Stories from Thursday, March 29, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Police and a crime-fighting group will be giving out decks of playing cards to inmates in area jails and Missouri prisons, but they aren't promoting just fun and games. The cards will contain information about 52 unsolved homicides or missing person cases. The theory is that inmates, who pass a lot of time playing cards, may hear some information or know something about the cases and tip-off police...

Naylor school officials have filed new complaints with the Missouri State High School Activities Association, alleging that three more Southeast Missouri school districts violated association rules governing school sports. The complaints were filed against the Doniphan, Clearwater and Van Buren school districts. Naylor schools superintendent Stephen Cookson alleges various violations dealing with eligibility of student athletes and even forfeiture of a girl's basketball game...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The House debated early into the morning hours Thursday before giving initial approval to a $21 billion state budget that largely accepts the governor's budget recommendations in increasing funding for Medicaid and education...

VALLEY PARK, Mo. (AP) -- A suburban St. Louis mayor said he will continue efforts to rid the city of illegal immigrants despite rising legal costs and opposition from other city officials. Valley Park's Board of Aldermen voted earlier this month to stop enforcing an ordinance aimed at cracking down on landlords who rent to illegal aliens...

NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) -- A southwest Missouri man was arrested Thursday in Oklahoma in the killings of a Missouri woman and her 19-month-old daughter. Michael J. Vincent, 40, of rural Granby in Newton County, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Tammy Mahan, 36, and her daughter, Faithanne Vincent. The two were found dead late Wednesday night in a Granby mobile home...

Deputies in Cape Girardeau County who were told they would have to wait until July for raises funded by a new sales tax will get their money three months early. Thursday morning, the Cape Girardeau County Commission voted unanimously to add the raises, more than $500 a month for deputies on road patrols, to paychecks that will be issued April 28. ...

March 29, 2007 Dear Patty, Last week our friend, Jack, graduated from the same weight management program DC and I completed in December. In 20 weeks, Jack lost more than 70 pounds. He's a different man in all sorts of ways. For one thing, he thinks he'll lose 40 more, and it's hard to imagine anything stopping him...

The Jackson Chamber of Commerce has named six public and parochial school teachers as educators of the year. They are Sally Lipke, a second-grade teacher at St. Paul Lutheran School; Carole Baugh, a teacher at West Lane Elementary School; Dan Brown, a biology and chemistry teacher at Jackson High School; David Brummel, an eighth-grade science teacher at Russell Hawkins Junior High School; Julie Walker, who teaches academically gifted students at Jackson Middle School, and Kelly Crawford, a music teacher at West Lane Elementary School and the Millersville Attendance Center.. ...

After colliding with a wrong-way driver and rolling over in his tanker three to four times Tuesday, Terry Church of Perryville, Mo., knew he had only seconds to save his own life. "All I could think was, it's time to get going 'cause this thing's going to blow," said Church, 30...

CAIRO, Ill. -- City Councilman Elbert "Bo" Purchase launched into a obscenity-laced verbal attack on Mayor Paul Farris and five city employees last September that included physical threats and racial slurs, according to documents included with a criminal complaint filed against Purchase...

Future school construction in three Southeast Missouri school districts could hinge on the outcome of tax issues on Tuesday's ballot. The small, rural Delta and Altenburg school districts have issues on the ballot in an effort to secure more state aid, and the Perryville School District has a bond issue on the ballot for the second time since November...

Bollinger County voters will decide Tuesday whether to make a nearly 4-year-old half-cent sales tax permanent. County officials say they need the money just to tread budgetary water. "We're not asking for a sales tax increase. We're just wanting to maintain what we've got already. And if we don't get it we'll probably have to make some cuts," Presiding Commissioner Wayne Johnson said...

A new four-bed pediatric intensive care unit at Pocatello, Idaho's Bannock Regional Medical Center has been dedicated in honor of the late Dr. Louis S. Williams III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Williams II of Cape Girardeau; Dr. Williams, 38, died unexpectedly June 1; he was a physician at Pocatello...

