Stories from June 2013

Cannon in Fort D fires on Confederate skirmishers.

Cape Central High School golf team was recognized at the May Cape Public Schools Board of Education meeting for its successful 2012-13 season. Pictured from the left are Board President Tony Smee, CHS Golf Coach Dick Wadlington, CHS Junior Travis Simmons, CHS Freshman Kobe Franklin, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jim Welker. Not pictured is CHS Sophomore Luke Kinder, who was unable to attend...

Today is Saturday, June 1, the 152nd day of 2013. There are 213 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 1, 1813, the mortally wounded commander of the USS Chesapeake, Capt. James Lawrence, gave the order, "Don't give up the ship" during a losing battle with the British frigate HMS Shannon in the War of 1812...

Three people were injured, one seriously, in a four-vehicle accident on Highway 177, about five and one-half miles north of Cape Girardeau, yesterday afternoon; the accident occurred when a northbound cement-mixer truck struck the rear of a small sports car; the impact knocked the car into the southbound lane, where it was struck head on by another car; a station wagon following the southbound car then skidded into it...

ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright refused to relax against a makeshift San Francisco Giants squad. Pitching against the Giants missing stars Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval, Wainwright struck out 10 in his 14th complete game and third this season, and the St. Louis Cardinals completed a day-night doubleheader sweep of the San Francisco Giants with a 7-1 win Saturday night...

Success on the soccer field usually leads to post-season individual honors. Such was the case for 10 girls from area schools who were named to the all-state team, which was released Friday. In Class 1, Saxony Lutheran had five players honored, with freshmen Brianna Mueller and Ali Galemmo named to the first team. Junior Maci Daniel and freshmen Grace Mirly and Maddie Brune were named to the second team...

The 2013 Southeast Missouri State baseball team won't go down as one of the program's better squads. But as far as heart and competitive spirit, Steve Bieser doesn't believe he could have drawn up a better group for his first collegiate head coaching position...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Heavy rains swelling the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are causing headaches for barge operators. Locks that are being closed along the Mississippi River could snarl barges headed from St. Louis to Minnesota, as well as southbound shippers trying to get to St. Louis and then to the Gulf of Mexico...

DEXTER, Mo. -- A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for setting fire to a storage building and two vehicles at the Missouri Department of Conservation's Otter Slough area in Stoddard County overnight Thursday...

CHARLESTON, Mo.-- Mississippi County's chief law enforcement officer wants two things from emergency dispatchers: notification and communication. Protocol was not followed in the recovery of the victim of a fatal accident, Sheriff Keith Moore said during Thursday's County Commission meeting...

Cape Girardeau County will participate in an annual back-to-school sales tax holiday Aug. 2 through Aug. 4. During those days, the county's 1 percent sales tax will be waived on purchases of items such as computers, school supplies and clothing. State statutes list specific items that fall under the tax exemption. The state also will waive its 4.225 percent tax during that weekend. County commissioners unanimously approved participation in the holiday during their meeting Thursday...

The 36th annual Missouri State Championship Racking Horse Show scheduled for Saturday at Stone Creek Stables in Jackson has been canceled due to bad weather. According to Jim Morris, an organizer of the state championship, Thursday rainfall has collected in the horse ring and has rendered it muddy and unusable. The chance of even more rain on Saturday hastened the decision to cancel the event, Morris said...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston woman is accused of stealing from an elderly man. Nora Ann Magee, 59, is charged with felony theft for taking a reported $6,600 over several months from an 81-year-old Sikeston man.On May 7, the victim's daughter reported to the Sikeston Department of Public Safety what she believed was ongoing theft from her father...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Illinois State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Jonesboro that resulted in a male suspect's injury. According to a news release by Union County State's Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds, about 9:30 a.m. Thursday a break-in was reported at a Jonesboro residence...

Tim Jones, Missouri's Republican speaker of the House, visited Cape Girardeau on Friday as part of a statewide end-of-session tour. Jones was joined at the Delta Companies by state representatives Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, and Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, with several members of the public...

The same storms that pummeled Oklahoma, causing several deaths, dumped inches of rain within just a few hours in Southeast Missouri and the region. A daily rainfall record was set at Paducah, Ky., where 4.83 inches of rain fell in about three hours beginning at 3:15 a.m. Saturday. The old daily record was 2.61 inches, set in 1971...

Police on Friday continued to investigate the scene of a Thursday morning shooting in Cape Girardeau that left two people dead and a third in a hospital. Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said the bodies of 18-year-old Matthew Joseph and his mother, Mary Joseph, 57, were taken to Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington, Mo., where they were autopsied Friday afternoon....

ST. LOUIS -- Portions of suburban St. Louis waged a soggy cleanup effort Saturday after severe storms unleashed an outbreak of tornadoes across the region, damaging hundreds of homes and leaving tens of thousands without power. No serious injuries were reported, an outcome a fire chief deemed "miraculous."...

The road to Washington, D.C., has so far been one much traveled for candidates seeking to become the next congressman to represent the 30 counties of Missouri's 8th Congressional District. Steve Hodges, a Democratic state representative from East Prairie, Mo., is spending the last weekend before voters head to the polls Tuesday hitting as many campaign stops in Missouri as possible. ...

A rainy morning couldn't dampen a celebration of life during the second annual Jacque Waller 5k Run and Family Walk on Saturday. The event, held at the Shawnee Park Sports Complex, 1157 S. West End Blvd., marked the second anniversary of Jacque Waller's disappearance June 1, 2011. But after a week that saw the search for Waller come to a close, the occasion had special meaning for her family and friends...

While Judge Benjamin Lewis has not issued a gag order in the Jacque Waller homicide case, legal experts say authorities have good reasons to be tight-lipped in the wake of the discovery of Waller's body last week...

ST. LOUIS -- The National Weather Service confirms that at least one tornado barreled Friday night through portions of southwestern Illinois as part of a storm that caused no serious injuries. The weather service's Jayson Gosselin says the twister that affected the Roxana area in Madison County, northeast of St. Louis, was an EF3, which has winds between 136 and 165 mph. A tornado of that magnitude also has been confirmed to have hit Missouri's St. Charles County...

Today is Sunday, June 2, the 153rd day of 2013. There are 212 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 2, 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place in London's Westminster Abbey, 16 months after the death of her father, King George VI; it was the first such ceremony to be broadcast on television...

Jami Lynne Dement and Dr. Zachary Lee Hudson were married April 13, 2013, at Chaumette Vineyards and Winery in St. Genevieve, Mo. James Green of Cape Girardeau performed the ceremony. Lorrin Lynn of New York, N.Y., read the scripture. Vocalist was Krista Keesee of Scott City...

Mr. and Mrs. Roger Boatner of Lakeland, Fla., announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Elizabeth Boatner, to Taylor David Burdin, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Burdin of Cape Girardeau. Boatner is a 2008 graduate of Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland. She received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Mississippi-Oxford in 2012. She is pursuing a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Southeast Missouri State University...

BENTON, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Phillip O'Brien of Benton celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary May 22, 2013, at Ray's of Kelso. Host was Marie Hirsch of Tucson, Ariz. O'Brien and Robbie Schiwitz were married May 18, 1963, in Scott City, by the Rev. Slay...

Is it a frog ... or is it a toad?  Both frogs and toads need water to survive.  Both species lay their eggs in water and their eggs hatch into tadpoles.  Tadpoles cannot survive in open air. The differences in frogs and toads become apparent when the tadpoles grow legs and leave the water. ...

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge is holding a free Family Fishing Day, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 8. The event is done in conjunction with Missouri's Free Fishing Day, so no permit is needed to participate. For more information, call 573-222-3589, email mingo@fws.gov or visit fws.gov/refuge/mingo...

More than 190 golfers and 30 volunteers turned out for the 10th annual Ken Hayden Memorial Golf Tournament, raising more than $70,000 in support of patients and their families at Saint Francis Medical Center. The winners of the morning championship flight were Stephanie Ross, Ashley Gilman, Craig Sander and Todd Smith. The winners of the afternoon championship flight were Lisa Bjelich, Steve Bjelich, Aaron Wright and Donna Wheeler...

From left, Southeast Missourian and Rust Communications chairman Gary Rust, Cathy Ring and Rodger Brown of the USA Veterans Headquarters chapter, Barron Fuller, Chris Gaines and Dana Saverino with Isle Casino Cape Girardeau pose for a photo May 21 at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. Rust, who initially wanted to remain anonymous, contributed $6,000 to a fund to pay for a Fourth of July fireworks show, and Isle Casino Cape Girardeau matched the donation for the fireworks display...

Casseroles have never really had much of a place in my culinary repertoire. It's a time thing mostly. I'd rather sear something off in a few minutes than stand around while it slowly bakes. I've also never been much of a fan of dishes in which everything sort of just oozes together. ...

Summer is here and our son is home from college, which means I need to cook a little more than I have the past several months. By "cooking a little more" I mean in volume and frequency. I found myself cooking a few times a week and then warming up leftovers a few nights and it worked. Now I am cooking about every night now and I think my husband is loving it...

Pet Name: Ernie Owner: Kay Miller Favorite activity: Taking naps and eating treats. ...

Yoshi is one year old and is looking for his forever home. For more information, call The Humane Society 334-5837. ...

Torpedo is a 4-year-old cat who is quite a talker and loves attention. He wants to be held and petted. Torpedo would prefer a quiet home and would be a fantastic companion. For more information, call Safe Harbor at 243-9823. ...

Couple Is being transferred after serving six years in Cape Girardeau

Who in the world said, "I'm bored" -- a comment you frequently hear coming from the young. Why are people ever bored? With all of the increasingly modern technological advances, including computers, cell phones, iPads, iPhones and numerous other devices that are so prevalent today, you wonder what people mean. ...

Summer has officially begun. At least by the calendar – I'm not certain that the thermometer agrees. On the wall in our home is a list of summer activities; all the things that we want to try to do this summer. There are simple things on the list like going to the pool or reading a classic children's book. When summer's over, to complete the "what I did on my summer vacation" paper, all my kids will have to do is look at the list...

NEW YORK -- The round, white, paper light shades sold at Ikea for $5 are a familiar item in contemporary interior design. But these inexpensive lanterns are knockoffs of light sculptures created by the renowned artist Isamu Noguchi in the early 1950s...

By Gary Clothier Question:"Have Gun -- Will Travel" was my favorite old TV show. The main character, Paladin, used a calling card with a chess knight on it along with the slogan. What was the significance of the knight? L.O.S., Tyler, Texas...

St. Mary Council of Catholic Women met on May 16 at 7:00 P.M. in the Huels Room. The April meeting was canceled due to bad weather. The meeting began with the recitation of the rosary and a song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, during which Sister Lucille Zerr crowned her statue...

It's good to see the air show back in Cape Girardeau. The city announced last month that the Cape Girardeau Air Festival will return after a two-year absence. The event will take place June 28 and 29. Currently on the schedule are the Aerostars Aerobatic Team, a group of planes that perform tricks in a tight formation and perform close pass-bys; Kent Pietsch, a pilot who performs an aerial comedy act and does tricks in a plane sponsored by the Jelly Belly Co.; Bill Leff, a pilot who performs an aerobatic routine and uses pyrotechnics at night in a T-6 Texan; Randy Ball, who performs in a MiG-17F fighter jet; and pilot Mike Rinker, who will fly an aerobatic SU-26 plane. ...

In a recent Missourian Perspective article, contributor Sharon Sanders provided comparison between the tornado in Moore, Okla., and the 1949 twister that struck Cape Girardeau. What stood out in my mind in the accompanying editorial was the attitude and spirit of the survivors of the disaster 63 years ago and, let us say, the 2005 New Orleans catastrophe. ...

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Doug Schott of Bloomfield, Mo., opens the hood of his 1952 Chevy business coupe street rod that was on display for the Oran Car Show on Saturday in Oran, Mo., for Mark Scheffer. Because of heavy rain, organizers moved the show uptown from Tiles Memorial City Park. ...

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- The American woman who was jailed for a week after Mexican authorities said they found marijuana under her bus seat said she'll return to Mexico someday. But she's going to drive her car. Yanira Maldonado returned to her suburban Phoenix home Friday, a day after a judge in Nogales, Mexico, dismissed drug smuggling charges...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Google must comply with the FBI's demand for data on certain customers as part of a national security investigation, according to a ruling by a federal judge who earlier this year determined such government requests are unconstitutional...

WASHINGTON -- Medicare's long-term health is starting to look a little better, the government said Friday, but Social Security and Medicare are still wobbling toward insolvency within two decades if Congress and the president don't find a way to shore up the trust funds established to take care of older Americans...

Broadway cruising -- a traditional activity for young people -- could be coming to an end; the Cape Girardeau Police Department is considering asking the city to adopt an ordinance prohibiting cruising along Broadway. Government and barge line officials are expressing alarm at the extremely low water conditions on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers so early in the summer; the Mississippi at Cape Girardeau falls to 8.9 feet in the morning...

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

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

WASHINGTON -- Alcoholic beverages soon could have nutritional labels like those on food packaging, but only if the producers want to put them there. The Treasury Department, which regulates alcohol, said this past week that beer, wine and spirits companies can use labels that include serving size, servings per container, calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat per serving. Such package labels have never before been approved...

ST. LOUIS -- Tasked with publicly sounding the alarm when violent weather is imminent in the region, the National Weather Service crew in suburban St. Louis isn't immune from making the uncommon and agonizing decision to abandon the front lines of storm tracking and scramble for safety...

Son to Brock Jackson and Sasha Brooke Wehmeyer of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 7:32 a.m. Friday, May 24, 2013. Name, Elijah Jackson Keith. Weight, 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Wehmeyer is the former Sasha Childers, daughter of Debbie Stephens and Larry Keith Childers of Cape Girardeau. Wehmeyer is the son of Debbie Wehmeyer and William Wehmeyer of Thebes, Ill. He is employed by Cape Electric...

GLENALLEN, Mo. -- Alma Marie Ricketts, 87, of Glenallen passed away Saturday, June 1, 2013, at her home. Born on April 30, 1926, in Glenallen, she was the daughter of Lester Lee and Dora Alice Burns Phelps. She married James Ford Ricketts on April 25, 1958, in Holly Springs, Miss. He survives...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Timothy Warren Richards, 55, of Ste. Genevieve died Friday, May 31, 2013, at his niece's home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 24, 1958, in St. Louis to the late Louis Warren and Marjorie Lee Richards. He was a tuckpointer and worked in concrete renovation and was a member of Local 527 Concrete Finishers Union. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army...

Robert Charles Minton, 81, of Katy, Texas, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, May 31, 2013, at Methodist West Hospital in Katy. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Winifred Arlene Jolly, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 30, 2013, at Chateau Girardeau. She is survived by a son, Gary Jolly; and two grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cleveland Jolly, on March 13, 2013. A memorial service was Saturday for Mr. and Mrs. Jolly...

Darlene Hudson Johnson, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 29, 2013, at Southeast Hospital. She was born Feb. 7, 1935, in Little Dixie, Ark., to Turner Hudson and Hosanna Valentine. Survivors include four children, Naomi Johnson, Delores Wright, Isaac Johnson and James (Eloise) Hudson, all of Cape Girardeau; a daughter-in-law, Lisa Johnson; 16 grandchildren, Kristina, Roshanda, Alexis, Jonathan Jr., David, William, Lakeisha, Michael, Krista and Isaac Johnson III, Carmelia Hudson, Cedrick, Letisha and Derrick Rucker, Joshua and Shalitha Saunders; numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and her cat, Smokie.. ...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- It's a warning as familiar as a daily prayer for Tornado Alley residents: When a twister approaches, take shelter in a basement or low-level interior room or closet, away from windows and exterior walls. But with the powerful devastation from the May 20 twister that killed 24 and pummeled the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore still etched in their minds, many Oklahomans instead opted to flee Friday night when a violent tornado developed and headed toward the state's capital city.. ...

