Stories from August 2005

Southeast Missouri State University students study abroad in England. Davis Dunavin signed up for Southeast Missouri State University's Missouri London Program months ago. Planning to depart in September, he will spend his entire fall semester in the city, attending classes and immersing himself in the culture...

Cape Girardeau County could save money by cremating residents who die indigent rather than burying them in coffins, 2nd District Commissioner Jay Purcell says. But Gerald Jones, the presiding commissioner, said there are few indigent burials in any year. He's reluctant to change the county's current policy...

The Internet -- and by default its hard-to-separate little brother, the World Wide Web -- was initially conceived with the high-minded goal of instant global communication and top-speed world-wide commerce. According to some local and national experts, though, what people actually use the Net and the Web for has veered slightly off course into the nether realms of cyberspace...

Q: I have had a number of women tell me they will not walk the Cape LaCroix Trail alone because there are people who live under the bridge and there have been attacks on walkers. I am having difficulty believing it, but I have heard this story from different sources. Is this true or just a rumor out of control?...

There is little public scrutiny in the selection of Missouri Supreme Court judges. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- While attending a luncheon in Kansas City in May, Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mary Rhodes Russell had the honor of sharing a table with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. During their conversation, Russell said the veteran member of the nation's highest court touted the virtues of Missouri's nonpartisan system of choosing judges and urged Russell to ensure it is preserved...

St. Louis defeated Los Angeles 7-5 in 11 innings. LOS ANGELES -- Jim Edmonds was supposed to get a day off. He knew better and kept himself prepared for anything. Edmonds drove in three runs with a pinch RBI double in the seventh inning and a two-run homer in the 11th, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday...

NEW YORK -- Manny Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, A.J. Burnett and Mike Cameron all stayed with their teams as baseball's non-waiver trade deadline passed with only five low-level deals involving 11 players. Outfielder Matt Lawton was the highest-profile player to switch sides Sunday, going to the Chicago Cubs from the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Jody Gerut...

I've always found ice cream parlors comforting, especially the old-fashioned ones where they use hand scoops to shovel out heaping mounds of hard serve from heaven. But when you're a parent, ice cream parlors become more than a place to consume cold comfort food. It's a place where your children have near-religious experiences, gobbling up ice cream that makes them happier than Elmo, Six Flags or any Teletubbie ever could...

TRIMONT, Minn. -- It was only a broken headlight on a beat-up pickup truck, but it led Martin County Deputy Matthew Owens to turn around and stop it for a check. The pickup's driver reeked of alcohol and a test showed he had a 0.12 percent blood-alcohol level, enough for a drunken driving offense -- even on one of the last nights in the last state in the country to have a 0.10 percent minimum for driving while intoxicated. ...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- A couple short strips of fabric dangling from Discovery's belly may require an unprecedented repair by spacewalking astronauts, if engineers determine there's even a possibility that the problem could endanger the shuttle during descent, NASA said Sunday...

NEW YORK -- Atkins Nutritionals Inc., the company that promoted low-carb eating into a national diet craze, filed for bankruptcy court protection Sunday, a company spokesman said. Atkins has been hurt by waning popularity of its namesake diet, which focuses on eliminating carbohydrates such as bread and pasta as a way to shed weight. ...

BEIJING -- North Korea's demands for what it should receive in exchange for abandoning its nuclear weapons program snarled talks Sunday, but the U.S. envoy maintained that "things are moving," with more negotiations planned Monday. The negotiations ended their sixth day without an agreement on a Chinese-drafted proposal, and South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said talks Sunday focused on "what corresponding measures other parties will take" in return for an agreement by the North to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.. ...

KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Ugandan and Sudanese forces were searching for John Garang, the southern rebel leader-turned-vice president who is seen as crucial to Sudan's fledgling peace deal, early today after his helicopter disappeared amid reports it crashed in bad weather in northern Uganda. ...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Framers of Iraq's new constitution said Sunday they need more time to finish the document, a move that threatens the political momentum on which Washington has staked its strategy for drawing down forces from the country next year...

CHICAGO -- Wren Bradley loves her union, but she said her "other heart" is committed to her local labor council -- which she'll be forced to leave because of a massive schism in the AFL-CIO. Bradley is a member of the Service Employees International Union, which joined the Teamsters in defecting from the labor giant just as its 50th anniversary convention got underway last week in Chicago. The United Food and Commercial Workers announced its departure Friday...

ST. LOUIS -- Alex Barron, the St. Louis Rams' first-round pick, missed his fourth day of training camp Sunday while talks continued on a contract. The sides may be getting closer to a deal because other players drafted near Barron have agreed to terms in recent days. NFL teams generally base first-year salaries on the contracts of comparable players. Barron was the 19th overall pick and Marcus Spears, the 20th pick, signed Sunday with the Cowboys...

ST. LOUIS -- In college at New Mexico, offensive guard Claude Terrell wrote a column called "Inside the Trenches With Big C" for a fan Web site. As a rookie with the St. Louis Rams, he's already in the middle of things. In what's likely partly a nod to an impressive start and partly a motivational ploy, coach Mike Martz on Sunday elevated the fourth-round pick to starting left guard ahead of free agent Rex Tucker...

DETROIT -- Thomas Hearns scored an eighth-round knockout of John Long on Saturday night in his first fight following a five-year layoff. Long, a 35-year-old St. Louis native who last fought in June 2004, was game for eight rounds but was unable to answer the bell in the ninth at a half-filled Cobo Arena...

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Wade Boggs cried when he acknowledged his father, who turned a scrawny kid into one of the game's toughest outs by teaching him that inside-out swing. Ryne Sandberg was simply Ryno -- smooth, stoic and flush with reverence for the game...

MONTREAL -- Grant Hackett swam to a historic victory, then picked up a well-deserved trophy as top man at the world championships. Michael Phelps? He spent the final night cheering from the stands. The striking contrast made two things abundantly clear: Hackett is one of the greatest swimmers in history, while Phelps spent a little too much time since the Olympics working the talk-show circuit...

Savannah Curl, 7, of Jackson, donated 10 inches of her hair to Locks of Love, a not-for-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Savannah, who made her donation last month, was all smiles as Aleda Phillips from the Style Shop cut her hair. Savannah sent a letter and her photo with her hair to Locks of Love in hopes of becoming pen pals with its recipient...

Navy Lt. Matthew J. Brickhaus, son of Lolamae Brickhaus of Sedgewickville, Mo., and his shipmates made a port visit to Sydney, Australia while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. On the first day of the visit, Brickhaus's ship was host to a reception for more than 1,000 Australian dignitaries, and conducted tours for more than 3,000 guests. ...

Dana names June, July employees of the month Process engineer Brian Davis of Yount, Mo., has been named Dana Corp.'s July employee of the month. He has worked at the Cape Girardeau facility since 1991. Cell technician Elaine Walden of Cape Girardeau has been named Dana's employee of the month for June. ...

The results could affect California's dairy industry if farmers have to comply with new air quality rules. DAVIS, Calif. -- How much gas does a cow pass? It's a serious question for California's dairy farmers, because the answer could cost them big money to comply with new state air quality regulations coming down the pike...

Baseball...

Harry D. Friend Jr., 92, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Saturday, July 30, 2005, at the Lutheran Home. He was born Sunday, June 22, 1913, in Caruthersville, Mo., son of Harry Davenport and Grace Liles Friend, Sr. He and Eulalia F. Kirsch were married Nov. 15, 1942, in Parma, Mo. She preceded him in death Jan. 7, 2004...

Dexter, Mo. -- Lela G. Marquis, 87, of Dexter, formerly of Malden, Mo., died Sunday, July 31, 2005, at Beverly Healthcare Center in Bloomfield, Mo. She was born Oct. 5, 1917, in Dyer, Tenn., daughter of Willie and Hattie Mae Warren Duck. She and Joe Marquis were married Oct. 24, 1953, in Bernie, Mo. He died May 24, 1996...

Joseph Lynn Bellis, 63, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, July 29, 2005, at his home. He was born Jan. 18, 1942, in Chaffee, Mo., son of Harlan and Katherine Sawyer Bellis. Bellis was a self-employed electrical engineer. Bellis was a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints. ...

Grace Casey, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, July 31, 2005, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete with Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

David George Sander, 79, of Jackson, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, July 30, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 6, 1925, in Cape Girardeau, son of Rudolph and Laura Sperling Sander. He and Mildred M. Mayfield were married Nov. 29, 1944, in Gordonville. She died Sept. 8, 1999...

25 years ago: Aug. 1, 1980 Three of the state's top four gubernatorial candidates were in Cape Girardeau yesterday; Lt. Gov. William C. Phelps, rated by most polls as an underdog to former Gov. Christopher "Kit" Bond in the Republican race for governor, was drumming up support in the last hours of his campaign...

Investigation in transit terror plot stretches from England to Italy. LONDON -- Police arrested seven people Sunday during a raid on an apartment in southern England, bringing to 21 the number in custody in the relentless hunt for accomplices in the failed July 21 transit bombings...

TOPEKA, Kan. -- Residents in two Kansas communities are angry over a radio spot for the Kansas Lottery that suggests their towns are boring. The Kansas Lottery is partnering with several Kansas radio stations to promote its Great Escape Hybrid Doubler tickets...

Columbia woman honored for volunteer service; Blagojevich vetoes three pro-gun bills; Chicago man dies while trying to cut down tree

It was Bush's third attempt to travel to Fort A.P. Hill, the Army base sponsoring the Jamboree. BOWLING GREEN, Va. -- Succeeding on his third try to visit them, President Bush comforted thousands of Boy Scouts on Sunday at a national jamboree marred by the electrocutions of four leaders and stifling heat that sickened 300...

RENO, Nev. -- An 8-year-old girl was abducted by a convicted sex offender who took her to Mexico, where the two were found staying in a shelter, authorities said. Officials in Mexico and the United States said the girl was sexually assaulted by Fernando Aguerro, who is accused of kidnapping her from her home near Reno on July 22...

Today, 7 p.m. ** City Hall, 401 Independence St. Study session at 5 p.m. Public hearings * A public hearing regarding the request of the Trust of Robert F. and Gertrude L. Shuck and Raycom America Inc. (owner of KFVS-TV) to rezone 229 N. Lorimier St. from R-4, multi-family residential district, to C-3, central business district...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Saturday: * At 4:42 p.m., emergency medical service at 212 S. Lorimier St. * At 6:57 p.m., alarm in the 2700 block of Plymouth. Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: * At 8:41 a.m., medical assist in the unit block of North Park...

Leroy Rellergert has been in construction all his adult life. And for all of his adult life the Perryville, Mo., man has known that that the process to build concrete steps has been a drain on a developer's wallet. "It was a hassle," Rellergert said. "It was a big pain. There was a lot of waste, and it was time-consuming."...

BOMBAY, India -- Authorities warned residents to remain at home Sunday after heavy rains fell again across Bombay and surrounding areas hammered last week by devastating floods, with more than 900 people now reported dead. Cleanup efforts and the distribution of food supplies to needy residents were slowed by the renewed monsoon rains, which began early Sunday. Aviation officials ordered the city's airports -- the busiest in the country -- closed for seven hours because of poor visibility...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran threatened Sunday to restart some suspended activities that could be used to make atomic weapons if European negotiators do not immediately offer a promised package of incentives to entice Tehran to freeze its nuclear program. A senior European diplomat said the negotiators from Britain, France and Germany were just days away from making Tehran a "generous" offer that could include guarantees that Iran will not be invaded if it agrees to permanently halt uranium enrichment.. ...

BEIJING -- China has proposed a new draft of a statement by negotiators at talks on North Korea's nuclear program, the U.S. envoy said today after weekend discussions were snarled by the North's demands for what it should receive in exchange for disarming. ...

Lance Seasor believes he has found something of a home away from home in Cape Girardeau. In fact, he has actually made his summer home in Cape Girardeau the past three years as the second baseman of the Plaza Tire Capahas, who play the Wichita Gators at 10 p.m. tonight in the opening round of the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan...

The Jackson Cal Ripken baseball team advanced to the semifinals of the Midwest Plains Regional Tourament for 12-year-old boys on Sunday with a 14-2 victory over Iowa City in Dickinson, N.D. Logan Bartles was the winning pitcher. He also had a home run and a double as hewent 2-for-3 at the plate...

RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- The years are beginning to catch up with and run out on Trent Green and his high-flying Kansas City offense. Most of the Chiefs' players are well into their 30s. Resting aching backs, nursing tender knees and feet, they're practicing only once a day while more youthful teammates bear up under a two-a-day grind during an unusual hot spell in western Wisconsin...

Women in Agriculture meet and tour winery The Scott County Women in Agriculture will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday at the USDA office on Highway 77 in Benton, Mo. Following the meeting the group will tour the River Ridge Winery in Commerce, Mo. Women who share an interest in gardening, cooking, farming, family and community activities are invited. For more information, contact Kay Dover at (573) 545-9027...

Missouri usually puts computers to good use. Case.net, the state's computerized database for criminal and civil litigation, is a good example. A bad example of the state's high-tech prowess can be found at the Department of Revenue, where $17 million has been spent on a new computer system still waiting to go online 10 years after it was purchased...

To the editor; The readers of the Southeast Missourian and the other newspapers in the Rust newspaper chain will lose an important resource when Rust Communications closes its bureau at the state Capitol. This is a time when the people of Missouri need to be better served by their newspapers, not deprived of insightful state government reporting. ...

More daylight; No bubble wrap; Christian precepts; Unchecked borders; Abusing a privilege; Safety first

The (Rochester, N.Y.) Democrat & Chronicle At a time when once improbable suicide bombings in this country are now believed by many to be inevitable, it's unsettling how critical homeland security policy decisions are still being made. ... For starters, President Bush needs to call in his homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff. Tell him, for example, that a border patrol official's recent embrace of the idea of a civilian border patrol made a lot of people nervous...

The Des Moines (Iowa) Register Let's hope the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Communications Commission get the message. Those are the federal agencies that would have to OK use of cell phones during flights. Please don't. Flying these days poses enough aggravation without being subjected to dozens of fellow passengers simultaneously engaged in loud, one-way conversations...

The Plaza Tire Capahas will carry plenty of momentum into their 24th consecutive National Baseball Congress World Series appearance. Plaza Tire (24-6) has posted 10 consecutive victories as it prepares to face the Wichita Gators (21-25) at 10 tonight in the opening round of the 46-team, double-elimination event...

No one was even talking about Allen Doyle having a chance to win the U.S. Senior Open. That was precisely the way he wanted it. Doyle shattered the U.S. Senior Open final-round record Sunday, closing with an 8-under 63 to win his third Champions Tour major while others tossed away their chances...

Mid-Life Crsis will provide live music for the event, and the menu includes red beans and rice. Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Missouri, the not-for-profit child advocacy group that works toward the best possible outcome for abused and neglected children in three counties, is gearing up for its annual Blues and Barbecue fund raiser...

Cape Girardeau residents soon will be able to recycle their plastic bags. The city council Monday night approved a five-year contract with Inter-Rail Inc. of Cape Girardeau to buy and haul away recyclable materials, everything from newsprint and cardboard to aluminum cans and discarded appliances...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A year-old state law might not force registered sex offenders who live near schools to move, but it could make it difficult for them to find new homes in certain communities. The law, which took effect Aug. 28, 2004, prohibits known sex offenders from establishing residence within 1,000 feet of a school or child-care facility. Violators can be charged with a misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for repeat offenses...

Shortly after responding to an indecent exposure call Friday to Kiwanis Park, two plain-clothes officers from the Cape Girardeau Police Department found an invitation for sex in the park men's restroom. It was freshly written, police Sgt. Barry Hovis said, and asked for a meeting at 1:30 p.m. The officers went outside and saw a man sitting nearby in a white 1989 Oldsmobile, he said...

BENTON, Mo. -- The Corner Bar and Grill has been a gathering point for Benton residents for decades. After an early Monday morning fire, though, the future of the business is uncertain. The outside appearance of the bar and grill belies the fact there was a fire, other than the yellow caution tape across the front...

