Stories from Friday, November 21, 2003

GEORGE, South Africa -- Mike Weir showed guts and imagination, and the International team showed plenty of resolve in the Presidents Cup by rallying in three matches to take a 3 1/2-2 1/2 lead Thursday. The United States was hammered five years ago in Australia -- the only other time these matches were played overseas -- but was poised this year to take a commanding lead in the six alternate-shot matches...

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Suspected al-Qaida suicide bombers blew up trucks packed with explosives at the British consulate and a London-based bank Thursday, killing at least 27 people and wounding nearly 450. The twin attacks coincided with President Bush's state visit to Britain...

The latest bombings in Turkey have made one thing clear: Everyday life in the Muslim world is no longer safe from al-Qaida and its allies. With militants brazenly attacking targets and civilians inside their own countries, intelligence specialists warn the spreading war on terrorism is becoming harder to fight...

KIRKUK, Iraq -- A suicide truck bomb exploded at the office of a U.S.-allied Kurdish political party in this northern oil center Thursday, killing four bystanders and wounding about 30 -- including children. It was the second car-bombing in as many days against Iraqis cooperating with the U.S.-led occupation. Elsewhere, a pro-U.S. politician was assassinated in the southern city of Basra, his party said Thursday...

JERUSALEM -- Thirteen Palestinian factions, including major militant groups, have agreed to attend truce talks in Cairo next month, and Palestinian officials said Thursday they expect the conference to be successful -- provided Israel agrees to halt military operations. ...

WASHINGTON -- House Republican leaders coaxed conservatives Thursday to support a sweeping Medicare drug bill, arguing that health-related tax breaks and measures to curb spending on health care should outweigh discomfort at creating a new government benefit for 40 million Americans...

There's always plenty to do in Southeast Missouri, but this weekend may be one of the busiest in recent memory. And it's an important weekend too. Anyone with a special interest in history or sports will long remember the events of this weekend for years to come...

Thanks to the generosity of general manager Mike Smythe and the folks at KFVS TV-12, a special 30-minute program highlighting the Area Wide United Way's agencies and special projects will be broadcast three times over the next few days. Please take time to see this show, which uses the format of a bus tour. The program will be aired at the following times on KFVS or its sister station, WQWQ:...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Cindy Gannon's first losing season as coach of Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team came to a close Thursday night with a three-game loss to Murray State in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament...

To the editor: In response to the article "Proposal would raise taxes when state revenue falls": Surely no more ill-conceived economic proposal might ever be advanced to the electorate, because tax revenue falls only when the economy weakens, invariably attended by increasing unemployment and falling earned incomes -- precisely the most injudicious moment to place even a single straw upon the stumbling camel's back...

To the editor: I am writing to express the need for a skate park in Jackson. Being a skateboarder, I know the hardships we face. Jackson has an ordinance against the use of skateboards on public streets, sidewalks and private property where permission is not obtained. ...

To the editor: Way to go, Superintendent Mark Bowles, if you want to further erode the taxpayers trust in the Cape Girardeau School District. Just keep them in the dark and ignore the Sunshine Laws that were enacted to ensure the citizenry is aware of their business...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Oren Stephens, 87, of Puxico died Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 14, 1916, at McGee, Mo. He and Thelma Stephens were married April 2, 1938, at Bloomfield, Mo. She died Dec. 3, 2002...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Flora May Frymire, 69, of Bloomfield died Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 28, 1934, at Grassy, Mo., daughter of Vader and Sally Pigg Blocker. She first married Earl Robbins, who preceded her in death. She later married Dempsey Frymire, who also preceded her in death...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Suzanne Acup, 56, of Olive Branch died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2003, at Heartland Care Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. Crain Funeral Home at Tamms, Ill., is in charge of arrangements.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Lamont Lewis, 58, of Cairo died Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003, at his home. The funeral will be at noon Saturday at Cairo High School, with Paul Jones officiating. Burial will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge, Ill. Heavenly Gates Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sherman Hill, 93, of Cairo died Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003, at Day Star Care Center. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Praise Missionary Baptist Church. Burial will be in National Cemetery at Mound City, Ill. Heavenly Gates Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

10 years ago: Nov. 21, 1993 The Rev. William A. Matzat has begun duties as director of pastoral care at Southeast Missouri Hospital; he succeeds the Rev. Ray Otto, who left post in July. St. John's Evangelical Church at Pocahontas closes its 125th anniversary year at its morning service; guest speaker for Service of Thanks is son of congregation, the Rev. Edward W. Kasten...

