Stories from Sunday, April 7, 2002

WASHINGTON -- Most large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer hackers, but they frequently do not inform authorities of the breaches, an FBI survey finds. The survey released Sunday found about 90 percent of respondents detected computer security breaches in the past year but only 34 percent reported those attacks to authorities...

LEXINGTON, Mo. -- Although Missouri has long been known as the state that violently evicted Mormons in the 1830s, another side of the story is being remembered in Lafayette County. The 150th anniversary of the 1852 explosion on the steamboat Saluda is being commemorated with events that began Friday and run through Tuesday, culminating in a memorial dedication to the nearly 75 victims, many of them Mormons emigrating to Utah...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Confronting a growing problem of computer-based crime, Missouri senators are proposing to outlaw Internet enticement of children and establish a state-of-the-art facility for computer crime investigations. Both provisions were added to a bill dealing with classifications of sex crimes and requirements that sex offenders register with county officials within 10 days of being released from prison. The Senate gave initial approval to the measure this past week...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Tim Hendrix was in school, he learned math by listening to his teachers explain the principles, writing them down and then working through examples. Hendrix is now helping education students at the University of Illinois learn to teach math using graphing calculators and computer programs such as Geometer's Sketchpad, which explores geometric shapes and their properties...

About now is when many gardeners go through their annual ritual of overseeding their lawn. But is the grass seed itself needed? Lawn grass is perennial, so if the lawn is thinning out, it would be better to find the cause for the thinning than to constantly reseed. Among the causes for a less-than-perfect lawn are poor nutrition, improper acidity, too little water and poor aeration...

NEW YORK -- Spring's most popular cosmetics colors will be bright and tropical with a metallic shimmer, according to makeup artists. Eyes and lips make the boldest statement thanks to blue and lavender eyeshadows, and shimmery, berry-stained lip glosses, said Molly Nover, a beauty expert at Sephora...

NEW YORK -- To get their children to eat a nutritious meal, some parents hide vegetables in desserts, mask meats in sauces or even dye foods their children's favorite colors. Why not just ask them what they'd like to eat? And while you're at it, why don't you ask the kids to help prepare the food, too?...

It wouldn't be surprising to find stories by such literary luminaries as Thomas Wolfe, John Updike, Annie Dillard and Richard Ford in an anthology. But you might not expect that anthology to be about baseball. Such a book is "Baseball: A Literary Anthology" (Library of America, $35) edited by Nicholas Dawidoff. ...

NABLUS, West Bank -- Israeli soldiers faced the toughest resistance yet in their West Bank offensive, trading round-the-clock fire with Palestinian gunmen Saturday in Nablus and Jenin. Without giving a time frame, Israel's leader told President Bush he would expedite the nine-day offensive...

MADRID, Spain -- The predictions are almost cataclysmic: In 50 years, if trends continue, one of every three people will be older than 60. Those 2 billion seniors would outnumber the world's youths. Even before that, gains in longevity could bring a worldwide economic crisis, experts warn. With the population's proportion of taxpaying workers shrinking, national budgets could be overwhelmed in trying to provide retirement and health benefits for the elderly...

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- All across the West Bank, scenes played out in this past week are like snapshots from other conflicts, older days: lines of Israeli battle tanks silhouetted against stony hills, Palestinian gunmen taking aim from windows and rooftops, the high keening wails of the newly bereaved...

ROME -- An Italian court ruled that a grown man without a job has the right to demand that his father support him until he finds a position he wants. Italy's top appeals court ruled in favor Marco Andreoli, an unemployed 29-year-old who grew up in a wealthy family from Naples and has a law degree...

WALNUT SHADE, Mo. -- You've heard of letting your fingers do the walking. E.J. Charon wants to let his hands do the ripping. Charon is the self-professed "King of Phone Book Ripping." He even had it spray-painted on his Volkswagen New Beetle and printed on his cap...

CULPEPER, Va. -- A Confederate soldier's dying wish to be sent home to South Carolina was fulfilled Saturday after a memorial service attended by about 75 people. The remains of Capt. William Downs Farley were turned over to Sons of Confederate Veterans members from South Carolina, ending a 17-year effort by Culpeper lawyer and Civil War historian Ed Gentry...

