Stories from Saturday, March 5, 2005

At first Julia thought her parents were very strict. Then she ran away from home and took up with a man who showed her what strict could really mean. Julia, whose name is changed to protect her identity, involved herself with the wrong man and became a victim of domestic violence in Southeast Missouri...

The Red House Interpretive Center opens its 2005 season today as Cape Girardeau gains new prominence in the history of the Corps of Discovery. Research by Jane Randol Jackson, chairwoman of the Red House board, has revealed that the city played a larger role in Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's Corps of Discovery voyage than first thought. Following the expedition's return from the Pacific Ocean, four of its members settled in the area around Cape Girardeau...

New Cape Girardeau County Treasurer Roger Hudson is proposing a purchasing policy he says will help save the county money on supplies and eliminate legwork for county department heads. Upon the urging of Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones, Hudson's aim is to centralize the county's purchasing of office supplies and materials, which would mean the county could buy more supplies in bulk and take advantage of more state contracts for competitive pricing. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- There are familiar broadsheet newspapers, ideal for leisurely reading. And there are newspaper Web sites, where seekers of quick information point, click and sometimes curse incessant pop-up ads. Now the world's oldest journalism school is introducing newspaper-looking content that electronically transcends ink and paper in a new way. The experiment is called EmPRINT, and analysts say it could be what newspapers may look like in the future...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. employers added more than a quarter-million jobs in February -- the most in four months -- in a bright sign that the labor market is on the mend. Wall Street rallied on the news, propelling the Dow Jones industrials to a 3 1/2-year high...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- American troops fired on a car rushing Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena to freedom on Friday after a month in captivity, killing the Italian intelligence officer who helped negotiate her release and wounding the reporter in another friendly-fire tragedy at a U.S. checkpoint...

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Trying to ease incessant Arab and international pressure and the risk of isolation, Syrian President Bashar Assad is moving to pull his troops in Lebanon back toward Syria's border. But the step, short of a full withdrawal, was bluntly rejected Friday by President Bush...

ST. LOUIS -- Shares of Express Scripts Inc., among the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers, extended their 52-week high on Friday, courtesy of its expectations of a better-than-expected first quarter. Shares of the suburban St. Louis-based company rose 32 cents to close at $84.82 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, having reached as high as $86.30 during the session. On Thursday, the shares soared $7.29, up 9.4 percent to a new one-year high...

WASHINGTON -- Videos from Iraq compiled by a Florida National Guardsman and called "Ramadi Madness" appeared to show one soldier kicking a wounded, cuffed prisoner and another striking a detainee with a rifle butt, yet Army investigators found no cause to charge anyone with abuse, according to Army documents released Friday...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Former New Madrid County prosecutor Hal Edward Hunter Jr. died Wednesday at a hospital in Florida. He was 83. Hunter served as prosecuting attorney for New Madrid County from 1962 to 1990. He was also a member of the State Democratic Committee from 1962 to 1990 and member of the Lincoln University Board of Trustees, Missouri Bar and New Madrid County Bar Association...

* Low self-esteem. She defines herself in terms of who she is to other people, not as an individual. * Traditional attitudes. She believes in the stereotype that it is her job to make a happy home regardless of his violent behavior. * Religious and cultural beliefs. ...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following on Thursday: * At 5:12 p.m., fuel spill at 1809 Kingshighway. * At 8:10 p.m., odor investigation at 2474 Camelback Road. Firefighters responded to the following on Friday: * At 11:02 a.m., emergency medical service in the 400 block of South Frederick Street...

BERN, Switzerland -- Swiss authorities said Friday they have detained five Islamic extremists suspected of using the Internet to show the killing of hostages -- which reportedly included the beheading of an American -- and to give bomb-making instructions...

NEW YORK -- A jury began deliberations but did not reach a verdict Friday in the trial of former WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers, accused of orchestrating the $11 billion accounting scheme that bankrupted the company. The panel spent about five hours discussing the case before adjourning for the week. They were to resume deliberations Monday morning...

LOS ANGELES -- Have you heard the one about Jay Leno, the gag order in the Michael Jackson case and the First Amendment? It's no joke, according to one legal expert: Leno, concerned he could be barred from making "Tonight Show" quips about Jackson's molestation trial, can claim constitutional protection...

