BEKKI COOK ADDRESSES DEMOCRATS' FUND-RAISER

Cape Girardeau Democrats had a double treat during their annual Fall Festival fund-raiser Saturday night.

Miss Missouri, Kimberly Massaro, and Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook, a Cape countian, took turns at the rostrum in the absence of Missouri Treasurer Bob Holden.

Holden, who was to have attended, had to cancel when his son suffered a household accident earlier in the day.

Chuck Miller, a member of Holden's staff, was on hand at the fund-raiser and reported that the youngster was recuperating and OK.

More than 250 tickets were sold for the fund-raiser. Most of the ticketholders were present for the banquet and silent auction held at Deerfield Center near Cape Girardeau.

A number of local candidates were present for the annual event.

"We had a great turnout," said Lacretia Drum, chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Democratic Committee, which sponsored the event.

Massaro, who was in Cape Girardeau this week to discuss her Miss Missouri and Miss America experiences, discussed those same topics at the fund-raiser.

Massaro, a graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, left her job as a fourth-grade teach to become Miss Missouri. She entered the Miss America contest and finished as fourth runnerup.

A Miss Missouri scholarship will permit Massaro to return to school -- "probably at UM-St. Louis," she said -- to get her master's degree.

Cook, who is in her first election campaign, told the group she is looking at a tough campaign.

"My opponent is a public relations professional," said Cook.

Cook's Republican competitor is John Hancock of St. Louis, a former representative who narrowly lost to Judy Moriarty in 1992.

Moriarty was found guilty of a misdemeanor and was impeached by the Missouri Supreme Court in December 1994. Cook was a virtual political unknown when Gov. Mel Carnahan appointed her to the position.

Hancock, said Cook, has been telling people that my office has raised its expenses by 63 percent.

"This is just not true," said Cook. "In fact, we have reduced our office staff by two people over the past 20 months and reduced the budget by a half-million dollars."

Cook says she has restored confidence in the secretary of state's office following Moriarty's impeachment.