Stories from Sunday, November 30, 2003

If admirers of former President Reagan didn't like a television movie about him after reading leaked snippets of a script, their opinion isn't likely to change after seeing the final product. "The Reagans," which premieres on Showtime today, depicts the former president as amiable but often confused, controlled to a large extent by his wife, Nancy, and presiding over a dysfunctional family...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. DWIs Robert James Courtney, 28, Rt. 1 Box 1, Thebes, Ill., was issued a summons Friday for suspicion of driving while intoxicated, driving while revoked and failure to drive in a single lane...

Cape Girardeau Saturday, Nov. 29 Firefighters responded Thursday to the following item: At 3:46 p.m., medical assist at 808 S. Pacific. Firefighters responded Friday to the following items: At 2:51 a.m., medical assist at 500 S. Sprigg. At 5:16 a.m., alarm at 2825 Bloomfield...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Public school students in Pemiscot County in Missouri's Bootheel had about a one-in-three chance of being taught by an uncertified teacher during the previous school year. In Clayton, by contrast, the chance of having an uncertified teacher was only 1 percent. In the city of St. Louis, it was 15 percent, according to state figures...

Congress has passed the biggest changes in Medicare since the health-insurance program for the nation's elderly was created. President Bush stands ready to sign the bill as one of the cornerstones of accomplishment in his first term in the White House...

OMAHA, Neb. -- Nebraska football coach Frank Solich was fired Saturday night after winning more than 75 percent of his games over six seasons but failing to keep the Cornhuskers as the national powerhouse they were under Tom Osborne. Pinnacle Sports Network, the rights holder for Nebraska radio broadcasts, reported that first-year defensive coordinator Bo Pelini would be the interim head coach. The Cornhuskers are eligible to play in a bowl game this season...

ROCHESTER, Mich. -- Rickey Paulding's and Arthur Johnson's return home almost turned into a disaster. Paulding scored 21 points and Johnson added 19 to lead No. 5 Missouri to a tough season-opening 90-85 victory over Oakland on Saturday night. Paulding, a preseason All-American, and Johnson are both products of the Detroit Public School League. Oakland is located 30 miles north of downtown Detroit, and the pair had a large cheering section among the sellout crowd of 4,055...

NEWARK, Del. -- Germaine Bennett ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and Delaware scored 27 first-quarter points to breeze past Southern Illinois 48-7 Saturday in the opening round of the Division I-AA playoffs. The second-seeded Blue Hens (12-1) next host the winner of Saturday's late game between Northern Iowa and Montana State...

Poor start hurt attendance I ALSO was disappointed with the attendance at Saturday's SEMO football game, but you have to consider the season as a whole: Fans got excited at the prospects of the team winning an OVC title and making the playoffs, and they showed their support early in the season with record-breaking crowds. ...

To the editor: It is sad that a town like Biehle, which has been on the map for years and a part of Missouri, can so easily be wiped off the map. We Americans need to find ways to stop losing our heritage. Why hasn't someone tried to do something about making this part of a historical registry and not let it vanish?...

To the editor: What a great column by Joe Sullivan about the good old days. Many of us look back to remember and wonder how we survived. How did we manage with four children to a bedroom (in the unheated, un-air-conditioned upstairs), no boxed macaroni and cheese and no frozen pizza? But we sure missed the ice man coming after we got the new Frigidaire...

Lucille Reed, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 10, 1921, in Buchanan County, Mo., daughter of James and Grace Yokum Brown. She and Charles L. Reed were married Dec. 24, 1942, at Manhattan, Kan. He died in April 1984...

Emma Melissa Brasher, 93, of Jackson died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at Jackson Manor. She was born Jan. 2, 1910, in Grays Point, Mo., daughter of Willis and Mattie Ford Reed. She and Andrew W. Brasher were married Oct. 21, 1929, at Cape Girardeau. He died Dec. 26, 1991...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- John Thompson, 55, of rural Jonesboro died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at Union County Hospital. Funeral arrangements are pending at Hileman Funeral Home in Jonesboro.

LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Annika Sorenstam played against the men again -- and beat them with one of the most spectacular shots in the history of the Skins Game. Sorenstam, the first woman to compete in the 21 years since the event began, holed a 39-yard bunker shot for an eagle on the par-5, 524-yard ninth hole Saturday to earn $175,000...

