Stories from Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Route Z will be reduced to one lane near Gordonville starting today while Missouri Department of Transportation workers complete bridge maintenance. The bridge is over Hubble Creek about two miles west of Highway 25. Work will continue from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Wednesday...

A tractor-trailer was destroyed by flames late Sunday night at the Rhodes gas station and truck stop on Nash Road in Scott City. The call came in around 11 p.m. and Scott City firefighters were on the scene until after midnight, said Scott City fire chief Jay Cassout...

Since the beginning of 2008, Cape Girardeau County has been hit by six storms that resulted in major federal disaster declarations. The list includes two major ice storms, a record-setting rain that sent hundreds scurrying from their homes in the middle of the night and a windstorm that flattened trees across a wide portion of the area...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A man is in custody following an armed robbery of a Sikeston business on Christmas Eve. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety received a call around 9:22 p.m. Thursday in regard to an armed robbery at Fas Gas, 600 N. Main St. A male suspect later identified as Mareno Jones, 22, reportedly walked into the business brandishing a weapon and demanded all the cash. He then ran out the door with an undisclosed amount of money and fled the scene...

Homeless assistance programs in Southeast Missouri received almost $1 million in grants to help women with children and the homeless disabled, among others, find transitional and permanent housing. The grants, announced last week by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, are part of the Continuum of Care program to alleviate and end homelessness...

Our litter of 7 week old german shepherd puppies came out onto the porch to enjoy the beautiful day.

The Cape Girardeau city government will host three public meetings in January for city residents to comment on proposed changes to the city's zoning regulations. Two public meetings/open houses will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 5 and Jan. 13 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the city council chambers in city hall. A public hearing on the proposed changes will take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, also in the city council chambers...

Cape Girardeau -- Carolyn Kempf, a certified Gourmet InclusiveŽ (GI) Vacation Consultant with El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels by Karisma, is pleased to announce Barb Seabaugh has won a 3-night Gourmet Inclusive romantic escape to El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels by Karisma, a premier collection of Gourmet Inclusive properties along the Riviera Maya, Mexico. ...

Southeast Missouri Hospital employees working on Christmas Day were treated to hot wings from Cape Girardeau's Buffalo Wild Wings, thanks to LaCroix United Methodist Church. About 200 hot wings treats were delivered to the hospital. LaCroix hot wings "Santas" shown here are, front and center, Austin DeCramer and Easy Stilson. Clockwise from left are Drew DeCramer, Tye DeCramer, Mara Kennon, Larry Farrow, Mona Farrow, Spring DeCramer and Steve Stilson...

One of Santa's merriest helpers, Roger Allgood, visited patients at Southeast Missouri Hospital on Christmas Day. Patients able to receive visitors were given a special Christmas bear dressed in a festive red vest and Santa hat. Here, Santa is shown with new parents Easton Meyer and Markease Hall, who is holding new daughter Marlee Hall, born December 23. Big brother and big sister are Cammron Brand and Ciara Brand...

Students from Cape's Alternative Education Center, 330 N. Spring St., were busy spreading cheer and good deeds throughout the community this holiday season. Pictured above singing Christmas carols at the Cape Senior Center, students also helped serve lunch to appreciative senior citizens. ...

The 2009 Practical Nursing graduates from the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center attained a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses, which qualify them to provide nursing care as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)...

City leaders said they think a better system of signs throughout Cape Girardeau will highlight more of the town's assets to visitors and tourists. A study on signs that direct city visitors will be the first part of an effort among several organizations to brand and market Cape Girardeau...

The Cape Central High School boys basketball team donated Christmas gifts to pediatric patients in the Saint Francis Medical Center Children's Center. The team purchased age- and gender-specific items to give to children unable to spend the holiday at home. ...

Right about now you're probably thinking about those resolutions vowing to eat better, cook more and shed the holiday pounds. To help you get started -- and spend that gift card from your mother-in-law -- here's some advice and the latest healthy-eating, better-living cookbooks...

It is lamentable that elected officials who make our laws would need to pass ethics legislation to monitor and control their own lapses in good judgment. But that's the reality, both on the state level and in Washington, D.C. In Missouri, ethical issues are handled by the Missouri Ethics Commission. Possible violations are reported to the commission, which has a review process. In some cases, sanctions are applied...

