Stories from August 2015

Landscape Arch is one of the thinner arches in Arches National Park and may fall at any time.

Today is Saturday, August 1, the 213th day of 2015. There are 152 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 1, 1975, a 35-nation summit in Finland concluded with the signing of a declaration known as the Helsinki Accords dealing with European security, human rights and East-West contacts...

The space shuttle flight of astronaut Linda Godwin, a native of Oak Ridge, has been delayed for a third time and isn't likely to fly before March; the launch of the shuttle Atlantis was originally scheduled for April. The search continues for a new director of the University Museum on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University; the museum in Memorial Hall has been without a director since June, when James Parker retired...

Susan McClanahan's "Recipe Swap" column appears each Sunday in the Southeast Missourian. Flourish asked Susan to provide some guidance in preparing make-ahead meals for the upcoming busy back-to-school days. I really enjoy freezer planning and cooking. I think one saves money when planning an extensive shopping list and sticking to it. You can set aside a day to do the cooking and, perhaps, do it with a friend or family member...

Katrina Amos-Atkins had never flown in an airplane when she began working at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, but seven years later, she's flown in everything from a historic PT-19 to a Lima Lima aerobatic aircraft...

Before joining Southeast Missouri State University's chapter of Little Black Book: Women in Business, organizational management major Taylor Kirn says she would not have attended a chamber of commerce meeting. But with the launch of Southeast's chapter last January, Kirn says the intimidation factor of going to a meeting, especially without knowing anyone, is no longer a concern...

From couponing to keeping a watchful eye for upcoming sales, parents in the Cape Girardeau area have developed several strategies for saving money while purchasing back-to-school supplies. With students heading back to classrooms this month comes the looming cost of new clothes, pencils, backpacks and other needed materials. For parents with multiple children in school, the amount spent can quickly pile up...

There's a growing market of health supplements, including powders, vitamins, energy bars, shakes and more. But how do you choose which is right for you? We got several local retailers to weigh in on the health supplement craze. Pre-workout powder supplements are among the biggest sellers at Stack'd Supplements, on William Street in front of West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau...

There are 5.3 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease today, and the number is growing. By 2050, up to 16 million will have the disease. What does this mean for you, as a woman? Nearly two-thirds of those with Alzheimer's are women, and women also are far more likely to become caregivers of someone with Alzheimer's or other dementia. Women make up 63 percent of unpaid Alzheimer's caregivers in the U.S. -- that's about 13 million women...

While working with clients, I'm often asked about the foundations I use and what some less expensive alternatives would be. So in this article, I've decided to address what the beauty industry refers to as "dupes," or affordable alternatives to high-end counterparts...

Kendra Eads remembers the exact date she started helping groups transport adoptable dogs across the country. It was Sept. 15, 2013, the anniversary of losing her dad. She and her mom decided instead of being sad that day, they would keep busy and help a few dogs in need...

As Paula Haas sorts through her collection of paint swatches, some show more age than others. There are different brands from different stores, with a multitude of tack-holes punched into most of them. Haas is an antique-store owner, genealogist, fine china collector and an amateur seamstress, but it's obvious that her passion lies in decorating...

"Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better To paint a picture, or write a letter, Bake a cake, or plant a seed; Ponder the difference between want and need?" The first stanza of the poem "Dust If You Must" by Rose Milligan provides some enjoyable alternatives to house cleaning. Subsequent stanzas suggest there are books to read and mountains to climb, too. And, for today's busy homeowner, there may be soccer games to cheer, a 40-plus-hour workweek and errands to attend to...

We already know kids love pets, especially dogs, and the feeling seems to be quite mutual. But what happens when there's a problem? I'm a parent and pet owner (the latter much longer than the former), but I made sure that when he was old enough, I instilled in my tiny male human that our pets are important members of the family, not toys or punching bags. ...

Babies are used to being connected with their mothers during their nine months in utero. Now, more and more women are wearing their babies in slings on their bodies during their first years of life, which experts say provides a "transitional womb." Babywearing is hardly a new concept. It's been practiced in many cultures around the world for centuries, but has become more of a trend in the U.S. during the past decade...

In 1983, the first minivan rolled off Chrysler's assembly line. It filled a niche needed by growing families: a vehicle that drove like a car, got good gas mileage and could accommodate five or more passengers comfortably. The minivan quickly became synonymous with 1980s and '90s suburbia. Almost every carmaker offered a model...

Hopefully you've had a chance to try the tips I outlined in the last issue of Flourish about getting your kids to listen in public. I'd love to get your feedback regarding the tips, both successes and failures, along with suggestions you might have for future column topics. Email me anytime at shannona@tenderheartschildtherapycenter.com...

I can remember, as a teenager, when my friends and I would try to trace our conversation back to how it began. Now that I am older, I find myself mentally doing that with relationships. How did I first meet this person? Was it like "When Harry Met Sally," where you meet someone several times before the friendship really "takes?" One of my best friends (and lunchtime walking partner) and I experienced that situation. Was it through a series of pretty special circumstances?...

This edition of Street Style is on summer trends that can carry into the fall season. Three trends in particular are very popular right now and can be seen in the spring/summer collections as well as fall/winter ready-to-wear. Our model is an associate at Rue 21 at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau. ...

Stephanie Bird knows the frustration of shopping for plus-size clothing in a fashion world that caters to women of smaller sizes. Born and raised in Cape Girardeau, she spends a lot of time shopping in St. Louis or Memphis, where she finds more options in her size. But, she says, "I shouldn't have to drive two hours to find something to wear to an event."...

ST. LOUIS -- A few minor adjustments here and there. That was all it took for Michael Wacha to get back on track. Wacha pitched seven crisp innings, Matt Carpenter homered for the third time in two games and the Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies 7-0 on Friday night...

Dustin Troutwine Hair stylist The first week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week. What could you do to simplify your life? De-clutter my house. To what extent do you play the lottery? Never What is your favorite outdoor place to have lunch or dinner and why? A. El Acapulco. They have good drinks...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The field at Rockin' JK Arena in Marble Hill was full of horse trailers, horse noises and horse riders Saturday evening for the Heartland Barrel Racing Association's barrel racing competition. Some people sweated while lugging buckets of water to fussy horses; others just sweated in the shade. ...

As a proposed $11.5 million water-system bond issue approaches, Jackson city officials are urging residents to vote Tuesday. The bond issue, which would fund the expansion of and upgades to the city's water system, would be first water bond issue since 1997. Since the last time the water system was improved, Jackson's population has grown by 26 percent -- about double the statewide average...

Only three communities in Cape Girardeau County have reason to head to the polls in Tuesday's election. Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Delta each have one question on the ballot, but Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers said she hopes the lack of items won't keep voters from showing up...

Although the Aug. 4 vote in Cape Girardeau asks voters for a fifth time to renew the Transportation Trust Fund, the latest TTF has represented many firsts for the city. It's the first time the focus has been shifted to to maintenance and repair rather than building new infrastructure. It also was the city's first test of a public meeting format that gave attendees "Cape Cash" to demonstrate the allocation of funds to various needs...

Brady Barke has begun his new role as interim director of athletics after Mark Alnutt's resignation went into effect Friday.

bowl of Surprise Lilies

Harley loves any type of ball but his favorite is a green softball from his best buddy Willum. He can't pass up the opportunity to play ball with anyone who'll give one a toss. If you've ever gone to Shawnee Park during softball season you may have seen him retrieve home run balls!...

Sun morning sunrise

Bogey, Chessa, and Ladyday all sitting pretty waiting for a treat!!

When Pearla Smith, volunteer coordinator for Southeast Hospice, realized the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II was Aug. 14 and no local celebration was planned, she knew that had to change. "They celebrate on the East and West coasts, but not in the middle of the country," she said. "We should be celebrating here."...

Today is Sunday, August 2, the 214th day of 2015. There are 151 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 2, 1985, 137 people were killed when Delta Air Lines Flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, crashed while attempting to land at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport...

Robert and Donna Pritchard of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Holly Anne Pritchard of Nashville, Tennessee, to Earl Otto Bradley IV of Clarksville, Tennessee. He is the son of Earl and Debbie Bradley III of Clarksville. Holly received a bachelor's degree in music and a master's degree in organizational communication, both from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. She is an account executive at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville...

Jessica Jane Kidd and Kevin Christopher Mier were married Aug. 16, 2014, at Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, Missouri. The Rev. Randolph Tochtrop performed the ceremony. Organist was Mary Jansen, and vocalists were Caitlin Landewee, Whitney Lukefahr and Emily Seiler, all of Leopold, Missouri...

Victor and Kelli Baruzzini of St. Charles, Missouri, announce the engagement of their daughter, Lindsay Baruzzini, to John Frank, both of St. Peters, Missouri. He is the son of James and Vicki Frank of Cape Girardeau. Lindsay received a master of science degree in nurse anesthesia from Webster University. She is a CRNA with MetroWest Anesthesia at St. Joseph West in Lake St. Louis...

Joseph and Louise Lucas of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashley Nicole Lucas, to Justin Isaac Espinoza. He is the son of Kimberly and Melesio Espinoza of Cape Girardeau. Ashley is a 2010 graduate of Central High School. She received an associate degree in nursing from Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She is a registered nurse at the Lutheran Home...

Ashton Elise Krajewski and Tyler Scot McNabb were married March 7, 2015, at Bethel United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio. Bob McNabb of Jackson, grandfather of the groom, performed the ceremony. Reader was Tanya McNabb of Lugoff, South Carolina, sister-in-law of the groom...

This flower is a native orchid that exists in wetland areas of several southeastern states in the U.S. Each purple and sometimes pink petal seems to resemble a dove flying upward. Called Purple Fringeless Orchid, the two beautiful flowers shown here were a bit more than 3 feet tall...

Aug. 13 is the deadline for registering for fall semester classes at Southeast Missouri Music Academy. Instruction for voice, piano and all string and band instruments is available. More information is available by calling 573-651-2378 or visiting semo.edu/musicacademy. According to the academy website, it offers musical instruction to students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds...

National Cheesecake Day was just a couple of days ago, and that made me start thinking about some recipes I have that are in the cheesecake family. No, not all of them are the traditional round, water bath, springform-pan types, which is fine with me. I will leave that up to the experts...

When I went out the other morning around 6 a.m., the temperature was right at 80 degrees and it was humid. And as the day wore on, the temp rose and the humidity stayed right up there as well. Today the heat index is supposed to get somewhere between 110 and 115 degrees. Not a fun day to be out working, but what about the fishing? Well, my motto is to fish when you can, as often as you can. Hot weather means you fish early or late or at night. All three work...

Rex Barker, a member of Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, believes in taking faith beyond the walls of the church -- and beyond the confines of the country. The founder of His Legacy Inc. travels abroad several times a year to spread the good news...

I am thinking again of how holy it is to be, of how amazing it is to get to exist and to have been created human. I am thinking of how much worth God places in being human, to have become one himself, and how much worth he places in being, to call himself I AM...

I've lived in eastern Missouri -- first in St. Louis County, then in Cape County -- for more than a quarter-century. It took only a few weeks living in this part of the world to realize how important the St. Louis Cardinals are to the people who live here. Football is not as important, at least at the professional level, and neither is hockey -- although there is considerable support for those sports...

NEW YORK -- Mike Holmes, famous for calling out bad plumbing, woodworking and electrical work on the HGTV show "Holmes on Homes," says there are steps homebuyers can take to avoid many of those problems. Holmes has a new show on Fox called "Home Free" (airing Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ...

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- A geological gem awaits hikers in the wilderness along the Arizona-Utah border. Swirls of searing reds, oranges and yellow fold into a bowl that visitors from around the world seek out on an unmarked path past sandstone buttes and sage brush...

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Everett Seboldt. Happy birthday to Dewayne Anderson, Katie Hamilton, Dorothy Margrabe, Tom Burnett, Rocky Portell, Leann Carroll, Jane Swain, Roberta Ulrich, Nancy Jenkerson, Saundra Hamilton, Simon Zerbe, Margie Kielhofner, BJ Jackson, Ruben Hitt, Carol Cannon, Stephanie Schecter, Larry Wolfe, Dale Tierney, Tracey Totty, Paula Stidham, Jackie Fowler, Stephanie Bennett, Keith Hamm, Jessie Lee Evans and Shirley Foulk...

From time to time, democracies with free elections seem to enter a period of uncertainty and distrust. Our election process causes that problem. Those out of office know they can't get into office by telling everyone how great everything is going. So, during election years one has only to open the pages of a newspaper or turn on the TV to hear that our country is nearing disaster and we need to change leadership at the next election...

LOS ANGELES -- For years, Bill Berloni has taught his dogs to play make believe. Now, he's making it real. The trainer teaches rescue dogs to beg, bark and bow or sit, stand and shake for movies, TV and the Broadway stage. Once the animal actors retire, he brings them home to join his 30 dogs, one cat, farm animals and singing macaw that swears like a sailor...

Every five years since 1995, Cape Girardeau's voters have approved the half-cent, pay-as-you-go sales tax called the Transportation Trust Fund. Its latest iteration, dubbed TTF5, will appear on the ballot in Tuesday's election, and it is something we encourage everyone of voting age to support...

I can't wait for the day when the guy who's currently in charge of the Republican Party tells the public what his strategy was during the days of the current GOP primary. Surely you would also someday like to find out about Fox TV's Roger Ailes. I've got a sneaking suspicion he really doesn't want the GOP to win the 2016 presidency. Wouldn't that be something?...

ST. LOUIS -- Before playing a down, Nick Foles has made a big impression on the St. Louis Rams. They like what they've seen so much that even before the start of training camp Friday, they were talking about a contract extension. General manager Les Snead said the Rams have been in contact with the agent for Foles, due for free agency after the season. He thought it "definitely realistic" that Foles could be signed...

MILWAUKEE -- The St. Louis Cardinals acquired reliever Jonathan Broxton from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, supplementing their bullpen with another veteran. "He has those late-inning experiences, and he's been throwing the ball well," manager Mike Matheny said. "A big arm with experience is a great addition to our club."...

ST. LOUIS -- Nolan Arenado and Ben Paulsen homered, sending Jorge De La Rosa and the Colorado Rockies to a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night. Arenado connected for a two-run shot in the fourth against Lance Lynn (8-6), and Paulsen added a leadoff drive in the sixth. Paulsen finished with two hits and three RBIs in Colorado's first win at Busch Stadium since May 12, 2013, snapping a string of five straight losses at St. Louis...

Son to Brandon Avery and Brandy Nicole Simmons of Mascoutah, Illinois, Saint Francis Medical Center, 9:19 a.m. Friday, July 24, 2015. Name, Colton Jude. Weight, 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Simmons is the former Brandy Lindberg, daughter of John and Debra Lindberg of Cape Girardeau. Simmons is the son of Michele and Wayne Williams of Toney, Alabama, and the late Jeffrey Simmons. He is an aircraft mechanic at Scott Air Force Base...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Pro-choice advocates locked in a public relations battle with abortion opponents over videos of Planned Parenthood leaders discussing the use of aborted fetuses got good news from two courts in California. A federal judge in San Francisco on Friday blocked the release of recordings made at meetings of an abortion providers' association by the pro-life group the Center for Medical Progress...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Lynn Anderson, whose strong, husky voice carried her to the top of the charts with "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden," has died. She was 67. A statement from the family said she passed away Thursday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Her publicist said the cause of death was cardiac arrest...

LONDON -- Three relatives of the late al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden were among four people killed when a private jet crashed on landing in southern England, British police confirmed Saturday. The Hampshire Police force said formal post-mortems were being conducted, but the victims were believed to be "the mother, sister and brother-in-law of the owner of the aircraft, all of whom are from the bin Laden family." It said all three were Saudi nationals who were visiting Britain on vacation. ...

ALTURAS, Calif. -- A firefighter killed by a wildfire in northern California was scouting the area when he became trapped by the wind-stoked blaze, officials said Saturday. U.S. Forest Service firefighter David Ruhl was driving down a Modoc National Forest road in a vehicle Thursday. The fire grew suddenly and trapped him, information officer Ken Sandusky said...

