Stories from Thursday, December 15, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- A survey of bankers in 10 Midwest and Great Plains states reflected continued economic growth in the region, which boasts strong agricultural performance and rising commodity prices, according to a report issued Thursday. The Rural Mainstreet Index rose to 59.7 in December, its highest level since June 2007. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Civic-minded soldiers stationed across the world could one day obtain absentee ballots from their laptops or mobile phones as part of a new federal research effort to increase participation among overseas troops and other voters who are out of the country during elections...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri State Senator says redistricting secrecy needs to end. Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, Wednesday filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would do away with the current system related to how state House and Senate boundaries are redrawn every 10 years...

As of Tuesday night, the Cape Jaycees still had around 70 bags to fill for Toybox. Organizers hope the community will donate quickly during the last few days of the campaign of the program that delivers Christmas toys to local families in need. The program accepts monetary donations and new toys for children ages 1 to 13...

Local leaders discussed issues pertaining to a new Missouri Supreme Court ruling that changes custody rights for underage offenders Wednesday during the first of several meetings. In April, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that as of Jan. 1, juveniles should not be held in secure detention unless they present a risk to public safety or may fail to appear in court for hearings. ...

When Gary Romine launched his candidacy for a Missouri Senate seat in 2009, the competition in the 3rd District looked sparse, and the Farmington businessman hoped it would stay that way.

JONESBORO, Ill. -- A Jonesboro woman was charged with first-degree murder Wednesday in connection with the death of a 4-year-old boy in her care.

A man who was already in police custody on a warrant arrest has been charged with first-degree robbery. According to the Cape Girardeau Police Department, Trevon D. Starnes, 18, of Cape Girardeau, was arrested late Monday afternoon after a report of an altercation near the intersection of Bloomfield and Hanover streets...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Environmental activists on Tuesday urged the National Park Service to restore the Current River, a southern Missouri waterway that draws more than 1 million people each year for float trips, fishing and other activities. A statewide coalition of environmental groups delivered petitions with nearly 5,000 signatures to the National Park Service office in St. Louis. The petitions seek reforms to revitalize the Current River, which is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Midwestern farmers who saw their land swamped by summer flooding may be socked again with steep increases in their crop insurance premiums, the expensive result of the failure to fix broken levees before the winter snow and next spring's rains.

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents is scheduled to vote today to fund a new residence hall on campus. During today's meeting, the board will consider approving a resolution to issue $29 million of system facilities revenue bonds to fund construction of the hall at the north end of campus...

BLOOMSDALE, Mo. -- A lot of love goes into each six-ounce heart-shaped piece of artisan goat cheese made at Baetje Farms. Owners Steve and Veronica Baetje, who have been married 20 years, like to joke that they have 120 kids -- baby goats born each spring at their Bloomsdale farm...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Southeast Missouri Retired National Guard Association recently hosted a Retiree Appreciation Day for retired Soldiers of the Missouri Guard. The event, attended by retired Missouri Guard Soldiers and Family members, was designed to give guests the latest information concerning retirement benefits...

An Illinois man charged with hindering prosecution in connection with a May stabbing in Cape Girardeau was found guilty Tuesday. Kemond Hollis, 23, of Ullin, Ill., was found guilty by Judge William Syler. Hollis was one of three men who arrived uninvited at a party in the 300 block of North Pacific Street in May, according to police. A fight started while the men were trying to leave, and four people were stabbed...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri officials are urging people to celebrate New Year's Day by hiking in the state's parks. The state is offering free guided hikes in nine state parks on Jan. 1. The guided tours are part of a national effort encouraging people to get outside...

MINER, Mo. -- Hotels and motels in Miner will now be required to make a copy of photo identification while checking in lodgers. An amendment to the city ordinance regulating occupant requirements for lodging establishments was approved during the regular monthly board of aldermen meeting held Tuesday...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Charleston man facing a first-degree murder charge for a shooting outside a nightclub will be tried in Butler County. Devonte Johnson, 18, waived arraignment Tuesday at the Mississippi County Courthouse, according to Leigh Ann Colson, circuit court clerk...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff man was charged Wednesday in connection with the weekend shooting death of another man authorities say he had ongoing conflicts with over the sale of illegal narcotics. Paris Thomas, 23, was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm by Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour...

A motorcyclist was taken to Saint Francis Medical Center on Wednesday morning in critical condition after losing control and striking a guy wire on an interstate outer road. The man was traveling on the outer road on the northbound side of Interstate 55, south of the Nash Road exit, when he lost control rounding a turn. He hit the wire, which separated him from the motorcycle, and the wire cut into his legs...

Today is Thursday, Dec. 15, the 349th day of 2011. There are 16 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 15, 1961, former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death by an Israeli court for crimes against humanity. (Eichmann was hanged 51/2 months later.)...

