Stories from Monday, December 31, 2018

Sikeston, Missouri, native Charles R. Stamp Jr. retired Dec. 20 after almost two decades working for John Deere, the Sikeston Standard Democrat reported. Stamp joined John Deere in 1999 as part of the acquisition of InterAg Technologies, where he had been president and chief executive officer. He served as vice president within corporate strategy and business development at Deere & Company — a position he held since December 2016...

It was a year of growth and progress. That's the story a quick look at Cape Girardeau's and Jackson's 2018 numbers tell. As of Dec. 28 in Cape Girardeau, 232 construction permits were issued in 2018. Commercial permits issued totaled 105, with a construction value of $32,463,564...

Marble Hill, Missouri, native and graphite artist Jeanie Eddleman said she’s excited to begin her next journey as owner of Jeanie Eddleman Art Studio, within the future location of Painted Wren Art Gallery at 620 Whitelaw Ave. in Cape Girardeau. Eddleman said she began her career shortly after her uncle — also an artist — Tom Runnels died in 2001...

Patti Wibbenmeyer never figured on a court-clerk career that has lasted 37 years, including eight years as Cape Girardeau County circuit clerk. “I was thinking legal secretary,” she recalled. But Wibbenmeyer, who is retiring today, found the job rewarding...

Jackson’s wastewater treatment plant is in good working order, but its aging equipment needs replacing — the sooner, the better, said city public works director Kent Peetz on a recent tour of the facility. The plant was built 30 years ago, Peetz said, when Jackson’s population was considerably smaller than today’s 15,000...

Today is Monday, Dec. 31, the 365th and final day of 2018. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 31, 1972, Major League baseball player Roberto Clemente, 38, was killed when a plane he chartered and was traveling on to bring relief supplies to earthquake-devastated Nicaragua crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Rico...

Lord Jesus, we give thanks and praise to you as we enter a new year. Amen.

In the last election, Missouri voters approved the use of medical marijuana, but the state says it will take over a year to make it available. This provides an example of how the government and the private sector differ. If the private sector was given such a directive, especially one that would bring in big bucks, sales would begin quickly...

We have reached the end of the year, and I have learned a few things along the way. I fancy myself to think that what I've learned can be helpful to you as you close out 2018 and look expectantly to the year to come. I gladly share five lessons from my own experience. Happy New Year!...

Few of us may actually know the meaning of the words that are often the first notes heard by many at the stroke of midnight, whether in Times Square in New York or in your own New Year’s celebration. According to scotland.org, here is how the first verse and chorus translate into modern English:...

LOS ANGELES -- In the final weekend of 2018, "Aquaman" still led the pack at the box office, but other films such as "Mary Poppins Returns," "The Mule" and "Second Act" enjoyed post-holiday bumps, too, even amid an onslaught of new Christmas offerings such as "Vice," "Holmes and Watson," "On the Basis of Sex" and the Netflix phenomenon "Bird Box."...

WALL, N.J. — A New Jersey man has been reunited with his dog, more than a year after the pooch was stolen from his car. The dog-napping happened in Virginia when the owner was on vacation. Last week, the Yorkie was taken in as a stray by Richmond Animal Care and Control...

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday. "I think we're in a pause situation," the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president...

Despite new rules addressing sexual assault among the children of U.S. service members, the federal government failed to fix a flaw that on many military bases has let alleged juvenile abusers escape accountability or treatment. New records obtained by The Associated Press underscore how few child-on-child sex assault reports pursued by military investigators are prosecuted. ...

YALAMBOJOCH, Guatemala -- White flowers and flickering candles sat atop a low table inside the simple wooden home in remote, rural Guatemala. Nearby was a small pair of rubber boots, sized to fit an 8-year-old. Taped to the wall were three photos, alternately smiling and serious, bearing a simple epitaph for the boy whose memory the makeshift altar honored: "Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Died Dec. 24 2018 in New Mexico, United States."...

Being debt-free sounds good to most people, but not for a school district, officials say; the Cape Girardeau School District has been debt free since 1989, and board members say that's a bad thing, a sign the school district is standing still. By late yesterday afternoon, as the final games of the University High Tournament were ready to get underway, action in Southeast Missouri State University's recreation center was hitting its peak; the Cape Girardeau Police Department, with the help of university basketball head coach Ron Shumate, held its first "Hoopin' with 5-0 at SEMO '93" mini-basketball camp.. ...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Veona Wooldridge, 99, of Chaffee passed away Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at Holiday Residential Care in Perryville, Missouri. She was born Aug. 23, 1919, in Kurreville, Missouri, to the late Elick Andrew and Dora Ann Bollinger Moore. She married Gladys M. Wooldridge on Nov. 6, 1939...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The Rev. C.B. Stidham, 87, of Chaffee passed away Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. C.B. was born Feb. 5, 1931, in Rockview, Missouri, to the late Joseph Franklin and Clara Pearl Walton Stidham. C.B. was a retired equipment operator and a concrete finisher. He was also a pastor of Hill Church in Rockview. He was a Mason with the Chaffee Masonic lodge 615 AF & AM...

Tracy Allen Wyatt, 52, of Jackson died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

Glenda Faye Warmack, 70, of Williamsville, Missouri, died Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, surrounded by her loving family. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville, Missouri. ...

Debra Lynn Renn, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at her home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jerri Moore officiating. Burial will be at Lightner Cemetery in Scott City...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Alphonse "Al" A. Pfaff, 76, of Perryville died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at his home. Services will all be private.

