Stories from August 2004

The Plaza Tire Capahas have so far not had the type of postseason success they were looking for, failing to win their own National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional for the third consecutive year and going just 2-2 in the American Baseball Congress Tournament held earlier this week in Indiana...

Claire McCaskill rode into Kansas City, Mo., in the passenger seat of an 18-wheeler, repeatedly honking the rig's deep-sounding horn as she rolled toward the TV cameras for an outdoor rally with supporters. Bob Holden's entrance wasn't quite so noisy. He walked into a hall at Union Station hugging children and shaking hands. Then the incumbent was introduced to cheering supporters as "the most dynamic governor in the United States of America." Holden smiled in the background...

SAN FRANCISCO -- While their teammates meandered through the clubhouse after yet another victory for the St. Louis Cardinals, Jason Isringhausen and Woody Williams absently watched the television highlights from around the league. "I thought they traded him," Isringhausen said, referring to Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca. Williams only shrugged...

CAMBRIDGE, Ohio -- With dueling economic messages, President Bush and rival John Kerry campaigned head-to-head in the Rust Belt Saturday, getting so close at one point that their bus caravans were rolling toward each other on a 35-mile stretch of Interstate 70...

Vice-presidential nominee John Edwards will make a stop in Cape Girardeau this week as part of the Democratic presidential campaign's "Believe in America" tour, a local campaign organizer said Saturday. Edwards will appear at a rally at 9 p.m. Wednesday in Cape Girardeau, said Cris Edwards of Jackson. She is the local organizer for the Democratic Party's presidential ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards. The location of the rally had not been determined Saturday, Cris Edwards said...

Wendy, a 3 1/2-foot-long bull snake, wound herself around Bill Brooks neck and arms, wiggling her forked tongue frequently. Wendy slithered on, gently tickling Brooks' ear. "Wendy is more afraid of me because I'm bigger," Brooks said. "You've got to get to know them."...

ST. LOUIS -- Peter Jacobsen and his surgically repaired hip have passed two tests in the U.S. Senior Open. The biggest challenge is still to come. Jacobsen followed up his 6-under 65 in the first round with a 70 on Saturday for a share of the lead with Craig Stadler...

Minnesota and Montreal also were involved in Saturday's major trade. By Ben Walker ~ The Associated Press In a dizzying flurry of deals, the Boston Red Sox sent star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to the Chicago Cubs in a blockbuster, four-team swap right before Saturday's trade deadline...

On a day for scoring, Annika Sorenstam and halfway leader Karen Stupples were overshadowed by some stellar scores Saturday in the third round of the Women's British Open. Minea Blomqvist of Finland surged into contention with the lowest score ever in a major -- a 62...

Annette Hunt's phone just won't stop ringing. In the weeks leading up to the Aug. 13 to 15 statewide sales tax holiday, Hunt -- member services coordinator for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce -- has been inundated with calls, not only from consumers, but from local merchants who have questions about the holiday...

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican on Saturday denounced feminism for trying to blur differences between men and women and threatening the institution of families based on a mother and a father. The drive for equality makes "homosexuality and heterosexuality virtually equivalent, in a new model of polymorphous sexuality," the Vatican said...

Dave Hardesty's life story reads like flipping the pages of an adventure novel. The chapters are brimming with his energetic passions -- ultra marathons, triathlons, survival camping. Today, he's tucked in his 14-foot Pungo 140, gliding down the Missouri River on a seven-day kayak voyage with a group of strangers...

DAYTON, Tenn. -- The Ten Commandments monument banished from Alabama's state judicial building began a national tour on the back of a flatbed truck on Saturday -- starting outside the courthouse where the teaching of evolution was put on trial almost 80 years ago...

SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a $105 billion state budget into law Saturday, noting that no new taxes were imposed while balancing spending with income. The Republican governor failed to mention that $7 billion in loans and one-time savings are embedded in the spending plan...

TOKYO -- As the gates at the Tokyo Dome were just opening and thousands of fans beginning to stream in for the night's sold-out show, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler offered a simple explanation of what it feels like to be a rock 'n' roll icon:...

GENEVA -- In a breakthrough Saturday, trade ministers tentatively agreed on a plan to end export subsidies for farm products and cut import duties, a key step toward a comprehensive global accord that advocates say will boost the world economy. The deal, under discussion since 2001, was expected to be approved by all 147 members of the World Trade Organization later Saturday, opening the way for full negotiations to start in September...

TEHRAN, Iran -- A defiant Iran on Saturday said it had resumed building nuclear centrifuges, saying the move was retaliation for the failure of three European powers to get its file closed at the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency. The announcement by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi hardened the lines between Iran and the United States, which has been pushing to take Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi militants said Saturday they kidnapped two Turks and threatened to behead them within 48 hours, the latest in the country's unrelenting wave of abductions, even as efforts intensified to free seven truck drivers taken captive by other insurgents...

STOCKTON, Mo. -- Arlene Kardoes belongs to a garden club and a book club. She is a retired nurse practitioner, and in her spare time, she likes to visit her four children, 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, who are scattered across the country...

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Luckily for Army Spc. Brian Wallace, he's not the only member of his family who wears dog tags. A month after the soldier's dog, Harley, went missing during a trip to North Carolina, the Labrador-coonhound mix turned up more than 1,200 miles away in Oklahoma...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A woman who took took her premature daughter from an intensive care unit of a hospital almost four years ago has been found guilty of kidnapping. A Greene County jury on Friday also found Machelle Slavens guilty of interfering with custody and endangering the welfare of a child. She was acquitted of a felonious restraint charge and jurors chose not to convict on lesser kidnapping and child endangerment charges...

MACOMB, Ill. -- At this time last year, Anthony Hargrove was pushing airplanes around instead of offensive tackles. After being declared academically ineligible at Georgia Tech, the St. Louis Rams' rookie defensive end got a taste of life in the real world. He worked as a ramp agent at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, squeezing himself into undersized work clothes, wheeling around in carts, toting baggage and supervising the parking...

LONG POND, Pa. -- Sometimes, Jimmie Johnson lets his mind drift to how he could be building on his Nextel Cup points lead, not worrying about fighting for it over the last 10 races. If Johnson had a 165-point lead over the next driver in previous years, he would have been in a very promising position for his first NASCAR championship. Instead, NASCAR's new 10-race "Chase for the Championship," will lump him in without much of an edge with nine other drivers...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Reunited, and it feels so ... familiar. The U.S. Olympic team tipped off its exhibition season with an easy 96-71 victory over Puerto Rico on Saturday, although the most intriguing action came beforehand between old sparring partners Larry Brown and Allen Iverson...

GRAND BLANC, Mich. -- Vijay Singh had a lot of company at the top of the Buick Open's All-Star leaderboard. The big Fijian shot a 7-under 65 Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over John Daly and a three-shot advantage over Tiger Woods into the final round...

WASHINGTON -- Armado Guevara made sure that Freddy Adu wouldn't need to be remarkable for the Eastern Conference to win the MLS All-Star game. Guevara verified his stature as the league's leading scorer, contributing two first-half goals Saturday to carry the East past the West 3-2...

The Associated Press NEW YORK -- After escaping from the circus, a white tiger alarmed picnickers and motorists Saturday on what for him apparently was a calm, half-mile stroll through an unfamiliar urban jungle. The animal, named Apollo, was safely recaptured in the Queens section of the city -- but not before the sight of him on the Jackie Robinson Parkway caused a multi-car accident. Four adults and one child suffered minor injuries...

WASHINGTON -- The Army is overhauling its helicopter corps after high-profile setbacks in Iraq. A battle lost, several crashes and the cancellation of the new Comanche stealth helicopter have led critics to suggest the aircraft is too fragile, vulnerable and ineffective for the modern battlefield...

Low-income families spend four times as much of their income on energy than the average American. In order to help these families reduce energy costs and improve the energy efficiency of their homes, the Department of Energy is spending more than $220 million on the Weatherization Assistance Program. Missouri is receiving $6 million for this program...

Terror group claims suicide bombing in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A militant group claimed responsibility in the name of al-Qaida on Saturday for a failed assassination attempt against Pakistan's prime minister-designate, threatening more attacks unless Pakistan stops handing captured militants to the United States. ...

CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. -- Lucky the bunny is living up to her name. It had seemed like luck had run out: Strapped to a powerful explosive with a lit fuse, Lucky was tossed into a lake. But the explosive didn't blow up, and the rabbit was pulled out of the water...

Men wear women's thongs in store on a dare SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. -- Two men who were arrested for walking through a Wal-Mart while wearing women's thong underwear blamed the stunt on a "triple-dog dare," authorities said. The men, ages 35 and 36, bought two pair of underwear at the store Tuesday, went into a bathroom and came out wearing only the thongs and T-shirts, police said. ...

The Heartland National 10-and-under softball team wrapped up the Midwest Plains Regional title Saturday in Chaffee, Mo., one week after the tournament was delayed by rain. Heartland National beat Heartland American 2-1 in the championship game Saturday, rebounding from a 4-3 loss in the first meeting...

SPARTA, Ill. -- The Illinois legislature last weekend approved $29 million to build the World Shooting Complex, a 1,200-acre shooting range and campground in this southwestern Illinois town. The complex survived the fight over the state budget. The 100,000-member Amateur Trapshooting Association has pledged to hold its annual Grand American World Trapshooting Championship there starting in 2006 -- provided that it gets built...

Upset by handling I HAVE talked to several people around Cape Girardeau, and everyone seems to upset about the way the heating and air-conditioning system at the high school is being handled. That should have been handled under a warranty if it has never worked properly. I can understand why we have a problem passing tax issues...

10 years ago: Aug. 1, 1994 Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. tomorrow as voters across Missouri decide in primary election who will carry party banners in Nov. 8 general election; only two statewide offices are on ballot: U.S. senator from Missouri and Missouri auditor...

Geneva M. Dirden, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at Heartland Care and Rehab Center. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

BRANDON, Miss. -- Geneva King Tucker, 83, of Brandon died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at her home. She was a member of the Crossroads Baptist Church in Pelahatchie, Miss. Survivors include a daughter, Odean Brown of Jackson; three sons, Gilbert Tucker of Cary, Miss., Lamar Tucker of Hopewell, Va., and Don Tucker of Pelahatchie; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Samuel Alberson, 79, of Bell City died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was born Oct. 25, 1924, in Corning, Ark., son of Frank Alberson and Mary Jones Cooper. He and Charity Estella Griffin were married March 15, 1947...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Oliver "Ollie" Schlimpert, 61, of Altenburg died Friday, July 30, 2004, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Oct. 9, 1942, in Altenburg, son of Oscar and Lorna Schmidt Schlimpert. He and Kathleen Zoellner were married Nov. 25, 1967, in Altenburg...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Ford Barkett, 89, of Cairo died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at his home. Arrangements are pending with Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo.

David L. Thompson, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Scott City is in charge of the arrangements.

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Agnes I. Grebing, 94, of Altenburg died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at the Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 17, 1910, in Altenburg, daughter of Martin W. and Elizabeth Roth Schmidt. She and Bernhard Fischer were married April 19, 1936. He died July 10, 1936. On Oct. 1, 1955, she married William Hart. He died Jan. 23, 1975. On May 20, 1978, she married Charles Grebing. He died Oct. 20, 1995...

PEKIN, Ill. -- John Denning was about to head for home one recent Sunday evening when he made one fateful last cast. Twenty-five minutes of arm-wearying reeling later, the Pekin resident finally got his hands on an apparent state record channel catfish...

Someone once said that the most important part of any journey is the first step. It's getting the momentum started that's always the hardest part. The same is true of home ownership. Most people cannot buy their dream home with their first home purchase, but you have to begin somewhere. You have to take the first step...

Missouri motorists, as well as those in many other states, are used to seeing the roadside memorials created by relatives and friends of those whose lives have ended in traffic accidents. Usually, the memorials have artificial flowers and a cross carefully arranged at the spot where the deadly tragedy occurred...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Friday: At 4:09 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1232 Linden St., No. 3. At 10:50 p.m., an emergency medical service at 305 Edgewood Road. Firefighters responded to the following items on Saturday:...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Saturday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Drew Shawn Decramer, 22, of 721 Perry Ave., was arrested Friday on a Cape Girardeau warrant for contempt of court...

First lady christens sub named in honor of Texas NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- First lady Laura Bush christened a $2.2 billion nuclear-powered attack submarine named after her home state of Texas on Saturday, cracking a bottle of American sparkling wine against the hull on her first try. ...

'Girlie men' shirts a hit in California SAN FRANCISCO -- "Girlie men" are wearing their party pride. San Francisco-based fashion designer Sarah Lefton created baseball style T-shirts that read "Sacramento Girlie Men," and they are selling like mad...

Last year, Southeast Missouri State University's football team was coming off its best record since 1969 and garnered the role of Ohio Valley Conference favorite according to the league's preseason poll. But the Indians did not live up to expectations, as they finished deadlocked for third, although a win in their final game would have lifted them into a tie for the title and given them their first-ever berth in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs...

The (London) Guardian All the conditions exist for a humanitarian disaster. Over a million malnourished and hungry refugees, in crowded, unsanitary camps where they are prey to diarrhea, cholera and dysentery. A conflict between the Islamist government of Khartoum and rebels in Sudan's Darfur province, in which the government is accused of using Janjaweed Arab militiamen to carry out an organized campaign of killing and rape. ...

(Spartanburg, S.C.) Herald-Journal Ted Kennedy and John Kerry are pushing for an increase in the minimum wage. They say increasing it will help low-wage workers get out of poverty. It sounds like a compassionate idea, but it isn't grounded in reality. In fact, increasing the minimum wage would hurt those low-wage workers by taking away their jobs. .....

The master returned to center stage last week as Bill Clinton showed how to address a convention and use issues to win elections. Facing a national consensus that terror, Iraq and homeland security are the key issues, Clinton dragged America back to the domestic issues on which Democrats retain a strong edge. ...

Jefferson City News Tribune Much has been said of late about child obesity. Kids are too sedentary. They eat too much junk food while sitting for hours in front of a TV or at a computer. Those are valid concerns and must be addressed. But, before painting all children with the same broad brush, let's look at another aspect. Thousands of area youngsters are participating in camps this summer. Many of those camps are recreational. And some combine activity with good works...

ASADABAD, Afghanistan -- Most of the reconstruction work in the village of Asadabad involves providing schools with necessities like textbooks and facilities, equipping a hospital and establishing a radio station that broadcasts messages on safety and security. But sometimes there are jobs that need more...

Dr. George G. and Helen V. Suggs Jr. of Cape Girardeau observed their 50th wedding anniversary with a week-long celebration in June at Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Hosts were their children and spouses, Owen and Lisa Suggs, Suzanne and Allen Mortimer, Beth and Gerald McKay, and Lorrie and Dr. Dean Edwards...

Connie and Scott Mann of Cape Girardeau and Philip and Pam Franklin of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Jill DeAnn Franklin, to Nicholas Alexander Labbee. He is the son of Pamela Labbee of DeSoto, Mo., and Roger and Mary Labbee of Mesa, Ariz...

Harlen and Janet Weber of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Dawn Elfrink, to Kenny Horrell. He is the son of Celestine Horrell of Marble Hill, Mo., and the late Edward Horrell. Elfrink received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She is employed by the state of Missouri Family Support Division...

Lynn and Cheryl Corn of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Sara Lynn Corn, to Andrew Neal Callis. He is the son of Ken and Leah Callis of Jackson and Gail and Dean Smithmier of Farmington, Mo. Corn is a graduate of Scott City High School. She received a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University in 2003. She is a fourth grade teacher in the Scott City School District...

Jim and Debby Thomas of St. Mary, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Missy Thomas, to Jeramy Goehman, both of Perryville, Mo. He is the son of Robert and Pam Goehman of Delta. Thomas is a graduate of St. Vincent High School in Perryville. She expects to receive a degree in physical therapy from Maryville University in September...

ORAN, Mo. -- Patrick and Janice Young of Oran announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Louise Young, to Matthew Ryan Burke. He is the son of Jack and Jackie Keys of Advance, Mo. Young attended Three Rivers Community College. She is employed at First Commercial Bank in Benton, Mo...

Sarah Elizabeth Koerber and Drew Hayes Puls were married April 17, 2004, at Francine's Gardens in Cape Girardeau. Dan Usher performed the ceremony. Music was by Mark Rees of Jackson. Vocalists were Jeremy Koerber of St. Louis and Mark Rees. Parents of the couple are Richard and Susan Koerber of Jackson, and Van and Pat Puls of Naples, Fla...

Stacy A. Robinson and Wally Goza were married Sept. 6, 2003, at the home of John and Myrtle Thele in Marble Hill, Mo. The Rev. Roy Michael performed the outdoor ceremony. Jerry and Judy Robinson of Jackson are parents of the bride. The groom is the grandson of Hazel Dodson of Naples, Texas...

Amy Jill Vrbosky and David Eugene Holmes Jr. were united in marriage June 19, 2004, at Francine's Gardens. The Rev. Mike Parry performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Paul and Beth Vrbosky of Jackson. The groom is the son of David and Kim Holmes of Rolla, Mo...

Cynthia Renae Smith and Kevin Wade Garland exchanged vows July 7, 2004, at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nev. The bride is the daughter of Vanette Hensley of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and the late Larry Hensley of Charleston, Mo. The groom is the son of Billy and Gail Garland of Patton, Mo...

