Stories from June 2002

The Cape Girardeau County Commission has removed the weight of a controversial decision from its shoulders and placed it on the shoulders of a Chicago consulting firm. This decision marks the latest round in the decision-making process over whether the 32nd Judicial Circuit needs a new juvenile center to house children and teens having trouble with the law...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The cases involving two Dexter police officers charged with hindering prosecution will now be heard in Dunklin County. In a court appearance Thursday morning, Associate Circuit Judge David Mann of Scott County -- the third judge assigned to hear the cases -- took up motions for change of venue filed on behalf of police chief Ken Rinehart and Sgt. Sammy Stone...

ST. LOUIS -- An effort that's been called anti-St. Louis by the mayor has taken another step, as a coalition against publicly funding a new Cardinals stadium filed 18,000 signatures with the city election board. If at least 9,700 of those signatures filed Thursday are valid, the petition would require a citywide election. If voters approve it, any proposal to spend city money on a new stadium would require voter approval. The Board of Elections has 10 days to verify the signatures...

LOOKING TO SAVE $3.5 MILLION By Mark Bliss ~ Southeast Missourian Southeast Missouri State University officials are proposing more increases in student fees, reductions in building maintenance, permanent elimination of vacant positions and termination of at least one employee this summer in an effort to make it through a financial crisis caused by cuts in state funding...

To the editor: Tax increment financing is available to municipalities for economic development and redevelopment in blighted areas. Let's say the taxes on a piece of property are $100 a year. After improvements are made, the taxes go up to $150 a year. ...

By Andrea L. Buchanan ~ Southeast Missourian One of Cape's finest officially retired Friday with a thank-you speech, a cake and a plaque after 56 years of devoted service. Of course, he was counting in dog years. Jupp, Cape Girardeau's police dog, has been off active duty since February. Friday, the department held a retirement party for him...

Peel-and-eat shrimp were for sale, the Old Town Cape Precision Drill Team gave its first public performance, and local songwriters sang about rodeo cowboys and the pain of losing love and the pleasure of finding love in wives and children. Toddlers played and most of the audience of 100 sat on lawn chairs or blankets at sunset Friday during the Songwriter's Showcase concert at Common Pleas Courthouse Park. ...

'PAINFUL CUTS' By Scott Moyers ~ Southeast Missourian Seven regional economic development offices across the state, including Southeast Missouri's office in Dexter, will close on Monday. They represent more casualties of the state's biggest budget crisis in more than two decades...

POTTERVILLE, Mich. -- This town's 2,200 residents were allowed to return home Friday for the first time since Memorial Day, when a train carrying propane derailed on nearby tracks, authorities said. However, Eaton County Sheriff Rick Jones said that anyone other than residents would be prohibited from entering Potterville for 36 hours to prevent looting...

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Coleen Rowley wrote her first letter to FBI headquarters in the fifth grade, sending away for a "100 Facts About the FBI" pamphlet that would convince her she had found the job of her dreams. One of her more recent letters has caused considerably more of a stir...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- For the second day in a row, thunderstorms forced NASA on Friday to call off space shuttle Endeavour's launch on a mission to the international space station. Mission managers postponed the launch until Monday because of storms forecast throughout the weekend...

GORE, Okla. -- Gore, population 700, used to be pretty far off the beaten path. But now thousands of tractor-trailers, motor homes and pickup trucks with out-of-state plates are invading the Trout Capital of Oklahoma. And the travelers aren't coming to fish...

HOUSTON -- An in-house Arthur Andersen LLP adviser was "bothered" by a lawyer's instruction that he destroy old drafts of memos on disputes over whether Andersen should approve problematic Enron Corp. accounting. John Stewart, a partner for an Andersen group that advises auditors on sticky accounting issues, testified in the firm's obstruction of justice trial that he wanted to keep all the memos dealing with problem accounting practices on Enron financial statements...

TIMBERLINE LODGE, Ore. -- The deadly accident high on Mount Hood began with two climbers who swept seven others with them into an icy crevasse in a terrifying chain-reaction near the 11,240-foot summit. Cleve Joiner watched in disbelief as his 14-year-old son disappeared into the void in a flash of steel ice axes, tangled nylon climbing ropes and a spray of wet snow...

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The skeletal remains of two people were found in a man's apartment after he went on a deadly shooting rampage at a crowded convenience store. Antonio Pineiro, 48, was shot to death by police Thursday after opening fire with two handguns at the Top Valu Market and killing a woman and an 8-year-old girl...

Bulgaria, U.S. sign deal to destroy missiles SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Bulgaria and the United States signed an agreement Friday to destroy the Balkan country's Cold War-era missiles. Bulgaria, which hopes to join NATO, agreed to scrap more than 100 Soviet-made SS-23, Scud and FROG missiles, U.S. Ambassador James Pardew said after signing the accord with Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov...

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Parliament voted Friday to adopt a law to tightened Denmark's immigration and asylum rules, making it harder for foreigners to seek asylum, get residence permits and welfare benefits. The legislation, which has been criticized abroad for being too harsh, was presented earlier this year by the Liberal-Conservative minority government. ...

ALGIERS, Algeria -- The party that governed Algeria for nearly 30 years before the introduction of a multiparty system swept legislative elections that were marred by violence, a boycott and the lowest turnout ever. The National Liberation Front, led by Prime Minister Ali Benflis, more than tripled its number of seats in the 389-seat parliament, moving from 64 to 199 seats, officials announced Friday...

HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnam accused former Sen. Bob Kerrey of crimes during the dVietnam War, saying Friday that families of villagers killed by his Navy team experienced "incomparable suffering and losses." It was the first time Vietnam has publicly accused Kerrey of criminal activity. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh made the accusation in reaction to a revised account of the raid in Kerrey's new memoir. Thanh did not specify what crimes Vietnam believed Kerrey had committed...

UNITED NATIONS -- In a big boost to the global fight against climate change, the 15 nations in the European Union formally ratified the Kyoto Protocol on Friday and urged the United States to end its opposition to the treaty. The European Union has been in the forefront of the campaign to cut pollution that is warming the planet and the simultaneous ratifications by its members represented a major step toward the treaty's entry into force...

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- Catholic and Protestant gangs clashed in east Belfast on Friday, injuring at least 10 police officers who moved into the area in a bid to separate the factions, police said. Security forces flooded into the Short Strand area of the capital when the gangs, each around 50-strong, started throwing stones, bricks and ball bearings at each other...

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- A new American general took control of the U.S.-led campaign in Afghanistan on Friday, acknowledging in an interview with The Associated Press that the hunt for elusive al-Qaida and Taliban fighters has gotten tougher. Lt. Gen. ...

NABLUS, West Bank -- Israeli troops rolled into a refugee camp on the edge of Nablus on Friday, rounding up hundreds of Palestinian men, imposing a curfew and blowing up the home of a suicide bomber. Just a few miles from Nablus, a Palestinian gunman was shot dead after infiltrating a Jewish settlement...

NEW DELHI, India -- India's defense minister insisted Friday the border with Pakistan was stable, even as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz warned that a war between the South Asian rivals would be "somewhere between terrible and catastrophic."...

One bank robbery suspect in custody MALDEN, Mo. -- Authorities say they may have one of the men who robbed the First State Community Bank of Malden last week in custody. The man, whose name is not being released pending filing of formal charges, was arrested in Sikeston on outstanding Dunklin County warrants and is being held in the Dunklin County Jail in Kennett, Mo...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs would get a total of $150 million for stadium improvements under a two-state tax initiative that backers hope to place on the November ballot. In return for the money, part of a $736 million package, the teams would sign 25-year leases...

ST. CLAIR, Mo. -- Reports of black bear sightings in Franklin County, Mo., may be the same bear, an official with the Missouri Department of Conservation said. Meanwhile, a veterinarian believes an injured dog had been attacked by a bear, which is rarely seen in eastern Missouri...

CREIGHTON, Mo. -- A small school district's solution to teacher shortages earned an "A" for creativity from two state associations, but the local chapter of the National Education Association gives it an "F" for legality. The teacher's union is also unhappy with how the district put its plan -- to pay up to $2,000 extra to teachers in fields in which the shortage is most acute -- into action...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Jeremy Haun is the type of artist who surrounds himself with childhood inspiration. Sitting behind a design desk in his attic with windows overlooking the yard, Haun's work area is filled with the things he has always been drawn to movie posters to remind him of his favorite films, cartoon lunch boxes, superhero action figures lined along the bookshelves, and the near-complete collection of Bart Simpson characters...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Farmland Industries, the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperative, announced Friday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Farmland will maintain its current operations through the reorganization, according to a release issued late Friday afternoon, but will make reductions in its workforce...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois lawmakers approved at least $53 billion in spending Friday night but were still divided over how to come up with the money needed to make the budget a reality. The Senate voted 55-2 to send the spending plan to the governor's desk. It had passed the House 92-22 earlier in the day...

HARRISBURG, Ill. -- The American Coal Co. has asked a Saline County Court to throw out a seven-year sales contract with Enron Corp., saying its longtime customer breached the terms of the agreement when its credit rating slipped amid bankruptcy and scandal last year...

CHICAGO -- The Illinois Commerce Commission has shelved plans to split the 618 area code after federal regulators ordered changes to how telephone numbers in the area are distributed. Regulators have ordered "pooling" of telephone numbers in Southern Illinois beginning July 29. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Despite fears that students would no longer be able to afford an education and experienced faculty would leave, university administrators on Friday unanimously approved fee increases and an early retirement proposal. Responding to Gov. Bob Holden's request to trim $41 million from its operating budget, the University of Missouri System Board of Curators passed both measures at a somber meeting in the state capital...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The cleanup and recovery efforts at ground zero may be complete, but feelings of hurt and loss will linger for Missouri and Kansas families whose loved ones died in the World Trade Center attacks. "The one thing I'm thankful for is I do have, I did have, a body. I at least had that closure," said Tammy Drake of Lee's Summit. Her husband, Randy, was struck by falling debris...

DOVER, Del. -- Jack Roush is back at the track, back in the pilot's seat and feeling like "the luckiest person in the world." The NASCAR team owner was at Dover International Speedway on Friday, his first public appearance since an airplane crash nearly killed him on April 19...

POTOMAC, Md. -- Earlier this week, Greg Norman said that over-40 players were becoming a "forgotten entity" on the PGA Tour. No one will forget Norman if he keeps playing like this. On a day of withering heat and fluctuating scores, the 47-year-old Australian star was one of the few steady hands. He shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 65 Friday to take a two-stroke lead at the midpoint of the Kemper Insurance Open...

YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Africans again opened a World Cup with a monumental upset. Rekindling memories of one of the continent's greatest soccer triumphs 12 years earlier, Senegal frustrated defending champion France with a tight defense and flawless goalkeeping. The World Cup newcomers made a 30th-minute goal from Papa Bouba Diop stand for a 1-0 victory that sparked dancing in the streets back home in Dakar...

ULSAN, South Korea -- Ronaldo would love to talk about soccer, just soccer. But the questions nearly always are about something else. "Everything that's written or said about me is about the injury," the star striker said. Ronaldo is fed up with the queries about his rebuilt knee, how he feels, how he's holding up, and whether he can regain his old form in time to lead Brazil in the World Cup...

DETROIT -- Carlos Delgado tripled and homered, driving in three runs to help the Toronto Blue Jays end a six-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. The Comerica Park scoreboard kept fans well-informed about the Detroit Red Wings' big lead over the Colorado Avalanche at nearby Joe Louis Arena, causing several oddly timed cheers to erupt from the crowd of 28,578...

CINCINNATI -- Greg Maddux got his breaking ball working and stayed sharp through a 64-minute delay Friday night, setting the tone with five shutout innings as the Atlanta Braves pulled away for a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Julio Franco had three hits, and Gary Sheffield returned to the Braves' lineup with an RBI double as the NL East leaders finished a reinvigorating month. Atlanta grabbed first place by winning 11 of its last 15 games...

BOSTON -- This is no joke: The former laughingstocks of the Eastern Conference are going to the NBA Finals. Jason Kidd became the first player in 35 years to record three triple-doubles in an NBA playoff series, and the New Jersey Nets finished off the Boston Celtics and their disappearing duo of superstars with a 96-88 victory in Game 6 on Friday night...

Lakers victory forces Game 7 LOS ANGELES -- Shaquille O'Neal simply wouldn't allow the Los Angeles Lakers' dream of a dynasty to die at home. Carrying his teammates on his broad shoulders one more time, O'Neal had 41 points and 17 rebounds as the two-time defending champions forced a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals, beating the Sacramento Kings 106-102 Friday night...

ST. LOUIS -- Extra batting practice paid off in a big way for Craig Wilson. Wilson went 4-for-4 -- his first career four-hit game -- with two RBIs, and rookie Josh Fogg pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Friday night...

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings chased Patrick Roy and sent the Colorado Avalanche packing. Detroit scored on its first two shots and knocked out the Colorado goalie early in the second period as the Red Wings eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche with a 7-0 victory Friday night in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals...

WASHINGTON -- A protein that exists normally in most of the cells in the brain has been identified as a possible factor in the development of Parkinson's disease -- a finding that could point the way to treatments but raise questions about current therapy...

WASHINGTON -- Attacking early in a key Senate race, Democrats used a midwinter television ad to accuse Elizabeth Dole of attending "a secret fund raiser" with former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay days after deadly terrorist attacks. Within hours, Republicans rushed their own commercial to the same North Carolina stations. It blamed Democrats for "another smear campaign, this time attacking Elizabeth Dole, former head of the Red Cross, questioning her patriotism."...

WASHINGTON -- The State Department on Friday urged the 60,000 Americans in India, including hundreds of U.S. diplomats and their families, to leave the country because of a risk of conflict between India and Pakistan. "The fact that both of these countries possess nuclear weapons is part of our thinking," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher...

WASHINGTON -- A crucial ingredient in the economy's long-term vitality, productivity, turned in its best performance in almost two decades during the first quarter of the year as hard-pressed companies produced more with fewer workers. Productivity -- the amount of output per hour of work -- soared at an annual rate of 8.4 percent in the January-March quarter, after a strong 5.5 percent growth rate in the previous quarter, the Labor Department reported Friday...

SECURITY ISSUES By Libby Quaid ~ The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- For Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., the world's largest brewer, liquid ammonia is key part of the cooling system that keeps beer at the right temperature during brewing...

INCREASING COSTS Possible fee increases and new fees at SEMO totaling nearly $1.3 million A $6 a credit hour increase in tuition, A $2 per credit hour increase in off-campus fees A $5 a credit hour increase in dual credit fee...

PARMA, Mo., -- A Parma man was killed Friday in a crash involving a 13-year-old driver, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Police reports indicate that 72-year-old Willie Davis died after the sports utility vehicle he was riding in overturned into a creek...

CIA honors 79 officers killed in the line of duty McLEAN, Va. -- The CIA honored its dead Friday, recalling in a ceremony the sacrifices of 79 intelligence officers killed in the line of duty during the agency's history. In an address, CIA Director George J. Tenet noted the death of Johnny "Mike" Spann, the paramilitary officer who was killed during a Taliban prison uprising in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, in November...

CAPE LIBRARY 'PLEASED' ~ Southeast Missourian The Cape Girardeau Public Library is "kind of pleased" with action taken Friday by three federal judges who ruled that public libraries cannot be forced to use Internet filters designed to block pornography...

Cape Girardeau Saturday, June 1 ArrestsBillie June Ivy, 43, of 256 S. Benton was arrested Thursday for unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest and trespassing. Jessica Jewel Mcintosh, 20, of 416 Fourth St. was arrested Thursday for failure to appear...

Cape Girardeau Saturday, June 1 Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday:At 3:51 p.m., an emergency medical service at 411 Jefferson. At 4:33 p.m., a trash fire on South Sprigg Street. At 5:07 p.m., an emergency medical service at 555 N. Spring...

Those who drove past several Cape Girardeau schools on May 23 and 24 were treated to a rare sight. Hundreds of schoolchildren took part in a milestone event for the school district, one that likely won't be repeated for decades. Thanks to the construction of a new Central High School, there is a reconfiguration of grades under way aimed at grouping more appropriate grades together in buildings and creating room for growth. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County has received an $11,889 dividend return from the Missouri Association of Counties. MAC, based in Jefferson City, Mo., operates a self-insured workers' compensation fund to which 87 member counties and seven related health departments belong...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- For the last three games, the Sikeston Bulldogs baseball team has faced arguably three of the toughest pitchers in the state. They may have faced the best pitcher yet in Friday's Class 3A semifinal game against St. Mary's of St. Louis at Taylor Stadium...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Southeast Missouri State University came into the NCAA Tournament intent on proving that it indeed deserved to be mentioned with the nation's premier college baseball teams. Friday night, the Indians definitely looked the part. The Indians, seeded fourth in the four-team Tuscaloosa Regional, stunned top-seeded Alabama 7-4 in a first-round game. The sixth-ranked Crimson Tide are a No. 3 national seed...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Brandon Smith has been Southeast Missouri State University's No. 2 starting pitcher all season -- albeit a strong one -- but Friday night he assumed the role of No. 1 as he was given the ball during the Indians' first-round NCAA Tournament game...

REGIONAL TOURNAMENT at Tuscaloosa, Ala. FridayGame 1 -- Florida Atlantic 16, Auburn 11 Game 2 -- SE Missouri 7, Alabama 4 SaturdayGame 3 -- Alabama (48-14) vs. Auburn (34-25), 11 a.m. Game 4 -- SE Missouri (37-18) vs. Florida Atlantic (44-18), 3 p.m...

What to do A 5K to start the day? A pair of 5-kilometer runs will be held in the area this morning. The Tywappity Trail 5K run will begin at Chaffee at 9 a.m. A run to benefit the Missouri Special Olympics starts at 8 a.m. at the Osage Community Centre at Cape Girardeau...