401 Independence St. Cape Girardeau, Mo. Study session, 5 p.m. Monday Items for Discussion Communications/reports New Ordinances Pertinent address: 401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO...

Route Z in Cape Girardeau County, between Main Street and County Road 222, will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform bridge repairs. The work will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Route C reduced for bridge maintenance...

For all of those demagoguing Common Core standards, including many in this area, as more dictates from the federal government, that is not correct. The federal government was not involved in developing the Common Core Curriculum. It was developed by the states coming together via the National Governors Association to try and solve a perceived need. ...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals optioned pitcher Mitchell Boggs to Triple-A Memphis and called up rookie Keith Butler. Boggs, who served as the setup reliever for closer Jason Motte during the 2012 season, has struggled this season. He assumed the closer spot when Motte was lost for the season with an elbow injury and blew three save opportunities...

Skylar Cobb had not started a game on the mound since 2011, when he was a freshman at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. You would have never guessed that by the way Cobb performed during his debut Friday night with the Plaza Tire Capahas. Cobb dominated the visiting Valmeyer (Ill.) Lakers over five shutout innings as one of the nation's oldest amateur baseball teams opened its season with an 11-3 victory at Capaha Field...

BOSTON -- The song "Come Together" their rallying cry, performers at a benefit concert for victims of the deadly Boston Marathon bombings had thousands of people cheering for a city that has pulled together to overcome adversity. Veteran rockers Aerosmith helped close the 5 1/2 hour Boston Strong Concert on Thursday. ...

O Heavenly Father, may those who mourn experience your comfort. Amen.

As summer begins so do the new seasons for the Cape Girardeau and Jackson Municipal Bands. Both bands will put on free weekly performances and each show will also feature different vocal and instrumental guest performers. In recent years, the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band has also chosen to give each show a unique theme. They vary from "Patriotic" and "Civil War" to "Broadway Musicals" and "Christmas in July."...

The Plaza Tire Capahas did not have a strong offensive performance Sunday. But the Capahas received stout pitching and plenty of help from the Charleston Riverdogs' defense to sweep the wood-bat doubleheader at Capaha Field. The Capahas, who improved to 3-0, managed just three hits in the opener but took advantage of five errors to score five unearned runs and win 6-0...

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- Their racing days may be over, but the retired and rescued race horses at the Renaissance Ranch near Park Hills are riding again, this time for science. The rescued horses are riding in a study that will help veterinarians analyze lameness in horses, which occurs because of an injury affecting a leg or foot. The study data also will be used to teach students about lameness and show them what to look for in a horse that isn't walking properly...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Several measures aimed at strengthening Missouri's sex offender laws are in front of Gov. Jay Nixon, including an effort to lengthen prison sentences. One proposal advanced by the Legislature during the recently ended session would redefine the crime of rape to include instances when a victim lacked the capacity to consent to sex...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Truck traffic will have to take the long way around to travel from Southeast Missouri to Kentucky this summer. At a yet-to-be determined date sometime after June 24, commercial trucks and other large vehicles will not be allowed to cross the U.S. 60/62 Ohio River Bridge from Cairo, Ill., to Wickliffe, Ky., until sometime in September because of bridge work...

Police are investigating an early Sunday morning shooting that injured a Cape Girardeau man. The man, whose name is not being released, was shot once in the leg near the intersection of Broadway and Sprigg Street and was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, said Sgt. Adam Glueck of the Cape Girardeau Police Department...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Instructors at the Sikeston Career and Technology Center have begun brainstorming, researching and implementing the student use of iPads in their classrooms for the 2013-2014 school year. "Students today are all so techie," said Brent Taylor, construction technology instructor at the center. "They tweet. They're on Facebook. That's their language. If we get this to a point that gets across to them, it will level every playing field."...

Heritage Action Skills Training Clinic: Join Cape County Tea Party and Heritage Action for a Heritage Action Skills Clinic on June 8, 2013: Holding Congress accountable can be tough work. Whether you are new to the fight or a seasoned activist, the Heritage Action Skills Clinic will help you better engage Congress, so your voice can be heard...

Jackson High School and SEMO alumni, Jared Chandler, buys the Boat House Wine Co. in Bloomfield, Mo. Shown in the picture are Alice Chandler, Jared Chandler (Owner), Marie Chandler, Sandy Chandler, John Allen, Dan Chandler, Cheryl Allen, Jerry McElrath, Benjie Ferguson, Sam Cook, and Janet Coleman...

The most damning piece of evidence in the case against the man accused of murdering Jacque Waller may be the one prosecutors can't use: his late father's claim that Clay Waller confessed to breaking his wife's neck and burying her body in a hole he dug ahead of time...

Our 7 month old puppy BODIE in a rare "chilled out" moment!

Kevin Mize and dog Buddy take a rainy walk on Saturday, June 1, in Cape Girardeau.

ST. LOUIS -- Nearly 50,000 Ameren Corp. utility customers in Missouri remained without power after tornadoes hit the area late Friday. The National Weather Service confirmed at least two tornadoes were part of the Friday night storm that damaged hundreds of homes but caused no serious injuries...

Today is Monday, June 3, the 154th day of 2013. There are 211 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 3, 1963, Pope John XXIII died at age 81, ending a relatively brief but highly influential 41/2-year papacy; he was succeeded by Pope Paul VI...

THEBES, Ill. -- Raymond Charles Snell, 71, of Thebes, Ill., passed away at 1:26 a.m. Sunday, June 2, 2013, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Raymond was born Dec. 24, 1941, in Cairo, Ill., son of the late Charley Snell and Flossie E. Miller Snell...

Darrell R. Mangrum, 47, of Cape Girardeau passed away Saturday, June 1, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 20, 1965, in Marble Hill, Mo., the son of Ralph and Mary Ervin Mangrum. Survivors include his mother, Mary Mangrum of Advance, Mo.; three brothers, Jesse Mangrum of Advance, Randy Mangrum of Brownwood, Mo., and Kevin (Beverly) Mangrum of Bloomfield, Mo.; five sisters, Fran (Larry) Wolfe of Allenville, Kathy (Jerry) Howell of Advance, Tina Matthew of Dexter, Mo., Mildred (Eugene) Condon of West Virginia and Cindy Galloway of Dexter; his girlfriend, Vickie Stewart of Cape Girardeau; and her daughter, Brittany Stewart of Cape Girardeau.. ...

Arthur C.H. Lueder Jr., 85, of Egypt Mills died Sunday, June 2, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Scriptural Evangelical Lutheran Church, Egypt Mills...

Fishermen will return to the South Lake in Cape County Park on Saturday, after about a two-year absence due to a large fish kill; oxygen depletion at the lake killed an estimated 1,000 fish in August 1986. State Rep. Mary C. Kasten, speaking to Cape Girardeau Central High School graduates during commencement exercises at Houck Stadium, urges them to list the priorities in their lives, and to keep the list before them as a means of checking their directions...

ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. -- It's been two weeks since the small city of Zephyrhills learned that a $590 million Powerball ticket was sold at a supermarket here. No one expected the winner to come forward in the first days after the announcement. After all, curious residents reasoned, the person might need a few days to absorb the shock, or to consult with financial advisers...

The Southeast Missouri State baseball program had two players selected during last year's amateur draft, both going in the top 26 rounds of the 40-round process. It will probably rank as a surprise if any current Southeast players are selected when the 2013 draft is held Thursday through Saturday, but it's not out of the question...

Summer in the Cape Girardeau area would just not be the same without live music. Friday marked the third week of Tunes at Twilight, a musical tradition that dates back 12 years. Tunes at Twilight is held at 7 p.m. every Friday from mid-May through late June, resuming again in mid-August. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Yadier Molina wants to set the record straight. The St. Louis catcher, who was ejected in the third inning of the Cardinals' 4-2 loss to San Francisco on Sunday afternoon, was not angry with first base umpire Clint Fagan on the play...

My comment is about the Common Core and Jackson. We have people working for us in our small business who have graduated high school, and they cannot make change for anything. I mean, they can't change a five-dollar bill from a $2.46 purchase and they don't know what do to with it; they just sit there and stare at it. That should be part of the Common Core...

The Cape Legion Post 63 freshman team swept Charleston in a pair of road games to get in the victory column Sunday. Cape won the opener 16-5 in six innings behind the bat and arm of Jacquin Cummins, then took the nightcap 7-1. Cummins picked up the win on the mound in the first game and went 4 for 5 at the plate with two RBIs. Blake Klett added three hits and three RBIs, while Nick Wiesner had two hits and two RBIs...

CAIRO -- Egypt's highest court on Sunday ruled the nation's interim parliament was illegally elected, though it stopped short of dissolving the chamber immediately, in a decision likely to fuel the tensions between the ruling Islamists and the judiciary...

HAMHUNG, North Korea -- North Korean farmers knee deep in muddy paddies across the country have a new incentive during this year's crucial rice planting season: possible bonuses that are part of an economic shift echoing ally China's steps three decades ago toward embracing capitalism...

ISTANBUL -- Turkey's prime minister on Sunday rejected claims that he is a "dictator," dismissing protesters as an extremist fringe, even as thousands returned to the landmark Istanbul square that has become the site of the fiercest anti-government outburst in years...

Leadership Missouri 2013, in partnership with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be in Cape Girardeau from June 12 through 14 as part of its "Safety and Defense" agenda. Founded in 1990, Leadership Missouri aims to identify current and emerging leaders throughout the state, enhance their leadership skills and deepen their knowledge of the state's opportunities and challenges. ...

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Thursday: The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Friday: The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Saturday:...

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

WASHINGTON -- A lawmaker who helped negotiate a bipartisan bill to overhaul immigration predicted Sunday that comprehensive legislation would overwhelmingly pass the Senate by July 4 while House Republicans cautioned that they would write their own version, one piece at a time...

The Southern California fire appeared to be the fiercest of several burning in the West, including two in New Mexico, where thick smoke covered several communities and set a blanket of haze over Santa Fe.

MOSCOW -- The head of a U.S. congressional delegation on Sunday said its meetings in Russia showed there was "nothing specific" that could have helped prevent the Boston Marathon bombings, but that the two countries need to work more closely on joint security threats...

PORTLAND, Maine -- Damaging winds flattened trees and utility wires and knocked out power in parts of northern New England on Sunday, flights were delayed in New York City and a tornado touched down in South Carolina as the East Coast weathered the remnants of violent storms that claimed 13 lives in Oklahoma...

Taxes, changing utility rates and the 2013-14 operating budget will be discussed by the Cape Girardeau City Council at its regular meeting today. Many of the issues first were discussed at the council's annual retreat in April and now are being addressed in regular session meetings before any ordinances are passed...

Heavy rains during the last few days have left parts of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois staring down the barrel of a major flood, but the situation could be worse, experts said. "We're looking at major flooding conditions, but it's right at that level -- not much above it," said Robin Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis....

LONDON -- The unemployment rate across the 17 European countries that use the euro hit a record 12.2 percent in April, and the number of unemployed is on track to reach 20 million by year's end. The worsening jobs crisis points to the recession that has gripped the euro alliance. Many countries are struggling to stimulate growth while grappling with a debt crisis that's led governments to slash spending and raise taxes...

NEW YORK -- A gradual decline in the stock market turned into a rout Friday. After moving between small losses and gains for most of the day, the stock market plunged in the final hour of trading. The Dow Jones industrial average lost more than 200 points, half of them in the last 15 minutes. It was the worst drop in six weeks...

1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today Open session...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy grew at a modest 2.4 percent annual rate from January through March, slightly slower than initially estimated. Consumer spending was stronger than first thought, but businesses restocked more slowly and state and local government spending cuts were deeper...

O Lord Jesus, thank you that through you we have hope. Amen.

Central Methodist senior outfielder Erika Reinagel, a Notre Dame Regional High School graduate, has been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NAIA All-Midwest Region second team. Reinagel, who batted leadoff for the Eagles, ranked in the top 10 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference in hits, triples and stolen bases. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Jean Stapleton's Edith Bunker was such a dithery charmer that we had to love her. And because she loved her bombastic husband Archie, we made room for him and TV's daring "All in the Family." It took an actress as smart and deft as Stapleton to create the character Archie called "dingbat," giving a tender core to a sitcom that tested viewers with its bigoted American family man and blunt take on social issues...

The school year has ended, and deciding what to do during summer vacation might be occupying the mind of students. Even parents, especially those leading busy lives, can sometimes be at a loss when it comes to pointing their children toward things to do. But there is a bevy of safe and healthy summer programs in the Cape Girardeau area that children of all ages, and parents, can take advantage of...

It takes a special kind of person to care what happens to an injured coyote or a family of orphaned possums. For 46 years, Carolyn Watkins and her husband John have been caring for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals until they're ready to be released to their natural habitats...

Voters who are planning to take Highway 177 from the south to cast their ballot at the Nell Holcomb precinct polling place will have to use a different route. According to Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark-Summers, floodwaters have blocked access from the south on Highway 177 and voters will need to use alternate routes to the Nell Holcomb polling place...

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau has already reached about the level of its April flood crest, but is expected to keep rising. The river reached about 42 feet in late April. The latest flood warning from the National Weather Service pegged the river at 42.2 feet in Cape Girardeau at 11:30 a.m. Thursday -- more than 10 feet above the 32-foot flood stage. The warning said the river is expected to rise to near 45 feet Thursday before it starts to fall...

Fire crews from Millersville, Fruitland and Gordonville responded to an early Monday morning fire that destroyed an abandoned house in northern Cape Girardeau County. According to Chief Rodney Hurst of the Millersville Rural Fire Department, the call for the fire came about 1 a.m. ...

The Cape Girardeau Public Works Department has suspended compost services until further notice because of flooding. According to a news release issued by Jessica Sexton, public information specialist for the city of Cape Girardeau, Wednesday special collection service of compost bags, bundled limbs and brush in Cape Girardeau is suspended effective immediately. Service to the compost drop-off containers at the Recycling Center Facility, 2007 Southern Expressway, also is suspended...

The Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club will host Tom Schulte, district director for U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, at its noon meeting Friday at Dexter Bar-B-Que. According to a news release issued by Lisa Reitzel, first vice president, the topic of Shulte's discussion will be the "Burdens of the Federal Bureaucracy" that affects lives daily and how our farms and businesses operate. The program is open to the public. For more information call Lisa Reitzel at 576-6335...

Tickets for admission into a world of wonder will go on sale at 10 a.m. today at the Show Me Center for "Disney Live! Presents Three Classic Fairy Tales." A new stage production that features more than 25 Disney characters, "Disney Live! Presents Three Classic Fairy Tales" will be performed at 3 and 6 p.m. ...

Cape Girardeau's mayor said Monday he wants a citywide vote on sales-tax levies in November, but the city council is still trying to work out which taxes they want to see let go and which to keep. Discussion by the council continues over several portions of sales-tax levies set to expire -- the city would collect less taxes each year if half of a 1-cent restaurant tax and half of a 1/4-cent fire tax ran out...

The city of Jackson has nearly completed the design phase of its new community center; now officials say all they can do is wait. Last year, Jackson voters passed a quarter-cent sales tax to help fund construction of the center. The group Southeast Missouri Medical Center also confirmed it would donate more than $3 million to the project, and the city also applied for a $1.8 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant...

Southeast Missouri State track and field has for years represented arguably the university's most consistently successful sports program. The Redhawks might have even topped themselves this year. In addition to once again performing at a high level during the regular season, Southeast is enjoying one of its best postseasons ever on the Division I level as three athletes qualified for this week's NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore...

Just 15 cents could be the difference Cape Girardeau residents would see on their city utility service bill come July 1 should a proposed increase in trash collection charges come to fruition. The city council on Monday approved the first reading of an ordinance that would lessen sewer charges by $1 per customer each month, but a proposed 85 cent increase for solid waste disposal did not fare as well...

The fast-rising waters of the Mississippi River are again threatening Dutchtown. Dutchtown prepared itself for backwater flooding from the river once this spring. Now the Mississippi is expected to crest higher than before, possibly more than 13 feet above Cape Girardeau's flood stage by Thursday...