Cape Girardeau has the resources to help the numerous at-risk children who live in the Red Star district and on the city's south side. The Boys and Girls Club, the Salvation Army and the Cape Area Family Resource Center all have programs meant to serve these children. ...

Good doctor; Health-care influence; When the cat talks; Downtown restrooms; River cleanup; Try recycling; Which standards?; Ridiculous trash; Junk cars; Apologies and payments; Don't sock students; Broadway business; Throwing rocks; Skeptical of plan; Utility increases; When to yield; Military benefits; Heads in sand; Making a sacrifice; Other side of the lake; Heckler issues

To the editor:I am a concerned resident of Scott City who feels that it is not as positive as all are led to believe on ethanol production. I have been told a new ethanol plant is being built in the vicinity of my home. I am told the plants emit a lot of pollution and have a terrible smell. So you can imagine why I am concerned...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The House voted Wednesday to require commercial drivers be able to communicate in English and take their certification test without translators to get their licenses. Commercial truck drivers would also need to show they can read highway signs, fill out forms and respond to official inquires, such as about what they are hauling...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A federal judge has certified a shareholder lawsuit alleging widespread fraud at American Italian Pasta Co. as a class action lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Otrie Smith said Monday that the lawsuit will cover shareholders who bought or owned stock in the company on or before Jan. 23, 2002, and who owned shares on Aug. 9, 2005...

A Southeast Missouri State University student was assaulted and robbed early Wednesday on Broadway near West End Boulevard, police said. Police received a call at about 3:40 a.m. from the student, who said two men had robbed him, according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Barry Hovis...

A Cape Girardeau man is in custody after police say he threatened to kill a woman at knife point Wednesday. Police are seeking third-degree assault and tampering with a motor vehicle charges against Willie C. Shannon, 26, of 650 N. Fountain St. The victim, who knew Shannon, told police he threatened to kill her with a pocketknife at her residence at about 4:30 a.m., Sgt. ...

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a single-car accident with moderate injuries on Route 177 at Egypt Mills Wednesday morning. Janneka T. Payne, 19, of Unity, Ill., was northbound on Route 177 at about 4:35 a.m. when her 2000 Nissan ran off the roadway and overturned, an MSHP report said. She was taken to St. Francis Medical Center by ambulance with moderate injuries...

A vacant residence in Stoddard County was destroyed by fire Wednesday morning. Alvin Frank Jr., Delta Fire Protection District chief, said a single-story, wood-frame house was completely engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived at about 2:11 a.m. after receiving a call about the blaze...

BC-MO-BRF--Dog Crate Escape, 1st Ld-Writethru,0188 Woman involved in prison escape pleads guilty to weapons charges KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A prison volunteer who helped a convicted murderer escape while hidden in a dog crate pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal weapons charges. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was in Scott County Jail Wednesday on a $250,000 bond following a shooting death outside a bar there Tuesday evening. Lee R. King II, 33, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Drew Juden, Sikeston Department of Public Safety director, said Wednesday police responded to a 911 call about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday that a man had been shot outside Cronie's Sports Bar & Grill...

Simon John Bisher, 84, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at his home. He was born near Oran, Mo., April 4, 1922, first child of Joseph and Annie Baudendistel Bisher. He attended Caney School and worked on the family farm in Caney near Oran...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Amy E. Davis, 87, of Ottawa, Ill., formerly of Cairo, died Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at Ottawa Pavilion Nursing Home. She was born Nov. 11, 1919, in Cairo, daughter of William Andrew and Ruth Dunlap Downs. She married George W. Davis, who died in 1974...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Vera B. Schnurbusch, 84, of Perryville died Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born May 28, 1922, in St. Louis, daughter of Jess and Bertha Moore Funcheon. She and Earl Schnurbusch were married July 12, 1941, in Perryville. He died Oct. 9, 1997...

