Stories from Monday, April 23, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Republican leaders in the Missouri House are backing legislation that would limit the discussion of people's sexual orientation in public schools. A one-sentence bill filed in the House would prohibit teaching, extracurricular activities or materials that discuss sexual orientation -- unless they relate to the scientific facts about human reproduction...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson told the state Ethics Commission last week that he wanted to report the origins of campaign contributions that landed him in legal trouble but was asked by federal authorities not to contact state officials...

National Guardsmen from the 1140th Engineer battalion have been at work in Naco Cortes, Honduras, over the last month constructing and renovating a military base, two medical clinics and three schools. The mission, known as "Beyond the Horizon -- Honduras 2012" will last until July and is intended to teach soldiers skills through participation in "real-world missions," according to a Friday news release...

Local 8-year-old Jacy LeGrand will appear in an episode of TLC's "Toddlers & Tiaras" scheduled to air at 9 p.m. Wednesday. According to her mother, Gina LeGrand, Jacy is in many of the promotions for the current season. "It's made us a little bit more popular in the pageant world," Jacy said. "Everybody watches the show and a lot of girls will see it."...

Hybrid and electric car purchases set new records last month as more people are opting to plug up, rather than fill up at the gas pump. Americans bought a record 52,000 gas-electric hybrids and all-electric cars in March, up from 34,000 during the same month last year, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank...

Kenton Parmley's historic hitting streak came to an end Sunday. But Parmley found no reason to sulk. He was in a good mood because Southeast Missouri State finally notched its first Ohio Valley Conference series win of the season. "I'd take an 0-fer every day if we win. Winning is more important than individual accomplishments," said Parmley, Southeast's senior shortstop. "I'm glad we got the win. I couldn't be happier."...

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Frederick Frankenstein, played by A.J. Holmes, performs "The Brain" along with his medical students during act one of "Young Frankenstein" on Sunday inside the Bedell Performance Hall on the River Campus. ...

The following is a news release sent out Monday morning, April 23, 2012, by Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle regarding murder and evidence tampering charges against Clay Waller. On Monday, April 23, 2012, Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle charged James Clay Waller, II, age 41, with first degree murder and two counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the murder of Waller's wife, Jacque Sue Waller, who has been missing since June 1, 2011...

The family of Jacque Waller put out this statement on Monday, April 23, 2012, regarding the charging of her husband, Clay Waller, with her murder. This morning, Morley Swingle, Prosecuting Attorney for Cape Girardeau County (MO) filed first degree murder charges against Clay Waller in the disappearance of his wife, Jacque, last June 1. He is being held on a one million dollar bond...

We do All Natural Pageants too. Here is a picture of Jacy on stage at the 2012 Beautiful Me Missouri State Pageant. Where she was crowned 2012 Missouri State Glitz Grand Supreme Queen.

Siblings Peyton and Kobey hunted for brothers second turkey of the season

Guardsmen use computer simulations to prepare for deployment FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- To prepare for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Soldiers of the 1138th Engineer Sapper Company use Virtual Battlespace 2 to create realistic route clearance scenarios and practice team building...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Capt. Matthew Knoderer, of Cape Girardeau, is the new commander for the 1221st Transportation Company in Dexter, Sikeston and Portageville. During a ceremony, the company's guidon was passed to Knoderer to symbolize the transfer of authority and responsibility...

Want to know more about The Women's Safe house? come to Dempster Hall room 107 to hear a presenation given by Mr.Kyle Riddle about The Women's Safe House,what it's all about and what you can do to help!!

Cape Girardeau County 4-H hosted the 2012 current State 4-H Council members and special guests on April 21, 2012 at the Cape Girardeau County Extension office Jackson, MO.

On Saturday April 14, 2012 more than 40 area Cub Scouts from Cape Girardeau Packs 15, 20 and 21 converged on Lou Muegge Field for a fun filled afternoon of friendly physical competition. The Cub Scouts participated in track and field events along with a Tent Building Competition between the packs. The track and field events of the day included, 50 meter run, 100 meter run, football toss, standing long jump, shot-put, and an obstacle course...

I'm Kyle Hinton, a film student at SEMO and I'm attempting to make an independent feature film during this summer break. However, I'm still in search of actors for it. I've worked with the River City Players before and I'm hosting an audition at Port Cape with them on Sunday April 23, 2012 from 2:00pm until 5:00pm. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The NAACP has sent a letter to a top Missouri education official questioning why the more than 3,500 students attending a network of soon-to-close St. Louis charter schools haven't been given the option of transferring to accredited school districts, as allowed under state law...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A paroled bank robber is back in custody, this time on drug charges. According to a news release from the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department, at about 12:15 p.m. Friday, deputies and New Madrid police officers assisted U.S. Probation and Parole officers in serving a federal search warrant on a residence in New Madrid. Officers located about 12 grams of crack cocaine and marijuana packaged for individual sale, according to the release...

In an effort to bring in extra funds for roadway and bridge projects, the Missouri Department of Transportation's Southeast District is selling some of its properties. Parcels in Cape Girardeau, Stoddard, Butler, Perry, Dunklin and Pemiscot counties are for sale through the department's "Realty to Roads" campaign...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers have moved to reduce state licensing fees for animal shelters and commercial breeders as nerves remain raw following recent battles over the dog-breeding industry. Legislation approved last week by the Missouri House eventually would exempt animal shelters from the fees while reducing the maximum charges that commercial breeders pay for licenses from the state Department of Agriculture. ...