Kathryn Marie Yallaly and John David Coffman were married May 15, 2004, at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Rev. Scott M. Sunnenberg performed the ceremony. Organist was Brenda Kuhn, vocalist was Jean Hermsdorfer, flutist was Kelley Pujol, and trumpeter was Rob Giles...

Lynette Marie Quist Jessup and Kevin Wayne Callahan were married June 8, 2004, at Riu Palace in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Roger and Linda Quist of Wichita, Kan., are parents of the bride. The groom is the son of Carl and Delphia Callahan of Bunker, Mo...

Jennifer Trepasso and Jeremy Craig Hansen exchanged wedding vows May 22, 2004, in Sedalia, Mo. Ruth Lane performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Joe and Lori Trepasso and Pam and Mike Bowling, all of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Paul and Nancy Hansen of Queen Creek, Ariz...

Alaina Marie Bowers and Kenneth Paul Gaebler Jr. were married May 15, 2004, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Douglas Breite performed the ceremony. Organist was Nancy Bone and vocalist was Kristina Criddle. Parents of the bride are James and Jane Bowers of Whitewater. The groom is the son of Ken Gaebler Sr. of Delta and June Miller of Tampa, Fla...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Julie Ann Houchins and Patrick Wayne Kintner were married May 15, 2004, at Francine's Gardens in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Fred Ritter performed the ceremony. Pianist was Christy Shinn of Jackson, and vocalists were Clay and Julie Vangilder of Cape Girardeau...

Dalhousie Golf Club was all smiles on Sunday. While members did not have a chance to see the club's touring professional on a live telecast, golfers were still tuned in all day to Karen Stupples' stunning performance in the Women's British Open. "I was out working the golf course and checking on things," said Jack Connell, director of golf at Dalhousie. "The shop would call me with updates, and then I'd update the players on the course. Everyone out there was asking me how she was doing...

10 years ago: Aug. 2, 1994 Missouri voters narrowly pass $250 million statewide bond issue; bonds will finance construction of new prisons and university facilities, including College of Business building at Southeast Missouri State University. After hard-fought campaign with Mike Kasten and Howard Tooke for Republican nomination for presiding county commissioner, Gerald Jones walks away with nomination with 387-vote victory; win assures Jones the commission seat, as no Democrats filed...

SIKESTON Mo. -- Edward H. Barry, 59, of Sikeston died early Saturday, July 31, 2004, at the Baptist Health Hospital at Heber Springs, Ark. Blanchard Funeral Chapel of Sikeston is in charge of funeral arrangements.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Ford Barkett, 89, of Cairo died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at his home. He was born Aug. 1, 1914, at Hickman, Ky., son of Wade and Rumzey Barkett. Barkett served as the Alexander County circuit clerk for three terms, for one term as county treasurer and assessor, and two terms as Cairo city commissioner. ...

David Louis Thompson, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 19, 1938, at Charlotte Hall, Md., son of Joseph and Mary Hyde Thompson. Thompson was a retired flooring installer for Thompson Carpets. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a 5-year resident of Cape Girardeau, formerly living in Stone Mountain, Ga., where he was a member of the Elks Lodge...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Mollie Callie Blumenberg, 88, of East Prairie died Saturday, July 31, 2004, in the East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born Nov. 21, 1915, at Caruthersville, Mo., daughter of the late Harvey Lee and Loula Janie Crice Arington. She and Roy R. Blumenberg Sr. were married April 12, 1939...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Agnes I. Grebing, 94, of Altenburg died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at the Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 17, 1910, in Altenburg, daughter of Martin W. and Elizabeth Roth Schmidt. She and Bernhard Fischer were married April 19, 1936. He died July 10, 1936. On Oct. 1, 1955, she married William Hart. He died Jan. 23, 1975. On May 20, 1978, she married Charles Grebing. He died Oct. 20, 1995...

Geneva Margaret Dirden, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at Heartland Care and Rehab in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 16, 1912, at Whitewater, daughter of Louis and Mary Jane Hedge Rhodes. She and Elbert Dirden were married May 11, 1937, at Jackson. He preceded her in death March 10, 1989...

Beautiful downtown THANK YOU, Sam Blackwell, for the column about the changes going on downtown. Since the murals have been painted, I've had an inescapable urge to spend more time downtown. Our downtown is beautiful. Maybe we just needed something new so that others could see its beauty...

Baseball Montreal Expos right-hander Zach Day will be sidelined four to six weeks after breaking a bone in his right middle finger while attempting a bunt in Sunday's game against the Florida Marlins that was eventually rained out. Day, attempting to bunt in the third inning, was hit on the hand and fouled the ball off. ...

While health care in Southeast Missouri is accessible to all, it's not always affordable for all. Skyrocketing prescription drug costs and rising insurance premiums mean some people can't afford a visit to the doctor or dentist. Cross Trails Medical Center is one provider that focuses on serving the poorer populations throughout the region. The center just opened a new facility in Cape Girardeau and continues to operate clinics in Advance and Marble Hill...

Town hall meeting for small farmers in SikestonLincoln University Cooperative Research and Extension will hold a town hall meeting on Aug. 11 at the Clinton Building at 501 Campanella St. in Sikeston, Mo. The purpose of the meeting is to collect information from farmers in the Bootheel about their experiences with USDA programs and the challenges they face as small farmers...

Cottonwood names employee of the yearCottonwood Residential Treatment Center recognized Jeanie Dale of Cape Girardeau as its 2004 employee of the year. Dale is a child and youth specialist and licensed professional counselor who was selected for the honor by her co-workers for her professionalism and skills...

A Marble Hill, Mo., man was injured Saturday night on Route OO, a mile south of Burfordville. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred as Michael Owens, 21, ran a 2003 Chevrolet off the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned. Owens received moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWIs Craig Michael Pecaut, 45, of 1811 Sherwood Drive, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. James William Masterson, 58, of P.O. Box 433, Olive Branch, Ill., was arrested Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday: At 9:38 p.m., a still alarm at 3039 William St. At 9:54 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1135 N. Henderson St. At 9:50 p.m., a still alarm at 205 S. Middle St. Firefighters responded to the following call Sunday:...

Majority of Afghans registered to vote KABUL, Afghanistan -- Nine out of 10 eligible Afghans have signed up for landmark October elections, the United Nations said Sunday, a resounding endorsement of a democratic experiment supposed to help Afghanistan turn its back on years of debilitating war. ...

Mungle completes Summer Pulse training Navy Seaman Tyler J. Mungle, son of Tina M. and Tracy J. Mungle of Sedge-wickville, Mo., recently returned home after a scheduled deployment to the Mediterranean while assigned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. ...

Golf contest planned for Leukemia Society A golf skills contest fund raiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at Arena Golf in Cape Girar-deau. Contests include longest drive, putt-putt scramble and shotgun start. Each contest is divided into children 7 to 10, 11 to 13, 14 to 17 and men and women's divisions. Prizes will be awarded. For more information, call (573) 776-3273...

7 p.m. today City hall, 401 Independence St. Study session at 5 p.m. Public Hearings A hearing regarding the request of Timothy and Donna Joplin for a special-use permit to operate a chiropractic office at 226 Albert St. in an R-2, single-family dwelling district...

Name: Darrin L. Pruitt Lives in: Cape Girardeau Family: Trina, Ashley, Alex and Jordan. Job: Transit department, Southeast Missouri State University; as well as a part-time student...

WASHINGTON -- The federal government warned Sunday of possible al-Qaida terrorist attacks against "iconic" financial institutions in New York City, Washington and Newark, N.J., saying a confluence of chilling intelligence in recent days pointed to a car or truck bomb...

A list of details collected by potential terrorists to use in an attack against financial institutions, according to a senior official on condition of anonymity: The flow of pedestrians outside one building -- 14 people per minute midweek on each side of the sidewalks, or 28 per minute...

WASHINGTON -- A writer's harrowing account of the odd actions of 14 Middle Eastern men aboard a Detroit-to-Los Angeles flight in June is prompting new concerns about airline security. The men traveling together on the Northwest flight lingered in the bathroom, congregated in the aisles and signaled each other during the trip, according to the account. Passengers and the crew feared the men planned a hijacking, said the writer, Annie Jacobsen...

WASHINGTON -- The military's system for compensating soldiers who become sick, injured or wounded can be as unforgiving as the battlefield: Fewer than one in 10 applicants receives the long-term disability payments they request. Nearly one-third of injured National Guard and Reserve veterans returning from the Iraqi and Afghan wars are being forced to wait more than four months to learn if they will even be compensated. ...

GRAND BLANC, Mich. -- A massive gallery roared when John Daly was introduced at the Buick Open's first tee, and just politely clapped for Vijay Singh in a preview of what was to come over the next four hours. As they walked down the first fairway, Singh patted Daly on the back and both chuckled as fans hooted and hollered best wishes toward Daly...

San Francisco hung on for an 8-7 victory late Saturday night. By Greg Beacham ~ The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO -- Matt Morris quickly became a spectator in his latest start -- and he watched the St. Louis Cardinals nearly rally out of the huge hole in which he put them...

By Rick Gano ~ The Associated Press CHICAGO -- Nomar Garciaparra stepped out in the bright sun for the first time at Wrigley Field and got a feel for a place that will be his new home for at least the next two months...

The NASCAR Nextel Cup points leader won the Pennsylvania 500. By Dan Gelston ~ The Associated Press LONG POND, Pa. -- Jimmie Johnson has voiced his disdain about NASCAR's new points system that will leave him fighting for a points championship instead of celebrating one near season's end...

NABLUS, West Bank -- Masked gunmen loyal to Yasser Arafat broke up a conference of reformers from his Fatah movement who were calling for a "revolution," as the veteran Palestinian leader faced new, sharp divisions among his people. The incident in the West Bank city of Nablus was just the latest in weeks of internal Palestinian unrest. ...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Assailants triggered a coordinated series of explosions outside five churches in Baghdad and Mosul during Sunday evening services, killing 11 people and wounding more than 50 in the first major assault on Iraq's Christian minority since the 15-month-old insurgency began...

ASUNCION, Paraguay -- Fire roared through a multilevel supermarket on the outskirts of the Paraguayan capital Sunday, causing at least one floor to collapse, and the government said at least 256 people died but that toll was expected to rise. One television station said at least 340 bodies had been recovered...

LOS ANGELES -- M. Night Shyamalan scared up his latest No. 1 debut with "The Village," a tale of an isolated town menaced by bogeymen in the woods that had a $50.8 million opening weekend. "The Village" bumped off the previous weekend's top movie, "The Bourne Supremacy," which slipped to No. 2 with $23.4 million, bringing its 10-day total to $98 million, according to estimates Sunday...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The word "redneck" doesn't translate well into German, country singer Gretchen Wilson learned during her recent overseas tour. Wilson, whose debut single "Redneck Woman" spent a record six weeks at No. 1, visited four countries in 10 days this month -- Australia, United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany. The most common question from foreign reporters: "So what is a redneck?"...

NEW YORK -- Wall Street firms on Sunday began increasing already tight security but planned to open as usual this morning after warnings of a possible al-Qaida strike against targets in the financial industry. The threat warning from the Homeland Security Department listed the New York Stock Exchange and Citigroup Inc. ...

NORFOLK, Va. -- More than 40 years after a Navy plane hunting Russian submarines during the Cold War crashed on a glacier in Greenland, a Navy team is setting out to recover the last of the victims' remains. The Jan. 12, 1962, crash killed all 12 aboard, but not all were recovered. On Monday, a Navy team will depart from Norfolk on a mission to bring the final remains home...

NEW YORK -- If all goes well during a daylong operation Wednesday, Carl and Clarence Aguirre, 2-year-old twins from the Philippines joined at the top of their heads, will wake up in separate beds. For the first time, they'll be able to look into each other's faces. And they should soon be able to sit up, stand straight and walk for the first time -- no longer the toddlers who couldn't toddle...

Is business school losing its buzz? After a golden era for the MBA degree, new figures show demand for the traditional, two-year master's of business administration program is slumping. More than three-quarters of programs responding to a recent Graduate Management Admission Council survey reported their applications declined last year. More remarkably, 41 percent reported their applications were down more than 20 percent...

CONCORD, N.H. -- There goes another excuse for not eating more vegetables. A government study found that though many people say cost prevents them from eating more produce, consumers can get the recommended three servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables daily for just 64 cents...

DALLAS -- A computer glitch grounded American Airlines and US Airways flights from coast to coast Sunday morning, causing delays that lasted all day. A computer company official said human error was the likely cause. American had its planes back up after two hours, while US Airways flights were grounded for about three...

The graders and bulldozers buzzing along East Jackson Boulevard these days are kicking up more than just dirt. They are also scattering public speculation as to what developments will emerge from the razed lots. Allow Texan George Townsend to put down at least one of those rumors...

If you have a question, e-mail factorfiction@semissourian.com or call Speak Out (334-5111) and identify your call as a question for "Fact or fiction?" Q: Is it true that the Southeast Missourian receives about 1,000 Speak Out comments a day, the majority of which come from one source?...

West Nile virus has set off a new battle for market share between archrivals in the gene-based blood testing business. As West Nile strikes in new parts of the country, U.S. blood banks are field-testing competing technologies that can detect the virus in donated blood, one from Swiss drug maker Roche Holdings and the other from Emeryville, Calif.-based Chiron Corp...

In this modern day, super-size-it America, the maxim has always been "bigger, better, faster, more." However, technological advances in the production of certain items are turning the status quo on its ear, making lack of size the bankable commodity. These exceptions include computers, cell phones and ... industrial and commercial barbecue grills...

NEW YORK -- Little by little, a weapon against identity theft is gaining currency -- but few people know about it. It's called the security freeze, and it lets individuals block access to their credit reports until they personally unlock the files by contacting the credit bureaus and providing a PIN code...

Cape Girardeau's most well-known Victorian home needs some fixing up, and the not-for-profit group that operates Glenn House wants the city to spend $31,117 in surplus motel and restaurant tax dollars for the repairs. But Mayor Jay Knudtson worries that the council could be flooded with spending requests at a time when the city has no comprehensive plan on how more than $800,000 in surplus Convention and Visitors Bureau money should be spent...

A week after Democratic candidates spoke at a Cape Girardeau church, four Republican took their turns addressing the congregation. Rhema Word International Breakthrough Ministries heard Doc Cain, Barry Hovis, Dan Niswonger and Walter White, District 2 candidates for county commissioner...

While it may have opened in November, the Red House Interpretive Center still has a way to go before it reaches completion. But progress is being made. One of the most visible improvements is a new Red House sign made by local artist Tim Roth. There are also two new interpretive signs that give an explanation of the Red House. A sprinkler system for the gardens was recently installed and some garden walkways have been completed...

"Don't just say something, stand there." The Rev. John Harth said that's the best advice he ever got. Harth, pastor of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, Mo., is one of three police chaplains for the Oran police department, Scott County sheriff, Oran Fire and Rescue and the North Scott County ambulance district...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters on Tuesday will decide the fate of proposed amendments to the state constitution that separately would authorize casino gambling beyond the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and into the Ozarks and strengthen the state's existing ban on same-sex marriages...

Desperate to look like sensible, middle-of-the-road moderates, the Democrats managed to put on one of the most boring political conventions in history. Why anyone would bother to watch it is a puzzle. There was no fire, no brimstone, no fireworks, just a lot of far-out liberals trying to convince the voters that deep down inside they're really moderate conservatives who share the values of the majority of the American people...

Peter Jacobsen emerged from a 36-hole day with a one-stroke victory at Bellerive Country Club. By Jim Salter ~ The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Peter Jacobsen's sore hip nearly kept him out of the U.S. Senior Open. Nothing, not even playing 36 holes in one day could keep him from winning the title...

The Dalhousie touring professional made the British Open her second career victory. By Robert Millward ~ The Associated Press SUNNINGDALE, England -- Karen Stupples began the final round of the Women's British Open eagle-double eagle. It was the kind of start Annika Sorenstam needed...

The Rams' offensive tackle is concerned that his career may be in jeopardy. By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press MACOMB, Ill. -- One day after re-injuring his surgically repaired back, St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Kyle Turley is leaving training camp to get further tests, and he's worried the situation could be career-threatening...

Woody Williams reached a career milestone in St. Louis' 6-1 victory over San Francisco. By Greg Beacham ~ The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO -- As a 37-year-old pitcher excelling in a young man's game, Woody Williams knows most numbers mean very little. Still, his 100th victory was cause for celebration -- particularly after besting Jason Schmidt and Barry Bonds to get it...

The local event attracted 33 teams. By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian Teams came from throughout the region -- including St. Louis, southern Illinois and western Kentucky -- to participate over the weekend in Cape Girardeau's first Mid America Youth Basketball tournament...

10 years ago: Aug. 3, 1994 Jack Rickard narrowly defeated Mike Ballou in yesterday's election of Ward 3 seat vacated in spring when Al Spradling III was elected mayor; vote was 468 to 433. James L. "Jay" Thompson, who narrowly lost Democratic nomination for Congress two years ago to Thad Bullock, managed to capture nomination yesterday; Thompson finished with about 39 percent of vote in four-way race; he will face 8th District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson in general election...

Earnheart Daughter to Michael E. Earnheart and Stacey Dawn Holman of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 3:21 p.m. Monday, June 7, 2004. Name, Ryleigh Ashlyn. Weight, 6 pounds 8 ounces. Third daughter. Ms. Holman is the daughter of Doug and Karen Pullen of Charleston, Mo., and the late Steve Holman Sr. of Matthews, Mo. She is a universal banker at US Bank. Earnheart is the son of Kathie Earnheart and Eugene and Angie Earnheart, all of Charleston. He is a salesman at Buchheit...

