Stories from Friday, April 23, 2004

HOUSTON -- Hector Luna's sacrifice bunt scored Reggie Sanders in the top of the 12th inning Thursday night, leading the Cardinals to their best road start in more than 60 years with a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros. The Cardinals are undefeated in six road games this season, the team's best start since 1941...

Worries about outsourcing have state lawmakers proposing bills by the dozen and governors issuing orders aimed at keeping jobs that are tied to state government at home. But none of the proposed bans have become law, with election-year concerns over unemployment colliding with fears that free trade could be damaged by government interference...

NEW YORK -- As fireboats spouted red, white and blue water, the world's largest ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2, completed its inaugural Atlantic crossing Thursday, arriving in New York under tight post-Sept. 11 security. The 1,132-foot, 21-story behemoth emerged ghostlike from the fog shortly after dawn, passed with regal bearing under the Verazzano Narrows Bridge, and paused to deliver a four-note baritone salute at the Statue of Liberty. ...

DOVER, Del. -- A Web site published dozens of photographs of American war dead arriving at the nation's largest military mortuary, prompting the Pentagon to order an information clampdown Thursday. The photographs were released last week to First Amendment activist Russ Kick, who had filed a Freedom of Information Act request to receive the images. After Kick posted more than 350 photographs on his Web site, the Defense Department barred the further release of the photographs to media outlets...

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- American workers should stop trying to be heroes and just stay home when they're sick -- it could be cheaper for their employers, according to a study. Workers who come in sick cost their employers an average of $255 each per year, according to Cornell University labor researchers...

LOS ANGELES -- In 1939, an Irish miss of 18 landed in Hollywood not knowing what to expect. Her education came swiftly as she was thrust into stardom with her first movie and became a pawn in the big-studio system. With customary frankness, Maureen O'Hara recounts her life story in "'Tis Herself," written with John Nicoletti. ...

The top Marine commander in Iraq warned Fallujah residents and insurgents in the city that they have "days, not weeks" to turn in heavy weapons. Officials in Washington disclosed a turnaround in Bush administration policy toward former members of Saddam Hussein's political party, allowing Baathists and military officers to get jobs in the new Iraqi army or government. The shift is meant to counter growing Iraqi resistance...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Violence across Iraq has interrupted repair on key electricity and water systems and forced giant firms Siemens AG, Bechtel and General Electric to suspend some reconstruction projects, threatening to undermine the critical U.S. goal of rebuilding Iraq...

DENVER -- A woman who accused a University of Colorado football player of raping her in 2001 said Thursday she did not pursue charges because she was intimidated by coach Gary Barnett. In an affidavit sent to a Board of Regents panel investigating the recruiting scandal at the Boulder school, the woman said Barnett told her a few days after the alleged attack that if the player's story differed from hers, he would support the athlete...

ST. LOUIS -- Text of a statement about St. Louis Blues forward Mike Danton released Thursday by St. Louis Blues players: "We are releasing this statement because we believe our teammate Mike Danton is being unfairly portrayed by the media. Mike is our teammate and friend who has battled hard every night on the ice for us all and played with no fear. He was immediately accepted into our locker room as a jovial, fun to be around, yet focused teammate...

WASHINGTON -- The FBI has questioned more than 3,000 pilots and aircraft owners, most of them in the past year, amid persistent concerns that terrorists might use crop-dusting planes to mount a biological or chemical attack, newly released documents show. The interviews have not produced any arrests, according to a senior law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity, but have resulted in terrorism investigations that are still underway...

NEW YORK -- Eli Manning is more than happy to have the San Diego Chargers use the No. 1 pick in Saturday's NFL draft on anyone but him. In fact, that would make his whole family happy. And the Chargers know it. Eli's father, Archie, said the decision to tell the Chargers to pass on Eli was made by the Mississippi quarterback and his agent, Tom Condon, with input from the family and others...

At our house, we don't watch live TV unless I'm interested in a football game or a golf tournament. My wife has no interest in either, except she occasionally looks up from the book she's reading during Super Bowl commercials. I don't think she cares for the Super Bowl halftime show anymore after ... well, you know...