LONDON -- Standing shoulder to shoulder with President Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed Thursday not to retreat "one inch" in Iraq after deadly attacks against British targets in Turkey. A somber Bush told the families of British soldiers killed in Iraq "they didn't die in vain," while anti-war demonstrators protested his European visit...

BALTIMORE -- Searchers on Thursday found the body of a third construction worker swept away as storms flooded roads and overflowed creeks across Appalachia and the Eastern Seaboard. At least nine people have died and emergency crews from Tennessee to Pennsylvania have rescued dozens of drivers from vehicles stalled in high water as the storms moved northeastward. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Every week, the St. Louis Rams are optimistic it'll be their last one without Leonard Little. Then, another week passes. The team's best defensive lineman is likely to miss his fourth straight game Sunday at Arizona due to a torn chest muscle. The Rams (7-3) are being extremely cautious with Little, who still ranks fourth in the NFC with seven sacks despite the inactivity...

Trying to bounce back from two straight down years, tonight's season debut for Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team is probably more important than most openers. The Indians, who went 11-19 last year, welcome Wisconsin-Green Bay to the Show Me Center for an 8:15 p.m. tipoff...

After playing national power Utah so tough in last Friday's season opener, Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach B.J. Smith knows it might be easy for his players to overlook Southern Illinois. Smith is intent on making sure that doesn't happen tonight as the Otahkians play their first home game, a 6 p.m. tipoff against the Salukis...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- With Dr. Terry Swinger's special election victory as state representative officially confirmed, the Caruthersville Democrat says he is anxious to get to work. Secretary of State Matt Blunt certified the results of the Nov. 4 election on Thursday. Swinger received 60.4 percent of the vote to claim a seat in the House of Representatives serving Pemiscot County and parts of Dunklin and New Madrid counties...

Events at Southeast Missouri State University will recognize International Education Week, Nov. 17 to 23, and the contributions international students make to the community. There will be an international food fair today at the University Center, which will feature samples of recipes in the International Student, Faculty and Staff Cookbook. There will be a festival and fashion show from 5 to 7 p.m...

LOS ANGELES -- The bad blood between Michael Jackson and the prosecutor who filed child molestation charges against him goes back more than a decade. It even spawned a song in which the pop star calls Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon a "cold man."...

PARIS -- They were pounded with icy wind in the spring, then baked by Sahara-like heat this summer. Only the strongest Beaujolais Nouveau grapes were able to survive. You could call it Mother Nature's version of tough love: The 2003 crop turned out terrific thanks to this year's punishing weather, wine-lovers said Thursday at the first ritual tastings...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau recently visited the Middle East. She kept a daily journals. Here is the seventh installment. By Jo Ann Emerson Monday, Nov. 10: This afternoon, we were supposed to fly to Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam Hussein, but weather wouldn't permit us to fly in there. That city has more loyalists than you would find in Kirkuk, and there has been more resistance to the coalition troops there as a result...

I haven't seen "Secondhand Lions," but I will, especially after reading these extracts from a review of the movie which stars Michael Caine, Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment as the young nephew: In a "what every boy needs to know about being a man" speech, Duvall tells Osment that honor, virtue and courage mean everything...

What an exciting week as we prepare to play one of the biggest football games ever played at Houck Stadium. At 1 p.m. Saturday we will play for a share of the Ohio Valley Conference championship and a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs. I've been coaching for 25 years and have been a part of six national championship teams, but this year's Southeast team is the most inspirational team I've ever been around. ...

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I know what I've got to say today is going to sound like a lot of unseasonable belly-aching. But the more age-advantaged I get, the more I understand what a lot of you have been saying for a long time: "What golden years?"...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's attorney general dropped criminal charges Thursday against former WorldCom Inc. chief executive Bernard Ebbers but plans to refile them next year. The charges of violating state securities laws were dropped one day after a judge refused for a second time to delay a Dec. 1 preliminary hearing in the case...

MIAMI -- Police in riot gear used batons, plastic shields, concussion grenades and stun guns in clashes Thursday with hundreds of demonstrators protesting talks aimed at creating a hemisphere-wide free-trade zone. At least seven demonstrators were arrested. Police said one officer suffered minor injuries. Injured protesters were also seen, but no immediate details were available...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Jeb Bush removed Broward County's elections supervisor from office Thursday, citing neglect and incompetence including an embarrassing 2002 primary marked by bad ballots and uncounted votes. "Unfortunately, events over the last year make it clear that voters have been ill served by her leadership," Bush said in a letter to the Senate president informing him of the decision to oust Miriam Oliphant. She can ask the state Senate to review the decision and reinstate her...