HOMEWOOD, Ill. -- Robert "Bob" Earl Humphrey, 71, of Homewood, Ill., died Friday, July, 23, 2004, in Greenwood, Ind. He was born Feb. 17, 1933, near Mounds, Ill., son of Floyd Charles and Marie Jane McAllister Humphrey. After graduating from high school in 1952, he served in the U.S. Army for several years at Fort Hood, Texas...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Loretta L. Angel, 83, of Marble Hill died Sunday, Aug. 1, 2004, at Elder Care of Marble Hill. She was born Feb. 6, 1921, in Ray Alton, Ky., daughter of Delanes and Rosella Whirledge Barks. She and Marion Washington Angel were married Feb. 18, 1939. He died May 1, 1999...

Chatawa, MISS. -- SISTER MICHAELETTE SEYER, 91, OF CHATAWA, DIED SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2004, AT ST. MARY OF THE PINES IN CHATAWA. SHE WAS BORN ALMA MARY MARCH 21, 1913, IN ADVANCE, MO., DAUGHTER OF PHILIP AND ALVINA SEYER. SEYER ENTERED THE CONVENT IN ST. LOUIS IN 1934, AND PROFESSED HER VOWS AS A SCHOOL SISTER OF NOTRE DAME IN 1937...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Edward Henry "Ed" Berry Jr., 59, of Sikeston died Saturday, July 31, 2004, at Baptist Health Medical Center in Heber Springs, Ark. He was born May 9, 1945, in Cape Girardeau, son of Edward Henry and Gertrude Billings Berry. He and Fran Sizemore were married June 3, 1997, at Benton, Mo...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Dorothy Lizenbee, 80, of Advance died Sunday, Aug. 1, 2004, at her home. She was born May 11, 1924, in Salem, Ark., daughter of John and Louisa Shirley Mask. She and Earl Lizenbee were married Oct. 7, 1940, in New Madrid, Mo. He died June 28, 1996...

Adolph G. Ludwig, 89, of Jackson died Monday, Aug. 2, 2004, at Heartland Health and Rehab in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Doris Ruth Fehr, 76, of Scott City died Monday Aug. 2, 2004 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Mrs. Fehr was born Aug. 17,1927 in St. Louis, the daughter of Ervin and Pauline Haas Buescher. She was a florist at the Town and Country Florist in Cape Girardeau and the Garden of Eden in Scott City. She was a member of the Evangelical United church of Christ in Cape Girardeau and the Hawthorne Garden Club...

Willman R. Petzoldt, 72, of Jackson died Monday, Aug. 2, 2004, at his home. He was born Aug. 5, 1931, in Pocahontas, Mo., son of Rudolph A. and Rosalie Kain Petzoldt. He and LaVerne Leimbach were married Jan. 26, 1957. She died April 11, 1985. He and Jettie Felty Holt were married Jan. 1, 1987...

Art's emotions WHO SAYS a flower has to look like a flower when viewing art? The idea behind most art is not to provide a pretty picture, but to let the artist express his emotions and evoke them in others. Art should stimulate the viewer and allow them the opportunity to see what he wants in the artwork. ...

Williams cards ace at Kimbeland C.C. JoAnne Williams of Cape Girardeau recently carded a hole in one during the ladies' league play at Kimbeland Country Club. Williams used a 7-iron on Hole A, a par 3 playing 102 yards. Witnesses were Connie Nesslein, Chas Duperier and Julie Rushing...

Basketball Wizards forward Kwame Brown broke a bone in his right foot during a pickup game in Georgia last week and will have surgery today. Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld said doctors are confident that the surgery will be successful and that Brown will be ready for training camp in October. Brown, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, set career highs with 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds last season...

Jackson High School senior Cody Rouse may have come away from the ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Greco-Roman wrestling tournament in Fargo, N.D., last week without the All-American finish he coveted, but he still had many positive things to take away from the largest Junior National Greco-Roman tournament ever held...

Standing in line to renew a vehicle license or register a newly purchased automobile used to be a constant source of complaints and frustration. But much of the pain of getting new or renewed tags has been eased by several changes. Nearly 3 million vehicles were switched to every-other-year renewals last year. This means the vehicles' owners pay two years of license fees instead of one...

Eastman Kodak Co. faces diversity lawsuit ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- A lawsuit claims Eastman Kodak Co. -- lauded as a top company for minorities -- unfairly distributed raises to women and black workers and required them to waive their right to sue as a condition of receiving pay increases and promotions. ...

WASHINGTON -- Rick Adams is playing "The Hamster Dance," a song he hates, a song that makes him cringe, a song that makes him shriek. However, it is also a song that lots of children want played on his daily AOL radio show -- and so he plays it and announces the names of the children who have requested it...

Sibley receives Regents' Scholarship to SEMO Whitney A. Sibley of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a Regents' Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2004-2005 academic year. A graduate of Central High School, she is the daughter of Allen and Sharon Sibley of Cape Girardeau...

People who are neither teachers nor students are saying to themselves right now, "Yeah, that's right, you little punks. Back to school with ye, ain't it? You little scurvies can't escape it now." OK, I honestly didn't mean for the working class to come off as pirates, but you get the idea. I thought it might add a little terror into the hearts of those who do have to ... (gulp) ... go back to school...

My orientation has been completed, winter break is over and classes here in Chile have now resumed. After seeing the 10 English classes in the school where I work, only one thing seems certain: this is going to be a challenge. As part of the new initiative, the Ministry of Education now requires every student from fifth grade on up in Chile to take English class, which is extraordinarily young for Latin America. ...

TOPEKA, Kan. -- Like a set of giant Lincoln Logs, Joshua Layne's Eagle Scout project is slowly coming together. Eventually the logs -- or in this case, utility poles donated by Westar Energy -- will resemble the 1850s cabin where Topeka's founders gathered and laid out the city's charter. The cabin is being built on Iliff Commons -- property that is owned by Doug and Dorothy Iliff but open to the public...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Sunday: At 6:59 p.m., an emergency medical service at 40 S. Sprigg St. At 7:01 p.m., an emergency medical service at 20 S. Sprigg St. At 10:46 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1908 Brink St...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Monday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWI Adam Ryan Uding, no age given, 1000 N. Sprigg St., was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Arrests Troy Gene Smith, 20, 1524 Bloomfield St., was arrested on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for burglary and stealing...

Standard Democrat BENTON, Mo. -- For the first time in over a decade, a grand jury has been convened in Scott County. "The grand jury has been picked," confirmed Scott County Prosecutor Paul Boyd. "It was finally put in place Wednesday." The last time a grand jury was formed in Scott County was around 1992 or 1993, according to Boyd...

Public Hearings Held a hearing regarding the request of Timothy and Donna Joplin for a special-use permit to operate a chiropractic office at 226 Albert St. in an R-2, single-family dwelling district. Held a hearing regarding the request of Stifel, Nicolaus and Company Inc. for a special-use permit to place a sign at 2849 Independence St. in a local commercial district...

Palestinian gunmen make hospital raids, kill two GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- In dramatic, daytime raids on Gaza City's largest hospital, Palestinian vigilantes killed two men convicted of collaborating with Israeli intelligence, shooting them at close range hours after they were admitted for wounds suffered when a grenade exploded in their jail cell Monday. ...

KARACHI, Pakistan -- The arrest of a senior al-Qaida operative in June and his subsequent interrogation enabled U.S. and Pakistani intelligence agents to gather documents, e-mail addresses and cell-phone text messages that gave them their first clues about an al-Qaida plan to strike targets in New York and Washington, according to Pakistani intelligence officials...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush urged creation of a national intelligence director Monday to coordinate the war on terrorism but without the sweeping powers for hiring, firing and spending at the CIA, FBI and other agencies as recommended by the Sept. 11 commission...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court agreed Monday to settle whether long-standing federal rules for sentencing criminals violate the Constitution, a question that has thrown federal courthouses into disarray this summer. The high court said it will hear two cases suggested by the Bush administration. The Justice Department had rushed the appeals just weeks after the court ruled major portions of a state sentencing system unconstitutional...

WASHINGTON -- Think of these wriggly little creatures not as, well, gross, but as miniature surgeons: Maggots are making a medical comeback, cleaning out wounds that just won't heal. Wound-care clinics around the country are giving maggots a try on some of their sickest patients after high-tech treatments fail...

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. -- Hank Kuehne salvaged an embarrassing night off the tee with two birdie putts that got his team back in the match, and Tiger Woods took over from there. Woods blistered a 5-iron within 25 feet for an eagle at the par-5 16th that capped a great comeback and gave him and Kuehne a 2-and-1 victory Monday night in the "Battle at the Bridges."...

WASHINGTON -- Many professional sports teams could increase in value by millions of dollars under a provision Congress included in legislation revamping corporate tax laws, tax and sports finance analysts said Monday. The exact impact of the language would vary for each franchise. Minor league teams in faltering financial health could lose money because their tax deductions might be worth less under the new rules than under current law, the analysts said...

Roger Clemens got tossed for a spitter. Ejected from a youth league game after his 10-year-old son was called out in a close play, Clemens was banished to the parking lot after an umpire said the Rocket spit a sunflower seed at him. It happened Saturday in rural Craig, Colo., during a 10-and-under Triple Crown Sports tournament. The future Hall of Famer was away from the Houston Astros, as his team allows him to be when he's not pitching...

San Francisco castoff Randall participated in his first scrimmage. By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press MACOMB, Ill. -- Newly signed offensive lineman Greg Randall hit the ground rumbling with the St. Louis Rams...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The city of St. Louis and some Democratic lawmakers sued Missouri's chief election official Monday, seeking a court order allowing an early voting period before the Nov. 2 general election. If the lawsuit is successful, Missourians could vote for president, governor and other local officials anytime between Oct. 19 and 27. Missourians currently can vote absentee beginning six weeks before an election, but only if they will be unable to vote in person on election day...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The surge of interest in Barack Obama after his speech to the Democratic National Convention is spilling over to the book he wrote a decade ago, with a first edition copy going for $255 on eBay and prerelease orders for a new edition already putting it on best-seller lists...

ST. LOUIS -- Mechanics, technicians and other union-backed workers in auto shops of five dozen new-car dealerships around St. Louis walked the picket lines Monday after rejecting contract proposals over the weekend. Teamsters Local 618, which represents about 580 parts and service department workers at 60 area dealerships, rejected a contract proposal by a vote of 333-85 on Sunday morning...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will present $1 million to the Veterans of Foreign Wars today, the largest corporate donation in the history of the organization. "It's not going to fill the bucket, so to speak, but it will help us to some degree to fulfill our mission to those who need it most," said Jerry Newberry, a spokesman for the Kansas City-based VFW...

YAZOO CITY, Miss. -- A former truck driver pleaded innocent Monday to charges that he killed his cousin, his cousin's wife and their 4-year-old son. Earnest Hargon, 43, was indicted on capital murder charges last week. During an arraignment hearing Monday, Hargon denied killing his relatives at their rural Yazoo County home on Feb. 14...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Roy Moore is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to reclaim his job as Alabama's chief justice, saying he was ousted for "professing a belief in God" when he refused a federal order to move his Ten Commandments monument. In a legal brief, Moore's attorneys argued that a state judicial ethics panel imposed an "unconstitutional religious test" on Moore when it expelled him. ...

The Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan -- U.S. and allied troops backed by warplanes and helicopters fought dozens of militants Monday in the biggest border clash along the mountainous Pakistani border in months. At least two militants and two Afghan soldiers were killed...

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Some liken it to a giant bamboo shoot of glass and steel. The less charitable see an outsize stack of Chinese food containers. At 101 floors, Taipei's newest skyscraper is the world's tallest, and an ego boost for a people who feel snubbed by the world...

ASUNCION, Paraguay-- Locked doors prevented or slowed the escape of supermarket shoppers from a fast-spreading fire that killed more than 300 people and injured hundreds more, survivors said Monday. The market's two owners were detained for questioning...

AKADEMGORODOK, Russia -- Sipping from an outsized cup at a coffee shop, his computer jargon competing with the sounds of U2 and frothing latte, software designer Yuri Bannov could almost be in Silicon Valley. Only the birch trees and babushkas outside give away his actual location: Siberia...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Masked gunmen shot a blindfolded Turkish hostage three times in the head on a gruesome Internet video meant to warn Muslim workers to stay out of Iraq. Soon after the video was discovered Monday, Turkish truckers announced they would stop hauling goods for U.S. forces in hopes of saving two other Turkish captives...

The Associated Press Police searched trucks, blocked streets and posted machine-gun toting officers outside financial landmarks Monday, a day after the government's warning that terrorists might target the buildings with bombs. Thousands of employees at some of the largest financial institutions in the country stood in line to get to work, patiently showing identification tags...

NEW YORK -- Some TV viewers might not be aware that former President Carter, Al Gore and Al Sharpton all spoke at last week's Democratic convention. They certainly heard from Bill O'Reilly, Wolf Blitzer and Chris Matthews, though. It was a pundits convention for the cable news channels, which were on the air many more hours than the big broadcasters. ...

SALT LAKE CITY -- Police arrested the husband of a missing pregnant woman Monday on a charge of aggravated murder, saying they had enough evidence even though her body has not been found. Lori Hacking disappeared July 19, when Mark Hacking told authorities she failed to return from an early morning jog. Since then, the husband's timeline and credibility have unraveled...

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- Attorneys for Army Reserve Pfc. Lynndie England said she is being used as a scapegoat in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal, and they hope a military hearing this week will allow them to question higher-ups they feel are responsible...

Muslim chaplain, cleared in espionage probe, quits FORT LEWIS, Wash. --A Muslim chaplain cleared after being imprisoned for 76 days in an espionage probe submitted a letter of resignation to the Army on Monday, saying officials never apologized to him or allowed him to retrieve his belongings from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. ...

PITTSBURGH -- A Mexican restaurant chain that was hit by a hepatitis A outbreak traced to raw green onions is suing food wholesalers in an effort to get them to help pay for scores of lawsuits. The outbreak last fall sickened 660 people who had eaten at a Chi-Chi's restaurant in suburban Beaver County and killed four...

Rust Communications has acquired the Fort Scott (Kan.) Tribune-Monitor effective Monday. The company has owned the nearby Nevada (Mo.) Daily Mail and Nevada News since 1997. The Tribune-Monitor is the 20th daily in the Rust group of newspapers. The Tribune-Monitor has been family owned since its founding in 1884. ...

NEW YORK -- Unashamed of their size, fed up with fat jokes, and angry at the national obsession with dieting, overweight activists are mounting a feisty protest movement against the medical establishment's campaign against obesity. "We're living in the middle of a witch hunt, and fat people are the witches," said Marilyn Wann of San Francisco, a militant member of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. "It's gotten markedly worse in the last few years."...

A Chaffee, Mo., motorist sustained moderate injuries early Monday morning on Route EE, a half mile west of Highway 77. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Joseph Smith, 35, lost control of his 1995 Dodge at 6:55 a.m. after it ran off the right side of the road. The vehicle overcorrected, then ran off the left side of the road and overturned several times. Smith was taken by ambulance to Southeast Missouri Hospital...

The Kerry-Edwards campaign isn't saying whether Democratic vice-presidential nominee John Edwards will stop in Cape Girardeau this week as part of the campaign's "Believe in America" tour. Missouri campaign spokesman Michael Golden said Monday he could neither confirm nor deny an Edwards visit to Cape Girardeau...

A Jackson man is in the Cape Girardeau County Jail after being charged with five counts of first-degree statutory sodomy and two counts of first-degree child molestation. The county sheriff's department said that Ricky E. Williams, 19, of 605 E. Adams St., was arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of molesting a 9-year-old girl...

The local historical association will receive $31,117 in unspent Cape Girardeau city tax dollars to help make repairs to the Glenn House, a Victorian-era house museum, but the city council imposed a moratorium through the end of the year on spending of any more surplus tourism dollars until a comprehensive spending plan is in place...

In a crowded, two-room lab, Southeast Missouri State University biologists and students are growing mushrooms as part of a national project aimed at decoding their genetic makeup, a feat scientists believe will lead to new understandings of biological processes...

A condemned building at 722 Giboney Ave. that was within 30 days of being demolished by the city burned down Monday morning. The man at the scene of the fire, alleged to be the owner of the building, was issued two summonses in connection with the fire...

Their loved ones may be in Iraq, but on the first Monday of every month families of the 1140th Engineer Battalion, Missouri National Guard, are firmly linked together over the miles through prayer. Family and friends of the 1140th gather at the Mount Auburn Christian Church for a prayer service. They find comfort in each other's presence as they come together to "pray them home," as the service has become known...

George Bush is in trouble. His Democratic opponent, Sen. John Kerry, almost certainly has locked up the support of the cute-and-cuddly crowd now that his heroics with a hamster have been celebrated at last week's Democratic convention. It seems that the Massachusetts senator once saved his daughter's pet hamster, Licorice, from drowning. Kerry reportedly administered CPR to save the family pet...

(Buenos Aires) La Nacion Iran just announced it will resume production of parts needed to assemble P-2 centrifuges used to make enriched uranium. This regrettable declaration has inspired distrust among European diplomats, who succeeded last year in having Iran suspend its work in this field, as part of an agreement governing Iran's controversial nuclear program...

Plaza Tire defeated the Oklahoma A's 7-5 in their NBC opener played in the wee hours Monday. Southeast Missourian WICHITA, Kan. -- Playing a game at the unusual hour of just after midnight worked out fine for the Plaza Tire Capahas. The Capahas rallied for a 7-5 victory over the Oklahoma A's early Monday morning in the opening round of the National Baseball Congress World Series...