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band will present its weekly Concert in the Park at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Capaha Park band shell. The concert theme will be march mania, with all selections in march style. Special entertainment will include the Southeast Flute Choir and guest directors -- the Cape Girardeau Central 2005 drum majors. The concert is free to the public. The band is under the direction of Ronald Nall...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A former employee of Tuff Times Pawn Shop has been arrested and charged with 12 counts of firearms theft and one count of motor vehicle theft, after a police investigation. Frankie Ullman Sr., 54, of Perryville was released on a $10,000 cash only bond. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Four youths ranging in ages of 13 to 15 have been taken into custody by the Perryville Police Department and now face charges related to two burglaries and several vehicle break-ins, police said. Between July 13 and July 17, the department investigated a break-in at the Perry County Middle School, Knights of Columbus Hall, along with several break-ins at the Perry County Hospital and the area of South Spring Street in Perryville. ...

Quarters, dimes, nickels and even pennies aren't safe in our home. Our 9-year-old, Bailey, has made it her mission to find every last penny that's been gathering dust in our home and in our cars. Joni recently gave our daughter a plastic bank jar with a battery powered lid that automatically counts and totals the change pushed through the slot...

The Marlins escaped with a 6-5 victory over St. Louis. ST. LOUIS -- Career pinch-hit leader Lenny Harris added a big one to his total. The 40-year-old Harris had a three-run go-ahead double off Jason Marquis in the sixth inning, helping the Florida Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Monday to keep a second-half surge alive...

The young talent on the defensive line has yet to meet expectations. ST. LOUIS -- In recent years the St. Louis Rams have placed an emphasis in the draft on building a strong interior defense, taking Damione Lewis and Ryan Pickett in 2001 and then choosing Jimmy Kennedy in 2003...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds doesn't expect to play this season because of his injured right knee, putting the San Francisco slugger's quest for the career home run record on hold until at least 2006. "I don't think you're going to see me out there this year," Bonds told MLB.com on Monday. ...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- NASA said Monday it will send out a spacewalking astronaut to fix two worrisome pieces of filler material protruding from Discovery's belly -- a high-stakes operation to repair a problem that could threaten the shuttle during re-entry...

How and when the badge was stolen is under investigation. A Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department badge fell into the wrong hands and was used in a robbery, the Cape Girardeau Police Department said Monday. Exactly how and when the badge was lost is under investigation, sheriff's Capt. Ruth Ann Dickerson said. But the person accused of using it to empty a man's wallet at the KFC restaurant at 2101 William St., as well as his alleged accomplice, are in jail...

Despite above-average rainfalls for July, area farmers are still clamoring for rain as the summer-long drought drags on. Hurricane Dennis drenched Southeast Missouri early last month, but local agriculture officials say the summer has been unusually dry on the whole. A four-member board composed of representatives from agricultural service agencies in the county predicts the drought will adversely affect local crop yields...

n The council opened sealed bids for the closure of the Illmo sewage lagoon. Bootheel Excavation submitted a bid for $156,200 and Heartland Application and Equipment submitted a bid for $151,449. The council did not act on the bids. ** n The council passed 6-0 a resolution approving ASA Asphalt's bid of $42 per ton for street paving. The bid was made for $71,982 total, which could change as more small paving projects could be added. Councilmen John Crail and Jeff Curnell were absent...

Dean's lists; Scholarships

Missourians got their first taste of the REAL ID Act's impact on driver's license renewals last month. The Department of Revenue began requiring anyone obtaining or renewing a driver's license to submit proof -- birth certificate, passport, Social Security card, utility bill, voter-registration card, immigration documents -- of citizenship or legal immigration...

Baseball...

To the editor: What a glorious sight to see on the front page of my newspaper pictures of three so-called conservative Republican federal legislators "happy to give " Cape Girardeau County $5 million that our local leaders have no idea how to spend. I'm so happy Sen. Kit Bond, Sen. Jim Talent and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson could reach into their own back pockets and "give" to us...

Borderline atheism; Making a problem; Better buddy; Taking the punishment; What a party; Where's the justice?; Benton librarian; Using fire trucks; Heart-healthy dining; Reasons to consider; Proof is needed; Lingering trash; Safety inspections; Phones in restaurants; Coming to pieces; Police revenue

Grace G. Casey, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, July 31, 2005, at her home. She was born Dec. 6, 1913, in Cedar Rapids, Neb., daughter of Thomas and Tellie Kush Nowak. She and Harry Casey were married Aug. 24, 1940, in Stapleton, Neb. He died Feb. 17, 1993...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- F. Eugene Keller, 70, of Perryville died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, at his home. He was born Dec. 26, 1934, in Perry County, Mo., son of Frank J. and Sarah Jane Cash Keller. He and Velda Mae Unterreiner were married Feb. 13, 1954, in Perryville...

Donald Ray, 64, of Dexter, Mo., died Sunday, July 31, 2005, at Missouri Southern Healthcare Facility in Dexter. He was born April 29, 1941, in Manila, Ark., son of James Henry and Violet Cook Ray. He and Dorthey JoAnn Baker were married Sept. 14, 1962, at Poplar Bluff, Mo...

MORLEY, Mo. -- James Crawford, 73, of Morley died Saturday, July 30, 2005, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Dec. 12, 1931, in East Prairie, Mo., son of James David and Juanita Pruit Crawford. He and Beatrice Brashear were married June 29, 1954...

Orville Gene Bragg, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, at his home. He was born May 21, 1933, at Grassy, Mo., son of Ezra and Edith Miller Bragg. He and Juanita Holder were married March 28, 1952, in Cape Girardeau. Bragg was employed 33 years at Superior Electric. He attended Third Street United Methodist Church, and was a member of VFW Post 3838...

Brian Licare, 43, of Scott City died Friday, July 29, 2005, at his home. He was born Jan. 4, 1962, in Scott City, son of Vincent and Lorraine A. Bickel Licare. Licare was a graduate of Jackson High School. He was a mechanic at Midwest Diesel Service...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Jackson R. "Jack" Pirtle, 74, of Charleston died Saturday, July 30, 2005, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Oct. 17, 1930, in Indiana. He and Lois Jean Martin were married Oct. 9, 1964. She died Feb. 24, 1991. He later married Rosemary Borders...

Noel; Gardner; Mikels; Cleaves; Hayes

25 years ago: Aug. 2, 1980 Brig. Gen. James N. Ellis, a former Cape Girardeau resident, has been assigned division engineer of the Army South Atlantic Division at Atlanta, Ga. Nearly 1,000 young men registered at area post offices during the two-week Selective Service registration drive that ends today; a check of seven post offices -- Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City, Illmo, Gordonville, Kelso, Mo., and McClure, Ill. ...

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Brice Mellen is a whiz at video games such as "Mortal Kombat." In that regard, the 17-year-old isn't much different from so many others his age. Except for one thing: He's blind. And as he easily dispatched foes who took him on recently at a Lincoln gaming center, the affable and smiling Mellen remained humble...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- At 72, Mayor Darwin Hindman is a passionate cyclist and daily commuter on the city's growing network of bicycle trails. He soon could have plenty of company. The transportation bill passed by Congress last week includes $25 million for this mid-Missouri city to add bike lanes, sidewalks, walking trails and other urban pathways designed to get people out of their cars. ...

A falling Mississippi River forced barge operators to start running narrower, lighter loads over the weekend. And predictions of lower levels to come could squeeze farmers and shippers this fall unless rains break the ongoing drought. The Lower Mississippi River Committee decided Friday that towboats pushing barges should run no more than seven barges abreast and to limit the loads from running no more than 10 feet below the surface...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following call Sunday: * 10:52 p.m., an alarm at the 300 block of Merriwether Street. Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday: * 2:06 a.m., medical assistance at the 3000 block of Bernice Street...

Cape Girardeau...

When Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg was brainstorming with his friends for ideas on a Web site pertaining to college students, it probably didn't cross his mind that he would be contributing to procrastination on campuses around the nation. What came out of weeks of long discussions and late-night coffee binges was a tool for college students known as "Thefacebook," a wildly popular Internet site (www.thefacebook.com) used for getting to know peers, creating common-interest groups and sending out invitations for upcoming social events.. ...

DALLAS -- Exposure to cigarette smoke raises the risk among teens of metabolic syndrome, a disorder associated with excess belly fat that increases the chances of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to a study. Researchers said it is the first study to establish such a link in teenagers...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- King Abdullah quickly assumed the Saudi throne Monday after the death of his long-ailing half brother, giving a smooth transition to the leadership of this key U.S. ally and oil giant already grappling with extremists and debating the need for reform...

Iran delays reopening nuclear processing plant ISFAHAN, Iran -- Iran threatened to reopen its nuclear processing plant here Monday but later agreed to a two-day delay after receiving a request from the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency. A spokesman for Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei asked Tehran for a "maximum of two days" to send its inspectors to Iran's nuclear facility where they can oversee the dismantling of U.N. ...

President defied Dems, said post 'too important' to remain vacant. WASHINGTON -- President Bush installed embattled nominee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations on Monday, bypassing the Senate after a testy five-month standoff with Democrats who argued that the tough-talking conservative was unfit for the job...

NEW YORK -- Rafael Palmeiro poked his finger in the air for emphasis and raised his voice with all the indignation of a man falsely accused. "I have never used steroids. Period," he told a congressional panel in March. On Monday, nearly five months later, the Baltimore Orioles slugger became baseball's highest-profile player to be suspended 10 days for using steroids...

The Plaza Tire Capahas came up short in their opening game at the NBC World Series on Monday night, suffering a 4-1 loss to the Wichita (Kan.) Gators. The Gators broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the top of the fourth and shut out the Capahas for the remainder of the contest. Wichita started its winning rally with two outs and nobody on, stringing together four consecutive hits. The big blow was a two-run double by Chris Iverson...

Fleming, Noel, Gardner...

The history of Perryville and St. Vincent squads are chronicled in Nick Antoine's work. Nick Antoine does not have any ties to Southeast Missouri, just a love of history. That passion led Antoine to take on the challenge of writing a book chronicling the century-long history of high school football in Perryville. More than two years after starting the project, Antoine likely knows more about Perryville football than the residents of the city themselves...

Tipper Gore doesn't want to hear this, but I like rap music. After a long day using my brain at the office, I can't handle any subject matter deeper than making money, evading police and dancing with round-butted women. Joss Stone? Foo Fighters? Nah. "G-Unit in the house, that's my clique."...

Doug Austin was driving back from St. Louis Tuesday when he noticed a billboard depicting two famous frontiersmen. The wording below the black-and-white portrait both startled and amused the retired Cape Girardeau resident: "Stop for food or supplies in Cape Girardeau. Lewis and Clark did."...

ST. LOUIS -- To Chris Carpenter, facing Dontrelle Willis was not a Cy Young preview. It was just another stingy outing. Carpenter is coming out on top against all of the National League's aces. He threw a three-hitter Tuesday night to become the major leagues' first 16-game winner in a 3-1 victory over Willis and the Florida Marlins...

NEW YORK -- Rafael Palmeiro's positive steroid test was for stanozolol, a powerful anabolic steroid that is not available in dietary supplements, according to a newspaper report. The New York Times, citing a person in baseball with direct knowledge of the sport's drug-testing program, reported on its Web site Tuesday that Palmeiro tested positive for the drug known by the brand name Winstrol, most notably linked to the Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson of Canada...

WENTZVILLE, Mo. -- General Motors will spend about $30 million to upgrade its St. Louis-area manufacturing plant over the next two years, the company said Tuesday. No new jobs will be created, but GM vice president and general manager of Manufacturing Joe Spielman said the move helps ensure that jobs will remain at the plant, which makes full-sized Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans...

KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Sudan's capital erupted into ethnic and sectarian conflict Tuesday, with bands of northerners and southerners staging attacks on each other in an outpouring of anger sparked by the death of a former rebel leader turned vice president...

As many as 43 suffered minor injuries. TORONTO -- Just as Air France Flight 358 from Paris was about to touch down, the lights went off in the passenger cabin. Thunder roared and lightning cracked. Then, without warning, the jetliner skidded off the rain-slicked runway, slid into a ravine and broke into pieces...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State revenue in July rose 2.8 percent compared with the previous year, putting the state roughly on target to meet its new budget, the Office of Administration said Tuesday. Net state general revenue totaled $430.5 million, up from $418.8 million a year ago, for July, the first month of the 2006 fiscal year...

The year was 1973 and drugs in baseball had an entirely different meaning when the late Tug McGraw rallied both a team and a city by telling them "You Gotta Believe." The New York Mets and their fans believed enough to get to the World Series that year...

BALTIMORE -- Depending on whom you ask, Rafael Palmeiro's claim that he unwittingly took something to cause a positive test for steroids is either plausible -- or laughable. The lack of regulation and testing of nutritional supplements lends credence to the claims of players who say they were caught unaware by positive tests, one researcher said Tuesday...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo will mark its 53rd year next week by featuring four young country acts. Ron Payne, president of the rodeo board of directors, said the rodeo tries to change the entertainment lineup from year to year to offer something for all country music fans...

A northbound Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train derailed in Jefferson County about 3:30 p.m. Monday after sideswiping a stopped southbound train along Interstate 55 south of Richardson Road in Imperial, Mo. The crew for both BNSF trains were from Chaffee, Mo., according to a Burlington Northern spokesman, who said the company would not release crew names while the accident is being investigated. Trains traditionally have a two-person crew, one as engineer and one as brake man...

Rep. Emerson starts farm tour Friday U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will hold her weeklong annual farm tour in Southeast Missouri starting Friday. Emerson will be accompanied on the farm tour by U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. ...

A St. Louis man suffered serious injuries Monday evening in a crash in northern Scott County, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. Fred Noah, 68, was taken by helicopter to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau for treatment. Noah was driving southbound, exiting Interstate 55 when he failed to stop at a stop sign, the patrol reported. His 1989 Mazda hit the side of a 2005 Honda driven by Amanda Scherer, 24, of Scott City, causing severe damage to both vehicles...

A Perryville, Mo., man crashed his car into a tree late Monday on County Road 724, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. John Fitzgerald, 31, sustained moderate injuries in the wreck and was taken by ambulance to the Perry County Hospital, the patrol reported...

A Scott City man was issued a municipal summons Tuesday for allegedly exposing himself in Kiwannis Park to two plainclothes Cape Girardeau police officers. Gary A. Hinton, 39, of Scott City was arrested Friday. Cape Girardeau police withheld his name until a decision was made on charges...

In laying out his goals for the Cape Girardeau School District, new superintendent Dr. David Scala said the district's comprehensive educational plan will be assessed over the next six months. Officials say that long-range plan may include the addition of an auditorium, football stadium and classrooms at Central High School along with a new grade school...

To the editor: Vincentian Marian Youth of Southeast Missouri [based in Perryville, Mo., with 22 young people and 11 adults on a weeklong mission trip] came to Rock View, W. Va., a small community with special needs. These youths, under Cathy Peirick, undertook a project in my mother's home. She is 87 years old and not able to do a lot of work because of illness. She's still self-sufficient but needs work done on her home. Because of family jobs and other obligations, we couldn't get to it...

To the editor: I am writing in regard to the recent article about legislators objecting to getting calls from constituents. According to the article, legislators complained to the Department of Social Services about receiving calls from people whose Medicaid health coverage was cut or eliminated. ...

To the editor: I am so thankful to the Southeast Missourian, and in particular Scott Moyers, for the positive articles written about cooperative ministry going on in south Cape Girardeau with New Bethel Baptist Church and La Croix United Methodist Church. We have had people from the community calling and asking how they can help and get involved because of the exposure The Bridge has received. Truly, thank you so very much...

Use it sometimes; Smell the bacon?; TV exposure; Movie economics; Self-taught?; Melting pot; Bacon squeal; How to spend it; Document hassle; Pro-life support; Hybrid SUV; Still waiting; Brand offenders; Hard-won privileges

Brian Licare, 43, of Scott City died Friday, July 29, 2005, at his home. He was born Jan. 4, 1962, in St. Louis, son of Vincent and Lorraine A. Bickel Licare. Licare was a graduate of Jackson High School. He was a mechanic at Midwest Diesel Service...

Dr. B. Gene Ramsey, 74, of Cape Girardeau passed away peacefully at his home Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, after a brief battle with cancer. He was born Aug. 15, 1930, in Springfield, Mo., son of Francis Eugene and Bessie Helen Murphy Ramsey. Gene spent his early childhood in Springfield. Later he lived in Massachusetts, Virginia and Delaware until his family settled in Jackson, Miss. There he attended Hinds Junior College...

Frank V. Klueppel Jr., 72, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at his home. He was born Sept. 22, 1932, at Benton, Mo., son of Frank V. and Dorothy Scherer Klueppel Sr. He and Carolyn Hinton were married Nov. 16, 1963. Frank was a 1951 graduate of the former Benton High School. He served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955...

