Stories from Sunday, June 11, 2006

Leo Garren is not just a bank manager, he's a bank manager. When not working away at the financial institution, Garren manages the bank of the Mississippi River by picking up litter in the sweltering heat. But his arduous task does not begin until he hears one word: "Action!"...

Athletics and the performing arts don't always go hand in hand. But if Cape Girardeau Central High School athletic director Mark Ruark has his way, the new high school will get both a football/soccer stadium and a performing arts auditorium. "I don't see it as either-or. I support it being all or none," he said...

When the Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority begins operating as consolidated public transit system next month, it will run on a $1.2 million budget that includes large fixed costs and uncertainties about revenue. The transit program includes a bus route through Cape Girardeau, vans for riders requiring point-to-point service and a courier service included as part of a $360,000 purchase of Kelley Transportation Co. Inc...

SHE SAID: For the first time in four years -- since I've known Bob -- we no longer work for the same company. Now don't panic. We'll still be here every Sunday morning for your daily dose of marital disaster. But Bob won't be here, in the Southeast Missourian, the other six days of the week (unless he happens to get arrested and lands in the police report.)...

You remember PEZ, right? No, not the actor from "That '70s Show." His name was Fez. No, we're talking about those little candy dispensers that flip back almost like a cigarette lighter. The dispensers come in all sorts of shapes. Some of the early dispensers came in the form of cars and trucks, but mostly they were disguised as characters, like Donald Duck...

PARIS -- Justine Henin-Hardenne was weary and her game was awry, a product of a relentless opponent, a searing sun and the grind of trying to win a Grand Slam title on clay. And yet, as so often in the past, Henin-Hardenne summoned a combination of will and skill at all the right moments...

NEW YORK -- For a few minutes, thoroughbred racing escaped the shadow of Barbaro. Jazil dazzled in the $1 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, winning the final leg of the Triple Crown over a lackluster field missing the injured Kentucky Derby winner as well as Preakness winner Bernardini...

Pat Hurst let everyone back into the LPGA Championship with a four-putt double bogey. Michelle Wie might be tied for the lead if not for missing a par putt from 18 inches. Not even Annika Sorenstam was immune from a crazy, windsept day at Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, Md., with a two-shot penalty that sent her spiraling down the leaderboard...

ST. LOUIS -- Two years with zero game action is a hurdle the St. Louis Rams apparently believe Richie Incognito can clear. The offensive lineman last played in the 2003 Alamo Bowl at Nebraska before disciplinary woes ended his college career, and he came to the NFL with a serious knee injury that knocked out his rookie season last year. But as the team began its final minicamp on Friday, he was running with the first team at left guard...

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton finally figured out a way to beat Cam Ward, and now the Oilers are right back in the Stanley Cup finals. Ryan Smyth wouldn't be denied as he powered in front of the net to knock in a rebound with 2 minutes, 15 seconds left in the third period, giving the Oilers a 2-1 victory over Carolina on Saturday night and cutting the Hurricanes' lead in the series to 2-1...

DALLAS -- More Shaq. More Rileyball. A whole lot less finesse. Those are the big ideas in the Miami Heat's plan for Game 2 of the NBA finals tonight. If coach Pat Riley's club can execute it, this championship series could become a different kind of ugly...

MILWAUKEE -- Cardinals reliever Braden Looper threw the pitch he wanted -- a sinker tailing low and inside. It was just what Corey Hart had been told to look for. Hart's RBI single in the eighth inning lifted the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night...

TARKIO, Mo. -- A Florida oil executive plans to transform the old Tarkio College campus in northwest Missouri into a science-focused private college, school officials have announced. Chad Meek currently runs an oil and gas exploration company in Orlando, Fla. Now, he said he's ready to assume a new role as chief executive officer of a new private school to be called the Midwestern Institute of Energy...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a suburban Kansas City mother's request to postpone her deportation order, a penalty she faces because courts found she lied about her citizenship years ago when she crossed the border illegally from Mexico, her attorneys said Friday...

BRANSON, Mo. -- A massive gathering of Vietnam veterans will go on for a second year despite the loss of sponsors. Operation Homecoming Branson brought droves of mostly Vietnam-era servicemen and their families here last year, but organizers feared it would be a one-time event when Texas billionaire Ross Perot and other sponsors decided not to back it again...

