Stories from Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Poplar Bluff sophomore Nathan Woolard literally had to make a name for himself Monday afternoon as the Mules made their season debut at the Notre Dame Invitational. Woolard's first name was scripted with a red marker above the crossed-out name of Nick, his older brother who was a senior last year, on the Mules' scoring chart posted in the clubhouse at Bent Creek Golf Course...

A bounce here. A roll there. These are the things that make a difference, and teams will take what they can get. On Monday the Notre Dame girls soccer team was just happy to survive as it went up 2-0 before weathering a flurry of Sikeston pressure to prevail 2-1 in an early-season SEMO Conference matchup at Harry L. Crisp Field in Cape Girardeau...

In a potential postseason preview, Scott City softball fell on the road at Kennett, 4-1, on Monday evening. The Rams' Kaileigh Dirden hit another home run to produce the lone run for the Rams in the road loss to the Indians. Dirden also went the distance and took the loss in the circle for Scott City (3-2). She allowed four earned runs on 10 hits, struck out four and walked two...

At the end of every practice, Jackson girls soccer coach Justin McMullen lines his players up for penalty kicks. It's a tedious process, but there's an obvious method to the madness. McMullen seeks composure in the high-pressure situation, so when junior Sarah Gammon stepped to the penalty mark Tuesday with the game on the line, there was never a sense of panic...

A bill working its way through the Missouri General Assembly would toughen the consequences for bullying in schools. HB 1583, which passed the House March 14, is likely to undergo a second reading in the Senate on Tuesday and could be the subject of a committee hearing as early as next week, said state Rep. Kathy Swan of Cape Girardeau...

Perry County’s historic courthouse needs some major repairs. So too does the Perry Park Center. Both facilities would get major upgrades if voters agree April 5 to extend an existing three-eighth-cent sales tax for another 20 years. Approved in 1996, the tax generated the revenue necessary to build the Park Center. The county government built the park center and owns it. The city of Perryville operates the center...

Candidates for Scott City mayor are both concerned about city spending, but their viewpoints on how and where money should be spent differ. Tim Porch has served as mayor since 2000. "We finally struggled through the tough years, got the money in the bank, and we feel comfortable starting to do some of the improvements," he said...

SOUTHEAST BASEBALL Southeast Missouri State senior first baseman Ryan Rippee was selected the Ohio Valley Conference's Player of the Week on Monday after dominating at the plate over a four-game stretch. It was the second week in a row that a Redhawk earned the honor after third baseman Hunter Leeper was tabbed player of the week last week...

The Rev. William Bird, known as community leader and beloved pastor, died Sunday. In addition to his decades of pastoral work at Greater Dimension Ministry, Bird was the first black person to be elected to the Cape Girardeau School Board. Having experienced firsthand the effects of segregation as a child in Gideon, Missouri, he strove the rest of his life to improve the lives of his neighbors and congregation. He said he was driven not by bitterness, but by optimism...

Today is Tuesday, March 29, the 89th day of 2016. There are 277 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On March 29, 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted in New York of conspiracy to commit espionage for the Soviet Union. (They were executed in June 1953.) The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The King and I" opened on Broadway...

Mention slavery and most people automatically think back to the dark stain on America's history that courageous people fought to overcome and won. Most do not think of the slavery that still exists today in the form of human trafficking. That's why Hannah Harmon of Perryville, Missouri, is doing her part to bring light to this evil and to defeat it...

CLINTON, Mo. -- Stephen "Beaver" Miles, 65, of Clinton and formerly of Morley, Missouri, passed away Sunday, March 6, 2016, at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Born on Aug. 1, 1950, in Cape Girardeau, he was the son of the late Harley and Virgie Houseman Miles...

Janice Marie Payton, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 26, 2016, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. Parish prayers and rosary will be at 7 p.m...

OCHEYEDAN, Iowa -- As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles Grassley stands at the center of the battle over President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee. The powerful Iowa Republican has joined with others in his party and refused to hold confirmation hearings...

CHICAGO -- New research bolsters evidence that a simple blood test may someday be used to detect concussions. It suggests a protein linked with head trauma may be present in blood up to a week after injury, which could help diagnose patients who delay seeking treatment...

BRUSSELS -- As the number of victims in the Brussels suicide attacks rose to 35, Belgian police on Monday released a video of a mysterious man in a dark hat seen in the company of the bombers who attacked Brussels Airport, indicating he is still at large...

Tracy Mehan, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, praised local officials' historic preservation efforts and the city's designation as a certified local government yesterday. Mehan said Cape Girardeau is one of only 16 Missouri cities to receive the certified local government distinction...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A political operative accused of sexually harassing legislative interns will be allowed back into the Capitol as long as he notifies police at least 24 hours before his visit, according to a letter from the Legislature's administrators...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Morel mushroom hunters say they've noticed the fungi popping up earlier than usual this year. Ron Cook, administrator of the Missouri Morel Hunting Facebook page, tells The Joplin Globe his followers already have reported sightings in the state...

