Stories from Sunday, May 29, 2011

When Ron Andrews announced he would run for Cape Girardeau County Assessor next year, he may have jumped the gun a bit. Andrews, who works in the assessor's office, said he based his decision on the fact that the current long-serving assessor Jerry Reynolds told him he would retire when his term expires. Problem is, Reynolds says he is not ready to publicly say whether he will step down after serving in the post since 1977...

BENTON, Mo. -- It's construction season at the Scott County Courthouse. As plumbing work was under way on Thursday, commissioners also opened bids for coping and cap joint repairs to the exterior of the building. Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said all the repairs are needed to preserve a building as old as the courthouse...

This May, five students at Jackson Senior High School enrolled in Tonya Skinner's Photoshop and Web Design courses took and passed Adobe Certified Associate exams as part of the Technical Skill Attainment requirement for career education in Missouri...

Some nights Millie Strom prays for rain. When it doesn't, she braces for the worst. On those weekend nights, especially when Southeast Missouri State University is in session, countless college students gather on a patio about 30 feet from Strom's bedroom window. They crank the music up and the booze begins to flow...

I took this photo on May 25 of 2011. The day it was storming.

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- As the rivers recede from the historic floods of 2011, the water is rising to dangerous levels in East Cape Girardeau. Cape Girardeau's neighbor across the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is inundated with seep water from the Mississippi River and the swollen streams feeding into it, displacing homeowners and threatening businesses...

GORDONVILLE, Mo. -- If you've been searching the Earth for that elusive, black vest with assorted, creepy-looking jack-o'lantern designs, we have some great news for you. But you'd better act fast. The vest was among scores of apparel -- from shirts to what appeared to be Sansabelt pants -- up for sale Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of Sparkman Auto and Marine Sales in Gordonville...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. ­-- The distinctive John Deere two-cylinder "putt-putt" tractor engine sounded and an occasional shrill steam engine whistle filled the air Saturday at the seminary picnic grounds just north of Perryville. It's the 35th year of the River Hills Antique Tractor Club's Old Timers' Day, and seventh year at that location. Club vice president Jerry Davis said Saturday's attendance was 500 or 600 people, about double that of any previous year.

Two local athletes won state titles at this weekend's Class 3 and 4 state track and field meet.

What promised to be one of the most profitable years in history for local corn farmers is getting a late start and will likely result in lower yields. April's record-setting 20 inches of rain either kept farmers out of their fields or washed away corn they had already planted...

Progressive Club met on Tuesday with 12 members and three guests present. Members met at the home of Shirley Cracraft and carpooled to the destination: the home of Wanda Kirkpatrick. They toured her yard, gardens, and the animal life: wild rabbits, tame mallards, and her five Rhode Island Red hens. Kirkpatrick has converted her in-ground pool into a water lily pond with koi and yellow water iris...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Robert and Alice Uhrhan of Chaffee announce the engagement of their daughter, Kristi Michelle Uhrhan, to Justin Matthew Birdwell, both of Springfield, Mo. He is the son of Richard and Brenda Birdwell of Portageville, Mo. Uhrhan is a 2001 graduate of Chaffee High School. She received a master of science degree in communication sciences and disorders from Missouri State University in 2007. She is a speech language pathologist with Springfield School District...

Dennis and Patty Burke of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Deanna Elizabeth Burke Trousdale, to Kenneth Dean Farrar, both of DeSoto, Mo. He is the son of Barbara Farrar of Morrisville, Mo., and the late James Farrar. Trousdale is a 1988 graduate of Jackson High School, and a 2006 graduate of Jefferson College. She is a paramedic with St. Louis Fire Department and a paramedic/firefighter with DeSoto Fire Department...

Bradley and Janell Small of Hoyleton, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Jana Small of Cape Girardeau, to Lawrence Anthony Miller. He is the son of Linda Miller of Jackson, and the late Raymond Miller. Small is a 2001 graduate of Nashville High School. She received bachelor degrees in special education and elementary education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2005. She is a high school special education teacher with Jackson School District...

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Maevers of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a reception April 30, 2011, at Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge. Hosts were their children and spouses, Curtis and Duana Maevers of Jackson, and Karen and Ron Cotner of Cape Girardeau...

Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Fritzler of Cape Girardeau will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with a reception Saturday for family and friends at Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel. A family dinner will follow. Fritzler and Emalyn Schmidt were married June 9, 1946, in White, S.D...