WASHINGTON -- It took Ted Cruz three months to raise $10 million for his campaign for president -- a springtime sprint of $1,000-per-plate dinners, hundreds of handshakes and a stream of emails asking supporters to chip in a few bucks. One check, from one donor, topped those results...

DALLAS -- The Texas trooper who arrested Sandra Bland after a confrontation that began with a traffic stop once was cautioned about "unprofessional conduct" in a 2014 incident while he still was a probationary trooper, according to his personnel file...

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper, the kilt wearing trash-talker who headlined the first WrestleMania and later found movie stardom, died Friday. He was 61. The WWE confirmed the death. The wrestling organization provided no additional details. Piper, born Roderick Toombs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is the second WWE Hall of Famer to die this summer, following the June death of "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. ...

BALMA, France -- A wing flap suspected to be from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on Saturday arrived at a French military testing facility, where it will be analyzed by experts. After a 10-hour journey by road from Paris' Orly airport, a truck carrying the roughly 8-foot component known as a flaperon arrived at the DGA TA aeronautical testing site near Toulouse, accompanied by police motorcycles and a police car...

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe has suspended the hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in an area where a lion popular with tourists was killed, and is investigating the killing of another lion in April that may have been illegal, the country's wildlife authority said Saturday...

U.S. 62 at the junction of Pine Street in Scott County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform traffic-signal work. The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, according to a MoDOT news release. All work is weather permitting. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near the area. For more information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636 or visit modot.org/southeast...

The city staff this week adjusted the cost estimate for a downtown access route from the planned Highway 74 after a review of the cost by city engineer J. Kensey Russell; Russell's latest study estimates a downtown route aligned with Fountain Street would cost $600,500, $43,400 less than his initial estimate...

Jackson City Hall 101 Court St. Monday, Aug. 3, 7 p.m. n Hearing to consider the voluntary annexation of 10.48 acres of property on Bainbridge Road, as submitted by Rick Ziegler. n Consider a motion to record in the minutes the disposal of city records, which have met their retention life and were destroyed in compliance with the guidelines according to the Missouri Secretary of State's Record Retention Schedule, under RSMo 109.230...

Meta E. Seabaugh, 96, of Festus, Missouri, formerly of Cape Girardeau, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, July 31, 2015, at Fountainbleau Nursing Center in Festus. She was born Jan. 6, 1919, in New Wells to Martin and Louise Borchelt Perr. She was the fourth of 11 children...

Victor Walter Nahodil, 97, of Garwood, Missouri, departed this life Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, with his family by his side. He was born April 8, 1918, in St. Louis to Frank and Paula Haack-Wirtz Nahodil. He and Omalee Middleton were married Sept. 2, 1941, in Van Buren, Missouri. She preceded him in death March 22, 2000...

Alvina M. Meyers, 96, of Kansas City, Missouri, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, July 30, 2015, at her home in Kansas City. She was born Oct. 16, 1918, in Kelso, Missouri, to the late Henry and Catherine Ressel Millering. Alvina and Bernard Meyers were married Sept. 6, 1940. He preceded her in death in 1968...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Thomas Wesley "Tommy" Ice, 70, of Mounds died Thursday, July 30, 2015, after a long battle with cancer. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Cairo, Illinois. The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Buddy Walls officiating. Burial will be in Mound City National Cemetery with military honors by area veterans and the Illinois National Guard...

Iola Amelunke, 87, of Whitewater died Thursday, July 30, 2015, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 25, 1927, in Scott City to Kergious and Ella Mae Seabaugh Crites. She and Melvin C. Amelunke were married May 9, 1946, in Cape Girardeau...

The Scott City Fire Department responded to the following calls: n At 1:02 p.m., motor vehicle crash on Burger Street and Main Street. n At 10:24 p.m., medical assist on Main Street and Oak Street. n At 12:18 a.m., medical assist on West Outer Road...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. n Meghan E. Fox, 20, of Oran, Missouri, was issued a summons for failure to register a motor vehicle. n Property damage was reported in the 500 block of North Farmington Road. n Assists were requested in the area of South Hope Street and West Jackson Boulevard; the area of East Main Street and North Lacey Street; and the area of East Jackson Boulevard and Donna Drive...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n William Cody Evan Jaquin, 19, 5579 Highway 25, was arrested on suspicion of stealing at Wal-Mart, 3439 William St. n A suspect was in custody pending formal charges of domestic assault...

Jo Ann Parcell and Terry Cooper celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Jackson Senior Center at an open house by dancing to the Country Kickers on Saturday at 2690 Travelers Way in Jackson. The center serves about 300 meals daily six days a week, with more than half of them home-delivered. Volunteers donate about 1,800 hours per month. (Fred Lynch)...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. -- St. Clair County Coroner Rick Stone says a body recovered from the Mississippi River near St. Louis is believed to be one of two people who jumped from a bridge. Stone told the Belleville News-Democrat the body was spotted Thursday about a mile south of the Poplar Street Bridge that carries Interstate 64 over the river. Stone wouldn't release the person's identity because relatives hadn't been notified...

No one was injured in a shots-fired incident Thursday night. Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. Adam Glueck said police responded to the 3100 block of Themis Street about 11:30 p.m. after a report of shots fired inside a residence. Glueck said he would not comment on where the shots were fired, but said no injuries were reported. The suspect left the scene before officers arrived but was found Friday morning...

By DONNA FARLEY DONIPHAN, Mo. -- A Doniphan man was detained in the Ripley County Jail on Saturday, accused of beating his 72-year-old stepfather to death. Johnny H. Stanley, 43, is charged with murder in the Wednesday death of Irven Ronald Yarber, according to Ripley County Sheriff Ron Barnett...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Stoddard County judge ordered court documents sealed Saturday in the arrest of three Dexter, Missouri, residents on sex-related charges involving a child. James Mylon Ballard and Paula Anna Ballard, both 41, and Samuel Matthew Poe, 30, were booked Thursday at Stoddard County Jail...

TOKYO -- The 4 1/2-minute speech that has reverberated throughout Japan's modern history since it was delivered by Emperor Hirohito at the end of World War II has come back to life in digital form. Hirohito's "jewel voice" -- muffled and nearly inaudible due to poor sound quality -- was broadcast Aug. 15, 1945, announcing Japan's surrender...

O Lord, thank you that no matter when I cry out in distress, you hear my voice. Amen.

Grace Senne wasn't an architect, but she knew what she wanted in a home. "She wanted it built the way she wanted it built," said her granddaughter, Judy Cureton. That being the case, Senne's influence can be seen throughout the house. Having grown up there, Cureton has always appreciated the home's idiosyncrasies, but the house at 344 N. ...

Ice is an interesting subject for contemplation," wrote Henry David Thoreau in chapter 16 of "Walden." Looking out at his frozen pond in the dead of winter, as the famed transcendentalist was when he penned those words, I suppose it is. This time of year, however, when the temperatures soar, I find not ice but icebox cakes more worthy of consideration. ...

With approval granted tonight by the Cape Girardeau City Council, work can proceed on building a new transfer station. For many years, the project has been one of the city's top capital-improvement needs, and an agreement made last year with Republic Services helped the city establish a revenue stream for it...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- When a white Ferguson policeman fatally shot a black 18-year-old nearly a year ago, the St. Louis suburb erupted in sometimes-violent protests and the nation took notice. Since then, legislators in almost every state have proposed changes to the way police interact with the public...

The flooded Mississippi River relented enough last week to allow floating tourist cruisers direct access to downtown Cape Girardeau. Two touring riverboats, the Queen of the Mississippi and the American Queen, were able to dock at the Themis Street floodgate late last week after missing several earlier scheduled stops. ...

After nearly 10 years with its new owners, Roth Hardware again is up for sale. Ralph Roth will have owned Roth Hardware in Scott City for 10 years in December, after taking over the business when his brother and longtime owner, Donnie Roth, died in 2005. The Roth family began its store in 1946, and through many obstacles, it's continued to stay open...

Teachers at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School will implement a 25-minute advisory period this year to give students more individualized attention. During a school board work session last week, principal Carla Fee said teachers have been working on the idea throughout the year...

Troop 210 in Jackson recently went to Philmont. Russ was able to capture this picture of lightening from a far away storm.

The Cape Central softball team used the newly-installed lights on its field for the first time at midnight Monday, the official start of fall practices in Missouri.

Delta Senior Citizens Meeting The Delta Senior Citizens will meet Wednesday, August 12, at 11:00 a.m., at the Delta Community Building. The theme for the meeting will be Fun Day with Bingo, puzzles, games and fellowship. The program for the meeting will be presented by Ilena Aslin on "Seniors Staying Sharp." Musical entertainment will be provided by Don Hester. Lunch will be served at 12:00 noon. For more information, call 794-2259 or 794-2874...

Moon over Cape Girardeau Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge

Sunset at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Today is Monday, August 3, the 215th day of 2015. There are 150 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on a voyage that took him to the present-day Americas. On this date:...

Many senior adults find themselves in need of employment, whether it's a part-time job to keep busy after retirement, or a full-time job to supplement their income. TBY asked local experts to share their tips and strategies for job hunting as an older adult -- including how to position yourself to beat out the younger competition...

Oatmeal is the vanilla ice cream of the breakfast world. Some of us like it plain and straight up, appreciating its clean, oaty flavor, its firm yet giving texture, the way it cloyingly stays in your mouth just a second longer than you think it should...

Ten years ago, Susan Winkler was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and now uses a wheelchair to get around -- but that hasn't stopped her from traveling the world. "I used to say, 'Everything I do in life surrounds around MS, and everything I can't do surrounds around MS,'" Winkler said recently at her Cape Girardeau home. "But I want people to know they can have a life. It's not a life like everyone has, but you can have a full life, and you can travel."...

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Denise and John Stevens have had pets their whole lives -- then they retired. "After our last dog passed away, we decided not to get another one. We like the freedom from worrying about her," Denise Stevens, 63, says of the Long Island, New York, couple whose Jack Russell terrier died last year. "We tend to treat these dogs like children."...

This time of year, on any given Tuesday evening, in the middle of Marquand, Missouri, you'll find a handful of musicians -- maybe as few as five, maybe as many of 20 -- some with a guitar, probably a banjo and a fiddle, perhaps a mandolin, and, likely, a stand-up bass. Add to that the folks who turn up to sing, mostly gospel and bluegrass and some country music...

Gone are the days of your youth, when you visited one doctor for all your medical needs. Medical professionals are learning more every day, and as a result, you're likely to see a handful of professionals, each one trained in a specific area. The good news is, with the introduction of electronic medical records, each professional within a health-care system can access your records, so you don't have to answer the same questions for each person you see. ...

University of Missouri discounts some online tuition costs COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri says it will give a 10 percent tuition discount to Missouri students enrolled in a full degree program online. The university announced Friday the discount will begin this fall. The typical online student takes two three-credit-hour courses a semester. Without the discount, online courses cost the same as classes on campus -- $276.20 a credit hour for undergraduates...

Besides roll call votes, the Senate and House also took action on legislation by voice vote. The Senate also passed the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act (S. 242), to provide medical treatment leave to any new federal government employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability...

HELENA, Mont. -- Two young Orthodox rabbis have traded their studies in Brooklyn for the back roads of Montana, where they are teaching the far-flung faithful to keep kosher in Big Sky Country. Eli Chaikin, 23, and Dovid Lepkivker, 25, call themselves the roving rabbis. Their mission is to reach as many of the state's approximately 3,000 Jews as they can in a month...

Cape Girardeau City Council City hall 401 Independence St. Study session, 5 p.m. today n No action will be taken during the study session. Items for discussion n Beautiful Business Property of the Month presentation n Broadway streetlight report n Appearances regarding items not on the agenda...

Marvin Tesean Scott, 16, of Cape Girardeau was granted his angel wings Tuesday, July 28, 2015, in North Carolina. He was born June 9, 1999, in Carbondale, Illinois, to Marvin Joe Scott Jr. and Valerie R. Davis Scott. To many, Tesean's life will seem too short, but those who knew him and were touched by him understand that the quality of one's life far exceeds the quantity of time one lives. Tesean lived life more abundantly than many of those who far outnumbered him in age...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today Approval of minutes n Minutes of the July 30 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on agenda Routine business...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's political parties are in debt with just about a year left before the 2016 primary elections and essentially must start from scratch in terms of fundraising, recent state campaign finance reports show. But political scientists say the Republican and Democratic parties need less money after the Missouri Legislature in 2008 repealed limits on campaign contributions, which has changed the political dynamic in the state and shrunk the role of parties in elections...

Openings are available for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Teacher Academy, is a yearlong program designed to enhance classroom instruction skills. Teacher Academy focuses on student engagement, instructional strategies and reflection on practices that align with the Missouri State Teacher Standards, according to a news release from the department. Participants will collaborate with other highly dedicated teachers in their region and throughout the state...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tennessee police officials identified a suspect Sunday in the fatal shooting of a Memphis police officer, and a search for the man is underway. Tremaine Wilbourn, 29, faces a first-degree murder charge in the Saturday night death of officer Sean Bolton, 33, Memphis Police director Toney Armstrong said at a news conference...

HANOVER, Pa. -- Many Americans assumed the Confederate flag was retired for good after governors in South Carolina and Alabama removed it from their statehouses this summer and presidential candidates from both parties declared it too divisive for official display...

WASHINGTON -- Republicans likely will lose the Senate showdown today over halting federal aid to Planned Parenthood. Yet the political offensive by abortion foes has only started, prompted by a batch of videos that has focused attention on the group's little-noticed practice of providing fetal tissue to researchers...

WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump, widely believed to the be the wealthiest American to run for president, is nowhere among the ranks of the country's most generous citizens, according to an Associated Press review of his financial records and other government filings...

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden's associates have resumed discussions about a 2016 presidential run after shelving such deliberations while his son was sick and dying earlier this year. But Biden hasn't told his staff whether he will run or ask them to do any planning for a potential campaign, according to several people close to the vice president...

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Now there are two: Zimbabwe on Sunday accused a gynecological oncologist from Pennsylvania of illegally killing a lion in April, adding to the outcry over a Minnesota dentist the African government wants to extradite for killing a well-known lion named Cecil in early July...

Clint Ruppel of Oak Ridge recently fired his fourth career hole-in-one at Kimbeland Country Club. Ruppel used a 6-iron to ace No. 6, a par 3 playing 162 yards. Witnesses were Bob Hedden, Bob Templeton and Harold Schott. Vickie Long won the Women's Golf Association's weekly event last week at Cape Girardeau Country Club...

ST. LOUIS -- Brandon Moss felt as if he got a new baseball life after he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. "It was like I won the lottery," he said. "I've got a smile on my face all the time now." Moss recorded his first big hit with St. Louis, a pinch-hit game-ending single in the ninth inning, and Randal Grichuk had a two-run homer to lead the Cardinals to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday...

ST. LOUIS -- Draft day could not have been a pleasant experience for St. Louis Rams running back Tre Mason. Imagine how jarring it must have been to see his team take Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick. Sooner or later he'll lose his starting job. While Gurley rehabs from left knee surgery, there's incentive and opportunity...

Don C. Bedell of Sikeston, Missouri, recently was reappointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to the Missouri Conservation Commission. The commission protects and manages fish, forest and wildlife resources in the state. Bedell's appointment for a term ending in July 2021 will be subject to confirmation by the Missouri Senate. ...

NEW YORK -- As drivers, shippers and airlines continue to enjoy lower fuel prices, the oil industry is responding to much lower profits with cuts in spending and employment that are hurting economic growth. Low oil and gas prices are good for the overall economy because they reduce costs for consumers and business. U.S. economic growth was higher in the second quarter, and economists say that was fueled partly by consumers spending some of their savings on gasoline at stores and restaurants...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Weeks of record rainfalls drenched Don Lamb's cornfields this summer, drowning some plants and leaving others yellowed, 2 feet tall and capable of producing little, if any, grain. The 48-year-old central Indiana farmer can't recall anything like the deluges he's seen from late May this summer; the latest was a 4-inch downpour a week ago. Neither can his father, who's been farming for 50 years...

