defeated Republican challenger Will Yates with 5,739 votes to 2,588. Kiefer was first elected in 2008, when he beat Republican Ron McCormick, who was appointed by then-Gov. Matt Blunt to the seat. With Kiefer's win, the commission retains three Democrats out of three seats...

CAMDENTON, Mo. (AP) - Incumbent GOP U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer will return to Washington for a third term, this time representing a revamped and renumbered mid-Missouri district. The St. Elizabeth Republican now hails from the 9th Congressional District. Starting in January, he will represent the 3rd District after defeating Democratic business owner Eric C. Mayer in Tuesday's general election. Westphalia resident Steven Wilson of the Libertarian Party finished third...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver has turned back another challenge from perennial opponent Jacob Turk to win another two-year congressional term in Missouri's 5th District. Unofficial results Tuesday night show that Cleaver defeated the Republican for the fourth straight time in a general election. Libertarian Randall "Randy" Langkraehr of Warrensburg finished third...

Jackson will have a new quarter-cent sales tax to fund operation of a community center and parks operations. The tax passed with 3,973 yes votes to 2,762 no votes. The tax is expected to bring in about $500,000 annually.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Incumbent U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler has defeated Democratic challenger Teresa Hensley to win a second term representing Missouri's 4th Congressional District. Hartzler is a Cass County Republican from Harrisonville who earned national attention with her 2010 general election defeat of longtime Rep. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- First-term U.S. Rep. Billy Long of Springfield has turned back two challengers to win another two-year stint in Missouri's 7th District. Unofficial results Tuesday night show the Republican incumbent topping Democrat Jim Evans of Republic and Libertarian Kevin Craig of Powersite. Long is a former auctioneer and radio host who won election in November 2010 to a seat vacated when Roy Blunt was elected to the U.S. Senate...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri voters have rejected a proposal that would have changed the process of nominating and appointing judges to the state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The proposed constitutional amendment on Tuesday's ballot would have modified the membership of the seven-member Appellate Nominating Commission. The panel screens applicants for the top courts and recommends three finalists to the governor, who makes the appointment...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Candidates for some statewide offices in Missouri found themselves in close races three hours after the polls closed. Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster both held narrow leads over their main challengers Tuesday night...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Six-term Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr. has won another two-year stint in Washington, defeating Republican challenger Robyn Hamlin for the second consecutive time in Missouri's 1st District. Unofficial results Tuesday night show Clay topping Hamlin, a liberal Republican who supports gay marriage and drug law reform. Hamlin lost to Clay in 2010. Libertarian Robb E. Cunningham finished third...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Republican challenger Mitt Romney has defeated Democratic President Barack Obama in Missouri. Romney's victory Tuesday in Missouri marks the second straight election that Obama has failed to carry the state. Neither candidate mounted much of an effort in Missouri, as Obama essentially conceded the state early and Romney therefore focused his attention on other battleground states. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri voters have passed a ballot measure limiting the governor's ability to implement part of President Barack Obama's health care law. Voters approved a law Tuesday prohibiting the governor or his administration from taking any steps toward establishing an online health insurance exchange unless specifically authorized to do so by a state law or vote of the people...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has secured a third term, becoming the second Missourian to win three elections for the office. Election results Tuesday show Kinder defeated Democratic former state Auditor Susan Montee...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has won a second term after beating the chief of staff to a former Republican governor. Koster's victory Tuesday keeps the attorney general's office under Democratic control for another four years. Missouri has had a Democratic attorney general since 1993. Koster is a former state senator and Cass County prosecutor. He left the Republican Party to become a Democrat in 2007...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Democratic Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster won a second term Tuesday, while several other candidates for statewide offices were in close races hours after the polls closed. Koster held off a challenge from Republican Ed Martin, who was chief of staff to former Gov. Matt Blunt...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Democratic Missouri House member Jason Kander has won the race for Missouri secretary of state. Kander beat fellow state lawmaker Shane Schoeller early Wednesday and will succeed Democratic Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, who opted not to run for a third term...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri congressman Todd Akin called it his "six-second mistake." As it turns out, his remark about "legitimate rape" was more than enough to sink his U.S. Senate campaign. Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill notched a resounding victory over her Republican challenger in Tuesday's election, achieving the largest winning margin for a Missouri Senate race in 18 years despite entering the 2012 campaign as a self-described underdog...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri voters voted in big numbers in this year's election, but not as big as in 2008, according to figures released Wednesday. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan's office said 2.7 million people, or 65.7 percent of voters, turned out for Tuesday's general election. Both the raw number and the percentage were down from 2008, when a record 2.9 million voters, or 69.4 percent, went to the polls...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Republicans padded their control of the state Legislature and claimed a historic advantage in the state House that gives the party more than the two-thirds majority it would need to override any veto from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon...

IMPERIAL, Mo. -- With every shot deflected, every shot high or wide, every shot saved, the chances of Perryville winning Tuesday night's Class 2 boys soccer state tournament sectional grew dimmer. And when Windsor goaltender Alex Trenary smothered Nate Kinnison's straight-on kick in the first round of the second set of penalty kicks, it was the Owls who advanced to the state quarterfinals...

Incumbents in the commissioner's and recorder's were victorious Tuesday night in Scott County. With all precincts reporting from the second district, Democratic Second District Commissioner Donnie Kiefer defeated his Republican opponent Will Yates 5,739 votes to 2,588...

Southeast Missouri voters in two sheriffs races overwhelmingly sent one longtime lawman back to office while those in another were more indecisive in their choice to take over for a controversial predecessor. Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf, a Republican with 20 years on the job, again thumped Democratic challenger Ted Christisen by more than 5,000 votes -- about the same margin of victory he saw in 2008. ...

When Holly Rehder's defeat of Bart Ziegenhorn came late in the evening Tuesday, it was the end of a long road on the campaign trail, the newly-elected Sikeston native said of the race for the 148th House district. "I'm very humbled by the support," said Rehder, who garnered more than 60 percent of the vote.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Daniel S. Fortner had already committed an unthinkable offense against a Southeast Missouri toddler, police say, when he met a Perryville mother of four earlier this year. The 38-year-old man, in fact, had only been released from a Missouri prison in April after a decade behind bars for sexually assaulting the 3-year-old girl...