ST. LOUIS -- Christmas tree growers expect to sell up to six million more real trees this year than last, according to a survey commissioned by the National Christmas Tree Association. The St. Louis-based organization expects between 23 million and 28 million trees to be bought this year. Only 22.3 million trees were sold last year during a shortened holiday season. Thanksgiving last year fell on Nov. 28, the latest day possible...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Department of Natural Resources is putting up a new building, and it's trying to make the structure live up to the agency's conservation-minded mission. The $17 million project is called a "green" building because it incorporates many environmentally friendly features...

November was the deadliest month yet for the American military in Iraq. Seventy-seven U.S. servicemen and women have died -- compared with 73 in the previous two months combined. Including six Americans killed in Afghanistan, November was the most costly month for the military since February 1991, when 162 U.S. troops were killed in the climax of the first Gulf War...

When Debra Rau walked outside her Cape Girardeau home to her driveway, she looked around and felt her stomach tighten. "My 6-year-old daughter started spinning around with her arms out, you know how little kids do, and kept asking me, 'Mommy, where's your car? Mommy, where's your car?'" Rau said. "It was surreal. I just felt sick."...

President Franklin D. Roosevelt used a body double to sneak away for a meeting with his British counterpart during World War II. President Johnson on the hush paid a visit to U.S. troops at Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam. President Bush's covert trip to Iraq on Thanksgiving, when Americans were told he was at his ranch eating turkey and watching football, caught many off guard -- that prime mission, accomplished...

ST. LOUIS -- The bottom line is the only statistic that counts these days for the St. Louis Rams. The Rams (8-3) have won seven of their last eight despite ongoing problems at quarterback, a depleted defensive line and special teams that have allowed an NFL-high five touchdowns on returns. Marc Bulger has 10 interceptions and only four touchdown passes the last four games...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- It's tough to please coach Gary Pinkel, as Brad Smith keeps finding out. Smith ran for 195 yards and two long touchdowns and Zack Abron set the school career rushing record and ran for a score in Missouri's 45-7 victory over Iowa State on Saturday. Then again, Smith only had 108 yards passing...

By Jay Nixon For the past 30 years, Missouri's Sunshine Law has served our citizens well. But in those three decades, technology has changed the way we communicate. We must upgrade the Sunshine Law to continue to reap its benefits...

SAN FRANCISCO -- If you don't believe in the law, do you have to follow it? That's the question before courts in New York and California, which are being asked to exempt branches of the Catholic Church from state laws requiring contraceptives be included in employee prescription drug plans. Under church doctrine, contraception is a sin...

FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The state fire marshal has put a freeze on construction of an ice hotel near Fairbanks, but the man behind the subarctic architecture is still chipping away. The Alaska Fire Marshal's office on Nov. 21 ordered a halt to construction of the planned Aurora Ice Hotel at Chena Hot Springs Resort, citing unspecified building code and public safety concerns. ...

NAPLES, Italy -- France, Britain and Germany won broad support Saturday for a plan to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities, but EU countries failed to reach agreement on the emotionally charged issue of whether the EU constitution should mention God or include a reference to Europe's Christian heritage...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- An Army intelligence officer was charged Saturday with violating security at the U.S. detention camp for terrorist suspects, the fourth person charged with breaches at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Two Arabic translators and a Muslim chaplain face charges ranging from espionage to adultery at the base, where interrogators are questioning some 660 detainees from 44 countries...

NEW YORK -- One of the best ways to ensure holiday gatherings are a success is to make sure everyone remains happy, healthy and safe. Hosts go to great lengths to spruce up their homes, feed relatives delicious meals and give guests warm welcomes. But, while intentions are good, often when people open their doors to guests, they also open a path to potential dangers...

BONDVILLE, Ill. -- As the bronze-colored turkeys strut about the farm yard, they fan their tail feathers and break into a simultaneous gobble, completely oblivious to their fate. "They're annoying," said 9-year-old Esther Goija, who along with her siblings owns most of the animals on the family farm. "They're gobbling all day long."...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Cattle ranchers in Illinois reported an unusual problem in 1942: Cows had acquired a taste for license plates. The cows were not suffering from a metal deficiency. World War II and the resulting shortage of metals caused the state to make plates out of pressed soybeans...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Tharon Eugene Stallings, 94, of Sikeston died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at his home. He was born Oct. 25, 1909, at Morley, Mo., son of Charles A. and Ella Tomlinson Stallings. He and Tylene Kendall were married Sept. 1, 1934, at Fredericktown, Mo. She died Aug. 12, 1993...

