Stories from Monday, December 28, 2015

China's economy lost some luster in 2015 and its leaders their aura of invincibility. A commodities boom went bust, spreading pain from Texas oil fields to Indonesian coal mines, the Associated Press reported. Seven years of near-zero interest rates ended in the United States, while easy money kept flowing elsewhere. Volkswagen cheated on emissions tests. And the rise of Uber intensified a debate about the definition of an employee...

The Missouri Department of Transportation has designed a plan for repairing the railroad crossing at Jackson Boulevard and Hope Street in Jackson. MoDOT's Jeff Wachter presented the proposed detour and timetable to the Jackson Board of Aldermen during a study session last week...

The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's office will file about 2,500 criminal cases by the end of 2015. Prosecutor Chris Limbaugh said the office was at about 2,450 by Wednesday, but assistant prosecutors are scrambling to file cases before the end of the year...

Employees of Capaha Bank donated $2,499 to United Way of Southeast Missouri's 2015 campaign.

Employees of BioKyowa donated $13,706.28 to United Way of Southeast Missouri's 2015 campaign.

Employees of Montgomery Bank donated $14,227.26 to United Way of Southeast Missouri's 2015 campaign.

Employees and students of Jackson R-2 School District donated $21,730.83 to United Way of Southeast Missouri's 2015 campaign.

What was expected to be major flooding now is shaping up to be an all-time high-water mark for Cape Girardeau. The Mississippi River is expected to rise quickly this week, cresting at 48.5 feet Saturday morning, according to predictions from the National Weather Service...

Missouri's governor has declared a state of emergency because of widespread flooding that has led to at least eight fatalities. The National Weather Service issued flash-flood warnings Sunday for several sections of Missouri, where three to six inches of rain fell during the weekend and up to four inches more of rain was expected through Monday...

Today is Monday, Dec. 28, the 362nd day of 2015. There are three days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance. On this date: In 1612, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei observed the planet Neptune, but mistook it for a star. (Neptune wasn't officially discovered until 1846 by Johann Gottfried Galle.)...

CHICAGO -- Grieving relatives and friends of two people shot and killed by Chicago police said Sunday the slayings raised concerns about why officers "shoot first and ask questions later," saying the city failed residents even as a federal civil-rights investigation has begun scrutinizing police practices...

GARLAND, Texas -- At least 11 people died and dozens were injured by tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area and caused substantial damage this weekend, and 13 people died in flooding in the Midwest. It was the latest of a succession of powerful weather events across the country, from heavy snow in New Mexico, west Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle to flooding in parts of the Plains and Midwest. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Haskell Wexler, one of Hollywood's most famous and honored cinematographers and one whose innovative approach helped him win Oscars for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and the Woody Guthrie biopic "Bound for Glory," died Sunday. He was 93...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican Missouri legislative leaders, backed by veto-proof majorities, will try again to require voters to show photo identification at the polls, despite failed attempts over the past decade. Sen. Will Kraus, a Lee's Summit Republican running for secretary of state, pre-filed a proposed constitutional amendment to allow for photo identification and a bill that would require voters to present government-issued photo ID. GOP House members pre-filed similar measures...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A southwest Missouri lawmaker said more people would be able to buy firearms to protect their families if they didn't have to pay taxes on them. Rep. Jered Taylor, a Nixa Republican, has proposed a bill that makes gun purchases tax-free on the Saturday after Fourth of July each year, the Springfield News-Leader reported. It would apply only to guns and not to ammunition...

SEATTLE -- The St. Louis Rams continue to torment Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. Except this time the Rams took down the Seahawks in Seattle for the first time since the 2004 playoffs. Todd Gurley scored on a 2-yard TD run with 10:34 left, Akeem Ayers returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and the Rams ended Seattle's five-game win streak with a 23-17 victory on Sunday...

DALLAS -- Kari Lehtonen made 22 saves in his 33rd career shutout, Jamie Benn scored his NHL-leading 23rd goal and the Dallas Stars beat the St. Louis Blues 3-0 on Sunday night. Benn and Patrick Sharp each had a power-play goal and an assist. Cody Eakin scored into an empty net with 1:32 remaining...

The Tailor Institute, established in 2003, continues to provide a valuable service to adults with autism. Josiah Wynn is one of about 160 clients who has benefited from Tailor. He has, he said, "experienced breakthroughs working with other intelligent adults who fall within autism spectrum disorder." The Tailor Institute provides the setting and expertise for these breakthroughs...

DEXTER, Mo. -- There is not even a hesitation in her step as she climbs aboard the 1976 model forklift to move a roll of carpet. "We're both antiques," laughs Ellen Russom, who marked her 85th birthday in October. Russom is the sole employee at Stan's Carpet in Dexter. The store is a sister store to a bigger Stan's Carpet in Sikeston, Missouri, which is owned by her daughter and son-in-law, Helen and Ron Beardsley...

