Stories from Monday, January 8, 2018

Hunter Kerley, 10, of Puxico, Missouri, feeds ducks and geese as a duck steps onto a frozen patch of the pond Sunday in Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau.

Certain memories are not easily forgotten. Especially those involving burning vehicles and fast-acting grandparents. One Minnesota man is on a mission to locate the truck associated with that memory, and he is offering a reward to whoever can help him track it down...

In the days leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 15, an array of community events will be held to celebrate the humanitarian and leading figure of the civil-rights movement. The national theme for 2018, which marks the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination, is “Together we win with love and humanity.” ...

The Jackson High School football field could be converted to artificial turf as soon as 2019, but it is still in the research stage, district superintendent John Link said. Link said the move is derived from the district’s facilities master plan, and will free up land near the high school for expected growth...

Wherever Keller Ford sees a gap in a market, he tries to be right there to fill it with a new business plan. That entrepreneurial spirit is true for Ford's newest venture, a small-plates restaurant and bar to open on the rooftop of the historic Marquette building in downtown Cape Girardeau...

Today is Monday, Jan. 8, the eighth day of 2018. There are 357 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On Jan. 8, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson outlined his Fourteen Points for lasting peace after World War I. Mississippi became the first state to ratify the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which established Prohibition...

If you would have asked me as a kid my favorite subject in school, I definitely would not have said reading. Getting glasses around the first grade made reading more manageable; nevertheless, I was not one to sit down and enjoy it. That is until my parents bought me a subscription to Baseball Weekly...

With a red carpet dyed black by actresses dressed in a color-coordinated statement, the Golden Globes were transformed into an A-list expression of female empowerment in the post-Harvey Weinstein era. Oprah Winfrey led the charge. "For too long women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men," said Winfrey, accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. "But their time is up. Their time is up!"...

ORGANTOWN, Miss. — A 99-year-old hunter in Mississippi wants to know why people are making a big fuss about her recent kill. It was a doe after all, not a prized buck. ...

DETROIT -- Japanese air-bag maker Takata is recalling an additional 3.3 million faulty air bag inflators as it expands the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. The latest recalls cover frontal air bags in certain 2009, 2010 and 2013 vehicles made by Honda, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Daimler Vans, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar-Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Tesla. ...

CHERRY HILL, N.J. -- In New Jersey and California, top Democratic officials want to let people make charitable contributions to the state instead of paying certain taxes. In Connecticut and New York, officials are exploring a switch from income taxes to new ones on payroll. A few governors have even called for tax cuts...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December, a modest gain but still enough to suggest the economy entered the new year with solid momentum. The unemployment rate remained 4.1 percent for a third straight month, the lowest level since 2000. For all of 2017, employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs, enough to lower the unemployment rate from 4.7 percent a year ago...

BEIJING -- An Iranian oil tanker collided with a bulk freighter and caught fire off China's east coast, leaving the tanker's entire crew of 32 missing and causing it to spill oil into the sea, authorities said Sunday. Chinese authorities dispatched police vessels and three cleaning ships to the scene after the collision, which happened late Saturday. The South Korean coast guard also sent a ship and a plane to help search for the missing crew members -- 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis...

MERRIMACK, N.H. — It’s been a billion-dollar lottery weekend after a lone Powerball ticket sold in New Hampshire matched all six numbers and will claim a $559.7 million jackpot, one day after another single ticket sold in Florida nabbed a $450 million Mega Millions grand prize...

BOSTON -- The blast of arctic air that engulfed portions of the East Coast broke low temperature records from Maine to West Virginia and stunned sea turtles in Florida -- although a warm-up is coming today. Burlington, Vermont, and Portland, Maine, set records, with Burlington falling to minus 20, beating a 1923 record by a degree, and Portland recording minus 11, also a degree below a 1941 record...

Southeast Missouri State University will establish a minority-mentor program, effective next fall, to recruit academically talented minority students; the university plans to offer 10 beginning freshmen students a work-study arrangement in which they would receive $1,000 each for the 1993-1994 academic year in exchange for working in various university departments...

FROHNA, Mo. -- Mabel L. Steffens, 88, of Frohna died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville, Missouri. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 6 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna...

