Stories from Tuesday, June 21, 2016

The Semo Explosion Softball team competed in the USFA Arkansas State Softball Qualifier Tournament in West Memphis, Arkansas on June 18th and 19th. They were awarded the 1st Runner up trophy after losing to the Mississippi Extreme in the final game...

The Golden Eagles Marching Band will call an area bordering the River Campus its new home by mid-fall, Southeast Missouri State University officials said Monday. The university's storied marching band has been a fixture on the Southeast campus since 1957. Band members long have practiced in a low-lying field behind Brandt Hall on the main campus...

Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Regents has rewarded school President Carlos Vargas-Aburto with a 3 percent pay raise and a $6,000 boost to his annual annuity. The move comes after the board spent $25,000 to have a consultant assess his job performance...

Shannon Garner, the soon-to-be superintendent of the Advance R-IV School District, is no stranger to its workings. Although he's spent the past two years as a principal in Zalma, Missouri, Garner served the previous seven years as principal of the elementary school in Advance...

Today in History Today is Tuesday, June 21, the 173rd day of 2016. There are 193 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 21, 1964, civil rights workers Michael H. Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James E. Chaney were slain in Philadelphia, Mississippi; their bodies were found buried in an earthen dam six weeks later. ...

I like writing that is right -- that describes accurately how things are. Just this morning, I read something that Isaiah wrote that describes how things were in his day. Here are few of the selected phrases that speak to what was happening in his day. The young were rising up against the old. The base were rising up against the honorable. The guides were leading people astray. They were parading their sin like Sodom...

At its Coffee and Connections networking event, the Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce announced a new vocational-education facility, which is soon to come to Perryville. Ranken Technical College is opening a satellite campus, and with it should come skilled instructors who produce skilled workers...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Gary Wayne Swinford, 60, of Advance passed away Sunday, June 19, 2016, at his home. He was born Dec. 16, 1955, in the Smelterville area of Cape Girardeau, the son of Lester Sylvester and Blanche Lee Mandrell Swinford. Gary was a truck driver. He attended the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Advance. He did cowboy re-enactments, playing the sheriff...

Raymond Dale Reid, 54, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, June 15, 2016, at his home. He was born June 16, 1961, in Arkansas. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was part owner of the Frontier restaurant in Fruitland and worked at Sikeston Discount Furniture...

Andrew Joseph Gracyus, 63, of Oak Ridge passed away Saturday, June 18, 2016, at his home. He was born Oct. 25, 1952, in Chicago, son of Joseph and Mary Skodon Gracyus. He and Betty Bowen were married Oct. 31, 1970, in Chicago. Andrew was a Teamster employed as a dock worker in Chicago...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Shirley Ann Vance, 75, of Advance passed away on Sunday, June 19, 2016, at Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 20, 1940, in Cape Girardeau to the late John and Grace Vaugh McLemore. She married Billy Dean Vance on Dec. 15, 1956, and he survives...

BERLIN -- German prosecutors are investigating former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn and another unnamed executive over allegations they didn't inform investors soon enough about the company's scandal over cars rigged to cheat on U.S. diesel emissions tests...

Construction of flood-control improvements along Walker Branch should begin in July 1992 and be finished by December 1993. The improvements are planned as part of the Cape LaCroix Creek-Walker Branch flood-control project, a joint city-federal undertaking...

WASHINGTON -- An experimental vaccine for the Zika virus is due to begin human testing in coming weeks, after getting the green light from U.S. health officials. Inovio Pharmaceuticals said Monday it received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to begin early-stage safety tests of its DNA-based vaccine against the mosquito-borne virus. ...

Bob Hadley completes a circuit Monday on the newly repaired steps of the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. Hadley uses the steps for exercise "every morning and every evening," he said. Cape Girardeau County decided last week to patch the steps; more than a third were cracked or crumbling...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said the city is sending a message of inclusiveness by raising a transgender flag at City Hall. The pink, light blue and white flag was raised Monday, making St. Louis one of only a handful of cities to fly it...

