Stories from Wednesday, November 22, 2017

MENLO PARK, Calif. -- The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission set out Tuesday to scrap rules around open internet access, a move that would allow giant cable and telecom companies to throttle broadband speeds and favor their own services if they wish...

Former Cape Girardeau School Board member Stacy Kinder filed Tuesday as a candidate for the Ward 6 council seat, assuring at least one candidate running for each of the council seats in the April election. Tuesday was the final day of filing for the positions of mayor and Ward 1, 2 and 6 council seats...

The Missouri Supreme Court has set a March 20 execution date for convicted murderer Russell Bucklew, who was described by former Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle as "the most evil person I've ever prosecuted." Bucklew, 49, is scheduled to die by injection for killing a man in 1996 during a violent crime spree...

Sheetrock might be required more often. As will carbon-monoxide detectors. More outlets will need to be installed in garages. But bathrooms and bedrooms can be built smaller. These restrictions will all be addressed if new building codes are approved by the Jackson Board of Aldermen...

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 22, the 326th day of 2017. There are 39 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Nov. 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas; Texas Gov. John B. Connally, in the same car as Kennedy, was seriously wounded; a suspect, Lee Harvey Oswald, was arrested; Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president...

I was a college senior in the summer of 1969. To many, this was one of the more fascinating and fast-changing times in American history. The nation was embroiled in the Vietnam war; we had witnessed as a nation the assassinations of some of the most prominent and promising leaders in our history; and the civil-rights movement was front and center...

As you're out and about this weekend buying toys for all the boys and girls on Santa's nice list, please consider picking up an item or two for the Toybox and/or Christmas for the Elderly program. The Toybox charity delivers toys to more than 350 families within the city limits of Cape Girardeau. ...

Harry Rediger was elected the new chairman of the board for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce during a two-day board retreat, which ended yesterday at the Lone Star Industries Natatorium; one of the actions of the board during the retreat was to appoint a task force to look into upgrading the chamber facilities at 601 N. Kingshighway...

KOKOMO, Ind. -- Martha June Lauck Wetekamp, 79, of Kokomo passed away peacefully Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, at home with her family. Martha was born April 27, 1938, to Marcus Lauck and Effie Cohoon Lauck in Chaffee, Missouri. Marty thoroughly enjoyed painting, reading and music. ...

Cournelyous Shay'von Stevenson, 22, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, in Charleston, Missouri. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at Second Missionary Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the church, with Apostle Adrien Taylor officiating. Interment will be Monday in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis...

Margaret Marie Sides, 69, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017, at her home. She was born July 10, 1948, near Perryville, Missouri, daughter of Hubert H. and Ruby J. Horn Clayton. She and Mike E. Sides were married Oct. 16, 1966, in Millersville...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Susan Ruth Hayden, 54, of Marble Hill, died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, at her home. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at a later date...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Marina Roslia Georger, 86, of Chaffee passed away Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 4, 1931, in Kelso, Missouri, to the late Charles and Louise Schoen Georger. Marina was a retired registered nurse for Southeast Missouri Mental Health in Farmington, Missouri. She was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Chaffee. She was a member of Daughters of St. Ambrose...

Gene M. Blumenberg, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at his farm in Whitewater. He was born Aug. 5, 1934, in Cape Girardeau to Albert and Amanda Deneke Blumenberg. He and Virginia Gray were married Jan. 26, 1962, in Cape Girardeau. He served two years in the Army...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- James Joseph Balchunis, 58 of Chaffee died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. No services are scheduled. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee is in charge of arrangements.

The Jackson Police Department released the following items. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests n Matthew Haynes, 22, of Jackson was arrested on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, failure to drive in a single lane and possession of marijuana under 10 grams...

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to the following calls: Monday n Medical assists were made at 5:01 a.m. on Edgewood Road; 7:50 a.m. on South Louisiana Avenue; 8:23 a.m. on North Lorimier Street; 9:48 a.m. on North Frederick Street; 10:11 a.m. ...

ST. LOUIS -- The Environmental Protection Agency said testing in the area of St. Louis where a huge warehouse burned last week found no asbestos in the neighborhood. The EPA said some asbestos was found around the perimeter of the warehouse that caught fire Nov. 15, resulting in heavy black smoke that could be seen for miles. It took more than 100 firefighters to put out the blaze...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- More charges have been filed against the former manager of a small-town Missouri Dairy Queen accused of bullying a teenage employee so relentlessly, he killed himself. A special prosecutor filed an amended criminal complaint Monday against Harley Branham, 22, of Fayette. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's minimum wage is set to increase 15 cents to $7.85 an hour next year. The Missouri Department of Labor announced the hike from the current $7.70 an hour. The increase takes effect Jan. 1. Tipped employees also must be paid at least $7.85 an hour next year. Employers must pay at least half that and need to make up the difference if employees don't make at least that much with tips...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri education commissioner Margie Vandeven said she's looking forward to "the focus returning to educating our children" after a failed attempt Tuesday to remove her from office. State Board of Education members voted 4-4 during a closed meeting on the question of ousting her. That's one vote short of what was needed to ax her...

NEW YORK -- CBS News and PBS cut ties to Charlie Rose on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after several women who worked with him on his PBS interview show alleged a pattern of sexual misconduct, including groping and walking naked in front of them. Both organizations stressed the importance of providing a safe, professional workplace...

