Region digest 04/27/05

Greeks raise more than $40,000 for charities

Fraternities and sororities at Southeast Missouri State University raised $42,350 for the United Way, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Special Olympics, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the American Cancer Society during the annual Greek Week celebration. In addition, more than 22,000 cans of food were donated to the Salvation Army, school officials said. The weeklong celebration, April 9 through April 16, combined community service, social interaction and friendly competition. Members of fraternities and sororities also volunteered at the Special Olympics, collected food and money for charitable organizations, cleaned parks around Cape Girardeau and conducted a blood drive. Together, the students donated more than 1,500 hours of community service, school officials said.

Cape man pleads guilty to selling crack

A Cape Girardeau man has pleaded guilty in federal court to drug charges, including two felony counts of distribution of cocaine base. Tanarius Twiggs, 25, entered a guilty plea Monday, appearing before U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber. Twiggs now faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $2 million fine. Sentencing has been set for July 25 in Cape Girardeau. With his plea, Twiggs admitted that twice in April 2003 he sold crack cocaine to an undercover officer at a Cape Girardeau residence.

School bus involved in Union Co. accident

WOLFLAKE, Ill. -- A school bus from the Shawnee School District was involved in an accident Monday with two other vehicles heading south on Highway 3 in Union County, Illinois. Illinois State Police said the accident occurred at 3:53 p.m. when one car attempted to make a left turn onto Ury Road. The vehicle behind struck the turning car. The bus then struck the second car from behind. There were 35 students on the bus, but no injuries were reported. A passenger from one of other vehicles was treated at Saint Francis Medical Center for minor injuries.

Court overturns former priest's convictions

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the sexual misconduct conviction of a former priest and elementary school counselor, ruling the state law under which he was charged was unconstitutionally broad. On a 4-3 decision, the court ruled there is insufficient evidence to prove that James Beine, a counselor at St. Louis's Patrick Henry Elementary School in 2000 and 2001, committed sexual misconduct when he urinated in a school bathroom in front of three male students. He had worked as a counselor in the city schools for more than a decade before resigning at the time of his arrest. He was dismissed from the priesthood in 1977 over allegations of sexual abuse.

Cape firefighters extricate accident victim

A two-car accident Tuesday on Kingshighway resulted in extrication by the Cape Girardeau Fire Department. The accident occurred at 4:25 p.m. at the intersection of North Kingshighway and Marsha Kay Drive, said Cape Girardeau police. The driver-side door of one of the vehicles had to be removed to take the driver out, but injuries were not serious, said the fire department.

-- From staff, wire, reports