News for Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Movie Review: Ed Helms comes of age in ’Cedar Rapids’

“Cedar Rapids” begins very much like an Alexander Payne Midwestern comedy is expected to: with an afternoon sex romp and Sigourney Weaver exhorting her companion to “Bring it!”

Iowa girl braves snowy field to find help for mom

A 4-year-old northwest Iowa girl who climbed her way out of an overturned pickup truck and trudged a quarter-mile across a field covered in a foot of snow said she just “wanted to help” her mother and younger brother.

More candor urged in care of dying cancer patients

Patients don’t want to hear that they’re dying and doctors don’t want to tell them. But new guidance for the nation’s cancer specialists says they should be upfront and do it far sooner.

Bradford ready to learn new offense

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Sam Bradford was eager to spend the next few months learning every nuance of the West Coast offense that helped him win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Every Cardinals game will be aired this season

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals fans will have an opportunity to see their team play every game this season.

KC lawmaker pays ethics debts; takes office

A Democratic Missouri lawmaker finally took office on Wednesday — a month later than his colleagues — after first paying off $19,090 in fees owed to the state Ethics Commission.

Missouri colleges to cut 116 degree programs

More than 100 degree programs will be eliminated at Missouri colleges and universities as part of a cost-savings review ordered by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Lawmaker seeks changes to child abuse hotline

Missouri Department of Social Services caseworkers investigating claims of child abuse reported through the state’s hotline should not leave a business card if no one answers the door at the home of an allegedly abused minor, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

Music Review: 11 pop jewels from Teddy Thompson

Teddy Thompson, “Bella” (Verve Forecast)

Judging from “Bella,” Teddy Thompson’s unlucky at love, even when he tries courting through his compositions.

Dow ekes out 8th straight day of gains

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed mixed Wednesday after the head of the Federal Reserve said unemployment may remain high for several years.

Republicans: Halt taxpayer aid for Fannie, Freddie

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal taxpayers should stop propping up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and Congress will wean the country away from its reliance on the two huge but fiscally feeble housing finance companies, House Republicans said Wednesday.

5 most inappropriate Valentine’s Day movies

Anyone can run out and rent a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts for Valentine’s Day. Anyone can stream the latest innocuous offering from Drew Barrymore — or Jennifer Aniston, or Kate Hudson.

High sugar prices help US farmers pay off debt

A series of disasters in Australia’s sugarcane region and foul weather in Brazil, India and China have driven up world sugar prices, and many U.S. farmers are making enough to pay off loans and buy new equipment.

President has stopped smoking, but will it last?

A large majority of smokers who try to kick the habit are back puffing away within six months, so President Barack Obama is ahead of the game.

NASCAR has few answers for issues as season looms

NASCAR entered its brief offseason with several nagging problems, intending to fix as many as possible. What top series officials emerged with is a new scoring format that simplifies the convoluted points system used since 1975. Left unchanged are sagging television ratings, alarming attendance drops and apathy from new and old fans alike.

Lincoln baseball, softball teams ranked last in MIAA preseason polls

The Lincoln University baseball and softball teams were voted last in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in their respective preseason polls that were released recently.

St. Mary's delivers $10 million line of credit

The next step in getting a new St. Mary’s has taken place, according to local elected officials and officials at St. Mary’s Health Center.

Blue Tiger women set to clash with ranked Bearcats

It will be one of those worst vs. first matchups today when the women’s basketball teams at Northwest Missouri State and Lincoln lock horns.

One-third have high bad cholesterol; only half of them get treated

Only about half of U.S. adults with high levels of bad cholesterol get treatment for it. Worse, not all those treated are managing to control the problem, according to a new government report.

Lady Jays' comeback against Kewpies falls short

The hole was just too deep. But not by much.

Utility donates 10 refrigerators to apartment complex

AmerenUE on Tuesday delivered 10 Energy Star refrigerators free of charge to Greenway Village apartment complex.

