GOP STATE CANDIDATES VISIT ENTHUSIASTIC BACKERS

Rev. Borum still preaches at area churches and continues to live life to the fullest.

Congresswoman JO ANN EMERSON'S picnic drew over 600 people to her annual summer rally last Saturday.

It was 20 years ago when BILL EMERSON was first campaigning and was happy with 50 to 75 people in attendance during the summer before his election. ... Emerson became the first REPUBLICAN congressman to represent Southeast Missouri since 1928 -- over 52 years.

This year's crowd was in a friendly, determined mood and responded passionately to remarks by statewide candidates JIM TALENT, former state representative and current U.S. congressman running for GOVERNOR ... and former congressman and state treasurer WENDELL BAILEY running for lieutenant GOVERNOR. SAM JONES, former prosecuting attorney and candidate for state treasurer ... and MATT BLUNT, state representative (and son of former secretary of state and current congressman ROY BLUNT) who's running for secretary of state ... were both represented by spokesmen.

This area's three top Republican officeholders were there. U.S. Sen. "KIT" BOND and U.S. Sen. JOHN ASHCROFT (running for re-election) spoke informatively about the importance of this election ... and U.S. Rep. JO ANN EMERSON.

Emerson tied the evening together, introduced local and area officials and candidates, recognized and thanked retiring state Rep. MARY KASTEN ... and paid tribute to DR. JIM KINDER by presenting a Bible and U.S. flag (which had been flown over the U.S. capitol) to state Sen. PETER KINDER.

This will be one of the most interesting an important state and national elections in my lifetime. It is important that everyone become informed of the issues and the candidates.

Both parties have basically strong slates, and few candidates will coast to victory.

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SOUTHEAST MISSOURI will be hosting a BILLY GRAHAM Evangelistic Event at the SIKESTON Field House this week. The main evening meetings are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (see the program on Pages 4C and 5C in Sunday's newspaper) and current running ads.

Celebration 2000 is led by DR. RALPH BELL who is "one of the special men" selected by DR. GRAHAM to help him in the work of worldwide evangelism.

Check out the schedule. This might be what you, your family, children, or friends need to attend at this time in your life.

Many years ago a local church's lay event was entitled ... EXPECT A MIRACLE. One never knows.

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Editorials in this newspaper are generally collective opinion of our editorial board, and columns are the opinion of the individual writer.

We welcome letters and at various times print guest columns which disagree with our information. We all benefit when anyone brings forward data to clarify or better inform us and our readers.

As anyone knows who's in the public arena, you sometimes receive more praise or criticism than the facts would dictate.

Coffee crowds inform ... and also speed rumors. Many times there are more comments than the media can verify ... (and, unfortunately, sometimes the media is slow in getting the available facts).

Anytime we are factually inaccurate, I ask you to correct us and then inform our readers (and your neighbors) by sending us a letter to the editor.

Examples:

1. Rumor: The city and college officials knew about an alternative method of bond funding for the RIVER CAMPUS project BEFORE the election.

We've asked them this question directly, and they say NO. I believe them.

2. Rumor: The building inspector of Cape Girardeau continues to stop or slow down construction projects that have been previously approved.

Rumors have abounded on this subject for years, but few will be specific publicly.

OUR GOAL: To have a reporter regularly monitor the construction applications and give reason why delays of 90 days occur, be it changes in the plans, too large a work load or whatever. This is to be a scorecard documentation, not a penalty list.

The city should either be applauded, defended or chastised for its professionalism. Like a baseball player's batting average ... no one should say he's a good hitter if he's not. ... And it's harder to criticize a hitter with above-average results if the public knows the data.

Information does not guarantee one will escape criticism (ask MARK McGWIRE some said his home runs distracted his teammates from victory. ... Those criticisms are now muted because of the defeats since his knee injury forced him out of the limelight).

However, that's one of the great things about the United States ... criticism and different opinions openly expressed can help individuals or groups improve.

An uninformed public ... either by misinformation or lack of concern ... permits demagoguery and distortion to triumph.

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We've published two different favorable reviews on "NUNSENSE II" currently being performed by the River City Players at Port Cape (in the Southeast Missourian and Jackson USA).

My wife Wendy and I thoroughly enjoyed the play at its sold-out opening performance. The cast's talents both musically and acting-wise were way above my expectation ... and the cast members obviously were enjoying themselves while successfully entertaining us.

Too few shows remaining (dinner theater Aug. 25 and 26 and show only Aug. 24). Call Port Cape Restaurant for reservations.

~Gary Rust is the president of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian and other newspapers.