LOS ANGELES -- State Republicans hope to mobilize more GOP volunteers than ever before to help Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger win re-election, a strategy modeled on get-out-the-vote drives that helped President Bush capture swing states in 2004. Party insiders say as many as 90,000 people could be enlisted in the closing days of the race to knock on doors, plant yard signs or make telephone calls to connect with potential voters, an unprecedented figure in a state thick with Democrats...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Others claim Abraham Lincoln as their own, but Kentucky has bragging rights as the birthplace of the nation's 16th president. Kentuckians marked the connection with a bicentennial celebration of the Kentucky wedding of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, Lincoln's parents. The re-enactment of the wedding took place as part of a play staged over Memorial Day weekend at Lincoln Homestead State Park near Springfield in central Kentucky, a region that claims Lincoln as its own...

It's summer and you're looking for a beach, with or without the kids, where you'll be close to a wide variety of historical and cultural sites for day trips. Don't overlook Delaware, the state that's just small enough to put everything conveniently within a couple of hours' drive...

DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT, Wyo. -- James and Belinda Livingston had never heard of Devils Tower until someone they met on their travels suggested they take the drive to remote, northeast Wyoming to check it out. But after watching three climbers try their luck on the 867-foot rock column, the Chicago couple were glad they'd made the trip...

WASHINGTON -- A sun shines on Dan Yu's back, alongside a swimming koi fish. A tree soon may grow on his arm. "Your body's an empty canvas, so you almost want to continue to add to it," said Yu, 28, as he showed off his tattoos. A generation or two ago, Yu's tattoos -- to say nothing of his pierced nose -- probably would have placed him in a select company of soldiers, sailors, bikers and carnival workers. ...

From the sidewalk leading to the front columned porch to the privacy patio in the backyard, conscientious attention to detail at this 120-by-100 property in the Cedar Meadows subdivision is apparent. With vinyl siding and brick front, this three-bedroom ranch with two full baths has a Jackson address, close proximity to Fruitland and benefits for families...

A small attic fire caused minor damage Saturday evening to a Cape Girardeau home, but no one was injured. Firefighters responded to the blaze in the 1200 block of South Ellis Street around 6 p.m., according to battalion chief Mike Ramsey. The home's occupant was alerted by neighbors and escaped the home uninjured. ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When Andrew and Vicki Widman approached parenthood for the first time in January, they had no intention of videotaping the birth. But just as little Reece was about to enter the world, Andrew instinctively reached for the camcorder. He picked it up with his trembling hands and hit the "record" button just in time, eternally capturing the moment that forever changed their lives...

Peonies are perhaps the longest lasting beauties of the flower garden. Not the flowers themselves, which are as short-lived as any other perennial flower. But the young spears that precede the flowers add a bit of reddish color to the early flower garden and the long lasting, dark green foliage remains a lush oasis even in the glare of midsummer sun...

MIAMI -- A tropical depression in the Caribbean headed toward Florida on Saturday and was expected to become the first named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. The depression formed earlier in the day, nine days after the official start of the season, but the poorly organized system was not expected to become a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center...

WEST MILFORD, N.J. -- A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree -- twice. Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The deadliest three weeks of violence since the fall of the Taliban has left more than 500 people dead, the U.S-led coalition said Saturday. The toll included at least 44 deaths last week. Meanwhile, a top Afghan intelligence agent narrowly survived a bomb attack on his convoy that killed three other people near the capital, Kabul. Fighting elsewhere killed six insurgents and three police on Saturday, officials said...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The U.S. military flew in two forensic specialists Saturday to examine the remains of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi "to see how he actually died" and to reconstruct the last minutes of his life, a spokesman said. The examination comes after U.S. authorities altered their initial account of the al-Qaida leader's death, first saying he died outright in a U.S. airstrike, then saying he survived but died soon after...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush is walking a fine line with a high-profile, two-day Camp David summit on Iraq. The sessions Monday and Tuesday are meant to show Americans anxious about the open-ended U.S. military presence in Iraq that progress is being made...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Sarah Elizabeth Berkbigler and Luke Charles Miget were married Sept. 17, 2005, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Highland, Mo. The Rev. J. Friedel performed the ceremony. Pianist was Cheryl Oberhaus of Cape Girardeau, and soloist was Alan Bruns of Jackson...

Carrie Dawn Powell and Robert Lee Copeland were married Sept. 3, 2005, at Immaculate Conception Church in Jackson. The Rev. J. Friedel performed the ceremony. Readers and lectors were Amanda Lawfield of New Madrid, Mo., and Jamie Walls of Cape Girardeau, cousins of the bride...