Jewell Janet Tolbert, 75, of Whitewater died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at her daughter's home. She was born April 11, 1928, at Whitewater, daughter of Alvin and Ola Crump Bartels. She and William Tolbert were married April 26, 1952. He died April 28, 1991...

We're paying for it IT SEEMS to me that the first car to cross the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge should be at least an Illinois or Missouri car, especially since we are the ones paying for the bridge and have put up with the old bridge and construction delays for so long. ...

Baseball Now that their hated rivals from Boston have traded for Curt Schilling, it might not be long before the Yankees strike back in a big way. Free agent Gary Sheffield will be in pinstripes soon, Newsday and the Record (Bergen County, N.J.) reported in their Saturday editions. ...

It's quite possible to have a country setting for a home without actually living in the country. That's the case with the home at 215 Jetta Mae in Scott City. This home is located within Scott City, but has a country feel to it because of its design...

Whether it's a collection of angel ornaments you'd like to display or some simple, handmade ornaments from your children and grandchildren, Christmas trees tend to take on the personalities of the people decorating them. Now is the time to find your decorating style and embellish your home with a fancy tree. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Starting Friday and running through the rest of December, the Sikeston Depot will feature artwork from a man best known by many for his protest over changes made by the U.S. Mint to his design of the Missouri state quarter. "Not many artists claim to be under a Secret Service investigation," said Paul Jackson of Columbia, Mo...

U.S. chief, Karzai discuss Afghanistan's problems KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday met with the chief of the U.S. Central Command and told him that the country's three main problems remain terrorists, drug trafficking and provincial warlords. ...

U.S. military offers condolence to S. Korea SEOUL, South Korea -- The top U.S. military commander in South Korea offered condolences Saturday over the death of a South Korean woman in a traffic accident involving an American soldier. Kee Kyeong-sun, 22, died early Friday in a vehicle-on-vehicle collision near Osan Air Base south of Seoul, South Korean police said. ...

LIETZEN, Germany -- As the Red Army advanced on Berlin in 1945, Adolf Hitler threw everyone from teenagers to elderly men into Nazi Germany's last stand. Even now soldiers are still being unearthed, and the search is likely to go on for a long time yet...

Crawford helps cause of cancer survivors MADISON, Wis. -- When supermodel Cindy Crawford's younger brother died of leukemia more than 25 years ago, a reunion of more than 200 childhood cancer survivors didn't seem possible. Crawford spoke Saturday to a reunion of "Kids with Courage" at the University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital, where her 4-year-old brother, Jeffrey, was treated. ...

ORANGE CITY, Fla. -- A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. ...

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Ohio Valley Conference football was way down this year. An 0-8 record against Gateway Conference teams during a challenge series between the leagues, along with no OVC squad being nationally ranked for several weeks, pretty much sealed the conference's fate...

CHRIS PAGANO * cpagano@semissourian.com The Louis Lorimier wood carving in Cape Rock Park has recently been refurbished by August Birk, creator.By Chris Pagano ~ Southeast Missourian The wood carving of Louis Lorimier in Cape Rock Park should last a few more years now that it has been refurbished...

The public sees little wear and tear on the outside, but Cape Girardeau city officials say funding woes have left Cape Girardeau police shorthanded and city workers without pay raises seven months after voters rejected four tax and fee issues aimed at boosting the budget...

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Maevers of Jackson recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in a sunset setting on a beach in Kauai, Hawaii. A Hawaiian priestess performed the traditional Hawaiian ceremony, with the couple's children participating...

Barbara Hahs of Cape Girardeau announces the engagement of her daughter, Kimberly Edwards, to Jeffrey Trankler. He is the son of Tee and Carol Trankler of Jackson. Edwards is also the daughter of the late Dennis Edwards. Edwards is a 1996 graduate of Jackson High School. She expects to receive a degree in finance from Southeast Missouri State University in December. She is employed at Bank of Missouri in Jackson...

