Stories from September 2005

Sept. 1, 2005 Dear Leslie, Anyone who has spent time in New Orleans is second lining today -- for the people who have died along the Gulf Coast because of Hurricane Katrina and for the thousands whose day-to-day lives have been devastated. Mourning may be due New Orleans itself, now mostly under water...

When football fans arrive at Houck Stadium for the game at 6 p.m. today every piece of construction equipment and material used to give Houck Field House a face lift will be out of sight...

A three-week spending spree with forged checks ended with charges against three Illinois residents. Most of the more than $9,700 in merchandise purchased with up to 65 checks has not been recovered, detectives said. The three facing charges were arrested Aug. 23 at the Wal-Mart at 3051 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson...

Both sides plan to meet today to see if there is room for progress in negotiations. PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- They've traded the production line for the picket line. Carrying signs that say "Saberliner Unfair," 169 workers for the St. Louis-based company's airplane modification company have gone on strike at facilities in Perryville, Ste. Genevieve and St. Mary...

MIAMI -- Florida's Jeremy Hermida became the second player to hit a grand slam in his first major-league at-bat and the first to do it as a pinch-hitter, connecting in the seventh inning off the St. Louis Cardinals' Al Reyes in the Marlins' 10-5 loss Wednesday night...

Southeast Missouri State University graduate Philip Rudd will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, this month on a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad grant. "I knew that if I wanted to do the research I would need help in funding," Rudd said, because the research can't be done in America and he would need to stay in Kenya for some time...

Gasoline prices leaped nationwide Wednesday as key refineries and pipelines remained crippled by Hurricane Katrina, crimping supplies and leading to caps on the amount of fuel delivered to retailers. The Bush administration agreed to release oil from emergency stockpiles to help Gulf Coast refiners hobbled by a loss of shipments due to Katrina. ...

MasterCard planning public offering of stock NEW YORK -- MasterCard Inc., one of the world's largest credit-card brands, on Wednesday unveiled plans for an initial public offering to help reshape its business during a time of unprecedented competitive and legal challenges mounted by rivals. ...

VIENNA, Austria -- From papal prayers to telegrams from China, the world reacted with an outpouring of compassion Wednesday for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in messages tinged by shock that a disaster of this scale could occur in the United States...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Trampled, crushed against barricades or plunging into the Tigris River, more than 700 Shiite pilgrims died Wednesday when a procession across a Baghdad bridge was engulfed in panic over rumors that a suicide bomber was at large. Most of the dead were women and children, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. ...

Missouri has a rallying cry for what the school hopes is a return to prominence: Remember Aaron O'Neal. "One thing they are going to do, without question, is dedicate this season to Aaron," Tigers coach Gary Pinkel said. "That kind of just changes everything...

What's new in college football in 2005? Plenty, starting with nearly 20 percent of Division I-A head coaches. Eight conferences will use instant replay for the first time, six leagues will welcome first-year members and a new poll will help determine which teams play in the Bowl Championship Series...

NEW YORK -- Wispy Maria Sharapova was one strong gust away from getting knocked over, though not out, at the U.S. Open. "I'm really glad I had a piece of chocolate cake last night," she joked, "otherwise I would have been blown away. It made me heavier."...

WASHINGTON -- Surging energy prices and business disruptions from Hurricane Katrina, likely the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, threaten to slow what has been a steadily expanding economy. The powerful and deadly storm devastated much of the Gulf Coast area, knocking out oil refineries, shuttering businesses and crippling the flow of commerce through ravaged ports...

On Labor Day, the Cape Girardeau Muscular Dystrophy Association district office will hold a telethon at Auffenberg Autopark on South Kingshighway in conjunction with the national telethon that will be aired on KFVS12 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Local segments featuring profiles on area patients with muscular dystrophy will be aired every hour during the national telethon. A look at events held by the local MDA office throughout the year will also be featured...

Air Force Master Sgt. Roger D. Cato, a Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University graduate, recently sent a flag flown by his Air Force C-130 Transportation Unit over Iraq and Afghanistan to the Louis K. Juden American Legion Post 63 in Cape Girardeau...

From time to time there is a flurry of Speak Out comments about parents, mostly fathers, who don't make court-ordered child-support payments on time -- or at all. For some time now the Family Support Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services has used computerized databases to track down deadbeat dads. On average, the division receives more than $40 million a month in child-support payments that have to be distributed to custodial parents...

In last week's column, I cheekily proclaimed it's safe to love carbs again. As predicted, I heard from my share of Atkins adherents holding down the fort for their high-protein, low-carb diet. Even though carbs (of the "healthy" variety) are coming back in style, there are still quite a few gluten-intolerants among us. Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of "Total Health," goes so far as to claim grains as the main culprit in our nation's ill health because they disturb insulin levels...

To the editor: In response to Janice Watrous' rebuttal -- "Evolution: What's the fuss about?" -- to a David Limbaugh column: Yes, to God a thousand years is as a day and vice versa. However, if Watrous will take the time to read the account of creation in Genesis 1, after each day of creation it states, "And the evening and the morning were the first day ... second day" through to the sixth day. An evening and a morning clearly indicate a 24-hour day...

Respectful coverage; Can't afford to play; Rely on faith; No need for math; Not showing dignity; Help themselves; Positive pastime; Panhandling swindle; Work-zone speeding; Watching the hurricane; Too much debt; Can't afford fuel; Labor heroes; Long-hair fashions; Eating too fast

Winfred Steven Caldwell, 60, of Jackson left his earthly life Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, to join his heavenly father. He passed away in Indianapolis, Ind., as a result of a truck accident. He was born Sept. 11, 1944, in Southern Pines, N.C., son of Sid Moore and Eleanor Harloe Moore Caldwell. He was later adopted by James Caldwell. He and Lynda King Lorenz were married Jan. 8, 2000, in Jackson...

Raymond Harold Tipton, 84, formerly of Little Rock, Ark., entered into the arms of the Lord Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at the Lutheran Home. Beloved husband of the late Marie Williams of Hope, Ark.; loving father of Barbara (Lindell) Bast of St. Louis, Cathy (Richard) Walton of Jackson; Raymond H. (Nanci) Tipton Jr. of Edmund, Okla.; dear grandfather of 10; dear great-grandfather of four; brother-in-law; uncle; cousin; and friend...

Irma M. Albrecht Kroenung of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 28, 2005. Wife of the late Erwin D. Kroenung; dear mother of Glenn (Barbara) and Paul (Susan) Kroenung; grandmother of Eugene, Phillip, Jill, Joseph and Jeffrey, Mary and Kenneth; dear great-grandmother of 11; sister-in-law; aunt; great-aunt; cousin; and friend...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Dorris S. Lincoln, 92, of Lake of Egypt, Ill., died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at the home of a daughter. She was born Nov. 2, 1912, in Versailles, Mo., daughter of George R. and Margaret Cox Neilson. She and William Elzie Ray Lincoln were married March 30, 1930. He died March 31, 1987...

Melville A. Welker, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at the Lutheran Home. Arrangements are incomplete at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home.

PATTON, Mo. -- Mark E. Molengraft, 46, of Patton died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at his home. He was born April 15, 1959, in Naperville, Ill., son of Gene Harold and Carole Nettie Weston Molengraft. Molengraft was a mechanic several years. Survivors include two brothers, Scott Molengraft of Naperville and Steve Molengraft of Patton...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- William McGinnis Gifford, 77, of East Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, at his home. He was born May 8, 1928, in Huntington, W.Va., son of William Scott and Violet Virginia Adkins Gifford. He and Audrey Darlene Ashline were married Jan. 5, 1948, in Kankakee, Ill. She died Jan. 20, 2001...

The Rev. Anthony Wayne Johnson, 57, of Spring, Texas, died Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, at Houston Northwest Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He was formerly pastor at Alexander County Freewill Baptist Church in Olive Branch, Ill., and at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Crump...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Eulleen May Friese, 64, of Perryville died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 20, 1940, at Crosstown, Mo., daughter of Andrew and Jennie Pullem Pillars. She and Loy Friese were married Sept. 28, 1957. He died Sept. 26, 1995...

25 years ago: Sept. 1, 1980 The director of University Schools, Dr. John E. Koenig, has been named public service division chairman for the 1980 to 1981 United Way campaign; Koenig will select workers to contact city and state employees, public and parochial schools, Southeast Missouri State University and employees of United Way agencies...

Blunt seeks seat belts for all new school buses ST. LOUIS -- Gov. Matt Blunt announced plans Wednesday to pass a lap-shoulder seat belt requirement in newly purchased school buses in the state. Blunt said he'd also work with state legislators to devise a funding mechanism so that school districts and taxpayers wouldn't bear the cost. ...

NEW ORLEANS -- Authorities all but surrendered the streets of New Orleans to floodwaters, looting and other lawlessness Wednesday as the mayor called for a total evacuation and warned the death toll from Hurricane Katrina could reach into the thousands...

Since the start of Hurricane Katrina, Cape Girardeau resident Chris Pendor has waited for news of her uncle, grandmother and father in both Mississippi and Louisiana. By Wednesday afternoon, all were accounted for except for her father. At about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, her fears were relieved when her father called from Slaughter, Miss., about 30 minutes from Baton Rouge, La. Power had finally been restored, although her father was surrounded by a 500-foot wide pile of debris...

Cape Girardeau...

Talk to John Rhodes of Fruitland about his recent weight loss, and he makes it sound easy. Rhodes has so far lost 116 pounds from his 6-foot, 1-inch frame since December. He still wants to lose another 15. He changed his eating habits through his participation in TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)...

Briefs ** Conference to cover HIV, flu ** The annual primary care conference for advanced practice nurses will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 at the University Center of Southeast Missouri State University. Barb Bancroft, RN, MSN, PNP, will be the featured speaker. She will speak on infectious diseases, "the big four: HIV, hepatitis, herpes and SARS," and will give an update on the avian flu...

PITTSBURGH -- Dozens of women who had abortions or miscarried have contacted the coroner's office to see if their fetuses were among 300 discovered in the garage of a home where a suspended funeral director once lived. The fetuses were found last week in cardboard boxes, plastic bags and Tupperware-like containers inside the padlocked garage of the home of Robert B. Winston Jr.'s ex-wife...

Public divided on whether or not humans evolved WASHINGTON -- Americans are divided over whether humans and other living things evolved over time or have existed in their present form since the beginning of time, according to a new poll. In the poll by the Pew Research Center, 42 percent of those surveyed held strict "creationist" views that "living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time." Almost half, 48 percent, said they believed humans have evolved over time. ...

Area gasoline prices late Wednesday. The price quoted is per gallon of regular unleaded gas. (Prices rounded to the nearest cent.) * Amerimart No. 5, 865 N. Kingshighway: $2.80 * Rhodes 101, 2109 William St.: $2.80 * Casey's General Store, 920 W. Independence St., Jackson: $2.70...

Stores team up for relief effort, donations Local Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs have teamed up with the Salvation Army to collect monetary donations for ongoing relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Salvation Army is not collecting material goods at this time and will be involved for the long term relief efforts. ...

The American Red Cross will hold a series of blood and platelet drives through Tuesday in Cape Girardeau in response to Hurricane Katrina, which has taxed local blood supplies. The drives will be held at 20 S. Mount Auburn Road today from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Sunday from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (platelet only), Monday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (platelet only)...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Last fall, Ron Zook was fired in the midst of a 7-4 season at Florida. The same record this fall surely would earn him a raise at Illinois. The Illini are 9-26 since winning the Big Ten title in 2001. They've defeated only one conference opponent in the past two seasons, a descent to mediocrity that cost Ron Turner his job last November...

Torres; Broshuis; Essner; Fox; Freeman; Hennessy; Baer

Kelsy Holloway came on in relief of Central starter Sirena Watkins after two batters and held Jackson to just two hits in Central's 5-2 home victory Wednesday. Central snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 2-4. Holloway struck out eight, walked three and allowed one unearned run...

CHENEY, Wash. -- Funny how a coach goes from genius to dummy and maybe back again, depending on his players and record. Mike Holmgren looked positively brilliant as an assistant coach in San Francisco and a head coach in Green Bay when they took regular trips to the Super Bowl...

ST. LOUIS -- During their glory days from 1999 to 2001, the St. Louis Rams had more than enough offense to make up for any deficiencies on the other side of the ball. Now, balance might be the calling card as the Rams, somehow a playoff team last season despite a .500 record, retool for another run. The offense has been in the middle of the pack, and most of the team's high-profile offseason moves came on a defense that will have five new starters...

While the defense took the bulk of the blame for Southeast Missouri State's dismal season last year, the Redhawks' offense wasn't exactly stellar either. And, after many of the key components from that unit completed their eligibility in 2004, there are loads of question marks for the Redhawks' offense...

Southeast Missourian By Southeast Missouri State coach Tim Billings' own admission, there is absolutely no other way to put it: The Redhawks' defense was horrible last year. Marked improvement within that unit this season figures to be vital if Southeast has any hopes of bouncing back from its 3-8 record in 2004...

EASTERN ILLINOIS ** n Coach: Bob Spoo, 110-95-1 at EIU (18 years) * Last year: 5-6 overall, 4-4 OVC (fourth) * Returning starters: 20 (10 offense, 8 defense, 2 specialists) * Preseason OVC ranking: No. 4 * Five players to watch: RB Vincent Webb (1,106 yards, 12 TD), WR Ryan Voss (46 receptions, 784 yards, 7 TD), C Pascal Matla, DE Kory Lothe (46 tackles, 6 sacks), CB Ben Brown (49 tackles, 5 INT)...

It's virtually back to square one for Southeast Missouri State football and coach Tim Billings. Billings was hired to turn around a floundering program in 2000. The first two years were understandably tough, followed by an 8-4 season in 2002 that represented the Redhawks' best record since 1969...

Chaffee's second fall softball campaign has brought with it an expanded schedule. The Red Devils joined the SEMO Conference this season and thus added Central, Jackson, Kelly and Poplar Bluff to their schedule. Through its first three conference games, Chaffee (4-2) had won two, but the Red Devils ran into a road block at home Wednesday against Poplar Bluff. Kristen Ploetze no-hit Chaffee and added a two-run home run in a 7-0 win which snapped Chaffee's four-game winning streak...

The Southeast basketball player's immediate family left Biloxi, Miss., for Tallahassee, Fla., before the storm. Terrick Willoughby could only watch in horror the televised news reports that revealed the death and destruction in Biloxi, Miss., courtesy of Hurricane Katrina...

On paper, Southeast Missouri State's early schedule doesn't appear to be conducive to a strong start, but coach Tim Billings figures he'll at least get an early indication of how much the Redhawks have improved. Tonight's opener against highly regarded Southern Illinois -- set for 6 p.m. at Houck Stadium -- should be quite a measuring stick all by itself...

Meadow Heights has seen a quick rise to its girls basketball program. The district started with grade school teams, and within five years Meadow Heights is ready to make a splash at the high school varsity level this season. Meadow Heights will debut its varsity team Nov. 29 at home against Woodland...

Ever since donning the pads as a center during his sixth-grade football season, Central sophomore Garrett Stevens dreamed of lining up at quarterback for the Tigers. Stevens got some experience at the position for Central Junior High during his seventh- and eighth-grade seasons...

Jackson coach Carl Gross doesn't have a lot of returning players from last year's 7-3 team that ended a two-year streak of losing seasons. But he sure can't complain about the few that are back. Nor can he complain about what they did in the offseason to try to build a streak of winning seasons at a school that had just one losing season from 1994 to 2001...

St. Vincent's returning players got a little bit of a reward for winning the 2004 Class 1 state championship. They had a full month off between the final game and the start of preparations for 2005. Of course, the fact the season ended so late -- Nov. 27 with a 21-0 thrashing of East Buchanan in the state title game at the Edward Jones Dome -- and the Christmas holiday was just around the corner played a big part...

The pressure could be squarely on Travis Brown's shoulders. He is the leading returning rusher for the Perryville football team, one of just two returning players who scored a touchdown last year and one of the four captains for this year's team. He also is the leading returning tackler...

It appears the fourth time was the charm for Scott City. Last season, Terry Flannigan took over as the fourth coach in four years for Scott City's football team. The three previous coaches had combined for just 10 wins. Flannigan's system stuck with the Rams, and the veteran group put up its highest win total since 1999 and its first winning season since 2000 with an 8-2 finish...

Charlie Vickery has heard the numerous excuses for the current state of Chaffee's football program. They are too young, they have too few kids to choose from, there simply is not enough talent to work with. Vickery, a Chaffee alumnus, does not want to hear any excuses...

ROME -- The bird flu virus that has hit several Asian countries is likely to spread to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the U.N. food agency warned on Wednesday, urging nations at risk to step up surveillance and prepare national emergency plans...

Somewhere out there, perhaps in your very own neighborhood, Little Girl is celebrating her birthday with her father. I don't know Little Girl's name, nor do I know her father. Her father and I met, briefly, in a Wal-Mart checkout line. Our encounter was purely coincidental. He had been shopping for Little Girl's special day. I had picked up some odds and ends. We both went to the same "20 items or less" lane, because we thought we could get checked out faster...

