Stories from Thursday, November 15, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Governor Blunt is directing his administration to create a permanent e-mail retention system that he says goes beyond legal requirements. Blunt announced today that every e-mail in all of state government will be retained automatically and permanently, and will be open for public inspection, except where "legal and privacy concerns apply."...

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) -- St. Louis County police say a man tried to abduct a 16-year-old girl while she was walking in north St. Louis County. The girl told police she was coming home from the bus stop when a man unsuccessfully tried to force her in his vehicle...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri State University basketball coach Barry Hinson suspends three players at the center of a police investigation of stolen property. Hinson said in a news release Thursday that the players are suspended until further notice "for their failure to meet our team standards for behavior."...

The plan to survey 3,000 city of Cape Girardeau residents as part of the DREAM Initiative has taken a slight detour. The survey, intended to help the city redefine its downtown area, was mailed more than a week ago. Included in the survey was a Web address for participants who wanted to answer the questions online. ...

Three craft fairs are expected to draw thousands this weekend in Cape Girardeau and Fruitland. Four venues in Cape Girardeau will host two of the fairs. The longest running, the 37-year-old Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza, takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Show Me Center and the Osage Community Centre...

Breathalyzer tests showed an Illinois teenager involved in a fatal car accident last weekend in Perry County was legally intoxicated at the time. The wreck occurred in the early morning hours Sunday and resulted in a second-degree assault charge against Christopher D. Petzoldt, 18, of Glendale Heights, Ill., because his cousin, Jacob A. Weber, 18, of Frohna, Mo., suffered serious injury in the accident...

Nov. 15, 2007 Dear Patty, Only about a quarter of the dogs and cats brought to animal shelters each year are adopted. The overwhelming numbers of leftovers are euthanized at the rate of 10 million animals annually in America. Last weekend a team of Midwest animal rescuers worked to spare just one, an Australian cattle dog named Andrew, from that fate...

BOSTON (AP) -- It was a diplomatic hot line for the people: a red phone in Boston Common with a sign inviting passers-by to speak directly to someone in Iran. Organizers said 15 to 20 people took advantage of the chance to talk with volunteers in Iran recruited through the Internet. The hour-long effort was aimed at getting ordinary Americans and Iranians to talk while their leaders remain locked in a dispute about the intent of Tehran's nuclear program...

Homework truth; Online treat; Too young to die; Attracting businesses; NASA's parties; Perplexing parking; Ethanol is the way; Great sports photos; Lack of money; Rose Theatre; Wrong destination; Making a choice

November has been a month for important library news in Cape Girardeau. The Cape Girardeau Public Library broke ground for its expansion and renovation on Clark Avenue after moving into temporary quarters on Broadview Street. And Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University is getting closer to its goal of transformation into an information commons...

One of my most enjoyable experiences last week was one I wasn't originally looking forward to: the 100th anniversary celebration of the Little River Drainage District held in the lobby of the newly renovated Kent Library on Southeast Missouri State University's campus. However, it proved to be highly informative...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- An attempt to repeal a city ban on public smoking has fallen short of the necessary number of voter signatures needed to revive the measure...

The Associated Press MARYVILLE, Mo. -- A teacher who has slapped two students in three years was suspended and the school board is considering whether to fire her. During a hearing Tuesday, Northwest Technical School teacher Marilyn Hamm admitted slapping a student in her personal finance class on Oct. 10 after he used profanity and refused to listen...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Citing an event last month that has brought "embarrassing inquiries" and "unflattering public attention" to the district, an apologetic Paul H. Boyd stepped down as president of the Sikeston school board. Boyd, who has served as a senior U.S. ...

Cape Girardeau school board members and district administrators will face the tough task of prioritizing projects for capital improvements that could begin during the 2009-2010 school year. A "wish list" was presented to board members last week. Among the possible projects are a plan to replace or renovate Franklin Elementary School, add six classrooms to Clippard Elementary School, remodel the junior high, and build a football stadium, performing arts auditorium and four to eight classrooms at the high school.. ...

GRAY'S POINT, Mo. -- Coast Guard and area law enforcement officials are continuing their search for two men thought to have drowned when a towboat capsized and sank in the Mississippi River at Gray's Point early Saturday; the missing men are Odia D. Henderson of Cape Girardeau and James P. Shuffit of Scott City...

