Stories from Monday, March 3, 2014

Although 6 inches was forecast, Cape Girardeau got 2 to 3 inches of snow overnight, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. Lead forecaster Greg Meffert said the predicted 4 to 6 inches was difficult to pin down because of when the sleet changed to snow. "It's very tough to call when you have mixed precipitation. I don't think we did too bad given the variable situation with the freezing rain, sleet and snow we had to deal with everywhere," Meffert said...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Although conditions on major roads seem to have improved, connecting roads are still an issue, according to a news release issued today by the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Snow plows have pushed the snow off toward the side of the road, but the release said this is contributing to the snow at intersections. Many vehicles are bottoming out and becoming stuck just before they reach the main road -- Malone or Main, the release said...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- A southwest Missouri woman is facing seven felony counts accusing her of offering to give two Joplin men a car in exchange for helping her kidnap her 1-year-old daughter from the girl's father. Elise D. Deboutez, 27, of Nevada, Mo., was bound over for trial at a preliminary hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court on Thursday on single counts of attempted child kidnapping and burglary, two counts of first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action, The Joplin Globe reported.. ...

ASBURY, Mo. -- It's Saturday night in a town whose population wouldn't even fill a small elementary school most nights. But on this night, stand by either of the two city limit signs and you'll see a line of car headlights approaching on Missouri Highway 171, dotting the darkness as they pass farm fields to the north and the south of town...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Members of the Springfield Shriners are trying to recruit new members to help keep a longtime band and other traditions alive. Declining membership numbers are especially affecting the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners Band, which has only about half of its 50 members show up for rehearsal, The Springfield News-Leader reported...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A Missouri felon who intentionally got himself arrested late last year so he would have someplace to stay after an ice storm said he is having second thoughts about the decision that landed him a four-year stay with the state Department of Corrections...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri motorists could be able to buy a higher blend of ethanol gasoline as early as this summer because of a new policy pushed by Gov. Jay Nixon over the unsuccessful objections of some lawmakers. The state has long been a leading promoter of ethanol, a corn-based fuel that is blended with regular petroleum gasoline. Missouri was among the first states in 2006 to mandate that most fuel contain 10 percent ethanol...

WASHINGTON -- Tourists flocked to the monuments in the nation's capital Sunday to enjoy 50-degree temperatures before yet another winter storm was expected to dump up to a foot of snow on parts of the East Coast. In the latest blast of a harsh winter, forecasters said a layer of ice and 8 to 12 inches of snow was possible by the end of today in Washington and the Mid-Atlantic region, while 6 to 8 inches of snow was predicted across parts of southern Pennsylvania. ...

Aiming to bolster its Project Canaan home for abandoned children in central Swaziland, the Cape Girardeau-based U.S. Heart for Africa group will hold its fifth annual Celebrate Hope fundraiser Saturday. Group president Jimmy Wilferth expects 400 to 500 people to help meet the group's $100,000 goal...

Cape Girardeau residents will likely wake up this morning to "right at" 6 inches of snow, and that may be conservative, according to Dan Spaeth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. The white stuff is expected to fall on top of a layer of a freezing rain-sleet combination, he said...

Inclement winter weather has led to several problems around Cape Girardeau. Perhaps one of the most obvious is the delay it's caused in work along the 200 block of Merriwether Street, which is part of the Broadway Stormwater Relief project. During heavy downpours, water backs up along the sides of Broadway, creating shallow pools as it slowly enters the drainage system. The stormwater relief project will install new pipes underground to convey that water to the Merriwether storm tunnel...

ST. LOUIS -- In a first-floor gallery at the St. Louis Art Museum hangs a life-size portrait of three bathing women and a small red turtle. The painting, by Henri Matisse, changed the course of art, and is considered one of the most influential 20th-century paintings in the United States...

The Missouri Department of Economic Development announced Select Plastics LLC, a custom plastic sheet extrusion manufacturer of Fort Worth, Texas, is expanding to Scott City. The facility will be the company's first expansion outside the Fort Worth area and will create 28 jobs, according to a news release from the agency...

Students who attend the Alternative Education Center usually wind up there because of several factors -- attendance, behavior and academic performance. But once they're there, principal Scott McMullen says, they want to stay. So far this year, McMullen said the school has served 170 students in grades six through 12, many of whom have "not had a lot of success in the main schools." Smaller class sizes and more individual attention helps students get their grades up and start experiencing success.. ...

Today (March 3) State Farm is launching a program in which: o Dog park in Mississippi o Art therapy for children in Missouri o Teen-run program to help war veterans in New York o Financial literacy program for high school students in Idaho...

Madison built her first snowman...of course we named it Olaf!!

Madison poses with Kacie, Lucky, Molly and Max ALL Grandma Dotty's Grandbabies!

Spring is near! The antlers have begun to fall.

