Stories from Tuesday, July 17, 2001

COBDEN, Ill. -- Frank L. Geske Jr., 49, of Cobden died Saturday, July 14, 2001, in Cobden. He was born Nov. 7, 1951, in Quincy, Ill., son of Frank L. and Phyllis Elaine Noelle Geske Sr. He and Lynn Forby were married Feb. 12, 1977, in Cobden. Geske was general manager of mining operations for Delta Companies Inc. in Cape Gir-ardeau...

Editor's note: This is an excerpt of a chapter from Jean Bell Mosley's book "Wide Meadows" that was first published in 1960. Britts' bull was a brindled, curly, thick-necked tormentor, who roamed the pasture on the neighboring farm, bellowing profanely, hoisting his pedigreed tail arrogantly, and pawing the ground viciously when anyone came within range of his dark, evil, thick-lashed eyes. ...

Southeast Missouri parents don't have to send their children to far-away summer camps to help them learn new skills and have fun. Locally, the area offers a wide variety of camps for youth, ranging from fitness to athletics to, most recently, recreation...

Radio talk-show host and Cape Girardeau native Rush Limbaugh has signed a $250 million contract that will keep his fiery conservative message on the nation's airwaves until 2009, the Drudge Report Web site reported Monday. The on-line story -- at www.drudgereport.com -- says that the deal includes a $35 million signing bonus and also gives Limbaugh a high percentage of advertising revenue from his daily syndicated broadcast. The story cites nameless sources with "direct knowledge of the deal."...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Plans for a long-sought East Main Street interchange with Interstate 55 have gained approval of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. The interchange would be built in 2006 north of the I-55 and U.S. 61 interchange between Jackson and Cape Girardeau and would be finished in 2007...

Cape Girardeau police try a variety of tricks to get drivers to pay attention on the road. This is the year of the ticket. With more officers in the traffic division the first half of this year compared to last year, citations have increased by nearly 1,000...

JACKSON, Mo. -- State Rep. Rod Jetton of Marble Hill plans to walk off his concerns about Missouri's road problems. The Republican lawmaker plans to walk the 255 miles from Jackson to Jefferson City to deliver a petition demanding state highway commissioners finish 10 promised highway projects under the old 15-year road plan...

Monday, July 16, at 7 p.m. City Hall, 401 Independence Study session at 5 p.m. Consent ordinances (Second and third readings) n Approved an ordinance vacating the city's interest in a 4-foot utility pole easement located under 1721 Crestwood Drive in Oak Hills Subdivision...

New planes could be taxiing down the runway at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport now that the city accepted a state loan to fund infrastructure improvement for an aircraft company to build planes here. The Cape Girardeau City Council passed a resolution Monday night accepting $750,000 from the Missouri Department of Economic Development that will fund infrastructure improvements to the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau's Best Mortgage Junior American Legion baseball team fell one victory short of the District 14 Tournament championship. Top-seeded Sikeston, which had lost to second-seeded Cape Sunday to fall into the loser's bracket, defeated Best Mortgage twice Monday to claim the title. Scores were 5-0 and 8-2...

Geoff Kirksey's booming bat led powerhouse Paducah (Ky.) to a 10-2 win over host Cape Girardeau Ford and Sons in a non-district American Legion game at Capaha Field Monday night. Kirksey, the Paducah first baseman, went 4-for-6 with two home runs, five runs batted in and three runs scored as the visitors opened up a 7-0 lead after three innings and cruised to victory...

BENTON, Mo. -- First-time winners swept the card Saturday at Auto Tire and Parts Racepark. Alex Shanks darted past leader Andy Holden with five laps to go to win in the sprint class. Tommy Worley Jr. followed Shanks past Holden and tried several times to take the lead, but could never get past the Marion, Ill., racer. Worley finished second and Holden third...

