Stories from Friday, July 18, 2008

Alongside massed pipes and Highland dancers, the Southeast Missouri State University marching band will perform outside Scotland's Edinburgh Castle next month. The Golden Eagles Marching Band will play 26 times in 23 days -- becoming the fourth U.S. university marching band to participate in the competitive Edinburgh Military Tattoo...

If you walk down the main corridor of Academic Hall on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, you will see the gold-lettered titles painted on the impressive solid-wood doors behind which top administrators do their jobs. A first-time visitor might, based on the impressiveness of the various office entrances, jump to the conclusion that the door marked "Associate to the President" leads to the most important administrator on campus. ...

NEW YORK -- Wall Street surged Thursday, extending its rally into a second session as tumbling energy prices bolstered an already upbeat mood that followed stronger-than-expected quarterly reports from big names like JPMorgan Chase and United Technologies. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 200 points, bringing its two-day advance to more than 480...

WASHINGTON -- The plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that overturned Washington's 32-year-old handgun ban was the first to arrive Thursday as the city began registering firearms. But security guard Dick Heller was turned away from police headquarters because he didn't bring his weapon as required...

Joe H. McAllister, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, July 17, 2008, at the Lutheran Home. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Keeping highways safe is a primary goal of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and an all-out effort during the Fourth of July weekend (6 p.m. July 3 to midnight July 6) had a significant effect in the the Southeast Missouri counties patrolled by Troop E, with headquarters in Poplar Bluff, Mo. For the first time in several years, there were no highway fatalities in that area during the long holiday weekend...

Three candidates hoping to become Cape Girardeau's next state representative sparred Thursday over abortion, taxes and which person has the experience that best prepares them for the Missouri House. They also tackled the issue of whether people with concealed weapon permits should be allowed to carry guns into college and school classrooms, and all three agreed that lawmakers should not moonlight as political consultants...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Although Missouri has gone red in the past two presidential elections, Republican presidential candidate John McCain cast himself as the underdog here to Democrat Barack Obama as he made his second stop in the state this week. McCain, who held a fundraiser Tuesday night in St. ...

SCHOLARSHIPS n Shelia D. Hart of Benton, Mo., and Jaeson Fraser of Chaffee, Mo., received the Wylma Noll Memorial Scholarship to attend Three Rivers Community College. n The Saint Francis Foundation and Saint Francis Auxiliary awarded health care scholarships to 22 area students. ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: n At 6:27 p.m., an alarm at 2910 Beavercreek Drive. n At 10:23 p.m., an alarm at 1110 S. Ellis St. Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday: n At 12:16 a.m., citizen assist in the 1100 block of Linden Street...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Kelly High School junior Mallory Cowger is honing her skills to compete for the second time in the largest rodeo in the world. The upcoming National High School Rodeo will be held in Farmington, N.M. More than 1,500 high schoolers from the U.S., Australia and Canada will compete at the event...

PDAs started buzzing at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with news that Gov. Matt Blunt approved a $370,800 grant to build a parking lot and public restrooms in downtown Cape Girardeau. Tim Arbeiter, vice president for community development at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, said he was delighted by the news. Arbeiter wrote the grant application, which he said was reviewed by city and Old Town Cape officials who have formed a DREAM Initiative development team...

Besher Son to Bobby Rusby and Deborah Elaine Besher of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:22 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2008. Name, Carson Grant. Weight, 6 pounds, 5 ounces. First child. Mrs. Besher is the former Deborah Mana, daughter of David and Judith Mana of St. Louis. She is an elementary guidance counselor with Meadow Heights School District. Besher is the son of Wayne and Margie Besher of Marble Hill, Mo. He is a self-employed truck driver...

National Asset Recovery Services is bringing 100 more jobs to its Cape Girardeau location, company officials said Thursday. One of Cape Girardeau County's largest employers, the company is hoping to hire call center agents who work from home beginning in August...

SOUTHPORT, England -- The guy figured to be here for a cameo, little more. Play a little golf, take a ceremonial lap or two around Royal Birkdale so people could see he was back on his feet a month after being knocked out by Tiger Woods in a playoff for the U.S. Open and be home in time to watch the final round from the easy chair in his living room...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois officials hope schoolchildren, churches and businesses will take part in next year's celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. The Lincoln Bicentennial Commission offered a look Thursday at events it's organizing to mark the anniversary...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Described as a "tested litigator," Dexter, Mo., lawyer Rance Butler joined the Stoddard County prosecuting attorney's office Wednesday as an assistant prosecutor. Butler was nominated for the position by Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Briney Welborn, who said Butler's nomination was approved by Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp...

ATLANTA -- The South tips the scales again as the nation's fattest region, according to a new government survey. More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee are considered obese. In part, experts blame Southern eating habits, poverty and demographic groups that have higher obesity rates...