By Rich Eichhorst When Southeast Missouri State University adopted the Indian mascot for our athletic teams, it was not to offend Native Americans. However, using this mascot, no matter how popular, should end when its use becomes offensive...

An annual donation to the Cape Girardeau School District is turning in a new direction this year. For the past three years, 10 teachers in Cape Girardeau public school have received $10,000 each through the Edna C. Kinder award, which was established by Richard Kinder of Houston, Texas, in honor of his mother...

WASHINGTON -- Maurice Clarett's bid to enter this weekend's NFL draft was turned down by the Supreme Court on Thursday, delaying his attempt to bypass the league's eligibility rule. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg rejected his first request, saying she saw no reason to overturn a lower court's stay preventing the former Ohio State running back from being taken in the draft...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues forward Mike Danton and a woman were indicted Thursday in Illinois on federal charges they schemed to kill an acquaintance of the hockey player. The counts mirror those of a criminal complaint filed in East St. Louis, Ill., against Danton and Katie Wolfmeyer, accusing the two of conspiring to hire a hit man and of using a telephone across state lines to set it up...

Southeast Missouri State University concludes what coach Tim Billings terms a highly successful spring practice period with Saturday's intrasquad game. The Indians' annual Red vs. White spring game begins at 6 p.m. at Houck Stadium. There is no admission charge...

Having to sit out her entire freshman season with an injury was just the motivation Brooke Woodruff needed to become one of the top middle-distance runners that Southeast Missouri State University has produced -- even though she's only a sophomore...

SEOUL, South Korea -- Two fuel trains collided at a North Korean railroad station near the Chinese border Thursday, igniting a deafening explosion that rained debris for more than 10 miles around, South Korean media said. As many as 3,000 people might have been killed or injured, according to the reports...

Sowah Mensah breaks into an easy smile several times during his hour-long rehearsal with Central Middle School's vocal chorus, Panthera Tigris. His beaming face softens his directions through the Ghanaian children's song "Sansaw Kroma." Not harsh directions, but to-the-point instructions...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Food Giant Supermarkets is currently in negotiations to be bought for stock by a Kentucky conglomerate. If all goes to plan, the Sikeston, Mo., grocery retailer could be a subsidiary of Houchens Industries by Independence Day. Food Giant president and CEO Ron Watkins announced Monday that after about 60 days of serious discussion, both companies' boards of directors had approved a nonbinding letter of intent outlining the acquisition of Food Giant by the Bowling Green, Ky.-based Houchens. ...

A St. Louis-based contractor says the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge will gets its lights back on by May 1, but state officials are a little more cautious. Sachs Electric, the St. Louis-based company responsible for installing the lights, is sticking to its promise of May 1, while the Missouri Department of Transportation has announced mid-May as the deadline...

Sitting in the front row at tonight's performance of "Cats" at the Show Me Center will be one of the show's biggest fans. She'll be hard to miss in her handmade cat costume, wig and full makeup. The Cape Girardeau "Cats" performance will mark the fifth time Carly Trautwein, 15, has seen the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Busting the gridlock created by Democrats opposing legislation to overhaul Missouri's civil justice system, Senate Republicans on Thursday took the rare step of forcing a final vote on the bill. The action came one day after some Democrats, noticing no Republicans were present in the chamber during a filibuster, took advantage of the situation to adjourn the Senate for the day and temporarily delay consideration of the bill...

The village of Pocahontas received a $780,000 check from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service Thursday to help pay for a $1 million sewer system. The rural Cape Girardeau County town of 54 households is mired in septic tank problems with reports of raw sewage leaking out into the streets. Last year voters approved a $500,000 sewer bond issue 30-1...

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration sees no need to reinstate the military draft, but it is pushing for improved Pentagon management of the 1.4 million-strong force in order to meet wartime needs, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday. ...

WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court on Thursday allowed the government's case against terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui to proceed and threw out a penalty that would have eliminated the heart of the government's only Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack case...