WASHINGTON -- Aiming to jolt the rest of the world to action, President Barack Obama moved ahead Sunday with tougher greenhouse-gas cuts on American power plants, setting up a certain confrontation in the courts with energy producers and Republican-led states...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Former St. Louis news anchor Robin Smith announced Sunday she's running as a Democrat for secretary of state. The retired KMOV-TV anchor appears to be the first Democrat to enter the 2016 race for the seat, which is opening because Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander is running to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt...

Darrel Anderson launches a boat Sunday morning with Jacqueline Hussain for her first fishing trip on the Mississippi River at the Red Star Access in Cape Girardeau. The river stage was 31.53 feet. The river level fell below flood stage of 32 feet Saturday and is forecast to drop to 28 feet by Thursday...

Two people are hospitalized after a shooting in Cape Girardeau that occurred late Saturday. Police responded to the shooting near Benton Street and Bloomfield Road shortly before 11 p.m. Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. Adam Glueck said one of the victims was shot in the torso, and the other was shot in the foot...

Deb Baughn, right, conducts a workshop for making wagon-train dolls with Ali Grinnell, left, Becky Grinnell, Grace Paquin and Ina Winstead on Saturday at the Red House Interpretive Center in Cape Girardeau. The simple rag dolls became popular with families crossing the frontier. The dolls are available at the Red House as a fundraiser...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA is offering up wreckage from the Challenger and Columbia for public view after hiding it from the world for decades. A new exhibit at Kennedy Space Center features two pieces of debris, one from each lost shuttle, as well as poignant, personal reminders of the 14 astronauts killed in flight...

LAS VEGAS -- Subway's "sandwich artists" cranked out a record number of their lunchmeat masterpieces in Las Vegas on Saturday. Franchisees and employees from around the world set a Guinness World Record for the most people making sandwiches simultaneously when 1,481 people built subs at the same time during the brand's annual convention in Las Vegas. All the sandwiches were donated to the Salvation Army...

When Ellen Frye married her husband, Steve, it was always in the cards that they would buy property together. After years of shopping and looking for the right place, the two settled on the perfect patch of farmland just two miles from where her mother grew up, in Farrar, Missouri...

Sharon D. Farmer, 56, of Jackson died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center. A celebration of her life will be announced at a later date. Arrangements by McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

ORAN, Mo. -- Don Vance, 80, of Oran died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at his family's home in Oran. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

JACKSON The Jackson fire department responded to the following calls: Saturday n An EMS call on Stotler Way. n A still alarm on Lee Avenue. Sunday n A still alarm on West Main Street. n An EMS call at South West Lane. n An EMS call at West Independence Street...

Jackson The Jackson Police Department released the following items Sunday. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Zachary J. Carpentier, 22, 320 Morgan St., was arrested on a Jackson warrant for failure to appear on an original charge of hindering prosecution...

Gibson Recovery Center Inc., is interested in assuming the Department of Mental Health's Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse contract, which is held by Women's Information Services (WISER) Inc.; WISER last week announced it will close within 90 days...

The growing number of deadly shootings in the nation guarantees no end is in sight for conversations about gun control and gun-free zones. In the wake of July's Chattanooga shooting in which four Marines and a sailor were killed, Missouri's Republican Caucus says it's time to arm Missouri National Guardsmen, and state Sen. Wayne Wallingford agrees...

O Lord Jesus, how excellent is they name in all the earth. Amen.

Lion and lamb What's all the fuss about a hunter killing a lion and we never shed a tear over the unborn babies slaughtered and killed in the name of abortion? Trumped-up ideas Hyperbolic, histrionic, and now apparently psychic historian Wayne Bowen has told us in a column that the U.S. ...

Recently while tuned into my favorite local NPR station, I heard an interview with Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl. As a regular commentator about books on NPR's "Morning Edition," Nancy Pearl shares unique book treasures about which you might not otherwise hear. I've been known to pull over to the side of the road to write down her recommendations, which, now that I think about it, is silly because the NPR website has transcriptions of her interviews...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department has planned more dates and locations for its weekly Neighborhood Roll Call event. Thursday's Roll Call will be at Washington Avenue and North Middle Street. The Aug. 13 event will be at Good Hope Street and Minnesota Avenue, and the Aug. 20 event will be at Lorimier and Merriwether streets. All Roll Call events take place at 7 p.m...

A man was in custody after a hostage situation Monday night at a Miner, Missouri, motel. Miner police chief Chris Griggs said the department got a call about 5:30 p.m. Monday about a man barricaded in a room with a hostage at the Super 8. Griggs said police had been seeking the suspect, Gary Ray Corder Jr., in connection with a separate investigation...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff City Council members have delayed selecting a replacement for council-member-at-large Jack Rushin, who resigned in July amid nepotism allegations. The council voted to hold a special meeting in the next week to allow the public to meet with the applicants for the position...

Cape Girardeau County is seeking grants to help improve and pave two county roads near Millersville. County commissioners on Monday approved awarding administration services for grant applications to the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission in Perryville, Missouri, and engineering design and inspection services to Koehler Engineering...

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, toured St. John's Bayou and New Madrid Floodway areas Tuesday to view land affected by recent flooding. Smith and Riley James, president of St. John's Levee Board, discussed the pending St. Johns Bayou and New Madrid Floodway project that would close a levee 1,500 gap, install pumping stations and modify ditches...

The city of Cape Girardeau asks motorists to be aware of a partial closure of Main Street on Thursday. The area between Themis Street and Broadway will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. so Alliance Water and Dutch Enterprises can add a water tap for a downtown building renovation...

Tuesday's brief ballot ultimately correlated to a minimal election turnout in each of the three communities with measures at stake. Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers estimated an 8 percent to 10 percent turnout overall, which turned out to be slightly higher than the 7.42 percent reported by her office in Tuesday night's unofficial results...

Of the six Cape Girardeau County communities to vote this year on a measure allowing them to forgo annual elections if races are uncontested, Delta is the only city to reject it. Allenville, Gordonville, Oak Ridge, Pocahontas and Whitewater approved the question back in April...

WASHINGTON -- The Senate blocked a Republican drive Monday to terminate federal funds for Planned Parenthood, setting the stage for the GOP to try again this fall amid higher stakes -- a potential government shutdown that could echo into next year's presidential and congressional elections...

More than 42 asphalt streets will receive repairs next month as part of the city of Jackson's annual Asphalt Pavement Improvement Plan. City officials awarded the $180,044 contract to Jokerst Inc. of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, during a Board of Aldermen meeting Monday night...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- A somewhat disorganized but impassioned statement by an Anna, Illinois, man convicted of murder was not enough to persuade Judge Mark Boie to show leniency. After hearing statements from attorneys, the victim's family and the defendant himself, Boie imposed a 20-year prison sentence on Jessie Bell on Monday for his role in the death of James "Jimmy" Morrison...

The former executive director of a Cape Girardeau women's shelter agreed to a plea bargain Monday to get one of two felony charges dropped. Authorities say Allison C. Leonard, 44, misappropriated more than $20,000 for personal use from the Safe House for Women. She was charged with one count each of theft and fraudulent use of a credit device...

Dallas Otto, 7, of Marble Hill, Missouri, recently earned the first place ribbon at Briggs Stable Show in Hanover, Massachusetts. Shown with Dallas is his trainer and aunt, Kim Scheer, of Hanover. The horse show also was Dallas' first.

The Jackson Knights of Columbus presented scholarships to area graduating seniors at its annual banquet. The Jackson Knights of Columbus are proud sponsors of scholarships every year to the four area high schools to help further the education of students. ...

The Jackson Knights of Columbus Ladies' Auxiliary presented scholarships to area graduating seniors at their annual banquet. The Ladies' Auxiliary is proud sponsors of scholarships every year to the area high schools to help further the education of students. ...

The board of directors of the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau, The Glenn House, wish to thank Schnucks for its participation in the E-script program, and the $1,093.25 that they received from the use of the cards. This money has been beneficial in helping keep the Glenn House in good repair and beautiful for the community to enjoy...

A lawsuit accusing a Fruitland meat processor of illegal water pollution will be allowed to continue, and a count for natural resources damage will be added, a judge decided Monday. Attorneys for Fruitland American Meat and Attorney General Chris Koster's office appeared before Judge Benjamin Lewis for a case review Monday at the Common Pleas Courthouse. ...

In the mountains above Glenwood springs, Colorado you can hike into Hanging Lake. Gorgeous clear water with Cutthroat trout swimming around....but no fishing or wading in this jewel.

Today is Tuesday, August 4, the 216th day of 2015. There are 149 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 4, 1790, the U.S. Coast Guard had its beginnings as President George Washington signed a measure authorizing a group of revenue cutters to enforce tariff and trade laws and prevent smuggling...

The Americans with Disabilities Act recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, having been signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The law improved life significantly for people with disabilities, and local leaders are looking forward to a continued effort to embrace and make life better for those with special needs...

LONDON -- An experimental Ebola vaccine tested on thousands of people in Guinea seems to work and might help shut down the waning epidemic in West Africa, according to interim results from a study published Friday. There is no licensed treatment or vaccine for Ebola, which so far has killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa since the world's biggest outbreak began in the forest region of Guinea last year. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Charles Edward Brand, 87, of Springfield died Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, in Springfield. He was born July 25, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, son of Louis Henry Edward and Helen Marguerite Litzelfelner Brand. He and Dorothy Elizabeth Wehrman were married Sept. 20, 1952, in Lockwood, Missouri...

ORAN, Mo. -- Don Vance, 80, of Oran passed away Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at his home. He was born July 23, 1935, in Allenville to Elbert Howard and Florence "Flossie" Cramer Vance. Don served four years in the United States Air Force. He was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church, St. Joseph Sodality, Knights of Columbus Council 4311, all in Oran; American Legion Post 369 in Benton, Missouri; and Elks Lodge 2319 in Sikeston, Missouri. He was a retired construction worker...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Marilyn Lucille Grant, 78, of Sikeston died Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Feb. 9, 1937, in Sikeston, daughter of Elmer Eugene and Erma Elmore Grant. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Marilyn taught high-school English in Brentwood, Missouri, as well as at Sikeston High School. She also served as a librarian at Charleston Public Library and for the Scott City Public Schools...

Sheri D. Farmer, 56, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, surrounded by her family, after a long battle with cancer. She was born Sept. 11, 1958, in St. Louis, daughter of Dorman "Fuz" and Louise Kirk Luter. She was happily married to John E. Farmer Jr. 35 years. They were joined in holy matrimony April 12, 1980...

CLEVELAND -- Vincent Marotta, one of the co-founders of the iconic Mr. Coffee brand that helped revolutionize how Americans make their morning brew, died Saturday at his home in suburban Cleveland. He was 91. Marotta and his business partner and high school friend Samuel Glazer turned Mr. ...

NEW YORK -- Alpha Natural Resources Inc., one of the country's biggest coal producers, became the latest in a string of coal companies to seek bankruptcy protection amid an historic shift in the electric power sector brought on by cheap natural gas and stricter pollution regulations...

NEW YORK -- Delta Air Lines had a major change of heart about shipping hunting trophies, announcing Monday afternoon it no longer would accept lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies. As recently as May, the Atlanta-based airline had said it would continue to allow such shipments -- as long as they were legal. At the time, some international carriers prohibited such cargo...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- An ex-con accused of fatally shooting a police officer who interrupted a drug deal turned himself in Monday, ending a two-day manhunt, authorities said. Tremaine Wilbourn, 29, is accused of killing officer Sean Bolton on Saturday night, after the officer approached a car along a street known for years as a quiet oasis amid a troubled neighborhood...

McKINNEY, Texas -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had an investment opportunity: a tech startup making data servers. He told people he had put his own money into Servergy Inc., according to prosecutors, and helped persuade a state lawmaker and a wealthy businessman to buy more than $100,000 in shares...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams plan to open the season with a pair of rookie offensive linemen playing side by side. Tackle Rob Havenstein and guard Jamon Brown must be quick learners and make the gamble pay off. Last year, the Rams had one rookie on the line. Tackle Greg Robinson was the second overall pick of the draft, so it was no surprise they cleared some space...

WICHITA, Kan. -- The National Baseball Congress has suspended using batboys and batgirls during its World Series games in Kansas following the death of a 9-year-old boy who was accidentally hit in the head with a bat during a game. Kaiser Carlile died Sunday after he was hit by a follow-through swing near the on-deck circle during the Liberal Bee Jays' game on Saturday. The boy was wearing a helmet, The Wichita Eagle reported...

ST. LOUIS -- The effort to build a new riverfront football stadium in St. Louis got a big boost Monday when a judge ruled that approval from city voters is not necessary to use city tax money for the project. St. Louis Circuit Judge Tomas Frawley's ruling voided a city ordinance requiring voter approval for any project using tax dollars for a professional sports facility. He called the 2002 law's language confusing and vague...

Workers with Fronabarger Concreters Inc. work placing a box culvert in a creek that runs along the Walnut Street extension Monday in Cape Girardeau. Long-term road work has closed part of South West End Boulevard from Route 74 to Linden Street.

As the Jackson Civic Center nears completion, the Jackson Parks and Recreation department has begun seeking candidates to staff the facility. Parks and Recreation director Shane Anderson said Monday it is looking to fill one full-time position as building manager and several part-time positions...

NEW YORK -- Comedian Amy Schumer spoke tearfully of two women who were shot to death during a screening of her film, "Trainwreck," and asked lawmakers Monday to support a gun-control bill sponsored by her second cousin, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer. "I've thought about these victims each day since the tragedy," she said at a news conference at the senator's office in New York...

WASHINGTON -- Calling it a moral obligation, President Barack Obama unveiled the final version of his plan to cut emissions from U.S. power plants as he warned anew climate change will threaten future generations if left unchecked. Touting the plan at a White House event Monday, Obama said the unprecedented carbon-dioxide limits are the "the single most important step" America has taken to fight climate change. ...

Charles Hartline III prepared for the start of his eighth-grade year, as well as his first year playing football, by getting a physical exam and up-to-date on vaccinations Friday at the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. Charles, of Cape Girardeau, wore a brave face as a registered nurse administered the vaccine. Afterward, Charles said the shot wasn't so bad and went to get his physical...

An arrest has been made in the July 28 shooting on Hanover Street in Cape Girardeau. Gabriel Derice Houseman, 20, of Cape Girardeau was arrested Friday and charged in connection to the shooting, Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. Adam Glueck said. Houseman has been charged with first-degree assault, a class A felony, and felony armed criminal action. His bond was set at $125,000...

Beginning next month, Scott City's city hall will be operating under new hours. After seeing the success with the Public Works department using a four-day, 10-hour work-week system, clerks at city hall asked the council at Monday night's meeting to implement a system in which two of three employees will work from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. This would give two of the clerks who work at city hall four-day work weeks...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Two journalists who were arrested while reporting on protests after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown settled lawsuits against St. Louis County, the American Civil Liberties Union announced Monday. The lawsuits claimed the reporters' rights were violated, and police didn't have probable cause to arrest them. The journalists covered protests that came in the days and weeks after a white Ferguson police officer fatally shot Brown, a black, unarmed 18-year-old...

The road to a new transfer station in Cape Girardeau has required approval of several measures by the city council, but Monday's approved agreement was the last step before work begins. City staff long have placed the project among the city's top capital-improvement needs, and several factors fell in place to help make it financially possible...

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis soldier killed in action during World War II finally got his Bronze Star medal, thanks to the perseverance of the daughter he never knew. Technical Sgt. Walter Wojcik was killed in action July 7, 1944, in Normandy, France. His military personnel file was destroyed in a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. ...

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Jurors on Monday moved a step closer toward sentencing James Holmes to death for his Colorado movie theater attack, taking less than three hours to reject arguments the former neuroscience student's mental illness means he should not die. ...

CLINTON, Mass. -- A hen owned by a woman who specializes in chicken rehabilitation and rescue is getting fitted with a prosthetic leg Wednesday at Tufts University. Andrea Martin said she is paying for the $2,500 operation out of her pocket. She says the alternative is euthanization. The chicken, named Cecily, was born with a damaged tendon in the leg that makes it useless. After a recovery period from the amputation, the prosthetic, made on a 3-D printer, will be fitted...