The following is a listing of players from area high schools or Southeast Missouri State University who are competing in professional baseball. Included in the list are each players' local connection, his last year as an amateur and his major league affiliation (if applicable). Statistics are through Sunday...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Graveside service for Robin Renee Matney Session will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Oak Grove Cemetery near Charleston, Mo. The Rev. Dale Huff will officiate. McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston is in charge of arrangements. Session, 35, died Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center, from injuries received in an automobile accident...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Justin "Butch" Fulton, 18, of Perryville died Sunday, July 15, 2001, in Marion, Ind. He was born April 11, 1983, in Perryville, son of Jerry and Cindy Brotherton Fulton. Fulton was a farm worker. He was a member of Whitewater Presbyterian Church...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Graveside service for Lue Mae Davis of Sikeston will be held at 11 a.m. today at East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery. Aubrey Wilson will officiate. Shelby Funeral Home of East Prairie is in charge of arrangements. Davis, 96, died Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Clearview Nursing Center...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Ralph Randall Weeks, 78, of East Prairie died Saturday, July 14, 2001, at his home. He was born Feb. 20, 1923, in East Prairie, son of Frederick Lee and Manie Riley Weeks. He and Helen Evans were married April 24, 1973. Weeks was a retired truck driver, and member of First General Baptist Church...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Liesa Faye Wasson, 43, of Sikeston died Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Jan. 16, 1958, at Kennett, Mo., daughter of Farrell Edward and Glenda Faye Harder Wasson. She was a 1976 graduate of Sikeston High School, and in 1982 attended the Pilot Dog School in Columbus, Ohio. She received a paralegal degree in criminal justice from Granton Institute of Technology in Toronto, Canada, in 1996...

ANNA, Ill. -- Imogene Koehn, 84, of Anna, died Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Rehab and Care Center in Jackson County at Murphysboro, Ill. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Harold Robbins, 74, of Leopold died Sunday, July 15, 2001, in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 7, 1927, in Judsonia, Ark., son of Jefferson and Lucy Evans Robbins. He and Loris Spinks were married Sept. 20, 1988, at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho...

BENTON, Mo. -- Marvin Zeno "Curly" Urhahn, 69, of Benton died Monday, July 16, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 5, 1931, at Benton, son of Theon Peter and Lorena Wesley Hawkins Urhahn. He and Ruth Ann LeGrand were married Oct. 13, 1951, at Oran, Mo...

ANNA, Ill. -- Levi Ernest Schlenker, 79, of Anna died Monday, July 16, 2001, at his home. He was born Oct. 18, 1921, son of Daniel Joseph and Pear Eva Miller Schlenker. He and Blanche Louise McRaven were married July 22, 1944, in Jonesboro, Ill. She died Feb. 15, 1992...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Funeral for Ruby Christine England of East Prairie will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home. Burial will be in Dogwood Cemetery. England, 81, died Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Charleston Manor Nursing Home in Charleston, Mo...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Estelle C. Conley Smith, 87, of Perryville died Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born March 3, 1914, in Perry County, Mo., daughter of William and Jessie Cagel Conley. She and Herbert J. Smith were married May 27, 1945. He died May 6, 1963...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Hasel Pearl Baker, 96, of Bloomfield died Monday, July 16, 2001, at Dexter, Mo. She was born March 22, 1905, in the Oak Ridge community. She and James Baker were married Aug. 18,1925. He died March 15, 1999. Baker was one of the first employees of Elder Manufacturing Co. ...

I JUST want to thank everyone involved in the river fireworks display. It was the best I've seen in years. For the person who said there was no parking or viewing: We arrived 10 minutes before the display began, parked two blocks away and sat at the riverfront with no problems. Thanks again, Cape...

U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan is co-sponsoring a bill to provide expanded tax credits to spur investment in ethanol facilities such as one planned for Malden, Mo. The senator touts ethanol for being environmentally cleaner than standard fuels. She also presses the claim, as do all ethanol boosters, that it will expand markets for our corn producers...

State government finances under Gov. Bob Holden continue to raise eyebrows and red flags. In this regard, it is worth noting that Holden was state treasurer, signing the checks, for the eight years preceding his ascension to the position of chief executive. Nearly all his career has been spent in and around the state or federal government...

To the editor: President Bush has been under pressure from the Republican Main Street Alliance of 60 House and Senate moderates, including supposedly pro-life U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, to support stem-cell research. In a draft of a letter sent to Bush to "not shut the door on research that could save millions of lives," they argued that the government should not just fund research from adult stem cells. ...