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner hopes an early jump on the 2004-2005 season will help the Indians prepare for what he believes just might be the toughest schedule in school history...

\The 3-year-old Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has run his last race. By Hal Bock ~ The Associated Press Smarty Jones' racing career is over. The 3-year-old red chestnut colt whose bid for thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown came up one length short in the Belmont Stakes was retired Monday because of chronic bruising in his hoofs...

By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press MACOMB, Ill. -- Torry Holt led the NFL with 117 receptions last year, and this year he sees room for improvement. If the NFL follows through on its plan to emphasize enforcement of its rule prohibiting downfield contact, the St. Louis Rams' prolific wide receiver figures to be a beneficiary...

MANKATO, Minn. -- The money, glamour and perks provided by Brock Lesnar's lifestyle as a professional wrestler just weren't bringing him happiness, so he decided to leave. Now the former World Wrestling Entertainment champion who performed with the moniker "The Next Big Thing" is trying to make a new name for himself -- in the NFL...

Deborah McBride, the only black woman running for a Cape Girardeau County office, won the Democratic primary for public administrator Tuesday, defeating her opponent Sharla "Charlie" Harrison by 1,700 votes, taking 70 percent of the vote. The public administrator position was the only local county race with more than one Democratic opponent...

10 years ago: Aug. 4, 1994 Missouri National Education Association is threatening to take Cape Girardeau School Board to court if board holds its planned annual retreat this weekend in St. Louis; NEA contends holding meeting in St. Louis effectively cuts off public access...

Maggie Spradling, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born May 21, 1922, at Matthews, Mo., daughter of Charles H. and Letha Irene Haney Spalding. She and Homer Spradling were married July 30, 1942, in Cape Girardeau. He died March 26, 2003...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sandra Lynnette Helms, 58, of Sikeston died Monday, Aug. 2, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Oct. 12, 1945, at Sikeston, daughter of Dewey and Jewell Hicks Ramsey. She and William "Bill" Helms III were married March 6, 1992, in Sikeston...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Leona Hamel, 97, of Marble Hill died Monday, Aug. 2, 2004, at Bethalto Care Center. She was born May 28, 1907, in St. Louis, daughter of Peter and Anna Nelson, who died during the flu epidemic in 1917. Her grandparents, Henry and Anna Sieland of Glenallen, Mo., then adopted her. She and Ivan C. Hamel of East Alton, Ill., were married June 7, 1924...

Adolph Gustav Charles Ludwig, 89, of Jackson died Monday, Aug. 2, 2004, at Heartland Care Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 18, 1914, in Cape Girardeau County near Fruitland, son of Louis and Ida Tuschhoff Ludwig. He and Olga Henry were married May 30, 1942...

A celebration for Dylan Joseph Polen, 21, of Jackson beginning his eternal life in Heaven, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, at Cape First Church in Cape Girardeau, where he was a member. The Rev. Gary Brothers will lead the celebration. The church will be open at 1 p.m. for friends to call...

Great entertainment "SING, AMERICA, Sing" is wonderful. Thanks, Mike Dumey, for putting this together. These eight young people are all so very talented. I've seen lots of entertainment in Branson, and this ranked right at the top. Also the food was delicious. It was just an awesome evening...

To the editor: Kudos to the Southeast Missourian for a great, to-the-point editorial on the proposed pet limitation ordinance. I agree with what has already been said: Our current city ordinance adequately provides for the management and control of nuisance pets. What good does it do to replace one unenforceable ordinance with another? It's a proposal that has been reversed or denied in as many cities as in the ones that the city council researched during this process...

To the editor: I have just read an article by George Gedda of The Associated Press that said President Bush and his administration are going to give Iraq $9 billion in U.S. reconstruction money to rebuild Iraq and make that country safer. I think our president should be thinking more about his own people and their safety than some other country the way he is doing ...

To the editor: In response to "Making traffic jam": Bob Miller's article on Jackson's upcoming traffic jam was brilliantly written and very creative. If it had been written in standard AP style, I probably would have only scanned it rather than read it all the way through. Thanks, Bob, for a most entertaining and thorough piece of journalism...

Baseball St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds has been voted a National League player of the month for July, Major League Baseball announced Monday. Edmonds led the NL with a .381 average and 13 home runs. He also led the League with 27 runs scored, a .952 slugging percentage and tied for the lead with 27 RBI for the month...

Jackson 11-U wins state Cal Ripken titleThe Jackson 11-and-under Cal Ripken baseball team won the state championship on Monday, beating Washington, Mo., 12-0 in the final. The victory capped a 4-0 run through the tournament, in which Jackson outscored its foes 47-1. Jackson will play Aug. 12 through Aug. 17 in the Midwest Plains Regional in Boonville, Mo...

Spats among relatives are pretty much par for any large family. And city officials in Jackson and the Cape Girardeau County Commission are, in a way, part of the big family we call government. So it is not surprising that Jackson officials and county officials might disagree from time to time...

HOME CANNING Garden produce has its place in fresh summer salads, salsas and fruit pies. But we're looking for people who make the summer's abundance last by canning or freezing. To participate in an upcoming story on canning and jelly-making, contact features editor Laura Johnston by phone at 335-6611, extension 126; by e-mail at ljohnston@semissourian.com; or write P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Monday: At 6:57 p.m., an emergency medical service at 1312 N. West End Blvd. At 11:15 p.m., an emergency medical service at 719 William St. Firefighters responded to the following items on Tuesday:...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Tuesday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Kenya Renee Kinder, 25, 2920 Perryville Road, was arrested on a city warrant for contempt of court. Steven Gerard Rothkopf, 19, 1205 Old State Road, Wildwood, Mo., was arrested on a city warrant for probation violation for leaving the scene of an accident...

It was a scene election judge Faye Schreiner hasn't seen very often during her 30 years experience: voters waiting in line to pick up ballots, six or seven voters at a time filling the voting booths. "This has really been terrific," she said. Officially, 16,855 people voted in Cape Girardeau County on Tuesday. That's 35 percent of the registered voters in the county...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- With huge numbers turning out for Tuesday's primary election, Bollinger County voters gave large victories to incumbent Sheriff Terry Wiseman and county commissioner Wayne Whitener but gave Assessor James M. Bollinger a few tense moments with his squeaker win over challenger Richard VanGennip...

An argument over who was going to pay for a tank of gasoline resulted in a man and his son being arrested Monday after the man's girlfriend was abandoned on the side of Interstate 55. According to patrolman Jason Selzer of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, Willie Miles Jr., 48, of Memphis, Tenn., was driving south around 10:30 p.m. ...

John Edwards to speak in Cape on Thursday Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards is scheduled to speak at a semiprivate event Thursday morning in Cape Girardeau. Admission to the speech is being arranged through contacting local officials with the Democratic Party. ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Establishing a national intelligence "czar" would seem sure to shake up Washington's massive spy bureaucracy, but President Bush's description of the job has been murky and members of the Sept. 11 Commission complained Tuesday his plan doesn't go far enough...

By Frances D'Emilio ~ The Associated Press VATICAN CITY -- He made saves as a soccer goalkeeper during high school in Poland, skied and kayaked in Europe and swam laps in the papal pool. Now Pope John Paul II has set up a sports department to give the Vatican a kind of new playing field in its drive to spread Christian values around the world...

There was no suspense Tuesday for six of the seven Missouri Congressional incumbents, who faced no opposition in their party primaries. Republican JoAnn Emerson easily turned back a primary challenge from Richard Allen Kline, a 64-year-old retired Navy and Coast Guard veteran from Gipsy...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday to ban gay marriage, the first such vote since the historic ruling in Massachusetts last year that legalized same-sex weddings there. The amendment garnered 72 percent of the vote, with 58 percent of precincts reporting...

ROCKAWAY BEACH, Mo. -- Hopes for a casino appeared to be slipping away as early election returns Tuesday night showed voters across Missouri rejecting an amendment to the state's constitution to allow a casino in Rockaway Beach. With 48 percent of the vote counted, the amendment was failing 56 percent to 44 percent, according to unofficial results...

Interest rates are on the upswing. The economy appears much stronger now than it was last year. It looks like we can expect job growth and possibly even a raise or two over the next several years. Unfortunately, as with all recoveries, we should also expect higher interest rates. Bottom line: we can enjoy a growing economy where interest rates are pretty darn low and the job market is in growth mode...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan has arrested two "high-level" al-Qaida terrorists, one with a multimillion-dollar U.S. bounty on his head, widening a sweep against al-Qaida's vast web of operatives that has netted at least six suspects, officials said Tuesday...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the line wrapped around Cleveland Browns Stadium on Tuesday, there were thousands of pop star dreams. There was Antonio Crane, a 27-year-old from Wisconsin who drove eight hours for a chance to audition for the reality television show "American Idol." And Lindsay Creaney, 21, who traveled from New Jersey for her shot at instant fame...

Militants killed near Afghan-Pakistan border KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan and U.S. troops backed by warplanes killed as many as 50 militants in a daylong battle near the Pakistani border, the U.S. military said Tuesday. It was one of the bloodiest clashes since U.S. ...

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. -- A new nickel commemorating the exploration of the West made its debut Tuesday aboard a 55-foot replica of the keelboat used in the Lewis and Clark expedition 200 years ago. The nickel bears the familiar likeness of President Thomas Jefferson on one side. ...

NEW YORK -- The Statue of Liberty, hailed once again as "a beacon of hope," welcomed tourists inside on Tuesday for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, with hundreds of visitors returning despite warnings of terrorist threats. In an hour-long reopening ceremony, Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged Americans to visit the statue and demonstrate that the country would never be "coerced into abandoning any symbol of America."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The upcoming general election campaign for lieutenant governor looks to be billed as the Battle of Cape Girardeau after homegrown Democrat Bekki Cook and Republican Peter Kinder appeared to have locked up their respective parties' nominations in Tuesday's primary elections...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Nathan Cooper will be Cape Girardeau's next state representative after claiming 47.1 percent of the vote in Tuesday's three-way Republican primary in the 158th District. With 2,736 votes, Cooper, a lawyer, finished well ahead of Cape Girardeau Central High School teacher Eugene "Pete" Frazier, who came in second with 2,200 votes, or 37.8 percent of the total. ...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Baghdad's new mayor wants his old city back. Alaa al-Tamimi, who took office in May, is leading a campaign to remove the security barriers that have sprung up all over the Iraqi capital to protect against the constant threat of insurgent attacks...

NEW YORK -- The Statue of Liberty, hailed once again as "a beacon of hope," welcomed tourists inside on Tuesday for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, with hundreds of visitors returning despite warnings of terrorist threats. In an hour-long reopening ceremony, Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged Americans to visit the statue and demonstrate that the country would never be "coerced into abandoning any symbol of America."...

With a week to go, the annual Foto Fest contest is heating up. The contest has seen great participation, said Joyce Hunter, marketing director for Westfield Shoppingtown West Park. Judges named Tim Vollink of Oak Ridge, Rochelle Steffen, Sue Ponder and Grace Williams of Cape Girardeau this week's semifinalists...

Old Town Cape executive director Catherine Dunlap will resign on Aug. 25 to take a new job heading up the Main Street downtown redevelopment effort in Bloomington, Ill. Dunlap is to begin as executive director of Uniquely Bloomington on Sept. 1. Uniquely Bloomington is a newly formed organization that is applying to be part of the Main Street program in Illinois. Bloomington is a city of about 60,000 people...

Explosives sent a section of the old Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau crashing onto the tree-filled Illinois shore Tuesday as hundreds of spectators looked on from the Missouri shore trying to glimpse a piece of history. The blast brought down three piers and the metal spans -- about 1,250 feet in length -- that sat on those piers in a matter of seconds...

More than 50,000 Americans are now over 100 years old, according to figures Dr. Charles Cozean read recently. "That's because they all had such good lawyers," quipped John Mackel, director of recruitment for Saint Francis Medical Center. Mackel, Cozean and several other doctors met with U.S. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Voters in Perry County passed a 3/8 of one percent sales tax for road improvements Tuesday. The measure was approved by a margin of 623 votes: 2,702 voting yes and 2,079 opposing. Sheriff Gary Schaaf easily won over his Republican opponent Michael C. Miller. Schaaf will face Democrat Joseph McAtee in November...

A large voter turnout in Scott County delayed Tuesday's primary election results, which were not available by press time. According to County Clerk Rita Milam, the office ran out of Republican ballots because of the unexpected high voter turnout. The ballots had to be photocopied, but the photocopied ballots could not go through the voting scanner. Those ballots had to be counted by hand...

If this election had been held a year ago, they might still be counting hanging chads. But Cape Girardeau County's new optical-scan voting system definitively verified that Jay Purcell beat Dan Niswonger by 29 votes, or slightly less than half a percentage point, Tuesday in what turned out to be a head-to-head battle in a nine-candidate field for Cape Girardeau County Commissioner in District 2...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Rubin Weeks be granted the DNA test he maintains will prove him innocent of a 1991 kidnapping and rape of a Jackson woman. Originally Weeks pleaded guilty to the crimes and received two concurrent life sentences...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Embattled Democratic Gov. Bob Holden conceded defeat Tuesday to State Auditor Claire McCaskill, becoming the first Missouri governor ever to lose in a primary. Holden called McCaskill to congratulate her, then broke the news to his supporters by urging Democrats to unite behind her...

Let's start by admitting most women are at a cultural disadvantage when it comes to car repair and maintenance. While we were listening to our moms pontificate on Shout vs. Spray and Wash, our brothers were learning about oil changes and carburetors...

Every weekend we plan far too many things to try to accomplish, then about half of the planned items go undone. Last Sunday I had several things planned to completely fill the afternoon and evening. Right after lunch we discovered we had a hummingbird trapped in our garage. ...

LOS ANGELES -- They are ancient by their sports' standards, flipping and swooping and surviving bone-crunching falls in a world that worships the young. Look at Jeff Ward, a SuperMoto rider at 43. Then there's Dave Mirra, a 30-year-old BMX biker who simply wants to pack his gear and go home at the end of a long day. Bob Burnquist has a 4-year-old daughter who was on a skateboard before she could walk...

By Roy Kammerer ~ The Associated Press COLOGNE, Germany -- The U.S. men's Olympic team did more than merely lose. It was embarrassed and exposed like never before in international competition. Losing an exhibition game for the first time when using NBA players, the Americans were completely outclassed by lightly regarded Italy, never even making it close in the fourth quarter of a 95-78 upset Tuesday...

Last year's No. 1 pick has bulked up and shown signs of improvement. By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press MACOMB, Ill. -- Jimmy Kennedy would have rather learned on the job at defensive tackle his rookie season with the St. Louis Rams, the way he did throughout his college career...

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Tony Batista hit a grand slam in the 12th inning after tying it with a two-run shot in the ninth, leading the Montreal Expos over the St. Louis Cardinals 10-6 on Tuesday night. Albert Pujols became the first player to hit at least 30 home runs in his each of his first four seasons on a major league roster when he hit a two-run homer to straightaway center off Montreal spot starter Sun-Woo Kim with one out in the first inning...

For most Americans, the issue of the U.S. Naval bombing range on the island of Vieques, off the coast of Puerto Rico, is one that was resolved a few years ago when the Navy closed its base there after six decades of bombing and other military operations...

ST. LOUIS -- Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Course is a lot of things, but cool isn't one of them. Tuesday the Gateway Section PGA played its junior golf championship at Crystal Springs, and it couldn't have been hotter. The heat index reached 110 degrees. All of this was after a 30-minute rain delay due to an electrical storm. The clouds and rain provided some relief. But shortly after the shower, the clouds parted and the clambake was on...

WASHINGTON -- Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge on Tuesday defended the decision to tighten security in New York and Washington even though the intelligence behind the latest terror warnings was as much as four years old. Law enforcement officials were trying to determine whether the plot was current, with terrorists still trying to organize such an attack -- in an investigation made more urgent by revelations linking the suspect behind the intelligence with the 1998 bombings of U.S. ...

NEW YORK -- A drug used for congestive heart failure that was supposed to save lives also caused dozens of deaths from a side effect when doctors began prescribing it more widely, Canadian researchers report. The scientists say their findings are a cautionary tale for doctors about the risks of applying drug-study results to real-world situations. They suggest physicians aren't being careful enough about who they put on the drug and that they aren't checking for dangerous potassium buildup...

WASHINGTON -- The government on Wednesday refused to override patents on the AIDS drug Norvir, effectively allowing a quintupling of the price to stand despite consumer groups' accusations of price gouging. Patient groups and some members of Congress had pushed the National Institutes of Health to take the unprecedented action, arguing it was warranted under a special law because Norvir's discovery was partially funded by taxpayer dollars...

In last week's column, we took a look at how Viagra has changed the sexual landscape for men as they round the bend. My investigation found that men mostly liked their little blue pills and, even though they didn't necessarily admit to "erectile dysfunction," were happy for the confidence boost it gives them in the waning of their glory days...

INDIANAPOLIS -- With no patient chart in sight, Dr. Sheila Gamache strides into Thom Kolby's hospital room to check on him a day after the 54-year-old arrived ashen-faced and perilously close to death with a clogged artery starving his heart of oxygen...

For the first time in 28 years, Scott County will have a sheriff other than Bill Ferrell beginning in November. The question answered by Tuesday night's primary election was which Democratic candidate would have a chance at taking Ferrell's place...

