Stories from Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Highway 72 in Bollinger County, between County Road 876 and Route O, will be reduced to one lane today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. The work will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to a MoDOT news release...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A criminal investigation has begun into possible acts of illegal purchasing and bidding practices within the Poplar Bluff city manager's office. The Butler County Sheriff's Department issued letters Friday notifying all members of the Poplar Bluff City Council...

The Indians scored six runs in the fifth inning of their district semifinal against Farminton en route to a 7-4 victory.

As Lauren and Travis Grammer searched for a house in the Cape Girardeau area, they frequently had different opinions. "Neighborhood was big on my list," Lauren said. "He wanted bigger, and I was OK with smaller. We were just the exact opposite." But the couple were able to meet in the middle, and their search will be featured on HGTV's "House Hunters" this summer. The episode is set to air at 9 p.m. June 18, but producers said the date could change...

Renovation projects at the Cape Girardeau School District are underway as officials plan and organize districtwide improvements funded by a $20 million bond issue approved by voters in April. "We've been meeting every week as a design team and going through project schedules," said Neil Glass, assistant superintendent of administrative services. ...

A Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School student was injured in a hit-and-run accident Tuesday afternoon. The girl was crossing Independence Street from the Amerimart to the school when she was struck by a vehicle and landed on the sidewalk on the north side of the road, Cape Girardeau Police Department patrolman David Valentine said at the scene...

The Redhawks won back to back Ohio Valley Conference championships for the first time in program history in Bieser's third season at the helm.

It's that time of year again, when brightly colored "funbrellas" begin to pop open in a countdown toward the opening day at Cape Splash. Those driving past the water park on North Kingshighway may have noticed only a few closed umbrellas remain. Cape Splash opens 11 a.m. Saturday for the 2015 summer season. This marks the water park's fifth year of operation...

This Memorial Day weekend the Mayfield Cultural Center will be displaying 50 quilts brought in by the Blue Creek Quilters, with one of the quilts being raffled off to benefit the newly opened performing and visual arts center. Quilts for the show have been returned to the women from across the country, coming from as far away as Florida and Texas. ...

The Cicadas at the molt stage (shed their skins) on a nearby plant for the last time and emerge as adults. The exuvia, or abandoned exoskeleton, remains, still clinging to the bark of trees or plants.

The emerged Cicada with prominent eyes.

Today is Wednesday, May 20, the 140th day of 2015. There are 225 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 20, 1915, Israeli soldier-statesman Moshe Dayan was born at Deganya Alef Kibbutz. On this date: In 1712, the original version of Alexander Pope's satirical mock-heroic poem "The Rape of the Lock" was published anonymously in Lintot's Miscellany...

It's that time of year when graduates of all shapes and sizes march down the aisle, leaving the classroom behind and entering the real world. Those starry-eyed graduates will eventually form a line of leadership that takes society to much greater heights...

"Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." That's the old quotation that somehow has made its way into our culture and has insulted many a teacher over the years. When it comes to agricultural education, however, enthusiasts are hoping that those who can will teach others who want to do...

WACO, Texas -- A deadly weekend shootout involving rival motorcycle gangs apparently began with a parking dispute and someone running over a gang member's foot, police said Tuesday. Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said an uninvited group appeared for Sunday's meeting of a loose confederation of biker gangs at a restaurant...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In many regards, Missouri Republicans seldom have been more powerful than they are, well positioned to carry out their part in the conservative movement sweeping the Midwest and South. They hold commanding majorities in the Legislature and have helped make this historic swing state Republican-leaning territory in presidential politics...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A man charged with shooting at George Zimmerman last week had "a fixation" on the former neighborhood watch leader and recently had been admitted to a mental institution, according to a police report made public Tuesday. The Lake Mary Police Department report said 36-year-old Matthew Apperson had shown signs of paranoia, anxiety and bipolar disorder...

NEW YORK -- KFC is bringing back Colonel Sanders as the fried-chicken chain seeks to refresh its image by harkening back to its past. Sanders, who founded KFC, will be played by "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Darrell Hammond in TV commercials. The real Colonel Harland Sanders died nearly 35 years ago, and KFC hasn't featured him in TV ads for about 20 years...

BILLINGS, Mont. -- Authorities are considering criminal charges against a Montana 17-year-old who fired a bullet through his bedroom window, killing his friend in a case an investigator described as an accident. The unidentified suspect had been startled when 15-year-old Mackeon Schulte and another friend knocked on his window early Sunday, Billings police Capt. John Bedford said...

NEW YORK -- Video is going mobile, and leading TV providers are trying to adapt. AT&T, for instance, is buying satellite TV provider DirecTV so it can offer packages that marry wireless and wired Internet access with traditional and online video. Verizon is buying AOL for technology to improve advertising on mobile devices. And Comcast tried -- unsuccessfully -- to get bigger, in part to compete better with online video services such as Netflix and Hulu...

WASHINGTON -- Under pressure from U.S. safety regulators, Takata Corp. has agreed to declare 33.8 million air bags defective, a move that will double the number of cars and trucks included in what is now the largest auto recall in U.S. history. The chemical that inflates the air bags can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal inflator and sending shrapnel into the passenger compartment. The faulty inflators are responsible for six deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide...

Daughter to Rob and Erin Giles of Warrenton, Missouri, St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri, Wednesday, April 15, 2015. Name, Lillian Nicole "Lilly". Weight, 5 pounds, 13 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Giles is the daughter of Cy and Evelyn Franks of Foristell, Missouri. She is a fourth-grade teacher with the Warrenton School District. Giles is the son of Tom and Mary Giles of Cape Girardeau. He is a band director with the University City School District...