AREA Uzoaru places 10th at NCAA championships Marisa Uzoaru, a 1999 Cape Central graduate, tied for 10th in the high-jump competition at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Baton Rouge, La. Uzoaru, a junior at Florida A & M University, narrowly missed medaling. Her jump of 5 feet, 8.75 inches equaled the height of the eighth-place finisher, the last medal position, but she had more misses...

STANLEY CUP FINALS (Best-of-7) Detroit vs. Carolina Tuesday, June 4Carolina at Detroit, 7 p.m. Thursday, June 6Carolina at Detroi, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 8Detroit at Carolina, 7 p.m. Monday, June 10Detroit at Carolina, 7 p.m...

To the editor: This letter is in response to the letter about Medicaid and Medicare funding for nursing homes. The letter asked, "How would more funding for nursing homes bring about better care?" I have worked in nursing homes for eight years. The only way to improve the care is to give the care givers more money. ...

Holiday listings KUDOS TO the Southeast Missourian for printing the TV schedules for Memorial Day in the Sunday edition. This was a special consideration for readers who depend on the daily listings. We missed getting the paper on the holiday, but the day-before TV listings were a pleasant and appreciated surprise...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Minnie I. Maloney, 75, of East Prairie passed away at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, May 30, 2002, at East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born Sept. 25, 1926, in East Prairie, daughter of Roland and Sarah Etta White Grissom. She married Art Maloney, who died July 5, 1970...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Funeral for Vada Lee Stout of Sikeston will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Lee Fansler will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Stout, 93, died Thursday, May 30, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Catherine E. Islas, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 27, 2002, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Feb. 7, 1926, at DeSoto, Mo., and raised by John Wally and Bertha Lorenzen. She and Aristeo R. Islas were married in 1966 in Chicago. Islas was equipment control manager 16 years at Central DuPage Hospital in Wheaton, Ill., retiring in 1990. She also was business manager at United Parcel Service in St. Charles, Ill. She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Bertha Addie Buehler, 78, of Perryville died Thursday, May 30, 2002, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born April 30, 1924, at Wittenberg, Mo., daughter of William and Hilda Bohnert Davis. She first married Hosea Cairns Sr. May 22, 1942. He died May 19, 1959. She and Joseph Buehler were married Sept. 16, 1961. He died Jan. 21, 1985...

JACKSON, Mo.-- A graveside service for Catheline Heisler will be held at 1 p.m. today at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. The Rev. Raymond McAfee will officiate. Heisler, 79, died Friday, May 31, 2002, at the Monticello House. She was born Dec. 8, 1922, in Jackson, daughter of Paul and Rose Steimel Browning...

CAIRO, Ill. -- John Dewey Lowe Jr., 59, of Cairo died Friday, May 31, 2002, at his home. He was born Aug. 4, 1942, in Cairo, son of John D. and Mae Ellen Jones Lowe. Lowe had been a buyer for Cairo Public Utility Co. He was a member of Cairo Baptist Church, Cairo Masonic Lodge 237 AF&AM, Ainad Shrine Temple, member and trustee of Cairo Elks Lodge 651. He was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason...

Boyer Daughter to Vance and Angela Boyer of Perryville, Mo., Perry County Memorial Hospital, 8:36 a.m. Thursday, May 16, 2002. Name, Rebecca Jo-Lynn. Weight, 7 pounds 15 1/2 ounces. Third child. Mrs. Boyer is the former Angela Dippold, daughter of Debbie Dippold of Perryville. She is a technician at TG Missouri. Boyer is the son of Richard and Jody Hahn of Advance, Mo. He is a lead technician at TG Missouri...

10 years ago: June 1, 1992 Split city council gives initial approval of plan to raise city sewer and solid waste fees despite objections of residents who attend meeting; Councilman Melvin Gateley asks that board postpone hike in residential trash fees until after "citizens' task force" is formed and can make recommendation on trash fees and billing methods; motion fails 4-3 as Mayor Gene Rhodes and Councilman Doug Richards vote with Gateley, and Mary Wulfers, David Limbaugh, Al Spradling III and Melvin Kasten vote to hike trash fees.. ...

Not that you should necessarily care, but I've been a working stiff at two major league ball games this year. The first was April 5 at Baltimore, a couple of days into the season. The Red Sox were in town for a three-game series. The Red Sox who have historically been a huge draw in the Baltimore-Washington area. The Red Sox who boast Pedro and Manny and Nomar on their payroll...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- After starting the NCAA Tournament with a stunning upset of mighty Alabama Friday night, the rest of the Tuscaloosa Regional didn't go nearly the way the Indians had hoped as they lost twice Saturday and were eliminated. But on a numerical scale, it would be hard not to rate the Indians' season of firsts a perfect 10...

Every player in Major League Baseball is a law-breaking, cheating, steroid-pumping freakazoid. Of course, by "every player," I mean we're not certain who or how many, exactly, but we're pretty sure it's an awful lot, and since nobody is admitting anything, which means lots of clubhouses are housing lots of liars, then every player is, officially and until further notice, a steroid suspect...

The nightmare came suddenly. Bailey had left her Buddy Bear at her summer day-care center. She wailed at the thought of having to sleep one night without her thread-bare, terry cloth bear. Bailey has been attached to her Buddy Bear for six years now. Buddy has been dropped in mud puddles and bounced around on SEMO District Fair rides. Tattered at times, Buddy still manages to wear a smile...

By Jason Crowell A little more of Sin City came to the Show Me State this week. The Missouri Lottery this week began its newest game in about 470 bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and fraternal organizations. Gov. Bob Holden endorsed keno in his State of the State address back in January and completely sidestepped the legislature and the democratic process entirely, similar to what he did with collective bargaining...

Daily American Republic POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Midwestern Powerline Inc. worker is in critical condition in a St. Louis burn unit after he was electrocuted Friday morning. Chris Bristen, 25, of Poplar Bluff was one of a crew working on the power lines along U.S. 60 near Fluechville, said Eddie Ikenberry, Midwestern's area superintendent...

10 years ago: June 2, 1992 Workers have erected road-closed signs at Bloomfield Road bridge over Cape LaCroix Creek; traffic will be rerouted for about four months to allow contractor, Givens Construction of Poplar Bluff, to build new span. March, April and May are normally wettest months of year in Cape Girardeau, providing needed moisture for growing crops during hot, dry summer months; but this year normal weather pattern has been altered, thanks to El Nino; rain at Municipal April during three-month period has totaled only 8.24 inches; long-term average is 13.62 inches.. ...

Binnie Daughter to Tom Edward and Joan Ila Binnie of Marble Hill, Mo., St. Francis Medical Center, 3:01 a.m. Monday, May 27, 2002. Name, Sierra Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 10 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Binnie is the former Joan Garber, daughter of Margie Walker of Chillicothe, Mo., and the late Stanley Singleton. She is a mortgage underwriter with Wells Fargo. Binnie is the son of Bruce and Sue Binnie of Marble Hill. He is head of the sewer department at city of Marble Hill...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Mr. and Mrs. Carl E. Thomas of Cairo announce the engagement of their daughter, Kara Alison Thomas, to Brandon Joe Harp. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Harp of Mound City, Ill. Thomas is a 1995 graduate of Camelot High School. She received an associate of arts degree from Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill., in 1997, and is studying to become a massage therapist at Shawnee College...

BIEHLE, Mo. -- David and Rosella Bohnert of Biehle announce the engagement of their daughter, Julie Ann Bohnert, to Greg Michael Wibbenmeyer. He is the son of Mike and Cindy Wibbenmeyer of Friedheim, Mo. Bohnert is a 1998 graduate of Perryville High School, and a 1999 graduate of Mineral Area College. She is a clerk in the Perry County Assessor's Office...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Thomas and Anna Miller and Randy and Diana Armstrong of Scott City announce the engagement of their children, April Miller and Steven Armstrong. Miller is employed at K's Merchandise in Cape Girardeau. Armstrong is employed at Miller's Hardware in Tifton, Ga...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Mike Caldwell of Cape Girardeau and Harold and Mary Crowden of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Rhonda Michele Caldwell, to Todd Anthony Heisserer. He is the son of Tom and Sharon Heisserer of Jackson, Mo. Caldwell is a graduate of Scott City High School. She is employed at Cape Prosthetics-Orthotics Inc...

Den and Kay Swift of Columbia, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Sara Kay Swift, to Chet Hammock, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Don and Jane Hammock Jr. of Matthews, Mo. Swift received a bachelor of science degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University in 2001. She is a second grade teacher at Oak Ridge Schools...

M.D. and Katheryn Keenan of Beulah, Miss., announce the engagement of their daughter, Morgan Danielle Keenan of Cape Girardeau, to Christopher Ryan Schuette. He is the son of Jim and Vicki Schuette of Cape Girardeau. Keenan is a junior at Mineral Area School of Radiologic Technology. She is a radiologic aide at Mineral Area Hospital in Farmington, Mo...

Don and Carol Hesse of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Shannon Hesse, to Corey Shane McNew. He is the son of Ivan and Liz McNew Jr. of Sikeston, Mo. Hesse is a 1990 graduate of Sikeston High School. She received a master of natural science in biology from Southeast Missouri State University in 1998. She is a microbiologist at Environment Analysis South Inc. in Jackson, Mo. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the biology department at Southeast University...

COMMERCE, Mo. -- Elizabeth Beardslee Gray, 92, formerly of Commerce, died Friday, May 31, 2002, at Lanore Health Care in Columbia, Mo. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City, Mo., is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON, Mo. -- Doyal A. Evans, 86, died Friday, May 31, 2002, at Porters Memorial Hospital in Denver, Colo. Arrangements are pending at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Noel Hunt, 57, of Bernie, Mo., died Friday, May 31, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 3, 1945 in Bernie, Mo., son of Harlen Nelson and Collie Mae Hughes Hunt. Survivors include a brother, Jack Hunt of Cape Girardeau; and a sister, Carron Cruse of Glendale, Ariz...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Danny Keith Stone, 55, of Sikeston died Friday, May 31, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center after a long illness. He was born Dec. 12, 1946, at St. Louis, son of Boyd Clinton and Blanche May Huff Stone. He was a member of the Covenant Christian Center in Fruitland, Mo. He owned and operated Stone's Video for the past 11 years. He previously worked in computer sales and programming...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Clarence A. Schott, 76, of Advance died Saturday, June 1, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born June 24, 1925, in Scott City, Mo., son of Lawrence and Annie Hebenstreit Schott. A retired farmer, Schott was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Advance and belonged to the Knights of Columbus...

Bernal Clayton Murphy, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 1, 2002, at Ratliff Care Center. Born Feb. 16, 1909, in Bloomfield, Mo., he was the son of Charles Clifford Murphy and Bertha Katherine McGee. Murphy was a member of the First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, and worked there as a custodian for 19 years, retiring in 1973...

Trusting teen-agers THE PERSON convinced parents who allow their teen-agers to have alcohol are setting them up for failure, DWIs, lost jobs, multiple marriages and alcoholism needs to wake up. Teen-agers are going to want the forbidden fruit. I'm not suggesting a drink-when-you-want-to attitude, but kids who are allowed controlled, moderate, supervised drinking will not feel the need to sneak out or, worse yet, drive home from a party instead of calling their parents. ...

Game 1:L.A. Lakers 106, Sacramento 99 Game 2:Sacramento 96, L.A. Lakers 90 Game 3:Sacramento 103, L.A. Lakers 90 Game 4:L.A. Lakers 100, Sacramento 99 Game 5:Sacramento 92, L.A. Lakers 91 Game 6:L.A. Lakers 106, Sacramento 102, series tied 3-3 Game 7:...

AREA Jenkins places 15th at NCAA meet BATON ROUGE, La. -- Heather Jenkins, Southeast Missouri State University's only qualifier for the NCAA Track and Field Championships, finished 15th in the discus with a throw of 159 feet, 9 inches...

What to do Get fitted for 'shoes The Southeast Missouri Horseshoe Association will hold an event at the Knights of Columbus Hall at Leopold, Mo., at 1 p.m. More local events, Page 4. What's news Age prevails over youth at French Open Fourth-seeded Andre Agassi, the oldest remaining man in the French Open, cruised to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 25 Tommy Robredo of Spain, the youngest player, to reach the fourth round...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Revenge was sweet for Alabama Saturday night as the Crimson Tide ended Southeast Missouri State University's season. Alabama, which suffered an upset loss to Southeast Friday night during the first round of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, eliminated the Indians 7-4 in the loser's bracket final...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Florida Atlantic University came into the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional as one of the least heralded teams in the field. But the third-seeded Owls are now the only squad that can win the tournament in three games, that courtesy of Saturday afternoon's 12-6 victory over fourth-seeded Southeast Missouri State University in the winner's bracket final...

Residents of disaster-torn Marble Hill are among Missouri cities hit by tornadoes and flooding that are beginning to get financial assistance to help them restart their lives. As of Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reported 123 requests for assistance from Bollinger County resulting in $120,000 given for emergency housing and $22,000 in individual family grants to pay for debris removal and other cleanup costs...

The Cape Girardeau Public Library kicked off the summer reading program with a carnival Saturday. "Mysterious Summer," the theme of this year's program, aims to take the mystery out of finding a good book, said youth service coordinator Sharon Anderson...

orking conditions at Cape Girardeau have become laughable. City department leaders and their employees can only chuckle about the equipment they use and the facilities where they work. Parks and Recreation director Dan Muser laughed softly when he pulled up next to a rusty pickup at Shawnee Park. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Many of the Bootheel's rural poor routinely go without medical care because they don't have health insurance, can't afford a doctor's bill and feel neglected by county health departments, say those who work with grassroots health coalitions...

CHICAGO -- Male baby boomers are still trying to get to the roots of an issue that bugged Julius Caesar, the ancient Egyptians and before that probably cavemen gaping at their shiny-pated reflections in prehistoric ponds. Millions are "gaining face," as singer Christine Lavin cheerfully euphemized in a tune called "Bald Headed Men," on their advance into and through middle age. ...

PHILADELPHIA -- Joan Reardon McErlane's great-great grandmother moved to a small brick row house on Elfreth's Alley in the 1850s. Her great-grandmother got dressed there on her wedding day. Her mother grew up playing in front of the home. But the family never owned number 117, and after McErlane's mother left in 1968, other people moved in...

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The crows came in squawking, crowding treetops and leaving a mess below -- a jet-black air force invading the city for another night. But this time Ken Preusser was there. He blared a recorded call of a crow in trouble. That agitated the birds. Then he fired four flares into the evening sky with a sharp crack and a shrill whistle. That flushed them from the trees. Preusser, a federal wildlife biologist, jumped back into his truck to do it again...

HUDSON, Wis. -- His mother found Shawn Woolley's body in a rocking chair in front of his computer. His head was slumped to one side -- still facing a screen of the online game that she says had become his obsession. "That damn game," Liz Woolley said to herself as she broke into tears...

Is the amount of time you spend on the computer causing problems for your family? At school? At work? Do you repeatedly break family or work rules about when and how much computer time is allowed? Do you ever lie about the time you spend on the computer or how you're using it? Or do you find yourself sneaking around to do it?...

A protein that helps control the motion of the human gut may also help the body keep time with the brain's biological clock, researchers say. The hunt for a way to prevent jet lag and other sleep disorders has led to a better understanding of how an internal clock in the brain sets the 24-hour cycle of body activities like sleep and wakefulness, called the circadian rhythm...

PULLMAN, Wash. -- The soldiers of the future will require more than micro computers, better body armor and lethal firearms. They will also need macaroni and cheese. Uncle Sam wants macaroni and cheese that will remain tasty and nutritious for three years after it is cooked...

FAIRLEE, Vt. -- No one knows why Edwin Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post, decided in 1909 to give a gold-headed ebony cane to the oldest man in hundreds of New England towns. Almost a century later, Grozier's newspaper is long defunct and many of the original canes are lost...

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- After helping generations of homemakers collect sets of traditional flatware and dishes, the Betty Crocker catalog is taking a slightly different tack: selling trendier kitchen ware. So along with Oneida knives and forks and English Rose tea sets, consumers leafing through the catalog are now finding silicone spatulas that withstand high heat and stainless steel ball-tip whisks, some of the most popular new kitchen gadgets on the market. ...

BETTY CROCKER CATALOG POINTS PROGRAM Some facts about the Betty Crocker Catalog Points program:

SAN DIEGO -- Carrie Leneweaver likes circuits. The seventh-grader admires the way the small pieces of a circuit board neatly interlock. The way the wires combine to produce a reaction when they are correctly assembled. "I like figuring out how to put it together," says the 13-year-old from Chandler, Ariz. "It's just little pieces of something and you put it together and you make something move or light up."...

DAVIS, Calif. -- Scotland Yard investigators were stumped. A bouncer had been stabbed to death in the alley outside The Paradise Bar in South London. Pools of blood were left behind by the victim, the suspect and someone -- or something -- else. "They swabbed the blood up off the floor, they extracted DNA from it," explained Marcia Eggleston, a researcher at the University of California, Davis. "When they typed it, they couldn't get a result."...

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- The United States will strike pre-emptively against suspected terrorists if necessary to deter attacks on Americans, President Bush told West Point graduates Saturday. "The war on terror will not be won on the defensive," he said...

HAVANA -- Floating aboard the Spanish trawler she chartered to explore the Cuban coast for shipwrecks, Paulina Zelitsky pores over yellowed tomes filled with sketches and tales of lost cities -- just like the one she believes she has found deep off the coast of western Cuba...

GRAPELAND, Texas -- A day after celebrating their youngest son's high school graduation, Ireland and Rena Beazley buried their oldest son, executed for committing a fatal carjacking. Nearly eight years to the day he graduated with honors from Grapeland High School, Napoleon Beazley was executed Tuesday for the April 1994 slaying of Tyler civic leader John Luttig...