Wilmer W. Davis, 85, of Whitewater died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 31, 1920, at Dutchtown, son of Jeff and Nora Seabaugh Davis. He married Viola Sticht, who died Nov. 16, 1999. Davis was a row crop farmer and raised cattle. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church...

LICK CREEK, Ill. -- Daniel Lee "Danny" Schlenker, 56, of Lick Creek died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, at City Care Center in Anna, Ill. He was born Sept. 30, 1948, in Saline County, Ill., son of Wardell and Mary Lou Libby Schlenker. Schlenker was a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in Buncombe, Ill...

Gladys Strong, 72, of Jackson died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

John E. Davis, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Aug. 19, 1924, in Cape Girardeau, son of Harry E. and Alma Klughart Davis. He and Evelyn Sachse were married Dec. 24, 1943, in Cape Girardeau...

The Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Missouri will hold a Blues and Barbecue benefit and auction at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at Deerfield Lodge. The date was incorrect in Monday's edition. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error.

Zonta Club...

25 years ago: Aug. 3, 1980 The Rev. John E. Owen is the new pastor of First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau; he is the grandson of Dr. E.D. Owen, who was pastor of First Baptist in the late 1920s and early 1930s; his father, Dr. Franklin Owen, executive secretary of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, was ordained and licensed as a Baptist minister at First Baptist...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri appellate court on Tuesday reinstated a state trooper's suspension for shooting a gun out of the hand of a suspect who had threatened suicide. A three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District in Kansas City ruled that the Missouri State Highway Patrol superintendent's discretion to suspend Sgt. ...

Four of five voters approve the city's second transportation sales tax extension. Cape Girardeau voters Tuesday overwhelmingly extended the city's transportation sales tax for another five years. The measure passed by a margin of 81.6 percent to 18.4 percent...

Merchants expecting huge weekend in sales as shoppers can save up to 7 percent in taxes. The sales tax holiday for back-to-school purchases is back, and retailers are bracing for a stampede of shoppers this weekend second only to the Christmas. "We are expecting 20 percent more than a regular weekend," said Debbie Marshall, human resources manager of the Cape Girardeau Target store. ...

Less-expensive bond issue for high school renovation gets 54 percent of the vote. "Whoohoo!" That's the only word that seemed to truly describe the way Jackson School District officials felt Tuesday night as they watched the election results for their high school bond issue roll in...

Naysayers charge many projects were passed for political reasons. When President Eisenhower proposed the first national highway bill, there were two projects singled out for funding. The latest version has, by one estimate, 6,371 of these special projects, a record that some say politicians should be ashamed of...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Seven U.S. Marines were killed in two separate attacks west of Baghdad, where American forces are trying to seal a major border infiltration route for foreign fighters, the military said Tuesday. The deaths pushed the U.S. military death toll in Iraq past 1,800...

Anti-Roberts interest groups blitz Internet sites WASHINGTON -- Interest groups troubled by John Roberts' record are blitzing Internet sites and airwaves in hopes of building public support for the Senate to take a close look at the Supreme Court nominee. ...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Monday: * 6:39 p.m., emergency medical service in the 400 block of South Hanover Street. * 7:05 p.m., an alarm sounding at 2027 Broadway. Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday:...

MOSCOW -- Russia's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it will not renew permission for ABC-TV to operate in the country after the network broadcast an interview with a notorious Chechen warlord. In a statement, the ministry said ABC would be considered "undesirable" by all Russian state agencies because of an interview with Shamil Basayev, which was broadcast last week on "Nightline."...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- King Fahd was laid to rest in an unmarked desert grave Tuesday after his body, wrapped in a simple brown robe, was borne from a prayer service by his sons. Vice President Dick Cheney and other world leaders headed to Saudi Arabia to pay condolences and honor Crown Prince Abdullah's ascension to the throne as the sixth king of the wealthy oil power...

The offensive lineman thought his career was over after each of the last two seasons. ST. LOUIS -- The offensive lineman who earned the nickname Lazarus from St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz is back from the ashes yet again. Everybody expected guard Tom Nutten to retire after he limped through a playoff loss to the Falcons with a toe that required reconstructive surgery. Nutten included...

MIAMI -- Shaquille O'Neal likely left millions on the bargaining table. What he wants more than money is another championship. O'Neal signed a $100 million, five-year contract with the Miami Heat on Tuesday, a deal that gives the 12-time All-Star center added financial security while allowing his team salary flexibility to pursue other players...

The new-look NHL has some brand new players in the free agent market. Dishing out big contracts to big players is no longer a summertime activity limited to large-market teams. Welcome to the party, Columbus and Atlanta. Two of the NHL's three youngest franchises jumped into the fray on a very busy Tuesday as Columbus nabbed topflight defenseman Adam Foote, and Atlanta signed rugged forward Bobby Holik...

Baseball...

Cape team claims NSA state title...

The Jackson 12-year-old Cal Ripken baseball team completed a dominating run through the Midwest Plains Regional in Dickinson, N.D., on Tuesday. Jackson defeated Waite Park, Minn., 11-7 in the championship game to capture the title in the nine-team event. Jackson now advances to the Cal Ripken World Series Aug. 12-21 in Aberdeen, Md...

CREVE COUER, Mo. -- Gabe Sauer chewed on a Snickers bar and, despite the slogan, it wasn't satisfying. While he stood off the to the side eating his chocolate treat there were three boys who Sauer played with collecting trophies and having their picture taken. They'd finished in the top three; Sauer finished fourth...

July is over, the summer school break is winding down and our children are ready to go back to school. They have had a busy and wonderful vacation, but I think they are ready for a routine and schedule again. Or maybe it's just me. We have gone shopping for school supplies and their backpacks are ready to go. So now we just get ready by going to bed on time and getting up earlier to get used to the schedule. We look forward to another great year...

WICHITA, Kan. -- The Plaza Tire Capahas will have plenty of free time before their next game in the National Baseball Congress World Series. That's because they lost to the Wichita Gators 4-1 late Monday night in the opening round of the 42-team, double-elimination...

BEIJING -- Breaking its public silence on nuclear disarmament talks, North Korea said Tuesday it wants to narrow differences with the United States but still insisted it won't give up its atomic weapons program until Washington withdraws alleged threats...

Discovery's crew will remove two short pieces of filler material on the shuttle's belly. SPACE CENTER, Houston -- Employing the kind of NASA ingenuity seen during Apollo 13, an astronaut prepped for an emergency repair job on Discovery's exterior Wednesday with forceps, scissors and a hacksaw fashioned out of a blade and a little duct tape...

Baskets are one of the greatest household items ever. They can be used for decoration, gift-giving, organizing and transportation. In my book, the only thing better than being nifty thrifty is being able to multitask. Though I've long since moved out from under my parents' roof, things belonging to me in some fashion continue to pile up. The post office still delivers mail there, though I've consistently changed my address. My mother still clips my columns for me to keep...

Aug. 8, 2005 Dear Leslie, In the Plaka, Athens' oldest neighborhood, the air smells ancient. Framed by lights, the Acropolis far above confirms it. But antiquities don't become antiquities by accident. America is comparatively young, nearly 230 years and counting. For a long time Americans tore down buildings when they became old and replaced them with new ones, thinking that was progress. That wasn't progress. Progress is knowing that our history belongs to us...

Josh Harkins was stabbed once in the back below the left arm, puncturing his lung. WARE, Ill. -- An 11-year-old boy was charged with attempted murder Wednesday following a Tuesday night stabbing which left the victim in critical but stable condition...

While stolen gas losses doubled nationwide, only 20 Missouri thieves lost licenses last year. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As gasoline prices continue to rise well past the $2-per-gallon mark, more motorists are inclined to drive off without paying after filling up...

Some couples peacefully ask for license despite law that was passed last year. ST. LOUIS -- Erick Semenske and Tim Coleman joined hands Wednesday, then walked into a city hall office and asked for a marriage license. A clerk politely directed them to another office where they could register as domestic partners, and Recorder of Deeds Sharon Carpenter then met Semenske, 25, and Coleman, 35, in the hallway and explained why the marriage license couldn't be issued...

ST. LOUIS -- Considering his puny 2-for-18 showing as a pinch hitter, So Taguchi hardly struck fear into the Florida Marlins when he strode to the plate. So much for history. Taguchi hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning -- the first pinch hit homer of his career, including 10 years in Japan -- to lead the St. Louis Cardinals past Florida 9-6 on Wednesday night...

A committee wants to know if the baseball player perjured himself in testimony in March. WASHINGTON -- Congress will investigate whether baseball slugger Rafael Palmeiro perjured himself when he told a House committee that he hadn't taken steroids...

After an 8-4 freshman season, the pitcher said he was not comfortable and may attend a junior college in New Mexico. Joey Evans said there was really nothing specific he could put his finger on regarding why he left Southeast Missouri State's baseball program earlier this summer after a strong freshman season...

Southeast is among the many teams breaking in a new quarterback this fall. If last season was the year of the quarterback in the Ohio Valley Conference, then this season might be referred to as the year of the unknown quarterback around the league. Several prolific signal callers completed their eligibility in 2004 -- four passed for more than 2,000 yards -- and the returning quarterbacks aren't exactly heralded...

NEW YORK -- For the first time, researchers have established how much exercise women should be able to do for their age and found that their capacity is slightly lower than men's. It also declines a bit faster than men's as they grow older. Women whose exercise capacity was less than 85 percent of what it should be were twice as likely to die within eight years, the researchers found...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- Spacewalking repairman Stephen Robinson was barely back inside Discovery and out of his spacesuit Wednesday when Mission Control called: What would he think about going out again to take care of another trouble spot? NASA said it may order a fourth spacewalk, on Friday, to repair a torn thermal blanket beneath a cockpit window...

Lightning kills Utah Boy Scout, injures three SALT LAKE CITY -- A bolt of lightning killed a 15-year-old Boy Scout and injured three others while they slept in a log shelter during a violent storm. Dr. Stephen Morris, a trauma surgeon at the University of Utah's burn unit who was with the troop, said he tried in vain for 90 minutes to revive the boy, who had no heartbeat and wasn't breathing. ...

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- A major Palestinian militant group promised Wednesday it would fire no more rockets at Israelis with the approach of Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this month, after a barrage accidentally killed a 5-year-old Palestinian boy...

LONDON -- British police filed their first charges in the London terror investigations Wednesday, accusing a 23-year-old man of withholding information about the July 21 transit bombers. Police say that in the week after the attack, Ismael Abdurahman of southeast London had information he knew might help police capture suspects involved in "the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism."...

One Marine survives as bomb decimated lightly armored vehicle. BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Fourteen U.S. Marines were killed Wednesday when a huge bomb destroyed their lightly armored vehicle, hurling it into the air in a giant fireball in the deadliest roadside bombing suffered by American forces in the Iraq war...

ASHTON, Ill. -- A goose that received national attention for her devotion to the cows on a farm near this northern Illinois town has died from injuries she received after one of the cows stepped on her. Lucy spent more than three years eating and sleeping with the cows she loved on John White's farm. But last month, a cow stepped on her, White said. Lucy died from her injuries Monday...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Pat Day's long ride is over. The Hall of Fame jockey ended his brilliant 32-year riding career Wednesday. Day, who won the 1992 Kentucky Derby aboard Lil E. Tee, will have a news conference at Churchill Downs today to discuss his decision, said Doc Danner, the rider's agent...

FRANKFURT, Germany -- By combining Adidas' popularity in Europe with Reebok's appeal to U.S. fans of basketball and football, the architects of the $3.8 billion sportswear and athletic gear deal hope to create a more muscular rival to world leader Nike. Adidas-Salomon AG said Wednesday it has agreed to buy Reebok International Ltd. for $59 a share that combines two major brands. The company will keep both brand names...

The school's report said there is no proof athletes received any gifts. COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Concerns over improper gifts to college athletes prompted the University of Missouri-Columbia to repeatedly warn local car dealers, restaurants, health clubs, hotels and other businesses to keep their distance, an internal audit shows...

Leadership Cape to give presentations at coffee The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly First Friday Coffee at the Show Me Center this week. This month's event will feature presentations from the latest class of Leadership Cape. The program will begin at 7:30 a.m. Friday, after a continental breakfast at 7 a.m. While the chamber makes every attempt to end the program at 8:30, the chamber said Friday's event may run a little longer...

The Cape Girardeau County sheriff's deputy who lost a badge used in an alleged robbery didn't know it was missing, sheriff's Capt. Ruth Ann Dickerson said Wednesday. An investigation of the loss showed there wasn't any need for disciplinary action against the deputy, she said...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A woman seeking medical attention under an assumed name received more than she wanted Monday evening at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. And the person whose name she was using -- Callie Robinson of Charleston, Mo. -- learned it doesn't pay to be impatient, the Sikeston police reported...

Police charge suspects in teacher pension fraud; Station fires DJs after comments about police; Dixon officer charged with domestic assault

Boy Scout Troop 311 recently announced that Andrew Graham and Kyle Garvey, both of Jackson, and Justin Voss of Cape Girardeau have earned Scouting's highest rank, Eagle Scout. Their court of honor was held recently at the Immaculate Conception Parish Center in Jackson...

Dirden now machinist mate second class Bruce Dirden, son of Linda and Joe Dirden of Cape Girardeau, recently advanced to machinist mate second class in the U.S. Navy. Dirden enlisted in the Navy in July 2001. After graduation from Nuclear Power Training Command, Charleston, S.C., he was assigned to serve aboard the USS Key West in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he is now stationed...

Zion serving beef, chicken, dumplings...

Medicare help available at Delta Baptist Church; Class of '86 working on 20-year reunion; Combined reunion to be held at Knights hall; Deadline for barbecue festival is next week; Friedrich family reunion set for Delmonico's; Humane Society holding mobile adoption Saturday

With changes in Medicaid eligibility adopted in Missouri this year, there were bound to be participants in the health-care assistance program who would be unclear about how the revised program would affect their benefits. Many of these Medicaid recipients have talked to caseworkers in the state Division of Family Support Services, and many of them also have called their state legislators asking for assistance and, sometimes, specific information about their particular situation...

A breakthrough cancer treatment device in Cape Girardeau -- one of only 29 in the country -- owes its existence to a teenager with a penchant for video games. The Novalis shaped-beam-surgery device has proven itself to be invaluable for certain cancer patients and patients with non-malignant tumors...

Forty years ago, late on a balmy Missouri night, I sat in my snazzy new electric-blue 1965 Dodge Dart convertible with my favorite gal-pal Ann, a willowy brunette with an early-onset acerbic view of the world. What I liked about Ann was her ability to co-create the delusion of our certainty. She was convinced that we were wise beyond our years and circumstances; certainly, we would be able to answer all of life's mysteries...

To the editor: When picking up my papers July 27, I noticed the same beautiful picture of the shuttle launch on the front page of the Southeast Missourian and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, the picture in your paper had much more clarity and vivid color. -- amazing difference. I wanted to thank you for bringing such a high-quality product to the readers in our area...

To the editor: I was a neighbor of the mother and son who recently died due to the heat. I was not aware of the circumstances nor how bad it was. I live in a humble abode, but I do have air conditioning and plenty of ice water. I'll be glad to share this with those who need them. There should be no more deaths due to the heat. If we all share, especially with children and senior citizens, it might help...

To the editor: Missouri families can save money this weekend. Last year for the first time shoppers saved on back-to-school supplies, computers and clothes, thanks to the sales-tax holiday. The result was so positive that the General Assembly and Gov. Matt Blunt made the sales-tax holiday permanent this year...

To the editor; Regarding your July 28 editorial, "Fighting drugs," not only is President Bush seeking to cut funding for the domestic war on methamphetamine, but the Bush administration continues to wage an international drug war that stands to boost meth production. ...

Military funding; For the ban; Breathing problem; Make a choice; Unaffordable pork; Getting records; Using his brain

Dr. Rowland A. Fulenwider Jr., 63, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 11, 1941, in Cape Girardeau, son of Rowland A. and Emily Patterson Fulenwider Sr. He and Dixie Taylor were married Dec. 9, 1972, in Trenton, Tenn...

Gladys L. Strong, 72, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 3, 1932, at Friedheim, daughter of H.F. and Lorene Klaus Friese. She and Juel L.V. "Pete" Strong were married Oct. 17, 1954...

