Stories from Sunday, September 20, 2015

What's one summer activity you'd like to squeeze in once more before autumn arrives? Bonfires, definitely. There's nothing better than sitting around a bonfire with your best friends. Where do you feel the safest? In front of a dartboard. That's the only place I can really calm down...

Focusing on the improvement of water quality remains a top priority in Perry County, Missouri -- not only for the protection of the grotto sculpin, but for the health of its residents. The process began a few years ago when a team of local, state and federal stakeholders began working on a plan to protect the 2 1/2-inch-long fish that was placed on the endangered species list in 2013 and is believed to be found exclusively in caves below Perry County...

Paul Ruehling of Pocahontas has been in the business of jumping mules for more than a decade. With the help of his grandchildren, his quarter horse mules compete at several fairs and events in the area, including the upcoming East Perry Community Fair in Altenburg, Missouri. This year, the competition is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Saturday...

The most impressive produce, livestock and craftsmanship having been recognized, Saturday's festivities marked the close of the annual SEMO District Fair. Most of the assorted livestock had been judged during previous days, but that opened an opportunity for the youngest farmers to strut their animals about the ring in the afternoon...

True freshman quarterback and Jackson graduate Dante Vandeven played most of the second half in his Redhawks debut on Saturday, but a failed two-point conversion with no time on the clock resulted in a 29-28 loss.

Judge Benjamin Lewis showed no leniency in sentencing George Joseph to prison Friday afternoon. Joseph, who was convicted in July of the shooting deaths of his wife, Mary, and son, Matthew, will serve two life sentences plus one 50-year sentence without eligibility for parole. The terms will run consecutively...

The emerald water situated among the mountain peaks surrounding the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada's Banff National Park.

Today is Sunday, September 20, the 263rd day of 2015. There are 102 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On September 20, 1973, in their so-called "battle of the sexes," tennis star Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, at the Houston Astrodome...

Edward and Patricia Gonzales of Fountain, Colorado, announce the engagement of their daughter, Erica Ashley Gonzales of Fountain, to Tristan Samuel Frayser, also of Fountain. He is the son of Susan Anglin of Cape Girardeau and Ken Frayser of Benton, Kentucky...

Ed and Regina Moore of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Victoria Berlynn Wall of Jackson, to Jacob Alan Busche. He is the son of Ron and Lisa Busche of Jackson. Victoria was home-schooled throughout high school and graduated in 2013. She soon after joined the Missouri Army National Guard, where she is now employed...

David and Karen Trankle of Leopold, Missouri, announce the engagement of their daughter, Melinda Trankle of Leopold, to Craig Eftink of Chaffee, Missouri. He is the son of Martin and Jeanette Eftink of Chaffee. Melinda graduated in 2003 from Leopold High School, earned her bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University, and is employed as a store manager at Farmer's Pool and Spa...

It is apple season, and everywhere you look there are apple recipes galore. The grocery store has recipes available using apples, friends are sending me recipes via email and Facebook, and I can hardly wait to give them all a try. All of these new apple options are putting me into the mood to bake. During the previous weeks of hot weather, I have not baked anything, so I am ready...

Associated Press CASTEL GALDOLFO, Italy (AP) -- With a deafening whistle and a plume of smoke, an antique train departed from the Vatican rail station to inaugurate a weekly train service to the papal summer estate in Castel Gandolfo now that Pope Francis has decided to open it to the public...

This photo was taken by my daughter on Sept. 11. This is a baby skunk walking past the fruit of an Osage orange tree. This fruit is sometimes called mock orange, hedge apple and monkey balls. The Osage orange tree is native to the United States. Its wood is hard and has an orange tinge. Its sap is very sticky. The tree has thorns...

Beggs Orchard, 2308 W. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson, will offer tours, wagon rides, a pumpkin patch, mazes and apples for sale beginning Monday and running through Oct. 31. Large tour groups should call (573) 243-8008 to make reservations. Harvest Day will be at 9 a.m. on Oct. 3. More information is available by visiting beggsfamilyfarm.com...

Submitted photo The Community Counseling Center's Individual Placement Support program was nominated for the Johnson & Johnson-Dartmouth IPS Learning Community Transformation Award. The CCC program helps people living with severe mental illnesses to be employed. Since 2013, the program has placed 76 people in jobs. From left are Wayne Pettitt, IPS Employment Services coordinator; Tish Thomas, Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Health trainer; and Audrey Burger, CCC Clinical Operations director.

Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- Once upon a time, pumpkin spice lived pretty much only in pies. That was a long time ago. These days, it's a modifier on a list of foods that grows longer each fall: There are pumpkin spice lattes and breakfast cereals, doughnuts and yogurt-coated pretzels, pancakes and candy, even pizza and beer. ...

I grew up in Arthur County in the heart of the Sandhills in Nebraska. If you want to find it on the map, search for Arthur, Nebraska. Once you see the town of Arthur, which has a population of about 150, go about five miles north and two east. There is only one place about right there for miles. That is where I grew up...

Jesus often spoke in parables, or short stories with many layers of meanings. Perhaps one of the most famous parables is the story of the sower who goes out and indiscriminately sows seed. Some seeds fall on a path, on rocky soil, others among thorns, and then, the last, on good soil. In an age in which farmers can plant acres upon acres in GPS-equipped, air-conditioned tractors, random dropping of seed seems rather odd...

Events and interactions attain unrealistic proportions when you're not included! "Where is John's birthday party going to be held?" asked Janice. "If I send a card, will you give it to him?" she said. "Yes, I will," I told her. I felt sorry for her...

Rolo is 2 years old. He is neutered and housebroken. Rolo is very friendly and sweet! He is available for adoption at the Humane Society, 334-5837.

An international dinner of foods from Thailand was the highlight of the Town and Country FCE Club meeting on Sept. 10 at the home of Sue Jones. Mary Klaproth, Darlene McCain and Jones were on the international committee. Jones prepared booklets containing recipes of the food served, along with the history, map and flag of Thailand, for each member. ...

My wife does birthdays very well. She always has something special for every family member and, especially, our grandchildren. Once a year, whether I like it or not, it's my turn. When I was born, my grandfather was 66 years old. I began to really get to know him when I was about 9. One thing I knew about him for sure was that he was really, really, really old -- maybe one of the oldest people in the world. He was 75 that year...

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Dennis Mills. Happy birthday to Coradell Mitchell, Andrew Nix, Jerry Stroup, Dave Fuller, Robin Dannenmueller, James Reischman, Beverly James, Raymond Rowell, Barry Hampton, Anna Nanney, Patty Halter, Carol Swinford, Courtney Burton, Braden Wicker, Jill Hendrix, Heather Wilson, Joann Kirchdoerfer, Gary Pobst, Marie Robert, Linda Welter, Brad Bader, Pauline Asmus, Paul Griffin, Danny Schlosser, Henry Fort, Renee Hitt, Greg Scherer, Della Strop, Jeannie Rice, Tommie Burnett, Jason Rains, Shannon Hendrix, Russell Gardner, Helen Scholz, Barbara Tyler, Vanessa Enderle, Zachary Harris, June Lynn, Rhonda Emerson, Paul Hudson, Kaitlyn Herbst, Shannon Brown, BJ Nunnally, Shannon McIntosh, Micki Horrell, Chris Wessel, Brad Miller, Dorothy Crump, David Heath, Jim Fowler, Joe P. ...

The Cape Girardeau County Avenue of Flags is a beautiful and patriotic tribute. On certain holidays, you can't help but notice the star-spangled row of banners that lines the road at Cape Girardeau County Park North. But the story of the flags goes a bit deeper than a visual display celebrating the country on holidays...

O Lord, give us wisdom that we may do good works in your name. Amen.

How very proud I am of the leadership from Dr. Ruth Ann Orr, Julia Unnerstall, Rebecca Gentry and the entire staff at Alma Schrader School. They continue to seek out new methods to involve their students in ways that will develop these young lives into responsible, contributing adults in our great city...

It's more than disconcerting for Carly Fiorina to describe a more than gruesome abortion video that does not exist. "My brother kept us safe." Jeb Bush defending George W. Bush. Really? Who was president when 9/11 occurred? With a plethora of bad news being published in the Southeast Missourian every day, it was big feel good plus to read that right to work in Missouri prevailed...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Voters next year will pick more than a new governor -- the election likely will either ensure Missouri becomes the 26th right-to-work state or remains a holdout in the national push for the measure despite being surrounded mostly by states that have adopted it...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A pair of tornadoes along the Kansas-Missouri border with speeds of up to about 110 mph damaged homes and caused minor injuries, officials said. The first twister touched down around 6:30 p.m. Friday about 40 miles south of Kansas City, in Miami County, Kansas, and wiped out a few homes in a sparsely populated area west of Hillsdale Lake, The Kansas City Star reported...

