Stories from Saturday, August 28, 2004

Editorial from The Wall Street Journal The issue here, as I have heard it raised, is was he present and active on duty in Alabama at the times he was supposed to be. ... Just because you get an honorable discharge does not in fact answer that question. -- John Kerry, questioning President Bush's military-service record, Feb. 8, 2004....

Dorothy Laverne Wiseman, 56, of Jackson, Tenn., died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. She was born Sept. 17, 1947, in Memphis, Tenn., daughter of Ross and Roberta Weakley Conner Sr. Formerly of Cape Girardeau, Wiseman was a graduate of Central High School and worked 23 years at Procter & Gamble...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Leroy Luster, 85, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Sikeston, died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004, at Parkway Health and Rehabilitation Center in Memphis. He was born Aug. 12, 1919, in Clarkedale, Ark., son of Joseph and Louise Banks Luster...

Raymond Leadbetter, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Melba Roberta Lounder, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born July 11, 1922, at Bell City, Mo., daughter of Calvin and Lula Keller Gregory. She first married Jack McDonald. She and Keith O. Lounder were married March 21, 1953, in Piggott, Ark. He died May 21, 2000...

10 years ago: Aug. 28, 1994 The Rev. David P. Johnson is installed as administrative pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson; Johnson is native of Nebraska. Voters in Scott and New Madrid counties will be asked to approve 15 percent surcharge to establish Enhanced-911 emergency telephone system for two counties...

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents approved a contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri on Friday for the 2005 calendar year that will provide university employees and retirees with a new health insurance plan. While it's a one-year contract, it could be renewed for another two years, school officials said...

Borgwald Son to Brad and Tiffany Borgwald of Eureka, Mo., St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, 6:21 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004. Name, Parker Talens. Weight, 8 pounds 2 ounces. First child. Mrs. Borgwald is the former Tiffany Bellis, daughter of Ramona Bellis of Scott City. She is employed by state of Missouri Department of Mental Health. Borgwald is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Burt Borgwald of Arnold, Mo. He is an engineer with Malisko Engineering...

Drink whole milk Pharmaceutical companies, television commercials and everything you see in the paper say whole milk is not good for you. But that's what caused me and my elder sister's osteoporosis. So I'm going to tell everybody in this country right now: You'd better drink your milk. Don't drink watered-down milk. That's not good for you unless you want osteoporosis...

Baseball n The Chicago Cubs agreed to terms Friday with infielder Eric Patterson, an eighth-round draft pick and the younger brother of Cubs center fielder Corey Patterson. The 21-year-old Patterson batted .326 with nine homers, 49 runs batted in and 48 stolen bases last season in earning All-American honors for the second time at Georgia Tech. In three seasons with the Yellow Jackets, he had a total of 14 homers and 124 RBIs...

PATTON, Mo. -- Lona F. Brotherton, 81, of Patton died Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004, at Elder Care in Marble Hill, Mo. She was born Feb. 25, 1923, at Patton, daughter of Jesse C. and Bertha Tinnin Harper. She and Rayford P. Brotherton were married June 6, 1944, in Alexandria, La. He died Jan. 27, 1991...

J.P. Daniels, 82, of Oak Ridge died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at his home. He was born Oct. 8, 1921, in Graham, Texas, son of Jefus and Ruthy Daniels. He and Leavada Volz were married Dec. 25, 1948, at Oran, Mo. Daniels retired from Lenco in 1973. He was a member of Oak Ridge Baptist Church...

Ralph D. Isom Sr., 70, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Anna, Ill., died Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004, at the Lutheran Home. He was born Dec. 29, 1933, in Ullin, Ill., son of Meredith and Cleta Gillete Isom. He married Carlene Isom. Isom received a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University. He was an ordained Baptist minister...

By Bob Herbert Max Cleland, minus the three limbs he lost in Vietnam, showed up in his wheelchair outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, on Wednesday to suggest that the president take the simple and decent step of condemning the slime that is being spread by Bush supporters against the war record of John Kerry...

Number of bankruptcies declines, figures show WASHINGTON -- Personal bankruptcies appear to have broken the upward trend of recent years, slipping 0.8 percent in the 12 months ending June 30, figures released Friday show. New personal bankruptcy filings declined to 1,599,986 from 1,613,097 in the 12 months ending June 30, 2003, according to the data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. ...

