Stories from Monday, January 19, 2009

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Scott Linehan has declined the San Francisco 49ers' offer to become their offensive coordinator. Linehan was fired four games into his third season as the St. Louis Rams' coach in September. The veteran coach said he wasn't ready to move his family to the West Coast to resume his coaching career with the 49ers, who are looking for their seventh offensive coordinator in seven seasons...

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Down and out for decades, the Arizona Cardinals have turned a bad joke into a Super Bowl-bound team. Yes, the Cardinals, founding members of the NFL but historically among the most dysfunctional of franchises, are heading for the championship game in Tampa...

Business owners and managers in Bollinger County will soon receive a survey from the Chamber of Commerce asking for input. The survey, several months in the making, is meant to determine what businesses are doing right and where they are falling short. The goal is to learn where the county and cities within it need to improve the business climate...

ULLIN, Ill. — Bill Atherton, 67, of Ullin died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at his home. He was born Sept. 6, 1941, in Villa Ridge, Ill., to Phil and Ila Cooper Atherton. He and Judy Brown were married Feb. 16, 1964. He was raised attending the Shiloh Baptist Church and later became a member of the First Baptist Church in Ullin, where he had served as a trustee...

The Super Bowl is on track to remain one big, glitzy bash even in these tough economic times. That's not to say some advertisers aren't nervous about buying expensive ad slots as business falters. Some stalwarts such as General Motors Corp., FedEx Corp. and Garmin Ltd. won't be advertising during the Feb. 1 broadcast on NBC. Playboy Enterprises Inc. isn't throwing its customary party at the game for the first time in nine years...

Martha Jo Ziegler, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

DELTA, Mo. — Effie Mae Smith, 86, of Delta died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. She was born Jan. 13, 1923, in Bollinger County, Mo., daughter of Jesse and Lillie McIntosh Long. In 1938, she married Cletus Henry James in Bell City, Mo. He died Aug. 27, 1982. She married Charlie Smith in August 1984; he preceded her in death...

NEW YORK -- With the exit of the Bush administration, critics of abstinence-only sex education will be pushing to cut off federal funding for what they consider an ineffective, sometimes harmful program. How quickly and completely they reach their goal is uncertain, however, as conservative supporters of abstinence education lobby Congress and president-elect Barack Obama to preserve at least some of the funding, which now totals $176 million a year...

25 years ago: Jan. 19, 1984 The Cape Girardeau City Council last night gave preliminary approval to the placement of four-way stop signs at Bloomfield Road and Spring Avenue, despite a city traffic study that indicated such action was unwarranted. Local lawmakers say prospects are dim for state bond issue funding for the proposed Cape Girardeau multipurpose building and improvements to the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority during this legislative session...

Two days after announcing he would not run for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate, Christopher "Kit" Bond was in Cape Girardeau listening to lavish praise for his public service over a career that has included holding public office since 1971. The accolades were all underscored by one theme: looking after the best interests of his home state...

WASHINGTON -- The company that sells Little Debbie snacks announced a recall Sunday of peanut butter crackers because of a potential link to a deadly salmonella outbreak. The voluntary recall came one day after the government advised consumers to avoid eating cookies, cakes, ice cream and other foods with peanut butter until health officials learn more about the contamination...

When Larry Lusk of Cape Girardeau decided to purse an amatuer radio operator's license, he found himself sitting in front of a familiar instructor. Ernie Girardeau Chiles II, who taught the earth science class Lusk took decades ago at Cape Central High School, is also teaching the radio operator class. Lusk and his wife, Carolyn, were among more than 20 people who showed up for the Saturday morning session...

VILNIUS, Lithuania -- In these difficult times for creditors, a Lithuanian debt collector is offering an unconventional service to retrieve arrears: witchcraft. The Vilnius-based firm has hired Vilija Lobaciuviene, the Baltic nation's most famous self-styled witch, to hunt down companies and individuals who are failing to pay their debts amid the credit crunch...

I was thinking the other day that it's hard to believe how far the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball program has fallen in less than a decade. It seems like a lifetime ago when Southeast won the 1999-2000 Ohio Valley Conference tournament and almost stunned heavily favored LSU in its first NCAA Division I tournament appearance...

MELBOURNE, Australia -- After struggling in her first match at the Australian Open since losing last year's final, Ana Ivanovic finished with a flourish in a 7-5, 6-3 win over Julia Goerges earlier today. Fifth-seeded Ivanovic was broken once in each set, but fended off five other break points before finishing with consecutive aces against Goerges, a German ranked No. 107 and playing only her fourth major...

