Stories from Wednesday, May 21, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced an additional $35 million in spending cuts Tuesday for public schools and universities, citing concerns about declining state revenue from lottery sales and casino taxes. The latest spending reductions come just as schools are wrapping up their academic year, meaning there is unlikely to be an immediate effect on classrooms. But some school districts might have to dip into reserves to make it through the fiscal year that ends June 30...

Plans for a groundbreaking ceremony for a performing arts theater/Federal Emergency Management Agency safe room will be discussed during the Scott City School District's board meeting today. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 to 7 p.m. because of the baseball district tournament in Charleston, Missouri...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Dexter, Missouri, man who admitted to exposing as many as 300 people to HIV will have to wait another month for a trial date. David Mangum is being held without bond at the Stoddard County Jail and faces 21 counts of recklessly exposing another to HIV...

Questions about the Downtown Community Improvement District's boundaries, services and more may be answered Wednesday night in a meeting hosted by the Downtown CID steering committee. Committee member Jim Maurer said the meeting's purpose is to clear up any misunderstandings downtown business owners might have...

Residents of Ward 3 in Cape Girardeau will select their next city council representative Aug. 5. When the filing period closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Victor R. Gunn and Evan Trump were the only candidates to apply for the position. To become qualified candidates, each had to gather signatures from 50 registered voters in the ward, all verified by the city clerk...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Donald Lafferty on Monday made his first court appearance since being extradited from Massachusetts over the weekend. Lafferty, a former pastor, is accused of paying a Dexter, Missouri, couple to burn his rural Bloomfield home and kill his wife...

CAIRO, Ill. -- The man arrested after an attack that left two women dead and another injured at a Cairo bank had previous interactions with at least one of the victims. James N. Watts, 29, of Cairo was arrested Thursday after a chase and a standoff at a railroad trestle in Cairo...

First Commercial Bank in Morley, Missouri, was robbed today for the second time since October. The robbery happened between 1:15 and 1:30 p.m. at the bank at 104 N. Kirkwood St., said detective Branden Caid of the Scott County Sheriff's Department. No one was injured, said the department's Capt. Jerry Bledsoe, and three suspects were apprehended within 30 minutes of the robbery...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House passed a $12 billion-plus bipartisan measure authorizing 34 water projects, including $17.6 million in repairs and renovations to Cape Girardeau's flood-control system.

The smell of manure, kicked up dust and the sound of pigs grunting and squealing in the middle of the country is not where most choose to spend their downtime. Brian Strickland and Luke Aufdenberg joined forces after demand for a particular type of pork grew, and they do just that...

After an afternoon and evening of reversals, U.S. Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito has weighed in and stayed Russell Bucklew's execution for the time being.

Missouri Preservation announced its 2014 List of Most Endangered Places on Tuesday, including the The Franz Schmidt Cabin at 818 N. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau. The endangered sites were identified at a Missouri Preservation news conference at the Henry Blosser House in Malta Bend, Missouri, which also is included on the list, a news release said...

Last year St. Pius X ended Saxony Lutheran's girls soccer season with a heart-pounding, 1-0 double overtime victory in the Class 1 District 1 title game. This season, Saxony took St. Pius to penalty kicks before falling 1-0 to the defending Class 1 runners-up, again in the district final...

Southeast Missouri State University announced Tuesday it has completed its investigation of last week's incident involving an "inappropriate and unauthorized post" from the @GoSoutheast Twitter account, but did not give any details. The controversial tweet posted Friday linked to a photo of two half-naked young women in a bathroom instead of leading viewers to track results...

Phoebe, Piper & Paige are 8 weeks old. They are available for adoption at the Humane Society 573-334-5837. See more pets available at semopets.org.

Have fun in the bleachers at Busch.

Beth and her sons enjoying a few minutes before the Cardinal game.