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. -- Cleanup began Saturday at a popular amusement park a day after a storm surprised parents and thousands of children on end-of-school outings, leaving one woman dead. It appeared that a series of lightning bolts had passed the park in the Pittsburgh suburbs, and the sun had even poked through the clouds. Children were in line for the roller coasters when the winds hit, roaring to 80 mph as they tore across Kennywood Park...

Open governor's seats in New Mexico and South Dakota, and an Alabama governor dogged by an ethics investigation, are among the top targets as seven states hold primaries this week for the fall elections. Democrats hope to win in New Mexico with a high-profile candidate. Republicans are eyeing Democratic Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, who also faces a primary challenge. Spending is breaking records for South Dakota's open governor's seat...

NEW YORK -- Cleanup at ground zero is complete, but restoration is far from over at nine vacant and scarred office buildings nearby. Owners of several buildings, including a graceful turn-of-the-century landmark skyscraper designed by Cass Gilbert, are still negotiating with insurers. Some buildings will reopen...

Running a city is not particularly glamorous work. ABC News, wisely, doesn't try to pretend otherwise in "Boston 24/7," its five-episode series that premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. It can still inform and entertain television viewers, though. "Boston 24/7" is one of three nonfiction series the network is airing this summer, all of which use a narrative style...

LOS ANGELES -- Eminem's record label was so nervous about music pirates cannibalizing sales of the rapper's latest CD that it released "The Eminem Show" nine days early, disrupting well-laid marketing plans. But when the CD hit stores Memorial Day weekend, it still managed to debut at No. 1 in record time...

China mine accidents leave 29 miners dead BEIJING -- An explosion rocked one coal mine in China and poison gas filled a second in separate incidents on the same day, killing as many as 29 miners, the official Xinhua News Agency said Saturday. Accidents at China's notoriously unsafe and poorly regulated mines killed more than 5,000 workers last year. In the last month alone, 329 miners died...

MEXICO CITY -- Gunmen ambushed a truckload of people on a mountain road in southern Mexico, killing 26, state police said Saturday. Oaxaca Police Commander Jonas Gutierrez Coro said the Friday evening attack apparently involved a land dispute. According to a news release from the state attorney general's office, truck driver Alberto Antonio Perez said he was driving the passengers from Santiago Sochiltepec when gunmen stopped the truck as it reached a settlement called Agua Fria at about 7 p.m...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's president, stopping short of matching India's pledge not to use nuclear weapons first, said Saturday "any sane individual" would not allow tensions between the two nations to escalate into a nuclear war. However, the growing fear of a wider conflict between the nations prompted the United Nations on Saturday to tell its staffers in the region to send their families home. ...

NABLUS, West Bank -- Israeli troops searched house-to-house Saturday as tanks patrolled deserted streets in four Palestinian cities and towns in a sweep of the West Bank that has rounded up dozens of suspected militants over the past two days. In Nablus, scene of the biggest operation, a Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces, witnesses say...

HOLGUIN, Cuba -- In a blistering speech before hundreds of thousands of people in a drenching rain Saturday, President Fidel Castro said the democracy President Bush wants to see in Cuba would be a corrupt and unfair system that ignores the poor. "For Mr. ...

IBADAN, Nigeria -- Wildlife groups on Saturday demanded the return of four baby gorillas believed to have been illegally captured and flown to a leading Malaysian zoo. Conservationists called it one of the most troubling cases yet in an international smuggling trade threatening Africa's great apes with extinction...

DURMEN VILLAGE, Uzbekistan -- Just three days before a major Islamic holiday, a lamb was born with white patterns on its black fleece resembling the Arabic words for Allah on one side and Mohammed on the other. The phenomenon has caused a sensation among ordinary people in this former Soviet state where most people are Muslims -- and been an annoyance to authorities in the staunchly secular government...

NEW YORK -- Family vacations should be fun -- for everyone. And that's the No. 1 selling point for a trip to the city, says William Travis, an editor at Fodors Travel Publications. "What's good about city vacations is that they're good for any age because there is so much to do," says Travis...

Raised beds are all the rage in gardening these days, but don't revamp your ground just yet. Raised beds are a lot of work, so before you grab your shovel, stop to consider whether they really are necessary or beneficial. First realize that we are talking about two things: raised and beds. You cannot have "raised" without beds, but you can have beds without their being raised...

Television decorating guru Lynette Jennings is a strong advocate of personal style. From her program on the Discovery Channel, "Lynette Jennings Design," to her own diverse two homes, she lives it. "Design is not absolute. Its beauty is in the eye of the beholder," she says. "We need to own up to who we are and what we like and then have the courage to live the way we want, with what we want. Now that's design. Taste is personal. Period."...

Landscape photographs capture Mother Nature's beauty in all its splendor -- a beauty we can experience again and again when viewing and sharing our images. With the summer travel season approaching, many shutterbugs will be exploring the great outdoors in search of good landscape photographs. If you plan to be one of them, here are a few tips to help you land the perfect landscape picture...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- From the top of the Liberty Memorial's 217-foot tower, visitors can look down onto most of Kansas City. But the real point of a visit to the memorial is looking back. The nation's largest monument to World War I, and among the largest to any of the country's wars, the Liberty Memorial reopened this summer after two years of repairs to its crumbling base, required after decades of neglect. ...

ON THE NET LIBERTY MEMORIAL: www.libertymemorialmuseum.org WANT TO GO? The Liberty Memorial is located near the corner of Pershing Road and Main Street in Kansas City, Mo. The memorial is visible from another Kansas City landmark, Union Station, which sits on the north side of Pershing Road...

PEORIA, Ill. -- Not many exhibits are likely to give more pleasure than "Whirligigs and Weathervanes," which opened this spring in the Lakeview Museum's Folk Art Gallery here and continues through Sept. 2. On display are nearly 40 examples of the early weather forecasters and wind-powered toys -- many cleverly crafted, many whimsical and some remarkably handsome...

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- Pink cheeks. Warm toes. It wouldn't mean much to most moms, but to Barbara Hawkins, seeing those things in her 12-year-old son, Will, means everything. It was 2:30 a.m. Monday, April 29, and she had never seen her son with pink cheeks and warm toes...

Unable to work because of a spinal cord injury, Jim Cleaveland's only income is a monthly Social Security disability check. His wife, Judy, is retired from her bank job and now works at a Kansas City area Wal-Mart to help make ends meet. The Cleavelands say the two of them can get by. But there is an extra expense in their lives: raising a 4-year-old granddaughter...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- While many Missourians may be familiar with the World War I service records of Harry S. Truman and John J. Pershing, few may know the details of the thousands of others who served during the Great War. In an effort to change that, Missouri has completed work on an online database containing the records of the 145,000 soldiers and Marines who enlisted in the state to serve in the war...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Gov. George Ryan and key lawmakers moved closer to erasing a $1.35 billion budget deficit Saturday and wrapping up their overtime legislative session. Ryan and legislative leaders emerged from closed-door talks Saturday declaring a "loose" agreement on borrowing $750 million against future proceeds from a national tobacco lawsuit settlement...

ST. LOUIS -- A suspended middle school principal will be back on the job Monday, after an investigation found he did not abuse a student last month. Fanning Middle School principal Frank Muehl-heausler was suspended with pay May 22 after being accused of striking a sixth-grade boy after the student knocked off his eyeglasses...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The city and its firefighters union agreed to extend their labor agreement for another month and submit a dispute over pay to federal mediation. The agreement had been set to expire at midnight Friday. It was extended through June 30...

LIBERTY, Mo. -- The damage caused by a church treasurer's embezzlement goes beyond the stolen money, church members said at the man's sentencing. "Figuratively speaking, he deliberately picked the pockets of his fellow church members, many who helped raise him in the church from childhood," said Thomas E. Sims, a retired Kansas City Municipal Court judge and chairman of the board of First Presbyterian Church in North Kansas City...

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Five fraternity members from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville have been accused of felony hazing in connection with an alleged initiation beating that hospitalized a pledge. A sixth member was charged with misdemeanor hazing...

POTOMAC, Md. -- The Shark strayed into the creek. Greg Norman, ahead by two strokes after the second round, struggled on almost every hole Saturday in the Kemper Open and lost his lead in the water at the sixth hole. The result was a jumbled leaderboard, with no one taking control and a bevy of players in contention...

ST. LOUIS -- Although Kurt Warner is still wearing a brace on his thumb, he said Saturday the injury that hindered him during his MVP season is history. The St. Louis Rams' quarterback threw for 4,830 yards, second highest in NFL history, and completed 68.7 percent of his passes despite playing with a sprained ligament most of the year. And now he's healthy. He took all the repetitions with the first-stringers at the team's first mandatory minicamp and had plenty of zip on the ball...

PARIS -- Legs churning, his white shirt flecked with clay, Andre Agassi grunted as he stretched to whip a forehand across his body on the 33rd stroke of a pivotal point that seemed destined to last until the sun set. The ball darted to the opposite corner, where Tommy Robredo's lunging swipe hit only air. Winded, Robredo put down his racket, walked to a 2-foot-high gate that leads to the locker room, and sat down. Agassi just bounced in place, ready for more...

MARTZ DENIES RUMORS OF CANDIDATE TRADE ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz denied Saturday the club is shopping running back Trung Candidate, the team's No. 1 draft pick in 2000. Rumors fueled by internet speculation brought a chuckle from Martz after the team's first minicamp practice. Canidate played sparingly last season after a costly fumble in a 34-31 loss to the Saints on Oct. 28, but Martz said the team had no plans to trade the running back...

ST. LOUIS -- Edgar Renteria hit a three-run double as the Cardinals staked Darryl Kile to a six-run lead in the first inning Saturday, leading St. Louis to a 9-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kile, who received a team-low average of 3.2 runs of support before this game, pitched seven innings to even his record. He allowed six hits and two walks while striking out two...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- After two weeks of bad burgers, buzzer-beaters and brilliant basketball, the epic Western Conference finals will be decided in one game today in front of the NBA's loudest fans. To Phil Jackson, who knows more about playoff success than just about anyone, it's the only appropriate way for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings to cap the greatest chapter yet in their thriving rivalry...

CHICAGO -- The Houston Astros handed Mark Prior his first major league loss, roughing up the heralded rookie for three early home runs and beating the Chicago Cubs 7-3 Saturday. Prior (1-1) found out firsthand how tough it can be to pitch at Wrigley Field when the wind is blowing out. With gusts of 22 mph, he was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in only 3 2-3 innings...

NEW YORK -- Enrique Wilson, a late addition to the starting lineup for injured Alfonso Soriano, hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the sixth inning to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-2 Saturday. The Yankees backed Mike Mussina (8-2) with four more home runs to win for the 19th time in 24 games...

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- The old man still has some fight left in him. Evander Holyfield, showing glimpses of the warrior he was in his prime, pounded Hasim Rahman for most of eight rounds Saturday night before winning a technical decision after a head butt caused a large swelling on Rahman's head...

DOERUN, Ga. -- Amid the yellow, pink and purple flowers, there's a life-and-death struggle going on in pitcher plant bogs, where flies, mosquitos and other pests don't stand much chance against the carnivorous plants that stand watch over the forest...

EVORA, Portugal -- The skulls of hundreds of medieval monks stare out of an ancient chapel's chilly walls in this myth-rich region where Arab fortresses from Crusader times keep watch over an enticing landscape of vineyards and cork and olive trees...

Go a little farther north on your next vacation and spend some time exploring Quebec, a little bit of France with a North American flavor. A little knowledge of French wouldn't hurt, but you can survey the province's offerings and do all your planning in English with several helpful Web sites...

WASHINGTON -- The war on terror is pressing the FBI and CIA, once two solitudes, to mesh in ways their operatives could not have imagined in scrappier days. These agencies have skirmished over everything from political favor to cubbyhole office space. Their prime missions -- using investigation at the FBI to solve crimes, using spies at the CIA to prevent trouble -- have tripped over each other at times...

WASHINGTON -- A federal court upheld the right to free speech by striking down a 30-year-old ban on demonstrations on the sidewalk by the east steps of the Capitol. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Friday that maintaining a forum for public expression outweighed security concerns...

State Rep. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, will be the guest today on KRCU's "Going Public" radio show. Crowell will discuss the economic woes in state government. The public affairs show will air at 3 p.m. on 90.9 FM, the region's Public Radio affiliate station...

STORY GROUPS Toddler Time 18 months to 2 years old (with caregiver) 10 to 10:30 a.m. Mondays Story Time 3 to 5 years old 10 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays Lunch Bag Bunch...

P&G finalizes $1 billion stock deal with Smucker CINCINNATI -- Procter & Gamble Co. finalized a $1 billion stock deal Saturday that transferred its Jif peanut butter and Crisco cooking products lines to J.M. Smucker Co. Steven Ellcessor, the vice president of finance and administration for Smucker, said it had been interested in acquiring Jif for 20 to 25 years...

Cape Girardeau Sunday, June 2 DWIDaniel K. Upchurch, 22, of 918 N. Clark was arrested Friday for driving while intoxicated, an outstanding warrant and several traffic offenses. ArrestsCory Alan Berry, 23, of 1005 Ranney was arrested Friday for open container violations...

Cape Girardeau Sunday, June 2 Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:At 3:22 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1215 William. At 7:08 p.m., an emergency medical service at Mason and North Main. At 7:30 p.m., an emergency medical service at 3439 William...

The true story is told of a trip to Jefferson City -- a regular errand for college presidents -- to lobby the House and Senate on the budget. Veteran lawmakers, long jaded and more than a few made cynical by political gamesmanship, sat stunned at what they heard...

State budget woes took their toll on Missouri's program of funding river ports this year. All funding for ports was eliminated for the fiscal year 2003 budget that begins July 1. In a year as tight as this one, such action was probably inevitable. And with this year's passage of Senate Bill 915, a transportation funding measure headed for the August primary ballot, voters will be able to decide whether they want increased taxes to go for transportation needs...

A friend who formerly served with this writer in the state legislature tells of a conversation with a friendly labor leader well-known in the St. Louis area. This labor leader told my former colleague excitedly, some three years or so ago, that they had in the works a promising new charter school that would soon open in the inner city. ...

During a time when many Americans were fearful of flying across the country let alone traveling overseas, Ann Ostendorf was touring the nations that were making news headlines: China, India and Pakistan. During her yearlong journey, Ostendorf said she seldom worried about her safety or feared any political wars. She spent time in China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and India before returning to the states May 25...

WASHINGTON -- Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain a chemical that kills the bacteria responsible for most stomach cancer, say researchers, confirming the dietary advice that moms have been handing out for years. In laboratory tests the chemical, sulforaphane, killed helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that causes stomach ulcers and often fatal stomach cancers...

Two new studies on aortic aneurysms -- weak spots in the body's largest blood vessel that can burst and cause a person to drop dead -- suggest that many doctors can safely wait a little longer to operate than they used to. Surgeons have long known that small aneurysms are unlikely to break, and they typically wait until the weak spot gets big enough to worry about. However, they disagreed over whether that should be 4, 5 or 6 centimeters, or anywhere from 1.6 to 2.4 inches...

Everyone wants the best life possible for their children. That's the reason the homeowners at 1146 Oak Ridge Court in Ashland Hills Estates bought this house in the first place. It's a great house in a good school district, and in a neighborhood where there is always something for the kids to do. Now they are ready to let someone else enjoy those advantages...

Comparing one city's budget to another city's budget can be compared to comparing Florida's fruit and vegetable industry to California's fruit and vegetable industry. Both states grow and sell fruit and vegetables, but they don't necessarily grow the same fruit and vegetables...

It may be just a pile of logs now, but soon the project to recreate Cape Girardeau founder Louis Lorimier's Red House and make it into an interpretative center in time for the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition will take shape. To make this happen, volunteers are needed. ...

An employee of Lone Star Industries was killed Monday morning after an industrial accident at the cement plant in Cape Girardeau. Details were sketchy, but Cape Girardeau County Coroner Mike Hurst confirmed that a fatality occurred during an industrial accident at about 10 a.m. The person was pronounced dead at the scene at about 10:45 a.m., Hurst said...

Associated Press WriterMEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Federal and local authorities promise an intense investigation into why the city's chief medical examiner was attacked, bound with barbed wire and left with an apparent bomb tied to his body. The device did not explode, and Medical Examiner O.C. Smith suffered minor injuries Saturday night...

Associated Press WriterNORWALK, Conn. (AP) -- The 1975 slaying of Martha Moxley was a crime of hate and rage that Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel began talking about almost as soon as he committed it, prosecutors told the jury in closing arguments Monday. But the defense said he had nothing to do with the killing...

Associated Press WriterJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a Republican Party challenge to a state law limiting political party contributions to candidates. After nearly four years of battling the contribution limits, the state GOP conceded Monday that the case was over...

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- A former nurse at a veterans hospital was charged Monday with 10 counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of 10 patients in 1992. The charges against Richard Williams, 36, of St. Charles, were filed by Boone County Prosecutor Kevin Crane and capped a lengthy investigation aided by the Department of Veteran's Affairs and the FBI...

AP Business WriterNEW YORK (AP) -- Skeptical about corporate accounting practices and worried about conflicts overseas, investors dumped stocks Monday, sending the Nasdaq composite index to its lowest level this year and the Dow Jones industrials skidding more than 200 points...

10 years ago: June 3, 1992 Jackson - With state and federal approval secured, County Commission is seeking bids for replacement of 200-foot bridge across Diversion Channel; Associate Commissioner Leonard Sander, who oversees roads and bridges for commission, says bridge will be largest one ever replaced by county; 70 percent of cost will come from federal highway funds that are available to cities and counties; bridge will be located on County Road 253 between Whitewater and Delta...

Gladys Nenninger PERRYVILLE, Mo. - Gladys M. Nenninger, 87, died Sunday, June 2, 2002, at Anna House De Paul Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Oct. 7, 1914, at Perryville, daughter of Felix and Laura Roy Moore. She and Milford Nenninger were married June 12, 1937. He preceded her in death July 17, 1992...

