Stories from Monday, July 16, 2012

The Cape Girardeau School Board will hear answers from district administrators to their questions about the district's low graduation rate tonight. Superintendent Jim Welker and assistant superintendent Sherry Copeland told board members at the June 18 meeting of the board they would present data collected thus far on the effectiveness of a professional learning communities model at the high school. ...

SENATH, Mo -- A Senath woman has been charged with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action and felony endangering the welfare of a child. The charges stem from an incident June 2 when Tameca Bryant, 23, hit her two-year-old son in the head with a 12-inch cast iron skillet, said Senath chief of police Omar Karnes...

A Perryville, Mo., man was hospitalized with serious injuries after he fled a Perry County sheriff's deputy and crashed his vehicle early Sunday morning, authorities said. About 2:50 a.m., a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on Dylan A. Bohnert, 19, who was driving a 1996 Ford on Perry County Road 906, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston has been arrested man after allegedly showing pornographic movies and undressing himself in front of a child. Willie Ray McGee, 61, is charged with five felony counts of sexual misconduct involving a child under 15 years old and five misdemeanor counts of furnishing or attempting to furnish pornographic material to a minor...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is investigating the Sunday evening shooting of a 9-year-old girl. According to a news release from Lt. Jim McMillen, police were notified just after 6 p.m. that a 9-year-old girl was being transported to a hospital with a gunshot wound to her left shoulder. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As a Democratic candidate for governor, Jay Nixon pledged to expand Medicaid coverage as his "first order of businesses." During his first year as governor, he failed to persuade the Republican-led Legislature to pass a relatively moderate Medicaid expansion...

Ameren customers will have a chance to show how the company's fifth rate increase request in six years will affect them during a series of public hearings across the state, including one in Cape Girardeau next month. In February, the utility company asked the Missouri Public Service Commission to allow Ameren to increase its revenue by $375.6 million. ...

St. Louis-based KCI Construction is set to be awarded a $55.6 million contract to build Cape Girardeau's new wastewater treatment plant, an amount city officials said could hold the line on another sewer rate increase while still providing a facility to bring the city into compliance with federal and state treatment regulations...

Two sides are marshaling their forces in a fight that could decide the future of communities in Southern Illinois. When Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn used his veto power to slash funding for several facilities in the region, many members of the General Assembly saw the act as a shot across their bow...

The Perry County Middle School Cheerleading team just finished a week at camp, where they received instruction from a former Perryville High School cheerleader. The camp ended July 12, according to Head Coach Crystal Koenig. Her assistant is Haley Buchheit...

In Greece, monks built monasteries on the tops of rock peaks. These are now called the Majestic Meteora Monasteries. Most have now fallen into antiquity, but several remain in good repair and a few are still functional monasteries and may be visited...

A laugh silenced. Two bright eyes, closed forever. A heart of gold beats no more. Wisdom beyond your years and love for everyone around you. Be at peace my friend, I will always love you.

HILLIARD, Mo. -- Part of a freight train carrying empty tankers derailed early Saturday morning near Hilliard, causing the Union Pacific Railroad's north-south line to be shut down as a portion of its track was replaced. As of Saturday evening, it was unknown when the line would reopen following the 26-car derailment, which occurred after 1 a.m. Saturday and involved a northbound Union Pacific train, according to Mark Davis, the railroad's public relations director...

What a man wears could tell a lot about him. What Civil War soldiers wore certainly has told historians a lot about the war efforts at the time, said Michael Comer, director of the Hunter-Dawson House in New Madrid, Mo. On Sunday, Comer spoke at the monthly meeting of the Cape Girardeau Civil War Roundtable at the Cape River Heritage Museum, discussing the different challenges faced in outfitting Union and Confederate armies...

Today is Monday, July 16, the 198th day of 2012. There are 168 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On July 16, 1862, Flag Officer David G. Farragut became the first rear admiral in the United States Navy. On this date:...

Through the SEMO Regional Industrial Training Group, local businesses are sharing the cost of improving their workforce. Coordinated by the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center and Mineral Area College, the group includes more than 20 companies that send employees to various training programs throughout the year...

Business licenses issued in Cape Girardeau during June include the following:Bagger Dave's, 2106 William St. 300 Bagger Dave's (liquor license), 2106 William St. 300 Budget Buster Furniture, 705 Broadway Cup 'n Cork, 46 N. Main St. Hannah's Cabana, 3049 William St. (kiosk)...