Letha C. Mandrelle, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Oct. 14, 1913, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of C.O. and Katie Vancil Dawson. Mrs. Mandrelle attended Red Star Baptist Church. She worked at Rigdon and then Tipton Laundry more than 30 years as production supervisor. She was a lifelong resident of Cape Girardeau...

ANNA, Ill. -- Diana L. Dodd, 85, of Anna died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at her home. She was born Dec. 17, 1919, in Anna, daughter of John Frederick and Gladys Spires Lentz. She and Kenneth W. Dodd were married Oct. 30, 1943, in Santa Ana, Calif. Dodd was a 1937 graduate of Anna-Jonesboro High School, and received a bachelor of science degree in education from Southern Illinois University...

ANNA, Ill. -- Mary Helen Goddard, 97, of Anna died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at Union County Hospital. She was born Dec. 30, 1907, on the family farm west of Jonesboro, Ill., daughter of John Jasper "J.J." and Mary Naomi Gillespie Boyd Sr. She and Byrl Alton Goddard were married Sept. 23, 1927. He died March 31, 1988...

David Ronald Palmer, 43, of Seattle, Wash., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, June 24, 2005, in Seattle. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Ford and Sons Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Criddle; Gilmore; James; Berger; Willis; Locklear

25 years ago: Aug. 4, 1980 Republican Kit Bond and Democrat Milton Morris of Kansas City are the winners in Cape Girardeau County in a test of the computer that will tabulate the punch card votes cast in tomorrow's primary election; the test, witnessed by two Republican and two Democratic party representatives as well as County Clerk Rodney Miller, proved successful as the hand-counted results agreed with the electronically tabulated totals...

The Rev. David Butler will reimburse $16,820 to people who bought tickets to support children's home. Charges stemming from a failed raffle have been dismissed after the organizer turned over enough cash to repay ticket holders, a Cape Girardeau defense attorney said Wednesday...

Former St. Vincent's Seminary getting concrete reinforcements for earthquake protection. From the outside, the old L-shaped brick seminary building still retains its more-than-century-old look. But inside, it's been gutted and thick concrete walls have been erected to withstand a major earthquake...

On Medicaid's 40th anniversary -- just upon us -- some visionary governors are showing how chopping the $300 billion spent on the joint federal-state program for 53 million poor and disabled Americans is not the only solution to its staggering costs. ...

Three apartment complexes hug Linden Street. The south-side Cape Girardeau street is also home to the county's busy public health center. Cape Girardeau city officials say the narrow street needs widening and sidewalks. The city plans to award a contract this fall for the street and sidewalk construction, estimated to cost nearly $196,000...

Cape Girardeau...

A year ago, some 150 cyclists of all ages converged on Jackson City Park in August for heart-pumping exercise, picturesque scenery and a good cause. The second annual Tour de Homecomers, scheduled for Aug. 13, will offer an even longer ride through several Southeast Missouri towns and, event organizers hope, even more money to donate to "Way to go Kids," a nutrition and fitness program in local schools...

The team's pending sale was cited as one of the reasons St. Louis traded the standout defenseman. ST. LOUIS -- The National Hockey League's new collective bargaining agreement, combined with the fact the St. Louis Blues are for sale, forced the team to trade cornerstone defenseman Chris Pronger to the Edmonton Oilers...

A Perryville resident sustained moderate injuries in a single-car crash south of Brazeau Thursday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. Lindsey Maggi, 21, was driving southbound on Route C when the car she was driving ran off the right side of the road. Maggi ran back across the center line, over-corrected and ran the car back off the right side of the road and overturned, the patrol reported. She was taken to Perry County Hospital for treatment...

A well-known Jackson chiropractor died this week from injuries sustained in a late June accident near his office. Rowland Fulenwider, 63, had been released Monday from Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau after spending weeks recovering from being hit by a pickup truck on South Hope Street, daughter Emily Fox said Thursday evening...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After minimal discussion, the Missouri State School Board on Thursday rejected a proposal to create a new public school district at Matthews. The board's unanimous action marks the second time it has thwarted efforts to carve a new school system out of the New Madrid County School District...

The 11-year-old Ware, Ill., boy who was stabbed Tuesday by his 12-year-old neighbor is now in recovery at Saint Francis Medical Center, according to family friend Katy Ferguson. She said Josh Harkins, is still in intensive care, but he is doing better and has been watching television. His mother has been staying with him overnight. Ferguson said the family does not know for sure yet when the boy could be released from the hospital...

High school students in the 1960s saw a psychedelic super ride that included a lunar landing, a rock 'n' roll British Invasion and a war in the jungle. For many of them, history happened before they reached their 18th birthday. Today, however, the oldest graduates of the '60s are actually in their 60s, but about 500 of those still young-at-heart are expected to return to Cape Girardeau this weekend for a little glimpse back at their golden years. ...

Loaded with their sleeping bags and exhausted after a 22-hour bus ride, 35 area Boy Scouts returned to Cape Girardeau Thursday morning from the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Bowling Green, Va. Scoutmaster Bill Eddleman said the local Boy Scouts "had a blast" at the Jamboree, which started July 25 and ended Wednesday, even though it grabbed national headlines for tragic events. ...

Cape Girardeau artist Craig Thomas unveiled his newest work Thursday night at First Missouri State Bank. The mural, commissioned by the bank, depicts famous Cape Girardeau landmarks like Cape Rock, the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, the downtown floodwall and the new federal building. The mural, on canvas inside the bank building, measures 19 feet long by 11 feet high...

Traffic on Interstate 55 near Scott City will be temporarily reduced to one lane on Aug. 12 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a guardrail near mile marker 93. For more information, call (888) 275-6636.

Some of you may be surprised to know that Elvis and I share some of the same food favorites. Sort of. The King was fond of peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. At least that's what my wife and I learned several years ago during a tour of Graceland...

ST. LOUIS -- A.J. Burnett's first start since the Florida Marlins decided to keep him at the trade deadline was a lot like the three before that. Burnett pitched into the eighth inning and Miguel Cabrera had four hits in a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night that gave Florida a split in the four-game series...

Roof repair begins in post office renovation; lobby plans not yet finished. Workers began repairing the roof on the old post office at 329 N. Frederick St. in Cape Girardeau two weeks ago, the first phase of the renovation project that will return postal operations to the 40-year-old building after a 1 1/2-year absence...

Federal highway dollars will pay the entire cost of a new and expanded Interstate 55 interchange in Cape Girardeau County and two connecting roads, local and state officials said Thursday. The government largesse could expand the project to include outer roads paralleling the interstate, but not without local funding, Jackson Mayor Paul Sander said...

Chief: Handcuffing child didn't break police rules ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Police officers committed an error of judgment when they handcuffed an unruly kindergartner at school in March but did not violate policy, the department's chief said Thursday. ...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- After much soul-searching and analysis, NASA cleared Discovery to return to Earth next week, concluding Thursday that there was no need to send the astronauts out on another spacewalk to repair a torn thermal blanket near a cockpit window...

LONDON -- In a show of force to calm an edgy London, officers armed with submachine guns patrolled uncrowded subway stations and police helicopters hovered over city streets as one of the busiest Underground lines reopened Thursday -- four weeks to the day after suicide bombers killed 52 people...

SHFARAM, Israel -- A 19-year-old Israeli soldier opened fire inside a bus Thursday, killing four Israeli Arabs in the deadliest attack on Arabs in Israel by a Jewish extremist since 1990. An angry crowd then killed the gunman. Thirteen people, including bus passengers and two policemen, were wounded in the shooting, which appeared linked to tensions over the upcoming Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Social Services acknowledged Thursday that a typographical error in a letter informing 339,000 Medicaid recipients of impending cuts wrongly listed a Montana woman's toll-free number as the state help line for hearing or speech impaired people...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- All of Missouri's 114 counties are now being assessed by the Missouri Farm Service Agency to determine agricultural damage from dry weather. Gov. Matt Blunt on Wednesday asked the agency to add eight counties in northwest Missouri to the list, although another state agency says those counties were not under drought conditions as of July 29...

Nobody likes being lied to. But only Congress gets to make a federal case out of it. And bully for them in this case, since everybody else involved in baseball's ongoing steroid sham is either unwilling or unable to do anything about it. Three weeks ago, Rafael Palmeiro doubled into the left-field corner in Seattle for his 3,000th hit and got a three-minute standing ovation. ...

WASHINGTON -- Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist was hospitalized briefly with a fever on Thursday, the second emergency treatment for the 80-year-old ailing justice in two months. Rehnquist was treated and released from Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., the same hospital where he spent two nights for observation and tests in July, also after running a fever...

Hardly a day goes by that doesn't involve plastic bags, those convenient totes with built-in handles that most retailers provide for shoppers at checkout lanes. Most homes have a drawer or shelf or bin stuffed with these plastic bags, which conveniently squeeze tighter and tighter, making room for ... more bags...

To the editor: In response to the story "Medicaid changes may make disabled quit jobs: I am on the board of the Rolla Area Sheltered Workshop. On July 18, a survey to gather information was sent out to determine how the new Medicaid guidelines would affect our disabled employees. ...

To the editor: As the director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, I am pleased to respond to your Aug. 2 editorial on the REAL ID act. To clarify, the new driver's licensing requirements are not a result of federal legislation called the REAL ID Act. Rather, they are the result of state legislation (Senate Bill 1233) signed into law by former Gov. Bob Holden effective July 1...

To the editor; The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Lawmakers in Jefferson City, Mo., recently directed state employees to shield them from telephone complaints by citizens upset with their policies...

Show compassion; Cutting county fat; Drug busts; Humble pie; Ode to TeAta; Deserve a treat; Feel-good program; Crackdown on drugs; Bipartisan whining; Safe motoring; Workshop benefits; Support for police; Heartless idea; More bubble wrap; Can't fool Mother Nature

Juanita M. Sebastian Popp, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Dec. 28, 1924, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Albert and Mary Cook Sebastian. She and Richard Popp were married Aug. 17, 1947, in Cape Girardeau. He died Nov. 20, 1998...

Barbara Rebecca "Bobbie" Barnett, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at her home. She was born July 12, 1937, at Kennett, Mo., daughter of William Howard and Rella Alice White Linam Sr. Barnett retired as a riverboat cook for Luhr Brothers. She was of the Native American tribe Ah-Ni-Yv-Wi-Ya, and a member of Morley VFW Auxiliary Post 5368...

Nelson W. Amos, 82, of Jackson died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 13, 1923, in Allenville, son of Robert N. and Myrtle Byrne Amos. He and Kathryn Sanders were married April 4, 1947, at Chaffee, Mo. She died Jan. 29, 2003...

Darcy J. Gaffigan, 61, of Baton Rouge, La., died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at her home. She was born Oct. 27, 1943, in Evanston, Ill., daughter of Gilbert and Evelyn Bryg Gallaher. Survivors include her husband, Walter Gaffigan of Baton Rouge; two sons, Garrick and Thomas Gaffigan of Cape Girardeau; two sisters, Sharon Lichter of Port Charlotte, Fla., and Cynthia Cumpian of Chicago...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Ruby Uthoff, 91, of Collierville, Tenn., formerly of Sikeston, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Collierville. She was born Aug. 10, 1913, in Charleston, Mo., daughter of George Allen and Henrietta Cottum Lain. She and Spencer Uthoff were married June 10, 1939, in Scott County, Mo. He died April 6, 2000...

James Edward Eddleman, 37, of Pocahontas died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 12, 1968, in Cape Girardeau, son of Wayne Lloyd and Shirley Jean Mungle Eddleman. He and Michelle Allison were married Sept. 26, 1989...

David Ronald Palmer, 43, of Seattle, Wash., died Friday, June 24, 2005, in Seattle. He was born June 18, 1962, in Cape Girardeau, son of David Lee and Dora A. Mouser Palmer. He and Linda Rhea Mize were married in 1982 in Kansas City, Mo. Palmer moved to Seattle in 1996 from Cape Girardeau. He was a tool and die maker in manufacturing...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Dicy Elizabeth Adams, 86, of Evans, Ga., died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga. She was born Aug. 30, 1918, at Fancy Farm, Ky., daughter of John and Florence Hobbs Roberts. She married Raymond Adams, who preceded her in death...

Gary D. Niswonger, 68, of Millersville died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at Monticello House in Jackson. He was born April 14, 1937, in Millersville, son of Ervin D. and Marie Bridges Niswonger. Niswonger was previously employed by the former Jerry Pickens Co. three years. He then briefly worked for the former Oldsmobile Car Co. in Cape Girardeau...

Berger; Willis; Locklear; Evans

25 years ago: Aug. 5, 1980 City officials conducted a full-scale test of the city's disaster warning system yesterday to determine if any recent modifications made by the system contractor, Alert Systems Inc. of Paducah, Ky., had improved the 14-siren system; however, a sound engineer found no measurable improvement in the decibel level when compared to tests done in late June...

SEMO Acoustic Musicians Guild to meet Wednesday; Underberg House, Tunes at Twilight star Kraig Kenning; Wickliffe Mounds will present pottery workshop; Bluegrass doubleheader to play at Wappapello Lake; Pulaski County Fair runs Aug. 15 to 20; Christian music ShoutFest '05 coming to Paducah

With games scheduled from 8 a.m. this morning until sometime after 2 a.m. Saturday, the NBC World Series bills today as "Baseball Round the Clock." The Plaza Tire Capahas drew another late-night assignment for their elimination bracket game today: 10 p.m. against the Maxim Yankees of California...

NEW YORK -- It was not long after she met John Lennon that Yoko Ono realized she had become one of the most hated women on the planet. Sitting in her apartment in the Dakota, just a stone's throw from where Lennon was gunned down nearly 25 years ago, Ono takes herself back four decades to an art party in London where one of her sculptures was on display...

The Rev. David Butler provided evidence that the raffle was honest, prosecutor Morley Swingle said. Proving a local preacher ran a phony raffle would have been impossible, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said Thursday. After a painstaking investigation by the Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department, enough evidence existed to support the Rev. David Butler's claim that the raffle was honest. The only choice was to drop the case, Swingle said...

Missouri ranks poorly in several health categories, according to national study. Missouri likes its cigarettes. Exercise? Not so much. The Show Me State ranked 48th in the nation in smoking prevalence in last year, according to the latest study released by the United Health Foundation. ...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: * At 12:33 a.m., emergency medical service in the 400 block of Bellevue Street. * At 3:49 a.m., astill alarm at 426 S. Middle St. * At 7:58 a.m., medical assist in the 800 block of North Henderson Avenue...

Coup leader meets first with U.S., French envoys; N. Korea won't abandon 'peaceful' nuke programs; Israel's nuke program got ingredient from Britain

Artist Juanita Herrell had the perfect inspiration when she set out to make her themed mosaics called "The Seven Days of Creation." For the devout Christian from Ava, Mo., the inspiration was both divine and earthly. "We've got this big thing right now of people wondering whether there's a creator or whether we're evolved," said Herrell. "I'm a Christian and I believe we were created. That's why I created this, to tell a story."...

Four stars (out of four) On a scale from one to four, this movie is definitely a four plus. Since it has only been a few years since my own high school days, I could really identify with the story line. There are lot of similarities between Sky High and the one I attended here in Cape...

ST. LOUIS -- For the first time since their rookie years, Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald are healthy and looking to contribute to the St. Louis Rams offense. Both were drafted in 2003 -- Curtis in the third round out of Utah State and McDonald in the fourth round from Arizona State...

ST. LOUIS -- Even without Scott Rolen, the St. Louis Cardinals are hardly missing a beat, thanks to the career .238 hitter filling in at third base. Utility infielder Abraham Nunez is making a name for himself in his first season in St. Louis, primarily as the fill-in while Rolen heals from a shoulder injury...

College...

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Baltimore Orioles fired manager Lee Mazzilli on Thursday with the team mired in an eight-game losing streak and still reeling from Rafael Palmeiro's positive drug test. The Orioles have made bench coach Sam Perlozzo the interim manager for the remainder of the season...

On the day Peter Forsberg was reintroduced to Philadelphia, Anaheim became the NHL's city of brotherly love. Scott Niedermayer spurned a lucrative offer to return to the New Jersey Devils in favor of a four-year deal from Anaheim, that will allow him to play on the Mighty Ducks with his brother...

RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Maybe this won't be Dick Vermeil's last year after all. In January, at the end of Kansas City's tough and disappointing 7-9 season, the oldest head coach in the NFL honestly thought it would be. "I've told my assistant coaches that next year will be my last," he announced...

