Stories from Tuesday, January 13, 2009

ST. LOUIS -- Lisa Ann Barlow pleaded guilty in a St. Louis court Monday morning to the July 2007 murder of her boyfriend at his Bollinger County home near Scopus, Mo., according to Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Gray. Her sentencing is set for 10 a.m. Feb. 26 in Judge James Hartenbach's St. Louis County courtroom...

Willard Pittman ZALMA, Mo. -- Willard O. Pittman, 86, of Zalma died Monday, Jan. 12, 2009, at Advance Nursing Center. He was born Oct. 4, 1922, at Zalma, son of William and Sciota Arthur Pittman. He and Stella Staats were married Nov. 21, 1944, in Cape Girardeau...

Gregory Ryan Gregory Michael Ryan left this earth unexpectedly Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, after a fatal grand mal seizure. He had a warm heart and an outstanding mind. He had bumps in the road along the way, but he forever tried to find a way to get around them. ...

NEW YORK -- Judging by the lineup, Sunday's inaugural celebration for president-elect Barack Obama at the Lincoln Memorial is a coveted gig for music's top names. Beyonce, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform Sunday afternoon. The president-elect and his family are due to attend, with Obama expected to speak...

As deadline looms, one person files for Oran aldermen One person had filed for the Oran Board of Aldermen as of Monday morning. Incumbent Ward 3 alderwoman Brenda Cook filed for re-election to her seat late last week, after a Southeast Missourian had checked with the city clerk to see who had filed for office...

Guard and protect us, O God, from situations in which we may be tempted to do wrong. Amen.

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following call Sunday: n At 8:45 p.m., emergency medical service in the 900 block of Broadway. Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday: n At 2:49 a.m., alarm sounding in the 1000 block of Greek Drive...

Diane Burchett of Marble Hill, Mo., lost her job and her health insurance at the same time. Burchett is one of 60 people put out of work when RapcoHorizon, an audio cable producer, closed its Advance, Mo., plant Jan. 2. The company's employee health insurance helped pay the tab as she was treated for heart trouble, hypertension and diabetes. She takes five prescription medications and sees doctors regularly...

Jesse Smither MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Jesse C. Smither, 90, of Mound City died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 19, 1918, in Paducah, Ky., son of Grover Cleveland and Katie Radcliffe Smither. Smither was a member of First Baptist Church of Mound City...

Cathy White faces the tax season with a smile. "I like the numbers and quantities part," says White, a certified public accountant and partner at Begley, Young Unterreiner & White, LLC, in Cape Girardeau. "I like that there's a debit and credit, and everything balances." White says tax season is the busiest and most challenging time of the year, but it is also one of the best parts of her job...

WASHINGTON -- Eager to put the scandal-tainted standoff behind them, Senate Democrats accepted Roland Burris as president-elect Barack Obama's Senate successor Monday and said they expect to swear in the new Illinois senator this week. "He is now the senator-designate from Illinois and, as such, will be accorded all the rights and privileges of a senator-elect," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said in a joint statement...

DORENA, Mo. -- The Dorena-Hickman Ferry will be back in operation this spring. "With the budget now set up for the Tennessee and Kentucky departments of transportation, it's determined that the ferry will commence operation March 1 on a 12-hour, seven-day-a-week schedule," said Swayne Byrd, chairman of the Mississippi County Port Authority Board...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Carrie Ann Smith, 18, 3513 Old Route V, Apt. A, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau warrant for contempt of court for no insurance. n Aaron William Gordon, 18, 3513 Old Route V, Apt. A, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau warrant for contempt of court for no child restraint...

Cape Girardeau's annual Independence Day celebration, known as Libertyfest, is in danger. Planning for the event, which in past years has included activities along the Mississippi River and a fireworks display from a barge anchored near the Illinois shore, is on hold because of the challenge of raising enough money to cover the costs as the economy worsens, said Marla Mills, director of Old Town Cape...