If the Mississippi River crests, as predicted, at 45.5 feet at Cape Girardeau, about 8,000 acres of farmland will be underwater in this part of Southeast Missouri. Terry Birk, county director for the USDA Farm Service Agency in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties, said some farmers were able to plant corn in the short time between the earlier flood this spring and the current one, but this flood could be more extreme than the last...

Cape Central High School is pleased to announce the selection of Joshua Sander as a National Merit Scholar and as a Missouri Scholars 100 recipient for 2013. To be selected as a National Merit Finalist, Joshua earned a score on the SAT that less than 1% of the students earned who took the 2013 SAT globally. ...

GIRL SCOUTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO VOTE ON PROPERTY RECOMMENDATION Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland's Board of Directors will vote later this month on whether to divest six of its 10 council program properties. Two of these properties, Latonka Program Center (Wayne County) and Mintahama Program Center (Newton County), currently host summer resident camp. ...

Today is Tuesday, June 4, the 155th day of 2013. There are 210 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 4, 1913, British suffragist Emily Davison was struck and mortally injured after moving into the path of a horse during the running of the Epsom Derby; her exact motives remain unclear. ...

WASHINGTON -- If worry about skin cancer doesn't make you slather on sunscreen, maybe vanity will: New research provides some of the strongest evidence to date that near-daily sunscreen use can slow the aging of your skin. Ultraviolet rays that spur wrinkles and other signs of aging quietly can build up damage pretty much anytime you're in the sun -- a lunchtime stroll, school recess, walking the dog -- and they even penetrate car windows...

Smokers account for nearly one-third of the population in many Southeast Missouri counties, according to a 2011 county-level study by the Department of Health and Senior Services. The study also reported that from 1999 to 2009, an estimated 1,271 incidents of smoking-related deaths occurred in Cape Girardeau County alone. ...

Hand, foot and mouth disease, or HFMD, is a contagious illness caused by different viruses. Infants and children younger than 5 years are more likely to get this disease. However, older children and adults can also contract it. In the United States and other countries with changing seasons, it is more common for people to contract hand, foot and mouth disease from spring to fall...

NEW YORK -- An all-star line-up including Matt Damon, Alan Alda and Vanessa Redgrave will be featured in a night of readings and a town hall discussion hosted by The Public Theater. The June 17 event at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park also will feature Christine Baranski, Gloria Reuben, Raul Esparza, Hamish Linklater, Jesse L. Martin, Lily Rabe and Marsha Stephanie Blake...

FORT MEADE, Md. -- Pfc. Bradley Manning put U.S. military secrets into the hands of Osama bin Laden himself, prosecutors said Monday as the Army intelligence analyst went on trial for leaking thousands of classified documents. Manning's lawyers countered by arguing that he was a "young, naive but good-intentioned" soldier whose struggle to fit in as a gay man in the military made him feel he "needed to do something to make a difference in this world."...

WASHINGTON -- A divided Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for police to take a DNA swab from anyone they arrest for a serious crime, endorsing a practice now followed by more than half the states as well as the federal government. The justices differed strikingly on how big a step that was...

HONOLULU -- Part of what makes living in Hawaii so pleasant is the gentle breeze. Arriving from the northeast, it's light enough that it is barely noticeable but strong enough to chase away humidity. It's a natural draw to the outdoors. It is not uncommon to show up at a house to find its residents relaxing in a covered porch or in a car port, not their living room, and enjoying the cooling winds -- and a cool drink...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- While most people take shelter when a tornado approaches, a growing throng heads for the prairies, be they scientists hoping to protect the public from a twister's fury or amateurs armed with little more than a smartphone, a digital camera and a desire to sell 15 seconds of video to the nightly news...

BEIJING -- Fire swept through a poultry processing plant in northeastern China on Monday, trapping workers inside a slaughterhouse with only one open exit and killing at least 119 people in one of the country's worst industrial disasters in years...

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkish riot police launched round after round of tear gas against protesters Monday, the fourth day of violent demonstrations, as the president and the prime minister staked competing positions on the unrest. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected the protesters' demands that he resign and dismissed the demonstrations as the work of Turkey's opposition. President Abdullah Gul praised the mostly peaceful protesters as expressing their democratic rights...

After months of speculation, political jockeying, selection processes and campaigning, today voters will head to the polls to elect a representative for the 8th Congressional District. The vote comes about six months after former U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced her resignation. Emerson left the House in January to take a position with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association as CEO...

It is with delight I write this letter to publicly congratulate our friend, Doug Austin, on being awarded the Senior Service Award by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. As was noted in the article, Mr. Austin is active in nearly 20 organizations. However, Doug Austin and his lovely wife, Fran, are constant encouragers to countless adults and youth throughout the community...

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Multi-List Service of Cape Girardeau Inc., in connection with restraint of trade allegations involving "possible exclusion of competitors" from the local real estate market. A new mausoleum, designed for 300 crypt burials and 120 cremation inurements, was dedicated at Cape Girardeau Memorial Park yesterday...

Daughter to Zachariah Paul and Stacy Lynn Beckerman of Daisy, Saint Francis Medical Center, 9:47 a.m. Monday, May 27, 2013. Name, Ally Sue. Weight, 6 pounds, 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Beckerman is the former Stacy Hobeck, daughter of Ron and Janette Hobeck of Daisy. She is employed at Moss and Stillwell Law Firm. Beckerman is the son of Cheryl Beckerman of Patton, Mo., and Allen Newell of Perryville, Mo. He is serving with the U.S. Army...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sister Jeanette C. Schutte, 89, of Cairo died Monday, June 3, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Local visitation will be from 4 p.m. until time of service Wednesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Cairo. A memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, celebrated by the Rev. Chris Mujule and the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ...

Robert C. "Bob" Minton, 81, of Katy, Texas, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, May 31, 2013, at Methodist West Hospital in Katy. He was born Feb. 7, 1932, in Cape Girardeau, to Robert D. and Willia Slinkard Minton. Bob was a 1950 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School and a 1958 graduate of Missouri School of Mines...

Arthur C.H. Lueder Jr., 85, of Egypt Mills died Sunday, June 2, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 29, 1927, in Egypt Mills, to Arthur F. and Regina Reimann Lueder. Arthur served in the U.S. Army. He worked at Marquette Cement, retiring in 1982. ...

Dorothy Heath Heise, 90, of Evans, Ga., formerly of Jackson, died Friday, May 31, 2013. She was born Sept. 10, 1922, in Bertrand, Mo., the youngest of 11 children to James Edward and Alice Neal Heath. Survivors include a son, Roy Heise (Karin) and their children Jennifer and Jonathan (Jodi) of Georgia; a daughter, Alice Wybert of Jackson and her children, Judith (Scott) Larsen, Christopher (Tonya) and Jonathan (Stephanie); great-grandchildren, Sara (Peter) Thelen, Jacob and Anna Larsen, Jordan and Madison Wybert and Kayla Wybert; special friend, K.D. ...

Verna A. Eaker, 84, of Jackson passed away Sunday, June 2, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 27, 1929, in Glenallen, Mo., daughter of George and Alma Buehler Schwering. Verna retired in 1994 from Tri-Con Industries as an inspector. She was a member of Glen Allen United Methodist Church...

Elmer J. Cook, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, June 3, 2013, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Tom Sullinger officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hills Cemetery at Morley, Mo...

TRENTON, N.J. -- The next time a flight attendant reminds you there's no smoking or you witness a teenager being carded at a liquor store, think of Frank Lautenberg. The liberal Democratic senator from New Jersey left his mark on the everyday lives of Americans. In the 1980s, he was a force behind the laws that banned smoking on most U.S. flights and made 21 the drinking age in all 50 states...

WASHINGTON -- His agency under relentless fire, the new head of the Internal Revenue Service acknowledged to Congress on Monday that American taxpayers no longer trust the IRS amid a growing number of scandals -- from the targeting of conservative political groups to lavish spending on employee conferences...

NEW YORK -- For now, bad news is good for the stock market. Investors judged that the latest weak economic reports will make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will continue to stimulate the economy and support a rally on Wall Street. On Monday, a measure of U.S. manufacturing fell in May to its lowest level since June 2009 as overseas economies slumped and weak business spending reduced new orders to factories...

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter threw to live batters Monday for the first time in his comeback attempt from a career-threatening nerve issue. After throwing successful bullpen sessions on May 27 and 30, Carpenter threw about 20 pitches to teammates Shane Robinson and Matt Adams on Monday. He threw another 20 or so without a batter from the mound, while several teammates gathered behind the batting cage to watch...

The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons American Legion Post 63 baseball team won a rout and a squeaker against Scott County Senior Legion on Monday at Central High School. Cape won the opener 11-1 in five innings, then scored the winning run on a wild pitch in a 4-3 victory...

ST. LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was feeling so good that he wanted to stay in the game. These days, everything is going right for the pitcher. Lynn pitched seven solid innings and the St. Louis Cardinals got home runs from Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltran in a 7-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night...

401 Independence St. Cape Girardeau Public hearings...

I go to my ATM to find people on foot withdrawing money. Those are called drive-in ATMs because you drive in with your car. Please don't use ATMs unless you're actually driving. The grass along Walker Creek is over 2 feet tall. I'm afraid we're going to have snakes and other varmints. Why hasn't it been mowed?...

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

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

Jackson's slogan is the "City of Beautiful Homes, Parks, Schools, and Churches." Things are happening in each of those areas. We have had a great deal of activity in home sales. During the month of April, there were 22 new homeowner accounts who signed up for utilities in the city. In addition, we had 35 new renters. (Records for the month of May have not yet been completed.) Building permit values so far this year total $9.5 million...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed legislation dealing with international law Monday because of concerns that include a possible "chilling effect" for overseas adoptions. The governor said the legislation raised "serious questions" about whether Missouri courts could consider foreign decrees or orders needed to complete overseas adoptions and could provoke foreign retaliation aimed at preventing Missourians from adopting children born in other countries...

O Lord Jesus, our Messiah, thank you for being our ever-present help. Amen.

SEBASTIA, West Bank (AP) -- The ancient town of Sebastia is one of the major archaeological sites of the Holy Land, with its overlapping layers of history dating back nearly 3,000 years. But today the hilltop capital of biblical kings, later ruled by Roman conquerors, Crusaders and Ottomans, is marred with weeds, graffiti and garbage...

Voters in 30 Missouri counties today will select their next congressional representative. Polls open for the 8th Congressional District special election at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Four party candidates -- Constitution Party candidate Doug Enyart, Democrat Steve Hodges, Libertarian Bill Slantz and Republican Jason Smith -- and two write-in candidates -- Thomas Brown and Dr. ...

If you ask Danny Essner, downtown Cape Girardeau is the place to be June 25. That's the day hundreds of vintage cars will rumble into town on the fourth leg of The Great Race, a cross-country road rally. "The Great Race is billed as the premiere vintage car road rally in the world," says Essner, who as a member of the River City Rodders helped bring the race to Cape Girardeau. ...

An apple, sure, but can a glass of red wine a day also keep the doctor away? Red wine is touted as heart healthy, so we went to local experts to check it out. Here's what Janet Anders, wellness dietitian at Fitness Plus, and Raina Childers, nutritional services coordinator at HealthPoint Fitness, had to say:...

Wayne and Joan McPherson run on a tight schedule during baseball season. That's because they attend most of the Southeast Missouri State University baseball games, both home and away, as well as many of the Plaza Tire Capahas' baseball games...

Candidates hoping for a good word tonight once returns come in were making their last efforts Tuesday to reach voters in Missouri's 8th Congressional District. Republican state Rep. Jason Smith, of Salem, Mo., began his day in Cape Girardeau, where he thanked volunteers at his campaign office while they made calls. His Democratic opponent, state Rep. Steve Hodges, cast a ballot in his hometown of East Prairie, Mo., before heading to Sikeston to join his campaign on get-out-the-vote calls...

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau continues its ascent toward its highest level of the year. The river has already surpassed its April crest of 41.12 feet on the Cape Girardeau gauge, and stood at 43.7 feet at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service still expects the river to crest at near 45 feet at Cape Girardeau late Thursday before it starts to fall. ...

The Missouri Department of Transportation will close Highway 74 from Interstate 55 to Highway 25 at Dutchtown at 8 p.m. today due to flooding. The agency said in a news release that local traffic from Highway 74 will still be able to access Cape Girardeau from Bloomfield Road...

The man involved in the robbery of the Cape Regional Credit Union pleaded guilty on Monday to one felony count of bank robbery, according to a news release from the federal prosecutor's office. Adrian Settles, 27, faces a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine...

A breakdown of the 8th Congressional District special election votes from each of the 30 counties in the district.

Gov. Jay Nixon has again appointed Cape Girardeau lawyer J. Michael Ponder to the University of Missouri Board of Curators, according to a news release from Nixon....

As more Affordable Care Act mandates begin to take effect, many business owners are left with more questions than answers about the legislation's impact on businesses. To address this problem, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is hosting a series of seminars across the state to educate health-care, government and business leaders on the current and upcoming changes in health care...

Before Jacque Waller's body was found last week, prosecutors were relying on largely circumstantial evidence in their case against her estranged husband, Clay Waller, who is expected to plead guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence in connection with her June 1, 2011, disappearance...

A Cape Girardeau County case against convicted rapist Daryl K. Davis has been dismissed. Davis was charged in January with breaking into a then-19-year-old Southeast Missouri State University student's basement apartment and raping her at knife point in 1980....

Security will be tight at a Thursday afternoon hearing where Clay Waller is expected to plead guilty in connection with the death of his estranged wife, a Cape Girardeau County circuit judge reported. Waller faces a charge of first-degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Jacque Waller, whose body was found last week in Illinois...

A new chapter of Republican control in Missouri's 8th Congressional District began Tuesday when Salem, Mo., native Jason Smith easily defeated his Democratic opponent, Steve Hodges, in a stand-alone special election that named a replacement for former congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson...

ST. LOUIS -- Paul Goldschmidt hit a run-scoring single in the 14th inning to lift the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. Arizona, which improved to 7-2 in extra innings, has won three of four. St. Louis (38-20), which still has the best record in the majors, has lost all four of its extra-inning games this season...

The only road to and from Allenville right now is County Road 238, and even that road will be impassable as the water rises, leaving the town inaccessible by vehicle. The Mississippi River reached 42.5 feet at Cape Girardeau on Tuesday afternoon, passing the 41.12-foot crest in April. The river is expected to crest at 45 feet Thursday...

The disappearance of Jacque Waller from one state and the discovery of her body in another could make the person responsible for her disappearance criminally liable in multiple jurisdictions, a legal expert said. Waller disappeared June 1, 2011. Prosecutors announced her remains were found May 29...

Good old Floyd is around 8-9 years old. He's a nice boy looking for a place to spend his golden years. See more pets available at semopets.org

Kyle L. Buchheit earned a Master of Applied Mathematics degree June 17, 2013, from Missouri University of Science & Technology at Rolla, MO. This is in addition to the Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics he received in 2011 from the same university. Kyle is continuing his education at Missouri S&T where he plans on receiving a doctorate degree in Chemical Engineering in 2015...

Cape Central High School students earned numerous individual and team awards during the Southeast Missouri State University Math Field Day competition in April, including 1st Place in Team Problem Solving. "We are certainly proud of all of the awards our students earned, and we are especially proud of winning the Team Problem event which calls for school teams to work collaboratively for several hours throughout the entire day of the competition. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Nearly 12,000 St. Louis-area residents still are without power, more than three days after strong storms and tornadoes caused significant damage in the region. Ameren officials say they expect to have most of the power restored soon. Nearly all of the outages are on the Missouri side of the metro area. Extra crews have been brought in from other states to help restore the power...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A new report shows Missouri revenues up more than 10 percent through the first 11 months of the fiscal year compared with the same period last year. The Missouri Office of Administration says net general revenue through the end of May totaled $7.3 billion, compared with $6.6 billion at the same point last year...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones has created an interim committee to study the state's election process. The committee is tasked with developing proposals for removing outdated and redundant election laws and replacing worn-out voting equipment. Officials say many local election authorities use equipment purchased a decade ago using federal funds...