WASHINGTON -- Determined to blunt the inevitable Democratic attacks, House Republicans and the Bush administration spent the winter privately debating a plan to give Social Security recipients written government guarantees for future benefits. Support for the idea faded when opinion sampling showed it was viewed as a political gimmick...

WASHINGTON -- Experts expected the economic recovery to look like a lazy "L." So far this year, though, the economy has soared, tracing the right side of a steep "V." But with Middle East tensions causing energy prices to rise, analysts say a "W" -- the dreaded double-dip recession -- cannot be ruled out...

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The green jacket Tiger Woods slipped over his shoulders after winning his first Masters in 1997 was a size 42-long. It was a loose fit for the 21-year-old champion, but that was by design. "A lot of the guys say they get larger as they get older," Woods said...

Baseball The St. Louis Cardinals placed right-hander Woody Williams on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a strained muscle in his left side. Williams left the game with the Houston Astros after the second inning Friday night complaining of tightness in the muscle. He said afterward that the injury had bothered him since early spring training and got progressively worse Friday...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds had a spectacular sliding catch with the bases loaded and scored the go-ahead run on J.T. Snow's sixth-inning single as the San Francisco Giants won their fifth straight game, beating the San Diego Padres 4-1 Saturday. Bonds, who hit a record 73 home runs last season, went 0-for-2 with two walks after hitting five homers in the first four games to tie Lou Brock's pace in 1967...

NEW YORK -- Orlando Hernandez pitched one-hit ball over eight innings to win his first start of the season, Ron Coomer homered in his first at-bat with the Yankees and New York beat Wilson Alvarez in his return from a two-season layoff, topping the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3-0 Saturday...

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- Shaking maracas and sporting revealing outfits, a group of cheerleaders performed for U.S. troops at this remote military outpost in a show that drew howls and applause from hundreds of servicemen. The 10 women -- most of them former National Football League cheerleaders -- danced on stage at an outdoor movie theater Friday night...

NEOSHO, Mo. -- The stalactite on a shelf in city manager Jim Cole's office is possibly a reminder that there's more to Neosho's history than what lies on the surface. The stalactite came from a small cavern found in Big Spring Park, west of the square, but there's a bigger cave down there. And, after a search of more than two decades, Cole believes he's finally found it...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A man who chopped the head and hands off his victim was sentenced to 40 years in prison, culminating a criminal career that stretches back to at least 1958. Chester E. James, 60, of Kansas City, was sentenced in Jackson County Circuit Court to the maximum 30 years for second-degree murder and 10 years for armed criminal action. The terms are to run consecutively...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- New technology will allow truckers to bypass some Missouri inspection stations by the end of the year, the state Highways and Transportation Commission said Friday. The new PrePass system, already used in 23 states, will allow trucks to be scanned electronically as they approach inspection stations in 19 locations around Missouri. Participation is voluntary...

CASEYVILLE, Ill. -- Two men were charged Saturday with murder in the stabbing death of a 97-year-old woman described by her son as generous and trusting. Tom Clark found his mother, Frances Clark, dead of multiple stab wounds when he went to pick her up from her home to go shopping on Thursday...

HAVANA -- Warning "our patience has limits," Cuba's foreign minister lashed out at the United States Saturday over allegations that U.S. officials are distributing radios so Cubans can listen to pro-American broadcasts. Speaking before tens of thousands of people at a weekly government rally, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque also accused the United States of conducting "electronic espionage" at its office in Havana...

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- U.S. troops hauled bags of documents from abandoned al-Qaida and Taliban caves to Bagram air base Saturday after days of searching through mountains, turning up secret jail cells and dossiers with photographs and fingerprint samples...

MEXICO CITY -- U.S. authorities believe Mexico's most violent drug lord, Ramon Arellano Felix, was executed by police working for a rival trafficker and not in a chance run-in with police, a senior U.S. law enforcement official said. Speaking to reporters Friday on condition of anonymity, the official painted the most complete portrait yet of the downfall of the Arellano Felix brothers, whose Tijuana-based cartel moved tons of cocaine into the United States and is blamed for 300 murders on both sides of the border.. ...