CAIRO, Ill. -- The 135 members of the 1244th Transportation Company of the Illinois National Guard in Cairo have been called up for active duty in support of U.S. military activity in the Persian Gulf; this is the first time an Illinois Guard unit has been mobilized since 1968...

Daughter to Tyler Raye and Ashley Renea Steffens of Frohna, Missouri, Southeast Hospital, 9:16 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015. Name, Charlee Raye. Weight, 7 pounds, 11 ounces. First child. Mrs. Steffens is the former Ashley Zoellner, daughter Allen Zoellner of Friedheim and Cheryl Grimsley of Jackson. She is office manager at Provider Plus. Steffens is the son of Randall and Emily Steffens of Frohna. He is a staking technician with Citizens Electric...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Jerry Don Wolsey, 63, of Chaffee died Thursday Sept. 17, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 9, 1951, in Kennett, Missouri, to Joseph and Demova Wolsey. He and Debra Wolsey were married Aug. 2, 1975...

Ronald O'Neal Silavent, 30, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, in Cape Girardeau. He was born Wednesday, Feb. 13, 1985, in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to Randall Gerald and Myong Suk Choe Silavent. He and Hallie Maran McConnell were married Aug. 11, 2007, at Cape Girardeau...

BENTON, Mo. -- Peggy Rulo, 54 of Benton died Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, at Saint Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City, Missouri.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Neola H. Prevallet, 85, of Perryville died Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, at the Independence Care Center of Perry County in Perryville. She was born Dec. 31, 1929, in Uniontown, Missouri, and is the daughter of Chalmer Morrison and Hattie Bock Morrison-Mueller. She and Melvin W. Prevallet were married June 5, 1949. He preceded her in death March 18, 2012...

Clara Prass, 87, of Scott City died Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

William Curtis "Red" Palmer, 56, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, at Southeast Hospital. He was born Jan. 31, 1959, in Kankakee, Illinois, to Curtis Lorain Palmer and Dora Allen Apodoca. He attended the Northside Church of God in Cape Girardeau. Red had been a roofer by trade...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Bruce Odell Martin Jr., 72, of Portageville died Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti, Missouri. He was born Nov. 6, 1942, in Dyess, Arkansas, the son of Bruce Odell and Willodene Ferguson Martin Sr. He was united in marriage to Linda Sue Elliott on Oct. 3, 1959, in Lilbourn, Missouri. She preceded him in death Oct. 22, 2014...

Margie T. Kurre, 94, of Las Vegas, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, at Olive Grove Residential Care in Las Vegas. She was born Sunday, July 10, 1921, in Cape Girardeau to Charles and Verba Rodenberry Trickey. She and Fred W. Kurre Jr. were married in 1944 at Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death March 15, 1996...

Samuel C. Grear, 66, of Millersville, formerly Jonesboro, Ilinois, died at 9:31 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 8, 1949, in Anna, Illinois, the son of Samuel J. and Connie Grabow Grear. He married Jane Hileman on Sept. 23, 2000, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Barbara Geile, 78, of Perryville died Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, at her home. She was born May 23, 1937, in Perryville, daughter of Frank and Harrietta Elder. She and Charles E. Geile were married March 22, 1953. He preceded her in death Nov. 18, 2003...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Terrie L. Emmendorfer, 58, of Perryville died Friday, Sept. 19, 2015, at her home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 6:30 to 8:15 a.m. Tuesday at Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Matthew Marks officiating. Burial in the church cemetery...

The Jackson Police Department reported the following items. Arrest does not imply guilt. n Tyler P. Hawn, 50, 323 E. Washington St., was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication and a peace disturbance. n Lola A. Cox, 59, of Marble Hill, Missouri, was arrested on a Fredericktown, Missouri, warrant and a Cape Girardeau warrant...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department reported the following items. Arrest does not imply guilt. n Steven R. Davis, 45, 2842 Independence St., was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. n John T. Whiteside, 62, of Cape Girardeau was issued a summons for drinking while driving...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- Caruthersville firefighters and police received quite a scare Wednesday when they found what appeared to be a bomb during a fire a home at 806 Franklin Ave., but the device turned out to be nonexplosive. The Caruthersville Fire Department called bomb squads from Cape Girardeau and Sikeston, Missouri, and secured the scene. A Fort Leonard Wood Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit was brought in to take care of the device...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is adding another 47.5 miles to the Katy Trail, providing hikers and bikers from the Kansas City, Missouri-area greater access to the nation's longest rail-to-trail conversion. Gov. Jay Nixon announced Thursday the extension will stretch from Windsor to Pleasant Hill along the Rock Island Trail State Park. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2016. Currently, the 240-mile Katy Trail spans from Clinton to St. Charles County...