The Missouri School Board Association will help conduct the search for a new superintendent for Cape Girardeau schools, the board of education decided Wednesday night. Current superintendent Dr. David Scala announced Oct. 15 his intent to retire this summer...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Public tours of one of the largest dams in the southeastern United States will resume this winter but on a limited basis because of continuing security concerns since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Bull Shoals Dam on the White River will be the first among the 25 dams in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Little Rock District to conduct regularly scheduled tours after the attacks six years ago, district spokeswoman Tammy Moody said...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Fishermen here are packing up and heading home after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suspended all commercial and sport fishing in areas affected by last week's San Francisco Bay oil spill. The decision likely will make the biggest dent in the highly anticipated commercial season for Dungeness crab, which was scheduled to start in the bay today but has now been postponed for at least 2 1/2 weeks amid health concerns...

NEW YORK -- Sixty-five years after an American P-38 fighter plane ran out of gas and crash-landed on a beach in Wales, the long-forgotten World War II relic has emerged from the surf and sand where it lay buried. Beach strollers, sunbathers and swimmers often frolicked within a few yards of the aircraft, unaware of its existence until last summer, when unusual weather caused the sand to shift and erode...

Mary Ellen White Ridings, 88, died Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, in Knoxville, Tenn., after a lengthy illness. Mary was born Aug. 24, 1919, in Antlers, Okla. She received a bachelor of arts from Arkansas State University. She was married to Dr. G. Ray Ridings 50 years and served as his office manager many years. She was a former secretary to Bishop Henley at West End United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn., where her husband attended medical school at Vanderbilt...

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- Dr. T.A. "Al" Tinnin, 86, of Fredericktown died Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, at his home. He was born Sept. 18, 1921, at Marquand, Mo., son of A.C. and Stella V. Tinnin. He and Marie Whitener were married Oct. 15, 1946, in St. Louis...

Shannon D. Hobbs, 19, of Rolla, Mo., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, at Phelps County Regional Hospital in Rolla. He was born June 28, 1988, in Cape Girardeau, son of Jeff and Janet Newkirk Hobbs. He had lived the last 10 years at the Gingerbread House in Rolla...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Willard Clinton "Bill" Ford, 90, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 10, 1917, at Whitewater, son of Edgar Franklin and Leota Elodia Davis Ford. He and Clara May Null were married March 4, 1939. She died Sept. 24, 2005...

n At 5:56 p.m., a citizen assist in the 2700 block of Hawthorne Road. n At 6:39 p.m., a motor vehicle accident at South Kingshighway and Bloomfield Road. n At 11:57 p.m., emergency medical service in the 800 block of North Street. n At 8:53 a.m., an alarm sounding at 1701 Lacey St...

Arrests

LAS VEGAS -- O.J. Simpson must face trial on kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges stemming from a suspected sports memorabilia heist, a justice of the peace ruled Wednesday, despite fierce defense attacks that characterized prosecution witnesses as con artists and crooks out for a buck...

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- An illegal sports gambling ring run out of a high-stakes poker room in an Atlantic City casino was busted Wednesday, authorities said, and 18 people were arrested, including four with mob ties. Since March 2006, the ring took in $22 million in bets on college and professional football and basketball in the poker room of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, said New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram...

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats pushed through a $50 billion bill for the Iraq war Wednesday night that would require President Bush to start bringing troops home in coming weeks with a goal of ending combat by December 2008. The legislation, passed 218-203, was largely a symbolic jab at Bush, who already has begun reducing force levels but opposes a congressionally mandated timetable on the war. ...

CAMILLA, Ga. -- Southwest Georgia is one of the most productive agricultural regions in Dixie, but you wouldn't know it from the soil under the corn, peanuts and cotton. It can be sandy, it can be pebbly, and it doesn't hold water well. That begins to explain why irrigation is so vital around here -- and why the mere suggestion that some of the region's water might be taken away fills folks with fear and resentment...

WASHINGTON -- Government investigators smuggled liquid explosives and detonators past airport security, exposing a dangerous hole in the nation's ability to keep these forbidden items off of airplanes, according to a report made public Wednesday. The investigators learned about the components to make an improvised explosive device and an improvised incendiary device on the Internet and purchased the parts at local stores, said the report by the Government Accountability Office. ...

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan -- President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said for the first time Wednesday that he expects to quit as chief of Pakistan's army by the end of November, heralding a return to civilian rule. But in an interview with The Associated Press, he also rejected U.S. pressure to quickly end a state of emergency and a demand from opposition leader Benazir Bhutto that he leave the political stage altogether...

LONDON -- British Airways has been flying planes from Britain to North America this month without a single passenger aboard because of a cabin crew shortage, the airline said Wednesday. One environmental group sharply criticized the "phantom" BA flights, saying they indicate once again how indifferent the aviation sector can be to the world's battle against global warming...