I've been trying for months to get my hands on Hyundai's redesigned Sonata V-6 for a test drive, and my day finally came last week. Hyundai thinks it has built a car that gives Honda Accord and Toyota Camry -- the best sellers in the mid-size sedans segment -- some direct competition. I wanted to see for myself...

LONDON -- It was a quiet, jittery morning, one that had become all too common. Six thousand police officers blanketed the city Thursday, four weeks after blasts shattered subway cars and a bus, two weeks since a second attempt to bomb the Underground. ...

Despite his success, Stewart has never won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart isn't kidding when he says he'd trade every win and every trophy for just one victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As a budding young racer growing up in Indiana, it was the only track that really mattered...

ST. LOUIS -- For more than half a century, KMOX has been synonymous with the St. Louis Cardinals. Not anymore. The Cardinals announced Thursday that a new ballpark isn't the only big change for 2006: The team's broadcasting rights will go to another AM station, KTRS, severing the relationship with KMOX that began 51 years ago...

'The Dukes of Hazzard'; Still in theaters; 'Bad News Bears'; 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'; 'Herbie: Fully Loaded'; 'Hustle & Flow'; 'The Island'; 'March of the Penguins'; 'Must Love Dogs'; 'The Perfect Man'; 'Sky High'; 'Stealth'; 'The Wedding Crashers'

Art veteran Gary Lucy is working on a high-pressure commission for the people of Cape Girardeau. Lucy's job: To enhance the aesthetics of the much-anticipated River Campus, the new home of the arts for Southeast Missouri State University, with a 27-foot-long historically themed mural...

Dear Tom and Ray: I am a student in Boston with a car that is originally from Texas. I have a 1996 Chevrolet G Van that has more than 150,000 miles on it. The car had been working really well until last fall. This was its first real winter. Basically, I have to jump-start my car every time I want to turn it on. ...

Sue Gunter, a Hall of Fame coach and pioneer in women's college basketball, died Thursday. She was 66. LSU said Gunter, who had suffered from emphysema, died at her home in Baton Rouge. She coached for 40 years, 22 at LSU where she took teams to 13 NCAA tournaments and laid the foundation for trips to the NCAA Final Four the past two years. She was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in March and will now be inducted posthumously on Sept. 9 in Springfield, Mass...

Pujols becames first to hit 30 home runs in each of his first five seasons. ST. LOUIS -- The Atlanta Braves appreciated Albert Pujols' milestone home run a lot more than he did. Pujols became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in each of his first five seasons, helping Mark Mulder and the St. Louis Cardinals end John Smoltz' eight-game winning streak with an 11-3 victory on Friday night...

HELSINKI, Finland -- Olympic champion Justin Gatlin climbs into the blocks for the 100-meter preliminaries, the American men go for a shot put sweep and Britain's Paula Radcliffe begins her quest for atonement after her Athens debacle. The world track and field championships, one of the largest athletic gatherings outside the Olympics, begin today with the first of nine days of suspense, surprise and subplots...

Parts of the new policy will be implemented in February. INDIANAPOLIS -- Fed up with what it considers "hostile" and "abusive" American Indian nicknames, the NCAA announced Friday it would shut those words and images out of postseason tournaments, a move that left some school officials angry and threatening legal action...

HIROSHIMA, Japan -- Minoru Hataguchi gently opens a box in his office and pulls out a corroded belt buckle -- the one his father wore the day he died with tens of thousands of others in the American atomic blast that wiped out Hiroshima. For Hataguchi, who was still in his mother's womb on Aug. 6, 1945, the context of the A-bomb -- Tokyo's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, America's reluctance to invade Japan by land -- takes a back seat to the human suffering it caused...

The class of 2005 made project presentations at the First Friday Coffee. Imagine a half-hour television program that highlights scenic vistas and off-the-cuff interviews with local characters, all with an underlying theme of promoting Cape Girardeau...

Kenneth Bender can still recall the ring of fire that burned at the outskirts of Nagasaki. A conversation with Kenneth Bender can make history unfold. Like many veterans of World War II, Bender has a plethora of stories, but one in particular still stands out clearly in his mind. ...

The federal highway bill doesn't involve "pork barrel" projects in Missouri, but rather needed transportation improvements, U.S. Sen. Kit Bond said Friday. Meeting with about 30 Southeast Missouri civic and city leaders at the Jackson City Hall, Bond defended the five-year, $286.5-million highway bill...

Estimates of how long the sailors could continue to breathe ranged from 18 hours to a couple of days. VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- Trapped under countless crushing tons of frigid water, seven sailors waited to see if their mates far above could find a way to pull them to safety before the oxygen in their tiny craft gives out...

JERUSALEM -- The 19-year-old who killed four Israeli Arabs on a bus deserted the army to protest Israel's impending withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and took refuge in a militant Jewish settlement with his military-issued rifle. Israeli security forces missed that and other warning signs -- including a plea by his father to find him -- raising questions about Israel's ability to rein in Jewish extremists even as it demands Palestinian leaders act against Muslim radicals...

LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair proposed strict anti-terror measures Friday that would allow Britain to expel foreigners who preach hatred, close extremist mosques and bar entry to Muslim radicals. "The rules of the game are changing" following last month's bomb attacks, he declared...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missourians are living longer lives and having fewer abortions, the latest state health statistics show. The state hit a record for life expectancy, increasing four-tenths of a year to 76.8 years in 2004, but still lagging behind the national figure of 77.6 years in 2003, the state Department of Health and Senior Services said, citing provisional data...

PLATTE CITY, Mo. -- A federal judge's decision to override a jury conviction in an Internet sex case has called into question a law enforcement tactic used to nabbing potential child molesters across the country. A federal jury convicted a 42-year-old lawyer, Jan P. Helder, of using a chat service to solicit sex from someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl...

PITTSBURGH -- What a time to be a rookie in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger enjoys the best season by a rookie quarterback in NFL history on a 15-1 Steelers team. Jason Bay is the NL rookie of the year, the Pirates' first such recipient. Hockey wunderkind Sidney Crosby is on his way to the Penguins, first stopping over for a Thursday night visit with Jay Leno...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jack Roush can hardly wait until Sunday. Heading into the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, the owner of Roush Racing's five-car Nextel Cup juggernaut likes his chances of winning the event he considers second only to the Daytona 500 in prestige...

LAS VEGAS -- The NBA is going "all-in" with its All-Stars. The 2007 NBA All-Star game is headed to Las Vegas, the first time a city without a franchise has been chosen to host the event. The festivities will take place just off the Strip, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus...

CHICAGO -- Stanley Cup-winning goalie Nikolai Khabibulin signed a four-year, $27 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, leaving the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Khabibulin played in 55 regular-season games for the Lightning during 2003-04, posting a 28-19-7 record with three shutouts, a 2.33 goals against average and a .910 save percentage...

ST. LOUIS -- The learning curve remains steep for St. Louis Rams backup quarterback Jeff Smoker. With No. 2 quarterback Jamie Martin sitting out with a groin pull, Smoker received the bulk of the repetitions during Friday morning's workout at Rams Park...

Is it the food? The competition? A special date with a special someone? Maybe it's the midway and the thrilling carnival rides. What do you remember about the SEMO District Fair? The SEMO District Fair board and the Southeast Missourian are looking for old fair photos from the 1800s to the 1950s...

Lobbyists gave to defense funds despite bans; Prison for one WorldCom exec, probation for another; Jurors: Death row inmate not mentally retarded

U.N. appeals for $80 million for Niger; Delegation pays respects to new Saudi king

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sixty years ago, the world became a different place with the test detonation of the atomic bomb on July 16 and its first use as a weapon on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6. The path that led to Lennie Whitworth of Sikeston being part of the team that developed the atomic bomb started when he joined the U.S. Army in 1943 after serving in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday: * At 5:50 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1900 block of Delwin Street. * At 7:14 p.m., emergency medical service in the 700 block of William Street. * At 7:45 p.m., water rescue on North Main Street at First Street...

Three area people, including an elderly woman and the son she shared a house with, succumbed to the heat wave that engulfed the Midwest last month with heat indexes above 100 degrees. The circumstances in the first case were unusual. The mother and son kept their windows closed because the son suffered from asthma. The Cape Girardeau house was not air conditioned. The occupants depended on fans to keep them cool...

Driving along Highway 25, it's hard not to notice the brick and white steeple set against a backdrop of green trees and blue sky just outside Gordonville. The steeple, topped with a white cross, has stood on that spot for 90 years. The history of the church it belongs to goes back five decades further though, to a group of farmers intent on founding a strong German liturgy in Southeast Missouri...

Andrew Williams glanced up from his "Got Jesus?" T-shirt with a look of dawning realization on his face. "It's just seven days, Ms. Teresa," he said. "Just seven days." Williams and another local teen, Amanda Myer, have gathered in Teresa LeGrand's office at St. Mary Cathedral on a Wednesday night to talk about a trip that has been in the making for three years...

Homecoming service set at Lutesville church; KMHM radio marks 10th anniversary this week; Westminster presents five-day family VBS; Today; Sunday; Friday

Baseball...

To the editor: Recently I witnessed a gas station attendant asking a man to put out his cigarette. The guy was astounded and puzzled, unable to figure out what the problem was. As a public service, I thought I would prepare this list that smokers could cut out of the paper and read before heading into a gas station:...

To the editor: Sex education -- more-or-less comprehensive or more-or-less rigorously limited -- has been around in human societies since the dawn of time. The cultural background of that education, however, has changed, and thus the type and kind of education has changed. Even chimps practice a sort of sex ed, and young tortoises have to learn ... well, you get the picture...

To the editor: Alan Journet writes that, thanks to President Bush, the government is promoting teen pregnancy, single mothers and sexually transmitted diseases with its abstinence-only education policy. He advocates continuing the disastrous sex-education programs of the past 32 years as a solution for these increasing problems, in spite of the evidence they don't work. All of these problems have increased dramatically since sex education was first introduced...

To the editor: Passage of the new five-year federal transportation bill will provide added impetus and the additional funding necessary for Southeast Missouri to achieve the safer and more efficient transportation system toward which we are all working. ...

A citizen in wartime...

Thursday-night games; Talking, not stopping; Stand makes sense; Ill-conceived marketing; For better health; Restored standing; Even more pork; Misplaced subsidies; Better lease deal; A citizen in wartime; Sign would help; Sharing the pie; Guilty pleasure; Time to wake up

ORAN, Mo. -- Rosann Mansker, 57, of Shiner, Texas, formerly of Oran, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at Geary Community Hospital in Geary, Kan. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Oran is in charge of arrangements.

The graveside service for Darcy J. Gaffigan of Baton Rouge, La., has been changed to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Cape County Memorial Park. The Rev. Ron Watts will officiate. Gaffigan, 61, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

WEST FRANKFORT, Ill. -- Hosea Auburn Thomas, 84, of West Frankfort died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, Ill. He was born Dec. 23, 1920, in Hamilton County, Ill., son of William C. and Etta Engram Thomas. He and Jylonda Irene Murphy were married May 29, 1945...

PERKINS, Mo. -- Carl "Punkin" Schott, 55, of Perkins died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, at his home. He was born April 24, 1950, in Cape Girardeau, son of Leo and Faye McDaniel Schott. He and Mary James were married July 11, 1970. Schott was a 1968 graduate of Oran High School. He was a farmer and owner of Schott Trucking Co. in Advance, Mo. He was a member of Knights of Columbus and Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran...

Meyer; Gruenewald

25 years ago: Aug. 6, 1980 When all the vote counting had been completed last night, Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller was smiling; the county's new punch-card voting system was used for the first time in the primary election, and the reaction from both voters and election officials appeared to be one of enthusiasm...

Run with "ShowMe results Aug6" RUN WITH PICTURE OF CARLY SMITH (Mug) and standalone of Brett Slaten, golfer. ** Smith goes on run in Australia Carly Smith, a recent graduate of Meadow Heights High School and a 99th-place finisher last fall at the Missouri Class 1 cross country meet, competed in the International Sports Specialist Inc. Down Under International Games in Australia...

code for z-rec standalone listing ** Show-Me Games results for local teams, as posted on the Show-Me State Games Web site. The event concludes this weekend. ** July 22 to 25 Basketball Twin City Jays (12 and under boys competitive) -- Coached by Tommy Delph, silver medal...

Southeast Missourian The Roy Lee All-Stars boys basketball team for 13-and-under boys won its first three games Friday in the Mid America Youth Basketball national tournament in Wichita, Kan. The Roy Lee All-Stars, based in Southeast Missouri, completed pool play with a 3-0 mark and has a first-round bye in the bracket, which includes all 56 teams at the tournament...

There aren't many players who make more eagles and birdies than Billy Mayfair. And there aren't any tournaments that reward below-par shooters the way the International does. Mayfair, who ranks second behind only Vijay Singh in birdies and eagles this season, rolled in a 70-foot putt for eagle on No. 17, then finished with a birdie to take the lead after the first round of one of the tour's most unique events Friday in Castle Rock, Colo...

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tim Billings and his staff always try to keep a wary eye on the heat when preseason practice begins every summer. And as the Redhawks prepare for today's opening workout -- set for 5:30 p.m. at Houck Stadium -- coaches and trainers will perhaps be even more on the lookout due to the recent death of Missouri's Aaron O'Neal during a voluntary summer conditioning drill...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Has Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest private employer, grown too big for the U.S. justice system? That provocative question is the key to Wal-Mart's defense against a lawsuit filed on behalf of 1.6 million former and current women employees. Attorneys pursuing the class action claim Wal-Mart systematically denied raises and promotions to women and paid them less than their male counterparts...

I have long been a seeker, seeking to create a peaceful existence where I might experience calm amid the clamor of daily life. It was only after searching within myself that I finallysaw how I could love with the world as it is today. It wasn't that I changed so much on the outside, but I changed within. ...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- NASA is investigating whether repairs to a small crack in the foam on Discovery's fuel tank may have caused a 1-pound section of the insulation to break off during liftoff, officials said late Friday. The shallow crack -- just six-tenths of an inch long and two-tenths of an inch wide -- was sanded away at the Louisiana manufacturing plant before the tank was shipped to Cape Canaveral, Fla. No new foam was applied to the spot...

U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, spent Friday afternoon with representatives of Missouri growers. Goodlatte, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, and Emerson toured the Delta Center in Portageville, Mo., and met with members of groups representing rice, soybean, corn and cotton growers as well as the Missouri Cattlemen's Association and the Missouri Farm Bureau. ...

CRAWFORD, Texas -- Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist's second trip to the hospital in less than a month raises new questions about whether his battle with cancer will force him to leave the bench -- and who will fill his seat if he steps down. Already, President Bush's decision to nominate John Roberts to the Supreme Court has been scrutinized for clues into the type of candidate he'd pick if he got a chance to name a chief justice...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri officials have opted to rely on the good will of a Montana woman to point confused Medicaid callers to a state help line instead of telling them directly about a typographical error in a toll-free telephone number. Hundreds of Missourians have called Sharon Rivera of Columbia Falls, Mont., after the Department of Social Services mistakenly listed her number for the hearing- or speech-impaired to call about impending cuts to Medicaid benefits...

Jog growth in May and June proved to be stronger than was previously thought. WASHINGTON -- Hiring shifted into a higher gear in July, with the largest expansion of payrolls in five months. The unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent. The latest snapshot, released by the Labor Department on Friday, offered strong evidence that the job climate is improving considerably, good news both for the overall economy and those seeking work...

After a short ceremony and lots of tearful goodbyes, about 50 soldiers left Friday morning from the Missouri National Guard Armory in Cape Girardeau for training that will eventually take them to Iraq. The soldiers, mostly from the 1140th Engineer Battalion, will join the 110th Engineer Battalion in Kansas City before traveling to Fort Riley, Kan., to complete their training. They could be sent to Iraq anytime within the next one to three months. They will remain there for about a year...

Two cases have renewed scrutiny of the death penalty in Missouri. ST. LOUIS -- Many death row inmates proclaim their innocence, but Roy "Hog" Roberts, a big man, loud and profane, was adamant. In the waning days before his 1999 execution for the murder of a prison guard, he demanded a polygraph test...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- U.S. Marines and Iraqi troops pounded insurgents with bombs and tank cannons Friday during a major offensive along a stretch of the Euphrates River valley where 22 Marines were killed this week. About 800 U.S. Marines and 180 Iraqi soldiers moved into Haqlaniyah, one of a cluster of western towns in Anbar province around the Haditha Dam that is believed to be a stronghold of Iraqi insurgents and foreign fighters...