As another Christmas has come and gone, I can't help but remember how we as students at Juden Elementary School in Cape Girardeau County celebrated Christmas. Every year we put on a Christmas play that was enjoyed by all, including parents, teachers, relatives and friends. ...

I've been puzzled by the vehemence of the complaints about the health care issue and the role of government in general. My point is that government starts in the family unit. It may be that, because of projection, people's unhappiness comes out as unhappiness on the federal level. That is to say, there must be a lot of unhappy marriages out there...

I applied for help with my electric bill because I had surgery and my husband took off work to help with children. I don't have Medicaid or food stamps and pay $100 a week for health insurance. I was told I don't qualify for assistance. We don't live off welfare. We pay for everything on our own. Help the people who are trying, not the ones who are looking for handouts...

For the abundance we share, we give thanks to you, O God, source of all goodness. Amen.

MIAMI -- It was a rough year for Ponzi schemes. In 2009, the recession unraveled nearly four times as many of the investment scams as fell apart in 2008, with "Ponzi" becoming a buzzword again thanks to the collapse of Bernard Madoff's $50 billion plot...

DENVER -- Charlie Sheen's wife told police the actor pinned her on a bed, put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her in a Christmas Day fight in Aspen that began when she said she wanted a divorce. An arrest warrant affidavit released Monday quotes Brooke Mueller Sheen as saying that the actor straddled her on a bed with one hand grasping her neck and the other holding the knife. She said Sheen told her: "You better be in fear. If you tell anybody, I'll kill you."...

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

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday: Jackson Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

ZALMA, Mo. -- Peggy Ann Skidmore, 66, of Zalma passed away Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at Woodland Hills in Marble Hill, Mo. She was born Oct. 25, 1943, in Chicago, daughter of Burner and Mary Gosling Fiddell. She and Howard Phillip Skidmore were married in 1965 in Arizona...

Elsie Lee Pauley, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born May 2, 1934, in Monessen, Pa., to Nicholas and Elizabeth Kurtak Kohut. She and Theodore Pauley were married July 5, 1953, at Monessen. He preceded her in death Oct. 18, 2009...

THEBES, Ill. -- Maxine McFarland, 78, of Thebes died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 12, 1931, in St. Louis to Ernest and Millicent Sturm Dettrie. She and Thomas McFarland Sr. were married in 1948. He preceded her in death Sept. 17, 1987...

FARRAR, Mo. -- Armin Reinhold Koenig, 76, of Farrar was called home to be with his Lord on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 6, 1933, in Farrar, son of Reinhold Traugott and Marie Ella Hedwig Luehrs Koenig...

Leonard Michael Jansen, 63, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 17, 1946, in St. Louis, to Leon and Bernice Dirnberger Jansen. He and Joyce Dietiker were married Feb. 4, 1967, in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Richard Lee Hale, 45, of Sikeston passed away Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, from injuries received in an automobile accident near Dudley, Mo. He was born July 17, 1964, in Cape Girardeau, son of Marion and Linda Hamlin Hale. He and Michelle Jordan were married April 6, 1995, at Benton, Mo...

C. Stephen England, 56, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, at his home. He was born May 13, 1953, at Sikeston, Mo., to Joan Johnson England, who survives of Cape Girardeau, and the late Charles A. England...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Glennon A. Buchheit, 79, of Perryville died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, at his home. He was born Aug. 18, 1930, in Perryville, son of Andrew Phillip and Margaret Theresa Winkler Buchheit. He and Mary Jane Rees were married May 6, 1972...

Elizabeth L. "Betty" Blackwell, 80, of Jackson died Friday, Dec. 25, 2009, at her home. She was born March 20, 1929, in Cape Girardeau, to Henry Marshall and Alberta Wright Lewis. She and Bob Blackwell were married Friday, Sept. 15, 1950, at Piggott, Ark...

Maxine Bridges, 84, of Jackson passed away Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, at her home. She was born Jan. 14, 1925, in Scopus, Mo., daughter of Naaman and Flora Brown Welker. She and Clyde Bridges were married April 12, 1946, in Patton, Mo. Maxine worked at the former Jackson Hosiery Mill 25 years, the former Lambert's Fabric Store in Cape Girardeau three years, and had worked in the fabric department at the Jackson Walmart from 1978 to 1993...