Jeremy Summers and David Phillips stood on an embankment overlooking Houck Place, two men in Saluki maroon amongst a sea of red and black. Summers, a recent Southern Illinois University graduate, and Phillips, currently a senior at SIU, showed no signs of being in the land of the enemy...

A Cape Girardeau landlord faces misdemeanor assault charges, accused of turning on the heat in a tenant's apartment Aug. 6 during a dispute over unpaid rent and living conditions. Fred Barnard, 62, of 243 County Road 438 will appear in court Sept. ...

To escape Hurricane Katrina, Darwin and Belinda Chatman and their family drove north from Luling, La., Sunday evening in two cars -- the Chatmans, their three children and Belinda's parents. They checked into the Victorian Inn in Cape Girardeau, hoping to return home soon. That won't happen...

The Indians will christen their season on Saturday against Mississippi's Hillcrest Christian. Jackson's reputation as a football town is well deserved judging from the usually packed stadium for the Indians' home games. Apparently that reputation has spread well beyond the area, as Jackson will play host to Hillcrest Christian on Saturday. Hillcrest hails from Jackson, Miss., located 385 miles to the south...

From gas stations to grocery stores, farms to factories, the force of Hurricane Katrina is rippling through the economy, confronting consumers and businesses with higher prices and logistical dilemmas, even thousands of miles from the Gulf Coast. Unlike most natural disasters, Katrina is that rare economic event -- sweeping and devastating enough to damage commerce well beyond its region, affecting the price, supply and markets for goods critical to business and counted on in daily life...

Retired meteorologist Mike Pind finds comfort with family. A blast of air-conditioning and the taste of his aunt Aileen's barbecue and strawberry cobbler meant the worst was over for Mike Pind and his family. Pind, a retired Navy meteorologist living in Picayune, Miss., endured Hurricane Katrina on Monday with his daughter and son-in-law, Page and Marcos Quinto, and their three children...

Dr. Ken Dobbins said that without the plan the university risks state intervention. Southeast Missouri State University may cap future tuition increases under a plan proposed Thursday rather than wait for lawmakers to do it. School president Dr. Ken Dobbins suggested a tuition cap to take effect next fall...

As area gas prices jumped Thursday afternoon to all-time highs, one station ran out of regular and super unleaded fuel thanks to the climbing cost of crude oil and the production disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina. The highest price in the region Thursday may have been at Express Fuel in Benton, Mo., where gas was selling for $3.12 per gallon if paid for with a credit or debit card or $3.09 per gallon for a cash transaction. ...

Hiroshima, Japan has been in the news recently as we observe the 60th anniversary of the use of the atomic bomb in World War II. But a much happier event occurred in Hiroshima 25 years earlier -- the establishment of Toyo Cork Kogyo, which later changed its name to Mazda, in honor of the god of light. ...

NEW ORLEANS -- Managers at the Covenant Home nursing center were prepared to cope with power outages and supply shortages following Hurricane Katrina. They weren't ready for looters. The nursing home lost its bus after the driver surrendered it to carjackers. Groups of people then drove by the center, shouting to residents, "Get out!"...

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Cargill Inc. will spend about $130 million to upgrade pollution control devices at 27 corn and oilseed plants in the Midwest to settle a clean air lawsuit, federal officials said Thursday. Under the settlement, the food and agricultural products company has also agreed to pay $1.6 million in civil penalties and spend another $3.5 million on other environmental projects around the country...

LONDON -- A new theory proposes that mad cow disease may have come from feeding British cattle meal contaminated with human remains infected with a variation of the disease. The hypothesis, outlined this week in The Lancet medical journal, suggests the infected cattle feed came from the Indian subcontinent, where bodies sometimes are ceremonially thrown into the Ganges River...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Gunfire erupted Thursday while protesters marched toward the bridge where nearly 1,000 Shiites were killed in a stampede during a religious procession, and thousands of people flocked to bury their dead from the tragedy. Government critics, meanwhile, blasted their leaders for failing to prevent the disaster...

ST. LOUIS -- Two St. Louis-area men have pleaded guilty to conspiring in a heist of works by some of the world's most notable artists, valued at up to $4 million, that were traced to buyers in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo and St. Louis. The two men stole original paintings, prints and sculptures while employed at Fine Arts Express, a suburban St. ...

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis jury on Thursday recommended a 20-year prison sentence for the Rev. Thomas Graham, a Roman Catholic priest convicted of sexually abusing a teenage boy in the rectory of St. Louis' Old Cathedral in the 1970s. Circuit Judge Angela Turner Quigless will formally sentence Graham on Oct. 6...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon said Thursday that two companies that ran a promotion promising big rebates must pay $1.8 million to customers and the state. Nixon sued the companies in February, saying England-based Consumers Trust and its partner, Consumer Promotions Inc., of Lee's Summit, promised extravagant product rebates to consumers but then made the rebates extremely difficult to obtain. ...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Blue Macellari wrote the term paper back in 1999 while studying abroad, so the Duke University graduate student didn't understand why it was on the Internet -- or why it was for sale. Now, she's suing the operator of Web sites selling her paper and seeking more than $100,000 for copyright infringement, invasion of privacy and damage to her reputation...

BARTLETT, Ill. -- Walter S. Arnold was helping a monster break free of its stone prison. "This is actually a grotesque, not a gargoyle," the stone carver explained as he used a hydraulic lift to position the heavy figure of Indiana limestone. "Most people call them all gargoyles, but a gargoyle, technically, is a waterspout attached to a building. This guy's a freestanding figure, so he's a grotesque."...

WASHINGTON -- At least once or twice a day and sometimes much more often, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President Bush talk on the telephone. Not since the days of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, or perhaps of George H.W. Bush and James A. Baker, have a president and his top diplomat communicated so closely or understood one another so well...

WASHINGTON -- The FBI decided Thursday to stop tests that match bullets by lead content, a practice criticized as producing a high rate of false matches between crime scene bullets and bullets taken from suspects. In a statement, the bureau said it was informing about 300 state and local law enforcement agencies that had received positive match reports from the FBI Laboratory since 1966. ...

A crash Monday on Interstate 57 in Union County, Ill., led to the discovery of 62 pounds of marijuana, Illinois State Police reported. Gary L. Moormann, 23, of Rolling Perry, Ind., was charged with three felonies, Union County state's attorney Allen James said. ...

State Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, was named Missouri Senator of the Year for 2005 last week by the Missouri Sheriff's Association. He was given the award for handling a bill in the Senate that allows money in county sheriffs' revolving funds to be used to cover costs associated with issuing conceal-carry permits. ...

Whenever natural disasters of catastrophic proportions occur around the world, the United States has always been a leader in providing aid. Now the catastrophe is here where Hurricane Katrina lashed out with unprecedented fury. Some officials estimate the death toll could climb well into the hundreds, if not thousands. Because of the devastation, food, water, medical care and fuel are scarce...

To the editor: I am writing to encourage all Missourians to contact their senators and representatives, both state and federal, to ask them to investigate the drastic increase in gasoline prices in just 24 hours. There is no legitimate reason, in spite of the hurricane, why gas prices went so high so fast...

To the editor: Editor R. Joe Sullivan wrote so brilliantly about motion sickness ("Ahoy! Don't call me Ishmael") that I began to feel uncomfortable despite the fact I haven't suffered from this malady for more than 50 years. There was this girl in Latin class whom I had secretly admired for several years. ...

To the editor: The Journal of the American Medical Association editor, Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, was unaware that the authors of a recent study claiming unborn children feel no pain from abortions until late in a pregnancy were two abortion advocates. ...

To the editor: People around this region are awesome. Their generosity once again is making an impact on children and adults with disabilities. We hosted a barbecue and barn dance to benefit Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship. More than 400 people bought tickets and gave of their resources to help this worthy program...

Bad dress, bad image; It's still painful; Controlling grass; Bad impression; Thanks for purse; Cemetery upkeep; Dress violations; Disaster aid; Missing the middle; Bi-directional loss; A fair story; Inappropriate dress; Too simplistic

Ollie "Jay" Bradford, 88, of Cape Girardeau and formerly of Jackson, passed away Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 2, 1916, at Charleston, Mo., son of Ollie T. and Agnes Worland Bradford. After graduation from the former Diehlstadt High School, Jay graduated from the former Cape Business College. ...

The Rev. Anthony Wayne Johnson, 57, of Spring, Texas, died Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, at Houston Northwest Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He was born Feb. 21, 1948, in Cairo, Ill., son of J.D. and Pauline Bennett Johnson. He and Karen Robinson were married June 30, 1972...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Dorothy L. Reasons, 85, of Cairo died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born Dec. 2, 1919, in Bardwell, Ky., daughter of Robert and Thelma Lee Halteman. She married Delbert Reasons, who preceded her in death...

Teresa Hagedorn, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at her home. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Melville A. Welker, 94, of Millersville died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 24, 1911, near Millersville, son of Amos C. "Doc" and Stella Bedwell Welker. Welker attended Old Salem and Millersville schools. He had been a farmer, and was a member of Old Salem United Methodist Church...

Donald Earl Lemons, 49, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 25, 1955, in St. Louis, son of Cleo and Marjorie Crader Lemons. Survivors include a brother, Ronald Lemons of Maplewood, Mo., and a sister, Carol Halbert of Cape Girardeau...

ANNA, Ill. -- Edna M. Newberry, 94, of Anna died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at City Care Center. She was born Feb. 19, 1911, at Cobden, Ill., daughter of Tom and Hannah Nance Adams. She and Casey Newberry were married in 1926 in Union County, Ill. He died Oct. 1, 1947...

Fox; Freeman; Hennessy; Baer; Blaylock; King; Wren; Shoemaker; Hinman

25 years ago: Sept. 2, 1980 The summer that has melted Southeast Missouri and many other parts of the nation is on the wane, but isn't yet on ice; August was another out-of-the-ordinary months, setting 10 new records and tying nine others; "scorcher" is a good way to describe the month; 27 out of the 31 days saw temperatures of 90 degrees or better...

'An Unfinished Life'; 'Constant Gardener'; 'The Great Raid'; 'Transporter 2'; 'Underclassmen'; Still in theaters; '40-Year-Old Virgin'; 'The Brothers Grimm'; 'The Cave'; 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'; 'The Dukes of Hazzard'; 'Fantastic Four'; 'Four Brothers'; 'March of the Penguins'; 'Must Love Dogs'; 'Red Eye'; 'Skeleton Key'; 'Sky High'; 'Stealth'; 'War of the Worlds'; 'The Wedding Crashers'

First Friday opening at Gallery 1.2.5; Pottery guild sells works to benefit Humane Society; Acrylics to be featured at The Artist Studio; Dickerson to display her work at Garden Gallery; Acoustic Open Mic goes to Sidewalk Sandwich; Peruvian sculptor, painter exhibits in Paducah ; River City Rodders plan car show Sept. 18; Garrison Keillor, Southern Illinois Symphony perform; Events set at Ozark Riverways, Wappapello; Market House opens 42nd season with 'Beehive'

Jade Esteban Estrada sounds tired on the telephone Wednesday afternoon. Exhaustion, he admits, has been plaguing him. The beast has followed him through months and months on the road as one of America's most prolific gay performers. The road-weary Estrada has no problem with being so tired -- he's doing what he loves...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that 34 public drinking water systems haven't tested their water for bacteria as often as they should. The agency requires all public water systems to test for bacteria at least once a month to ensure they are providing safe drinking water...

PLAINFIELD, Ind. -- As one of the nation's largest U.S. Muslim groups prepares for its annual meeting in the Chicago area, its leader is working to contain forces both inside and outside the community that would steer it away from the American mainstream...

WASHINGTON -- The government upheld plans Thursday to require travelers from Canada, Mexico and other allied nations to show a passport or other secure document to enter the country. The departments of State and Homeland Security said they expect to officially adopt the new policy -- which drew complaints from travelers, the affected nations and even President Bush -- by the end of the year. But they pushed back by a year the date when the requirements would begin to effect travelers...

MBABANE, Swaziland -- The king's eldest daughter deserved the beating she received from a household official when he caught her holding a drinking party during the monarch's annual bride-choosing festivities, a member of the royal family was quoted Thursday as saying...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Wednesday: * At 5:49 p.m., an alarm sounding at 2075 Corporate Circle. * At 6:57 p.m., emergency medical service in the 400 block of North Frederick Street. * At 9:56 p.m., emergency medical service in the 1000 block of Broadway...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Rev. Nicholas Eugene Persich, 83, of Perryville died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Feb. 4, 1922, in New Orleans, La., son of Nicholas Salvador and Gladys Ida Fricken Persich. Persich was a vincentian priest. He entered novitiate Sept. 7, 1938, professed vows Sept. 8, 1940, ordained a deacon Sept. 27, 1945, and ordained a priest May 30, 1946, all at St. Mary's of the Barrens Catholic Church in Perryville...

WASHINGTON -- Scientists said Wednesday that they have determined the precise order of the 3 billion bits of genetic code that carry the instructions for making a chimpanzee, human-kind's closest cousin. The fresh unraveling of chimpanzee DNA allows an unprecedented gene-to-gene comparison with the human genome, map-ped in 2001, and makes plain the evolutionary processes through which chimps and humans arose from a common ancestor about 6 million years ago...

Anthropologists working in East Africa's Great Rift Valley, where Earth's crust split apart millions of years ago, have discovered the first fossil evidence that chimpanzees, our closest genetic relatives, once lived side by side with the direct ancestors of modern humans...

Autopsies being performed in parking lots as official death toll rises to 126 in Mississippi. PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Crews are driving around coastal Mississippi, picking up bodies left on sidewalks like garbage and depositing them in refrigerated mobile morgues. Coroners are conducting autopsies in parking lots because the only available light is from the sun...

n Looting, carjacking and other violence spread in the Gulf Coast region, with even rescuers being attacked. The military expects to increase National Guard deployment to 30,000 from around the country to help with security, rescue and relief. * Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco declared war on looters as 300 National Guard troops landed in New Orleans fresh from duty in Iraq. "These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will," she said...

Local high schools are organizing efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Students at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau approached Brother David Migliorino about contributing to the hurricane relief effort. The student council and the entire school have adopted Redeemer Seton High School in New Orleans as well as the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Two years ago Notre Dame students went on a mission trip to help paint and clean the Redeemer Seton High School...

OMAHA, Neb. -- The Mid-America region's overall economic index rose in August despite higher gas and oil prices causing a drop in confidence, a monthly survey of the region's supply managers and business leaders suggests. The August index rose to 60.4, from 59.7 in July. The confidence index declined to 54.1, which is its lowest reading since the 2001 recession. Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss said the effects of Hurricane Katrina will likely drive confidence down further...

Football...

Kerry Emerson will have an interesting story to tell on how he spent his summer vacation. The 22-year-old Southeast Missouri State student has spent the entire 2005 calendar year doing intern work with the Memphis Redbirds, the Class AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals...

The Associated Press NEW YORK -- Size doesn't matter in tennis. Neither does age. Andre Agassi stood 11 inches shorter than 6-foot-10 Croatian Ivo Karlovic, spun serves about 50 mph slower, and logged far fewer miles on court. The ace count went to Karlovic, 30-5, as he clocked serves consistently in the 130-142 mph range, but the second-round victory at the U.S. Open on Thursday went to Agassi, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4)...

MIAMI -- From the moment his grand slam landed, the phones started ringing -- and haven't stopped. Jeremy Hermida's friends, some of whom he hadn't heard from in years, clogged his cell phone with messages. Back home in Georgia, his mother simply thanked callers, then quickly clicked onto the next line, often unaware who she'd just spoken with. And even Cooperstown called; the Hall of Fame sought a memento...

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday as corpses lay abandoned in street medians, fights and fires broke out, cops turned in their badges and the governor declared war on looters who have made the city a menacing landscape of disorder and fear...

Southeast Missouri State made Southern Illinois sweat for just a bit Thursday night -- but not nearly enough to prevent the Salukis' anticipated romp. SIU's vaunted offense was held somewhat in check by Southeast's maligned defense for more than a half, and the Redhawks threatened to make things interesting late in the third quarter...

Freshman Casey Kern threw a two-hitter and the Kelly girls softball team rallied with a run in each of the last three innings to beat host Central 3-1 on Thursday. Kern allowed one walk and struck out three and pitched around two errors. She allowed a run in the second inning, which stood up until Kelly scored one in the fifth against Sirena Watkins...

Central at Eureka, 7 p.m. Last year's records: Central 2-8, Eureka 9-1 Last year's meeting: Eureka 38, Central 0 Notes: Central allowed more than 400 yards rushing against Eureka last year in an opening-week loss. The Tigers will have to slow down the Wildcats' run-first team if they have a chance to win on the road. ...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Heather Bowie chipped in for an eagle and had a bogey-free 7-under 65 Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the LPGA State Farm Classic. Bowie, who missed the U.S. Solheim Cup team after finishing 12th in the standings, was at even-par when she holed a 14-foot wedge shot on the fourth hole at the Rail Golf Club. She followed with five birdies in her bid for her second career title after winning the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in July...

