Stories from Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Family favorites from shortbreads to sugar cookies were among the submissions in the Holiday Best cookie contest this year. And it wasn't easy for the panel of judges to select winners in the Southeast Missourian's cookie contest. The 10 finalists filled platters with lacy Swedish Flarn, chocolate-dipped shortbreads and cranberry treats, blending a variety of flavors into delightful holiday treats. ...

To the editor: Your article in about discipline in the schools was racist. The statistics in the article were uncalled for. Why must you print the percentage of ethnic groups in the schools? Until we stop referring to people as black, white, Hispanic, Asian etc. there is always going to be racism. The media need to be colorblind when matters such as this occur...

To the editor: I attended the opening ceremonies of the new bridge as a guest of the Diamond Club because I was one of many who walked across the old bridge on opening day many years ago. I'd like to thank those responsible for the courtesies they extended to us as a group: the golf-cart rides to our special seating, the blue ribbons and the smiles on everyone's face as they took care of us...

Monroe Richardson, 73, of Oriole passed away Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born April 15, 1930, in Kennett, Mo., son of Burt and Vessie Wilburn Richardson. He and Leola Abernathy were married Aug. 14, 1950. They celebrated 53 years of marriage in August...

James Malcolm "Jim" Robinson, 66, of Saratoga, Wyo., passed away Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie, Wyo. He was born Nov. 7, 1937, in St. Charles, Mo. Jim served in the U.S. Army. He is survived by a daughter (whereabouts unknown), and three brothers...

Dr. Rex Bowers, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Genevieve E. Townswick, 86, of Omaha, Neb., died Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. She was born May 17, 1917, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of John Thomas and Martha Jane Holcomb. She and Argyle R. Townswick were married Jan. 21, 1944, in Ardmore, Okla. He died June 26, 1999...

Marcia Kinder, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003, at the Lutheran Home. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance, Mo., is in charge of arrangements.

Margaret Louise "Maggie" Begley, 85, of Claremore, Okla., died Sunday, Dec. 14, 2003, at Claremore Nursing Home. She was born June 1, 1918, in Jackson. She and Raymond A. Begley Jr. were married June 7, 1941, in Pocahontas, Ark. He died Sept. 27, 1983...

Charles L. Hutson, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003, at his home, following an illness of several years. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Darriell "Tex" Lintner, 56, of Perryville died Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Nov. 9, 1947, in Cape Girardeau, son of Edwin J. and Katherine D. Hoehn Lintner. Lintner was a self-employed wood hauler. He was a former member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, and member of River Hills Eagles Lodge 4034...

Thelma M. Watkins, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003, at her home. She was born June 22, 1921, in Granite City, Ill., daughter of John Albert and Amelia Jones Kurre. She and Leroy Watkins were married Nov. 24, 1938, in Granite City. Watkins had been owner, secretary and bookkeeper at Cape Wilbert Vault. She was a member of Cape Bible Chapel and active in AWANAS children's program and Vacation Bible School...

Cape County FCE The Cape Girardeau County Family Community Education Council meeting and Christmas luncheon was held Dec. 4 at Cape Girardeau County Extension Center in Jackson. The devotion, titled "Seven Ups," was given by Kim Begley of Lamplighters Club. Lamplighters FCE was hostess for the day with president Ruth Pohlmann presiding...

10 years ago: Dec. 17, 1993 Organizers for Toybox have issued urgent plea for toys; the final tally of applications reveals 70 families more than expected, and volunteers have exhausted the supply of toys already given. The Southeast Missourian is distributing its recent publication, "Images of the Past in the City of Roses"; about 600 copies of the pictorial history were handed out yesterday, the first day of sales...

The Kansas City Star Missouri puts too little money into [foster care]. Lawmakers talk about reforming the system, but they ignore the connection between continuing problems and a lack of state funding. ... The state already has taken steps to improve background checks for foster parents. But more needs to be done, and that involves the legislature...

Churches these days are finding ways to make worship relevant to the people in the pews. And it is working. Churches with alternative worship styles are growing and building across the country. That's certainly the case in this area too. Now a new come-as-you-are church is being developed. Services will be held at 6:30 p.m. starting Jan. 8 at the Fruitland livestock auction barn on U.S. 61 north of Fruitland...

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Saints receiver Joe Horn was fined $30,000 by the NFL on Tuesday for making a choreographed cell-phone call in the end zone to celebrate a touchdown. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed the amount of the fine. Horn's agent, Ralph Vitolo, said the player will appeal...

