Stories from Wednesday, April 18, 2012

CAIRO, Ill. -- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to restrict traffic to one lane on the U.S. 51/U.S. 60/U.S. 62 Ohio River bridge between Wickliffe, Ky., and Cairo today, from about 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Motorists can expect to encounter one-lane traffic with alternating flow controlled by flaggers. ...

The identity of the man who was hit Tuesday morning by a tractor trailer on Interstate 55 hasn't yet been released by authorities, and may not be. Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Jason Selzer said police typically don't release names of those involved in attempted suicides. Selzer said much of the evidence collected at the scene indicates the incident was an attempted suicide...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. is expanding its board of directors by one member with the election of President and CEO Virginia McDowell. The casino operator said Wednesday that McDowell's appointment was effective last Thursday. With McDowell's addition, Isle of Capri's board now has 11 members, according to CapitalIQ...

Southeast Missouri State University will introduce its new athletic director at a news conference on Thursday. The conference will be at Kem Statuary Hall in the Aleen Vogel Wehking Alumni Center, 926 Broadway. The event is open to the public. Cindy Gannon, Southeast's associate director of athletics/senior woman administrator, has been the interim athletic director since June, when John Shafer announced his retirement...

Make and model: 1997 Geo Tracker Owner(s): JP Beussink Owner's hometown: Cape Girardeau She was my first love! I had her out on the west coast for a a couple of years. She does very well in the sand as you can see. Convertible too. My car's name: Martha...

The governor's Faith-Based & Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery will hold a regional conference from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 26 at Saint Francis Medical Center. The conference will provide advice about the demands churches and other religious communities must be prepared for following a large-scale disaster. It will also address the continuing needs that communities face long after disasters and how to be prepared for a possible disaster...

Bolstered by three individual contributions of $10,000 apiece, Rep. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, outpaced opponent Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, by nearly $25,000 in their hunt for the Missouri Senate's 27th District, according to the year's first quarterly campaign finance reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission...

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department and Alliance Water Resources will test fire hydrants throughout the city beginning today. According to a blog post by the Cape Girardeau city government, the testing will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and last until about May 5. ...

Faced with reductions in state funds and facilities for mental health care, the Community Counseling Center is finding new and more cost-effective ways to serve patients, its executive director said. John Hudak spoke at Tuesday night's League of Women Voters of Southeast Missouri meeting at the Cape Girardeau Public Library...

parmley's hitting streak reached 45 games in the 5-3 win against Arkansas State

The man who was hit head-on by a tractor trailer Tuesday morning on Interstate 55 apparently suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the face in the moments before exiting his vehicle, police said Tuesday afternoon. The victim, whose identity hasn't yet been released, was in serious condition with life-threatening injuries at a Cape Girardeau hospital.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House endorsed legislation Tuesday that would make it a crime for undercover activists to produce videos portraying poor conditions at livestock farms or other agricultural facilities.

The Southeast Missouri Pachyderms recently announced they will hold the Public Administrators forum and celebrate Pachyderm Founder's Day on Thursday. The forum will provide the public an opportunity to hear from candidates. The Founder's Day celebration includes cake, recognition of past club leaders and an award. ...

Girl Scouts getting ready to perform a Flag Ceremony for a breakfast meeting. They are such a great group of girls and I am lucky to be a part of their lives.

Lydia Reitzel and Jamie Hodge competed at the Missouri Junior Academy of Science competition held on the campus of the University of Missouri on April 13, 2012. Reitzel and Hodge were awarded a "Highly Superior" purple ribbon at the Southeast Missouri Junior Academy of Science competition on March 6, 2012 at Southeast Missouri State University to make them eligible to compete at the state level. ...

Cape Bethel Assembly of God Junior Bible Quiz team placed 4th in the B League Master Division at the District Bible Quiz meet held in Chesterfield, MO. Colby Sinclair, Dawson Tally, Natalie Moore, Isaac Respondek, Moriah Respondek and Luke Tally and coaches Dan and Lee Ann Tally. Individual places Dawson Tally 12th, Natalie Moore 11th, and Luke Tally 8th...

Beautiful Daphney is 3 years old. She is available for adoption the Humane Society 573-334-5837. See more pets available at www.semopets.org

Photo taken at Capaha Park April 18th.

Cheeseburgers were on the menu Tuesday at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School. What wasn't there, according to school food service workers and the school district's nutrition services coordinator, was "pink slime," a term that's become familiar to many, from grocery store shoppers to school principals to fast-food restaurant chain executives...

