Region briefs 11/1/07

Phi Kappa Phi will hold Story-Thon

The Southeast Missouri State University chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society will present a "Born to Read Story-Thon" for children from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Rose Theatre lobby. All ages are welcome, but stories being read are primarily geared toward audiences age 5 to 8. More than 85 story-readers will read their favorite children's stories. At 2 p.m. Jim Riley will read from his new book "The Saving of DogTown." Admission is free. For more information, contact Dr. Roseanna Whitlow at 986-6861 or rwhitlow@semo.edu.

Man jumps from closet, attacks woman

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis woman was attacked and sexually assaulted after a man jumped out of her closet. Police are searching for the attacker after the incident Tuesday night. The man also stole the victim's Hyundai Elantra. Police say the 33-year-old victim had just put her child to bed when she went to her bedroom. A man jumped out of the closet, struck the woman several times with a blunt object, then hit her with what appeared to be a plastic hand gun before sodomizing her, authorities said.

-- From staff and wire reports