Center needs volunteers to tutor an hour a week Cape Girardeau's Adult Learning Center is searching for volunteers to tutor students. According to director Nancy Branson, several students in the program currently need tutors in reading, writing, math and English as a second language. Tutoring is typically one hour a week at the center at 301 N. Clark St. For more information about volunteering, call 334-3669...

Cape Girardeau Firefighters responded to the following items on Thursday: At 4:09 p.m., a natural gas leak at 1718 Brookwood Drive. At 7:02 p.m., an emergency medical service in the unit block of South Henderson Street. At 8:58 p.m., a fire alarm at 1000 S. Sprigg St...

A story in last week's Southeast Missourian detailed the need of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri for a new shelter building. The Humane Society says the current building at 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau no longer is large enough for the numbers of animals the shelter takes in -- more than 2,800 dogs and cats so far this year...

Cape Girardeau The following items were released Friday by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Ian Alexander Phillips, 19, 1116 Cousin St., was arrested on a city warrant for contempt of court for failure to pay fine and costs for leaving the scene of an accident...

To the editor: The Illinois Open Meetings Act requires that public business be conducted in the open. I have recently observed the Alexander County Board of Commissioners violate the act. A 2002 court case found that any item not on the agenda posted 48 hours before a meeting cannot be acted upon...

Hildegard L. Schilling, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004, at Life Care Center. She was born May 5, 1927, at Wittenberg, Mo., daughter of Albert and Amanda Stueve Leimbach. She and Senno "Butch" Schilling were married May 21, 1946, at Altenburg, Mo. He died Feb. 22, 1998...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Lesley Jean Lancaster, 57, of Bloomfield died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 13, 1947, at Painton, Mo., son of Robert and Clarisa Stewart Lancaster. He and Karen Merick were married Jan. 4, 1971, at St. Charles, Mo...

Today The final night of Summer Holy Spirit Revival with the Rev. and Mrs. David and Geneva Bentley will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church in Fruitland at 7 p.m. today. Sunday Ken Lee, evangelist, will be at First General Baptist Church, 1506 South Farmington Road in Jackson at 9:30 a.m. He will spotlight worship through drama and music. For more information, call 243-8467...

Have you ever thought your life was too ordinary and drab? A few years ago I thought mine fit that description. I dreamed impossible dreams, dreams where I could remain on the mountaintop forever. Eventually I learned the futility of that desire and acquired new wisdom as I matured. I discovered what genuinely constituted a life of value and contentment...

SEDALIA, Mo. -- The Rev. John Vakulskas walks tall here in the midway, among the twirling rides and twinkling lights, where the scent of cotton candy wafts and the relentless screams of children resound. This is his church. These are his people. For 35 years, Vakulskas has ministered to ride operators and game booth attendants -- folks who spend their lives on the road, who raise children expected to follow in their footsteps, who endure the label of "carnies" from outsiders...

By Jim Suhr ~ The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- Torry Holt and the St. Louis Rams finally had something to celebrate. Holt's 7-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was the first in three games this preseason for the Rams' starting offense, prompting a hip-gyrating dance that satisfied a restless crowd and helped St. Louis roll past the Washington Redskins 28-3 on Friday night...

Thursday, hundreds of area residents voluntarily skipped their morning coffee to view the delayed 7 a.m. blasting of the old Mississippi River bridge's second span. Amanda Crader of 201 Lorimier St. in Cape Girardeau was not among them. Crader was sleeping, as she typically does until about 2 p.m. But when another span of the bridge comes down two weeks from now, Crader and some of her neighbors will be "strongly encouraged" to wake up early and leave their homes and businesses...

By Chris Sheridan ~ The Associated Press ATHENS, Greece -- No excuses, and no gold. The Americans won't be the Olympic basketball champions for the first time since 1988, beaten by an Argentine team that lacks stars but simply knows how to play together better...

By Jaime Aron ~ The Associated Press ATHENS, Greece -- Of the 20 gold medals available at the Olympics on Friday, only one went to an American. The last one. What was easily the worst day of the Athens Games for the U.S. team also could be considered among the nation's worst at any Olympics, mainly because there were so many high-profile flops...

The St. Louis center fielder had two homers and five RBIs in an 8-5 victory over the Pirates. The Associated Press PITTSBURGH -- Jim Edmonds took it upon himself to get the St. Louis Cardinals' offense going again. Edmonds hit a pair of two-run homers and matched a career high with five RBIs on Friday night, leading the Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5...