Carney C. Fesler, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Southeast Hospital. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Rev. David Conley officiating...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Regina Shawn Williams, 57, of Tamms, formerly of Dongola, Illinois, died Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Illinois. The funeral will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Joe McRoy officiating. Cremation will follow. Private interment will be at a later date in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge...

Erma McDowell, 79, of Jackson died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Baptist Health Paducah in Paducah, Kentucky. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Joe Beal officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Fruitland...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n A suspect is in custody pending formal charges of burglary. n A suspect is in custody pending formal charges of possession of controlled substance except 35 grams of marijuana or less and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia...

Three Cape Girardeau banks have frozen the accounts of WISER Inc., forcing a WISER official to announce yesterday the financially troubled center will close immediately. The official also stated the center will be unable to meet its payroll obligations for its last two-week payroll period...

Today, Jackson voters will face an important decision that will affect our city's future. The vote is for the upgrade of one of our city's most important infrastructures, our water system. The proposed $11.5 million water bond issue will bring improvements to Jackson's water infrastructure, replacing aging, inadequate pipes while increasing and improving water supply...

Help me understand. If a police officer pulls your car over, you can speed away. Or if he stops to question you on the street, you can run away. Or now, if you are speeding through traffic and he has sirens on, you can go faster and he will not pursue you! When he does stop you, be sure to yell and argue with him. ...

Thank you, O God, for loving us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Amen.

For Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz, the start of fall camp on Thursday will mark the start of him breaking free of any distractions, which he said is probably his favorite part of the preseason.

Three people were hospitalized after a car crash at Pacific and Independence streets in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday afternoon. At 3:49 p.m., a white Ford Fusion and blue Dodge Caravan collided, where the Caravan then rolled onto its side. Two people in the Caravan were extricated from the vehicle and taken to a hospital, as was a man from the other vehicle...

CLEVELAND -- Billionaire businessman Donald Trump will be front and center in the Republican Party's leadoff presidential debate, scoring the top spot in Thursday's prime-time faceoff where he'll be joined by former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and seven other White House hopefuls who made the campaign's first cut...

Jackson's water system will get an upgrade next year, thanks to the easy passage of an $11.5 million water-bond issue in Tuesday's election. It's the first water improvement bond issue to pass since 1997 and will include the construction of a new well, new water tower, improved pump equipment and upgraded piping around the city...

Cape Girardeau voters overwhelmingly renewed the city's half-cent transportation sales tax in Tuesday's election. It was the only issue on the ballot for the city, and it passed with more than 76 percent of the vote. The Transportation Trust Fund, or TTF as it's commonly called, has been approved by voters every five years since 1995...

Cape Girardeau Public Library grand prize bicycle winners from the Every Hero has a Story 2015 Summer Reading Club. Bike donations were from the Friends of the Library Foundation, UCT Council 534, VFW Post 3838, and VFW Post 3838 Auxiliary. Back Row: Sandy Prichard, President VFW Post 3838 Auxiliary; Joe Wolsey, Commander VFW Post 3838; Geoffrey Seyer (representing bike winner Shane Seyer); Bert and Jobyna Daume, UCT Council 534...

Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

An explosion rocked the metal service building at Noranda Aluminum about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, injuring 33 employees and taking out the side of the building. A large plume of smoke could be seen above the plant near New Madrid, Missouri, in New Madrid County...

Today is Wednesday, August 5, the 217th day of 2015. There are 148 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 5, 1965, during the Vietnam War, "The CBS Evening News" sparked controversy as it aired a report by correspondent Morley Safer showing a group of U.S. Marines torching huts in the village of Cam Ne, considered a Viet Cong stronghold, using flamethrowers and Zippo cigarette lighters...

It's been a year since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, following an attack on a police officer. Despite massive protests and riots over false reports that Brown was assassinated with his hands held in the air, not a whole lot has changed...

To say that Dr. Dan Cotner is deserving of the honor of having the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band Shell named after him is an understatement. Known as Cape Girardeau's own River City Music Man, Cotner personifies music and has dedicated his life to sharing that art with the community. Many of us cannot help, already, but think of him whenever we see the band shell, and now when we gather, we will do so at the Dan Cotner Amphitheatre...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams' defense is so deep there are two starters, Trumaine Johnson and E.J. Gaines, competing for one of the cornerback spots. Johnson may have gained the edge Sunday in an evening practice at Rams Park. Gaines left practice early with a foot injury. He walked off on his own and did not return...

CINCINNATI -- Anthony DeSclafani handled the St. Louis Cardinals for the second straight start, striking out a career-high nine, and the Cincinnati Reds turned a big first inning off John Lackey into a 3-2 victory Tuesday night. DeSclafani (7-7), the most experienced member of Cincinnati's all-rookie rotation, gave up seven hits and two runs in six innings...

HOLMDEL, N.J. -- State police Tuesday were looking for a suspect and witnesses to a shooting that left two people wounded outside a hip-hop concert in New Jersey. The shooting happened late Monday in the parking lot outside the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, causing panic among the crowd attending a show by Big Sean and J. Cole...

LANCASTER, N.H. -- It's unclear why a circus that was warned about impending severe weather put on its planned show in a tent that collapsed in a storm, killing a spectator and his 8-year-old daughter, the state fire marshal said Tuesday. More than 30 others were taken to hospitals after the collapse Monday night at the Lancaster Fairgrounds, about 90 miles north of Concord...

WASHINGTON -- About 1.8 million households that got financial help for health insurance under President Barack Obama's law have issues with their tax returns that could jeopardize their subsidies next year. Administration officials say those taxpayers will have to act quickly...

SEATTLE -- A vast bloom of toxic algae off the West Coast is denser, more widespread and deeper than scientists feared even weeks ago, according to surveyors aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel. This coastal ribbon of microscopic algae, up to 40 miles wide and 650 feet deep, is flourishing amid unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures. ...

The Rev. Ron Watts, pastor of LaCroix United Methodist Church, recently received the Harry Debman Evangelism Award at the Missouri East Conference at Central Methodist College in Fayette. Mike Schreiner of Webster Groves, Missouri, formerly of Jackson, delivers the sermon at New McKendree United Methodist Church in the morning; Schreiner has completed his first year seminary training at Eden Seminary at Webster Groves...

Son to Zachary Jamez Chiles and Brittany Nicole Stewart of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:26 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Name, Tyson Zxander Jamez. Weight, 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Second child, first son. Ms. Stewart is the daughter of Vicki Stewart of Cape Girardeau and Danny Borgfield of Jackson. Chiles is the son of Shantell Burton of Marble Hill, Missouri, and Jamey Chiles of Cape Girardeau. He is employed by Auto Body and Auto Collision...

NEW YORK -- These days it seems whatever can be burned to power a car, heat a home, make electricity or ship people and goods around the globe is being sold at bargain-basement prices. Prices for coal, natural gas, oil and the fuels made from crude such as gasoline and diesel all are far less expensive than they have been in recent years...

ST. LOUIS -- Federal prosecutors have charged a former Pine Lawn, Missouri, police lieutenant with falsely arresting a mayoral candidate two years ago -- the latest allegation of wrongdoing involving public officials in the small St. Louis County town...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- Police in St. Louis County say they're expecting a peaceful weekend from protesters marking the anniversary of the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, but they'll be prepared should events turn violent. Protest leaders are promising events scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the St. ...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple is slumping as the usually highflying tech stock struggles with the burden of raised expectations. The world's most valuable public company saw its stock price drop for a fifth straight day Tuesday, falling as much as $5.19, or 4.4 percent, to $113.25 as investors fret over China's economy and whether Apple can keep growing at the pace it's maintained over the last few quarters...

The Jackson Fire Department responded to the following calls: n Emergency medical service on South Shawnee Boulevard. n Motor vehicle crash on South Old Orchard Road. n Emergency medical service on East Lane. n Motor vehicle crash on East Jackson Boulevard...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Taylor H. Williams, 24, 1530 Whitener St., was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and improper backing. n Two 12-year-old girls were taken into custody for stealing at Wal-Mart, 3439 William St...

Erma McDowell, 79, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Baptist Health Paducah in Paducah, Kentucky. She was born Jan. 26, 1936, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Roy W. and Laura Koeppel McLain. She and Joe McDowell were married April 6, 1958. He preceded her in death Feb. 12, 2012...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Christopher Lee Holloway, 32, of Marble Hill died Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at his home. He was born Feb. 7, 1983, at Chaffee, Missouri, son of Terry Lee and Rita Lynn Myers Holloway. Survivors include his parents; two brothers, Nick Brown of Leopold, Missouri, and John Brown of Patton, Missouri; paternal grandfather, Raymond Holloway Sr. of Marble Hill; and a special friend, Kim Herrin of Marble Hill...

Carney Cedrick Fesler, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at Southeast Hospital. He was born Nov. 23, 1923, in St. Louis, son of the Rev. Carney Cedrick and Elizabeth G. Ranney Fesler. The Rev. Fesler was pastor of Marvin Methodist Church there. Carney and Oltha Helsley were married May 3, 1952, in Essex, Missouri. She passed away June 27, 2009...

Dallas Ray Eaker, 83, of Sullivan, Missouri, formerly of Crump, died Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at his home. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until service time Friday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Proffer Cemetery at Crump with full military honors...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Boone County Commission likely will decide this month whether to move from public land an Operation Desert Storm memorial that includes a religious symbol. The memorial includes a small ichthus, sometimes called a "Jesus fish." It is one of several memorials to veterans of different wars on the Courthouse Plaza near the Boone County courthouse...

Route RA in Cape Girardeau County from the junction of Route U to County Road 387 will be closed as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway. The work will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily Aug. 17 to 20, according to a MoDOT news release...

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Mormon church's push toward transparency about its roots and beliefs took another step forward Tuesday with the first published pictures of a small sacred stone it believes founder Joseph Smith used to help translate a story that became the basis of the religion...

HOUSTON -- The family of a black woman found dead in a Texas jail three days after a confrontation with a white state trooper filed a wrongful-death lawsuit Tuesday against the officer and other officials, saying it was a last resort after being unable to get enough information about the case. ...

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A sheriff's office has posted a flier on its Facebook page asking drug dealers to turn in their rivals. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office posted the flier Monday. It features an image of a marijuana leaf and says, "Is your drug-dealing competition costing you money? We offer a free service to help you eliminate your drug competition!" At the bottom of the letter, people are asked to fill out information about the drug dealer they are reporting...

HIROSHIMA, Japan -- The crumbling brick and concrete walls of the Atomic Bomb Dome, as it is known today, rise above the Motoyasu River. The bomb so devastated Hiroshima, there are few other reminders of the city that was here seven decades ago. "I didn't want to see this place for a long time," said Kimie Mihara, a straight-backed 89-year-old. She walked slowly around the fenced-off ruin, now roofless save for the dome's skeleton...

May we prove ourselves doers of the word, O God, and not merely hearers. Amen.

WASHINGTON -- A majority of blacks in the United States -- more than three out of five -- say they or a family member have been treated unfairly by the police, and their race is the reason. Half of African-American respondents, including six in 10 black men, said they personally had been treated unfairly by police because of their race, compared with 3 percent of whites. Another 15 percent said they knew of a family member who had been treated unfairly by the police because of their race...

WASHINGTON -- A leading Republican senator proposed a National Rifle Association-backed bill Wednesday he said would make the federal background check system for gun buyers more effective and bolster programs for treating people with mental illness...

ANTIOCH, Tenn. -- A man armed with a hatchet and a pellet gun unleashed a volley of pepper spray at audience members inside a movie theater Wednesday before being fired at by a police officer and shot dead by a SWAT team as he tried to escape out a back door, police said...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Preliminary investigations indicate molten aluminum hitting water caused explosions that injured more than 30 employees at a Southeast Missouri aluminum plant, a federal agency said Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the explosions that occurred Tuesday at the Noranda Aluminum plant...

The defending Ohio Valley Conference regular-season co-champions officially began practices at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning and completed two additional training sessions later in the day.

Republican secretary of state candidate Jay Ashcroft made a stop in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday as part of his statewide Voter Identification Tour. The St. Louis lawyer is part of the group "Protect the Vote," which leads an effort to get the voter-ID issue on the 2016 ballot...

Today is Thursday, August 6, the 218th day of 2015. There are 147 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 6, 1945, during World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths. (Three days later, the United States exploded a nuclear device over Nagasaki; five days after that, Imperial Japan announced its surrender.)...

America's veterans deserve our gratitude and support. That can come in many forms, but there are tangible ways we can show our thanks. A recent story in the Southeast Missourian highlighted the need for volunteers to take veterans to medical appointments. ...

ST. LOUIS -- As an undrafted free agent in 2013, Daren Bates figured he would have to excel on special teams if he were to land a spot on the St. Louis Rams' roster. The linebacker from Auburn made a quick first impression and has been an anchor on special teams that have ranked among the NFL's best the last two seasons...

The Southeast Missourian will begin publishing Business Today, a monthly newspaper devoted solely to business-related news, in September; it will be the only one of its kind in the Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois area. The Cape Girardeau City Council refuses to reconsider action on the location of a downtown exit from the new Mississippi River bridge route, despite Realtor Tom L. Meyer's appeal that a Lorimier Street route would threaten a city landmark, St. Vincent's College...

Daughter to Joseph Anthony and Alexandria Kristine Hodge of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:28 a.m. Thursday, July 30, 2015. Name, Rynleigh Aris. Weight, 6 pounds, 11 ounces. First child. Mrs. Hodge is the former Alexandria Wheeler, daughter of Ral Wheeler and Milissa Wheeler of Cape Girardeau. She is a registered nurse at Saint Francis. Hodge is the son of Paul Hodge and Pat Hodge of Cape Girardeau. He is a route salesman with Ozarc Gas...

ST. LOUIS -- Children appearing in St. Louis County family courts will be entitled to free legal representation under a program soon to be unveiled by the county's NAACP chapter. Details of the program will be unveiled Friday during an NAACP-sponsored community leadership brunch near St. Louis, a week after the U.S. Department of Justice released a report critical of the county's family court system that handles about 6,000 youth cases each year...

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- A fire swept through a condominium building in central Missouri overnight, killing four young children who were there to celebrate a birthday party, authorities said Wednesday. People began calling 911 to report the blaze shortly after 11 p.m., and firefighters were at the four-story building within minutes, Osage Beach fire chief Jeff Dorhauer told the St. ...

Someone called in and said they couldn't figure out how Obama got gas prices to go down. Well, first of all, "down" is relative. But he got them to go down slightly by selling out Israel and conceding to the country that is the largest source of terrorism in the world. Simply put, he betrayed Israel and helped put nuclear capability in the hands of those who have blatantly said they want to annihilate Israel and the U.S. Do you still love those "low" gas prices now?...

SAUGET, Ill. -- A woman talked her way past a security guard early Wednesday and entered the cockpit of a private plane at an Illinois airport before she was caught and taken to a hospital for psychiatric observation, authorities said. Police in Sauget, Illinois, say the 38-year-old St. Louis woman entered a 20-seat Global Express jet on the tarmac of the St. Louis Downtown Airport about 4 a.m. Wednesday...

NEW YORK -- The latest batch of corporate results helped nudge the stock market to a slight gain Wednesday, snapping a three-day slump. Another drop in oil prices held indexes back. First Solar soared 17 percent, the biggest gain in the S&P 500, following news the country's largest solar company turned in results that beat estimates and raised its outlook for full-year profits. First Solar's stock jumped $7.42 to $51.92...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Michael A. Cavasos, 19, of Sikeston, Missouri, was arrested on a Jackson warrant for failure to appear on original charges of being a minor in possession, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, failure to maintain insurance and failure to register a motor vehicle...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n A suspect was in custody pending formal charges of stealing clothing at Kmart, 11 S. Kingshighway, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance...

ORAN, Mo. -- Don Vance, 80, of Oran passed away Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, at his home. He was born July 23, 1935, in Allenville to the late Elbert Howard and Florence "Flossie" Cramer Vance. Don served four years in the United States Air Force. He was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church, St. Joseph Sodality, Knights of Columbus Council 4311, all in Oran; American Legion Post 369 in Benton, Missouri; and Elks Lodge 2319 in Sikeston, Missouri. He was a retired construction worker...