Salvation Army Christmas basket applications will be taken from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until Nov. 30. Applications are available at the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope St. in Cape Girardeau. A picture identification is required for the individual signing up, along with Social Security cards for other individuals in the household. Other items needed include proof of address, income and expenses...

More than a dozen Chateau Girardeau Garden Club members attended a gourd art seminar presented by Margaret Baker at her home recently. Baker buys the gourds and then cleans, prepares and cuts them according to what she has visualized. She adds organic and man-made decorations to her creations, which have won first place in many state competitions...

Scouting for Food bags to be collected Saturday; CASA benefit to be held at Barnes & Noble; Civil War Roundtable will meet Sunday; Divorce, death support group meets Nov. 23; Christmas contra dance set for Dec. 8; January date set for St. Louis Blues trip; Lamplighters donate to horsemanship group; Golf gift idea being used to fight cancer; Hundreds attend Nature Center's Scoutin' Around

Former meteorologist works to spread science Former KFVS12 meteorologist Jason Lindsey has been named the Outreach Science Educator at the Bootheel Youth Museum in Malden, Mo. Lindsey also took a position as Teen Reach coordinator for the Delta Center in Cairo, Ill. ...

Ryan Modglin signed his name on the dotted line, making it official. He's now a Bear. Modglin signed his national letter of intent Wednesday to play baseball at Missouri State. Wednesday was the first day athletes could sign with colleges during the NCAA early signing period...

Alaina Lacopo excels at helping others. The Southeast Missouri State senior soccer player broke the program's career assists record earlier this season and is a big reason why the Redhawks are headed to the NCAA tournament. She leads the Redhawks with nine assists this season, giving her 28 for her career. She's tied for 15th in the country in assists per game at 0.53...

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team tied for the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title despite being picked to finish sixth entering the year. By virtue of being the OVC's biggest surprise, Southeast's Renata Nowacki was named the conference's coach of the year Wednesday...

NORMAL, Ill. -- From an offensive standpoint, Southeast Missouri State couldn't have played much better than it did in the first half Wednesday. But once the Redhawks' shots stopped falling, they were no match for the Illinois State men's basketball team...

With premier inside player Missy Whitney being a senior, Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach John Ishee knows he needs to replenish the Redhawks' post position for next year and beyond. Ishee believes he took a major step in that direction Wednesday after receiving three national letters of intent as the week-long early signing period began...

NORMAL, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State suffered its second straight lopsided loss against stiff competition, but Will Bogan couldn't be blamed. Bogan, a freshman center playing only his second collegiate game, turned in a monster performance during Wednesday's 90-71 defeat at Illinois State...

NEW YORK -- Bob Melvin and Eric Wedge barely made a ripple as players. Backup catchers, they both batted a pedestrian .233 in the big leagues. All that time spent pondering on the bench paid off. Far more successful in the dugout than on the field, they were honored Wednesday as managers of the year...

NEW YORK -- Stay-Rod? In a startling turn of events, Alex Rodriguez and his wife met with New York Yankees executives Hal and Hank Steinbrenner on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., and told them he wants to stay in pinstripes. His longtime agent, Scott Boras, wasn't involved in the talks. Yankees officials sounded confident the negotiations could lead to an agreement...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Senior Day was a gut-wrenching experience for Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, who fought back tears as he hugged all 20 of his outgoing players and then needed the distraction of game action to ease back into the routine. "Seven minutes into the game, I'm still trying to get a hold of myself," Pinkel recalled...

ST. LOUIS -- Seven-foot senior sub Bryce Husak had a big game, helping Rick Majerus win his home debut at Saint Louis. Husak had 13 points and a career-best seven rebounds off the bench in a 66-58 victory over Detroit that extended Majerus' record in home openers to 21-0...

DALLAS -- Eight years after Brett Hull won the Stanley Cup for the Dallas Stars, his job is to find the players who can bring them another one. As the Stars' new interim co-general manager, count on the always-opinionated Hull being blunt about what the team needs...

Voted on by the league's head volleyball coaches and sports information directors First team Second team OVC Player of the Year: Abbey Breit, Jacksonville State OVC Freshman of the Year: Leah Meffert, Tennessee Tech OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Nobilio, Eastern Kentucky...