Cape Girardeau County Tax liens and lien discharges recorded at the office of Scott R. Clark, recorder of deeds, during June are filed by the Missouri Department of Revenue, except as indicated by IRS designation. For more information, contact the recorder's office at (573) 243-8123...

Bankruptcies filed through June for the Southeastern Division of the Eastern District of Missouri's U.S. Bankruptcy Court are listed below with their corresponding case number. The Southeast Division includes the counties of Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne. Court is held in Cape Girardeau...

As president of Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Mo., Dr. Devin Stephenson has been the driving force behind efforts to obtain funding and create partnerships within the community and the educational realm. He's just as driven in his personal life, where he's involved in the Boys and Girls Club, the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center Board of Governors, the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, the Poplar Bluff Police Department's Community Action Council and the Tax Increment Financing Commission of the City of Poplar Bluff, to name a few. ...

FARKAS NAMED DIRECTOR OF NURSES PARK HILLS, Mo. -- Kelly Farkas of Bonne Terre, Mo., was named director of nurses at Safe Harbor Hospice. She has been a registered nurse for six years and has worked in hospice for two years. HOSPITAL MOVES BILLING DEPARTMENT, LOSES 17 JOBS...

SEMO EXPRESS GETS SILVER AWARD SIKESTON, Mo. -- Semo Express LLC received a Silver Award from Great West Casualty Co. as part of the 2011 National Safety Awards Program. The program recognizes carriers with awards based on their year-end preventable accident results...

When Birdie LeGrand, training coordinator for Nordenia USA, talks about the company's education reimbursement policy, she likes to share a success story. A Nordenia employee working as an operator at the plant had a dream to be an accountant. "He was the only breadwinner for his family," LeGrand says. "He had four small kids and a stay-at-home wife." But, LeGrand says, it was his dream and he made it work...

Southeast Missouri State University started its first online classes in 1999. The courses filled quickly, and it wasn't long before instructors and the admissions department identified a need for more online programs. "People were inquiring if it would be possible to complete their degree online," says Dr. ...

Oak Ridge The school district will be making improvements with $1.5 million in bond money this summer to several systems in elementary buildings. Early August is the targeted completion date for installing new plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling systems; some new windows and paneling; new roofs on the main elementary building and library wing and several other renovations...

NORDENIA HONORS EMPLOYEES Michael Ponder of Jackson was employee of the month for June at Nordenia USA Inc. Ponder, a conversion operator, has been with the company since October 2006. Nordenia also recognized Gregory Brown and Caleb Craft for five years of service to the company...

Homecomers is one of the longest traditions in Cape Girardeau County. Jackson's annual festival began in 1908 when people gathered to celebrate the completion of the county courthouse. New to the celebration this year is a multimedia display created by the Jackson Community Outreach Board. The event will also have its more traditional food, rides and entertainment as well...

Regarding the Speak Out comment in Tuesday's edition about the deer ordinance, I have bow hunted for about 45 years. I have taken many deer. I have never seen a deer fly. In a hunting situation, why would anyone shoot an arrow high into the air to maximize the distance the arrow travels? So why are you concerned about the maximum distance of arrow flight?...

First came the threat. Then the bribe, or the offer that sounds almost too good to be true. Now it is the moment of truth. On June 28, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts rendered the majority opinion in a 5-4 vote upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. ...

O Heavenly Father, may we lead our lives to please you. Amen.

PARIS -- France's far-right National Front said Sunday that it plans to sue Madonna after the singer showed a video at a Paris concert that contained an image of the party's leader with a swastika on her forehead. The video has been shown at other concerts on the singer's tour, and the party has expressed its outrage before, warning that it would take action if the video were shown in France. On Saturday night, Madonna played it at the Stade de France...

EDGERTON, Mo. -- Authorities continued to search Sunday for two sisters who disappeared from a western Missouri home, leaving behind two young children, their purses and a cellphone. Britny Haarup, 19, and Ashley Key, 22, were reported missing Friday after Haarup's fiancé, Matt Meyers, came home to find his 6- and 18-monthold daughters alone and in the same crib. Relatives of the women said there was blood on the couch in the Edgerton residence, about 35 miles north of Kansas City...

Nancy Marshall of Cape Girardeau has earned the use of the exclusive Mary Kay pink Cadillac in honor of her business achievements. She will take delivery of her 12th Mary Kay career car in October. Independent sales directors earn the use of Mary Kay career cars by demonstrating outstanding business and leadership skills. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Activists have submitted a petition that seeks to decriminalize marijuana in Springfield. The Springfield News-Leader reported that petitions with more than 2,500 signatures were submitted Friday to the Springfield city clerk...