Richard Clark Patterson, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born March 20, 1950, in Chicago to John Clark and Mamie Jordan Patterson Sr. He and Patricia Ann King were married May 23, 1983, at Benton, Missouri...

Netflix stirred envy in sleep-deprived parents nationwide by saying it will give its employees up to a year of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child. But outside of hypercompetitive Silicon Valley, don't hold your breath for your boss to match it...

NEW YORK -- At $660 billion, Apple is the stock market's heavyweight. Like a handful of other "big cap" companies such as Microsoft and Exxon Mobil, the iPhone maker's market value means when its shares move, so can the market. And these are the companies that influence your stock portfolio...

Betty McCulley Parker, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, at her home in Saxony Village. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with Gary Brothers officiating. Entombment will be in Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- James P. Duncan III, 62, of Columbia, Missouri, formerly of Perryville, died Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Aug. 15 at First Presbyterian Church in Perryville, with the Rev. Nancy Gillard officiating...

Ethel Buggs, 101, departed this life Thursday, July 30, 2015, at her granddaughter's home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 14, 1914, to Miller and Lela Wheeler Ware in Hickman, Kentucky. "Ma" was the eldest of six children: James, Jimmie, Henry, Eliza and William...

Russel Bolin, 75, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, July 27, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born March 25, 1940, in Dudley, Missouri, to Marion and Leona Curd Bolin. Russel and Eula B. Cook were married April 8, 1988, in Jackson. They shared the same birthday...

ST. LOUIS -- Two residents of Canada have been sentenced to prison for distributing counterfeit, misbranded and adulterated Botox. Kamaldeep Sandhu was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in St. Louis to two years in prison, and Navdeep Sandhu was sentenced to three months. Both are from Vancouver, British Columbia...

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. -- Nebraska authorities say a Missouri woman was cited for assault after using a stun gun on the driver of the vehicle in which they were traveling. Nebraska City station KNCY reported 41-year-old Jolie Hoefling was treated for minor injuries after the incident...

NIXA, Mo. -- A coroner says a southwest Missouri man who was bitten twice by a snake might have died from other causes. A toxicology report says 37-year-old Gilbert De Leon of Nixa was legally drunk and had high levels of prescription drugs in his blood when he died in May...

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A piece of a wing found washed up on Reunion Island last week is from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which vanished last year, Malaysia's prime minister announced early today, saying he hoped the news would end the "unspeakable" uncertainty of the passengers' families...

SALT LAKE CITY -- Days after the Boy Scouts of America lifted a blanket ban on gay leaders, a Utah group that pressed for the legalization of gay marriage in the state announced Tuesday it will sponsor a Boy Scout troop. Mark Lawrence with the group Restore Our Humanity said getting the troop approved and running might be an uphill battle in conservative Utah, where most troops are sponsored by the Mormon church. But he noted the new troop could be a model for the future...

Materials n Balance n Two brown paper bags n Vinegar n Baking soda n Pitcher Instructions STEP 1: Attach a brown paper bag to each side of the balance. STEP 2: In the pitcher, mix two cups of vinegar with one cup of baking soda. Feel the side of the pitcher. Is the side of the picture hot or cold?...

NEW YORK -- Pope Francis' call Wednesday for a church of "open doors" that welcomes divorced Catholics prompted speculation over whether he was signaling support for easing the ban on Communion for couples who remarry without a church annulment. The issue is at the center of an extraordinarily public debate among cardinals from around the world who will gather in October at the Vatican for a synod, or meeting, on the family, where treatment of such couples will be a key topic...

WASHINGTON -- Corporate America has jumped into the feud between hip-hop artists Drake and Meek Mill on the outside chance taking a bite out of their social media beef might help them woo millennial customers. Whataburger, White Castle and Burger King flew into the Twitter storm with witty, sometimes sardonic commentary on the drama that has been playing out between the two in recent weeks...

LAKEPORT, Calif. -- The firefighters come from near and far, working 24-hour shifts to snuff out an unpredictable blaze that has burned more than 100 square miles in Northern California near a major recreational lake. They bunk in tight sleepers and eat in a big mess hall. They depart in the mornings with enormous high-calorie sack lunches of sandwiches and cookies as others come back tired, footsore and hungry to their makeshift base at the Lake County fairgrounds...

CINCINNATI -- Matt Carpenter tied it with a solo homer in the eighth, and Randal Grichuk connected in the 13th inning, rallying the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. Grichuk was moved up to second in the Cardinals' struggling batting order. He doubled home a run in the sixth inning and hit his 15th homer in the 13th off Dylan Axelrod (0-1), Cincinnati's eighth pitcher...

The driver of a Dodge Caravan was cited in a rollover accident at Independence and Pacific streets in Cape Girardeau. Clara Davis, 71, of Cape Girardeau received a citation for failure to yield to oncoming traffic, said Sgt. Adam Glueck of the Cape Girardeau Police Department...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- An East Prairie man was killed after the tractor he was operating overturned on a levee Tuesday in Mississippi County. At 12:45 p.m., William H. "Billy" Thomure, 58, of East Prairie was operating a tractor on private property about six miles south of East Prairie, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The accident occurred as Thomure was driving up the levee and overturned, pinning him underneath the tractor...

Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E recently announced it will conduct enforcement operations during August. At some point this month, members of the highway patrol, along with local law enforcement agencies, will conduct a hazardous moving vehicle operation and a driving-while-intoxicated saturation operation, according to a Troop E news release...

The driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal accident last month has been charged for his alleged role in the incident. Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh on July 29 charged John J. Kelly, 60, of Cape Girardeau with careless and imprudent driving, a misdemeanor...

The presidentially appointed Mississippi River Commission will hold a public meeting aboard the Motor Vessel Mississippi diesel towboat Aug. 14 at the Cape Girardeau riverfront. The commission holds two meetings each year in the region as it tours the U.S. ...

ST. LOUIS -- October marks the 50th anniversary of St. Louis' Gateway Arch, and organizers have announced plans to celebrate the occasion, including a fireworks display and a chance to meet construction workers who built the structure. An all-day celebration is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Kiener Plaza, which will include food and drink vendors, children's activities and live music, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The day will end in a fireworks display showcasing the arch...

VICTORY TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Here's a way to boost interest in local government: potato salad. A township board held a lakeside picnic Monday before its regular meeting. After an hour of hot dogs and side dishes, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and the Victory Township board meeting came to order. About two dozen people attended the picnic and meeting. Only three attended the June meeting at the township hall. There were reports from law enforcement and a lake preservation group...

WASHINGTON -- Federal investigators have begun looking into the security of devices on which Hillary Rodham Clinton's private email was stored when she was secretary of state, Clinton's attorney confirmed Wednesday. "We are actively cooperating" with the investigation, attorney David Kendall stated. ...

Parents' names: David and Rhonda Murphy What extracurricular activities were you involved in? Can you tell us a little bit about your experiences? Marching and concert band (freshman and sophomore years) Who is your role model, and why? My mom; she is extremely hardworking and selfless and would do just about anything for the people she loves. Also, she makes me keep doing stuff even when I want to quit, which I always appreciate in the long run...

Parents' names: Wesley and Phyllis Amelunke What extracurricular activities were you involved in? Can you tell us a little bit about your experiences? I ran cross country for a couple of years and was in FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), but most of my focus outside of school was on music. For the past few years, I've spent three or four nights a week playing in various bars, wineries and venues with my band Old School Hype...

O Jesus, may we never fall to temptation, but instead seek your will for our lives. Amen.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Colorado theater shooter James Holmes will be sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury failed to agree Friday on whether he should get the death penalty for his murderous attack on a packed movie premiere. The nine women and three men said they could not reach a unanimous verdict on each of the murder counts. That automatically eliminates the death penalty for the failed neuroscientist, who blamed his calculated murders of 12 people on mental illness...

Fans of the band Journey will have the opportunity to hear many of its greatest hits at the Absolute Journey Tribute show Aug. 15 at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. Absolute Journey will perform two shows, at 6 and 8 p.m. The Tribute's lead singer, Riccardo Curzi, is a dead ringer for Journey's lead singer, Steve Perry, in his younger days...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A man prosecutors say admitted while applying for a Missouri State Highway Patrol job he had sexual contact with several underage girls was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison. Cedric Lovejoy, 29, of Plato, Missouri, was undergoing a polygraph test in November 2012 when he was asked if he had ever committed any criminal offense...

Mega Millions ticket worth $25M sold in Missouri NOEL, Mo. -- A 60-year-old southwest Missouri man has come forward with a Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $25 million before taxes. The Missouri Lottery announced Thursday that Raul Ahumada of Noel took what he thought was a $25,000 winner to the Lottery's Springfield office Tuesday and learned he was an even bigger winner...

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- Authorities say they don't know yet what caused a heavy fire that killed four children in a central Missouri condo earlier this week. The fire swept through the condominium building in Osage Beach late Tuesday, killing four children...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- As the anniversary of Michael Brown's death nears, a Ferguson city councilman says the U.S. Justice Department's proposal to reform policing and municipal courts in Ferguson could bankrupt the St. Louis suburb. Councilman Brian Fletcher didn't say exactly what parts of the plan he and others on the council find unacceptable. ...

A stabbing Wednesday left a Cape Girardeau man with minor injuries. Cape Girardeau police were dispatched to a local hospital about 4 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a stabbing, Sgt. Adam Glueck of the Cape Girardeau Police Department said. Police made contact with the victim, a 29-year-old Cape Girardeau resident who said he was attempting to break up a fight outside of a Cape Girardeau residence when one of the subjects cut him with a knife...

A Sparta, Illinois, man charged with forgery and theft in Missouri has been sentenced after a plea deal. Judge Benjamin Lewis in July placed John C. Jeffers, 37, on five years' probation with a suspended imposition of sentence on two counts of felony forgery, and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $35,827.07, court documents show. Jeffers also must maintain care with a mental-health provider and pay court costs...

The Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and Missouri Department of Public Safety will be updating the law-enforcement training standards in Missouri, thanks to a directive from Gov. Jay Nixon. Nixon directed them to set forth new rules improving access to effective and ongoing tactical training and training in fair and impartial policing and the health and well-being of officers, according to a news release from Nixon's office. The new standards are due Dec. 1...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri agency has no plans to recover what a state audit described as more than $1.5 million in overpayments for an early childhood development program, according to a follow-up review released Thursday. A state fund for support services for young children received the lowest possible rating in a February audit. Of four changes recommended in that report, none has been fully implemented, a follow-up review noted...

The conclusion of Cape Splash's fifth season represents one of the Cape Girardeau water park's most successful summers. Although the opening was delayed, the completion of the new speed slides and mat racer was the main driver behind the uptick in visitors this year...

CLEVELAND -- A combative Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman-turned-presidential candidate, jolted the first Republican debate of the 2016 campaign by warning he might run as an independent if denied the GOP nomination. His startling declaration left his onstage rivals scrambling to compete for attention the rest of the night...

The Robinsons of Pinhook, Missouri, gathered for lunch Thursday afternoon at their regular spot, Vine's Custom Meats near East Prairie, Missouri. Aretha Robinson sat quietly at the head of one table with her daughters LaToya Robinson-Tate and Debra Tarver, both grown now and compulsive huggers. Brothers David and Reginald sat at another table, laughing with some other locals...

Junior transfer Tay Bender and senior Alex Niznak are battling to replace former starting quarterback Kyle Snyder.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith's visit earlier this week to view flood damage in the Bootheel left the congressman no doubt a controversial project designed to stop the Mississippi River from inundating Southeast Missouri's St. Johns Bayou and farmland in the New Madrid Floodway needs to go forward, despite some recent pushback from environmental groups and lawmakers in neighboring states...

Cape Girardeau Roller Girls to Take on Roughneck Roller Derby August 15th! Saturday, August 15th, come check out live roller derby action at the A.C. Brase Arena as the Cape Girardeau Roller Girls hit the track to take on Roughneck Roller Derby from Tulsa, OK...for the very first time ever! Count on an exciting game full of hard hits and fast action as these two teams fight for the win. ...

Today is Friday, August 7, the 219th day of 2015. There are 146 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 7, 1782, Gen. George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart, a decoration to recognize merit in enlisted men and noncommissioned officers...

This will be a busy weekend for shopping in Missouri. It's the last weekend before school starts, and also the annual back-to-school shopping sales tax holiday. According to a recent article by Erin Ragan, most area cities, including Jackson and Sikeston, have opted to participate in the holiday, meaning city sales taxes will be dropped for school-relaed purchases. ...

Columnist Mona Charen recently asked in her column if Jewish Democrats will sink the nuclear deal with Iran. No. I like distinguished author and columnist David Limbaugh. However, Mr. Limbaugh recently endorsed a book by a man by the name of Mark Levin, one who is often referred to (probably by himself) as The Great One. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Just when he was starting to fully appreciate football, St. Louis Rams wide receiver Brian Quick almost had it taken away from him. Quick was sidelined after seven games last season with a broken collarbone. The injury was so severe that Quick's future was in doubt...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri has a few weeks to cultivate pass catching options for Maty Mauk. The junior senior quarterback completed just 53 percent of his passes last year for the two-time defending SEC East champions. In the Tigers' drive for a three-peat, which began with the first fall practice on Thursday, a lack of experience at wide receiver is perhaps the biggest question...

Dr. M. Marguerite Fuller of Cape Girardeau, 88, a prominent physician here 58 years and the first woman to receive the Golden Deeds Award, died yesterday at the Lutheran Home; after graduating from the Kirksville (Missouri) College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fuller came to Cape Girardeau in 1924 as an associate with the late Dr. Anita Bohnsack...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Jeffery D. Murry, 30, 426 East Lane, No. 1, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant. n Thefts were reported in the 700 block of West Washington Street, the 100 block of North Shawnee Boulevard and the 900 block of Gerald Street...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Michael S. Bowman, 34, 204 Sioux Lane, was arrested on a Jackson warrant for failure to appear for a traffic violation. n Meaghan R. Tate, 24, 230 Good Hope St., No. 3, was arrested on a Jackson warrant for failure to appear for driving while revoked/suspended...

Richard Clark Patterson, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Visitation will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. A graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lorimier Cemetery, with Elder Athisha King officiating...

NEW YORK -- Jon Stewart said an emotional goodbye Thursday after 16 years on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" that established him as America's foremost satirist of politicians and the media. Those who scored a ticket to the 6 p.m. taping said they were sworn to secrecy about the details of Stewart's final show, which brought together "Daily Show" alumni and staff. Stephen Colbert was there. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band played a set...

An exhibit of artwork completed by students of the Summer Art Academy at Southeast Missouri State University will be featured. Students range in age from 6 to adult, and their artwork incorporates many different media, techniques and experiences. More than 120 students participated in the workshops...

The Southeast Missouri Modelers Association will host Cape Fly Hi from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday in Galaxy Park, 441 Gizmo Lane in Cape Girardeau. The public is invited to fly radio-controlled aircraft with association members. The free event is weather permitting. More information is available by calling (573) 334-4706 or (573) 803-8490...

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, 32 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau, will host the third annual Member's Exhibit in September. The show is open to all members of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri age 18 years and older. Three cash awards will be selected Sept. 4 by Angela Walleman, vice president of Best of Missouri Hands. To read about the exhibit's details, visit capearts.org/MembersShow.aspx. To become a member of the Arts Council, click on capearts.org/BecomeAMember.aspx...

Jewels Norman of East Prairie, Missouri, submitted this photo of her tattoo by artist Erin Thurman. "It reminds me that God is with me no matter what, and reminds me to think over before I do things," she said. (Photo submitted by Jewels Norman) To submit a tattoo, visit www.semissourian.com/forms/tattoo...

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri is kicking off a new speaker series, and it's one that is sure to catch the attention of people interested in controversial subjects pertaining to art. The point of the series is to offer the community something different and provocative, said Joni Hand, who participated in planning the series with members of the Arts Council...

