Stories from Wednesday, March 21, 2018

ST. LOUIS — The U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of execution for the second time in four years Tuesday to a Missouri inmate who has a rare medical condition he says could cause blood-filled tumors to burst inside his head during a lethal injection...

Embattled Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson has been indicted on 11 federal charges of identity theft while awaiting trial on related state charges. Hutcheson, 34, of East Prairie, Missouri, appeared Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released on bond, federal prosecutors said in a news release...

REO Speedwagon, Styx and special guest Don Felder will rock the Show Me Center on Friday night, with plans to deliver a mix of fan favorites, classic hits and new releases. “We’re still touring as much as ever,” Neal Doughty, original member and keyboardist for REO Speedwagon, said in a phone interview Friday. ...

Soles4Souls is making its annual push to collect shoes for the needy all around the world. The not-for-profit organization based is in Nashville, Tennessee, and this week its efforts are seen in Southeast Missouri during Shoe Collection Week, with a designated drop-off location at the parking lot outside of Houck Field House and Houck Stadium at 920 Broadway...

Today is Wednesday, March 21, the 80th day of 2018. There are 285 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On March 21, 1918, during World War I, Germany launched its Spring Offensive on the Western Front, hoping to break through the Allied lines before American reinforcements could arrive. (Although successful at first, the Spring Offensive ultimately failed.)...

In a brief respite from the ongoing narrative of Russian collusion and anti-Trump rhetoric, we return to the debate over gun control this week with massive student walkouts scheduled across the country. This highly-staged emotional response to the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Fla. will briefly put the spotlight back on gun violence...

NEW ORLEANS -- When New Orleans removed four Confederate monuments last year, Mayor Mitch Landrieu became a national voice on race in America, a subject he explores in a new book. Parts memoir, history lesson and political manifesto, Landrieu's "In the Shadow of Statues" went on sale Tuesday, prompting speculation about what might be next for the term-limited Democrat as he prepares to leave office...

BEIRUT -- Rockets fired on a market in a government-controlled neighborhood of Damascus on Tuesday killed 35 people and wounded more than 20 others, Syrian state-run media said, marking one of the highest death tolls in a single attack targeting the capital...

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang appealed to Washington on Tuesday to "act rationally" and avoid disrupting trade over steel, technology and other disputes. He promised Beijing will "open even wider" to imports and investment. "No one will emerge a winner from a trade war," said Li, the No. 2 Chinese leader, at an annual news conference held during the meeting of China's ceremonial legislature...

MOSCOW -- Nearly two dozen Russian diplomats expelled by Britain over the poisoning of an ex-spy arrived home Tuesday, while a scientist involved in the creation of the nerve agent said it could be manufactured by other countries. Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, are in critical condition in the English city of Salisbury after being poisoned March 4. Britain said they were poisoned with a class of nerve agent known as Novichok and blamed Russia for the attack...

DETROIT -- The deadly collision between an Uber autonomous vehicle and a pedestrian near Phoenix is bringing calls for tougher self-driving regulations, but advocates for a hands-off approach say big changes aren't needed. Police in Tempe, Arizona, say the female pedestrian walked in front of the Uber SUV in the dark of night, and neither the automated system nor the human backup driver stopped in time. Local authorities haven't determined fault...

MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Australian woman in July minutes after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home was charged Tuesday with murder and manslaughter. Mohamed Noor turned himself in after a warrant was issued for his arrest. ...

WASHINGTON -- At 32 years old, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman controls a vast fortune, a well-heeled military and the future of a nation in the throes of sweeping economic and social change. His ambitious bid to remake Saudi Arabia received a ringing endorsement Tuesday from President Donald Trump as the future leader opened a marathon tour of the United States...

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi's governor will appoint the state's agriculture commissioner to fill the Senate vacancy soon to be created when veteran Sen. Thad Cochran retires, three state Republicans told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a 58-year-old Republican, was elected agriculture commissioner in 2011 and has held the job since then. She will be the first woman to represent Mississippi in either the U.S. House or Senate...