Bill and Anne Smith of Scott City observed their 49th wedding anniversary Thursday. The couple was married May 26, 1962. The Smiths have two children, Scott (Lisa) Smith and Tracy Malone (John Nettles), all of Scott City. They have eight grandchildren...

Yvette is an 8-year-old cat who enjoys playing, being petted and getting lots of love and attention. She's also quite a talker. For more information, contact Safe Harbor at 243-9823. ...

Pet name: PosterCat Owner: Mira Pupek Favorite activity: Sitting in the rain under an umbrella's protection. ...

Roscoe is 1 1/2 years old. He is neutered and very sweet For more information, contact the Humane Society at 334-5837. ...

Dr. Charles Pewitt's growing collection of military equipment has been the result of determination, persistence and his own investment of time and money. But an article featuring Pewitt and his collection in a national publication was a matter of chance...

Volunteers gather at the de Paul Center in Cape Girardeau for a large quilting weekend each year, called "Ugly Quilts," but other volunteers throughout the year give their time and talents to the project, which uses donated fabric to make sleeping bags for homeless. ...

Several sites in Southeast Missouri are accepting donations for victims of the tornado that ripped through Joplin, Mo., May 22. The Southeast Missouri Food Bank at 3920 Nash Road will take cleaning products, bottled water and canned and packaged foods. ...

Hunter Phillips received his Eagle Scout rank in April. Phillips received 27 merit badges, served in six leadership roles, earned the Arrow of Light, was an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow and participated in the extreme adventures of Philmont and Seabase. ...

The Rev. Randy Morse of First Assembly of God in Scott City has been chosen to serve on the advisory board for the Friends of Peter with Zero2 Holdings, in the area of Faith Based Initiatives. Peter Strople created the group in 2008 to bring business and community leaders together to bring about change in the community or country. ...

The Southeast Missouri chapter of the American Red Cross received a $5,000 donation from Progressive Farm Credit Services. With this donation, Progressive Farm Credit Services was recognized as a Hero for the American Red Cross. Over the past month, the local Red Cross has been providing shelter, food and supplies to help those affected by recent storms and flooding...

Similar to the beaver but much smaller, the muskrat is a creature of the water. On land this short-legged animal is easy prey for mink, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, owls, hawks and eagles. True to its name, the muskrat does have musk-producing sent glands near the base of its tail. The musk is rubbed on objects partly submerged in or near water to "mark" the muskrat's home territory...

SAN DIEGO -- Life after the military is looking brighter than ever for America's four-legged veterans since one of their own helped in the mission to kill Osama bin Laden. War dog organizations say the number of people asking about adopting retired military canines has risen dramatically since the mission involving Cairo, the Navy SEALs dog tasked with tracking anyone who tried to escape from bin Laden's compound and alerting the special operations forces to anyone approaching...

Jenna Jernigan from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau is a 16-year-old with a heart for missions and helping her youth group raise funds for its summer mission trip. The daughter of Nancy and Jeff Jernigan and originally from Dallas, she enjoys playing soccer, writing poems and songs, and anything to do with music. ...

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, a few thoughts about respect for the dead. William E. Gladstone, 19th-century British prime minister, is reputed to have said the following: "Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead, and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender mercies of its people, their loyalty to high ideals, and their regard for the laws of the land."...

TUESDAY--Chicken strips, oven fries, fruit. WEDNESDAY--Barbecued chicken on bun, corn, fruit. THURSDAY--Breaded beef patty, noodles, fruit. FRIDAY--Pizza, salad, fruit. WEDNESDAY--Mini corn dog, tater tots, pork & beans, chocolate pudding...

I love cookie dough ice cream, writing and laughing. I love my family and friends, gazing at the night sky and Hanes V-neck T-shirts. But my No. 1 love that runs so much deeper than anything in this world is Jesus. It blows my mind that a perfect man like him loves me back...

IF SEMO is going to bother spending more money on the turf for the football team, I say go all out and make it black. Then at the very least it would become a draw on ESPN and among fans that just want to say that they have been to all the cool new fields...

We recently voted on a ban of public smoking to stop "54,000 suspected deaths" from heart disease, lung cancer, SIDS, etc. due to secondhand smoke, with no studies of family or work history, if individuals were obese or abused alcohol. All of the following information can be found at www.fedstats.com. In 2009 their were 300,000 deaths due to obesity; 123,706 from medical mishaps; 33,708 in motor vehicle accidents; and 16,655 from alcohol related diseases...