RICHLAND, Wash. -- This summer, two observatories in the United States begin their search for gravitational waves from outer space, looking for evidence of black holes, neutron stars and supernovas. Or maybe even remnants of the "big bang," the great cosmic explosion that may have birthed the universe 15 billion years ago...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Scientists who study the waters off Florida are trying to determine what's causing a huge patch of dark water off the southwest Florida coast. Commercial fishermen who first spotted it in January have described it as black water; others said it's dark brown; still others characterized it as brownish-green...

A newspaper report quoting an Italian doctor who said a woman in his human cloning program is pregnant was met with criticism and skepticism Friday from scientists and ethicists. The English-language Gulf News of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, said fertility specialist Dr. Severino Antinori made his comments while visiting Dubai for a conference on cloning and genetic engineering...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Major League Baseball should take its own advice and get its financial affairs in order before Missouri lawmakers consider taxpayer subsidies for stadium projects, an opponent of such support told the Senate last week. State Sen. ...

CHICAGO -- A drug commonly used for short-term treatment of worsening heart failure in hospitalized patients may cause dangerously low blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms, researchers found. The findings suggest that the drug, milrinone, should be reserved for patients who do not respond to other medication, said Dr. Mihai Gheorghiade of Northwestern University...

With the blessing of the U.S. government, a Southeast Missouri State University group got to do what most Americans legally can't -- visit Cuba. The 17-member delegation of faculty, students and area residents took a weeklong trip to the communist nation, departing on March 27. They returned on Wednesday...

NEW YORK -- Singer, songwriter and Attorney General John Ashcroft plans to spend some time with David Letterman. Ashcroft is scheduled to tape an appearance on the CBS "Late Show" on Tuesday, CBS said. Letterman has been poking fun at the attorney general by repeatedly showing a clip of Ashcroft singing the self-penned song, "Let the Eagles Soar," at a visit to a North Carolina theological seminary...

WASCO, Ore. -- Wheat farmer John Hilderbrand once cursed the wind that roars down the Columbia River Gorge and through this rural, hilly community, damaging crops and kicking up dust. That was before the same powerful gusts paid for vacations to Panama and Costa Rica and allowed him to quit his part-time job as a real estate agent...

The 127 students enrolled in the local Teen Challenge are proof that God is there when you least expect him, said executive director Jack Smart. That's why "God ... when you least expect him" was the theme Saturday at the 2002 Spring Banquet for Teen Challenge International of Mid-America, he said...

DENVER -- Rita Ervin was a mom at home for more than 30 years before she started excavating dinosaur fossils, using pick axes and paint brushes. "I wasn't sure I could do this," she said. "Little did I know I'd be unearthing bones and studying with professionals, and loving every minute of it."...

NEW HAMBURG, Mo. -- Seventeen years ago, Cy Glueck and Mitch Miller concocted a unique fund-raising event to help send two local boys to the Kenny Rogers Cerebral Palsy Center in Sikeston, Mo. On Saturday, it was still going strong, powered by the same good intentions and alcohol...

NEW YORK -- A 1998 federal law meant to combat digital piracy is increasingly being used to challenge free speech online as well. In one recent case, the search engine Google removed links to a Norwegian site that criticizes the Church of Scientology International after the organization complained of copyright violations...

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- Beth Carpenter started out as a lawyer, but she was arrested as a fugitive in Ireland where she was waiting on tables and washing dishes at a pub. And now -- in a trial marked by sordid details of sex, drugs, money, love and betrayal -- prosecutors allege Carpenter arranged the murder of her brother-in-law because she suspected him of abusing her niece. Carpenter's ex-lover and law partner is the prosecution's star witness against her...

LONDON -- As thousands of Britons paid last respects to the Queen Mother Elizabeth, Princes William and Harry recalled their great-grandmother as a vivacious and inspirational figure who loved "a good giggle," often at her own expense, and once left them howling at her impersonation of a satirical hip-hop comedian...

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Hungry people in Bangladesh gathered at sewage ponds floating with dead fish Saturday, ignoring warnings from authorities who poisoned the fish for fear it could be toxic to humans. Authorities used a chemical derived from an herb to kill nearly six tons of fish at a sewage treatment plant on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka...

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela's largest labor group said Saturday it will hold a one-day general strike to support protesting oil executives -- a dispute that is already disrupting exports by one of the United States' biggest petroleum suppliers...