ST. LOUIS -- A new National Blues Museum that opens in St. Louis this weekend will emphasize the genre's roots and influence on music around the world with interactive exhibits. The $14 million museum includes exhibits, an art gallery and a performance stage and full bar in a nightclub setting that will host live music. It opens Saturday in a refurbished downtown department there and is walking distance from the Gateway Arch...

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- A new tracking system in St. Charles County is helping police find people with Alzheimer's disease or autism who may wander off by themselves. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported about 20 people with such conditions in St. Charles County are using Care Track, a monitoring device worn like a wrist watch...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City could lose more than $50 million a year in economic activity connected to sports events if voters approve a constitutional amendment that would allow some Missouri business owners to refuse services for same-sex weddings because of their religious beliefs, said Kathy Nelson, president and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission...

ATLANTA -- Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Monday said he will veto legislation shielding opponents of same-sex marriage after a groundswell of opposition from companies threatening to boycott the state if it became law. The Republican announced his decision during a news conference in his office at the Georgia Capitol, saying, "I have examined the protections that this bill proposes to provide to the faith-based community, and I can find no examples of any of those circumstances occurring in our state.". ...

WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump wants to win the White House in the fall. Paul Ryan wants to save his vision of the Republican Party for the future. Those goals put Trump and Ryan increasingly at odds over tone and substance as the businessman barrels toward the GOP presidential nomination...

WASHINGTON -- Police shot a man Monday after he pulled a weapon at a U.S. Capitol checkpoint as spring tourists thronged Washington, authorities said. The suspect was known to police. The suspect in Monday's incident was taken to a hospital, and a female bystander also sustained injuries that were not life-threatening...

Cape Girardeau police arrested a man on suspicion of assault with an object Saturday on Hackberry Street. Dominique L. Hill, 20, of Cape Girardeau received a criminal summons for assault and was released. Officers went to the scene about 10:30 p.m. Saturday. ...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Gay- and transgender-rights supporters wasted little time in challenging a new North Carolina law, filing a lawsuit Monday that called it discriminatory and said it singles out LGBT people for "disfavored treatment." The law, which has drawn opposition from major corporations, was signed last week by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. He has stood behind the law and later Monday blamed the outcry on a "well-coordinated campaign" trying to stain the state's reputation...

Mother Mary Angelica, a folksy Roman Catholic nun who used a monastery garage to begin a television ministry that grew into a global religious media empire, has died. She was 92. Known to millions of viewers simply as "Mother Angelica," the founder of the Eternal Word Television Network died Easter Sunday at the rural Alabama monastery where she lived about 45 miles north of Birmingham, according to EWTN chairman and CEO Michael P. Warsaw...

WASHINGTON -- The FBI said Monday it successfully used a mysterious technique without Apple Inc.'s help to hack into the iPhone used by a gunman in a mass shooting in California. The announcement effectively ended a pitched court battle between the Obama administration and one of the world's leading technology companies...

Mary-Beth Jensen of Oak Ridge enjoys the near-60-degree temperatures Monday on the last day of spring break from school at Riverfront Park in Cape Girardeau.

Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis on Monday sentenced Steel W. Moyers, 31, of Cape Girardeau to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Moyers pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic assault Feb. 22. He was accused of choking his wife and threatening to kill her with a butcher knife Nov. 8. Moyers' lawyer, Brandon Cooper, said Moyers' wife submitted a statement declaring Moyers never threatened to kill her -- a detail that differed from the sentencing assessment given to Lewis...

Carlie K. McCauley, 24, of Du Quoin, Illinois, was sentenced Monday to a 120-day institutional drug-treatment program by Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Lewis after she pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery Feb. 22. If McCauley completes the program, she will receive probation. If she does not, she faces eight years in the Missouri Department of Corrections...

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Dunklin County Sheriff's Department is looking for a large Liberty-type bell and wheel used to ring the bell that recently were taken from Caruth United Methodist Church. According to Sheriff Bob Holder, the bell was taken within the last two weeks. The church is on Route Y south of Kennett...

DeShawn M. Smith, 20, of Cape Girardeau pleaded guilty Monday to counts of burglary and forgery and sentenced to six years in the Missouri Department of Corrections by Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis on four cases. Smith's sentences run concurrently. ...

Even though springtime is here, Melaina's Magical Playland at Cape County Park North soon will be closing for repairs. Bryan Sander, superintendent of the county parks department, said the all-inclusive playground that's a favorite of special-needs children will close Saturday for four to six weeks while its rubber ground tiles are replaced...