Today is Monday, April 23, the 114th day of 2012. There are 252 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 23, 1789, President-elect George Washington and his wife, Martha, moved into the first executive mansion, the Franklin House, in New York...

It's not work for everyone. Teaching a bunch of teenagers. Trying to motivate them. Dealing with the drama on and off the stage. The long days and nights. But it is work for Cynthia King. Wonderful work. Work that she missed so badly a few years ago when she was dealing with breast cancer...

When will the politicians and news media stop talking about increasing the tax (income) on the rich and talk about the real tax problem? The way most moneyed people avoid taxes is by using congressionally enacted loop holes designed to avoid certain taxes...

We hear so many stories about the bad young people in our midst and people are always knocking younger people, but there are some that need to be recognized. This afternoon while going to a fast-food restaurant, three young men walked in the door at the same time I did. ...

O Father God, may we be good stewards of all you have blessed us with. Amen.

Son to Gary Ray Wilfong and Megan Lydia-Louise Kaempfer of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Hospital, 1:09 a.m. Friday, April 13, 2012. Name, Canan Noah Ray. Weight, 8 pounds. Third child, first son. Ms. Kaempfer is the daughter of Kelli and Les Stewart of Jackson and Danny and Julie Kaempfer of Marble Hill, Mo. Wilfong is the son of Susan Haffner of Jackson, and the late David Wilfong of Wayne County...

Scott City officials say they will pay the bill to correct a mistake made 47 years ago when the former city of Fornfelt incorrectly installed a sanitary sewer line; the city will replace a 900-foot section of sewer line in the alley between Perkins and Good Hope streets...

WASHINGTON -- The improving economy is swinging the pendulum in President Barack Obama's favor in the 14 states where the presidential election will likely be decided. Recent polls have shown Obama gaining an edge over his likely Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, in several so-called swing states -- those that are considered up for grabs...

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

Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday:...

The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests...

Carl Murray, 45, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, April 22, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Sandra Kay McCulley, 52, of Cape Girardeau passed away Friday, April 20, 2012, at her home in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 3, 1960, in Hayti, Mo., to Virgie Pauline House and D.C. Carnell. She was united in marriage July 5, 1975, in Chaffee, Mo., to Steven L. McCulley; he survives of the home. Her father, D.C. Carnell preceded her in death...

PATTON, Mo. -- Mary Louise Whitener Conrad of Patton passed away Saturday, April 21, 2012, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau after a valiant fight with cancer. She was born Sept. 4, 1950, in Cape Girardeau, the daughter of Wendell (Jack) and Wilma J. Wallis Whitener. On June 22, 1969, she married her high school sweetheart, Terry Conrad...

IMPERIAL, Mo. -- Rebecca "Becky" Jean Butcher, 60, of Imperial, formerly of Gale, Ill., passed away Saturday, April 21, 2012, at her home. She was born Jan. 30, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, to James J. and Stella Mae Prewitt Simmons. Rebecca graduated from Shawnee High School in Wolf Lake, Ill., in 1970. She also graduated from Shawnee Community College School of Nursing in Ullin, Ill., with a registered nurse degree. She was also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan...

John Cobb recently joined the professional sales staff at Patrick Furniture of Cape Girardeau. He brings 36 years of experience in the home furnishings industry. Cobb, a Cape Girardeau native, is a graduate of Central High School. He also attended Southeast Missouri State University...

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern will open this June in the Town Plaza shopping center, 2016 William Street. Owners Bill Zellmer and Lonnie Griggs are the first franchisees of the Michigan-based restaurant chain. Zellmer and Griggs, who are brothers-in-law, operate six Buffalo Wild Wings franchises in the region, including one in Town Plaza. ...

Over the years, Rob Janet, CEO of Dutch Enterprises, has helped his company grow and use technology to find new ways to keep its customers comfortable in their homes and businesses. Q:How did your career evolve to get you to where you are today?...

Evaluating the hiring of an athletic director isn't easy because there are no quantifiable performance results like wins and losses. But on the surface, Southeast Missouri State appears to have done well in landing 39-year-old Mark Alnutt. I thought Alnutt, a former Missouri football player who has spent the last 14 years at the state's flagship university, made a favorable first impression when he was introduced as Southeast's new athletic director last week...

The Southeast Missouri State softball team completed its second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference series sweep to celebrate senior day in style Sunday. Southeast eased past visiting Tennessee State 6-2. That came after the Redhawks won both ends of Saturday's doubleheader 2-0 and 12-4...

The right-hander improved to 3-0 with another strong outing vs. the Pirates

ST. LOUIS -- Ken Hitchcock walked to the podium calm and confident. True, this was the St. Louis Blues' first playoff series win in a decade. For the man who presided over their rise to prominence, it's only natural that he's still coaching. "This feels normal for me," Hitchcock said after the Blues finished off the San Jose Sharks in five games with a 3-1 victory Saturday night. "This is why they brought me in, for this time of the year."...

On this day, April 23 Cape river level: 35.3 feet Cape flood stage: 32 feet Cairo river level: 51 feet Cairo flood stage: 40 feet Rainfall: 3.10 inches Crest predictions along the Mississippi River and other waterways were on the rise. The crest at Cape Girardeau, originally set at just a few feet above flood stage, was revised to just short of 42 feet, nearly 10 feet above flood stage. The Way of the Cross was moved inside due to rainy weather...