ATLANTA -- Don't leave! Pick me! Cell phone companies are blanketing the market with price cuts, extra minutes, premium services and sleek handsets to lure customers from rivals and make sure their own subscribers don't bolt come Monday. That is when new federal rules will begin that allow legions of dissatisfied customers and bargain-hunters to switch wireless companies without losing their cell numbers...

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- A handcuffed Michael Jackson walked into the Santa Barbara jail on Thursday to face child molestation charges that could destroy the pop superstar's career and send him to prison for years. A private jet carrying Jackson landed at the Santa Barbara airport shortly before noon and rolled its nose into the partly opened doors of a hangar. A caravan of cars left the hangar shortly afterward...

PITTSBURGH -- When avid University of Pittsburgh football fan John Spratt skipped the Pitt game on Oct. 11, Joseph Spratt knew his younger brother was sick. Neither of them realized how sick. Barely a month later -- on Nov. 14 -- Jack Spratt was dead at age 46 of liver failure, the third and latest fatality in the biggest known outbreak of hepatitis A in U.S. history...

Holweg Daughter to Jason Joseph Holweg and Natasha Michelle Eichhorn of Chaffee, Mo., St. Francis Medical Center, 1:32 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2003. Name, Kendall Michelle-Loraine. Weight, 7 pounds 15 ounces. Second daughter. Ms. Eichhorn is the former Natasha Calhoun, daughter of Jeffry and Charlotte Mann of Chaffee. She is a CMT at Chaffee Nursing Center. Holweg is the son of Raymond Holweg of Allenville and Tammy Below of Delta. He is labor foreman at Leonard Masonry...

Autumn on the Mississippi River brings falling water temperatures, shorter days and lower water levels. Many animals use these environmental changes as cues during their lives to move to suitable habitats. Just as some birds fly south for winter habitats, fish seek winter habitats...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- There's barely enough work to sustain George Hagenbuch's auto glass business since more than 20,000 soldiers at nearby Fort Campbell were deployed to Iraq nine months ago. "Business dropped off 75 percent," Hagenbuch said recently during a stop at a convenience store off 101st Airborne Division Parkway. "Nobody here wants to spend money and car dealers are not selling many cars, so it has slowed me down."...

LONDON -- A tabloid reporter's tale of working undercover as a Buckingham Palace footman has deeply shocked British commentators. That wallpaper! That Tupperware and plastic yogurt cup on Her Majesty's breakfast table! That "eat, drink and remarry" pillow in Prince Andrew's sitting room!...

Win or lose at this weekend's Class 3 final four, Central has already taken home a couple of accolades. Central senior Heath Orr, who has scored a school-record 35 goals, was voted all-Midwest by the Missouri State High School Soccer Coaches Association earlier this week. There were 39 players nominated with only two receiving all-American honors and six selected all-Midwest. Orr received the fourth highest vote total...

Starts today 'Cat in the Hat' Starring Mike Myers, Kelly Preston, Spencer Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Dakota Fanning, and Sean Hayes. Based on Dr. Seuss' children's classic, the story features a little boy and girl, who have to sit around bored on a rainy day while their mother is out. ...

Three stars (out of four) Watching "Master and Commander" has similarities to experiencing "Saving Private Ryan." Just as Spielberg did for his World War II epic, "Commander" director Peter Weir puts the audience in the midst of gruelingly realistic battles. The camera races alongside men as their courage leads to heroism and victory. This perspective draws you in until you can almost smell the sweat and smoke of battle...

'Celebrity Celebrations' auditions Sunday Auditions for the upcoming production of "Celebrity Celebrations" by Starcatchers Community Theatre will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. "Celebrity Celebrations" is a murder mystery dinner theater with audience participation. ...

Supreme sacrifice SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University regents claim they refuse to balance the budget on the backs of students. So instead of asking all students to pay a little more, they demand that a few make the supreme sacrifice. How do these folks get to be in such positions that they can cause so many problems?...

Connie D. Spencer, 51, of Scott County, pleaded guilty to four felony counts of bank fraud Wednesday in federal court in Cape Girardeau. Spencer faces up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing was set for Feb. 25. With her guilty plea, she admitted that between April and July 2001 she used a checking account at First Security Bank of Charleston, Mo., and an account at the Bank of Missouri in Cape Girardeau to execute a "check kiting" scheme to defraud the banks by writing checks on one account and depositing them into the other account.. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- This week's ruling by Massachusetts' highest court recognizing same-sex marriages in that state could eventually lead to challenges of laws in Missouri and other states that ban such unions. Legislation in Missouri in 2001 could be challenged under the "full faith and credit" clause of the U.S. Constitution, which requires states honor contracts entered into under the laws of other states...