Norbert Stearns Norbert E. "Turtle" Stearns, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, June 1, 2002, at Jackson Manor. He was born Nov. 3, 1935, at Daisy, Mo., son of Emory and Anna Hildebrand Stearns. He and Jolene Hoffer were married Oct. 27, 1962, at Cape Girardeau...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Walter W. Sander, 92, of Scott City died at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. -- Esther E. Mehrle Vasterling, 91, died Saturday, June 1, 2002. Born and raised in Cape Girardeau, she was a resident of Glendale for 52 years. She was the beloved wife of the late Oscar C. Vasterling, loving mother of Paul R. Vasterling, Larry R. Vasterling, Jeanne R. Vasterling, and the late Donald R. Vasterling...

Passion for his job REGARDING TERRY Kitchen's commencement speech: I got chill bumps and tears to see a person as passionate about his school and work as Kitchen. I truly believe that if Kitchen could choose any job in the world, he would choose his job as athletic director of Central High School...

AREA Riverdogs swept in pair at Dawson Springs, Ky. The Cape Girardeau Riverdogs lost a five-inning opener, then rallied in a narrow loss in Game 2 of a sweep Sunday by Dawson Springs, Ky. Steve Fowler pitched the opener, an 11-1 loss in five innings. Fowler pitched two innings and allowed eight earned runs. Mark Silverthorn had two of the Riverdogs' four hits...

WASHINGTON -- Lentils and dry peas, two crops American farmers traditionally grew little of, are going to become more popular with growers now that the government will subsidize their production. Under the farm bill that President Bush signed in May, subsidies commonly reserved for corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans and other crops are being offered for lentils and dry peas, the type of peas used in split-pea soup...

DENVER -- Imagine a field of bright yellow sunflowers basking in warm summer sun, leaves thick and deep green, and brimming with enough natural rubber to fashion a set of high-performance tires. In a decade, it may be reality if an experiment by Colorado State University and government researchers proves successful...

SEWARD, Alaska -- A businessman wants to launch a commercial oyster farm in Alaska's scenic Kenai fjords, but he is running into plenty of opposition. Robert Hardy applied for a lease to run the oyster operation on the waters of Kenai Fjords National Park, leading to angry responses from the federal government and environmental organizations...

OAKFORD, Ill. -- Mark Lounsberry, whose ancestors settled in Menard County before the Civil War, hopes his new venture, the Hill Prairie Vineyard and Winery, will help marry the present with the past. Lounsberry said his goal is to establish a prosperous family business. His sons, Matthew, 14, and Landon, 13, and wife, Connie, are already pruning the vines and harvesting the fruit. Lounsberry's parents also have been instrumental in getting the winery started...

7:30 p.m. Monday City Hall Public Hearings Hearing to consider the request for voluntary annexation of 13.14 acres of land owned by the Jackson Industrial Development Corporation along South Farmington Road. Action Items Power and Light Committee Consider motion to cancel the regular council meeting date of Monday, June 17, and reschedule the regular meeting for Monday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m...

Age: 52 Key responsibilities: The Small Business Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University assists new and existing businesses meet business management and operational challenges and opportunities by linking the resources of the university to the small business community in the 19-county service area, in partnership with the U.S. ...

This architect's rendering show's Southeast Missouri Hospital's plans to add two floors to its building at 1701 Lacey St. The cost of the project, which is scheduled to begin construction in July, is $16 million.Spartech announces 7 percent loss in sales...

Meyer attends Realtors meeting in Washington Thomas M. Meyer of Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co. recently attended the National Association of Realtors' meeting in Washington, D.C., as this year's NAR regional vice president. Realtor issues in government regulations and legislation concerning private property rights, virtual property marketing, and international property agreements were some of the items discussed...

NEW YORK Gary Oglesby thought it was odd that his wireless network at WorldCom Inc. got unusually congested early each morning and again just after quitting time. Turns out a security gate at a parking lot just outside his group's offices shared the network's frequency. To reduce interference, Oglesby had to move an antenna away from the window...

NEW YORK -- Death is hopefully decades away for Karen Bradford, but the 48-year-old is already preparing. She has purchased burial plots for herself and her husband, and is comfortable talking about what she views as the inevitable. "Death is a basic part of life," said the Riverside, Calif., woman, who also takes a relaxed view of funeral service planning. ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- When Jason Settles added his name to Indiana's new "no-call" list, he expected relief from the tyranny of telemarketers. But the computer consultant's dreams of dinner in peace quickly turned to alarm when he learned his own phone company intended to share details of his calling habits with its corporate affiliates...

Cape Girardeau Monday, June 3, 2002 ArrestsMatthew D. Pulliam, 20, of Jackson, was arrested Saturday on a warrant. Miles Ramply Walker, 28, was arrested Saturday for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, peace disturbance, assault and possession of an unlawful weapon...

Cape Girardeau Monday, June 3, 2002 Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday:At 4:34 p.m., a false alarm on Nash Road. At 7:50 p.m., a request for emergency medical service at 2901 Hawthorne. At 8:48 p.m., a motor vehicle accident at Broadway and West End...

Local woman named to state TPA office Margret Dickerson of Cape Girardeau Post M of the Missouri Division Travelers Protective Association (TPA), has been elected vice president of the Missouri Division. Other state officers include Jerry Goerger of Post SL in St. Louis, president; and Bob Rozinsky, Post SL, secretary...

Private completes Army basic training Pvt. Christopher Valentine has completed Army basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He will remain at Fort Leonard Wood for advanced individual training and will be stationed out of Perryville, Mo., with the Army National Guard...

The annual Ohio River sweep yields some unusual, amusing and surprising items during its one-day annual cleanup. This year the river is falling. That may not be good news for thousands of volunteers who will turn out June 15 for the six-state river cleanup that extends the entire length -- 980 miles -- of the Ohio River, from its origin at Pittsburgh, Pa. to its end at Cairo, Ill...

Claueda Barks picked up a packet, described the World War II-era coins inside and then seamlessly slid into the familiar auctioneer's "chant." "I was nervous," said Barks, who switched careers during the 1990s from being a retail merchant to "selling memories," via the auction block. "I've been an auctioneer seven years. I still get a little nervous when I pick up the mike."...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. intelligence agencies could have better analyzed information that pointed to Sept. 11, but probably could not have prevented the attacks, the attorney general and FBI director said Sunday. Members of Congress' intelligence committees promised to pursue intelligence gathering and missed clues when closed-door hearings begin Tuesday on why the terrorist hijackings were not foreseen...

WASHINGTON -- US Airways and its supporters are battling congressional efforts to curtail the $10 billion in emergency airline loans that Congress approved just after Sept. 11, warning that squeezing the bailout program could force the company into bankruptcy...

WASHINGTON -- The Transportation Department is not backing off a Dec. 31 deadline for mandatory screening of all checked baggage despite new warnings from airport officials that it will disrupt operations and could delay travel. A congressional leader on aviation said Sunday he thinks the government might need to reconsider the deadline...

AURORA, Ill. -- No record seems safe from Annika Sorenstam. A little more than a year after shooting the first 59 in LPGA history, Sorenstam matched the best 54-score ever on the tour in winning the inaugural Kellogg-Keebler Classic on Sunday. Sorenstam fashioned a 21-under-par 195 with a sizzling finish to win by 11 strokes, the largest margin on the tour this year...

PHILADELPHIA -- Starting pitcher Robert Person drove in seven runs with a grand slam and a three-run homer to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to an 18-3 rout of the Montreal Expos on Sunday. Pat Burrell hit a three-run homer and an RBI single in a 10-run first inning for Philadelphia. Burrell finished with three hits and five RBIs, Bobby Abreu had four RBIs, and Marlon Anderson had three hits and three runs scored...

NEW YORK -- Rickey Henderson homered and scored twice before being carted off to a hospital after crashing into a wall, leading Frank Castillo and the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 7-1 Sunday. Nomar Garciaparra and Doug Mirabelli also homered for the Red Sox, who won two of three at Yankee Stadium in a matchup of the teams with baseball's best records. Boston left with a two-game lead over New York in the AL East...

Last winter, commissioner Bud Selig appeared before Congress with his pockets turned inside out, singing a song of sadness as he reported losses of $232 million for major league baseball. And that was before the fans stopped coming. Imagine what Selig would tell the lawmakers now, with attendance off by 5 1/2 percent across the majors. According to figures released by his office, 22 of the 30 major league teams are down at the gate, some of them by huge amounts...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Never in the past three years had the Los Angeles Lakers been tested like this. Extended to overtime in a Game 7 on the road, the two-time defending champions did what they do best -- thrived when the pressure was at its highest...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Cover boy Clint Mathis might start the World Cup on the U.S. team bench. He's already been criticized by his coach. The dynamic attacker is still recovering from knee surgery last summer, U.S coach Bruce Arena said Sunday, repeating that Mathis needs better work habits...

DETROIT -- The nine Stanley Cup championship banners that hang in Joe Louis Arena don't represent all the history the Carolina Hurricanes are up against in facing the Detroit Red Wings. Featuring at least a half-dozen players bound for the Hall of Fame, and a coach who's already there, Detroit has been favored all season to capture the Cup for the first time since 1998...

ST. LOUIS -- Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon played a hunch Sunday and it paid big dividends for the Pirates. Abraham Nunez made the most of his rare start and drove in three runs, including a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning that led the Pirates to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt has a new goal -- getting the same results with the jersey number he always wanted and finally has got. Holt has turned in No. 88 and instead will wear No. 81 this season as the Rams try to earn their third Super Bowl trip in four years...

DOVER, Del. -- Rookie Jimmie Johnson redeemed himself for errors that probably cost him a victory a week earlier, winning the MBNA Platinum 400 on Sunday at Dover International Speedway. Despite dominating the middle part of the race, Johnson was 10th after most of the contenders stopped for gas for the final time with 92 of 400 laps remaining. But Johnson passed four-time Dover winner Ricky Rudd to take the lead on lap 363...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A developer convicted of stealing water from the Jackson County city of Oak Grove said he was the victim of local politics and that nothing was actually stolen. Jack Hackley, 68, was convicted on Friday of stealing almost 5 million gallons from July 25 through July 30, 1999. ...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Part of U.S. 36 was closed for about an hour after two barges struck the bridge that carries traffic across the Missouri River, the Coast Guard said. The highway reopened around 8:30 a.m. Sunday after the Missouri Department of Transportation examined the bridge and determined it had not been damaged, said Jodi Ott of the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

CHICAGO -- Contrary to medical thinking, low-birthweight newborns in the United States die at rates similar to those in other developed countries with far fewer resources for at-risk infants, a study found. The researchers compared newborn death rates by weight with those in Canada, Australia and Britain, which all devote comparatively more medical resources to prenatal care than to intensive newborn care...

ST. LOUIS -- An association of black firefighters has filed an employment-discrimination complaint against each of St. Louis County's 42 fire departments, alleging the lack of blacks requires court intervention. As chairman of the Firefighters League for the Advancement of Minority Equalization, University City firefighter Airest Wilson hopes FLAME's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint eventually compels the departments to hire one black firefighter for each white one...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois lawmakers began passing legislation Sunday that would balance the budget by raising taxes on cigarettes and casinos, borrowing money and laying off government employees. A cigarette tax increase of 40 cents a pack was sent to Gov. George Ryan on an 82-33 House vote. The increase is expected to generate about $230 million a year...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- An ethics proposal that was criticized as election-year political cover went to Gov. George Ryan on Sunday, after an overwhelming victory in the House. The bill bars government officials from soliciting campaign contributions from people or businesses they regulate. It also attempts to clarify a 1998 law that allows gifts of "nominal" value, by limiting them to $100 a year...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A federal lawsuit by two women allege their sons were slammed face-first on a hardwood floor and battered by staff members at a Missouri-run mental health center in Marshall, Mo. The U.S. District Court lawsuit, filed here last month, alleges that the abuse at the Marshall Habilitation Center -- owned and run by the state's Department of Mental Health -- was part of a ritual in the summer of 2000...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- As Southwest Missouri's Hispanic population grows, so does the influence of groups helping them not only assimilate, but also organize. The League for United Latin American Citizens, for example, is fast carving out a political niche in the region...

MARSHALL, Mo. -- Mary Hogge Burge is a soft-spoken woman of 70 who relates with sincerity and specifics her girlhood memories of a dog that seemed smarter than many humans. When those memories start flowing, the listener could be forgiven for questioning Burge's first-person accounts of Jim the Wonder Dog -- or the incredible stories related by others who encountered the Llewellyn setter with the unusual eyes...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In their rush to pass a transportation package, some state officials failed to check their calendars. Granted, lawmakers approved the $511 million funding package proposal on the final day of the legislative session. But it appears no one thought about what needed to be done to get it on the ballot -- until it was almost too late...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- As refugees flood home, U.N. relief agencies helping Afghans recover from nearly two decades of war are being forced to suspend or curtail relocation and feeding operations because money is running out, aid representatives warned Sunday...

TORKHAM, Pakistan -- U.S. and coalition forces began searching early Sunday for al-Qaida and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border, officials said. Helicopter gunships and B-52s patrolled overhead as a combined force combed the al-Aqsa military base on the main road from Jalalabad to the Pakistani border before moving closer to Torkham, the Pakistani border post...

TOKYO -- A woman in Japan bit into a rice ball she bought at a convenience store and got a gruesome surprise: a fingertip. The woman spit out a mouthful of her Korean bibimbap-flavored snack after she tasted something unusual and discovered a half-inch slice of human finger, said Takashi Fujii, a spokesman for the convenience store Lawsons...

SANTIAGO XOCHILTEPEC, Mexico -- Army troops and police arrested 16 people in remote southern Mexico after 26 sawmill workers were massacred in a land dispute, state officials said Sunday. Three mass burials clogged the little graveyard in this village of 640 people on Sunday as Evangelical church members, Jehovah's Witnesses and then Catholics lowered their dead into graves, some dug extra wide in the red clay so that relatives could be buried side by side...

LONDON -- A fire broke out at Buckingham Palace Sunday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people and marring the high-spirited, four-day celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's 50 years on the throne. The London Fire Brigade said no members of the royal family were in the palace at the time of the fire, which police said was not intentionally set...

JERUSALEM -- Yasser Arafat has offered Cabinet posts to Hamas and other militant groups involved in suicide attacks against Israelis as part of a government reshuffle he plans to announce in coming days, Palestinians said Sunday. While three other radical groups have turned down the Palestinian leader's offer, saying they don't want to belong to a government that's willing to negotiate with Israel, Hamas is still weighing the proposal, the group said...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- With India's prime minister unwilling to meet with Pakistan's president at a summit in Kazakhstan this week, the Pakistani leader held out the possibility Sunday that Russia could serve as a mediator in the crisis over disputed Kashmir...

NEW YORK -- "Thoroughly Modern Millie," the Jazz Age tale of an ambitious flapper, tapped its way to six Tony Awards including best musical Sunday, while "The Goat," Edward Albee's comic drama about the unpredictable nature of love was named best play...

LOS ANGELES -- He's got no web-shooters and no license to kill. He needs a chopper to fly and steers a desk, not an Aston Martin. He never wears a cape, never hides behind a mask. Yet paper-pusher Jack Ryan has become a durable screen hero, protecting the world with the same devotion -- if not the flair and fashion sense -- of James Bond, Spider-Man, Batman and other larger-than-life superheroes...

LONDON -- The British music industry is singing the blues -- U.S. fans have lost that lovin' feelin'. Last month, for the first time since 1963, there were no British artists in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart -- and now some in the industry here are calling for a music "embassy" to promote their artists in the United States...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA delayed the liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour yet another day, to Wednesday, because a valve change was taking longer than expected. Mission managers ordered a valve replacement Saturday and aimed for a Tuesday launch. Sunday, they postponed the flight one more day to give workers time to finish the job...

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- A forest fire burned across more than 1,000 acres near a state park on Sunday, threatening hundreds of homes and shutting down a 24-mile stretch of one of the state's busiest highways. By nightfall, state forest fire officials said they had stopped the fire from moving forward. One house was engulfed in flames, and nine were damaged. At the fire's peak, 500 homes were evacuated...

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. -- Amusement park workers on Sunday scrambled to assess and repair damage from a storm that damaged several rides, sent at least 47 people to the hospital and killed one woman. Kennywood Park, where 105-mph winds sent hail and flying debris for about 30 minutes on Friday, was to remain closed through at least Monday, park officials said...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Zacarias Moussaoui seems to grow in importance as he sits in jail, filing court motions that are kept secret by a judge's order. The only man charged as a Sept. 11 conspirator has become a symbol of the government's failure to piece together clues to the attacks...

NEW YORK -- Hundreds of relatives of people lost on Sept. 11 joined hands at the site of the World Trade Center on Sunday as those hit hardest by terrorism sought solace at an interfaith memorial ceremony marking the end of the recovery effort. Family members hoisted pictures of their loved ones above their heads as the ceremony began with bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace." Then, a woman sang "God Bless America" amid the muffled sobs of relatives...

smoyers It's been more than a year since ShopKo closed its store at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park, which everyone outside of PR circles still just calls "the mall." And, as it does every time there's an opening at the mall, the same name continues to pop up as a replacement -- Sears...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Two Bollinger County Jail prisoners remain on the loose after an early morning escape Sunday. Casey Legate, 20, of Bollinger County and Paul Lutes, 23, of Wayne County, overpowered a dispatcher and escaped just before 6 a.m. No one was hurt during the escape...

Around Christmastime, cities put up their manger displays, lights and other holiday decorations. In Cape Girardeau, the downtown area is decorated with aging wreaths, with faded red bows and ball ornaments that have turned from red to orange. Through wear and tear, wreaths are missing greenery in patches and leaving wires exposed, which can cause shorts in the bulbs...