By Colin Fly ~ The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans hoped to rest banged-up quarterback Steve McNair this week. Billy Volek's lacerated spleen put an end to those plans. McNair is nursing an injured ankle and right calf, but because Tennessee has yet to secure a playoff spot, he might be called upon against the Houston Texans on Sunday...

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. -- Just steps from the spot where the Wright brothers launched their 12-second flight into history, some of the world's greatest living aviation pioneers gathered Tuesday to salute them and inspire a new generation to reach skyward...

WASHINGTON -- A surge in natural gas prices is raising fears of higher heating costs this winter and has prompted a demand in Congress for an investigation into possible price gouging and market manipulation. Natural gas prices, on both the spot and futures market, have soared nearly 50 percent since just before Thanksgiving. The spot price on a key trading center on Tuesday was $6.59 per thousand cubic feet compared with $4.45 on Nov. 25, an increase of 48 percent...

DURANI, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan on Tuesday inaugurated the refurbished Kabul-Kandahar highway, a vital artery plagued by killings and kidnappings that has emerged as a symbol of the country's reconstruction efforts. Sixty Afghan delegates debating a new constitution in Kabul were flown in by helicopter to join President Hamid Karzai and the U.S. ...

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Anticipating their own capture or death, Southeast Asian Islamic extremists sent their sons to Pakistan for training in how to attack Western targets so they could take over as the next generation of terrorist leaders, The Associated Press has learned...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The 4th Infantry Division snared a leader of the guerrilla insurgency and 78 other people Tuesday in a raid north of Baghdad, not far from where Saddam Hussein was captured three days earlier. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers, said in Baghdad on Tuesday that military planners were preparing for American troops to stay in Iraq for up to two more years despite capturing the former Iraqi leader...

Arafat banned from Christmas celebrations JERUSALEM -- Israel on Tuesday barred Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem for a third straight year, as Egyptian mediators again pressed Palestinian militants to halt attacks. Meanwhile, violence continued in the West Bank. Israeli soldiers fired at a crowd of stone throwers in the Balata refugee camp, critically wounding a 15-year-old boy in the head, Palestinian hospital workers said...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A ballot proposal that would trigger an automatic sales tax increase whenever state revenue drops was certified Tuesday for initiative petition circulation by the secretary of state's office. But backers may not even try to place the issue before voters...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Tuesday that he could support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The Massachusetts Supreme Court last month struck down that state's ban on same-sex marriage, saying it is unconstitutional and giving state lawmakers six months to craft a way for gay couples to wed...

WASHINGTON -- A new law that President Bush signed Tuesday will outlaw shady techniques used by some of the Internet's most prolific e-mailers, but the government still hasn't decided if it will create a do-not-spam registry of e-mail users. "Spam, or unsolicited e-mails, are annoying to consumers and costly to our economy," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said after Bush signed the bill...

WASHINGTON -- Consumer prices slid, industrial production surged and housing construction sizzled in November, signs that the economic recovery is powering ahead without unwanted inflation. The latest batch of economic news Tuesday raised hopes that the recovery will be lasting and that businesses may feel more inclined to boost hiring...

WASHINGTON -- The National Park Service must revive a plan, scrapped by the Bush administration, to ban snowmobiles from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, a federal judge ordered Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said the Bush administration should not have set aside a Clinton administration plan that would have banned snowmobiles in favor of mass-transit snow coaches...

Franklin Son to Dr. Paul E. and Dr. Linda L. Franklin of Cairo, Ill., St. Francis Medical Center, 7:55 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, 2003. Name, Paul Edward Jr. Weight, 2 pounds 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Franklin is the former Linda Flanary, daughter of Dolores Flanary of Cairo, and the late James Flanary. ...

Baseball The New York Yankees made plans to introduce Gary Sheffield at a Yankee Stadium news conference today. Sheffield's $39 million, three-year contract, which includes $13.5 million in deferred money, was being finalized for lawyers for the team and the outfielder Tuesday. New York also has a two-year deal with Kenny Lofton that hasn't been completed...

Associated Press WriterKNOB NOSTER, Mo. (AP) -- The Air Force on Wednesday celebrated a decade of B-2 Spirit bombers flying from a home base in America's heartland. Wednesday was also the centennial of the Wright Brothers' pioneering first flight, historical symmetry that pleased Col. Doug Raaberg, commander of the nation's 21 B-2 bombers, the first of which swooped into Whiteman Air Force Base on Dec. 17, 1993...