3rd annual Faith Family & Freedom Day at Magnolia Park in Marble Hill on saturday Aug 2, 9am-?? ..A day of FREE gospel singing from local groups and the Lesters from st Louis be take the stage at 2pm for a FREE concert..Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the day.. Vendors-games-something for the entire family...For booth space please call 573-238-1041...

Today is Wednesday, May 21, the 141st day of 2014. There are 224 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On May 21, 1924, in a case that drew much notoriety, 14-year-old Bobby Franks was murdered in a "thrill killing" carried out by University of Chicago students Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb (Bobby's cousin). Both men received life sentences; Loeb was killed by a fellow prison inmate in 1936 while Leopold was paroled in 1958, dying in 1971...

David Limbaugh recently asked where the freedom-loving Democrats are and why they are silent as our freedoms continue to slip away. The answer is that the very few who exist are now drunk with the power that they enjoy under the Obama "rule." With the complete support of the mainstream media, they are "transforming America," just as he said they would. ...

It's been a memorable year for the Southeast Missouri State University baseball team. Southeast (38-18) closed the regular season with a series sweep of IPFW. While the team accumulated a strong overall record, it was its performance within the conference (23-7) that propelled the Redhawks to the top seed and first-round bye in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament...

PAINTON, Mo. -- Vickie Buttrey, 92, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, passed away Monday, May 19, 2014, at her home. She was born May 17, 1922, in Painton, daughter of Charles Henry and Della Edna Gray. Vickie had been a seamstress. She was of the Baptist belief...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Delores A. Crippen Coursey, 81, of Ullin passed away Tuesday, May 20, 2014, at her home. She was born Dec. 12, 1932, in Ullin, daughter of Olen and Mable Sutton Crippen. She and Ivan M. Coursey were married Oct. 2, 1954, in Ullin...

Tyrone Walker, 40, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, May 17, 2014. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to service time Saturday at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. The funeral will be at noon Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Joseph Cotton Jr. officiating. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery...

James Nicholas "Nick" Marsh III, 79, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Benton, Kentucky, died Saturday, May 17, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born March 21, 1935, in Benton, to James N. and Mae Evelyn Fisher Marsh Sr. He and Delphine Stevens were married April 8, 1956, in Corinth, Mississippi...

Jennie L. "Jen" Sievers, 80, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, May 20, 2014, at the home of her daughter in Shawneetown. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Robert Henrichs officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery...

Nancy Kathryn Pfeiffer, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, May 20, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Parish prayers will be at 7, with Knights of Columbus rosary immediately following...

Son to Brandon W. and Janell M. Gleason of Advance, Missouri, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:47 p.m. Sunday, May 11, 2014. Name, Gabriel Ray. Weight, 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Gleason is the former Janell Wheetley, daughter of Tammy Wheetley and Rick Wheetley of Puxico, Missouri. She is a CNA at Saint Francis. Gleason is the son of Barb Gleason of Cape Girardeau and Doug Gleason of Blytheville, Arkansas. He is a paramedic with South Scott County Ambulance...

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Miscellaneous...

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

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama played the role of business pitchman Tuesday, saluting executives whose companies have chosen to gain or expand their footprint in the United States. Obama, at the White House, welcomed leaders of 11 foreign and U.S.-based firms that have opened new plants in the United States or brought back overseas operations...

ANNA, Ill. -- Patricia Ann "Pat" Clark, 81, of Anna died Monday, May 19, 2014, at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Illinois. She was born April 16, 1933, in Marion, Illinois, daughter of Willis Pearl and Flora Rendleman Heltsley. She married Ray H. Clark Jr. on Nov. 11, 1947, in Piggott, Arkansas. He preceded her in death April 4, 1996...