10 year old Ashlyn's first deer. A 10 pointer taken in Cape County on first day of youth deer season. She says its going on the wall in her bedroom! Congrats Ash!!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama won re-election Tuesday night despite a fierce challenge from Republican Mitt Romney, prevailing in the face of a weak economy and high unemployment that encumbered his first term and crimped the middle class dreams of millions.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- Missouri voters handed Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder a rare third term Tuesday while retaining several other incumbents in statewide offices. Kinder held off Democratic challenger Susan Montee, a former state auditor, while Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster won a second term by defeating Republican Ed Martin, who was chief of staff to former Gov. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the third time in a decade, Missouri voters have rejected a bid to raise the state's lowest-in-the-nation tobacco tax.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Once considered among the most vulnerable incumbents in Congress, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill rebounded Tuesday to win re-election over Republican Todd Akin, whose campaign never recovered from his much-criticized remark about "legitimate rape."

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The election laid bare a dual -- and dueling -- nation, politically speaking, jaggedly split down the middle on the presidency and torn over much else. It seems you can please only half of the people nearly all of the time. Americans retained the fractious balance of power in re-electing President Barack Obama, a Republican House and a Democratic Senate, altogether serving as guarantors of the gridlock that voters say they despise. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon won re-election Tuesday, turning back a challenge from Republican businessman Dave Spence in a job-themed campaign in which voters were given two distinctly different viewpoints on the health of Missouri's economy...

Terry Tuschhoff, right, president of Bank of America, southeast Missouri market, presents Dr. Sam Duncan, SoutheastHEALTH Foundation senior development officer, with a $2,000 grant from Bank of America to provide financial assistance to students attending the SoutheastHEALTH College of Nursing and Health Sciences...

McDonalds recently participated in DisAbility Awareness Week with The Jackson R-2 School District. McDonalds hosted a share night with a portion of sales proceeds going towards Malaina's Magical Playland. Malaina's Magical Playland is an all-inclusive/accessible playground being built in Cape County Park North...

Press Release For Immediate Release Contact: Scottie Tollison (573) 521- 0435 Or Ashley at the Dockside , 4 N. Spanish in Downtown Cape. (314) 403-3119 The Dockside Upper Deck and the performers from "Downtown's A Drag " will be kicking off the holiday season on Saturday , November 16 , with a special Dinner and a show celebration. ...

The is the Haverhill-Bath covered bridge in Bath, NH. I thought the reflections under the bridge made an interesting picture.

Logan's first deer. Youth Hunt 2012

A quarter-cent sales tax to help fund operations at a new Jackson community center and other park upgrades passed in Tuesday's general election with 58 percent of the vote. Proposition 1 received 3,973 yes votes and 2,762 no votes, paving the way for the Jackson Community Betterment Corp., formerly known as the Southeast Missouri Medical Center, to donate more than $3 million to help build a community center on East Deerwood Drive...

Bill Emerson bridge lit up pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Beautiful fall colors at Trail of Tears state park.

Beautiful colors at the Trail of Tears overlook.

Missouri's longest-serving member of Congress will stay longer following Tuesday's election. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson received 75 percent of the vote in the 8th District, which spans 30 southeast and

The following totals are for contested races and ballot issues only. Barack Obama (D): xx Mitt Romney (R): xx Gary Johnson (L): xx Virgil Goode (C): xx Claire McCaskill (D): xx Todd Akin (R): xx Jonathan Dine (L): xx Jeremiah "Jay" Nixon (D): xx David "Dave" Spence (R): xx...

The following totals are for contested races and ballot issues only. Barack Obama (D): xx Mitt Romney (R): xx Gary Johnson (L): xx Virgil Goode (C): xx Claire McCaskill (D): xx Todd Akin (R): xx Jonathan Dine (L): xx Jeremiah "Jay" Nixon (D): xx David "Dave" Spence (R): xx...

The following totals are for contested races and ballot issues only. Barack Obama (D): xx Mitt Romney (R): xx Gary Johnson (L): xx Virgil Goode (C): xx Claire McCaskill (D): xx Todd Akin (R): xx Jonathan Dine (L): xx Jeremiah "Jay" Nixon (D): xx David "Dave" Spence (R): xx...

The following totals are for contested races and ballot issues only. Barack Obama (D): xx Mitt Romney (R): xx Gary Johnson (L): xx Virgil Goode (C): xx Claire McCaskill (D): xx Todd Akin (R): xx Jonathan Dine (L): xx Jeremiah "Jay" Nixon (D): xx David "Dave" Spence (R): xx...

Voters agreed to add two more places at the table on the Gordonville Area Fire Protection District board, which proponents say will create a more diversified organization and perhaps avoid problems of the past. The measure won easily on Tuesday, with 2,161 of the district's voters saying yes to 287 no votes, or with nearly 88 percent of the vote. ...

Southeast Missourian Perry County saw a tight race for its contested commission seat on Tuesday, with Democratic incumbent Patrick Heaps narrowly winning re-election in the First District despite a strong challenge from Republican Donna Ballman. Heaps was returned to his post with 1,896 to Ballman's 1,765, according to the county clerk's unofficial cumulative report that reflected all nine of the district's precincts. ...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- For the second time, voters in Marble Hill voted against redirecting the half-cent sales tax from capital improvement to the general fund. The vote failed 249-212. In the Marble Hill precinct it squeaked past by a vote, but the defeat came mostly from the Lutesville precinct...

Republican Lisa Reitzel, a nurse from Delta, will be Cape Girardeau County's new public administrator, winning 69 percent of the vote in Tuesday's general election. Democrat Mary Cotner, 62, a physical therapist assistant received 10,483 votes, to Reitzel's 23,648 votes...

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 7, the 312th day of 2012. There are 54 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 7, 1972, President Richard Nixon was re-elected in a landslide over Democrat George McGovern. On this date: In 1811, U.S. forces led by Indiana Territory Gov. William Henry Harrison defeated warriors from Tecumseh's Confederacy in the Battle of Tippecanoe...

Voters' views of Tuesday's elections, according to a preliminary exit poll conducted in Missouri. There's no doubt about it: Republican Todd Akin's remark that women's bodies have a way of preventing pregnancy after "legitimate rape" were being factored in by Missouri voters. ...

Election officials gauged turnout as "nonstop" in Cape Girardeau County on Tuesday, while voters said the presidential and U.S. Senate races were driving them to the polls. In Scott County, contested legislative races were also bringing voters out in high numbers.

