Stories from Wednesday, November 18, 2009

KENNETT, Mo. (AP) -- Jury selection began today in the trial of a 24-year-old accused of cutting in a store checkout line and not listening to police who tried to remove her from the property.

Cape Girardeau voters will cast ballots in a Feb. 2 primary election for mayor and the Ward 2 city council seat. Filing closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday for the 2010 municipal elections. There were no late surprises and only one candidate, Jim Blakemore in Ward 2, turned in nominating petitions on the last day, city clerk Gayle Conrad said...

Heading into the holiday shopping season local governments are still struggling to match last year's yearly revenue total, though many area jurisdictions reported an increase in monthly general sales tax revenue. Last week local governments received their most recent sales tax payments, which saw increases of between 1 and 16 percent compared to the previous month...

Andrew Berg took a day away from work at a Kansas City dermatology clinic Tuesday to watch his former father-in-law, Robert Wrolstad, being sentenced to nine years in federal prison for a massive mortgage fraud scheme.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a state law barring intoxicated people from having guns. The ruling clears the way for the prosecution of a Southeast Missouri man found unconscious with a loaded gun in 2006. John L. ...

Heather Birk of Jackson killed her first deer on opening day of firearm season. The four-point buck was killed in Bollinger County, where she hunts alongside her fiancé, Brad Gaines of Dutchtown.

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- A Doniphan teenager is to make his first court appearance today after being charged with raping an 89-year-old woman.

4 Point Albino deer spotted in Cape Girardeau.

Eight year old Shane Hayman killed this 16 pointer the second day of firearm season. Shane was accompanied by his father Kevin Hayman. The deer was killed on the family farm. This was Shanes first deer. And yes, this one will be on the wall!

I snapped this little guy (or lady?) climbing the chain on my fan. It was later released into its natural habitat, unharmed.

This is the poster promoting the 2009 New Year's Eve Celebration at The ROCK International Ministries in Jackson, MO. This grand occassion will begin at 8pm! Come out and celebrate with us! Expect anointed praise dancing, praise & Worship, and God's holy word! We are located at 129 S. High Street, Jackson, MO. You can visit us online at www.trim63755.com or connect with us on facebook at www.facebook.com/pastortdwhite...

Teens in Perryville will have the opportunity let loose and dance weeks after coping with the death of a peer. "We're planning on letting them express their feelings and have a good time," Kelly Yates said. Yates is holding a teen dance fundraiser in honor of her sister, Jamie Orman, and nephew, Derrick Orman, who was a student at Perryville High School...

Midge Potts for US Senate 2010 Contact: Midge Potts midgepotts4congress@gmail.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 13th, 2009 Climate Change Bill Needs to be Expedited In Congress Springfield, MO -- According to a November 18th article in the Wall Street Journal, Senate leaders announced they will delay the debate on the climate change bill until Spring...

This is my baby Clover. He is a maltese and loves to dress up. He knows that when the clothes come out he is going "bye bye."

Breyer is a 3 month old Shih-Tzu mix puppy. She also has 4 brothers available for adoption at The Humane Society of SEMO 573-334-5837. See more pets available at www.semopets.org

This is my five month old Morkie-Poo, Carlos. He loves posing for pictures.

Blake Trickey, 12 years old of Jackson killed his first deer on November 14th. He was accompanied by Jon Craiglow at the 100 acre farm in Neely's Landing.

When Cape Girardeau embarked on the first five-year road plan financed by a half-cent sales tax in 1995, sidewalks weren't a big item in the $22.9 million program. That's changed with each new five-year program, as the money dedicated to sidewalk repair and construction has increased from $397,544, or 1.6 percent of the first plan's total spending, to $1.3 million, or 6.1 percent of the money expected if voters approve a tax extension in 2010...

ST. LOUIS -- Tuition and academic fees will be frozen for the second straight year at Missouri's public four-year colleges and universities, Gov. Jay Nixon announced Tuesday.

2nd annual Treasure Tag Sale to benefit the Cape River Heritage Museum will be held Thursday Dec 10th 4-7pm and Friday Dec. 11 8am-1pm. The Tag sale will be held at the museum, open to the public and no admittance will be charged. Volunteers are gathering gift quality and collectible items for the sale. ...

A Small World Daycare is partnering with Modern Woodmen of America to help children enrolled in their preschools in Jackson and Cape develop a strong sense of civic and community pride through a kids club program. ...

Human nature might make Dickey Nutt a little emotional tonight as the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team plays its first regular-season home game. Nutt won't guarantee that isn't going to happen when Arkansas State -- where Nutt was employed for more than 20 years -- visits the Show Me Center, but he's not planning on it...

