Stories from Friday, December 11, 2015

Freshman Leah Cauble scored a game-high 25 points to lead the second-seeded Eagles to a 70-37 win over third-seeded Kelly in a semifinal of the Lady Devil Invitational on Thursday at Chaffee High School.

WASHINGTON -- White House and congressional negotiators searched for compromise Thursday on huge tax and spending bills with a combined price tag of well over $1 trillion, with leaders hoping to clinch agreements and let Congress adjourn next week for the year...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Fire Department said it will begin its investigation early next year into the building collapse that killed two firefighters. Chief Paul Berardi said there will be a review of other safety issues in the wake of the Oct. 12 deaths of 39-year-old John Mesh and 43-year-old Larry Leggio, the Kansas City Star reported...

ST. LOUIS -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday ordered surface-fire prevention measures at a St. Louis-area landfill where nuclear waste was dumped illegally four decades ago. The order by EPA Region 7 administrator Mark Hague requires companies associated with West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton, Missouri, to come up with a plan within three weeks to remove trees and brush, place non-combustible material on the surface and take other steps to prevent future fires...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A man who said he was sexually abused for years by his scoutmaster should be allowed to sue the Boy Scouts of America even though he missed a deadline to do so by years, the man's attorney argued Thursday before the Missouri Supreme Court...

The Cape Girardeau and Jackson police departments have notified the FBI more than 50 prepaid cellphones were purchased at Cape Girardeau and Jackson Wal-Mart stores on the same day last week. FBI spokeswoman Rebecca Wu of the agency's St. Louis division confirmed Thursday the federal law-enforcement agency has been notified of cellphone purchases but offered no details...

Two people were taken to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau following a head-on collision Thursday along Nash Road near Biokyowa Inc. About 11 a.m., Sheila G. Holloway, 59, of Gordonville, was driving a Honda CRV north on Nash Road, but near a curve, she veered into the oncoming lane and collided with a Ford F-250 truck driven by Robert A. Gramlisch, 25, of Chaffee, Missouri...

On Cue Performing Arts Studio will present its debut production, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," next weekend at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School. Based on Tim Burton's film, "Nightmare" brings to the stage a musical that will showcase the talents of adults and children. Director Jennifer Priddy promises a performance that will captivate and entertain...

ST. LOUIS -- The effort to keep the NFL in St. Louis cleared a major hurdle Thursday, when a committee of city aldermen approved a financing plan for a new $1 billion stadium. The Ways and Means Committee backed the plan by a 7-2 vote. The full Board of Aldermen is expected to take up the issue today, but a final vote isn't expected until next week -- ahead of a Dec. 30 deadline imposed by the NFL for the three cities whose teams want to move to Los Angeles...

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, has been chosen to serve on a powerful leadership committee in the House, the first Missourian appointed since U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., was a House representative years ago. Republican colleagues Thursday elected the 8th District congressman to serve on the Republican Steering Committee, a group of House leaders tasked with choosing committee chairmen and who will serve on the various legislative committees...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Authorities continue to search for a black Ford pickup truck believed to be the second vehicle involved in an alleged hit-and-run accident Wednesday night that killed a Poplar Bluff teenager. Heavenly Grace Hafford, 13, died of blunt-force trauma after being struck by a vehicle, according to Butler County Coroner Jim Akers. ...

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner rejected posthumous clemency for an Illinois man imprisoned for the stabbing of an elderly woman, even though a serial killer confessed to the crime more than a decade after the inmate died. Grover Thompson died in 1996 while serving a 40-year sentence for the 1981 attempted murder of 72-year-old Ida White in Mount Vernon, Illinois...

The building at 605 Broadway used to make Laurie Everett sad. "I would stand up in our apartment across the street and look over here and just cry every time I would see it rain, because there are shingles missing on the roof for, like, years, and years of damage was happening to this plaster," Everett said...

My big fur baby Kyla riding with me in the car.

Chili is a lazy Rosy Boa that sleeps all day. She likes to cruise around the table during card games and knock down all the game pieces.

Irving the tabby's favorite holiday season is Christmas. There is wrapping paper to roll around on while his human Mom is trying to wrap presents, as well as string to carry all over the apartment and get tangled around his tail. However, more than anything, Irving loves the Christmas tree. It's perfect for climbing and knocking over at his convenience...

Broly is half beagle, half pitbull, and all awesome. He's incredibly playful, and super affectionate. I've never met a more charismatic animal in my life.

The fourth-seeded Tigers held a 10-7 lead at the conclusion of a sluggish first quarter and relied on their defense to secure a 51-43 victory over the second-seeded Indians at the Sikeston Field House.