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Republican candidate for governor Matt Blunt rallied about 100 supporters Wednesday at his campaign headquarters in suburban St. Louis, pledging to encourage small business and improve roads and education. Standing in a room virtually wallpapered with "Matt Blunt for Governor" signs, Blunt, the secretary of state, sought to portray himself as someone who can work with legislators of both parties and who could offer a stark contrast with previous Democratic leadership...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Voter turnout in Tuesday's statewide primary elections reached its highest level since the state began tracking it 24 years ago. At least 42.8 percent of Missouri's nearly 3.5 million registered voters cast ballots, surpassing the previous primary election high of 36.5 percent set in August 1992, the secretary of state's office said Wednesday...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Bob Holden fared poorly in Southeast Missouri and other rural areas of the state as his bid for a second term ended with Tuesday's loss to State Auditor Claire McCaskill in the Democratic primary. Holden did well in the state's two urban areas, winning both St. Louis city and neighboring St. Louis County and finishing close behind McCaskill in Jackson County -- even managing a narrow win in the Kansas City portion of the county...

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Albert Pujols homered leading off the ninth inning, and John Mabry was 4-for-4 and four RBIs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Montreal Expos 5-4 Wednesday night. Pujols hit his 31st homer of the season, a drive off Chad Cordero (3-2) that capped the Cardinals' comeback from a 3-0 deficit...

Name: Karen Kight Lives in: Jackson Family: Husband Dan; son, Quinn. Job: Instructor, Department of Communication at Southeast Missouri State University. What do you like most about the area? My family and friends. Being able to drive quickly to most every place I need to go...

Sunday dinner planned at Schock arts center From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Schock Community Arts Center, 116 E. Hickory St., Scott City, will serve a chicken and dumplings dinner with all the trimmings. Dessert, lemonade, tea and coffee will also be available. The plate meal is prepared by Zeigler's Catering. For more information, call (573) 587-0215...

Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence Executive Director Tammy Gwaltney, left, received a $900 check resulting from a series of garage sales held at her home during June and July. A basket full of Ty Beanie Babies were also donated. The generous gifts will help the SEMO-NASV provide prevention programs, victims' services and caregiver training throughout Southeast Missouri. For more information call 332-1900. Juvenile Detention Center sets open house...

Deborah McBride didn't set out to make local political history. But on Tuesday night, she may have done just that in her quest to become public administrator. McBride is believed to be the first black to win a county primary election. For more on this story, read Friday's Southeast Missourian...

Aug. 5, 2004 Dear Pat, In the movie "Tin Cup," driving range proprietor/golf hustler Roy McAvoy realizes every golfer's dream by qualifying for the U.S. Open. Opens are the most democratic of tournaments in a sport that can be elitist. That elitism is one of the reasons people dislike golf. It's also expensive to play and boring to watch, they say...

In Wednesday's article about local players who played for the St. Louis Diamond Kings in the NABF World Series for 15-and-under baseball teams, Jerod Scott's name appeared incorrectly. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error. Due to information received from the Gateway PGA, Gabriel Sauer of Jackson was omitted from Wednesday's story about the Gateway Section PGA Junior Championship in St. ...

10 years ago: Aug. 5, 1994Longtime state highway patrolman Benny Hinton and Cape Girardeau County sheriff's Lt. John Jordan were nominated by their respective political party committees last night to run for unexpired term as Cape Girardeau County sheriff...

An Associated Press story in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian incorrectly stated the vote percentages for Democratic congressional candidates Dean Henderson and Jerry Cass. With 64 percent of the precincts reporting when the newspaper went to press, Henderson had 57 percent of the vote and Cass had 43 percent...

Siggers Daughter to Josh Leonard Siggers and Tammy Sharan Boutwell of East Prairie, Mo., Saint Francis Medical Center, 10:48 a.m. Wednesday, July 21, 2004. Name, Taylon Lain. Weight, 8 pounds 6 ounces. Second daughter. Ms. Boutwell is the daughter of Gail Blackman of East Prairie. She is a student. Siggers is the son of Leonard Siggers and Donna Siggers of Marble Hill, Mo. He is a deckhand...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Sue Bunch, 67, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at her home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Hileman Funeral home of Jonesboro.

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Hans Greiving, 60, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004, at the Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis. Friends may call from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Hileman Funeral Home in Jonesboro. A graveside service will follow at the Friendship Cemetery with the Rev. Dan Yeager officiating...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Catherine T. Buie, 79, of Cairo died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 30, 1924, in Cairo, daughter of Horace and Ida Harris Tilford. Buie was a graduate of Shawnee College School of Nursing. She had been a licensed practical nurse at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was a member of Tigert Memorial United Methodist Church, American Legion and VFW Auxiliaries...

Ray Taylor Jr., 80, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at Life Care Center. He was born May 9, 1924, in Mounds, Ill., son of Ray and Marie Walters Taylor Sr. He and Betty Tripp were married Oct. 3, 1946, in Mounds. Taylor was a member and representative of Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen...

Carlyn Carron, 86, of Jackson died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at her home. She was born Oct. 22, 1917, at Oak Ridge, daughter of Rufus and Cora Wills Reid. She and Landree J. Carron were married Dec. 25, 1936. He died May 20, 1970. Mrs. Carron was a 1935 graduate of Oak Ridge High School. She was an inspector 30 years at Lenco Inc., retiring in 1987...

Brainwashed students PROBABLY WORSE than having a preacher express his or her political leanings is the tendency of many teachers, from elementary levels through college, to impose their political views on their students. Looking back on our years in school, then our children's and now our grandchildren's, it's fairly obvious that the educational system is one of the best environments for brainwashing...

To the editor: I have had several calls in regard to the front-page article Tuesday about the Glenn House. The article did not state on the front page that I voted to give the Glenn House money. What I voted against, as the article stated, was the moratorium on spending any more of the unspent tourism funds. All present voted for the Glenn House. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify my position...

To the editor: Recently there has been a fair amount of press about the proliferation of new subdivisions in the area. This is exciting because it is an indication of economic stability and growth. However, I feel compelled to caution prospective buyers to do their homework. ...

To the editor: My daughter-in-law and her children were involved in a hit-and-run accident at about 10 p.m. July 31 in Cape Girardeau. The other vehicle was a tow truck driven by a man. He was a real coward to leave a mother and her children pinned up against a fence and not checking to see if they were injured or dead...

To the editor: I would like to thank Jim Obert, Paul Walker and Misty Smith for a job well-done with the coverage of "Chocolate Dancing" and its author, Evelyn Boardman. After reading about her versatile life and career, I realized why she was chosen to be one of those fortunate few on the cover of TBY. ...

To the editor: This is in response to the Speak Out comment about the swimming pools in Mullberry Acres. My husband and I are among the many pool owners in the park. We have had our pool for three summers now and have not had any problem with any small children trying to get into our pool. What probably needs to be addressed more than anything are the parents around here who let their children run around without any supervision whatsoever...

Basketball The Dallas Mavericks traded Antoine Walker and Tony Delk to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday for Jason Terry, Alan Henderson and a first-round draft pick. Terry, the Hawks' first-round pick in the 1999 NBA draft, averaged 16.8 points and 5.4 assists last season. Walker has averaged 19.9 points in his career, including 14 points with 8.3 rebounds last season...

Baseball Fall baseball league: Registration for the Southeast Missouri Fall Basebal League will be 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 14 and Aug. 15 at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park. The league is open to boys ages 8 to 18. Fees are $40 for the 8-9 and 10-11 divisions, $45 for the 12-14 age group and $55 for the 15-18 division. ...

From wire reports Baked, broiled or deep-fried -- how you take your fish might affect how well your heart performs. Seniors who ate tuna or other broiled or baked fish from one to four times a week had a 28 percent lower risk of developing an irregular heartbeat than those who ate fish less than once a month, according to a recent study...

Today Camp DAY for youth with diabetes, sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital and the Southeast Area Chapter of the American Diabetes Association, includes field trips and activities. Call 651-5844. The camp continues Friday. Blood pressure screening from 10 to 11:15 a.m. at Cape Girardeau Senior Center, sponsored by the Generations Family Resource Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital. For information, call 651-5825...

The counties of Cape Girardeau, Scott, Perry and Bollinger were settled primarily by German immigrants looking for farmland at the beginning of the 19th century. Other groups came seeking jobs, including Greeks and Irish to do stone work and black laborers to help build the railroads. Bollinger County attracted English stock by way of West Virginia...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Wednesday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWIs Lee Ann Shannon, 27, 339 S. Lorimier St., Apt. B, was arrested on a Poplar Bluff warrant for driving while intoxicated...

Firefighters responded to the following items on Tuesday: At 4:52 p.m., a public assist at 2604 Gardenia Lane. At 7:13 p.m., an illegal burn at 335 Edgewood Road. At 8:08 p.m., an emergency medical service at 606 Silver Springs Road. At 8:40 p.m., a public assist at 2604 Gardenia Lane...

A teenager was killed and another severely injured when the car they were in veered out of control on the Interstate 55 and landed in front of an on-coming tractor-trailer Wednesday morning. A passenger in the truck was also injured. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred around 8 a.m. Tuesday on I-55 at the 80-mile marker near Benton, Mo...

The work on gas lines along Perryville Road that has slowed traffic over the last two months should be finished this week, officials say. A subcontractor through Ameren UE dug up and replaced old, cast iron gas pipes along that road as part of the company's overall pipe replacement program, said Mike Cleary, director of corporate communications with Ameren...

A malfunctioning power plant boiler curtailed air conditioning in Southeast Missouri State University buildings Tuesday and Wednesday and school officials said the necessary repairs could last through the remainder of the week. Campus buildings remained open, but the steam-powered air conditioning wasn't running at full throttle, school officials said...

WASHINGTON -- A third person separate from the two prisoners and documents previously disclosed provided information indicating al-Qaida was plotting to attack U.S. financial buildings, Bush administration officials said Wednesday in seeking to counter criticism their latest terror warning was overblown...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City voters on Tuesday supported fee increases to fund an arena that city leaders say will help spark revitalization of the city's downtown. Voters approved a proposal to increase hotel fees by up to $1.50 a day and car rental fees by up to $4 a day. Those fees would allow the city to issue $170 million in bonds to pay for the $225 million to $250 million arena...

Tickets issued in two-car crash in Scott County Tickets were issued Tuesday afternoon following a two-car crash at Route DD and Lewis Street in Vanduser, Mo., in Scott County. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 1989 Chevrolet driven by Rebecca Cureton, 30, of Bell City, Mo., struck a 1993 Dodge driven by Paul Hatley, 39, of Vanduser. ...

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Shifting tactics, an al-Qaida-linked group that staged the deadliest post-Sept. 11 terror bombing is believed to be planning assassinations of Western and regional leaders in Asia, moving away from large-scale strikes against civilian targets, officials said...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Two South Africans captured along with a senior al-Qaida terrorist were plotting attacks on tourist sites in their home country, Pakistani officials said Wednesday, a surprising target for Islamic terrorism given the African nation's vocal stand against the war in Iraq and Israel's treatment of Palestinians...

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- A detainee at Guantanamo Bay whose case has been heard by a U.S. military review tribunal has threatened to kill Americans if released, and another is accused of signing an oath to Osama bin Laden, military officials said Wednesday...

The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Enterprise Rent-A-Car said it believes Kansas City voters can forgive and forget the company's efforts to sink a series of taxes designed to pay for a downtown sports arena. Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the taxes, ignoring an anti-tax media campaign largely funded by Enterprise, which argued that the taxes are unfair and plans for the arena are incomplete...

WASHINGTON -- Oil prices could rise as high as $50 per barrel before the year is up, analysts say, as the world's growing thirst for crude stretches supplies thin and uncertainty abounds in petroleum-producing nations. "The fundamental fact is that oil is tight," says Leo Drollas, chief economist for the London-based Center for Global Energy Studies. ...

LOS ANGELES -- Looking ahead and looking back, Jay Mohr is satisfied with both perspectives. "Last Comic Standing," the NBC talent contest where he is host and executive producer, gives comedians an "American Idol" shot at stardom -- or at least steady nightclub work...

NEW YORK -- Bill Clinton came to sell his book on "Late Show with David Letterman" Tuesday night but left a copy as a gift for Letterman's son. Reading aloud the inscription in his hefty 957-page memoir, the former president wished Harry Letterman -- born to Dave and his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, Nov. 3 -- a happy 9-month birthday...

The Associated Press NEW YORK -- Two-year-old twins from the Philippines who were joined at the tops of their heads were surgically separated on Wednesday night, a hospital spokesman said. Doctors teased apart abutting portions of Carl and Clarence Aguirre's brains at 10:32 p.m. after completing an incision around their skull, said Steve Osborne, a spokesman for the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Walt Disney World worker who portrayed the character Tigger was acquitted Wednesday of charges he fondled a 13-year-old girl while posing for a photo with the teen and her mother. The acquittal came in less than an hour following a three-day trial during which the defense attorney for Michael Chartrand donned a Tigger costume in an effort to show jurors how difficult it is to maneuver and see in the outfit...

OCRACOKE, N.C. -- Thousands of tourists stranded on this barrier island with no electricity or running water were told Wednesday to evacuate to give residents a chance to make repairs and clean up after the glancing blow struck by Hurricane Alex and its 100 mph wind. State officials estimated Wednesday that beginning today, 6,000 to 8,000 tourists will be evacuated from the island, which is accessible only by ferry...

The Show-Me State Games in Columbia, Mo., is becoming a family vacation for the Feiner family. The four Feiners made their third trip in four years from Jackson to participate in competitive table tennis at the games on July 24. Half of the family participants came home with medals...

Former Southeast Missouri State University sports stars dating as far back as 1903 and as recent as 1994 highlight the school's third Athletic Hall of Fame class. Eleven individuals and one team will be inducted during ceremonies at the Show Me Center on Oct. 16. The group will also be introduced that night during Southeast's football game with Eastern Kentucky at Houck Stadium...

High school sports will kick into high gear Monday with the start of fall practice, but Notre Dame's volleyball team is getting a head start on what it hopes will be another successful fall season with a successful summer campaign. The Bulldogs competed in the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation's High School Volleyball League, taking home first place in the season-ending tournament July 28. Notre Dame's two teams met in the finals, with Notre Dame defeating the Lady Bulldogs...

A rainstorm moved through the area Wednesday doing most of its damage in Jackson -- leaving some people without power and flooding a couple of roads. A spokesman for the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department said around 8:30 p.m. that the department was running off its own generator. Jackson police also confirmed that several areas in the city were also without power...

Every general election needs a ballot initiative with a catchy name. This coming November, that new ballot buzz word may be Amendment 3, an initiative that several state organizations hope catches on with Missouri voters. On July 27, the secretary of state certified Amendment 3 to appear on the November ballot, an initiative that if passed will put all revenue of Missouri's existing gas and vehicle sales taxes toward funding of state transportation services...

and Deb Riechmann ~ The Associated Press DAVENPORT, Iowa -- President Bush and Sen. John Kerry clashed at close quarters along the banks of the Mississippi River on Wednesday, the Republican incumbent pledging to "spread ownership and opportunity" if re-elected while his Democratic challenger campaigned as a fiscal conservative able and eager to fix the economy...

COLOGNE, Germany -- Things are not looking good for the NBA stars on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. The Americans needed a final-shot 3-pointer by Allen Iverson from just across midcourt Wednesday to pull out an 80-77 exhibition victory over Germany -- a team that failed to even qualify for the Athens Games...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- In an extraordinary assault, gunmen in the city of Fallujah stormed a kidnappers' lair and forced the overmatched militants inside to flee, freeing four Jordanian truck drivers held captive, local officials said Wednesday. The raid, in a city that has long been hostile to the U.S. military and supportive of Saddam Hussein, marked the first time local gunmen had broken foreign hostages out of captivity. They called the kidnappers "terrorists" and outsiders...

ST. LOUIS -- Two St. Louis institutions -- the brewery and the baseball team -- will remain intertwined for at least the next two decades. The Cardinals announced Wednesday that the new stadium to open in 2006 will, like the current stadium and the one before that, be called Busch Stadium. Beer giant Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. agreed to a 20-year extension of its existing marketing agreement with the team, a deal that includes naming rights...

In a shocking and unexpected development, quarterback Quincy Carter is no longer with the Dallas Cowboys after directing them to the playoffs last season. Tim Brown, one of the top receivers in the NFL, is out after 16 seasons in Oakland. On a day of departures in the NFL, Carter's release was a shock after he started every game in a 10-6 season and guided the Cowboys into the playoffs. ...

The city of Cape Girardeau expects to have a surplus of over $1 million in motel and restaurant tax money stockpiled by the end of October, money that could be used for tourism projects such as development of a water park, Mayor Jay Knudtson said Wednesday...

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Arts-and-crafts time is over at the Romeo Corbeil Summer Camp. Partially painted plastic picture frames and half-finished hemp bracelets and necklaces lay strewn out, abandoned on fold-out tables in the classroom cabin at the University of Missouri Forest, just north of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Nine-year-old Zachary Smith is keyed up about the upcoming presidential election -- so much so that after getting up at 5 a.m. Thursday, sitting through an hour-and-a-half drive from his home in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and then waiting in line for almost another hour, he still had energy enough to pace around the Victorian Inn parking lot in Cape Girardeau, toting his homemade "Kerry and Edwards Rules" placard...

President William Howard Taft (Oct. 26, 1909): He came on an inspection tour of the Mississippi River aboard the flagship of a 16-boat flotilla. Spoke on a stage set up on the terraces at Academic Hall. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Oct. ...