Friends, relatives and former patients of Dr. Jesse Ramsey, a noted Cape Girardeau pediatrician, gathered Sunday to remember his contributions to children's health and to dedicate Southeast Missouri Hospital's new nursery and neonatal intensive care unit in his honor...

The Moscow Ballet will perform in November at the Show Me Center. The troupe will present "The Great Russian Nutcracker," a slightly different version of the famed ballet than American audiences are accustomed to. This "Nutcracker" ends up in the Land of Peace and Harmony instead of the Land of the Sweets and is performed with a prayer for peace...

P The push by Gov. Bob Holden and Speaker Jim Kreider to add millions of dollars to the school foundation formula contributed to the huge cuts in funding for higher education in order to balance the state budget. As Missouri Gov. Bob Holden and some legislative leaders touted more funding for education during the legislative session that ended last month, state-funded colleges and universities took the brunt of huge cuts to balance the state budget...

A federal agency is conducting a "full and thorough investigation" of the death of Robert St. Cin, a 41-year-old maintenance mechanic at Lone Star Industries who was killed Monday morning by an exploding industrial motor. St. Cin, of Oran, Mo., was pronounced dead at about 10:30 a.m. at the Cape Girardeau cement plant at 2524 S. Sprigg St., said Cape Girardeau County Coroner Mike Hurst...

Parents, lock up the children. Retailers, check those IDs. Perhaps the most politically incorrect video game ever created is for sale this minute, threatening the very foundations of our Republic. "State of Emergency," from Vis Interactive and Rockstar, will turn your PlayStation 2 into the bloodstained scene of a massacre unlike any you've ever seen...

Financially strapped Southeast Missouri State University continues to pay former school president Dr. Dale Nitzschke for fund-raising work even as school officials look at furloughing or laying off employees. Don Dickerson, president of the Board of Regents, said Monday that the board voted unanimously to retain Nitzschke as a consultant for another year. ...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- At 60 mph, the surface of a highway is only a blur to the human eye, but not to the Digital Highway Data Vehicle. Until recently, finding every crack in the pavement has required someone to walk slowly alongside the highway, stopping to note the extent of the flaw and its position...

A federal agency's preliminary report into the death of a 41-year-old maintenance mechanic at Lone Star Industries is scheduled to be released today. The Oran, Mo., man died Monday when a motor he had been working on exploded. For updates on this story, read Wednesday's Southeast Missourian...

Associated Press WriterCHAMBERLAIN, S.D. (AP) -- High water destroyed Charlotte Cadwell's marina on Lake Francis Case in 1997, so she rebuilt. Now the 72-year-old woman faces a different foe: low water. Receding levels have wiped out the Missouri River reservoir's precious walleye fish eggs, made it difficult for fishermen to launch their boats and left Cadwell unable to rent some docks. Her restaurant and bait shop are suffering, too...

Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House threatened Tuesday to veto the Senate's $31.4 billion anti-terrorism bill, complaining that the measure spends more than President Bush wants. In a statement sent to Senate leaders, White House budget officials said the Democratic-led Senate's package exceeds the $27.1 billion plan that Bush sent Congress in March. ...

Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush said Tuesday the CIA and FBI did not communicate adequately with each other about possible clues to a terrorist attack before Sept. 11, as Congress began a rare closed-door series of investigative hearings to determine why such intelligence failures occurred...

Associated Press WriterCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Four Columbia teen-agers were sentenced Tuesday to more than 35 years each after pleading guilty to various charges in a crime spree here last August that left one federal prosecutor dead and another one wounded...

AP Business WriterNEW YORK (AP) -- Bargain hunting lifted tech stocks moderately higher Tuesday, but the overall market fell on news that yet another company, Knight Trading, was being investigated by the government. Analysts attributed the gains to a rebound from Monday's big selloff, rather than any dissipation of the chronic malaise that has clouded trading for weeks now...

Associated Press WriterFORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) -- Some 2,500 to 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will head to Afghanistan this summer, their commander said Tuesday. Col. James Huggins would not give an exact timetable other than to say the deployment would begin later this month and continue through mid-summer. The troops will be based at Kandahar, he said...

Southeast Missouri State University has awarded six Young Alumni Merit Awards for 2002. Those honored were Paul Lints of Sappington, Mo., Shelly Dohogne of Scott City, Mo., Douglas McDaniel of Jackson, Mo., John Bry of Urbana, Ill., Brian Joos of Sherwood, Ark., and Anthony Jansen of Leopold, Mo...

American Red Cross A.P.P.L.E. Association for Retarded Citizens Big Brothers and Big Sisters Boy Scouts Boys Club, Girls Club Cancer Care Funds for Southeast Missouri Hospital Cancer Care Funds for St. Francis Medical Center Cape Family Resource Center...

Mississippi Queen plans stop in Cape Girardeau The Mississippi Queen will make its first stop in downtown Cape Girardeau from noon to 5 Wednesday. This is an added docking, said a representative of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitor's Bureau...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Agee Church on W Highway was alive with the voices and laughter of the local congregation once again Sunday as church members made a joyous return to their sanctuary. Church members were locked out of their building May 22 by District Superintendent Brent Mustoe under the order of Bishop Ann B. Sherer with the Missouri Area of the United Methodist Church because they expressed a desire to break away from the Methodist denomination...

Daily American Republic CAMPBELL, Mo. -- A Campbell man remains in jail after being charged in connection with an accident that left his passenger dead. Steve Sokoloff, Dunklin County prosecuting attorney, has charged Connie D. Edwards, 34, with second-degree murder and with not having an operator's license...

10 years ago: June 4, 1992 When school bell rings in afternoon, it marks beginning of summer vacation for students in Cape Girardeau Public Schools; it also means good-bye for some students, teachers and staff; 19 employees of district are retiring and number of others won't be returning...

Mier Daughter to Nichole Edonna Mier and Jeffrey Alan Laubach of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:11 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2002. Name, Kyra Nichole. Weight, 7 pounds 1 ounce. First child. Ms. Mier is the daughter of Andy Brown and Debra Mier of Millersville, Mo., and Chris and Missy Mier of Scott City, Mo. ...

ORAN, Mo. -- Bobby St. Cin, 41, of Oran died Monday, June 3, 2002, in a work-related accident at Lone Star Industries Inc. in Cape Girardeau. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Oran is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON, Mo. -- Doyal A. Evans, 86, of Denver, Colo., died Friday, May 31, 2002, at Porter's Memorial Hospital in Denver. He was formerly of Jackson. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Graveside service for Marjorie Conger of Berkeley, Mo., will be held at 10 a.m. today at IOOF Cemetery near Charleston, Mo. Nunnelee Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Conger, 77, died Friday, May 31, 2002, at DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, Mo...

Virginia Sue Burkhimer, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, June 3, 2002, at her home. She was born Jan. 15, 1915, at Malden, Mo., daughter of William and Gertrude McMillan. She and William Burkhimer were married Aug. 2, 1945, in Tulare, Calif. Burkhimer was a graduate of Malden High School. She worked for WPA in Cape Girardeau and Farmington, Mo. She was the first female dispatcher for the flight school in Tulare during World War II...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Floyd William Harris, 84, of Dexter died Saturday, June 1, 2002, at Beverly Healthcare in Bloomfield, Mo. He was born Aug. 29, 1917, near Advance, Mo., son of John and Bertie Sims Harris. He and Thelma Williams were married Jan. 13, 1940...

ANNA, Ill. -- Louise Jacobson, 74, of Anna died Saturday, June 1, 2002, at Union County Hospital. Survivors include friends at Mulberry Manor. Graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. today at Anna Cemetery, with Jimmy Keller officiating. Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro, Ill., is in charge of arrangements...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Walter W. Sander, 92, of Scott City died Sunday, June 2, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 6, 1909, at Illmo, Mo., son of John M. and Elizabeth Held Sander. He and Sarah Katherine Rees were married June 6, 1944. She died Aug. 8, 1976...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Pauline C. Schmitt, 92, of Scott City died Monday, June 3, 2002, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Funeral arrangements are pending at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Open early, beat heat WHEN CHRISTMAS sales were on, stores opened their doors early for shoppers. Why don't stores open early now to beat the heat, especially when so many stores are being stingy with their air conditioning? Consider source I BELIEVE that gun-control advocates quoting Bart Simpson in this column speak volumes about their views...

To the editor: I found the May 28 article about the increase in gun crime in England to be informative, but it left out the fact that England has already implemented the "sensible" gun control that Handgun Control Inc. is advocating in this country: banning private possession of handguns. There is also strict control in England of all long guns...

John Thies had never pitched nine innings at one time. In fact, Thies had taken the mound in only one previous nine-inning contest, that last summer when he said he lasted seven innings. But the Cape Girardeau American Legion left-hander looked like he was born to go the long distance Monday night when Ford & Sons opened its District 14 schedule with a 12-3 win over Jackson at Capaha Field...

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team was talented this season, although coach Mark Hogan said it wasn't the most talented squad he's had in Cape Girardeau. But that talent, blended with great chemistry and heart, took the Indians to new heights...

Southeast Missouri State University probably won't have any players selected in the early rounds today, but several could be called by the time the 50-round Major League Baseball Amateur Draft concludes Wednesday. High school graduates, all junior college players and players from four-year colleges who have completed either their junior or senior seasons are eligible to be drafted...

7 p.m., Monday, June 3 City Hall, 401 Independence Study Session at 5 p.m. Public Hearings No one attended the public hearing regarding the proposed annual operating budget for fiscal year beginning July 1. Consent Ordinances (Second and third readings) Approved an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of property for the improvement of Silver Springs Road between Mount Auburn Road and Kingshighway...

7:30 p.m. Monday City Hall Public Hearings Held hearing to consider the request for voluntary annexation of 13.14 acres of land owned by the Jackson Industrial Development Corporation along South Farmington Road. Action Items Power and Light Committee Canceled the regular council meeting date of Monday, June 17, and rescheduled the regular meeting for Monday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The drive to build a community center, put on hold about a year ago, is about to resume. A committee has been studying the proposition for a number of years, but the city backed off on proceeding because the Jackson School District was pushing a bond issue of its own...

WASHINGTON -- Broke your leg? Some doctors are warning to carefully consider which painkiller you use. New research suggests some of the most widely used painkillers may delay healing of a broken bone -- and one study, albeit in animals, that's getting lots of doctors' attention suggests the blockbuster sellers Vioxx and Celebrex are among the culprits...

WASHINGTON -- Tuberculosis is the No. 1 killer of women of childbearing age worldwide, and the epidemic is growing with the spread of bacteria that is resistant to drugs that have worked in the past. Experts attending the 4th World Congress on Tuberculosis said Monday that latent TB is a difficult disease to diagnose. In poor countries, women with the disease often aren't diagnosed until severe symptoms appear, they said...

WASHINGTON -- Considering laser surgery to improve your eyesight? New guidelines should help determine if you're a good candidate or might be prone to vision-harming side effects. One key: The guidelines explain what tests are needed before getting zapped, so if your doctor skips these steps, consider picking another surgeon...

Submitted photo The Cooperative Work Experience Program has a new program that focuses on identifying the student's vocational interests, work skills and abilities with the purpose of identifying vocational goals and appropriate post-school outcomes. ...

Summer vacation used to be just that -- a vacation. It was three months when children and teen-agers had nothing more to do than hang around the neighborhood, riding bikes and swimming. But today, many teens have fun-filled summers with weeks spent at camps, playing sports or working at part-time jobs...

Cape Girardeau Tuesday, June 4 DWIJoseph Michael Kelley, 27, of 1222 County Road 606 was arrested for driving while intoxicated and traffic violations. ArrestsPatrick S. Moyers, 27, of 811 N. Henderson was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence...

Cape Girardeau Tuesday, June 4 Firefighters responded to the following call Sunday:At 6:24 p.m., an emergency medical service at 523 S. Benton. Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:At 5:08 a.m., an alarm sounding at 3012 William. At 7:36 a.m., a truck fire at South Kingshighway and Interstate 55...

The Area Wide United Way Board of Directors has approved the list of programs to be funded from contributions raised through the upcoming annual campaign drive. Plans for the 2002 campaign are already under way, with Larry Dunger heading the charge as campaign chairman. Dunger of Scott City is retired from R.B. Potashnick...

All roads don't go through Cape Girardeau, but getting the Missouri State Highways and Transportation Commission to meet here certainly helps bring attention to local transportation needs, says John Mehner, local Chamber of Commerce president. The state commission will meet Friday in the Show Me Center meeting rooms...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court delivered a victory Monday to a death row inmate who said his lawyer snoozed through much of his trial, a possible prelude to broader examination of the quality of legal help available to poor defendants facing the death penalty...

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration outlined significant environmental impacts from climate change, possibly within decades, in a new report to the United Nations. But the administration stands firm on limiting its plans to deal with heat-trapping "greenhouse" pollution to voluntary measures and avoiding the Kyoto climate treaty...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mike Tyson seems to be done talking about Lennox Lewis, or anything else for that matter. Tyson's handlers canceled a press conference Monday as they tried to keep the volatile fighter under wraps with a precious few days remaining before he meets Lewis for the heavyweight title...

DETROIT -- This Stanley Cup story line worked so well last year, it may be worth repeating. An aging Hall of Famer-to-be is traded after playing for years in a city where he is a civic icon, just for the chance to win the prize that he has unsuccessfully chased his entire career...

LOS ANGELES -- The two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers took Monday off rather than begin preparations for the New Jersey Nets, and who can blame them? Most everyone believes the real NBA Finals ended Sunday in Sacramento. So much time, so much energy went into putting away the Sacramento Kings that it might be difficult for the Lakers to gear up again so quickly. The Finals begin Wednesday night at Staples Center...

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays fired manager Buck Martinez on Monday after the team's worst start in two decades. Third base coach Carlos Tosca became the interim manager. "The goal is to be a better club in September than we are now and we feel like Carlos can help us to get there," Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said...

MILWAUKEE -- Paul Bako and Lenny Harris hit back-to-back homers to start a five-run seventh inning as the Milwaukee Brewers overcame Sammy Sosa's 20th home run and rallied past the Chicago Cubs 7-6 Monday night. Valerio De Los Santos (1-1) pitched two shutout innings for his first victory since Sept. 27, 2000, and Milwaukee matched its season high with its fourth straight victory...

MIAMI -- So far this year, Florida Marlins right-hander Josh Beckett has developed four blisters on one finger and an apparent tendency to tip off his pitches. Other than that, his rookie season is going great. Beckett will take the mound again today at Philadelphia, hoping to show that the worst drubbing of his brief career last week against the Cincinnati Reds was a fluke. He retired just three batters and gave up eight hits and seven runs, which hiked his ERA from 2.90 to 4.09...

AURORA, Ill. -- Annika Sorenstam flashes a smile so photogenic you want to frame it. And why shouldn't she be smiling? Look at how she's playing. After winning eight tournaments in 2001, she already has four wins this year. Last year, Sorenstam became the first on the LPGA Tour to win $2 million. She's almost halfway to that figure now -- $940,000 -- and there's still two-thirds of the schedule to be played...

NEW YORK -- Major league scouting directors seem to agree on one thing about this year's draft class: It's not very deep and college talent is tough to come by. "I think everybody is still searching for who they want to take early," Baltimore Orioles scouting director Tony DeMacio said a few days before today's draft. "There's no one that's really separated themselves and said, 'I'm the guy.' "...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A charity event that will feature many of golf's living legends has prompted a feeding frenzy for tickets, with some offers reaching $1,500. One man even jokingly placed an ad in The Kansas City Star offering his first child for a chance to see Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino play June 18 in the Children's Mercy Hospital Golf Classic...

OMAHA, Neb. -- While the economic rebound appears to be in place for the Midwest, inflation is close on its heels, according to a survey of company officials in a nine-state region released Monday. The economy in the region improved for a fourth straight month, with the survey's overall growth index for May hitting its highest level since April 2000...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A former nurse at a veterans hospital was charged Monday with 10 counts of first-degree murder for allegedly giving patients a paralyzing drug that caused them to stop breathing. The charges against Richard A. Williams, 36, all stem from a four-month period in 1992, when Williams was suspected in more than 40 deaths of patients under his care at Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- A convicted child molester serving a 10-year prison sentence at the Farmington Correctional Center died on Monday, prison officials said. Edward Wessels, 45, was pronounced dead at 2:18 p.m. at Parkland Regional Medical Center. He had started serving his term in 1996 for sodomy of a child under 14...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A former federal employee pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling more than $26,000 from the Office of the General Services Administration in Kansas City. Milton Jerome Younger, 43, of Kansas City, waived his right to a grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty to a three-count federal information accusing him of embezzling a total of $26,635.74 from mid-2001 to Jan. 25...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a Republican Party challenge to a state law limiting political party contributions to candidates. After nearly four years of battling the contribution limits, the state GOP conceded Monday that the case was over...

JERUSALEM -- CIA Director George Tenet met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday, beginning a tough Mideast mission in which he wants assurances Yasser Arafat will revamp the Palestinian security forces to prevent attacks on Israel. Sharon has repeatedly said he does not believe the Palestinian reforms will be serious as long as Arafat leads the Palestinian Authority, and had been expected to deliver that message to Tenet...

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- As the presidents of Russia and China prepared to plunge into the international effort to head off war, India and Pakistan refused to budge on Kashmir, both insisting Monday that they were fighting terrorism. Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met separately with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the eve of an Asian security conference dominated by efforts to bring the two nuclear-armed nations into face-to-face talks, which Vajpayee has so far rejected.. ...

LONDON -- Buckingham Palace rocked Monday night with screaming guitars, cheering fans and pop stars led by Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton in a concert celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's 50 years on the throne. Guitarist Brian May of the group Queen, standing on the palace roof with his long hair flying in the breeze, opened "The Party at the Palace" with a solo performance of "God Save the Queen," while tens of thousands of fans waved the Union Jack flag in the plaza below the palace...