Cape Girardeau -- Seven students from Keyboards & Kindermusik Conservatory, a piano, keyboard and Kindermusik teaching studio in Cape Girardeau, recently earned Gold Cup awards from the National Federation of Junior Music Clubs. The Junior Music Festival was held on Feb. 15. To receive a Gold Cup, students must compete at a minimum of three years earning the top rating. A student can earn up to five Gold Cup awards...

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release CONTACT INFORMATION: Name: Andrea Quiroz-Jira Address: 2101 West Broadway #322 Columbia, MO 65203 Phone 866-699-2664 E-mail: director@bestofmissourihands.org One of nation's top ten art fair directors to speak in Springfield...

THE GOOD NEWS We were elated to be taking another Princess Cruise, our third. It was Thanksgiving 2013 and St. Louis was bitter cold. We couldn't wait to get to warm weather and blue water. We had previously taken this cruise (Caribbean Princess to Mexico, Honduras and Belize leaving from Florida and had loved it. We especially couldn't wait to get back to Honduras and Belize and hoped to recreate our memories of two years ago...

Thomas Parks was sworn in as the new postmaster of Jackson on Thursday. Nicholas Burger, commercial banking relationship manager for U.S. Bank at 325 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, was named a Leader of Tomorrow by the bank. Leaders of Tomorrow is a 12-month program that recognizes up-and-coming leaders within U.S. Bank. The class of 2014 was made up of 10 individuals, one representing each community banking division within U.S. Bank's 25-state region...

Today is Monday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2014. There are 303 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On March 3, 1974, a Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed shortly after takeoff from Orly Airport in Paris, killing all 346 people on board. A faulty cargo door had blown open, resulting in sudden decompression that caused part of the jetliner's floor to collapse, severely damaging the plane's control cables...

TBY: First, let's talk about you: Where did you grow up? What's your educational and career background? Charley Tinsley: I grew up in Charleston, Mo., and lived there until June 2012. I graduated from Charleston High School and worked on our family farm until I went to work for an insurance company as an agent in Charleston. ...

There are plenty of big decisions involved in creating a will and estate plan, ranging from how to distribute your assets to providing instructions for your legal guardian. Susan Layton, an attorney with Layton & Southard LLC in Cape Girardeau, says a will is usually planned between a husband wife with assistance from an estate planning attorney. ...

It was a love for children and experiences in her own background that called Lillian Martin Rush to begin a career at Head Start that ended up lasting 29 years. Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families...

Bill Guth didn't expect basketball to become a lifetime sport for him. When he was in his 40s, he hoped he'd still be playing in his 50s. When he reached his 50s, he thought it would be great if he could play until he was in his 60s. Now in his early 70s, Bill says he just hopes to play again next week...

Several media companies and marketing businesses were represented in this year's ADDY awards, put on by the Tri-State Advertising and Marketing Professionals group. More than 120 print, interactive, broadcast and multimedia projects were considered, including those from organizations in Kentucky and Illinois...

State Sen. Wallingford:Having spent my 25 years as a Missourian, I must express my disappointment over the introduction of SB 916. While you may not represent my district, you represent the state I call home. I support everyone's right to practice religion. ...

Last Wednesday, the Southeast Missourian published an op-ed column by Rich Lowry criticizing Secretary Hagel's proposed budget for the Department of Defense (DOD). Mr. Lowry contended the size of the armed forces should not be reduced. In our present situation, it is possible that the United States may get involved in a conventional war, counterinsurgency, cyber warfare, and/or small unit operations against terrorists. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Liam Neeson has grounded the "The Lego Movie." The action star's airliner thriller "Non-Stop" arrived in first place at the weekend box office, effectively ending the Warner Bros. animated film's three-week blockade at the top spot. The Universal film stars Neeson as a federal air marshal on a doomed flight. "Non-Stop" ascended in its first weekend with $30 million, according to studio estimates Sunday...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A federal judge has ruled that Moberly, Mo., and its industrial development authority are not responsible for bonds involved in a failed artificial sweetener plant project. Moberly and the agency issued $39 million in bonds in July 2010 to finance construction of a Mamtek plant, which was expected to create 600 jobs. The project never materialized and Mamtek is now in bankruptcy...

City officials are moving ahead with plans for construction of Lexington Street as an arterial road; the city staff is recommending the city council proceed with construction of a 1,700-feet-long section of Lexington from Carolina Lane to the proposed Haystack Lane, just east of Kent Drive...

Son to Gary Lee and Michelle Ann Brown of Jackson, Saint Francis Medical Center, 12:26 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. Name, Colton Samuel. Weight, 8 pounds, 2 ounces. Third child, first son. Mrs. Brown is the former Michelle Carlton, daughter of Roger and Debbie Carlton of Jackson. She is employed by Saint Francis. Brown is the son of Jeff and Karen Roth of Jackson and Scott and Debbie Brown of Shawneetown. He is employed by B&B Custom Homes...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests to not imply guilt. DWI...