Anyston Jase Willey was stillborn Monday, March 26, 2007, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Alexis James and Amanda Jo Gray Willey. Survivors include his parents of Scott City; paternal grandparents, Dennis and Lisa Willey of Eldon, Mo., Cliff and Stacie Hester of Scott City; maternal grandparents, Jimmy Gray and Paula Gray of Scott City; paternal great-grandparents, Merle Miles of Bethel, Mo., Hazel Scott of Shelbyville, Mo.; and maternal great-grandmother, Josephine Gray of Scott City.. ...

Clark; Boxdorfer; Conklin; Kieffer; Mayabb

The following information was released by the office of federal prosecutor Catherine Hanaway for defendants appearing in federal court before U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. sentenced n Name: Clifton Brown n Age: 22 n Residence: Tamms, Ill. n Charge: possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime...

Arrests; Arrests

n At 7:10 p.m., grass fire at Fort D. n At 8:39 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1400 block of Parkmor Drive. n At 9:01 p.m., trash fire in the 1600 block of Janet Drive. n At 9:31 p.m., emergency medical service in the 2000 block of North Kingshighway...

Marine Corps League Cpl. Mason O. Yarbrough Detachment will offer an opportunity to relive the good ol' days of walking into the mess hall and having the cook pile on a load of S.O.S. from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday at VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau. Two custom-made sizes of breakfast food will be available: boot camp special or grunt's load...

Fund-raiser to benefit boy losing his sight; New group addresses global warming; Trail of Tears Ill. chapter holds spring meeting; Christ Episcopal Church to hold contra dance; Booths available for Dogwood-Azalea Festival; Date for Kow Pasture Klassic announced; Birding blitz to be held in Illinois in April; Homeless program application training set; <B>[--] From staff reports

8:30 a.m. today County Administration Building 1 Barton Square, Jackson Routine business n Juvenile detention report for February. Action item n Indigent burial request. n 8:30 a.m. Proposition 1 law enforcement salaries, discussion and possible action...

WASHINGTON -- Orders to factories for big-ticket manufactured goods posted a disappointing increase in February that raised new worries about the strength of the economy. Demand for durable goods increased by 2.5 percent in February, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. It was a weaker-than-expected rebound from a huge 9.3 percent drop in orders that occurred in January...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Wednesday withdrew the ambassadorial nomination of St. Louis businessman Sam Fox after Democrats denounced Fox for giving money to a controversial conservative group that undermined Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign...

NEW YORK -- Maybe you learned this in school: The big dinosaur die-off 65 million years ago was a liberation for mammals, and they quickly produced a bunch of new species that included ancestors of humans and other modern-day creatures. Remember? Well, a new study says, forget it...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush accused congressional Democrats Wednesday of meddling in Iraq war policy and setting a deadline for a U.S. pullout that would have disastrous repercussions for both countries. As the Senate resumed debate Wednesday on a bill containing a spring 2008 timetable for bringing American troops home, Bush argued again that such a step would result in a needless delay of funds for troops. ...

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- Five tattooed skulls stretch from Marine Cpl. Jeremy Slaton's right elbow to his wrist, spelling out the word "Death." He planned to add a tattoo spelling "Life" on his left arm, but that's on hold because of a Marine policy taking effect Sunday...

MIAMI -- More than 100 Haitian migrants reached South Florida on Wednesday after spending at least three weeks at sea in a dilapidated sailboat, officials said. One man died in the crossing, and three people were in critical condition from dehydration...

Army Reserve Pvt. Chabreshea R. Egson recently graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. She is the daughter of Trisie Egson, and niece of Ethel McClellan, both of Cape Girardeau. Egson is a 2006 graduate of Central High School...

Everyone's got their own method for longevity. For Don Fadler, it's a bicycle and garlic. The 77-year-old Cape Girardeau resident stays in shape by riding his bicycle about 25 miles per day along the Cape La Croix bike trail. Fadler also takes daily doses of garlic pills, which he believes keeps his heart and cholesterol levels healthy...

This is the first of a two-part series on conscious relationships. Next week will be "How to make our relationship conscious." Relationships are funny things. They torment us. They make us say and do things we would never do to our dog. They can make us feel sullen on a sunny day, and they can often energize our fantasies in ways we can't talk about in polite society. Yet everyone I know wants one...