On even the most sizzling of summer days, 35 young men don white shirts and green ballcaps. They load lawnmowers and weed-eaters into the backs of pickup trucks and head out to yards around Cape Girardeau and Jackson. The owners of the yards get more than freshly cut grass out of the deal. And the 35 young men get more than sweat and a tan from it...

The Braves' pitcher allowed one run in seven innings for an 8-1 victory. ST. LOUIS -- Tim Hudson got a pleasant surprise warming up in the bullpen for his fourth attempt at his 100th career victory. After a three-year absence, his split-finger fastball was back...

CANTON, Ohio -- Dan Marino took the long, straight road to the Hall of Fame. Steve Young traversed a long and winding route. Both got to the football shrine this weekend thanks to often dominant performances that few NFL quarterbacks could match and few defenses could handle. Marino was the most prolific passer in league history, and Young brought an exciting brand of uninhibited play to the game...

The new $50 million federal courthouse is a tad behind schedule, and there have been a few bumps. But, all in all, Jim Snedegar says the project is "steaming forward. No doubt about that." Snedegar, the federal courthouse project construction manager for the General Services Administration, says that the building's exterior should be done by January and should be completely finished by fall 2006...

Paying for college is a concern for thousands of students and their families, especially as the academic year begins. As president of the University of Missouri, maintaining affordability and accessibility is a year-round concern of mine. That is why I am visiting communities large and small during the next few weeks. I want to discuss tuition and ask citizens to share their thoughts about the best way to keep a quality higher education within reach of every Missourian...

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kris Bryan couldn't believe it when she came home and saw strangers taking all of her stuff -- including her 7-week-old kitten. A legal notice in the Lawrence Journal-World for unclaimed property mistakenly listed Bryan's address. The notice said the items would be thrown out if they weren't picked up from the apartment...

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran on Saturday rejected Europe's proposal for ending the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program, calling the package "unacceptable" and not up to Tehran's "minimum expectations." "The European proposals are unacceptable ... the package is against the spirit of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and against the provisions of the Paris agreement," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on state radio...

A remote-controlled vessel cut away the cables that had snarled the sub 625 feet down. PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, Russia -- Seven crew members aboard a Russian mini-submarine trapped for three days beneath the Pacific Ocean were pulled to safety Sunday after a British remote-controlled vehicle cut away the undersea cables that had snarled it, Russian naval officials said...

MILAN, Italy -- Italian designers, used to living in the lap of luxury with as much bling in their coffers as on their sparkling outfits, are buckling down to face the challenge from an Asian clothing industry bursting at the seams. But the growth of Asia's business also creates opportunity. While Italian companies are faltering under the onslaught of underpriced Asian products, demand is rising in the East for the luxury end of the industry for which Italy is renowned...

Mullein is too good a plant to be called a weed. Instead, call it by one of its nicknames, such as Adam's flannel, candlewick, hare's beard, velvet plant, feltwort, or lungwort. If you are not familiar with mullein, look around and you're bound to see its spires of buttery yellow flowers rising 6 feet high along roadsides. The spires occasionally branch like candelabras, bringing a similar statuesque elegance to parts of the country...

O'FALLON, Mo.-- The police chief of this St. Louis suburb has been fired over accusations that he violated police policy. Peter Cantwell, one of two city aldermen to vote against dismissing Steven Talbott, said the police chief came under fire for alleged improprieties involving the investigation of a drug overdose death at the home of former state representative Don Kissell and for problems with a towing company contract. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Latin, the dead tongue? Hardly. Just ask members of the National Junior Classical League, which for more than 50 years has preached a love of the classical language among American teens and their teachers. The league now has 50,000 members nationwide, nearly 2,000 of whom gathered last week on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus for an intense spell of academic competitions, pep rallies, mythology-themed costume pageants and Olympic-inspired athletic contests...

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- Charges have been dismissed against a Madison County deputy accused of stealing from police evidence lockers. Madison County judge on Friday dismissed charges against Faron Guinn, 42, of Fredericktown, because of lack of evidence...

Cameron Beckman made five birdies and an eagle Saturday to take the lead after two rounds at the International with 23 points, one ahead of Billy Mayfair, Charles Howell and Brandt Jobe. Today will be rounds three and four -- 36 holes amid the tall pines, thin air and steep hills at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, Colo...

ST. LOUIS -- Defensive tackle John Parella and offensive tackle Matt Willig signed one-year contracts Saturday with the St. Louis Rams. Parella is a 12-year veteran. Willig, entering his 14th season, is entering his second stint with the Rams after playing with them in their 1999 Super Bowl championship year...

Consider taking a vacation trip back to the time of Abraham Lincoln and his life in Illinois, and start making your plans with the resources of a few helpful Web sites. Lincoln's Springfield, Ill., home still stands at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site -- http://www.nps.gov/liho/ -- where you can glance through their "Virtual Tours" of snapshots. ...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday: * At 12:06 p.m., alarm sounding at 1000 Towers Circle. * At 4:41 p.m., emergency medical service in the 600 block of Sycamore Circle. * At 5:08 p.m., emergency medical service in the 3000 block of Aspen Drive...

Sex offenders leave scars on their victims long after the knife or gunshot wounds inflicted in other crimes have healed. And the preponderance of medical science and criminal statistics indicates individuals who commit sexual offense rarely can be cured of their predilections...

Special to the Southeast Missourian Wildlife managers utilize many tools to manage land for wildlife and native plant communities. Tractors, disks, mowers, chainsaws, planters and other equipment are used to manipulate vegetation and change the composition of land to improve habitat conditions. These tools are essential to create and maintain good habitat conditions...

Excitement turned to disappointment, then elation, followed by uncertainty. But at the end of the day, Bryan Chapman of St. Louis was the proud owner of the Missouri brown trout fishing record at 27 pounds, 8.8 ounces. Chapman was fishing with his son, Blake, on July 16 on Lake Taneycomo below Fall Creek when he hooked what felt like a big fish. It made a short run, then stopped...

Catching quality bass in shallow water during the summer requires specific variables. This is not like fishing the banks in the spring when bass are cruising the banks and actively feeding. These shallow fish feed primarily at night or at dawn and dusk. Daytime bass in the shallows are simply resting and can be difficult to catch...

To the editor: The "March of the Penguins" movie has roused lots of questions. "Why?" asks a friend. "What tells those birds to live in such a cold place and travel endlessly and cradle eggs between their feet?" But perhaps the bird has never read Thomas Robert Malthus or "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren...

To the editor: A recent letter to the editor, "Cape welcomes riverboat visitors," mentioned the Red House Interpretive Center was open for visitors. Other tourist attractions also were open: the Glenn House, Old St. Vincent's Church and the Cape River Heritage Museum. These three attractions have been opening their doors for the boat dockings for years -- ever since the boats began stopping at our riverfront...

To the editor: Local residents depending on public transportation will benefit from the results of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond's action on the new transportation bill passed July 28 in Washington, D.C. Bond was successful in assuring Missouri receives back more than 98 cents of each $1 of federal fuel taxes paid by Missourians instead of the 76 cents when Bond first became a senator...

To the editor: When the first London bombs went off, I prayed hard that any more would malfunction.To my shock (O ye of little faith), in the second lot not only did they all fail, but the culprits are in the slammer. My conclusion: It's no use looking for God in the obituaries. He is alive and well...

Better education; Costly assault rifles; Classy billboards; Politically viable; Trooper commendation; Junior high needs work

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Richard D. Donahue, 58, of Perryville died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at his home. He was born Feb. 12, 1947, in St. Louis, son of Joseph and Alice Dawkins Donahue. Donahue was retired from Menard Correctional Facility and a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He was also a member of the Perryville Elks Lodge...

ANNA, Ill. -- Kenneth "Dink" Boyer, 67, of Jackson, formerly of Anna, died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna.

Walter J. Dawidowicz, 74, of Jackson died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete with McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Robert W. Braman, 51, of Matthews, Mo., formerly of Marble Hill, died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at Sells Nursing Home in Matthews. He was born Feb. 10, 1954, in St. Louis, son of Willard Thomas and Dorothy Loreda Hembie Braman. Braman was a farmer...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Glen E. Duckworth, 70, died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 14, 1935, at Dexter, Mo., son of Earl "Tump" and Verna "Susie" Escue Duckworth. He and Joy Johnson were married Aug. 18, 1953, at Essex, Mo., and she died March 22, 1989. He and Andrea Lind were married on Jan. 12, 1990, at Dexter...

Angel Nicole Stroder and Cole Randal Burton exchanged vows June 11, 2005, at First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Paul Kabo performed the ceremony. Music was provided by Hays Hendricks, Erik, Kyle and Kirk Miller. The bride is the daughter of Harold and Lina Stroder of Jackson. The groom is the son of Randy Burton of Belleville, Ill., and Mary Burton of Cape Girardeau...

Sharon L. Pruitt and Richard G. Noah were married July 15, 2005, in an outdoor ceremony at their home in Cape Girardeau. James Schultz performed the ceremony. Music was provided by Angie Sitze of Cape Girardeau. The bride is the daughter of Dorothy Cline of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Helen Caudill of Cape Girardeau...

Elizabeth Shivelbine and David Winkler were married May 21, 2005, at Francine's Gardens. The Rev. John Lottes and Dr. Bernhard Asen performed the ceremony. Music was provided by Trio Girardeaux and Southeast Missouri State University Faculty Brass Quintet...

Ronna Leslie Cook and Wade Anthony Kramer were married May 28, 2005, at First Baptist Church in Jackson. Carter Frey performed the ceremony. Pianist was Jean Schweain and soloist was Courtney Crowden, both of Jackson. The bride is the daughter of Ron and Sandra Cook of Whitewater. The groom is the son of Ken and Cindi Kramer of Jackson and Barb Kramer of St. Louis...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- Rebecca Marie Freeman and Christopher Britton Livingston were married May 15, 2005, at Old Hanover Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. Steve Pennington performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Marlene Freeman of East Cape Girardeau, and the late Wayne Freeman. The groom is the son of Kenny Livingston of Shawneetown, and the late Cathy Livingston...

First Presbyterian Church in Jackson was the setting May 21, 2005, for the wedding of Wendy Danielle Allen and Dustin Anthony Wilson. The Rev. James Cochran and Robert Gauthier performed the ceremony. Trio Girardeaux provided music, and soloist was Corey Main of Cape Girardeau...

Ashley Kathryn Nelson and Justin Jerome Weinkein were married Oct. 23, 2004, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville, Mo. The Rev. Kevin Fausz performed the ceremony. Parents of the couple are Steve and Terry Nelson of Cape Girardeau, and Jerry and Wilma Weinkein of Perryville...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Ginger Marie Hendrix and Jason Harold Dailey were married Sept. 11, 2004, at Fruitland Community Church. The Rev. Mike Parry performed the ceremony. Pianist was Nick Alsup of Harrisburg, Ark., and flutist was Thuy Ha of Cape Girardeau...

Don and Susan Henson of Cape Girardeau and William and Connie Churchill of Dexter, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Kerri Sue Churchill, to Wade Matthew Christian. He is the son of Allen and Nancy Christian of Cape Girardeau. Churchill is a 2003 graduate of Central High School, and is pursuing a degree in literature at Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed at Food Giant...

Mr. and Mrs. Paul C. Reimann of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Crystal Sue Reimann, to Jason Allen Davis. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Davis of Sikeston, Mo. Reimann is a 2001 graduate of Jackson High School. She is pursuing a degree in early childhood education at Southeast Missouri State University. She is a preschool teacher at Morley Childcare...

Richard and Carolyn Walther of Fruitland announce the engagement of their daughter, Alisha Renee Walther, to James Michael Curtis, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Freda and Dennis Savat of McClure, Ill., and Clyde Curtis of Morley, Mo. Walther is a graduate of Jackson High School in Jackson. She is a self-employed cosmetologist at Studio C Salon in Cape Girardeau...

Dwight and Karen Kiefer of Cape Girardeau and Pat and Orville Baer of Perryville, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Carrie Ann Kiefer, to Steven Robert Santel. He is the son of Robert and Dorene Santel of Troy, Ill. Kiefer is a 1996 graduate of Perryville High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She is pursuing a master's degree in education...

Alfred L. and Terrie J. Weaver of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Christina D. Weaver, to John B. Hart. He is the son of Austin A. Hart of Valley Springs, Calif. Weaver is a 1994 graduate of Jackson High School. She received a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish and bachelor of science degree in biology from Southeast Missouri State University in 2000, and pharmacy degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2005. She is a pharmacist at Medicap Pharmacy in Jackson...

Michael and Angie Perry of Delta announce the engagement of their daughter, Kara LeAnn Perry, to Travis J. Keys. He is the son of Darrell and Teresa Keys of Randles. Perry is a 2004 graduate of Delta High School, and a recent graduate of Trend Setters School of Cosmetology Inc. She is employed at J.C. Penney Styling Salon...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Don and Lori Leupold of St. Louis announce the engagement of their daughter, Leslie Dawn Leupold, to Jason Michael Essner, both of St. Louis. He is the son of Richard and Rebecca Essner of Perryville. Leupold is a graduate of the National Academy of Beauty Arts in St. Louis. She is employed at Hair Affair in Webster Groves, Mo...

Harris; Knupp; Gage; Burger

25 years ago: Aug. 7, 1980 At a morning news conference, 13 "incorporators" sign the articles of incorporation for the Cape Girardeau Redevelopment Corp., which will be forwarded to Secretary of State James Kirkpatrick for registration with the state; efforts also begin to raise approximately $70,000 for a feasibility study of downtown redevelopment...

This year's Central High School class reunion 1960 to 1970 was a bittersweet experience for Martha Hamilton. Hamilton, a 1968 graduate whose maiden name is Gill, and her husband Tom, a class of 1965 graduate and her high school sweetheart, had Martha's sister Laura Whitaker on their mind, as did many of their friends...

The Maxim Yankees of California sent Plaza Tire home with a 4-3 decision. WICHITA, Kan. -- All the momentum the Plaza Tire Capahas carried into the National Baseball Congress World Series failed to pay dividends. The Capahas were eliminated from the 71st annual event in the wee hours of Saturday morning with a 4-3 loss to the Maxim (Calif.) Yankees. Plaza Tire had dropped its tournament opener on Monday, 4-1 to the Wichita (Kan.) Gators...

Critics of the federal bill said the interchange highlights two problems with the program. When local officials lobbied for federal help to build a new Interstate 55 interchange, they knew that a practical road project involved more than just new exit ramps...

The Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary and Southeast Missouri State University's Interior Design Program have joined forces to bring to the area a unique approach to home decorating. The Designer ShowHouse of Ideas is the brainchild of Marge Sullivan, director of volunteer services at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Sullivan said she has been involved with fund-raising show houses in metropolitan areas, but this is the first time it has been done in Southeast Missouri...

Southeast Missouri State University has undergone several name changes since being established in 1873, but its current moniker makes the institution a dying breed of sorts. Southeast is among just a few universities across the nation that compete in NCAA Division I athletics and still carry a double-directional name, including only three state universities. At one time, there were quite a few...

The Associated Press PALERMO, Sicily -- A Tunis-ian airliner that reportedly lost engine power Saturday plunged into the Mediterranean while trying to make an emergency landing in Sicily, and at least 13 people were killed, officials said. At least three of the 39 people on board were missing...

Like all college football teams at this time of the year, Southeast Missouri State kicked off practice Saturday with plenty of optimism and excitement. But is it truly warranted? Not if you believe the so-called experts. The Redhawks have been picked to finish toward the bottom of the Ohio Valley Conference by every major media outlet, and the official OVC preseason poll released recently -- voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors -- placed them eighth among nine squads.. ...

LONDON -- London police on Saturday charged Yassin Hassan Omar, 24, in the failed July 21 attacks with conspiracy to murder and possession of explosives -- the first charges to be laid in Britain against any of the would-be bombers. The Metropolitan Police said he was charged with conspiring "with others un-known to murder passengers on the transport for London system."...

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. -- At the birthplace of the atomic bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki 60 years ago, survivors of those blasts joined with hundreds of people Saturday in support of a global ban on nuclear weapons. "No more Hiroshimas. No more Nagasakis," bombing survivor Koji Ueda of Tokyo said in a written statement translated into English and distributed at the rally. ...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- With the most anxiety-ridden part of their flight still to come, shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven set off for home Saturday after leaving the international space station. Monday's planned predawn re-entry will be the first by a space shuttle since Columbia's catastrophic descent 2 1/2 years ago...