Today is Wednesday, June 5, the 156th day of 2013. There are 209 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 5, 1963, Britain's Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, resigned after acknowledging an affair with a call girl, Christine Keeler (who was also involved with a Soviet spy), and lying to Parliament about it; while there was no finding of a security breach, the scandal helped bring down the Conservative government of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan...

NEW YORK -- "Sesame Street" wants children to take a break from parking it indoors, and head out to a park instead. A new project has recruited Muppet monsters Elmo and Murray to visit national parks in six short videos that encourage children ages 3 to 5 to experience the great outdoors, wherever it might be, and to apply scientific skills of inquiry to learn about these natural settings...

PARIS -- France said Tuesday it has confirmed the nerve gas sarin was used "multiple times and in a localized way" in Syria, including at least once by the regime. It was the most specific claim by any Western power about chemical weapons attacks in the 27-month-old conflict...

CAIRO -- An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced 43 not-for-profit workers, including the son of the U.S. secretary of transportation and 15 other Americans, to prison in a case against foreign-funded pro-democracy groups. The ruling and heavy jail time of up to five years deepen worries over the operations of non-governmental organizations in Egypt as parliament considers a bill proposed by Islamist President Mohammed Morsi that critics warn will profoundly restrict their activities...

HONG KONG -- Every year, Hong Kong residents gather in droves for the annual vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen democracy protests. More than marking the brutal crackdown in Beijing 24 years ago, the event here increasingly symbolizes disaffection with rule by China...

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Ziyad Abid was a college student aspiring to become a pilot like his father back home in Saudi Arabia when he was accused of paying his roommate to kill a local bar owner. The judge set bond at $2 million -- out of reach for his family, but not for the Saudi government...

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- A northwest Missouri woman whose infant son lost seven fingers when he was attacked by a ferret has been ordered to undergo drug treatment. Carrie Waldo was sentenced Tuesday to two years of probation and 30 days in a drug treatment plan after she pleaded guilty to second-degree child endangerment...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. senators dressed down senior military leaders Tuesday, led by female lawmakers, veterans and former prosecutors who insisted that sexual assault in the ranks has cost the services the trust and respect of the American people...

Last month a Union Pacific train struck a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train in Rockview, Mo. The crash led to several derailed rail cars, severe damage to a bridge overpass and seven injuries -- though none was serious. The derailment was the third for the area this year...

I read with interest the recent fine article by the Southeast Missourian regarding Richard Flentge and his book relative to the mule being named our state animal. It brought to mind another author of the same generation as Richard with local roots who has recently authored a couple of novels that are now being read on Amazon Kindle...

Recently my 9-year-old daughter was in a serious car wreck in Cape with her grandparents on the way to see her little brother in the hospital. She was injured pretty significantly, especially to her face. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, there were two women who stopped to help. ...

Son to Larry Allen and Amber Nicole Biggs Jr. of Chaffee, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 8:39 a.m. Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Name, Bradyn Allen. Weight, 6 pounds, 1 ounce. Second child, first son. Mrs. Biggs is the former Amber Sheppard, daughter of Tom Sheppard and Dee Sheppard of Cape Girardeau. Biggs is the son of Larry Biggs and Melissa Biggs of Scott City. He is a meat cutter at Food Giant...

Theological candidate David J. Webber is ordained and installed as pastor of Scriptural Evangelical Lutheran Church on Bend Road. More than 200 persons attend the dedication ceremonies for the new Visitor Center at Trail of Tears State Park; guest speaker at the event is John Ketcher, deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation, headquartered in Tahlequah, Okla...

Well, the dust has settled, the votes have been counted and Missouri's 8th Congressional District at long last has a representative in the House to sound the voice of concern or support from our little region of the world. And like it or not, a campaign will begin today to retain that seat...

Mary and Matthew Joseph were taken from us too soon on May 30, 2013. Mary was born on April 23, 1956, to Betty Griffith and the late Paul Griffith. She was married to George Joseph on July 10, 1993. Matthew Joseph was born on July 19, 1994. They leave behind George Joseph, husband and father; Mary's mother and Matthew's grandmother, Betty Griffith; Mary's siblings Mike (Yvonne), Bob (Mary), and Steve (Charlotte) Griffith and Becky (David) Snell; Matthew's uncles, Gerard (Ann), Gavin and Godfrey Joseph. ...

With Senior Kody Moore and junior Seth Ressel on the mound, there was no going wrong for the Oran Eagles at the Class 1 final four last week.

Mary Anne Eifert, 83, of Shawneetown died Monday, June 3, 2013, at her home. She was born May 30, 1930, in Fornfelt (Scott City), to William and Anna Marie Georger Dohogne. She married Charles Frederick Eifert on Oct. 21, 1950, in Piggott, Ark. He preceded her in death Jan. 5, 1995...

Elmer J. Cook, 88, died Monday, June 3, 2013, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 28, 1924, in Beckley, W.Va., to Frank and Mary Cook. He and Lois Abernathy were married April 19, 1949, in Piggott, Ark. She preceded him in death in August 2007...

Steven Eddy, by most accounts, did not have very good stuff Tuesday night. That didn't prevent the Jackson Post 158 Senior American Legion pitcher from having a very good performance. The 2013 Jackson High School graduate continued his impressive year on the mound as visiting Jackson routed Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 10-2 in the District 14 opener of a doubleheader...

ABOVE: A track hoe from Joe Grojean Excavating Inc. removes carved stones from the foundation of a house that stood at 15 S. Frederick St. on Tuesday in Cape Girardeau. The house was named on the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission list of endangered buildings on May 21. RIGHT: The house at 15 S. Frederick St. as seen May 21....

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

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Sunday: The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Monday:...

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

FORT HOOD, Texas -- An Army psychiatrist charged with gunning down Fort Hood soldiers said Tuesday his defense would show that he was compelled to do so because deploying U.S. troops posed an imminent danger to Taliban fighters. The military judge asked Maj. Nidal Hasan if he has evidence to support his "defense of others" strategy, hinting it could be thrown out...

WASHINGTON -- Black people are arrested for possessing marijuana at a higher rate than white people, even though marijuana use by both races is about the same, the American Civil Liberties Union reports in a new study. The ACLU's analysis of federal crime data, released Tuesday, found marijuana arrest rates for black people were 3.73 times greater than those for white people nationally in 2010. ...

WASHINGTON -- Some of President Barack Obama's political appointees are using secret government email accounts to conduct official business, The Associated Press found, a practice that complicates agencies' legal responsibilities to find and turn over emails under public records requests and congressional inquiries...

WASHINGTON -- Already heavily criticized for targeting conservative groups, the Internal Revenue Service absorbed another blow Tuesday as new details emerged about senior officials enjoying luxury hotel rooms, free drinks and free food at a $4.1 million training conference. It was one of many expensive gatherings the agency held for employees over a three-year period...

I-57 in Mississippi County reduced for pavement repairs North- and southbound Interstate 57 in Mississippi County, from the Mississippi River bridge to U.S. 60, will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. The work will begin at 7 a.m. Monday and continue through 6 p.m. June 13...

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's deputy prime minister offered an apology Tuesday for the government's violent crackdown on an environmental protest, a calculated bid to ease days of anti-government rallies in the country's major cities. The message was a bit mixed, however, as hundreds of riot police deployed with water cannons around the prime minister's office in Ankara, the capital...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis turns 250 in about a year, and civic leaders already are planning a yearlong celebration. KMOX Radio reports Erin Budde has been named director of the celebration known as stl250. One of the big events already has been announced: A "Burnin' Love" festival on Valentine's Day in Forest Park, featuring live music, culinary tents and other events...

O Father God, may we be courageous and seek to do what is right. Amen.

The New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez and Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun are among about 20 players that Major League Baseball is preparing to suspend, according to a report aired Tuesday night by Outside The Lines on ESPN. The network's investigative report said the players are reportedly linked to the Biogenesis Clinic in Miami. ...

Sikeston Standard Democrat ~ SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was arrested during the weekend on suspicion of strangling his grandmother. Matthew Carmack, 22, of Sikeston was arrested Friday for the assault on his grandmother and charged with domestic assault in the second degree through the Scott County Court...

Southeast Missouri State sophomore track & field athlete Kevin Farley continued his late-season surge in the best possible venue. Farley turned in his third straight career-best performance Wednesday night, finishing seventh in the shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore...

WASHINGTON -- Jason Smith, a 32-year-old Missouri state lawmaker, livestock farm owner and attorney, has taken the oath to become the newest member of the House. Smith on Tuesday easily won a special election in the 8th Congressional District, a Republican stronghold in Southeast Missouri that has been represented by the Emerson family since 1980. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Paul Goldschmidt hit his second grand slam in five days, Wade Miley bounced back from his two worst outings of the season and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the St. Louis Cardinals 10-3 on Wednesday night. Arizona has won four of five. St. Louis, with the best record in the majors, dropped back-to-back games for the first time since April 28-29...

Several area golfers took advantage of a rare windless day and comfortable playing conditions to post qualifying scores at Wednesday's Missouri Golf Association State Amateur Qualifier held at Dalhousie Golf Club. Ben Crancer of Kirkwood, Mo., who just finished his freshman year at Texas A&M, scorched the par-72 layout with a 6-under 66 to place first in the event, which sends the top 13 finishers on to the Missouri Amateur Championship June 18-23 at Blue Hills CC in Kansas City...

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County officials say the Missouri Disaster Recovery Jobs Program offered through the Workforce Investment Board has been helpful for the county. "This has been a very, very beneficial program for Scott County's road infrastructure," said Jamie Burger, presiding commissioner. ...

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee will feature a legislative update. State Rep. Kathryn Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, will be the featured speaker. The event will be at 7 a.m. Friday at the Show Me Center with a continental breakfast. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m., 10 minutes earlier than normal, because of the amount of information to be shared with members. This month's First Friday Coffee is sponsored by Elite Travel and William Woods University...

The Scott City Police Department has planned a sobriety checkpoint in July to crack down on drunken driving. According to a news release issued by the department, Scott City police will join other Missouri law-enforcement agencies in holding a sobriety checkpoint in July to enforce DWI laws and keep impaired drivers off the road. ...

The city of Jackson's annual Concrete Street and Sidewalk Repair Project is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Monday. According to a news release issued by Erica Bogenpohl, staff engineer for the city of Jackson, roadway improvements will include more than 3,500 square yards of concrete along the following Jackson routes: East Main Street, Old Cape Road, Lexington Drive, Sappington Drive, Cathy Drive, Carolyn Drive, Odus Drive, Wedgewood Drive, Palmer Drive, Watson Drive, St. ...

Visitation and funeral services for Jacque Waller will be Saturday in Park Hills, Mo., a family member said. Waller's sister, Cheryl Brenneke, said visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Esther Baptist Church, 412 Seventh St. in Park Hills. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Waller's family is requesting donations to either the Jacque ...

Badly needed economic development or a potential environmental nightmare? The debate about hydraulic fracturing continues in Illinois. Senate Bill 1715, regulating the process, was approved by a vote of 108-9 on May 30 in the Illinois House, and Friday in the state Senate, 52-3, with four members not voting. Gov. Pat Quinn said he will sign the bill into law...

The 29th annual Kelso Klassic men's fastpitch softball tournament that begins Friday will take on a celebratory vibe. Steve Schott, who grew up in Kelso and still lives there, established himself as one of the sport's legendary players during a lengthy career that saw him compete at a high level for some of the world's premier teams...

The special election Tuesday to decide who would replace former U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson in Congress was marked by low voter turnout. According to information released by Secretary of State Jason Kander, the unofficial voter turnout for the special election in the 8th Congressional District was 12.94 percent. In raw numbers, about 62,760 out of nearly 495,000 registered voters in the district went to the polls on Tuesday...

ROCKVIEW, Mo. -- Plans to replace an overpass in Scott County destroyed in a train crash could be ready for contractors to review before bidding in less than two weeks. The Missouri Department of Transportation is moving quickly to build a new Route M overpass in Scott County. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed legislation Wednesday that would have cut Missouri's income tax rate for the first time in more than 90 years, denouncing it as an "ill-conceived, fiscally irresponsible experiment." The tax cut was one of the top priorities of Missouri's Republican-led Legislature and would have been one of the state's most aggressive volleys in an ongoing battle to attract businesses against its tax-cutting neighbors to the west...

First visitor to my butterfly garden last summer.

Deer Creek Christian Academy has been one of Cape Girardeau's unintentional secrets for more than a decade. What began in someone's home grew into a K-8 private, nonprofit school in its own welcoming blue building on Route W. This year turned out to be the beloved school's last, as its founder, Jackie Brandtner, finally begins her well deserved retirement...

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members vote in favor of extending common bond to Christians Record number of members vote; Changes will be gradual MINNEAPOLIS (June 6, 2013) -- Thrivent Financial for Lutherans announced today that its membership approved an extension of its common bond, which will allow the 111-year fraternal benefit society to serve more Christians. ...

If the Mississippi River crests today at the level forecast, it will be the eighth-highest on record. The rising river at Cape Girardeau reached 43.9 feet by Wednesday afternoon and is expected to crest near 45 feet today. The National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., expects the waters to fall just above 42 feet by Monday, still in the major flood stage. Flood stage on the Cape Girardeau gauge is 32 feet...

Southeast Missouri State baseball player Clayton Evans has earned a major honor following his impressive freshman season. Evans on Wednesday was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. The team, selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, features six Ohio Valley Conference players...

NEW YORK -- One by one, for three weeks already, players accompanied by their lawyers have been summoned to interviews as part of baseball's latest investigation into performance-enhancing drugs -- and the process is a long way from finished...

Today is Thursday, June 6, the 157th day of 2013. There are 208 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on "D-Day," beginning the liberation of German-occupied western Europe during World War II...

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- The American soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians, many of them women and children who were asleep in their villages, pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday and acknowledged to a judge that there was "not a good reason in this world" for his actions...

In suburban Atlanta, northern Idaho and a number of other places, churches have moved swiftly to sever ties with the Boy Scouts of America in protest over the vote last month to let openly gay boys participate in Scouting. To date, it's far from the mass defection that some conservatives had predicted before the vote by the BSA's National Council. But the exodus could soon swell, depending on the outcome of the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting next week in Houston...

When you think about people who make a difference in the community, Majors Ben and Beth Stillwell belong in the conversation. The couple has served in the Salvation Army for 28 years, the last six in Cape Girardeau. Later this month they will embark on a new challenge when they transfer to Marshalltown, Iowa...

Daughter to James Errol Ebanks Jr. and Amy Jean Doyle of Diehlstadt, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 8:49 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Name, Aubrie Sky. Weight, 6 pounds, 14 ounces. Ms. Doyle is the daughter of Sally Doyle of Charleston, Mo., and William Doyle of Jackson. She is loan administrator at Focus Bank. Ebanks is the son of Rose McBride of Doniphan, Mo., and James Ebanks Sr. of Grand Cayman Island. He is an operator with James Excavating...

By Glen Cope Any farmer will tell you, in production agriculture things don't always go as planned. In fact, I often hear farmers refer to farming as a gamble. Farmers never know from the beginning of each growing season if their efforts will pay off...