NEW YORK -- When Brandy plops down on a chair in her hotel suite, preparing for a morning of picture-taking and interviews, a sour look suddenly comes over her face. It's not the day ahead that's upsetting her; it's the baby inside. "The baby's turning, and it's making me queasy," says the 23-year-old singer-actress, rubbing her protruding belly. A newlywed, she's expecting her first child, a girl, in July...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The next step for fans turned on to American roots music by "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" could be the new reissue of a 1972 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. An expanded version of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (Capitol Nashville) arrived in stores March 26, with vastly improved sound compared with the first CD that was released in 1987. ...

NEW YORK -- CNN is backing off from a plan to sell sponsorships on "CNN Student News," a program it produces for classrooms that has been commercial-free since its start in 1989. Earlier this year, the network had floated the idea of introducing advertising, distressing activists who always saw CNN as a "purer" news alternative for schools than the Channel One service...

ROME -- Steps from the Colosseum, where all manner of beast once supped on humans, humans may now sup on all manner of beast, at an odd restaurant that reconstructs the ancient Roman dining experience within walking distance of the empire's ruins. While today's Rome is experiencing a boom in foreign cuisine, a scholarly restaurateur has opened a venue that offers local recipes almost as old as the Eternal City itself...

CRAWFORD, Texas -- President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted Saturday that Israel halt its escalating offensive in the West Bank and immediately withdraw its troops, but Israel's leader vowed to fight on for now. "Israel should halt incursions in the Palestinian-controlled areas and begin to withdraw without delay from those cities it has recently occupied," Bush said during a news conference with Blair, who said he agreed entirely with Bush's views toward Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.. ...

SAN DIEGO -- A jury has awarded $30.6 million to six women who alleged they were subject to violent behavior and sexual harassment by a store director at Ralphs Grocery Co. The plaintiffs on Friday were awarded $5 million each in punitive damages and a total of $550,000 for pain and suffering, said Philip Kay, a San Francisco lawyer who represented the employees...

RESERVE, N.M. -- Hundreds of firefighters worked on Saturday keep a 37,000-acre wildfire from spreading, despite gusty wind and lightning that were accompanied by only a little rain. The fire in the Gila National Forest was about 40 percent contained, unchanged from Friday...

FRESNO, Calif. -- Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, already under fire for his handling of sexual abuse allegations in the nation's largest Catholic archdiocese, revealed he has been accused of molesting a high school student and strongly denied the allegation...

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Exercise and disability checks apparently don't mix. A woman pleaded guilty to insurance fraud after she was caught on video participating in an aerobics class while receiving disability payments, authorities said Thursday. Noel DeSota, 55, entered the plea last month and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and 120 hours of community service, according to the state Department of Insurance. She was also ordered to pay $70,000 in restitution and a $200 fine...

School district accreditation around the state hinges on what happens during the next five weeks as students take the Missouri Assessment Program, or MAP. It's a standardized test given annually by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to students in grades 3-5 and 7-11 to compare progress in math, science, communication arts, social studies, health and physical education to state standards...

The month of April holds the great awaited day, no not tax day, astronomy day. April 20 is designated National Astronomy Day. While no special events are planned locally, as far as I know, celebrate the night by taking a look outside on that evening...

Genetic engineering will be the topic of a debate at Southeast Missouri State University on April 19. The Tri-Beta Biological Sciences Honor Society will host a round-table debate on "Genetic Engineering -- Curing World Hunger or Simply Playing God?" It will be held at 2:45 p.m. in Magill Hill, Room 124...

10 years ago: April 7, 1992 Melvin Gateley receives most votes to win one of three four-year terms on Cape Girardeau City Council; Gateley receives 2,741 votes, or nearly 27 percent of those cast; Melvin Kasten finishes second with 2,422 votes, and incumbent Al Spradling III is re-elected with 2,225; candidates Loretta Schneider and Lawrence Godfrey lose their bids...

Jackson Middle School Scholastic Honor Roll 7th Grade - TAYLOR BUSCH, JOSHUA CONKLIN, LUKE CRADER, SHANNON FELKER, RACHEL KAHLE, KELLEY KASTEN, LAUREN MAIS, DARLA MANGELS, REX MEYR, ADAM MORTON, LAUREN RESSEL, RYAN ROTH, JAMES STARKE, TIFFANY STORZ, ASHLEY TAYLOR, NATALIE WOLFENKOEHLER...