Go Red for Women luncheon April 5 Saint Francis Medical Center will hold its third annual "Go Red for Women" luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 5 at the Osage Community Centre. Proceeds will be used for research and to educate area women about heart disease. ...

BAGHDAD -- Shiite militants and police enraged by deadly truck bombings went on a shooting rampage against Sunnis in a northwestern Iraqi city Wednesday, killing as many as 70 men execution-style and prompting fears that sectarian violence was spreading outside the capital...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Iran's foreign minister said Wednesday that Britain must admit that its 15 sailors and marines entered Iranian waters in order to resolve a standoff over their capture by the Mideast nation. Manouchehr Mottaki's statement came on a day of escalating tensions, highlighted by an Iranian video of the detained Britons that showed the only woman captive saying her group had "trespassed" in Iranian waters. ...

MANILA, Philippines -- A young girl waved a Barbie doll in the air while a boy licked an ice cream cone. Another girl casually finished a bottle of water while chatting with a classmate. Dozens of children were taken hostage on a bus Wednesday by a day-care center owner armed with grenades and guns, but the youngsters took the ordeal in stride, eating pizza, smiling and waving from the windows throughout the day...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- King Abdullah denounced the American military presence in Iraq on Wednesday as an "illegitimate foreign occupation" and called on the West to end its financial embargo against the Palestinians. The Saudi monarch's speech was a strongly worded lecture to Arab leaders that their divisions had helped fuel turmoil across the Middle East, and he urged them to show unity. ...

ABOARD THE USS JOHN C. STENNIS -- The United States wrapped up a massive military exercise in the Persian Gulf Wednesday, putting on a show of strength for Iran even as the United Arab Emirates became the second Gulf nation to declare it would not take part in any attack on the Islamic republic...

Six home games highlight the 2007 Southeast Missouri State football schedule that was officially released Wednesday. The Redhawks, 4-7 last season in their first year under coach Tony Samuel, will have home contests with Southwest Baptist, Indiana State, Eastern Illinois, Murray State, Austin Peay and Jacksonville State...

Courtney Paris has been the model of consistency in her college career. It's something she learned growing up. "Ever since eighth grade, I was always annoyed when a girl would score five points one game and then 20 the next," Paris said. "I always wanted to be consistent, so when I got to Oklahoma, I considered it my job."...

The Final Four is big, really big, this year. With Ohio State's Greg Oden, Georgetown's Roy Hibbert and Florida's 6-foot-11 Joakim Noah and 6-10 Al Horford convening in Atlanta this weekend, college basketball's signature event has become a showcase for the country's best big men...

Youth rodeo finalsset for this weekend Flickerwood Arena in Jackson will host the Flickerwood/Busenbark Youth Rodeo Finals on Saturday. The event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday evening and will resume Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m., following Cowboys Church at 7 a.m. The awards ceremony will follow the Sunday session...

WEST PARK LANES MEN High game -- Brad Lee 279, Clarence Clemons 278, Duane Statler 278, Ron McCulley 274, Darryl James 268, Joe Wilson 267, Matt Weldon 267, Shayne Eddleman 267, Ron Propst 266, Brian Brantley 263, Ray Warner 258, Tom James 257, Eric Langston 255, Ken Propst 255, Albert Zoellner 254, Travis Tyson 253, Jeff Heuer 252, Bill Cox 248, Chuck Bertrand 248, Michael McGuire 248, Mike Freeman 248, Brandon Brantley 247, Eldon Fornkohl 246, Scott Varney 246, Bruce Anglin 245, David James 245, Rich Davis 245, Rich Morris 245. ...

