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U.N. report says drug trade doesn't help poor nations
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
VIENNA, Austria -- Far from making poor countries rich, illicit drug production keeps most people in developing countries trapped in poverty, says a United Nations report being released today. The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board -- an independent U.N. body that monitors the global drug situation -- called the idea that countries grow rich through the production of illegal drugs a dangerous myth...
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Transplant teen's family criticized for not donating organs
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
RALEIGH, N.C. -- As Jesica Santillan's family grieves her death after a botched heart-lung transplant, they are being criticized for refusing to make the girl an organ donor herself. "We have received several scathing e-mails from people who are concerned that the family refused to donate Jesica's organs," said Mack Mahoney, head of the foundation created to pay for the girl's medical bills...
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Richard M. Daley wins fifth term as Chicago mayor
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
CHICAGO -- Mayor Richard M. Daley swamped three little-known, underfunded challengers to win a fifth term Tuesday after an unusually quiet campaign in a city known for raucous politics. Daley, 60, defeated two black ministers and black businesswoman Patricia McAllister in a nonpartisan election expected to set a record low for voter turnout...
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Last minutes of shuttle crew seen on videotape
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
SPACE CENTER, Houston -- NASA said Tuesday night that it had recovered a videotape showing four of the Columbia astronauts in the last minutes of their flight just before things went awry. The 13 minutes of tape, which includes the space shuttle's flight over the Pacific just before problems developed, shed no light on what went wrong, said an official close to the investigation into the Feb. ...
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Take the Heidi Hall Bus Tour
(Column ~ 02/26/03)
Every American should make one pilgrimage to Graceland, Elvis Presley's famous home. First, it's only right to educate oneself about the man who forever changed American music. Second, a road trip to Memphis, Tenn., is a lot of fun. And third, you are going to want to witness and at least mentally mock -- if not make disparaging remarks to your friends -- the lunatic Elvis worshippers frantically trying to soak up every remaining molecule of the King's essence...
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It's time for players to confront ephedra use
(Sports Column ~ 02/26/03)
By Stephen A. Smith ~ Philadelphia Inquirer Until Steve Bechler of the Baltimore Orioles died last week, most athletes might not have cared much about the dangers of ephedra. If a little old herb could help them lose weight and provide an energy boost, who cared about such potentially fatal effects as hypertension, irregular heartbeat, stroke and seizure?...
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Finding the best recipe for Monte Cristo sandwich
(Column ~ 02/26/03)
Last week I wrote about a recipe request for a Monte Cristo sandwich, and this week I have found myself seemingly surrounded by discussions about the sandwich. Last Friday evening we were in a store and a couple was talking about it, then I got a magazine and there were several recipes for this sandwich. It has just seemed a little odd. I also received a recipe by e-mail from a reader for what she considers to be the best Monte Cristo sandwich...
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Bonfire victims confront suspect in court
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
For the victims of last month's bonfire explosion in rural Cape Girardeau County, Tuesday's preliminary hearing in Jackson provided a tense first face-to-face meeting with the man prosecutors say tossed a five-gallon gas can into a bonfire. A few of the 14 burn victims cried. One cursed the suspect under her breath as she left the courtroom. Recalling their shock and fear left some witnesses shaking. Tear-soaked tissues were left on the courtroom benches during a break...
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Downtown merchants raise funds in auction
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
Mardi Gras is the theme of the Downtown Merchants Association's annual fund-raising auction Saturday, but Christmas will be on the minds of many downtown business owners. The auction, in its 16th year, will feature dozens of donated items to be sold to the lowest bidder -- including the ultimate prize: an $8,000 mink coat...
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Four dead when man opens fire at Alabama employment agency
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- A man looking for work opened fire at a temporary employment agency Tuesday during an argument over a CD player, killing four fellow job-seekers and wounding a fifth, police said. Emanuel Burl Patterson later surrendered after a standoff at his apartment, where police tracked him down using the address he put on his job applications. ...