During the early 1980s, one of President Ronald Reagan's national security team was complaining to a more seasoned diplomat about the western Europeans, bemoaning their low levels of military spending, risk-averse approach to the USSR, and reluctance to support bold U.S. moves...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Ameren Missouri is recommending federal regulators allow 215 non-conforming decks, patios, gazebos and boathouses to remain at the Lake of the Ozarks. The St. Louis-based power company announced the proposal Wednesday and called it a final step toward addressing encroachments at the central Missouri lake formed by the Bagnell Dam and Osage hydroelectric project. ...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- An 84-year-old Florida widow who bought her Powerball ticket after another customer let her get ahead in line came forward Wednesday to claim the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history: $590 million. Gloria C. MacKenzie, a retiree from Maine and a mother of four who lives in a tin-roof house in Zephyrhills, Fla., where the lone winning ticket in the May 18 drawing was sold, took her prize in a lump sum of just over $370 million. ...

WASHINGTON -- Defying Republican critics, President Barack Obama named outspoken diplomat Susan Rice as his national security adviser Wednesday. The move gives her a larger voice in U.S. foreign policy despite accusations that she misled the nation in the aftermath of the deadly attack on Americans in Benghazi, Libya...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- St. Joseph police say a couple was arrested after officers found dozens of flowers and grave decorations stolen from cemeteries at their home. Police say the couple was arrested Tuesday after a woman saw a man steal flowers off graves last week. She confronted the man, who gave her back flowers that had been taken from her son's grave...

ST. LOUIS -- Nestle Purina PetCare Co. has agreed to buy Petfinder, the online pet adoption website, from Discovery Communications LLC, St. Louis-based Nestle Purina said Wednesday. The deal is expected to be completed in July. Terms were not disclosed...

A team from Mascoutah, Ill., will look for an unprecedented Kelso Klassic three-peat this weekend. Pete's Blues is the two-time defending champion entering the 29th annual men's fastpitch softball tournament that begins Friday. Only one other team has won two straight titles -- the Pinckneysville (Ill.) Celtics in 1966 and 1967 -- and no squad has ever captured three consecutive crowns...

PHILADELPHIA -- Searchers combing through the debris of a collapsed building and the remains of a damaged Salvation Army thrift store pulled a woman from the rubble late Wednesday, a glimmer of hope after officials said at least six people had been killed and 13 others injured...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Jerry Lane Williamson, 84, of Olmsted passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Jonesboro Rehab & Healthcare Center. He was born April 29, 1929, in Cambria, Ill., son of Samuel and Thelma Johns Williamson. He and Maxine Varnum Hankla were married Jan. 3, 1981, in Saco, Maine...

Addie Lee Vancil, 89, of St. Louis died Saturday, May 11, 2013, in St. Louis. She was born Feb. 19, 1924, in Marble Hill, Mo., daughter of Henry Nelson and Stella May Cartwright Haynes. She was preceded in death by a brother, James M. Haynes, and a sister, Jean Ann Gerhardt, both of Cape Girardeau; a son, Stephen M. Vancil of St. Louis; and ex-husband, Ellsworth Vancil of Corpus Christi, Texas...

Annalea Burkett "Ann" Teeters, 89, of Sands Township, Mich., entered eternal life Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, at the home of a daughter, Cheryl Teeters, with whom she made her home. A golf outing and gathering, celebrating the life of Ann, will be from noon to 5 p.m. June 22 at Jaycee Golf Course in Cape Girardeau...

A service for Vera Seabaugh of Sedgewickville, Mo., and her grandson, Stacey Wayne Stone of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The Rev. Donny Ford will officiate. Burial will be in Pulliam Cemetery in Mayfield, Mo...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Vivian Imogene "Jean" Sowers Price, 92, of Ullin, formerly of Mounds, Ill., died Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at the home of a daughter and son-in-law. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Ill...

Patricia Patton, 88, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Miller City, Ill., passed away peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born Oct. 20, 1924, in Cairo, Ill., to Frank and Sarah Dean Hurst. She married Malcolm B. Patton...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Joseph Donald "Don" McNew, 94, of Perryville died Monday, June 3, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 9 a.m. until time of service Saturday at Immanuel Lutheran Church. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Matthew Marks officiating. Burial will be in Home Cemetery...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Terrell D. Lane, 37, of Mounds died Wednesday, May 29, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from noon until time of service Saturday at Meridian High School in Mounds. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the school, with Pastor Devid Terry officiating. Interment will be in Green Lawn Memorial Garden in Villa Ridge, Ill...

The Cape Girardeau City Council and the Jackson Board of Aldermen, in separate meetings, approve conflicting annexation plans; officials of both cities have indicated the actions will lead to a court battle. The Cape Girardeau health department would be eliminated if the City Council approves budget cuts suggested by the city staff; under the plan, the city health officer position would be eliminated and the city would contract with the Cape Girardeau County Health Department to handle sanitarian duties.. ...

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

1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today Open session Pertinent address: 1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo...

NEW YORK -- Jon Stewart is starting a summer-long break from anchoring "The Daily Show," but it will be no holiday. He'll be in the Middle East making his first movie. While he's away, Stewart said he'll miss hosting the Comedy Central fake newscast...

Did you think turkey basters could only be used on Thanksgiving Day to flavor the turkey? Think again. Materials Instructions STEP 1: Remove the plastic piece of the turkey baster from the rubber piece. STEP 2: Place a Ping-Pong ball into the open part of the rubber piece of the turkey baster, squeeze and observe...

Saxony Lutheran High School valedictorians Clayton Fritsche, Zach Vogel and Rachael Gruenwald will miss the support and closeness of their school, but they're excited to move on. Fritsche will attend the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla to study engineering in the fall...

TODAY NEW MOVIES EVENTS FRIDAY EVENTS SATURDAY EVENTS SUNDAY EVENTS NEXT WEEK NEW MOVIES GAMES DVDs CDs...

Claire Herbst of Cape Girardeau earned the John T. Belcher Scholarship. She will attend Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Herbst is a 2013 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School and the daughter of Charlie and Dr. Sydney Herbst. Nicole Hemmann of Jackson was named to Concordia University's honors list for the second semester of the 2012-2013 academic year. ...

Route WW in Stoddard County, from County Road 420 to County Road 412, will be closed today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe beneath the roadway. The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. All work is weather permitting. Work zones will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near those areas. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636, or visit modot.org/southeast...

PHILADELPHIA -- A dying 10-year-old girl can move up the adult waiting list for a lung transplant after a federal judge intervened in her case Wednesday, a move questioned by a prominent medical ethicist. U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson suspended an age factor in the nation's transplant rules for 10 days for Sarah Murnaghan because of the severity of her condition...

O Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us and carrying our burdens. Amen.

BENTON, Mo. (AP) -- A southeast Missouri man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a 2012 traffic accident that killed a Sikeston woman. Forty-seven-year-old Mark Lee Jobe of Sikeston also pleaded guilty Thursday to driving while intoxicated-aggravated offender. Jobe had three prior alcohol-related convictions...

The Mississippi River has reached its crest at Cape Girardeau and is now on the way down. According to the National Weather Service the river reached its crest of 44.53 feet Friday morning and is starting to fall. Flood stage is 32 feet. So far the Army Corps of Engineers and local emergency officials have reported no major problems associated with the flooding, though river and backwater flooding has closed several area roads...

A Cape Girardeau man has been arrested in connection with a Sunday morning shooting that injured another man, police reported. Randall L. Cayce, 44, is suspected of shooting an unnamed Cape Girardeau man early Sunday morning near the intersection of Broadway and Sprigg Street, said Darin Hickey, public information officer for the Cape Girardeau Police Department...

The burglaries of three Cape Girardeau day care centers in recent weeks have prompted frustration among the directors of the victimized centers and an investigation by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. The most recent burglary occurred at the Community Day School, 1912 Broadway, on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, according to Julie Albertson, director of the school...

A traffic fatality at U.S. 51 and Bell Hill Road in Cobden, Ill., is being attributed to failure to obey a stop sign. According to a news release by Trooper Michael Usher of the Illinois State Police, at about 3 p.m., the driver of a GMC truck was traveling west on Bell Hill Road. The truck failed to stop at a stop sign at U.S. 51 and collided with an International tractor-trailer traveling north on the highway...

Crew members of the tugboat Holy Angel are being called heroes after rescuing a 22-year-old Cape Girardeau man from the Mississippi River south of Cape Girardeau. The rescue took place about 7 a.m. Thursday. Gordon Putzke of Excell Marine Corp., the company that owns the tugboat that was pushing cement barges owned by Buzzi Unicem, said the crew saw a man holding onto a log, waving at them, at about mile 40 of the river near Thebes, Ill. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. said Thursday its fiscal fourth-quarter loss narrowed from a year ago when it absorbed hefty charge related to the sale of a Mississippi property. But its quarterly performance missed Wall Street's expectations. Shares slipped 4 cents, or 0.51 percent, to $7.84 Thursday. It shares have traded in a 52-week range of $4.75 to $8.79...

Jacque Waller's sister, and one of her triplets, raked Clay Waller over the coals after his admission of killing his wife Jacque Waller. At a Thursday hearing in which Clay Waller pleaded guilty to killing Jacque Waller and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Jacque's sister Cheryl Brenneke gave a victim-impact statement. And a recording of an angry message from Jacque and Clay Waller's son Maddox, now 7 years old, to his guilty father was played...

Clay Waller pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Waller originally had been charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the June 1, 2011, disappearance of his estranged wife, Jacque Waller, whose body was found last week in Alexander County, Ill....

Without a plea deal that will see Clay Waller serve at least 85 percent of his 20-year prison sentence, his wife Jacque Waller's body never would have been found, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh said. Limbaugh, speaking at a news conference Thursday after a hearing in which Clay Waller pleaded guilty to killing Jacque Waller on June 1, 2011, said his office consulted with the family before making the deal. He also said Clay Waller will likely serve the entire sentence.

Cape Girardeau County 4-H Members attended State 4-H Congress in Columbia on May 29-31, 2013. Those attending were: L-R Front Row: Bridgett Schumer, Chelsea Seyer, Julie Aufdenberg, Belinda Strack, and Gail Lichtenegger- Chaperone. L-R Back Row: Jim Lichtenegger- Chaperone, Emily Todt, Blake Kasten, Andrew Aufdenberg, Morgan Bangert, Nathan Aufdenberg, Sarah Wichern and Dustin Oehl...

The father of the one who was lost stood before a crowded room Thursday. "She thought she could control him," said Stan Rawson of his daughter, Jacque Waller. "It was a big mistake. She couldn't." During a news conference after the admission by Clay Waller that he killed his estranged wife, and a 20-year sentence was laid upon him, Jacque Waller's family and the teams of law enforcement who brought her murderer to justice recounted their experiences...

Bill Johns is a teacher, so you'd imagine that there wouldn't be much that could shock him into speechlessness. But that's exactly what happened recently when he met Frank Robinson, president of Robinson Construction Company in Perryville. "I've been working closely with the Robinson Construction staff for the last few years," said Johns, who is the welding instructor at Perryville Area Career and Technology Center at Perry County School District 32...

Local Girl Scouts troops may have to travel a bit farther to earn their camping and nature badges. The Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland board of directors may vote to divest itself of 10 properties, including Camp Latonka and Sacagawea East Program Center...

Cardinal nest found outside our bedroom window while my sister was visiting.

Chad Meyer McCormick, son of Nancy and Jerry Bledsoe of Kelso, MO, received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He will complete his residency at the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics in Internal Medicine-Pediatrics. Dr. McCormick is an alumnus of Notre Dame High School and SEMO University...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- A southeast Missouri business that makes chrome-plated plastic auto parts is receiving state aid to train its employees. Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday that Missouri is providing up to $809,000 of job training services for 350 employees at SRG Global in Portageville. He says the training incentives are part of a $4.2 million capital investment by the company...

The investigation continues into a shooting last week that killed two members of a Cape Girardeau family and left a third in the hospital with gunshot wounds, a police spokesman said. Mary Joseph, 57, and her son, Matthew, 18, were found shot to death May 30 in their home at 1220 West Cape Rock Drive...

WASHINGTON -- The government is secretly collecting the telephone records of millions of U.S. customers of Verizon under a top-secret court order, according to the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Obama administration is defending the National Security Agency's need to collect such records, but critics are calling it a huge overreach...

Today is Friday, June 7, the 158th day of 2013. There are 207 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed to the Continental Congress a resolution stating "That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown."...

The third time proves to be the charm, as voters approve a 48-cent property tax increase to benefit the Cape Girardeau Public Schools; the measure, which failed twice before, is approved by a more than 500-vote margin. First-round approval was given by the City Council last night to a revised 1988-89 municipal budget that reflects budget cuts totaling $232,000; with budget revisions, the total budget is $18.5 million...

Son to Damian Earl Walls and Shelbi Ashtyn Taylor Keys of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Hospital, 10:32 a.m. Monday, May 27, 2013. Name, Blaize Earl Gregory. Weight, 7 pounds, 4 ounces. First child. Ms. Keys is the daughter of Tammi Withrow of Mt. Vernon, Ill., and Gregg Keys of Sherwood, Ark. Walls is the son of Bobby Walls of Campbell, Mo. He is employed by Sonic in Cape Girardeau...

Wanda I. Martin, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 10, 1925, in Cape Girardeau to Melvin and Bertha Brase. She and Albert Martin were married Oct. 7, 1942, in Perryville, Mo. He preceded her in death in 2005...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Constance V. Booth, 89, of Perryville died Thursday, June 6, 2013, at Independence Care Center of Perry County. Burial private for the family. Young and Sons Funeral Home provided the arrangements.

PHILADELPHIA -- A dying Pennsylvania girl has been placed on the adult waiting list for donated lungs amid a court fight over the nation's transplant rules. She received help from a judge who granted another petition Thursday from a boy at the same hospital...

MIAMI -- The first named storm of the Atlantic season pelted Florida's Gulf Coast with rain and wind Thursday as it edged toward the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, promising sloppy commutes and waterlogged vacation getaways. Tropical Storm Andrea was not expected to strengthen into a hurricane but it already had generated numerous tornadoes in Florida, and forecasters warned it could cause isolated flooding and storm surge before it loses its steam over the next two days...

WASHINGTON -- A debate is raging among investors and analysts: Has the Federal Reserve inflated a stock market bubble by driving interest rates to record lows? The answer, according to economists surveyed by The Associated Press: No. Three-quarters of the economists say stocks, at their lowest point in a month but up 19 percent since November, aren't overvalued. ...

BEIRUT -- Austria announced it is withdrawing 377 U.N. peacekeepers from the Golan Heights after Syrian rebels briefly overran a crossing point near the border with Israel on Thursday -- a development that has deepened concerns the civil war is spreading to neighboring countries...

Vernon Biehle, 79, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Biehle, Mo., died Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardea. He was born Feb. 27, 1934, in Biehle, to Herbert Herman and Irma Katherine Ernst Biehle. Vernon was an Army veteran and also served in the National Guard...

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's prime minister was walking a political tightrope Thursday as he headed home from a four-day trip abroad to face massive anti-government protests that have mushroomed to dozens of cities across the country. Speaking before leaving Tunisia to fly back to Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan attempted a balancing act. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Saying he has "dug as deep as he could," a St. Louis alderman sent a letter to constituents asking them to help pay for his daughter's college education. A day after The St. Louis Post-Dispatch obtained the letter and reported on it, however, Freeman Bosley Sr., 78, says he will return any donations that are sent as a result of his request...

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie named a longtime loyal colleague, state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, to temporarily fill the U.S. Senate seat Thursday that opened up this week after Frank Lautenberg's death. Chiesa, 47, has never held or run for political office and will not seek the office in an October special election to fill the seat for a longer period, Christie said...

WASHINGTON -- An Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the agency's latest scandal told lawmakers Thursday that an expensive conference in 2010 conformed to existing rules, though he acknowledged it was not the best use of taxpayer money...

It's a Hollywood script no one would believe. Season after season, coming close but never winning the big game -- until the coach's very last game. Last month Oran baseball became state champions. The Eagles defeated the Santa Fe Chiefs on May 29 in the Class 1 championship. The final score was 8-4...

A big thank you to all public places, restaurants, hospitals, doctor offices, etc. for having a wastebasket near their bathroom doors. Why wash your hands only to touch a dirty door knob? Should you see a paper towel near a wastebasket on the floor where someone missed, that could be me, as it doesn't make sense to open a dirty door with clean hands. Thank you...