To the editor: I've read some articles lately that concern me greatly. One was about diseases that were mostly history when I was a kid -- polio, measles, diphtheria and whooping cough -- that are making a comeback. Apparently some parents these days refuse to vaccinate their children against these dangerous diseases...

WASHINGTON -- Former Attorney General John Ashcroft on Thursday disavowed the now-defunct legal reasoning used to justify harshly questioning terrorism suspects, but dug in his heels to defend White House officials who pressured him while he was hospitalized four years ago to approve terror surveillance programs...

FRIDAY n New movies "The Dark Knight" Rated PG-13, running time 2 hours 32 minutes @ Cape West 14 Cine "Mamma Mia!" Rated PG-13, running time 1 hour 48 minutes @ Cape West 14 Cine "Space Chimps" Rated G, running time 1 hour 21 minutes @ Cape West 14 Cine...

The Ramsey Creek bridge and outer road extension planned by MoDOT may ease traffic for one part of Scott City but some residents wonder if it won't create new problems further north. MoDOT officials unveiled the plan at a public meeting Thursday in Scott City. Nearly 60 people arrived to scrutinize aerial maps and watch computer animations by MoDOT highway designer John Bechtold showing actual traffic patterns and how the new road and bridge would shift traffic patterns...

BAGHDAD -- They fan out across Baghdad in summer's scorching heat -- men in blue overalls picking up trash, mowing the sparse grass in parks, and standing on ladders to paint highway underpasses and prune palm trees. Iraq's government has launched a job-creation program in recent months in a first step to address high unemployment and revive the economy -- moves that U.S. and Iraqi officials call crucial in advancing Iraq from this summer's relative calm to a more lasting stability...

Betty J. Holland, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, July 17, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush led a poignant tribute Thursday to his friend and former spokesman, Tony Snow, who lost his public fight with cancer but never surrendered the spirit that defined his life. The somber president spoke of Snow as he would a member of his family, and to many of those who work at the White House, that's what Snow was. ...

Ronald D. Earl, 77, of Jackson died Thursday, July 17, 2008, at Jackson Manor. He was born Dec. 25, 1930, in Indiana. A graveside service was held Thursday at Jackson City Cemetery, with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating. Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements...

25 years ago: July 18, 1983 Cape Girardeau County has been denied federal matching funds to construct a fishing pier for the handicapped at the County Farm Park, an action that both surprises and angers County Court members. The Scott City Council decides not to move a firetruck from the old Illmo fire station to Scott City's more centrally located fire station because of public opposition to the move...

David B. Knight of Cape Girardeau is the owner of Ole Hickory Pits, which manufactures commercial and residential barbecue ovens. He also is one of the principals seeking to redevelop an area of downtown Cape Girardeau from Broadway to Sloan Creek that would include a casino. In the op-ed column below, Knight responds to columnist Michael Jensen's recent column, "Lose those loss limits." Jensen's column is repeated below, with Knight's comments in italics...

ST. LOUIS — Jake Peavy hopes he gave up four homers in a game for the last time. His manager is sure of it. Troy Glaus homered twice and Rick Ankiel and Joe Mather added solo shots of their own Thursday night to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 4-3...

LOS ANGELES -- Basic cable TV looked more like a pop-culture bargain Thursday as AMC's "Mad Men" and FX's "Damages" snared historic best-series Emmy nominations, while stars from cable's less glamorous channels also made a splash in major acting categories...

WASHINGTON -- It's not exactly Tony serenading Maria in "West Side Story," but for all their homeliness toadfish also sing to attract mates. OK, singing may be a stretch; it's more of a hum. But it turns out to be useful, for science as well as the fish. Exploring how their nervous system produces sounds is allowing scientists to trace the earliest developments of vocalization in other animals, including people...

New blood THE PEOPLE of this country have a right and responsibly to elect officials to help our country. The people who have been elected believe they belong in office. However, the people who have been elected are so out of touch with the people who elected them that they do not do what is in the best interests of their constituents. ...

Dohogne captures first in golf outing Sissy Dohogne took first place in the A flight at the Cape Chip A Ways weekly golf outing. Lois Tweedy placed first in the B flight, while there was a three-way tie for the low putts between Vicki Howard, JoEllen Haas and Waunita VanDyke. Marge Kurre had the play of the day...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State water-quality testing at the Lake of the Ozarks found low levels of bacteria. The Department of Natural Resources took 55 samples on July 7 from the Lake of the Ozarks Community Toll Bridge to mile marker 30. The department reported Thursday that every sample had low levels of E. coli bacteria. Some E. coli strains can make people sick...

Did you know you can hold a flame next to a balloon and the balloon will not burst? Here's another experiment that might get you and your family "Hooked on Science." Materials n 2 balloons n Water n Matches Instructions STEP 1: Blow up a balloon and tie the end so the air stays inside...