The Redhawks volleyball team rallied for a four-game victory against UTM

Stoddard County's prosecuting attorney will now be a full-time job. With all of the county's precincts reporting, voters chose to make the prosecutor position full-time, from its current part-time status, by 6,959 votes to 5,470

For 16 seasons Tony La Russa managed the St. Louis Cardinals. The longtime skipper often was seen before games in the outfield, a fungo bat in hand, chatting with Cardinals icon Red Schoendienst. During games La Russa stood near the dugout railing with his sunglasses on, contemplative and showing little emotion, never giving up, always thinking about his next move. "Playing a hard nine" was the La Russa style...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

I want to say thank you to the city of Cape Girardeau that helped us have a good time at the Special Olympics. We had a very good time; we had fun at the dance and bingo. Thanks to everyone who helped. We had a lot of fun. Thanks to Cape Girardeau for letting us come play...

The first ever Railfan Weekend kicks off at Jackson, sponsored by the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Co.; the event features steam and diesel powered trains, antique automobiles, HO model trains and more. The nearly defunct John L. Wescoat Marina in Trial of Tears State Park will get a new lease on life if plans to clean out its silted-in harbor are successful; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to spend $250,000 on the marina to make it usable...

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

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Larry Dean "Sarge" Schlegel, 75, of Chaffee passed away Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, at the family home. He was born June 1, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, to Edwin P. and Vesta R. Slinkard Schlegel. Larry married Alice Crafton, mother of Jon Jeffry in 1960, and Bonnie Musgrave Neal on Nov. 5, 1966. She preceded him in death Jan. 8, 1978. He then married Elaine Schmitt Daniel on Dec. 3, 1987...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Daniel P. Harmon, 83, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at Chaffee Nursing Home in Chaffee, Mo. He was born Sept. 15, 1929, at Perkins, Mo., son of Thomas M. and Mary Jane Faughn Harmon. He and Frances V. Kinnard were married Dec. 4, 1954...

Shirley A. Sander, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Sept. 30, 1941, in Washington County, Mo., to Richard and Lila Beeler Myers. She and Franklin J. Sander Jr. were married July 3, 1993, in Cape Girardeau...

Evelyn M. Hisgen, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born March 15, 1919, in Chicago, to Jacob and Ona Kunceviciute Maskoliunas. She and George Hisgen were married July 10, 1942, in Lincoln, Neb...

Maxine Wells Shell, 93, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, at her home. She was born Jan. 25, 1919, in Greenbrier, Mo., to W.G. and Ada B. Lloyd Cato. Maxine was a third-grade teacher 24 years at Alma Schrader School. She was a member of Covenant Christian Center in Fruitland and of Alpha Delta Kappa Retired Teachers Association...

ANNA, Ill. — Gary Beisner, 64, of Anna died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Anna.

ANNA, Ill. -- Albert Cardwell Joiner II, 81, of Anna died Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. He served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. today at Edinburg Cemetery in Edinburg, Ill., with the Rev. Kathy Montira officiating...

WASHINGTON -- A measure of U.S. home prices jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006. The gain reported by CoreLogic offered more evidence of a sustainable housing recovery. The real estate data provider also said Tuesday that prices declined 0.3 percent in September from August, the first drop after six consecutive increases. ...

WASHINGTON -- Rising prices and chronic unemployment were heavy on the minds of voters Tuesday even as a glimmer of optimism peeked through. Four in 10 said the nation's battered economy is getting better. Most everyone agreed there's still far to go. They were less likely to blame President Barack Obama for the economic troubles, however, than to point the finger at his predecessor, George W. Bush, according to preliminary results of a national exit poll...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Treasurer Clint Zweifel has won re-election, beating a state lawmaker from St. Louis County. Election results Tuesday show that Zweifel earned a second and final four-year term as treasurer. The Democrat defeated Republican House member Cole McNary...

We lift our eyes to you, O Lord God, the Maker of heaven and earth. Amen.

Missouri's current public defender system is broken. It's not broken because there is "constitutional crisis" created by too large a caseload for public defenders. No, an independent audit released earlier this month by the Missouri auditor shattered that myth. It revealed "significant concerns" and "unsupported assumptions" in the way the public defender system measures its caseload...

Brady Dixon won the boys 14 to 19 age division at the two-day Plantation Junior Golf Tournament held at Dalhousie Golf Club last weekend. Dixon, a junior at Notre Dame, had rounds of 71 and 80 for a 151 total to win by three strokes. Travis Simmons, a junior at Central, shot 79-79--158 to place fourth...

LOS ANGELES -- However riotous the Eddie Murphy stories from Arsenio Hall, Tracy Morgan, Adam Sandler and Russell Brand, the highlight of Spike TV's tribute to Murphy was the comedian's duet with Stevie Wonder. Murphy, 51, joined the subject of one of his most classic impressions for a rousing rendition of Wonder's 1973 "Higher Ground" during the taping of the Spike TV special "Eddie Murphy: One Night Only," which will air Nov. 14...

WASHINGTON -- Democrats won a narrow majority in the Senate on Tuesday, snatching Republican-held seats in Massachusetts and Indiana and turning back fierce, expensive challenges in Virginia, Ohio and Connecticut to maintain the control they've held since 2007...

NEW YORK -- Richard Chan prowled around his cold, dark Staten Island home with knives and a sword to protect it from thieves, standing his ground as another East Coast storm threatened and police went door-to-door with loudspeakers warning people to get out...

The following totals are for contested races and ballot issues only. Barack Obama (D): xx Mitt Romney (R): xx Gary Johnson (L): xx Virgil Goode (C): xx Claire McCaskill (D): xx Todd Akin (R): xx Jonathan Dine (L): xx Jeremiah "Jay" Nixon (D): xx David "Dave" Spence (R): xx...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Some Missouri business leaders are hoping that a newly enlarged Republican majority in the state House can help them enact their agenda. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry says 99 of the 103 candidates endorsed by its political action committee won election Tuesday to the state House and Senate...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Republicans in the Missouri Senate say they have big plans for the 2013 session. They mean that literally. Newly nominated Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey laid out a GOP agenda Thursday that is based on the acronym "BIG" -- as in "build" infrastructure, "invest" in education and "grow" the economy...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Senate will be led by new people when it convenes in 2013. Majority party Republicans on Thursday nominated Sen. Tom Dempsey, of St. Charles, to serve as president pro tem -- the top position in the chamber. Dempsey still must be elected by the full Senate when it convenes in January...

Three suspects were taken into custody Wednesday to face accusations of child sex abuse, according to a news release from Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf. Arrested were Daniel S. Fortner, Chase A. Knapp and Kayla Pulliam, all from Perryville. Fortner, 37, faces the most serious offenses, with a class A felony for child molestation with a child under 12, and four other felonies for sexual misconduct, failing to register as a sex offender, and two counts of providing pornographic material to minors.. ...