When the first ceremonies were held following the Civil War to honor those soldiers who lost their lives in battle, communities sought to pay proper respect to fallen heroes. Over the years, those observances have been adopted nationwide as Memorial Day. Several special events are planned throughout this holiday weekend, which also traditionally marks the start of summertime activities...

By Wayne Wallingford Memorial Day is a day when we lay down wreaths at cemeteries and monuments in small towns and big cities all across America. On this sacred day we pause to honor those heroes who gave their lives to defend everything America stands for. Our nation is grateful for their service and their ultimate sacrifice...

By Jennifer Shaffer My head has been in the clouds, preoccupied by the funnel and wall types. The Midwest has been bombarded with seemingly never ending tornadoes. The devastation in nearby Joplin, Mo., is unimaginable. A friend of ours is now a pastor in Joplin and on the front lines trying to help where he can. His recounts compel and make my heart ache...

Though sometimes we take things for granted, we praise you, O God, for your many blessings. Amen.

U.S. 61 in Cape Girardeau will be reduced to one lane Tuesday through Friday while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine bridge maintenance. This bridge is between Good Hope Street and Cape Centre. Weather permitting, work will be performed nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The work zone will be marked with signs. For additional information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636...

WASHINGTON -- The still unsettled race for the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012 is getting more interesting. After months of resisting calls to join the contest, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Friday he would consider it. That could reshape the GOP field, adding a sitting governor who has never lost an election...

John J. Daume, 92, formerly of Jackson, passed away Monday, May 23, 2011, at Springfield Rehab and Healthcare in Springfield, Mo. He was born Nov. 10, 1918, in Cape Girardeau, to John W. and Meta Engelmann Daume. John was founder of Johnny Daume and His Ozark Ridgerunners, a popular area band in the 1940s; and became a well-known radio DJ, entertainer and songwriter in the country music industry in the 1950s and 1960s...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday:...

Cheryl Ann Walker, 51, of Carterville, Ill., died Friday, May 27, 2011 at her home. Cheryl was born Dec. 21, 1959 in Herrin, Ill., to Everett "Goose" and Nancy Ann Smith Walker. She worked at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale for more than 20 years as an administrative assistant...

TRIPOLI, Libya -- NATO warplanes struck Moammar Gadhafi's compound in Tripoli on Saturday, as the new rebel administration warned it was fast running out of money because countries that promised financial aid have not come through. Ali Tarhouni, the rebel finance minister, complained that many countries that pledged aid have instead sent a string of businessmen looking for contracts from the oil-rich country...

Juanita Elizabeth Miskell, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, May 27, 2011, at Ratliff Care Center. She was born Nov. 26, 1920 in Morley, Mo., to Alfred and Elva Graves Bryant. She and Robert Miskell Jr. were married June 3, 1944 in Arkansas. He died Jan. 24, 2001...

Nellie Flora Blankenship, 96 of Carthage, Mo., formerly of Jackson, died Thursday, May 26, 2011, at St. Luke's Nursing Center in Carthage. She was born Nov. 18, 1914, in Hickory Flat, Ky., to Isaiah Calvin and Alice Alma Wakefield Grace. She married Joe Flint Blankenship on Jan. 13, 1932, in Benton, Mo. He preceded her in death June 27, 1973...

WARSAW, Poland -- Holding out Poland's transformation to democracy as a model for the world, President Barack Obama on Saturday exhorted Western allies and the American public alike to extend their support, energy and vision to those now reaching for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa...

Erick A. Faile, 21, of Bethalto, Ill., was received into the arms of God on Monday, May 23, 2011. He died of injuries sustained in an automobile accident May 19, 2011, near Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 29, 1989. He is the beloved son of Kari Faile; dearest grandson of Sallee McDuffee; dear nephew of Dawniele and Michael Pasha; dear stepson of Christopher Marshall; and beloved fiance of Chelsea Hernandez...

ANNA, Ill. -- Kenneth L. "Smokie" Smoot, 78, of Anna, died Saturday, May 28, 2011, at Union County Hospital in Anna. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Paul Sadler officiating. Burial will be in Anna City Cemetery...

