Stories from Monday, February 9, 2015

Make and model: 2010 Camaro SS Owner(s): Wayne & Mika Held Owner's hometown: Chaffee 2010 was the return of the Camaro. I ordered mine on the first day that you could in 2008. It was built on my birthday in 2009 and delivered about a week later...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Even as the World Series and other events have drawn crowds and cash to Kansas City's Power & Light District, taxpayers continue to pay millions in subsidies for the entertainment area. Just-released state data show sales for the district were up 15 percent in October from the same month in 2013, translating into an additional $50,000 in sales tax revenue for the city to help pay down the massive debt on the district, The Kansas City Star reported...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri transportation officials are testing an anti-skid surface treatment in Kansas City and several other sites after having positive results with it in Jefferson City. The Missouri Department of Transportation said it hopes to have the treatment installed this summer on the ramp from southbound Interstate 29 to southbound Interstate 635 in the northern part of the city, The Kansas City Star reported. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Megan Kennedy was born profoundly deaf, and is gradually going blind, too. Rather than fret about the future, she is embracing the present. "I can be in the moment and be really happy where I'm at," Kennedy said. "There are beautiful things that come out of that -- just learning how great it is right now."...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Effective safe-driving campaigns and increase in suicides have pushed firearm deaths ahead of car crashes as the leading nonmedical cause of deaths in Missouri. The Kansas City Star reported 880 people were killed by guns in Missouri in 2013, the most recent federal data available, while 781 died in car crashes...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri bill would give individuals more flexibility in burying dead family members. Republican state Sen. Jay Wasson of Nixa introduced legislation Thursday that would allow a cemetery owner to unearth a body and rebury it elsewhere with permission of relatives...

FULTON, Mo. -- Cassidy Jones, 16, held the gold-and-red velvet coronation crown over her grandfather's head. As she put it in place, Kenneth Jones, 75, beamed. He had just been crowned king of the Senior Citizen Prom. For the past 14 years, members of the North Callaway High School chapter of the National FFA Organization and senior citizens have gathered annually to dance...

When Laura Schumpert of Cape Girardeau lost her son, Lyndon, 2, and her husband, Jarred, 28, suddenly around Christmas, she asked for a special type of donation to be made in Lyndon's name. Instead of flowers or a monetary donation, she asked people to donate toys, specifically Spider-Man toys, that would be donated to Missouri First Steps of Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau HealthPoint Rehab and Southeast Missouri State University's Autism Center...

Law enforcement agencies use social media to communicate with wide audience Some people use social media sites to reconnect with old friends. Others use them to talk politics, tend imaginary farms, monitor breaking news stories or swap fad-diet recipes...

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Police say a bronze plaque stolen from Mark Twain's gravesite in upstate New York has been recovered in good condition. In a statement to media, the Elmira Police Department said the 12-by-12-inch likeness of the American writer was recovered Saturday. The statement said details on how it was recovered and whether there will be any arrests won't be available until today...

The Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission is now accepting nominations for its 2015 Endangered Buildings List. Created in 2012, the list helps the commission promote awareness of historic "at risk" buildings in the community. Vacancy, deterioration and likely demolition are threats typically facing buildings on the list. Last year's list featured more than a dozen buildings, including the Broadway Theater and Esquire Theater on Broadway and the Fort D Blockhouse, 920 Fort St...

Southeast Missouri State University's planning for a new Center for Excellence in Mass Media will begin this week with a meeting of the minds to determine what changes are required to transform the 51-year-old former First Federal Savings and Loan Building at 325 Broadway in Cape Girardeau into a state-of-the-art, hands-on media learning center...

The following story has been corrected. In the original version, The Associated Press incorrectly paraphrased Mike Louis, Missouri AFL-CIO president. Louis did not describe right-to-work proposals as creating a freeloader problem. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri labor groups are gearing up for another fight against right-to-work legislation, which some Republicans think has a better chance of passing this year because of their party's recent gains in the Legislature...

WHILE CHECKING HIS CATTLE HERD EARLY LAST WEEK A FARMER'S VALENTINE WAS AS PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON HIS FACE. HAROLD SANDERS OF VAN BUREN, MO SAW ONE OF HIS CALVES WITH A VERY IDENTIFYING MARK IN THE CENTER OF ITS TINY FOREHEAD, A PERFECTLY SHAPED VALENTINE...

Today is Monday, Feb. 9, the 40th day of 2015. There are 325 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 9, 1870, the U.S. Weather Bureau was established. On this date: In 1773, the ninth president of the United States, William Henry Harrison, was born in Charles City County, Virginia...

MONROEVILLE, Pa. -- A teenager who police say opened fire at a Pittsburgh-area mall, shooting his intended target as well as a couple, was arrested early Sunday after police used surveillance footage and an Instagram photo to link the suspect to the shooting...

BOSTON -- Winter-weary New England braced Sunday for another round of snow that threatened to bear down on the region into the workweek and pile up to 2 feet in some areas. As light snow began falling by the afternoon, drivers were warned to stay off the roads and cancellations were posted for schools and court dockets today...

BERLIN -- As Russian-backed separatists gain ground in eastern Ukraine, efforts to broker peace appeared to gain momentum Sunday, with leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine announcing plans for four-way talks this week. The proposed meeting Wednesday in the Belarusian capital of Minsk emerged from a phone call among German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko...

