Stories from Wednesday, May 8, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - State agencies could be required to notify Missourians if personal data such as concealed gun permits and credit card numbers are accessed by someone who is not authorized to have that information. The proposal comes from Republican House member Kurt Bahr, of St. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri prosecutors advising police on undercover investigations or overseeing such stings now have greater legal protection that their conduct won't violate ethical rules. A July 2012 change to the Missouri Supreme Court's Rules of Professional Conduct explicitly allows government lawyers to collaborate on undercover operations without risking sanction for professional misconduct. Those ethics rules forbid "dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri House is declining to give Gov. Jay Nixon's administration computer data related to an attempted access of the list of concealed weapons permit holders. House Clerk Adam Crumbliss sent a letter Tuesday to the Office of Administration that said the information would not be released. ...

Central's Jonah Roop lay flat on his back, his hands covering his face. The Central junior carried the weight of the Tigers' district championship hopes on his back -- literally -- in his No. 5 singles match Tuesday afternoon against Oakville...

Roupp and Roupp Dentistry, 1818 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, is holding free oral cancer screenings from 2:30 to 5 p.m. May 16 at its office. Screenings are open to the public. Registration is not required, but times can be reserved in advance by calling 334-8884. Ruopp and Ruopp is partnering with the Oral Cancer Foundation for Oral Cancer Awareness Month for the screenings and recommend adults get yearly screenings. For more information, visit oralcancer.org...

The Allenville Board of Trustees will hold a meeting to explain its flood plain ordinance at 6 p.m. May 28 at city hall. The board will review the ordinance and listen to the pros and cons. The flood plain ordinance was adopted Sept. 1, 2011, and requires an elevation certificate for new construction of houses or placement of mobile homes...

The discovery of three women in a Cleveland home who all had gone missing separately about a decade ago brings to mind cases of abductions elsewhere. A list of some prominent cases: Dugard was abducted in June 1991 on her way to school in South Lake Tahoe, California. ...

CLEVELAND -- One neighbor said a naked woman was seen crawling on her hands and knees in the backyard of the house a few years ago. Another heard pounding on the home's doors and noticed plastic bags over the windows. Both times, police showed up but never went inside, neighbors said. Police also paid a visit to the house in 2004, but no one answered the door...

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Katie Chesser, left, sells cupcakes to Laura Arthur and her daughter Dayna at the first Jackson farmers market of the season Tuesday at Jackson City Park. The market will continue from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays in the parking lot of the bandshell....

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take comments through June 6 on a proposal to list the grotto sculpin, a small fish found in underground caves in Perry County, Mo., as endangered, and to protect habitat for the conservation of the species. Comments also will be accepted on a community conservation plan developed to address potential habitat threats. ...

Bill Federer, a nationally-known author, speaker and former Missouri congressional candidate, visited Cape Girardeau on Tuesday night to give the SEMO Pachyderm Club a historical lesson jam-packed with messages about politics in the United States in modern times...

The discovery Monday in Cleveland of three women who disappeared more than a decade ago has lent hope to families and investigators searching for missing people in Southeast Missouri. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were found alive in a house near downtown Cleveland, where police said they had been held captive since they were in their teens or early 20s...

ST. LOUIS -- John Reifsteck looks at his muddy 1,800-acre central Illinois farm and wonders when he'll be able to plant. Like so many other Midwest growers who were praying for rain during the recent drought, he's now pining for enough sunshine and heat to dry out his soggy fields as the deadline approaches for deciding what he can even plant this year...

Cape Central High School's Tyler Anderson, a 3-year varsity soccer starter, is pictured above signing a letter of intent to attend Union University, in Jackson, TN, on a soccer scholarship. Seated with him are his parents, Erica and Brian Anderson. Standing at left is CHS Head Soccer Coach Dan Martin, and at right, CHS Athletic Director Lance Tollison...

Plaza by Ray's was the site of the annual Cape Central High School All Sports Athletic Banquet last week where more than 300 athletes, parents and boosters gathered. Pictured above, left to right, are Bill Leighton, winner of the Lou Muegge Award for Male Athlete of the Year; Alayah Cooper-Johnson, recipient of the Darla Pannier Scholarship; and Chleo LeGrand, winner of the Darla Pannier Award for Female Athlete of the Year. ...

Austin Arnzen prepares to race his SoutheastHEALTH Super Stock car at the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club/Plaza Tire Soap Box Derby on Saturday, May 4. Austin is the son of Julie Arnzen of Southeast's accounting department.

I rolled out the welcome mat and this bluebird couple decided the home is just right for moving in!