The Schnucks store has been a staple of the Cape Girardeau community for 32 years, offering everything from groceries to a pharmacy, bakery, deli and seafood. Business reporter Brian Blackwell recently sat down with Schnuck[']s manager Dennis Marchi to discuss his personal life, his start in the business and what trends he sees...

Incumbent members of the Jackson Board of Aldermen will have little campaigning to do if the current field of candidates for the jobs doesn't change by 5 p.m. Tuesday. That's the deadline for people who want to take positions on city councils, school boards and other local offices to file their candidacy. In most cases, offices that accept the filings will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, leaving only one business day for completing paperwork...

THEBES, Ill. — Paul Raymond Storm, 79, of Thebes died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at his home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Jones Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. -- An elderly woman in Palm Beach County drove her car into a man on a scooter and continued on to her hair appointment, police said. Louise Davidson, 77, was arrested Thursday for leaving the scene of a crash involving injuries, Boynton Beach police said...

Just as many of us are getting back into the swing of work in this new year, Cape Girardeau's League of Women Voters is wrapping up its study of the county charter issue. A quick recap: The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's government and public policy committee has been talking about a county charter for more than 18 months. In August, chamber president John Mehner ask the League of Women Voters to produce a county charter report outlining the steps to get a county charter...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI n Andrew J. Wuch, 2435 Travelers Way, Jackson, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Arrests n Charmaine Edwards, 18, 1002 Sturdivant St., was arrested on suspicion of stealing...

Ever since the Branding Iron closed Nov. 23, 2008, the property at 1015 N. Kingshighway has been without a tenant. That will change Feb. 1 when a family restaurant opens in the space. Bobby's Kitchen will be open 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. Its co-owners may sound familiar to those who patronize Fruitland Diner. Krissty Steers and her husband, Bobby, opened the eatery in August 2008. Bobby's Kitchen's menu will be the same as Fruitland Diner...

NEW YORK -- A jetliner that crash-landed in the Hudson River had lost power at the same time in both engines after reaching an altitude of only 3,200 feet, the plane's black box recorders revealed Sunday. The details that emerged confirmed the circumstances under which the pilot of the US Airways flight carrying 155 people maneuvered the plane over New York City and safely into the water after striking a flock of birds Thursday afternoon...

Buy American PEOPLE are complaining about losing jobs and no jobs to be found. How many of these people have checked to see where the things they buy are being made? They are partly to blame for their own plight. They need to be more concerned about where the products they are buying are being made. They have helped put themselves out of business or out of a job...

Rose Georger KELSO, Mo. -- Rose Dominica Georger, 90, of Kelso died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at The Lutheran Home Assisted Living in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 20, 1918, in Chicago, daughter of James and Mathilda Heinrich Tuccy. She married Mat August Georger on Aug. 20, 1955, in Chicago. He preceded her in death on Dec. 24, 1998...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Dolores M. Dunker, 76, of Perryville died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at Perry Oaks Manor in Perryville. She was born Feb. 12, 1932, in Perryville, daughter of B. Harrison and Mary A. Vessels Feltz She and Lewis A. Dunker were married April 10, 1951, at Sereno, Mo. He died Nov. 2, 2005...

Barnhart joins direct-sales company Tastefully Simple Malarie Barnhart of Scott City has joined Tastefully Simple direct-sales company as an independent consultant. Tasefully Simple offers gourmet foods nationwide. Dunn achieves milestones at Modern Woodmen agency...

WASHINGTON -- Two days from the White House, president-elect Barack Obama joined a vast throng Sunday at a pre-inauguration celebration staged among marble monuments to past heroes. "Anything is possible in America," declared the man who will confront economic crisis and two wars when he takes office...

FLINT, Mich. -- The state of Michigan is giving a father a choice: pay the medical cost of his daughter's birth or marry the girl's mother. Gary Johnson was billed $3,800 for the birth of his daughter JaeLyn, The Flint Journal reported in Sunday online editions. Johnson is not married to the child's mother, Rebecca Witt...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City could face a budget-crippling $36 million bond payment if it can't restructure its debt by April. The city is looking to renegotiate the terms covering $180 million in city-backed bonds that were used to build the Power & Light District, an entertainment project that has brought restaurants, bars and shopping downtown...

Debra Mitchell-Braxton has been organizing Martin Luther King Jr. Day events for 30 years. She is adamant that today is "a day on, not a day off," she said Sunday afternoon. King's "whole philosophy is to serve others and for there to be equality," she said...

When things are going your way, LaMont Russell grabs an errant alley-oop pass off the backboard and scores a key basket, or Jaycen Herring grabs his own miss and converts with 3 seconds left to tie the game. When things aren't going your way, the opposing team throws two perfect passes in less than 3.5 seconds to exploit your defense and set up an open game-winning shot to avoid overtime...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals' outfield is so crowded, some players are surprised they're still around. Rick Ankiel was a big draw at the team's Winter Warmup on Sunday with his autograph going for $60, twice as much as the going rate for manager Tony La Russa. But it's been an uncertain offseason for the former pitcher coming off a 25-homer first season as the starting center fielder, seeing his name mentioned as trade bait for a starting pitcher...