On April 17, 2012 the Girardot Chapter met at the VFW Post 3838, 1049 N Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau. Colleen Neill, CAP-OM from the Springfield Metro Chapter of the Missouri Division, IAAP (International Association of Administrative Professionals) presented "Picture This -- A Fun and Interactive Look at the IAAP Organization."...

A robin built her nest in our ornamental plum tree right beside our home. I couldn't get close enough to get Ms Robin but I got a picture of her future children. Mr.& Ms. Robin tried three times to build one on top of our ladder, but finally gave up and went to the plum tree...

Chaffee Nursing Center, skilled nursing by Americare recently received its company's Philosophy Award during Americare's 31st annual meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona. Chaffee Nursing Center was selected from Americare's skilled nursing facilities to receive the award based on exemplary quality in all four areas of the company's corporate philosophy: service to residents, service to employees, service to the community, and fiscal responsibility...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Physicians prescribing abortion-inducing drugs could face greater requirements than those performing surgical abortions under legislation that won preliminary approval Tuesday in the state House.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers want to require state education officials to check for cheating on standardized tests.

Teams from 24 area high schools to compete in the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Mathematics' 34th annual Math Field Day at the Show-Me Center Tuesday, April 17

Today is Wednesday, April 18, the 109th day of 2012. There are 257 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 18, 1942, an air squadron from the USS Hornet led by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle raided Tokyo and other Japanese cities during World War II...

NEW ORLEANS -- Nearly two dozen companies that manufactured government-issued trailers for storm victims after Hurricane Katrina have agreed to pay $14.8 million in a proposed class-action settlement of claims the temporary shelters exposed occupants to hazardous fumes...

TOKYO -- A Tokyo developer took visitors up the world's tallest free-standing broadcast structure Tuesday, a 2,080-foot tower with special technology meant to withstand earthquakes that often strike Japan. The Tokyo Skytree is the world's second-tallest structure behind the 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai, according to owner Tobu Tower Skytree Co...

Stocks stormed higher Tuesday after promising signals about the profitability of U.S. companies and a strong debt auction by Spain. The Dow Jones industrial average rose for the fourth day in five and posted its biggest gain in a month. European stocks had their best day in four months after Spain, the latest flash point in the European debt crisis, attracted strong investor interest at an auction of two-year debt...

Picture this. You've served your country in the armed services, potentially having been deployed overseas multiple times, and when you come home you're faced with a struggling job market. For some of our nation's veterans this is the sad reality. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the unemployment rate for Gulf War II-era veterans, those who served on active duty following Sept. 11, 2001, was 12.1 percent in 2011. The rate for all veterans was 8.3 percent...

HB 1719 -- Interstate Compact on the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote Act -- is unconstitutional. Under the Constitution, the highest-ranking U.S. officials elected by direct popular vote of the people are the governors of the states. Furthermore, the people were empowered to choose, by direct popular election, the men and women who represent them in their state legislatures and in the U.S. Congress...

Why bring a lawsuit on the 2009 annexation now? As a taxpayer and resident of the lovely city of Jackson, I am at a loss to the lawsuit filed against us, the property owners who pay the bills for the city, by a native son of Jackson. The Jackson attorney and law firm that filed the lawsuit, which I believe maybe their second lawsuit filed against Jackson, also represents Save Our Children's Health Inc. with connection to Saxony Lutheran High School. Why are they suing us?...

AS we all know, Scott County police do not make any effort to patrol rural roads, which are riddled with drunks, illegal ATVs and farm equipment that is so large that it hangs over both sides of these narrow roads. Not one of the many farmers who drive such dangerous equipment have proper vehicles in front/back to warn oncoming traffic of the danger they are posing. ...

Yet another tax day has come and gone. It's not the most pleasant day of the year, but not all of us view tax day with hesitation. Some in fact, recognize that tax day is their financial bonanza of the year. When the final figures are compiled, it will show that nearly 60 million Americans were nonpayers on tax day. Most of those folk -- 96 percent in the most recent calculation -- made under $50,000 annually...

We praise you, O Heavenly Father, for you are our strength and our defense. Amen.

BYRNES MILL, Mo. -- The Environmental Protection Agency plans to test 256 Jefferson County residential properties amid concerns that lead in the Big River is contaminating soil. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that testing is expected to be completed by midsummer. Recent studies and samples indicated widespread lead contamination in the flood plain that extends from Leadwood in St. Francois County to the confluence with the Meramec River near Eureka...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Board of Education decided Tuesday to close six St. Louis charter school campuses run by Virginia-based Imagine Schools Inc. because of academic and fiscal management problems. More than 3,500 students will be affected when the schools close at the end of the academic year, and the state said it would open a transition office to find spots for the displaced students in St. Louis public schools and other charter schools in the city...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Six of Missouri's 13 recent confirmed cases of E. coli have been linked to the consumption of unpasteurized milk or raw dairy products from a farm in Howard County although the source of the infection has not been confirmed, state health officials said Monday...