Show of color From my garden

Southeast Missouri State University will confer 1,333 degrees Saturday during spring commencement exercises. The exercises are scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Show Me Center, and the commencement address will be given by Gary Downing, Southeast alumnus and chief executive officer of Insight Pharmaceuticals, producer of nationally-known brands such as Anacin pain reliever and Sucrets sore throat lozenges...

These kittens are 8 weeks old. They are available for adoption at The Humane Society 573-334-5837. See more available pets at www.semopets.org.

Local bicyclist, Matt Smith of Jackson, recently competed in the Cedar Cross endurance bicycle race which was held May 4th in Jefferson City. The Cedar Cross is a one day 113 mile endurance race on gravel roads and US Forest Service trails. The race started in Jefferson City and went to Fulton and back to Jefferson City. ...

Lee H. Park Martial Arts Pre-Hapkido Class took 7 Gold Medals and 3 Silver Medals in Olympic and Point Sparring at the AAU Ozark District Taekwondo Tournament on May 4th.

Broadway Prescription Shop in Cape Girardeau is the featured cover story on this month's America's Pharmacist magazine, a national publication distributed to every independent community pharmacy in the country, going to more than 23,000 locations. Not only does the article feature a Cape Girardeau business, it mentions Southeast Missouri State University and our local chamber of commerce. ...

Just three miles south of the Cape Girardeau airport, Ray's of Kelso officially launches "patio season" this weekend at their flagship location at 151 S. Messmer Street in Kelso, Mo. Just in time for Mother's Day and a weekend chock full of graduation activities, the recently renovated courtyard debuts with the popular band, Chimes of Freedom, and a Pig Roast Luau starring whole smoked pig, grilled chicken and ribs, mahi-mahi, and much more...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Attention was on Nashville, Tenn., for the funeral of George Jones on Thursday, and a local man believes he has an item fans should see: the first guitar Jones owned. Jones died at age 81 on April 26 in Nashville. The road that led to him eventually being hailed as the greatest living country singer began when Jones' father gave his 9-year-old son one of the "Cowboy Guitars" with Gene Autry's signature on the front sold by Sears and Roebuck...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri budget negotiators pressed ahead Tuesday with retaliatory cuts for agencies caught up in a controversy involving driver's licenses and concealed gun permits but rewarded public education institutions with millions of additional state dollars...

DEXTER, Mo. -- A Saturday night accident on U.S. 60 just inside Dexter city limits sent two to the hospital and has police looking for the driver they think is responsible. A vehicle driven by Anna Edwards of Bloomfield, Mo., was struck in the rear at about 9 p.m. as she was westbound on U.S. 60. The collision caused the vehicles to leave the road. Edwards managed to steer her vehicle back onto the highway where it overturned before coming to rest several hundred feet from where the collision took place....

The Scott City Fire Department received a $31,161 Assistance to Firefighters Grant. The grant will be used to purchase personal protective equipment such as helmets, boots, gloves, hoods, coats and pants. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program previously awarded grants to the Scott City Fire Department in 2002, 2003 and 2005 to purchase training and equipment...

Today is Wednesday, May 8, the 128th day of 2013. There are 237 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 8, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced on radio that Nazi Germany's forces had surrendered, and that "the flags of freedom fly all over Europe."...

BEIRUT -- The Syrian regime on Tuesday dispatched an obscure proxy, a Damascus-based Palestinian militant group, to threaten retaliation for two Israeli airstrikes over the weekend. The relatively tepid response to Israel's breach of Syrian sovereignty highlighted Syrian President Bashar Assad's limited options as he, along with allies Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, is bogged down at home in a fight for survival against armed rebels...

NEW YORK -- If you called Sarah Brightman a space cadet, it would probably make her smile. That's because she plans on becoming the first recording artist to venture into space en route to the International Space Station sometime in the next two years...

Shelee Marie Spangler, 41, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 5, 2013, at her home. A private memorial service will be held. Crain Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Joseph A. Seyer, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 6, 2013, at his home. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Cathedral, with the Rev. Tom Kiefer officiating...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Andrew Joseph Schlosser, 55, of Chaffee died Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call after 5 p.m. Thursday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee. Burial will be at a later date...

Rosemary Boos Renner, 93, of Fayetteville, Ga., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, May 4, 2013, in Georgia. Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Roger D. and Ruth Renner; a daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne Renner Dell and Larry Dell; four grandchildren, Kim Dell Stewart and husband Lee, Tanya Dell Jones and husband Jimmy, Todd Renner and wife Vicki and Robin Dell Baker; and 12 great-grandchildren...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The good Lord our God only made one Mary Rose, and we're awfully glad he did. Mary Rose Pobst, 81, of Chaffee passed away Monday, May 6, 2013, at her home, surrounded by her loving and adoring family. She will be spending Mother's Day in the arms of her heavenly father, as requested by her children...