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Possible cancer causer appears in nutritious food
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
BELTSVILLE, Md. -- A possibly cancer-causing substance appears not only in popular fast foods, but in everyday, nutritious staples, too, government scientists say. Acrylamide, a substance that at very high doses causes cancer in animals, made headlines last spring when Swedish scientists discovered it lurking in popular foods like french fries and chips...
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Union membership falls to lowest level in two decades
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Union membership dropped last year to the lowest level in almost two decades as manufacturing companies hemorrhaged traditional union jobs faster than organizers could build new membership in other areas. Some 13.2 percent of America's work force belonged to unions in 2002, down from 13.4 percent in 2001, the Labor Department reported Tuesday...
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Serbs and ethnic Albanians brace for a renewed conflict
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
PRESEVO, Serbia-Montenegro -- In the shadows of a possible war with Iraq, another crisis is looming in this troubled corner of the Balkans, where ethnic Albanian militants are preparing a fresh challenge of Serbian rule. A former commander of ethnic Albanian rebels in Serbia's southern Presevo Valley said he and his men are ready to launch a new insurgency this spring aimed at breaking the region away from Serbia and joining it with neighboring Kosovo...
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Four arrested in diamond heist
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
ANTWERP, Belgium -- Four people were arrested in connection with a massive heist from diamond trading center that has been described as the biggest robbery ever in the diamond-cutting capital of the world, police said Tuesday. The three Italian men and a Dutch woman were arrested over the weekend and were put in solitary confinement until a court decides on their detention Thursday, said Leen Nuyts, a magistrate at the prosecutor's office in this port city...
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World digest 02/26/03
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
Yemen identifies alleged leader of tanker attack SAN'A, Yemen -- Yemeni authorities on Tuesday said they have identified and tried to arrest the suspected mastermind behind a bombing attack last year on a French oil tanker. Security forces failed to capture Abdul Hakeem Bazeeb in an ambush last month, a government official said on condition of anonymity...
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Purple, gold and green salad signals Mardi Gras
(Community ~ 02/26/03)
Think festive, have fun with Mardi Gras colors, and eat well. Salad is a natural for good health any time of year, but especially during the dour winter months. So, let the traditional purple, green and gold colors of Mardi Gras guide you to a refreshing choice of vegetables, brightening up both your table and your taste buds...
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Snow, ice leave 9 dead in Texas
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A fast-moving winter storm churned across the South on Tuesday, dumping 13 inches of snow in Arkansas and leaving at least nine people dead in Texas as a glaze of ice wreaked havoc on highways. More nasty weather was on the way for the region, meteorologists warned...
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Band subpoenaed to testify to grand jury for fire at club
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Members of the rock group Great White have been subpoenaed by prosecutors and said Tuesday they will appear before a grand jury investigating whether criminal charges should be filed in the nightclub inferno that killed 97 people...
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Attorney - Death penalty law valid for teen sniper
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
FAIRFAX, Va. -- The danger posed by teenage sniper defendant Lee Boyd Malvo and the vileness of his alleged crimes warrant the death penalty under Virginia law, the prosecutor in the case says. In court documents filed Monday, Fairfax County prosecutor Robert F. Horan Jr. said he will prove that 18-year-old Malvo's crimes demonstrated a depravity of mind that makes the crime eligible for death...
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1993 Trade Center attack opened new era in terrorism
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
NEW YORK -- After planting a bomb in the underground garage of the World Trade Center on a chilly February day, Ramzi Yousef retreated across the Hudson River, where he hoped to watch the twin towers fall. It would take nearly a decade for his vision to be realized...
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Final plan issued for arming pilots
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
WASHINGTON -- Commercial airline pilots won't be able to use holsters to carry guns into the cockpit under the final plan for arming pilots announced Tuesday by the Transportation Security Administration. The TSA will require weapons to be transported to and from planes in locked cases that are inside nondescript bags. Pilots may holster the weapons only when inside the cockpit...