Jay Purcell is getting another day in court. The Missouri Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear the Cape Girardeau County's 2nd District commissioner's lawsuit against the county commission for a Sunshine Law violation. Purcell originally filed suit in May 2008, but he and his attorney, J.P. Clubb, could not convince circuit or appellate court judges to rule in their favor...

Cape Air began service earlier this month as the new federally subsidized carrier between Cape Girardeau Regional Airport and Lambert Airport in St. Louis. So far, it looks like the right factors are in place to rebuild passenger numbers that have fallen dramatically for a variety of reasons...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston's Leaf Collection Program will begin as soon as it is dry enough to begin collecting them. "Our collection program was to have started today," Steve Lee, street superintendent, said Monday. "The rain caused us to hold off."...

After nine months of meeting and data gathering, a local group is starting to nail down a plan to increase graduation rates in the Cape Girardeau School District. The United Way of Southeast Missouri's Education Solution Team met Tuesday to discuss which strategies to implement...

Meetings on Highway 51 projects set The Missouri Department of Transportation has scheduled a community briefing for Tuesday in Perryville, Mo., to discuss two upcoming bridge projects on Highway 51. The meeting will offer residents an opportunity to discuss the Bois Brule Creek bridge at McBride, Mo., and the Chester Bridge that crosses the Mississippi River. ...

A Cape Girardeau County woman pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to four felony counts of credit card fraud, two felony counts of mail fraud, two felony counts of wire fraud and one felony count of bank fraud in connection with an identity theft incident that happened in 2007. ...

For friends and family, and all who touch our lives, we pray to you, O God. Amen.

I've been doing a little research lately on salary comparisons for one of the boards on which I serve. It's been an eye-opening exercise trying to justify or modify salaries when compared with those in a similar field with similar experience and responsibilities...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans said Tuesday there is no support within the GOP for the financial overhaul plan outlined last week by Democrats, putting on shaky ground a top priority for President Barack Obama. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, has outlined an 1,136-page draft bill that would create three new federal agencies to police banks, protect consumers and dismantle failing financial institutions that threaten the broader economy.. ...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University's president introduced a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee administrator Tuesday as his pick to be the next chancellor of SIU's flagship Carbondale campus. Glenn Poshard chose Rita Cheng -- provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at UWM since May 2005 -- to succeed Samuel Goldman, who has served as interim chancellor of the 20,350-student Carbondale campus since spring 2008. Goldman is a former university trustee...

WASHINGTON -- A decline in factory production in October signals that consumers and businesses remain cautious in their spending, with the economic recovery likely to be sluggish. At the same time, the weak economy is taming inflation. Wholesale prices rose less than expected last month, giving the Federal Reserve more leeway to keep interest rates low to try to spur a stronger economic rebound...

Faye Looney, 97, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, at Heartland Care and Rehab. She was born Oct. 12, 1912, on the family farm west of Painton, Mo., daughter of Harry and Ada Dixon McKinnley. Faye and David Lester Looney were united in marriage Sept. 13, 1941, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death in 1978...

Beulah I. "Pat" Meisenheimer, 98, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at the Lutheran Home, where she lived the past five years. She was born April 8, 1911, in Chitwood, Mo., now a part of Joplin. She was the youngest daughter of John Henry and Rozella Evans Williams. She and Albert L. Meisenheimer were married in 1932 in Kansas. He died July 10, 1975...

Corona C. Harper, 99, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born Oct. 30, 1910, in Oran, Mo., to Peter John and Philomena Halter Geisner. Harper was a graduate of Oran High School, Southeast Missouri State University, received a master's degree from Southern Illinois University and attended Columbia University in New York. She taught school 62 years...

MARQUAND, Mo. -- Alma Jean Farmer, 69, of Marquand passed away Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Jan. 23, 1940, in St. Louis, daughter of Millem A. and Doris M. Smith Moore. She married Gary Duane Farmer on Jan. 11 1957...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Tammy Renay Pitts, 46, of Marble Hill died Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009, at her home. She was born Nov. 15, 1962, in St. Louis, daughter of William Sheril and Bernice Marie Douglas Pitts. Miss Pitts served her country proudly in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast Guard, where she earned a degree in electronics and telecommunications...