Jackson High School junior Nolan Weber talks with his mother, Rachelle Weber. He has been battling a recurring malignant brain tumor since April. His classmates and the community have rallied around him with a show of support and a motto: "We Believe."...

LOS ANGELES -- Michael Jackson's daughter says she was inspired to be an actress after seeing her father in the film "Moonwalker." "My dad was in the movie ‘Moonwalker,' and I knew he could sing really well, but I didn't know he could act," Paris Jackson told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, according to a transcript of the episode to air today...

How's your Christmas shopping going? Like a lot of folks, you're probably busy finding that perfect gift for a friend of family member, attending Christmas parties, or participating in your church's Christmas activities. While we hope you enjoy all these activities, don't forget about those who could use your help this year...

Wake up, Cape Girardeau. Please don't assume that urban deer hunting won't be implemented. The majority of the urban deer committee appears to be pro-hunting from the beginning. It's unsettling that council member John Voss didn't want anyone opposed to killing deer in the city but has no problem with at least four hunters on the committee. ...

The next three months mark the 200th anniversary of the New Madrid quakes which rocked parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee in 1811-1812. Massive tectonic plates deep below began stretching and burping. Rivers changed course and ran backward. Gaseous crevasses swallowed cattle and buildings...

AFTER a night of Christmas parties, it just wouldn't be complete without a drive through the Cape County Park Christmas lights display. Awesome. ARE you kidding me? The city of Cape Girardeau is going to spend $1.6 million on expanding the trail at the river walk, but you can't fill the potholes on Lexington and William. My car is going to bottom out one of these days, and I am going to sue the city for it...

Cape Girardeau Central High School has much to celebrate during this centennial year. We are especially excited to host the 38th annual Tiger Classic wrestling tournament Dec. 16 and 17 in the Field House of Central Junior High School. This will be an excellent opportunity to watch some of Central's finest student athletes compete against wrestlers in our region...

O Lord Jesus, may we conduct ourselves with integrity and sincerity. Amen.

ATLANTA -- One in 4 women surveyed by the government say they were violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends. Experts in domestic violence don't find it surprising, although some aspects of the survey may have led to higher numbers than are sometimes reported...

SANTIAGO, Chile -- Chilean doctors separated conjoined twin girls in a marathon 20-hour surgery, saying Wednesday that the operation went extremely well despite challenges. The 10-month-old twins, Maria Paz and Maria Jose, lost a good deal of blood but were in stable condition and recovering in the intensive care unit at Luis Calvo Mackenna Hospital, chief surgeon Francisco Ossandon said...

TOKYO -- Japan is poised to declare its crippled nuclear plant virtually stable nine months after a devastating tsunami, but the facility still leaks some radiation, remains vulnerable to earthquakes and shows no prospect for cleanup for decades...

JERUSALEM -- Israel's prime minister on Wednesday ordered a crackdown on Jewish extremists believed to be responsible for a wave of violence and vandalism against Israeli soldiers and Muslim mosques. The move followed the arrest of suspected extremists and an attack on a disused mosque...

CAIRO -- Overwhelmed by Islamists in parliamentary elections, the secular and liberal youths who were the driving force behind Egypt's uprising are scrambling to ensure their voices are not lost as a new constitution and government take shape. Two Islamist blocs -- newly emboldened after decades of repression under Mubarak's secular regime -- won close to 70 percent of seats in the initial balloting Nov. ...

WASHINGTON -- Democrats may jettison their demand for higher taxes on millionaires as part of legislation to extend Social Security tax cuts for most Americans, officials said Wednesday as President Barack Obama and Congress struggled to clear critical year-end bills without triggering a partial government shutdown...

John William Poe II, 51, of Jackson died Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at St. John's Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Nov. 10, 1960, in Cape Girardeau to John William "Bill" and Mary Lou Seabaugh Poe. John went to Jackson High School and worked in the plastics division of Lenco in Jackson...

MARQUAND, Mo. -- Frank Bess, 78, of Marquand passed away Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, at his home. He was born Aug. 19, 1933, at Bessville, Mo., son of Colonel Pinkney and Vergie Irene Cureton Bess. He and Dean Miinch were united in marriage Feb. 23, 1957 in Marquand...

Dr. Robert Allen Burns, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Nov. 16, 1936, in Neodesha, Kan., the elder son of Francis and Treva Lee Burns. He married Linda Lee Lattin on Aug. 17, 1968, in McPherson, Kan...

WITTENBURG, Mo. -- Work continues on the Mississippi River, 33 miles north of Cape Girardeau, to complete off-loading several million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel from four barges that went aground on the Missouri side of the river Friday about two miles north of Wittenburg...

Sharon K. Davis, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral Home, with the Rev. Tony Kobak officiating...