ATLANTA -- Demonstrators streamed down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive chanting, singing and marching on Saturday in support of extending the 40-year-old Voting Rights Act. Organizers hope the "Keep the Vote Alive" march will pressure Congress to extend key provisions of the landmark law, which expires in 2007...

SOMIS, Calif. -- An Amtrak train collided with a dump truck crossing the tracks in southern California, injuring 20 people, two of them seriously, officials said. It was the second collision between an Amtrak train and a dump truck in the country this week. The two occupants in the dump truck Friday were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, said Joe Luna, a Ventura County Fire Department spokesman. Their conditions were not immediately available...

The real estate signs emerge at the corner of what looks like a park. This is 1675 W. Independence in Jackson, a home that sits back off the road behind a large yard. Sitting on 6.32 acres of land with a septic system, the location seems rural but is actually inside the city limits...

SHE SAID: Judith Miller is in jail today for a story she didn't write. Miller is a common name. We're not related. Yet somehow I kind of feel we are. Because, as a fellow journalist, I can put myself in her place all too easily...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Buffalo roam the pastures and hills of an 800-acre farm near this Southern Illinois town. The massive, shaggy animals are kept in check by a 7,000-volt electric fence. A wooden fence wouldn't hold them. On the open range, they would meander across 600 acres in a day. But there are no Great Plains in Southern Illinois...

Southeast's players are excited about the opportunity to exceed expectations. Unlike the past two seasons, not much is expected -- at least by those outside the program -- from the Southeast Missouri State football team this year. Which is just fine with the Redhawks, who began preseason practice Saturday evening at Houck Stadium...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. blames the controversial crew swap with teammate Michael Waltrip on immature and childish behavior. Now that he realizes he was partly to blame for souring the relationship with former crew chief Tony Eury Jr., who also is his cousin, it appears the two could be reunited as soon as next season...

Editor's Note: Dave Hardesty of Cape Girardeau began his six-week solo kayak trip down the Mississippi River July 30. Hardesty will share the adventure with Southeast Missourian readers through letters he writes along the way. (This week's update was written by Dave Hardesty's brother, Steve, who helped with the kayak launch at Lake Itaska, Minn.)...

Two adults and a child were rescued from a sinking boat Sunday. A call came into the Cape Girardeau Fire Department at 2:07 p.m. that the victims were trapped at a sandbar across from Cape Rock Point on the Mississippi River. The department's Boat 1 was sent out. The victims were rescued without injuries at 2:17 p.m...

Not all of the shoppers were at Westfield West Park to take advantage of Missouri's tax-free weekend. Jarret Green of Cape Girardeau was there incidentally. "I think the tax-free thing is pointless," said Green. "I'm from Tennessee, and the sales tax there is almost 10 percent. Here, it's nothing. I'm not going to get trampled just so I can save 6 percent."...

A new traffic study could help decide how best to route traffic on Main and Water streets in downtown Cape Girardeau. The city council today is expected to hire a St. Louis engineering firm to conduct the $12,700 study. The special meeting will be held at 4 p.m. at city hall...

The Show Me Center announced today that bluegrass heavyweights Allison Krauss and Union Station will play the venue in October. Krauss's Oct. 5 appearance, which will feature opening act Jerry Douglas, will be the Show Me Center's first concert since Christian pop star Michael W. Smith's performed in May...

The south end of the Cape Girardeau was battered with about 1.77 inches of rain within one hour, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. Power was out around the West Independence area affecting many intersections, according to the Cape Girardeau fire department. Some were without power past 8 p.m...

A Jackson tradition will continue on Tuesday when Homecomers gears up for its 97th year. The American Legion-sponsored festival has a way of bringing the town together like no other Jackson event, said Homecomers chairman Bill Poe. "People call me every month saying 'When is Homecomers going to be? My son wants to come home from Michigan and see his friends,'" said Poe...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Although the Missouri Constitution says judges shall determine when government seizure of private property is appropriate, the state Supreme Court has long held that if local officials claim the taking of land is justified, then it is...

If you're old enough, say your 60s, you probably think of the building at 2001 Independence in Cape Girardeau as the old Kroger Family Center, the grocery store that opened to much fanfare in 1969. Maybe for the 13 years that it was there, you did your food shopping amidst the wide, well-lit aisles and extensive grocery selections. Maybe you just stopped in to get a refreshing feel of that rarity of rarities -- air conditioning...

Q: Is it true that because the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's BBQ fest is now a sanctioned event, local businessman David Knight's barbecue pits will no longer be eligible? What was the chamber thinking? Isn't it supposed to support local merchants?...

ST. LOUIS -- David Eckstein won two games with squeeze bunts in July. On Sunday, he shocked the Atlanta Braves with the long ball. The diminutive St. Louis Cardinals' leadoff hitter hit a grand slam off Chris Reitsma with one out in the ninth inning for a 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. He hit his fourth career grand slam and the second game-winning slam of his career on a 1-0 pitch from Reitsma (3-3), who had entered the game with nine straight saves...

The Joplin (Mo.) Globe Here's an idea -- maybe not a great one, but an idea nonetheless -- that might help public schools find the money for pressing infrastructure needs, new programs, salary increases and new teachers: awarding naming rights to the highest corporate or individual bidder...

For more than 10 years, it was Witz's, and the East Cape Girardeau, Ill., restaurant drew raves for its home-style cookin'. Then it was Joey's for a few years. Then Courtney's. Most recently, Marjorie's. Now, it's closed and a for sale sign is hanging on the front...

Software and gadgets now compensate for daylight-saving time based on a schedule unchanged since 1987. NEW YORK -- When daylight-saving time starts earlier than usual in the United States come 2007, your VCR or DVD recorder could start recording shows an hour late...

POMEROY, Wash. -- Residents of at least 150 homes in southeastern Washington were forced to evacuate as a fire that had charred as much as 27,000 acres moved north out of the Umatilla National Forest onto private land. Farmers beyond the flames were plowing up broad swaths of earth through fields of wheat and other crops, trying to create breaks to save this year's harvest, said Marc Hollen, spokesman for the Northwest Fire Coordination Center in Portland, Ore...

Much of the improvement in breast cancer survival in recent years is because the average tumor is smaller, not just because treatments are so much better, a huge new study has found. Examining 25 years of cancer records nationwide, researchers concluded that smaller tumor size accounted for 61 percent of the improvement in survival when cancer had not spread beyond the breast, and 28 percent when it had spread just a little...

Louis K. Juden American Legion Post 63 presents citizen appreciation awards. At a recent band concert the American Legion Post 63 presented two citizen appreciation awards to honor individuals and organizations that exemplify the American spirit. They were the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band and its director, Ronald Nall, and Narvol A. Randol Jr., the band's president...

David L. Byrd recently received the European Incentive Award in Heidelberg, Germany. A former Cape Girardeau resident, Byrd is the son of Jean Byrd, grandson of E. Ross and Dorris Young, all of Cape Girardeau and brother of Daniel Byrd of Memphis. The award is designed to recognize outstanding military and civilian employees throughout Europe in categories including security and force protection, logistics, human resources, public affairs and Army education...

Dr. K. Max Eakin, a former Bell City, Mo., resident, and family physician and partner in Family Physicians of Madison County, was selected to receive the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award at a reception Sept. 9 at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville, Ill...

Quiznos is bringing new customers to the sandwich market, which in turn benefits Subway. Milford, Conn., is Subway territory, a small waterfront city of 52,000 that's home to the nation's largest restaurant chain, a place where Subway funds the arts and schools and sends kids to summer camp...

Jackson insurance agent recognized by J.D. Power Kelly Waller, an American Family Insurance agent in Jackson, has been recognized for customer satisfaction excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Insurance Agency Program. Waller has been an agent for American Family since October 2003. ...

StarBrand picks dealer for Internet services Network Communications has announced it has been selected by leading satellite Internet provider StarBrand as an authorized dealer of new high-speed satellite Internet services in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois. StarBrand provides two-way, high-speed Internet services for home users and small businesses...

An undercover police officer who went on a 2 1/2-month buying spree on Cape Girardeau's South Hanover Street purchased small amounts of crack cocaine 47 different times. Most of the transactions amounted to $20. That's hardly big time drug dealing, but police say the street is an "open-air market" for crack...

To the editor: Thank you to the people of Cape Girardeau and Benton who pulled to the side of the road Thursday morning for my Uncle Frank's funeral procession. It meant a great deal to my family and me that so many respected the time-honored tradition...

To the editor: After several years of hard work, negotiation and lobbying, Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County were awarded $10.8 million from the new federal highway bill to build an interchange on Interstate 55 at East Main Street and LaSalle Avenue. Also funded were the connecting roads of phase two of East Main Street on the Jackson side and LaSalle Avenue on the Cape Girardeau side of the interstate...

Grass in streets; Thousands of butts; Vote on inspections; Long vacation; Handicapped shopping; Learning new science; Expensive sodas; Intersection safety

Glenn Allen Sparkman, 78, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005 at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 9, 1927, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., son of the late Thomas E. and Gertrude Gardner Sparkman. Sparkman served in the Army from 1945 to 1947. ...

Ken J. Boyer, 67, of Jackson, formerly of Anna, Ill., died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 20, 1937, in Anna, the son of Lawrence and Mae Pitts Boyer. Boyer was president and chief operations officer of Work Force Investment Board of Southeast Missouri. He was also a member of First Baptist Church of Anna and a veteran of the U.S. Army...

Anniston, Mo. -- Terry Gilbert McClendon, 51, of Anniston died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, at his home. He was born Aug. 28, 1953, son of Henry and Elva Williams McClendon. McClendon was employed at Alan Wire and Cable in Sikeston, Mo. Survivors include two brothers, Ronald McClendon of Cairo, Mo., and Ricky McClendon of Chillicothe, Mo.; four sisters, Judith Coffer of Charleston, Mo., Barbara Key of Mayfield, Ky., Kathryn Groves of Scott City, and Betty June Fridell of St. Charles, Ark...

Dogwood, Mo. -- James Ray "Red" Phillips, 76, of the Dogwood community near East Prairie died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at his home. He was born April 23, 1929, in Dogwood, son of Thomas and Bernetta Johnson Phillips. He and Nina Barksdale were married in September 1948. She died June 16, 1989...

Perryville, Mo. -- Arlous W. Abernathy, 95, of Perryville died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 22, 1909, son of Edward and Mary Cox Abernathy. He and Ruby Farrar were married Nov. 29, 1933. She died Sept. 3, 1995...

25 years ago: Aug. 8, 1980 There are still questions to be answered and problems to be solved before a mass transit system is revived in Cape Girardeau; however, following a meeting with state transportation officials, local transit supervisor Steve Engelmann feels he is much closer to the answers...

Players from Sikeston won both the boys and girls 18-and-under singles titles on Sunday at the CATA Jammin' Junior tennis tournament played at the Southeast Missouri State University tennis courts. Jenni Dewitt swept aside Kara True, of Charleston, 6-1, 6-1, in the girls final, while Mark Leible rallied to defeat Blake Branum, of Charleston, in the boys final, winning 2-6, 6-0, 6-3...

NEW YORK -- Peter Jennings, the suave, Canadian-born broadcaster who delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades, died Sunday. He was 67. Jennings, who announced in April that he had lung cancer, died at his New York home, ABC News President David Westin said late Sunday...

The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Conspicuous by its absence in the sweeping energy bill that President Bush has championed and will sign Monday is his top energy priority: opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling. But the fight over the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will flare anew in Congress next month with drilling advocates saying they have their best chance in more than two decades of making it happen...

The summer road trip is an American -- and Missouri -- tradition, and this year is no different. Missourians are getting in their cars and heading off to the Lake of the Ozarks, Six Flags, the Gateway Arch and numerous other destinations during the busy summer travel season. As they travel, they can take comfort in the fact that Congress has taken final action on a major highway bill...

A survey was filled out by soldiers who had been deployed last year. CHICAGO -- A memo written by a top-ranking officer shows mounting concern over morale, leadership and declining retention within the Illinois Army National Guard, according to a published report...

Joe Lewis, 88, of Gordonville, Mo., died Sunday at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following call Saturday: * At 10:09 p.m., vehicle fire at 224 N. Park Ave. Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: * At 12:40 a.m., gas leak at 1118 Jefferson Ave. * At 1:40 a.m., emergency medical service in the 1100 block of North Spanish Street...

Cape Girardeau...

William H. Brinkopf, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. He was born Mar. 11, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, son of William C. and Emma Meyer Brinkopf. He and Ramona Lewis were married Jan. 10, 1964, in Cape Girardeau...

At 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Andy's was hopping. Crowds of people milled about in front of Cape Girardeau's new frozen custard shop, inhaling mouthfuls of ooey gooey, sipping on chocolate soda and spooning out mounds of an ambiguous mixture known as concrete...

BEIJING -- The United States and North Korea urged each other Sunday to make concessions as envoys to disarmament talks called a three-week recess, deadlocked over what the American envoy said was the North's demand for a nuclear power plant. The adjournment came after 13 days of talks failed to produce a statement of principles to guide renewed negotiations aimed at persuading North Korea to renounce nuclear weapons. The delegations said the six-nation talks would resume the week of Aug. 29...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- With only a week until the deadline for a new constitution, Iraqi political leaders launched marathon negotiations Sunday seeking to overcome formidable obstacles blocking agreement on the draft. Insurgent violence aimed at derailing Iraq's political efforts killed three more American servicemen and at least 13 Iraqi civilians and government employees across the country...

Summer does not officially end until Sept. 23, but when high school athletes and coaches begin practices today, it will mark the start of the fall sports season. Central football coach Lawrence Brookins said he's been in the mood for football season for weeks now...

College...

CANTON, Ohio -- He licked his fingers, a trademark of his 17 seasons as the NFL's most prolific quarterback, then turned to one of his favorite receivers, Mark Clayton, in the audience. "Go deep, Mark," Dan Marino commanded. Clayton sauntered up the aisle, turned and latched onto -- what else? -- a perfect spiral...

ST. LOUIS -- The presence of an officiating crew at the St. Louis Rams' practice Saturday night gave the team an idea of how far it has to go. Unofficially, the offense was whistled for eight false starts. Coach Mike Martz called the mistakes "absolutely ridiculous" and complained about slow substitution. He said if it had been a game, the Rams "would have had about 20 delay of games."...

PHOENIX -- Wayne Gretzky, the NHL's all-time leading scorer, will be the new coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, The Arizona Republic reported on its Web site Sunday. Gretzky, the team's managing partner, is expected to be introduced as coach today, multiple NHL sources told the paper. ESPN.com confirmed the report later Sunday...

CANTON, Ohio -- Whether he is in for two plays or two quarters, Ricky Williams will draw the most attention in Monday night's Hall of Fame game. Forget the returns to the NFL of Dolphins coach Nick Saban and Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner. Or the holdouts of both teams' top draft picks, running backs Ronnie Brown of Miami and Cedric Benson of Chicago...

Justin Gatlin of the United States once again proves he's the fastest man in the world. HELSINKI, Finland -- Justin Gatlin swept his opposition in winning the 100 meters Sunday, adding the world championship title to his Olympic gold medal. The overwhelming favorite didn't even have to dip for the line to finish in 9.88 seconds and enjoyed a 0.17-second margin over silver medalist Michael Frater of Jamaica, the largest victory in the 22-year history of the championships. ...

River Heritage Quilt Guild meet at picnic today The River Heritage Quilt Guild will hold a picnic at 6 p.m. today at Cape County Park South, pavilion 20. Soft drinks, paper plates and plastic cutlery will be provided. Members should bring food and serving utensils. Visitors are welcome. For more information, contact Becki Sanders at 334-1315 or online at www.geocities.com/ riverquilters...

At this tournament, a big number on a Sunday was something to savor for Retief Goosen. The Goose overcame Brandt Jobe down the stretch and outlasted the rest of the field over 36 grueling holes to win the International in Castle Rock, Colo., and become the last of the Big Five to make it into the win column this season...