To the editor: One of the great ironies of liberal-progressive-socialists is their claim to deal only with objective, scientifically measurable truth embodied in the tangible aspects of nature. Yet their history and their rhetoric gives us nothing concrete at all in the way of unbiased proof of their Utopian claims made with their dogmatic suppositions...

Lester Hudson was on top of his game, and Calvin Williams wasn't even in the game. That made Monday's outcome fairly predictable, with the University of Tennessee-Martin coasting past Southeast Missouri State 81-67. Hudson, the nation's second-leading scorer, put on his anticipated highlight-reel performance at the Show Me Center...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tony Dungy has retired after seven years as coach of the Indianapolis Colts, saying this was the right moment. "These seven years have been better than I could ever have imagined," Dungy, the only black coach to win a Super Bowl, said at a news conference Monday. "I just have to thank everyone."...

The legal problems of a Jackson wedding planner charged with multiple credit card fraud felonies are being compounded by lawsuits to recover deposits and a divorce action, all filed within the last month. Michael J. Erzfeld, 40, ran Custom Events until his arrest in November. ...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission on Monday morning rescinded a policy instituted in May preventing one commissioner from discussing business with department heads assigned to other commissioners. Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones, who wrote the policy with county Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, said it was "a bad policy."...

WASHINGTON -- Nearly a year after Roger Clemens told Congress he did not use performance-enhancing drugs, a federal grand jury is being asked to determine whether he should be indicted on charges of lying under oath. The grand-jury probe was confirmed Monday by two people who were briefed on the matter. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because grand jury proceedings are supposed to be secret...

25 years ago: Jan. 13, 1984 The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce would add 900 to 1,000 square feet of space to its facility at 601 N. Kingshighway under plans being drawn up, says chamber president Robert B. Hendrix; the space would provide offices for the tourism bureau being formed here and a new chamber board room...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri forward Leo Lyons was suspended indefinitely Monday, a day after his arrest on traffic charges and for failing to pay a traffic fine from 2006. Lyons was arrested late Sunday in Columbia for failure to have his lights on and failure to display proof of insurance, team spokesman Dave Reiter said. Police then learned there was a warrant for Lyons for an unpaid fine for making an illegal turn in 2006, Reiter said...

It's no surprise Missouri lawmakers are considering ways to spend a new source of revenue. Never mind that Proposition A, approved by a sizable margin of voters in November, clearly earmarked anticipated casino-revenue increases for the state's school foundation formula...

Frank Denton Frank William Denton, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 23, 1919, in Lamont County, Mo., son of Frank C. and Emma Pickett Baldwin Denton. He and Theresa Berbeck were married June 16, 1946, in Cape Girardeau. She died Aug. 23, 1967. He later married Ruby Webb Sept. 7, 1968, in Farmington, Mo. She died Dec. 18, 2006...

BISMARCK, N.D. -- A fast-moving blizzard brought snow and high winds to North Dakota on Monday, closing schools and causing more headaches for residents still trying to dig out from a record snowfall last month. Forecasters said a blast of cold air was on the way that could send the thermometer as low as 30 below zero...

NEW YORK -- Rickey Henderson dashed into the Hall of Fame on his first try, Jim Rice made it with a final swing. It's hard to imagine their induction speeches will have much in common, either. "I'm going to leave all the stories to Rickey," Rice said, confirming that his remarks in Cooperstown this summer are likely to match his personality. ...

WASHINGTON -- Acting at Barack Obama's behest, President Bush on Monday asked Congress for the final $350 billion in the financial bailout fund, effectively ceding economic reins to the president-elect in ay display of transition teamwork. Obama also criticized Bush's handling of the money and promised changes...

Today n Sibling class: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Include your children, ages 3 to 6, in the birthing process while preparing them to become better siblings. They will learn about the proper way to hold infants, toy safety and emotional issues of a growing family. Call 877-231-2229 for location and to register...