ST. LOUIS -- If Marshall Faulk blows an assignment in tonight's preseason game, there's a good reason. The St. Louis Rams' running back grew up in New Orleans, and believes several of his relatives may be marooned there by Hurricane Katrina. "I find myself going between the game plan and what's going on down in New Orleans while sitting in meetings," Faulk said Wednesday. "I'll see what kind of challenge it's going to be. I've never had a distraction like that."...

The season for touted Southeast Missouri State running back Austen Collins is probably over before it really even got started. Collins, a junior college transfer who sixth-year coach Tim Billings thought might be the Redhawks' best back since he took over the program, was injured on the second play of Thursday night's season opener against Southern Illinois...

Tunes at Twilight was once the dominion of local musicians, but no longer. As the concert series has grown over five years, national touring acts have become the series' staple. What started as an all-local music showcase, with crowds as small as 10 people, has turned into a venue for independent national touring acts, drawing crowds sometimes over 500...

One star (out of four) I was really looking forward to seeing "The Brothers Grimm" this weekend, and left the theater disappointed. It was the longest hour and 58 minutes that I've spent in years. This movie was boring and unimpressive. It actually begins well, but within the first 30 minutes of the film, it slows to a crawl and remains that way throughout...

Dear Tom and Ray: One of the exhaust heat shields fell off my Honda Civic Hatchback (2001) a while ago. The dealer told me not to bother putting it back on or replacing it, because I don't need it anyway. (1) Why does Honda (or any manufacturer) install the dang things if all they do is rattle and fall off? (B) After the heat shield had been gone for nearly a year, my exhaust manifold cracked. Could the missing heat shield have hastened the failure of the manifold?...

If you're a Southeast Missouri State student who thinks he's a pretty fair baseball player -- and wants to compete on the collegiate level -- your big chance is today. At 3 p.m. at Capaha Field, the Southeast baseball program will hold open tryouts. Coach Mark Hogan said the Redhawks do this every year -- and there have been a coupe of instances where players have made the team through the tryouts...

Southeast Missouri State University has begun enrolling college students who were displaced from their schools due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. The action comes at the request of the board of regents after regent Al Spradling III made the recommendation at a meeting Thursday...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Less than a week after Sabreliner employees in three Southeast Missouri facilities went on strike, members of Teamsters Local 600 voted to accept a contract that will send the 165 employees back to work after Labor Day. The vote was 100 to 65 to accept the new contract for the employees at the company's facilities in Perryville, St. Mary and Ste. Genevieve...

Fire erupted in a storeroom at J.C. Penney Friday evening, forcing the evacuation of West Park Mall. Cape Girardeau firefighters quickly subdued the blaze, which was reported shortly after 7:30 p.m. The cause of the fire was undetermined at press time...

NEW ORLEANS -- The cavalry finally arrived. With a cigar-chomping general in front, a camouflaged-green convoy of at least three-dozen troop vehicles and supply trucks rolled through floodwaters Friday into a desperate city where some storm survivors had died waiting for food, water and medicine...

This weekend, area residents in the American Red Cross, the National Guard and the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team will reach their final destinations in Alabama and Louisiana to continue relief efforts. Dr. Shannon T. Kirchhoff, an orthodontist in Cape Girardeau, was called Wednesday and deployed Thursday to Baton Rouge, La., with DMORT, which is under the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA...

The bulletin board in the main hallway at Eagle Ridge Christian School is covered with snapshots of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and a plea for prayers on their behalf. On Friday, students showed up wearing red polo shirts as part of an effort to show support for the troops...

A Cape Girardeau man died in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 34, two miles east of Marble Hill, Mo., Friday morning. The accident occurred when a motorcyclist attempted to pass a garbage truck while it was making a left turn, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol at Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Americans are responding to Hurricane Katrina with a massive outpouring of giving, at times overwhelming call centers and computer servers set up by charities to field donations. Total donations passed the $200 million mark by Friday, four days after the storm slammed into the Gulf Coast. The bulk of those funds were collected by the American Red Cross, which said it has raised $196.9 million from individuals and corporations...

Grandview dealt Chaffee a 24-6 loss to open the season. Moral victories are not what Chaffee football coach Charlie Vickery has in mind. Despite the Red Devils' 24-6 loss Friday to Grandview at home -- the loss extended Chaffee's losing streak to 25 games -- Vickery would be hard-pressed not to see the improvement in his young squad...

Central suffered a 42-0 road loss to the Wildcats. The Eureka football team was on the outside of the state's top five in the Class 5 poll released earlier this week. The Wildcats made believers of visiting Central on Friday night. Eureka scored 28 points in the first half and blanked the Tigers 42-0...

Houston rallied three times and finally pulled out the victory. HOUSTON -- Eric Bruntlett had an RBI single with two outs in the 13th inning and the Houston Astros finally beat the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Friday night. The Astros had already extended the game with homers in the ninth and 10th innings against closer Jason Isringhausen. They won it by pushing two runs across in the 13th against three pitchers...

ST. LOUIS -- Two quarterbacks battling for roster spots, including Ryan Fitzpatrick, a rookie from Harvard, appeared to help their causes Friday night in the St. Louis Rams' 27-23 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Skill position starters played briefly or not at all...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Roberto Alvarez was jealous of the amount of time his girlfriend spent with the head of a crime family that dealt in millions of dollars of contraband, so he became a confidential informant for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement...

BALTIMORE -- A man was found guilty Friday of masterminding Maryland's largest residential arson -- a cluster of fires last December that caused $10 million in damage at a subdivision under construction. Patrick Walsh, 21, was found guilty in federal court of conspiracy and all 34 arson counts for planning and helping set fires at the Hunters Brooke development in Indian Head. No one was hurt, but a family of five had to flee the flames, which destroyed 10 homes and severely damaged 16...

New Orleans almost certainly will not play at home this year OAKLAND, Calif. -- The New Orleans Saints accept the fact they're in for a season unlike any other, one that will test their emotions, patience and resolve daily. They realize they could be leading a vagabond existence all year, going from one hotel room to the next. But they're not about to start feeling sorry for themselves now considering the death and devastation thousands of their neighbors have faced this week...

NEW YORK -- The New Orleans Saints, driven from the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina, will play their home opener against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Friday the game, scheduled for Sept. 18, is being moved to the Giants' home in East Rutherford, N.J...

Tiger Woods doesn't feel as though he's on a roll, but it sure seems that way. Woods reached all the par 5s in two, had control of his irons, made one good escape from the trees and holed enough putts Friday for a 6-under 65 that gave him an early one-shot lead in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, Mass...

NEW YORK -- The bling don't mean a thing if she ain't got that swing. Serena Williams had it all -- the $40,000 diamond chandelier earrings upgraded with 3-carat studs, the 10-carat diamond choker, the sweet swings that had been missing in her comeback -- as she flashed her best tennis of the U.S. Open on Friday...

HOUSTON -- St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan on Friday started serving a four-game suspension for his part in a scuffle during batting practice last month in Pittsburgh. Duncan will miss the three-game series at Houston, and Monday's home game against the Chicago Cubs...

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge will hear arguments next week in Missouri's effort to stop the federal base closings commission from closing an Air National Guard unit in St. Louis. Attorney General Jay Nixon has filed a motion for preliminary injunction against relocation of 19 fighter jets from the 131st Fighter Wing to bases in Nevada and Montana...

WASHINGTON -- U.S.-trained Iraqi police and military forces will handle most of the security duties during nationwide voting in October and December, so the American military is likely to send only a few thousand extra troops to Iraq for that mission, a senior U.S. commander said Friday...

Want to see how health care in America should work? Stuart Campbell says just look at Lasik surgery. "It allows Americans to vote with their pocketbook," said Campbell, president of Blue Cross Blue Shield for Missouri and Wisconsin. "The price has gone down dramatically. It introduced good old American competition."...

A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss improvement plans for the reconstruction of the intersection at Broadway and Clark Street. The project will involve modifications to the intersection of Broadway and Clark Street by adding left turn lanes, upgrading the traffic signal equipment, new pavement construction and storm water and utility improvements...

Cape Girardeau...

The new school year begins with a report that enrollment at Southeast Missouri State University increased by 6.4 percent this year. That's good news for the university, including enrollment boosts at its higher education centers in the Bootheel. Southeast and Three Rivers Community College, formerly partners in the learning centers, are now competing for students. TRCC has opened centers of its own, including one in Scott City...

Heinrich Puntmann was run over by a wagon or a cart and killed in 1881. Karl Klingemann was burned to death after falling into a hot brewing kettle in 1863. Heinrich Almstedt died from drinking too much cold water in 1893. The plain black and white pages of Trinity Lutheran Church's new genealogy tell a colorful story about the church's early years and the struggles and triumphs of its members...

The best-selling author focuses her ministry on women and their relationship with God. Carla Tilley remembers being awed by the humbleness of Living Proof Live speaker Beth Moore bowing on the floor to pray at a conference in 2003. "She's such an inspired speaker," said Tilley, of Cape Girardeau. "She helps you to understand scriptures so much easier."...

Today; Youth revival at Faith Tabernacle Church, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, contact the Rev. Timothy Lee at 382-2884.; Sunday; Back-to-school social at Trinity Lutheran Church from 3 to 5 p.m. at Perryville City Park. ; Tuesday; Grace United Methodist Women will meet at 9:30 a.m. for fellowship, a business meeting and a program. ; Wednesday; The Rev. Mark Duplantis will minister at Christ Church of the Heartland at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Have you ever felt you must always try something new when things became boring? Or believed if one was where God intended, life would be constantly interesting and exciting? I never enjoyed repetitious, dull chores because I felt my time was being wasted. Consequently, I hastened to think of other things to do. However, my perspective changed after I discovered that monotony and repetition have a beauty and purpose all their own...

Defending Class 1 state champion St. Vincent fell 21-9 to Class 2 school Priory on Friday night in Perryville. The Indians (0-1) had won 11 straight games to conclude last season with the school's first state championship. ** Malden 28, Scott City 6...

St. Louis University scored a late goal to defeat Southeast 1-0. St. Louis University could have easily scored a more decisive victory than Friday night's 1-0 final over host Southeast Missouri State. But SLU coach Tim Champion wasn't about to complain after the Billikens spoiled the Redhawks' home opener in front of about 300 fans at Houck Stadium...

Basketball...

To the editor: I just came in from our Ladies' Prayer Group and turned the news on. When I heard the special news report telling how many helpers were going south to help our neighbors in Alabama and Mississippi, all I could say was, "Praise the Lord, this is America." Our people always come to the aid of those in need. Thank you, Lord, and thank you, Americans. God bless us all...

To the editor: It's difficult to express the emotion of the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina into a short e-mail. It's even harder to try to adequately explain a cooperative program I propose every Alabama newspaper undertake to help Katrina's victims. I'll try...

To the editor: I appreciate some of Allen Gathman's recent comments about intelligent design and science. Science is based on repeatable observation, so it cannot prove or disprove the supernatural. However, I think it is incorrect to allow evolution to be called science. I think that neither evolution, intelligent design nor creationism are scientific theories. They are worldviews on which to frame scientific theories...

To the editor: Al Sharpton, at the 2004 Democratic Party National Convention, said President Bush's procession of rationales for the Iraq invasion -- WMDs (wrong), on-going nuke program (wrong), connection with al-Qaida (wrong) -- was like yelling, "Fire! Fire!" and then confessing, after the building emptied out, "Well, there wasn't really a fire. I just thought a little fresh air would do us some good."...

Scooter slowdown; More work, less fun; Meaningful scores; Using their brains; Church and state; Rescue expenses; Lovely chimes; Basic education; Vet can't get a job; Alarm over oil; Insightful, delightful; Prepare now; Build on high ground; Doesn't make sense; Think about savings; Four-day schedule?; Disgusted with scum; Mental muscle; Near minimum wage

Ollie "Jay" Bradford, 88, of Cape Girardeau and formerly of Jackson, passed away Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 2, 1916, at Charleston, Mo., son of Ollie T. and Agnes Worland Bradford. After graduation from the former Diehlstadt High School, Jay graduated from the former Cape Business College. ...

Teresa Hagedorn, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at her home. She was born July 14, 1912, in St. Louis, daughter of Michael and Bridget McHugh Martin. She and Elmer Hagedorn were married Nov. 29, 1934, in St. Louis. He died March 7, 1992...

Harold G. Fallert, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at deGreeff Hospice House in St. Louis, Mo. He was born Oct. 3, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, son of Andrew A. and Catherine Grass Fallert. Harold graduated from St. Mary's High School and St. Louis University. He served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was retired from a career as a CPA at Schott and Van de Ven...

With deepest sorrow and fond memories, we say goodbye to Lester E. "Sonny" Pearman, a devoted husband, wonderful father, grandfather, brother and friend. Sonny, a longtime resident of Kissimmee, Fla., passed away Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee after years of complications from diabetes...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Warden L. Grace, 65, of Cairo died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, at Hillcreek Manor Nursing Home in Louisville, Ky. He was born Dec. 31, 1939, in Cairo, son of Wardell and Marion Nelms Grace. Grace retired as a truck driver with Anna Ready Mix Co. in Urbandale, Ill. He was a member of American Legion Post 460...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Lola A. Upshaw, 86, of Cairo died Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at Ratliff Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 29, 1919, in Olive Branch, Ill., daughter of George and Lena Conel Holmes. She married Vern Upshaw, who died in 1987...

Thomas Eugene Herter Sr., 81, of Lafayette, La., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

ORAN, Mo. -- Mary Maxine Sisson, 60, of Oran died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, at St. Louis University Hospital. She was born March 15, 1945, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Willie W. and Virginia P. Seggers. She married Clarence Sisson. Sisson was a member of Christ Sanctuary Church of God in Christ at Bell City, Mo., and a member of its Usher Board...

Frances P. Walker, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at Monticello House in Jackson. She was born Aug. 29, 1911, in Montezuma, Colo., daughter of Joseph M. and Angie Stiles Kennedy. She and John P. Walker were married Dec. 29, 1929, in Oklahoma. He died July 23, 1980...

Mary L. Miller, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Oct. 4, 1920, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Robert and Mina Grieb Moore. She and George E. Miller were married Sept. 20, 1940, in Cape Girardeau. He died July 26, 2003...

MORLEY, Mo. -- Roy Lee Coy, 87, of Madison, Ill., formerly of Morley, died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005, at John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis. He was born Nov. 27, 1917, in Elfie, Ky., son of Clarence Arthur and Pearl Beasley Coy. He and Ophia "Peggy" Emerson were married Oct. 29, 1938, in Jackson. She died Nov. 3, 2000...

25 years ago: Sept. 3, 1980 Veteran former state senator A.M. Spradling Jr. throws his Democratic support to U.S. Rep. Bill D. Burlison's Republican challenger, Bill Emerson; Spradling, a Cape Girardeau lawyer and lifelong Democrat, says Burlison "is so far out of step with the people of this area as to be a foreigner in his own district."...

Southeast Missourian Dalhousie Golf Club touring professional Karen Stupples was chosen Sunday as one of five wild card selections for the European Solheim Cup team. She will be playing for the first time in what is billed as the most prestigious team event in women's golf. This year's three-day, match-play event will be played Friday through Sept. 11 at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind...

A Democratic Party call to give Missourians a break on their fuel taxes ran out of gas before it moved very far down the road. The Missouri Legislature begins a special session Tuesday. Abortion restrictions and bills to fix errors and contradictions in laws passed earlier this year top the session's agenda. Democrats wanted Republican Gov. Matt Blunt to expand the agenda to include a fuel-tax holiday, but he refused...

HANOI, Vietnam -- Veterans with medal-covered uniforms were among about 13,000 people who celebrated Vietnam's National Day on Friday by parading through Ba Dinh Square, where beloved late president Ho Chi Minh declared independence 60 years ago. The veterans were accompanied by ribbon-covered floats, women wearing flowing "ao dai" tunics, and ethnic groups dressed in traditional garb...

PARIS -- Police evicted about 140 mainly African squatters, some sobbing or screaming, from two dilapidated buildings Friday as authorities began a sweep of dwellings deemed fire hazards following two deadly blazes. ...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi authorities have set Oct. 19 as the date for the start of the trial of Saddam Hussein, an official said Friday. The Iraqi official said authorities wanted the trial to start soon after Iraqis finish the referendum on the new constitution Oct. 15...

The senior passed for 223 yards in Thursday's loss to SIU. Southeast Missouri State's brand-new starting quarterback got off to a slow start Thursday night but ultimately displayed some of the traits that have coach Tim Billings excited about his potential...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team gained its first victory of the season Friday as the Air Force Academy Tournament got under way. Southeast went 1-1 on the opening day of the six-team event, beating host Air Force 20-30, 30-22, 25-30, 30-27, 15-13, and losing to Butler 30-24, 30-19, 31-29...

Jackson's Cameron Keller scored with about seven minutes remaining to defeat Notre Dame 1-0 in the semifinal round of the Notre Dame Soccerfest on Friday. Keller's shot hit the top right corner of the goal from about 40 yards out. "It was a great shot," Notre Dame coach Brad Wittenborn said...

