Stories from Friday, May 24, 2013

MOORE, Okla. (AP) -- After living nearly 20 years in their one-story brick home, Sherry and Larry Wells finally won the lottery -- for a state rebate on a home storm shelter, that is. A contractor finished installing the concrete bunker beneath the slab of their garage in early May. About three weeks later, the shelter saved their lives when a tornado that killed 24 people tore through their neighborhood...

Campaign finance figures released Thursday show a large disparity in the war chests of the major party candidates seeking Missouri's 8th Congressional District seat in the June 4 special election. Republican Jason Smith's campaign for Congress raised $200,310 between April 1 and May 15, pushing his total funds raised to date to more than $500,000

TOWN AND COUNTRY, Mo. -- The opportunity was there. The Notre Dame baseball team -- the same team that had come from behind to win seven times this season, that won a district championship after being down to its final out -- had the game-tying runs in scoring position in Thursday's Class 4 state quarterfinal against Westminster Christian...

Only one more umbrella will be waiting to pop open Saturday morning in the countdown to the 11 a.m. opening of Cape Splash. It's crunchtime, and employees have been working to get the park sparkling for an influx of visitors on opening day. Furniture and picnic tables are set up, the pool deck has been power-washed, the lifeguard stands are polished and an umbrella is opened each day...

KELSO, Mo. -- Officials with the Missouri Department of Transportation were on hand to discuss a proposed interchange providing access to south Scott City on Thursday evening at the Kelso City Hall. The interchange is part of a three-phase process to ease traffic congestion at Scott City...

The city of Jackson is calling a foul on residents who use portable basketball goals to play in the city's streets. In a news release issued earlier this week, Rodney Bollinger, director of public works, said children, teens and young adults are taking to public streets in greater numbers to play basketball in violation of the Jackson city code...

A security breach involving Schnucks customers' credit and debit cards could get expensive for some local financial institutions. Schnucks' Cape Girardeau location, 19 S. Kingshighway, was among 79 stores affected by the breach that came to light March 28, company spokesman Paul Simon said...

My cat Chloe's favorite place to lounge, in my husbands recliner

Our little girl Lauren playing in the sand and having a blast!!!! Her smile says it all :)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and The American Legion will host "Hiring Our Heroes," a free job fair for military members and their spouses from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. The job fair is open to active and former veterans and military spouses of all ranks and levels of experience. ...

With an estimated 34.8 million Americans expected to travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, according to AAA Travel, Cape Girardeau businesses and residents say they are preparing for the rush. According to the AAA Memorial Day Travel Forecast, the preferred method of travel for most Missourians will be by automobile. For many motorists, this will mean a trip to the gas station to fill the tank...

A Scott County family's desire to remember 3-year-old Levi Collom while coping with his death has helped hundreds of people who have reached out to them over the last year -- and will continue to do so through a newly formed charity. Levi's Children's Charity, a not-for-profit corporation, recently was established following a year of fundraising efforts to support the construction of Levi's Adventure Trail, an outdoor Discovery Playhouse exhibit comprised of activities the preschooler enjoyed doing.. ...

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- The Boy Scouts of America's National Council has voted to ease a long-standing ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts.

Southeast faces elimination games today after a 5-1 loss to the OVC regular-season champions

Today is Friday, May 24, the 144th day of 2013. There are 221 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was dedicated by President Chester Alan Arthur and New York Gov. Grover Cleveland...

Ohio River bridge work to restrict truck traffic PADUCAH, Ky. -- A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is gearing up for a repair project on the U.S. 51 Ohio River bridge between Wickliffe, Ky., and Cairo, Ill., that will impact truck traffic this summer. ...

Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri motorcyclists would benefit from several bills awaiting the governor's signature this year, but a top-tier priority to waive the state's helmet law for most adults didn't make it out of the proposal parking lot...

WASHINGTON -- Reading, writing, arithmetic -- and PE? The prestigious Institute of Medicine is recommending schools provide opportunities for at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day for students, and that physical education become a core subject...

The Cape Girardeau city government is expected to operate on the noticeably lower budget of $18.7 million in the 1988-89 fiscal year; the proposed $18,777,117 budget is about $2.4 Million less than the current year's budget. Pledging to work toward economic development and trying to make Cape Girardeau County grow, Jack Litzelfelner of Jackson filed yesterday as a Democratic candidate for state representative in the 158th District...

PAINTON, Mo. -- Estelle Spane, 95, of Painton passed away Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee, Mo. She was born Dec. 18, 1917, in Malden, Mo., daughter of Louis and Ola McGinnis Wagoner. She married Lyman Spane, who preceded her in death Sept. 9, 1989...

Donald Wayne Shaner, 77, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, May 23, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 11, 1936, in Fruitland, son of Lawrence W. and Nellie Noland Shaner. He and Marilou Clark were married April 12, 1974, in West Frankfort, Ill...

Carol Jean Maynard, 77, died Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at her home in St. Peters, Mo. She was born Nov. 4, 1935, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Albert William and Fannie Louisa Harris Morrow. Survivors include three daughters, Lynne C. Stuhr of Charleston, S.C. ...