On behalf of the Friends of Fort D, I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who supported Fort D Historic Site on May 25-27 during the Fort D Days Timeline event. Fifty-six re-enactors representing eras of history from the 18th to 20th centuries, 1,200 visitors from the states of Mississippi, Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota, Utah, Illinois and Missouri, a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Cape Girardeau, and the beautiful weather made this fifth celebration of Fort D Days a huge success.. ...

The deadline to submit your nomination for the Southeast Missourian's Spirit of America Award is Thursday. Readers in Cape Girardeau, Perry, Bollinger, Stoddard and Scott counties in Missouri, and Union, Pulaski and Alexander counties in Illinois are invited to submit nominations. ...

You are hereby ordered to hug your cat As a rule, I take the law seriously. We are a nation of laws. Without laws -- and the systems to uphold those laws -- we would be in a fine pickle. By the way, "a fine pickle" is not found in many law books. A lot of good stuff, I've found, has been omitted from our law books. The plain fact is I can't do anything about that...

Ray Tollison regularly stays up until 2 a.m. working at his company's headquarters -- his Fort Collins, Colo., basement -- while his business partners sleep. They need it. Tollison's two partners in A Monster to Love, a company that makes plush monsters, are his twin sons, Sam and Ben, 11...

The public is invited to bring ideas to an open house at Trail of Tears State Park on Sunday. Sponsored by Missouri State Parks, the event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. The park has completed many projects and renovations in the last year, and representatives from the park will be on hand to provide information about the facilities and answer questions. ...

Today Jackson's parks department kicks off the first of its four-concert series called Rock in the Rock Garden with a 7:30 p.m. performance by singer/songwriter Doug E. Rees. All concerts are free and take place in the Rock Garden at Jackson City Park. Other performances are Corinne Chapman on June 14, Bruce Zimmerman on June 21 and John Latini on June 28. Call 573-204-8848 for more information...

The Scott County Senior Legion baseball team fell into the consolation bracket of the Fighting Squirrel Baseball Classic with an 8-1 loss to the Charleston Senior Babe Ruth team Thursday in first-round action in Charleston, Mo. Brad Potts posted the win for Charleston, while Brent Forck took the loss for Scott County...

Several area girls received recognition on the 2013 Class 2 Girls Soccer Southeast Region team which was announced recently. Sarah Lawrence, a senior defender from Notre Dame, was named the region's Defensive Player of the Year and was one of four Bulldogs named to the All-Region team...

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will present "Pushing the Envelope: Alex Paulus and Jake Wells" through June 29. Solo exhibits by both artists will be featured, including three sculptures by Wells that explore the light and a collection of colorful 2D paintings by Paulus...

Cardinals rookie Miller hit his first home run in his seventh win of the season

Southeast Missouri State sophomore Blake Carter became the Redhawks' second track & field All-American in two days. Carter earned his third school record this year and finished 10th in the long jump Thursday night at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore...

A handful of players from across the river in Illinois are making major contributions for the Cape Ford and Sons Post 63 Senior Legion baseball team. Ryan Ochoa, who played for the Shawnee (Ill.) high school team that placed third in the Illinois Class 1A state tournament last week, started on the mound and got the win for Post 63 Thursday afternoon in the team's opening game of the Fighting Squirrel Baseball Classic at the Notre Dame baseball field...

I would like to say to the family of Jacque Waller that they should read Psalms 121:7-8. It will comfort you. I wonder why somebody doesn't open up a decent dress shop in Cape Girardeau? I'm so sick trying to find a dress when all the shops only have dresses for young people that show half of their bodies...

One of Cape Girardeau's newest businesses is getting in on the First Friday art scene. The West Bank Bistro, a renovated coffee shop and restaurant located at 340 S. Lorimier St., opened for business in December. The owner of the bistro, Kevin Priester, said he didn't realize that much time had gone by since the opening...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Scott Vangilder conducts the Jackson Municipal Band, Thursday, June 6, 2013, at the Jackson City Park band shell. ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI The Department of Public Safety at Southeast Missouri State University released the following item:...

WASHINGTON -- America as a whole has regained all the household wealth it lost to the Great Recession and then some, thanks to higher stock and home prices. The average household still has a long way to go. The Federal Reserve said Thursday that U.S. household wealth jumped $3 trillion to $70.3 trillion in the January-to-March quarter this year...

The Scott County Commission wants Scott County residents to know about the free Scrap Tire Collection program being conducted through June 29. According to a news release issued by the commission, scrap tires can be brought to the Scott County Highway Department, at 497 Charleston St. ...

U.S. 60 in Stoddard County reduced for pavement repairs Eastbound U.S. 60 in Stoddard County, from Route F to Route AD, will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews repair pavement. The workn will begin at 6 a.m. Tuesday, and the road should reopen by 3 p.m. Wednesday...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded several contracts for Southeast District projects during its meeting June 5. The work contracts included sidewalk improvements, guardrail and guard cable repair, and adding signs for the Trans-American Bike Trail. ...

LOS ANGELES -- As a teenager, Esther Williams dreamed of Olympic glory on the U.S. swim team. She had to settle instead for becoming a movie star. The self-described "Million Dollar Mermaid," whose wholesome beauty, shapely figure and aquatic skills launched an entire genre of movies -- the Technicolor "aqua musicals" -- died Thursday at 91. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Flooding and concerns about water quality have prompted the closings of several public swimming beaches in Missouri, including one in the region. The Department of Natural Resources says tests found high levels of bacteria at the day-use beach at Harry S. ...

O Lord God, may those in turmoil experience your perfect peace. Amen.

Cindy Ford of Cape Girardeau carded her first hole-in-one Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. Ford used a 9-iron to ace No. 8, a par 3 playing 110 yards. Witnesses were Lorrie Edwards and Tracy Blattner. Shelly Bohn of Kelso recorded her first hole-in-one Wednesday at Kimbeland Country Club...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- The city of Columbia will spend $326,000 to repair the former home of pioneering ragtime composer J.W. "Blind" Boone. The Columbia Missourian (bit.ly/112x20F ) reports the City Council approved the funding this week to renovate the interior and build a garden at the downtown building...

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- History professors from Kansas and Missouri will be among panelists this month at the Dole Institute of Politics at a conference focused on the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Military experts from Fort Leavenworth's Command and General Staff College also will be part of the institute's "Gettysburg 150" event June 20 at the University of Kansas...

AURORA, Mo. (AP) -- A southwest Missouri church that is more than 100 years old will have its last service this Sunday. The First Christian Church in downtown Aurora will close its doors because of a dwindling congregation. KYTV-TV reports (http://bit.ly/190rkEl ) the congregation was formed 142 years ago and has been worshipping in its current church for 105 of those years...

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) -- Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday praised slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, saying that the black activist's vision and leadership helped make it possible for Holder and President Barack Obama to rise to the positions they now hold...

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) -- Veterans of the 1944 Normandy landings gathered Thursday at the site of history's largest amphibious invasion for a day of ceremonies marking D-Day's 69th anniversary. Around two dozen US vets, some in their old uniforms pinned with medals, stood and saluted during a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial overlooking Omaha Beach, where a U.S. ...

The Mississippi River is now expected to crest today at Cape Girardeau, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. The river is predicted to crest at 7 p.m. and reach 45 feet, the eighth highest level on record, before it begins to fall. Flood stage on the Cape Girardeau gauge is 32 feet...

PHILADELPHIA -- Searchers combing through the debris of a collapsed building and the remains of a damaged Salvation Army thrift store pulled a woman from the rubble late Wednesday, a glimmer of hope after officials said at least six people had been killed and 13 others injured...

The St. Louis Cardinals selected Gonzaga Bulldogs left-hander Marco Gonzales with the No. 19 pick in the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft. Gonzales was a two-way player in his three years with the Bulldogs -- splitting time between pitching and playing first base -- but his future is on the mound. The southpaw was 7-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 17 starts for Gonzaga this past spring, striking out 96 batters in 106 innings...

Just a beautiful sunset.

Today is Saturday, June 8, the 159th day of 2013. There are 206 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On June 8, 1953, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that restaurants in the District of Columbia could not refuse to serve blacks. Eight tornadoes struck Michigan's Lower Peninsula, killing 126 people, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; most of the deaths were caused by an extremely powerful twister in Flint...

The mainline Burlington Northern Railroad track between St. Louis and Memphis is expected to be reopened today following a 23-car derailment yesterday six miles north of Cape Girardeau; no one was injured and no loss of hazardous materials was involved...

Betty J. Francis, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 2, 2013, at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, Mo. She was born March 12, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, to Jesse and Sydney Sutherland Todd. She married Vohn Francis on July 5, 1950. He preceded her in death Sept. 9, 1991...

Clay Waller still was being held in the Cape Girardeau County Jail in Jackson on Friday, but he will likely be transferred back into the custody of federal authorities sometime this week before he heads to state prison for his second-degree murder conviction in the death of his estranged wife, Jacque Waller, Sheriff John Jordan said...

Governor Pat Quinn today announced a $1.29 million contract for a road project near Cairo. The project involves patching and resurfacing on 3.5 miles of Illinois 3/U.S. 51 from nine-tenths of a mile west of Interstate 57 to 34th Street in Cairo. The project is part of Quinn's agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois' economy forward...

COBDEN, Ill. -- A traffic fatality at U.S. 51 and Bell Hill Road in Cobden is attributed to failing to obey a stop sign. According to Illinois State Police trooper Michael Usher, Cristian R. Godinez, 17, of Cobden, was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital after his GMC truck collided with an International tractor-trailer Thursday afternoon. ...

PIKE COUNTY, Ill. -- A 43-year-old Perryville, Mo., man suffered serious injuries Thursday afternoon when the motorcycle he was driving struck a deer at mile marker 19 on Interstate 72 in Pike County. Timothy R. Underwood was listed in critical condition in a St. Louis hospital at noon Friday...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Dispatchers at the 911 center in Charleston actually did call the sheriff first. During the Mississippi County Commission meeting May 30, Sheriff Keith Moore said protocol was not followed by dispatchers during a May 27 call of a fisherman reported missing from his boat on Upper Big Lake. Moore said the sheriff's office was not contacted initially...

Multiple businesses along Broadway in Cape Girardeau were burglarized late Wednesday into early Thursday, but police aren't saying yet if the crimes are connected. Between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. Thursday, police received reports of six burglaries in and near the 1800 block of Broadway, said police spokesman Darin Hickey. ...

One man was critically injured after an early morning shooting Friday in Cape Girardeau, and police said several people were detained for questioning. Cape Girardeau Police Department public information officer Darin Hickey said officers were called to a home at 1467 Kingsway Drive about 2:40 a.m. Friday after a neighbor reported shots fired...

The Cape Girardeau School Board on Thursday approved a new salary schedule for the upcoming school year in an ongoing effort to bring teacher pay in line with other districts. The district has been transitioning between two salary schedules since 2009. Frozen steps and large gaps between the highest and lowest salaries were unfavorable aspects of the old schedule...

The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 Senior American Legion baseball team saw its impressive tournament run hit a major road block Saturday at Notre Dame Regional High School. Perennial Legion powerhouse Festus Post 253 routed Cape 13-0 in five innings in the semifinals of the 16-team Charleston Fighting Squirrel Baseball Classic...

Newly elected 8th Congressional District Rep. Jason Smith participated in his first meetings on the job Friday in Cape Girardeau. He began his morning at the First Friday Coffee with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce before meeting with members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District...

Steve Hedke, who lives north of Los Angeles, and his wife, Janet, first took part in The Great Race in 1999 and have been back every year since. Hedke said the precision race that includes about 100 vintage cars requires great concentration and teamwork. That precision can pay off. The winner takes home $50,000...

ROCKVIEW, Mo. -- The National Transportation Safety Board on Friday reported a Union Pacific train may have sped through a stop signal before it crashed into a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train in a derailment last month near Rockview. According to the preliminary report, the UP train was traveling about 49 miles per hour when it struck the side of the BNSF train, which was traveling about 22 miles per hour. ...

A Cape Girardeau man was charged Friday with two counts of first-degree murder after police say he shot his wife and son as they slept in their beds and then attempted to take his own life. George Edwin Joseph, 48, was arrested Friday after being released from a St. Louis hospital where he was recovering from a self-inflicted wound to his forehead...

Pete's Blues is poised to win its unprecedented third straight Kelso Klassic title after taking down the host squad in Saturday night's winners bracket semifinals. Pete's Blues defeated Kelso Fastpitch 8-4 to move into today's noon winners bracket final of the 29th annual double-elimination men's fastpitch softball tournament at Kelso City Park...

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- A day for which so many who loved her waited so long for came and went Saturday when Jacque Sue Rawson Waller finally was laid to rest. Hundreds turned out for her visitation, funeral and burial in Park Hills, not far from where she grew up, lived and spent her last days with her then-5-year-old triplets before her death June 1, 2011...

By MARK SCHMETZER Associated Press CINCINNATI -- Three Mat Latos starts against St. Louis. Three Cincinnati Reds wins -- their only wins against the Cardinals this season. That's the record after Latos turned in seven solid innings and the Reds broke out of their slump with a 4-2 win over St. Louis on Saturday night...

Southeast Missouri State University Art Academy Workshops - Summer 2013 The Art Academy Workshops are engaging and fun learning experiences in a wide variety of media designed to enrich one's personal vision for ages 6 through adult. All the workshops, except Mural at the Mall, are held in the Southeast Missouri State University Art Studios under the guidance of experienced and highly qualified master art instructors and art professors. ...

The Plaza Tire Capahas, after winning their first three games at home, hit the road for the first time over the weekend. Manager Jess Bolen's squad showed no ill effects from traveling to the St. Louis area for three contests. The Capahas remained undefeated, routing the St. Louis Bulls 10-0 Friday night and sweeping a doubleheader from perennial power Waterloo (Ill.) Saturday afternoon 6-5 and 7-4...

Sophomore Reggie Miller Jr. missed out on All-American honors by one spot Friday night as the Southeast Missouri State track & field program concluded its run at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. Miller tied for 17th in the high jump with a height of 6 feet, 10 3/4 inches...

Today is Sunday, June 9, the 160th day of 2013. There are 205 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 9, 1973, Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes, becoming horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. On this date:...

HERE ARE THE OUT OF THE PAST TRIVIA QUESTIONS FROM WHICH TO CHOOSE FOR SUNDAY, June 9. Out of the Past trivia covering the week of June 2-8. Q: What new Cape Girardeau business was opened June 2, 1963, by Charles L. Robert, James and Jerry Drury? A: Holiday Inn (Ref: June 2)...

Kenny and Carol Weinrich of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Abigail Lauren Weinrich, to Jason David Cheney. He is the son of David and Donna Cheney of Gladstone, Mo. Weinrich is a 2004 graduate of Jackson High School. She is a 2008 graduate of Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, Calif., and a 2009 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is senior education consultant with Sephora at JCPenney in Overland Park, Kan...

Richard and Kelly Irvin of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Elyssa Rae Irvin, to Marshall Alan Glaus. He is the son of Doug and Sandy Glaus of Scott City. Irvin attended Scott City High School and College of the Ozarks. She is employed at Montgomery Bank in Sikeston, Mo...

Jack and Pauline Bess of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary May 30, 2013. They were married May 30, 1942, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The couple formerly lived in Dexter, Mo., and Florida. They have a son, Jerry Bess of Bloomfield, Mo., four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren...

The summer is underway, and children ages 6 through 12 are already enjoying the opportunities for fun, physical fitness and learning at the summer camps at Saint Francis Medical Center's Fitness Plus. The camps, which began May 20, are running in weekly sessions at Fitness Plus, 150 S. Mount Auburn Road, until Aug. 9. And they are so popular that they were fully registered back in April...