NEW YORK -- A new look at cancer in the U.S. finds nearly half of cancer deaths are caused by smoking, poor diet and other unhealthy behaviors. That's less than commonly cited estimates from more than 35 years ago, a result of new research methods and changes in American society. Smoking rates have plummeted, for example, while obesity rates have risen dramatically...

WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration imposed new sanctions on a slew of North Korean shipping firms and Chinese trading companies Tuesday in its latest push to isolate the rogue nation over its nuclear weapons development and deprive it of revenue...

MOSCOW -- On a surprise trip to Russia, Syria's Bashar Assad discussed potential new peace initiatives for post-war Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin who declared Russia's two-year military campaign in Syria is wrapping up, the Kremlin said Tuesday...

UNITED NATIONS -- Terrorist groups and criminals are capitalizing on conflict to exploit innocent civilians sexually and physically, which may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday. The U.N. ...

MIAMI -- Yolnick Jeune couldn't sleep for days, anxious over the fate of a program that has staved off the deportations of both herself and tens of thousands of other Haitians in the U.S. Then, President Donald Trump's administration this week announced one last 18-month extension of the Temporary Protected Status that has allowed her to work and provide for her five children, including a 7-year-old, U.S.-born girl...

DETROIT -- John Conyers has dealt with various ethics investigations and a public corruption case that landed his wife in prison during a U.S. House career spanning more than five decades -- longer than any other current member. Allegations the 88-year-old Michigan Democrat sexually harassed female staff members may be the toughest opponent yet for the party's top member on the House Judiciary Committee...

NEW YORK -- Ikea relaunched a recall of 17.3 million chests and dressers Tuesday after the death of an eighth child. CEO Lars Petersson said Ikea wants to increase awareness of the recall campaign for several types of chest and dressers that can tip over easily if not properly anchored to a wall...

WASHINGTON -- Customs and Border Protection was caught off-guard by President Donald Trump's travel ban despite being the entity responsible for implementing it, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general said. In letters sent Monday to members of the Senate, the inspector general's office said the CBP leadership had "virtually no warning" the executive order was coming and "was caught by surprise."...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Uber is coming clean about its cover-up of a year-old hacking attack that stole personal information about more than 57 million of the beleaguered ride-hailing service's customers and drivers. So far, there's no evidence the data taken has been misused, according to a Tuesday blog post by Uber's recently hired CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi. Part of the reason nothing malicious has happened is because Uber acknowledges paying the hackers $100,000 to destroy the stolen information...

WASHINGTON -- Silent for more than a week, President Donald Trump all but endorsed embattled Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore on Tuesday, discounting the sexual-assault allegations against him and insisting repeatedly voters must not support Moore's "liberal" rival...

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, who once vowed to rule for life, resigned Tuesday, succumbing to a week of pressure from the military that put him under house arrest, lawmakers from the ruling party and opposition who began impeachment proceedings and a population that surged into the streets to say 37 years in power was enough...

Lord Jesus, thank you for your wondrous peace which you generously give to us. Amen.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Rodger Dale Yount, 63, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, Nov 21, 2017, at his home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lutesville General Baptist Church in Marble Hill. Burial will follow in the James Cemetery near Scopus, Missouri...

Daughter to Walker and Kaitlyn Rice of Imperial, Missouri, Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. Name, Addison June. Weight, 7 pounds, 14 ounces. First child. Mrs. Rice is the daughter of Doug and Linda Bobe of Camdenton, Missouri, and is employed by Varsity Tutors in St. Louis. Rice is the son of H.B. and Kathy Rice of Chaffee, Missouri. He is employed at Alpha Packaging in St. Louis...

NEW YORK -- David Cassidy, the teen and pre-teen idol who starred in the 1970s sitcom "The Partridge Family" and sold millions of records as the musical group's lead singer, died Tuesday at age 67. Cassidy, who announced earlier this year he had been diagnosed with dementia, died surrounded by his family, a family statement released by publicist JoAnn Geffen said. ...

MASHPEE, Mass. -- The Massachusetts tribe whose ancestors shared a Thanksgiving meal with the Pilgrims nearly 400 years ago is reclaiming its long-lost language, one schoolchild at a time. "Weesowee mahkusunash," said teacher Siobhan Brown, using the Wampanoag phrase for "yellow shoes" as she reads to a preschool class from Sandra Boynton's popular children's book "Blue Hat, Green Hat."...

Shoulders will be added to two roadways in and near Jackson in the spring, and three will be resurfaced by the Missouri Department of Transportation. Asphalt resurfacing and two feet of shoulders on each side of the road will be added to nearly 2.8 miles of Route D/West Independence Street, public-works director Rodney Bollinger said at Monday’s board of aldermen meeting...

The Missouri Supreme Court has suspended Cape Girardeau lawyer Dale Edward Gerecke from the practice of law for at least six months after finding him guilty of professional misconduct. The state’s high court issued the ruling Tuesday, saying it found Gerecke “should be disciplined.” ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — There was a turkey bound and determined to avoid being the centerpiece of a Thanksgiving Day feast. He took on costumes to deceive a farmer and his wife, and the desperate attempt was chronicled by second-grade students last year at Perryville Elementary...

The River Heritage Quilt Guild hosted it's Fourth Annual Quilts of Valor Ceremony at LaCroix Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau on Monday, November 13. Nine veterans were presented quilts at this meeting. Four veterans received their quilts at other locations. ...