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- His grandfather made his name in the 1930s as a teenage guerrilla, battling the Japanese soldiers who then occupied Korea. His father spent decades solidifying the family's hold over the country, building up the military, extending the intelligence apparatus and driving its nuclear ambitions...

WASHINGTON -- The main figure in a General Services Administration spending scandal took trips to Hawaii, Napa Valley and South Pacific islands, all after the agency's inspector general warned top officials about the excesses. A timeline released by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday shows that GSA executive Jeffrey Neely took five trips totaling 44 days, including a 17-day trip to Hawaii, Guam and Saipan that he and his wife planned as a birthday celebration...

WASHINGTON -- The Secret Service prostitution scandal escalated Tuesday with the disclosure that at least 20 women had been in hotel rooms with U.S. agents and military personnel just before President Barack Obama arrived for a summit with Latin American leaders. The head of the Secret Service said he had referred the matter to an independent government investigator...

Daughter to Daniel and Amy Smiley of Paducah, Ky., Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. Name, Reagan Elizabeth. Weight, 7 pounds. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Smiley is the former Amy Carman, daughter of Dave and Georgia Carman of Kelso, Mo. Smiley is the son of Rondell and Sharon Smiley of Bernie, Mo. He is a certified nurse anesthetist...

THEBES, Ill. -- Eighty-two years ago today, the Thebes railroad bridge was officially opened to traffic, when a steam-powered passenger train made the trip from the Illinois shore to the Missouri side of the river. Cape Girardeau native Dr. Bill Atchley, president of the National Sight Center for Communication and Electronic Foundation, has been named president of the University of Pacific at Stockton, Calif...

BEIRUT -- Artillery shatters homes in opposition areas. Regime tanks roll though city centers. Civilians dig graves for dozens of corpses, scrawling their names on headstones with black markers. Six days on, this is the cease-fire in Syria. But U.N. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More Missourians than ever filed their tax returns online this year as more post offices cut back on the traditional late tax day hours. Ted Farnen of the Missouri Department of Revenue estimates that three out of every four Missourians filing a tax return this year will opt to e-file rather than mail in their returns...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich (shwyk) is raising concerns about the bidding and oversight of license offices. The 183 offices handle motor vehicle registration and titling, and driver's license renewals. Operators keep a fee for each transaction, and contracts to run them now are competitively bid...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri added about 4,800 jobs in March as its unemployment rate remained steady. Figures released Tuesday by the state Department of Economic Development show that Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.4 percent in March -- the same level as in February. That remained below the national unemployment rate of 8.2 percent in March...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri House member wants to make it harder for voters to change the state's hunting, fishing and forestry laws. Proposals that go on a statewide ballot through initiative petitions only need a simple majority to pass. But House Republican Don Ruzicka, of Mount Vernon, wants to raise the threshold to two-thirds for ballot questions affecting hunting and fishing...

The U.S. attorney's office released the following information Monday for defendants who appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey. Sentenced Name: Gregory T. Taylor Residence: Jackson Charges: Possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentina's takeover of its top energy company from Spain's Repsol might solve the country's short-term energy needs, and thrills Argentines who blame privatizations for their economy's collapse a decade ago. But analysts say it sends a terrible signal to anyone wanting to invest in Argentina...

WASHINGTON -- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's push for a Republican version of immigration legislation looks like the answer to the election-year prayers of the GOP -- and Mitt Romney. Rubio -- telegenic son of Cuban exiles and potential vice presidential pick -- is pulling together a bill that would allow young illegal immigrants to remain in the United States but denies them citizenship, an initial step in the drawn-out, divisive fight over immigration policy and the fate of the 11 million people here illegally.. ...

OSLO, Norway -- In a scene unimaginable in many countries, Norway's worst mass killer got the chance to explain his fanatical views to the court and the world, unrepentant and dressed in a business suit. Prosecutors and lawyers for the families of his 77 victims even shook his hand...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrest Firefighters responded to the following call Sunday:...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Loella Robinson, 83, of Mounds passed away Monday, April 16, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 28, 1928, in Mound City, Ill., daughter of William and Eunice Sweet Hankins. Loella was a member of Mounds Assembly of God Church. She and her husband owned and operated Robinson Grocery Store 20 years in Mounds. She was a member and past president of Mounds VFW Auxiliary...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Bryce Frederick Reed, 25, of Jonesboro died Monday, April 16, 2012, at his home. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Jonesboro. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the Revs. Jimmy Keller and Bill Minor officiating. Burial will be in Green Lawn Cemetery in Villa Ridge, Ill...