HONOLULU — Zach Johnson closed with a 5-under 65 on Sunday for a two-shot victory in the Sony Open, ending his two-week stay in Hawaii by playing his final six rounds in 30-under par. Johnson, whose 64-67 last weekend at Kapalua gave him a tie for sixth, outlasted David Toms in a well-played duel along the back nine of Waialae to build a two-shot lead, then eliminated any drama with a two-putt birdie on the 18th for the second victory in his last six starts...

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Israeli troops, some smiling and dancing, began to withdraw from Gaza on Sunday after their government and Hamas militants declared an end to a three-week war. But neither side achieved long-term goals and the burden of consolidating the calm fell to world leaders...

Cottner Daughter to Justin Cole Cottner and Jennifer Gail Gaulding of Cape Girardeau, Saint Francis Medical Center, 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008. Name, Desirae Paige. Weight, 7 pounds, 1 ounce. Second child, first daughter. Ms. Gaulding is the daughter of Marilyn Gaulding and William Gaulding of Perryville, Mo. Cottner is the son of Jerry Cottner and Nancy Cottner of Perryville. He is an apprentice with Cotner K Electric Inc...

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers outhit the Baltimore Ravens and outplayed them behind a steady-as-he-goes Ben Roethlisberger, marching into the Super Bowl behind a defense that brought back memories of the storied Steel Curtain. The Steelers ended their home-field jinx in the AFC title game by beating Baltimore 23-14 on Sunday and Troy Polamalu ended any chance the Ravens had for a comeback with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown...

Seventeen people were arrested last week following a three-day investigation targeting individuals believed to be involved in the production of methamphetamine. Officers from the SEMO Drug Task Force and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in Sikeston Wednesday through Friday, targeting individuals purchasing methamphetamine precursors from local retail stores. The investigation also led to the seizures of three methamphetamine labs...

It's an annual event, but this year, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast and the Humanitarian Luncheon at the Osage Community Centre felt special. On the eve of history, attendees and presenters weren't afraid to express their joy. "In less than 24 hours, we'll have our first African-American president inaugurated," organizer Debra Mitchell Baxter announced before the luncheon. "That's something to be proud of, isn't it?"...

Even though the day was warmer than the past few we've had, chunks of ice are still floating down the Mississippi River. You can get an idea of just how fast the water is moving by watching how fast the ice floats by.

For martyrs and all who seek justice in this world, we pray to you, O God. Amen.

The owners of Jimmi's Restaurant and Bar and Stevie's Steakburger have put their restaurants up for sale, but the future for both eateries is uncertain. Owner Terry Bozzay said 2008 has been a roller coaster year for Jimmi's. Since he opened the Cape Girardeau restaurant in late 2007, Bozzay has retooled his business approach to adapt to the recession. The restaurant at 2406 William St. has eliminated lunch to cut costs and rented out space for private parties to increase its profits...

Two Cape Girardeau restaurants have put their buildings up for sale, though the owner of one of them says it's a precautionary measure, a way to prepare for the future.The buildings that house Stevie's Steakburger, a burger joint that opened this summer on Broadway, and Jimmi's Bar and Restaurant, a casual dining place near Schnucks that opened in 2007, are on the sale block, but for different reasons.Find out why by clicking here, and look for more on this story later today on seMissourian.com.. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Some Missouri businesses are complaining about what they call high-pressure and heavy-handed sales tactics by the Better Business Bureau in St. Louis. Some owners say the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois pushes them to pay for accreditation. And they think that accredited businesses receive higher ratings than unaccredited ones...

The Mississippi River and Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- After 12 years as the often-silent partner of a public figure, Renee Hulshof finally has her chance to speak -- and she's doing it over the mid-Missouri airwaves. Hulshof is the new co-host of talk radio's "The Morning Meeting" on KFRU/1400 AM, replacing longtime co-host Fred Parry, who was fired in October...

The Queens are dead. The Majestic America Line's flagship sternwheel riverboats the American Queen and the Mississippi Queen will not cruise the big rivers of the central United States this year. And the Majestic America Line's main competitor, RiverBarge Excursions, has also called it quits, ending the cruises of its River Explorer...

Veteran broadcaster Mike Shain had planned to make Cape Girardeau a brief stopover during his move up the television career ladder. But a few years turned into a 36-year career at KFVS12. "I had other offers," he said inside the Cape Girardeau studio last week. "But this is home...