The indigo bunting is a small migratory songbird. It winters in southern Mexico, Central America and the islands of the Gulf of Mexico. During the warm months its range extends north as far as parts of southern Canada and into the southwestern U.S. as far as Arizona. ...

NEW YORK -- Even as fast-food chains tout their healthy offerings, they're also coming up with fatty new treats to keep customers interested. Case in point: Dunkin' Donuts is adding a doughnut breakfast sandwich to its national menu this week. The sandwich, which comes with fried eggs and bacon between a split glazed doughnut, will become a part of the permanent menu starting Friday, which the chain claims is "National Donut Day." Dunkin' Donuts had tested the sandwich in select stores in eastern Massachusetts in April, creating considerable buzz online.. ...

The Discovery Playhouse is bringing Wheeled Wonders Fun Fest, a family-focused fundraiser, to West Park Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 15. The event will be in the southwest parking lot of West Park Mall. Admission is $3 per person. For more information, call the Discovery Playhouse at 335-7529 or visit discoveryplayhouse.org...

Named for the Roman goddess of marriage, June has traditionally been the most popular month for weddings, a time when prospective brides and grooms might hear swirling in their heads the lyrics to a popular Frank Sinatra tune:"Love and marriage, love and marriage,...

For many months I tried to do this recipe column with a theme making all of the recipes a variation of a popular recipe. It seemed to be very popular and I received many comments that people liked the recipe variations. Now, the past few weeks I have just done a variety of recipes, whatever you send in or whatever I find that sounds interesting. Let me know what you like to see in this column and of course, send in your favorite recipes to share with other avid recipe collectors...

Ninja is 10 weeks old and looking for his forever home. For more information, call The Humane Society at 334-5837. ...

Thunder is a very handsome orange and white kitty who is a very affectionate fellow. He craves attention and loves to be petted. Come and visit him in person. For more information, call Safe Harbor at 243-9823. ...

Pet Name: Bodie Owners: Ashley Gilman and Lance Cotner Favorite activity: Chillin'. ...

My favorite time of day is dusk, when the light outside is softer and the sun is leaving hairpin wisps of neon pink and orange in the sky. The breeze blows the air cooler and even the birds, insects and tree frogs seem to feel freer and unburdened. This time of day allows me to be free with God to dream, unburden myself, and feel his presence. I can just be, and it's a glorious time to be part of his creation...

Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau will change its regular services today with a performance by the Church of the Resurrection Inspiration Singers youth choir. The choir consists of 44 middle and high school students who travel from their native church in Leawood, Kan., every June on an eight-day tour to share their faith and music. ...

NEW YORK -- Oh the pull of that elusive reservation at the hot new restaurant. And double-oh the sweet and fatty decadence of a well-made dessert. Combine the two foodie emotions and you've got the Cronut. There's a frenzy goin' on -- Manhattan style -- for the croissant-doughnut hybrid that went on sale in limited quantities about three weeks ago at the tiny downtown shop of French chef Dominique Ansel...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Beef tenderized by machines before it is sold in grocery stores could soon carry labels warning customers to cook the meat thoroughly. The Agriculture Department on Thursday proposed to require the new package labels and cooking instructions on the meat, which is poked with needles or blades to increase tenderness...

By Gary Clotheir Question: My family will be traveling to London this summer and would like to go to the Globe Theatre. Is this the original theater? Are shows performed? K.W.E., Elmira, N.Y. Answer: On Dec. 28, 1599, during the reign of Elizabeth I, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the theater company to which Shakespeare belonged, opened the original Globe Theatre. ...

My approach to food is pretty simple. I firmly believe that if you can eat it, you can grill it. When I wrote my first cookbook, I compiled my favorite grilled foods. Some were familiar, but some seemed pretty crazy back in 2005! Of those crazy foods, grilled romaine lettuce remains one of my favorites. And I'm not alone. Today, it is so popular it's on restaurant menus all over the place, a sure sign that Americans have embraced the idea that a salad can be grilled...

PHILADELPHIA -- A string quartet from The Philadelphia Orchestra made a lengthy flight delay quite enjoyable for a plane full of lucky passengers in China. Two violinists, a cellist and a viola player were aboard a flight that was delayed for three hours Friday on the tarmac in Beijing. ...

Stan and Ruby Rawson held a funeral for their daughter Saturday. We can't begin to imagine what they have been through in the last two years, nevermind the last two weeks. The same goes for Jacque Waller's triplet children, and their half-brother; and Jacque's sister, Cheryl Brenneke, as well...

I've been doing a lot of reading lately and the following are some excerpts and comments from a few of my readings. In a comparison with countries around the world, it's not a very comforting position to see that the U.S. ranks high in taxes with a basically stagnated GDP...

BENTON, Mo. -- A Southeast Missouri man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a 2012 traffic accident that killed a Sikeston woman. Mark Lee Jobe, 47, of Sikeston also pleaded guilty Thursday to driving while intoxicated-aggravated offender. Jobe had three previous alcohol-related convictions...

O Lord Jesus, may we boldly proclaim the good news of salvation through you. Amen.

ST. LOUIS -- The National Weather Service said storms that recently ravaged the St. Louis area and portions of neighboring Illinois spawned nine tornadoes, but caused no serious injuries. KMOV-TV reported some of the worst destruction resulted from an EF3 twister that hit parts of Missouri's St. Charles and St. Louis counties before clipping St. Louis city...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- An association of Missouri cities on Friday urged Gov. Jay Nixon to veto legislation limiting their ability to regulate cellphone towers, citing concerns that a proliferation of unsightly structures near homes or historic town squares could hurt local property values...

Son to Joshua Lynn and Erica Lynn Huffman of Scott City, Southeast Hospital, 4:31 p.m. Thursday, May 30, 2013. Name, Lucas Stephen. Weight, 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Huffman is the former Erica Mathews, daughter of Tammy Mathews of Grovetown, Ga., and Dennis Mathews of Scott City. Huffman is the son of Stephen Huffman and Daphene Huffman of Thebes, Ill. He is employed by Luhr Bros...

WASHINGTON -- Eager to quell a domestic furor over U.S. spying, the nation's top intelligence official stressed Saturday that a previously undisclosed program for tapping into Internet usage is authorized by Congress, falls under strict supervision of a secret court and cannot intentionally target a U.S. citizen. He decried the revelation of that and another intelligence-gathering program as reckless...

I heard on the news that Gosnell was found guilty of murder for allowing three infants to be born alive and killed with scissors. I don't get it. There's no difference from killing them inside or outside the womb. What is the difference? I travel Mount Auburn Road on a daily basis. The property by Hopper Road across from Ford and Sons funeral home looks bad. Are there plans to clean it up and make it less of an eyesore?...

A funeral service for Vera Seabaugh of Sedgewickville, Mo., and a memorial service for her grandson, Stacey Wayne Stone of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The Rev. Donny Ford will officiate. Interment will be in Pulliam Cemetery in Mayfield, Mo...

ORAN, Mo. -- Morgan Nicole Kinder, 5, of Oran passed away Saturday, June 8, 2013, at her family home. Morgan was born Sept. 6, 2007, in Cape Girardeau to Kristin Nicole Hobbs and Aaron P. Kinder. She was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran. Morgan loved to spend time at Uncle Ryan's house on Kentucky Lake, and she loved "everything princess" and big green tractors...

Dean Galloway, 75, of Jackson died Friday, June 7, 2013, at his home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. James Schultz officiating. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery in Tilsit...

Betty J. Francis, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 2, 2013, at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, Mo. She was born March 12, 1926, in Cape Girardeau to Jesse and Sydney Sutherland Todd. She married Vohn Francis July 5, 1950. He preceded her in death Sept. 9, 1991...

Jeanette Estes, 95, of Jackson died Friday, June 7, 2013, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home. Arrangements are incomplete at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Vivian Swindell DeLong, 86, of Jefferson City died Saturday, June 8, 2013, at St. Joseph's Bluffs. She was born April 9, 1927, in Detroit, a daughter of the late Buel and Mildred Swindell. She was a graduate of Zalma High School in Zalma, Mo...

Dr. David Stewart, a geophysicist at Southeast Missouri State University, has been named the head of the Central United States Earthquake Consortium, based in Marion, Ill. A recaulked Capaha Park swimming pool opens following a weeklong delay necessitated by repairs to the almost 31-year-old facility; the pool originally was scheduled to open June 2, but the opening was delayed after a serious water leak was discovered...

A group of seven Southeast Missouri State University students and Dr. Tom Holman prolonged coming home from a rigorous 10-day trip to lend support to disaster relief efforts in Moore, Okla., two days after a tornado ravaged the area. The group left Colorado May 22 after spending a week and a half gaining experience for an outdoor adventure class. ...

BEIRUT -- A suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car Saturday in Syria's central city of Homs, tearing through an area largely populated by the regime's Alawite sect and killing seven people, a state-owned TV station reported. Meanwhile, government troops took control of a key village as the regime presses its offensive to clear a path between Damascus and the Mediterranean coast...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A man in an Afghan army uniform turned his weapon on American trainers working with him in the country's east Saturday, killing three of them, while an attacker with a grenade killed an Italian soldier in the west, officials said...

TEKANI, Bangladesh -- Twice a year, buses filled with garment workers come rumbling into Tekani, shaking the houses made of mud and tin, and alerting villagers that their loved ones are home for the holidays. Wearing new outfits bought specially for the Muslim Eid festival, and boasting of a regular income, they cut a striking image of success in a village where most own no land, have no steady jobs and are among the poorest people in one of the poorest regions of one of the world's poorest countries.. ...

ANKARA, Turkey -- Police in Ankara fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse thousands of people protesting near government buildings Saturday as Turkey's biggest wave of anti-government protests in decades entered its second week with no signs of waning...

CAIRO -- Liberal-minded Egyptians and supporters of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood now share one thing: the rival sides are closely following protests in Turkey, a country that has provided the heavily polarized and increasingly impoverished Egyptians with a tantalizing model for marrying Islamist government with a secular establishment and achieving prosperity along the way...

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africans on Saturday said their thoughts were with former president Nelson Mandela, who was in "serious but stable" condition after being taken to a hospital to be treated for a recurring lung infection. Mandela, who is 94 years old, was treated in a hospital several times in recent months, with the last discharge coming on April 6 after doctors diagnosed him with pneumonia and drained fluid from his lung area. ...

NEW YORK -- The first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season smashed rainfall totals across the Northeast, pushing some streams and creeks over their banks but causing no major damage. A weakened Andrea shifted away from New England on Saturday with winds gusting up to 45 mph. The storm was expected to reach Canadian waters by today...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The U.S. Supreme Court says women in America can terminate a pregnancy and every citizen has an individual right to own a firearm, but those rulings have done little to settle political arguments over abortion and guns. The result is an uneven medley of state laws, which means how you can exercise those constitutional rights depends where you live, and the differences often turn on whether a state is run by Democrats or Republicans...

WASHINGTON -- Memo to supporters of bipartisan legislation moving to the Senate floor: Make sure you stress that immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally would have to work, learn English, pass a background check and, especially, pay taxes before they could gain citizenship...

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- President Barack Obama used an unusually lengthy and informal desert summit to present Chinese President Xi Jingping with detailed evidence of intellectual property theft emanating from his country, as a top U.S. official declared Saturday that cybersecurity is at the "center of the relationship" between the world's largest economies...

PHILADELPHIA -- A heavy equipment operator with a lengthy rap sheet who is accused of being high on marijuana when a downtown building collapsed onto a thrift store, killing six people, surrendered Saturday to face charges in the deaths, police said...

DAYTON, Iowa -- Residents of a small Iowa city and its surrounding communities said Saturday they're saddened at the discovery of a body in a river believed to be that of a 15-year-old girl who was abducted more than two weeks ago. Along streets and businesses in Dayton, purple ribbons on trees, plants and utility poles signified hope for finding Kathylnn Shepard alive...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- The gunman who went on a chaotic rampage killing four people before being fatally shot by police at a college campus planned the attack and was capable of firing 1,300 rounds of ammunition, the police chief said Saturday...

The Jackson Fire Department responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

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

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Tuesday: The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Thursday:...

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

LOS ANGELES -- Richard Ramirez, the demonic serial killer known as the Night Stalker who left satanic signs at murder scenes and mutilated victims' bodies during a reign of terror in the 1980s, died Friday in a hospital, a prison official said...

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift. First go and be reconciled to them. Then go and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24) When I first started out in the pastorate, there were two very diligent servants of Christ in that church who disliked one another. ...

A Perryville, Mo., teenager pleaded not guilty to first-degree statutory rape and second-degree child molestation last week in St. Francois County Circuit Court. In addition to the St. Francois County charges, Austin Luye, 18, has been charged with seven counts of first-degree statutory rape and two counts of child molestation in Perry County...

Twelve hours of continuous music to help victims of the May 20 tornado in Moore, Okla., is scheduled for Wednesday at Schnucks Supermarket in Cape Girardeau. The event, "Music for Moore," is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature area performers playing near the entrance of Schnucks, 19 S. Kings-highway...

A schedule with highlights including a touring production of "West Side Story," a student production of "Legally Blonde" and the granddaughter of Baron and Maria von Trapp has been announced for the 2013-2014 Southeast Missouri State University River Campus season...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The citizen committee appointed by the Perryville Board of Aldermen to make recommendations about how the city selects its police chief is mulling three options before it presents its final decision to city officials. The committee was formed two months after former police chief Keith Tarrillion's March 13 resignation, tendered amid allegations of misconduct...

People in the 1200 block of North Spanish Street awakened Sunday to an evacuation order as police investigated a car bomb in front of a residence. David Wayne Salzmann, 44, was charged with assault of a law enforcement officer, unlawful possession of a weapon and violation of an order of protection after he detonated an explosive device inside a white Cadillac parked in front of his estranged wife's house, the Cape Girardeau Police Department reported...

CINCINNATI -- The St. Louis Cardinals passed two tests with their first extra-innning win of the season. With the best offense in the National League and the second best pitching staff, the Cardinals have rarely had to play from behind. They erased a pair of two-run deficits in a 10-inning, 11-4 win...

We were lucky to see a rainbow during our drive through Cades Cove in Smoky Mountain National Park.

My children, Phillip and Anna, are looking at the jellyfish tank at Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, TN.

Editor's note: The following story has been edited to correct the title for Ken Eftink. Cape Girardeau's public works director Tim Gramling said two sinkholes on South Sprigg Street, near LaCroix Creek, continue to grow. A sinkhole in the creek is causing water to flood into the nearby Buzzi Unicem quarry...

Snoopy 2's ground crew prep the blimp. It was on the ground at KCGI for about 30 minutes before it's departure toward it's next stop, Alton, Illinois.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Crayola announced a new program for recycling its plastic markers, a move that comes about a year after a group of schoolchildren petitioned the crayon maker to start such a program. Crayola, a subsidiary of Kansas City-based Hallmark Cards, said under its ColorCycle program, students in kindergarten through 12th grade can collect used plastic markers, box them up and send them to a recycling facility. Crayola will pay the shipping costs...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Several thousand online messages have piled up as Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon considers what to do with recently passed legislation that would bolster gun rights. Many of the messages urge Nixon to sign the legislation, saying it provides important protections of Missourians' rights. Some suggest he should veto the law, raising concerns about the potential ramifications...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Tax cuts were a top priority this year for a supermajority of Republican lawmakers who wanted to let Missouri families and businesses keep more of their hard-earned money. Yet those same lawmakers who passed a $700 million income tax cut also authorized numerous little-known fee increases that ultimately could cost Missourians millions of dollars...

Today is Monday, June 10, the 161st day of 2013. There are 204 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 10, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act of 1963, aimed at eliminating wage disparities based on gender. The same day, Kennedy delivered a commencement address at American University in Washington, D.C., in which he declared, "If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity."...

SANFORD, Fla. -- George Zimmerman's lead attorney will be walking a fine line as he tries to convince jurors his client didn't murder Trayvon Martin: He needs to show why Zimmerman felt threatened by the African-American teenager while avoiding the appearance that either he or his client is racist...