WRIGHT CITY, Mo. -- A bronze statue forged to honor slugger Mark McGwire is built to last forever. The only question is whether it will ever see the light of day. The Cardinals commissioned the statue after McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998, obliterating Roger Maris' 37-year-old record. There's a place for it to rest alongside other mini-monuments to Cardinals legends outside Busch Stadium...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mark Martin gave up a spot in the show to watch it from home, and he wouldn't change a thing about his first weekend off in 622 NASCAR races. Martin wasn't sure how he'd feel watching Sunday's race from Bristol Motor Speedway, but after dozing off twice during the 500-mile event, he realized he can live without racing...

Callie Kielhofner struck out five and did not walk a batter as the Oran softball team stayed perfect Wednesday with a 6-1 win at Leopold. Ellen Sikes led the Eagles (3-0) with three hits. Whitney Vandeven struck out 11 but took the loss. WP - Callie Kielhofner, 2-0. LP - Whitney Vandeven. 2B - Cassie Seiler (L), Jodi Urhahn (O). 3B -- Ellen Sikes (O), Katey Tilley (O), Seirra Seiler (L). Multiple hits - Oran, Sikes 3-4; Tiley 2-3; Urhahn 2-3. Records - Leopold 3-1, Oran 3-0...

No, this is not a misprint. Southeast Missouri State's latest baseball victory was by the football-like score of 27-16 -- and it was only that close because Freed-Hardeman pushed across nine runs in the top of the ninth inning. "It was a good day for everybody to keep the bats going," senior Asif Shah said. "A game like this is definitely fun."...

The Southeast Missouri State softball team split a nonconference doubleheader with host Evansville on Wednesday, winning the opener 5-3 and losing the nightcap 7-6. Southeast is 9-15 and Evansville is 19-10. Freshman Stacia Dopudja was the star of the victory for the Redhawks (9-15)...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A judge on Wednesday permanently blocked a law that had barred elected officials and challengers from raising money during the legislative session, but upheld the removal of Missouri's campaign contribution limits. Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan in January temporarily blocked the ban on fund-raising by lawmakers, statewide officials and candidates during the legislative session, which runs from early January through mid-May each year...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The House has voted to strip most state funding of Amtrak passenger trains and redirected the money toward public school busing. Lawmakers removed $6.3 million from the government-supported railroad through a series of amendments on Tuesday and Wednesday. Amtrak provides twice-daily train service between Kansas City and St. Louis, with several stops in between...

ORAN, Mo. -- A week before the biggest night of her life, Miss Missouri Amber Seyer of Oran said she got a sign that it wasn't her time to be crowned. As a devout Catholic, she reads from a prayer book every day during Lent. While preparing for the Miss USA pageant in Los Angeles last week, she couldn't resist flipping ahead in the book to see what the prayer was for March 23, the day of the pageant...

Cape Girardeau Central High School is ranked first in an online competition to win an appearance by pop singer Mandy Moore at graduation. The competition is offered through Eventful Inc., a San Diego-based Web site that allows users to discover, promote, share and create events worldwide...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Erik Bedard walked off the mound and into the Baltimore Orioles dugout, where the left-hander was met by manager Sam Perlozzo. "Great spring," Perlozzo said from the top step before both men shook hands. In his last start before the regular-season opener, Bedard allowed three runs and eight hits in four innings Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat an Orioles split squad 5-1...

A day after managing just one hit in a win against Scott City, Sikeston hitters teed off on the Central pitching duo of Justin Myers and Tyler Propst in a 10-7 SEMO Conference win Wednesday at Central. Sikeston (3-0, 2-0 in the SEMO Conference) had just seven hits in its first two games this season before busting out for 14 against previously unbeaten Central...

Three recent local-impact aviation stories are helpful bits of information:1. March 22, Delta Airlines announced it was expanding services from Cincinnati to Cape Girardeau, Owensboro, Ky., and Jackson, Tenn. The new service beginning this summer will offer us connecting opportunities to more than 400 daily departures to 122 worldwide destinations, including trans-Atlantic service to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Rome plus the Caribbean...

PARIS -- Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre is the French nun whose testimony of a mystery cure from Parkinson's disease will likely be accepted as the miracle the Vatican needs to beatify Pope John Paul II, an official at the Paris maternity hospital where she works said Wednesday...