Make cuts first THE MAYOR of Cape Girardeau should look at making cuts to the city budget instead of looking for other sources of revenue. Equal coverage HERE'S A suggestion on how to fix all of America's health care issues, including Medicare, in one fell swoop: Enact a law stating that every American is entitled to the same health care and retirement benefits afforded congressional leaders and their families. And at the same cost...

What a great weekend with the bridge opening. And what an architecturally artistic and functional addition to this area. Saturday's dedication was such a special ceremonial event keynoted by the eloquent remarks of U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson with special tributes to her late husband Bill Emerson, for whom the bridge is named...

ST. LOUIS -- Keith Tkachuk found another way to help the Blues beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime. Tkachuk scored with 42.7 seconds left in the extra session, helping St. Louis rally from a one-goal deficit and beat the Blue Jackets 2-1, the Blues' second overtime victory over Columbus in five days...

ST. LOUIS -- Reggie Sanders joined his seventh team in seven seasons, agreeing Tuesday to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Cardinals. Sanders, 36, fills a void in the outfield created by the weekend trade that sent J.D. Drew and Eli Marrero to Atlanta. He hit .285 last season for the Pirates with a team-leading 31 homers and 87 RBIs...

Notre Dame's boys basketball team trailed visiting New Madrid County Central by only two points at halftime, but turnover problems in the third quarter helped NMCC expand its lead and post a 65-49 victory. Notre Dame was playing without Frankie Ellis, who was out due to injury. The Bulldogs (1-5) trailed 21-13 after the first quarter but came back to cut the lead to 32-30 at halftime...

Acing finals and getting healthy are Southeast Missouri State University's primary goals this week. The Indians, who improved to 5-3 by beating Division II Oakland City 79-67 Saturday night, don't play again until Monday night when North Texas visits the Show Me Center. The Mean Green (3-3) have two more games before Monday...

The first day to file for election to Missouri boards of education attracted three candidates from local school districts Tuesday. The 2004 election is scheduled for April 6. In Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Scott City, candidates will vie for six vacancies of three-year terms...

Five people filed for four seats on the Jackson Board of Aldermen Tuesday, the first day for filing for the April 6 municipal election. Only one of the five, James Litzelfelner, is not an incumbent. Litzelfelner will run against incumbent Joe Bob Baker in Ward 4. Barbara Lohr, David Reiminger and Larry Cunningham, all incumbents, filed for wards 1-3, respectively...

WASHINGTON -- Emergency contraception -- the morning-after pill -- should be available without a prescription, on pharmacy shelves next to the aspirin and cough medicine, government advisers said Tuesday. The nation's largest gynecologists group had urged the move, saying it would greatly increase women's ability to get the pills in time to prevent pregnancy: within 72 hours of rape, contraceptive failure or just not using birth control...

CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- The jury in the murder trial of Lee Boyd Malvo got the case Tuesday after his attorney argued the teenager was completely under the spell of mastermind John Allen Muhammad when he took part in the Washington sniper shootings. Defense attorney Michael Arif said Malvo, desperate for a father figure, found the wrong man to emulate in Muhammad and eventually became "a cult of one" with Muhammad as his leader...

Donations are accepted at the Southeast Missourian offices and other locations around town. Monetary donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0004. Toybox: Twin sisters, age 3, like blocks, dolls and books. Their 9-month-old sister, Rosa, also likes soft blocks suitable for infants and teething rings. Six-year-old Jeremy likes Hot Wheels and Spider-Man. All the children need a new comforter or blanket for their beds...

In an effort to create more parking spaces and solve some traffic problems, merchants in uptown Jackson have asked the city to consider making a portion of High Street a one-way street -- at least for six months. On Monday night, the Jackson Board of Aldermen set a public hearing for Jan. 20 to solicit public input on the matter...

My reputation as a cynical monster is going to be seriously at risk after this column, but I've been doing something everyone should try. No, it's not another diet. It's positive psychology. There's a mental health movement afoot to stop focusing on fixing problems and start considering what's right about our lives. The human tendency, of course, is to fixate on what isn't fair, what you don't have, what other people did to you that wasn't right, etc...