MARION, Ill. -- It's been 101 years since the Cairo Egyptians baseball team won the Class D Kitty League title, and a group of baseball enthusiasts said Thursday far southern Illinois is hungry for minor league games again. The Marion-based group, led by a local physician, said it's actively seeking a Class A team in Minor League Baseball's Midwest League to buy and then move to the southern Illinois city, and is even close to raising the $17 million it will take to get it done...

The historical re-enactors and history buffs arriving in Cape Girardeau this weekend for the bicentennial commemoration of Lewis and Clark's stop here will be joined by thousands of others exploring for unique Christmas gifts. The annual holiday arts and crafts blowout will be held at five venues. ...

It happens to all Barbies at some point. The little girls who once idolized them grow up and lose interest, leaving them on the shelf as a reminder of quaint, preteen days gone by. Seeking to avoid that fate with her fourth album, "In the Zone," Britney Spears is now in search of a new, edgier identity. But while trying to recapture fans who have moved on to newer, edgier pop stars -- Pink, Avril Lavigne, even ex Justin Timberlake -- Spears ends up sounding more juvenile than ever...

The first time Colton Edwards ever bagged a deer, he did it right. He shot two at a time. The Cape Girardeau 9-year-old, a third-grader at St. Vincent de Paul School, made the shot Sunday from 80 yards in a tree stand on the Edwards family farm near Whitewater. He said a doe and a six-point buck were standing side-by-side, he aimed for the buck with his SKS rifle, and the doe raised her head into the line of fire...

Jim Racher paid a little boy in Elizabeth, Penn., a gold dollar for a black rooster feather and vowed he'd take it to the Pacific Ocean with him. Eighty-one days and 5,000 grueling miles later, the St. Charles, Mo., man is keeping his promise. When members of the Lewis and Clark Discovery Expedition docked in Commerce, Mo., Wednesday evening, the feather was still tucked proudly in the band of Racher's felt hat...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state education board on Thursday backed off plans to reduce special education services for some preschoolers after parents and educators raised concerns. The state Board of Education had considered changing the state-aid eligibility criteria for children ages 3 through 5 who have speech or language impairments or developmental delays. The intent was to try to save the state money...

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The defense rested its case Thursday in the penalty phase of John Allen Muhammad's trial after trying to show the jury a softer side of the man convicted of murder in the Washington-area sniper spree. The jury was to hear closing arguments Thursday afternoon and begin deliberating today on whether Muhammad de-serves the death penalty or life in prison without parole...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Jackson County Sports Complex Authority has approved deals to keep the Chiefs and Royals in Kansas City until 2029, but it requires voters to approve a sales tax to renovate Truman Sports Complex. The agreements, which were approved unanimously Thursday by the sports authority, would commit a maximum of $354 million in public funding for improvements to Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums. ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A nursing assistant died while undergoing stomach reduction surgery, and the hospital said Thursday it is suspending such operations while it investigates. Brett Davey, spokesman for Roger Williams Medical Center, would not say what went wrong during the surgery or whether any doctors would be disciplined...

NEW YORK -- The reputation of the credit counseling industry has been badly battered in recent months. First, the National Consumer Law Center and the Consumer Federation of America issued a report accusing some counseling agencies of "improper advice, deceptive practices, excessive fees and abuse of their nonprofit status."...

Brooding actor heralded as 'sexiest man alive' NEW YORK -- People magazine has named Johnny Depp the "Sexiest Man Alive 2003," saying the actor, known for his "brooding eccentricities," has mellowed since becoming a father. Depp, the 40-year-old star of this year's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," has two young children with his girlfriend, French actress and pop singer Vanessa Paradis...

Baseball Broadcaster Denny Matthews will be inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame during the 2004 season, the organization announced Thursday. He will be inducted on Aug. 7, 2004 at the Royals game against the Anaheim Angels...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded Wednesday to the following items: At 4:58 p.m., false call at 2400 Veterans Drive. At 5:58 p.m., illegal burn at 1817 Meyer. At 6:24 p.m., emergency medical service at 1105 Linden. At 8:48 p.m., emergency medical service at 1264 Linden...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Michael A. Campbell, 31, of 1418 Jefferson, Cape Girardeau, was arrested Wednesday on a Cape Girardeau warrant for stealing...