Lesley Bridges and Joe Meyerott exchanged vows Dec. 3, 2005, at the Old Cathedral in downtown St. Louis. Deacon Russ Fink performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Tom and Kathy Bridges of St. Peters, Mo., formerly of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Kim and Bob Cliffe and Bob Meyerott of Wentzville, Mo...

Brandy Nicole Bridges and James Michael Storck exchanged wedding vows Jan. 7, 2006, at Cape First. The Rev. Gary Brothers performed the ceremony. Keyboardist was Brent Anderson, and vocalists were Jennifer and Ben Crass and Anderson, all of Cape Girardeau...

ORAN, Mo. -- MaKenna Rhae Hicks and James Kenyon Wright announce their engagement. She is the daughter of Derry and Kay Hicks of Bloomfield, Mo. Wright is the son of Randy and Belinda Wright of Tiline, Ky., and Kim and Cheryl Walters of Oran. Hicks is a 2004 graduate of Bloomfield High School, and received an associate of arts degree in pre-medicine from Three Rivers Community College in 2005. She is enrolled in the nursing program at Southeast Missouri State University...

Angela Lynn Robins and James Travis Naeter were united in marriage April 24, 2006, on the beach in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Sheldon L. Anderson performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Winifred Burgfeld of Millersville and Mark Robins of Arnold, Mo. The groom is the son of Deborah E. Naeter of Cape Girardeau, and the late James Christopher Naeter...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Billy Gene Grigsby, 69, of East Prairie died Friday, June 9, 2006, at his home. He was born Aug. 11, 1936, in the Yellow Dog community near East Prairie, son of Walter and Veda Lillian Berry Grigsby. He and Cornelia Ruth Gulledge were married Feb. 24, 1958...

ANNA, Ill. -- Billy Ray Dalton, 66, of Anna died Friday, June 9, 2006, at his home. He was born March 29, 1940, in Pulleys Mill, Ill., son of Robert W. and Alberta Madge Rodgers Dalton. He and Partricia Marie McMurray were married Dec. 26, 1991, in Murphysboro...

BRIDGETON, Mo. -- Virginia D. Giddings, 86, of Bridgeton died Friday, June 9, 2006. She was born Aug. 20, 1919, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Oscar and Selma Keller Crites. She and William B. Giddings were married March 1, 1941. Survivors include a daughter, Sue Harris of St. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Leonard E. Lohmann, 71, of Perryville died Friday, June 9, 2006, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Oct. 16, 1934, in Farrar, Mo., son of Edwin and Lydia Hadler Lohmann. He and Arlene Miesner were married Dec. 26, 1960. Lohmann was a farmer...

Melissa Ann Reitzel and Kirk Charles Miller were married March 25, 2006, at First Baptist Church in Delta. Eric Hodge and the Rev. Ann Mowery performed the ceremony. Pianist was Susan Hatley of Cape Girardeau, and soloist was Lisa Reitzel of Whitewater, sister-in-law of the bride...

Mary Karen Abbott of Advance announces the engagement of her daughter, Laura Abbott, to Trafton Clark, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Kenneth and FloAnn Clark of Scott City. Abbott is also the daughter of the late James Abbott. Abbott is a 1998 graduate of Advance High School. She is employed at Medicap Pharmacy in Scott City...

Mark and Judy Davis of Patterson, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer M. Davis, to Ben M. Wilson, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Michelle Wilson of Sikeston, Mo., and the late Steve Wilson. Davis is a 1999 graduate of Clearwater High School in Piedmont, Mo. She received a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University in 2003. She is a sixth grade teacher at Central Middle School in Cape Girardeau...

Mr. and Mrs. Jack P. Matthews of Tucson, Ariz., celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary May 17, 2006. Both are natives of Cape Girardeau. Matthews and Gloria June Green were married May 17, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, by the Rev. Willis. Their attendants were Barbara Green and Richard Barks...

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Bender of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a dinner reception May 27, 2006. The event was held at the home of a daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Marty Fowler. Bender and Cecelia Borchelt were married May 27, 1956, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills, by the Rev. K. Boetcher. Their attendants were Virginia Break, Vera Jean Hall, Al Bender and George Huey...

Mr. and Mrs. Billy Dicus of Festus, Mo., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a dinner party June 3, 2006, at their home. Hosts were their daughters and sons-in-law, Carolyn and David Payne of Puxico, Mo., Teresa and Brian Golden of Cape Girardeau, Melissa and Russell Usher of Portageville, Mo., and Brenda and Kevin Warf of Festus...