Jackson R-2 school district South Elementary A Honor Roll 5TH GRADE - Chris Amos, Kyle Borneman, Hunter Bramlett, Tommy Bridges, Josh Duncan, Brittany Estes, Brock Evans, Chad Gantz, Kaleigh Hamblin, Marcus Harris, Drew Hinkle, Alyssa Hyslop, Dana Jennings, Kaitlyn Karleskint, Brandon Koonce, Tyler Kremer, Mackenzie Lee, Rachel Litzelfelner, Ben McCoy, Mariana McDowell, Kasey Montgomery, Alex Moore, Bobbi Jo Schlick, Casey Seabaugh, Shelby Seabaugh, Alexis Strokoff, Leah Thornton, Shawn Tidwell, Cassie Turbeville, Sam Watson, Kyla Wills, Drew Young, Andrew Zeller.. ...

Kelso C-7 school district A honor roll 8TH GRADE - Kristy Blue, Derek Brucker, Russell Carroll, Amber Dirnberger, Jacob Glastetter, Sarah Hahn, Jenna Licare, Sarah McConnell, Jonathon Simpher, Meghan Tetley 7TH GRADE - Kristain Burger, Jessica Dock, Hannah Glueck, Natasha Watson...

Oran Schools Honor Roll 12TH GRADE - Matthew Bucher, Lyndsey Cook, Ashley Dirnberger, Holly Dirnberger, Maria Eftink, Nathan Glastetter, Amanda Graviett, Ashley Irwin, Tim Landewee, Todd Landewee, Anilise Lange, Derick McClain, Ryan Moyers, Max Pind, Lindsey St. Cin...

Skinner Daughter to Bruce W. and Tonya D. Skinner of Chaffee, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:25 p.m. Monday, April 1, 2002. Name, Sierra Bethany. Weight, 5 pounds 15 ounces. Mrs. Skinner is the former Tonya Eskew, daughter of Tony Kevin and Becky Eskew of Bloomfield, Mo. She is a teacher at Oran High School in Oran, Mo. Skinner is the son of Melanie Dolen of St. Louis and Elton Skinner of Edwardsville, Ill. He is employed at Southeast Missouri State University...

Norma Jean Reynolds, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, April 6, 2002, at the Lutheran Home. She was born May 9, 1926, in McClure, Ill., daughter of Leland and Myrtle Edmondson Joyce. She and James R. Reynolds were married March 17, 1965. He died in 1980...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jerry L. Wyatt, 61, of Elkton, Ky., formerly of Sikeston, died Friday, April 5, 2002, at his home, following an extended illness. He was born March 4, 1941, in Sikeston, son of J.E. and Elsie N. Nelson Wyatt. A 1959 graduate of Sikeston High School, he served in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1962...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Jerry L. Vaughn, 54, of Ste. Genevieve died Thursday, April 4, 2002, in an industrial accident at the Mississippi Lime Company in Ste. Genevieve. He was born April 26, 1947, in Womack, Mo., son of Eugene and Rosemary Wilkerson Vaughn. He and Wanda McClure were married July 23, 1966...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Most of us, particularly those who make an effort to understand the historical, economic and cultural threads of the American quilt, are usually surprised to discover that the early stages of our nation-in-the-making were nearly as diverse and complex as those of today's society...

It's been a very good week for two professional baseball players with strong Cape Girardeau ties. First, former Southeast Missouri State University standout Kerry Robinson experienced his initial opening day on a major league roster -- and with his hometown team no less -- when the St. Louis Cardinals hosted the Colorado Rockies Monday...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Donald Gus and Charlotte Witzel of Kosciusko, Miss., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception March 23, 2002, at Parkway Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Kosciusko. They are formerly of Jackson. Hosts were their children: Donald Witzel, Leticia Stribling, Shannon Witzel and Amanda Hodge...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jim and Janet Maggart of Ava, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Amy Jo Maggart, to Kerry Lee Klund. He is the son of Michael and Sandy Stanley of Sikeston and Bill and Connie Klund of Jefferson City, Mo. Maggart is a 1997 graduate of East Prairie High School in East Prairie, Mo., and a 2001 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Rocky Stroder of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Samantha Renee Stroder, to Travis Lane Brown of Piedmont, Mo. He is the son of Linda Brown of Jackson, and the late James "Bud" Brown. Stroder is a 2000 graduate of Jackson High School. She is a dental assistant for Dr. James H. Bollinger...