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Bechler's widow says she will sue maker of ephedra supplement
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The widow of Steve Bechler plans to sue the manufacturer of a dietary supplement the Baltimore Orioles pitcher was believed to be taking before his death. Bechler, 23, died Feb. 17 from heatstroke after collapsing during a workout at training camp. In his preliminary autopsy report, Broward County chief medical examiner Dr. Joshua Perper linked Bechler's death to a diet supplement that contains ephedra...
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Police issue warning about security threat to America's Cup
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Anti-terror police issued a public warning about a security threat to the America's Cup Tuesday after letters containing cyanide crystals and white powder were seized by postal workers. Assistant commissioner Jon White, head of New Zealand's counterterror squad, told reporters that the identical letters were addressed to the U.S. Embassy and the British and Australian High Commissions in Wellington, the capital...
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Road games provide opportunities for late-season momentum
(Sports Column ~ 02/26/03)
We enter our final week of the regular season trying to gain momentum for the Ohio Valley Conference post-season tournament. I was disappointed we weren't able to get a win in our final home game of the season Saturday against Austin Peay. Our team really played hard, but we just didn't shoot the ball well enough to upset a very good team like Austin Peay...
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FanFare 2/26/03
(Other Sports ~ 02/26/03)
Briefly Baseball Padres closer Trevor Hoffman will have surgery to repair a bone in his throwing shoulder and will miss at least the first half of the season. Hoffman, fifth in career saves with 352, wouldn't set a timetable for his recovery, but general manager Kevin Towers said he hopes the right-hander will be available to pitch after the All-Star break. ...
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Pitching could be critical after 14-27 season
(College Sports ~ 02/26/03)
Southeast Missouri State University softball coach Lana Richmond admits she was not quite prepared for what happened last year -- and who can blame her? Richmond, one of the winningest softball coaches in NCAA Division I, suffered through by far the worst season of her career in 2002 when the Otahkians slumped to a 14-27 record, including a fifth-place 9-12 in the Ohio Valley Conference...
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Smith's challenge to Bogans ignited Kentucky's win streak
(College Sports ~ 02/26/03)
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky coach Tubby Smith was angry, and he let senior guard Keith Bogans know. It was Jan. 14, early in the conference season, and the Wildcats trailed Vanderbilt 36-28 at halftime. Behind closed doors, Smith ripped the players, focusing much of his wrath at Bogans...
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Missouri risks unbeaten home record against No. 3 Oklahoma
(College Sports ~ 02/26/03)
Missouri's dominant season at home is about to be put to the ultimate test. The Tigers are 13-0 in the Hearnes Center this season but haven't faced the likes of No. 3 Oklahoma. The Sooners are coming off a dominating effort against No. 7 Kansas, leading by as many as 32 points in a 77-70 victory, plus have won nine in a row in the series since losing in the 1997 Big 12 tournament...
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Central, Jackson set date for girls district final
(High School Sports ~ 02/26/03)
Central's girls basketball team used a late regulation comeback and a dominating overtime performance Tuesday to upset second-seeded Poplar Bluff 39-33 in overtime in a Class 5, District 1 semifinal game at Central High School. Central will meet rival Jackson in the district final Thursday. Jackson, the top seed, defeated No. 4 Farmington 52-37 in the other semifinal...
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Sikeston, Ste. Gen. cruise in district openers
(High School Sports ~ 02/26/03)
The Class 4, District 1 boys basketball tournament opened to form Tuesday night at Notre Dame Regional High School when third-seeded Sikeston and fourth-seeded Ste. Genevieve advanced to the semifinals. Sikeston ended the season for sixth-seeded Perryville 60-45, while Ste. Genevieve cruised to a 70-37 victory over fifth-seeded Fredericktown...