A volunteer firefighter is expected to cop to an arson plea, according to the lawyer who represents him, in the Aug. 18 fire in Cape Girardeau County. Gordon D. Schafer, 23, of Jackson was in court Wednesday in front of Judge Michael Bullerdieck for a preliminary hearing. But his attorney, Malcolm Montgomery said after that Schafer will likely enter a guilty plea at some point that is a lesser offense than the first-degree felony he has been charged with...

The search by the Perry County School Board to find a replacement for retiring superintendent Kevin Dunn took another step during a special work session of the board Wednesday night. The school board met to discuss and review applications they received for superintendent of the Perry County Public Schools. A search has been ongoing since the beginning of the school year...

Keisha McReynolds, who saw state authorities slam shut the doors of her day care in September, was in a courtroom on Wednesday to face accusations that she sold prescription painkillers to a confidential informant. McReynolds and defense attorney Malcolm Montgomery stood before Judge Michael Bullerdieck at the Cape Girardeau Courthouse, with her husband James sitting in the back. ...

Southeast Missouri voters spoke loud and clear Tuesday when they gave their vote mostly to Republicans who were seeking to represent them in the state legislature. Despite wins for Democrats in all statewide offices but one -- the lieutentant governor's race, which went to incumbent Republican and Cape Girardeau native Peter Kinder -- voters in this part of the state favored the GOP heavily from the presidential contest and congressional races down to all but one state representative race.. ...

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle announced Wednesday that he'll be leaving his post later this month to take a job as a federal prosecutor. Swingle will work in the office of federal prosecutor Richard G. Callahan, and expects to work out of the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Missourians voted in big numbers in this year's election, but not as big as in 2008, according to figures released Wednesday. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan's office said 2.7 million people, or 65.7 percent of voters, turned out for Tuesday's general election. Both the raw number and the percentage were down from 2008, when a record 2.9 million voters, or 69.4 percent, went to the polls...

Veterans Day events:Standing Ovation concert, Shuck Music Hall, 1 p.m. Sunday Ceremony at Freedom Corner, 11 a.m. Sunday Trail of Tears Bar and Grill dedication, 1 p.m. Sunday Jackson Veterans Day parade, 4 p.m. Monday Several events in Southeast Missouri will mark Veterans Day starting Sunday, from traditional observances to musical performances...

Our silly cat Chigger....Think he was cold or trying to tell us he was hungry?

This month, we look at an old, Asian folk remedy used in reversing a case of diabetes, helping prevent the spread of cancer and treating a variety of infections. Bitter melon is widely available in Chinese supermarkets--as a food! The fruit that grows from the bitter melon plant tastes, as you might suspect, quite bitter. The plant grows wild in tropical climates, as well as in the Far East...

An Arkansas man says he helped steal the car that was driven into a group of Cape Girardeau joggers. But that's it. Marcus E. Jones, 27, of Cotton Plant, has pleaded guilty to one of the two charges against him -- second degree tampering with a motor vehicle, technically for the theft of the car...

Peyton shot an 8 pt buck opening morning of youth season!

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri congressman Todd Akin called it his "six-second mistake." But his brief remark about "legitimate rape" was more than enough to sink his U.S. Senate campaign. Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill defeated her Republican challenger with nearly 55 percent of the vote to Akin's 39 percent in Tuesday's election. It was the largest margin of victory in a Missouri Senate race since 1994...

Wyatt, Morgan, and Adyson Lincoln of Bollinger County show off some huge turnips grown in their garden. These three turnips totaled 23.57 pounds

A special conference for caregivers, titled "Together We Care," will be held on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 N. Clark. Through a series of presentations, individuals will learn how to identify and manage stress, discover new tools and technology, and be uplifted as a caregiver...

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, partially blind, her right arm paralyzed and limp, came face to face Thursday with the man who tried to kill her last year, standing beside her husband as he spoke of her struggles to recover from being shot in the head...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Its place assured alongside Medicare and Medicaid, President Barack Obama's health care law is now in a sprint to the finish line, with just 11 months to go before millions of uninsured people can start signing up for coverage. But there are hurdles in the way...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 355,000, a possible sign of a healing job market. But officials cautioned that the figures were distorted by Superstorm Sandy. The Labor Department said Thursday that the four-week average of applications, a less volatile measure, rose by 3,250 to 370,500...

Second City Communications, the corporate-seminar offshoot of the famed comedy troupe The Second City, will present "Creativity and Innovation through Improvisation" at noon Monday in the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus. The engaging and fun-packed brand of corporate humor is free and open to the public and serves as the kickoff for Global Entrepreneurship Week at Southeast Missouri State University...

I took this of my husband Carl fly fishing at Jackson Park . Beautiful day.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Republicans padded their control of the state Legislature and claimed a historic advantage in the state House that gives the party more than the two-thirds majority it would need to override any veto from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon...

A Cape Girardeau County home was deemed a total loss after an overnight fire that likely began in a fireplace. Crews were dispatched to the approximately 2,500 square foot home on Haertling Lane off County Road 645 just before midnight Tuesday, said Dwayne Kirchhoff, chief of the East County Fire Protection District...

Today is Thursday, Nov. 8, the 313th day of 2012. There are 53 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 8, 1932, New York Democratic Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated incumbent Republican Herbert Hoover for the presidency...

Last night was the first of several performances of "The Crucible" at the River Campus. The Tony Award-winning drama is being performed by students in the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Theatre and Dance. The play is based on the Salem witch trials of the early 1690s, and according to Amy Fritsche, assistant professor in the department and director of the play, it has been a major undertaking for the students...

This is a thank-you note. A couple paid for our breakfast at a local restaurant and we didn't get to thank them. I hope they see this and know we're thankful. New cemetery I think Cape Girardeau needs a new cemetery somewhere. It looks like it's expanding into the park where the children play. That has to be a little spooky seeing graves when you go down slides...

Jackson High School's speech and debate team is already racking up awards early in the season. The team recently took first place in six of nine events at Clearwater High School in Piedmont, Mo., before heading to a tournament Doniphan, Mo., on Nov 1, where members earned five first place spots and numerous other awards. Members of the team captured first-place honors in six out of nine events. The team will host a tournament Nov. 15 at Jackson High School...

