Stories from Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Mary Burton has been named to lead the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation. Burton, who is currently the executive director of the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri Chapter, will succeed J. Charles Stotz, who is retiring after 17 years on the job...

A man accused of reckless homicide in the June 2004 deaths of five people and two unborn children on Interstate 57 is unfit to stand trial, Union County, Ill., assistant state's attorney Brian Trambley announced Monday. A hearing into whether Jason King could be ready within a year was underway Monday and should be finished today, Trambley said in a prepared statement...

Agencies that assist low-income households with paying for heating bills have seen a significant increase in the number of families seeking help. In fact the Salvation Army has received 50 percent more calls from people needing assistance this year compared to last. But most of the Salvation Army's funds to pay for energy bills are usually depleted as soon as they become available...

Some people are willing to sacrifice for true love. Take Jim Curtin, for example. The Philadelphia man auctioned off hundreds of items of his Elvis Presley memorabilia collection over the weekend. He did so after his girlfriend issued an ultimatum: Leave the Elvis clothes or I'll leave you...

Missouri is one of 18 states that provide no special privilege for information gathered by news reporters. Now a shield law has been proposed that appears to have some momentum, with state Sen. Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau sponsoring such a bill in this year's legislative session. House Speaker Rod Jetton of Marble Hill, Mo., has endorsed the idea...

To the editor: There is good news for the people of Missouri. You can still sign up for the new Medicare prescription drug plan. With the new program, Medicare beneficiaries will save an average of $1,300 a year on prescription drugs. Some of those who have already signed up tell us they will realize even greater savings...

To the editor: As friends of Greg and Lisa Sparkman for over 20 years, we are confused about his incarceration. Our federal judicial system has taken away a strong family, business and community leader for reasons I cannot fathom. Greg faces a minimum sentence of 15 years for a supposed 5-year-old arson case that had no apparent motive and no benefit to him, all based on the testimony of a convicted methamphetamine manufacturer who was released early for testifying against Greg...

Illinois State Police investigators have received a "good response" from a call for the public to help in the investigation of a death in rural Pulaski County, police spokesman Dale Poole said Monday. Trae Hannah, 23, of Anna, Ill., was found Jan. 4 in a burned out car. The events leading up to the discovery of the charred remains of Hannah and his 1993 Mercury Tracer are being investigated as a homicide, Poole said...

Notre Dame's girls basketball team outscored visiting Farmington 23-13 in the second half to pull away for a 47-35 win on Monday. The Bulldogs improved to 5-7, including 1-2 against Farmington. "I think more than anything we took care of the ball a little better," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said of the difference in Monday's meeting...

Two straight games of shooting better than 50 percent from the field and limiting their turnovers has given Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks reason for optimism regarding the rest of the season. "It's very encouraging to shoot as well as we have the last two games," Southeast coach Gary Garner said during his weekly media conference Monday. "Keeping our turnovers down and shooting the ball a little better definitely gives us a lot better chance to be successful."...

A Cape Girardeau father in a child endangerment case involving a roach-infested home was granted probation on Monday in order to financially support his children. At his sentencing on Monday, Denver M. Brooks 24, who now lives on South Sprigg Street, said that he and his wife, Melanie R. Brooks, have separated and that she has taken custody of their children and moved to Chaffee, Mo...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Seventeen years after he was an intern with the Kansas City Chiefs, Herman Edwards is their head coach. "I finally found my way back. You never plan on something like this until it happens," Edwards said Monday at a packed news conference. "Fate has me back here. It's good to be back home."...

Baylor guard Aaron Bruce has watched games on television, aching to play in one. About the only benefit of his team not playing any nonconference games was being able to go home to Australia for Christmas. After three months of practice and watching everybody else play, the Bears finally get to start their season...

ST. LOUIS -- Jack Snow, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams for 11 seasons and a Rams broadcaster for several years, died Monday night, the team has confirmed. Snow, 62, had been hospitalized on and off for the past two months with a staph infection. His family was with him when he died at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, said Duane Lewis, a team spokesman...