Jeffrey Alan and Charlene Andrea Daniels of Ballwin, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Andrea Noel Daniels of Cape Girardeau, to William Robert Hamm. He is the son of Roger Keith and Martha Jane Hamm of Chaffee, Mo. Daniels is a 1997 graduate of Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Mo. She expects to receive a bachelor of science degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University in May. She is employed at The Pasta House Company...

Durinda and Vincent Water of Hixson, Tenn., and Russell and Sheila Keltner of Milan, Tenn., announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Keltner of Cape Girardeau, to 2nd Lt. David Spirz. He is the son of Michael and Valerie Spirz of Montgomery City, Mo...

Mike Brumbaugh of Fenton, Mo., and Jan Brumbaugh of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Amie Brumbaugh, to Jedediah Dibert. He is the son of Katy Yarbro of Cape Girardeau and Gary Dibert of Mansfield, Ohio. Brumbaugh is employed at Jerry Lipps Truck Service...

Joyce A. Johnson of Cape Girardeau announces the engagement of her daughter, Jill Renee Johnson, to Shawn Lane Neumeyer. He is the son of Glenn and Pat Neumeyer of Jackson, Mo. Johnson is also the daughter of the late James W. "Jay" Johnson. Johnson is a 1994 graduate of Notre Dame High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in radiologic sciences from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1999. She is employed in the ultrasound department at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Terri Michelle Reese and John Dayton Seabaugh were married Sept. 22, 2001, at Peace Tabernacle in Hillsboro, Mo. The Revs. Danny Jones of Jonesboro, Ill., and Doug Roam of Elsberry, Mo., performed the double ring ceremony. Parents of the couple are the Rev. and Mrs. Terry Reese of Foley, Mo., and Mr. and Mrs. Dale Seabaugh of Jackson...

JACKSON, Mo. -- St. Paul Lutheran Church was the setting Nov. 10, 2001, for the wedding of Shelly Lynn Wachter and Travis Eric Ward. The Rev. David Johnson performed the double ring ceremony. Organist was Lois Fehrman and soloist was Bill Bonney, both of Jackson...

Karma Renee Page and John David Schweain were married Feb. 14, 2002, at Church of the Nazarene in Dexter, Mo. The Rev. Jerrold Lake performed the double ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Vicki Renfro of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Jerry and Susan Schweain of Jackson, Mo...

We're a rude bunch, we Americans. At least, that's what a national survey tells us. Nearly 80 percent of the 2,013 adults surveyed by telephone in January by the Public Agenda research group said a lack of respect and courtesy in American society is a serious problem. Sixty-one percent said rudeness has increased in recent years...

ORAN, Mo. -- Charles Rodney Roberts died Friday, April 5, 2002, at his home in Oran. Arrangements are pending at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

ORAN, Mo. -- Edna Burton died Saturday April 6, 2002, at her home in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Arrangements are pending at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- G.C. Harrell Jr., 53, died Saturday, April 6, 2002, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are pending at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

Anyone who attends the Hope for America crusade at the Show Me Center can expect to get a "straight-line" Gospel message from some well-known preachers and authorities on the end-times. The crusade begins at 7 p.m. Monday and continues through the week. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with local music groups performing during that time...

Awash in a sea of red clothing, some with hair dyed red, baseball fans streamed into Busch Stadium Monday for the first game of the 2002 season. It didn't matter what other events were transpiring around the world -- baseball had their attention on this day...

So-called three-strikes laws mandate serious punishments -- usually 25 years to life in prison -- for criminals who commit a third felony after being convicted of two previous serious or violent felonies. Twenty-six states and the federal government all have some version of a three-strikes law...

When Edward Jenner developed a vaccine for smallpox -- the first vaccine in medical history -- at the end of the 18th century, he set in motion the development of vaccines for countless other diseases that, until shots became widely available, caused millions of deaths...