NEW YORK -- Emma Roberts isn't just making a name for herself as a rising star in Hollywood -- she has four films in the works -- she's also leaving her mark in the world of fashion. The 21-year-old routinely gets name-checked in magazines for her style on the red carpet and off, and she's a coveted front-row guest at fashion shows...

Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach Ty Margenthaler got the news he expected but hoped would be different. Margenthaler learned Wednesday that forward Brooke Taylor suffered another torn ACL and will miss her third straight season with the Redhawks...

Eric Schott has followed up his impressive freshman collegiate cross country season with an even better sophomore campaign. Schott, a 2011 Central High School graduate, led Missouri Southern to a berth in the NCAA Division II national championship meet that the Lions will host Nov. 17 in Joplin, Mo...

Awards / Scholarships The following local students have been awarded scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2013-2014 academic year: -- From staff reports ...

Using a few materials from around the house, you can see the effect that saltwater rust will have on New York City's subway system after superstorm Sandy. Materials Instructions STEP 1: Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with warm water. Mix three tablespoons of salt into one of the cups of warm water. Label the cup "saltwater."...

RIVES, Mo. -- One woman was killed Tuesday morning after a single-vehicle crash in southern Dunklin County. At approximately 9:20 a.m., Johnie E. Whitaker, 86, of Steele, Mo., was driving south on County Road 723, four miles south of Rives, when the 1998 Dodge Caravan that Whitaker was traveling in ran off the side of the road and struck a ditch. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Dunklin County Coroner James Powell...

Joseph Dale Bohr IV School: Notre Dame Year in school: Senior State events: 200 medley relay Age you started swimming: 17 Nickname: Rain Man Favorite food on day of a meet: Apples Something about you that most people don't know: I like poetry...

*** Administrative Office Building 1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today Routine business * Payroll change form

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. -- A U.S. agent who investigated the massacre of 16 civilians in southern Afghanistan last March recounted the volatile reaction from local villagers Wednesday and said it was three weeks before American forces could visit the crime scenes less than a mile from a remote base...

DELLWOOD, Mo. -- Three men and a juvenile are in custody in the shooting death of pizza delivery driver in St. Louis County. Authorities say 39-year-old Brian Johnson was found slumped in his car Monday night. He had been shot under his left armpit and was dead when officers arrived...

MOBERLY, Mo. -- Bank officials say an auction of equipment at a failed sweetener plant in Moberly has so far raised less than 5 cents for every dollar spent to finance the project. UMB Bank, the bondholder trustee for Mamtek U.S. Inc., said the Oct. 24 auction raised $1.8 million, but not every buyer at the auction has paid for their purchases. The bank says the money will distributed to holders of about $35 million in outstanding bonds...

Son to Joshua Adam and Megan Elizabeth Tolson of Cobden, Ill., Southeast Hospital, 5:03 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. Name, Reid Hileman. Weight, 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Tolson is the former Megan Hileman, daughter of Phil and Sharon Hileman of Jonesboro, Ill. She is an occupational therapist assistant at SoutheastHEALTH. Tolson is the son of Kent and Kathy Tolson of Cobden, and the late Kristine "Miriani" Tolson. He is a student...

The Salvation Army celebrates its homecoming weekend, featuring special guests Ralph and Bonita Spicer, former Cape Girardeau corps officers. A Cape Girardeau man eludes an Illinois state trooper by jumping off a pier of the Mississippi River bridge following a high speed chase around 5:40 p.m.; the chase begins in East Cape Girardeau, Ill., where the trooper attempts to stop two men on a motorcycle; they overturn the motorcycle on the bridge, and the passenger is arrested; however, the driver escapes by climbing onto a pier and jumping into the river.. ...

JERUSALEM -- President Barack Obama's re-election has left Israel's prime minister in a bind. Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly has clashed with Obama and was widely seen as backing Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the American election. Yet in the coming months, Netanyahu will need American support more than ever as the Palestinians seek upgraded recognition at the U.N. and the world grapples with the Iranian nuclear program...

Voters a continent apart made history Tuesday on two divisive social issues, with Maine and Maryland becoming the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote while Washington state and Colorado legalized recreational use of marijuana. The outcomes in Maine and Maryland broke a 32-state streak, dating back to 1998, in which gay marriage had been rebuffed by every state that held a vote on it. They will become the seventh and eighth states to allow same-sex couples to marry...

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner pledged Wednesday to seek a compromise to avert looming spending cuts and tax increases that threaten to plunge the economy back into recession. Added Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "Of course" an agreement is possible...

CHICAGO -- President Barack Obama won re-election exactly the way his campaign had predicted: running up big margins with women and minorities, mobilizing a sophisticated registration and get-out-the-vote operation, and focusing narrowly on battleground states that would determine the election...

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Former Penn State president Graham Spanier was arraigned and released on bail at a court appearance Wednesday on charges he lied about and concealed child sex abuse allegations involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky...

Wall Street greeted a second Obama term the way it greeted the first. Investors dumped stocks Wednesday in the sharpest sell-off of the year. With the election only hours behind them, they focused on big problems ahead in Washington and across the Atlantic Ocean...

WASHINGTON -- Having lost the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, Republicans plunged Wednesday into an intense period of self-examination, blame-setting and testy debate over whether their party needs serious change or just some minor tweaks...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

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

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Larry Dean "Sarge" Schlegel, 75, of Chaffee passed away Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, at the family home. He was born June 1, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, to Edwin P. and Vesta R. Slinkard Schlegel. Larry married Alice Crafton, mother of Jon Jeffry in 1960, and Bonnie Musgrave Neal on Nov. 5, 1966. She preceded him in death Jan. 8, 1978. He then married Elaine Schmitt Daniel on Dec. 3, 1987...

Hugo Wendolin "Hook" Robert, 71, of Scott City died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 2, 1941, at Kelso, Mo., to Hugo and Loretta Heisserer Robert. He and Karon Ann Riley were married June 23, 1962, in Cape Girardeau...

Bessie Lattin, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Heartland Care and Rehab. Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements.

KELSO, Mo. — Mary Margaret Hess, 66, of Kelso died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Helen Godwyn Edwards, 89, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at her home. She was born April 10, 1923, in Jackson, to William Bill and Ethyl Seabaugh Godwyn. She and Paul Edwards were married June 20, 1942, in Cape Girardeau. Helen was a bookkeeper with Smith-Alsop many years before retirement. She was a member of First Baptist Church...

TAMMS, Ill. — Kenneth Davis Sr., 66, of Tamms died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at his home. Crain Funeral Home in Tamms is in charge of arrangements.

