Stories from Tuesday, May 20, 2003

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- An appeals court has ordered a new trial for a Bolivar man convicted of a 1998 street-gang slaying, citing an improper jury instruction. The Missouri Court of Appeals on Tuesday reversed the first-degree murder conviction of Arthur S. Thompson and ordered a new trial. Thompson was convicted of the August 1998 killing of Michael Sutton, 20, of Buffalo...

ST. LOUIS -- Cal Eldred signed with the St. Louis Cardinals aiming to resurrect his career as a starting pitcher. Instead, right now he's the only guy who can get outs in the ninth inning. Jason Isringhausen's painfully slow rehabilitation from offseason shoulder surgery has held back the defending NL Central champions, who were two games above .500 after beating the Chicago Cubs 2-0 Monday. The stand-in closers were a collective 9-for-19 in save situations...

OTTAWA -- Rookie Jason Spezza provided the Ottawa Senators the offense they needed to stay alive in the playoffs. Spezza, making his NHL playoff debut, had a goal and assisted on Martin Havlat's game-winner, lifting the Senators to a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night...

Singer free on bail, facing drug charge BURBANK, Calif. -- Stone Temple Pilots lead singer Scott Weiland was released on $10,000 bail after police arrested him for investigation of drug possession. Officers pulled Weiland over early Sunday morning for driving without his lights on, said Burbank Police Sgt. Tracy Sanchez. They reported noticing that Weiland had narcotics in the car and arrested him. Authorities didn't say what kind of drug Weiland allegedly had...

GUY, Ark. -- When Betty Boop gets a pedicure, it's a huge day at the spa. After hosing down the elephant's feet, revealing wrinkled gray skin beneath a caked-on layer of clay, trainers clean and smooth her yellowed nails with a foot-long file, rounding the edges with care...

Leading economic indicators up only slightly NEW YORK -- A widely watched gauge of the U.S. economy Monday gave little evidence of the postwar bounce many had been hoping for. The New York-based Conference Board said Monday that its Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose a slight 0.1 point in April to 110.6...

The Associated Press BERLIN -- Germany's president expressed concern Monday that the United States had lowered the threshold for war with its invasion of Iraq, but he also criticized some in his own nation for their harsh tone in opposing U.S. policy...

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia -- Indonesia launched a major military offensive Monday against separatist rebels in a northwest province -- firing rockets, parachuting troops and landing marines after peace talks collapsed and martial law was imposed. More than 1,000 elite soldiers landed in the oil- and gas-rich Aceh province in what is expected to be Indonesia's biggest military operation since invading East Timor in 1975...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Thousands of Shiite Muslims staged the largest protest against America's presence in Iraq since the war's end with a noisy but peaceful rally. The well-organized march Monday was policed by men carrying AK-47s who did not confront nearby U.S. soldiers keeping watch...

AFULA, Israel -- A Palestinian woman blew herself up during a security check outside a mall on Monday, killing three Israelis in the fifth suicide bombing in 48 hours -- a violent challenge to a U.S.-backed Mideast peace initiative and the new Palestinian prime minister...

CASABLANCA, Morocco -- The suicide bombers attacked a Jewish community center when it was closed and empty. A day later, the building would have been packed. Another attacker blew himself up near a fountain, killing three Muslims. He apparently mistook it for one near a Jewish cemetery not far away. The cemetery was undamaged...

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Alarmed that Ireland has become one of the hardest-drinking countries in Europe, the government announced Monday it plans to require health warnings on alcoholic drinks and limit liquor ads that invade every corner of Irish life. Prime Minister Bertie Ahern insisted in a speech to European brewers in Dublin that young people shouldn't be exposed to saturation marketing of alcohol, which he said was fueling a new "drink to get drunk" culture in a country where the pub has been the hub of life for generations.. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state budget battle intensified Monday as Democratic Gov. Bob Holden said he would veto at least one spending bill and call a special session of the Republican-controlled legislature. Leaders of the House and Senate accused Holden of playing politics with the budget and said a special session would be pointless...

PHILADELPHIA -- When NFL owners think about expanding the playoffs, they don't see a dilution of the product. They see two more postseason games, two more sold-out stadiums and two more television dates. The owners meet in Philadelphia on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss adding two more teams to the playoffs, one in each conference. That would mean only the club with the best conference record would have a bye, and there would be six games on the first weekend of the postseason...

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Annika Sorenstam arrived on the PGA Tour through the back gate Monday. With nearly 80 reporters and photographers camped out in front of the Colonial clubhouse, inspecting each courtesy car to see if she was inside, Sorenstam sneaked into the driving range and took her place among the men...