William "Randy" Bartlett, 61, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, May 19, 2014, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born Aug. 8, 1952, in Hayti, Missouri, to William "Howard" and Bonnie Bartlett. He married his high school sweetheart, Susan R. Mayer, Aug. 19, 1973, at Dexter, Missouri...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- With a tie game after three and a half innings, the top-seeded Notre Dame Bulldogs felt some pressure from the fourth-seeded Perryville Pirates in their Class 4 District 1 semifinal game Tuesday. "In the dugout, everybody was kind of not paying attention too well and we said, 'Everybody get up and let's go,'" left fielder Chase Urhahn said. "Then we started getting a few hits, and it really brought us up."...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals activated reliever Jason Motte from the 15-day disabled list, and might need their old closer right away. Manager Mike Matheny said Trevor Rosenthal was unavailable Tuesday for the start of a three-game series against the Diamondbacks. The Cardinals had a day off Monday and Rosenthal is getting extra rest after his second blown save in his last five appearances...

ST. LOUIS -- From the first pitch, Adam Wainwright thought this could be the day he threw a no-hitter. He came really close. Wainwright allowed one hit, facing one batter over the minimum and very few hard-hit balls, and the St. Louis Cardinals ended an eight-game home run drought with long balls from Matt Adams and Jhonny Peralta in a 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night...

Conference champs rewarded with postseason honors at OVC banquet

The defending Class 1 champions defeated Bell City 7-3

Advance reached the Class 1 District 2 final behind the pitching of Dawson Mayo

Route H in Stoddard from Highway 25 to County Road 607 will be closed as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace the culvert pipe under the road. The work will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, according to a MoDOT news release....

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

Advance's Brian Whitson, tied for the lead entering the day, shot a 14-over-par 86 in the second round of the Class 1 state golf tournament Tuesday at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Missouri, and tied for fourth place. The Hornets sophomore carded an ever-par 72 to tie Jack Parker of Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School of Columbia, Missouri, in Monday's first round. Whitson finished with a combined score of 158. Whitson finished 19th as a freshman at last year's state tournament...

A string of pars down the back nine at Dalhousie Golf Club on Monday gave Washington's Brad Carpenter a share of the lead heading into the final round of the Class 4 Missouri state high school golf championships...

The Rev. David V. Dissen, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, is observing his 30th anniversary in the pastoral ministry of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod; he has been pastor at Trinity since 1981. The annual "Third Sunday in May" meeting at Old Apple Creek Presbyterian Church near Pocahontas is held; the morning meeting includes a worship service, followed by a basket dinner on the grounds; also observed is the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Presbyterian Church in this country...

O Lord Jesus, may we hold firm in our faith and boldly proclaim your name. Amen.

DANVILLE, Ky. -- After setting things abuzz by trapping customers in a store, a hive of honeybees has been safely removed from downtown Danville in central Kentucky. Fire Chief Woody Ball told The Advocate-Messenger that emergency crews were called Monday because customers were afraid to leave the store...

LANSING, Mich. -- Americans for Prosperity, the conservative advocacy group supported by the Koch brothers, has launched an effort to torpedo a proposed settlement in the Detroit bankruptcy case, potentially complicating chances for completing the deal just as its prospects seemed to be improving...

TRENTON, N.J. -- A former aide to Gov. Chris Christie whose job included getting re-election endorsements from mayors said Tuesday he was "dumbfounded and disappointed" to learn that a northern New Jersey mayor was apparently targeted in a political payback plot orchestrated by Christie loyalists...

DETROIT -- Another day, another recall from General Motors. At least that's the way it seems as the automaker reviews safety issues across its line-up of cars and trucks in the wake of a mishandled recall of millions of older small cars. The number of recalls issued this year by the nation's top carmaker rose Tuesday to 29 as GM announced four actions affecting 2.4 million cars and trucks. ...

PHILADELPHIA -- Pennsylvania's ban on gay marriage was overturned by a federal judge Tuesday in a decision that legalized same-sex unions throughout the Northeast and sent couples racing to pick up licenses. U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III called the plaintiffs -- a widow, 11 couples and one couple's teenage daughters -- courageous for challenging the constitutionality of the ban passed by lawmakers in 1996...