NEW YORK -- Nervous Republicans are urging President Bush to unveil a robust second-term agenda at his convention next week to shift voters' focus from the unpopular war in Iraq and other issues that are a distraction to his re-election drive. Some contend the party should ditch the GOP-fueled controversy over rival John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam...

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- America under the Bush administration is becoming a land of haves and have-nots, Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards said Friday during a visit to the St. Louis area. "We're getting to the place where there are two economies," Edwards said, noting that one third of the Bush tax cut went to wealthy Americans. "Most of America is struggling every single day to get by."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A new law intended to bail out Missouri's insolvent fund for unemployment benefits won't get the job done, according to financial analysts hired by the state. The reason: A constitutional limit on annual revenue increases may require a statewide vote -- something not contemplated by the law -- in order to impose enough taxes on businesses to fully pay off a proposed bond issuance...

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian Southeast Missouri State University's soccer team expects to have a big year and Friday night the Otahkians got their season off to a strong start by beating Arkansas 3-2 in front of more than 200 fans at Houck Stadium...

JACKSON, Wyo. -- Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said Friday the country will face "abrupt and painful" choices unless Congress acts quickly to trim Social Security and Medicare benefits for the baby boom generation. He said the government has promised more than it can deliver...

MIAMI -- Small toys showing an airplane flying into the World Trade Center were packed inside bags of candy bound largely for small groceries around the country before being recalled. Lisy Corp., the wholesaler that distributed the candy, said Friday the toys were purchased in bulk from a Miami-based import company. The toys came in an assortment purchased sight unseen from L&M Import in Miami...

WASHINGTON -- Weighed down by high energy prices, the economy was even more sluggish than initially believed during the second quarter. But Federal Reserve policy-makers believe the pace will pick up in coming months, something President Bush is counting on as the election approaches...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Two former jailers were indicted this week on charges alleging they exchanged cigarettes for sexual favors from inmates in the St. Francois County Jail. Sheriff Dan Bullock said Jeremy Wade Ivy of Ironton and Craig Wood of Farmington, both 28, were arrested Tuesday and later released on bond...

NAJAF, Iraq -- Militants filed out of the Imam Ali Shrine, closed the doors behind them and turned over the keys to Iraq's top Shiite cleric Friday, symbolizing their acceptance of a peace deal to end three weeks of devastating fighting in this holy city...

LOS ANGELES -- "X-Men" star Patrick Stewart is recovering at home after undergoing an angioplasty procedure earlier this week to widen an artery, his publicist said Friday. Angioplasty involves the use of a catheter to place a small inflatable balloon in a narrowed blood vessel...

The Associated Press MOSCOW -- Russian officials said Friday they detected traces of a high explosive in the wreckage of one of two crashed jetliners, branding it the work of terrorists, while an Islamic group claimed its suicide attackers brought down both planes because of the war in Chechnya...

NEW YORK -- Paris Hilton is trying on a new outfit: a hard cover. The model-reality TV star has written a 198-page memoir, "Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose." Though the missing Chihuahua saga was too recent to make the book, Hilton writes about her youth as a hotel heiress in a "really close" family. Excerpts of the book, to be published by Fireside on Sept. 7, are in the Sept. 6 issue of People magazine...

Two years into a three-year contract, the Cape Girardeau School Board has decided not to rehire superintendent Mark Bowles. In closed session, the school board voted unanimously this week against renewing the 45-year-old superintendent's contract. In a news release Friday, the board said Bowles will leave his position when his contract expires June 30...

One of two Jackson women accused of trying to kill Billie Davis, 58, of Jackson by setting her house on fire while she slept will serve time in prison for her role in the incident. Juanita L. Holderbaugh, 29, of 842 E. Jackson Blvd., will be sentenced Oct. ...

Preparing for today's competition, the 38 teams participating in the 12th annual BBQ Fest spent early Friday evening unpacking, laying out their equipment and cleaning off their grills. It was not long before the air at Arena Park became thick with smoke and the smell of barbecue...

Jackson and Central each scored touchdowns, no one was hurt and both teams showed flashes on both offense and defense. All and all, both coaches seemed to agree Friday night's football jamboree at Jackson was a success. "I'll guarantee, I'll sleep better tonight than I thought I would," Central coach Lawrence Brookins said...