TEST TAKING TIPS Parents can be a great help to students when it comes to preparing for the Missouri Assessment Program. Here are some tips for parents to remember before sending their children to school on testing days:...

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY SCHOOLS Jackson School District Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Orchard ElementaryScience (grade 3) April 25 April 25 April 26 Comm. Arts (grade 3) April 22 April 23 April 24 Gordonville Science (grade 3) April 17 April 18 April 19 or 22...

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department Sunday, April 7 DWIGabriel M. Austin, 19, of Cape Girardeau was arrested March 29 for driving while intoxicated. Steven W. Bippen, 38, of Marquand, Mo., was arrested March 29 for driving while intoxicated...

Cape Girardeau Sunday, April 7 Firefighters responded to the following calls Friday:At 4:35 p.m., an emergency medical service at 700 S. Ellis. At 6:01 p.m., an emergency medical service at 3303 Campster. At 7:16 p.m., an alarm sounding at 1111 Linden...

Cape Girardeau Sunday, April 7 ArrestsDouglas James Howard, 21, of 301 N. Lorimier was arrested Friday on an outstanding warrant. Michael George Ravallette, 28, of Jonesboro, Ill., was arrested Friday for unlawful use of a weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana...

winners for Southeast's men were Jay Heddell (shot put), Shelton Scott (triple jump), Jason Campbell (400), Adam Shupe (800), Chad Sierman (3,000 steeplechase) and Kelly High School product James Brainer (javelin). On the women's side, Central High School graduate Courtney Haman won her second straight javelin title...

year's Masters is uncertain. The anticipation building for this year's tournament is not so much who will win, but how. "You've got to really play well now to break 70," Ernie Els said. "If we have a little bit of weather come through ... you could see even par winning if it's really tough."...

JACKSON, Mo. George Meredith once said, "Perfect simplicity is unconsciously audacious." That is also true of homes. Sometimes simplicity is an asset because of the possibilities that it offers. The home at 216 S. West Lane in Jackson, Mo., is a simple home. It is neat as a pin, but nothing terribly fancy. The rooms are not oversized, but are decorated tastefully. The carpeting is a neutral color, but offers the possibility of so many different color schemes and designs...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Jackson girls continued a perfect start to their soccer season Saturday by winning the gold division in the Kickapoo Shootout. With a 3-0 victory over Oak Park in the championship game, Jackson completed the tournament 3-0 and improved to 5-0 on the season. The Indians have outscored their five opponents 22-0...

ANNA, Ill. -- David H. Weaver, 73, died Saturday, April 6, 2002, at his home east of Anna. Funeral arrangements are pending at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna.

COBDEN, Ill. -- Georgia Blessing Rendleman, 93, of Cobden died Friday, April 5, 2002, at the City Care Center in Cobden. She was born June 21, 1908 in Cobden, daughter of George Alan and Zella M. Winstead Blessing. She and Frank A. Rendleman were married Oct. 28, 1928, in Nashville, Ill. He died April 16, 1981...

ANNA, Ill. -- Marjorie A. Eddleman, 82, of Anna died Friday, April 5, 2002, at her home. She was born Dec. 4, 1919, in Anna, daughter of Oscar and Lena Atchison Ray. She and Homer L. Eddleman were married Dec. 4, 1949, in Piggott, Ark. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Anna and the Anna VFW Ladies Auxiliary. She was a retired cook...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Rosella L. Boxdorfer, 89, of Crystal City, Mo., and formerly of Perryville, died Saturday, April 6, 2002, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital. She was born May 22, 1912, in Berwick, Ill., daughter of Orville I. and Helena Bense Bell. She and Edwin W. Boxdorfer were married Jan. 5, 1931. He died March 6, 1979...

A big promise IN A post-election interview, Cape mayor-elect Jay Knudtson virtually promised that the controversy over the Rive Campus will soon be resolved. If our new mayor is able to follow through on this pledge, he will go down in history as the greatest leader guiding a community since Pericles presided over the Athenian Golden Age...

It was indeed a classic spring day for the Spring Classic. Runners of all ages, abilities and motivations gathered to compete in the Cape Road Runners annual Spring Classic at the West Park Mall on Saturday. The event, contested in perfect weather conditions, featured a 5K run, a 5K fitness walk and a youth 1K run...