Local, state and federal officials were on hand at a public meeting here last night to discuss Cape Girardeau's storm water problems; at the urging of local drainage district officials, the City Council will consider placing a $8 million bond issue before voters later this year to help finance flood-control projects...

Harriet Elizabeth Colman Shorb, 83, formerly of Munster, Ind., passed away Wednesday, April 20, 2011, in Littleton, Colo., at the home of her oldest son. She was born Nov. 1, 1927, in Shreveport, La., daughter of William H. and Geraldine Harper Colman. She and Eugene Murray Shorb were married July 14, 1951, in Cape Girardeau...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Firefighters responded to the following calls on Wednesday:...

Peggy Marie Blaylock, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, May 28, 2011, at her home. She was born April 20, 1939, in Cape Girardeau, to Rueben and Lucy Reynolds Whittaker. She and Robert Lee Mueller were married, and he died in 1965. She married Robert Dubrey, and he died in 1997. She then married William "Bill" Blaylock and he died April 27, 2011...

RAFAH, Gaza Strip -- Egypt lifted a 4-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, greatly easing travel restrictions on the 1.5 million residents of the Palestinian territory in a move that bolstered the Hamas government while dealing a setback to Israel's attempts to isolate the militant group...

Linda Veniece Miller, 60, of Bloomfield, Mo., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield. She was born Feb. 9, 1951, in Jonesboro, Ark., daughter of the late Elmer and Mattie "Jane" Rhodes Lewallen. She was united in marriage to Clyde Miller in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He preceded her in death Dec. 31, 1987...

Retired Commander Kenneth Lynn Jones, 91, of Fairfield, Calif., passed away Saturday, May 7, 2011, in Fairfield. He was born April 11, 1920, in Cape Girardeau. Jones served 30 years in the U.S. Navy. Survivors include two daughters, Priscilla Kankel and Lynwyn Ridgway; a son, Kenneth Lynn Jones Jr.; five grandchildren, Bob, Suzy, Stacy, Bryan and Katie; 12 great-grandchildren, Courtney, Rhys, Danny, R.J. IV, Charlie, Annalise, Ryan, Jacob, Matthew, Jarred, Holly and Lawson...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Nina Darlene Scott, 73, of Sikeston died Friday, May 27, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo. She was born Dec. 11, 1937, in Harrell, Ark., to the late Curtis and Dorothy Williams Thomason. She and C.G. Scott were married Nov. 27, 1954, in Matthews, Mo...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A suicide bomber wearing a police uniform blew himself up inside a heavily guarded compound Saturday as top Afghan and international officials left a meeting, killing two senior Afghan police commanders and wounding the German general who commands coalition troops in northern Afghanistan...

NEW YORK -- Cornelia Aguilar needs help when she goes to the doctor or when her co-workers at a nail salon call her on the phone. A Mexican who has lived in the U.S. for two years, she only speaks a variant of Mixteco, an indigenous language from the states of Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero in southern Mexico...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The numbers look increasingly bleak for families hoping for the best after a monster tornado that devastated the town of Joplin, as the city has raised the death toll to at least 139 and state officials say 100 people are still missing...

The Oran baseball team defeated Naylor 14-13 in a Class 1 state quarterfinal Friday.

The Central baseball team lost to Vianney 6-4 in a Class 4 state quarterfinal Friday.

The Jackson Junior American Legion baseball team defeated East Prairie 14-7 on Friday to improve to 2-0 in pool play in the Jackson Memorial Junior Legion tournament. Ryan O'Rear, Cole Blanton and Joe Elfrink all had two hits for Jackson. Lance Rohde pitched three innings for the win. He allowed one hit and one run...

DENVER -- Jaime Garcia's first loss of the season was ugly, the type of performance he's not used to. And neither are the St. Louis Cardinals. The left-hander was unbeaten and ranked third in the National League with a 1.93 ERA when he took the mound at Coors Field. When Garcia left in the fourth inning, the Colorado Rockies had scored 12 times against him on their way to a 15-4 win...

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team defeated Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee Tech at the OVC tournament Friday.

Southeast Missouri State senior pitcher Brad LaBruyere was named to the OVC all-tournament team.

The St. Vincent girls soccer team defeated John Burroughs 2-0 in a Class 1 state quarterfinal game Saturday.

The Southeast Missouri State baseball team finished third in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

CAIRO, Ill. - Lynn S. Byrd, 59, of Cairo, Ill., died Saturday morning, May 28, 2011, at his home.