WASHINGTON -- Tuesday morning President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his re-election, drawing criticism from members of his own party, including a leading senator who scorned the election as a "sham." Trump also said he and Putin might meet "in the not too distant future" to discuss the arms race and other matters...

WASHINGTON -- Melania Trump pushed back against critics Tuesday, declaring her commitment to fighting cyberbullying despite the hits she has endured for taking on the issue while her husband routinely goes on Twitter to berate foes and call them names...

WASHINGTON -- Government efforts to protect state and local elections from Russian cyberattacks in 2016 didn't go far enough, leaders of the Senate intelligence committee said Tuesday as the panel released recommendations to safeguard against foreign meddling in the 2018 primary season...

GREAT MILLS, Md. -- A teenager armed with a handgun shot and critically wounded a girl inside a Maryland school Tuesday, and the shooter was killed when a school resource officer confronted him moments after the gunfire erupted. A third student was in good condition after he was shot...

NEW YORK -- The bombs were left on porches, then by the side of the road, then at a FedEx facility and Tuesday night at a Goodwill facility. The victims were black, then Hispanic, then white. The blasts happened in different parts of Austin, Texas, and then near San Antonio...

AUSTIN, Texas -- Emergency teams rushed Tuesday night to another reported explosion in Austin -- this one at a Goodwill store -- but police and federal authorities said the blast wasn't related to recent bombings killing two, injuring several and causing panic across Texas' capital for weeks...

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump will reap a huge budget increase for the military while Democrats cement wins on infrastructure and other domestic programs they failed to get under President Barack Obama if lawmakers can agree on a $1.3 trillion government-wide spending bill before a deadline later this week...

Ja'Mariel Lanique Tanksley, 1, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, March 12, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until noon Saturday at First Missionary Baptist Church in Cairo, Illinois. Funeral will be at noon Saturday at the church, with the pastor Elder Jimmy Ellis officiating. Interment will follow in Spencer Heights Cemetery in Mounds, Illinois...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Gary G. Schrum, 57, of Chaffee peacefully passed away Friday, March 16, 2018, at his home, surrounded by his loving family and friends. He was born March 31, 1960, in St. Louis. He was the son of Roy and Stella Irene Sadler Steger, and Ollie Earl Schrum. He and Debbie Bedwell married March 6, 2010, and she survives of the home...

ORAN, Mo. -- Gerald E. Schlitt, 74, of Oran passed away Monday, March 19, 2018, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born Nov. 6, 1943, in Cape Girardeau to the late Mose and Germaine Welter Schlitt. He and Bernadette DeBrock married April 30, 1966, and she survives of the home...

Doug Niemeier, 70, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 18, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 6, 1948, in Cape Girardeau to Rudy and Lorene Haman Niemeier. He and Donna Richardson were married March 22, 1969, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau...

NEW HAMBURG, Mo. -- Rose Lee Kern, 76, of New Hamburg passed away Monday, March 19, 2018, at Chaffee Nursing Center. She was born Jan. 9, 1942, in St. Louis to the late Ruddle Otto and Mary Stevens Gloth. She and Robert "Duke" Kern married June 29, 1963, and he preceded her in death Aug. 3, 2016...

KINGSVILLE, Texas -- Harry Russell "Russ" Huebel Jr. of Kingsville passed away Saturday, March 17, 2018. He was born March 13, 1943, in Cape Girardeau to Harry Russell Huebel Sr. and Margaret Ann Neal Huebel. He attended public schools in Cape Girardeau and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University. He earned his doctorate in American studies from Washington State University and taught history at Texas A&I University (later Texas A&M--Kingsville)...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Wendell Curtis Honey, 74, of Olive Branch died Monday, March 19, 2018, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 14, 1943, in Diswood, Illinois, to Curtis and Inez Jamison Honey. He and Pat Dominges were married July 20, 1969, at Cairo, Illinois...

