Stories from Saturday, March 6, 2004

Crazy hat parades, dress-up days and free homework passes are just a few ways local schools are celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week March 7 to 13. "It's about giving thanks to God for our ability to worship and learn more about Him here at school," said Elizabeth Babchak, principal of Trinity Lutheran School in Cape Girardeau. "It's kind of neat to know everybody across the country is celebrating this at the same time."...

MIAMI -- Retief Goosen and Phil Mickelson came to Doral as the two highest ranked players in the field. After two windy rounds on the beefed-up Blue Monster, they're 1-2 on the leaderboard, too. Goosen shot a 4-under 67 in the second round of the Ford Championship on Friday, moving him to 9-under 135 and one shot ahead of Mickelson. Craig Perry and Todd Hamilton also are 8 under...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. payrolls grew by just 21,000 in February and left the unemployment rate stuck at 5.6 percent. The news for out-of-work Americans, contained in a jobs snapshot released Friday by the Labor Department, showed a continuation of the slow employment growth the country has been enduring. The net gain in "nonfarm" payrolls -- government and private employers -- fell well short of the 125,000 jobs that economists had been forecasting...

WASHINGTON -- Americans increased their borrowing in January by the largest amount in eight months, the Federal Reserve reported Friday. New debt rung up by consumers increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 8.6 percent in January, or by $14.3 billion, from the previous month. That marked the largest increase since May and pushed total consumer credit outstanding to a record $2 trillion in January...

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General John Ashcroft was in a hospital intensive care unit Friday after suffering a severe case of gallstone pancreatitis, a serious and painful abdominal illness. Ashcroft, a 61-year-old former Missouri senator and governor, was being treated with antibiotics. The ailment often clears up after a week or so of treatment but sometimes requires surgery. In extreme cases, it can cause death...

Associate commissioner, District 1Charles Roberts-R Larry Bock-R Robert Cox-R David Hahn-R David Blumenberg-R Doug Flannery-R Don "Captain" Crowder-R J.W. Strack-R Associate commissioner, District 2James "Jim" Bowers-D James "Clay" Waller-R...

The days when Howard Stern and a DJ who calls himself "Bubba the Love Sponge" could say almost anything on the radio may be ending. In fact, shock jocks may be an endangered species. Last week, Clear Channel Communications, the largest radio chain in the United States, suspended broadcast of Stern's show one day after firing Bubba, whose show was fined a record $755,000 by the Federal Communications Commission for violations of its rules. Cumulatively, Stern has been fined $1.7 million...

The Bible is full of questions. Perhaps the strangest question is found in the Gospel of Mark 4:35-41: "Lord, don't you care?" Jesus had been teaching around the shores of Galillee. From the plains one could look across the blue-green waters and see the majestic mountains on the far side. ...

ANLONG VENG, Cambodia -- During his three decades with Cambodia's infamous Khmer Rouge, Ung Khorn planted land mines, set booby traps and led 200 soldiers into battle -- killing an untold number of people. Today, he and thousands of other ex-Khmer Rouge who once fought for the movement's Brother No. 1, Pol Pot, are seeking forgiveness and following a new leader: Jesus Christ...

"His blood be on us and on our children!" No sentence in Scripture has been misapplied to cause more suffering than this one, used as a pretext for anti-Semitism throughout history. The words are spoken in Matthew 27:25 by "all the people" as they insist that Pontius Pilate order Jesus' crucifixion...

To the editor: I hope this will put an end to the dueling letters and guest columns on this issue, but I find it necessary to respond to Rebecca McDowell Cook's March 2 letter concerning the installation of an audio-visual system in a Capitol committee room. I invite Cook to call me if she has any more questions...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Shiite leaders refused to sign an interim constitution after Iraq's top Shiite cleric rejected portions of the charter, in a last-minute dispute that wrecked a planned signing ceremony Friday and marred a landmark in the U.S. plans to hand over sovereignty to the Iraqis...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan's foreign minister sought Friday to play down reports of a heightened campaign to capture Osama bin Laden and said there had been no intelligence breakthroughs about the al-Qaida leader's location. The United States has pledged a retooled and intensified offensive in the next few months to track top Taliban and al-Qaida figures along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. ...

TRENTON, N.J. -- Love them or hate them, "The Sopranos" are good business for New Jersey. The HBO saga of conflicted mobster Tony Soprano and his two dysfunctional families returns for a fifth season Sunday night, and that means a boon for cottage industries like bus tours, memorabilia Web sites and celebrity lookalikes...

Norm Stewart's scores of Hearnes Center moments and memories are intertwined with the more than 300 victories he notched there. None, he insists, is more precious than the other. When the arena debuted Nov. 25, 1972 -- a date Stewart still recites by memory -- he coached the Tigers past Ohio. ...