MINNEAPOLIS -- The grain elevators that take in corn, soybeans and wheat from Midwest farmers and the railroads that move them are waiting to see what impact Hurricane Katrina will have on them. More than half of U.S. ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After a disappointing 2004, Missouri quarterback Brad Smith is ready to "earn some respect back" starting today when the Tigers open the season against Arkansas State at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Missouri and Smith come into the 2005 opener with lower expectations than a year ago, when the Tigers were seen as an up-and-coming team and their quarterback was a Heisman Trophy hopeful. Instead, Smith had his worst season and Missouri slipped to 5-6 after going 8-5 in 2003...

A newly acquired street map of the city of Cape Girardeau, courtesy of the May Greene Garden Association, is now posted at the back wall of the garden at the intersection of Fountain and Themis streets, behind the present Federal Building. The garden was once part of May Greene's homestead, for whom the Cape Girardeau elementary school was named. ...

The new office, which will cost the network nothing, will be more convenient. For five years, the organization that assists area victims of sexual abuse has been basically operating out of a basement. "It's like the abyss," said Tammy Gwaltney, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence...

HOUSTON -- For Chris Carpenter, it was another routine outing. Only this one got the St. Louis ace a "big" number and an unusual postgame hug from his pitching coach. Carpenter became baseball's first 20-game winner this season with a complete game in the Cardinals' 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros, winning a marquee matchup of National League Cy Young Award candidates Saturday night...

The bulk of Jackson's experience returned on the defensive side of the ball, with just one returning starter on offense. The inexperience of the Indians' offense was evident Saturday, as the Indians committed six turnovers and dropped their football season opener at home 17-14 to Jackson (Miss.) Hillcrest Christian Academy...

Central opened the cross country season on a good note, running down the boys senior class team title Saturday in the Jackson Invitational on Saturday at the Jackson City Park. The event, which served as the first meet of the season for the majority of the 20 schools competing, was separated into divisions for each grade level, nine through 12, with both genders having their own team scores. ...

SYDNEY, Australia -- A groggy air traffic controller left dozens of airline passengers up in the air over Australia's national capital after oversleeping and arriving late for work. "The guy slept in," acknowledged Ben Mitchell, spokesman for Air Services Australia...

NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario -- An enterprising young killer whale at an aquarium has apparently figured out how to use fish as bait to catch seagulls -- and shared his strategy with his fellow whales. Michael Noonan, a professor of animal behavior at Canisius College in Buffalo, made the discovery by accident while studying orca acoustics...

ATHENS, Greece -- A 75-year-old Greek woman has been charged with drug offenses after police in her sleepy island village spotted a small cannabis plant growing on her balcony, authorities said. Hariklia Griva, a widowed mother of four from Ayiassos, on the eastern Aegean Sea island of Lesvos, was arrested Wednesday and charged with growing cannabis with the intent of trafficking in the drug. She was released on bail of $2,480...

NEW ORLEANS -- The last 300 refugees in the Superdome climbed aboard buses Saturday bound for new temporary shelter, leaving behind a darkened and stinking arena strewn with trash. The sight of the last person -- an elderly man wearing a Houston Rockets cap -- prompted cheers from members of the Texas National Guard who were guarding the facility...

Katrina may seem like the last word in hurricanes, but there is a very real possibility that another major hurricane may hit New Orleans or some other portion of the 200-mile coastline devastated by Katrina in the weeks to come. "We're not out of the woods yet," said Susan Cutter, director of the University of South Carolina Hazards Research Laboratory. "We're not even in the height of hurricane season."...

In New Orleans, winding streets where revelers meandered are now flooded with murky water. Some businesses and landmarks are submerged or damaged; others escaped the water but were ravaged by looters. Rescue workers are combing the waters in search of survivors, but a different kind of reckoning is also becoming clear. New Orleans is one of the most iconic cities in America, and some of the places and pieces that make it unique could be lost or looted...

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. -- The only word 1-year-old Leah knew was "Da-da." She lay in a stranger's arms as her mother, Christi Scott, floated away in a hot tub. "I thought, there's no way I'm going to find her," said Scott, who drifted in her makeshift lifeboat atop Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters for 20 minutes before reaching land. "She doesn't know her name. She can't say my name."...

NEW ORLEANS -- The last bedraggled refugees were rescued from the Superdome on Saturday and the convention center was all but cleared, leaving the heart of New Orleans to the dead and dying, the elderly and frail stranded too many days without food, water or medical care...

BESLAN, Russia -- Thousands of anguished residents of the small town of Beslan on Saturday marked the anniversary of one of Russia's deadliest terrorist attacks with white doves rising into the air, the tolling of bells, and tears. Mourners again bid a wrenching farewell to hundreds of adults and children who perished in a storm of gunfire and explosions on Sept. 3, 2004, after enduring nearly three days of thirst, hunger and fear as hostages at Beslan's School No. 1...

PARIS -- French President Jacques Chirac has been hospitalized after suffering a blood vessel problem in his eye, the prime minister said Saturday. Officials said he was canceling several appointments this week, and while supporters played down the severity of the situation, the surprise hospitalization was likely to trigger questions about future changes in the French political landscape that Chirac has dominated for a decade...

As they contemplate that bracing cup of hot java every morning, probably few people reflect on the history of their favorite drink. That's a shame because, even though coffee came on the scene relatively recently compared to beverages such as beer and wine, its story is fascinating...

Hypertufa sounds like a plant disease, but it's not; it's something that you might want to bring into your garden. The name comes from "tufa," a porous, lightweight, soft rock. It's easy to gouge out a planting pocket that can be filled with potting soil and hens-and-chicks or other sedums. Let time put a patina on the rock, let the plants drape out of their pockets, and voila! -- a charming little scene...

Wrongful death suits filed in quintuple fatal wreck ST. LOUIS -- One month after a fiery, multi-vehicle crash left five people dead, relatives of the victims have filed wrongful death lawsuits. The crash July 28 in the St. Louis suburb of Eureka, when a dump truck loaded with gravel failed to slow down as the traffic in front of it stalled near the Interstate 44 exit for Six Flags St. Louis, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said...

NORMAN, Okla. -- His ankle injured and his team defeated, Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson had few words to explain what had just happened. "Right now, I'm kind of shocked," he said. He wasn't the only one. TCU came up with its biggest upset in 45 years, stifling Peterson and beating No. 7 Oklahoma 17-10 Saturday in the Sooners' first home loss since 2001 and first loss in September under coach Bob Stoops...

FONTANA, Calif. -- Carl Edwards led a Roush Racing sweep of the top four spots in Saturday's qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at California Speedway. It was the first career pole for Edwards, one of six drivers competing for the final three spots in the Chase for the championship...

Olin Browne hardly missed a shot Saturday in the second round on his way to five consecutive birdies and a 6-under 65 that gave him a share of the lead with Jeff Brehaut in the Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC at Boston. Tiger Woods, coming off a flawless 65 that gave him the first-round lead, shot a 2-over 73 that left him five shots behind...

It was cutdown day Saturday in the NFL. It was also suspension day. While veterans Hugh Douglas, Jon Ritchie and Sean Landeta were released by Philadelphia and former first-round pick David Terrell was let go by New England, three players were suspended for four games by the NFL -- Kansas City offensive lineman John Welbourn, Cincinnati defensive end Duane Clemons, and Cleveland defensive back Michael Jameson...

NEW YORK -- Misfortune's victim for so long, James Blake punctuated the Hollywood-like turnaround of his life and career by upsetting French Open champion Rafael Nadal on Saturday at the U.S. Open. Blake, who sank to No. 210 in the rankings last spring and needed a wild-card invitation to get into the Open, knocked off the No. 2 Nadal, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, as cheers, mixed with more than a few tears, cascaded down from his friends in packed Arthur Ashe Stadium...

The Illini came back from a 20-points deficit for an overtime victory against Rutgers. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- For three quarters Saturday, it appeared Ron Zook would begin his Illinois coaching career with a loss -- as had his three immediate predecessors...

SWEETWATER, Tenn. -- When a 13-year-old boy discovered what is now the world's second-largest underground lake, he had to crawl through a muddy hole deep inside a cave and throw balls of dirt into the dark to discern how big the room of water was...

WASHINGTON -- John Roberts is on track for a seat on the Supreme Court barring a misstep at hearings beginning Tuesday, according to supporters and critics who say the coming confirmation debate will test Senate Democrats as well as the nominee. Relatively few Republicans and no Democrats have formally announced how they will vote on the nomination of the 50-year-old appeals court judge, saying they first want to follow the hearings...

WASHINGTON -- The government is withholding more information than ever from the public and expanding ways of shrouding data. Last year, federal agencies spent a record $148 creating and storing new secrets for each $1 spent declassifying old secrets, a coalition of watchdog groups reported Saturday...

William H. Rehnquist's death leaves President Bush his second court opening within four months. WASHINGTON -- Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday evening at his home in suburban Virginia, said Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg. A statement from the spokeswoman said he was surrounded by his three children when he died in Arlington...

Family, Words can never express the profound sadness and heartbreak we are all experiencing in the Deep South. It is surreal. We are happy and know that we have been spared, blessed through all of this, but it is hard to cling to such seemingly small hopes. ...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Thursday: * At 3:57 p.m., alarm sounding at 1000 Towers Circle. * At 8:30 p.m., alarm sounding at 505 N. Broadview St. * At 9:19 p.m., emergency medical service at 1000 Towers Circle. * At 10:01 p.m., emergency medical service in the 2900 block of Beaver Creek Drive...

When it comes to the reasons for Monday's Labor Day holiday, the U.S. Department of Labor's Web site offers a good historical review. The first Labor Day celebration was in New York City in 1882 and was organized by the Central Labor Union. By 1894, 31 states were setting aside the first Monday in September for Labor Day. That year, Congress made Labor Day a holiday in the District of Columbia and U.S. territories...

To the editor: Concerning the sentencing of Eric Lee Ford, convicted of felony animal abuse: Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle cannot have it both ways. In the same letter to the editor, he says, "My office agreed he would receive probation" and "I expected my office to ask for some shock time."...

To the editor: This is a letter I sent to Mark Shelton, the Missouri Department of Transportation's district engineer in Sikeston, Mo.: Congratulations on your recent appointment as District 10 engineer. I read your biography. Very impressive indeed. District 10 encompasses a large area. It will be very challenging, but I am sure you will do a great job for MoDOT...

To the editor: One of the largest natural disasters ever in the U.S. is unfolding before our eyes. The situation is still unfolding with increasing flooding in some areas. The death toll and property damage are still unknown. In this time of great stress and want of fellow citizens, local, state and federal disaster relief agencies are converging on the stricken areas as well as the Red Cross and other private relief groups to provide the basic needs of the population...

Too much food; Taking our paychecks; Refueling fires; Lousy parking; Shotgun wedding; Properly dressed; Material possessions; Cuts both ways; Fairy circles; Driving choice; Calm, not chaos; Ethanol price cut; Food, not cigarettes; Enough already

Jerline C. Cox, 80, of Arbor died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at home. She was born May 14, 1925, in Delta, daughter of Oliver Snider and Mary Davis. She and Raymond Lloyd Cox were married Oct. 10, 1943, at Benton, Mo. He died Oct. 1, 1998. She was a homemaker. Cox was a member of Arbor General Baptist Church and served as a Sunday school teacher for many years. Graduate of Delta High School 1941...

Anna Marie Seiler, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Sept. 7, 1929 at Scott City, daughter of Lawrence and Elizabeth Pope Weissmueller. She and Marvin Seiler were married April 7, 1956, at Kelso, Mo...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- John Marion Livingston, 71, of Chaffee died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Chaffee Nursing Home. He was born Sept. 22, 1933, in Swinton, Mo., daughter of Marion and Eldora Ellen Elledge. He and Evelyn Terrell were married in 1953. She died March 21, 1958. He and Christine Jenkins were married Jan. 29, 1960. She died Nov. 17, 1974...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Carl A. Baudendistel, 99, of Perryville died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Perry County Nursing Home in Perryville. He was born Aug. 15, 1906, in Perry County, Mo., son of Lawrence and Anna Deitch Baudendistel. He and Adele Bey were married April 18, 1942. She died March 18, 1995...

APPLE CREEK, Mo. -- Barbara V. Buchheit, 93, of Apple Creek died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Sept. 8, 1911, at Apple Creek, daughter of Anton M. and Barbara Bohnert Unterreiner. She and Edwin O. Buchheit were married Feb. 25, 1936, at Apple Creek. He preceded her in death...

Gladys W. Austin, 81, of Scott City died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 10, 1924, in Rumsey, Ky., daughter of Robert "Carl" Woosley and Callie Bee McElwain. She and Willard E. Austin were married Sept. 24, 1943, in Breman, Ky. He died March 4, 1998...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Stephen Robert Joseph Beckwith, 25, of Marble Hill died Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 22, 1979, at Pocahontas, Ark., son of Carl Beckwith and Bonnie Walstrum of Fairdealing, Mo. He and Sueann Marie Murray were married Feb. 13, 2004, at Cape Girardeau...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Tamara L. "Tammy" Green, 36, of Urbandale, Ill., died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Homer R. Watson, 88, of Perryville died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at home. He was born April 9, 1917, at Mine LaMotte, Mo., son of Thomas J. and Lillian G. Sanders Watson. He and Ann Cecil Pryor of Perryville were married Feb. 14, 1994...

Lucy Medley, 94, of Jackson died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home in Jackson. Arrangements are incomplete at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson.

Toshia Yvonne Underwood and James Paul Amelunke were married Aug. 19, 2005, at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse gazebo in Jackson. The Rev. Sam Roethemeyer performed the ceremony. Parents of the bride are Robert and Connie Fuwell of McGee, Mo., and Ricky and Fay Walters of Bragg City, Mo. The groom is the son of Ronnie Amelunke and Linda Amelunke of Tilsit...

Kara Lynne Finley and Michael Todd Skelton exchanged vows June 18, 2005, at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Scott Moon performed the ceremony. Organist was Susan Hatley of Cape Girardeau; pianists were Hatley and Terry Tate of Ironton, Mo.; and soloists were Mike Dumey of Cape Girardeau and Ashley Tate of Jackson...

Jessica Morrow and Joshua Carter were united in marriage May 21, 2005, near the lake at the Elks Lodge. Bill Sargent of Hiram, Mo., performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Dana Morrow and Bob and Sue Morrow of Cape Girardeau. Gary and Sandy Carter of Cape Girardeau are parents of the groom...

Dr. Mary Kathryn Barbour and Adam Christopher Bertrand exchanged vows June 11, 2005, at Centenary United Methodist Church. Dr. Clayton Smith performed the ceremony. Scriptures were read by Michael Price and Jim Burns of Cape Girardeau. Music was provided by Beverly Reece, organist; Marc Fulgham, trumpeter; and Trio Girardeaux, all of Cape Girardeau. Vocalists were Mr. and Mrs. Denny Reeves of Cape Girardeau, and soloist was Dennis Browning of New Haven, Mo., uncle of the groom...

Jessica Gale Schaefer and Jason Ryan Landis were married May 14, 2005, at Francine's Gardens in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Gary Teague of Rolla, Mo., performed the ceremony. Parents of the couple are Mike and Lisa Schaefer and Wayne and Bernie Landis, all of Scott City...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Sarah Jo Gowen and Chad Bennie Upchurch were united in marriage July 16, 2005, at St. John's Catholic Church. The Rev. Bill Huggins performed the ceremony. Organist was Sara Ritter of Cape Girardeau, cousin of the bride. Vocalists were Mary Jansen, Bob and Jean Clubb, Sharon Van de Ven, Jo Ellen Jansen, Cindy Jansen, Leanne Jansen, and Elaine Stroder, all of Leopold...

Brad and Kim Moore of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Carissa Marie Moore, to Nathan David Bragg. He is the son of David and Ann Bragg of Cape Girardeau. Moore is a 2003 graduate of Central High School. She is a junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, majoring in biology and chemical engineering...

Peter and Peggy Hirschburg of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Lauren Fletcher Hirschburg, to David Benjamin Nall, both of St. Louis. He is the son of Bruce and Susie Nall of St. Louis and formerly of Cape Girardeau. Hirschburg is a 1998 graduate of Central High School. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree in metals from Southwest Missouri State University at Springfield in 2003. She is employed at Curt Parker Jewelers in St. Louis...

Bill and Lucille Schweer of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Tracey Lynn Heisserer, to Jason Franklin Proffer. He is the son of Frank and Theresa Proffer of Sikeston, Mo., and Joe and Marilyn Gilmore of Cape Girardeau. Heisserer is a recent graduate of Trendsetters School of Cosmetology...

Gary and Sue Miller of Jackson and Keith and Debbie Harter of Farmington, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Valerie Harter, to Christopher Doran. He is the son of Dennis and Nancy Doran of Poplar Bluff, Mo. Harter is a 2000 graduate of Jackson High School. She received a degree in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University in 2004...

Mr. and Mrs. Russ Maschmeier of Oak Ridge announce the engagement of their daughter, Alicia P. Maschmeier, to Jonathan F. Emanie. He is the son of Charlotte Beck of Cape Girardeau and Faraidoon Emanie of North Carolina. Maschmeier is a 2003 graduate of Jackson High School. She is employed at Rapco...