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- The Malaysian government was certain: The airplane part found on an Indian Ocean island came from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Investigators in France weren't so sure quite yet. Those differing approaches created confusion and anguish Thursday for the families of those aboard the ill-fated flight...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Puerto Ricans are learning to live without water on an island that already was suffering an economic crisis. A severe drought is forcing businesses to close temporarily, public schools to cancel breakfast service and people to find creative ways to stay clean amid sweltering temperatures...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- An allegedly new Islamic State affiliate in Saudi Arabia claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing Thursday at a mosque inside a police compound in the country's southwest that killed at least 15 people, most of them members and recruits of the kingdom's special forces...

ISMAILIA, Egypt -- In a defining moment of his young presidency, Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi presided Thursday over the unveiling of a major extension of the Suez Canal he hailed as a historic feat needed to revive the country's ailing economy after years of unrest...

DETROIT -- When researchers at two West Coast universities took control of a General Motors car through cellular and Bluetooth connections in 2010, they startled the auto industry by exposing a glaring security gap. Five years later, two friendly hackers sitting on a living-room couch used a laptop computer to commandeer a Jeep from afar over the Internet, demonstrating an even scarier vulnerability...

BOSTON -- Muslim groups and civil-rights activists across the nation on Thursday called for greater transparency in a program by President Barack Obama's administration that is aimed at countering homegrown terrorism. Organizers, including representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, spoke out at events in Boston, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, the three cities where the Countering Violent Extremism program is being piloted...

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Marcus Weaver spent nearly three years talking openly about forgiving the man who shot him, killed his friend and caused untold suffering. As a Christian opposed to capital punishment, he considered forgiveness "a no-brainer" and didn't want to see the gunman executed...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The homeless man who attacked a movie theater with a pellet gun, an ax and pepper spray also had a propane tank and lighter fluid and may have been planning to set off an explosion, authorities said Thursday. Vincente David Montano, 29, was shot to death by a SWAT unit Wednesday during the matinee showing of "Mad Max: Fury Road" at a Nashville-area multiplex...

WASHINGTON -- Marking the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, President Barack Obama remembered the African-American men and women across the South who won their rights through persistence and courage, and he urged citizens today not to give up that hard-earned power of the ballot...

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A man who claimed to be Tarzan has been arrested after he allegedly climbed a tree and tried to get into the monkey exhibit at a Southern California zoo. A zookeeper called 911 Tuesday morning to report a shirtless man plastered in mud had climbed about 20 feet into a tree at the bird exhibit at the Santa Ana Zoo. Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said the man, who apparently was high on methamphetamine, claimed he was Tarzan and tried to crawl into a monkey exhibit...

BALTIMORE -- Investigations launched by three agencies into a psychological firm tasked with assessing the mental health of Baltimore's police, including an officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, are raising questions about whether officers are screened adequately for psychological issues before being placed on active duty...

HIROSHIMA, Japan -- Japan marked the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Thursday, with Mayor Kazumi Matsui renewing calls for U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders to step up efforts toward making a nuclear-weapons-free world...

CINCINNATI -- The mound was slippery, the rain was steady, the bullpen was exhausted. Michael Wacha overcame all of it for another win. Wacha gave St. Louis' tired bullpen a respite by throwing seven innings in the rain Thursday, and the Cardinals pulled away to a 3-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, taking yet another series from their NL Central rival...

O Lord, we seek your face and ask for your divine blessing on our lives. Amen.

Today is Saturday, August 8, the 220th day of 2015. There are 145 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On August 8, 1945, President Harry S. Truman signed the U.S. instrument of ratification for the United Nations Charter. The Soviet Union declared war against Japan during World War II...

Three Southeast Missouri House members survived re-election challenges in Democratic primaries yesterday; Rep. Ollie Amick, D-Scott City, held off a comeback bid by former Rep. Betty C. Hearnes of Charleston; Rep. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, stopped a challenge from Frances Phillips of Dexter in the 156th District, and Rep. Opal Parks, D-Caruthersville, easily defeated two challengers to capture a third term in the 162nd District...

The Southeast Missouri State football players and coaches circled up for a drill with pairs of linemen rotating into the center about 20 minutes into the team's third practice at Houck Stadium on Saturday morning. There were hoops and hollers from the offensive and defensive sides as their respective representative in the middle tried to overpower the other...

Spend some time with Allison Elfrink and Chico and you'll soon realize the mustang is no one-trick pony. Elfrink, 16, acquired Chico, then a numbered but unnamed wild mustang from Wyoming, in March, and last month they won a three-event competition called Extreme Mustang Makeover; it was held in St. Louis and attracting competitors from around the Midwest...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- On the eve of the anniversary of Michael Brown being shot and killed during a confrontation with a police officer, Brown's father said Saturday the family still mourns the 18-year-old's death. Several weekend events are planned to commemorate Brown's death. Among them was a parade Saturday led by Michael Brown Sr., starting at the memorial on Canfield Drive in Ferguson that marks the site where Brown was fatally shot by former officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014...

Cheney Hall, Southeast Missouri State University's oldest residence hall, will be closed through the spring as the building is examined and repaired. Students who were planning to reside there are being reassigned to other spaces on campus. The hall was slated to be open for students this fall, but recent assessments of the building have shown a need for structural and infrastructure repairs, according to a university news release...

This week marks the end of summer vacation at area school districts, and teachers and administrators are preparing for the start of a new school year. The Jackson School District welcomed new teachers last week at orientation and training sessions. Its new superintendent, John Link, has been introducing himself to the community...

Keeping Cape Girardeau's downtown safe from floodwaters is no small task. While some of the protective measures are easily visible -- the floodwall, for example -- most are hidden. "[Flood protection] is a little bit different downtown because of the floodwall and the way that has to work," said assistant public works director Stan Polivick. ...

More than 70 teams are competing in the youth tournament that will help the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Girardeau.

A four-game winning streak and 38 scoreless innings pitched came to pass in a 5-4 loss to Milwaukee.

Peacock Vase lantern at the Lantern Festival in the Missouri Botanical Gardens

Beautiful albino squirrel

One of many brightly lit lanterns/art in the Lantern Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Today is Sunday, August 9, the 221st day of 2015. There are 144 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 9, 1945, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, the United States exploded a nuclear device over Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Troy Allen and Paula Ann Smith of Advance announce the engagement of their daughter, Taylor Ann Smith, to David James VanGennip II. He is the son of David and Tammy VanGennip of Advance, and the late Darlene VanGennip. Taylor is a 2010 graduate of Delta High School. She received a degree in nursing from Mineral Area College. She is a registered nurse with Delta School District and at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

This is the Ozarks. To me, a wooded hill makes the perfect backdrop for a nostalgic Southeast Missouri country scene. A rainy morning provided an afternoon with fog lifting out of the distant forest. The day before was hot, making for a humid trip through the countryside...

Members of Cape Girardeau County FCE attended the FCE national conference held July 23 through 26 in Blue Springs, Missouri. Among those attending were Mary Klaproth, Missouri state secretary, and JoAn Hahs, Southeast District director. The theme of the conference was Stepping Stones to Success...

If you're not up for big projects like repainting the walls or adding insulation to the attic this fall, consider stocking up on throw blankets for an easy, low-commitment way to change the look of your rooms -- and keep cozy. Whether turned out in luxurious cashmere or a soft synthetic, a throw is a snugly alternative to zipping up another sweatshirt or cranking up the thermostat when the temperature dips...

Nancy Hadler of Frohna, Missouri, suggested a column on gazpacho as she has been enjoying some this summer. Summer weather is hot and humid and if you combine that with a bounty of fresh vegetables, you have the perfect combination for a cool, refreshing gazpacho. ...

As autumn approaches, one notices the days are becoming shorter. We notice in the morning it's darker when we get up, and we are forced to come in the house a little quicker in the evening because it grows darker earlier. There is a different feel in the air. Fall is coming...

I enjoy cooking, but not cleaning. Unfortunately, the two are inseparable. Sometimes after cooking whatever was prepared has left a little residue. Not only do I then need to clean the pan from its regular use but it now has to be scrubbed to remove the residue...

To whom or what do you assign blame or give credit for your situation in life? Are you the navigator of your destiny, or does someone else deserve the recognition -- be it good or bad, positive or negative? Look within yourself and discern. It will be time well spent, I assure you...

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Shirley Patton. Happy birthday to Leyton Hanback, Mike Hamilton, Deloris Newman, Marilyn Benton, Carl Hobbs, Jim Tyler, Koby Pobst, Amanda Cannon, Pam Cooper, Andrew Horrell, Jared Walker, Janae Eskew, Cinda Hall, Mike Lee, Becki Scheeter, Nan Charleston, Karen Owens, Ann Whistler, Joy Cutler, Stan Hahn, Tyson Proctor, Virginia Garner, Jerry Snider, Joe Dysinger, Jim Hindman, Wendy Wilson, Taylor Laxton, Steve Seyer, Jennifer Nolen, John Stroder, Austin Carroll, Kent Duniphan, Jerry Evans, Ethan Thompson, Casey McAlister, Charisse Garner, Roy Surface, Hunter Ourth, Ashley Pepple, Steven Wessel, Leslie Bridwell, Paula Chapman and Dennis Haislip.. ...

ON THE ST. CROIX RIVER, Minn. -- Jockeying for a rail spot on the third-floor deck of a St. Croix River paddle wheel boat starts an hour before departure. Up there are prime views of the towering piers, protruding concrete segments and barges full of heavy equipment -- all elements of one of the biggest, most expensive bridge projects the Upper Midwest has seen...

Doug and Gina Kaminskey of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Chelsea Denae Kaminskey, to Kellan Joseph Robert True. He is the son of Joe True and Mitchell and Terry Baker of Jackson. Chelsea received a bachelor of general studies degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 2012, and an associate degree in nursing from Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences in May 2015. She is a registered nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center...

Descendants of Jacob and Marguaritha Friedrich will have a reunion from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 16 at Delmonico's Restaurant. Attendees are asked to bring family memorabilia. The Delta senior citizens will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Delta Community Building for bingo, puzzles, games and fellowship. ...

O Lord, may we devote ourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Amen.

On Tuesday, area voters spoke clearly, passing the fifth Transportation Trust Fund sales tax in Cape Girardeau, and, in Jackson, passing a water bond issue. Voters approved both measures by a wide margin. In the case of TTF5, various roadways will be improved and repaired during the next five years. With Jackson's water bond issue, the goal is to replace and revamp aged water pipes to accommodate a growing city and to increase water pressure to homes and for use during emergencies such as fires...

NEW YORK -- Ignoring the police officers standing down the block and the disingenuous fine print on the foil packet peeking out of his front pocket -- "Warning: Don't Smoke" -- a homeless man openly lit up a synthetic marijuana joint and explained why it's not like the real thing...

Daughter to William Tyler and Theresa Ann Stearns of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015. Name, Charlotte Jo. Weight, 6 pounds, 15 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Stearns is the former Theresa Gray, daughter of John and Becki Gray of Jackson. She is a nurse at Saint Francis. Stearns is the son of Judy and Rodney Smith and Bill Stearns of Jackson. He is employed by Bill Riley Construction...

Circuit Court judges A.J. Seier and Stephen Limbaugh Jr. have reinstituted a policy disallowing plea bargaining in the 32nd Judicial Circuit in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties; Seier announced the policy from the bench in Cape Girardeau yesterday...

Highway 77 in Scott County from U.S. 61 and Route W will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make pavement repairs. Work will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Monday, according to a MoDOT news release. Route N in Cape Girardeau County from Route NN to Highway 25 will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs. The work will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, according to a MoDOT news release...

Rodeo fans are silhouetted in the stands as the sun sets Friday evening during the annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. (Laura Simon)

ABOVE: Iemeon Giles, left, and Corey Moore sort school supplies donated during the second annual Stuff the Bus event benefiting children in need Saturday at Wal-Mart in Cape Girardeau. BELOW: Mike Bowers, youth director with the Salvation Army, watches over Giles, Moore and Daniel Pacheco as they sort school supplies donated during Stuff the Bus. BOTTOM: Moore collects school supplies that have been donated during Stuff the Bus. (Glenn Landberg)...

Area residents joined dedicated hobbyists to fly remote-control model aircraft at Galaxy Park in Cape Girardeau on Saturday morning as part of the Southeast Missouri Modelers Association's annual Cape Fly Hi event. Club secretary Mike Montgomery said this year's event was a success...

JACKSON The Jackson Fire Department responded to the following calls: Thursday * Emergency medical service to West Mary Street. * A mutual aid call on Route W.

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Marc D. Whiteside, 27, 1225 Brandom St., Apt. 2, was arrested on suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child, neglect of a child and resisting arrest. n Jason T. Hercik, 37, 1234 Crow St., was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and on a Cape Girardeau County warrant...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Brigit K. Moore, 22, 150 Enclave Circle, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and driving while suspended. n Curtis D. Holt, 36, 401 S. Pacific St., was arrested on suspicion of a violation of an order of protection...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers hoping to help counties repair what one senator described as "crumbling" local courthouses are set to clash with the governor in a fight over whether ramping up court fees is the best way to pay for maintenance...

Mary Virginia Kerns Sponsler, 94, of Dunn Loring, Virginia, formerly of Cape Girardeau, passed away peacefully Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in Dunn Loring. She was born Dec. 27, 1920, in Cape Girardeau. Mary was a 1942 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. Her family operated Finney's Drug Store. Mary moved to Springfield, Illinois, where she met and married Roy J. Sponsler. He preceded her in death...

Minnie Faye Smothers, 91, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Oct. 2, 1923, in Ponder, Missouri, the daughter of Elbert and Martha Smith Hagood. Miss Minnie Faye and Elvis Smothers were united in marriage April 7, 1945, at St. Louis. He preceded her in death Feb. 11, 2006...

Dale Lee Smith, 67, of Jackson died Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, at his home. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. A memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield with full military honors...

Betty McCulley Parker, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, at her home in Saxony Village. She was born June 13, 1932, in Clarksville, Arkansas, to Homer Herbert and Emma Parsons Atkinson. She and Wayne McCulley were married in 1955 at Bell City, Missouri. He passed away in 1994. She later married John Parker in 2008 in Cape Girardeau. He passed away in 2013...

Andrew J. Hente, 37, of Osseo, Minnesota, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died in a work-related accident Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in Dayton, Minnesota. A celebration of life reception will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Crossroads Fellowship Church, 4400 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson...

Monti Jerome Ferronato, 49, of Jackson died Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. A memorial service will be at a later date. Ford and Sons Funeral Home-Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Chesley D. Bess, 55, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, at his home. He was born Sept. 27, 1959, in Cape Girardeau to Earl and Damie Ramsey Bess. He and Deborah Smith were married in 1988 at Cape Girardeau. He was a member of Lynwood Baptist Church...

A suspect taken into custody after a hostage situation last week now faces charges related to the incident. Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Boyd has charged Gary Ray Corder Jr., 31, of Sikeston, Missouri, with one felony count each of kidnapping/facilitating a felony/inflicting injury/terrorizing, armed criminal action and forgery and a misdemeanor charge of false imprisonment, online court records show...

A small earthquake was reported early Friday southwest of Charleston, Missouri. The U.S. Geological Survey website says the magnitude-2.5 quake struck at 7:34 a.m. at a depth of 4.9 miles. No reports of injury or damage were reported. Pertinent address:...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Police say they will "vigorously" investigate a burglary last week of clothing items meant for underprivileged children from Grace United Methodist Church. "We will use every asset we have to figure out who the scumbags were that stole from the church," said police chief Danny Whiteley...

The Student Veterans Organization at Southeast Missouri State University is asking for volunteers to help demolish the inside of a Cape Girardeau home that will become veteran housing when completed. The workday will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, and lunch will be provided, said Matthew Golden with the student organization. Volunteers are asked to bring their own ear protection, gloves and safety glasses...

Dan Overbey, executive director of the Semo Port, gave details about the operation of the port and the reach of its shipments during the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee program at Isle Casino Event Center. Shipments of various products through the port, which straddles Cape Girardeau and Scott counties and is governed by a county-appointed board, reach 40 states and -- eventually by way of ocean ship after leaving a river barge -- several other countries, Overbey demonstrated Friday with maps and figures.. ...