Janice Marie Eftink and Shawn Jarrod Westbrooks were married June 2, 2003, at Cataract Falls in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The Rev. Rick Joyce performed the outdoor ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Martin and Jeanette Eftink of Chaffee, Mo. The groom is the son of Colette Westbrooks-Tucker of Stigler, Okla., and the late Sam Westbrooks...

MATTHEWS, Mo. -- Lois Hooks, 83, of Matthews died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston, Mo.

Bradley Joe Parker, 42, of Jackson died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Aug. 4, 1961, at Cape Girardeau, son of Delbert and JoAnne Kimbel Parker. He and Brenda Kay Nanney were married June 30, 2000. Parker worked as a concrete finisher at Lix Nursery...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Juanita Ida Bechel, 89, of Chaffee died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at her home. She was born Oct. 5, 1914, at Chaffee, daughter of Levi John and Elenora Elizabeth Scheeter Bechel. Bechel worked as a secretary at Sports Specialty Shoe Co. in Chaffee. She retired as secretary from Tucker Truck Co. in Cape Girardeau. She was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Chaffee. Bechel also belonged to the Daughters of St. Ambrose...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- James "Jim" C. Crow, 76, of Mounds, Ill., died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Waldo C. Neislein, 87, of Rockwood, Ill., died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at Chester Memorial Hospital in Chester, Ill. He was born Oct. 4, 1916 at Friedheim, Mo., son of Franklin and Matilda Tuschhoff Neislein. He and Rosilda Roth were married March 12, 1942. She died Nov. 16, 1992...

ANNA, Ill. -- Gregory D. Tripp, 33, of Peoria, Ill., formerly of Anna, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at his residence. He was born Dec. 13, 1969, son of Don and Susan Glenn Tripp. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Anna, the Peoria Kiwanis Club and was an Eagle Scout...

ANNA, Ill. -- Esta Carter, 94, of Buncombe, Ill., died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Feb. 9, 1909, in Johnson County, Ill., daughter of Amos and Mary Manus. She and Fred W. Carter were married Dec. 21, 1927. He died Feb. 17, 1988...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Anne M. Fleming, 86, of Perryville, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born April 12, 1917, in San Francisco, Calif., daughter of John and Yvonne Cheaveau McCarty. She married Monroe Fleming. He died in 1995...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Odell Wiseman, 74, of Advance died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 3, 1929, in Bollinger County, Mo., son of Roy and Myrtle Fee Wiseman. He and Marlene Kirk were married Nov. 10, 1951, at Piggott, Ark...

10 years ago: Nov. 30, 1993 Largest medical group in Cape Girardeau is expanding; Internal Medicine Group is adding two local doctors to its staff and moving three pediatricians into former Community Counseling Center. Olive Branch, Ill. -- U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., says emergency repairs will be made in Len Small Levee District...

Rebecca Noel Hecht and Vikram Kundu were married Nov. 9, 2003, at Sunset Sanctuary in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Susan Wilkerson performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Brenda Hecht of Portageville, Mo. The groom is the son of Rattan Singh Kundu and Sheela Kundu of Panipat, India...

Beth Rose Hinkebein and Robert Scott Altenthal were married Sept. 6, 2003, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. The Rev. Charlie Prost performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Ralph and Jo Ann Hinkebein Sr. of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Altenthal of Cape Girardeau...

Stacy Rebecca Palmer and Christopher Darell Bohnsack were married July 12, 2003, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson. The Revs. Stephen Schneider and Luther Rhodes performed the ceremony. Pianist was Kendra Hinkebein of Jackson; instrumentalists were Dan Fieser, Matt Brauss, Mike Meyer and David James of Jackson. Vocalists were Matt Brauss and Laura Eftink of Jackson, Cassandra Baez, Debbie Palmer and Jessica Sickmeier of St. Louis...

The bicentennial commemoration of Lewis and Clark's journey across the uncharted United States continues today as the traveling exhibit "Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years into the Future" comes to Westfield Shoppingtown West Park. The exhibit features three tents with multimedia presentations and speakers, as well as a miniature replica of the keel boat the Corps of Discovery used...