Robert A. Herd Sr., 77, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. He was born May 31, 1935, in Springfield, Mo., to John Earl and Jeanetta Mae (Thomas) Herd. Robert served his country proudly in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. His military career spanned 28 years and his jobs included operations sergeant, intelligence sergeant, communications sergeant and food service sergeant...

MORLEY, Mo. -- Dempsey R. Graham, 93, of Morley passed away Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 7, 1920, in Watts, Ark., to John Jasper and Silas Mandanna Copeland Graham. He and Lillian D. Harris were married Feb. 21, 1946...

Dana Marie Cook, 48, of Virginia Beach, Va., formerly of Jackson, died Monday, May 20, 2013, at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, N.C., surrounded by her family. She was born May 1, 1965, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Odell "Dick" and Eula B. Younger Cook. She was a 1983 graduate of Jackson High School...

LONDON -- A man seen with bloody hands wielding a butcher knife after the killing of a British soldier on the streets of London was described as a convert to Islam who took part in demonstrations with a banned radical group, two Muslim hard-liners said Thursday...

WASHINGTON -- House lawmakers on Thursday approved legislation that links student loan rates to the ups and downs of the financial markets despite a veto threat from President Barack Obama. The Republican-backed bill would allow students to dodge a scheduled rate hike for students with new subsidized Stafford loans next month, but rates could rise in coming years. ...

NEW YORK -- For decades, people have been getting rid of cockroaches by setting out bait mixed with poison. But in the late 1980s, in an apartment test kitchen in Florida, something went very wrong. A killer product stopped working. Cockroach populations there kept rising. ...

I'm calling to thank Dr. Ruopp for her excellent leadership in the free dental care clinic. It was excellent and much needed. Thank you to the volunteers for devoting their time and effort. This is a tremendous, generous community. Benghazi obsession...

Three Southeast Missouri State University athletes were recently recognized at the university's annual scholar-athlete reception. Jared Siemers took home the Jewel Award for the male athlete with the highest grade-point average. Emma Garrett and Margaret O'Neal took home the Trombetta Award, which recognizes the female athlete with the highest grade-point average...

Experts might disagree, but I think fear is a key factor in the survival of the human race. I'm afraid of many things. As a result, many of the things I fear pretty much leave me alone. Remember when you asked your uncle why he double knotted his shoelaces? "To keep the tigers away," he said, matter-of-factly...

The unofficial start of summer is here -- Memorial Day weekend -- and plenty of local venues are offering outdoor activities to start the season. Fort D will host its annual Fort D Days event Saturday through Monday; there's a Memorial Day weekend celebration Saturday through Monday at the courthouse in Thebes, Ill.; and Trail of Tears State Park and the Conservation Campus Nature Center are hosting outdoor events over the weekend. ...

PHOENIX -- It was the customer service disaster heard around the Internet. An Arizona restaurateur, fed up after years of negative online reviews and an embarrassing appearance on a reality television show, posted a social media rant laced with salty language and angry, uppercase letters that quickly went viral last week, to the delight of people who love a good Internet meltdown...

PATTERSON, Mo. -- The public is invited to a bluegrass concert at 7 p.m Saturday at Sam A. Baker State Park near Patterson in the amphitheater. The program is sponsored by Missouri State Parks. The concert will feature Whitewater, an upbeat bluegrass band that plays traditional and new bluegrass music. ...

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) -- An Interstate 5 bridge over a river north of Seattle collapsed Thursday evening, dumping several vehicles into the water as authorities investigated the cause of the collapse that cut off the state's main north-south thruway and sent three people to the hospital.

Josh Morse, Cam Grueninger and Thomas Crocetti each had three hits as the Cape Ford and Sons American Legion Post 63 defeated Jackson Senior Babe Ruth 17-1 on Thursday at Saxony Lutheran High School. Morse was 3 for 6 with a double and two runs batted in, while Grueninger was 3 for 5 and scored three times. Crocetti was 3 for 4 with two RBIs...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri conservation officials have added 40 elk to the state's population as part of a project to restore the animals to the state. Conservation Department officials had expected to bring 39 elk from Kentucky this week, but a male calf was born on the way...

President Barack Obama sought Thursday to advance the U.S. beyond the unrelenting war effort of the past dozen years, defining a narrower terror threat from smaller networks and homegrown extremists rather than the grandiose plots of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday:...

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

Lord Jesus, may we treat others as we would want to be treated. Amen.

Sophomores Blake Carter and Reggie Miller Jr. got Southeast Missouri State's activity at the NCAA West Regional track & field meet in Austin, Texas, off to a rousing start Thursday. Carter and Miller Jr., two of Southeast's six regional entrants, both finished in the top 12 to qualify for next month's NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore...

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

There will be Sprint Car racing tonight for the first time at the newly re-opened Benton Raceway Park, but sprinting is nothing new for track manager Derek DeSpain. He did a bunch of it from late March to May 4, when the track hosted its first race since 2008...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- None of them ever played in the Major Leagues or even made a splash in the minors. Even the most ardent baseball historian would have trouble identifying players with names like Ernst Oberndorfer, Herbert Klaus and Robert Gemeinhardt...