Randy and Tricia Hobeck of Friedheim and John and Diane Bolen of Oak Ridge announce the engagement of their daughter, Alana Renee Hobeck, to Justin David Borgfield. He is the son of David and Kathy Borgfield of Millersville and Bobby and Linda Miller of Jackson...

Paul Dean and Janice Eaker of Grassy, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Cassadena Lea Eaker, to Jeremy Shawn Koenig. He is the son of Ron Koenig of Jackson, and the late Mary Koenig. Eaker is a 2001 graduate of Woodland High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in mass communication from Southeast Missouri State University in 2005. She is employed at Rushing Marine Service in Jackson...

Bob and Dodie Eisenhauer of Daisy announce the engagement of their daughter, Jadie Eisenhauer, to M. Gregory Mayes, both of St. Louis. He is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James H. Mayes of Frankfort, Ky. Eisenhauer is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School, and received bachelor of science and master degrees in accounting from the University of Missouri. She is employed by Magellan Health Services...

Keith and Joan New of Risco, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Shannon Ivy New, to Eric Scott Karlish, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Gary and Joyce Karlish of Malden, Mo. New is a 1996 graduate of Risco High School. She is a consumer banker at Wood and Huston Bank...

Bill and Sandra Knight of Lowndes, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Anne Knight, to Bradley Dewayne Rohan, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of John Rohan of Puxico, Mo., and the late Yvonne Rohan of Smithland, Ky. Knight is a 1997 graduate of Greenville High School at Greenville, Mo., and attended Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She is store manager at Heil Beauty Systems in Cape Girardeau...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- William Dysinger of Chaffee and Tim and Paulette Winters of Phoenix, Ariz., announce the engagement of their daughter, Julie Rosalee Dysinger, to Harlan Aaron Lohmann, both of Chaffee. He is the son of Harlan and Betty Lohmann of Perryville, Mo...

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Weber of Perryville, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Donna Renee Weber, to Christopher Lee Holloway. He is the son of Larry Holloway of Jackson and Diana Holloway of Moscow Mills, Mo. Weber received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University in 2005. She is employed at the office of Dr. Craig Asselmeir in Perryville...

Tucker; Laws; Brumbaugh; Freeman; Hennessy

25 years ago: Sept. 4, 1980 The Cape Girardeau County Court will reduce the county general revenue tax levy by more than half to offset 50 percent of the county sales tax revenue, says presiding judge Gene E. Huckstep; the court, he reports, will set the general revenue levy next Monday at 21 cents per $100 assessed valuation for this year; it had been at the 50-cent level...

In the last four days Nettla Gordilla has experienced the tragedy of loss, the joy of giving birth, separation and now hope. She fled her home in New Orleans to Jackson, Miss., to escape Hurricane Katrina. She gave birth to twins, Justin and Jesus, Tuesday by emergency Caesarean section in Jackson as Hurricane Katrina hit the area. The hospital ran for two days on a generator because the area was without power...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Police officers who sped to a southwest Missouri bank last week thought they were investigating a bank robbery. But instead, they were drawn into a bizarre landlord-tenant dispute. It all started Friday morning after a man went into an office at a US Bank and handed an employee a note that read: "This man has a gun and wants my money." The man he was referring to was his ex-landlord, who was waiting in the lobby...

DAY 18: Thirty-two slow miles today from Hastings to Lake Pepin. The river between the locks and dams is just a big lake with almost no current and most of the work falls on me. Had breakfast with Byron Curtis this morning... I'm so tired I'm dozing off while writing this...

The fire that occurred at J.C. Penney Friday evening is still under investigation, said fire marshal Mike Morgan. The Cape Girardeau Fire Department wants the woman who called and reported the fire to contact either the Cape Girardeau police department at 335-6621 or the Cape Girardeau fire department at 334-3211. They are just looking for more information and this person is not a suspect at this time...

At 75, she's still a knockout. Beauty, cleverness and intelligence were among the words that popped into mind when Jo Ann Bock began to think back over her years of following Blondie Boopadoop. "She was really cute, always funny and always a bright spot," said Bock, of Cape Girardeau...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Three Carnival Cruise Lines ships have been pressed into service by the government to provide shelter for as many as 7,000 hurricane victims. The Ecstasy, the Sensation and the Holiday will be pulled from regular use starting Monday at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The cost of the charters was not disclosed...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team fell to 1-4 with a three-game loss to Weber State on Saturday at the Air Force Academy Tournament. Southeast finished 1-2 in the tournament, falling to Weber State 30-16, 30-18, 30-19. The Redhawks had picked up their first win of the season on Friday with a win against host Air Force...

MIAMI -- A Japanese toddler is going home nine months after undergoing a six-organ transplant that could not be done in his country because donated organs are not available for young children. Nineteen-month-old Yosuke Ohashi received a new liver, pancreas, stomach, small and large intestines and spleen in an 8 1/2-hour operation Christmas Eve at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Medical Center...

KATMANDU, Nepal -- Communist rebels in Nepal said Saturday that they were unilaterally suspending attacks for the next three months. The cease-fire would take effect immediately, the rebel leader Prachanda said in a statement sent to news organizations. The elusive leader said his fighters would not attack any government or civilian targets during the period but would defend their positions...

Hillcrest Christian scheduled its first football game ever against a public high school last spring when it decided to make the 385-mile trip north to face Jackson High School. The Cougars, a small private school out of Jackson, Miss., could not have predicted the horrors which came in the way of Hurricane Katrina less than a week before their scheduled contest with the Indians...

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- James Starnes will never forget the day World War II officially ended with Japan's formal surrender. He was only 24 on Sept. 2, 1945, when Japanese officials boarded the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay and signed the documents. "It was a tremendous emotional moment," Starnes told some 2,000 veterans, family members and guests who gathered Friday at the Missouri to observe the 60th anniversary of the event...

The U.S. work force has undergone a serious facelift since New Yorkers staged the nation's first Labor Day parade 123 years ago, complete with German singers, Irish fiddlers, union bands and fireworks: Labor Day hasn't been about organized labor since long before the Service Employees International Union, Teamsters and United Food and Commercial Workers and their 4 million members broke from the 50-union AFL-CIO this summer...

Elaborate landscaping surrounds the entrance of this brick home on the border of the Bent Creek Subdivision. Pink tea-leaf roses appear near the right-hand corner of the white fenced porch. Trimmed evergreens and small bushes contrast with red rocks around the front. A long concrete walk is the pathway to the front door of the home, which sits on a hill overlooking a lake. Two upstairs bedrooms extend spire-like above the roof...

Since Bob and I started dating three years ago, there have been about 25 other people in our relationship. They all wear tight pants and swing sticks for a living. That's right. Baseball players...

Carbondale scored on a free kick in the final 5 minutes to post a 2-1 victory over Jackson in the championship game of the Notre Dame Soccerfest on Saturday. Carbondale took a 1-0 lead in the first half before Jackson's Chris Shelton scored on a header to tie the game. He was assisted by Brian Davidson...

Missouri racks up 657 yards of offense in a 44-17 win against Arkansas State. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- So far, Missouri's no-huddle, spread offense is a huge success. Need proof? The Tigers just missed the school total offense record in their opener. Brad Smith thrived in the new attack, throwing four touchdown passes and just missing 100 yards rushing in a 44-17 victory over Arkansas State on Saturday...

Less than a week remains before the start of the 150th SEMO District Fair, taking place Saturday through Sept. 17 at Arena Park. Over the weekend workers have been busy readying the fair site for the rides, vendors, exhibits and an expected crowd of about 100,000 over the eight days of the event...

The streets of Cape Girardeau will be invaded by Harleys Friday through Sunday when the Missouri Harley-Davidson Owners Group rides into town. More than 3,000 HOG members are expected to attend the 13th annual rally, which draws Harley riders from all over the country...

A new federal law will add to teachers' lesson plans later this month in a move designed to better educate children about the U.S. Constitution. The law, enacted by Congress last year, requires public schools to observe Sept. 17 as Constitution Day. The date marks the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787...

Don't tell a White Castle junkie that it's just another burger joint Suddenly, it's hip to be square. Last Tuesday, Cape Girardeau joined the offbeat world of White Castle, meaning the fast-food chain's almost cult-like following can now get their fix of those tiny two-and-a-half-inch-square, onion-topped belly bombers...

Come Oct. 17, taking the desperate financial plunge into bankruptcy will become even more frightening. That's when new rules take effect that are being called the biggest change in U.S. bankruptcy laws in nearly three decades. And the new laws, called the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention & Consumer Protection Act of 2005, are intended to make it more difficult for maxed-out borrowers to wipe away debt or even get debt relief...

The Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon raised more than $3 million by late Sunday night in a unique edition of the annual event that benefits both the Muscular Dystrophy Association and victims of Hurricane Katrina. The telethon, which started at 6 p.m. Sunday, ended Monday afternoon...

The former Southeast lineman survived the preseason after signing as a free agent. Dan Connolly always felt like he was snubbed regarding his football career, which simply pushed him to work that much harder. Connolly's persistence and determination have paid off with a job in the National Football League...

DENVER -- The greatest receiver of all time realized he would be no better than the fourth receiver for the Denver Broncos. It was no way for Jerry Rice to end his career, so he called it quits after 20 sensational seasons. "I never thought I'd ever see this day," Rice said Monday during an emotional news conference at Broncos team headquarters...

The two ex-presidents raised $11 million for victims of last year's Asian tsunami. HOUSTON -- Former Presidents Bush and Clinton visited hundreds of hurricane victims in Houston's Astrodome and a nearby center Monday, sharing hugs, signing Bibles and listening to stories about the homes and lives that have been devastated...

GULFPORT, Miss. -- For some soldiers back from Iraq and now helping the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort, serving in the Middle East doesn't seem so bad after all. "We had it made in Iraq, absolutely had it made," said Col. Brad MacNealy of the Mississippi National Guard, who spent a year commanding the 185th Aviation Brigade's 134 helicopters there...

NEW YORK -- The ABCs of reading are more like the AIOs. When children are learning to read, it's best to teach them the easiest skills first, usually identifying the short sounds of vowels -- such as the A in cat, says Wendy Bronfin, vice president of product development for Hooked on Phonics...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Tom Atwood, a 49-year-old documentary filmmaker, has been making music most of his life. He began writing songs on a guitar when he was just 17, then recording them on an old multitrack tape recorder in his closet. "No one would ever hear them," he says...

HOUSTON -- Jason Marquis went more than a month without winning a game for the St. Louis Cardinals. He didn't trust his pitches and found himself on the mound waiting for the next bad thing to happen. The right-hander is feeling much better after consecutive complete-game victories...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals added six players to the roster for the final month of the season on Monday, including the son of pitching coach Dave Duncan. The Cardinals purchased the contract of first basesman Chris Duncan from Triple-A Memphis. They recalled outfielders Skip Schumaker and John Gall and pitchers Anthony Reyes, Randy Flores and Adam Wainwright...

NEW YORK -- Andre Agassi was a 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-2 winner on Monday over Xavier Malisse, making the 35-year-old American the oldest U.S. Open men's quarterfinalist since Jimmy Connors' legendary run at 39 to the semis in 1991. Age and balky back aside, Agassi suddenly is looking like a serious contender to go at least as far as Connors did that year. ...

WASHINGTON -- The nation's red-hot housing market may finally be nearing its peak, meaning the end of double-digit annual percentage price gains for homeowners and potential trouble for more recent purchasers who stretched to buy. That's the assessment of economists, who concede they have been forecasting a cooldown in housing for some time only to be confounded as sales and prices continued to boom...

The stores operate more efficiently and allow chains to stake their claim both in sparsely populated areas and urban areas. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Fast food is slimming down. Two of the biggest burger chains -- Wendy's and Burger King -- are developing restaurants with smaller kitchens and seating areas that operate profitably in small towns, cost less to build and fit into cheaper parcels of land. ...

Some experts say money market accounts may offer 5 percent interest by 2006 if the Federal Reserve stays on its current course. Unwelcome in some corners, higher interest rates have translated to good news for savers, who are seeing decent returns on cash held in money market mutual funds for the first time in several years...

Cape doctor to lecture at conference in Austria Dr. Ed Masters is an invited lecturer at the 10th International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, to be held in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 11 to 15. The international conference, held every three years, will be attended by hundreds of researchers from dozens of countries. ...

Big River gets award from magazine Sage Software in Scottsdale, Ariz., recently announced that Big River Telephone Co. of Cape Girardeau won a 2005 Return on Investment award from Nucleus Research and CIO Decisions Magazine. Big River achieved a 1,139 percent return on investment, Nucleus Research determined, by using Sage's SalesLogix, which paid for itself in one month. ...

Survey after survey shows too many of the baby boomers approaching retirement age don't have the financial resources to stop working and maintain the lifestyles they have grown accustomed to. Not that it isn't possible. There are Americans who have put aside a portion of their earnings throughout their working lives. ...

Southeast Missouri State junior Miles Smith placed fourth in the 400-meters while running for the United States team at Saturday's DecaNation international track and field meet in Paris, France. Team USA placed third in the eight-nation meet. Smith, a member of Team USA's gold medal 1,600-meter relay team at the recent World Championships, timed 46.11 second to place fourth in France...

Auto racing...

To the editor: The latest reports from the Census Bureau show an increase of 9.1 percent of Missourians receiving food stamps in the last year. The number of people living in poverty is rising, while income levels are dropping. The economic recovery hasn't yet reached Missouri families...

To the editor: I am writing this because I feel I should have the right to respond, since my name was mentioned. I am a local filmmaker and the founder of the Cape Filmmakers Cooperative. I was, until recently, the chairman of our film group. I have been removed from an organization I created because I have been a vocal critic of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and a chief proponent of the formation of a new arts group, the Cape Artists Council...

Let's be tolerant; Feeling rich; Greed over decency; Plenty of warning; In love with hair; Lovely young lady; Wait for the check; Quick response; Use your brain; Too little too late; Monitoring gouging; Drain, not boon; Values lesson; Making the grade

Allie "Maisie" Taylor, 75, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Saturday, Jan. 18, 1930, in Robbsville, Ill., to the late William Esco and Peggy Virginia Smith Trammel. She and Emmet Taylor were married Aug. 18, 1972, in Benton, Mo. He died in November of 1993. Maisie worked at Ely Walker in Scott City for 20-plus years and at Thorngate in Cape for seven years as a seamstress...

Thomas Eugene Herter Sr., 81, of Lafayette, La., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died on Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette, La. He was born on Friday, Dec. 21, 1923, in Golden Eagle, Ill., son of the late Paul C. and Jessie Jane Sherman Herter...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Maurice Raymond Grimes, 91, died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Maurice was born Dec. 17, 1913, in North Bend, Neb., to Harry David and Hazel Fern Williams Grimes. He grew up in North Bend and Madison, Neb., and moved with the family to Kearney, Neb., in 1927, where his father was the depot agent for Union Pacific...

Ivis L. Waddle, 80, of Delta died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 6, 1925, in Delta, son of the late Jake Waddle and Mabel Sullinger. He retired as a heavy equipment operator with Local 513 in St. ...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- John Marion Livingston, 71, of Chaffee died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Chaffee Nursing Center. He was born Sept. 22, 1933, in Swinton, Mo., son of Marion and Eldora Ellen Elledge Livingston. He and Evelyn Terrell were married in 1953. She died March 21, 1958. He and Christine Jenkins were married Jan. 29, 1960. She died Nov. 17, 1974...

Modean Bollinger Hahs, 78, of Jackson died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born July 30, 1927, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of William and Josephine Ates Welker. She married Lee Bollinger Aug. 24, 1946. He died April 3, 1983. In July of 1989, she married Wilson Hahs. He survives...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Tamara L. "Tammy" Green, 36, of Cairo died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at St. Louis University Hospital. She was employed by Galaxy Cable TV in Wickliffe, Ill., until she became disabled. Green attended Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center in Cairo...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Robert Michael Glastetter, 51, of Chaffee, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at his home. He was born Sept. 2, 1954, near New Hamburg, Mo., son of the late Al and Beatrice Evylin Mock Glastetter. He was a retired welder and worker at Wheeler Truck Trailer Equipment Company in Morley, Mo. He was a member of VFW Post No. 3127...

Adelbert Louis, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Loraine S. Aldrich, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born April 13, 1924, in Haverhill, Mass., the daughter of the late Ralph S. and Florence Hamel Osgood. She married Kenneth E. Aldrich Nov. ...

Josephine C. Nenninger Fisher, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at Chateau Girardeau. She was born Nov. 11, 1915, in Glennon, Mo., daughter of the late William J. and Bertha Lenderink Nenninger. She volunteered with Meals on Wheels and was affiliated with St. Mary's Cathedral and the church's Quilting Ladies and Altar Society. She married Leonard F. Fisher. He died Dec. 12, 2002...

Lucy M. Medley, 94, of Jackson died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 14, 1911, in Oak Ridge, daughter of Brown and Cora Ann Hartle Clippard. She was an assembly line worker at Florsheim Shoe Company in Cape Girardeau for over 46 years and married Paul B. Medley Jan. 19, 1930. He died Feb. 24, 1963...