NEW YORK -- A scandal is roiling the world of fancy chocolate: Did two brothers misleadingly sell remelted chocolate and sprout beards to cultivate a hipster appeal? The headlines began after a site called DallasFood.org published a series about Rick and Michael Mast, who have been toasted in food circles for their stylishly wrapped chocolate bars that can cost $10 a piece. The problem is the brothers described their company as "bean-to-bar," or chocolate made from scratch...

NEW YORK -- After an E. coli outbreak that sickened more than 50 people, Chipotle is tweaking its cooking methods. Onions will be dipped in boiling water to kill germs before they're chopped. Raw chicken will be marinated in re-sealable plastic bags, rather than in bowls. Cilantro will be added to freshly cooked rice so the heat gets rid of microbes in the garnish...

The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's office will file about 2,500 criminal cases by the end of 2015. Prosecutor Chris Limbaugh said the office was at about 2,450 by Wednesday, but assistant prosecutors are scrambling to file cases before the end of the year...

Wendell "Delmer" Hanners, 85, of Jackson, formerly of Patton, Missouri, passed away Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home. He was born April 8, 1930, in Patton to Jeffie and Metta Montgomery Hanners. He and Dorothy Sitzes were married May 14, 1948, in Bessville, Missouri...

BEIJING -- The owner of a Chinese gypsum mine drowned Sunday after jumping into a well in an apparent suicide during rescue efforts for 17 workers trapped two days after the mine collapsed and killed one person, state media said. Quoting a morning briefing by the rescue command center, state media said Ma Congbo, president of Yurong Commerce and Trade Ltd. Co., was assisting with rescue efforts Sunday morning when he jumped into a mine well and drowned...

Cape Girardeau County Commission 1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today Approval of minutes n Minutes of the Dec. 17 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on the agenda Routine business...

Congress began its holiday recess after meeting Dec. 18, and is not scheduled to reconvene until the new year. Before beginning its recess, along with roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act (S. 2425), to improve Medicare payments for complex rehabilitation technology and certain radiation therapy services; passed the Electrify Africa Act (S. ...

Parts of Southeast Missouri are digging out from a snowstorm that yesterday dumped up to 12 inches of snow in the area; after a brief respite from the harsh winter today and tomorrow, more cold arctic air, freezing rain, sleet and snow is predicted to return to Southeast Missouri...

FULTON, Mo. -- In a juvenile justice system that poses plenty of adversity to young people drawn into it, a Missouri judge came up with a plan to bring therapy dogs into her courtroom during the abuse and neglect docket. Associate Circuit Judge Sue Crane started bringing the furry canines into the Callaway County Courthouse in September, hoping they would provide a calming presence to juvenile witnesses...

LOS ANGELES -- "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" reached $1 billion at the box office, reaching the milestone with record-setting hyper speed. The Walt Disney Co. said "The Force Awakens" crossed the billion-dollar mark Sunday, accomplishing it in just 12 days. ...

WASHINGTON -- The crew of a Dallas police helicopter was searching for a capsized boat in March when there was an explosion, and wind rushed through a huge hole in the windshield. The pilot, Sgt. Todd Limerick, put a hand over one eye, his face covered in blood and Plexiglass shards. He kept his other hand on the controls until the co-pilot, Cpl. Laurent Lespagnol, took over and landed the aircraft...

A Cape Girardeau man was arrested by Scott County sheriff's deputies near Morley, Missouri, on drug and traffic charges. James McCard, 27, of 1816 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor driving while revoked, according to a news release Sunday from the Scott County Sheriff's Office...

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- Mark Twain once quipped, "The lack of money is the root of all evil." But starting early next year, some of Twain's favorite places -- his Missouri hometown, the New England community where he spent a big part of his adult life and two universities --stand to benefit from the U.S. Mint's gold and silver coins honoring the author and humorist...

PHOENIX -- Firefighters saved a cat, but it wasn't stuck in a tree. Firefighters were called to a home Christmas morning to help free a cat trapped in the chimney. Adrienne Gill said her daughter, who is visiting from California, brought her new pet cat. The feline went missing Thursday, and the family went to bed after they were unable to find it. Gill's husband checked the chimney the next morning and found it there. It took firefighters 20 minutes to get the animal out...

BERLIN -- For 70 years since the Nazi defeat in World War II, copyright law has been used in Germany to prohibit the publication of "Mein Kampf" -- the notorious anti-Semitic tome in which Adolf Hitler set out his ideology. That will change next month when a new edition with critical commentary, the product of several years' work by a publicly funded institute, hits the shelves...

