Stories from Monday, February 25, 2019

SIKESTON, Mo. — A prayer circle will be held for a Sikeston man who was killed last week. The vigil will be held at 5:30 p.m. today at 505 Branum St. for Marcus Dixon, 24, who was shot and killed late Feb. 18 in the 800 block of William Street in Sikeston...

Hundreds of mothers and sons had a chance to bond Saturday night with everything from a game of dodgeball to a Nerf Blaster battle. ...

Feb. 23 was declared Roy Thomas Day during a special ceremony during 2019 February Annual: A Celebration of Roy Thomas on Saturday in Jackson. The daylong event highlighted Jackson native Thomas’ career as a comic book writer for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and initiator of dozens of comic books, including the first “Star Wars” comic book series...

An increase in prospective attendance prompted this year’s Salvation Army Empty Bowls Banquet to be held at Cape Bible Chapel rather than at the Salvation Army’s downtown facility, which Lt. Matthew Degonia said bodes well for his organization’s fundraising efforts...

Zickfield is more than the name on the sign outside a business that's been in operation for 80 years as of next month. It's also the family, now in its third generation, behind the softly-lit displays and glass jewelry cases. Wendi Zickfield Beussink said her grandparents started the company in 1939 as Zickfield & Sebaugh jewelry and gift store at 43 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau...

SHEFFIELD, England -- U.S. and Royal Air Force planes roared over the English city of Sheffield on Friday to honor 10 American airmen who sacrificed their lives to save British children playing in a park beneath their crippled bomber during World War II...

Today is Monday, Feb. 25, the 56th day of 2019. There are 309 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 25, 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule in the wake of a tainted election; Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency...

O Lord Jesus, we trust in you, our loving Savior, with all our hearts. Amen.

Let’s get something straight. Socialism is not un-American. It’s as old as the poor laws brought over from England and practiced in the original colonies. We’re talking here about “democratic socialism,” not the state-mandated type of socialism or communism we know from totalitarian regimes like Stalin’s USSR, Mao’s China, Castro’s Cuba or Chavez’s Venezuela. ...

The same night Cape Girardeau police chief Wes Blair addressed the Cape Girardeau City Council about dropping crime rates, an officer was involved in a shooting where a man is alleged to have shot a woman and refused to drop his weapon after warnings...

All streets need repaired; not just the ones on the north and west side. Too much emphasis is placed on the “nice” areas! I care about my home and vehicle, so fix our south-side streets also! ...

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Faeroe Islands, an 18-island archipelago midway between Iceland and Scotland, is closing for tourists for a weekend in April — unless they want to help locals keep the rocky isles clean and unspoiled. Gudrid Hoejgaard, head of the local tourist board, said about 100,000 people visit the islands every year. ...

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. -- A huge wooden troll will be reincarnated in a Colorado ski town, although it's unclear what it will look like or where it will sit. The Summit Daily reported Friday that Breckenridge officials have a deal with Danish artist Thomas Dambo to rebuild his troll this spring. It was erected beside a trail last summer for a festival, but it was so popular nearby homeowners complained about all the foot traffic. It was taken down in November...

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis closed out his extraordinary summit on preventing clergy sex abuse by vowing Sunday to confront abusers with "the wrath of God" felt by the faithful, end the cover-ups by their superiors and prioritize the victims of this "brazen, aggressive and destructive evil."...

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. -- Nearly everyone in this small South Carolina town has a theory for the city's billion-dollar mystery: Who won the $1.5 billion Mega Millions jackpot announced in October? Maybe the winner was so overwhelmed upon seeing the winning numbers she or he died on the spot? Maybe the winner is on the run from police and fears a background check? Maybe that winning ticket fell from a car visor, ended up in a trash can and is forever buried at the Twin Chimneys Landfill. ...

WASHINGTON -- A top House Democrat threatened on Sunday to call special counsel Robert Mueller to Capitol Hill, subpoena documents and sue the Trump administration if the full report on Mueller's Russia investigation is not made public. Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said his committee will keep close watch on new Attorney General William Barr to see whether he were "to try to bury any part of this report." Schiff, D-Calif., also pledged to "take it to court if necessary.". ...