The driver moved to the top of the standings by winning the Allstate 400. INDIANAPOLIS -- Tony Stewart was too spent to climb the fence right away and too happy to care. A lifelong quest to win a race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ended Sunday with Stewart finally getting his "Holy Grail," and he made sure to draw out the celebration as long as he could while the partisan crowd roared with approval...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A Perryville man was arrested Thursday for allegedly assaulting his son, and causing severe injuries. Terrance Overbey, 56, was charged with two felonies -- first-degree domestic assault with serious physical injury, and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle...

UNION COUNTY, Ill. -- An 86-year-old Jonesboro, Ill., woman suffered serious injuries following a one-car accident in Union County Sunday morning, according to the Illinois State Police. Police said the crash occurred around 9 a.m. on Old Cape Road, just south of Kornthal Church Road, when the woman ran off the left side of the road, overcorrected and ran off the ride side of the road, overturning several times in a cornfield...

A Perryville, Mo., man received moderate injuries Sunday in a single-car accident, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. Kenneth Bryant, 19, was taken by ambulance to Perry County Memorial Hospital following the crash on Route J in Perry County, the patrol reported...

A Cape Girardeau man was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison Monday on charges of possessing crack cocaine. U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry sentenced Lewis C. Curry, 37, to 100 months in prison and an additional four years of supervised probation following his release...

PATTON, Mo. -- A 12-year-old Sedgewickville boy was killed Saturday afternoon when the ATV he was driving overturned onto him as he attempted to climb a steep embankment. Anthony T. Bollinger was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:52 p.m. by Bollinger County assistant coroner Kevin Otte...

It's amazing how much it costs to get an education. I'm not talking about college. I'm talking about fourth grade and junior high school. My wife, Joni, has been on a mission in recent days: Shopping for all the back-to-school supplies our daughters need...

St. Louis' second baseman drove in a career-high five runs in an 8-4 victory over Milwaukee. MILWAUKEE -- Victor Santos can't figure out how to get Mark Grudzielanek out. Grudzielanek homered and drove in a career-high five runs, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 on Monday night...

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Isaac Bruce admits it was a "funny feeling" when an irregular heart beat turned up during routine testing this spring. But now, the St. Louis Rams' wide receiver is fine as he prepares to begin his 12th season. Bruce, 32, was held out of a June minicamp after the irregular heart beat was detected. He wore a heart monitor for about a day and everything checked out fine...

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Great One isn't promising great things right away from the Phoenix Coyotes. Merely contending for the Stanley Cup would be fine for a start. "There's no perfect coach in the world," Wayne Gretzky said Monday at his introduction as the new coach of the Coyotes. "Coaches are human, too. Mistakes are made. But, fundamentally, if you're sound you eliminate as many mistakes as possible."...

NEW YORK -- Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi, whose blindside punch left Colorado's Steve Moore with a broken neck, was reinstated by the NHL on Monday. Bertuzzi was suspended for the final 13 regular-season games of the 2003-04 season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. His banishment continued throughout last season's NHL lockout, which kept Bertuzzi from playing in the World Cup of Hockey last September and the past two world championships...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Enveloping the capital in an eerie orange glow, a blinding sandstorm Monday reduced visibility in Baghdad to a few feet -- slowing traffic to a crawl, canceling a key meeting on the Iraqi constitution and sending hundreds of people to the hospital with breathing problems...

Some with 1140th will have to learn new jobs as result of reorganizations. Many area National Guardsmen trained to blow up bridges and locate land mines must learn to drive dump trucks, deliver supplies and cook meals for fellow soldiers to remain in the guard...

When Mike Shain heard that ABC news anchor Peter Jennings died, his first thoughts were about an esteemed fellow television journalist who made his mark on the national news scene. But then the anchorman for KFVS12 in Cape Girardeau thought some more: Lung cancer. Dead at 67, just a year older than Shain...

The city of Cape Girardeau should open up its charter review process to more public input, Councilwoman Loretta Schneider said Monday. At a special meeting called to formally approve last week's transportation sales tax election results and authorize a downtown traffic study, Schneider suggested the charter review process has been too limited...

Environmentalists are claiming victory in their fight against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' proposed flood control plans on the Mississippi River in Mississippi and New Madrid counties, but the corps says it is just a pause. The plan in dispute, the $85 million St. ...

Some complained that the chief is going "overboard" in the small town. ORAN, Mo. -- The embattled chief of police in Oran has a message for his detractors -- he's not giving up, and he will enforce the law. Chief Marc Tragesser has been under fire for sweeping into town and trying to go against its established policing culture...

Remember the TV commercial a few years back: "You can't fool Mother Nature." Americans are likely to hear that refrain quite a bit as an effort to extend daylight-saving time picks up steam in Congress. A plan to start DST three weeks earlier (second Sunday in March) and end it a week later (first Sunday in November) has found its way into the federal energy bill...

To the editor: Lord have mercy. You don't have a place to exercise and be physically fit? You only have a thousand places where you can take a walk. And who is forcing you all to eat that much? Be honest with yourself. When I am in the Cape Girardeau area, I about wear myself out trying to see all the beautiful places. ...

To the editor: Once again, thank you to our caring community for supporting the 36th annual Church Women United CROP sale and salad luncheon. We are indebted to all who donated so generously as well as the many workers from all churches, including those from Young Life and the Notre Dame Regional High School youths. A special thanks to Centenary United Methodist Church for use of its facility and staff...

To the editor; I hope our leaders can find enough brainpower to get our seven astronauts home safely. Then I hope our nation will realize we are losing three times that many wonderful soldiers in Iraq every week and many more are wounded. Are their lives any less valuable than the lives of the astronauts? Surely there is enough brainpower in this great country to get us out of that mess and bring our 150,000 loved ones home safely...

To the editor: All of us are concerned about our children's futures. We are concerned that life for them will continue to improve and that their hopes and dreams will be accomplished. We know from the reality of our life experiences that hard choices will have to be made and that each of us will have to deal with difficult personal and societal economic decisions...

Call for help; Pullout prediction; Support for library; Taking the heat; Callers lie, liars call

25 years ago: Aug. 9, 1980 In an effort to expedite progress on the recently funded Magill Hall of Science addition, the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents holds a conference call special session yesterday to select an architectural firm for the project; the regents unanimously selected Mantel and Teter Architects Inc. of Kansas City, and Houser and Associates of Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare most of Missouri a disaster because of a drought. The governor's office said Monday that the disaster declaration request covers 109 of Missouri's 114 counties -- all except Andrew, Atchison, Holt, Linn and Scott. It also excludes the city of St. Louis...

Joe Champ Lewis, 88, of Gordonville died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girar-deau. He was born Dec. 4, 1916, in Gordonville, son of Joe G. and Anna Schrock Lewis. He was born on and lived his entire life on the family farm. He and Anna Westrich were married Oct. 30, 1945, at New Hamburg, Mo. She died Sept. 5, 1969. He later married Monica Steinnard Nov. 4, 1978, at Jackson...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Raymond Leo McManus, 88, of Poplar Bluff went home to be with the Lord Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at the home of his son. Mr. McMan-us was born Aug. 1, 1917, at Harviell, Mo. He was a member of Temple Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. Mr. McManus was employed by Mississippi River Transmission Corp. 30 years, retiring in 1979. He was also a self-employed electrician...

COMMERCE, Mo. -- Ann "Annie" Thompson, 86, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died Saturday, July 30, 2005, in Scottsdale. She was born Sept. 29,1918, at Commerce. She and Everett Earl Thompson were married May 27, 1973, in Arizona. He died Feb. 26, 1999. Survivors include two sons, Everett Thompson Jr. and William Thompson of Enid, Okla.; a daughter, Tammy Cherry of Mesa, Ariz.; two sisters, Rosalie Hillman of Scott City, Linda Ziegler of Benton, Mo.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren...

Daphna N. Bruening, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 8, 2005, at Life Care Center. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Lucian G. Ingram, 80, of Madison Heights, Mich., died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at his home. He was born July 16, 1925, in Kentucky, son of Lemuel and Mamie Laura Ingram. He married Ruth Ingram, who died March 21, 1986. Ingram was a retired roofer...

Jim C. Birk, 70, of Shawneetown, died Monday, Aug. 8, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

COBDEN, Ill. -- Joan Hornback, 73, of Cobden died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Nov. 4, 1931, in Chicago, daughter of Warren and Dorothy Schubert Cornue. She and Jerry Hornback were married July 31, 1965...

Lila Waters, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 8, 2005, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Feb. 22, 1919, in Gainesville, Ark., daughter of Albert and Annie Spain. She and Kermit Waters were married Sept. 12, 1957, in Paragould, Ark. Waters was a member of Bethany Baptist Church...

Eleanor L. "Lee" Brennemann, 70, of Belleville, Ill., died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, at her home. She was born Sept. 9, 1934, in Delavan, Ill., daughter of Berne R. and Marguerite Grube Brennemann. Brennemann was a retired nurse, and had worked at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was a member of Republican National Committee...

Rosanne Mansker, 57, of Shiner, Texas, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, at Geary Community Hospital in Junction City, Kan. She was born Dec. 30, 1947, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of George and Jewell Vaughn Williams. She and Claude Mansker were married Feb. 23, 1973...

Perryville, Mo. -- Arlous W. Abernathy, 95, of Perryville died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 22, 1909, son of Edward and Mary Cox Abernathy. He and Ruby Farrar were married Nov. 29, 1933. She died Sept. 3, 1995...

PATTON, Mo. -- Leona F. Besher, 78, of Fisk, Mo., died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, at her home. She was born Sept. 30, 1926, at Patton, daughter of Walter C. and Minta L. Starkey Green. She and Bill E. Besher were married Jan. 3, 1948. He died Aug. 12, 2004...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Anthony Tyler Bollinger, 12, of Sedgewickville died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, in a four-wheeler accident on the family farm. He was born July 25, 1993, at Fredericktown, Mo., son of Sam and Dana Clifford Bollinger. Bollinger was a seventh grade student at Meadow Heights School in Patton, Mo., where he was active on the Student Council and was on the basketball team. He was a member of Post Oak Congregational Methodist Church...

SPACE CENTER, Houston -- After orbiting the Earth for nearly two weeks, astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery were told to circle the planet for another day as bad weather in Florida forced NASA to delay Monday's scheduled landing. The astronauts had powered up their spacecraft and were awaiting word from Mission Control to fire their braking rockets and head for home when controllers announced early Monday that low clouds over Cape Canaveral would postpone the landing...

Calling all high school freshmen: Terrified of walking through a group of very cool seniors by yourself, sitting at the wrong table in the cafeteria or stuttering when you introduce yourself in class? Well, you should be. Fear is a natural part of your first week (or month) of high school...

CLEVELAND -- On the stage sat a helmet, a pair of worn soldier's boots and a folded American flag. In the audience were thousands who turned out Monday night to honor 16 fallen Marines and their hard-hit Ohio battalion. "Our own band of brothers," Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones said during an hour-long memorial service of prayers, bagpipes intoning "Amazing Grace" and montages of the troops from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines who died in the past two weeks in Iraq...

n Jackson High School graduates Leni Fluegge and Annie Tucker have received scholarships from VFW Auxiliary 10495 in Jackson.; Local students graduate

WASHINGTON -- By month's end, federal health officials will decide whether to let women buy emergency contraception without a prescription -- and if so, if the morning-after pill will be treated like aspirin off the shelf or like cigarettes. Regardless of how the Food and Drug Administration ends the saga, it isn't likely to settle the issue. States already are moving to expand access to the pill that can prevent pregnancy if taken soon after unprotected sex...

NAGASAKI, Japan -- A siren wailed and a bronze bell rang out today as Nagasaki marked the moment 60 years ago when an American plane dropped a plutonium bomb, killing tens of thousands and sealing Japan's defeat in World War II. About 6,000 people, including hundreds of aging bomb survivors, crowded into Nagasaki's Peace Memorial Park, just a few hundred yards from the center of the blast, for a solemn remembrance and moment of silence...

LOS ANGELES -- Gene Mauch, "the little general" who managed the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos to 1,901 wins, died Monday. He was 79. Mauch died at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the Los Angeles Angels said, after a long battle with cancer. He had lived in the desert resort area since retiring...

CANTON, Ohio -- Rookie Kyle Orton brought a breath of fresh air to the often-stale Chicago Bears offense. Orton riddled Miami's third-string defense on two late touchdown drives, lifting the Bears past the Dolphins 27-24 in the Hall of Fame game Monday night...

College...

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- The 17th hole at Baltusrol Golf Club is the longest in major championship history, measuring 650 yards down a tree-lined fairway and across a patch of bunkers and rough to an elevated green. Most figure that Tiger Woods and John Daly are the only ones who have a chance to reach in two...

On the air Boxing Light welterweights, Julio Diaz (31-3-0) vs. Tomas Barrientes (27-8-0), 9 p.m., ESPN2 Major League Baseball Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, 1:10 p.m., WGN St. Louis at Milwaukee, 7 p.m., Fox-Midwest, KZIM-960, KBXB-97.9 Tennis ATP/US Open Series, Rogers Cup, noon, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2...

NEW YORK -- A federal prosecutor investigating corruption in the $64 billion oil-for-food program issued the case's first criminal charges against a U.N. official, accusing a former Russian procurement officer of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from companies doing business with the United Nations...

MILWAUKEE -- Right-hander Anthony Reyes, the top pitching prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, will make his major league debut tonight at Milwaukee. Manager Tony La Russa, whose team has just one off day this month, said Monday that he'll activate Reyes before the game and that the pitcher will likely be sent back to Triple-A Memphis afterward...

The Southeast Missourian is looking for local teens who have their driver's license to give tips on passing your driver's test. Contact features editor Callie Clark Miller at cmiller@semissourian.com or (800) 879-1210, extension 128 to share your advice...

A Whitewater man received moderate injuries in a one-vehicle accident early Tuesday morning, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The accident occurred around 5 a.m. when 26-year-old Cory Berry was driving on Route A, one mile east of Whitewater, ran off the roadway, struck and embankment and overturned. Berry was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Charges are pending...

A Cape Girardeau man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to repeatedly selling crack cocaine to a police informant. Marshall Egson, 27 faces up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million. Sentencing has been set for Nov. 28 in Cape Girardeau. ...

A Cape Girardeau man pleaded guilty Tuesday to torturing and killing a cat, marking the first local felony animal cruelty conviction, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said. Eric Lee Ford, 45, of 259 N. Park Ave., entered the plea in Mississippi County, where his case was moved on a change of venue...

Even though most Hollywood marriages are as disposable as the new Cottonelle wipes, and most celebs are so boring and predictable they're not worth following, for some reason I care that Brad Pitt broke his vows to Jennifer Aniston. She's got it all -- sweet, talented, wealthy and beautiful -- but it's still sad to see someone face that sort of public humiliation. ...

As an 18-year-old in the late 1960s, Eli Fishman drove a Good Humor ice cream truck on the politically charged streets of Chicago. One summer afternoon, Fishman, a Vietnam War objector himself, drove his truck into a park packed with police and protesters...

Annual celebration includes homemade ice cream, fried fish and talent contest. For the Rushin family of Jackson, there were lots of reasons to come to the Jackson Homecomers festival Tuesday night. Among those reasons -- the food. "I come for the homemade ice cream," said Richard Rushin...

A Jackson man faces up to 40 years in federal prison following a guilty plea on charges of possessing methamphetamine. Michael W. Brown pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute in an appearance before U.S. District Judge Catherine D. ...

A guilty plea in a domestic violence case and two cases involving methamphetamine highlight the major source of crime in Union County, Ill., the state's attorney said Tuesday. "That pretty well sums up my day," State's Attorney Allen James said. "We have meth, occasionally marijuana and lots of domestic violence, which is the bulk of the violent crimes."...

Jackson suffered a knee injury last year on the old surface at the Edward Jones Dome. The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- After getting his right knee beat up on the St. Louis Rams' old artificial turf field as a rookie, running back Steven Jackson pines for the real thing when he hits the field...

The defending Cup champion will leave Roush Racing for Penske Racing South, but the timetable is not finalized. Reigning Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch is changing teams, moving from Roush Racing to Penske Racing South. The only question is when. Busch signed a multiyear contract to drive for Penske starting in 2007 and asked to be released from his current contract with Roush Racing, apparently in hopes of replacing retiring Rusty Wallace next season. ...

MILWAUKEE -- On any other pitching staff, Anthony Reyes would have earned an encore. The St. Louis Cardinals' top pitching prospect threw 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in his major league debut but didn't have much time to celebrate his 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday because the club planned to send him back to Class AAA Memphis this morning...