Eldor John Lorenz, 92, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, May 6, 2013, at the Missouri Veterans Home. He was born Feb. 21, 1921, in Farrar, Mo., son of John G. and Martha G. Mangels Lorenz. He and Verna Noennig were married June 15, 1946. She passed away May 22, 2006...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Harlan E. Lintner, 79, of St. Louis, formerly of Perry County, died Monday, May 6, 2013, at St. John's Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Friends may call from 7 a.m. until time of service Thursday at Young and Sons Funeral Home...

FROHNA, Mo. -- Grace M. Haertling, 74, of Perryville, Mo., formerly of Frohna, died Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, and from 6:30 to 8 a.m. Saturday at Young and Sons Funeral Home...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Ellein R. Haertling, 84, of Perryville died Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at Independence Care Center of Perry County. She was born Jan. 26, 1929, in Oak Ridge, daughter of Paul E. and Clara R. Bingenheimer Richter Sr. She and Norbert R. Haertling were married Aug. 22, 1948. He preceded her in death Nov. 6, 1995...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Stella Marie Clifton, 91, of Perryville passed away Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at DePeres Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Nov. 1, 1921, in McBride, Mo., daughter of Ira and Mary Kutz Hilderbrand. She and Frederick J. Clifton were married Aug. 7, 1943, in Fort Dix, N.J. He preceded her in death Jan. 7, 1998...

Missouri's A+ program will expand. That was the message shared by Gov. Jay Nixon last week at Scott City High School. The A+ program provides an opportunity for students to meet specific criteria and receive two years of free college tuition to any of the state's public community colleges. Ninety-nine percent of the state's public high schools are in the program, and Scott City was a recent addition...

Tornadoes, high winds and hail associated with a line of severe thunderstorms ravage parts of central and northern Missouri and Illinois late in the day; Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois escape the brunt of the storms. Eighteen registered voters of Cape Girardeau last week filed written letters of objection to the city's proposed annexation of right of way along Interstate 55; that means the city will have to attempt to annex that area through regular annexation proceedings by seeking a declaratory judgment in circuit court and then submitting the issue to voters.. ...

As the world knows by now, Jason Collins is a much-traveled, mediocre professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards -- his sixth team. Until last week, Collins was far from a household name, to put it mildly. But Collins -- with much fanfare -- announced he is a gay athlete, which marked a "first" in men's professional sports for an active player...

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

Alexis Anderson had a monster rookie season with the Southeast Missouri State softball team this year. Anderson's performance was recognized Tuesday as she was named first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference based on voting by the league's coaches and sports information directors...

Chicago scored both its runs on a fourth-inning home run in its 2-1 win over St. Louis

St. Louis finds itself tied after losing the advantage in both Game 4 and series

WASHINGTON -- Seventeen-year-old Kelsey Raffaele's last words were over a cellphone to a friend: "I'm going to crash." The car she was driving had clipped a snow bank and spun into oncoming traffic, where it was T-boned by an SUV. She died at a hospital without regaining consciousness...

In light of the Boston bombings, Missouri's rush-to-judgment legislation prohibiting the use of drones for surveillance seems premature, if not downright dumb. Posturing In my dictionary of political terminology it now lists as the No. 1 example of "political posturing" the Missouri House of Representatives...

U.S. 61 in Scott Co. reduced for pavement resurfacing U.S. 61 in Scott County will be reduced to one lane with a 16-foot width restriction as contractor crews perform pavement repairs and an asphalt overlay. The work will be done at various locations between Highway 77 at Benton, Mo., and Interstate 55 at New Madrid, Mo. The work will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from May 20 through Sept. 20...

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

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

WARREN, Mich. -- Lester Stiggers has been a wanted man for 43 years, but he hasn't been hiding. He lives in a one-bedroom apartment, window blinds partly closed, along a busy road in a Detroit suburb. He gets by on $700 a month in Social Security benefits, usually making trips outside only to see a doctor. He needs an inhaler and 10 pills a day for his diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments...

REHOVOT, Israel -- With a hand on her chest, 82-year-old Rivka Fringeru battled back tears as she reeled off a list of names she has rarely voiced in the past 70 years: her father, Moshe, then her mother, Hava, and finally her two older brothers, Michael and Yisrael...

WASHINGTON -- Sexual assaults in the military are a growing epidemic across the services and thousands of victims still are unwilling to come forward despite a slew of new oversight and assistance programs, according to a new Pentagon report. Troubling new numbers estimate up to 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year, according to survey results released against a backdrop of scandals including an ongoing investigation into more than 30 Air Force instructors for assaults on trainees at a Texas base.. ...

Lord Jesus, may we seek you through prayer and reading your Word. Amen.