Daughter to Bryan Michael and Sarah Elizabeth Sander of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 12:20 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009. Name, Addilynn Claire. Weight, 7 pounds. Second daughter. Mrs. Sander is the former Sarah Rhodes, daughter of Steve and Laurel Rhodes of Jackson. She is an administrative partner at Saint Francis. Sander is the son of John and Pam Sander of Jackson. He is a foreman with Cape County Parks...

Cape Girardeans are enjoying a late Christmas present; unseasonably warm temperatures here the last few days have made it seem more like spring than the end of winter's first month; today's high is 69. More than $3,400 in cash for travel expenses for an upcoming Southeast Missouri State University Otahkian basketball road trip was stolen from the locker of head coach Ed Arnzen during a basketball practice at Houck Field House Friday...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Several animal groups are urging Missouri voters to adopt new rules for dog-breeders that cap the number of dogs, require rest periods after breeding and establish care requirements. Under the proposal, dog-breeders could only have 50 breeding dogs and would be required to feed animals daily, provide annual veterinary care and not breed animals more than twice every 18 months...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis got a foot more rain than usual this year, making 2009 its fifth wettest on record and raising the risk of spring floods, forecasters said Monday. St. Louis has had 50.84 inches of rain this year -- 12.4 inches more than usual. A record 12.38 inches of rain fell in October, a month when the city usually gets less than 3 inches...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Flags will be flown at half-staff on all Missouri state buildings to honor a fallen state trooper. Gov. Jay Nixon issued the order Monday to honor 49-year-old Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Dennis Engelhard of St. Louis. He died Christmas Day after being struck while working an accident on icy Interstate 44 southwest of St. Louis...

LOS ANGELES -- Swine flu is not only dangerous to pregnant women, but it's a threat to new mothers too, the first study to document this risk shows. An analysis of pregnant women and new mothers who were hospitalized with swine flu in California found that those who had a baby in the previous two weeks were at higher risk of severe flu complications...

ATLANTA -- Retailers have thin inventories after coming out of Christmas with slightly better-than-expected sales. Some retailers kept inventory so low they've had to bring in new merchandise to restock shelves, a rare move this soon after Christmas...

The Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team suffered its third consecutive loss with its 87-55 defeat at Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday. The Redhawks fell behind 46-17 at halftime. They led twice -- once after Jasmine Davis canned a pair of free throws in the opening minute then when Bianca Beck hit a 3-pointer to give Southeast a 5-4 lead with 18 minutes, 40 seconds left in the first half...

All the scores from Monday that were reported to the Southeast Missourian.

Due to a source error, an entry in the police report in Sunday's Southeast Missourian was incorrect and should have said Becky Holloway received a summons for a leash-law violation.

CHICAGO -- Brett Favre got the Minnesota Vikings to overtime. The Chicago Bears got the victory. Jay Cutler threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu 9 minutes into overtime, and the Bears beat the fading Vikings 36-30 on Monday to give the New Orleans Saints homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs...

Trying to find words to explain the worst aspect of his team's first-round loss, Bell City senior Jeff Long decided to forgo dissecting the Cubs' defensive shortfalls or overall lack of energy and settled on the obvious. "Getting beat bad," he said, shuttering at the memory of the 28-point loss...

WASHINGTON -- Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack on a U.S. airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day, saying it was retaliation for a U.S. operation against the group in Yemen. Federal authorities met Monday to reassess the U.S. system of terror watchlists to determine how to avoid the type of lapse that allowed a man with explosives to board the flight in Amsterdam even though he was flagged as a possible terrorist...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine are recruiting families with overweight children for a study to help kids and parents lose and keep off pounds. The two-year study will look at families with one or more children between the ages of 7 and 11 who are at least 20 percent above their ideal weight...

A Monday night blaze on South Hanover Street required all on-duty Cape Girardeau firefighters and help from surrounding departments.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants have reached a preliminary agreement with free-agent infielder Mark DeRosa on a two-year contract, adding a key bat to the middle of their order. Giants spokesman Jim Moorehead said the 12-year veteran passed a physical Monday and the team planned to formally announce his deal today...