HONG KONG -- As they do every Sunday, people thronged the open-air markets full of squirming fish and dried shark's fins, and the air-conditioned department stores offering the latest from Gucci and Ralph Lauren. Few paid attention to the 1,500 people gathered in a park named for Queen Victoria to sing songs of freedom and shout slogans about the 1989 massacre in Tiananmen Square...

MANILA, Philippines -- Five months into the U.S. military mission in Philippine Muslim rebel country, the troops have failed to rescue two American hostages and the guerrillas still taunt them over radio from jungle hide-outs. But U.S.-built roads creep deeper into the rebels' island base, Filipino troops proudly display American grenade launchers and the rebels are clearly on the run...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Medical examiner O.C. Smith, who has worked on some of the city's most puzzling deaths, is at the center of another perplexing case: He was attacked over the weekend, bound with barbed wire and left with a bomb tied to his body. While the attacker's identity remains a mystery, authorities say they've found links to several similar bombs and three threatening letters concerning the medical examiner's testimony in a death penalty case...

Roman Catholic bishops, battered by a clerical sex abuse crisis that has dragged on for months, plan to release their proposal today for a national policy on disciplining priests who molest children. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been struggling to restore trust in church leadership following revelations that some priests who victimized young people were allowed to continue working by their superiors...

VILLANOVA, Pa. -- A roof that sprouts plants and a parking lot that drains rainwater like a sieve may not be signs that some maintenance work is needed. Instead, you might be looking at the latest in groundwater conservation. Vegetation to hold water on rooftops and pavement that lets it percolate into the ground instead of racing away through storm drains are some of the latest ways environmental engineers are trying to combat sprawling development and save water tables...

The Biotechnology Industry Organization is still unpacking from its move into a bigger office a few blocks from the White House, underscoring the outfit's rapid climb to lobbying juggernaut status. Nine years ago when BIO was created, it had a $1.8 million annual budget, 17 employees and represented 500 companies...

HONOLULU -- Sixty years after the Battle of Midway, ceremonies across the nation and on the tiny atoll itself will commemorate the day U.S. forces sunk four Japanese aircraft carriers and turned the tide of World War II. Though today it is home only to birds, turtles, seals and other wildlife, Midway's role in World War II was critical...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Napster Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday, seeking court protection from creditors as music industry heavyweight Bertelsmann AG follows through on a plan to take over what's left of the company. The Internet music-swapping service has agreed to sell its assets to Bertelsmann for $8 million in cash and the assumption of certain liabilities, according to papers filed in a Wilmington, Del., court...

Good advice for your kids: Don't get involved in organized, competitive sports. Yes, it has come to that. It's really that bad. Smart parents can justifiably advise their kids to avoid playing organized sports. As if we need any more proof that money is at the root of most unscrupulous behavior, here comes Sports Illustrated with its expose on rampant steroid use in major-league baseball...

hkronmueller In the city that never sleeps it's not a good idea to go running around proclaiming that you're a Cardinals fan. Last week, I went to visit my boyfriend Jeremiah, who is spending his last summer as a college student at his mom's house in New Jersey. Two of the days I was there we took the train up to New York City...

By Jim Kreider NIXA, Mo. -- This is a response to state Sen. Peter Kinder's May 26 column: Senator, that dog won't hunt. The old tax-and-spend liberal charge might work as you're out stumping for the ball stadium with fat-cat campaign donors in St. Louis, but here in the Ozarks folks are smarter than that. Here, common sense is king...

By Paige Pritchard A woman pushes a baby stroller against a background of orange and yellow-leaved trees. She notices the beauty of the trees as she walks along the Cape La Croix bike trail. She passes Arena Park and notices the kids playing ball, swinging on swings and climbing the jungle gyms...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After more than a 18 months as executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission, Samuel E. McVay hopes to return to his old job as administrator of the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home this summer. McVay said he enjoys running the day-to-day operations of the commission, which oversees Missouri's veterans home and cemetery systems and other programs, but recent health problems and a desire to return to his native Southeast Missouri have prompted him to request a demotion.. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Chaffee businessman Donald Kiefer has been selected as the Democratic candidate for the House seat of state Rep. Peter Myers, a Sikeston Republican. The Scott County Democratic Committee on Saturday chose Kiefer to replace Gary Riley of Sikeston on the party ticket for the 160th District spot...

The Cape Girardeau City Council gave the proposed $41 million budget first-round approval Monday night, rejecting one councilman's proposal to withhold city employee cost-of-living raises. But the council didn't ignore a $250,000 budget shortfall and three years of flat sales tax revenue, asking city staff members to give the council quarterly revenue updates that would allow it to make cuts later if necessary...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- If bad luck really does come in threes, then Bollinger County has had its fair share, said Sheriff Terry Wiseman. "So far, this year's been hell," Wiseman said. Two fugitives, Casey Legate, 20, of Bollinger County and Paul Lutes, 23, of Wayne County, who overpowered a dispatcher early Sunday to make their escape, remained at large late Monday...

Mindy Ochs, 17, of Perryville, Mo., shopped for flip-flops at Gadzooks in the Westfield Shoppingtown West Park Monday. By Heather Kronmueller ~ Southeast Missourian Teen-agers might not know how to save their money, but they sure know how to spend it, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve released in May...

Safety advocates are hoping free gun locks will increase public awareness about safe firearm storage, said Dee Dee Dockins, national spokeswoman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Dockins, a Jackson, Mo., native was giving away gun locks at a booth outside the Cape Girardeau Wal-Mart Monday as part of Project HomeSafe, an educational program promoting gun safety...

A boil water order has been issued for the drinking water system serving the Rolling Hills Subdivision after an E-coli positive sample was found. The Rolling Hills Subdivision is located in Cape Girardeau between Highway 177 and the Mississippi River. The state's Department of Natural Resources has launched what it calls an unsafe sample investigation after it learned of the problem Thursday. A DNR investigator took five samples of the drinking water from throughout the drinking system...

Associated Press WriterCHICAGO (AP) -- R&B star R. Kelly was indicted Wednesday on child pornography charges stemming from a videotape that officials say shows the Grammy winner having sex with an underage girl, a source in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said...

Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department proposed new anti-terrorism visa regulations Wednesday to subject tens of thousands of visitors to heavier scrutiny. Officials said that the new measures, requiring visitors to be fingerprinted and photographed at the border, would mostly affect those from Muslim and Middle Eastern counties...

Associated Press WriterBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- The anti-abortion activist suspected in the 1998 sniper slaying of a Buffalo abortion doctor was returned to the United States from France on Wednesday and pleaded innocent to federal charges. James Kopp, 47, was captured in France more than year ago after an international manhunt. He was put on plane in Paris earlier in the day Wednesday after he dropped his fight against extradition in the slaying of Dr. Barnett Slepian...

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- As rescuers searched for people who might remain trapped in the smoky rubble of an apartment building, Russia's emergency minister said Tuesday that foundation problems probably caused the deadly collapse. One person was known dead and four were missing a day after the nine-story building plunged to the ground in a cloud of dust...

To a kid from Sikeston, Mo., a trip to Six Flags over St. Louis is about as good as it gets. Yes, there's Disney World, but how often does that happen? Maybe once a childhood. That's about all the average parent can afford or endure. But Six Flags is just perfect. It's close to home, so there's only about two hours of "are we there yet are we there yet." The family car can get there on one tank...

smcclanahan This week we have a column full of recipe sharing. We are nearing the end of strawberry season, but strawberry recipes came flowing in this week. So, in the interest of space, let's get right to those great recipes. Jo Leadbetter of Cape Girardeau shares several of her favorites with us. She worked for county extension for more than 30 years and has thousands of recipes collected in her files and enjoys cooking. Jo shares strawberry favorites with us this week...

jkoch By John Koch, DVM Question: My cat has a red, itchy eye. Is it possible for cats to get pinkeye? Answer: Pinkeye is a term that is often used rather loosely. In humans, it usually means a contagious infectious inflammation of the membranes surrounding the eyeball and the insides of the eyelids. Cattle get pinkeye, as do horses. Cats get a condition that resembles pinkeye; however, it is not always contagious...

Everything will be coming up roses tonight at Capaha Park. The rededication of the Rose Garden by the Council of Garden Clubs of Cape Girardeau is scheduled for 7 p.m. followed by the first regular concert of the season by the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band at 8 p.m...

10 years ago: June 5, 1992 Jackson - Boundary dispute that lingered for more than 40 years between Jackson and Oak Ridge school districts was resolved last week by Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern Division; appellate court upheld decision of trial judge who ruled against Oak Ridge School District in 1990...

Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal probe of the plane crash that killed Gov. Mel Carnahan, his son and an aide has found that an instrument used by pilots to navigate through rain and fog malfunctioned the night the craft went down in a storm, sources told The Associated Press Wednesday...

Ernest H. Weaver, 78, died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at Monticello House in Jackson, Mo. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

LICK CREEK, Ill. -- Graveside service for Mikenzie Nicole Bracken will be held at 3 p.m. today at Evergreen Cemetery in Makanda, Ill. Dr. Dave Soucie will officiate. Crain Funeral Home in Anna, Ill., is in charge of arrangements. The infant was stillborn Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill...

Funeral for John C. Bunting of Springfield, Ill., was held May 4, 2002, at Donnell-Wiegand Funeral Home in Greenville, Ill. Burial was in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Greenville. Bunting, 40, died suddenly Tuesday, April 30, 2002, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Henry Hensley, 76, of Dexter died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Sept. 22, 1925, at Marston, Mo., son of Homer and Dokie Adams Hensley. Hensley was a bricklayer and owner and operator of H&H Construction Co. He was a charter member of the Eagles Club...

ANNA, Ill. -- James A. Smith, 82, of Anna died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at his home after a long illness. Born Nov. 28, 1919, in Murphysboro, Ill., he was the son of Luther Lee and Ethel Bell Smith. On Jan. 8, 1945, he was married to Marjorie Walter. She died Oct. 2, 1987...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Funeral for Doyal A. Evans of Denver, Colo., will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. James R. Boring will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call after 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Pauline Catherine Schmitt, 92, of Scott City died Monday, June 3, 2002, at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee, Mo. She was born Oct. 14, 1909, in St. Louis, daughter of Theodore and Helen Shoemaucher Leissing. She and John Schmitt were married July 4, 1931, in St. Louis. He died July 4, 1976...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Robert Joseph "Joe" Carman, 61, of Charleston died Monday, June 3, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 20, 1940, in Charleston, son of George William and Mary Helen Lankheit Carman. He and Barbara Pemberton were married Jan. 24, 1970...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Marion "Bill" Kellick, 66, of Sikeston died Monday, June 3, 2002, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born June 8, 1935, in Blytheville, Ark., son of Lofton and Mary Virginia Peters Kellick. Kellick lived in St. Louis a number of years. He was nursing home administrator and consultant with Little Sisters of the Poor Inc., retiring in 1972. He moved to Sikeston three years ago, and was formerly of Bertrand, Mo...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Lillian Zola Standley, 90, of Severna Park, Md., died Thursday, May 30, 2002, at Genesis of Severna Park Nursing Center. She was born Nov. 25, 1911, at Matthews, Mo., daughter of John Jacob and Etta Mary Sellards Reiss. She and Lonnie Maurice Standley were married May 13, 1934, in Sikeston...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Betty Lou Alsip of Anna will be held at 10 a.m. today at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home. The Rev. Randy Wheaton will officiate. Burial will be in Cobden Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 9 a.m. Alsip, 69, died Monday, June 3, 2002, at her home...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Clifford Beanum "Cliff" Morris, 75, of Sikeston died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at his home. He was born July 12, 1926, in Mississippi County, son of Clifford Keasler and Eva May Justice Morris. He and Carol Maxine White were married May 20, 1950, at Chaffee, Mo...

ORAN, Mo. -- Bob St. Cin, 41, of Oran, died Monday, June 3, 2002, in a work-related accident at Lone Star Industries Inc. in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 22, 1960, in Advance, Mo., son of Phillip C. and Georgia Annett Burns St. Cin. He and Kim D. Crader were married Sept. 10, 1983, in Oran...

Moral, legal instruction TO THE people who think it is better to let their minor kids drink under supervision: Does that mean they should also be allowed to use illegal drugs as long as they are in a supervised situation? Or how about when they want to experiment with sex? Underage drinking is still underage drinking and against the law. Maybe parents should put more emphasis on morals and legalities as well as the potential consequences for making certain decisions...

To the editor: When one reaches the ripe age of 96, the title of a sermon, "Things to Remember," can touch the heart and bring back many memories. Dear to my heart are the precious and lasting memories of my mother as she tucked me into bed each night when I was a child...

To the editor: Thanks to all who thought up and promoted the Tunes at Twilight concerts. Having enjoyed it so far, I am looking forward to attending more functions. I'm sure my first glimpse of the drill team will be a high point, as the premise mentioned is just enough off the wall to appeal to me...

The golf boom hit several years ago. Now golf's baby boom is taking over. If local youth golfers want to take their game more seriously, they don't have to look far. Junior golf tournaments are on the increase around the country, including Southeast Missouri, and the march is highly organized...

It's been a big week for Brandon Smith. On Tuesday, four days after pitching Southeast Missouri State University to a NCAA regional tournament win over sixth-ranked Alabama, Smith became the school's highest selection ever in the Major League Baseball Draft, chosen in the 18th round by the Boston Red Sox...

The demonstration of Geocell System's Rapid Deployment Floodwall last week was fascinating. In a side-by-side comparison, one group of volunteers slaved away with shovels and sandbags, while another quickly snapped the new plastic floodwall components into open position. ...

And speaking of flooding in Dutchtown, the little village has become a good example of what a group of people can do for themselves if they are willing to work together. Dutchtown incorporated as a village in 1998 for the sole purpose of getting a levee and stopping the all-too-frequent battles against Diversion Channel flooding. A couple years ago, residents voted sales and property taxes on themselves so they could fund a portion of a permanent levee...

It's natural for Americans to show their patriotic spirit on three holidays during spring and summer -- Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Many Americans fly the country's flag every day and look for opportunities to show their true colors. There are many ways to celebrate the flag and to celebrate freedom -- from decorations in homes to clothing trims to patriotic desserts...

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recently published statistics that illustrate the dangers of ladder accidents. In the United States, more than 500,000 people a year are treated for ladder-related injuries, and that number does not include people who suffered injuries but did not go to a medical care provider for treatment...

Cape Girardeau Wednesday, June 5 Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday:At 5:09 p.m., an emergency medical service at 3439 William. At 8:25 p.m., a lawn mower fire at 1425 Amblewood. At 9:48 p.m., an emergency medical service at 2849 Bloomfield...

Cape Girardeau Wednesday, June 5 DWIJohn Thomas Lang, 33, Jackson, Mo., was arrested for driving while intoxicated and traffic violations. ArrestsSteven Aaron May, 19, 917 N. Fountain was arrested for driving while revoked. Paul Vincent Apan, 17, 45 S. West End Blvd., was arrested for stealing...

Mayor Jay Knudtson isn't endorsing the plan yet, but he wants the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce to look at running the city's Convention and Visitor's Bureau. At this week's Cape Girardeau City Council meeting, Knudtson told the council he has asked the chamber to look at how feasible it is for it to run a group that has been under city direction for years...

Southbound Interstate 55 temporarily will be reduced to one lane south of the Route AB interchange, beginning today, state highway officials said. The interstate still will have two lanes of southbound traffic across the Diversion Channel bridge. "Penzel Construction will be pouring the new southbound onramp so traffic will be reduced to one lane just south of the interchange," said Stan Johnson, Missouri Department of Transportation area engineer...

WASHINGTON -- The Roman Catholic Church should defrock any priest who sexually abuses a child in the future, and those who molested one time in the past could continue in the ministry under certain conditions, a church panel recommended Tuesday. Under the plan, clergymen who victimized more than one child in the past also would be removed and all such violations would have to be reported to authorities...

WASHINGTON -- Investigators believe they have identified a Kuwaiti lieutenant of Osama bin Laden as the likely mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official said Tuesday. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, designated one of the FBI's most-wanted terrorists, is at large in Afghanistan or nearby, the law enforcement official told The Associated Press...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Tuesday the CIA and FBI failed to communicate adequately before Sept. 11. Congress began extraordinary closed-door hearings into intelligence lapses with bipartisan promises to search for facts, not scapegoats. "I think we're going to find that a lot of things were not done right by the CIA, the FBI, INS" and perhaps other agencies, Sen. ...

WASHINGTON -- A hydrogen-powered car completed a cross-country trip Tuesday, a first-of-its-kind journey that promoters say proves the cleaner-burning fuel can be a viable alternative to gasoline. Fuel cell vehicles won't be mass produced for at least eight years under optimistic predictions, but DaimlerChrysler says the trip by its NECAR 5 vehicle shows the promise of fuel cell engines...

WASHINGTON -- The White House gave a Senate committee Tuesday more than 2,100 pages of documents under subpoena related to contacts with Enron officials while protesting their handling by the panel's Democratic chairman. The chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., promised to protect the documents by imposing "extraordinary security precautions" -- including keeping them in a locked room equipped with an alarm...

WASHINGTON -- House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt volunteered his support Tuesday if the administration resorts to force to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, adding, "I share President Bush's resolve to confront this menace head-on." As Gephardt spoke, Bush told reporters that "one option, of course, is the military option" when it comes to the Iraqi leader. ...

WASHINGTON -- For President Bush, congressional inquiries into Sept. 11 intelligence lapses are at best an unwanted distraction. The political uproar has to be particularly discouraging to a leader who prides himself on order and control and whose father is a former CIA director as well as a former president...

Associated Press/Rick Bowmer Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., left, gave Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. a spin around Capitol Hill in a DaimlerChrysler methanol-powered car Tuesday. A first cross-country trip by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle ended Tuesday at the Capitol. ...