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Loos of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary May 27, 2006. They attended Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral and a dinner reception at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Cape Girardeau. Hosts were their sons, Gary and Mark Loos of Cape Girardeau, Tim Loos of San Francisco, Calif., and their families...

25 years ago: June 11, 1981 Saint Francis Medical Center has received the go-ahead for a $6.7 million project that will relocate and expand the center's rapidly growing critical care services; the Missouri Health Facilities Commission has approved a Certificate of Need for the new critical care bed and ancillary services addition...

Switch pitching To the editor: I had not heard of Creighton's unique switch pitcher, Pat Venditte Jr. [featured in the April 28 edition of the Southeast Missourian] before a segment on NBC's "Today" show this week. What a talent. He is an inspiration to both young and old ballplayers and enthusiasts...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Thomas and Maureen Reilly of Akron, Ohio, announce the engagement of their daughter, Kathleen E. Reilly of St. Charles, Mo., to Michael C. Gosche. He is the son of Larry and Bonnie Gosche of Chaffee. Reilly received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from St. Louis University. She is a nurse at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis...

Ron and Lisa Morlen of Granite City, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Salina A. Morlen, to Lucas J. Bollinger, both of Springfield, Mo. He is the son of Jim and Novena Bollinger of Jackson. Morlen received a master of social work degree from Missouri State University. She is a social worker at Missouri Mentoring Partnership in Springfield...

John and Julia Kirk of Benton, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Liegha Alexis Kirk, to Jade Rohlfing, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Robert Rohlfing of Centralia, Ill., and Linda Clover of Jonesboro, Ill. Kirk is a 1995 graduate of Thomas W. Kelly High School, and received a bachelor of science degree in social work from Southeast Missouri State University in 1999. She is a substance abuse counselor at Family Counseling Center in Cape Girardeau...

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. -- Robert H. Struckmeyer, 83, of St. Louis Park, formerly of Anna, Ill., died Wednesday, June 7, 2006, in Minneapolis. He was born Aug. 4, 1922, in Hoyleton, Ill., son of Paul and Clara Wellpott Struckmeyer. He and Robyn Treece were married April 3, 1948, in Dupo, Ill...

BENTON, Mo. -- Trudy Jane Hillyard, 56, of Benton and formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Friday, June 9, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Oct. 23, 1949, at Sikeston, daughter of John Everett and Pauline Beatrice Collins Moser. Hillyard worked as a cashier for seven years at the Wal-Mart Super Center in Cape Girardeau. She attended Bement Baptist Church near Sikeston...

John W. "Jack" Fuerth passed away Wednesday, June 7, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center. Jack was born in Cape Girardeau July 3, 1923, the son of Ralph Thomas Fuerth and Fay Adell Ringer. He attended St. Mary's Grade School and High School. He also attended Southeast Missouri State University...

A majority of 226 people who responded to an informal Internet poll by the Southeast Missourian said they favored construction of an auditorium over that of a football stadium at the new Central High School. Results are: 65.9 percent (119 votes): favored an auditorium...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau...

The brouhaha over Ameren's campaign contributions that wound up in Attorney Jay Nixon's war chest as he mounts a campaign to unseat Gov. Matt Blunt in the 2008 elections is a prime example of why the campaign-contribution legislation awaiting the governor's signature is important...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Deer hunters will find few changes in the deer-hunting regulations this year. Rules have changed on a few conservation areas, and one county has been closed during the December antlerless-only hunt. Otherwise, Missouri's 2006 deer hunting regulations remain essentially unchanged from last year...

Special to the Southeast Missourian JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's experimental hand-fishing season entered its second year June 1, with 26 people buying permits by opening morning. They have a month and a half to catch catfish without the aid of hooks, lines, poles or other equipment...

Southeast Missouri catfish anglers have no shortage of places to wet their lines with plenty of ponds, lakes and streams. For those seeking catfish, one prime fishing spot is the Mississippi River. For those who don't know much about fishing the Mississippi, the Missouri Department of Conservation's adult workshop, "Setting Trot Lines on the Mississippi River," might provide some insight...

Commission to meet June 23 in Springfield The Missouri Conservation Commission's next meeting will be June 22 and 23 at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. The Commission will hold a closed executive session June 22. It will meet in open session June 23. Commission meetings are open to the public...

To the editor: Last week an item touted the legislative achievements of state Sen. Jason Crowell and state Rep. Nathan Cooper. The last paragraph jogged my memory of a moment with Cooper. While campaigning, he handed me a brochure. I gave it back saying, "I don't vote for Republicans." Those words didn't express what I meant. ...