ST. LOUIS -- Jason Sehorn and Mike Martz, once bitter rivals, are now on the same team. The St. Louis Rams announced Monday they have signed Sehorn, 31, to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed. Sehorn was released in March by the New York Giants after spending all of his nine seasons with the team. He was due to make $4.3 million next season and would have received a $1 million roster bonus if he had not been released...

Cardinal hurler holds first-place Chicago to four hits in 2-0 victory. By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Matt Morris made really quick work of the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Morris threw a four-hitter as the St. ...

In the United States, allergy sufferers spend about $70 for a 30-day supply of Allegra D. In Europe, patients pay only $20 for the same amount. Here, users of the popular cholesterol medicine Lipitor pay $52 for 30 pills. In Europe, it's $40. Need Biaxin? Here, the respiratory infection drug costs $113. In Europe and other countries, it costs about $61...

Graduation gifts Students are most interested in cash and cars. By Laura Johnston ~ Southeast Missourian They've got the graduation cap and gown but what they're waiting for now isn't necessarily the diploma -- it's the gift...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Officials in the three Southeast Missouri counties that could soon have more powerful local governments say residents shouldn't expect to see a flood of new laws. The Missouri Legislature last week gave final approval to a bill giving 21 of the state's 114 counties expanded authority to enact ordinances. Cape Girar-deau, New Madrid and St. Francois counties would be the only ones in the area affected should Gov. Bob Holden sign it into law...

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be stationed in Jackson the next two weeks to help those who have not yet applied for financial assistance in the wake of the May 6 tornado. The representatives can be reached at the National Guard armory in Jackson on 224 W. Park St., or by phone at 1 (800) 621-FEMA...

The Jackson Board of Aldermen Monday night approved a $744,990 contract to Robinson Mechanical Contractors Inc. for the construction of a new water well on the northwest end of town. The new well, the city's seventh, will be approximately 1,700 feet deep and help meet the water demands of Jackson's residential and commercial growth...

The Jackson Chamber of Commerce wants to show off the town. It wants to find solutions to city ordinances that may make it difficult to do business. And it wants to see better communication between the nonprofit groups that serve residents. The executive director of Jackson's chamber, Ken Parrett, on Monday outlined the direction of the chamber for the next fiscal year, which will begin July 1...

Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Drury complained to the city council Monday night about the city's involvement in the River Campus arts school project and urged the council to put the tax issue before voters again. But council members said it was too late for that and urged Drury to look for a way that he and the city can move forward together for community betterment...

A divided Cape Girardeau City Council couldn't reach an agreement Monday night on whether to change the format of council meetings. At the urging of Mayor Jay Knudtson, the city council discussed the possibility of scrapping study sessions in favor of a single televised meeting. Knudtson ended up appointing himself and council members Evelyn Boardman and Charles Herbst to review the whole issue and report back to the council...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A Fredericktown, Mo., man sustained moderate injuries Monday in a two-vehicle accident in Perry County. Douglas Moyer, 29, was taken to Parkland Hospital in Farmington, Mo., after the 6:06 a.m. accident. It occurred on County Road 730, one-half mile north of Route B...

Car dealer Betty Jackson wants Scott City to go after other car dealers who have turned their property into "eyesores." Jackson told the Scott City City Council Monday night that several dealers are offering "junk" vehicles "that don't even look like cars."...

By Tony Messenger COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A retired professor and former University of Missouri-Columbia administrative type sat down with me for coffee the other day and lamented the culture of spending that pervades our nation's institutions of higher education...

As crassly as Georgia football players acted in selling their championship rings, it's a two-bit tempest compared with the vulgarity of ACC and Big East bigwigs hatching multimillion-dollar schemes between rounds of golf. Like the lords of the Olympic rings who indulged themselves in luxury and freebies before reform came crashing down, the marauders of the Atlantic Coast Conference holed up last week at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Fla...

A lack of funding will leave some fourth-graders who are accustomed to eating breakfast in Cape Girardeau elementary schools without that free meal when they go to Central Middle School next year. The Cape Girardeau School Board on Monday approved a request for a waiver from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that would excuse the district from providing breakfast at Central junior high and middle schools and Clippard Elementary...

WASHINGTON -- Foreign visitors arriving with visas at U.S. airports or seaports next year will have their travel documents scanned, their fingerprints and photos taken and their identification checked against terrorist watch lists. Such a tracking system could have stopped two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, Homeland Security Department undersecretary Asa Hutchinson said Monday as he gave details of the department's new U.S. Visitor and Immigration Status Indication Technology, or U.S. VISIT...