Donna M. Hahs fortified with sacraments of the Holy Mother Church on Sunday, March 18, 2018. She was born Oct. 12, 1940, in Farmington, Missouri, daughter of Fred Naeger and Dorothy Bollinger. She and William Kent Hahs were united in marriage Dec. 31, 1959, and he preceded her in death Jan. 17, 1997...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. -- Judy Marshall Fischer passed quietly Tuesday, March 20, 2018, in her home. Born July 14, 1953, in Cape Girardeau, she was the daughter of Lloyd and Ethel Marshall of Patton, Missouri. She married James Fischer in 1974. She received a certificate of baptism and pre-preparatory membership in Reagan Chapel Methodist Church April 11, 1954, and she was formerly active in Reagan Chapel Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF)...

Dorothy Craft, 93, of St. Ann, Missouri, died Sunday, March 18, 2018, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jacob Colwell officiating. Interment will follow in New Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery near Pocahontas...

Thelma E. Bollinger, 83, of Jackson passed away Sunday, March 18, 2018, at Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 8, 1934, at Patton, Missouri, the daughter of James "Luther" and Flora Adeline Mayfield Cook. She and Bobby Ray Bollinger were married Oct. 14, 1953, at Little Whitewater Baptist Church near Patton. He passed away Jan. 11, 2006...

Wilfred "Bill" Billmeyer, 91, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, March 16, 2018, at Southeast Hospital. He was born Sept. 25, 1926, to Louis and Vera Billmeyer and lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He attended Eau Claire High School and Minneapolis Business College...

MARYSVILLE, Wash. -- Mary Ellen Berkbigler, retired Marysville school teacher, and former teacher in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, passed away peacefully Monday, March 12, 2018, with family members by her side. Mary Ellen was born Oct. 3, 1921, in St. Louis. The family moved to Cape Girardeau in 1939, where she met her future husband, Paul Berkbigler. They were married during World War II...

American Superstores will open a new facility in the Cape Girardeau market in the near future; the firm has leased the 45,000-square-foot building that formerly housed Storey's Food Giant in Cape Girardeau Centre, 201 S. Broadview. Retired Dr. William O.L. ...

Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls: Monday n Medical assists were made at 7:55 a.m. on Patricia Street; 5:47 p.m. on South Hanover Street; 7:03 p.m. on Independence Street; 8:50 p.m. on North Main Street; and 10:59 p.m. on Sturdivant Street...

ST. LOUIS -- Bud the elephant has died. Anheuser-Busch said the preliminary diagnosis indicates the African elephant that has been at Grant's Farm in St. Louis since 1986 died of a respiratory infection over the weekend. Additional testing is being conducted to determine the type of infection. No age was given for the elephant...

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A 10-year-old cancer patient who was featured in commercials for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and honored at several sporting events has died. The Springfield News-Leader reported a service in Columbia was streamed live online Monday to celebrate Elizabeth Joy “Lizzy” Wampler. ...

ST. LOUIS — Attorneys for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens say in a court filing a grand jury has not been presented with evidence indicating Greitens transmitted a compromising cellphone photo of a woman with whom he had an affair — a key element in determining whether he committed a felony. ...

A small group stands in prayer Tuesday at Bellevue and North Fountain streets in Cape Girardeau. Stop Needless Acts of Violence Please (SNAP) directed its effort against recent violence in the 400 block of Bellevue Street.

O Father God, guide our steps that we may honor you in all things. Amen.

Daughter to Levi Joseph and Chelsea Rae Schweigert of St. Mary, Missouri, Southeast Hospital, 3:13 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018. Name, Lettie Jo. Weight, 8 pounds, 2 ounces. First child. Mrs. Schweigert is the former Chelsea Hermann, daughter of Michael Hermann of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. She is employed by the Oak Ridge School District. Schweigert is the son of Ed and Deb Schweigert of Valles Mines, Missouri. He works for Bauman's Contracting...

Southbound Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make repairs to the bridge between mile markers 100 and 99.6. A MoDOT news release says the work will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday...

The Marquette Tech District Foundation receiving $400,000 in funding to grow the 1st50K start-up competition is good news for Cape Girardeau and the area. Not only will these funds connect tech startups to downtown Cape Girardeau (and thus Missouri), but they enhance momentum around attracting creative talent to our area. Attracting such talent is vital to a community's economic prosperity...