Thursday's short campaign rally in Cape Girardeau for Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards was hastily planned and plagued by confusion, say some political observers and those involved in security for the event. "We just didn't know for sure whether he would be stopping in Cape Girardeau or not," said Simon Ebenstein of Jackson, chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Democratic Central Committee...

WASHINGTON -- John Kerry said Thursday he would have jumped into action more quickly than President Bush did on Sept. 11, 2001, raising the stakes in the political fight over terrorism as Bush warned that the United States can't afford to "grow timid and weary and afraid" in Iraq or elsewhere...

One star (out of four) Although the timing for "The Manchurian Candidate" could not have been more perfect, the modern version of the 1962 John Frankenheimer drama cannot recapture the heart and soul of the original. The impeccable acting of Meryl Streep adds to John Demme's remake as she sets up her son, Raymond Shaw, for success as the next vice president...

Southeast Missourian WICHITA, Kan. -- The Plaza Tire Capahas managed only five hits and dropped their first game at the NBC World Series 6-2 to the Mat-Su Miners out of Alaska on Thursday. Playing in their second straight late-night affair, the game began at 12:30 a.m., the Capahas simply could not stop the Miners' offense. Mat-Su stranded five runners in the first three innings before getting to Capahas starter Matt Stroup for three runs in the fourth inning...

MACOMB, Ill. -- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue called the St. Louis Rams one of the league's best success stories Thursday during his first visit to the team's training camp facility. The Rams have won three NFC West titles in five years, going to two Super Bowls and winning their first championship after the 1999 season. St. Louis is 56-24 the last five seasons, tied with the Titans for the best record in the league...

By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press MACOMB, Ill. -- Lovie Smith, who's been criticized for overworking the Chicago Bears into a rash of injuries, is in safe territory now. St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz is a staunch defender of Smith, who brought his team to Western Illinois University for three days of joint practices. Smith was the Rams' defensive coordinator for three seasons, helping them go to the Super Bowl in 2001...

SEATTLE -- A judge ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage violates Washington's constitution, but no licenses will be issued to gay couples until the state Supreme Court reviews the case. King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing called the ban a denial of "substantive due process," and said he found no evidence of the argument that children's interests were being neglected...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters made their opposition to same-sex marriage quite clear Tuesday when, with 70.7 percent support, they ratified Amendment 2, which defines marriage as being only between a man and a woman in the state constitution...

Deborah McBride didn't set out to make local political history. But on Tuesday night, she may have done just that in her quest to become the Cape Girardeau County public administrator. McBride is believed to be the first black to win a Cape Girardeau County primary election...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Former Gov. Roger Wilson said he has accepted gubernatorial nominee Claire McCaskill's offer to be the next chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party. "I played a lot of football, and you cannot carry the ball halfway there, so I am pleased to accept this invitation from Claire," Wilson told The Associated Press on Thursday...

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Chris Carpenter could hardly control his emotions after Scott Rolen gave the St. Louis Cardinals the lead with a late home run. "I was fired up," Carpenter said. "I love being a part of this team. It's so exciting to come to the field every night and feeling -- and knowing -- you have a chance to win."...

A $65,000 project aimed at easing traffic congestion on Mount Auburn Road should begin in the next three weeks and be completed this fall, Cape Girardeau city engineer Mark Lester said Thursday. The Missouri Department of Transportation designed the road improvements at the busy Mount Auburn Road-Kingshighway intersection. The city will pay the $65,112 cost of the work with motor fuel tax money...

TANAGRA, Greece -- Capt. Thanassis Gioules squeezed into the cockpit of his fighter jet at an air base near Athens on Thursday and prepped its weapons before taking off for combat patrol. Gioules and his fellow pilots in the Greek air force have begun flying the jets over the city and elsewhere in the country as part of an unprecedented effort to protect the Summer Games...

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, working in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, arrested 10 motorists for suspicion of driving while intoxicated and made 29 misdemeanor and infraction arrests during a July 31 sobriety checkpoint in Scott and Cape Girardeau counties...

Hot enough for you? The familiar rhetorical question asked on muggy Southeast Missouri days hasn't been heard much lately, perhaps because records show that the past July is the coolest on record since 1967. According to the University of Missouri Extension in Columbia, Mo., July 2004 ranks as the 11th coolest June-July period on records that go back to 1895. July alone is the ninth coolest on record...

NAJAF, Iraq -- Militant Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's militia battled U.S. and Iraqi troops Thursday in the holy city of Najaf, sparking clashes in other Shiite areas that killed at least 20 Iraqis and a U.S. soldier. An al-Sadr spokesman threatened a "revolution" unless American forces agree to a new cease-fire...

The Dalhousie touring professional leads the LPGA Tour event in Ohio. By Rusty Miller ~ The Associated Press SYLVANIA, Ohio -- Karen Stupples is playing with the confidence of a champion. Teeing off just hours after a 13-hour flight from London, and without seeing the course, Stupples had seven birdies in a 6-under-par 65 Thursday for a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic...

INDIANAPOLIS -- As a kid growing up in the same hometown as Rick Mears, there was no bigger goal for Kevin Harvick than someday racing at the storied Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Harvick could only hope he'd someday join Mears, a four-time Indianapolis 500 champion, on the list of Indy's winners...

LONDON -- Armed with new intelligence from Pakistan suggesting al-Qaida plotted to attack London's Heathrow airport, police questioned a dozen terror suspects Thursday and announced the arrest of a man wanted in the United States on charges of raising money for terrorism...

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- An Afghan detainee pleaded for his freedom Thursday before the first military review tribunal partially opened to observers, saying he had a Taliban-issued rifle but never fought against Americans. The 31-year-old detainee in orange garb sat before the three-member panel, hands bound and feet chained to a metal ring in the floor, as he spoke quietly through a Pashto interpreter...

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- A Missouri appeals court has tossed out a judge's ruling that limited a mother's overnight visitation with her daughter to when the woman wasn't sleeping with her lesbian partner, saying there's no proof such a condition was best for the child...

NORMAL, Ill. -- Illinois State University announced Thursday that it will offer health-care benefits to the domestic partners of its employees both gay and straight. The ISU program goes a step further than that of the state and the University of Illinois, which extended such benefits only to homosexual domestic partners and excluded unmarried heterosexual couples...

CHICAGO -- Former death row inmate Aaron Patterson was arrested Thursday amid a federal investigation into illegal gun and drug sales, his third arrest since being pardoned last year, authorities said. Patterson was arrested during a traffic stop, said U.S. attorney spokesman Randall Samborn. Samborn said a criminal complaint was expected to be filed today...

By Ben Walker ~ The Associated Press Roger Clemens was given an emphatic apology Thursday for "unjustly" being ejected from his 10-year-old son's baseball game last weekend in Colorado. David King, president of tournament organizer Triple Crown Sports, said "Mr. Clemens was a non-aggressor and a victim of mistaken identity and confusion" by an upset umpire...

DETROIT -- Saturn will voluntarily recall nearly all of its VUE sport utility vehicles, which regulators are investigating because the vehicle's rear suspension failed during two government rollover tests. The recall by the General Motors division affects 246,433 VUEs in the 2002-2004 model years, including 231,123 in the United States and 15,310 in Canada...

NASCAR confirmed Thursday it is heading south of the border, bringing the Busch series into Mexico City next season for the first international points-paying event in over 50 years. The race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course will be March 6, and be the third event on the 35-race schedule. It will mark the return of road-course racing for the junior-level Busch series...

Rod Pampling hit every fairway and scored 15 points for the early lead at The International before afternoon thunderstorms halted the opening round with half the field still on the course in Castle Pines, Colo. The event, which uses the modified Stableford scoring system, traditionally has had problems playing around the weather...

DETROIT -- When Barry Sanders gets his first glimpse of the sea of gold blazers at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sunday, it might make him want to do something he hasn't done in five years. "I will probably feel like suiting up again," he said, laughing...

REDMOND, Wash. -- Almost since the day Microsoft Corp. released its Windows XP computer operating system nearly three years ago, it has been a favorite target of hackers and critics eager to stress its numerous security shortcomings. Now, more than two years after promising to do something about it, Microsoft is about to release the biggest update ever for Windows. ...

Making an effort IF YOU don't know Paul Schock, you aren't living. Paul Schock is one of the nicest people I know. He has done so much trying to preserve Old Illmo, and he's not even from the area. He's giving so much to this community. I appreciate him and everything he's trying to do. He's trying to help the community, and that's more than I can say about anybody else. Thank you, Paul...

Opening reception at the Garden Gallery Add the Garden Gallery to your list of Cape Girardeau art openings to attend tonight. The gallery, located at 833 Broadway above Grace Cafe, will have an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. today to welcome a new exhibit by the gallery's Artisans Cooperative. For more information, contact the gallery at 332-7123...

When approached by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri about holding an exhibit of his photography, David Crowe thought it was only natural to include his son, Taylor, in the exhibit. Of course, Taylor Crowe is an artist in his own right, but one who uses a brush instead of a camera in his work. David Crowe said there are other, more subtle differences between his work and his son's...

Tonight is a busy night for the visual arts in Cape Girardeau. The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri is opening an exhibit featuring the work of David and Taylor Crowe and the Garden Gallery is having its first reception for its newly formed artisans co-op...

The latest mural to reach completion on the floodwall represents a theme instead of a historical event. In this case, the theme is education in Cape Girardeau. For the main mural, artist Thomas Melvin chose to depict a scene from St. Vincent's Ladies Academy, founded in 1839 and located near where the St. Vincent church now stands...

BELGRADE, Serbia and Montenegro -- First there was Yao. Now there is Yi. The next big thing to come out of China is Yi Jianlian, a teenager nearly 7-feet tall who has already worked his way into the national team's starting lineup alongside Yao Ming...

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Police in eastern Nigeria discovered body parts, skulls and more than 50 corpses, some partly mummified, in shrines where a secretive cult was believed to have carried out ritual killings, officers said Thursday. Some victims may have died after swallowing poison to prove their innocence...

SANTA MARTA, Colombia -- After flying over blackened coca fields, White House drug czar John Walters conceded that seizing cocaine, destroying coca crops and locking up drug traffickers in Colombia have had little impact on the flow of cocaine on American streets...

Some political thoughts and possibilities: When Gov. Bob Holden put the marriage amendment on the August ballot (he had a choice between August or November) he probably wanted to help John Kerry. He either should have known or did know it would probably hurt his chances for re-election...

Ford Crown Victoria has a loyal following "Front-wheel drive is just a fad," my aging father mused almost 20 years ago. "There will always be rear-drive cars." A couple of years later he traded his rear-drive Lincoln Town Car for a front-wheel-drive Lincoln Continental, and said, "Well, front-wheel drive has certain advantages, but rear-drive will always be around."...

The driver who struck Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Sgt. Brad Lively was charged Thursday morning with speeding. Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle filed the charge claiming that Talisa M. Jackson, 25, of St. Louis was driving 75 miles per hour in a 70 mile-per-hour zone on northbound Interstate 55 about three miles north of Center Junction when the accident happened. ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Wednesday: At 6:42 p.m., an emergency medical service at the 1100 block of Linden Street. At 7:12 p.m., an emergency medical service at William Street and South Sprigg St. At 8:38 p.m., an alarm sounding at 1802 Broadway...

Ferry director arraigned on manslaughter charge NEW YORK -- The city's director of ferries pleaded not guilty Thursday to 11 counts of manslaughter in last year's wreck of a Staten Island ferry. Patrick Ryan left the federal courthouse without speaking to reporters. His attorney, Tom Fitzpatrick, said he and Ryan were taken aback by the harshness of the charges...

Sahara region swept by locust infestation NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania -- Clouds of locusts swarmed this West African city Thursday, crunching underfoot, blurring people's vision and causing traffic accidents as sub-Sahara's biggest plague of the insects in more than a decade swept south from the desert. ...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Thursday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Michael C. Criddle, 17, 1005 Jefferson St., was arrested on suspicion of stealing. Penny S. Moore, 43, Box 783, Advance, Mo., was arrested on two Stoddard County warrants for failure to appear in court...

Baseball n The Arizona Diamondbacks traded 12-time All-Star second baseman Roberto Alomar to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday for a player to be named and cash. Alomar, 36, batted .309 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 39 games for the Diamondbacks this season. He missed 56 games with a broken right hand after being hit by a pitch in Milwaukee on April 20. Alomar joined the Diamondbacks in the offseason after the White Sox chose not to offer him arbitration and left him a free agent...

The Heartland National all-star team split two games Thursday in the Babe Ruth Softball 14-and-under national tournament in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Heartland National, from Chaffee, Mo., defeated Concord, Calif., 5-1 in the first round with a two-hit pitching performance from Courtney Walter. Rachael Hendrix had two hits to lead the Heartland National offense...

Cook Daughter to Gaylord Lynn Cook and Beverly Ann Yount of Marble Hill, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:35 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, 2004. Name, Trinity Audessa. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. Ms. Yount is the daughter of Larry Yount and Diana Yount of Marble Hill. Cook is the son of Mary Cook of Marble Hill, and the late David Cook Sr...

'Collateral' Starring Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg and Javier Bardem. A struggling comedy writer named Max, who drives a cab in Los Angeles to earn a living, gradually realizes that the passenger he's been driving around all night is a hit man who has been rubbing out people at every stop. ...

10 years ago: Aug. 6, 1994 Trail of Tears State Park north of Cape Girardeau is one of five sites to be certified this year as historic site along Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. By virtue of single write-in vote he received in Tuesday's primary election, Cape Girardeau County Interim Sheriff Leonard Hines could have authority to nominate himself, or someone else, to run on Libertarian ticket for sheriff; Hines made it clear when Norman Copeland announced his retirement earlier this summer, however, he had no intention of running for job.. ...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Lena Mae Peppersack Butler Barker, 87, of Tamms died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at her home. She was born Dec. 10, 1916, in Elco, Ill., daughter of Samuel and Mary Meisenheimer Sharp. She and Raymond L. Barker were married Nov. 16, 1979, in Cape Girardeau. He died Dec. 18, 1996...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Earline Gaddy, 78, of Sikeston died Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born April 9, 1926, in Mississippi County, daughter of Milburn Davis and Opal Mae Childers Allen. She and Elmer Gaddy were married Dec. 1, 1945. He died Nov. 14, 1986...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Louis Adam Bolden, 79, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at his home. He was born Nov. 10, 1924, at Sikeston, son of Henry M. and Frances "Frannie" Rausch Bolden. He and Wanda Maxine Baker were married June 30, 1943, in Sikeston. She died May 23, 2003...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Hans E. Greiving, 60, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004, at Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Feb. 11, 1944, in Chicago Heights, Ill., son of Carl and Herminah Langhans Greiving. Greiving worked for Keystone Wire and Steel...

LILBOURN, Mo. -- Melissa Christina "Missy" Robinson, 16, of Lilbourn died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, in an automobile accident near Benton, Mo. She was born June 15, 1988, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Peter Glenn and Martha Hampton Robinson. Robinson was a junior at Richland High School where she was an honor student, had played softball, was a junior high cheerleader, an officer of FTA and Library Club, member of FBLA, Beta Club, FCCLA, and Student Council. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Inas Lavelle Young, 81, of Sikeston died Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Sept. 24, 1922, in Pocahontas, Ark., daughter of James and Ellen Hibbard O'Neal. She and Lyndell Young were married Aug. 15, 1949, in St. Louis...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Lowell B. Stephens, 81, of Advance died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 19, 1922, at McGee, Mo., son of James and Leada Trafford Stephens. Lowell was a rural mail carrier 33 years in Advance, and a member of Advance Masonic Lodge...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Barbara Doublin, 79, of Puxico died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 2, 1924, at Bell City, Mo., daughter of Seth and Carrie Farmer Overbey. She and Slick Doublin were married May 23, 1946. He died Dec. 30, 1973...

To the editor: I have many unanswered questions about the death of my brother, John Mayabb, who was brutally murdered in his Scott City home in July 2002 by his stepson, Christopher L. Jones. I waited for two years for answers to my questions about why this happened. I waited for justice. I waited for the case to go to trial on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action...

To the editor: In reflecting upon what might be the thoughts of the candidates who went to bed knowing they were not going to win, it seems appropriate to listen to what a few other also-rans had to say. Adlai Stevenson, when greeted with news that Dwight Eisenhower was swamping him, said upon inquiry by the press: "It hurts too much to laugh, and I'm too old to cry." Was Stevenson a wimp and a whiner? No way. He was just caught on the immediate rebound when the roof had fallen in...

To the editor: In response to "Man who pleaded guilty to rape allowed DNA test": Just how many times are the citizens of Cape Girardeau County and the federal government going to let the county prosecutor get away with what appears to be a violation of the law? First the prosecutor gives a pistol back to a felon convicted of a domestic abuse. ...

To the editor: Notice to the Democratic politicians in Benton, Mo. -- Scott County's seat of government which ran out of Republican ballots: The Republicans are here to stay. Get used to it. We've turned the corner and are not going back. JOYCE DOOLEY, Chaffee, Mo....

As primary elections go, Tuesday's was more exciting than many in recent years. On the state level, there was a heated Democratic race involving an incumbent governor and a strong challenger -- with challenger Claire McCaskill winning over Gov. Bob Holden. And there were two constitutional amendments -- gambling and marriage -- on the ballot that brought more voters than expected...

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont's largest power company has won state approval for a plan to have dairy farmers generate energy from decomposing cow manure to sell back to the utility. Central Vermont Public Service Corp. now hopes to sign up farmers willing to set up a generator on their property and go into the power business on a small scale...