CINCINNATI -- The hard-charging Cardinals are starting to get under the Cincinnati Reds' skin. Fernando Vina had three hits and Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer Tuesday night, extending St. Louis' dominance of the Reds with an 8-5 victory. The Cardinals have won 18 of their last 24 games, putting the pressure on first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central. The Reds have led the division since April 16, but their five-game cushion is down to one...

DETROIT -- Ron Francis knocked in Jeff O'Neill's short pass to the top of the crease 58 seconds into overtime, and the Carolina Hurricanes stunned the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals Tuesday night. Remarkably, it was Carolina's first victory in 13 games in Joe Louis Arena since a game-winning goal by -- yes, him again -- Francis for the then-Hartford Whalers on Nov. 14, 1989...

With no early picks in this year's June baseball draft, the Cardinals were forced to sit around Tuesday and wait for 101 selections to pass before making their first. When No. 102 finally came around in the third round, the Cardinals were pleased to find shortstop Calvin Hayes -- a right-handed high school senior from Salisbury, N.C. -- still on the board...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Hollywood is just fine with the New Jersey Nets. Not only do Jason Kidd and his teammates think they can knock off the two-time defending champion Lakers in the NBA Finals, but going back to Los Angeles for Game 1 of the series today is like a homecoming for half the squad...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Steve Sampson isn't bitter. He just doesn't think he was the cause of the U.S. downfall at the 1998 World Cup. Four years after advancing to the second round, the Sampson-coached Americans lost to Germany, Iran and Yugoslavia and finished last among the 32 nations. Veterans on the team whined that Sampson pushed them aside, and the team faded amid the squabbling...

ATLANTA -- The night started with heavy rain. Then came a power outage. And finally, another line of severe thunderstorms. The stormy weather caused the first rainout in Turner Field history, halting Tuesday's game between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the third inning...

NEW YORK -- Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer during New York's eight-run sixth inning and the Yankees hit four home runs in a 13-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night. Giambi hit a two-run double in the first and added his 16th home run in the sixth. Alfonso Soriano, Robin Ventura and Rondell White also homered for the Yankees, who lead the majors with 96 homers in 59 games...

NEW YORK -- The Pittsburgh Pirates know No. 1 draft pick Bryan Bullington still needs some work. "We still look at him as a couple of years away," general manager Dave Littlefield said after taking the Ball State right-hander with the first pick in Tuesday's draft. "On the plus side, that may mean ... he'll be an even better pitcher than we see now."...

LOS ANGELES -- The New Jersey Lambs were due to arrive for the slaughter. Under the cover of darkness, they slipped in with a secret plan. It's simple, really. Before anyone realizes what's up, they can do what Allen Iverson did a year ago and show everyone right away they're for real...

LOS ANGELES -- Imagine if Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson were with the New Jersey Nets instead of the Los Angeles Lakers. Sounds implausible, but both things nearly happened. If Jackson had made a different decision in the summer of 1999, and if Bryant hadn't changed his mind the day of the 1996 draft, both could be with the Nets today...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri now has a horse to add to its 15 official state symbols. Gov. Bob Holden on Tuesday signed into law legislation that makes the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse the official state horse. The Fox Trotting Horse will soon join the mule (state animal), catfish (state fish), the bluebird (state bird), honeybee (state insect) and paddlefish (state aquatic animal) among Missouri's 15 official symbols...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Three people were injured, one critically, when someone dropped a log from a viaduct onto a passing car on Interstate 70, authorities said. Police said they believe someone deliberately threw the log on the car Monday morning, possibly as a prank. No arrests had been made Tuesday and murder squad detectives were investigating...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- An anonymous letter has led to the arrest of an Arizona man in the stabbing death of a Southwest Missouri girl, who disappeared 20 years ago while walking home from a grocery store. Joel William Moore was charged Monday with second-degree murder in the killing of 15-year-old Tammy Smith of Springfield. He was arrested by Arizona authorities and Springfield police without incident, authorities said Tuesday...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Peppered with questions about why a decade passed before a long-suspected former nurse was charged with 10 patient deaths at a veterans hospital, authorities said Tuesday that a relatively new tissue test broke the case. "The linchpin here is the development of the forensic science," Richard Griffin, inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said at a news conference with state and federal law enforcement officials...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Taxpayers could end up paying thousands of dollars to accomodate some state senators who don't like the way seats in the Missouri Senate were arranged after a $1.8 million renovation project. A resolution passed in the waning moments of the recently completed legislative session directs the state to change the Senate desks back to their traditional configuration, which could cost as much as $148,000...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An anti-terrorism task force is offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of a man wanted in the 1994 shooting of a state trooper. The Heart of America Joint Terrorism Task Force, which covers Kansas and the western two-thirds of Missouri, announced the reward Tuesday...

UNITED NATIONS -- Despite U.S. denials, the Czech government stands by its account that a suspected Iraqi intelligence agent met Sept. 11 hijacker Mohammed Atta in Prague last year, a senior Czech diplomat said Tuesday. Czech officials revealed details about the meeting shortly after the terrorist attacks on the United States. ...

BEHESHT-E-ZAHRA, Iran -- Iran's supreme leader accused the United States on Tuesday of "massacring" innocent Afghans during its war on terrorism, and said Iran was ready to fight if attacked. Addressing thousands of people on the 13th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the United States launched the war in Afghanistan to get rid of Sept. ...

LONDON -- Huge flag-waving crowds cheered Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday in a display of loyalty and affection as Britain celebrated the 50th anniversary of her reign with regal processions and an exuberant international carnival. In four days of Golden Jubilee festivities that drew throngs up to a million strong to the streets surrounding Buckingham Palace, the 76-year-old queen appeared to have strengthened a bond with the British people that has withstood some of the most turbulent years in the history of the modern monarchy.. ...

LUCKNOW, India -- A passenger train crashed into a bus at a rail crossing on Tuesday, hurtling it into a canal and killing 34 people aboard, police said. At least 26 others were injured in the accident in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, which is located in the north of the country. The powerful blow of the Kasgunj Express train threw the bus 200 yards into a canal...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Uruguay's president offered a teary apology Tuesday for calling Argentines a "bunch of thieves" and for sharply criticizing leadership in the neighboring country. Jorge Batlle went on national television with President Eduardo Duhalde at the Argentina leader's suburban compound to say he was sorry for his outspoken comments, broadcast a day earlier...

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf refused Tuesday to renounce first use of nuclear weapons, as efforts to bring him together with his Indian counterpart to defuse tensions over Kashmir appeared to fail. In New Delhi, a senior Indian government official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that India was paying close attention to diplomatic pressure being applied by Washington and other capitals. ...

HONG KONG -- Exercising freedoms denied to mainland Chinese, thousands of Hong Kong residents gathered Tuesday for a candlelight vigil to mark the 13th anniversary of the military crackdown on protests in Tiananmen Square. This year, World Cup soccer seemed to dominate the news, as fans abandoned offices, mahjong parlors, and theaters to see China lose to Costa Rica in a match that ended hours before the twilight ceremonies in leafy Victoria Park...

GIVATAIM, Israel -- Realistic-looking smoke gushed from the fifth floor of a 30-story office building in a Tel Aviv suburb Tuesday in a drill simulating the Sept. 11 attack in New York. Hundreds of firefighters, police officers and paramedics took part in the exercise, scaled down to Israeli proportions. Some were putting to use what they learned in training exercises with New York City firefighters...

TEL AVIV, Israel -- A leading Israeli liberal is cobbling together a new political movement that he hopes will replace the hobbled Labor Party as the leading Israeli force for peace. Despite the strong support for hawkish Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Israelis would also back a return to peacemaking and the swift creation of a Palestinian state, said Yossi Beilin, a key architect of the Israel-PLO accords in the 1990s...

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Responding to growing U.S. pressure to fight terror, Yasser Arafat presented CIA Director George Tenet with a plan Tuesday for restructuring the unwieldy Palestinian security apparatus. Israel called the proposals "worthless."...

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Three masked gunmen opened fire on a Thai school bus near the border with Mynamar on Tuesday, killing two teen-age students and wounding 15 others. The attack threatened to deepen the enmity between neighbors Thailand and Myanmar...

Jury begins deliberating fate of Kennedy cousin NORWALK, Conn. -- Michael Skakel's fate went to the jury Tuesday as deliberations began on whether the Kennedy family cousin beat his 15-year-old neighbor to death with a golf club in 1975. The jury ended for the day after about six hours of deliberations...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Farmland Industries Inc. announced Tuesday that it was promoting three people to its senior management team and closing 16 convenience stores in northeast Arkansas as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. Farmland -- North America's largest farmer-owned cooperative -- said it would close Northeast Arkansas Oil convenience stores in the Jonesboro, Searcy and Newport areas this week, affecting 120 part-time and 60 full-time employees...

Creed announces new summer tour NEW YORK -- Creed, which canceled part of its "Weathered" tour after lead singer Scott Stapp was involved in a car accident, is heading back to the stage. The multiplatinum rock group is scheduled to begin a 30-date tour on July 11 in Virginia Beach, Va., according to a statement from the band's publicist...

CONCORD, N.H. -- Summer is upon us, and that means it's time to introduce new ingredients to your menus. But don't stop at seasonal fruits and vegetables. This time of year, make meals sensational by also adding fresh air and sunshine, when you can...

Heavy rain near the borders of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin pushed creeks and rivers out of their banks Tuesday, forcing evacuations and trapping people at a campground. Gov. Tom Vilsack declared seven eastern Iowa counties disaster areas. In Dubuque County, Sheriff's Capt. Don Vrotsos said 5 inches of rain fell overnight...

DENVER -- Two jets packed with people took off from airports in the West on Tuesday in a twin hijacking drill designed to improve coordination among American and Canadian agencies. About a dozen fighter jets from the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled to respond to the simulated hijackings, and ran through several scenarios...

CANON CITY, Colo. -- Dozens of families headed back into the charred foothills Tuesday to search for remnants of their lives after a 4,400-acre wildfire destroyed more than 80 homes. Fire officials began allowing the residents into the area after cooler weather and scattered rain helped slow the fire...

NEW YORK -- Seventeen alleged members of the Gambino crime family, including two brothers of John Gotti, were arrested Tuesday and charged with such offenses as shaking down a longshoremen's union and trying to extort money from tough-guy movie star Steven Seagal...

FAIRFAX, Va. -- The Teamsters rallied at United Parcel Service facilities across the country Tuesday, demanding higher pay and more full-time jobs in the shadow of a July 31 deadline. "The pace has picked up, so they know we're serious," Teamsters President James P. Hoffa told protesters, wearing brown shorts and shirts, gathered in the parking lot of the UPS distribution facility in suburban Washington, D.C...

With the sun blazing and the temperatures heating up Tuesday hundreds of local children headed to area swimming pools to catch a tan and have some fun in the sun. A recent survey of preteens and adolescents found that thousands of children all across the country aren't using sunscreen despite warnings about the dangers of skin cancer. Find out what local children and adults think about sunscreen and the risk of cancer and tips for a safe summer in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As the process of convincing Missouri voters to raise a half-billion dollars in new taxes to improve transportation begins, the issue of whether state officials can be trusted to spend the money wisely will loom large. In 1992, the General Assembly, without seeking voter approval, increased the state fuel tax by 6 cents per gallon. ...

Assuring voters that the Missouri Department of Transportation can be trusted to spend revenue from new road taxes wisely will be a key step to the state agency's success in selling its ballot issue. At least one highways commissioner say offering a project-specific plan and then sticking to it is the way to build that trust. ...

Dustin Matty is in the sun almost every day during the summer months, either hanging out at a pool or helping his grandfather at his boat shop. But no matter where he is, he never wears sunscreen. Tuesday, the 14-year-old Cape Girardeau resident spent the day swimming at the Central Municipal Pool with his older sister, Tasha. By mid-afternoon Dustin's chest, back, shoulders and face were deep brown, and his legs were bright red...

WORKPLACE FATALITIES RISING By Scott Moyers ~ Southeast Missourian A federal investigation into the workplace death of Lone Star employee Robert St. Cin was in full swing Tuesday, with a preliminary report expected today that could shed some light on exactly what happened...

After a record-setting high, temperatures are forecast to chill out, but only for a little while. By Jeremy Joffray ~ Southeast Missourian After days of record-setting and record-approaching heat, Cape Girardeau will get a break in the weather as temperatures should be returning to normal, weather forecasts reported...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- On the advice of his family and supporters, state Rep. Tom Burcham has decided to continue his bid for a second term in the House of Representatives. Burcham, R-Farmington, was arrested April 9 and charged with driving while intoxicated...

Reviewed by Justin Colburn & Keayn Dunya Peter Parker (Toby Maguire, Cider House Rules) was just another of your shy, picked on high school students, until he is bitten by a genetically-altered spider, giving him amazing abilities. He hides this fact from his overprotective Aunt May (Rosemary Harris, My Life So Far), the girl he cares for, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst, Crazy/Beautiful) and his best friend, Harry Osborne (James Franco, James Dean) He soon learns that with great power comes great responsibility. ...

"Here we are now, entertain us..." -- Burt Inacok So a pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel tied to his waist... Bartender's seen lots of things before, so he goes about his business... After a bit, the pirate gets up to leave and the bartender just has to know.....

by Andy Dodson Our sleepy, little metropolis rarely attracts quality live rock shows. The local scene these days consists of mostly cover bands or teenage, pop metal bands, with a few exceptions. On Saturday April 27th the gods of rock blessed Cape with a few hours of unabashed, unadulterated, and uncouth rock and roll. ...

Reviewed by Justin Colburn and Keayn Dunya 10 years have passed and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is a padawan to Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). The two are assigned by Mace Windu (Samuel Jackson) and Yoda (voiced by Frank OZ) to protect Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) after her assination attempt. Obi-Wan goes on the discover a plot by the Seperatist leader Count Dooku (Christopher Lee)...

By Brian Michael Bendis & Marc Andreyko Reviewed by Justin Colburn & Keayn Dunya In 1987 Brian De Palma directed Kevin Costner, Robert DeNiro and Sean Connery in the Untouchables. The movie centers around Elliot Ness and his group of "Untouchables" as they work together in a corrupt city to bring mobster Al Capone to justice. ...

Gordonville and Allenville are best and worst for median incomes in the county. By Mark Bliss ~ Southeast Missourian Terry Irwin doesn't need census statistics to know he's living the good life. Irwin lives in a 4-year-old home with a well-landscaped yard on a street of upscale homes in Gordonville, Mo...

By Andrea L. Buchanan ~ Southeast Missourian HAYWOOD CITY, Mo. -- Once nicknamed "The Sands," because of its naturally occurring soft-sand roads, Haywood City has little else to set it apart from other rural villages in Missouri's Bootheel...

Associated Press WriterNORWALK, Conn. (AP) -- Jurors in the murder trial of Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel on Thursday asked to rehear a portion of the prosecution's closing argument, and the defense vowed to fight the request. Prosecutor Jonathan Benedict said the jury's request was somewhat unusual, but said he would support it. ...

Associated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- An attorney representing the families of 70 detainees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base said some of the captured men were rescue workers or Taliban sympathizers, but few fought U.S. forces in Afghanistan...

AP Economics WriterWASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration announced Thursday that it will grant Russia the status of a "market economy," delivering a major economic prize that Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes will lead to full membership in the World Trade Organization...

Associated Press WriterSAN DIEGO (AP) -- A judge fined R.J. Reynolds Co. $20 million Thursday for violating the terms of the 1998 national tobacco settlement by running magazine ads aimed at teen-agers. The state Attorney General's office, which filed suit against the nation's No. 2 tobacco company last year, asked the judge to fine Reynolds $25 million and ban it from advertising in 50 magazines read by teens...

AP Business WriterNEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street's fortunes turned negative again Thursday as a downgrade of chip makers by Merrill Lynch and retailers' disappointing sales gave investors more reasons to doubt the strength of a business recovery. Stocks fell sharply, with the tech sector suffering the heaviest losses...

June 6, 2002 Dear Julie, Some people have visions during the Native American purification ritual called the sweat lodge. I had heart palpitations. Debbie Naeter, a woman known hereabouts for her affinity with the plant world, invited 11 people to her land north of Cape Girardeau Tuesday evening to take part in the sweat lodge. ...

10 years ago: June 6, 1992 East Missouri Action Agency has purchase building formerly used by defunct Cape Girardeau WISER Inc., and plans to relocate its Cape Girardeau operations there; move is planned for first week in August; building is at 1111 Linden; agency has searched for last four or five years for building to rent where it could pull its local activities together, says agency executive director, Nancy Williams...

The Rolling Hills Subdivision, under a boil-water order from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, is located in Cape Girardeau between Highway 177 and the Mississippi River. The order is in effect until further notice.

Sherman Daughter to Jeffery Scott Sherman and Patty Sue Sebastian of St. Louis, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, 1:25 p.m. Sunday, May 19, 2002. Name, Hailey Ann. Weight, 6 pounds 9 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Ms. Sebastian is the daughter of Freeman and Shirley Sebastian of Jackson, Mo. Sherman is the son of Sheldon and Nancy Sherman of St. Louis. He is a senior head engineer with Emerson Electric...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Ernest H. Weaver, 78, of Jackson died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at Monticello House. He was born April 24, 1924, in McDonough, N.Y., son of DeForest and Myrtle Nightengale Weaver. He and Mary Miles were married May 28, 1971. She died Dec. 17, 1991...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Virginia Steinbecker, 89, formerly of Perryville, died Monday, June 3, 2002, at Hospice and Palliative Care of Northern Colorado. She was born Oct. 24, 1912, in Perryville, daughter of Anthony and Mary Martina Moore Lohman. She and Ed Steinbecker were married July 28, 1931. He died Aug. 24, 1982...

