neXt:The next generation, covered now

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Aiming high

By Chris Harris ~ Southeast Missourian

Pro skater Eduardo Craig will be in Cape Girardeau Saturday night to sign autographs.

Lindsey Holman and her friends go to the skate park at least once a week, but it's not to skate. They spend the time cleaning up beer bottles and repairing equipment that has been vandalized at the park on North Fountain Street next to Old Lorimier Cemetery.

This weekend the park will be littered with skateboarders waiting to compete in the Cape Girardeau Skate Park Association's second skate competition to raise money for new equipment.

"Our ultimate goal is to get a better skate park in a better part of town," Holman said. She serves as the group's communication liaison.

The group formally organized about five months ago with the intentions of raising awareness of legitimate skateboarders in the Cape Girardeau area and possibly raising money for a new skate park.

"Half the town doesn't even know we have a skate park," Holman said.

The half that does isn't satisfied with it.

"It's better than nothing; it just needs to be upgraded," said Jeremy Ford, a Cape Girardeau native who now makes films in Los Angeles. He's working on his second film, "Mischievous Souls," which is about three skateboarders in Los Angeles.

Ford is bringing professional skateboarder Eduardo Craig to Cape Girardeau this weekend to promote the competition and the new movie. The two of them are going to serve as judges at Sunday's competition. Saturday night they'll be at BG's Olde Tyme Deli and Saloon so Craig can sign autographs and screen some new skating footage.

Ford said skateboarders -- especially in small towns -- need a place they won't get kicked out of.

"It'd be nice to have a concrete park that's not going to go anywhere," he said.

The association has been raising money and awareness and working with the city parks and recreation department to upgrade the facilities, but officials said a fully concrete park is a distant hope.

When the Cape Girardeau City Council shot down a sales tax increase proposal by the parks and rec department, a skate park was among the items cut from the plan.

"That doesn't mean that there would be no option to do it down the road," said Dan Muser, director of parks and rec.

People in the department have been in contact with the Cape Girardeau Skate Park Association, and Muser said they would purchase and install equipment if the association could raise money to pay for the new pieces.

The association hopes the visiting pro and the competition will help that effort.

"All the money that we get, we're saving," Holman said.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246

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Students turn out to celebrate the game with God

By Chris Harris ~ Southeast Missourian

Thursday night they went head to head, but Wednesday night football players from Central and Jackson high schools prayed side by side at Cape Bible Chapel.

Almost 400 students and adults from the community came to "Celebrate the Game" the night before the rivalry football game between Jackson High School and Central High School.

They ate together and prayed together, then last night they played each other. Celebrate the Game was established three years ago by Cape Bible Chapel student pastor Patrick Tankersley. When the game is in Cape Girardeau, the Bible Chapel hosts the event. In years when it is played in Jackson, First Baptist Jackson provides the space.

Tankersley said he went to a small school and understands rivalry and the excitement that usually surrounds the game. He said he wanted others to understand "some things are greater than football."

Some students were challenged to give testimony of how God is present in football.

"So for a week I went to practice with nothing in my head but, 'Where's God? Where's God? Where's God?'" Jackson High School sophomore Blake Fields said on stage Wednesday night.

He found God in the coaches. Winning the game makes the coach proud; living a good life would make God proud, he said.

"I guess everyone can relate to that," said Emily Hoffman, a senior at Jackson High School who went to the rally Wednesday and said she was going to the game Thursday.

At the annual event there is music and worship and always a football element. Celebrate the Game is about the game, but ultimately it's about God.

Central freshman Kevin Flesher said it's possible to find God in sports. He loosely quoted a movie that said, If we win, we're going to praise God. If we lose, we're going to praise God.

If everyone applied that thinking, the game and the players would benefit, Flesher said.

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Voice Box

Friday, October 5, 2007

What's going to happen at the Central and Jackson football game Oct. 4?

'I think Jackson's going to win. We've had a really good season this year.'

From Shailey Boaz, sophomore, Jackson High School

'Jackson's going to win because we're good.'

From Cody Seyer, junior, Jackson High School.

'I think Cape's going to beat Jackson.'

From Maranda Adams, senior, Central High School.

'I think both sides will play hard.'

From Rheagan Butler, sophomore, at Central High School.

'It'll be a one-sided game, we just haven't decided which side.'

From Kevin Flesher, freshman, Central High School.

~The score was Jackson 56, Central 13 - <a href="http://www.semissourian.com/story/1282130.html">Read the story in the Sports section

Use your voice

Should MAP tests in science be mandatory for high school students? Text your opinion to 573-200-3394 or log on to semissourian.com/blogs/thevoicebox.

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Up neXt

DATES

Friday

* First Friday art shows. Walk around to various galleries downtown to catch the latest local art.

* Reception for artists Benjie Heu and Chris Wubbena at the River Campus Art Gallery, Seminary Building 106, from 3 to 5 p.m.

* Allen Rhody: Cup 'N' Cork, 8:30 to 11 p.m.

Saturday

* Saxy Jazz Quartet plays from noon to 3 p.m. at Style Stop Lifestyles in Jackson for the Breast Cancer Fundraiser

* Outsiders Inn and The Ryan Corn Band with Owen Pye and Dear Future at Centenary United Methodist Church, 7 p.m.

* Contra dance featuring Gary Watson, Gene King and Dan Wiethop. Learn and practice the fine art of contra dancing. Don't know what it is? Come check it out at Christ Episcopal Church from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Sunday

* SEMO Faculty Recital featuring Sara Edgerton at Shuck Music Recital Hall at River Campus, 3 p.m.

DEADLINES

* Oct. 11: Late deadline for SAT registration for the Nov. 3 test.

NEXT WEEK

DVD release Tuesday

Evan Almighty -- Evan Baxter (Steve Carell), reconciled with former almighty Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) and has gone onto become a newly elected congressman in Washington D.C, where God (Morgan Freeman) bestows upon him the task of building a new ark instead of bringing about new legislation. Richard Roeper called it a "laugh drought of biblical proportions," but don't just sit there, make your own opinion.

Download Radiohead on Wednesday

"In Rainbows" -- Radiohead joins the newest wave of CD releases. The band's new album is being self-released Oct. 10, but only as a download on Radiohead.com. You can also preorder a "discbox," including a CD, double vinyl and bonus CD of additional material and a hardback book. The site says the discbox will be shipped "on or before Dec. 3."

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