Blaylock; King; Wren; Shoemaker; Hinman

25 years ago: Sept. 6, 1980 U.S. Rep. Bill D. Burlison, in Cape Girardeau yesterday with his new campaign manager, Ronald B. Patterson, acknowledged that he is in a tough race with Republican Bill Emerson, who Burlison contends has the greater financial resources in the contest; Burlison said the current contest is his most difficult since 1970, when he defeated Cape Girardeau Republican Gary Rust by a slim margin...

Residents in some communities allowed to return home to salvage what's left. NEW ORLEANS -- A week after Hurricane Katrina, engineers plugged the levee break that swamped much of the city and floodwaters began to recede, but along with the good news came the mayor's direst prediction yet: As many as 10,000 dead...

The President did not expect to name a replacement candidate for O'Connor this week. WASHINGTON -- Seven weeks after he was nominated to the Supreme Court, John Roberts returned to the White House on Monday for a big promotion -- to be chief justice of the United States and leader of an often-divided Supreme Court...

Presentations ** n Presentation by Mary Burton of the American Red Cross. * Presentation by assistant fire chief Mark Hasheider regarding 911 improvements. Public Hearings * A public hearing to consider an addition to the zoning ordinance. * A public hearing regarding the request of Sherman and Syvilla Swan and Frank and Rebecca Stinnett for a special-use permit for a day-care center at 1200 Ranney Ave...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Gorman Roberts' manslaughter conviction was overturned because of a single word. Roberts, now 20, was convicted of pushing 5-year-old Jordan Payne in February 2002 into a Pompano Beach canal, where he drowned. But his conviction and three-year prison sentence were thrown out in May 2004 when an appeals court ruled the Miranda rights warning he got from Broward Sheriff's Office investigators was incomplete...

To the editor: This Labor Day, where have all the good jobs gone? We need jobs with family-supporting wages, good benefits, respect for workers' rights and opportunities for workplace advancement. Our nation's middle class is built on jobs like these...

LOS ANGELES -- New observations by the international Cassini spacecraft reveal that Saturn's trademark shimmering rings, which have dazzled astronomers since Galileo's time, have dramatically changed over just the past 25 years. Among the most surprising findings is that parts of Saturn's innermost ring -- the D ring -- have grown dimmer since the Voyager spacecraft flew by the planet in 1981, and a piece of the D ring has moved 125 miles inward toward Saturn...

When Michelle Delaney started to research World War II photography two years ago, she discovered a hole in the National Museum of American History's archives. There were hundreds of pictures by well-known photojournalists such as Life's Margaret Bourke-White and Robert Capa and thousands from official military cameramen, but fewer than 50 photographs taken by soldiers and their families...

CHICAGO -- Preschoolers pretending to shop for a Barbie doll's social evening were more likely to choose cigarettes if their parents smoked, and wine or beer if their parents drank, a study found. Researchers observing the children's play found that the ones who watched PG-13 or R-rated movies also were more likely to choose alcohol for Barbie...

HOUSTON -- Some lessons learned by the new inhabitants of the Astrodome: * It is pointless to wait for the stark stadium lights to go out at lights out. (Or, for that matter, to expect one's neighbors to cease sobbing, giggling, gabbing or wailing during the wee hours.)...

HOUSTON -- With a shattered New Orleans all but emptied out, an unprecedented refugee crisis unfolded across the country this weekend, as governors and emergency officials rushed to feed, clothe and shelter more than a half-million people dispossessed by Hurricane Katrina...

ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- A Dutch suspect in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager left Aruba to attend college Monday, while the country's leader pledged the investigation "will not cease" despite the release of the three suspects. One of them, Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch youth who has acknowledged spending the evening with Natalee Holloway before her disappearance but denied any wrongdoing, left the island to attend college in Holland...

7:30 p.m. today, city hall ** Public Hearings * A public hearing to consider the voluntary annexation petition submitted by Carolyn Little for 76.2 acres of property along Zschille Road (known as future Cold Creek Estates and Brookside Estates Subdivisions.)...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri celebrates five years of service in area. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri will celebrate five years of service in Cape Girardeau County beginning with a guest appearance of the organization's float in the Southeast Missouri District Fair parade Monday. The float's theme, "Be A Role Model," will feature current Big Brother and Big Sister volunteers and their Little Brothers and Little Sisters participating in the parade...

U.S. Open Results At the USTA National Tennis Center, New York; Purse: $18.3 million (Grand Slam); Surface: Hard-Outdoor Monday Men Fourth Round Guillermo Coria (8), Argentina, def. Nicolas Massu, Chile, 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2. Andre Agassi (7), United States, def. Xavier Malisse, Belgium, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-2...

OVC Standings Conference Overall Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct. Eastern Ill. 0-0 .000 1-0 1.000 Samford 0-0 .000 1-0 1.000 Tenn.-Martin 0-0 .000 1-0 1.000 SE MISSOURI 0-0 .000 0-1 .000 Eastern Ky. 0-0 .000 0-1 .000 Jacksonville St. 0-0 .000 0-1 .000...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following call Saturday: * At 10:19 p.m., a smoke investigation at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Kingshighway. Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: * At 1:11 a.m., an emergency medical service at the 93 mile marker of Interstate 55...

Cape Girardeau...

Go home. Try to fit your most valuable possessions in a trash bag and leave everything else behind for good. That's what David Hitt suggested when asked about his experience helping unload hurricane victims Sunday night in Kennett, Mo. "That's all they had, just whatever they could lug in a trash bag and some didn't even have that," said Hitt, Cape Girardeau County emergency management coordinator. "I've seen a lot in life, was in Vietnam. But I've never seen anything like that."...

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported seven people injured in three different vehicle crashes Saturday and Sunday in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties. Diane Prater of Jackson was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center with moderate injuries Saturday night after her 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe struck the rear of a 1982 Ford F150 truck that was being towed by a 1985 Peterbilt truck...

The Notre Dame softball team suffered its first loss of the season late Saturday evening in the championship game of its own Softballfest, falling 2-1 to Poplar Bluff. The Bulldogs took a perfect 7-0 record into the championship game, including a 3-0 mark in pool play. Beth Schnurbush had capped the Bulldogs perfect run through pool play earlier on Saturday by throwing a no-hitter against Park Hills. Notre Dame had beaten the Rebels 12-0 in five innings to reach the final...

It was a long weekend for the Jackson and Central softball teams in the 12th annual Cor Jesu Charger Invitational in St. Louis County. The two teams combined for just one victory in eight games. Jackson finished sixth out of the eight teams, while Central was the only team without a victory...

Despite failing to keep his PGA Tour card the last two years, Olin Browne never doubted he could still compete with the best players. Now he has a victory to show for it, closing with a 4-under 67 on Monday to win the Deutsche Bank Classic in Norton, Mass...

FONTANA, Calif. -- Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray are in. Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Elliott Sadler are out -- for the moment. The Nextel Cup race in Richmond, Va., on Saturday night is all that remains before the start of the 10-race Chase for the championship, and the last two positions in the 10-man title battle remain up for grabs among those five drivers...

Southeast posted a 3-0 victory over SIU-Edwardsville. After Southeast Missouri State played an emotional game Friday against St. Louis University -- and suffered its first loss of the season -- coach Heather Nelson was anxious to see how her team would respond...

Last Tuesday, Brian Judd got into town from Jefferson, Ind., to make some last-minute preparations. He's checking on the new building. Following up with the contractor. Getting the new employees trained and the decorations up. "Really just making sure everything is buttoned down," Judd said...

WASHINGTON -- Could the salt that preserves hot dogs also preserve your health? Scientists at the National Institutes of Health think so. They've begun infusing sodium nitrite into volunteers in hopes that it could prove a cheap but potent treatment for sickle cell anemia, heart attacks, brain aneurysms, even an illness that suffocates babies...

The St. Louis first baseman broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run home run in the eighth inning. ST. LOUIS -- Injuries to four regulars have eroded Albert Pujols' protection in the batting order for much of the season and forced the Cardinals' star to perhaps chase more pitches than usual...

The Scott City Council heard some good, and bad news about the closing of the Old Illmo lagoon at its meeting Monday night. The good news: The removal of sludge from the lagoon is expected to come in below estimated costs. The bad news: Further requirements from the state Department of Natural Resources mean that restoring the lagoon area to its original state will cost more...

The National Guard armory on Independence Street, normally a quiet place on a weekday, filled Tuesday with soldiers preparing to move out. The 1140th Engineer Battalion leaves for Louisiana Thursday. The soldiers from Cape Girardeau and the surrounding region will spend 14 to 30 days helping clear debris left by Hurricane Katrina...

ARAB, Mo. -- The mother of Bollinger County Sheriff Terry Wiseman died Tuesday as a result of injuries sustained in a fire at her home near Arab. Marlene Wiseman, 71, received third-degree burns over most of her back and died while en route to a hospital, said Jim Bollinger, chief of the Marble Hill Fire Department...

TRCC numbers fall at outlying centers following breakup with Southeast. Two feuding Bootheel colleges enrolled hundreds of students in competing higher education centers this fall. That has officials of the rival schools both celebrating victory even though overall enrollment dropped at one of the schools...

Hurricane Katrina flooded homes and separated families, not just human family members from each other, but from furry family members as well. The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is asking for cash donations to help pay for vaccinations and deworming of any animals that come through its shelter, director Sue Sample said...

Glendon Rusch was perfect for six innings in Chicago's 5-2 victory over St. Louis. ST. LOUIS -- After a winless drought that lasted nearly the entire summer, Glendon Rusch was at his best. Rusch was perfect for six innings and pitched into the eighth for his first victory since early June, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Tuesday night...

AUSTIN, Texas -- After winning his seventh Tour de France title, Lance Armstrong stepped off the winner's podium in Paris and into retirement, declaring, "I'm finished." Six weeks later, he's already talking about a comeback. Recently engaged to rocker girlfriend Sheryl Crow, Armstrong issued a statement Tuesday confirming that he's contemplating a return to competitive cycling in part because he knows how much it would rankle French media who believe his record of seven straight Tour wins is tainted by drug use.. ...

The Tigers posted a 3-1 victory for their third straight win. The start of the 2005 soccer season has been a frustrating one at times for Central forward Lance Altenthal. The senior has had plenty of scoring chances but had converted just one goal prior to Tuesday's game at Hazelwood West...

Saudi forces overrun villa where militants holed up DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia -- In a barrage of gunfire and explosions, Saudi special forces overran a seaside villa Tuesday where Islamic militants had been holed up, ending three days of heavy fighting that killed at least nine people. ...

SAN ANTONIO -- Signs posted throughout the New Orleans Saints' hotel direct players to the place where they can get their ankles taped. Other signs guide them on a quarter-mile path to a foot bridge, over the Riverwalk and across a busy street to the building where team meetings are held...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Thomas Herrion had heart disease and evidence of previous heart trouble when he collapsed and died after a preseason game last month, an official in the Denver County coroner's office said Tuesday...

SAN ANTONIO -- Saints owner Tom Benson, who drew criticism for his silence concerning where the team should play home games in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, prefers to call Baton Rouge home. In a statement issued Tuesday, Benson echoed players and coaches who've said they prefer to play in Tiger Stadium on the LSU campus. Benson said he told the NFL he would like the Saints to play there "to the extent circumstances allow."...

PITTSBURGH -- Lloyd McClendon was the first Pittsburgh Pirates manager brought back after four consecutive losing seasons. One loss away from a fifth such season, the Pirates decided they wanted someone else running the club. McClendon, an aggressive former player known for his competitiveness and frequent run-ins with umpires, was fired Tuesday after averaging more than 90 losses since 2001 for a perennially non-contending team...

CARMEL, Ind. -- Paula Creamer could have passed for a schoolgirl at a pep rally. Then again, that's what she was. She sat on the grass with her legs crossed, in the front row, with a red, white and blue ribbon tied around her blonde ponytail and tiny American flags painted on both cheeks. She clapped and cheered when the U.S. team walked by during the Solheim Cup matches two years ago in Sweden...

Republicans and Democrats alike heaped criticism on the Federal Emergency Management Agency. WASHINGTON -- President Bush intends to seek as much as $40 billion to cover the next phase of relief and recovery from Hurricane Katrina, congressional officials said Tuesday as leading lawmakers and the White House pledged to investigate an initial federal response widely condemned as woefully inadequate...

WASHINGTON -- In a sign of growing political anxiety over high gasoline prices, members of Congress on Tuesday issued a bipartisan call for authorities to investigate more aggressively whether there has been price gouging. Returning from their summer recess, lawmakers held the first of what is expected to be a spate of hearings on record-high gas prices and introduced a raft of legislation...

Jackson has a new soccer park and a new senior center, thanks to hard work by many volunteers along with donations and state grants. The soccer park has been three years in the making. Parents, the Jackson Soccer Park Association and the city of Jackson contributed thousands of volunteer hours to the project, which encompasses 13 new fields on Route PP over 27 acres donated by the Jackson Industrial Development Co. ...

To the editor: It is hard for me to believe that my government was not ready for this. Officials knew the hurricane was coming. There should have been shelters, food and a mobile hospital set up right after the hurricane was over. The sick and the children should have been helped first...

To the editor: If any lesson is to be learned from the disaster that was New Orleans, it is this: You have to be self-sufficient to survive. You cannot depend on the government to save you. No, I do not blame President Bush or the Congress for lack of response. They are doing what they are capable of doing. Since when has government moved fast?...

To the editor: In response to the letter "Lawmakers to tackle abortion measures": Senate President Pro Tem Mike Gibbons made a statement that misrepresented Missouri Right to Life's position on pro-life legislation that was proceeding through the legislative process in the last legislative session. ...

To the editor: My letter addresses the recent Speak Out comment, "Rescue expenses." It sounds like someone needs to be set straight. Hurricanes are unpredictable. Forecasters can never tell exactly where a hurricane will hit until it's almost too late. For some people, it was...

Don't support them; Misusing gasoline; Prepared for the worst?; Church attire; Reacting to adversity; Heed the warning; Personal blessings; Ready for quake?; Two Americas; Fashion updates; Chimes joke; Time for progress; Total loss; Guns against guns; Understanding nature; Bigger problems; Unfounded rumor

Floyd W. Liley Sr., 93, formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Sept. 6, 2005, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Born June 15, 1912, at Lutesville, Mo., he was the son of the late David and Lucretia (Eaker) Liley. He graduated from Lutesville High School in 1929, received a B.S. in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master's in education from the University of Tennessee in Memphis...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Dorothy Shell, 97, of Advance died Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 30, 1908, in Rudolph, Ohio, daughter of James and Carrie Bratt Black. She and Doyle Shell were married March 12, 1925, in Oklahoma. He died in February 1981...

Josephine C. Nenninger Fisher, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at Chateau Girardeau. She was born Nov. 11, 1915, in Glennon, Mo., daughter of William J. and Bertha Lenderink Nenninger. She and Leonard J. Fisher were married April 24, 1946, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Glennon. He died Dec. 18, 2002...

Adelbert "Debo" Louis, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, at his home. He was born Jan. 17, 1923, in Hammond, Ind., son of Fred Louis and Helen Bollinger. Louis had worked at Cape Cut-Rate, Kelley Transportation, and shined shoes at Holiday Inn...

Gladys Verretta Shine, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. She was born Nov. 9, 1919, at Wellston, Mo., daughter of Ezra and Etta Cooper Beasley. Shine had been a laundry worker, worked at Woolworth's, Dollar Store and Leo Dry Goods and Apparel in Overland, Mo., and in a real estate office. She moved to Cape Girardeau in 1990 from St. Louis...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Marlene Wiseman, 71, of Advance died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter, from injuries received in a fire at her home. She was born Aug. 8, 1934, in Brownwood, Mo., daughter of Ben and Novella Dunivan Kirk. She and Odell Wiseman were married Nov. 10, 1951, in Piggott, Ark. He died Nov. 28, 2003...

ANNA, Ill. -- Betty Jo Thrower, 83, of Anna died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at South Gate Nursing Home in Metropolis, Ill. She was born March 24, 1922, daughter of Harvey and Lela Baker Nichols. She married Woodrow Thrower, who died in 1993. Thrower was a member of Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center in Cairo, Ill. She was formerly of Olive Branch, Ill...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Dorothy C. O'Hara, 82, of San Diego, Calif., died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005, in San Diego. She was born March 12, 1923, in Leopold, daughter of Henry and Minnie Brummer Schmitt. O'Hara was a retired nurse. Survivors include a sister, Judy Beussink of Advance, Mo...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Michael R. Moylan, 63, of Perryville died Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Crystal City, Mo. He was born Aug. 14, 1942, at Hannibal, Mo., son of Henry Richard and Mildred Lucille Murphy Moylan. He and Marcia Beck were married Aug. 24, 1963...

Cape Girardeau County FCE...

25 years ago: Sept. 7, 1980 St. Mark Lutheran Church holds its Family Fellowship Day, with festivities beginning in the morning at Sunday school. Last fall, the Cape Girardeau City Council solicited bids for a disaster-warning siren system, awarded a contract and set April 15 of this year as the completion deadline; this fall, following the failure of the first system, the city will again seek bids for sirens and will likely set April 15 of next year as the new completion deadline...