An investigation is underway into "possible criminal misuse of public funds" in Cape Girardeau's Municipal Court; the investigation is being conducted by the state auditor's office. Country western stars George Jones and Tanya Tucker will team up for the Show Me Center's first concert, one of eight events designed to show off the new venue; Jones and Tucker will headline an Aug. 21 show; they join comedian/singer Bob Hope as featured entertainers for the center's grand opening week...

ST. LOUIS -- With a half-century of farming under his belt, James Laird struggles to recall a summer worse than this one -- the drought has turned the corn crop he once had high hopes for into a complete, kernel-less bust. Soon, he'll be chopping it all to pieces and feeding it to his 150 head of cattle...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Two area residents were arrested in connection to a recent burglary. According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, Larry Lynn Taylor Jr., 27, and Hali Lauren Watson, 17, are charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, three counts of felony stealing of a firearm and two counts of felony stealing...

Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:...

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

Mary A. Bethards, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, July 14, 2012, at the Lutheran Home. She was born June 6, 1924, in Alton, Ill., to Walter L. and Julia A. Schmidt Smith. Mary and Leo Bethards were married Sept. 26, 1942, at Old Monroe, Mo. He died June 18, 2005...

Scott City's Kevin Hammes covered the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 8.57 seconds to win the Capaha Classic. Cape Girardeau's Ashley Schmittzehe was the top female finisher, crossing the line in 21:49.87. Ethan Ebert of Cape Girardeau and Jackson's Jasmine Jones won the children's mile run. Ebert finished in 9:33.02, while Jones completed the course in 7:09.76...

Camps Central Junior High camp: The Central Junior High will hold a football camp at the school. It will run from 9 to 11 a.m. July 23 to 26. There is no cost. Info: 651-6246. Notre Dame camp: Notre Dame coaches will hold a wrestling camp for grades 4 to 8 that will run from 2 to 4 p.m. July 23 to 27. Cost: $50. Info: 335-6772...

CINCINNATI -- So much for that momentum. The defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals emerged from the All-Star break with four wins in their last five games, a key player ready to return and a feeling that things were starting to fall into place after a first half marred by injuries...

The Plaza Tire Capahas split a doubleheader at the Springfield, Ill., Pallys on Sunday. Dustin Hunter pitched the Capahas to victory in the first game, a 10-0 decision in six innings. Hunter struck out seven and allowed two hits. Sean Bard provided more than enough offense. He hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning and finished with four RBIs...

I highly recommend Ron Andrews for assessor in the Aug. 7 primary election. I became acquainted with Ron through his service as an umpire for the Jackson Baseball League. Five years ago, the JBL board asked Ron to be a one-man umpiring crew at the Leonard Sander Armory field, where 7- and 8-year-old boys play "America's Greatest Pastime." Ron accepted the challenge and continues to receive raving reviews from parents and coaches for his ability to manage the game and mentor the boys. ...

Gerald Adams is the one candidate that can unite the citizens of the 146th District. Gerald will work tirelessly to put "unity" back into our community. Gerald's father, Leonard Adams, was a decorated veteran of World War II and a long time member of American Legion Post 158. ...

Republican congressional candidate Bob Parker works hard to communicate at personal events like candidate forums. There, interested voters get the chance to express concerns and hear how Bob plans to correct the direction of our country. One upcoming local event is the Cape County Tea Party -- 2012 Candidate Forum. ...

401 Independence St. Study session, 5 p.m. today Meeting, 7 p.m. today Items for discussion...

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 10,000 redesigned 2013 Escape SUVs to fix carpet padding that could get in the way of braking. Ford says that wrongly positioned carpet padding could reduce space around the pedals and cause drivers to hit the side of the brake pedal when switching from the accelerator...

WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators have closed a small bank in Missouri, bringing the number of U.S. banks that have failed so far this year to 33. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Friday that it seized Glasgow Savings Bank in Glasgow, Mo...

Missouri Farm Bureau will host an Agritourism Bus Tour and conference Aug. 24 and 25 in the Cape Girardeau and Perryville, Mo., areas. Anyone currently involved in agritourism or considering diversifying their farm into an agritourism business is encouraged to attend...