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas, headquarters of America's oil industry, is about to stake a fortune on wind power. In what experts say is the biggest investment in the clean and renewable energy in U.S. history, utility officials in the Lone Star State gave preliminary approval Thursday to a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from gusty West Texas to urban areas like Dallas...

The East County Fire Protection District board of directors held a special meeting Thursday night so current member Pamela Allen could explain the circumstances surrounding the upcoming appointments to the two vacancies. On Aug. 7, Cape Girardeau County Circuit Judge William L. Syler will preside over a hearing for applicants to the open positions on the fire board...

SOUTHPORT, England -- From sunny San Diego to bleak and blustery Royal Birkdale, the expression on Rocco Mediate's face didn't change. He watched one final birdie tumble into the cup for a 1-under 69 and a three-way share of the lead in the British Open, straightened his 45-year-old back, then dropped his jaw into a smile that said, "How did that just happen?"...

There's a lot of bad information out there. But you can believe something you see with your own eyes, right? Not really, or so it goes for the viral video of cell phones popping popcorn. By now, the clip of friends setting their cell phones around popcorn kernels and then calling the cell phones, making the corn pop has been tried by enough YouTube fans, including engineers, average Joes and Southeast Missourian staff members, that it is officially debunked. But why doesn't it work?...

There was little hope for "Meet Dave" from the beginning. The movie is about a spaceship (called Dave, played by Eddie Murphy) controlled by a crew of Lilliputian-sized aliens that each control different parts of the body, and their captain (also played by Eddie Murphy). The crew has come to Earth in search of an orb that is key to their survival...

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- An Indiana group that wants to keep the collection of a recently closed Abraham Lincoln museum in the state says it is a finalist to receive the artifacts. The Allen County Public Library and the Indiana State Museum are part of a group seeking to share the collection owned by the Lincoln Financial Foundation. Cheryl Ferverda of the Allen County library said the group learned Wednesday that the group was a finalist to obtain the items...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Jamie L. Todd, 17, 303 S. Hanover St., was arrested on suspicion of stealing. n James T. Beck, 38, 167 Cardinal Lane, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance...

Verlia L. Cooper, 88, of Delta died Thursday, July 17, 2008, at her home. She was born Nov. 11, 1919, at Swinton, Mo., daughter of Arb and Mamie Hayden Cooper. Cooper attended Fairview General Baptist Church. She worked at Owens Illinois Glass Co. in Alton from 1942 to 1981...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Democratic attorney general candidate Jeff Harris said Thursday that he wants to expand the state's no-call list and crack down on e-mail spammers. Harris, on a campaign trip through southwest Missouri, announced several proposals designed to protect consumers and spare them from bothersome phone calls and e-mails...

Janice Hoffman says she doesn't play the lottery. But she does play golf, and more specifically the Lassies Classic. Hoffman revealed herself as a nonparticipant of the lottery on the second-to-last green at Cape Girardeau Country Club on Friday when Mary Jane Tyler and Sandy Barclay presented the question...

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will headline U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's annual Old Fashioned Family Picnic on Aug. 9, according to a news release sent out this morning by Emerson's office.Huckabee, who has worked to support U.S. ...

The Cape Girardeau County Board of Park Commissioners wants the county commission to set aside the $350,000 purchase price for a strip of county park land into a separate account to make the fund's balance easier to track. The decision, to be presented as a request to the county commission, came after a discussion of the land sale that will turn 1.24 acres of Cape County Park North over to Midamerica Hotels. ...

The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority announced Thursday it had received approval of an additional $15,000 in funding for its popular senior coupon program from the Senior Citizens' Services Fund Board. The senior coupon program allows seniors to purchase a $3 coupon for a one-way ride to anywhere in the county on the authority's point-to-point taxi system called Demand Response. ...

Insurance consultant Rock Finch's independent challenge to incumbent Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Jay Purcell moved forward this week when he filed nominating petitions with the Cape Girardeau County clerk's office. Elections supervisor Joey Keyes said Finch had turned in 331 valid signatures from registered voters. Finch needed 318. Finch said he turned in about 100 more signatures today and will submit additional signatures by the July 28 deadline...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A 1921 poem by William Carlos Williams has been published, along with its story, by Southeast Missouri State University. The typed, signed manuscript of the poem was donated last year to the university by grandsons of the woman for whom the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet wrote it...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A published report says a deal is reached for Ballpark Village near Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The St. Louis Business Journal says details are expected to be announced early next week. Calls to the Cardinals seeking comment were not returned...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The attorney general's office on Friday asked a state judge to name a special assistant attorney general to pursue a lawsuit against Gov. Matt Blunt over access to e-mail records. The suit was filed in the Capitol's home of Cole County by Mel Fisher, one of three investigators selected by Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon to look into allegations that the Republican governor's office violated the state open records law by deleting e-mails. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The state's June unemployment rate dropped from a month ago, but so did the number of Missouri jobs. U.S. Labor Department figures show Missouri shed 1,900 jobs last month compared with May. The June unemployment rate fell to 5.7 percent, down from a three-year high of 6 percent a month earlier...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A group seeking to build a memorial nearly 30 years after two walkways collapsed at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center is receiving support from the hotel. The announcement came Thursday on the 27th anniversary of the collapse. Also Thursday, the Skywalk Memorial Foundation unveiled a three-phase plan for the memorial in nearby Washington Square Park...