Chicago is adding another jewel to its culinary crown. After 24 years in the Big Apple, the James Beard Foundation awards ceremony is moving to the Windy City next year. It's more proof that Chicago has fast become home to one of the country's hottest restaurant scenes. ...

Rapper Macklemore posted an apology on his website late Monday, saying he didn't mean to mock Jewish people by wearing a costume that some say was anti-Semitic during a performance in Seattle last week. Macklemore wrote he randomly chose the pieces of the costume he wore at Friday's performance so he could disguise himself and move freely around during the secret show. He said it wasn't meant to be a caricature of a Jewish man...

LOS ANGELES -- Actor Michael Jace, who played a police officer on the hit TV show "The Shield," was arrested Tuesday after authorities said he called 911 and told an operator he shot his wife. Detectives were investigating whether the couple's financial problems or other marital difficulties played a role in the killing that police said occurred during an argument Monday night while the couple's two sons, both younger than 10, were in the house...

JERUSALEM -- Security-camera video showing two unarmed Palestinians crumpling to the ground during a lull in a stone-throwing clash with Israeli soldiers revived allegations by human rights activists Tuesday the troops often use excessive force...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell dispatched his tea party challenger with ease Tuesday night, and Democrats turned to two women, Alison Lundergan Grimes to oppose him in Kentucky and Michelle Nunn to fight for Georgia, in elections next fall with control of the Senate at stake...

WASHINGTON -- Michelle Obama has a warning of sorts for Washington: Her daughter Malia will start driving this summer. The first lady commented on Malia's milestone in a taped interview broadcast Tuesday by the entertainment news show "Access Hollywood." It was a joint interview with actress Sarah Jessica Parker about the role of arts in education, but host Billy Bush could not resist asking Obama about her daughters, Malia, 15, and Sasha, 12...

WASHINGTON -- Burned by the failed rollout of his health-care law, President Barack Obama is building a team for the final years of his administration where management expertise may trump keen political or legislative skills. Gone from the White House are nearly all the high-profile political gurus who ran Obama's two presidential campaigns. ...

WASHINGTON -- Credit Suisse AG's guilty plea and $2.6 billion payment in a high-profile case brought by the Justice Department are being held out as a warning to foreign banks believed to be helping U.S. taxpayers conceal assets. Culminating a long investigation, Switzerland's second-largest bank pleaded guilty Monday to helping wealthy Americans avoid paying taxes through secret offshore accounts. Credit Suisse was the largest bank to plead guilty in more than 20 years...

WASHINGTON -- The victims were their own worst enemies. The hacking techniques the U.S. government says China used against American companies turned out to be disappointingly mundane, tricking employees into opening email attachments or clicking on innocent-looking website links...

JOS, Nigeria -- Two car bombs exploded at a bustling bus terminal and market in Nigeria's central city of Jos on Tuesday, killing at least 118 people, wounding dozens and leaving streets strewn with bloodied bodies. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the twin car bombs. ...

BANGKOK -- Thailand's powerful military chief intervened Tuesday for the first time in the country's latest political crisis, declaring martial law and dispatching gun-mounted jeeps into the heart of the capital with a vow to resolve the deepening conflict as quickly as possible...

SLOVYANSK, Ukraine -- From the country's richest man to citizens under fire, anger and dismay over Ukraine's eastern turmoil gained strength Tuesday, but pro-Russian rebels who have declared the region independent vowed defiance. In Kiev, home to the central government that the separatists detest, lawmakers passed a memorandum that guaranteed the status of Russian as Ukraine's second official language and proposed government decentralization. ...

This story has been corrected to indicate proper attribution of facts. The name of the roadway also has been corrected. A police pursuit in Scott City Tuesday night has resulted in the death of a suspect, assistant Cape County coroner Jerry Goin has confirmed...