WASHINGTON -- Americans put more on their credit cards in May than in any single month since November 2007, one month before the recession began. But overall credit card use is still well below where it was just before the downturn. Economists say May's increase was likely a temporary response to weaker hiring and poor wage growth and not a sign of sustained confidence in the economy...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Kim Jong Un's top military official -- a key mentor to North Korea's new young leader -- has been removed from all posts because of illness, state media said Monday local time. At least one analyst speculated that a more likely reason for Ri Yong Ho's departure is Kim's desire to put his own mark on the government he inherited from his father late last year...

LONDON -- With the opening ceremony less than two weeks away, there's a mad dash to the finish line at the Olympics and it has nothing to do with sprinters. Hundreds of construction workers are toiling away inside the Olympic Park, laying cables, installing seats and adding the last layers of sparkle and polish to the venues...

LOS ANGELES -- A Texas man whose prized sports car was stolen 42 years ago recovered the vehicle in California after spotting it on eBay, authorities said Sunday. Robert Russell told the Los Angeles County sheriff's officials that he had never given up searching for the 1967 Austin Healy after it was stolen from his Philadelphia home in 1970...

BILLINGS, Mont. -- Grass and freshly planted trees are sprouting in a new town park that sits atop the site of a vermiculite plant that once spewed asbestos dust across the mountain community of Libby -- a welcome dose of normalcy for a city that has become synonymous with lung disease and death...

WASHINGTON -- The Institute of Medicine recommended Friday that soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan undergo annual screening for post-traumatic stress disorder and that federal agencies conduct more research to determine how well the various treatments for PTSD are working...

EDGERTON, Mo. -- Authorities in Platte County, Mo., say officials have found the bodies of two women in a field after officials interrogated "a suspect in the disappearance of Britny Haarup and Ashley Key." The Kansas City Star reported late Sunday that the bodies were found near Trimble, Mo., in Clinton County. Platte County Sheriff's Capt. Erik Holland told the newspaper the bodies were those of white women but he could not immediately confirm the victims' identities or how they had died...

NEW YORK -- Celeste Holm, a versatile, bright-eyed blonde who soared to Broadway fame in "Oklahoma!" and won an Oscar in "Gentleman's Agreement" but whose last years were filled with financial difficulty and estrangement from her sons, died Sunday, a relative said. She was 95...

Jana Gass has always been interested in business. The 24-year-old obtained an undergraduate degree in international business from Southeast Missouri State University, and recently completed a master's in business administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship also from Southeast...

BENTON, Mo. -- Farmers, ranchers and landowners are encouraged to nominate farmer and rancher candidates to serve on their local Farm Service Agency county committee by the Aug. 1 deadline. Elected county committee members serve a three-year term and are responsible for making decisions on agency disaster, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as other federal farm program issues, said Chris Grojean, Scott County USDA Farm Service Agency executive director...

CAIRO -- The head of Egypt's military took a tough line Sunday on the Muslim Brotherhood, warning that he won't let the fundamentalist group dominate the country, only hours after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged him to work with Egypt's elected Islamist leaders...

BOISE, Idaho -- For one night a year, a neighborhood farm in northwest Boise turns into a respite for singles who are tired of the same old dating scene. A poster board planted at the entrance of Earthly Delights Farm in late June advertised "Weed Dating," with a heart-stamped arrow guiding visitors to a sign-in table, where they were each assigned a number and invited to sample beer provided by a local brewer...

The Plaza Tire Cape Girardeau Junior American Legion baseball team defeated Scott County 13-1 in six innings during the District 14 tournament Sunday. The loss ended Scott County's season. Cape struck for seven runs in the sixth inning to end it. Lane Henson took the loss. He struck out four and walked five over 5 1/3 innings...

With college football teams having such large rosters, it's pretty much a given that several underclassmen leave programs for various reasons each year. One of the more notable younger players, at least from a regional perspective, missing from the 2012 Redhawks will be Trey Lewis, the Sikeston, Mo., native who would have been entering his sophomore season...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Congressmen William Lacy Clay Jr. and Russ Carnahan are neck-and-neck in fundraising for their Democratic primary in St. Louis. Federal campaign finance reports show Clay raised nearly $198,000 during the past quarter while Carnahan raised nearly $187,000...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Businessman John Brunner poured more than $2.5 million into his campaign for a Missouri Senate seat during the past quarter. Brunner now has put nearly $4.8 million of his own money into his Republican primary to challenge Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. He has spent much of that on TV ads...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is building a big bank account for his re-election campaign while some of his potential Republican challengers have been sinking their own money into their advertising efforts. Finance figures released Monday show Missouri's Democratic governor raised $2.1 million from April through June and had $7.6 million in his account at the start of July. ...