To the editor: Jan. 22 will mark the 35th year for the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Abortions in Missouri are the lowest they've been in 31 years. With this year's election, many expect a lot of changes to take place, which always happens after every election...

Alicia Kueker hit for a career-high 34 points to lead Perryville past St. Pius in girls basketball action Monday. The Pirates posted the 74-43 victory to improve to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in conference. Kueker also grabbed four rebounds. Ava Johnson chipped in 21 points for Perryville...

For the dieter who's looking to lose a few pounds, the market wants to help you. For the past couple of years, certain companies have offered small portions of snack foods bundled in 100-calorie packs. About 175 products — among them Nabisco's Oreos and Teddy Grahams, Hershey's Dark Chocolate and, yes, even Hostess' Twinkies, in the form of Twinkie Bites — come in small sizes. Do they work?...

Prepared text of Monday's inaugural address of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon: Thank you, Justice Stith. Thank you, President Pro Tem Shields and Speaker Richard. Gov. and Mrs. Blunt, thank you both for your years of service to the state of Missouri. As you move on to new opportunities, I wish your family all the best...

I have noticed that whenever I gather with fellow Boomers, our discussions inevitably start focusing on our aches and pains. You would think that with all of the difficult and serious challenges facing our nation we would not be wasting our time paying attention to things that a steady dose of Advil could alleviate. But no, nothing takes precedence over the creaking and groaning of our own bodies; it is as if we can't really believe that they have let us down...

Neighborhood Connections to meet Thursday The Neighborhood Connections group will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at Broadway Books and Roasting Co., 605 Broadway, in Cape Girardeau. City councilman Charlie Herbst and members of the Cape Girardeau Police Department will be available for questions. For more information, call Joan at 651-4567...

Josephine Lewis ANNA, Ill. -- Josephine Woods Lewis, 99, of Anna died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009, at her home. She was born in Crain, Mo., on March 18, 1909, daughter of William McKee and Mary Anna Enderlin Woods. Mrs. Lewis graduated from Brown's Business School. She met Raymond Jack Lewis while working as a bookkeeper at the Piggly Wiggly Grocery in Cairo, Ill. They were married April 10, 1937, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Anna...

Will Bogan has found another school where he will try to revive his athletic and academic career. Ronnie Dean hopes Bogan takes full advantage. Dean, an assistant basketball coach at Highland (Ill.) Community College and a former Southeast Missouri State assistant, said Monday that Bogan has enrolled at Highland for the second semester...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A 64-year-old Poplar Bluff man was killed Saturday night when he walked into the path of a vehicle on Highway 53, one mile south of Poplar Bluff. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, about 6:10 p.m. Chester Paul I. Ford stepped into the path of a 1996 Dodge being driven northbound by Dawn A. Lampston, 35, of Poplar Bluff...

Angel Brant Angel Kassie Brant was stillborn Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Survivors include her parents, Ivan Norman and Jennifer Lee Page Brant Jr. of Jackson; paternal grandparents, Norman and Judy Brant of Scott City; maternal grandparents, Kenny and Diane Page of Scott City; paternal great-grandmother, Della Kilburn of Chaffee, Mo.; and maternal great-grandparents, Luke and Alice Ressel and Marie Page, all of Scott City...

Robert Meyer SIKESTON, Mo. -- Robert Edward Meyer, 83, died at 7 p.m. Jan. 11, 2009, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Oct. 13, 1925, in Cape Girar­deau to the late Charles H.W. and Cora Margaret Bingenheimer Meyer, he was a 1943 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School and then attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College...

NEW YORK -- Shopping online can be a way to find bargains while steering clear of crowds -- and sales taxes. But those tax breaks are starting to erode. With the recession pummeling states' budgets, their governments increasingly want to fill the gaps by collecting taxes on Internet sales, which are growing even as the economy shudders...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Democrat Jay Nixon proclaimed "a new day" for a state facing historic economic challenges as he was sworn in Monday as Missouri's 55th governor. On a cold overcast day, Nixon acknowledged that a similar gloom pervades households across the state, as the economic downturn has created concern about an uncertain future...