HANNIBAL, Mo. (AP) -- A northeast Missouri man has pleaded innocent to charges of second-degree murder in the machete killing of a man. Kent Gollaher, 34, of Hannibal, entered the plea Tuesday. He is accused of killing Steven Stricklin, 53, of St. Louis, on Oct. 19 at Gollaher's home...

At 6 p.m., alarm at 1000 S. Silver Springs. At 6:27 p.m., emergency medical service at 814 Caribou Court. Firefighters responded Tuesday to the following items: At 1:35 a.m., emergency medical service at 510 N. Fountain. At 2:42 a.m., alarm at 426 N. Frederick...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Chris J. Renn, 31, of 211 Mason, Cape Girardeau, was arrested Monday on Cape Girardeau warrants for contempt of court. Shawna K. Bridges, 19, of 723 Ranney, Cape Girardeau, was arrested Monday on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for probation violation...

After a preliminary hearing on multiple statutory sodomy charges Tuesday in Cape Girardeau County Associate Circuit Court in Jackson, Jeffery A. Wooldridge, 43, of Jackson was bound over to the circuit court level by Judge Gary Kamp. Nine charges remain filed after the hearing. Wooldridge's next appearance was set for Jan. 5...

Cape Girardeau businessman Clinton W. McDonough, 32, pleaded guilty to six counts of bank fraud Monday in federal court in Cape Girardeau. Prosecutors said McDonough engaged in a scheme in which he wrote checks on bank accounts he knew did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks from January 2000 until 2001, and again from 2002 until October 2003, collecting more than $20 million. ...

Germany, France agree to relieve Iraqi debt BERLIN -- President Bush's special envoy on Iraq won agreement Tuesday from Germany and France, two of the most ardent opponents of the American-led war, to ease Baghdad's huge debt burden. Former Secretary of State James A. ...

Connery adds voice to cry of hungry in ad Adding his voice to a campaign against global hunger, Sean Connery is to appear in a holiday-season television ad to promote the work of a United Nations food agency. In the commercial for the World Food Program, the Scottish-born actor delivers a message following footage that shows how the agency sends food to hungry people in remote areas around the world. The food agency programs reach some 110 million people in 82 countries...

smcclanahan I seem to be hopping from event to event these days. All weekend we just ran from one thing to another. But the highlight of the weekend was spending the better part of the day on the new bridge. Having grown up in McClure, Ill., where my parents still live, we crossed the bridge every day, often several times a day. The bridge has been an important part of my life...

WASHINGTON -- Saddam Hussein deserves the "ultimate penalty" for his crimes, President Bush said Tuesday, putting the United States sharply at odds with Europe and the United Nations which adamantly oppose the death penalty. A day after saying his own views about Saddam's fate were unimportant, Bush decided to step forward and publicly state his opinion, a position that could carry considerable influence in determining the punishment of the deposed Iraqi leader. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state has suspended the drivers' licenses of 10,197 Missourians during a nearly 2-year-old crackdown on uninsured motorists. Since January 2002, the Missouri Driver and Vehicle Services Bureau has sent 6,000 letters a month to motorists asking them to provide proof of insurance for a specific vehicle or an explanation of why the vehicle isn't insured. Failure to do so results in the indefinite suspension of driving privileges...

The downtown dreamer is gone. Charles L. "Charlie" Hutson, 65, president of Hutson Enterprises, died of prostate cancer Tuesday afternoon at his home. Many Cape Girardeau residents have come to associate the holidays with Hutson Furniture Co.'s elaborate downtown Christmas window displays, a 43-year tradition Charlie loved, said longtime friend Jim Wente of Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Cape Girardeau is expanding its view of the Mississippi River for those who are willing to take the time to get past the floodwall. The city council Monday night awarded a $291,683 contract to Nip Kelley Equipment Co. for construction of the second phase of the River Front Trail, extending the concrete walkway from the Broadway floodgate northward 750 feet...

A fragile wood-and-cloth airplane, an important gust of wind. Two bicycle-building brothers from Ohio, one lying face down inside the rudimentary craft as it slowly leaves the earth and the other in awed movement on the ground. Nineteen-year-old Matt Benson's creation captures one of the most famous and momentous split-seconds in history -- man's first powered flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright, an event that marks its centennial anniversary today...

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (AP) -- Members of a Missouri National Guard military police company should be reunited with their families in southwest Missouri in time for Christmas. The 125 members of the 1138th Military Police Company were due back Wednesday night at Fort Leonard Wood...