Stories from Thursday, April 7, 2016

All scores were reported to the Southeast Missourian on Wednesday.

Bryce Saia stopped himself as soon as the word came out of his mouth. The Southeast Missouri State defensive coordinator, standing at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex following the Redhawks' spring practice on Wednesday afternoon, blurted out, "Consistency," as he explained the progress of his defensive players...

Over the past few months, Paul McRoberts began to miss his family and life in Southeast Missouri. Not long after his senior season at Southeast Missouri State, the wide receiver played in the Senior Bowl; and then it was off to Texas for the NFL prospect to train...

Willie Nelson performs during the April 7 show at the Show Me Center.

Southeast Missouri State senior thrower Kevin Farley's performance at the Drury Hotels Joey Haines Invitational last weekend warranted Ohio Valley Conference Male Field Athlete of the Week honors. Farley won the discus at the Redhawks' home meet with an OVC-best throw of 183 feet, 6 inches. That mark ranks 22nd nationally and is second in school history behind a throw of 192-4 from Neil Rock in 1986...

In May, two new businesses will open in West Park Mall. The Spice of Life, a gourmet food store, will feature a variety of international foods. While management hasn't determined all the goods the store will carry, Brittany Meadows, marketing director at Taste of Cape, said shoppers can expect to find a number of cooking sauces, pastas, dried and cured meats, and unique teas and sodas...

A man shot in the face as he was holding a baby on a front porch likely was misidentified by the alleged killer, according to the man who lives at the Cape Girardeau residence where the homicide occurred. Corey C. Gilbert of 612 Locust St. told police he was the person the murder suspect was looking for when Airious D. ...

Cape Girardeau County ranks ninth among 114 counties in the state in the percentage of population growth over the past five years, according to the latest census figures. The county grew by 2,898 people, or 3.8 percent, between 2010 and 2015, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The county's population stands at an estimated 78,572...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Country giant Merle Haggard, who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs and an abiding sense of national pride in such hits as "Okie From Muskogee" and "Sing Me Back Home," died Wednesday at 79, on his birthday...

Today is Thursday, April 7, the 98th day of 2016. There are 268 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 7, 1966, the U.S. Navy recovered a hydrogen bomb that the U.S. Air Force had lost in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain following a B-52 crash...

Tonight kicks off the weekend of performances for Notre Dame Regional High School as students perform "Fiddler on the Roof." The classic musical features several famous songs, including "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "Tradition," "Do You Love Me?" and "Sunrise, Sunset."...

Hazel Marie Lukefahr Hahs, 91, formerly of Sedgewickville, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home, where she lived the past month. Prior to residency at Jackson Manor, she lived five years at Capetown Independent and Assisted Living...

Marie Kathryn Littlepage, 84, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at Jackson Manor. She was born Jan. 10, 1932, in Ancell, Missouri, the daughter of Oliver and Mary Knupp Hill. She and Gerald Littlepage were married May 11, 1952. He passed away June 4, 1997...

Daughter to Jeremy Dwayne Page and Brittany Ann Santora of Perryville, Missouri, Saint Francis Medical Center, 8:08 a.m. Thursday, March 24, 2016. Name, Lilliann Grace. Weight, 7 pounds, 3 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Santora is the former Brittany Ditto, daughter of Jeff and Karla Ditto of Benton, Missouri. Page is the son of Lisa and Greg Smith of Perryville and Terry Page of Perryville. He is employed by TG Missouri...

Carole Ann Limbach, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, April 4, 2016, at her home. She was born Oct. 8, 1942, in Belleville, Illinois, to Harold Joseph and Ann Marie Walsh Hefele. Carole was a former secretary at Southeast Hospital for 12 years. She retired from Sears in Cape Girardeau in 2005...

NEW YORK -- He's been a rapper, actor, singer, entrepreneur, record producer and clothing designer. Now Sean "Diddy" Combs has taken on a new job as the founder of a charter school in New York City's Harlem neighborhood. Combs announced last week the Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School will open in the fall...

J. Allen Reasons, the new pastor of Lynwood Baptist Church, preaches his first sermon at his new charge. A reception for Reasons and his family is held in the evening at the church dining hall. Reasons formerly was pastor of Central Baptist Church in Itasca, Texas...

The biggest U.S.-based drugmaker, Pfizer Inc., will stay put thanks to aggressive new Treasury Department rules that succeeded in blocking Pfizer from acquiring rival Allergan and moving to Ireland -- on paper -- to reduce its tax bill. As analysts and investors had expected, the two companies called off the record $160 billion merger early Wednesday "by mutual agreement." Pfizer cited Treasury's new regulations, issued late Monday, to make such "tax inversions" less lucrative...