The Labor Day holiday was a much-needed long weekend for our family. Although we did not do much of anything exciting, we did things as a family, which is always a lot of fun. Lexie, our 8-year-old daughter, found her daddy's pogo stick from his childhood days...

The SEMO District Fair begins Saturday. The wrong day was published in Sunday's edition of the Southeast Missourian. KFVS-12 raised nearly $40,000 more than last year's total of $437,203. The information was incorrect in Tuesday's edition. The Southeast Missourian regrets the errors...

I know I'd be in big trouble if my copy of Roget's Thesaurus were ever stolen, pilfered, purloined, swiped or ripped off. Without it I'd have difficulty writing a sentence, let alone a whole paragraph. But as valuable to a writer as the good Dr. Roget's book is (some say it ranks right up there with the Bible as one of the most important works ever printed), you have to be careful when using it...

NEW ORLEANS -- Progress was measured in inches Tuesday, in the slow dropping of water levels outside New Orleans' buildings, as engineers struggled to drain this saucer of a city in a Herculean task that could take weeks -- if they are lucky. The Army Corps of Engineers said the timetable ranges from three weeks to nearly three months, depending on a string of variables, including rainfall, the still-unknown condition of the pumps abandoned to Hurricane Katrina, and whether the system can withstand the flotsam of broken buildings, trees, trash and corpses.. ...

Ben Shurett, the publisher of Alabama's Fort Payne Times-Journal, is asking every person who attends local high school and college football games to contribute one dollar to hurricane victims...

Presentations ** n Mary Burton of the American Red Cross gave a presentation. * Assistant fire chief Mark Hasheider gave a presentation regarding 911 improvements. Public Hearings * Held a public hearing on an addition to the zoning ordinance. * Held a public hearing on the request of Sherman and Syvilla Swan and Frank and Rebecca Stinnett for a special-use permit for a day-care center at 1200 Ranney Ave...

Public Hearings ** n Held a hearing to consider the voluntary annexation petition submitted by Carolyn Little for 76.2 acres of property along Zschille Road (known as future Cold Creek Estates and Brookside Estates Subdivisions.) * Held a hearing to consider the voluntary annexation petition submitted by JoBeth Little for 2.14 acres of property along Zschille Road...

I have dreaded writing this but am convinced that someone must stand up for the Bible. You see, creation science is not only bad science but it is also bad Bible. Creation science claims to champion a biblical worldview. In reality it assumes a mythic scientific metanarrative that even science does not advance, as Allen Gathman has shown so well in his recent op-ed column...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Sunday: * At 5:24 p.m., emergency medical service in the 200 block of Caruthers Avenue. * At 6:51 p.m., emergency medical service in the 400 block of North Frederick Street. * At 7:54 p.m., emergency medical service in the 100 block of Siemers Drive...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's president said Tuesday that Saddam Hussein had confessed to killings and other "crimes" committed during his regime, including the massacre of thousands of Kurds in the late 1980s. President Jalal Talabani told Iraqi television that he had been informed by an investigating judge that "he was able to extract confessions from Saddam's mouth" about crimes "such as executions" which the ousted leader had personally ordered...

The top 25 teams in The Sports Network Division I-AA football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 4 and previous ranking: Record Pts Pvs 1. James Madison (75) 1-0 2,571 1 2. Furman (19) 1-0 2,469 2 3. Montana (6) 1-0 2,384 3...

NEW YORK -- Roger Federer sneered, tossed his racket in disgust. Horror of horrors, he lost a set. For most of the U.S. Open, the defending champion and top seed had seemed to sleepwalk through his matches, playing only as well as necessary, waking up and painting lines when pressed...

Southeast Missouri State goalie nets OVC honor Southeast Missouri State junior goalkeeper Lindsay Pickering was named the Ohio Valley Conference defensive player of the week for soccer on Tuesday. Pickering allowed just one goal in two matches over the past week. She stopped nine shots in Friday's 1-0 loss to St. Louis University, then made three saves to earn the shutout in Monday's 3-0 win over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville...

A new local Katrina relief committee requests that the community consider making donations to local displaced families instead of shipping them to the Gulf Coast. As scores of evacuees plant themselves, at least temporarily, in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area, emergency response and civic officials are being overwhelmed with information and requests...

The Notre Dame softball team avenged its lone loss of the season with a 5-2 victory in nine innings Tuesday at Poplar Bluff. The Mules dealt the Bulldogs (8-1) their lone loss of the season Saturday night in the finals of the Notre Dame Softballfest...

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR released the 2006 Nextel Cup Series schedule Tuesday, a 36-race slate that is virtually identical to this season. The only changes are a pair of race date swaps. Richmond International Raceway's spring race will move up to May 6 and Darlington Raceway's race will follow on May 13, again the night before Mother's Day. ...

As painful as it was for Jacksonville State to lose on the final play of the game Thursday, coach Jack Crowe said the Gamecocks' performance should still do its share to help the Ohio Valley Conference's tattered national image. After losing to Furman 49-7 in last year's NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, the Gamecocks nearly upset the nation's second-ranked team in their season opener --only to see Furman pull out a wild 37-35 victory in Jacksonville, Ala...

What Southeast Missouri State football coach Tim Billings had originally feared was confirmed over the weekend. Austen Collins, a junior college transfer who Billings had hailed as perhaps the most talented running back at Southeast since he took over the program in 2000, will miss the rest of the season...

St. Vincent, the lone area team ranked in the Missouri high school football rankings, fell to No. 10 in Class 1 this week after an opening loss to Class 2 Priory. The Indians opened the season at No. 3, coming off a season in which they won their first state championship...

Frankie Ellis scored one goal and assisted on two goals to lead Notre Dame in a 4-0 victory against visiting Hillsboro on Tuesday night. Ellis, who assisted on the first and third goals, scored the second goal by completing a 40-yard run after Jordan Buchheit had won the ball at midfield for the Bulldogs...

Since Tim Billings became Southeast Missouri State's football coach in 2000, the Redhawks have played at least one Division I-A opponent every season in order to provide financial help to the university's athletic department. But Billings and athletic director Don Kaverman both wished that, instead of facing teams from what are considered mid-major Division I-A conferences -- such as Saturday's opponent, Kent State of the Mid-American Conference -- the Redhawks could line up a game against a squad from a BCS conference, where the financial windfall would be much more significant.. ...

Around the turn of the century, a subtle change overtook mainstream rock music: it stopped sucking. Well, at least some of it did. The backward-looking work of such bands as Interpol and The Hives helped to reinvigorate a genre that had become as bland and tasteless as the sonic oatmeal that flooded the airwaves with cheap imitations of Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Faith No More, and Dave Matthews. ...

The eight-year mountain bike racing silence in Southeast Missouri was broken on Sunday, August 31, as about 100 bikers participated in Cyclewerx's inaugural Cape Mountain Bike Challenge. Though the turnout at the event was less than expected, race directors Dustin Gross and John Dodd were content with the smaller crowd...

Listed by Bicycling Magazine as the "Reader's Choice" ride in October for the state of Missouri, the sixth annual Tour de Cape is set to host hundreds of bicyclists from throughout the Midwest and Mid-South. The event will take place Saturday, October 1...

Urgent bulletin for the celebrity-obsessed - Hollywood is coming to Cape Girardeau. For three days in December or January, a partial cast and crew will be in the city filming scenes for the upcoming film "Killshot," based on an Elmore Leonard book set partially in Cape...

Polish up your boots and dust off those old Allman Brothers records - the SEMO District Fair will provide entertainment for the cowboy and the southern rocker in everyone this month. Country music veteran Randy Travis will be headlining the entertainment events, while the Renegades of Southern Rock will satisfy the need for some wailing guitar to wash down the country twang...

Parents longing to see their little sweety-pies will flood the Southeast Missouri campus Sept. 23-25 for Family Weekend. Since 1977 the weekend has been a chance for the parental units to see how much their kid has changed in a mere months time at college...

You may not associate 1st Amendment rights with running, but the third annual Free Speech Run does just that. Dr. Glen Williams, associate professor of communication studies and race coordinator, launched the event three years ago with one expressed goal: to celebrate freedom. "The purpose of the run is to celebrate first amendment rights & their role in erecting and maintaining our other freedoms," Williams says...

Forget Brad Pitt. Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Theatre and Dance is getting Trojan. The department will open its 2005-2006 season with the classic Greek tragedy "The Trojan Women," written by Euripides and first performed in 415 B.C...

Bluegrass heavyweights Allison Krauss and Union Station will play the Show Me Center 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...

Rarely when we see a film are we moved to think about our very existence, our place in the Universe, the purposes of Mankind, time and space, or the mind of God. But sometimes, films are made that do just that - rise above the level of being mere movies and excel to the height of cinematic art that moves the viewer to contemplate the Bigger Picture. A certain group of films, done in a unique documentary style, actually succeed in moving our minds and souls...

You might think that after fronting one of the most popular bands of the '90s, a tired rocker might be content to rest on his laurels. But St. Louis native Steve Ewing has never been one to slow down. After disbanding The Urge in 2001, Ewing barely took a breath before beginning his solo career with the aptly titled album "Here We Go Again." He's now on the verge of releasing his third album, "Pacific Standard Time," and touring the Midwest with fellow St. ...

Downtown Cape Girardeau on a normal weekend is already a rocking place, with multiple bands often taking stages around the clubs downtown. For the Ninth Annual City of Roses Music Festival, taking place on Sept. 23 and 24, organizers hope to take the party atmosphere already in place and twist it up a couple of notches...

The minute you pay your admission to the SEMO District Fair and walk toward the carnival midway, it hits you like a pie in the face. That wonderful smell of hot grease, cooking up all that wonderful, fried fair food. Don't go looking for a green salad or an apple stand. Fair food is not healthy food. It just tastes good, and there's something about the atmosphere -- the lights, the noise, the excitement -- that makes it taste really good...

Traveling carnivals have long been a mainstay of the fair. In the late 1800s, innovations in transportation and technology helped transform carnivals into traveling whirls of sideshows and sticky food. The carnival as we know it is distinctly American. We invented cotton candy and the Ferris wheel took its first spin at the Chicago World's Fair in 1892...

The United States was first an agricultural nation, and county fairs were originally started to promote and improve the quality of farm products by encouraging farmers to develop new and better techniques in producing agricultural crops and livestock...

The SEMO District Fair has been a main venue for national entertainers performing in the city for about 30 years. Although the fair had brought in musicians and other entertainers almost since its inception, it didn't start featuring nationally known acts until 1976 when Brenda Lee and Mel Tillis performed...

1855 - Missouri Legislature created South East Agriculture Society, appropriating $3,000 for the project. It was made up of all the counties in the congressional district. Cape Girardeau was chosen as the location for the fair, which was small that first year. President of the fair was Gen. Nathaniel Watkins...

There have been at least 21 presidents of the Fair Board since the district fair opened in October 1855. Many presidents served more than one year. The names of all the Fair Board presidents can not be found. There were no presidents during the years that the fair was not held. ...

Shortly after the U.S. Agriculture Society was formed in New York, Southeast Missouri joined other areas around the country in forming a district fair to promote agriculture. The Missouri Legislature passed an act creating the Southeast District Agricultural Society in 1855 and set aside $3,000 for the fair project...

In 1851, the Singer sewing machine had been patented, and in 1854 the Republican Party was officially formed. And the year prior to the establishment of the Western Union telegraph and five years before the first Pony Express ride -- in 1855 -- the first Southeast Missouri District Fair was held...

This year a new addition at the SEMO District Fair is a 4,000-square-foot 4-H exhibit building, doubling the space for 4-H exhibitions from previous years. The building was built in time for the 150th anniversary of the fair through a collaboration among the Cape Girardeau County 4-H Council, the city of Cape Girardeau and the SEMO District Fair...

The SEMO District Fair has long been the event of the year for farmers to track down a top tomato seed, ogle the newest tractor or check out a prize-winning pig. The annual rite of summer is alive and well. Early fairs were held in October, but changed to September to avoid the fall rain. It is usually hot and humid when the fair is held in September, although vists to the fair at night can feel just right. But if it rains -- there are problems...

A Jackson man faces a felony charge after DNA evidence linked him to a burglary in his apartment building, police said. Travis L. Burke, 30, of 224 Meier Lake Drive in Jackson, is charged with burglarizing an apartment at 1101 K-Land Drive in Jackson. The burglary took place Nov. 24, and Burke lived in the building at the time...

The bill would let parents sue people who help their minor daughters get abortions in violation of the parental consent law. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A minister said Wednesday that legislation allowing lawsuits against those who help teens get around the state's parental consent law for abortions amounts to "a clergy intimidation bill."...

A combination of factors, including repairs being made to damaged oil pipelines and refineries on the Gulf Coast, are helping to bring down the price of gasoline in the area. Bi-State Oil Co. owner Scott Blank said his gas station in Cape Girardeau has been able to drop the cost of unleaded fuel from $2.99 to $2.83 a gallon. Rhodes 101 Convenience Stores will be going down in price as well...

The prosecutor said the woman who claimed to be raped didn't object to dropping the charges. Prosecutors cleared a Cape Girardeau cabdriver accused of rape Wednesday with a statement questioning whether the charges were fabricated. No charges will be filed against the accuser, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said...

Cape Girardeau's Katrina relief contributions continue to mount. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army have been flooded with cash, volunteers and community drives. Schools have stepped up, and professionals and businesses are sending help...

Brother David Migliorino, a Franciscan monk who directs Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau, kept his mouth shut even though he wanted to shout the news days ago. But today the principal will tell students his secret: The school ranks among the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation...

A local literacy project plans to publicize reading with a billboard contest that draws on the talents of area schoolchildren. The Southeast Missourian Jr., a monthly newspaper that showcases students' artwork and writing, will celebrate its fifth anniversary -- along with the daily newspaper's centennial -- by asking the region's classes to create posters as part of the "Rave About Reading!" contest...

Fearless knows few fears. While most cats cower in new surroundings, the pint-sized, gray-coated kitten sauntered into his new home with the attitude of "Here I am." The tailless Manx suffers from spina bifida, a spinal disorder that commonly occurs within his breed. To ease his discomfort, he now wears an infant-sized diaper courtesy of Southeast Missouri Hospital...

The city is looking for a town crier to celebrate its centennial. Historically, town criers were used to inform townspeople of bad news such as increased taxes or a public hanging. The clichZ "don't shoot the messenger" originated with town criers...

An effort to stop drunken driving netted 10 people on charges of driving while intoxicated between Aug. 19 and Monday, Cape Girardeau police reported. With the help of a $1,000 federal grant, the department was able to put extra officers on patrol as part of the "You Drink and Drive, You Lose" campaign...

25 years ago: Sept. 8, 1980 A parade with 100 units -- nearly double that of last year -- officially kicks off the six-day run of the 125th annual SEMO District Fair; the parade originates at Capaha Park, proceeds west on Broadway and north on Kingshighway to the Arena Park fairgrounds...

Senate minority leader may run for auditor JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State Senate Democratic Leader Maida Coleman said Wednesday she is considering running for state auditor next year. State Auditor Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, said last week that she would challenge Republican U.S. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Attorneys for seven disabled Missourians tried Wednesday to convince a federal judge that Missouri's decision to stop paying for certain medical equipment is unfair and illegal. U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple, who last week declined to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the cuts, said he would review testimony and court filings and hoped to decide next week whether to issue a preliminary injunction...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- H&R Block Inc. said Wednesday it is gearing up for scores of Hurricane Katrina victims anxious to immediately file for disaster assistance and who could need extensive help filing next year's tax returns, given that their financial records are lost and their employers are at least temporarily defunct...

State funding for public education has always been a complicated matter. A process that determines how much each school district will receive from the state -- called the school foundation formula -- is so complex that even the legislators who fund it and make changes in it are often hard-pressed to give a clear explanation of how it really works...

To the editor: I would like to thank everyone who helped make this year's fund raiser for the Women's Safe House, the Network Against Sexual Violence and the Cape Girardeau Police Department a success. Twenty-three families donated items to this year's cause and delivered the items to me, which I am extremely grateful for. This not only saved me a tremendous amount of time, but the money I normally would have used from the proceeds to reimburse myself for gasoline went to this cause instead...

To the editor: I've seen comments in the Southeast Missourian's online edition about how interesting it would be to see how much the international community will respond to the disaster in the U.S. I am Canadian and lived in Cape Girardeau for seven years. ...

To the editor: Today I'm troubled about the many things that are happening in our country and the world: the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq, the high prices of gasoline, the thousands of people who are going to go without medication...

To the editor: I am writing about your story regarding the landlord in Cape Girardeau who turned the heat up to 125 degrees. I cannot believe he is only being charged with a misdemeanor. The renter is asthmatic. Even if she wasn't, she could have died. If the landlord is found guilty, may he end up in an even hotter place...