The overhead telephone bell in the newsroom is a signal to one and all: This could be the most important news story of a lifetime, so some scrivener ought to answer the phone. Now. "Hello, news department? This is a Democrat. Did you know John Edwards is making a campaign stop in Cape Girardeau?"...

WASHINGTON -- Democrat John Kerry, whose nominating convention highlighted his war service and focused on national security, has narrowed the gap on President Bush's strong suit of protecting the country, according to an Associated Press poll that shows the race remains tight...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In their first public forum as official gubernatorial rivals, Democrat Claire McCaskill captured the attention of a rural crowd with her straightforward style, while Republican Matt Blunt connected with crowd members' beliefs on social and moral issues...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The torrent of intelligence that led to dozens of arrests in Pakistan and Britain and a terror warning in the United States began with a hunt for those behind an audacious ambush in June on a Pakistani commander as his motorcade tried to cross Karachi's Clifton Bridge...

Imagine downtown Cape Girardeau on a typical summer night. Now add in the bright lights and crowd noises of a minor league baseball game, the bass and percussion of a jazz festival bouncing off the historic buildings and the soft glow of an outdoor movie theater. That is the downtown envisioned by recent graduates of Leadership Cape...

Today, musical hopefuls have gotten out of bed before the sunrise, foregoing a lazy start to Saturday morning to join a line of thousands at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis for, perhaps, an audition and a chance, however slim, to become a star on the pop culture TV hit "American Idol."...

Capt. J.P. Mulcahy, the Cape Girardeau County Jail administrator, keeps a few unusual mementos in his office. There's the tiny, perfectly cubed dice that an inmate meticulously formed out of ordinary shredded paper. There's the cigarette lighter that was hidden in a half deck of cards. And there's the numerous intricate soap carvings -- one of an eagle, presumably crafted with the teeth of a comb...

NEW YORK -- Bill Clinton has been all over television promoting his new book. But one show he won't be visiting is "Saturday Night Live." The former president has turned down an invitation to be guest host of the NBC sketch-comedy series next season, spokesman Marc Liepis confirmed Friday. No reason was given for Clinton rejecting the offer, first reported by TV Guide Online...

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- R. Kelly nearly swept the fourth annual Billboard-AURN R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, winning seven out of the eight categories in which he was a finalist Friday night. Top honors also went to Beyonce and OutKast. Kelly took home awards for top songwriter, producer, artist, singles artist, male artist, singles and singles airplay for "Step in the Name of Love." The only award for which he was nominated and did not win was top albums artist, which went to Southern hip-hop duo OutKast...

A $500,000 state grant will help rehabilitate dilapidated homes and apartments in a south Cape Girardeau neighborhood, part of a continuing effort to upgrade neighborhoods in the city and help people become homeowners. The state Department of Economic Development announced the grant, part of more than $3 million in state funding for 15 Missouri cities. Cape Girardeau received the largest single grant in the latest funding cycle...

Southeast Missourian The Cape Girardeau County Juvenile Detention Center will hold an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the center at 325 Merriwether St. The open house is to show interested people how the center operates, said juvenile officer Randy Rhodes. Because of laws to protect the rights of juveniles, the center had previously been off-limits to the public, but recent laws have loosened restrictions on that, Rhodes said...

HAGERSTOWN, Md. -- An Army reservist who saw naked detainees being humiliated at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq says military intelligence officials led and directed the abuse. The account by Kenneth A. Davis, a former sergeant in the Maryland-based 372nd Military Police Company, contradicts the government's position that only members of Davis' unit were directly responsible for the abuse...

LOS ANGELES -- Rick James, best known for the 1981 funk hit "Super Freak" before his career disintegrated amid drug use and violence that sent him to prison, died Friday. He was 56. James died in his sleep at his residence near Universal City, said publicist Sujata Murthy. James lived alone and was found dead by his personal assistant, who notified police, she said...

The Associated Press VIENNA, Austria -- Some of America's staunchest allies in Iraq are vowing to stay the course in the face of persistent bloodshed, but at home their citizens increasingly want out. All 31 countries remaining in the U.S.-led coalition signed a declaration this week condemning the recent abductions and beheadings of foreign workers by Iraqi insurgents and promising not to make any concessions to the kidnappers...

NAJAF, Iraq -- U.S. helicopter gunships and fighter jets pounded Shiite Muslim insurgents hiding in a sprawling cemetery Friday in the most intense fighting in this holy city since the fall of Saddam Hussein. The U.S. military said 300 militants were killed in the past two days...

By Doug Tucker ~ The Associated Press RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- It's hard to picture Tony Gonzalez -- the Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro tight end and among the city's most famous faces -- spending a month with no one to talk to...

SYLVANIA, Ohio -- Meg Mallon and Angela Jerman capitalized on early, windless conditions Friday, and moved into a tie for the lead after two rounds of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. Mallon, the U.S. Women's Open champion, offset a double bogey at the par-3 6th with an eagle at the par-5 17th and moved to 7-under 135 with a 2-under 69...

WASHINGTON Inspiration came to Ron Buford at 3 a.m. The way he remembers it, he sat bolt upright in bed with the thought that God was speaking. What burst into the Cleveland marketing executive's head that night in January 2002, however, was not a message from the Almighty. ...

Christian men need to hold one another accountable as leaders in their churches and leaders of their families, but finding accountability partners isn't always easy. So a group of men who have been meeting regularly for nine years for Bible study are hoping to extend the accountability they've developed into a community effort...

Lutheran group presents Faith in Action awards The Lutheran Family and Children's Services recently presented its Faith in Action and community service awards. The "Faith in Action" award was presented to the Rev. Earl Weis, who has been a Lutheran minister for 60 years, serving nine years in Sikeston, Mo., and almost 20 years in Jackson. ...

Today Gospel singing at Shiloh Baptist Church in Villa Ridge, Ill. The Gloryroad Travelers and Pickin' Pennies will perform. Sunday The Rev. Scott Christy of Nashville, Tenn., will speak at 10 a.m. at Christ Church of the Heartland. A nursery and children's programs are provided during the service. For information, call 334-7726...

Baseball Jerry Colangelo, who brought Arizona a major league baseball franchise in 1998 and a World Series title three years later, is being forced out as chief executive officer of the Diamondbacks and will be replaced by Jeff Moorad, an agent for several top players. ...

Son's bike is back I WOULD like to thank the Scott County officer who helped get back my son's bike, which was stolen about two months ago in Scott City. Thank you for keeping your word and doing your best. You made my son's day a lot brighter. Downtown relief...

Cobb Daughter to Tim and Jill Cobb of Antonia, Mo., formerly of Jackson, St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, 5:05 a.m. Thursday, July 15, 2004. Name, Alexandria Jayden. Weight, 6 pounds 5 ounces. First child. Mrs. Cobb is the former Jill Lynch, daughter of Sherry Frey of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Terry and Betty Lynch of Cape Girardeau. ...

10 years ago: Aug. 8, 1994 ST. LOUIS - School Superintendent Neyland Clark should expect more specific directions from school board in future; board, conducting its annual evaluation of superintendent Saturday, found that Clark had been following board's directions; board members said it is time to improve their own performance...

10 years ago: Aug. 7, 1994 As part of yearlong program observing 100th anniversary of Evangelical United Church of Christ, the Rev. A. Gayle Engel is guest speaker at morning worship service at church; Engel has been conference minister with Missouri Conference of United Church of Christ in St. Louis since 1990...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Harold R. Floyd, 77, died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 11, 1927, in Benton, Mo., son of Ernest and Grace Dark Floyd. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served during World War II. He was a retired heavy equipment operator and a member of Operating Engineers Local 513...

Laura Anna Voshage Birk, 93, formerly of Jackson, died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Lucille H. "Boots" Springer, 92, of Perryville died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Nov. 14, 1911, in Perryville, daughter of Wiley George and Mary Rosa Belle Skaggs Sandler. She and Oscar J. Springer were married Jan. 21, 1938. He died Sept. 21, 1966...

BERNIE, Mo. -- Rava Lucille Riddle, 80, of Bernie died Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was born Aug. 31, 1923, at Himmel, Mo., daughter of Dan and Ella Pritchett Bollinger. She and Alvis Russell Riddle were married Sept. 13, 1941, near Dexter, Mo. He died July 9, 1978...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Sue Bunch, 67, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004, at her home. She was born Aug. 8, 1936, in Cobden, Ill., daughter of Walter G. and Mildred P. Burris Hill. She married Leon Bunch. Bunch was a member of Faith Assembly Church at Wolf Lake, Ill...

Benjamin E. Poff, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

On national TV Sunday afternoon, new Women's British Open winner Karen Stupples wore a baseball cap that proclaimed her association with Dalhousie Golf Club. Stupples, the Cape Girardeau club's touring pro, made Dalhousie and the region proud of her...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Friday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Tanarius D. Twiggs, 25, 208 S. Middle St., was arrested on a city warrant for prohibited acts. John Henry Harris II, 21, 820 S. Sprigg St., was arrested on a warrant for probation violation for property damage and driving while intoxicated...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Friday: At 1:10 a.m., an emergency medical service at 2800 Themis St. At 6:54 a.m., an emergency medical service at Route K and Shabbing Lane. At 7:52 a.m., an emergency medical service at 1400 Marquette St...

Report coming in murder of former Jackson man The Carroll County, Ga., Sheriff's Department says it may send a partial case report in the murder of a former Jackson man to the district attorney as early as next week. Lt. Shane Taylor said Friday that a partial report will be enough to begin the process of prosecuting John Edward Woodham, 28, of Douglasville, Ga., for the killing of Dylan Polen. ...

Consumer confidence at highest level in months WASHINGTON -- Consumer confidence surged during the past month to its highest level since the beginning of the year. The AP-Ipsos consumer confidence index climbed to 104.8 in August, up from 92.0 in July. The AP-Ipsos confidence index is benchmarked to a 100 reading on January 2002, the month the index was started by Ipsos. Consumer confidence has been rising for the past four months amid signs of economic recovery...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- University of Missouri-Columbia officials say if Enron Corp. founder Ken Lay is convicted of defrauding investors, they would prefer to remove his name from an economics professorship he endowed, which would probably require that his $1.1 million donation be returned...

The recent Senate discussion about gay marriage was another attempt by the Republican Party to gain political points by appealing to our worst prejudices. In the spring of 2000, Vermont became the first state to recognize same-sex partnerships and to make sure that every right outlined in Vermont's constitution and laws applied equally to heterosexual and homosexual Vermonters. Every right but one. Gay and lesbian Vermonters do not have the right to call their unions marriage...

Heather Halter will be a sixth-grader when she returns to school this fall at Immaculate Conception in Jackson. And when the teacher asks her how she spent her summer vacation, she'll have plenty to tell. Halter represented Southeast Missouri in the 67th annual All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio, last weekend. She was one of 144 youngsters from all over the nation to participate in the stock division...

As parents of two severely autistic boys, Kevin and Cheryl Dass of Kansas City, Mo., face a world of heartache and worry. Last year Kevin, a FedEx driver, and Cheryl, a part-time hairdresser, spent $27,000 on therapy for their sons. Financially exhausted, they are gnawed by these questions: How will they continue the special help that Dillon and Kyle, their 4 1/2-year-old twins, so desperately need? Will the boys -- who barely speak, are not toilet-trained and become severely upset when taken out in public -- ever be able to live on their own? If not, what will become of them when Kevin and Cheryl are gone?. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As Claire McCaskill approached the podium Tuesday night to address supporters after winning the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, "Respect," soul queen Aretha Franklin's anthem of female authority, blared over the sound system...

Twenty-nine votes were all that separated Jay Purcell and Dan Niswonger in Tuesday's District 2 Cape Girardeau County Commission primary. Voters made a narrow decision in what ended up being one of Cape Girardeau County's more interesting political races in recent memory...

Last year Southeast Missouri State University's football team began preseason practice as the Ohio Valley Conference favorite. The Indians wound up tying for third place. As the Indians conducted their first workout Saturday at Houck Stadium, they're the OVC's preseason No. ...

Southeast officially begins preparations for its Sept. 2 opener. By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian Southeast Missouri State University's football coaching staff always tries to keep a watchful eye on the heat when practice begins each year...

Southeast Missourian A National Baseball Congress World Series that began in promising fashion for the Plaza Tire Capahas ended in disappointment -- and not just because they lost their final two games to get bounced from the double-elimination event...

Southeast Missourian WICHITA, Kan. -- The Plaza Tire Capahas' bats were silent for the second day in a row Friday as they were eliminated from the National Baseball Congress World Series. The Newton (Kan.) Rebels blanked the Capahas 3-0 as Plaza Tire had only four hits...

NEW YORK -- The Olympics -- and its potentially enormous audience -- is too tempting for fashion and beauty companies to pass up. So, as the world watches Athens and the Games' star athletes (most of whom are wearing rather bland team-issued uniforms) it also will see product-placement galore. Some are real Olympic-sanctioned pieces of history, some pay homage to the Games and some are Greek brands looking for their turn in the spotlight...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Greg Maddux has always been a man of little fanfare, so that's exactly how he handled his 300th win -- with a quiet step into history. Maddux never returned to the field after the final out was made. Fans hollered as he worked his way down the hallway to a postgame interview, and Maddux practically pursed his lips to keep from reacting. It took a near mugging by a bunch of teammates at his locker to finally make him smile...

Left-hander Rick Ankiel pitched three innings in his second rehab start Saturday for the Palm Beach Cardinals, St. Louis' Class A affiliate. Ankiel allowed one run on two hits, with four strikeouts and no walks. Saturday's start was Ankiel's second since coming off Tommy John surgery last year...

ST. LOUIS -- Larry Walker is 1-0 with the St. Louis Cardinals, and he played a supporting role in the victory with his new team. Rookie Yadier Molina, batting with the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Walker, blooped a single to center with two outs in the ninth inning Saturday for a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets...

ST. LOUIS -- Larry Walker couldn't say no to the Cardinals, waiving his no-trade clause to join a team with the best record in baseball. After blocking deals to Arizona and Texas the past two years, the star outfielder was traded from the Colorado Rockies to St. Louis on Friday night for minor league pitcher Jason Burch and two players to be named...

St. Louis defeated the Mets 6-4 for its third straight victory.By R.B. Fallstrom The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals rallied for yet another win just as they were completing a trade for star outfielder Larry Walker. Not a bad night in St. Louis...

By David Bortner Special to the Southeast Missourian Tony Cooper of Advance won the Bass Busters of Southeast Missouri tournament July 25 at Lake Wappapello. Cooper recognized that cool, rainy, fall-like weather would bring the deep summer bass up to the shallows and make for an unusual summertime pattern. ...

ROANOKE, Va. -- Three months before the 1972 presidential election, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger huddled together in the Oval Office to discuss when and how to get out of Vietnam. Despite a massive bombing campaign during the spring and summer in the north, the Republican president had concluded that U.S.-backed "South Vietnam probably can never even survive anyway."...

SAN FRANCISCO -- An aspiring politician and video game designer who faked his own beheading by Iraqi militants awoke Saturday to learn that television stations around the world were showing his homemade video of the gruesome hoax. Benjamin Vanderford, 22, said he posted the 55-second clip, which shows a knife sawing against his neck, on an online file-sharing network in May. It circulated in cyberspace before crossing over to major media, airing on Arab television...

Iranian detainee drops out of U.S. military hearing GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- An Iranian detainee boycotted a U.S. military review hearing, the sixth prisoner to stay away from the proceeding to determine whether hundreds of Guantanamo Bay prisoners are being properly held or should be set free. ...

LUMBERTON, N.C. -- The working girls in Robeson County are going to get a chance at a better life just like Eliza Doolittle does in "My Fair Lady." County health officials have received a $30,000 grant from the state to pay for someone -- a former prostitute herself -- to educate the women about other ways of life that are open to them...

The U.S. Olympic men's basketball squad rolled to a 78-60 victory over Serbia-Montenegro. By Chris Sheridan ~ The Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro -- The U.S. Olympic men's basketball team did Larry Brown proud...

DAKAR, Senegal -- A series of witnesses place six top al-Qaida fugitives in Africa buying up diamonds in the run-up to the Sept. 11 attacks, according to a confidential report by U.N.-backed prosecutors obtained by The Associated Press. The first-person accounts detailed by the prosecutors add to long-standing claims that al-Qaida laundered millions of dollars in terror funds through African diamonds before launching its deadliest offensive...

FRED LYNCH * flynch@semissourian.com Lucas Green of Crump, Mo. sat with his Iraqi dog, Bunker, at a family gathering Saturday. Green, a member of the Missouri National Guard, brought Bunker to Missouri from Iraq. By Kathryn Alfisi ~ Southeast Missourian...

They have become part of Cape Girardeau's landscape this summer, the painters of the Mississippi River Tales murals. So far though, only the stories of the murals have been told, not those of the people painting them. Here, then, is a look at this team of artists from Cape Girardeau and Chicago who have been spending their summer creating a piece of the city's history...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The days of German costumes, music and food are gone, but the name has remained. "Not much has changed over the years," said Tom Cunningham, chairman of German Days Inc. and who has been involved with Chaffee German Days for the last 12 years...

From a major championship across the Atlantic to a tournament near Toledo, Karen Stupples is dominating. Stupples shot a 3-under 68 Saturday to build a three-stroke lead over Marilyn Lovander through three rounds of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio...

KINNELON, N.J. -- Two small planes collided Saturday morning in New Jersey, killing both pilots and sending one aircraft plunging into the back yard of a home, authorities said. An FAA spokeswoman had said a few hours after the morning crash that five people had been killed, but Luke Schiada of the National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday afternoon that the pilots were the only people in the planes. No one on the ground was injured, he said...