WASHINGTON -- A federal court Monday temporarily restored limits on political donations and advertising that it had struck down as unconstitutional, making 2004 candidates operate under the law passed by Congress last year until the Supreme Court settles the matter...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court dealt a defeat to the drug industry Monday, ruling that a state may try to force companies to lower prices on prescription medications for the poor and uninsured. The court's 6-3 decision would let a novel program take effect in Maine, where supporters say it would cut prices by 25 percent and help more than 300,000 residents...

To the editor: Residential development has always been an expensive and speculative undertaking. The cost of building proper roads and providing utilities can be extraordinarily expensive, particularly in a town as hilly as Cape Girardeau. The traditional way to keep development costs down is to build in rough rectangles with deep but relatively narrow lots. This allows a maximum number of lots to be served with a minimum amount of roads, sewers, water lines and storm drainage...

Give them tax breaks I GUESS I must be one of the very few people in the area who is a low-income worker who actually took a college class in economics. I want those rich folks to get a tax cut, because unless they bury their money in their back yard, it is going to help the economy. Who do you think tends that rich guy's yard, builds the yachts he will buy and sells him expensive stereo equipment? Tax breaks for rich people help a lot of working people, not just the rich...

J. Frank Hodges, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 18, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born July 8, 1926, at Lesterville, Mo., son of John W. and Leda G. Guilliams Hodges. He and Frances Hunze were married Oct. 18, 1946, in Cape Girardeau...

The Rev. Helmuth Sylvester, 88, of Henderson, Nev., died there Friday, May 16, 2003. He was born Dec. 24, 1914, in Inver Grove, Minn., son of August and Martha Schumacher Sylvester. He and Viola Sagnes were married Aug. 20, 1940. She died Jan. 7, 2002...

Gloria M. Pillars, 56, of Perryville, Mo., died Monday, May 19, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 18, 1946, in Crosstown, Mo., to Charles A. and the late Leona Renota Hoffman Pillars. She worked as a janitor for M&M Meats in Perryville and was a member of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Perry County...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Wildred V. Sandler, 83, of Perryville died Monday, May 19, 2003, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Jan. 19, 1920, at Perryville, son of Wiley and Bell Staggs Sandler. He and Mary Lou Moranville were married Feb. 7, 1949. Sandler retired as an electrician and maintenance worker at Mississippi Lime in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, and former member of American Legion and Knights of Columbus...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jacquelyn C. Sparks, 75, of Sikeston died Sunday, May 18, 2003, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Sept. 28, 1927, at Morehouse, Mo., daughter of Cleo Freeman and Margaret Wilkins Cain. She and William E. Sparks were married July 21, 1995...

ANNA, Ill. -- Billie Burk Jones, 87, of Anna died Sunday, May 18, 2003, at Jonesboro Health Care Center. She was born May 9, 1916, in Macomb, Ill., daughter of George H. and Leona Stevens Rippetoe. She and Donald C. Jones were married in Jackson, Mo. He died June 16, 1988...

Edgar Wayne Benson, 67, of Scott City died Monday, May 19, 2003, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Charles Lindy Castleberry, 76, of Bertrand, Mo., died Sunday, May 18, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 30, 1927, in McMullin, Mo., to the late Carroll and Claudia Smith Castleberry. He worked for the Missouri Department of Transportation as the Mississippi County area supervisor until his retirement...

Christopher Blumenthal, 12, of St. Louis died Monday, May 19, 2003 at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis, due to complications following heart surgery. Born Jan. 22, 1991 in St. Louis, he was the only son of Michael and Alice McSpadden Blumenthal...

Vandergraph Son to Specialist Matthew and Lisa A. Vandergraph of Fort Hood, Texas, Darnall U.S. Army Hospital in Fort Hood, 6:38 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2003. Name, William Matthew Clayton. Weight, 7 pounds 5 ounces. Third child, first son. Mrs. Vandergraph is the former Lisa Andrews, daughter of Bob G. and Becky Andrews of Gordonville. Vandergraph is the son of Mike and Joyce Clayton of Swinford, Mo. He is serving in the U.S. Army...

10 years ago: May 20, 1992 Deactivation of 1138th Combat Engineer Battalion at Jefferson Barracks in South St. Louis County Sept. 30 will mean additional manpower and equipment for 1140th Combat Engineer Battalion and its four line companies in Southeast Missouri...