Katie Marie "Bug" Parkhurst, 21, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in Benton, Missouri. She was born Feb. 11, 1997, in Reno, Nevada, the daughter of Gregory and Carol E. Piirainen Parkhurst. She is survived by two brothers, Will "Bumper" Rhodes of Fruitland and Gregory Parkhurst Jr. of Midland, Texas; three sisters, Dwana "Babygirl" (James) Lyerla of Cape Girardeau, Stephanie Bryan of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Jessica Parkhurst of Midland...

Dorothy L. Tinnin Norris, 82, of Jackson died Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 7, 1936, in Cape Girardeau to John Frank and Versie Lorance Tinnin. She and the Rev. James E. Norris were married Oct. 3, 1954, at Marquand, Missouri...

Albert L. Heuring, 96, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, Dec 26, 2018, at the Lutheran Home. Albert was born June 2, 1922, to Bernard and Regina Glueck Heuring. After graduating from grade school, he went to work on the family farm. He served in the military in Okinawa as a medic on the front lines. Upon discharge from the service, he went to work at Marquette Cement Plant, where he retired...

Lana L. Gilwater of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at her home. Arrangements are pending at Crain Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Cape Girardeau.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — Melissa Ann Buchheit Gibson, 47, of Perryville died Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at her home. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville. The funeral will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

William J. "Rock" Finch, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at Crain Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Cape Girardeau.

BENTON, Mo. — Norma Blankenship, 82 of Benton died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at her home. She was born May 1, 1936, in Swinton, Missouri, to Earsley and Lillie Garland Ridings. She married Kenneth Blankenship on May 10, 1952. He preceded her in death Nov. 24, 2014...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Dennis "Denny" Darrel Baker, 67, of Marble Hill died Dec. 29, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at First Baptist Church of Marble Hill. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Burial will follow in Baker Cemetery near Marble Hill...

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls: Saturday n Medical assists were made at 8:31 a.m. on North Lorimier Street, 12:07 p.m. on Themis Street, 1:03 p.m. on Sheridan Drive, 1:42 p.m. on Amblewood Drive, 2:09 p.m. on William Street, 2:20 p.m. on Broadway, 8:10 p.m. on Broadway and 9:14 p.m. on South Sprigg Street...

Looking for someone to blame for the not-so-stellar performance of your investment portfolio? Try checking the mirror. Decisions about money aren't always rational, even when we think we're acting logically. Common tendencies that make us our own worst enemies when investing include selling winning investments too soon or holding onto losers for too long, loading up on too-similar assets or failing to assess the future implications of today's decisions...

NEW YORK -- It's an Auld Lang Syne of the times: For the first time, a police drone will be keeping watch over the New Year's Eve celebration in New York's Times Square. The unmanned eye-in-the-sky is the latest wrinkle in the New York City Police Department's ever-evolving plan to keep revelers -- and "Rockin' Eve" host Ryan Seacrest -- safe...

WASHINGTON -- Three confidantes of President Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating the president's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised. Trump sparked fervent chants of "Build that wall!" at rallies before and after his election and more recently cited a lack of funding for a border wall as the reason for partially shutting down the government. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A year after a southwestern Missouri county began using trailers to house inmates amid jail overcrowding, more than 100 men are being held in the trailers and officials in other areas of the country are eyeing the program. But some legal experts argue Greene County's program has raised major red flags and caution the crowded conditions could be considered inhumane, The Springfield News-Leader reported...

EUGENE, Mo. -- Missouri parks officials will soon have to decide whether to accept a planned donation of a rail line and turn the corridor into a biking and hiking trail. The state parks division will have until Feb. 21 to make a decision on Ameren's donation of the 144-mile stretch of the Rock Island rail line, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The electric services company obtained the corridor in 1999 through a subsidiary...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- At Granny Shaffer's restaurant in Joplin, Missouri, owner Mike Wiggins is reprinting the menus to reflect the 5, 10 or 20 cents added to each item. A two-egg breakfast will cost an extra dime, at $7.39. The price of a three-piece fried chicken dinner will go up 20 cents, to $8.78. The reason: Missouri's minimum wage is rising...

Robinson Construction Co. will close the outside eastbound lane of William Street at Sheridan Drive on Wednesday to allow for the removal of a driveway at the Southeast College of Nursing building. According to a City of Cape Girardeau news release, the closure is expected to last until Jan. 11, work and weather permitting. Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling in the work zone...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Rosella Theresa Kutz, 95, of Perryville died after a brief illness on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at Independence Care Center of Perry County in Perryville. She was born Sept. 14, 1923, in Apple Creek, Missouri, daughter of Joseph Leo and Hermina Helena (Wingerter) Schnurbusch. She and Flavian Louis Kutz were married on Jan. 19, 1946, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Apple Creek. He preceded her in death on Sept. 19, 2010...

Tracy Allen Wyatt, age 52, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, at his home. He was born Oct. 16, 1966, in Sikeston, Missouri, the son of Ralph E. Wyatt and Dennis O. and Reba E. Figley Meyer. Tracy married Teresa Edwards Aug. 14, 1993, in Sikeston...

Vivian Lee McCarty, daughter of the late Joseph Y. and Nellie Hicks Taylor, was born on July 10, 1920, in Bell City, Missouri, and departed this life on Dec. 22, 2018, at the Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau at the age of 98 years. She worked for Elder Manufacturing and was a clerk for Ben Franklin. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Dexter, Missouri; the Order of the Eastern Star and the American Legion Auxiliary...