Region briefs 01/15/03

Styx, Kansas, John Waite to perform in Cape

The legendary 1970s and 1980s arena rock acts Styx, Kansas and John Waite will perform Feb. 7 at the Show Me Center.

Styx is known for such hits as "Lady," "Come Sail Away" and "Babe." Kansas had hits with "Carry on Wayward Son," "Dust in the Wind" and many others.

Waite performed with the Babys and Bad English before beginning a solo career. His biggest hit was "Missing You."

Tickets for the 7 p.m. concert are $34.50. They go on sale Saturday at the Show Me Center box office. Tickets also are available at Schnucks and For Your Entertainment in Cape Girardeau, For Your Entertainment in Paducah, Ky., and at Disc Jockey Records in Carbondale, Ill. Tickets also can be charged by phone at 651-5000.

Poplar Bluff lawmaker in intensive care

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Freshman state Rep. Gayle Kingery, R-Poplar Bluff, was in stable condition in the intensive care unit of a local hospital Tuesday night after experiencing chest pains earlier in the day.

Kingery's legislative assistant said he did not experience a heart attack but that doctor's at St. Mary's Health Center had found a blockage in his heart. The seriousness of the condition was not immediately known.

Kingery, 63, is scheduled to undergo surgery to alleviate the blockage today. If the condition is found to be minor, he could return to work in a matter of days, his assistant said.

State Rep. Otto Bean, R-Kennett, said Kingery began experiencing pain shortly after the House of Representatives had adjourned Tuesday morning.

Kingery was a long-time coach and teacher at Poplar Bluff High School before retiring. He was elected to the House in November to replace Mark Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, who was term-limited. Kingery officially took office last week.

Funding approved for Pike Creek flood buyout

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Approximately $1.6 million in buyout funding has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency providing the balance of a $2.1 million grant that will fund the buyout of some 44 properties in the Pike Creek area. The grant was approved late last week.

State Sen. Bill Foster, R-Poplar Bluff, said the funding was started by a Poplar Bluff resident.

Billy Paskel called Foster to ask him to come look at a drainage tile near his house. Every time it rained, water would come rushing down from a developed area above Paskel's property, and the creek would overflow, causing damage to Paskel's house and to homes belonging to his neighbors, he said.

Paskel had tried to get help from the city, but the city said the money wasn't there for any kind of help. So Paskel called Foster.

"It's an accomplishment that proves positive action can and does start with the action of a single citizen," Foster said.

After viewing the damage in the neighborhood, Foster called a meeting of city, county and state officials, and a study was done on the Pike Creek area.

Court orders refund for video arcade taxes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri businesses that have video games for customers' use could be due tax refunds because of a Supreme Court ruling that equates playing the machines with temporarily renting or leasing them.

The state's highest court ruled Tuesday that Six Flags Theme Parks was due a refund of state sales taxes it paid on receipts from arcade games at its Eureka park.

The refund covers about $66,000 in taxes paid over three years, the Department of Revenue said. But similar refund claims now could be made by bars, pizza parlors or countless other amusement places that have video game machines, said Patricia Churchill, the department's general counsel.

"It could have a larger impact, but the amount is unknown at this time," Churchill said.

The court's 5-2 decision said that, so long as state sales tax was paid when the game machine was purchased, state law did not allow additional taxes to be charged each time someone paid to play the game.

-- From staff, wire reports