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Prep volleyball soon will change to rally scoring
(High School Sports ~ 02/26/03)
Rules in college sports have a way of filtering down to the high school level. The 3-point shot in basketball and the two-point conversion in football are some of the more recent alterations to conventional scoring that stood for years. Soon volleyball will be getting into the act. It won't be long before rally scoring visits a gymnasium near you...
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Committee reviews plan to lower cap on party donations
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The ability of political parties to funnel so-called soft money contributions to candidates would be severely curtailed under a bill whose sponsor says would ease the public perception that Missouri's campaign finance system is corrupt...
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Weather wreaks havoc on school schedule
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
Students in the Cape Girardeau School District will attend school on days that were originally scheduled for spring break to make up for winter weather cancellations. Passing over a recommendation from superintendent Mark Bowles, the Cape Girardeau School Board voted at Monday night's board meeting in favor of holding classes for half a day on Good Friday, April 18, as well as a whole day the following Monday, April 21...
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Jackson house fire kills teen, boyfriend
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
Horror, shock and sadness rippled through Jackson Tuesday following an early-morning fire that killed a young, athletic and music-loving couple with plans to get married some day. Gabe Koehler, 20, and his 18-year-old girlfriend, Rachel Smith, a Jackson High School senior, died when a blaze broke out in the basement of Kenneth and Carolyn Koehler's home at 516 Morgan St...
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The week in golf
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
WORLD FED. PGA TOUR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP Site: Carlsbad, Calif. Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday. Course: La Costa Resort and Spa (7,002 yards, par 72). Purse: $6 million. Winner's share: $1.05 million...
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Stephenson eager for start as first spring game nears
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
JUPITER, Fla. -- Garrett Stephenson gets the first chance to prove that after two years of injuries, he deserves a spot in the Cardinals' starting rotation. Stephenson will get the start Thursday when the Cardinals open exhibition play against the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla. But manager Tony La Russa cautions against reading too much into the opening-day assignment...
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Tkachuk suspended for four games after cross-check on Walz
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
NEW YORK -- Blues forward Keith Tkachuk was suspended for four games without pay by the NHL on Tuesday for hitting Minnesota forward Wes Walz in the head with his stick. Tkachuk will lose $487,804.84 in salary. He also was suspended for one game in March 2002. Because Tkachuk is a repeat offender, he forfeits salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (180)...
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Burk to file for permit to protest at Masters
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Martha Burk will seek a permit to demonstrate at the Masters about Augusta National's all-male membership, and she won't rule out an illegal protest if the site isn't close enough to the club's main gate. Burk said Tuesday she expects her permit request this week to be turned down by officials in Augusta, Ga...
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Even at a distance, Woods-Els rivalry builds more steam
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Tiger Woods and Ernie Els are the talk of golf, even though they haven't been within 6,000 miles of each other in almost four months. Call this a rivalry in absentia. They are on the same golf course for the first time since the Tour Championship at East Lake, but unless they bump into each other on the practice range or in the lunch room at La Costa, they might not see each other at the Match Play Championship...
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Buyers' index fall is worst in years
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
NEW YORK -- Consumer confidence plunged in February to its lowest level in nearly 10 years, dragged down by the prospect of war with Iraq. The Consumer Confidence Index fell almost 15 points to 64.0 -- its lowest reading since October 1993 -- from 78.8 in January, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. Analysts were predicting a reading of 77.0...
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Bill aims to widen schools' taxing
(State News ~ 02/26/03)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri school districts could ask voters to authorize temporary income or sales taxes as alternatives to further raising property taxes under bipartisan legislation a House committee considered Tuesday. State Rep. D.J. Davis, D-Odessa, said many districts have already pushed property tax levies -- the primary source of local funding for schools -- as high as they can go...