Briefly Baseball The floundering White Sox, struggling with their offense all season, have fired hitting coach Gary Ward and replaced him with Greg Walker. Ward's dismissal came late Sunday night after Chicago lost three straight games at Minnesota, scoring six runs in the series...

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese won't let his conference fade away without a fight. Admitting the Big East is in crisis, Tranghese claimed Monday that a move by Miami to the Atlantic Coast Conference would "be the most disastrous blow to intercollegiate athletics in my lifetime."...

Scott City's Loren Groves won all four events she competed in Monday at the Class 2, District 1 track and field meet in East Prairie, which was originally scheduled for Saturday. Groves shook off a rolled ankle to win the 100 (15.81) and 300 hurdles (49.03) and easily outdistanced the field in the shot put (35-51/2) and discus (130-5). ...

WASHINGTON -- A Marine Corps transport helicopter crashed Monday in central Iraq near Karbala with at least four people aboard, and there were no indications of survivors, Pentagon officials said. Another servicemember drowned while trying to rescue the crew of the downed helicopter, a Pentagon official said, speaking on condition of anonymity...

WASHINGTON -- Russ Rice's back pain was so intense he could hardly walk. Two surgeries had failed to offer lasting help for his damaged spinal disc, and only large doses of painkillers got him through each day. Then, as part of a study, doctors implanted an artificial disc in Rice's back. Just four days later, the California man returned to work, pain-free for the first time in over a year...

Approved a motion to set a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. June 2 to consider proposed rates under the 2003 electric rate study. Approved a motion to change the regular council meeting date from Monday, June 16 to Tuesday, June 17. Approved a motion to set a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. ...

German leader: America lowering barriers to war BERLIN -- Germany's president expressed concern Monday that the United States had lowered the threshold for war with its invasion of Iraq. Johannes Rau urged German and U.S. leaders to repair their bitter rift over Iraq...

Cape Girardeau Tuesday, May 20 The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Robert L. Blackman, 51, unknown address, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance...

Cape Girardeau Tuesday, May 20 Firefighters responded Saturday to the following items: At 3:42 p.m., medical assist at 611 Ferguson. At 8:11 p.m., medical asist at 11 S. Spanish. Firefighters responded Sunday to the following items: At 2:41 a.m., medical assist at 40 S. Sprigg...

Something's rotten in Bavaria. The Nazis are cooking up trouble and you, as Army Capt. B.J. Blazkowicz, are the one-man army sent to unravel the mystery in an excellent new Xbox title, "Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War," from id Software, Nerve and Activision...

Younghouse graduates from Concordia University Matthew Younghouse of Cape Girardeau was among 457 students to graduate from Concordia University in Mequon, Wisc., during annual commencement ceremonies May 17. The university offers 45 undergraduate majors and is affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Younghouse received a degree in pastoral ministry...

NEW YORK -- It's a rite of passage for many teenagers: They mistake their parents for lepers. The teens would rather walk home from school than be picked up in the family's station wagon -- or even a slightly hipper SUV; they don't want to gather round the family table to break bread; and they most certainly don't want to be seen at the mall or the movies in the company of parent chaperones...

There are those who say the world has become a cynical, hardened place embodied by people who have become conditioned to look out only for themselves. David Reiminger might disagree. The Jackson alderman says he has been humbled by the help his son, Todd Reiminger, received in the aftermath of the May 6 tornado that destroyed his home. Hundreds of people came to the aid of his family, donating food, drinks and labor...

These items just in from the News of the Weird department: A Florida woman last week was arrested for basically being the most passive-aggressive woman in the world. Linda Taylor of Stuart, Fla., doused herself with perfume, sprayed the house with bug killer and disinfectant and burned scented candles -- all in an attempt to seriously injure her "chemically sensitive" husband...

Sixth-seeded Jackson upset third-seeded Farmington 6-2 in the first round of the Class 4, District 1 tournament at Fox High School on Monday. Austin McDowell (4-4) pitched a complete game four-hitter. He allowed just one earned and struck out eight...

Southeast Missourian After searching for a replacement for long-time athletic director Terry Kitchen for nearly a month, Central High School decided to stay within the Tiger family. Darrick Smith, a math teacher and assistant coach in both football and baseball at Central High School, was unanimously approved by the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education at the board's monthly meeting held Monday, superintendent Mark Bowles said...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Parents in one Perryville neighborhood are keeping their children indoors while they try to understand the murder of an 8-year-old girl and the suicide of her father, who died Saturday morning. Neighbor Kelly Yates knew something terrible must have happened when she saw the coroner's van parked at 811 Lucy St. She had difficulty explaining to her children how something so bad could happen right where they live...