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration acted Wednesday to require that brokers who recommend investments for retirement savers meet a stricter standard that now applies to registered advisers: They must act as "fiduciaries" -- trustees who are obligated to put their clients' best interests above all...

Runners brave a rainy afternoon Wednesday to make their way along the Cape LaCroix Recreational Trail in Cape Girardeau. A possibility of rain is forecast for today.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. lambastes and strong-arms countries that help drug lords and millionaire investors hide their money from tax collectors. Critics say it should look closer to home. America itself is emerging as a top tax haven alongside the likes of Switzerland, the Cayman Islands and Panama, those seeking reform of the international tax system say. ...

NEW YORK -- Republican Donald Trump declared it's "great to be home" at a massive rally in the New York City suburbs Wednesday, shrugging off a defeat in Wisconsin a day earlier and instead predicting victory in his delegate-rich home state. "I love these people. These are my people," he said to thunderous cheers...

PHILADELPHIA -- Armed with a blistering tabloid cover, Hillary Clinton is pitting Bernie Sanders against the parents of children murdered in Sandy Hook, part of an effort to punch her way into the critical New York primary. The inflammatory rhetoric underscores the importance of the April 19 New York contest to her campaign and the frustration of Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, with the lingering primary battle...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A judge sentenced former coal executive Don Blankenship to a year in prison Wednesday for his role in the deadliest U.S. mine explosion in four decades, saying he was part of a "dangerous conspiracy." One day after the sixth anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion, which killed 29 men, U.S. District Judge Irene Berger gave the ex-Massey Energy CEO the maximum prison time and fine of $250,000...

CHICAGO -- The nation's epidemic of addiction to painkillers and heroin is fueling demand for a once-obscure form of housing known as "sober homes," where recovering addicts live together in a supervised, substance-free setting to ease their transition back to independence...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A Spike Lee documentary about protests at the University of Missouri this fall, which were spurred by what activists said was administrators' indifference to racial issues on campus, made its premiere Wednesday night at a theater near the campus...

AMMAN, Jordan -- The first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees left Jordan on Wednesday for Kansas City, Missouri, to start a new life. Ahmad al-Abboud, who is being resettled with his wife and five children, said he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican lawmakers upset about the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage have advanced measures in about a dozen states this year that could strengthen protections for those who refuse on religious grounds to provide services to same-sex couples...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A bill that would allow mental-health counselors to turn patients away based on the counselors' religious beliefs and personal principles has passed in the House in Tennessee. It is the latest state to introduce measures opponents say legalize discrimination against gays, bisexuals and transgender people...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Senate has endorsed updating the state’s laws on when police can use deadly force. Senators gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would bring Missouri’s use-of-force statute into compliance with parameters outlined in a 1985 U.S. Supreme Court decision. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Senate has voted to override the governor and block a wage hike for home-care attendants. Two-thirds of senators voted Wednesday to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a measure blocking the pay increase. Lawmakers want to stop a proposed Department of Health and Senior Services rule that would raise the pay for home-care attendants from the $7.65 an hour to a range between $8.50 and $10.15. ...

NEW YORK -- Amy Schumer took to Instagram in a black bikini to -- punctuate? -- her feelings about being included in a special edition of Glamour aimed at celebrating "chic at any size." That's exactly what the cover sings in a tagline accompanying a photo of Ashley Graham, who made her mark in modeling wearing lingerie for the issue's partner, the Lane Bryant chain of stores aimed at the plus-size women's market...

NEW YORK -- All you need is love. Love's often in short supply at the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, however. For all the good vibes of a career's crowning achievement, the event can be a display case for long-running feuds, petty jealousies and business disputes. Paul Simon once jokingly suggested the hall create a special wing for musical acts that didn't get along...

Janet Jackson is delaying her "Unbreakable" tour, saying Wednesday she and her husband are planning their family, and she is under doctor's orders to rest. The 49-year-old singer announced in a clip on her Twitter account Wednesday morning there has been a "sudden change" to the second leg of her tour, which started in August...

ST. LOUIS -- Missouri state and local officials Wednesday demanded to know why nearly 8 percent of St. Louis County precincts ran out of ballots, and some voters were turned away during municipal elections. St. Louis County Democratic elections director Eric Fey said shortages occurred Tuesday in 63 precincts that required ballots for multiple jurisdictions such as school board and municipal government elections. ...

FERGUSON, Mo. -- Failure by Ferguson voters to approve a property tax increase should have no "major effects" on the city's agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice or efforts to adopt community policing in the St. Louis suburb where Michael Brown was fatally shot by an officer, the city manager said Wednesday...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers, including those currently in office, would need to wait six months after the end of their terms before lobbying in the Capitol under a tentative compromise reached Wednesday by legislative negotiators. The proposal to end the revolving door of lawmakers-to-lobbyists -- legislators can immediately lobby their former colleagues after leaving office -- is part of a broader push to revamp ethics after the resignations of two former lawmakers who left office last year amid allegations of inappropriate behavior toward interns.. ...