A reception for the Rev. and Mrs. Ernest L. Jordan is in the evening at Evangelical United Church of Christ; the Jordans are retiring after 40 years in the ministry, 22 of which have been at the church here. MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The opportunity of seeing a distinguished Marble Hill lawyer sworn in as a Missouri Court of Appeals judge drew nearly 400 people to Woodland High School yesterday; Kenneth W. Shrum took the oath of office in a late-morning ceremony...

The upcoming annual showcase of downtown real estate hosted by Old Town Cape will highlight spaces prime for development. The downtown revitalization organization plans to show seven properties in this year's Downtown Commercial Open House from 4 to 7 p.m. May 28. The organization began holding the event in 2012 to promote investment and business development in downtown. Properties for sale and lease are featured each year...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Two Charleston men were hospitalized after a shooting Monday evening. At 7:15 p.m. Monday, officers from the Charleston Department of Public Safety responded to a report of shots fired near the area of Vine and Elm (Sy Williams) streets. There, officers found a man with a gunshot wound, according to DPS director Robert Hearnes...

ST. LOUIS -- An attorney for the family of a black 18-year-old shot and killed last October by an off-duty, white St. Louis police officer said Tuesday he plans to file a wrongful-death lawsuit, after a prosecutor said the officer would not face criminal charges...

Yes, I wonder if Hillary Clinton still stands by her husband, Bill Clinton. When they were in the White House the first time, they were going to a meeting, and he said he was sick and tired of hearing about family values. I wonder if Hillary's still that way...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Cody A. Reid, 26, 1120 Apache Ave., was arrested on a Jackson warrant for failure to appear on a show-cause order. n Jeremy L. Rector, 20, 1023 Kent St., was arrested on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, being a minor in possession of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia...

* Medical assist calls to: North Hanover Street at 11:07 a.m.; South West End Boulevard at 11:24 a.m.; Broadway at 12:28 p.m.; Shirley Drive at 12:29 p.m.; Broadway at 12:35 p.m.; Green Acres Drive at 12:45 p.m.; Kenneth Drive at 1:06 p.m.; Melrose Avenue at 3:38 p.m.; South Kingshighway at 3:55 p.m.; Carolyn Drive at 4:12 p.m.; South Fountain Street at 7:37 p.m.; and South Sprigg Street at 8:24 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Reggie E. Kindle, 32, 45 West End Blvd., was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for driving while revoked. n Kellen M. Johnson, 20, of Jackson was arrested on a Cape Girardeau warrant for failure to appear...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Virginia M. "Jean" Moll, 85, of Perryville died Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at Independence Care Center of Perry County. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 6:30 a.m. until time of service Saturday at Young and Sons Funeral Home...

Bruce David Enke, 54, of Jackson died Monday, May 18, 2015, at his home. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Thursday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. A memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Mike Coleman officiating...

John T. Casey, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at his home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mary Cathedral, with the Rev. Allan Saunders officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery...

Judith Marie Towler Burgfeld, 63, of Jackson, known to her friends and family as Jude, went home to her Heavenly Father on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center after an extended battle with cancer. She was born Sept. 10, 1951, in Bonne Terre, Missouri, to Betty Towler and the late the Rev. Ernest W. Towler...

The Ohio Valley Conference champion Southeast Missouri State baseball team had six players honored at Tuesday's end-of-year awards banquet in Jackson, Tennessee. Junior pitcher Joey Lucchesi highlighted the Redhawks award recipients by being named the conference's pitcher of the year. ...

The American Public Power Association recognized the City of Jackson Electric Department for its reliability Monday during the association's annual Engineering & Operations Technical Conference in Sacramento, California. Of more than 2,000 public power utility providers around the country, Jackson was one of 191 to receive the Reliable Public Power Provider designation for providing customers with exceptionally reliable and safe electric service. ...

ORAN, Mo. -- The Advance baseball team has seen enough of Thomas Trankler.

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

NEW YORK -- The St. Louis Cardinals started joking as Randy Choate put on Randal Grichuk's batting gloves in the ninth inning.

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- For as much grit and grind the Central baseball team showed this season, it just wasn't enough Tuesday against top-seeded Poplar Bluff.

Perryville soccer coach Jerry Fulton knew his Pirates would have to play a near-perfect game to win the Class 2 Division 1 district championship Tuesday night.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Disney World is looking to crack down on guests who use selfie sticks on rides at the park. A spokesman said Monday guests can bring selfie sticks on the rides but must store them securely. Disney policy forbids visitors from using the sticks, which can be used to extend cameras out up to 3 feet. On Friday, Disney World workers posted a "No Selfie Sticks" sign at the Magic Kingdom's Thunder Mountain Railroad...

PORT AUSTIN, Mich. -- The sky above a tabletop-flat expanse of eastern Michigan farmland near Lake Huron is a well-traveled pathway for migratory birds journeying between summer nesting areas in Canada's boreal forests and wintering grounds to the south...

O God, may we do unto others as we would like them to do unto us. Amen.

NEW YORK -- These days, one of the most-coveted roles among A-list actresses is business owner. Oscar winner Halle Berry is one of the latest female celebrities to start a business. She launched Scandale Paris last year, a line of lingerie sold at Target stores...

While you're frolicking through summer fun, are you thinking about your health? Here are five must-have accessories to help you look great while protecting your eyes, skin and body from sun damage: The sun can damage more than skin; exposure to UV radiation over many years can increase cataract risks and possibly damage your retinas, according to the American Optometric Association. Look for polarized lenses to reduce blinding glare and block harmful UVA and UVB rays...

Cillah Hall is what I call a phenomenal woman. She is an entrepreneur, loving mother and one of the "women to know" in St. Louis. Besides being a beautiful person inside and out, she is considered a maverick by owning her own public relations firm and launching Missouri Style Week two years ago...