ORAN, Mo. -- Beverly Ann Cureton, 31, of Oran died Monday, Nov. 5, 2012, in Oran. Friends may call from 1 p.m. until time of service Friday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the chapel, with the Rev. Mitch Jackson officiating...

Patsy Ann Spaulding Fangers Colvin, 78, of Jackson died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 29, 1933, in St. Louis, to Charles Vincent and Alma Claire Atkins Spaulding. Colvin worked as a laundry aide at Jackson Manor. She was of the Baptist belief...

ANNA, Ill. -- Gary Beisner, 64, of Anna died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at his home, surrounded by family. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at Crain Funeral Home in Anna. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with Bob Richardson officiating. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route U in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane between County Road 639 and Field Road as contractor crews perform bridge maintenance.  Weather permitting, the work will be done today, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution...

A $65,000 lottery prize from a ticket bought in June was claimed in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, the Missouri Lottery said in a news release. The winning ticket for the Show Me Cash drawing was purchased on June 5 at Route K One Stop, 5827 K Highway in Cape Girardeau...

NEW YORK -- A nor'easter blustered into New York and New Jersey on Wednesday with rain and wet snow, plunging some residents back into darkness, stopping commuter trains again and inflicting another round of misery on thousands of people still reeling from superstorm Sandy's blow more than a week ago...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- About 250 scholars from around the world are gathering in Springfield for a conference on American Indian history. The Springfield News-Leader (http://sgfnow.co/Sy639s ) reports that the National Conference of the American Society for Ethnohistory began Wednesday and ends Saturday. It's titled "Apocalypse Now."...

O Lord Jesus, may we seek your will, spending time in prayer with you. Amen.

ST. LOUIS -- Rodger Saffold was pleased to be part of the St. Louis Rams' traveling party to London -- until the game began. "I was like so happy that Coach (Jeff Fisher) let me come even though I was injured," Saffold said Wednesday. "And then afterward I'm like `Why did he do this?' Standing out there on that field in the rain."...

ISTANBUL (AP) -- Few archaeological sites seem as entwined with conflict, ancient and modern, as the city of Karkemish. The scene of a battle mentioned in the Bible, it lies smack on the border between Turkey and Syria, where civil war rages today. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- A southwest Missouri man has to pay about $5,000 in federal restitution for collecting bones he found while canoeing through a national battlefield site. The U.S. attorney's office for western Missouri said in a release Wednesday that 31-year-old Coy Matthew Hamilton will pay the National Park Service $5,351 and perform 60 hours of community service to avoid prosecution for removing artifacts...

For those of you that have had the pleasure of experiencing Smartwool, you already get it. For those of you that have not we are introducing you to a new addiction, one that you will love giving in to! Smartwool socks, hats, scarves and gloves are made of a merino wool blend that is super soft on you skin and works to keep you warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and dry, by pulling the moisture away from your skin. ...

Embodying bohemian glamour, the Quinn Zip Satchel showcases waxy suede with smooth leather trim, a retro-inspired silhouette, and shearling accents. Secure zip closure, gold-finish hardware, and two interior drop pockets plus back-wall zip pocket complete a zipper satchel rooted in a rich artistic aesthetic...

An intricately fastened leather profile accents this confident military-style boot featuring, burnished full-grain leather, leather and fabric lining, rubber outsole, tucker board with steel shank, leawood-wrapped heel, and opanka hand-crafted construction...

Basic is beautiful. This popular, versatile slip-on in soft, foam-backed grey croc print leather cradles the foot in 360š cushioned comfort with extra padding at the heel and a padded footbed with Active AirŪ. Brown's Shoe Fit Co. 201 S. Mount Auburn Rd. Ste. A...

With star-like sequins, glimmering metallic heel guard, and the iconic comfort of UGGŪ, the Classic Short Sparkles is equal parts classic and exquisite. Flecks of corresponding sparkle in the outsole enhance the shearling lined silhouette of this celebrated short boot. Also, available in Autumn, Black, Silver, and Red...

Brass wire mesh angel ornament, handmade by Village Designs, 2 inches tall, $9. Village Designs 573-266-3642 310 State Hwy AA Daisy, MO 63743 http://www.villagedesigns.com/

A ball of springy wire with many uses, from pen holder to flower vase, $16. Village Designs 573-266-3642 310 State Hwy AA Daisy, MO 63743 http://www.villagedesigns.com/

Springerlee wire earrings, handmade by Village Designs, in a wide variety of colors. $18 Village Designs 573-266-3642 310 State Hwy AA Daisy, MO 63743 http://www.villagedesigns.com/

Springerlee wire necklace, handmade by Village Designs in a wide variety of colors. $12.50

Described by a cast-member as "funny" and "well-connected," the River City Players Christmas dinner theater "A Christmas Cactus" opens tonight at Port Cape Girardeau's Yacht Club. "We really want to get people in the Christmas spirit," director Brenda Ferguson said. "We have a great cast that has worked hard and we want to get everyone in the right spirit."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri will not set up an online marketplace for health insurance by the year 2014. Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday his administration will inform the federal government that it won't be running a state-based health insurance exchange when they're due to begin under the federal health care law. That means that the federal government will step in to create an insurance exchange in Missouri...

Several Cape Girardeau County schools will observe American Education Week starting Monday, with events ranging from supporting troops overseas to the writing of educational graffiti on a school sidewalk. All of the elementary schools in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson school districts have organized special activities. Here are activities a few of the schools have planned:...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Scott Faughn, former Poplar Bluff mayor and current publisher of SemoTimes, has been identified by the Poplar Bluff Police Department as the person who ordered the printing of the fliers urging a "no" vote on the city's $20 million bond issue for improvements to the wastewater treatment plant...

A Cape Girardeau woman reported serious injuries after she was dragged down the street with her arm stuck in the bed rail of a truck being driven by an ex-boyfriend, according to court documents. Jerry Lee Dye, 51, of Oran, Mo., has been charged with felony assault for the incident in which he "recklessly caused serious injury" to the victim by dragging her with the motor vehicle he was operating, the court filing said. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republicans in the Missouri Senate pledged Thursday to focus on education and jobs in the next legislative session and planned to iron out the specifics at a caucus meeting next week. Newly nominated Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey said the acronym "BIG" describes the GOP's priorities in the Senate: "build" infrastructure, "invest" in education and "grow" the economy...