ST. LOUIS -- Twenty-six Syrian refugees have arrived in St. Louis to start new lives. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the International Institute of St. Louis helped four families make their way to the city over the weekend. Volunteers with the institute spent last week preparing housing and gathering food items for each family...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A federal appeals court ruled Monday that a judge wrongly tossed a lawsuit by a woman wanting to speak publicly about her time on the grand jury that declined to indict the Ferguson police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black man...

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis police officer who fatally shot a robbery suspect in January acted in self-defense, a prosecutor ruled Monday. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce released two surveillance videos as she announced her decision not to charge Sgt. Michael Pratt in the shooting of 52-year-old Crayton West on Jan. 17 after the robbery of a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant...

GENEVA -- Imagine the entire population of Britain uprooted: The U.N. refugee agency said just over that number -- 65 million people -- were displaced worldwide by the end of last year, easily setting a postwar record. It warned European and other rich nations can expect the tide to continue if root causes aren't addressed...

WASHINGTON -- A divided Senate blocked rival election-year plans to curb guns Monday, eight days after the Orlando mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway -- even over restricting firearms for terrorists...

LONDON -- Britain's normally raucous House of Commons was given over to tears, roses and tributes Monday as legislators urged an end to angry and divisive politics in honor of their slain colleague Jo Cox, who was killed last week. The British pound and global stock markets surged as shock at the death of the pro-Europe Cox seemed to sap momentum from campaigners fighting for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union...

LOS ANGELES -- The SUV that rolled down a driveway and killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll unexpectedly, government records show. Yelchin, 27, an actor best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted series, died Sunday after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his home, Los Angeles police said...

WASHINGTON -- A divided Supreme Court bolstered police powers Monday, ruling evidence of a crime in some cases may be used against a defendant even if the police did something wrong or illegal in obtaining it. The 5-3 decision drew heated dissents from liberal justices who warned the outcome would encourage police to violate people's rights...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando gunman Omar Mateen identified himself as an Islamic soldier in calls with authorities during his rampage and demanded to a crisis negotiator the U.S. "stop bombing Syria and Iraq," according to transcripts released Monday by the FBI...

NEW YORK -- Donald Trump fired his hard-charging campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, on Monday in a shake-up designed to calm panicked Republican leaders and reverse one of the most tumultuous stretches of Trump's unconventional White House bid. Lewandowski, in some ways as brash and unconventional as the candidate himself, had been by Trump's side since the beginning of his unlikely rise to presumptive GOP nominee...

NEW YORK -- Two high-ranking New York Police Department officers were arrested Monday on charges they took over $100,000 worth of free flights, prostitutes, expensive meals and other bribes in exchange for providing a "private police force" for local businessmen...

Sikeston, Missouri, Department of Public Safety investigators have determined a badly burned man believed to have been assaulted actually was injured in a motor vehicle accident. The man was dropped off at a convenience store Thursday night in Miner, Missouri, after an unknown person found him near Route ZZ and U.S. 61, according to a news release from Sikeston DPS Capt. Jim McMillen...

Before police officers could ask him a question, a Cape Girardeau man told them, "I am going to take these charges." The man had blood running down the center of his face. Robert Davis Taylor, 32, was arrested early Monday and charged with second-degree domestic assault and misdemeanor assault...

Preparations for planned upgrades to Jackson's parks system continue as the Board of Aldermen awarded two construction contracts Monday night. The Hubble Creek Recreation Trail extension and a new playground received the board's green light, while progress on improvements on a high-school softball field also are moving forward...

The Guinness World Record for the largest swim lesson is being challenged. And the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department aims to make Southeast Missouri part of the record-breaking group. At 12:15 p.m. Friday, the Central Municipal Pool will be one of more than 700 facilities in 23 countries participating in The World's Largest Swimming Lesson, an event aimed to raise awareness about water safety and the dangers of drowning and, while they're at it, set a world record...

A $30,000 public observation deck won't be built at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport in the next fiscal year as a result of action taken by the city council on Monday night. But airport manager Bruce Loy said after the council meeting some type of observation deck for public viewing of aviation may be installed in the future if sufficient outside funding can be obtained...

