Region digest 6/23/04

Four charged for stealing candy, charity money

BENTON, Mo. -- Four men have been charged in connection with two weekend burglaries, according to the Scott County Sheriff's Office. Brant A. Heuring, 18, of Benton; Mitchell A. Bryant, 18, of Chaffee, Mo.; and Heath M. Watkins, 19, and Lee D. Ziegler, 18, both of Sikeston, have each been charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and two counts of stealing. On Sunday morning, Kern's Grocery in New Hamburg reported that cartons of cigarettes had been stolen. A second burglary at the business was reported Monday morning in which cigarettes and money being collected for charity were reported missing. Most of the stolen property was later recovered, including $480, 12 cartons of cigarettes and candy.

Press association to hold candidates' forum Friday

Candidates for lieutenant governor and secretary of state will make remarks and take questions at a meeting of the Southeast Missouri Press Association in Cape Girardeau on Friday. Candidates scheduled to attend the event are Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor; Mike Ferguson, Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor; and Catherine Hanaway, Missouri Speaker of the House and a candidate for secretary of state. The forum is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. at the Seabaugh Polytechnic Building at Southeast Missouri State University. The forum is open to the public.

Record set on St. Louis park Ferris wheel ride

ST. LOUIS -- After three days spent on a ride at Six Flags St. Louis, six people set a new world record for consecutive hours on a Ferris wheel. The roughly 36-hour record will be submitted to Guinness World Records this week. The riders got off the wheel twice during the contest that began Wednesday, due to lightning. They ate and slept on the wheel, and had privacy curtains and portable toilets. The contest was in honor of the 1904 World's Fair, which was held in St. Louis and featured a Ferris wheel.

Time running out to get dream home ticket

Today is the last day to purchase tickets at Union Planter Banks for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. The $100 ticket makes you eligible to win a $250,000 house in Touchdown Estates in Jackson. Money raised from the giveaway will go toward St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. After today, people can still purchase tickets by calling (800) 382-8604.

-- From wire reports