WASHINGTON -- With health care a top issue for American voters, Congress may actually be moving toward doing something this year to address the high cost of prescription drugs. President Donald Trump, Democrats trying to retire him in 2020, and congressional incumbents of both parties all say they want action. Democrats and Republicans are far apart on whether to empower Medicare to negotiate prices, but there's enough overlap to allow for agreement in other areas...

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Weekend storms raked parts of the Southeast, leaving deaths and injuries in their wake as a tornado smashed into a commercial district in a small Mississippi city and drenching rains fed a rising flood threat. A woman was killed when a tornado hit Columbus, and a man died when he drove into floodwaters in Tennessee, officials said...

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said Sunday he will extend a deadline to escalate tariffs on Chinese imports, citing "substantial progress" in weekend talks between the two countries. Trump tweeted there had been "productive talks" on some of the difficult issues dividing the U.S. and China, adding, "I will be delaying the U.S. increase in tariffs now scheduled for March 1."...

CUCUTA, Colombia -- Opposition leader Juan Guaido has called on the international community to consider "all options" to resolve Venezuela's crisis, a dramatic escalation in rhetoric that echoes comments from the Trump administration hinting at potential U.S. military involvement...

Plenty has been written about American workers' failure to plan adequately for retirement. Their employers seem to be doing an even worse job. Only 1 in 10 large employers offers a formal phased-retirement program letting workers cut back their hours or responsibilities before they quit work entirely, according to the 2018 Longer Working Careers Survey by professional services consultant Willis Towers Watson. ...

Looking for an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics -- especially single-use items such as bags, straws and picnic tableware -- many supermarkets and vendors are offering an array of compostable alternatives made from plant fibers or starches...

NEW YORK -- As Nick Haschka bought four small horticultural businesses over the past two years, he had to help his new employees navigate almost constant change. "They've had to get used to a new owner, new management style, and many new processes and tools," said Haschka, owner of The Wright Gardner in South San Francisco, California...

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau is forecast to crest 2 feet above the 32-foot flood stage Sunday; no serious flooding occurs at that stage, but the rising river has stopped construction of the Fayville levee near Olive Branch, Illinois. The Rev. ...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Breonna Reeves, 24, of Scott City was arrested on two Cape Girardeau warrants for a revoked license and no insurance. n Riley D. Manuel Jr., 20, of St. Louis was arrested at New Madrid Street and North West End Boulevard on suspicion of a drug violation...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Gov. Mike Parson is now a member of the national Council of Governors. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Parson will join the council. The governors advise the U.S. Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, and the White House Homeland Security Council, on issues related to the National Guard, national defense, federal homeland security, civil support missions and disaster response...

ST. LOUIS -- Missouri towns along the Mississippi River and its tributaries should brace for the prospect of potentially serious flooding this spring, in large part because of an unusually snowy winter to the north. The National Weather Service office in suburban St. Louis on Friday released its spring flood outlook for eastern Missouri and a portion of Southern Illinois. The outlook cites a high risk of major flooding along the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers...

Approval of minutes n Minutes for the Feb. 21 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on the agenda Routine business...

LOS ANGELES -- The segregation-era road-trip drama "Green Book" was crowned best picture at the Academy Awards, handing Hollywood's top award to a film seen as a feel-good throwback to some but ridiculed as an outdated inversion of "Driving Miss Daisy" by others...

ADVANCE, Mo. — Wade F. Moore, 79, of Advance passed away Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 23, 1939, in Swinton, Missouri, the son of Bloyce Eldon and Bernice Alma Proffer Moore. Wade had been a longtime Stoddard County farmer. He was a veteran of the U.S. National Guard. He was a member of Union Grove Church near Swinton...

Larry Wayne Fornkohl, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at his home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Gary Teague officiating. Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery, with full military honors...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Cecil "Terry" Clifton, 63, of Perryville died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at his home. Family and close friends will gather for a Celebration of Life memorial service at 10 a.m. Saturday at the family home, with military honors provided by VFW Post 4282 and Delta Team...

Helen Ann Tilley, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at her home. She was born July 25, 1931, in Independence, Missouri, to James Henry and Leona Helen Hughes Anderton. She and Calvin Edward Tilley were married Oct. 20, 1979, at Lovell, Wyoming...