Medcap Medics 73, Legal Eagles 68 Eagles 17 13 18 20 -- 68 Medics 21 15 20 17 -- 73 LEGAL EAGLES (68) -- Jeff Spray 4, Michael Lawrence 2, Jacob Zimmerman 14, Chance Hunter 20, Brandon Sanchez 14, Todd Miller 11, Ben Gray 3. MEDCAP MEDICS (73) -- Terry Spence 3, Randy Begley 3, Randy Brown 6, Scott Smith 2, Cory Thoma 12, Christopher Compton 13, Thad Lake 16, Bill Bradley 3, Joe McAdams 2, Steve Brennan 13...

NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart was convicted Friday of obstructing justice and lying to the government about why she unloaded her ImClone stock just before the price plummeted -- a verdict that could send her to prison and cripple the homemaking empire built around her vision of gracious living...

STUTTGART, Germany -- Squeezed out of sanctuaries elsewhere in the world, al-Qaida may be looking to the deserts and jungles of Africa as a haven where terrorists could train recruits and plan new attacks, the deputy head of U.S. forces in Europe said Friday...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Mark Anthony Gill should be executed rather than get life in prison for the kidnapping and execution-style murder of 54-year-old Ralph Lape Jr. of rural Jackson, a jury decided Friday. The jury's decision was announced at 12:38 p.m., after about an hour and a half of deliberations. ...

When Gov. Bob Holden appointed Kelvin Simmons director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development in December, Simmons said he had one priority that was threefold: jobs, jobs and jobs. Simmons emphasized that Friday as he spoke to area business people at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's monthly First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center. ...

The U.S. Postal Service will set up a temporary post office in a commercial building at Good Hope and Christine streets in Cape Girardeau as it tries to solve structural roof problems at its longtime Frederick Street location, officials said Friday...

NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart's conviction will badly damage her company, scaring advertisers and perhaps readers and viewers away from her media business, industry experts said. Sales of her towels and other household goods may hold up better. Within an hour of the verdict, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. issued a statement saying the board would meet to carefully "evaluate the situation and take actions as appropriate."...

MINNEPOLIS -- Do you have raspberry-kiwi iced tea? Has anyone ever said you look like Monica Lewinsky? Who's flying the plane? Passengers have asked these and many other questions of Rene Foss as she scurried to fetch their drinks, hand out their pretzels and pick up their garbage...

NEW YORK -- As if three hours of top-rated morning television wasn't enough, Katie Couric is turning up on NBC in prime time this month to interview celebrities like Ben Affleck and disgraced journalist Jayson Blair. This is the latest sign that Couric is competing harder for celebrity "gets," which are more in play as ABC's Barbara Walters -- who long dominated this cutthroat arena along with Diane Sawyer -- prepares to give up her weekly "20/20" perch this fall...

To the editor: "I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground: That 'all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States or to the people' (10th Amendment). To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specifically drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power, no longer susceptible to any definition." -- Thomas Jefferson...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Harlin Edward Kennedy, 83, of Wardell, Mo., died Thursday, March 4, 2004, at Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo. He was born Feb. 8, 1921, at Oran, Mo., son of Arthur and Mary Lawson Kennedy. He and Mary Kincade were married Nov. 2, 1984, at Wardell...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Emmet J. Hoffman, 103, of Perryville died Friday, March 5, 2004, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Nov. 30, 1900, in Perry County, son of Andrew and Barbara Huber Hoffman. He and Leona Schulte were married Feb. 28, 1933. Hoffman was a farmer. He was a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and Holy Name Society at Sereno, Mo., and Knights of Columbus...

CANTON, Miss. -- A slain family of three was buried Friday after a priest urged mourners to support a life sentence rather than the death penalty for their suspected killer. Michael and Rebecca Hargon and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick, were buried in a cemetery outside a rural United Methodist church near where they lived. The three were found dead Monday after they vanished on Valentine's Day...

SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. -- Three people were shot to death and another wounded Friday at four separate sites in this town near Nashville. Springfield police chief Mike Wilhoit said investigators were looking for a link between the shootings. "This is probably one of the worst days in the history of Springfield," he said. The police chief was not sure of the victims' relationships but said they probably knew each other...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If not for Austin Peay, there's no telling what kind of accomplishments Southeast Missouri State University would have racked up the past two seasons. Last year, the Otahkians made it to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game for the first time ever before Austin Peay ended their run with a 24-point rout...

It has been a rough start for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team -- and not really unexpected -- but the Indians hope finally playing at home will get them going. Southeast (1-5) opens the home portion of its schedule Sunday when Brescia University (3-11) visits Capaha Field for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The Indians were originally scheduled to play the Bearcats, an NAIA program from Owensboro, Ky., today, but the doubleheader was pushed back due to inclement weather...

Films with a $4,000 budget generally aren't fit for a showing on E! or a layout in US magazine, but the premiere of locally made "Dark Garden" Friday at the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University was a success -- if just for the fact that there were hardly any empty seats to be found among the roughly 200 that were set up...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State tax revenue continued to grow in February despite a significant rise in the amount of refunds to individual income taxpayers. Missouri's net general revenue rose 4 percent in February over the same month a year earlier, and was up 5.4 percent through the first eight months of the 2004 fiscal year, which started last July, the Department of Revenue reported Friday...