Support our troops AMERICANS, IF we want to keep our freedom and beautiful nation, we had better start supporting our president and troops. Stop listening to "60 Minutes" interviews. Police: Help yourself I'VE GOT to wonder why the police sit in the same spot all the time on streets. ...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Bertha Britt Ozment, 86, died Thursday, April 22, 2004, at Life Care Center in LaCenter, Ky. She was born Aug. 3, 1917, in Evansville, Ind., daughter of David Allen and Ruby Mae Rorer Neill. She was raised in Cairo by her grandparents, William Issac and Arcenia Mayflower Hamilton. She married Grant "Tom" Britt, who died in 1960. She later married Clyde Ozment, who died in 1999...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Marieta H. Hannan, 84, of Olmsted died Thursday, April 22, 2004, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born Sept. 11, 1919, in Grand Chain, Ill., daughter of John F. and Susan Badgley Reichert. She married William J. Hannan, who preceded her in death...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Clarence Henry Eeftink, 65, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, April 21, 2004, at Jefferson Barracks VA Medical Center Nursing Home. He was born March 11, 1939, at Glennon, Mo., son of Henry John and Mary Sophia Laurentius Eeftink. Eeftink had been a barge deckhand and an auto body repairman. He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church...

Ina M. Nothdurft, 84, of Jackson died Wednesday, April 21, 2004 at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 16, 1919, in Willisville, Ill., daughter of James and Ella Lunneman Ramsey. She and Marion L. "Slim" Nothdurft were married April 16, 1971. He died June 26, 2003...

Eckelmann Daughter to Travis Russell and Shelley Layne Eckelmann of House Springs, Mo., Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis, 5:26 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004. Name, Haley Layne. Weight, 8 pounds 15 ounces. First child. Mrs. Eckelmann is the former Shelley Holyfield, daughter of Butch Holyfield of Cape Girardeau. She is a financial analyst with CMS in St. Louis. Eckelmann is the son of Bill and Shireen Eckelmann of Jackson. He is operations coordinator at Aggreko Inc. in St. Louis...

10 years ago: April 23, 1994 POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Three employees of John J. Pershing VA Medical Center were released uninjured yesterday after being held at gunpoint for more than five hours. Clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger of New York and Gordon Cohen, executive with Hartmarx of Chicago announced Friday agreement between Hilfiger U.S.A. Inc. and Hartmarx for manufacture of Hilfiger's popular clothing lines at Thorngate Ltd. in Cape Girardeau...

One star (out of four) A typical action/comic book-based film, "The Punisher" remains true to its genre with plenty of explosions, shoot-outs, fast cars, blood, etc. While it is not a remake of the 1989 film of the same name, it revives the character of Frank Castle, mechanically played by Thomas Jane. Here he is bent on avenging the unjustified slaying of his family...

'13 Going On 30' Starring Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis and Samuel Ball. In 1987, a dorky 13-year-old girl named Jenna makes a wish to be all grown up. The next day she finds that she is a successful woman with a great job and lots of friends. Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief drug references, running time 97 minutes. (Cape West Cine)...

People expecting to hear the ska and funk elements of The Urge in former frontman Steve Ewing's latest solo album are going to be in for a surprise. Instead, "Last of the Dominoes" delivers a seemingly unblendable mix of electronic, R&B, rock and soul...

Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1989 Ford Bronco with a 351 Windsor engine. The engine needs to be rebuilt. I have three choices: rebuild it myself, pay a mechanic to do the work, or buy a remanufactured one on the Internet. If I choose to buy a remanufactured one, how can I tell if the company is a good one or not? Each company tells me how great it is and what super parts it uses. ...

To the editor: Regarding the review of "Rapunzel" at Southeast Missouri State University: Why review a children's play with derisive comments about the fact that it is a children's play? Particularly disparaging was the comment, "... the two clowns that serve as narrators and a chorus may annoy anybody over the age of 11."...