The coral on the sea floor around the Pacific island of Kiritimati looked like a boneyard in November -- stark, white and lifeless. But there still was some hope. This month, color returned with fuzzy reds and browns, but that's not good news. Algae has overtaken the lifeless coral on what had been some of the most pristine coral reefs on the planet, University of Victoria coral reef scientist Julia Baum said after dozens of dives in the past week...

The Southeast Missouri State softball team twice let late leads get away, as it was swept by Arkansas, 7-4 and 4-3, in a doubleheader Wednesday at the Southeast Softball Complex. The contests were delayed two and a half hours due to rain. A Haylee Krack home run pushed the Redhawks to a 4-1 advantage in the fifth inning of Game 1, only to see the Razorbacks (15-23) send 10 hitters to the plate in the top of the sixth inning...

PITTSBURGH -- Juan Nicasio pitched six dominant innings in his Pittsburgh debut and Francisco Cevelli hit a two-run double as the Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 Wednesday night to sweep an opening three-game series between the teams with the best regular-season records in the major leagues last year...

Former U.S. attorney general John Ashcroft will be the keynote speaker at the Republican Party’s 47th annual Lincoln Day dinner May 7 at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. Ashcroft, also a former Missouri governor and U.S. senator, reorganized the Justice Department to combat terrorism after the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001...

SIKESTON, Mo. — A Sikeston woman faces felony charges after allegedly making threats to the Scott County Children’s Division. Adren Carleen Romo, 29, is charged with a felony count of making a terrorist threat, according to online court records. ...

At least two barges and a towboat were damaged when they collided with a bridge support of the Thebes Bridge on Wednesday morning at Thebes, Illinois. One barge was pinned against the support on the eastern side of the Mississippi River, and the other is at the bottom of the middle of the channel, according to Coast Guard Lt. Chris Pence...

Eleven Southeast Missouri State University students were awarded scholarships March 30 at the annual Power of Women luncheon at the Show Me Center. The recipients included: Tracie Beard of Iuka, Illinois; Destiny Brooks of Perryville, Missouri; Noel Burke of Cape Girardeau; Jo Cougill of Jackson; Amanda Edgar of Portageville, Missouri; Ashley Gettinger of Ste. ...

WASHINGTON -- A man wanted by Idaho authorities in an attack that left a church pastor seriously wounded will be extradited from Washington, D.C., where he was arrested after allegedly throwing items over the White House fence. U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Bill Miller said a judge ordered 30-year-old Kyle Odom's extradition Wednesday. ...

TEANECK, N.J. -- A northern New Jersey town plans to acquire 20 air horns to help its residents deal with aggressive wild turkeys. Animal control officer Vincent Ascolese said he will give the air horns to Teaneck officials to distribute to the public. Officials say they've received about a dozen complaints from residents reporting aggressive wild turkeys. The birds have attacked residents, pecked at cars, held up traffic. One has flown through a glass kitchen window...

n Two empty soda cans n Bathroom scale n Several heavy books n Rubber bands n STEP 1: Place the empty soda can, vertically, on a flat surface. Grab two heavy books and weigh them. Center the books on the can, so the can and the books remain standing. What happens to the can and books? Why?...

JACKSON The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Miscellaneous n Check the welfare was requested in the 200 block of Grandview Drive. n A court-order violation was reported in the 200 block of North West Lane. n A domestic disturbance was reported in the 2300 block of Stoller Way...

CAPE GIRARDEAU The Cape Girardeau Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Damian Estes Morrison, 21, of Sikeston, MIssouri, was arrested on a Cape Girardeau warrant for failure to appear on a show-cause order for stealing...

Winifred "Winnie" Dumey, 83, of Jackson died Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson and from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson...

The most interesting piece to be published in the Opinion page of the Southeast Missourian in the last 50 years was columnist George Will's April 3, 40 (many difficult to answer) questions about baseball! The media is giving Trump a raw deal on his comments on abortion. ...

The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the opening blasts in a new type of warfare. The Soviet Union and the United States began a race to develop more powerful nuclear weapons systems as well as more effective and accurate delivery systems. ...

Father God, may we guard our hearts and stay away from perverse talk. Amen.

Auggie Knutson is a born tinkerer, which is probably why he carried a tool belt wherever he went as a little boy. Now a junior at Chaffee, Missouri, High School, Knutson has taken his innate ability and channeled it into his class work in the Chaffee Industrial Arts & Technology program...