DESLOGE, Mo. (AP) - For the second time in recent weeks, the Ku Klux Klan is suing a Missouri town over the right to hand out leaflets. A judge ruled in October that Cape Girardeau must allow the KKK to leaflet there. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/YXgVmj ) reports that on Thursday, the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan filed a federal suit against the city of Desloge, claiming it was barred from distributing handbills on two recent occasions...

Almost 1,300 people were at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau on Thursday night to hear future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa deliver his thoughts about "Leading Successful Teams." Before he gave his appearance, La Russa briefly fielded questions from local media. He was asked by the Southeast Missourian if he knew during his tenure as Cardinals manager that baseball fans in Southeast Missouri bleed Cardinal red...

The annual Big 12 men's basketball power is ranked No. 7 in the nation

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Gabrielle Giffords limped to the front of the courtroom and stared silently Thursday as she came face-to-face for the first time with the man who tried to kill her. The former congresswoman hadn't been near Jared Lee Loughner since the deadly rampage outside a meet-and-greet at a supermarket that killed six people and left her partially blind, with a paralyzed right arm and brain injury...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama, laying down his marker for grueling "fiscal cliff" negotiations, said Friday he won't accept any approach to federal deficit reduction that doesn't ask the wealthy to pay more in taxes. "This was a central question during the election," Obama said in his first postelection comments on the economy. "The majority of Americans agree with my approach."...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- David Petraeus has resigned as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair. According to his letter of resignation, Petraeus asked President Barack Obama on Thursday to allow him to resign, and on Friday the president accepted...

BENTON, Mo. -- The Scott County Sheriff's Department will be collecting unneeded prescriptions drugs Saturday at its office at 131 S. New Madrid St. The sheriff's department asked residents to take stock of their medicine cabinets and turn in unneeded, expired or unwanted drugs. For more information go online to www.americanmedicinechest.com.

Cape Girardeau city offices will close Monday in observance of Veterans Day. Monday trash and recycling pickup are scheduled for Tuesday. Tuesday trash and recycling will be picked up Wednesday. All other schedules will remain the same. Offices will reopen 7:30 a.m., Tuesday...

A Florida man was extradited to Perry County on Thursday to face charges he allegedly helped bilk an elderly couple out of $250,000. Patrick P. Wilson, 47, of Orlando, Fla., was arrested in Florida last month. He is being held in Perry County on $100,000 bond....

The United Way of Southeast Missouri has expanded the Read to Succeed program to all five elementary schools in the Cape Girardeau public school district, according to a news release. According to the release 140 local volunteers have spent over 10,000 hours with children in the program. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Unless something changes, Mississippi County will be tightening the belt after voters rejected a use tax. Presiding Commissioner Carlin Bennett noted during the Mississippi County Commission meeting Thursday that voters "soundly defeated" establishing a use tax...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An economic calamity looming, President Barack Obama on Friday signaled willingness to compromise with Republicans, declaring he was not "wedded to every detail" of his tax-and-spending approach to prevent deep and widespread pain in the new year. But he insisted his re-election gave him a mandate to raise taxes on wealthier Americans...

Although Cape Girardeau residents may not see a fully improved Capaha Park for eight to 10 years, some new amenities are in the works for the city's oldest and most beloved park. The newest version of a master plan for improvements in Capaha Park was presented to the city council earlier this week after a months-long process of information gathering and planning by parks and recreation staff and a St. Louis-based firm, SWT Design, Inc...

Of 14 Missouri prosecuting attorneys appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon, none have been Republican. Allen Moss is hoping to become the first. One day after Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle announced his resignation, Moss became the first person from the legal community to state his interest...

Sunday, Veterans Day, marks the release of "Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors." Four local veterans contributed to the project: Levi Bollinger, Larry Breeze, Aaron Horrell and Nicholas Watts-Fernandez. "Proud to Be" contains essays, stories, poems and photographs from 61 contributors from across the nation. ...

A crash on Interstate 55 in Scott County Thursday morning sent one man to the hospital with moderate injuries. Herman Duty, 47, of Anniston, Mo., was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau after the 2006 Dodge Dakota truck he was driving left the southbound lane of the interstate, struck a median cable and overturned. ...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The former head coach of the Poplar Bluff Mules football team was placed on probation Tuesday after pleading guilty in connection with stealing from funds raised for the team. Michael "Shane" Kearbey, 39, pleaded guilty to felony stealing before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett, according to Butler County assistant prosecuting attorney Paul Oesterreicher...

A Glenallen man is facing felony assault charges that say alcohol was a factor in an automobile crash that ended with a Jackson woman being taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries. Prosecutors charged Michael C. Woods, 31, on Tuesday with one count of second-degree assault by operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. ...

Today is Friday, Nov. 9, the 314th day of 2012. There are 52 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 9, 1938, Nazis looted and burned synagogues as well as Jewish-owned stores and houses in Germany and Austria in a pogrom that became known as "Kristallnacht."...

XFactor1 brings its "Edge of Insanity" tour to Pitter's tonight. The band just released its latest album, "Famous Last Words," and will be touring with nationally-known hard rock acts Hurt and Smile Empty Soul. XFactor1 has also shared the stage with Mushroomhead and Stone Sour. The band is led by QBall Wolf on vocals, CLok Watkins on rhythm guitar, lead guitarist Cody Joseph, Joe Bobb on bass and drummer Zack. Music starts at 9 p.m...

Entrepreneurs are ambitious people who take personal financial risks. They work tirelessly to create products and provide services. And they are job creators, playing a vital role in our economy. Monday kicks off Global Entrepreneurship Week, and students and members of the community will gather for events as Southeast Missouri State University participates in the celebration...

I think the first project for Cape Girardeau to do with the casino money is to fix up the old federal building for the homeless and really get a good place for them and keep it up. Gambling addictions Isn't it wonderful? The new casino will employ at least 450 people. Yet they didn't mention how many gambling addictions will cause homelessness...

Fifteen years we've lived in this house. We've never had a mouse problem. Until now. Cooler temperatures have, as might be expected, made our warm house a destination for the mice who live in the ivy patches in our backyard. Fifteen years ago we handled the invasion with the latest technology of 1997: something that has to be plugged in. Thank God it didn't need batteries...

As part of its observance of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Southeast Missouri State University will host the Fault-Line Film Festival. The festival will showcase the creativity and innovation of students through filmmaking. During the festival, Southeast student script writers, actors and video production and editing specialists will be given the chance to spotlight their creative talents by competing for prizes and recognition. ...