JUPITER, Fla. -- Matt Holliday hit his first home run this spring, a long drive off Bartolo Colon that helped the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 3-1 Monday. Holliday's shot hit the Marlins clubhouse beyond the left-field wall. The Marlins and Cardinals share the complex...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues haven't allowed a goal for 240 minutes and 18 seconds. And the last was an empty-netter. They're peaking just in time for the playoffs, tied for tops in the Western Conference with 99 points. Brian Elliott has three of the four shutouts and gets the start tonight against Colorado...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday rejected former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's appeal of his corruption convictions that included his attempt to sell the vacant Senate seat once occupied by President Barack Obama. The justices let stand an appeals court ruling that found Blagojevich crossed the line when he sought money in exchange for naming someone to fill the seat. ...

DAMASCUS, Syria -- The recapture of Syria's ancient city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group has brought new revelations of the destruction wreaked by the extremists, who decapitated priceless statues and smashed or looted artifacts in the city's museum...

ROSWELL, N.M. -- A teenage boy has been arrested in the theft of a fiberglass-and-metal version of a spaceship from outside the UFO Museum in Roswell. Police said they're searching for two other suspects. The model spaceship has been a fixture in downtown Roswell, where it was mounted outside the UFO museum. Police said surveillance video showed three people hauling the spaceship off in a pickup truck. The saucer was found in pieces two miles west of Roswell on Wednesday...

Larry J. Meyer, 34, of Jackson died March 27, 2016, at his residence. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 6:30 to 9:15 a.m. Thursday at Young and Sons Funeral Home. The rosary will be recited at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Apple Creek, Missouri, with the Rev. James French officiating...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Stephanie N. Cerny, 36, of Jackson was arrested at 315 N. Frederick St. on a Chaffee, Missouri, warrant for assault. n Robert D. Taylor, 32, 1014 Bloomfield St., was arrested on two Cape Girardeau warrants for failure to appear for open container and trespassing...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls Saturday. n Medical assists were made at 12:31 a.m. on East Cape Rock Drive; 1:14 a.m. on Napa Circle; 9:37 a.m. on Hickory Street; 10:37 a.m. on Hackberry Street; 11:30 a.m. on North Mount Auburn Road; 12:15 p.m. on South West End Boulevard; 7:55 pm. on South Sprigg Street; 8:26 p.m. on Independence Street; 9:14 p.m. on North Frederick Street; and 11:19 p.m. on Independence Street...

HAVANA -- Fidel Castro responded Monday to President Barack Obama's historic trip to Cuba with a long, bristling letter recounting the history of U.S. aggression against Cuba, writing, "We don't need the empire to give us any presents." The 1,500-word letter in state media titled "Brother Obama" was Castro's first response to the president's three-day visit last week, in which the American president said he had come to bury the two countries' history of Cold War hostility...

Daughter to Michael Ryan Boswell and Julie Ann Gipson of Marquand, Missouri, Saint Francis Medical Center, 11:25 a.m. Sunday, March 20, 2016. Name, Canaan Jewel. Weight, 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Gipson is the daughter of Dwayne and Sally Gipson of Marquand. She is self-employed. Boswell is the son of John Michael Boswell of Fredericktown, Missouri, and Cynthia Smith of Jackson. He is self-employed...

Harry William Trust, 92, of Jackson died Saturday, March 26, 2016, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, with an American Legion Honor Guard service at 7 p.m., followed by parish prayers...

William "Bill" Bailey II, 50, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Dundee, Scotland, died Saturday, March 26, 2016, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. There will be no visitation or funeral service. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

We shall see, but word has it that Donald the Orange will be confronted by an increasingly hostile press who feel more and more guilty for giving him so much free advertising via the media that the press corps has collectively aided and abetted the rise of Trumpism...

My fellow citizens, we are presenting two ballot issues on April 5 for your attention and consideration. I want to explain the reasons why I feel that yes votes on both measures are a good investment for the future of our city. First, the use tax. The use tax would apply to items purchased from a different state and "used" in Missouri. ...

On March 21, the chairman of Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce stated in a letter to the editor, "Â… nonpassage [of use tax and vehicle sales tax renewal initiatives] puts a number of local businesses at a competitive disadvantage versus out-of-state businesses." Using a tax to dictate individual behavior is an indicator of a poorly designed tax policy. ...

O Heavenly Father, may we meditate on your Word, seeking your will for our lives. Amen.

With growing concerns of the direction the country, Victoria "Tori" Proffer announced her candidacy for Missouri House District 145. She will be running as a Missouri Constitution Party candidate, as she said it is the two-party system that has led to the continued abuse of the U.S. Constitution, and the only way to fix it is to get back to the basics of rule of law, the Constitution and God...

The Easter season is a time for Christians to reflect deeper on the tenets of their faith and the value they place upon it. Many never took the time to consider the cost of standing for that faith, as it seemed that persecution was something they read about, not experienced. ...

Age: 44 Place of birth: Cape Spouse: Crystal Son: Garrett Occupation: President - Electrical Contractors Inc. Employer: ECI Businesses owned, all or part: ECI Leopold R-3 School Board Member - 2 terms Do you currently hold the office for which you are running? Yes...