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- James Holmes will spend the rest of his life in prison after at least one juror balked at the possibility of sentencing him to death for a massacre that claimed 12 lives and spawned a four-month trial. Because the 12 jurors failed to unanimously agree Holmes should be executed, he will be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2012 attack on a midnight screening of a Batman movie that also left 70 injured...

ADRIAN, Mich. -- A man who brought a backpack stuffed with dirty socks to a couple looking to buy a pound of marijuana is facing prison. The fraudulent marijuana sale was described Wednesday in circuit court when Michael Rafael Suarez of Ypsilanti, Michigan, pleaded guilty to false pretenses. He said he "didn't bring any weed," and instead had "a bag of dirty socks." He faces up to 7 1/2 years in prison. Authorities say $2,800 in cash was taken during the would-be drug deal...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The FBI will participate in the investigation into the death of a Texas college football player who was fatally shot by an officer during a burglary call at a car dealership, a suburban Dallas police chief said Saturday. During a news conference Saturday night, Arlington police chief Will Johnson said a special FBI agent in charge of the Dallas field office would take part in the probe. ...

ATLANTA -- Donald Trump's bombast continued to roil the Republican presidential race Saturday as several rivals criticized his treatment of a Fox News debate moderator. The organizer of a conservative political convention rescinded the businessman's prime-time speaking slot, angering those eager to hear from the businessman...

NORRISTOWN, Pa. -- Pennsylvania's top prosecutor barely spoke at her arraignment Saturday on charges including a felony count of perjury, but her attorney stressed afterward she has no plans to resign, despite growing pressure even among her fellow Democrats. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Barry Odom has returned to familiar surroundings, and he's happy to be back. Glancing at Odom's recent track record, Missouri football fans may have cause to be happy, too. After a three-year stint as defensive coordinator at Memphis, Odom is filling the same position for his alma mater in place of Dave Steckel, who took the head coaching position at Missouri State...

The former Redhawks pitcher will represent the Astros' Class A affiliate Tri-City.

The 13-year-old was among 16 players selected for the Great Lakes Regional team.

St. Louis traded for the quarterback in the offseason.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Jake McQuaide[[OpenSingle]]s objective is efficiency without being noticed. The long snapper is the man standing behind the curtain on St. Louis Rams special teams, getting the job done going on five NFL seasons. [[""]]I don[[OpenSingle]]t think he[[OpenSingle]]s ever had a bad day,[[""]] kicker Greg Zuerlein said after practice Saturday. [[""]]I don[[OpenSingle]]t want to jinx him, but the ball is always where it needs to be...

St. Louis posted its third consecutive shutout behind starter Jaime Garcia.

BEIJING -- A typhoon pounded southeast China late Saturday, leaving more than 1 million homes without power after lashing Taiwan, where it downed trees, traffic lights and power lines, and left six people dead and four missing. Typhoon Soudelor hit the city of Putian in Fujian province late Saturday night and was expected to move across the region, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says President Barack Obama has approved a request for a major disaster declaration after repeated flash flooding and severe storms from May 15 to July 27. Nixon announced the disaster declaration in a news release Friday...

The linebacker said he hopes to be faster after shedding about 10 pounds.

NAGASAKI, Japan -- Struggling with a left arm that has never straightened, Sumiteru Taniguchi slowly peeled the undershirt off his frail, 86-year-old body to show two visitors his scars from the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. For 70 years, he has lived with them, a web of wounds covering most of his back and the remains of three ribs that half rotted away and permanently press against his lungs, making it hard to breathe. ...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- The baseball coach at Austin Peay has resigned after 27 seasons following his arrest in a prostitution sting. The university said Saturday it had accepted Gary McClure's resignation. University resident Alisa White said in a statement it was a sad situation for all involved...

Celebrating and preserving history are very important to the five committee members who founded the Catholic Heritage Museum of Apple Creek and Biehle. For several years, they envisioned opening a museum to display the heritage of St. Joseph Catholic Church and St. Maurus Roman Catholic Church. In 2012, they saw that vision begin to form...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- St. Louis County Police say an officer who came under heavy gunfire returned shots amid a protest in Ferguson. The department confirmed the shooting in a statement Sunday night, less than an hour after shots rang out as hundreds had gathered to mark the anniversary of the death of Michael Brown. The police department tweeted at least two unmarked cars were hit by gunfire...

HOUSTON -- A family of six children and two parents were fatally shot in the head at a Houston home by a man with a violent criminal history who had been in a contentious relationship with the mother, authorities said Sunday. David Conley, 48, was charged with capital murder in the deaths. Most of the victims had been handcuffed and some had been shot several times, said Sgt. Craig Clopton, the lead investigator for the Harris County Sheriff's Office...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- The anniversary of 18-year-old Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Missouri, began with a solemn march in his honor and ended in a rowdy protest. One year after the killing that cast greater scrutiny on how police interact with black communities, Brown's father led a march through town Sunday after a crowd of hundreds observed 4 1/2 minutes of silence...

Federal funds have been allocated to repair a problematic railroad crossing at U.S. 61 and Highway 25 in Jackson sometime early next year. The crossing is one of Jackson's most-maligned intersections, and Mayor Dwain Hahs said the project should please residents...

For the first time in more than 10 years, Cape Girardeau will have an active Tax Increment Financing Commission. The Cape Girardeau City Council sent a notice in July to local taxing entities to submit nominations for the 11-member commission, which will have its first meeting at noon Thursday at the Osage Centre...

Our grandson, Tristan Leggett, was able to drive an antique tractor in the Kelso Antique Tractor Parade on Aug. 4, 2015. There were 71 tractors in the parade.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The work is slow, and the payout is peanuts. But the Deane family still is excited about their latest venture. Triple D Farms of Sikeston, a multigenerational family farm operation, has 250 acres of peanuts planted on ground just west of the railroad tracks north of Sikeston...

Today is Monday, August 10, the 222nd day of 2015. There are 143 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 10, 1945, a day after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Imperial Japan conveyed its willingness to surrender provided the status of Emperor Hirohito remained unchanged. (The Allies responded the next day, saying they would determine the Emperor's future status.)...

Let's give these officers the respect they deserve, for who knows, you might be the next one that they lay their life down for. This is in regard to Mike Jensen's article on "phony urban legend." That is so truthful. We tend to blame and blame the police officers. ...

School starts Thursday, and Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School will kick it off with a new program to help students excel. Principal Carla Fee has announced that a 25-minute advisory period has been added to the daily schedule, an addition staff members have embraced. "It's pretty exciting for me to say my staff is totally on board," Fee said...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- With a scuffle and the crackle of gunfire, this once-anonymous suburb was scarred permanently a year ago. The fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, last August sparked clashes between protesters and police, unfolding on live television. Questions raised here about law-enforcement attitudes toward minorities and the militarization of police since have reverberated across the country...

NEW YORK -- As a campaign to raise the minimum wage as high as $15 has achieved victories in such places as Seattle, Los Angeles and New York, it has bumped up against a harsh reality: Plenty of scofflaw businesses don't pay the legal minimum now and probably won't pay the new, higher wages, either...

Greg Hellwege recently joined MRV Banks as senior residential lender. Hellwege will serve the bank's Cape Girardeau, Ste. Genevieve and Sikeston locations in Southeast Missouri, according to a news release. Hellwege served in leading roles with Wells Fargo, including as a sales development consultant, a home mortgage consultant and a branch manager for the company's locations in Sikeston and Cape Girardeau. ...

WASHINGTON -- A new era of higher rates on home and car loans and steeper borrowing costs for businesses and the government -- maybe a bit more return for savers -- is about to arrive. That, at least, is the word from most economists. After another solid U.S. jobs report Friday, they say the Federal Reserve seems all but sure to raise its short-term interest rate next month after keeping it pinned near zero for nearly seven years...

OMAHA, Neb. -- Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway reported a 37 percent drop in its second-quarter profit as the paper value of its investments fell and its insurance companies reported an underwriting loss. Berkshire Hathaway's net income fell to $4.01 billion, or $2,442 per Class A share. That's down from last year's $6.4 billion, or $3,889 per share. Those results were helped by a $1.1 billion paper gain on a stock exchange deal...

ORAN, Mo. -- Jerry Lynn Tindall, 69, of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, died Saturday, July 25, 2015. He was born and raised in Oran, Missouri. He graduated from Oran High School and Southeast Missouri State University. Jerry worked in the social service field most of his life, serving people with disabilities. He was a good husband, father and papa, and a good friend to many...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today Approval of minutes n Minutes of the Aug. 3 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on agenda Routine business...

Dale Lee Smith, 67, of Jackson was received into heaven Friday, Aug. 7, 2015. He passed away at his home after valiantly fighting lung cancer for over two years. He was born July 26, 1948, at the family home in Jackson, the sixth of nine children of George and Nellie Schreiner Smith...

Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week. Besides roll call votes, the Senate also took action on legislation by voice vote. The Senate also passed the Drinking Water Protection Act (H.R. 212), to monitor and prevent the risk of algal toxins in drinking water supplies; passed a bill (S. ...

DENVER -- Beneath the western United States lie thousands of old mining tunnels filled with the same toxic stew that spilled into a Colorado river last week, turning it into a yellow concoction and stoking alarm about contamination of drinking water...

NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. -- Snorting smoke and wearing an "I love Wildwood" T-shirt, King Kong again clings to a 60-foot lighthouse towering over the shore town's boardwalk. Eight vintage planes circle the gorilla, bringing riders 26 feet in air. For most of the 1970s, the giant ape ride graced Morey's Pier, only to be removed in 1980...

The Cape Girardeau bus station is again on the move; the station, currently at the Fill-Up Mart at 1101 William St., will be moved to another, as yet unknown, location; the agents operating the station have given notice it will be shut down at that location within 30 days...

NEW HAVEN, Vt. -- Hidden on hillsides in a remote part of western Vermont, a small number of venomous timber rattlesnakes slither among the rocks, but their isolation can't protect them from a mysterious fungus spreading across the eastern half of the country that threatens to wipe them out...

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's prime minister unveiled a plan Sunday to abolish three vice presidential posts and the offices of three deputy premiers, hoping to cut spending amid mass protests against his government as the Islamic State group still holds a third of his nation...

JERUSALEM -- Israel intensified its crackdown on Jewish extremists Sunday, imprisoning two high-profile ultranationalist Israelis for six months without charge and arresting additional suspects in West Bank settlement outposts, security authorities said...

WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon, so his rivals are scrambling to figure out how best to handle the blowback from every new bout of bluster drowning out their campaigns. Lead the charge, if you're the sole woman in the Republicans' White House race and trying to crack the top tier for the next debate, by questioning Trump's ability to withstand the pressure of the presidency...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- St. Louis County police are investigating a drive-by shooting that happened just blocks from a march that marked a year since Michael Brown's death in Ferguson. The shooting happened about 1:40 p.m. Sunday, near the site where several hundred people were marching from Canfield Drive to a church. ...

BRANCHBURG, N.J. -- Authorities say a man planning a burglary inadvertently dialed 911, allowing dispatchers to listen in on his conversation. Prosecutors say Branchburg police received the errant call July 27 but were unsure of the caller's location. They learned the phone number recently had been assigned to 42-year-old Scott Esser. Esser was arrested Wednesday, after he allegedly entered a Stafford Township, New Jersey, home. He's charged with that burglary and others...

MARIETTA, Ga. -- Down past the Big Chicken, the 56-foot-high, steel-beaked beacon of extra crispy that may be this town's most prized landmark, the wedge of dirt hard by Interstate 75 is notable only for its lack of notability. Stopping here, Rabbi Steven Lebow leaves the engine running and car door open...

Travis Mitchell and Tyler Stalker shot a second-round 61 on Sunday to win the Four-Ball Championship at Dalhousie Golf Club. The pair ended with a 128 total to finish two shots ahead of the team of Carr Vernon and Jimmy Vernon, who entered the day tied for first with Brevin Giebler and Travis Simmons after shooting a 64 in Saturday's first round. The Vernons shot a 66 in the second round...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Lela B. Hotop, 93, of Perryville died Aug. 8, 2015, at Estates of Perryville. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Young and Sons Funeral Home, with a Catholic wake at 6 p.m., and from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home...

Arrests n A suspect is in custody pending formal charges of violation of an order of protection at 701 Broadway St. n Breanne M. Reeves, 20, of Scott City was arrested on suspicion of stealing at Wal-Mart, 3439 William St. n Matthew H Jones, 33, of Jackson and Eric W. Ramos, 23, 1739 Cecilia St., were arrested on suspicion of disturbing the peace at 28 S. Spanish St...

n A citizen assist on Court Street. n An EMS call on Henderson Street. The Jackson Fire Department responded to the following call Sunday: n An EMS call on South Farmington Road.

Theft n Theft was reported in the 700 block of North Farmington Road. Miscellaneous n Peace disturbances were reported in the 3500 block of Nicole Lane and the 2000 block of Walton Drive.

O God, we praise you, for all your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Amen.

Because of the amount of power Missouri and the 8th Congressional District derive from coal-fired power plants, even an additional 2 percent limit to emissions is concerning lawmakers who believe a newly announced plan will hurt businesses. Among the opponents to the plan President Barack Obama unveiled last week to reduce U.S. ...

Everything coach Julie Yankus, whose fifth season at the helm officially got underway with the team's first practices on Monday, mentioned as focuses for this season were already uttered moments earlier by players.

The next few nights may yield an impressive light show for skywatchers, as the annual summer Perseids meteor shower hits its peak. Clear nights are forecast for the area through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Weather conditions and the current phase of the moon look to be coming together in perfect timing for the meteor shower's peak, which is expected to be early Thursday morning...

WASHINGTON -- Air-traffic controllers' work schedules often lead to chronic fatigue, making them less alert and endangering the safety of the national air-traffic system, according to a study the government has kept secret for nearly four years. Federal Aviation Administration officials have declined to furnish a copy of the report despite requests and a Freedom of Information Act request by The Associated Press. The AP obtained a draft of the final report dated Dec. 1, 2011, however...

The topic of trash and its disposal may not be an interesting to many, but that's not the case with Cape Girardeau officials. Those attending the groundbreaking ceremony Monday morning for a new multi-use transfer station were all smiles. A new transfer station has been high on the city's list of capital improvements projects for a little more than five years. The Public Works Department has been especially interested in finding a way to make the project happen...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- A suspect whom authorities say used a gun stolen from Cape Girardeau to open fire on police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, on the anniversary of Michael Brown's death was critically wounded when the officers shot back, St. Louis County's police chief said Monday...

The co-defendant in the beating death of an Anna, Illinois, man has pleaded guilty. Travis Turner, 26, of Dongola, Illinois, pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder in the death of James "Jimmy" Morrison in 2014, according to a news release from Union County, Illinois, State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds...

County fairs are a tradition in rural America. Fairs have historically provided a time and space for farm families and townsfolk alike to come together for a few days to visit and display their prize crops, livestock, and handicrafts. Even as the nation raced toward industrialization and urbanization in the 19th and 20th century, county fairs continued to thrive in rural areas throughout each region of the U.S. ...

The Cape County Tea Party meeting will be on August 18 at 6:30 pm at the Cape Public Library. This month our speaker will be Rachel Payton, with Americans for Prosperity-MO. She will speak about AFP's Path to Prosperity initiative and their 2015 Legislative Scorecard. ...

Southeast Missouri State defensive coordinator Bryce Saia believes the safeties and cornerbacks are close to the standard that was envisioned less than two years ago.

Today is Tuesday, August 11, the 223rd day of 2015. There are 142 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 11, 1965, rioting and looting that claimed 34 lives broke out in the predominantly black Watts section of Los Angeles. On this date:...

School starts this week, and with it, all the last minute preparations. Not only do students have to prepare themselves mentally for another year of teachers, tests, and time constraints after the summer break, but parents have to prepare, as well. For one, they have to meet the financial demands that education brings...