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Kansas City pharmacist's appeal of his 30-year sentence for diluting chemotherapy medications. Robert Courtney was sentenced in 2002 after pleading guilty to diluting drugs for seriously ill patients and keeping the money for himself. Prosecutors have said 4,200 patients and about 98,000 prescriptions were affected by the scheme...

DENVER -- Rookie Marek Svatos had his second three-goal game and David Aebischer stopped 27 shots to help the Colorado Avalanche win their fifth straight game, 6-1 over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. Svatos has five goals in three games, 25 for the season and four multiple goal games. He also had a hat trick Oct. 10 against Calgary...

San Diego's Antonio Gates was the only unanimous choice to The Associated Press 2005 All-Pro team featuring four players each from conference leaders Indianapolis and Seattle. The Chargers' brilliant tight end drew all 50 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Gates also made the team last year, with 32 1/2 votes...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The second of two brothers who pleaded guilty last year to bilking millions of dollars from the federal government by inflating expenses at a telephone company was sentenced Monday to four years and nine months in federal prison...

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. -- As the investigation into the Sago Mine disaster took shape Monday, the best hope for firsthand details about the explosion and its aftermath lay in critical condition, fighting a fever. Doctors treating sole survivor Randal McCloy Jr. declined to speculate on the extent of any brain damage the 26-year-old suffered in the tragedy that killed 12 fellow coal miners...

HOUSTON -- Andrea Yates pleaded innocent by reason of insanity in the drowning deaths of her children Monday as she made her first court appearance since her 2002 capital murder convictions were overturned. State District Judge Belinda Hill set a March 20 trial date...

WASHINGTON -- The federal judges who were bypassed when the Bush administration ordered warrantless wiretaps in the United States received a secret briefing Monday on details of the surveillance. Separately, a former FBI director and other lawyers questioned whether the surveillance is legal...

Colleges; Hockey

To the editor: For 30 years America and the West have made enemies around the world, especially in Indonesia and other Muslim countries. Westerners weren't tolerated and were badly persecuted for attempting to impose on them our dissolute western values such as abortion on demand. This was the ugly side of our culture...

Debiting the tip; Where food starts; Limiting lawsuits; Middle school questioned; Making roads wider; Fly into our hearts; Approval is available; Paying dues; No more theaters; Bad image; Shameful plan; Wasting fuel money; Running red lights; Short memories

HONORS LISTS; Bragg earns spot on president's list at FHU; Advance student named to TRCC dean's list; Butler named to dean's list at Centenary College; Mizzou announces fall semester dean's list; GRADUATIONS, HONORS; Green finishes master's degree at Mizzou; Jackson student receives honors from Southeast; Felter earns masters degree at UNL; Extra Credit; LeGrand is Alma Schrader teacher of the month

Jewell T. Reid Gettings, 89, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at her home. She was born Sept. 21, 1916, in Jackson, daughter of Ben P. and Fern Abernathy Reid. She first married John Herman Witcher Sr. June 29, 1945, in Jackson. He died Sept. 19, 1957. She and Leonard A. Gettings were married Feb. 6, 1959. He died June 16, 1992...

Jean Young Byrd, 60, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at her home. She was born May 21, 1945, in St. Louis, daughter of E. Ross and Dorris Felter Young. Jean was a 1963 graduate of Central High School. She retired from Cape Girardeau School District. She was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and VFW Post 3838 Ladies Auxiliary...

Ann F. Tuthill Wiethop, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at her home. She was born Dec. 25, 1924, in Nashville, Tenn., daughter of L.B. and Flossie Melton Tuthill. She and Carroll Wiethop were married July 24, 1943, in St. Louis. Mrs. ...

Imogene "Jean" Ross, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born Oct. 30, 1911, in Blodgett, Mo., daughter of the late Joseph F. and Myra Tisdel Mackley. She and Oral C. Ross were married March, 13, 1926, in Jackson. He preceded her in death in 1968...