To the editor: It is understandable that Americans such as Anna Jean Coffman want to trust the president and believe the Iraq war parallels World War II as a defense of freedom. Unfortunately, unlike World War II, the Bush war is totally unjustifiable...

To the editor: The Friends of the Riverside Regional Library would like to invite everyone to attend our annual used-book sale 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. The only change will be the location. For the past five years we have held the sale at West Park Mall. ...

WASHINGTON -- Fearing that terrorists might target Congress, the House on Thursday approved a bill to set up speedy special elections if 100 or more of its members are killed. The House, in a 306-97 vote, put aside for now the larger issue of whether the Constitution should be amended to allow for temporary appointments in the event that an attack caused mass fatalities among lawmakers...

The blood dripping from the dented door and the chunks of shattered glass covering the car's trunk were bad signs. Inside the battered vehicle, three teenage passengers lay motionless. The driver, a teenage girl, was bruised and bleeding but conscious...

Anheuser-Busch: Diet misrepresents beer ST. LOUIS -- The world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch Cos., said that the popular South Beach Diet book contains errors about beer, and the company is fighting back. Anheuser-Busch plans to run full-page ads in 31 newspapers, telling people to "Have a Beer With Your South Beach Diet." The St. ...

China reports two new cases of SARS BEIJING -- China reported two new suspected SARS cases on Thursday -- one in Beijing and one in an eastern province -- and ordered authorities to prepare for another battle against the highly contagious disease. The cases in Beijing and Anhui province were the first reported in those areas since China's initial outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome subsided in July. ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Wednesday: At 6:21 p.m., cleanup following a motor vehicle accident at 902 William. At 7:28 p.m., an emergency medical service at 294 Siemers. Firefighters responded to the following items Thursday: At 6:15 a.m., an emergency medical service at 475 Kell Farm Road...

Daily Dunklin Democrat KENNETT, Mo. -- Gov. Bob Holden will address the annual spring convention of the Eighth District Missouri Federated Women's Democratic Club Saturday. The event will be held by the Dunklin and Pemiscot County Democratic Women's Clubs and held at the Fraternal Order of Eagle's Lodge in Kennett...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Randy J. Amelunke, 41, 502 Louis, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of tampering with a witness and property damage. Darcus T. Purl, 30, 301 Mill St., was arrested Wednesday on two city warrants for contempt of court for failure to pay fine and cost for seatbelt violation and prohibited acts/noise disturbance...

On Dec. 16, 1944, the Germans began an offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge. The primary goal was to capture the Belgian port city of Antwerp, which would drive a wedge between British and American armies. Bastogne, on the southern shoulder of the Bulge, was a strategic stronghold for U.S. forces. By Dec. 21, the town was surrounded by German forces...

Central matched its best round of golf this season, taking advantage of calm winds to shoot a 148 to win a three-team meet at Cape Country Club on Thursday. Central had all four scorers shoot below 40 on the par-35 golf course. "The golf course was in great shape and we played the ball down," Central coach Dick Wadlington said...

Poplar Bluff Speedway kicks off racing season The Poplar Bluff Speedway kicked off the 2004 season last Saturday. Winners of the opening night were: Chris Kelly and Brandon Moore of Portageville, Mo., in the cruiser feature race; Billy James of Sikeston, Mo., in the late model feature race; Eric Turner of Hermitage, Mo., in the special feature modified race, which paid $2,000 to the winner; Paul Reeder of Malden, Mo., in the pure street feature race; and Tony Anglin of Hoxie, Mo., in the super street feature race.. ...

Baseball Mets third baseman Ty Wigginton was hospitalized after fainting at home and feeling dizzy at the ballpark. He was in NYU Medical Center after complaining during Wednesday night's game against Montreal. He is expected to miss the road trip to Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego, and he probably will be placed on the 15-day disabled list...

University shows off seniors' artwork Southeast Missouri State University's senior art exhibit, titled "La Fiesta," opens today with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. The exhibit continues until May 16 in the University's Museum Gallery. Celebrating the art of words at Wordsfair...