Be prepared; Rental grievances; What would you do?; A fake world; Not a necessity; Abolish federal system?; Think of the children; Greedy looters; National sins; University name; Flooding potential; Too good a deal; Making ethanol; Pulling together

Betty J. Wade, 72, of Cairo, Ill., died Wednesday at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home in Cairo.

HIRAM, Mo. -- Fred James "Buck" Wilfong Jr., 59, of Belleview, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at Belleview Valley Nursing Home. He was born Jan. 28, 1946, at Hiram, son of Fred James and Bernice Jettie Fox Wilfong. Survivors include two brothers, Henry Wilfong of Missouri, Don Wilfong of Lesterville, Mo.; two sisters, Lillie Jaco of Millersville, and Linda Pool of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Hill will fight Brudov on Sept. 30 for the world cruiserweight title. ST. LOUIS -- For the second time this year, St. Louis will host a world boxing championship. Virgil Hill will come out of retirement to face undefeated Russian Valery Brudov, the No. 1 contender, for the vacant WBA world cruiserweight championship. The fight will be Sept. 30 at the Savvis Center...

The Cardinals pitcher is 3-5 with a 5.66 ERA in his last nine starts. ST. LOUIS -- Fortunately for Matt Morris, he won't have to deal with the Chicago Cubs in the playoffs. The St. Louis Cardinals' right-hander has dominated the Cubs for most of his career, entering this season with an 11-3 record against them. This year, he's 0-3 with an 8.02 ERA after getting knocked out in the fifth inning of a 5-2 loss Tuesday night...

The Florida pitcher tied St. Louis' Carpenter for the league lead in victories. WASHINGTON -- That confounding, high-kick delivery. That flat-brimmed cap. That "Gee, this is fun!" smile. Now Dontrelle Willis can add "20-game winner" to his list of trademarks...

The Daytona 500 winner is on the outside of the top 10 heading into Saturday's race at Richmond. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- His crew calls him "Money Man" because when the stakes are high, Jeff Gordon is the only driver they want on their team. His reputation is about to be tested with an entire season on the line. Gordon has one race left to squeeze his way into the NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship and prove he still can come through in the clutch...

With promises of pet shelters and health warnings residents urged to leave New Orleans. WASHINGTON -- Deep in St. Bernard Parish, just south of New Orleans, a man stubbornly refused to leave his home, insisting he must stay with the only things he had left in the world -- his two bulldogs and eight young puppies. And three friends wouldn't go anywhere without him...

WASHINGTON -- The post office has delivered some 15,000 Social Security checks at collection points in the area affected by Hurricane Katrina, officials said Wednesday. But the agency is still trying to locate 2,000 of its workers. In the affected region, 188 post offices have returned to full service, 189 are providing limited service and 120 are still closed...

Smelterville, May Greene reunion set for Saturday; Community contra dance being held at church; Tuschhoff family reunion to be held Sunday; Bollingers plan to reunite at Jackson restaurant; Nitsch family holding reunion in Jackson park; Jackson class of '45 meets this month; Reunion to be held at Post Oak Church; Parents can get children fingerprinted at fair; Wild horses and burros will be up for adoption; Free health screenings at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club; More than 50 attend Friedrich reunion

n Name: Denise Stewart...

Soldiers' letters of thanks for care packages will be on display at the SEMO District Fair, where Operation Troop Support will have a booth daily from 4 to 9 p.m. The booth will be at the south entrance of the Arena Building. Operation Troop Support has sent more than 1,500 care packages since the group was established last year and would like to follow through by responding to the list of 700 names they've collected representing soldiers from all over the country...

The Jackson chapter of the American Business Women Association will sponsor the Miss Jackson pageants for women ages 3 to 24 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12. The winner of the Miss Jackson Scholarship Pageant will represent Jackson at the Miss Missouri Scholarship pageant, whose winner will then represent Missouri at the Miss America Scholarship Pageant. ...

A few days after she had cataract surgery, Frances Tallman of Cape Girardeau went to lunch at the Cracker Barrel. She glanced down at her bill and saw that she owed $8.11. What makes that extraordinary is that she wasn't wearing the thick, heavy beige-framed bifocals on which she used to depend...

Getting older. They will say it beats the alternative. Maybe. But when I see those pictures of Mick Jagger strutting his stuff once again across a stage, with the unreal physique of a teenage boy and a face that looks like it has spent way too much time in a Saharan dust storm ... I am not so convinced...

The Redhawks women were third in the OVC last year, while the men are coming off a sixth-place finish. Unlike past seasons, third-year coach Eric Heins has high hopes for both Southeast Missouri State cross county teams in 2005. While Southeast's women have annually ranked among the Ohio Valley Conference's top squads, the men lately have finished around the middle of the pack...

Southeast Missouri State's improving women's tennis team begins an abbreviated fall schedule Friday. The Redhawks play the first of four fall tournaments when they compete in the Billiken Classic hosted by St. Louis University. The event concludes Saturday...

n In the portion of Wednesday's story about the Southeast Missouri State football team's 2006 game with Arkansas, the following paragraph was ommitted where the story continued from Page 1B to Page 4B: "That suits Billings on both counts. He understands, considering the current financial situation of not only Southeast's athletic department but the entire university, that the Redhawks must play a Division I-A foe for money each year."...

James Harold "Hal" Greene, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Feb. 13, 1926, in County Westmeath, Southern Ireland, son of James and Sarah Jane Naylor Greene. Mr. Greene moved to Canada in 1929. He accepted Jesus Christ as Savior April 23, 1940. He moved to the United States in March 1947...

Ivan E. Lesch, 86, of Delta died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 22, 1919, at Allenville, son of Guy and Ruth Mansker Lesch. He and Retha Lands were married Nov. 8, 1937. She died Sept. 18, 1988...

ST. MARY, Mo. -- George "Ed" Moll, 72, of St. Mary died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at Marian Cliff Manor in St. Mary. He was born June 13, 1933, at St. Mary, son of Henry L. and Eliza McLain Moll. Moll had been a machine operator with National Vendors...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Helen L. Sewing, 86, of Perryville died Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005, at Perry Oaks Manor. Young and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

John Tyler Orr was stillborn Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Survivors include his parents, Robert J. and Staci Renee Powless Orr Jr. of Cape Girardeau; maternal grandparents, Randy and Beverly Powless of Cape Girardeau; paternal grandparents, Jean Orr of Cape Girardeau, Robert Orr Sr. of Marble Hill, Mo.; maternal great-grandmother, Shirley Powless of Marion, Ill.; and paternal great-grandmother, Jo Alice Orr of Marble Hill...

John Botwinski, 73, of Largo, Fla., died Friday, Aug. 19, 2005, at Hospice House Woodside in Pinellas Park, Fla. He was born in Chicago, Ill. He moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1987 and to Largo earlier this year. Botwinski was a security guard 20 years with Brinks Inc., and later worked in security at Holy Cross Hospital, both in Chicago. He was a member of St. Jerome Catholic Church in Largo, and a volunteer at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg...

Katherine B. Hunter, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at her home. She was born Feb. 23, 1923, in Nashville, Tenn., daughter of Henry and Beatrice Durham Clark. She and Robert Hunter were married Dec. 18, 1945, in St. Louis. He died Aug. 17, 1996...

Thomas Scott McRaven, 47, of Jackson died Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 1, 1957, in Granite City, Ill., son of Thomas and Beverly McRaven. McRaven was a dentist. Survivors include his wife, Khonda Andrews McRaven of Jackson; two sons, Austin and Dillon McRaven of Jackson; a daughter, Alora McRaven of Jackson; his mother, Beverly McRaven of St. Louis; two brothers and a sister...

BASEBALL | IBAF WORLD CUP Cape Girardeau native Talley Haines was the winning pitcher earlier this week for the U.S. baseball team in the 2005 IBAF World Cup in The Netherlands. Haines, a right-handed reliever, worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings Monday during a 6-4 victory against Australia. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one...

The unseeded player won his third straight five-set decision against a seeded player. NEW YORK -- Robby Ginepri, an unsung, unseeded American, accepted the gift of Guillermo Coria's 13th and 14th double-faults on the last two points of their U.S. Open match to reach a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time...

WASHINGTON -- Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist was buried Wednesday as President Bush led the nation in bidding farewell to the man who orchestrated a dramatic states rights power shift in a third of a century on the Supreme Court and settled the acrimonious 2000 election in Bush's favor...

To the editor: This is a letter we sent to Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan: We would like to extend our deepest thanks and commend the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department. Deputy Todd Stevens, Detective Sikes and Detective Buchheit pursued and detained some of the people involved in a recent asphalting scam at our home, resulting in the return of almost half our money. ...

Changes to the Medicaid system have been portrayed by many as extraordinary, but thoughtful consideration must be given to the fact that reform was essential to ensure the program's solvency. Unfortunately, the details of these changes and the policies of the Department of Social Services have often been misrepresented. One of the most misunderstood changes involves the idea that some medical services are optional...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following calls Tuesday: * At 5:01 p.m., a medical assist in the 3000 block of Boutin Drive. * At 8:59 p.m., a medical assist in the 600 block of North Henderson Avenue. * At 11:32 p.m., a fire alarm at 630 N. Henderson Ave...

Cape Girardeau...

Miller; Frakes; Kieninger; Hale; Wren; Shoemaker

Woman's Distance Festival to be held Saturday The 17th annual Women's Distance Festival for all ages and fitness levels will be held Saturday at the Osage Community Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway on the Cape LaCroix recreation trail. Distance events begin at 8 a.m. Events will include a one-mile walk/run, a 3.1 mile walk, and a 3.1- mile run...

WASHINGTON -- He's been called an idiot, an incompetent and worse. The vilification of federal disaster chief Michael Brown, emerging as chief scapegoat for whatever went wrong in the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, has ratcheted into the stratosphere. Democratic members of Congress are taking numbers to call for his head...

ST. LOUIS -- Greg Maddux threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and the Chicago Cubs got just enough off Mark Mulder early in a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night. Maddux topped 400 innings over the last two seasons, triggering an automatic $9 million option for next season, when he struck out Hector Luna for the second out in the fourth inning of his 317th career victory...

Sept. 8, 2005 Dear Julie, Americans are accustomed to hearing people in the Third World described as refugees. They are people who leave their homes to escape war or starvation brought on by grinding drought. We aren't used to the word applying to our own. Now it does...

The Kelly softball team outlasted host Sikeston on Wednesday afternoon, pushing across three runs in the top of the 11th inning for a 6-3 victory. Freshman Casey Kern pitched all 11 innings, allowing five hits. She struck out 10 and walked four. The Hawks (6-2) had 13 hits, led by Meghan Tetley with four. Ashley Vetter added three hits and Brittany Brantley had two...

An MRI on Missouri wide receiver Sean Coffey's dislocated left shoulder revealed no structural damage, the athletic department said late Tuesday night. There is no timetable for Coffey's return, though Missouri spokesman Chad Moller said it is doubtful Coffey will play in Saturday's game against New Mexico...

ST. LOUIS -- Isaac Bruce has been a Rams player so long he was with the team in Los Angeles. Now comes the reward for his longevity. Jerry Rice's retirement earlier this week puts Bruce at the top of the active receiving yardage list with 11,753. "It's big," Bruce said. "It means a little to me, but Jerry will always be No. 1 in my eyes."...

Evidence that her landlord sought to overheat her apartment didn't carry much weight for Sonda Owens Thursday during an eviction trial. Associate circuit judge Peter Statler didn't even look at the police report that led to landlord Fred Barnard being charged with misdemeanor assault. Instead, he wanted proof of whether Sonda Owens paid her rent at 618 North St. from April through September...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Officials feared diesel fuel contamination after two freight trains collided Wednesday afternoon in Stoddard County. At 12:46 p.m., Union Pacific Railroad in St. Louis reported to the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department that an accident occurred north of Bell City. ...

For one week, 19 family members displaced by Hurricane Katrina lived under one roof. The already close-knit family grew closer as they rallied to meet needs. Over the years, each time a hurricane threatened metro New Orleans towns, Dr. Mark and Barbara Kinder invited family to stay in their five-bedroom, four-bathroom Cape Girardeau home. This year, the hurricane drove in more than they bargained for...

MINER, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Transportation will be repairing traffic signals at the intersection of Highway 62 and Route AA in Miner today. The westbound turn lane will be reduced to one lane from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call MoDOT at (888) ASK-MODOT...

Book lovers can buy used books at bargain prices at the Cape Girardeau Public Library this weekend. The library holds book sales twice a year -- once in the spring and once in the fall. The library has hundreds of books for sale. "We have 20 tables full of books and some books on the floor as well," said library director Betty Martin...

A headless Barbie doll lead investigators to a suspect for an arson at South Pacific Street apartment house. Anthony R. Williams, 19, faces arraignment Sept. 19 for a class B felony for setting a fire Aug. 10 in a bathroom at 401 S. Pacific St. Williams told investigators during an interview that he entered the three-story house to use the bathroom on the second floor, testified Cpl. ...

The images and sounds from New Orleans and other nature-ripped areas of the Gulf Coast are an assault on our sensibilities in ways that only unimaginable tragedy can create. I don't know if this is fair, but the breakdown in acceptable behavior that quickly became a prominent feature of news reports was, for me, a haunting reminder of scenes we saw on TV after the military invasion of Baghdad -- when we were expecting to see happy faces of liberated Iraqis and instead witnessed looting and mayhem.. ...

The bill needs another Senate vote to move to the House, which also must approve it to send the bill to the governor. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Legislators moved closer Thursday to achieving the goal of their special session as the Senate gave initial approval to an anti-abortion measure...

National Guard troops say good-bye to loved ones before heading to New Orleans. CAMP MCCAIN, Miss. -- The night before Spc. Mitchell Kester hit the road Thursday to help New Orleans recover from the brutal aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he spent some time with a decidedly less fierce female: his 2-year-old daughter, Abigail...

NEW ORLEANS -- With the waters receding, New Orleans faces a ghastly task of epic dimensions not seen by an American city in perhaps a century: collecting, identifying and then burying potentially thousands of corpses, many of them bloated, decayed or no doubt mangled beyond recognition...

Mother of beaten baby wanted Karen Byrum, who signed a confession, to face a jury. The mother of a 4-month-old who was beaten black and blue by a baby sitter says she is sorry she won't get to testify against the abuser at a trial. Baby sitter Karen Byrum pleaded guilty Monday to felony child abuse charges and faces up to seven years in state prison. ...

The St. Louis ace pitched eight innings of a 5-0 win over New York. ST. LOUIS -- Facing Chris Carpenter was the last thing the New York Mets needed. Carpenter became the first 21-game winner in the major leagues, Albert Pujols homered twice and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the fading Mets 5-0 Thursday night...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England's quest for an unprecedented three straight Super Bowl victories is in good hands with two stars the Patriots didn't lose: Tom Brady and Richard Seymour. Brady threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns and Seymour made a game-turning defensive play as the Patriots beat Oakland 30-20 Thursday night, holding Randy Moss, the Raiders' new star, to one big play, a 73-yard touchdown catch...

The government's $5 billion effort to help small businesses recover from the Sept. 11 attacks was so loosely managed that it gave low-interest loans to companies that didn't need terrorism relief -- or even know they were getting it, The Associated Press has found...

NEW ORLEANS -- Like the other holdouts in a city nearly emptied by Hurricane Katrina, Chan Chun Nin, 75, had no running water. He had no electricity. And the medicine supply for his 70-year-old wife was dwindling. Still, he would not move. Do me a favor, said a state trooper: "Write your address and your name down on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket. Because when you die, we're going to need to know who we're picking up."...

JERUSALEM -- Newly revealed medical records have failed to solve the mystery of Yasser Arafat's death, although they do cast doubt on popular conspiracy theories about poisoning or rumors of AIDS. But the main question -- what led to the massive stroke that killed the longtime Palestinian leader -- may never be answered...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Six people -- four of them children -- were hospitalized Thursday morning after a sports utility vehicle rear-ended a school bus that was stopped for a red light at a busy intersection south of downtown, authorities said. The driver told police that he had looked down to check his speedometer after his wife reminded him he was in a school zone. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Homeland Security director Michael Chapman resigned Thursday after less than seven months on the job. The Department of Public Safety said Chapman left so he can spend more time with his wife and two children in St. Louis. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Supreme Court Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. has been hospitalized because of a blood clot in his lung. Limbaugh, 53, was absent Wednesday and Thursday as the rest of the seven-member Supreme Court heard arguments on a variety of cases. ...

The Jerry Lewis telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association is as much a part of Labor Day as parades and picnics. This year's telethon, however, was held as the nation reeled from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast. Americans were generously donating millions of dollars to aid storm victims, and now they were being asked to contribute for MDA research and support...

To the editor: I hope this letter reaches the very kind and generous couple whom we met in the Burger King (exit 96 off I-55) at approximately 7:30 a.m. Sept. 4. We were traveling back to our home in Louisiana to see what damage we had from the hurricane. ...

To the editor: I do not understand our Congress and president. They are going to fund (with taxpayers' money) the New Madrid floodway project. This project will only protect and increase the value of a few wealthy landowners' cropland (there are a few homes located in the floodway region on ridges) in Mississippi and New Madrid counties. ...