ST. LOUIS -- In his first game after a bulging disk in his back sidelined him before the St. Louis Rams' bye, Steven Jackson was supposed to get a light workload. So much for that plan. "I think that went out the door," Jackson said with a hearty laugh Wednesday, recalling his significant contribution to the Rams' first victory of the season. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It's hard to believe Brodie Croyle is not nervous. Not only is Kansas City's second-year quarterback about to make his first NFL start, he's doing it on the road, in a roaring RCA Dome. And he's facing the defending champion Indianapolis Colts, who will be smarting from a second-straight loss...

DAVIE, Fla. -- The winless Miami Dolphins have a new quarterback and -- if they wish -- a new running back. Ricky Williams' 11/2-year suspension ended Wednesday when he was reinstated by the NFL. The announcement came only hours after coach Cam Cameron decided to give the quarterback job to rookie John Beck, who will make his NFL debut Sunday at Philadelphia...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dwight Freeney's season is over, and now Simeon Rice has a chance to start anew in Indianapolis. Freeney, the three-time Pro Bowl defensive end and highest-paid defender in the league, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday by the Colts. He's scheduled to undergo surgery later this week or early next week on his injured left foot...

Day of Fire used to have Chris Daughtry's old band Absent Element open for them. Now, while he's on tour, Daughtry's nice enough to return the favor. "Before 'American Idol' he had a band in North Carolina," said Day of Fire guitarist Joe Pangallo. "They would regularly open for us, and that was only three year ago. But Chris and our singer Josh became friends and stayed in contact ... and here we are, opening for him."...

"Fred Claus" is rated PG, but go ahead and bring all the kids. It's smart enough for you, funny enough for the kids, and family oriented enough for some quality domestic bonding over the holidays. As is required by many holiday stories (think of Rudolph, the Easter Bunny, etc.), a basic suspension of reality and a willingness to 'just go with it' will allow the good feelings to wash over you...

PINE LAWN, Mo. -- Word is spreading quickly in one St. Louis suburb that people need to pull up their saggy pants. An ordinance passed Monday night by the Pine Lawn Board of Aldermen outlaws droopy drawers and imposes fines on violators. Anyone who wears pants below the waist that expose underwear or skin is subject to a $100 fine, including girls whose low-rise jeans sit too low...

1. "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty" by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz 2. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert 3. "Protect and Defend: A Thriller" by Vince Flynn...

Do you ever eat at an "ethnic" restaurant and wonder if the food that you are eating really tastes like the food served in the dish's country of origin? If you would like to know what food from Bangkok, Thailand, really tastes like, but you don't want to fly over an ocean to find out, then dine at Cafe 'n Me, 820 N. Sprigg St...

ST. LOUIS -- This Thanksgiving, taking a short drive from Southeast Missouri could yield some fun for the whole family. Those who don't want to settle for just the standard Thanksgiving Day dinner can make their way to St. Louis to see the Ameren St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade starts at 8:45 a.m. at the corner of Washington and Fourth streets. Admission is free...

"Fred Claus" is a strange movie, in part because you don't expect a Christmas movie to be rated PG. It is hard to figure why David Dobkin would make a Christmas movie after "Wedding Crashers," or why Vince Vaughn would agree to star. I walked out of the theater wondering whether I was in the Christmas mood now or just needed a rest after Vaughn's antics...

NEW YORK -- Shareholders of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. on Tuesday approved the company's $5 billion acquisition of rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. The approval, which was expected, now leaves the tougher obstacles of regulatory assent by the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission...

Selected home-video releases:"Shrek the Third" The big green guy with the Scottish accent returns for another animated blockbuster. Voice stars Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as sidekick Donkey, Cameron Diaz as ogre bride Fiona and Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots are joined by Justin Timberlake, who provides vocals for teen cousin Artie, whom Shrek must groom to rule the realm as the future King Arthur. ...

Franklin Elementary n Build new building to replace the school: $5 million to $6 million n Renovate the existing building: $4 million to $4.5 million n Add four classrooms and an elevator: $550,000 to $650,000 Clippard Elementary n Add six classrooms: $750,000 to $1 million...

Horrorfest wraps up this weekend at Cape West; Tickets on sale Monday for Celine 2008 show; Carson Center hosts Seinfeld, 'Cats'; -- From staff reports

Sure, Morley Swingle has a pretty good gig as a county prosecutor. But if for some reason he should tire of his legal career, Swingle might just find a rather successful career as a full-time author. With his third book, "Bootheel Man," the second in his legal series about Cape Girardeau history starring the young private practice lawyer Allison Culbertson, Swingle cements his place as Southeast Missouri's resident wordsmith...