Two area men sentenced for firearm charges Two area men, Jimmy Quinn, 53, of Sikeston, Mo., and William S. Smith, 38, of Perryville, Mo., were sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Cape Girardeau on unrelated firearms charges. Quinn was sentenced to 180 months in prison for being previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. ...

WASHINGTON -- Eliot Spitzer, the New York attorney general who began the investigation into mutual fund trading abuses, said Thursday his office probably would bring criminal charges against some companies in especially egregious cases. It was Spitzer who first raised the charge in September that preferential trading deals for big-money customers of many fund companies could be siphoning billions of dollars from ordinary investors...

FBI gets more power to probe business finances WASHINGTON -- In an effort to improve problems in intelligence gathering identified after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the House voted Thursday to expand the government's power to demand financial reports from businesses as part of terrorism investigations. A report by the House and Senate intelligence committees said the change is "crucial," but some lawmakers were concerned the lack of judicial oversight would destroy civil liberties...

When Cary Barbin's car broke down at 2 a.m. on a remote road in New Jersey, pulling out a cell phone and calling the auto club wasn't an option. Like his parents, grandparents, and millions of other Americans, he's deaf. But Barbin wasn't helpless. He took out his BlackBerry wireless pager and typed an e-mail to a hearing friend, who called the tow truck...

JERUSALEM -- A barely legible clue -- the name "Simon" carved in Greek letters -- beckoned from high up on the weather-beaten facade of an ancient burial monument. Their curiosity piqued, two Jerusalem scholars uncovered six previously invisible lines of inscription: a Gospel verse -- Luke 2:25...

PARK HILLS, Mo. (AP) -- Authorities believe an accident was to blame in the death of an eastern Missouri man who was shot while hunting. Troy Sadler, 34, of Ironton, died Monday while he and friends were deer hunting near Fayette in central Missouri...

The Southeast Missourian is easier to read these days thanks to state-of-the-art technology that has dramatically upgraded the printing process, publisher Wally Lage announced Wednesday. Lage said he doesn't know of another newspaper of this size in the Midwest that has such printing technology. "It's really a pretty big leap," he said...

Central's boys soccer team seemed to have everything going against them Saturday night in a 4-3 triple-overtime quarterfinal win over Marquette. The Tigers racked up five yellow cards, allowed a much taller Marquette team to take numerous corner kicks and free kicks deep in the offensive zone, and allowed their highest goal total all season. Despite it all, Central found a way to keep its undefeated season going and move into the final four...

A fraternity placed on probation under allegations of hazing nearly two years ago by Southeast Missouri State University is holding out hope it will be allowed back on campus. Phi Delta Theta was suspended from campus activities after fraternity members wrestled with pledges and at least two were injured at an October 2001 gathering. ...

Thirteen felony sex charges were filed Thursday against Jeffrey A. Wooldridge, 43, of Jackson, for allegedly fondling and performing oral sex on a teenage relative. Wooldridge is currently in the Cape Girardeau County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. He faces 12 counts of second degree statutory sodomy and one count of incest...

The discovery that $1 million for the county's 911 emergency phone service is being held in a checking account surprised Cape Girardeau County's presiding commissioner Thursday. Officials say much of the money should be put in a different account to draw more interest, but the 911 coordinator, the county auditor and the county treasurer all say it's not their responsibility to regularly monitor the 911 checking account and make investment suggestions...

Some students are frustrated over the prospect of cold showers this weekend in Southeast Missouri State University residence halls. The university plans to shut off the steam to make power plant repairs, leaving campus buildings without heat and some residence halls without any hot water...

The new Mercury Monterey looks nothing like the Montereys of the past. My dad had a '57 Monterey two-door, and I got to drive the handsome green and white hardtop once in a while. It had a big 312-cubic-inch V8 engine and an automatic transmission that was controlled by push buttons on the dashboard...

NEW YORK -- The founders of the Pilgrim Baxter mutual fund family were charged by state and federal regulators Thursday with improper trading of their funds to benefit themselves and friends at the expense of longer-term shareholders. The civil action by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York attorney general's office against Gary L. Pilgrim and Harold J. Baxter of Pilgrim Baxter & Associates comes a week after both men were forced out of the company they had built...

Dear Tom and Ray: My company recently moved, and I now have to drive a hilly highway every day. The drive is pleasant (no traffic), but my 1990 Honda Civic has a very hard time with the hills. I find I have to downshift to get up every hill, and I can't go over 50 mph. ...