To the editor: With the support of the administration, this borrow-and-spend Republican-controlled Congress established its top priority for 2006: a constitutional amendment defining marriage as existing between a man and a woman. Legislators knew the measure wasn't needed and had about as much chance of being enacted as a snowball's survival in the deepest pits of hell...

To the editor: As a former Cape Girardeau resident, I think it's great that CBS will be filming part of the "Early Show" in Cape Girardeau on Flag Day. I think the County Park location would be great, but someone needs to contact the VFW to ensure that the Avenue of Flags will be displayed. ...

Bear story; Too much government; Not-so-good news; Travel club; More of the same; Deceiving voters?; Too much smell; Elitist irony; Animal kingdom; Overrated economics; Illicit science; War's toll; Too many consultants; Worrisome matter

Seymour, Schultz win two titles at Dalhousie The team of Gary Seymour and Bill Schultz won the Royal Birkdale flight of the Dalhousie Gentlemen's Invitational at Dalhousie Golf Club and then went on to win the horse race for flight winners. The annual two-day event attracted 42 two-man teams. ...

The Plaza Tire Capahas' depth was tested on Saturday with injuries and a heavy workload limiting the team in the field and on the mound. Plaza Tire managed a doubleheader split against Fairview Heights (Ill.) at Capaha Field, holding on for a 10-8 win in the second game after being shut out 4-0 in the opener...

The price is right I FIND nothing wrong with the pricing of tickets, food or drink at the new Busch Stadium. If you want a better product, you need to pay for it. Not only are the ticket prices in the top 10 of MLB, so is the Cardinals' payroll. THE CAPAHA Field baseball complex should maintain that name. ...

The Scott County American Legion team edged the Charleston Babe Ruth squad 8-7 on Saturday to reach the finals of the Charleston wooden bat tournament. Charleston loaded the bases with no out in the seventh, but Scott County was able to hold on for the win. Trenton Moses picked up the save despite allowing two runs and three hits in one inning of work...

Baseball's amateur draft doesn't draw nearly the kind of publicity and attention that football and basketball drafts do. Still, I always get a kick out of following the baseball draft every year. I enjoy sitting at the computer and seeing the names pop up on the screen throughout the 50 rounds of the annual two-day affair, which took place Tuesday and Wednesday...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Three Guantanamo Bay detainees hanged themselves with nooses made of sheets and clothes, the commander of the detention center said Saturday. They were the first reported deaths among the hundreds of men held at the base for years without charge...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Perry County Historical Society is closer to its goal of finding the unmarked graves at the county's poor farm. On Saturday, ground-penetrating radar was used to verify the location of graves on pasture owned by the county, at the back of the Perry County Nursing Home...

Glenn Campbell wears multiple hats: He's the co-founder and chief operating officer of a multimillion-dollar head-wear company that has 650 locations in malls, airports and factory outlet stores throughout the country. Here's another hat he wears: a Redhawks one...

BOISE, Idaho -- The jumpers leaping from the Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls free-fall for three seconds before releasing their parachutes during a 486-foot descent. The bridge is the only manmade location in the United States where so-called BASE jumpers -- short for the buildings, antennae, spans and earth from which participants leap -- aren't required to get a special permit for year-round jumps...

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Moderate President Mahmoud Abbas, defying the Hamas militants who run the government, said Saturday that Palestinians would vote next month on whether to establish a state alongside Israel, effectively recognizing the Jewish nation...

AMES, Iowa -- Think Bill Paxton chasing tornadoes in "Twister" was phony? Think again. Much like Paxton in that 1996 movie, Tim Samaras leaves his home each spring and travels tornado alley, which includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa, in hopes of placing probes directly in front of tornadoes. ...

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Insurgents signaled the fight is still on after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death, posting an Internet video Saturday showing the beheading of three alleged Shiite death squad members in revenge for killing Sunnis. The video was clearly designed to quash hopes that the Sunni-dominated insurgency might change tactics by ending attacks on Shiite civilians and institutions, especially the police...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- A Mount Everest expedition leader criticized for directing his climbers past a dying British mountaineer said Saturday he did not know anyone was in trouble during his team's ascent, when the man could have been helped. Russell Brice said he only knew David Sharp was in distress when his team contacted him by radio at his camp during their descent, when they were exhausted and low on oxygen and Sharp's extremities had frozen...

Melissa Mackey sat on the floral couch in a decorated apartment unit, puffing on her cigarette. The smoke danced with the bright sunlight that gleamed through the windows, a yin-and-yang kind of dance symbolic of the bright yet troubled woman who sat there...