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- St. Louis starter Matt Morris was hit hard in his first spring start, giving up nine runs on nine hits in 1 2-3 innings and the New York Mets beat the Cardinals 10-6 Friday night. Roger Cedeno opened the bottom of the first with a double, and scored on Mike Piazza's single. Cliff Floyd followed with a single and Mike Cameron doubled in a run, before Todd Zeile added a two-run single to right field...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State Rep. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, filed last week for an open seat in the Missouri Senate. Engler will run in the 3rd District, which covers seven counties along the northern and western rims of Southeast Missouri. The district doesn't include Perry County, part of which Engler represents in the House of Representatives...

Three more people filed for the two Cape Girardeau County Commission seats in the last two weeks, pushing the number of primary candidates to 16 for the two associate commissioner spots. Cape Girardeau County's total thus far of 16 commission candidates leads all other counties by at least five for the Aug. ...

Advance fell short of a Class 2 District 2 title, falling to East Carter County 67-55 Friday night at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff. James Masters led Advance (18-10) with 18 points and Dustin Kalinski added 10. East Carter, the defending state champion, advances to play Senath Hornersville in the sectional round of the state tournament...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Some natural gas customers in Missouri will receive $30 million in refunds in their bills starting this month, the Public Service Commission said. The commission could not say how many customers will be affected or what the average refund will be. ...

WASHINGTON -- An elementary school teacher was suspended this week after school officials learned that he showed students excerpts from the movie "The Passion of the Christ." Ronald Anthony, who teaches at Malcolm X Elementary School, was placed on paid leave while investigators look into the incident, Elfreda Massie, the interim superintendent for District of Columbia Public Schools, said Friday. ...

KENNETT, Mo. -- A Kennett man has been charged with making a bomb threat at a manufacturing plant in Kennett. Jason Crayne, 21, has been charged by Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Sokoloff with the class D felony of making a false bomb report...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Allen B. "Al" Craven, 73, of Virginia Beach, Va., died Wednesday, March 3, 2004. He was born Feb. 5, 1931, at Chaffee, son of John and Leafy Bagby Craven. Craven was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1948 to 1952, and in the U.S. Navy from 1960 until retiring in 1976 as commander...

Mary Inez Smith, 93, of Jackson, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, March 5, 2004, at Monticello House in Jackson. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

10 years ago: March 6, 1993 The Rev. Grant F.C. Gillard was recently installed as new pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson; prior to coming to Jackson, he was associate pastor of White Clay Creek Presbyterian Church in Newark, Del. Congregation of Scriptural Lutheran Church, County Road 635, commemorates 25th anniversary of church with special afternoon service...

Blame the victims BLAMING UNIONS for the loss of jobs to foreign countries is a classic example of blaming the victims. Put dog on leash I KNOW the Chaffee Police Department is trying to improve. But I watched a policeman stand in a field talking to some people who had a dog running without a leash. The cop should have told them to put the dog on its leash. Nobody else can let their dogs run, even if they're out with them. It is not right...

Basketball Fans who flock to see LeBron James star on the basketball court may soon be able to see him on the big screen in a movie directed by Spike Lee. The popular Cleveland Cavaliers rookie is in talks with Lee to develop a movie, according to James' agent, Aaron Goodwin. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Kansas-Missouri rivalry has extra spice this season. Sunday's game also is the finale at the Hearnes Center. The pomp surrounding the swan song of the 32-year-old arena -- including an appearance by longtime coach Norm Stewart, former Gov. Warren Hearnes and most of the 1993-94 team that went unbeaten in the Big Eight -- just makes a game that usually brings out the best in the Tigers that much more dangerous for the No. 21 Jayhawks...

Christ Presbyterian to hold cinnamon roll cooking class A cinnamon roll cooking class, featuring Glenda Crosno as instructor, will be held at 1 p.m. March 15 at Christ Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau. The public is invited; there is a small fee, which includes refreshments. Space is limited. Register by calling 651-3770...

Today Precision Strike Conference from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. with Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries at Christ Church of the Heartland. Session continues at 10 a.m. Sunday. For details, call 334-7726. Gospel singing at 7 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church in Villa Ridge, Ill., with the Gloryroad Travelers and Voices of Praise performing...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrest A 16-year-old female was cited in juvenile court on charges of peace disturbance and attempted assault. Theft A 9-year-old male was cited in juvenile court for stealing....

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded Thursday to the following items: At 6:54 a.m., a citizen assist at 2551 Ranchito Drive. At 10:10 a.m., an emergency medical service at 25 S. Kingshighway. At 4:13 p.m., an emergency medical service at 915 Ranney Ave...

BUFFALO, Mo. -- A Fayetteville, Ark., woman was ordered to stand trial Thursday for her alleged role in the assault of a Campbell woman who was left for dead beside a Dallas County road in December. Misty Nicole Driskill, 21, appeared before Associate Circuit Judge James Anderton of Hickory County for a preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon on the class A felony of first-degree assault -- serious injury. Driskill is charged in connection with a Dec. 21 incident involving Carmen Joann Tibbs, 67...