SANAA, Yemen -- Yemen will resume national talks over its future, the U.N. envoy to the country said Sunday, just days after Shiite rebels dissolved parliament and formally took power. Those talks today will include Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, whose Houthi rebels stormed into the capital, Sanaa, and elsewhere in September before besieging the president and seizing total control of the Arab world's poorest country Friday, envoy Jamal Benomar said...

ALBANY, N.Y. -- DNA barcoding has exposed some infamous cases of food fraud, like cheap catfish sold as pricey grouper and expensive "sheep's milk" cheese that was really made from cow's milk. But can it tell if a pill touted as an energy-booster contains ginseng or is just a mix of rice powder and pine?...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- SpaceX called off Sunday's planned launch of a deep-space observatory -- and a revolutionary rocket-landing attempt -- after a critical radar-tracking system failed. Former vice president Al Gore, who first envisioned the observatory two decades ago, was on hand for the attempt...

PRESCOTT, Ariz. -- The parents of a 26-year-old American who has been held hostage for more than a year by Islamic State extremists were clinging to hope Sunday that their daughter is alive, having yet to receive information confirming otherwise. Family friend Todd Geiler said the parents of Kayla Jean Mueller of Prescott, Arizona, are in a very "fragile state."...

Two of the finalists for president at Southeast Missouri State University also are among finalists for the presidency at Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville; the two, Dr J. Wade Gilley and Dr. Kala M. Stroup, are among three presidential finalists at Northeast Missouri State and among four finalists at Southeast...

There's no telling how many hours Jay Knudtson sacrificed with his family for the sake of the city of Cape Girardeau. For eight years, Knudtson served as the city's mayor, and he was a hands-on leader. At times some may have questioned his leadership tactics, suggesting perhaps he was too hands-on, too involved in city operations or even too vocal. ...

In answer to the party that wondered where clothes could be donated and given to clients and not sold: Red Star Baptist church has a food pantry once a month where food and clothes are given away. They serve an average of 150 families each month. Clothes must be clean and in good condition. In addition they give away toys, household articles such as dishes, sheets, blankets, small kitchen appliances, decorating items and misc...

The Scott City Fire Department responded to the following calls: January 30 n At 10:01 a.m., emergency medical service on West Cherry Street. n At 11:20 p.m., emergency medical service on Main Street. n At 11:51 p.m., emergency medical service on Woodland Drive...

The Scott City Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Richard Martin, 55, of Scott City was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. n Darren McFall, 42, of Scott City was arrested on suspicion of property damage and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident...

* Medical assist calls were made to: Wisteria Street at 8:29 a.m.; Jefferson Avenue at 10:08 a.m.; Armstrong at 11:17 a.m.; West Lorimier Street at 4:07 p.m.; Ridge Road at 4:10 p.m.; and South Pacific Street at 5:13 p.m. n At 12:45 a.m., assist invalid on Rose Street...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Bradley J. Blase, 22, of Fenton Missouri, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and speeding. n Gary D. Bucholtz, 45, of Marble Hill, Missouri, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and speeding...

Charles Oliver Sims, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at his home. A graveside service will be at noon Wednesday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, with the Rev. Donny Ford officiating. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

Rupert Duane McAllister, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Duane was born May 5, 1925, in York, Nebraska, to Paul Rupert and Mary Frances Malone McAllister. He married his childhood friend and high-school sweetheart, Rosemary Conrad, on Sept. 14, 1944. This past summer they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary surrounded by four generations of family...

Ruby Eileen Hollman, 88, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Decatur, Illinois, died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Monday, Feb. 8, 1926, in Piatt County, Illinois, to Leonard Dorsey and Orpha Blanche Mechling Nickell...

Cape Girardeau's co-working community, Codefi, will host the first-ever Google Startup Weekend in March. From March 13 to 15, Codefi is inviting budding entrepreneurs to pitch ideas to a panel and form groups that will compete for prizes, according to a news release...

1 Barton Square, Jackson 9 a.m. today n None at this time n Items list on agenda n Purchase orders n Payroll change forms n None at this time n None at this time n Request from park superintendent Bryan Sander to put park shelter fees collected into park development fund for ongoing repairs and construction of new park shelters and playgrounds...

KINGSLEY, Mich. -- Authorities say a Michigan man confessed he was drunk and bored when he called 911 more than 100 times in the span of about a month. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reported the 25-year-old from the Grand Traverse County community of Kingsley in northern Michigan was arrested Thursday evening at his mobile home. Sheriff's deputies say they found about a half-dozen phones used to call 911 since January and a hand-held police scanner...

Mitch Wood has worn numerous hats over the last 23 years: teacher, baseball coach, basketball coach, principal, athletic director and superintendent.

ST. LOUIS -- A little more than a minute into the critical power play, the Chicago Blackhawks dispensed with setting up shop on offense and went for the quick hit.

Highway 51 in Bollinger County will be reduced as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make improvements to the intersection at the junction of Highway 51, Route C and Route P. The work will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily today through Feb. 20, according to a MoDOT news release...

Lord God, we place our hope in you for you are the Everlasting Father. Amen.

Hendrickson Business Advisors, a firm providing management and marketing consulting in Cape Girardeau, recently hired Alison Niermann as its new director of business development. Niermann is from Chesterfield, Missouri, and has experience in employee recruitment, training and business development, according to a release from the firm, and has worked as a radio account representative, with hospitals in recruitment marketing and strategy, training and succession planning and created a successful online parenting publication.. ...