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Southeast first to start Jack Buck scholarship
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
Legendary baseball broadcaster Jack Buck is getting a special honor from Southeast Missouri State University, the first school in the state to establish a scholarship in his memory. The university, in partnership with KMOX Radio in St. Louis, has established the Jack Buck Scholar-Leadership Award in memory of the St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster who died last June at age 77...
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On solid ground - Laminates gain popularity
(Community ~ 02/26/03)
ASSOCIATED PRESS * Armstrong World Industries Laminate flooring mimics the appearance, grain and texture of real wood, but with far fewer maintenance headaches. Laminates are European and rapidly are gaining favor with do-it-yourselfers who can readily install the faux planks without professional help...
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Out of the past 2/26/03
(Out of the Past ~ 02/26/03)
10 years ago: Feb. 26, 1993 Last week, Cape Girardeau area was clobbered by surprised 12-inch snowstorm, heaviest in 14 years; this week, it was Central Missouri's turn to feel wrath of Mother Nature; only 6 inches of snow fell in Cape Girardeau yesterday, anniversary of 1979 storm that buried Cape Girardeau and surrounding counties under 24 inches of snow...
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Marlu Swan
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
Marlu Been Swan, 61, of Sherman Oaks, Calif., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2003, after a long courageous battle with cancer. Survivors include her husband, Billy Swan, formerly of Cape Gir-ardeau; two daughters, Planet Swan-Sanford and Sierra Swan; two brothers; and two sisters...
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Bruce Pagano
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
Bruce Robert Anthony Pagano, 49, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 26, 1953, in Rockville Centre, N.Y., son of Gilbert and Janet Pearsall Pagano. He and Christine Burns were married July 21, 1979...
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Earl Dooley
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Earl "Kayo" Dooley, 79, of Chaffee died Monday, Feb. 24, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 12, 1923, in Micola, Mo., son of Roy C. and Lucy Madge Holdman Dooley. He married Marie Hitt Feb. 10, 1949, in Piggott, Ark...
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Speak Out 02/26/03
(Speak Out ~ 02/26/03)
Using Scriptures FUNDAMENTALIST extremists who ignore scriptural entreaties toward peace, tolerance and love in order to impose their religious viewpoints through violent means are the primary threat in the world today. This is obvious when we observe the Islamic terrorist who misreads the Koran and finds hate there. ...
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Paul Hagans
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
Ewen Paul Hagans, 88, of Oak Ridge died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 3, 1915, in Jefferson City, Mo., son of Ernst W. and Betty Haid Hagans. Mr. Hagans was a graduate of Ashland High School, and received a degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri-Columbia...
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Extremists have no credentials for their advice
(Letter to the Editor ~ 02/26/03)
To the editor: Actor Mike Farrel has elected himself senior flower child, while Rush Limbaugh exhorts us to worship George Bush. Farrel proclaims death-row prisoners are victims, while Limbaugh portrays the unemployed as lazy bums. Farrel laments possible war while ignoring the acts of murderers. Limbaugh fumes over a few anti-war demonstrators and dismisses 8.5 million unemployed as irrelevant and insignificant...
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Americans enjoy luxury at expense of many others
(Letter to the Editor ~ 02/26/03)
To the editor: As a mother, I am increasingly concerned about where this world is headed. I used to believe Americans were intelligent and caring people. But are we really? Can any American see give-away toys at a fast-food restaurant or cheap clothing at a discount store and not realize they were made in sweat shops? Is it possible to go to the grocery store and not think about the poor people in foreign countries who have been run off their land by the corporations that provide fruit and vegetables that we let rot on our shelves at home? And what about that trip to the gas pump these days?. ...
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'Monologues' has impact on lives of all who see it
(Letter to the Editor ~ 02/26/03)
To the editor: Bravo to Sam Blackwell for seeing and then writing about "The Vagina Monologues." I had the privilege to see it in St. Louis last month. The show made a great impact in my life as well as that of the friend I was with. I would say without a doubt that most, if not all, of the women and men who were in the audience that day feel as I do. ...