Nada Ellen Bradford, 97, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Oct. 23, 1908, at Diehlstadt, Mo., daughter of W.A. and Nettie McGinnis English. She and W.E. Anderson were married July 21, 1924, at Diehlstadt. He died March 10, 1968. She later married T.C. Bradford July 18, 1980, at Oran, Mo. He died May 28, 1994...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- David Frederick Keller, 64, of Leopold died Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, at his home. He was born May 27, 1941, at Chaffee, Mo., son of Earl Russell and Mildred Irene Ross Keller. He and Janet Sue Haddock Yount were married March 17, 1984, at Chaffee...

Wanda M. Matlock, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born May 15, 1926, in Illmo, daughter of Roy and Viola Garrison Harvell. She and Joe Matlock were married 34 years. He preceded her in death. Survivors include a son, Norman Harvell of St. Louis; a sister, Betty Rubel of Cape Girardeau; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild...

PULASKI, Ill. -- Dorothy V. Palmer, 80, of Pulaski died Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at Pulaski Christian Church in Pulaski, from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Pulaski Christian Church. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Pulaski...

Fritsche...

25 years ago: Jan. 10, 1981 Maranatha Ministries, which has been located in Cape Girardeau since 1975, is disbanding its organized fellowship; the group is expected to begin 22 new fellowships across the country this year, according to the pastor, Brad Sherman; he and his family will open a new ministry in Iowa City, Iowa, in February...

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Charles Gordon Luton, 67, of Shelton, Wash., died Friday, Dec. 23, 2005, at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. He was born Oct. 28, 1938, in Olmsted, Ill., son of Charlie M. and Anna Ervin Luton. Luton was a 1956 graduate of Mound City High School and a 1960 graduate of the U.S. ...

The Jackson school board apologized Monday night to kilt-wearing high school senior Nathan Warmack, saying the student had every right to wear the Scottish attire to school functions. The board's action, following a half-hour closed session, resolved a controversy that began last November when Warmack wore a kilt to a high school dance...

Woman pleads guilty in case involving fake fax Thea M. Snider, 28, of 1453 Luce Drive, pleaded guilty at the Cape Girardeau County courthouse in Jackson on Monday to excusing herself from work by faxing a forged letter from her probation officer. Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis sentenced her to 30 days in the Cape Girardeau County jail on the amended charge of misdemeanor making a false declaration. ...

Consent Ordinances (Second and third readings) Approved an ordinance to place stop signs on Park Place Drive at its intersection with Bloomfield Road. Accepted the record plat of Forest Hills Estates Third Addition. Granted underground utility easements and waterline easements from Dalhousie and the Elmwood Farms Limited Family Partnership to serve the Dalhousie Clubhouse and Cottages...

Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis honored prosecutors' recommendations on Monday when he sentenced two child sex offenders to serve in the Missouri Department of Corrections. One offender's sentencing evoked an angry reaction from the mother of a female victim, while the mother of a male victim tearfully appealed for mercy for the second offender...

WICHITA, Kan. -- For decades, satellites have monitored crop conditions around the globe -- helping traders predict futures prices in commodities markets and governments anticipate crop shortages. But those satellite images are now increasingly turning up in courtrooms across the nation as the Agriculture Department's Risk Management Agency cracks down on farmers involved in crop insurance fraud...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau...

TOPEKA, Kan. -- Quick, answer this question: An ingot might consist of: A) silver. B) cotton. C) porcelain. D) chocolate. E) petroleum. The answer is A. Did you answer it in five seconds? Or 10? The quicker it is answered, the more points you earn for your team. But remember, it's better to answer correctly on the first try, even if it takes a little more time...

CHICAGO -- Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s deal to buy part of Guidant Corp. for about $4 billion was applauded Monday by investors and analysts, who said it would give the manufacturer of drugs and diagnostic tests new clout in medical devices. If it goes through, the three-way deal with Boston Scientific Corp. announced a day earlier would be Abbott's largest acquisition since 2001 and would quadruple its annual sales in the growing vascular products business...

To the editor: Many thanks for the nice article in The Best Years by writer Linda Redeffer. Also, my appreciation to Fred Lynch for the photos that made me look younger. My goal in life is to always look younger than Gary Rust. MIKE SMYTHE, Vice President/General Manager, KFVS12-UPN The Beat, Cape Girardeau...