ANNA, Ill. -- Ernest Ray Edgar, 64, of Anna died Monday, June 3, 2002, at his home. He was born April 17, 1938, in Portageville, Mo., son of Ernest Floyd and Lorene Pinnon Edgar. Survivors include three sisters, Carolyn Shoudy of Machesney Park, Ill., Shirley Swiggum of Roscoe, Ill., Patsy Kellehner of Lawrenceville, Ga.; and a brother, Bennie Edgar of Rockton, Ill...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Robert Eugene Stacy, 75, of Jackson died Monday, June 3, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 29, 1926, at Festus, Mo., son of Charles J. and Ollie Dorothy McCormick Stacy. He and Rosemary L. Elliff were married June 28, 1952...

ORAN, Mo. -- Anthony J. Lauck, 90, of Springfield, Ill., died Wednesday, April 17, 2002, at Heritage Manor East in Beardstown, Ill. He was born Oct. 13, 1911, in Oran, son of August V. and Frances Blattel Lauck. He married Opal Walls, who died in 1995...

Barry D. Mosley, 57, of West Frankfort, Ill., died Saturday, June 1, 2002, from injuries received in an automobile accident. He was born June 28, 1944, in Christopher, Ill., son of R.H. and Norma Mosley. He and Nancy Williams were married Sept. 20, 1964. She survives...

Wathena Maria Allgood, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, June 5, 2002, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Dec. 29, 1922, in Dupo, Ill., daughter of Avery Hamilton and Minnie Meissner Abernathy. She married Waldo E. Allgood June 28, 1941, in Jackson, Mo. He preceded her in death April 25, 1999...

The Rev. Lindsay George "Den" Sample, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, June 5, 2002, at his home. He was born March 27, 1931, at Lutesville, Mo., son of Leonard and Lola Mungle Sample. He and Barbara Hill were married Nov. 29, 1950, in Cape Girardeau...

COMMERCE, Mo. -- On Friday, May 31, 2002, Elizabeth B. Gray, 92, passed away at Lenoir Health Care in Columbia, Mo. She was the daughter of the late Charles and Lula Beardslee from Commerce. She was married to Van L. Gray, who preceded her in death while they were retired in Kimberling City, Mo...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Pauline Catherine Schmitt, 92, of Scott City died Monday, June 3, 2002, at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee, Mo. She was born Oct. 14, 1909, in St. Louis, daughter of Theodore and Helen Shoemaucher Leissing. She and John Schmitt were married July 4, 1931, in St. Louis. He died July 4, 1976...

Others need help too WHAT KIND of country do we live in when we are willing to give other countries money, food and anything else they need but will not give the same assistance to our own citizens. I think Missouri needs to realize that just because someone doesn't have children doesn't mean she doesn't need help every now and then. ...

To the editor: I would like to respond to the Speak Out comment complaining about bicyclists on two-lane roads. I would like to apologize to all drivers for any bicyclist who rides in an unsafe manner. We promote and encourage safe and courteous riding at all times...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- "Old folks got a right to have fun, too," said Perryville resident Art Tayon. Tayon and wife Euline are co-organizers of the Southeast Missouri Senior Games this week. The four-day event is part of one of the more rapidly growing sports phenomena in the United States -- the Senior Olympics movement...

AREA Riverdogs slip past St. Louis Sox 6-5 CLAYTON, Mo. -- The Cape Riverdogs (3-4) squeaked out a 6-5 win Tuesday over the St. Louis Sox, behind strong pitching from Chris Reeves. Reeves pitched a complete game and gave up five runs on 10 hits and struck out eight...

A big crowd and good competition Saturday left officials at Auto Tire and Parts Racepark optimistic that the track will snag another World of Outlaws event next season. ATPR attracted more than 30 sprint cars and about 3,000 fans for its Gumout Series event sanctioned by the Texas-based World of Outlaws. ...

LOCAL Motorcycle, ATV classes, SEMO Motor Speedway, Sikeston, Mo., 7:30 p.m. Friday. Late model, modified, hobby, pure street, cruiser classes, Malden (Mo.) Speedway, 7:30 p.m. Friday. Late model, pro street, pure street classes, Fredericktown (Mo.) Raceway, 7:30 p.m. Friday...

Zach Borowiak was a bit disappointed while Jason Chavez was a bit surprised after the two local baseball players were selected in the late rounds of the Major League Amateur Draft that concluded Wednesday. Borowiak, a shortstop who recently completed his junior season at Southeast Missouri State University, was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the 49th round of the 50-round draft...

Finding ways to beat the boredom in your exercise routine can be more difficult than actually beginning the routine. Motivation to lose weight or build muscles gets you going, but what keeps you on the treadmill or lifting weights? Fitness is about making lifestyle choices, said Shelly Gerard, a health program specialist at the St. Francis Center for Health and Rehabilitation...

Today Blood pressure screening at Cape Senior Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Luncheon on how to beat exercise boredom from noon to 12:40 p.m. in conference room B at St. Francis Education Center. Carbohydrate counting class from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Diabetes Center at St. Francis Medical Center...

Shape Up Cape The Fit to Print team again earned points above our weekly goal of 70 points, with 771 points for a 77.1 point average. Our competition also fared well: the Bookin' Team earned a 61.71 point average among its seven members and St. Andrew's Fit for Eternity team averaged 92.33 points...

Late May saw the arrival of a new chapter in Missouri's perilous experiment with state-sponsored gambling. It's called Club Keno. Keno is a form of video poker that is rapidly spreading into restaurants, bars and other public establishments across our state. No longer do gamblers need to find a casino along the Missouri or Mississippi rivers to indulge in risk taking in hopes of being a big winner...

This year's Aug. 6 primary election will see a statewide vote on a proposal passed by the General Assembly to increase funding for transportation in Missouri. The spending plan is far less than the highway lobby sought -- they wanted $800 million to $1 billion. But the $511 million of estimated revenue the legislatively approved plan would generate was the most that could pass the Missouri legislature and remains ambitious, to say the least...

Cape Girardeau Thursday, June 6 ArrestsRoger Andrew Smith, 38, Jackson, Mo., was arrested for contempt of court. Gregory Pierre Gafford, 21, 913 N. Missouri, was arrested for failure to appear. Shaun Eric Dover, 23, Perryville, Mo., was arrested for failure to appear...

Cape Girardeau Thursday, June 6 Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:At 4:12 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1124 Ranney. At 9:05 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1105 N. Fountain. At 11:02 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1318 N. Sprigg...

State Rep. Jason Crowell will give a legislative roundup at the First Friday Coffee at 7:30 a.m. Friday at the Show Me Center, said Jeff Glenn of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

St. Francis Universal Health and Fitness Center will offer several summer camps for children in June. The Tumbling Toddlers Camp, for children age 4 to 6, will meet from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 11 to June 20. The Youth Gymnastics Camp, for children 7 to 12, will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 11 to June 20...

The calliope sounded early in downtown Cape Girardeau Wednesday -- about 4:30 a.m. The Mississippi Queen, making its first stop of the summer in Cape Girardeau, steamed into town. "We were running about seven hours early," said Candi Christie, passenger services coordinator on the steamboat...

Yes, baseball fans, there was a Cape Aces team in Cape Girardeau. St. Louis may be the consummate baseball town today, but Cape Girardeau has long been noted for its baseball teams. The Cape Capahas have been around what seems like -- and happily so -- forever. The Caps observed a century of baseball in Cape Girardeau in 1994...

community briefs....june 6 Wampler family reunion planned for Sunday The Wampler family reunion will be held Sunday, beginning with a noon lunch at Cape Girardeau County Park Shelter 21. Information is available by calling Jenene Givens at 243-7137...

WASHINGTON -- A federal probe of the plane crash that killed Gov. Mel Carnahan found that his pilot son, Randy, became disoriented and lost control of his Cessna 335, in part because the key instrument guiding him through darkness, rain and fog malfunctioned...

Veterans hospitals in cities across the country could be closed as the Department of Veterans Affairs shifts its focus to outpatient care and works to bring services closer to people who need them. The massive restructuring, being announced today, would touch every community where the VA operates, though decisions about specific cities and hospitals won't be made for more than a year. ...

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department announced anti-terrorism changes Wednesday to require roughly 100,000 new visitors each year to provide fingerprints, photographs and details about their plans in the United States. The government said it would keep secret most its new criteria for identifying risky immigrants...

WASHINGTON -- A $31.4 billion anti-terrorism bill became entangled in a fight Wednesday over long-range spending limits and accusations that senators were playing politics. Senators haggled over whether to add five-year spending limits and other budgetary controls to the bill. One such effort by Sens. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other fiscal conservatives fell short of the 60 votes needed to clear a procedural hurdle, losing by 49-49...

WASHINGTON -- Moving on two fronts, Congress interviewed FBI whistle-blower Coleen Rowley on Wednesday about the events leading up to Sept. 11, and prepared for her public testimony before a Democratic-controlled Senate committee. The House and Senate intelligence committees met for a second day of closed-door hearings, without calling any witnesses, while several staff members from their joint inquiry went to FBI headquarters to question Rowley...

WASHINGTON -- After another bombing in Israel, the White House questioned Yasser Arafat's trustworthiness Wednesday and pledged to increase contacts with a new generation of Palestinian leaders who may be more willing to curb terrorism. "In the president's eyes, Yasser Arafat has never played a role of someone who could be trusted or who was effective," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush appealed to Indian and Pakistani leaders on Wednesday to "draw back from war," while the State Department strongly advised Americans in the two nuclear-armed countries to get out. In back-to-back phone calls to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Bush "stressed the need to choose the path of diplomacy," said White House press secretary Ari Fleischer...

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department initiated proceedings Wednesday to revoke the U.S. citizenship of a Millbury, Mass., man accused of participating in the Nazi destruction of the Warsaw ghetto during World War II. The complaint against Vladas Zajanckauskas, filed in U.S. District Court in Worcester, Mass., alleges that Zajanckauskas, 87, trained as a guard at the Nazi-operated Trawniki Training Camp in German-occupied Poland...

CINCINNATI -- The St. Louis Cardinals' game against the Cincinnati Reds was postponed Wednesday night because of rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The Cardinals and Reds will complete their abbreviated series today at 11:35 a.m...

SUWON, South Korea -- Wake up, America! The U.S. soccer team is no longer a World Cup pushover. That was clear by the way the United States ran around heavily favored Portugal in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the world's most popular sporting event...

LOS ANGELES -- What began as a mismatch turned into something mildly intriguing. The Los Angeles Lakers gave everyone a little suspense in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, letting a 23-point lead slip to three in the fourth quarter before they finished off the New Jersey Nets 99-94 Wednesday night...

NEW YORK -- Rookie Travis Driskill held baseball's most powerful team in check, and Tony Batista hit his 14th home run as the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 4-3 Wednesday night. Driskill (3-0) spent nine seasons in the minor leagues and Japan before making his major league debut as a 30-year-old in April...

SAN DIEGO -- Barry Bonds hit an eye-popping grand slam to move ahead of Frank Robinson for sole possession of fourth place on the career home run list with 587, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 12-2 win over the staggering San Diego Padres on Wednesday...

LOS ANGELES -- Magic Johnson flashed that million-dollar smile countless times Wednesday -- and no wonder? The man who set the standard for point guards with his all-around brilliance in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships in the 1980s was introduced as a member of the 2002 class elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame...

As he stands on the threshold of the Triple Crown, it's hard to believe War Emblem was once a reluctant racehorse. In fact, he didn't even make it to his first race. On Sept. 8, War Emblem was set to make his debut in the third race at Arlington Park, just outside Chicago. He got only as far as the paddock, where he tossed jockey Alfredo Javier against a wooden post before running 300 yards over a horsepath back to his barn and missed the race...

NEW YORK -- War Emblem will be tested early and often as he attempts to win the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and become racing's first Triple Crown winner in 24 years. At least that's the strategy being laid out by trainers trying to spoil War Emblem's chance at joining an eilte group of Triple Crown champions such as Secretariat, Citation and Seattle Slew...

OSAGE CITY, Mo. -- A hill near the confluence of the Missouri and Osage rivers that is believed to have caught the eye of explorer William Clark has been donated to the state as a historic site. Until now, the hill was owned by William and Carol Norton, who purchased the property in the mid-1970s not knowing of its historical significance...

SPINBOLDAK, Afghanistan -- Posters plastered on polls and walls in the area along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan declare that Osama bin Laden is alive and urge the faithful to wage war against the U.S.-led coalition. "I am alive. My friend, Mullah Omar, is alive and it is the duty of all Muslims to wage a war on non-Muslims," the posters read, referring to the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar...

ZEYZOUN, Syria -- A dam on the Orontes River in northern Syria collapsed after a heavy rain, killing five people and leaving about 450 people, the entire population of one village, unaccounted for, residents of the region reported Wednesday. The dam collapsed Tuesday, and a day later all residents of Zeyzoun still had not been heard from. ...

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Gunfire resounded as Israeli tanks stormed into the West Bank and surrounded Yasser Arafat's office early Thursday, hours after a Palestinian blew up a huge car bomb next to a bus and killed 17 Israeli passengers. Tanks and armored personnel carriers took positions outside the Palestinian leader's Ramallah office with Arafat inside, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. ...

NEW DELHI, India -- India made a conciliatory gesture to Pakistan on Wednesday, calling for joint monitoring of their disputed Kashmir frontier -- a proposal that Pakistan played down as old and unlikely to work. Even as the United States and Britain sent top officials to pressure the nuclear-armed rivals, they stepped up warnings asking their own citizens to leave...

PARIS -- James Kopp, the suspect in the 1998 murder of a New York doctor who performed abortions, was extradited to the United States on Wednesday and was expected to appear in U.S. federal court later in the day. Kopp left France on a plane with U.S. marshals late Wednesday morning, the Justice Ministry confirmed...

UNITED NATIONS -- An estimated 50 million babies born in the year 2000 -- about 40 percent of all births -- were never legally registered and started life without an official identity or nationality, UNICEF said in a report Tuesday. "With no document to prove how old they are -- or even who they are -- they are likely to join the millions facing discrimination and the lack of access to basic services such as health and education. ...

HYDERABAD, Pakistan -- Prosecutors said Wednesday they hoped to wrap up their case this week against four Islamic militants charged in the slaying of Daniel Pearl, after deciding to drop the Wall Street Journal reporter's widow as a witness. Chief Prosecutor Raja Quereshi said he decided not to pursue Mariane Pearl's testimony after her attorney filed a statement in court saying she would be unable to travel to London or Pakistan for medical reasons...

BERLIN -- The publisher of a novel by one of Germany's best-known authors -- whose book was branded anti-Semitic by prominent reviewers -- said the work will go on sale this month so the public can make up its own mind. Last week a leading German newspaper refused to serialize the book, "Death of a Critic" by Martin Walser, calling it a "document of hate" that panders to Jewish stereotypes...

The Associated Press BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombia's main rebel group ordered the mayor, city council members and police chief of the biggest town inside a former rebel safe haven to abandon their posts or face attack, officials said Wednesday. "For your physical integrity, we need you to leave town, otherwise you will be considered a military target," the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, said in a letter to city officials in San Vicente de Caguan...

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- The IRA-linked Sinn Fein party won the post of Belfast mayor for the first time Wednesday, another important step away from its terrorist past and toward a mainstream political future. Furious Protestant politicians walked out of Belfast City Council after the election of Sinn Fein candidate Alex Maskey, a former Irish Republican Army prisoner who nearly died in an assassination attempt 15 years ago. ...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Mohammad Alam Mansour eagerly spins his tale -- how thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan sent him to be their voice in the grand council to chart their nation's future. Then he thrusts forward the well-thumbed documents that he says back his claim...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- In the standoff with nuclear neighbor India over Kashmir, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf risks inflaming conservative religious elements -- including some within the military -- already provoked by his ties to the United States...

SWEET WATER, Ala. -- Willie Williams doesn't have big plans for the land. He'll hunt on it, and show it off to relatives at a family reunion later this month. To Williams, that's a happy ending. In 1967, Alabama took these 40 acres, which had been in this black family's hands since the 19th century. ...

CHICAGO -- R&B star R. Kelly was arrested Wednesday in Florida after Chicago authorities filed child pornography charges alleging that he appears on a videotape having sex with an underage girl. "I can confirm that he was arrested in Florida," Kelly spokesman Allan Mayer said...

TULSA, Okla. -- Oklahoma filed a lawsuit accusing a towboat captain and two barge companies of negligence for a crash that caused a highway bridge to collapse, killing 14 people. Attorney General Drew Edmondson said Wednesday that Capt. William Joe Dedmon, Magnolia Marine Transport Co. and Ergon Inc. should have done more to prevent the May 26 crash...

BOSTON -- Around the country, many of the state homeland security directors who were quickly hired in the aftermath of Sept. 11 are finding they have little authority or resources and say they are not getting much cooperation or direction. An Associated Press review of all 50 states' homeland security chiefs found that some have little or no staff. Many face legislatures that are balking at funding requests. And most are encountering roadblocks to sharing information with other agencies...

Eminem CD has top single-week sales NEW YORK -- Eminem's fans couldn't live without him. His latest release, "The Eminem Show" sold 1.3 million albums in its first full week in stores, according to industry figures released on Wednesday. It's the biggest single-week sales total of the year and easily allowed Eminem to retain his hold at the No. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Police were trying to determine whether a search failed to spot the body of a boy in the pool of a mansion two days after the child was reported missing from a party at the home. Police hoped an autopsy would show whether or not 7-year-old Paolo Ayala drowned...

TAUNTON, Mass. -- A religious sect member and his wife slowly, knowingly starved their infant son to death in 1999 as he cried horrifically, a prosecutor said Wednesday as the man's murder trial opened. Assistant District Attorney Walter Shea said Jacques Robidoux kept extensive notes of baby Samuel's drawn-out death, which Shea said began after another sect member received a religious prophesy...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- One housing unit of the South East Correctional Center at Charleston, Mo., will remain closed for at least the next year because of financial belt-tightening by the state. The prison, which opened in October, is designed to hold 1,596 inmates. However, Department of Corrections spokesman Tim Kniest said the prisoner population at the facility will be capped at 1,308, 82 percent of capacity...