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Donald Hager
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Donald D. Hager, 87, of Perryville died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Nov. 28, 1915, at Point Rest, Mo., son of Jasper and Elizabeth Cashion Hager. He and Beatrice Horn were married July 17, 1938. She died Oct. 17, 1990...
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John Vaughn
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
MOUND CITY, Ill. -- John R. Vaughn, 63, of Mound City died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. He was born April 7, 1939, in Paducah, Ky., son of Earl and Carrie Terrell Vaughn. Vaughn was a retired riverboat engineer. He was a member of Barlow Baptist Church in Barlow, Ky...
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Raymond Hankla
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
JONESBORO, Ill. -- Raymond Delavon Hankla, 90, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at Jonesboro Healthcare Center. He was born March 4, 1912, in Cobden, Ill., son of Joseph T. and Martha Henderson Hankla. He and Ruth Meyer were married Sept. 19, 1942, in Cape Girardeau...
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Club news 2/26/03
(Community News ~ 02/26/03)
Editor's note: Please submit your club news information either typed or printed. It is sometimes very difficult to make out people's names. Please use members' first and last names instead of formal titles. For instance, Jane Smith, not Mrs. John Smith. Thank you...
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Correction 2/26
(Correction ~ 02/26/03)
In Tuesday's edition, a phone number regarding SEMO Fair Scholarship applications was incorrectly listed. The contact phone number is 243-5856. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error.
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Gabriel M. Koehler
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
Gabriel "Gabe" M. Koehler, 20, of Jackson died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2003, at his home as a result of a fire. Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. A memorial service will be held Friday at the funeral home, followed by a graveside service at Russell Heights Cemetery...
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Zella Story
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Graveside service for Zella Lois Story of Warner Robins, Ga., will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau. Larry Davis will officiate. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday...
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Iva Liggett
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Iva Liggett, 92, of Bloomfield died Monday, Feb. 24, 2003, at her home. She was born Dec. 17, 1910, at Ardeola, Mo. She and Herman Liggett were married April 5, 1930. He died Sept. 13, 1980. Liggett retired as a cook at Bell City Public Schools in Bell City, Mo. She was a member of Bell City Assembly of God Church and was a Sunday School teacher and song leader many years...
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Lucille Hughes
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
MOUNDS, Ill. -- Lucille Hughes, 69, of Mounds died Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born Nov. 1, 1933, at Lake Common, Miss., daughter of Leonard and Ollie Williams. She married James Hughes at Mounds. Hughes moved to Mounds from Joliet, Ill. She had worked for the University of Illinois Extension Office, and retired after 15 years service with MAP Training Center in Karnak, Ill. She was a member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church...
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Warren Woodfin
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Warren H. Woodfin, 82, of DeSoto, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 24, 2003, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Crystal City, Mo. He was born Nov. 2, 1920, at Lutesville, Mo., son of Jasper and Rebecca Mansker Woodfin. He and Edna D. Myers were married Dec. 24, 1938...
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Otha Murdock
(Obituary ~ 02/26/03)
SIKESTON, Mo. -- Otha Lee Murdock, 81, of Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 24, 2003, at Clearview Nursing Center. He was born March 27, 1921, in Maynard, Ark., son of Gussie and Lillie Graham Murdock. He and Laura Adkins were married Dec. 7, 1956, in St. Louis. She died Oct. 2, 2000...
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Teens make vow to lives of purity
(Editorial ~ 02/26/03)
So much has changed in American society in the past half-century. In 1953, the nation's moral code supported a dim view of divorce, sexual activity outside marriage and teen pregnancies. In 1953, the U.S. marriage rate was 9.8 out of every 1,000 of the population. By 1998, the marriage rate had dropped to 8.3 out of every 1,000 of the population...