ANNA, Ill. -- Ralph Agusta Johns, 62, of Anna died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Marion, Ill. He was born Nov. 28, 1946, in Anna, son of Jesse Marion and Grace Louise Walker Johns. Ralph is survived by three brothers, Jesse Lee (Kim) Johns of Clinton, Ill., Lonnie Wayne (Linda) Johns of Wolf Lake, Ill., Mark A. ...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Edward Leon Randall, 74, of Sedgewickville died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at his home. He was born April 28, 1935, at South Windham, Maine, son of Ernest and Evelyn Tyler Norton Randall. He and Maria Riebl were married Sept. 16, 1967, in Grafenwoehr, Germany...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Gordon E. Conant, 55, of Villa Ridge died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Conant was born July 28, 1954, in Cairo, Ill., son of Roger and Birdie Douglas Conant. Gordon was a 1972 graduate of Meridian High School in Mounds, Ill. He was a self-employed contractor...

25 years ago: Nov. 18, 1984 Members of the Second Missionary Baptist Church observe the fifth anniversary of the pastorate of the Rev. Claude Russell; guest speaker at the worship service is the Rev. Pythias Frazier, pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Carbondale, Ill...

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Tiger Woods first made his move in the Australian Masters in the middle of the opening round, getting his name on the leaderboard next to a player named Jordan that even some of the local fans did not recognize. Damien Jordan, the last player to get into the field, was worth getting to know...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Perry Fewell shared a simple but blunt philosophy in taking over as the Buffalo Bills interim head coach after Dick Jauron was abruptly fired on Tuesday. "Play like hell and win," Fewell said. That's the plan and also the challenge for Fewell, following the defensive coordinator's promotion. ...

CINCINNATI -- Larry Johnson might have his career up-and-running sooner than expected. The running back who was banished from Kansas City for bad behavior signed on for a backup role with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, giving the AFC North leaders depth for the rest of this season. He might not be watching for long...

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- A bad year for the Kansas Jayhawks just got worse. The school said Tuesday that it is investigating an unspecified personnel issue involving coach Mark Mangino, the national coach of the year two seasons ago. And Mangino -- his team mired in a five-game losing streak -- conceded that he's lost the support of "some people around here."...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Top basketball recruit Tony Mitchell of Dallas will join the Missouri Tigers next season. The university announced Mitchell's commitment Tuesday. He is considered one of the top 20 high school seniors and the highest-rated recruit to sign with Missouri in 15 years...

NEW YORK -- When the phone rang, Zack Greinke let it go -- he didn't recognize the number. Only after listening to the voice mail did he call back and find out he'd won the American League Cy Young Award. The Kansas City Royals ace easily beat out Felix Hernandez for the honor Tuesday after a spectacular season short on wins but long on domination. Winning left the extremely shy Greinke with mixed emotions...

Cape Girardeau The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Summonses Thefts Burglary Property damage Assaults Miscellaneous...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Frontcourt scoring was supposed to be Missouri's question mark. In the Tigers' regular-season opener Tuesday night, it was more like an exclamation point. Forward Laurence Bowers came off the bench to score 16 points and Keith Ramsey added a career-high 15 as Missouri rolled to an 83-68 victory over Tennessee-Martin...

Eagle Ridge broke out to a 15-point lead by halftime as it defeated Westwood Baptist Academy 65-36 in its season opener played at home. Sam Davis led the Eagles (1-0) with 26 points, while Jonathon Rockhill added 14 and Josh Carbaugh had 10. Eagle Ridge limited Westwood to nine points in each of the quarters...

Jake Pewitt's hat trick against Hillsboro earlier this season sparked a rivalry between Notre Dame's top two scorers. Now Pewitt and Joe Froemsdorf, a pair of seniors, enter the Class 2 boys soccer final four tied with 12 goals apiece. They also both have nine assists...

The "Missouri 1821-1971 Sesquicentennial Cookbook, Updated and Republished for a New Generation of Missourians" by former Missouri first lady Betty Cooper Hearnes is now available and hot off the presses. This hardback book contains historical information about the writer's life growing up in Charleston, Mo., her family with her husband and their children and living in and restoring the governor's mansion in Jefferson City, Mo. ...

NEW YORK -- Who says you need to spend an entire Saturday cleaning the house? If you've been tossed the Thanksgiving torch on short notice or simply haven't found the time to get down and dirty, these tips will help you get the house presentable. ...

n An article in Tuesday's Southeast Missourian gave an incorrect first name for a man who has had statutory rape and child molestation charges dropped in Bollinger County. The correct name is Brandon E. Johnson. In addition, his mother, Sandra Reeves, called to say the $12,000 she has spent to exonerate her son included costs of lost work time and other expenses in addition to attorney fees...