SAN MARCOS, Guatemala -- Guatemalans fearing aftershocks huddled in the dark and frigid streets of the mountain town early Thursday. Others crowded inside its hospital, the only building left with electricity after a powerful earthquake killed at least 48 people and left dozens more missing...

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco is preparing to become the first U.S. city to provide and cover the cost of sex reassignment surgeries for uninsured transgender residents. The city's Health Commission voted Tuesday to create a comprehensive program for treating transgender people experiencing mental distress because of the mismatch between their bodies and their gender identities...

WASHINGTON -- The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week by 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 355,000, a possible sign of a healing job market. But officials cautioned the figures were distorted by superstorm Sandy. The Labor Department said Thursday that the four-week average of applications, a less volatile measure, rose by 3,250 to 370,500...

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon says an Iranian military plane fired upon, but did not hit, an unarmed U.S. drone aircraft a week ago in what a spokesman said was international airspace over the Persian Gulf. Pentagon press secretary George Little disclosed the incident Thursday...

WASHINGTON -- Seven members of the secretive Navy SEAL Team 6, including one involved in the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, have been punished for disclosing classified information, senior Navy officials said Thursday. Four other SEALs are under investigation for similar alleged violations, one official said...

DES PERES, Mo. -- U.S. Bank is offering a $10,000 reward in the effort to solve a series of bank robberies inside St. Louis-area Schnucks grocery stores. KMOV-TV reported that the latest robbery was Wednesday at a Schnucks on Manchester Road in west St. Louis County. Surveillance photos showed a male suspect wearing what appeared to be a wig...

ST. LOUIS -- The worst U.S. drought in decades got worse in parts of the nation's midsection, further frustrating ranchers and growers of winter wheat in Kansas and Oklahoma, a drought-tracking consortium's update showed Thursday. The U.S. Drought Monitor's latest map showed that 60 percent of the land in the lower 48 states was experiencing some degree of drought as of Tuesday, down less than a percentage point from the previous week. ...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- A Missouri utility has been cited for two willful safety violations after a Kansas man was killed earlier this year by a chain saw that kicked back and cut him. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday announced the citation and proposed penalties of $140,000 against Missouri-American Water Co. ...

PLATTE CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas City man who was identified partly by a shoe print on his victim's face has been sentenced to 137 years in prison for rape and assault. The Platte County prosecutor said a judge followed the jury's recommendations Thursday in sentencing 22-year-old Stephen J. Lockhart...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

MORLEY, Mo. -- M. Maxine McBride, 88, of Morley passed away Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born June 28, 1924, to the late William Claude and Lena Bambridge Burson in DesArk, Ark. Maxine married Edward "Gene" McBride in December 1943 in Oceola, Ark., who preceded her in death on April 13, 1987...

Bessie M. Lattin, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Heartland Care and Rehab. She was born Sept. 24, 1917, in Hazel, Ark., to Iresal and Francis Smith Porter. Survivors include a brother, Cletus "I.C." Porter of Springfield, Ill.; nieces, nephews and other relatives...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Leona L. Schuessler, 94, of Altenburg died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 5, 1917, in Waverly, Iowa, daughter of Martin and Lydia Theiss Holschen. She and Floyd F. Schuessler were married Aug. 12, 1945. He preceded her in death Aug. 7, 1993...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Kenneth J. Davis Sr., 66, of Tamms died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at his home. He was born June 19, 1946, in Cairo, Ill., son of Otis Henry and Audrey Irene Bishop Davis. He and Mary Lou Riggins were married Oct. 28, 2000. Davis was a retired truck driver and had driven for Twin Lake Trucking...

KELSO, Mo. -- Mary Margaret Hess, 66, of Kelso died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 7, 1946, in New Hamburg, Mo., to Linus Phillip and Regina Magdalen Compas Dirnberger. She and Charles Peter Hess were married Jan. 9, 1965, in New Hamburg...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Juanita Gaddis, 95, of Dongola died Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Ill. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna, Ill. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Paul Sadler officiating. Burial will be in Big Creek Cemetery...

Daughter to Spencer Anthony and Kayla Lynn Hobeck of Jackson, Southeast Hospital, 7:13 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. Name, Brynleigh Rose. Weight, 7 pounds, 14 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Hobeck is the former Kayla Begemann, daughter of Dale and Barbara Begemann of Atlanta and Charles and Dalena Rogers of St. Clair, Mo. She is a universal banker at US Bank. Hobeck is the son of Mark and Tina Hobeck of Jackson. He is self-employed with Hobeck Siding and Windows...

Cape Girardeau firefighters and paramedics from the Cape County Private Ambulance Service remove the injured driver from a car that runs off the street in the 2200 block of Broadway and falls into Walker Creek; rescuers work for more than 30 minutes to free the woman who was trapped in the partially submerged car, which was on its side with the driver's side up...

REHOBOTH, Mass. -- It wasn't hanging chads or voter fraud that delayed the vote count in one Massachusetts town -- it was a spider. Rehoboth Town Clerk Kathleen Conti said one of the town's aging voting machines malfunctioned Tuesday morning...

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

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

Eastern Illinois is by far the biggest surprise team of the Ohio Valley Conference football season. The Panthers are probably among the biggest surprise squads in all of the Football Championship Subdivision. Southeast Missouri State gets a chance to derail EIU's OVC title hopes Saturday when the squads square off at 11 a.m. in Charleston, Ill...

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team gets a chance to avenge one of its losses from last year right off the bat. Second-year coach Ty Margenthaler's rebuilding project resumes today when the Redhawks open their season against Wright State in a 6:30 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center...

O Lord God, may we be joyful in hope and patient in trials. Amen.

It's been said baseball managers are hired to be fired. If you don't believe me, ask Ozzie Guillen, released this past September by Miami after the Marlins failed to live up to lofty expectations. Or ask the three managers fired during or after the 2011 season...

Saturday, November 10, 2012 was a special day for a very special young man. For one day, Kenneth Boyd was able to enjoy a day of shopping for his prized possession, his '98 Chevy Z71 truck. Kenneth has been diagnosed with osteosercoma. The Make-A-Wish Missouri Foundation granted his wish of a shopping spree at Creative Trim and Performance of Cape Girardeau. ...

Absolutely beautiful. Something you don't see everyday. This was taken early I'm the morning.

Houston, TX. October 18, 2012 -- Ultimate LiningsŪ LTD., (UL) a leader in the development and application of protective coatings & linings is pleased to announce the growth of their industrial scope of work to include the Eagle Ford Shale and Marcellus Shale...