PORTLAND, Ore. -- On a sunny January afternoon, 12 stories above a busy street, a newly engaged 19-year-old woman jumped to her death from a spectacular arch bridge west of downtown Portland. Last month, in the middle of the night, a 40-year-old man did the same. Last week, yet another person -- a 15-year-old girl -- plunged from the span...

NEW YORK -- The suspense thriller "The Purge" topped the weekend box office with a shocking $36.4 million that doubled industry expectations, according to studio estimates Sunday. Audiences starved for a horror option flocked to the micro-budget Universal film starring Ethan Hawke. The film's strong opening performance minted another box-office hit for "Paranormal Activity" producer Jason Blum...

WASHINGTON -- The supersecret agency with the power and legal authority to gather electronic communications worldwide to hunt U.S. adversaries says it has the technical know-how to ensure it's not illegally spying on Americans. Mistakes do happen in data-sifting conducted mostly by machines, not humans. ...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy added 175,000 jobs in May -- a steady pace that shows strength in the face of tax increases and government spending cuts if not enough to reduce still-high unemployment. The unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent from 7.5 percent in April, the Labor Department said Friday. The rate rose because more people began looking for work, a healthy sign, but only about three-quarters found jobs...

With its 435 elected members and terms of only two years, the U.S. House of Representatives is intended to correspond to the political views of the country's citizens. However, due to the partisan manner in which districts are drawn, this purpose is thwarted...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- A woman who was critically wounded in the Santa Monica shooting spree died Sunday, bringing the total number of victims killed by the gunman to five. Marcela Franco, 26, died of her injuries at UCLA Medical Center, according to Santa Monica College spokeswoman Tricia Ramos...

MILWAUKEE -- Some motorcycle enthusiasts feared Keith Wandell might be the outsider who drove Harley-Davidson into the ground. Instead, he may be remembered as the guy who kept the motorcycle maker on the road. Wandell grabbed the handlebars at the motorcycle maker in the heart of the economic crisis in 2009. Harley lost $55 million that year, as buying a motorcycle stopped being an option for many consumers...

The big news has been dark news lately in Southeast Missouri. With shootings and discovered bodies grabbing the big headlines, we'd like to pause today and look at some of the good things going on in our communities. Every Thursday during the summer season we profile our area valedictorians. ...

As part of an outreach program, Attorney General William Webster opens an office in the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson. Although her husband was declared dead in 1973, Marjorie Gregory lived in hopes Lt. Col. Robert Gregory would return from Vietnam alive; those hopes ended a month ago, when the family was informed the pilot's remains were identified among the bodies of 17 servicemen returned to the United States...

The Jackson Fire Department responded to the following call Saturday:...

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

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Saturday:...

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

Leona A. King, 97, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 9, 2013 at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

W. Dean Galloway, 75, of Jackson passed away peacefully Friday, June 7, 2013, at his home. He was born Sept. 15, 1937, at Hahn, Mo., to Melvin and Lena Key Galloway. He and Carolena Muster were married Aug. 24, 1957, at St. James United Church of Christ in Tilsit. At that time, he became a member of the church and held various church offices through the years...

Office Building 1 Barton Square Jackson 9 a.m. today Pertinent address: 1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo...

If you're a fan of Southeast Missouri State athletics, you've got to be impressed by what Redhawks track & field continues to accomplish. Track & field for years has been arguably the university's most consistent sport, and this season the program again achieved at a very high level...

Two fisheries, one in western Kentucky and one planned for about 40 miles north of St. Louis, have very different business plans for the Asian carp market. What they have in common is a desire to help remove as many of the invasive fish as possible from area rivers and lakes and, in the process, help revive a troubled commercial fishing industry...

The Rolex Girls Junior Championship will display some of the world's top youth golfers

Pete's Blues ruled the Kelso Klassic for the third straight year and had a historic performance in the process. The team from Mascoutah, Ill., became the first squad to win three consecutive championships as the 29th annual 14-team men's fastpitch softball tournament ended Sunday at Kelso City Park...

Scott City grad and former Redhawk has been excelling in the Braves' system

The Poplar Bluff Senior Babe Ruth baseball team defeated Cape Ford & Sons Post 63 Senior Legion in the third-place game of the Fighting Squirrel Baseball Classic on Sunday in Charleston, Mo. Poplar Bluff posted a 7-5 victory in the contest. J.C. Chapman took the loss for Cape, which fell to 7-7. Chapman allowed four hits and seven runs -- four earned -- in six innings. He struck out six and walked four...

Union Pacific Railroad will strengthen Illinois' and Missouri's transportation infrastructure by investing more than $20 million in the rail line between Chester, Ill., and near Scott City, Mo. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific without taxpayer dollars, began May 31 and is scheduled to be completed by early November...

O Father God, may we love others as you love us. Amen.

Floodwaters continued to force detours Sunday afternoon on city streets and state highways throughout Southeast Missouri. Highway 177 north of Cape Girardeau, several streets in an industrial area south of downtown and Highway 74 near Dutchtown all remained closed Sunday afternoon as a result of flooding, and debris on roadways revealed the waters had receded from higher levels...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The last time Congress passed a farm bill, Democrats had control of the House and the food stamp program was about half the size it is today. That was five years ago. Conservatives calling for an overhaul of the domestic food aid program will try to trim the nation's nearly $80 billion grocery bill when the House weighs in on farm legislation in a few weeks. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House is creating a committee to study itself. House Speaker Tim Jones said he has formed a committee to examine the operations of the House of Representatives and recommend potential changes to the way it conducts business...

ALTON, Mo. -- Park rangers are looking for vandals who caused thousands of dollars in damage to an old mill in Mark Twain National Forest. District ranger Tim Bond said Falling Spring Mill in Oregon County was damaged last month when vandals ripped boards off the structure and threw them into a pond...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- A new engineering study of the damage caused by the May 2011 tornado that struck Joplin found no evidence it was an EF-5, as the National Weather Service found, because the city's homes and businesses weren't built to withstand wind speeds that strong, making such a determination impossible...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was hospitalized after being shot early Monday morning. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety responded about 1:30 a.m. to a call reporting a man shot in the 800 block of Mary Street. According to the department, the victim, 34, was shot twice in the abdomen at his home and was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau with non-life-threatening injuries...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff schools received more than 1,100 Apple laptop computers last week as they move forward with a digital conversion that begins in August with seventh- and eighth-grade classes. A website also is available to provide parents and residents with information on the process, which will move to the high school by the 2013-2014 school year...

The TNA Impact Wrestling World Tour will make a stop at the Show Me Center in July. Wrestlers appearing will include TNA World Heavyweight champion Bully Ray, the "Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy, Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, current X Division champion Chris Sabin and TNA Knockouts...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com ABOVE: Cyclists on the annual Remember the Removal Bike Ride roll into Ware, Ill., on Monday after riding 53 miles from Metropolis, Ill. ...

Police are investigating an apparent arson at an empty house on Benton Street. A neighbor called firefighters at 3:51 p.m. Sunday to report smoke coming from the house at 801 S. Benton St., a Cape Girardeau police officer reported Monday. Upon entering the house, firefighters found a small fire on the floor that had been deliberately set, Sgt. Jason Selzer on Monday said in an email message...

The case against a Cape Girardeau man accused of gunning down two people after a verbal altercation was continued Monday to give him time to hire a new attorney. Kenneth Bell has been charged with armed criminal action and two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Feb. 7 shooting deaths of Shannon James and Misty Cole...

A Cape Girardeau man accused of shooting his wife and son to death before turning the gun on himself will have to hire his own lawyer after a judge determined he is not eligible for a public defender. George Joseph, 48, faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action in connection with the May 30 deaths of his wife, Mary, and 18-year-old son, Matthew...

A man shot in the chest during an altercation early Friday morning in Cape Girardeau remained in critical condition at an area hospital Monday, though no charges related to the incident have been filed. Cape Girardeau Police spokesman Sgt. Jason Selzer said the man believed to have pulled the trigger so far has been cooperative and has claimed he was defending himself when the incident took place...

An early morning 5k race, mud volleyball and nighttime fireworks will be part of this year's Fourth of July Celebration in Jackson City Park. "It's going to be a fun time," said Shane Anderson, director of the Jackson Parks and Recreation Department. "We just hope that the weather will be OK."...

The community again will don its purple attire in celebration of the Relay for Life of Cape Girardeau County, to be held Friday at Arena Park. Purple is the color of cancer survivors, and local survivors will lead the way as special guests at the relay. According to Kelli Schenimann, community manager of development for the American Cancer Society Eastern Missouri Region, this is the 15th year survivors and supporters will walk to end cancer...

Highways 25 and 74 are open at Dutchtown after being closed for nearly a week as the Mississippi River continues its slow retreat from last week's flood crest. The Missouri Department of Transportation said Highway 25 reopened Sunday, and Highway 74 reopened at 9 a.m. Monday...

Andrea Lee appeared four years ago in the "Faces in the Crowd" page in Sports Illustrated after winning the San Diego Junior Championship, where she highlighted her victory with her first hole-in-one. She eliminated now professional Moriya Jutanugam of Thailand in a match-play event a couple years back...

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Monday passed a five-year, half-trillion-dollar farm bill that expands government subsidies for crop insurance, rice and peanuts while making small cuts to food stamps. The bill passed on a bipartisan 66-27 vote. The legislation, which costs almost $100 billion annually, also would eliminate subsidies that are paid to farmers whether they farm or not. ...

This woodpecker lives in a nearby tree and visits daily.

Bi-State Oil Company, 920 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, was recently recognized by the Keep Cape Beautiful Beautification Committee for their visible and measurable contributions in their beautification efforts in the city of Cape Girardeau. Pictured from left to right are Lida Mueller and Doug Austin, Beautification Committee; Scott Blank, Bi-State Oil Company; and Julia Thompson, Director, City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. ...

The Oak Ridge United Methodist Church presented the Oak Ridge R-VI Schools Foundation a check for $52,870.42. Due to the economy and small membership, it became necessary to sell the church and its contents. The remaining congregation voted to give the proceeds to the community in the form of scholarship funds to the Oak Ridge Schools Foundation. Two $750 scholarships were presented at the most recent graduation...

Vandivort Family members will begin assembling in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, July 3rd for their 54th annual Family Reunion. Descendants of Clyde and Julia Vandivort will tour their farms (Vandivort Properties, Inc.), have a business meeting, and hear Dr. ...

T-N-T Fitness In-Home Personal Training Service and Belladona's Salon and Spa are teaming up to serve the customers of Belladona's. T-N-T Fitness and Belladona's have a package called The Ultimate Body Transformation Package. This package includes everything that you would need to transform your body in 3 months...

Cory and Brittany Ross of Sikeston will be two of eleven bicyclists to ride from New Orleans to Chicago beginning July 6th and will ride through Sikeston Wednesday July 10th. The 5th annual Biking for Babies ride consists of almost 1,100 miles to be completed in eight days. ...

Ford & Sons Funeral Home, 101 N. Mount Auburn in Cape Girardeau, was recently recognized by the Keep Cape Beautiful Beautification Committee for their visible and measurable contributions in their beautification efforts in the city of Cape Girardeau. ...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The flood-swollen Mississippi River is going down, but it will be some time before things dry out. The waterway has crested from Iowa through southern Missouri and Illinois but remained above flood stage at many spots Monday. Hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland are under water and hundreds of roads remain closed...

For the second straight year, Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt and his staff will have a chance to work with their players earlier than in the past. And now Southeast women's basketball coach Ty Margenthaler can also reap the benefits of an NCAA rule that allows Division I teams eight hours a week, up to a maximum of eight weeks, to work out with players who are attending summer school. ...

Today is Tuesday, June 11, the 162nd day of 2013. There are 203 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On June 11, 1963, in one of the most shocking images of the Vietnam War era, a Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, set himself afire on a Saigon street to protest the government of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem (noh deen dyem). (The scene was captured in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken by Malcolm Browne of The Associated Press.)...

NEW YORK -- On a feel-good night for Broadway, it was only natural the Tony Award go to its most feel-good musical, the joyous "Kinky Boots." Most everything about Sunday's Tony telecast was warmhearted, from inspiring speeches about the theatrical community to the inspired antics of Neil Patrick Harris, who should officially be awarded the host job on a permanent basis...

WASHINGTON -- It's a life or death matter: Who receives the next scarce donated organ? In an unprecedented challenge to the nation's transplant system, a federal judge has allowed one dying child -- and a day later another -- to essentially jump the line in rulings that could have ramifications for thousands of people awaiting new organs...

National Men's Health Week is celebrated each year the week leading up to and including Father's Day, which is June 10-16. During this week, individuals, families, communities and others work to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems, promote healthy living and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys...

Last month a tornado killed 24 people in Moore, Okla., ravaging more than 1,200 homes. The devastation is heartbreaking. But in the weeks since the destruction, we've seen countless examples of generosity. Strangers helping those affected -- donating monetarily and through volunteer efforts...

The Sunset Motel, in operation since the early 1940s in the 1000 block of North Kingshighway, is being demolished to make room for a new business, which is expected to open on the site this winter; the new business will offer a new concept in convenience stores...

The Affordable Care Act is not working. Health care is not getting more affordable. A friend of mine had to have a pain shot and the bill was more than $4,000. The insurance company got it reduced to $2,700. Who can afford that? This is not affordable or health care, and I don't see a solution...

*** JACKSON The Jackson Police Department released the following items. *** Miscellaneous * A request to speak in the 600 block of Lyndhurst Street. * A disturbance of the peace was reported in the 100 block of East Park Street.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Sunday:...

Raymond A.C. Waldrup, 93, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, June 10, 2013, at Southeast Hospital under Southeast Hospice care in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 26, 1920, in Millersville, to Alvin Chester and Lulu Vesta Niswonger Waldrup. Ray and Margie Reynolds were married Sept. 6, 1942, in Fort Riley, Kan...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Stephen James "Big Steve" Price, 52, of Perryville died Sunday, June 9, 2013, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until time of service Thursday at Miller Family Funeral Home. A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be private...

Howard Jean Linebarger Sr., 81, of Logandale, Nev., passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2013, in St. George, Utah. He was born March 31, 1932, in Cape Girardeau, to Walter Howard and Rose Etta Wismann Linebarger. He married Fannie Boncile Dykes on Oct. 14, 1955, in Wewahitchka, Fla...

Leona Ann King, 97, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 9, 2013, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Aug. 9, 1915, in Altenburg, Mo., to Joseph and Anna Richter Roth. She and Charles A. "Cookie" King were married April 19, 1941, at Benton, Mo. He passed away Sept. 5, 1995...

Joy Ann Hoffmeister, 68, of Jackson passed away peacefully Monday, June 10, 2013, at the home of a daughter in Kelso, Mo., surrounded by family. She was born March 11, 1945, in Portageville, Mo., daughter of Bob Kyle and Edna Mae Davidson Cronan. She and Leonard C. Hoffmeister were married May 15, 1998, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. He preceded her in death Jan. 6, 2013...

LaVerne Marie Fiehler, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, June 9, 2013, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 27, 1927, in Menfro, Mo., to Martin Eugene and Della Guemmer Schamburg. She and Walter C. Fiehler were married Oct. 10, 1948, at Perryville, Mo...

Jeanette C. Estes, 95, of Jackson died Friday, June 7, 2013, at Jackson Manor. She was born March 5, 1918, in Cooter, Mo., to Annelah Sands and George Franklin Cranford. Jeanette became the beloved wife of Dallas J. Estes in 1940, and they enjoyed 61 happy years together. He preceded her in death May 1, 2001...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Jerome I. Collier, 71, of Mound City died Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at his home. Visitation will be from noon until time of service Wednesday at Massie Funeral Home in Mounds, Ill. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. J.L. Posey officiating. Burial will be in Hodges Park Cemetery in Hodges Park, Ill...