Our grandson Evan showing off his light saber. He was at Cracker Barrel when he was showing us his moves. The Star Wars movie is being released this week, he won't be going but will be playing with the toys.

Binx playing with the flounder ornament.

Today in History Today is Friday, Dec. 11, the 345th day of 2015. There are 20 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Dec. 11, 1844, the first experimental use of an inhaled anesthetic in dentistry took place as Dr. Horace Wells of Hartford, Connecticut, under the influence of nitrous oxide, had a colleague extract one of his teeth...

"Donald J. Trump statement on preventing Muslim immigration "(New York, NY) December 7th, 2015 -- Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on. ...

In 2008, candidate Barack Obama privately mocked religion and gun owners. He said, in part, "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them." Those words define his ideology. Despite the fact that Islamic terrorism has spread worldwide and the FBI is overwhelmed with terror investigations in all 50 states, this president sees the 2nd Amendment as the problem...

As many Jackson residents anticipate the grand opening of their city's new civic center, a fundraising committee is asking for help in making it a great place to be. The committee's goal is to raise $205,000 for things such as pickleball nets, paddles, balls, first aid supplies and kitchen equipment. ...

GENEVA -- Working on a tip from the CIA, Geneva police were hunting for at least four suspects allegedly linked to the radical Islamic State group and believed to be plotting a "specific" attack in the city, Swiss officials said Thursday. As city police raised their security alert level, Swiss state prosecutors opened investigations into a suspected criminal plot and suspected violations of a ban on groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaida...

LE BOURGET, France -- French foreign minister Laurent Fabius on Thursday presented a new draft of a global climate accord that showed headway on some key issues and stalemate on others as the talks outside Paris headed into the final stretch. The 27-page draft -- two pages shorter than a previous version -- included a long-term goal of keeping global warming "well below" 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit...

Although the Golden Globes spread the nominations around, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association swooned hardest for Todd Haynes' 1950s romance "Carol," which landed a leading five nominations, including best film drama. In a widespread field of nominations announced Thursday in Beverly Hills, California, "Carol" solidified its growing Oscar hopes with nods for its two stars, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, and for Haynes' direction...

NEW YORK -- ABC Family is getting a new name. The network announced Thursday it soon will be known as Freeform. The rechristening happens Jan. 12, the same day the network welcomes back "Pretty Little Liars" for its season premiere, along with the series debut of "Shadowhunters."...

"A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" will be presented at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 223 W. Adams St. in Jackson, and at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at Old Saint Vincent's Church, 131 S. Main St. in Cape Girardeau. The festival includes hymns, anthems and readings that chronicle events leading to the birth of Jesus. ...

Southeast Missouri State University students will feature their dance pieces in the Theatre and Dance Second Stage Series event, "Last Chance to Dance -- Fall," at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday in the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus. The free event allows students to present work without audition. ...

Packing with friends at the Osage Centre. #fmsccape #thefriendsofsfmc #semoselfie #sfmcselfie (Photo submited by @danielletorbet) Going out this weekend? Be sure to tag your selfies on the scene with #semoselfie on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter ­-- you could see yourself in an upcoming SE Live!...

The Southeast Missouri Arts Council has announced nomination forms for the 2015 Otto F. Dingeldein and Friend of the Arts Awards are available. Deadline for nomination submissions is Dec. 29. Award recipients will be named at the Dingeldein Gala, which will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at a location to be announced...

Southeast Missouri State University students will exhibit their talent in the annual Class Voice III Recital at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Shuck Music Recital Hall at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. Judith Farris, artist in residence and vocal director in the Department of Theatre and Dance, said the free recital will be given by 12 of her most advanced singers...

Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Music will present the Percussion Ensemble's Family Holiday Concert at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday in the Bedell Performance Hall at Southeast's River Campus. The event will feature performances by Southeast's Chamber Choir, Steel Drum Band and Dance Ensemble, as well as the Jackson High School Percussion Ensemble and members of the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra...

Winter is just around the corner, but Southeast Missouri State track & field is staying busy by heading inside, with the 2015-16 indoor season opening today with the Eastern Illinois Early Bird Invitational in Charleston, Illinois. The Redhawks will be facing off against familiar Ohio Valley Conference foes SIU-Edwardsville and host Eastern Illinois, as well as Illinois State, Western Illinois and Butler. Illinois will send just its women's team...

All scores were reported to the Southeast Missourian on Thursday.

Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Rick Ray understands from personal experience the rarity of a Southeastern Conference team traveling to play a road game against an Ohio Valley Conference foe. But that's exactly what's happening when the Ole Miss Rebels come to the Show Me Center on Saturday afternoon to face the Redhawks, who are in search of both their first win this season and first under Ray. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Claude Giroux capped the Flyers' three-goal second period with his 11th of the season and Philadelphia beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Thursday night. Michael Raffl and Matt Read also scored in the second and Ryan White added an empty-net goal to help the Flyers snap a two-game skid. Michael Neuvirth made 35 saves...

* Medical assists at 9:19 a.m. on Bloomfield Road; 9:38 a.m. on South Silver Springs Road; 10:59 a.m. on Leroy Street; 11:22 a.m. on South Ellis Street; 1:38 p.m. on Koch Avenue; 3:47 p.m. on Doctors' Park Drive; 6:18 p.m. on North Kingshighway; 6:58 p.m. on North Kingshighway; 8:04 p.m. on South Sprigg Street; and 10:37 p.m. on Linden Street...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. n Kaelyn M. Stinnet, 17, 731 S. Sprigg St., was arrested on suspicion of a being a minor in possession of alcohol. n A suspect was in custody pending formal charges of domestic assault...

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- Gerald Wayne "Bud" Masterson, 79, of Panama City died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Andrew Baptist Church at Panama City. Wilson Funeral Home of Panama City is in charge of arrangements...

Clodina Mann, 89, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, at The Lutheran Home. She was born Sept. 19, 1926, in Aquilla, Missouri, to Johnie W. and Mary E. Osborne Pruett. She and the Rev. Charles H. Mann were married May 15, 1943, in Benton, Missouri. They had been married 48 years when he passed away Dec. 27, 1991...

Joshua Kendell Pardue, 30, of Cape Girardeau passed away Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born Nov. 29, 1985, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Lawrence Kendell and Charlotte Pardue. He worked for Duby Plastering in Chaffee, Missouri. He was a member of Bethel Church of Nazarene in Nashville...

Louise Martha Frank, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, at her home. She was born July 31, 1920, in Gordonville to Martin William and Amanda Olga Sander Vasterling. She and John Frank were married April 9, 1950, at Cape Girardeau. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church...

Bessie R. Bozarth, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, at The Lutheran Home. She was born Oct. 14, 1922, in Cape Girardeau County to Maple and Rose Nabe Foeste. She and Mahlon H. "Lefty" Bozarth were married in 1946 at Reno, Nevada. They were married 37 years until his passing in 1983...

Kathleen Maxine Barringer Fisher Adams, 96 years, 11 months and 20 days old, passed from this earth to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. She was born Nov. 29, 1918, in Centralia, Illinois, to Earnest and Mary Barringer and moved to Cape Girardeau when she was 4 years old...

MOSCOW -- As part of their campaign to bring Wi-Fi to crowded public spots in the Russian capital, Moscow authorities are connecting an unlikely new location: cemeteries. The Moscow City Hall said in a statement Thursday free Wi-Fi will be available at the city's three main cemeteries starting next year. Some 120,000 people are buried in Moscow every year, with a further, smaller number cremated...

JERUSALEM -- GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump canceled plans Thursday to visit Israel, a trip for which even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- widely seen as an ally of the Republican Party -- had shown little enthusiasm. Trump announced his decision on Twitter, saying he would reschedule "at a later date after I become President of the U.S." Appearing on Fox News, he said there were many reasons for the move, among them that he didn't want to put Netanyahu in a bind...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- The gunman who massacred his co-workers in the San Bernardino rampage and the friend who bought the assault rifles used in the shooting were related through marriage and may have plotted an attack together three years ago. New revelations from officials and public records show a much deeper connection between Syed Rizwan Farook and Enrique Marquez than previously was disclosed...

NEW YORK -- A severed pig's head was left outside a mosque in Philadelphia. An Islamic center in Florida was defaced. A Sikh temple in California was vandalized by someone who mistook it for a mosque and left graffiti that included a profane reference to the Islamic State group...

A nature-themed collection of photographs is on display this month at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center. The display, titled "Oh, What Beautiful Things You'll See," is by Bridget Jackson, a Missouri Department of Conservation education consultant...

You, O Lord Jesus, are the resurrection and the life and we praise your name. Amen.

Lone Star Industries, which has one of its largest cement manufacturing plants here, has filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. For the first time in the 16-year history of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, the board of commissioners will be chaired by a Scott County member; yesterday, the board elected Morty Potashnick of Sikeston, Missouri, as its new chairman...