Mo. lawmakers want prison overhaul

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Missouri lawmakers want an overhaul of the state's inefficient prison system.

Prison populations have reached an all-time high and prison spending has almost doubled in ten years. A joint commission met to review a report suggesting major changes in the probation process, co-chair Representative Chris Kelly says.

"Are there better ways to deal with technical probation or parole violations rather than to send people back to prison?" Kelly asked

The committee is looking at ways to cut costs and inmate population. Kelly says the committee will draft a bill next month and introduce the new legislation in January.

Matt Evans, Missouri Digital News

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Southeast professor's animated film returns to Cape Girardeau

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - A Southeast Missouri State University professor’s 3D animated film traveled around the globe. Now it is returning to Cape Girardeau.

Peter Chanthanakone’s 9 minute short entitled "Death to the Different" is an uplifting coming-of-age story about a boy who must complete a difficult task at the urging of this father.

Chanthanakone says the film gives audiences the rare chance to see a drama in 3D animation.

"Typically 3D animation is designed to be more strictly entertainment-based and for children, and just taking out of that context makes it kind of more unique and you can really relate to it in a different way than if it were to be a live action short film," Chanthanakone said.

Nine Southeast students assisted with the film’s animation and voicework.

"Death to the Different" was screened at film festivals in Germany, France, Pakistan, China and New York.

The film will be shown publicly for this first time in Cape Girardeau this Friday at the Black Door Gallery.

"Death to the Different"'s travelling days are not over. It will be shown at a festival in South Korea next month.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Cape City Council supports low-income housing development plan

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Cape Girardeau City Council passed a resolution with a 4-2 vote Monday night in support of a development company’s plan to build low income apartments on Silver Springs Road. MACO Development now has the city’s support, but they may have trouble getting the tax credit they need.

MACO development is not new to Cape Girardeau. They are responsible for three low income senior apartments in the area. They now have their sights set on creating a low income housing off of Silver Springs.

They are trying to get 6 million dollars in state and federal tax credits spread out over a ten year span. Company Vice President, Jason Maddox says that 40 percent of this year’s tax credits are going to developers in the Joplin area, so competition is intense.

Council member Debra Tracy was among those who support the development, saying the city lacks adequate low-income housing.

But council member Mark Lanzotti fears the development would skew the marketplace and dissuade rehabilitation of older apartment complexes. Lanzotti was one of two council members to vote against the measure.

Larry Hartling of West Cape Development Corporation owns the land where the apartments would be built. He supports the proposed developments.

"We think its a good project for the area. I own property adjoining it so I am going to be a neighbor to it. We thinks its a good use for that property," Hartling said.

This is the first year that the council is required to approve residential development before developers can attempt to submit an application to the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

MACO’s next step is to rezone its proposed location from a commercial to residential district.

Hannah Parent, KRCU

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Scheible goes for OVC record against Tennessee State

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Southeast Missouri State University football team finally notched its first win over the weekend.

The Redhawks are now looking for the team’s quarterback to write himself into the record books.

Senior quarterback Matt Scheible has helped lead the Southeast Missouri State University football team to several records over the last 3 seasons.

Last year the team won the first OVC conference championship in school history, while tying the record for most wins in a season with 9 games.

Coach Tony Samuel says Scheible has been a key part of the offense in his years at Southeast.

Aside from being the play caller, Samuel says Scheible is a hard worker who studies film and does what it takes to get the job done.

"He’s got a pretty good idea of what’s going on out there. He’s got the ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage, Samuel said. "We’ve given him the freedom, now for almost 3 years, to do some of those type of things. He’s just a great student of the game and he’s got the athletic ability to back it up."

Scheible is going for a personal record this season. He is trying to become the first quarterback in OVC history to rush for 2,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards.

Scheible and the Redhawks travel to Tennessee State University Saturday at 6 pm.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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John Brunner enters Senate race

ST. LOUIS, MO (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - The Republican race to challenge Senator Claire McCaskill in 2012 is officially a three-way contest.

John Brunner chairs the board of Vi-Jon, a St. Louis-based company that makes the hand sanitizer Germ-X.

He has a long track record of donating to Republican and conservative causes. But he’s never run for public office – which he says makes him the most qualified person to serve.

"Career politicians with political experience alone are just unable to restore the American dream. They have no because they have no real world experience to guide them," Brunner said.

A spokesman for Congressman Todd Akin welcomed Brunner into the race but said he remained confident Akin would win. The campaign of former state treasurer Sarah Steelman did not return a phone call for comment in time.

Brunner’s entry into the race affects Akin more, says University of Missouri St. Louis political science professor Dave Robertson.

"Brunner, as someone who has supported Akin in the past, who comes from the general area that Todd Akin comes from, really has a chance to split the vote that Akin would have gotten and so probably weakens Akin a little bit more," Robertson said.

Campaign finance records show Brunner and his wife donating five thousand dollars to Akin’s campaign as recently as March.

Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio

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MDC fries up Asian carp at Mississippi River Day

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Missouri Department of Conservation hosted a Mississippi River Day on Saturday that was part of the family weekend festivities at Southeast Missouri State University.

Little kids competed at casting rods, boats cut through the Mississippi River water, and everybody had a chance to sample different kinds of fish.

Dr. Quinton Phelps, systems ecologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said the taste test was designed to see which type of fish ... Tilapia, Catfish, or Asian Carp ... was preferred by most people.

"The survey that we did was fairly broad based. It incorporated a range of ages from small children all the way up to grandparents, so we had a very good demographic and it didn’t really seem to matter what age you were, it seemed like Asian Carp were the preferred fish to consume," Phelps said.

The Asian Carp is an invasive species that is endangering the local ecosystem of the Mississippi River.

The carp eat food that native fish depend upon. Local fish population are suffering due to the carp’s incursion.

Phelps says the taste test should help determine if there is a market within the local fish industry for Asian Carp.

The results of the taste test will be posted at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center later this week.

Drew Yount, KRCU

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Southeast hires director for Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) Southeast Missouri State University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has hired David Mosby as its director.

Mosby will be responsible for working with the Small Business Technology and Development Center.

He is also working on a portability grant for Dexter, where the local economy has been hurt by layoffs at the Faurecia manufacturing plant.

"What we’ll try to do is train the businesses to be more efficient so that they’ll be able to survive through this economic downturn. And besides being more efficient, maybe getting them to look outside of their community to see how they can sell their goods outside of Dexter to bring more hard money into the community," Mosby said.

Mosby will work under James Stapleton, who now serves as the Center’s executive director.

David Mosby started on September 12.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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