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) -- A 20-year-old Kansas City-area woman pleaded guilty Friday to snatching a pregnant teenager she met online in a foiled plot to steal her unborn child. Lauren Gash, of Odessa, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, assaulting and restraining 18-year-old Amanda Howard, of Clinton, inside a Blue Springs motel room a year ago. Gash and her lawyer said in court that she planned to raise the baby as her own...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A prominent anti-tax group is spending $100,000 to run a negative TV ad against a Republican candidate in the 9th Congressional District primary. The Washington-based Club for Growth says it will run the ad against state Rep. Blain Luetkemeyer for 10 days leading up to the Aug. 5 primary...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- A fired Springfield police officer is facing a third-degree assault charge for allegedly beating an inmate being booked into the Greene County jail. Thirty-three-year-old Morris Taylor was charged Thursday after an investigation into the May 29 incident, part of which was caught on surveillance video...

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The state of Missouri is asking the federal government for buyouts in nine areas hit hard by flooding in March, officials said Friday. All told, the State Emergency Management Agency is seeking buyouts of 150 homes at a total cost of about $8.6 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will review each of the nine proposals and decide whether to fund some or all of the work, FEMA spokeswoman Crystal Payton said. It wasn’t clear how long the process will take...

GREENVIEW, Mo. (AP) -- A 63-year-old suburban St. Louis man is dead after drowning at Lake of the Ozarks. The Missouri State Water Patrol says Ronald Lichtenberg of Florissant was last seen Thursday afternoon on the steps of a retaining wall in Camden County. About 15 minutes later he was found in the water. A neighbor tried unsuccessfully to revive him...

"The Dark Knight" is not a movie for children. Let's get that right out of the way up front. The themes of the film are way too dark for younger viewers, and the appearance of one of the villains near the end of the movie will definitely give the little guys nightmares for weeks. That being said, the movie was absolutely awesome...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder had a precancerous lesion removed from his face this week. Kinder spokesman Gary McElyea said Friday that a Jefferson City dermatologist removed the growth from the Republican lieutenant governor's left cheek on Tuesday...

MARION, Ill. (AP) -- Marion's hopes for attracting a Target distribution center have been dashed. Officials with the southern Illinois city say the Minneapolis-based retailer has canceled plans to build the center, given the nation's faltering economy...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A 20-year-old Kansas City-area woman pleads guilty in a failed plot to steal a newborn from a pregnant teenager. The Kansas City Star reported on its Web site that Lauren Gash, of Odessa, pleaded guilty Friday to kidnapping, assaulting and restraining 18-year-old Amanda Howard, of Clinton, inside a Blue Springs motel room last July...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A published report says a deal has been reached for Ballpark Village near Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The St. Louis Business Journal says details are expected to be announced early next week. The Cardinals said through a spokesman late Friday that progress has been made, and that they are optimistic an agreement soon will be reached. They declined to comment until then...

Starbucks lovers in Cape Girardeau can breathe a sigh of relief. The location at 188 Vantage Dr. is not among the 616 coffee shops that will close by March 2009. The company on Thursday released a full list of stores it plans to close. That list includes 17 Missouri locations, most of which are in the St. Louis metropolitan area...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis-based grocery store chain Shop 'n Save agrees to pay $49,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The suit alleged that the chain failed to reasonably accommodate 10-year employee Rodney Roundtree, who worked at a store in St. Ann. He has the autoimmune neuromuscular disease Myasthenia Gravis. The disease caused muscle weakness and he asked to be transferred from clerk duties to a less-strenuous job as a checker...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Kansas City man is charged with sexually assaulting a woman when both were patients at a psychiatric hospital. Jackson County prosecutors on Thursday said 20-year-old Darius Maggard is jailed in $100,000 bond on a sexual assault charge. Police said the 47-year-old woman told investigators that she was asleep in her room at Research Psychiatric Center on June 13 when she was attacked...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Some wholesale distributors of Anheuser-Busch products are worried about a backlash now that the St. Louis-based brewery is being sold to Belgian-based InBev. The distributors voiced their concerns on Wednesday during a conference call with the CEOs of Anheuser-Busch and InBev...