Although there is still plenty of the season left, the Cardinals right now appear headed to a runaway National League Central Division title. St. Louis, picked by most national media types to finish no better than third when the season started, have parlayed big-time offense, stellar defense, surprisingly strong starting pitching and a quality bullpen to baseball's best record entering the weekend...

ATLANTA -- Jury trials are in a sharp decline. More accused criminals are opting for plea deals, and companies are finding it cheaper to settle disputes through arbitration or other means. The nation's largest lawyers group is not sure if there is anything it could -- or should -- do about the situation, which is changing the way law schools educate future lawyers and making skilled negotiators in greater demand than trial lawyers...

NEW YORK -- Roland Martin reeled in a big one for his weekly fishing show on the Outdoor Life Network. Baiting a hook beside him on a dock in Crawford, Texas, was President Bush, whose leisurely afternoon casting for bass was chronicled for "Fishing with Roland Martin" in an episode that first aired on Friday. (It re-airs Wednesday and Thursday at 5:30 p.m.)...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi signed an amnesty Saturday intended to persuade militants fighting a 15-month-old insurgency to put down their weapons and join government efforts to rebuild the country. But the law pardons only minor criminals, not killers or terrorists, and appeared unlikely to dampen the violence, as some insurgent leaders called it "insignificant."...

The Associated Press KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Gunmen ambushed a convoy carrying election workers into a remote Taliban stronghold, killing two of them, officials said Saturday. The deaths bring to a dozen the number of people slain so far while preparing for the landmark presidential vote...

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- The Palestinian justice minister announced his resignation Saturday to protest Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's refusal to share power, adding to growing turmoil in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian justice minister, Nahed Arreyes, said he has been stripped of much of his authority over the legal system. Last year, Arafat created a rival agency to the Justice Ministry and continues to control the judiciary...

HOLGUIN, Cuba -- For Rebeca Falla, it's getting harder and harder to chill out. Eastern Cuba's worst drought in 40 years has turned cooking, washing clothes and scrubbing floors into a housewife's nightmare. Then there's showering. Falla, 59, is accustomed to taking long, cold ones twice daily for relief from the humid 90-degree weather, but has to settle for a brief drizzle. "It leaves you in a very bad mood," she says...

The Associated Pres ROME -- NATO sent a first group of officers Saturday to prepare for the alliance's training mission for Iraqi forces. The main part of the NATO Training Implementation Mission -- led by Dutch Air Force Maj. Gen. Carel Hilderink and initially consisting of about 45 people -- should deploy in Iraq next week, NATO said in a statement from Naples. The first four officers left Saturday from a command center in the southern Italian city...

ST. LOUIS -- Pick a number, every number. That's how Ken Seidel and a few buddies seized the rare opportunity to make a Missouri Lottery game a nearly sure thing. The numbers the lottery drew in Thursday's midday Pick 3 game were 4-5-2 in the regular drawing and 1-4-4 in a bonus drawing that Seidel says guaranteed him a 20 percent return on the $23,000 of chances he and his friends bought, at $1 a pop...

ST. LOUIS -- The largest bequest ever given to two St. Louis charities came not from a magnanimous millionaire, but from a 90-year-old cashier and bookkeeper whose greatest wealth was her generous spirit. Well, that, and her trust account. When Mary James died late last year, she directed that all of her $741,908 estate be split between two charities, St. Louis Variety, the Children's Charity, and the St. Louis chapter of American Parkinson Disease Association...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A conservative advocacy group is asking a federal appeals court to reconsider a decision that upheld the arrests of five abortion opponents. In a petition filed Friday, the American Center for Law and Justice asked for the full court to reconsider last month's 2-1 ruling from a panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals...

ST. LOUIS -- A mildly retarded man placed a frantic call hours before his death to complain that he was being beaten by staff at the state-run Bellefontaine Habilitation Center, a family friend said. George Holmes "was real upset and worried," the friend, Rose Tabron, said. "He said they had been hitting him."...

WASHINGTON -- An al-Qaida terror suspect detained in England was sent to the United States in early 2001 by the principal architect of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackings to perform surveillance on economic targets in New York, according to U.S. officials and government interviews with other captured terror suspects...

Chris DiMarco had eight bogeys and only three birdies in the third round Saturday to drop into a tie for the lead with Rod Pampling in The International, setting up what could be a wild finish. DiMarco, the second-round leader, appeared to headed toward a runaway victory with 31 points and a nine-point lead in the modified Stableford scoring system event in Castle Rock, Colo., but ended up losing two points in the third round with his stroke-play 77...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Casey Mears grew up dreaming about winning poles and races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He just never pictured doing it in a stock car. On Saturday, Mears took a big step in his budding NASCAR Nextel Cup career, and the first step toward emulating the Indianapolis success of uncle Rick Mears, by winning the pole for today's Brickyard 400...

CANTON, Ohio -- John Elway and Barry Sanders both admitted the possibility of being chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Canton made them nervous. They need not have worried. Elway, the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback of the Denver Broncos, and Sanders, the 10-time 1,000-yard rusher for the Detroit Lions, got in on their first tries...

SAN FRANCISCO -- A company that unveiled the world's first cloned cat nearly three years ago now says it is ready to start filling orders for cloned pets, a newspaper reported Thursday. Genetic Savings and Clone, a firm that wants to make a business out of cloned pets, now has Tabouli and Baba Ganoush, 8-week-old Bengal kittens who are the world's second and third cat clones...

YUBA CITY, Calif. -- Not only did this chicken not make it across the road, but it wound up in a motorist's windshield wipers. Yuba City Police Lt. Bill Ollar said a man reported that he was driving along a Highway 99 frontage road Tuesday night when a chicken flew by and became entangled in the wipers. ...

Police question two men in Florida house slaying DELTONA, Fla. -- Police investigating the slayings of six people whose bodies were found in a blood-spattered Florida house questioned two men Saturday. Investigators described the two men as "persons of interest" but not suspects in the deaths of four men and two women whose remains were found in different rooms of a home in Deltona, about 25 miles north of Orlando. ...

We're all used to designer clothes, designer perfumes, even designer home furnishings. But how about a designer home? Believe it or not, Cape Girardeau had its own house of design long before designer labels became popularized in other media. This designer's name was John Boardman, and his architectural design features set his projects apart from all others. He always combined function with style in sleek, elegant ways...

A muted television plays in the background, flashing pictures of the Parthenon, pristine beaches and boats harbored among the crystal blue waters of the island as Zoi Mousadakos talks of her homeland. She scurries between the drive-up windows at Dave's BBQ on Broadway in Cape Girardeau, waiting on customers and preparing gyros for lunch. As she slices the lamb, heats a pita and sprinkles it with oregano, she talks about how beautiful her country is and how appealing it should be to tourists...

Scott County softball team 3-1 at national tournament The Scott County Loose Cannons, a 16-and-under softball team, are currently 3-1 at the Northern National tournament in Kansas. The Loose Cannons dropped their first game of the tournament on Saturday, loosing 4-2 to the Norwalk Stars. Scott County won its first three games of the tournament 4-2 over the Extreme Team, 1-0 over the Lightning and 2-1 against the Jaguars...

The Missouri Department of Conservation made fall deer and turkey permits available July 1. Several regulation changes have generated a number of questions. The answers to many of those questions can be found in MDC's "2004 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information" booklet. It is available from permit vendors statewide...

Southeast Missouria SEMO Quail Unlimited, a new conservation group, was formed and elected officers July 22 in a meeting in Dexter. Quail Unlimited was established nationwide in 1981 to battle the problem of dwindling quail and other wildlife habitat. It has become the only national nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the wise management and conservation of wild quail as a valuable and renewable resource...

Pick up the signs I HOPE the politicians have enough responsibility to pick up all the signs they planted all over our landscape. Mini-golf and carp WE NEED to be realistic about a proposed full-fledged downtown golf course in Cape Girardeau. It's not going to happen. ...

Where were the stats? I KNOW I'm a little late in asking this, but I hope you can print an answer to this anyway. Several weeks ago, the paper published All-Southeast Missourian high school baseball team. In your article, statistics were shown for each one of the players who made the team, but some players' statistics were missing. Could you explain to me why?...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Margaret Birkman, 78, of Advance died Saturday Aug. 7, 2004, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arraignments are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- George Allen Orr, 47, died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at his home. He was born March 13, 1957, at Lepanto, Ark. He had been a truck driver for Breeden Enterprises for 18 years and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Morehouse. Surviveors include his parents, George W. ...

Albert H. Axelson, 83, of Cape Girardeau and formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 4, 1920, in Cairo, son of Emil and Fannie Schlamer Axelson. He married Dorothy Meredith. Axelson was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cairo...

Lancer W. Cassoutt, 30, of Williams, Ariz., died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004, in Page, Ariz. He was born Jan. 19, 1974, in Cape Girardeau. He attended Cape Girardeau elementary schools and graduated from Central High School in 1993. Lancer enjoyed the outdoors and helping people. He was a junior volunteer at Saint Francis Medical Center and won the State Bell Volunteer Award in the junior division in 1991...

Laura Anna Voshage Birk, age 93, formerly of Jackson, Mo., passed away Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 10, 1911, in Kurreville, Mo., daughter of Albert and Bertha Grass Winkler. She married William Heider in 1930. He died in 1933. She then married Henry Voshage in 1937. He died in 1977. She and Martin Birk were married Sept.16, 1979, in Jackson. He passed away June 13, 1994...

Baseball Fall baseball league: Registration for the Southeast Missouri Fall Basebal League will be 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Aug. 15 at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park. The league is open to boys ages 8 to 18. Fees are $40 for the 8-9 and 10-11 divisions, $45 for the 12-14 age group and $55 for the 15-18 division. ...

For more than 20 years, Cape Girardeau residents and visitors have been paying special taxes on hotel accommodations and meals eaten at restaurants. Voters approved the taxes in 1983 to pay off bonds that helped fund the construction of the Show Me Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Revenue from the taxes also was earmarked to promote tourism...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items Friday: At 3:41 p.m., an emergency medical service in the 800 block of North Kingshighway. At 6 p.m., an emergency medical service in the 3400 block of William Street. At 7:21 p.m., a structure fire at 131 S. West End Blvd...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Chevalia Natocki Nunley, 25, of 536 S. Pacific St., was arrested Friday on a warrant of commitment. Charles Douglas Tart, 35, of 1115 Bloomfield St., was arrested Friday on a Dunklin County warrant for probation violation...

The Joplin Globe Toll roads could become a hot-button issue in the Missouri Legislature next year as the next governor and General Assembly wrestle with how to improve the state's deteriorating highway-and-bridge infrastructure without asking motorists for the keys to their wallets. .....

The Kansas City Star Kansas City police in the Northland had a sweet idea for rewarding good drivers and promoting positive contacts between officers and citizens. Unfortunately, their good intentions were destined for a meltdown. The Ice Cream Safety Program wasn't a day old before city officials received the first complaint. ...

ATHENS, Greece -- In front of a popular restaurant, a line of customers waits for taxis. And wait. Most of the cabs are full. That's nothing unusual in this city of 4 million people. But it's 2:30 a.m. in a morning that started out being Tuesday night...

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rust of Cape Girardeau are observing their 50th wedding anniversary today. Rust and Barbara Rose were married Aug. 8, 1954, at Centenary United Methodist Church by Dr. Robert C. Holliday. Harry is the son of Wayne and Eva Rust, founders of Rust and Martin. He is an A.S.I.D. interior designer, and retired former owner of Rust and Martin Home Furnishings...

Don and Jo Revelle of Wesley Chapel, Fla., formerly of Cape Girardeau, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Saturday at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Hosts were their children, Douglas and David Revelle of Anacortes, Wash., Daniel Revelle of Baltimore, Md., and Dianne Revelle of Richmond, Va...

Steve and Terry Nelson of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashley Kathryn Nelson, to Justin Jerome Weinkein. He is the son of Jerry and Wilma Weinkein of Perryville, Mo. Nelson is a 2001 graduate of Central High School. She is pursuing a degree in early childhood education at Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed at Southeast University and Commercial Mail Services Inc...

Richard and Mary Ann Hoffman of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Lisa Marie Hoffman, to Brian Thomas Mullis. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Mullis and Chalmus and Diane Strickland, all of Huntsville, Ala. Hoffman is a 1993 graduate of Notre Dame High School. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1998. She is an assistant art director with Horizon Organic...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Larry and Elizabeth Bahr of Scott City and Karen Bahr and Kevin Robinett of Advance announce the engagement of their daughter, Amber Nicole Bahr, to Bandit Wayne Thorne. He is the son of Kenny and Connie Thorne of Benton, Mo. Bahr is a graduate of Advance High School, and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing at Southeast Missouri State University. She is a registered nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

Charles Clayton of Marion, Ohio, announces the engagement of his daughter, Tammy Clayton, to Jeff Hendrix, both of Jackson. He is the son of Gary and Donna Hendrix of Jackson. Clayton is also the daughter of the late Mary Clayton of Jackson. Clayton is a 1997 graduate of Jackson High School, and is attending Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed at Rental Land Special Events...

Conley and Dee Laster of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Beth Elaine Laster, to Branden Corey McCullough. He is the son of Jim and Joyce McCullough of Cape Girardeau. Laster received a degree in early childhood education from Southeast Missouri State University in 2003. She is a substitute teacher and is employed at Gymboree...

NEW HAMBURG, Mo. -- Daniel and Deborah Kern of New Hamburg announce the engagement of their daughter, Kimberly Ann Kern, to Robert Joseph Glessner, both of St. Louis. He is the son of Michael and Wanda Glessner of Waterloo, Ill. Kern is a 1997 graduate of Kelly High School at Benton, Mo. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Ashly E. Zoellner and Edward L. Richardet were married May 1, 2004, at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Apple Creek, Mo. The Rev. Tony Dattilo performed the ceremony. Music was provided by Brittany Layton. Vocalist was Angie Kapp. Parents of the couple are Larry and Donna Zoellner and Edward A. and Linda Richardet, all of Perryville...

NEW HAMBURG, Mo.-- Lauren Renee Sydenstricker and Dr. Brian Keith Heuring were united in marriage May 29, 2004, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church. The Rev. Scott Sunnenberg performed the ceremony. Pianist was Dawn Dowd of St. Louis, and vocalist was Kari Lape of New Hamburg...

Hannah J. Weir and John S. Gandt were married Dec. 19, 2003, at La Croix United Methodist Church. The Rev. Ron Watts performed the ceremony. Musicians were Chris and Shelly Nall. The bride is the daughter of Rodney Weir and Ginger Anderson of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Don and Ginny Gandt of Bloomfield, Mo...

Susan Kay Hecht and Herbie Ray Gilder III were married July 10, 2004, at the home of the bride's parents. The Rev. Ernest Jordan performed the ceremony. Music was provided by Denise Meystedt of Cape Girardeau. The bride is the daughter of Eugene and Vera Hecht of Jackson. The groom is the son of Herbie Gilder of Victoria, Texas, and the late Brenda Wood-Gilder...

Jaime S. Heiden and Shawn D. Hayes exchanged vows July 24, 2004, at the Rock Garden in Jackson. The Rev. Sam Roethemeyer performed the ceremony. Soloist was Sonya Bock of Delta. James and Glenda Heiden of Jackson are parents of the bride. The groom is the son of Chester Hayes and Susan Hayes of Marble Hill, Mo...

Amber Dianne Lueder and Lucas Andrew Hopkins were married June 26, 2004, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. The Rev. Mark Martin performed the ceremony. Organist was Christy Shinn and soloist was Connie Exler, aunt of the bride, both of Cape Girardeau...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Jill Katherine Landewee and Joseph Tyson Bollinger were married June 12, 2004, at St. John's Catholic Church. The Rev. Bill Huggins performed the ceremony. Acolytes were Cole Wesbecher, cousin of the bride, and Brian McWilliams, cousin of the groom, both of Leopold. Eucharistic minister was Stuart Beussink of Leopold, cousin of the groom. Reader was Sabrina Stevens of Canal Winchester, Ohio, aunt of the groom...

Jessica Annette Brown and Jeremy Wayne Birk were united in marriage July 17, 2004, at Zion Lutheran Church in Gordonville. The Rev. Wayne Schwiesow performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Alan and Rebecca Moneyhun of Jackson. The groom is the son of Gary and Donna Birk of Cape Girardeau...

Kimberly Brooke Dodson and Andrew Eastwood Proffer were united in marriage May 15, 2004, at Grace United Methodist Church. The Rev. Scott Moon performed the ceremony. Pianist was Karla Drury of Cape Girardeau. Soloists were Sheila Eby of Whitewater, aunt of the groom, and Alicia Walther of Cape Girardeau...

MACOMB, Ill. -- After three days of joint practices, the St. Louis Rams outplayed the Chicago Bears during a scrimmage Saturday at Western Illinois University's Hanson Field. The Rams unofficially won the scrimmage 12-6, though no score was actually kept during the 90-minute workout...

10 years ago: Aug. 9, 1994 After discarding contentious development plan last month, Rendrag Development Corp. will bring different proposal to Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission; Dr. Robert Gardner, who owns Rendrag, says new plan incorporates changes he hopes will placate residents who opposed first proposal...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Margaret M. Birkman, 78, of Advance died Saturday, Aug. 7, 2004, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 13, 1926, at Whitewater, daughter of George and Annie McCormick Kinder. She and William Birkman Jr. were married Aug. 17, 1944...