Chinese shares lead global retreat after rate hike

Chinese shares led a general stock market retreat Wednesday as investors in the country returned from their weeklong Lunar New Year holiday to be greeted by the second interest rate increase in a little over a month.

Falcons continue their winning ways with victory over the Mustangs

Brandon Moore totaled a season-high 30 points Tuesday night to lift the Blair Oaks Falcons to a win over the Eldon Mustangs in Tri-County Conference action.

Man cooks up beans for today’s annual Ham and Bean dinner

Harold Markway served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946.

Jays' defense keys victory against Hickman

The Jefferson City Jays lost a bit of their shooting touch in their 11-day break between games.

German exports increase by 18.5 percent in 2010

German exports rose 0.5 percent on the month in December, rounding out a year of strong growth that saw an overall increase of 18.5 percent, official data showed Wednesday.

Lawsuits in Fla., England related to Elvis music

Elvis Presley Enterprises said it’s suing men in Florida and England on claims of copyright infringement and illegal sale of a DVD and CD box set of recordings and footage of the singer’s performances.

Schnieders. Fatima handle Eugene

Patrick Schnieders tossed in a game-high 26 points Tuesday night as the Fatima Comets topped the Eugene Eagles.

Boys Basketball: St. Elizabeth outscores Tuscumbia

Caleb Heckemeyer ripped the cords for a game-high 28 points Tuesday to help St. Elizabeth to a win over Tuscumbia.

Boys Basketball: Linn handles Russellville

Ryan Rost poured in 19 points Tuesday night to help the Linn Wildcats to a 64-33 win over Russellville.

Boys Basketball: Chamois downs New Bloomfield

The Chamois Pirates held off a late charge by New Bloomfield to capture a win Tuesday.

Boys Basketball: Calvary Lutheran beats Columbia Ind.

The Calvary Lutheran Lions outscored Columbia Independent 25-3 in the third quarter on their way to a win Tuesday.

Boys Basketball: Vienna slips by Belle

Vienna outscored Belle 27-14 in the second half to rally for a victory Tuesday night.

Sanofi-Aventis net profit slumps on restructuring

Sanofi-Aventis said Wednesday that hefty new restructuring costs caused its net profit to slump 64 percent in the fourth quarter, amid continued uncertainty over the fate of its nearly $20 billion bid for U.S. biotechnology firm Genzyme Corp.

Girls Basketball: St. Elizabeth trumps Tuscumbia

The St. Elizabeth Lady Hornets outscored Tuscumbia 15-2 in the first quarter and coasted to a win Tuesday night.

Girls Basketball: Vienna rips Belle

The Vienna Lady Eagles put three players in double figures while ripping Belle on Tuesday.

Girls Basketball: New Bloomfield gets past Chamois

The New Bloomfield Lady Wildcats handed Chamois its fourth loss of the season Tuesday in a 46-40 win over the Lady Pirates.

Lady Jays reschedule basketball game

The Jefferson City Lady Jays’ basketball game with Springfield Parkview that was postponed due to weather has been rescheduled.

Girls Basketball: Blair Oaks JV falls

The Blair Oaks Lady Falcons JV team dropped a decision Tuesday to Southern Boone.

School closings, announcements for Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011

Here are school closings and other weather-related announcements for Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011.

Toyota trying to move beyond safety concerns

The government has cleared Toyota Motor Corp. in its investigation of electronic problems in the Japanese automaker’s vehicles.

Top defense firms vie to feed Indian arms appetite

More than 300 weapon makers are participating in a major air show in India in hopes of capturing a share of $10 billion worth of fighter jets and other arms India is planning to buy from overseas.

GOP lawmakers propose health care ‘compact’

Missouri Republicans this week launched another effort to protect “the rights of Missouri and other ... states to establish our own health care system, without the intrusion of the federal government,” Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, announced Tuesday.