Wednesday night again, thieves came into my yard, stole my lighthouse that stood almost 3 feet tall and one that was 2 feet tall. This is after someone had come in my yard and cut several flowers and after they had stolen my $80 gazing ball. I really hope these people that steal things out of people's yards all rot where they need to rot, and get a job and buy your own stuff. Leave mine alone, because from now on, mine's going to be wired with electrical stuff. Zit-zit...

LOS ALGODONES, Mexico -- Mark Bolzern traveled 3,700 miles to go to the dentist. The 56-year-old Anchorage, Alaska, native left home this spring, made a pit stop in Las Vegas to pick up a friend and kept heading south, all the way to Los Algodones, Mexico, a small border town teeming with dental offices...

Mike Milam always has been athletic. When he turned 64, he realized something was wrong, but he attributed it to age. "When I turned 64, I always said I was going to ride my age, and I made the 64.7 miles," said Milam, an agronomy specialist with the University of Missouri Extension in Kennett. "But it was the next year when I tried to ride 65 miles that I couldn't do it because I couldn't handle the heat."...

Wehr named Mississippi River Commission president VICKSBURG, Miss. -- Maj. Gen. Michael C. Wehr, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Mississippi Valley Division since August 2014, is the president of the Mississippi River Commission. The commission was created by Congress in 1879 to provide for general improvements along the length of the Mississippi River...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- James V. "Jim" Stone of Springfield passed away Aug. 7, 2015, at the age of 82. Jim was born in Cape Girardeau and was a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Following a career in mechanical engineering, Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, creating stained glass, dancing and listening to live music. He was a member of American Legion Post 639 in Springfield, having served proudly in the U.S. Navy...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Darlene E. Sanders, 70, died Aug. 9, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 5, 1945, in St. Louis, daughter of the late Elmo and Evelyn (France) Frease. Mrs. Sanders graduated from Roosevelt High School in St. Louis and was the first student to enroll at Forest Park Community College, where she received an associate's and bachelor's degree. She received her master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- F. W. "Joe" Baudendistel, 84, of Perryville died Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, at Holiday Residential Facility in Perryville. He was born Oct. 30, 1930, at Perryville, son of Clarence and Stella Moonier Baudendistel. He married Margaret Louis Brown on Jan. 19, 1952, in St. Louis. She preceded him in death Feb. 18, 2011...

City officials say work to stop a serious erosion problem along the east bank of Cape LaCroix Creek in Shawnee Park should begin later this year; the erosion has already caused a significant loss of park land and now threatens a major trunk sewer line which runs several feet east of the creek bank...

SCOTT CITY -- Cletus F. Messmer, 91, of Scott City died Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 17, 1923, in Kelso, Missouri, to Edward Valentine and Clara Martin Messmer. He married Opal C. "Dee" Kalkbrinner on June 20, 1953. She preceded him in death July 25, 2014...

SAN FRANCISCO -- One of tech's biggest names, Google, is reorganizing under a new moniker -- Alphabet -- in a move underscoring its founders' ambitions to pursue ventures far beyond the company's Internet search core, from self-driving cars to cutting-edge medical research...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues said forward Jori Lehtera will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after recent surgery on his right ankle. Lehtera had surgery on Aug. 4. The Blues said the 27-year-old Lehtera was injured at the end of the season. St. Louis was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Wild...

ST. LOUIS -- Greg Robinson is no wide-eyed rookie anymore. The St. Louis Rams needed him to grow up fast. The No. 2 pick of last year's draft qualifies as an experienced hand on the offensive line, given the team's massive makeover. Robinson is the left tackle and two rookies are on track to start on the right side, second-round pick Rob Havenstein at tackle and third-rounder Jamon Brown at guard...

The Southeastern Conference is the unquestioned king of college football leagues. Maybe in some circles. That mindset has become practically a mantra for SEC coaches, fans and media over the last decade, but other leagues have won the national crown the last two seasons...

Chasity Meyer, a student at Renaissance Beauty Academy, gives Sabion Haley a new hairstyle Monday in preparation for his first day of fifth grade at Central Middle School. Hundreds of people turned out for the back-to-school and community resource fair Monday at the Salvation Army. The event featured a variety of vendors to help children prepare for their first day of school. Cape Girardeau Public Schools start the new school year Thursday...

NEW YORK -- A revamped Diet Pepsi without aspartame is popping up on store shelves. So will people start flocking back to the soda? PepsiCo says its new Diet Pepsi should be available nationally this week. In response to customer feedback, the company said earlier this year it would replace the aspartame in the drink with another artificial sweetener that has less baggage...

WASHINGTON -- Hillary Rodham Clinton told a cheering crowd at her largest rally so far "the endless flow of secret, unaccountable money" must be stopped. Two weeks later, the main super PAC backing her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination accepted a $1 million contribution that cannot be traced...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Farmers, towns and tribes slammed water-intake gates shut as a sludge-laden plume from a Colorado mine spill rolled down principal rivers in the desert Southwest on Monday, prompting officials and families to demand answers about possible long-term threats from heavy metals borne along by the spill...

NEW YORK -- Howard Stern has revealed details about the secret wedding between Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, including that Jimmy Kimmel officiated. Stern was a guest at the Los Angeles ceremony Wednesday that Aniston and Theroux disguised as a birthday bash for Theroux. Stern said on his radio show Monday he knew beforehand it was a wedding because the couple asked him to give a speech...

Yorkshire terriers Prudence, front, and Tess keep watch from their owner's porch Monday in Cape Girardeau.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The director of Missouri's public defender system on Monday announced he's asking Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon for an additional $10 million this fiscal year, saying the money is needed to help the agency adequately represent the state's poorest individuals charged with crimes...

HUSSAIN KHAN WALA, Pakistan -- In a dusty town near Pakistan's border with India, families kept quiet for years about the blackmail gang locals believe filmed 270 children being sexually abused, fearful the videos could appear online or be sold in markets for as little as 50 cents...

Ground-level ozone amounts across Missouri so far have mostly come in under allowable standard limits, despite several heat waves. An environmental committee based in Perryville, Missouri, tracks ozone readings as it reviews potential implications for industry and economic development if Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties receive future designations as "non-attainment areas" by the Environmental Protection Agency, which has proposed new, lower standards...

A man riding a motorcycle was injured Sunday in an accident involving a deer in Cape Girardeau County. Michael D. Hanners, 45, of Cape Girardeau was riding a 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle north on Highway 177 early Sunday morning about 12 miles north of Cape Girardeau, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol online crash report...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- Ferguson was a community on edge again Monday, a day after a protest marking the anniversary of Michael Brown's death was punctuated with gunshots and police critically wounded a black 18-year-old accused of opening fire on officers...

There were no survivors after a small plane crashed in the Shawnee National Forest in Pope County, Illinois, according to a news release late Monday from Illinois State Police. Illinois State Police District 22 was contacted by the Pope County Sheriff's Department to assist with the search of a small aircraft that failed to arrive at the Marion, Illinois, airport...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston police are searching for two suspects wanted in connection with a shootout. About 4 p.m. July 30, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call of shots fired in the 500 block of John R Boulevard. When officers arrived, they found bullet casings in the roadway near Monte Circle. Police were told men later identified as Orlando "TJ" Sheron Jr., 20, and Dwayne Harris Jr., 23, both of Sikeston, were shooting at each other...

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Criminal Justice Information Services Division has updated its fingerprint portal. School districts now are able to view and download criminal record checks, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education...

Missouri court sets execution for man in ex-wife's slaying JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court has set an Oct. 6 execution for a former St. Louis jailer convicted of hiring someone to kill his ex-wife. The execution date announced Monday is the second scheduled this year for 51-year-old Kimber Edwards...

SAN DIEGO -- The U.S. Coast Guard says cocaine seizures off Latin America's Pacific coast have soared in 2015 to their highest levels in five years. Federal officials held a news conference to laud the efforts of the Coast Guard aided by the Navy, federal law enforcement agencies and the navies of allied nations that have resulted in the seizure of 119,000 pounds of cocaine worth about $1.8 billion over the past 10 months. ...

HICKORY, N.C. -- Police say a man wearing a clown costume swung an ax at a woman, but she wasn't hit. Authorities said the man came to the woman's house about 4:30 a.m. Friday wearing a clown mask and a multicolored wig. Authorities said the man didn't hurt the woman, and she removed his mask and recognized him as an acquaintance before he left. Authorities said the woman went to a judge and requested an arrest warrant after talking to officers...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Lowell T. Walker, 84, of Perryville, died Aug. 9, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Young and Sons Funeral Home, with a Catholic wake at 6 p.m. Visitation will continue from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville...

SCOTT CITY The Scott City Fire Department responded to the following calls. July 31 n At 3:45 p.m., an EMS call on South Messmer Street. Aug. 1 n EMS calls were made at 2:41 p.m. on Interstate 55; 3:24 p.m. on County Road 204; and 3:28 p.m. on Good Hope Street...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Reno M. Jones, 32, 515 Cape Meadows Drive, Apt. 17, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance at Broadway and North Water Street...

O Lord, may we fix our minds on whatever is true, noble, pure and lovely to you. Amen.

A new task force has been formed in Missouri to combat human trafficking. Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter was among about 20 people selected for the group and will use his experience in law enforcement to contribute. State Rep. Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, was selected to chair the Human Trafficking Task Force that was created by legislation he sponsored during the 2015 legislative session...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A former U.S. representative from Southeast Missouri is recovering after being hospitalized for a brain hemorrhage while vacationing in Italy. The family of Jo Ann Emerson in a statement Tuesday said the former Republican congresswoman is at an Italian hospital...

Several Missouri sheriff's departments' patrol vehicles are sporting a new decal. The U.S. motto "In God We Trust" is emblazoned on the vehicles, including those in Cape Girardeau County, thanks to a donation from a vendor at the Missouri Sheriff's Association Conference last week in Branson, Missouri...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- St. Louis County police have released surveillance video footage they say shows the 18-year-old black suspect who was critically wounded after being shot by police in Ferguson minutes before he fired a gun at plainclothes officers. Tyrone Harris Jr. was shot late Sunday after police say he opened fire on an unmarked police van. The shooting happened as protesters nearby were marking the anniversary of 18-year-old Michael Brown's police shooting death...

Finishing touches are complete at Jackson's East Elementary School, with teachers' names marked outside their decorated classrooms and students' desks and chairs in place. "I'm ready for the students to be here," principal Jessica Maxwell said Tuesday as she led a tour through the new, 105,000-square-foot building...

Today is Wednesday, August 12, the 224th day of 2015. There are 141 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On August 12, 1985, the world's worst single-aircraft disaster occurred as a crippled Japan Airlines Boeing 747 on a domestic flight crashed into a mountain, killing 520 people. (Four people survived.)...

Hillary Clinton just had the best week of her rocky presidential campaign. Now granted, the former First Lady and her two campaign sidekicks were ordered by a federal judge to pledge under oath and threat of perjury they had turned over all emails related to her time as secretary of state...

A ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II will be held at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau at 2 p.m. Saturday. Called the "Spirit of '45," the event will mark the Aug. 14, 1945, war-end date and honor those who served, many paying the ultimate price...

DENVER -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took full responsibility Tuesday for the mine waste spoiling rivers downstream from Silverton, Colorado, but people who live near the idled and leaking Gold King mine say local authorities and mining companies spent decades spurning federal cleanup help...

WASHINGTON -- Prison reform advocates who have spent years campaigning against solitary confinement are counting on a powerful new ally in their quest to end the practice -- Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Earlier this summer, Kennedy took the unusual step of condemning long-term solitary confinement, writing a separate opinion in a California death-penalty case that had nothing to do with the issue...

WASHINGTON -- When Jeb Bush said he wasn't sure the country needs to spend "a half-billion dollars for women's health issues," many viewed the remark as a gaffe, and the Republican candidate for president rushed to clean it up. A week later, it's all but forgotten -- thanks to Donald Trump...

WASHINGTON -- Hillary Rodham Clinton relented Tuesday to months of demands she relinquish the personal email server she used while secretary of state, directing the device be given to the Justice Department. The decision advances the investigation into the Democratic presidential frontrunner's use of a private email account as the nation's top diplomat and whether classified information was sent improperly via and stored on the home-brew email server she ran from her house in suburban New York City.. ...

TOKYO -- With the pull of a lever, control rods were lifted Tuesday from the reactor core at a plant in southern Japan, ending a ban on nuclear power after meltdowns at Fukushima in the northeast that forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes, most of them for good...

SANTIAGO, Cuba -- This 500-year-old city smells of fresh paint and varnish. Residents stroll along a recently completed harbor promenade under gleaming new streetlights, enjoying sea breezes while relaxing on newly installed metal benches. Missing are the tourists. As foreign visitors flood Havana and a select group of other colonial cities and beach resorts, Cuba's second-largest city is suffering a tourist drought...

WASHINGTON -- A Wal-Mart truck driver who hadn't slept in 28 hours failed to slow down despite posted warning signs and was responsible for a highway crash last year that severely injured comedian Tracy Morgan and killed another comedian, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday...

OXFORD, Miss. -- A young Mississippi couple charged with attempting to join the Islamic State were ordered held without bail Tuesday, pending federal grand-jury action on the charges. Twenty-year-old Jaelyn Delshaun Young and 22-year-old Muhammad "Mo" Dakhlalla, who were arrested at a Mississippi airport just before boarding a flight with tickets bound for Istanbul, went before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander on Tuesday in Oxford...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington in 1963, he fine-tuned his civil-rights message before a much smaller audience in North Carolina...

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece agreed to harsh terms for a new three-year bailout Tuesday and vowed to push it through parliament this week, despite mounting dissent in the ruling left-wing party. With the country facing the risk of a debt default next week, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had sought to speed the talks and get approval of a deal this week...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A police officer who killed an unarmed college football player during a suspected burglary at a Texas car dealership was fired Tuesday for making mistakes the city's police chief said caused a deadly confrontation that put him and other officers in danger...

NEWARK, N.J. -- An international web of hackers and traders made $100 million on Wall Street by stealing a look at corporate news releases before they went out and then trading on that information ahead of the pack, federal authorities charged Tuesday...

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- Isle of Capri Casinos will close its casino in Natchez, one of the oldest gambling houses in Mississippi. St. Louis-based Isle of Capri has owned the Natchez property, a dockside casino with 520 slot machines and six table games, since 2000...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Boone County Commission has voted to move a war memorial that includes a religious symbol from the county courthouse to a private cemetery, despite strong objections from some area residents. After months of controversy, the commission voted 3-0 on Tuesday to move the Operation Desert Storm memorial, which includes a small ichthus, also called a "Jesus fish," to the Columbia Cemetery. The commission also voted to adopt a policy on placement of memorials on county property...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- The return of an armed militia group patrolling the streets of Ferguson drew criticism Tuesday from both protesters and the county police chief overseeing security amid ongoing demonstrations marking the anniversary of 18-year-old Michael Brown's shooting death...

Good weather the past two months has enabled construction of the new Cape Girardeau fire station, near Mount Auburn and Bloomfield roads, to proceed at a rapid rate; except for the south wall, the masonry contractors nearly have finished the walls of the three-bay, 6,500-square-foot station; steel for the roof supports is on site...

Gordon R. Spencer, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, at his home. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Bob Houchins officiating...

The Rev. Oscar J. Lukefahr, CM, entered into eternal life Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, at Apostle of Charity Residence, Perryville, Missouri. He was 76 years old. Father Lukefahr was born July 20, 1939, in Perryville to Marie Huber Lukefahr and Simon Lukefahr...

Sandra K. Riehn, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015 at her home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. A graveside funeral service will be at 12:15 p.m. Saturday at Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau...

BEIJING -- China's surprise move Tuesday to devalue its currency has intensified concerns about a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy, whose growth rate has reached a six-year low. It also is fanning tensions with the United States and Europe, whose exports could become comparatively costlier...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Most Missouri students scored at least at proficient levels in English on a new statewide test last school year, while students in most grades scored lower in math, according to data released Tuesday by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis police say a man fatally shot himself while driving, with his car crashing through a fence and ending up in a ball field. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the man was driving on Interstate 55 about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police were called after the car crashed through a fence and into a light pole at Carondelet Park...