WASHINGTON -- The Army took initial steps Monday to expel dozens of reservists who failed to report for active duty, in effect warning hundreds of others that they too could be penalized if they don't heed orders to return to active service. The proceedings mark a turning point in the Army's struggle to deploy thousands of soldiers from the Individual Ready Reserve, a rarely mobilized group of reservists, to war zones in which some have resisted serving...

Newer methods tested to fight breast cancer; Court denies DeLay's request to drop charges; Cow's escapade-filled escape may spare its life; Bird flu might be more common, but milder

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Two suicide bombers disguised as police infiltrated the heavily fortified Interior Ministry compound in Baghdad and blew themselves up Monday during celebrations of National Police Day, killing 29 Iraqis. The attackers died before getting near the U.S. ambassador and senior Iraqi officials at the festivities, but the blasts capped a particularly deadly week for American and Iraqi forces...

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Promises of aid to Africa must be kept in 2006 or millions of people will die needlessly, the top U.N. adviser on poverty said Monday while insisting that every penny must be accounted for to ensure it is used properly. Jeffrey Sachs, who is director of the U.N. Millennium Project and special adviser to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, called 2005 the year of promises, after the leaders of the world's wealthiest countries promised to double aid to Africa...

SEOUL, South Korea -- The now-disgraced South Korean researcher who stunned the scientific community with his claim to have cloned human embryonic stem cells faked his results, relying on "fabricated data," his university said today. Hwang Woo-suk's research team "did not have any proof to show that cloned embryonic stem cells were ever created," an investigating panel at Seoul National University said in a report, disputing claims in Hwang's 2004 paper in the journal Science purporting that he cloned a human embryo and extracted stem cells from it.. ...

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Looking to replace Herman Edwards, the New York Jets are talking to Jim Haslett, Mike Tice and Joe Vitt, all of whom were head coaches in the NFL this season. General manager Terry Bradway said Haslett, fired last week by New Orleans, spoke with Jets officials on Monday. He said the team also will talk to Tice, Minnesota's former coach, and Vitt, who went 4-7 as interim coach of the St. Louis Rams when Mike Martz left to have a heart ailment treated...

It might have been the popularity of MTV's "Pimp my ride" show. Or maybe the bravado, speed and danger in movies such as the "Fast and the Furious." Whatever the cause, high school students are driving the best. Many teens purchase inexpensive "fixer-uppers" and then refurbish them...

Cairo City Council members feuding with the mayor reversed course Monday, determined to confront their nemesis rather than avoid contact. Four council members -- a majority of the town board -- announced in December that they would not attend any regular meetings until Mayor Paul Farris resigned. The need to look after city business, not a desire for peace, brought about the change in tactics, councilman Bobby Whitaker said...

Working a retail job during the Christmas season requires several different attributes in a person -- sensibility, humanity, affection, rationality and truth (SHART). If you are seriously thinking about becoming a part of the retail world, remember all of those characteristics are extremely important in succeeding as an Employee of the Month recipient...

Once a regular in the AP women's basketball poll, Missouri finally is back in -- after a 21-year wait. The Tigers got themselves noticed by beating Baylor to end the nation's longest winning streak and joined the poll at No. 24 on Monday. Missouri (12-2) has matched its best start through 14 games and is 2-0 in conference play for the first time since the 1992-93 season...

WASHINGTON -- Democrats are on the attack, and Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito is on notice. Alito absorbed hours of criticism from Senate Democrats at close quarters Monday, then pledged at his confirmation hearings to do what the law requires "in every single case" if approved for the Supreme Court...

NEW YORK -- Bruce Sutter could become the first pitcher with no career starts elected to the Hall of Fame when results of 2006 balloting are released today. With no strong first-year candidates, Sutter, fellow reliever Rich Gossage and outfielder Jim Rice appear to be the players most likely to gain election among the 29 on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot...

In the hierarchy of movie personnel, Amanda Massey is at the lowest rung -- she's a runner. Her job is, as the name implies, to run around the set of "Killshot" getting whatever actors, extras and production staff needs. But Massey doesn't mind being delegated to a runner. It's still by and large the most exciting job she's ever had...