ROXBORO, N.C. -- Shirley Jean Morgan, 78, of Roxboro died Saturday, April 14, 2012, at Duke University Hospital. She was born June 2, 1933, in Cape Girardeau County, to Leo A. and Louise Wadlow Rasche. Shirley's Christian faith was a constant source of strength...

Margaret Ann Huebel, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, April 16, 2012, at her home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to service time Saturday at Red Star Baptist Church. The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Rick Crump officiating. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery...

Velma M. Crain, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, April 16, 2012, at Southeast Hospital. She was born Aug. 12, 1930, in Holland, Mo., to James and Maggie Patterson DeCourley. Survivors include two daughters, Sarah Jane Groves of Cape Girardeau, Frankie Marie Kassel of Nashville, Tenn.; three grandchildren, Christy Groves of Cape Girardeau, Daniel and Amanda Kassel of Nashville; two brothers, Howard and Lloyd DeCourley of Fisk, Mo.; two sisters, Ollie Rice of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Carrie Simms of Memphis, Tenn.; nieces; nephews; and other relatives.. ...

Gina Pelia Heider, 6 weeks old, of Gordonville passed away Saturday, April 14, 2012, at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center in St. Louis. She was born March 2, 2012, in St. Louis, daughter of Dennis Wayne and Stephanie Lorene Heider. Baby Gina may have only lived a short six weeks, but through a miracle of God she was blessed with a short time and beat existing odds. Hence, Pelia, meaning miracle of God, given to her as her middle name...

All the local high school events reported Tuesday to the Southeast Missourian.

The Central baseball teamed jumped out to a quick lead and didn't allow visiting New Madrid County Central to rally Tuesday. The Tigers held on for the 3-1 victory. "We're an inconsistent ballclub right now," NMCC coach Joseph McClarty said. "We weren't ready to play the first two or three innings, and we were never ready to hit."...

Southeast Missouri State baseball coach Mark Hogan couldn't have picked a better place to notch his 900th career victory. "Having it come at Capaha Field is really special to me," Hogan said. "This is the field I grew up on and the community I grew up in."...

St. Louis was without a defensive coordinator during its first field activity under Fisher

Oran allowed Saxony Lutheran starter Ethan Mirly to wiggle out of a jam in the first inning Tuesday. Eagles catcher Alex Heuring didn't allow him to do it in the second inning. Heuring one-hopped a double off the left-field wall to plate two runs with two outs in the second to help the Eagles defeat the host Crusaders 8-1...

Notre Dame improved to 9-1 behind its pitching ace

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route A in Scott County from U.S. 61 to Highway 77 will be reduced to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction as contractor crews begin asphalt overlay. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Tuesday through May 25. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route U from U.S. 61 to Route H in Scott County will be reduced to one lane as contractor crews perform pavement repairs. Weather permitting, the work will be done from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Tuesday through May 25. The work zone will be marked with signs. For additional information, contact resident engineer Brian Holt at 243-0899 or the Missouri Department of Transportation's Customer Service Center at 888-275-6636, or visit www.modot.org/southeast...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Route H in Scott County, from Route U to Route HH, will be reduced to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction as contractor crews begin the asphalt overlay. Weather permitting, work will be done from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Tuesday through May 25. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Matt Carpenter hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. David Freese walked to lead off the 10th off Sam LeCure (0-1). Tyler Greene came in as a pinch-runner and advanced on a sacrifice by Yadier Molina. After an intentional walk to John Jay, reliever Bill Bray entered and walked Daniel Descalso to load the bases...

CHANTILLY, Va. -- Space shuttle Discovery soared around the Washington Monument and the White House in a salute to the nation's capital Tuesday before landing for the last time near its new museum home. The world's most traveled spaceship took off at daybreak from Cape Canaveral, Fla., bolted to the top of a modified jumbo jet for the trip. Three hours later, the pair took a few spins around Washington at an easy-to-spot 1,500-foot altitude before the retired shuttle was grounded for good...

Chaffee's Jared Walker's first two at-bats against Scott City's Landon Robert didn't go exactly as planned Thursday. Walker was hit by a pitch the first time he saw Robert then struck out the second. He made the most of his opportunity the third time he saw Scott City's pitcher...