NIXA, Mo. -- An investigation into the death of a southwest Missouri man who was bitten by a cottonmouth snake has failed to determine how he died. Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole told the Springfield News-Leader the manner of death for 37-year-old Gilbert De Leon could not be determined...

BOSTON -- The father of a 2-year-old girl identified almost three months after her remains were found in a trash bag that washed up on a Boston-area beach says he doesn't believe the toddler's mother caused her death. Joseph Amoroso said in interviews with WHDH-TV and the Boston Herald that Rachelle Bond told him her boyfriend, Michael McCarthy, fatally injured Bella Bond. Amoroso said he believes Rachelle Bond...

VASHON ISLAND, Wash. -- An animal shelter says a dog dutifully stood guard for nearly a week to protect another dog that had fallen in a cistern. Tillie, a setter mix, left Phoebe's side only to try to alert people of her trapped friend. Tillie was found lying beside an old cistern. Inside, rescuers found Phoebe, a basset hound, on a pile of stones above the water. The dogs were cold and hungry but otherwise unharmed...

PHOENIX -- A landscaper suspected in a series of Phoenix freeway shootings told a judge Saturday authorities have "the wrong guy," and he hasn't even had a gun for two months. Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. was charged with counts including aggravated assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct, carrying out a drive-by shooting and intentional acts of terrorism...

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Hillary Rodham Clinton attempted to rally thousands of influential New Hampshire Democrats on Saturday with a partisan message, as she struggled to regain her footing in the primary contest. Calling viewers of the three-hour Republican debate Wednesday night "gluttons for punishment," Clinton accused Republicans of focusing on problems the country faces rather than solutions...

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Justin Taylan has been to the remote Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea dozens of times over the past two decades, spending countless hours slogging through crocodile-infested swamps in his quest to document as many World War II airplane wreck sites as possible...

WASHINGTON -- It's a done deal, yet opponents of the Iran nuclear agreement won't go quietly. The 60-day congressional review period has expired, and last week the State Department outlined its plan to put in place an accord that aims to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear-armed. Congress is poised to start cranking out legislation to reinstate sanctions or shore up what some lawmakers say is an ill-fated pact with a state supporter of terrorism...

WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump's rivals emerged from the second Republican debate newly confident the brash billionaire will fade if the nomination fight takes a more substantive turn, and they can play a role in taking him down without hurting their own White House ambitions...

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. -- Sitting in a narrow strip of gray cubicles in a suburban California office, immigration agents and analysts scroll through computer databases to try to determine which inmates sitting in jails across the country should be deported...

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. -- The tally of homes destroyed by two massive Northern California wildfires topped 1,000 Saturday after authorities making damage assessments in the Sierra Nevada foothills counted another 250 houses destroyed by flames still threatening thousands of more structures. ...

OWENSBORO, Ky. -- Kim Davis is out of jail and on the job, but the saga surrounding the Kentucky county clerk who has refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples appears to be far from over. In a court filing Friday, the attorney for one of Davis' employees said he believes Davis again has violated a federal court order by altering marriage license forms to remove her name and the name of the county. ...

WASHINGTON -- The Black Lives Matter network will skip a presidential endorsement but keep up its political activism by confronting candidates about the treatment of African-Americans in the United States, one of the group's founders says. Alicia Garza discussed the organization's refusal to settle on a preferred candidate in the 2016 race to succeed President Barack Obama and pledged to press ahead with protests and interruptions during the campaign...

LONDON -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that Russia's movement of tactical aircraft and surface-to-air missiles to Syria could pose a threat to American and allied forces, and made clear the U.S. could accept a resolution to the civil war that allows President Bashar Assad to remain in power for an unspecified time...