PATTON, Mo. -- Melba Lou Sharrock, 76, of Patton passed away Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born at home, the 10th child of 13, on Nov. 2, 1941, at Marquand, Missouri, daughter of James and Lula Shrum Mills. She and Donald Ray Sharrock were united in marriage July 12, 1958. He survives on the farm in their home community in Patton...

Genevieve Pauline Schloss, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, at The Lutheran Home. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary Cathedral. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in Cape Girardeau...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Lily Ann Rushing, 92, of Cairo died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, at Aperion Care Center. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Jones Funeral Home Villa Ridge. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Interment will be in Spencer Heights Cemetery in Mounds, Illinois...

Janet Kay Palmer, 71, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin. She was born Oct. 20, 1946, in Mounds, Illinois, the daughter of the late John H. and Bobbie Fields Goins. Janet’s greatest passion in life was her family, to whom she was devoted. She also enjoyed her Fenton art glass collection, quilting and watching movies with her faithful dog, Sadie...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Louise Long, 85, of Advance passed away Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. She was born Sept. 14, 1932, in Advance, the daughter of Charles and Lena Croy Revelle. Louise was a 1949 graduate of Advance High School. She had been a florist for over 35 years. ...

Cynthia Lynn Koerner, 35, of Oak Ridge passed away Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 15, 1982, in Cape Girardeau to Gary and Gayla Henson Biggs. She and Steven Koerner were married April 23, 2005...

Karen Jeanette Hicks, 57, of Jackson died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, at the home of her son in Frohna, Missouri. She was born April 21, 1960, in Cape Girardeau to Norman G. and Evelyn Jeanette Kimbel Roth. Karen attended Perryville (Missouri) High School before working for DHL, formerly Exel Logistics...

CHAFFEE, Mo. — Nancy Jo Dooley Glueck, 66, of Chaffee passed away Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 11, 1951, in Cape Girardeau to Earl “Kayo” and Marie Hitt Dooley. She married Larry G. Glueck on Sept. 29, 1973, and he survives of the home...

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls: Friday n Medical assists were made at 4:29 a.m. on Mimosa Drive; 8:35 a.m. on Franklin Avenue; 11:10 a.m. on Luce Street; 11:43 a.m. on Greenbrier Drive; 1:44 p.m. on Linden Street; 1:50 p.m. on South Silver Springs Road; 4:59 p.m. on South Kingshighway; 7:07 p.m. on Doctors' Park Drive; 7:12 p.m. on North Frederick Street; 8:37 p.m. on South West End Boulevard; 9:32 p.m. on Drury Lane...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI n William T. Davis, 26, of Jonesboro, Illinois, was issued a summons for driving while intoxicated at 145 S. Mount Auburn Road. Arrests...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Missouri are honoring former Gov. Jay Nixon with an official portrait at the Capitol. The News Tribune reported Nixon was at the state Senate Lounge on Thursday as bipartisan lawmakers first presented his portrait to the public...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Democrats in the Missouri House of Representatives are proposing ethics reform bills that appear to be in response to actions by Republican Gov. Eric Greitens, including banning the use of software that quickly deletes text messages and requiring more transparency from donors to candidates and inaugural events...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens said he wants lawmakers to send him a bill to protect private employers from legal challenges if they give preference to veterans in hiring and promotions. The proposed policy change is part of Greitens' larger push to, as he describes it, "make this the best state in the country for veterans." Greitens campaigned heavily on his military experience as a Navy SEAL and pledged to help other former service members...

Approval of minutes n Minutes of Jan. 4 meeting Communications/reports -- other elected officials n None at this time Public comments n Items listed on the agenda Routine business...

n Approval of Minutes of regular meeting of 12/18/17 n Monthly bills Action items n Power and light committee n Consider a motion to change the date of the board of aldermen regular meeting and study session from Monday, Feb. 19, to Monday, Feb. 26, in observance of the Presidents Day holiday...

Items for discussion n Appearances regarding items not on the agenda n Agenda review Regular session, 7 p.m. Consent agenda n An ordinance amending city code regarding dangerous buildings...