MOSCOW -- Putin in da house? Da! He's tracked Siberian tigers wearing military camouflage, sat in the cockpit of a fighter jet and shown off black-belt judo moves. Now Vladimir Putin is adding another groove to his tough guy persona: hip-hop idol...

NEW YORK -- What word sums up 2009? How about unfriend? That's the New Oxford American Dictionary's 2009 Word of the Year. It means to remove someone as a friend on a social networking website such as Facebook. Each year Oxford University Press tracks how the English language is changing and chooses a word that best reflects the mood of the year...

JERUSALEM -- Israel moved Tuesday to approve a plan to build 900 more housing units in a Jewish neighborhood in the part of Jerusalem claimed by Palestinians, drawing harsh criticism from the United States. The Jerusalem district planning commission officially deposited the plan, opening it to comments, objections and appeals from the public. Jerusalem city spokesman Gidi Schmerling said final approval was "many months" away...

BEIJING -- President Barack Obama, with China's leader at his side, lifted his sights Tuesday for a broad accord at climate conference to be held Dec. 7 through 18 that he said will lead to immediate action and "rally the world" toward a solution on global warming...

WASHINGTON -- Consumer advocates on Tuesday urged Congress to move forward on legislation to curb bank practices under which a cup of coffee bought with an overextended debit card can turn into a $40 expense. Banks last year collected nearly $24 billion in overdraft fees, more than double the level of 2004, and much of that comes from those least able to pay -- the poor, the young, minorities and seniors -- witnesses said at a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on abusive overdraft policies.. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Two former St. Louis-area lawmakers and a campaign treasurer were sentenced Tuesday in a federal obstruction of justice case tied to a failed 2004 congressional campaign. Former state senator Jeff Smith, a St. Louis Democrat who was on his way to a promising political career, received the harsher sentence -- one year and one day in prison and a $50,000 fine -- despite his attorney's plea that Smith's stellar community service record made him appropriate for in-home detention.. ...

Caldwell; Swain; Bollinger; Anglin; Cox; Sides; Lappe; Cochran; Robinson

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls on Monday: Firefighters responded to the following calls on Tuesday:...

WASHINGTON -- A new Associated Press poll finds that Americans favor taxing the rich to pay for covering those without health insurance. Of the approaches Congress is considering to pay for President Obama's health care overhaul, the only one that got majority support in the AP poll was a new income tax on upper-income people...

CONCORD, N.H. -- Forget cookies and milk. Santa wants the swine flu vaccine. Many of the nation's Santas want to be given priority for the vaccine and not just because of those runny-nosed kids. There's also the not-so-little matter of that round belly. Research has suggested obesity could be a risk factor...

MARIETTA, Pa. -- Malaria. Tuberculosis. Alzheimer's disease. AIDS. Pandemic flu. Genital herpes. Urinary tract infections. Grass allergies. Traveler's diarrhea. You name it, the pharmaceutical industry is working on a vaccine to prevent it. Many could be on the market in five years or less...

CHICAGO -- With ovens baking and skillets sizzling, Thanksgiving can be a hazardous day in the kitchen. So much so that the National Fire Protection Association says Americans are twice as likely to have a home fire on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year because of the cooking...

BEIJING -- President Barack Obama's first visit to China underscored a shifting balance of power: two giants moving closer to being equals. In this week's choreographed show of U.S.-Chinese good will, Obama's pledge to treat China as a trusted global partner won a return promise of shared effort on world troubles -- but not much else...

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's Kurds threatened Tuesday to boycott national elections, days after the country's Sunni vice president threatened to veto the newly passed election law needed to hold the January vote. Barely a week after the long-delayed legislation was passed, the hard-fought deal appears to be hitting a major roadblock, threatening to derail the country's nationwide parliamentary elections and possibly slow U.S. plans to withdraw combat troops from Iraq...

The City of Cape Girardeau issued the following news release a short time ago: "As part of the standard quarterly water quality testing required by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, a hydrant near the 400 block of South Kingshighway has been open allowing water to flow. ...

KENNETT, Mo.--The Kennett Board of Education offered the district's open superintendent position to current Kennett Middle School Principal Ward H. Billings. The board made the decision after an interview during the executive session of the board meeting on Tuesday afternoon...

BROSELEY, Mo.--Fisk campus currently has nearly 40 percent more students than the Qulin campus, according to information presented to Twin Rivers School District board members at last night's monthly meeting. Superintendent Mike Stevenson asked board members what direction they wished to take regarding overcrowding at Fisk...