Young blood THOSE REPUBLICANS who have expressed interest in running for Kit Bond's U.S. Senate seat make it apparent the party is in desperate need of some young blood. Teaching recipe TEACHING IS about one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater...

BOISE, Idaho -- Employees at an Idaho pizzeria are using more than $115,000 earned from tips over the past 13 years to pay for a weeklong tropical vacation. The Idaho Statesman reports that two locations of Flying Pie in Boise will close starting today so that 54 current and former employees and eight guests can go to Costa Rica. The guests paid for a portion of their costs...

Rodger Self ANNISTON, Mo. -- Rodger Charles Self, 61, of Anniston died Monday, Jan. 12, 2009, at John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis. He was born Aug. 21, 1947, in the Deventer community of Mississippi County, Mo., son of Charles and Nadine Armer Self Jr...

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to issue an executive order his first week in office -- and perhaps his first day -- to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, according to two presidential transition team advisers...

Edward Lema MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Edward Joseph Lema, 76, of Marble Hill died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 6, 1932, in Racine, Wis., son of Adolph and Mary Loontjens Lema. He and Jane Leona Carter were married May 31, 1952, in Milwaukee...

BENTON, Mo. -- Routine police work resulted in several arrests in Scott County over the weekend on drug charges, according to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter. The arrests started Saturday night with a traffic stop that became an arrest for an outstanding warrant, and then a possession of controlled substance violation. Then on Sunday, two meth labs were seized...

Zita King CAIRO, Ill. -- Zita A. King, 85, of Cairo died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009, at her home. She was born May 11, 1923, in Cairo, daughter of George and Leo McNamara Johnson. She married Howard E. King, who preceded her in death. King was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church...

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, assisted by Cape Girardeau police, captured a Louisiana murder suspect on Interstate 55 near Center Junction around 5 p.m. The suspect's vehicle came to rest against a guardrail after running over stop sticks deployed by the Cape Girardeau Police Department...

Southeast Missouri State University is testing the readiness of its campus community to a shooting scenario when the school conducts an emergency preparedness drill Wednesday. Scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, the drill will result in the lock down of Carnahan Hall, Crisp Hall of Nursing, the pedestrian area on the east side of Academic Hall and the south side of Brandt Hall of Music while university staff members work through the drill. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A shake and bake meth lab was uncovered in Sikeston over the weekend, leading to an arrest. Officers with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety were called out around 10:25 p.m. to 227 Russell in Sikeston in regard to a strong odor of ether and tip there was a possible meth lab at the residence...

A house fire in Kennett, Mo., took a devastating toll this weekend, one that authorities say could have been prevented with a smoke detector, and if the back door of the mobile home hadn't been padlocked.The fire is one of three in the past few weeks where the same conditions led to a resident of the trailer being burned. ...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) -- As one their final acts, members of Gov. Matt Blunt's administration signed off on $25 million in state tax credits for the Kansas City Chiefs. The tax credits are to finance additional renovations at Arrowhead Stadium and subsidize a training camp move from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph...

MUMBAI, India — India's movie-mad millions have not yet seen "Slumdog Millionaire," but this Mumbai-based fairy tale, which opens here next week, is already the toast of Bollywood. All it took was the Golden Globes. On Sunday, "Slumdog" — with its cast of actors unknown outside India and its story set on the gritty streets of Mumbai — went home with four Golden Globe awards, and became the movie to beat at the Academy Awards...

FESTUS, Mo. (AP) -- Police are searching for a suspect who shot a man, then abandoned him in a wooded area of eastern Missouri. The incident happened Monday. Police say a man was shot in the foot with a shotgun in St. Louis, then driven to a wooded area near Festus in Jefferson County and left stranded...