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New health privacy rules start in April
(Editorial ~ 02/26/03)
Privacy issues have become big business. A whole industry -- telemarketing -- has been sharply curtailed by no-call laws intended to let people choose to protect their privacy. Many other laws regulate information that once was considered open to anyone. One good example: Parents can't find out the grades their children earn in college without the students' written consent...
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Creating home office design that works
(Community ~ 02/26/03)
We often are asked which home-improvement projects are most popular and cost-effective. Our poetic response for years has been "fireplaces are hot, swimming pools are not -- and kitchens and baths are the rage." We now include in the "rage" department an improvement that has become wildly popular in the last several years -- home offices...
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Government insists quakes can't be forecast, despite claims
(State News ~ 02/26/03)
ST. LOUIS -- A California company says it was "relatively successful" in its forecast of a small earthquake near the Bootheel town of New Madrid, Mo. But scientists and government officials on Tuesday remained firm in their belief that earthquakes can't be forecast...
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U.N. inspector says Iraq shows new signs of real cooperation
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
UNITED NATIONS -- Iraq is providing new information about its weapons and has reported the discovery of two bombs, including one possibly filled with a biological agent -- moves that the chief U.N. weapons inspector said Tuesday signal real cooperation...
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Saddam suggests he won't destroy missiles
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's deputy prime minister insisted Tuesday that the government had not yet decided whether to destroy its Al Samoud 2 missiles, despite a TV interview in which Saddam Hussein appeared to reject compliance with the U.N. demand. Both Iraqi and U.N. officials spoke of new, substantive cooperation. U.N. inspectors visited a pit where Iraq says it destroyed biological weapons in 1991, and Iraq reported finding an R-400 bomb containing liquid at a disposal site...
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Mexico takes over pristine island to save it from development
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
ISLA ESPIRITU SANTO, Mexico -- Facing pressure to build hotels and resorts, communal land owners Tuesday handed over to the Mexican government an uninhabited, Manhattan-sized island touted as one of the region's most unspoiled ecosystems. Conservation groups said the $3.3 million sale -- funded by private, nonprofit groups -- could be a model for saving threatened wildlife areas...
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Top chef's death shocks France, sparks condemnation of critics
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
PARIS -- Like many a great artist, Bernard Loiseau was a fragile and sometimes tortured soul, a perfectionist tending to one of France's greatest passions: food. Loiseau's apparent suicide Monday shocked France, plunged the gastronomic world into mourning and raised a storm of condemnation from fellow culinary masters, who blamed all-powerful food critics for pushing the celebrated chef toward despair...
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Cigar lovers gather to pay homage to Havana's finest
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
HAVANA -- "Que rrrrrrrrrrrrrico!" the Tropicana nightclub singer trilled, strutting in plumed headdress and ruffled train through a cloud of cigar smoke as hundreds of tobacco aficionados paid homage this week to the world's finest stogies. About 900 people traveled to Havana for the fifth annual Habanos Festival, which began Monday night at the city's historic Tropicana. ...
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S. Korean president inaugurated amid tension with North
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
SEOUL, South Korea -- Roh Moo-hyun took power as South Korea's president on Tuesday faced by the forces that will shape his coming months in office: North Korean defiance and U.S. determination to strip the communist regime of its nuclear weapons development...
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Morning explosions in Venezuela damage two diplomatic missions
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Powerful explosions just minutes apart devastated the Spanish and Colombian diplomatic missions Tuesday, injuring four people and raising fears that Colombian-style terror has reached next-door Venezuela. The attacks in Caracas came two days after President Hugo Chavez denounced Colombia and Spain, among other nations, for allegedly interfering in Venezuelan affairs. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blasts...
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Blunt, lawmakers seek money for federal election compliance
(State News ~ 02/26/03)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Less than a year after updating Missouri's election laws, legislators are promoting additional changes needed to secure up to $76 million in federal grants for the state's election system. The money became available earlier this month when Congress approved $1.5 billion to implement election reforms nationwide, in response to the disputed 2000 presidential election...