Thank a Farmer Week celebrates contributions of ag sector

Callaway County farmers not only make substantial contributions to the nation’s food supplies, they also make significant purchases at local stores to help boost the economy, says Hadley Linnenbringer of Auxvasse, president of the Callaway County Farm Bureau.

Senate committee hears right-to-work talk

Missouri voters rejected the idea more than 32 years ago.

Break-in attempt damages pantry’s freezer

FULTON, Mo. — Sometime over the weekend, an individual or individuals tried to help themselves to the food SERVE Inc. has gathered to help feed struggling families in Callaway County.

Senate perfects MoDOT lawsuits bill

Since 1999, Missouri’s Transportation Department has been required to go to binding arbitration if a plaintiff wanted it.

Doctor: Goal for Giffords to see husband's launch

The doctor for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said Tuesday he hopes the wounded congresswoman can make enough progress to attend her husband’s space launch in two months, describing it as “a goal for us to work towards” as many in Arizona paused to mark one month since she was shot at a political event.

Sweden’s SAS reports Q4 profit

Scandinavian airline company SAS AB has recorded a net profit for the fourth quarter, mainly on the back of lower costs.

Tuesday's NBA Capsules

LeBron James had 41 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, Chris Bosh added 19 points and the Miami Heat rallied from 14 points down to beat the Indiana Pacers 117-112 on Tuesday night for their seventh straight victory.

Tuesday's Top 25 Women's College Basketball Capsules

Maya Moore scored 27 points and No. 2 Connecticut needed a second-half comeback to hold off No. 17 West Virginia, 57-51 Tuesday night.

Tuesday's Top 25 Men's College Basketball Capsules

D.J. Gay scored 15 points and keyed a 21-3 run in the first half that carried No. 6 San Diego State to an 85-53 win over Utah on Tuesday night.

‘Beliebers’ pack downtown LA for Bieber premiere

The city got a bad case of Bieber fever on Tuesday. Hundreds of Justin Bieber fans — along with his famous friends Miley Cyrus, Will Smith, Usher and Selena Gomez — filled the L.A. Live complex for the premiere of the teen pop star’s first movie, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.”

Worker unaccounted for after petroleum plant fire

A liquid gas pipeline exploded Tuesday at a petroleum plant outside Houston, sending balls of orange flame and thick black smoke into the sky and leaving one worker unaccounted for, authorities said.

US teens killed in Juarez crossed border for party

Two of three teens shot to death at a car dealership in Mexico at the weekend had crossed the border from Texas for a party in Ciudad Juarez, one of the most dangerous cities in the world, then stayed overnight to shop for a used car, friends in El Paso said Tuesday.

Police get tips on mom of baby found in toilet

A newborn baby abandoned in the toilet after his mother delivered him in an arena bathroom was getting better Tuesday as police searched for clues to the woman’s identity.

Fire guts West End home

What was initially called in as a car fire Tuesday night turned into a major structure fire in Jefferson City.

Tuesday's NHL Capsules

Logan Couture broke a scoreless tie with 8:05 to play, Antti Niemi made 25 saves for his second straight shutout and the San Jose Sharks ran their defensive-minded winning streak to four games by beating the Washington Capitals 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Missouri executes man in 1991 slaying of girl

A Missouri man convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing an 11-year-old girl whose body was dumped along a river was put to death early Wednesday, the first execution in the state in nearly two years.

US ups pressure on Pakistan over detained American

The United States may scrap upcoming talks with Pakistan about the war in Afghanistan to further pressure Islamabad to free an American who shot dead two Pakistanis, U.S. officials said.

Your Opinion: Just sing our national anthem

This is a note I have been meaning to write for a long time.

Freed young leader energizes Egyptian protests

A young leader of Egypt’s anti-government protesters, newly released from detention, joined a massive crowd in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for the first time Tuesday and was greeted with cheers, whistling and thunderous applause when he declared: “We will not abandon our demand and that is the departure of the regime.”

News for Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Struemph wins mayoral race

Obits

Stories

Teddy Thompson, “Bella” (Verve Forecast)