As president of the University of Missouri, I am committed to keeping higher education affordable. That is why last summer I challenged our four campuses to establish 266 new scholarships for our neediest students. Today that challenge has been met. Thanks to a public-private partnership, we are creating $8 million in new endowments to support the program...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tiffanne Ryan played the role of unexpected hero to the hilt Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. Ryan, Southeast Missouri State's unheralded backup junior point guard, scored a team-high 15 points on five 3-pointers -- the last one coming with four-tenths of a second remaining as the second-seeded Redhawks squeezed out a thrilling 71-68 victory over third-seeded Tennessee Tech...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State's first appearance in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament semifinals since 1999-2000 will not exactly go down as a memorable experience. The sixth-seeded Redhawks had arguably their worst offensive performance of the season and never threatened second-seeded Eastern Kentucky during a 69-52 loss at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on Friday night...

After winning only six games last year, the Notre Dame boys basketball team entered its first season under coach Paul Hale with little fanfare. When a serious knee injury took down Bryce Willen -- Notre Dame's top returning player -- before the season started, expectations for the Bulldogs sunk even lower. But with the comeback of Willen and a renewed confidence, Notre Dame is one game away from making its first trip to the state final four since 1987...

JUPITER, Fla. -- Pedro Martinez picked up right where he left off last season, and so did Mark Mulder. That's good news for the New York Mets -- and maybe a reason for the St. Louis Cardinals to start worrying. Each team trotted out its new ace Friday, and Martinez looked much sharper than his wild counterpart during New York's 7-5 victory...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Some Illinois lawmakers want to make sure the twinkle in your eye doesn't come from jewelry. In a bizarre move in body modification, a handful of Europeans have had tiny metal hearts and half-moons surgically embedded in the whites of their eyes...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Friday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests * Xitan Chen, 34, 1330 N. Sprigg St., Apt. 6, was arrested on suspicion of stealing following a reported theft at Wal-Mart, 3439 William St...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department's decision to close its Good Hope Street substation makes sense. The substation has helped reduce crime in the area, which in the mid-1990s was nearly out of control. And with the loss of federal Weed and Seed money that was paying the substation's rent and utility costs, the city could not justify keeping it open...

Virginia Jean Wilson, 87, of Jefferson City, Mo., died Wednesday, March 2, 2005, at St. Joseph Home for the Aged. She was born Jan. 7, 1918, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Leo Albert and Catherine Anastasia Cambron Brennecke. She and Robert Smith Wilson were married March 12, 1938, in Jackson. He died June 25, 2002...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Wendell E. Harbison of Farmington passed away Monday, Feb. 28, 2005, at Parkland Health Center at the age of 77. He was born Aug. 25, 1927, in Granite City, Ill., son of Earl and Elsie Cozart Harbison. Mr. Harbison was employed by McDonnell-Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, where he worked in the Gemini space program and as an aircraft assembler. While there he earned a quality award for designing a special tool for use on spacecraft construction...

Jerry L. Sneed, 68, of Jackson, passed away Thursday, March 3, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 6, 1936, in Painton, Mo., son of Clyde W. and Avis Crain Sneed. He and Kay Kerstner were married Sept. 8, 1957, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson...

William A. "Bill" Boitnott, 72, of Jackson died Friday, March 4, 2005, at his home. Friends may call from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Charleston, Mo...

Esther E. Adams, 93, formerly of Jackson, died Friday, March 4, 2005, at Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson, with parish prayers at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Immaculate Conception Church...

ANNA, Ill. -- Margaret May Gill, 88, of Anna died Thursday, March 3, 2005, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill. She was born May 28, 1916, in Cobden, Ill., daughter of Frank Joseph and Catherine May Ryan Schumacher. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Anna. She grew up in the Saratoga community and graduated from Anna-Jonesboro High School in 1934. She worked as a salesclerk for several years at Famous-Barr in St. Louis...

COBDEN, Ill. -- James L. "Jimmy" Boyd, 47, of Cobden, originally of Anna, Ill., died Friday, March 4, 2005, at his home. He was born May 28, 1957, in Anna, son of James and Hilda Lyerla Boyd. He and Cathy Haynes were married Aug. 29, 1997, in Anna...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Funeral for Ileene G. Lacey, 79, of Baldwin, Ill., will be at 10 a.m. today at Greenmount Road Church of Christ in Belleville, Ill., with Archie Montgomery officiating. Friends may call after 9 a.m. today. Burial will be at Calendonia Cemetery in Sparta, Ill...

Leible...

25 years ago: March 5, 1980 A lack of issues and poor weather conditions combined for a light turnout of voters in yesterday's Cape Girardeau City Council primary election; selected for the April 1 general election were Donald R. Strohmeyer, incumbent Robert K. Herbst, Loretta Schneider and Curt S. Smith...