SZENTGOTTHARD, Hungary -- Migrants following a well-worn path into Western Europe used to know exactly where they wanted to go and how to get there. Not anymore. Their journey has morphed into an exhausting, chaotic, unpredictable mess as Balkan states close their borders and squabble over how to respond to an unprecedented wave of humanity flowing across their territories...

HAVANA -- Pope Francis hailed detente between the United States and Cuba as a model of reconciliation for the world, urging presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro to persevere in building normal ties as the pontiff launched a 10-day tour of the former Cold War foes Saturday...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Charleston man wanted for shooting a vehicle was arrested Thursday. Mujahid Muhammad McKinney, 33, is charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, armed criminal action, assault and property damage, said Charleston Department of Public Safety director Robert Hearnes...

Melaina's Magical Playland has reopened after being closed for more than a week for maintenance. Replacement and cleaning of play surface tiles at the playground at Cape County Park North was expected to be finished Wednesday, but county parks officials announced that day work was taking longer than expected...

CHICAGO -- The third hit batter got the Cardinals mad at the Cubs. They fell just short of getting even. Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant hit back-to-back homers, and tempers flared for the second straight game as Chicago held on to beat St. Louis 5-4 on Saturday for its fifth straight win to tighten the NL Central race...

For Cape Girardeau County's new conservation agent, Ben Stratton, the most rewarding part of his career is helping people successfully harvest wildlife. Some people have a desire to go hunting or fishing, he said, including children, veterans and those with disabilities. They may lack experience, guidance or equipment, however...

All scores were reported to the Southeast Missourian on Friday.

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team remains undefeated against Arkansas State after the ninth meeting between the two teams on Friday night at Houck Stadium. The Redhawks defeated the Red Wolves 1-0 shutout and have yet to allow ASU to score against them in nine matches...

LANDOVER, Md. -- For however long Robert Griffin III remains a member of the Redskins, the team will be linked to the St. Louis Rams because of the massive trade that brought him to Washington. When the teams met last season, Rams coach Jeff Fisher sent out six of his players -- all acquired thanks to the swap that allowed the Redskins to pick RG3 second overall in the 2012 draft -- for the pregame coin toss, and St. Louis wound up winning 24-0...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Safety Anthony Sherrils' first career interception came at the right time for No. 22 Missouri. With just under a minute left, Sherrils picked off a pass by Huskies backup quarterback Tim Boyle on a fourth-down, fake field goal attempt that sealed the Tigers' 9-6 win over UConn on Saturday...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- Two Caruthersville High School students were taken into custody Friday morning after a conflict involving an Airsoft pistol. Caruthersville police responded about 8:08 a.m. to a report of an altercation between two juveniles, according to a Friday news release from the city...

Roberta L. "Lee" Anderson, 73, of Jackson died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, at her home. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 27 at Connection Point Church in Jackson, with the Rev. Kevin Mann officiating. Arrangements by McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson...

All scores were reported to the Southeast Missourian on Saturday.

A Jackson woman is facing charges after police say she stole perfume from J.C. Penney, assaulted an employee and had a pair of brass knuckles concealed in her backpack. Victoria Holderbaugh, 20, is charged with second-degree robbery and unlawful use of a weapon, according to online court records...

St. Louis held on for a 4-3 win over Chicago to retain its four-game lead in the NL Central.

Junior midfielder Abby Klintworth netted a pair of second-half goals, and the Southeast Missouri State soccer team posted its second shutout of the weekend on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. The victory was the third straight for Southeast (5-3-1), which blanked Arkansas State 1-0 on Friday...

Brevin Giebler shot a final round 2-under-par 70 to win his seventh consecutive men's club championship Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. Giebler finished with a three-round total of 219 -- he also had rounds of 79 and 70 -- to win by 10 strokes over Drew Denton (74-78-77--229)...

St. Louis lost 24-10 to Washington on the heels of its season-opening overtime win against Seattle.

MONROEVILLE, Ala. -- Long a hero to millions of readers, Atticus Finch is a conflicted figure these days. Is the fictional lawyer the kind father and noble hero of Harper Lee's first novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," a character so beloved, people named their children for him? Or is Finch the hard-core segregationist whose racism is at the heart of Lee's newly released "Go Set a Watchman?"...

The Missouri Veterans Home's new World War II-era plane wasn't flown in from some far-off locale -- it came right in through the front door Friday morning. The model plane, a B-17 Flying Fortress, was built by inmates at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, Missouri...