POLITICS: BUSH'S SISTER PLANS LOCAL STOP

Dorothy Bush Koch, sister of the Republican presidential candidate, is coming to Cape Girardeau Friday for speeches before university students and faculty and a group of Republican women.

After meeting with members of the media at 10:30 a.m., Koch, of Bethesda, Md., will speak to Southeast Missouri State University students and faculty members at 11 a.m. at the University Center program lounge.

She then will speak to the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women at noon at the Holiday Inn. She replaces the group's scheduled speaker, State Rep. Catherine Hanaway, who is executive director of the Bush-Cheney Missouri campaign.

Atalie Ebersole, campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, said a representative of the Bush-Cheney campaign is scheduled to be in Missouri at least once every week until the presidential election. Missouri is considered one of the pivotal states in the election.

The Bush-Cheney campaign's Cape Girardeau County Republican headquarters will hold its grand opening at 839 Kingshighway at 6 p.m. tonight.