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Torre, Santo, Miller could get Hall call
(Professional Sports ~ 02/26/03)
NEW YORK -- Until recently, Joe Torre thought he was too active to be considered for Cooperstown. Come Wednesday, though, the New York Yankees' manager might be able to add yet another title to his resume -- Hall of Famer. "It was brought up to me the other day and I had no clue that I was even eligible, to be honest with you," he said this week...
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Bush vs. Saddam - (Fantasy) debate of the century
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
WASHINGTON -- Saddam Hussein's invitation to debate President Bush has people wondering how such an event might be pulled off. Town hall format? Roaming the crowd like Oprah? Firing a gun in the air to make a point? One master of debate preparation says Saddam probably is most familiar with a shark-tank format. "He dangles his debate opponent over a shark tank and then cuts the rope," guessed Paul Begala, who helped Democrat Al Gore rehearse for matchups with Bush...
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Noon Optimist Club fund raiser scheduled for today
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
The Noon Optimist Club will conduct its annual Chili Day fund raiser from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. The club serves about 1,100 people at lunch and 900 at dinner, and a ticket includes chili, condiments, soft drink and dessert...
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Cape police report 2/26/03
(Police/Fire Report ~ 02/26/03)
Cape Girardeau Wednesday, Feb. 26 The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Johnny L. Johnson Jr., 24, of 536 S. Frederick, Cape Girardeau, was arrested Monday on a Cape Girardeau County warrant for failure to appear...
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Correction 2/26
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
In a story in Sunday's Progress Edition, the owner of Old Bavarian Sausage was misidentified. The owner is Brigitte Bollerslev. The Southeast Missourian regrets the error.
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Student receives honors at Truman State University
(Local News ~ 02/26/03)
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- Christy Schlosser of Cape Girardeau was recently named to the president's list for the fall 2002 semester at Truman State University. Schlosser is a freshman communications major and is involved with the Free Thinkers Organization as a member of the executive board, the University Chorus and the Advertising and Public Relations Club...
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Agencies begin transfer to Homeland Security
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
WASHINGTON -- In a day marking the transfer of agencies to the Homeland Security Department, many lamented on Tuesday a bittersweet episode in American history that was spurred by a greater need for protection. The Secret Service, Customs Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were among Treasury Department agencies transferred during a ceremony commemorating their move and their new enforcement responsibilities. Some of the agencies date back 200 years...
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Bush administration says no plans to tap emergency oil stocks
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
WASHINGTON -- The government's emergency oil stocks will not be used to dampen soaring energy prices, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham told senators Tuesday, but the Bush administration will move quickly to draw on the reserves if severe supply shortages appear...
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Occupying force in Iraq could be in hundreds of thousands
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
WASHINGTON -- The Army's top general said Tuesday a military occupying force for a postwar Iraq could total several hundred thousand soldiers. Iraq is "a piece of geography that's fairly significant," Gen. Eric K. Shinseki said at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he said any postwar occupying force would have to be big enough to maintain safety in a country with "ethnic tensions that could lead to other problems."...
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Court sides with Texas death row inmate who claimed racial bias
(National News ~ 02/26/03)
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a black death row inmate deserves a new chance to press his claim that prosecutors stacked his jury with whites and death penalty supporters. The 8-1 ruling is a rare example of the conservative-leaning court agreeing that a death row inmate may have been treated unfairly at trial...
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Oil-rich Nigeria hit by worst fuel shortage since military rule
(International News ~ 02/26/03)
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Cars and buses ground to a halt Tuesday in Africa's leading oil-producing nation, gripped by its worst fuel shortage since military rule ended four years ago. In the commercial capital, Lagos, hundreds of thousands of commuters were stranded and most buses -- the main means of transport in this overcrowded city of 12 million people -- were off the streets for lack of fuel...
Stories from Wednesday, February 26, 2003
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