The Unstoppable. The nickname described the Madcap Medics' Todd Lumsden's performance and the doctors' domination in the latest renewal of the Doctor vs. Lawyer Basketball Showdown series. Lumsden's double-double led the doctors to a 65-50 win against the Legal Eagles on Friday in the 12th annual charity event. The victory was the doctors' fourth in a row and 10th overall...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Helen Virginia McMillon, 89, of Springfield, Mo., died Thursday, March 3, 2005, at Lakewood Assisted Living in Springfield. She was born Aug. 7, 1915, at Morehouse, Mo., daughter of Oscar Carl and Minnie Niel Turner. She and T.H. "Mack" McMillon were married Sept. 9, 1943. He died Jan. 17, 1986...

Teaching common sense; Controlling dogs; Welcome back; Seniors' contributions; Satisfied subscriber; Not much cooperation; Are you itching?

To the editor: Some decades ago, a tornado removed a bridge that crossed the Sangamon River on a county road between Cerro Gordo and Cisco in Illinois. Why should someone demand the removal of a barrier that prevents traffic from plunging into the river? Why should someone demand the removal of a warning sign? Why should someone insist that no warning or barrier ever be allowed, under penalty of law, near such an obvious source of harm? On this country road, the warnings are still in place...

Basketball...

Southeast Missouri State softball coach Lana Richmond believes this is the year her program finally gets back on track. The Redhawks were 16-36 last season, including a sixth-place 10-14 in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast was 18-29 in 2003, 14-27 in 2002 and 25-25 in 2001...

Women's club luncheon to be held at Elks Lodge; Good Shepherd to hold open house March 13; Third Street, Hobbs Chapel UMC merge; Wild game and fish for dinner in Fruitland; Revival services begin March 13 in Jackson; Gospel quartet to hold anniversary singing; Easter pageant scheduled at Jackson First Baptist; Open house, reception at Good Shepherd; An eggs-ellent day for children to have fun

To the editor: We do not need George Bush's new budget. This irresponsible budget will, in my home state, destroy health care for people on Medicaid. People who have worked all their lives and paid taxes all their lives will, with this budget, lose, lose, lose. Please call your federal legislators and tell them not to vote in favor of this budget. I know we can do better. And we've paid for it...

To the editor: The purpose of this letter is to convey how dissatisfied we are with the closing of the Millersville Post Office. Residents have been told the closing is temporary because of an increase in rent, but we also hear the U.S. Postal Service wants to make this closing permanent...

To the editor: I am perplexed by the issue of displaying the Ten Commandments. As I see it, by taking them away my rights are violated as well. Why look at these principles as some enforcement of a certain religion? Is there something wrong with "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not commit adultery" and the other seven listed? These basic laws of humanity shouldn't bother anyone with moral values no matter what form they are presented in. ...

How would people react today if a king made a grand entrance on a donkey? Could our proud culture handle the lack of noble grandeur? "Say to daughter Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." Matthew 21:1-11...

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia -- Swept out to sea by the tsunami, Rizal Shahputra drifted on a raft of uprooted trees for eight days, seeing hundreds of people slowly tire and slip beneath the waves before he was rescued. On Friday, he returned home from Malaysia for the first time -- happy to be back but mourning his mother, father and two of his three siblings, who were all killed by the wall of water Dec. 26...

KIEV, Ukraine -- The former interior minister was found dead in his home Friday, an apparent suicide, just before he was to be questioned about the 2000 slaying of an investigative journalist, dealing a blow to an inquiry that could implicate the former president...

KATONAH, N.Y. -- Enjoying her first day out of prison, Martha Stewart fed treats to her horses, harvested lemons in her greenhouse and sent out hot chocolate to chilled reporters as she settled in at her $16 million country estate for five months of house arrest...

When Hunter S. Thompson's body was found in a chair in front of his typewriter, the word "counselor" was found typed in the center of the page. Coming from this legendary "gonzo" journalist, the dispatch was unusually concise. But its presentation was typically flamboyant...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Shares of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. rose more than 22 percent Friday, closing a week of strong gains for the troubled doughnut chain. Shares closed the week at $7.50, up $1.38, or 22.55 percent in Friday trading on the New York Stock Exchange. For the week, shares were up 41 percent...

BANGALORE, India -- India on Friday approved cultivation of genetically modified cotton in its fertile northern region, rejecting demands from anti-biotechnology activists. The government's Genetic Engineering Approval Committee permitted six varieties of so-called BT cotton seeds, based on technology from U.S.-based agribusiness Monsanto Co., for the northern states of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity...

Top-seeded Kelly girls rolled past Woodland 57-27 on Friday night to advance to the championship game in the Class 3 District 2 tournament being hosted by Greenville. Kelly will play Greenville at 6 tonight at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff. The Kelly-Charleston boys championship will follow at 7:30...