ADVANCE, Mo. — Charles F. Birkman, 83, of Advance died Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. There is no service. Arrangements by McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Leona K. French, 82, of Perryville died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 6:30 to 9 a.m. Saturday at Young and Sons Funeral Home in Perryville...

McCLURE, Ill. — Marguerite Koenig, 75, of Wilmington, Del., formerly of McClure, died Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at Parkview Nursing Home in Wilmington. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill.

It's the time of the year when Santa brings gifts to children all over the world. He recently revealed the science he uses to get down the chimney. Here's a model of how it works. Adult supervision is recommended. STEP 2: Quickly put the egg on the opening of the jar and watch how Santa goes down...

Charlotte Schumacher was born Aug. 27, 1919, in Fordyce, Ark. She married Leonard J. Schumacher during World War II and resided in Cape Girardeau. Charlotte was a prayerful person who was converted to the Catholic faith upon her marriage. She was active in Church Women United and St. Vincent DePaul prayer group, and enjoyed friendship and fellowship with women of many faiths. She was famous for her homemade pies and cakes...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- It was nearly 200 years ago that the first in a series of massive earthquakes shook Missouri and much of the nation. Now, several Missouri school districts are preparing for a drill to prepare for the next big one. State officials say that nearly 100 districts and individual schools have registered for Missouri's second statewide earthquake drill at 10:15 a.m. ...

SENATH, Mo. -- A fire Tuesday morning destroyed the home where accused child murderer Shawn Morgan lived before being arrested. The next day, Morgan was in court to plead not guilty to the charges against him. Morgan, 43, is charged with killing 3-year-old Breeann Rodriguez, a girl who lived near the home in Senath...

Route H between County Road 524 and Route U at Blodgett, Mo., will be reduced to one lane today and Monday and closed Tuesday while Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform routine bridge repairs. Weather permitting, the repairs will be done from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and Monday, and the road will be closed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling near the area...

Honors, achievements scholarships -- From staff reports...

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," rated G @Cape West 14 Cine "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," rated PG-13 @Cape West 14 Cine SATURDAY SUNDAY NEXT WEEK "Trine 2" X360, PS3 "Soccer Up!" Wii "Dolphin Tale," PG...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests The Department of Public Safety released the following. Arrests do not imply guilt. Assault...

NEW YORK -- Ah, the warm feelings of the holidays: Comfort and joy. Good cheer. And buyer's remorse. People who rushed to snag discounts on TVs, toys and other gifts are quickly returning them for much-needed cash. The shopping season started out strong for stores, but it looks like the spending binge has given way to a holiday hangover...

Matthew Pfau covered the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 5-kilometer course in 17 minutes, 31.02 seconds to win the race. Nichole Clippard was the top female finisher, crossing the line in 21:27.30 Male 14 and younger -- Coleman Erwin 24.42.61; Nic Norris 28.59.24; Parker Watson 37.22.02; Tanner Watson 37.22.91...

The Tiger Classic has established itself as one of the state's premier high school wrestling tournaments since its inception nearly 40 years ago. Central coach James Brake expects that trend to continue when the Tigers host the 38th Tiger Classic at the junior high school this weekend...

ST. LOUIS -- Sam Bradford said he would not have been able to play if Wednesday had been game day. He didn't seem optimistic that a few more days would help, either. The St. Louis Rams quarterback played in Monday night's loss at Seattle after missing the previous game because of a persistent high left ankle sprain. He believes it'll be a challenge to get ready for Sunday's home game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a short week and a very sore ankle...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals finalized a two-year, $14 million free agent deal with shortstop Rafael Furcal, a trade deadline pickup who helped them in their run to the World Series title. The deal was completed Wednesday after the 34-year-old Furcal passed a physical. He gets salaries of $6 million next year and $7 million in 2013, along with a $1 million signing bonus...

Gabby Vieira excels in the butterfly. She's also not too shabby when it comes to the butterflies. Vieira conveniently was in a pool when she faced the fiercest competition of her young life last week at the Short Course Junior Nationals in Austin, Texas...

Tuesday's late scores reported to the Southeast Missourian.

Seven local players earned recognition on the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association's all-state teams.

The Cape Girardeau city government said in a post on its WordPress blog the 500 block of Broadway will be closed starting at 6 a.m. Thursday. Saber Excavating plans to close the road for building demolition per city permit. The structure is a 105-year-old building at 501 Broadway, purchased earlier this year by Trinity Lutheran Church. It's best known by its mural with a biblical message...

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Investors have soured on the latest attempt to resolve the European debt crisis. Stocks tumbled around the world Wednesday, the euro slid to an 11-month low and borrowing costs spiked for heavily indebted Italy. The markets' jitters reflect rising doubts about the deal European Union leaders reached at a summit last Friday in Brussels...