Three members of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority board of commissioners are retiring. Bob Kielhofner, Jimmie Johnson and J. Ronald Fischer recently were presented with plaques by board chairman Pete Burns, according to a news release from the Semo Port. ...

ST. MARY, Mo. -- Cheryl L. (nee Hudson) Armstrong, 57, of Perryville died Dec. 26, 2015, at her residence in St. Mary, Missouri. Visitation will be from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Young and Sons Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home, with Knick Johnson of the New York City Church of Christ officiating...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Ruby Marie Watson, 80, of Villa Ridge died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, at Baptist Health in Paducah, Kentucky. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Jones Funeral Home Villa Ridge.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Rosella I. "Sally" Pingel, 92, of Perryville died Dec. 26, 2015, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. Visitation will be from 8 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Maurus Catholic Church in Biehle, Missouri. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with the Rev. Jim French officiating...

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Amen.

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Avery Whitney, 24, no address given, was accused of making a terroristic threat at 430 N. Frederick St. n A 23-year-old woman was in custody pending formal charges of possession of a controlled substance at Wal-Mart, 3439 William St...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Saturday. n Medical assists were made at 5:53 a.m. on West Lorimier Street; 8:40 a.m. on William Street; 10:08 a.m. on North Frederick Street; 4:36 p.m. on Siemers Drive; 5:31 p.m. on Whitener Street; and 8:11 p.m. on Albert Street...

JACKSON The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Michael L. Hileman, 20, 1306 S. Farmington Road, was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault and on two Cape GIrardeau County warrants. n Jacob A. Dush, 23, 218 Weiss Blvd., Lot 7, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant...

OAK RIDGE (26) -- Nathan Bolin 11, Steven Masterson 8, Kyle Keller 4, Waylyn Myers 3. FG 9, FT 6-7, F 11. (3-pointers: Myers 1, Bolin 1. Fouled out: None.) BELL CITY (67) -- Kolten Siebert 14, Cole Nichols 14, Logan Yates 12, Peyton Maddox 11, Taylor Jackson 7, Bobby Wright 7, Brandon Abner 2. FG 26, FT 7-11, F 13. (3-pointers: Siebert 4, Nichols 2, Jackson 1, Wright 1. Fouled out: None.)...

LEOPOLD (38) -- Garrett Thele 13, Jack Jones 8, Tristen Graham 6, Blake Leazenby 4, Ryan Lewis 3, Dalton Forrester 2, Grant Koenig 2. FG 15, FT 2-3, F 16. (3-pointers: Graham 2, Jones 2, Thele 1, Lewis 1. Fouled out: None.) KELLY (67) -- Levi Alsup 21, Ty Householder 20, Isai Campos 10, Skylar Lemons 7, Conner Dittlinger 4, Cole Bollinger 4, Kade Proctor 1. FG 24, FT 15-23, F 12. (3-pointers: Householder 3, Lemons 1. Fouled out: None.)...

CHAFFEE (45) -- Landon Tenkhoff 16, Alec Bogenpohl 13, Ryan Holderfield 5, Gabe Henson 4, Austin Copeland 3, Auggie Knutson 2, Damion Applewhite 2. FG 14, FT 13-21, F 15. (3-pointers: Bogenpohl 2, Tenkhoff 1, Copeland 1. Fouled out: None.) M. HEIGHTS (44) -- Lane Baremore 18, Jacob Douglas 13, Scott Pohlman 5, Devin Wilfong 4, Spencer Bragg 2, Trent Liley 2. FG 19, FT 4-9, F 17. (3-pointers: Douglas 2. Fouled out: None.)...

DELTA (3) -- Charlie Ledbetter 2, Triston Perry 1. FG 1, FT 1-6, F 9. (3-pointers: None. Fouled out: None.) ORAN (67) -- Max Priggel 22, Jacob Shoemaker 15, Cole Priggel 11, Layne Johnson 8, Preston Hahn 4, Luke Barnes 2, Garrison Mangels 2, Blake Schlitt 2, Wyatt Kinney 1. FG 26, FT 7-11, F 11. (3-pointers: Priggel 5, Shoemaker 3. Fouled out: None.)...

Residents in the tiny Cape Girardeau County village of Allenville are packing up belongings and evacuating this morning as floodwaters threaten the town. The county's emergency management agency, in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau County Commission and the sheriff's department, issued a voluntary evacuation order for this morning. Residents in Allenville and low-lying areas near the rain-swollen Diversion Channel are being advised to leave before flooding closes area roads...

The Chester Bridge in Perry County is scheduled to be added to the list of area roadways made impassable by rising floodwaters. The bridge, which passes over the Mississippi River as part of Highway 51, will close at noon Tuesday. The Missouri Department of Transportation did not specify when the bridge will reopen...