Michael Boyer of Cape Girardeau opened a Jimmy John's franchise at 3101 Oak Grove Road in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The Jana Jateff Unit with Mary Kay Cosmetics recently honored Amy Romack of Cape Girardeau and LaDonia Beggs of Jackson as top producers for fourth quarter 2017...

ST. LOUIS -- Two Missouri lawmakers have introduced vastly different measures aimed at addressing concerns over Confederate monuments. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on one side, Democratic Sen. Jamilah Nasheed of St. Louis has introduced a bill that would require Missouri's Confederate statues and plaques to be moved to a state park in Higginsville. It also would ban the sale or display of Confederate flags on state property...

O Lord God, may we walk in the light as you are in the light. Amen.

PUCCINI’s TOSCA Here is your chance to experience the Metropolitan Opera live from New York. The Cape West Cinema is host to this season’s live broadcasts. Puccini’s Tosca is a love triangle with Floria Tosca, a jealous diva; Mario Cavaradossi, her painter lover; and Scarpia, the authoritarian chief of police of Rome who wants Tosca for himself and uses his position to get rid of his competition. ...

Follow the animal tracks up to the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center and you will find a peaceful getaway for the afternoon. Located in Cape Girardeau County Park North, whether you need a fun activity with your grandkids or just a place to explore on your own, the Nature Center has something for everyone...

New and expanded services in Southeast Missouri are reshaping the way Cape Girardeans think about food.

Happy New Year! So many changes come with the New Year that it is hard to keep everything organized. I wanted to take a little time to give you a quick update on Medicare. The Medicare Part B premium: The standard premium amount for 2018 is $134 as it was in 2017. ...

As I write this, we are in the midst of Christmas baking season. I’ll be cutting out gingerbread shapes, supervising my youngest pressing Hershey kisses into peanut butter cookies and dipping Oreos in melted almond bark this weekend. But, when you read this in January, the festivities will have ended and 2018 diets may have begun. You still need this cookie recipe...

Ask Richard Stout about his life, and he will tell you about other people.  He will recall his mother, who first taught him about faith by showing him the cross-shaped electric poles in the cornfield behind Stout’s childhood home. He will tell about Ed Hanna of Hanna Sign Company in Cairo, Ill., who took a chance on him when he was in high school by signing Stout onto his payroll through an apprenticeship.  Most importantly, Stout will point to Maggie, his wife of 45 years, whom he says is “half of what gets done here, because in some way or a lot of ways, it’s always teamwork.”. ...

This historical novel takes place in New York City and alternates between the years of 1884 and 1984. In 1884 Sara Smythe emigrates from England to manage a new apartment building, the Dakota, or, as it becomes known as, The Address. It will be the first hotel of its kind where the residents will live year round and have hotel amenities. ...

I recently had to spend the night in a hospital, actually for the first time in my life. You know how you hear all the horror stories about hospital stays from people who have been there, so I was full of trepidation before my personal experience. But you know, for the most part it wasn’t that bad. Except for one thing...

One evening last summer I was walking my chocolate Lab, Abbie, through a recently disked field just a few days after a decent rain.  I was looking for prehistoric artifacts; she was looking for something to sniff. This particular Southeast Missouri field sprawls across a hill roughly 200 yards from a sizeable creek that meanders to the Mississippi River, and bottomland lies between the hill and creek. We hadn’t found anything noteworthy until we were ready to quit for the evening...

Our family loves animals. We enjoy both dogs and cats, but since we lost our wonderful English setter, Merlin, to illness, our pet population is three cats. (I see some of you heading for the exits. Good, now the rest of you can move up closer.) The number goes up or down over the years. ...

This photo was published May 23, 1944 under the heading, “Lest We Forget.” It was the 12th of a series of pictures to show the effect of the recent Mississippi River flood on Cape Girardeau, and what a cleanup task the high water imposed. A street department grader is shown scraping mud off South Main street on the west side of the Frisco passenger depot. ...

Yogi Berra once famously said, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” He was talking about a restaurant in St. Louis, but the sentiment could apply today to one of the more popular state parks in Missouri, Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park. In warm weather, the park is mobbed by swimmers, and only a limited number of cars are allowed in to the main parking lot. As a result, some would-be visitors don’t bother...