CHICAGO -- Trevor Rosenthal was in deep trouble when Yadier Molina came up with a huge play -- for the closer and the St. Louis Cardinals. Molina cut down rookie Albert Almora Jr. trying to take third on a ball in the dirt in the ninth, and Rosenthal held on for the save as St. Louis stopped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night...

Dalhousie Golf Club hosted 28 teams in a four-person scramble Monday in its Fight Against Diabetes Fundraiser. A score of 56 took the championship flight as the team of Rob Gonzalez, Drew Weisenborn, Nick Osland and Scott Randle took the top spot. In second with a 59 was Ronald Bowers, Craig Horky, Don Call and Glen Harter. In third, also with a 59, was Pete Healy, Kurt Schlogl, Mike Wellington and Jennifer Wilkins...

Former Southeast Missouri State pitcher Joey Lucchesi made his professional debut on Monday night. Entering in relief in the seventh inning for the Tri-City Dust Devils, Lucchesi induced a pair of groundouts and got a swinging strikeout to open his pro account...

Police say a drunken Perryville, Missouri, man peeled out in front of an officer, ran five stop signs, almost hit a child, hit a parked vehicle, struck barricades and fled on foot before he was arrested Saturday night.

AUBURN, Maine -- Police shot and killed a slaughterhouse-bound cow that escaped from a trailer and ran into traffic. Police said they were called about 10 a.m. Monday when a cow being transported kicked open its trailer door. The cow ended up at a gas and welding-supply company. Truck driver John Ethridge said it was impossible to calm the cow, and it had to be put down before it hurt someone...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Saturday. n Medical assists were made at 5:26 a.m. on Bellevue Street; 10:11 a.m. on Brenda Kay Court; 10:27 a.m. on South West End Bouelvard; 11:36 a.m. on Jefferson Avenue; 12:54 p.m. ...

JACKSON The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Miscellaneous n An assist was requested in the 700 block of Dallas Street. n Check the welfare was requested in the 800 block of Amanda Street. n Found property was reported in the 300 block of East Jackson Boulevard...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Brittnee L. Davis, 17, 1116 Ranney Ave., was arrested on suspicion of damaging a window. n A suspect was in custody pending formal charges of domestic assault and endangering the welfare of a child...

John B. Long, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 18, 2016, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Billy David Sidwell Sr., 57, of Mound City died Sunday, June 19, 2016, at his residence. Visitation will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Illinois. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the funeral home...

Daughter to Jason Todd and Stacie Dawn Coleman of Jackson, Southeast Hospital, 5:43 p.m. Monday, June 6, 2016. Name, Lydia Kate. Weight, 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Third daughter. Mrs. Coleman is the former Stacie Ryan, daughter of John and Sarah Ryan of Jackson. She works at Southeast Hospital. Coleman is the son of Donnie and Linda Whitmore of Jackson. He is employed by John Henry Foster. Mr. and Mrs. Coleman are owners of SEMO Kona Ice...

Sounds like someone else out there knows how much of a scam the Positive Behavior System really is! The two Speak Outs last week on school rewards hit the truthful target. It's doing quite the opposite of boosting children's self-esteem. In this "trophy generation" of kids, there is research (2013) that states the Positive Behavior System (see, we don't even say "discipline"!) is leading to so much false positive praise in handing out tickets or rewards for standing, looking at the teacher, doing their work, etc.! Too much praise and not implementing it correctly can lead to lower self-esteem, lower effort and lower motivation.. ...

I want an angry president. I want a president who, upon seeing injustice, is so angry he cannot help but respond to that injustice both in word and deed. Last week, the nation witnessed a heinous terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida, and every one of us still aches. Some ache more than others. Some who have watched the details unfold are directly affected. Among them are those who barely escaped with their lives, those who lost loved ones, those who are recovering in hospitals...

O Lord God, may we lovingly tell others about your gift of salvation. Amen.

A Perryville, Missouri, man already faced charges of first-degree statutory sodomy, first-degree child molestation and sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 14 years old in Bollinger County, and he was charged with 14 counts in Perry County involving the same victim...