Kay Wolak, 57, of Jackson died Sunday, March 2, 2014, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Carl "Eddie" Todt Jr., 55, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2014, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. today at Amick-Burnett Funeral Home in Chaffee. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m. today, followed by Knights of Columbus prayers...

ORAN, Mo. — The Rev. Lewis Todd, 64, of Ste. Genevieve, Mo., formerly of Oran, died Saturday, March 1, 2014, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Ethel Steakley Rowell, 88, of Chaffee died Sunday, March 2, 2014, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 18, 1926, in Perkins, Mo., to the late George Samuel and Florence Russell Steakley. She and Raymond B. Rowell were married Dec. 6, 1947...

Evelyn Porter, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 1, 2014, at Southeast Hospital. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery...

Kevin J. Jansen, 58, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 1, 2014, at his home. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

CAIRO, Ill. — Linda Clarke Jackson, 52, of Cairo died Sunday, March 2, 2014, at her parents' home near Olive Branch, Ill. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Cairo.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Patricia Lou Hampton, 69, of Chaffee passed away Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 23, 1945, to the late Orville and Marie Curry Burns. Pat married Jerry Hampton in 1970...

THEBES, Ill. -- Finley "Doc" Caldwell, 90, of Murphysboro, Ill., formerly of Thebes, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, at his home. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Crain Pleasant Grove-Murdale Funeral home in Murphysboro. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Memorial Park...

LOS ANGELES -- Perhaps atoning for past sins, Hollywood named the brutal, unshrinking historical drama "12 Years a Slave" best picture at the 86th annual Academy Awards. Steve McQueen's slavery odyssey, based on Solomon Northup's 1853 memoir, has been hailed as a landmark corrective to the movie industry's long omission of slavery stories and years of whiter tales like 1940 best-picture winner "Gone With the Wind."...

LORETTO, Ky. -- The producers of Maker's Mark bourbon announced a distillery expansion Thursday to pump up production and keep pace with growing demand for the Kentucky whiskey, known by its bottles sealed in red wax. The $67 million expansion comes barely a year after the brand created a backlash by saying it was cutting the amount of alcohol in each bottle to stretch its whiskey supplies. Producers quickly scrapped the idea...

GILLSBURG, Miss. -- Residents living above an oil-rich shale formation that stretches across southwest Mississippi and Louisiana have been waiting on a boom for years. A steady trickle of drilling is already boosting the rural region's economy, and spending by two oil companies could make 2014 the year many other locals finally cash in on the oil far beneath their feet...

WASHINGTON -- Pregnant women, mothers and children who get federal assistance with their grocery bills will now be able to buy more whole-grain foods, yogurt, fish, fruits and vegetables. The changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, will go into place by next year...

Shannon Frauenholtz of Chicago has had it with winter. Barely able to stomach the television news with its images of snowbound cars, she heads to the tanning salon, closes her eyes and imagines she's back in Mexico, where she's already vacationed once this winter...

JERUSALEM -- Israel's prime minister headed to Washington on Sunday for a high-stakes meeting with President Barack Obama about U.S.-led Mideast peace efforts, vowing to maintain a tough line in the face of heavy international pressure to begin making concessions to the Palestinians...

PEREVALNE, Ukraine -- Warning that it was "on the brink of disaster," Ukraine put its military on high alert Sunday and appealed for international help to avoid what it feared was the possibility of an invasion by Russia. Outrage over Russia's tactics mounted in world capitals, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry calling on President Vladimir Putin to pull back from "an incredible act of aggression."...

LOS ANGELES -- Residents in three California foothill communities headed home Sunday after a powerful storm that threatened to unleash mud on neighborhoods beneath unstable hills scarred by recent wildfires. With the storm reduced to sprinkles, residents in the Los Angeles County cities of Glendora and Azusa were allowed back into their homes. Monrovia residents were allowed back late Saturday, officials said...

WASHINGTON -- The case of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, held by the Taliban since 2009, has arisen again as the U.S. and other countries engage in diplomatic efforts to free him. But if he is released, will America's only prisoner of the Afghan war be viewed as a hero or a deserter?...

WASHINGTON -- A Floridian with an IQ as high as 75 may be diagnosed as mentally disabled and be eligible for help getting a job. But on death row, the state says having an IQ higher than 70 categorically means an inmate is not mentally disabled and may be executed...

The veteran outfielder made his first spring appearance in the field

The semifinals of the Class 4 District 1 girls tournament at Central High School have been pushed back to Thursday due to icy road conditions. The rescheduling of tonight's games means the championship game will be played Friday. Top-seeded Dexter will face No. 4 Kennett in the first semifinal at 6 p.m. Thursday, followed by No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Sikeston at 7:30...

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ryan Miller's debut for the St. Louis Blues started with a tough break and ended with a victory. Miller made 23 saves and Patrik Berglund scored twice during St. Louis' four-goal, third-period rally and the Blues beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2 on Sunday night...

O Father God, we give you all glory and praise forevermore. Amen.