'August Rush'; 'Beowulf'; 'Enchanted'; 'Hitman'; 'Love in the Time of Cholera'; 'The Mist'; '30 Days of Night'; 'American Gangster'; 'Bee Movie'; 'Dan in Real Life'; 'Fred Claus'; 'The Game Plan'; 'Horror Fest 2007'; 'Lions for Lambs'; 'Martian Child'; 'P2'; 'Saw IV'; 'Why Did I get Married?'

Cape got treated to the kind of concert that's a once-in-a-lifetime event last week when Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy came to the Show Me Center. I know we've driven the point home time and again in these pages, but this Guy is really a living legend, inspiration for scores of Brit blues rockers in the 1960s. Without him, no Cream, no Clapton, no Hendrix...

Less than 2 hours away The Pageant, St. Louis So you weren't able to get tickets to Led Zeppelin's one-off reunion performance in honor of dead record company mogul Ahmet Ertegun. What's a Zep fan to do? Well, you can check out this Saturday's show at The Pageant in St. Louis by Celebration Day: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Sure, it's not the real thing, but it's a lot closer to home, and tickets won't cost you your soul...

Thursday, Nov. 15 Space: Dare to Dream: Memorial Hall, Southeast Missouri State University, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. "Bell, Book and Candle" show only: featured by River City Players, River City Yacht Club, Port Cape, 7 p.m. "The Miracle Worker:" presented by Red Dagger, Cape Central High School, 7:30 p.m...

NEW YORK -- No one has ever denied LeAnn Rimes' talent as a singer: Her soaring voice has wowed audience since she was just 13, when she made her debut with the hit album "Blue" and earned a best new artist Grammy in the process. But as the years went on, she didn't get much respect for being an artist -- until now...

Jenn Henderson, the singer of blues-rock outfit Mojo Filter, gives us her picks. 1. "Imagine" -- John Lennon This is a song that has always been close to me, even as a little girl. My father is a big Lennon fan. 2. "So Far Away" -- Carole King Actually, if this were top five albums, her "Tapestry" would be my No. 1. There isn't a song on there that doesn't move me...

The five highest selling CDs at P Mac Music in Cape Girardeau, Nov. 5-11. 1. Seether, "Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces" 2. Jay-Z, "American Gangster" 3. Avenged Sevenfold, "Avenged Sevenfold" 4. Kid Rock, "Rock 'N' Roll Jesus" 5. Eagles, "Long Road Out of Eden"...

NEW YORK -- It doesn't take a psychic in a bejeweled turban to figure out that Johnny Carson landed the top spot. But deeper down the ranking of "The 50 Greatest TV Icons," you may find a name that surprises you (or even makes you scratch your head). Which is part of the fun...

PARIS -- Transport workers shut down most trains Wednesday, testing the patience of Parisians forced to walk, bike or skate to work with a strike aimed at derailing President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan to strip away labor protections he says hurt France's competitiveness...

ST. LOUIS -- The Blunt administration has filed a complaint with the Missouri Bar against former staff lawyer Scott Eckersley that could potentially cost him his law license, Eckersley's attorney, Steve Garner, said Wednesday evening. "I'm thinking they're trying to penalize this kid, and they're trying to take his license," Garner said...

ATLANTA -- UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. have been discussing a combination between the nation's second- and third-largest carriers that would keep the United name and the corporate headquarters in Chicago, The Associated Press has learned...

SANTIAGO, Chile -- A major earthquake struck northern Chile on Wednesday, toppling power lines, closing roads and sending terrified residents into the streets. Authorities reported 20 injuries but no deaths from the quake, which was felt in the capital as well as neighboring Peru and Bolivia...

Generations of teachers have followed Anne Sullivan's methods of teaching a blind and deaf young girl to communicate. Helen Keller herself wrote 12 books and became the international symbol of the potential of humans to overcome limitations. One reason "The Miracle Worker" is so affecting is because the power of the truth always trumps fiction...

Michael Reagan, the son of President Ronald Reagan and a conservative talk-show host, will speak at Southeast Missouri State University Nov. 29, but the event is not expected to be political, organizers say. "If you want to get away from the political scene, this is the event for you, ironically," said Lucas Presson, president of the Southeast College Republicans, which initiated the process in September of bringing Reagan to campus...

When Morley Swingle was a boy, his father read "Treasure" Island" and "Tom Sawyer" to him. When Swingle was 9, Zane Grey's birthplace was one of the stops on a family vacation in the West. His father, a Missouri State Highway Patrol sergeant who enjoyed playing the piano when he came home from work, died suddenly that same year...