Stories from Tuesday, May 16, 2006

From staff and wire reports JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State agriculture director Fred Ferrell, a Charleston-area farmer, has been placed on paid administrative leave because of a personnel matter, Gov. Matt Blunt's administration said Monday. Ferrell has been off the job since May 5, although his absence had not been publicized...

An 18-year-old Cape Girardeau man who pleaded guilty Monday to a weapons charge received a two-year prison term. Perry L. Foulks of 336 N. Sprigg St. was sentenced immediately after pleading guilty to unlawful use of a weapon and fleeing from officers. ...

A Union County, Ill., man faces attempted murder and home invasion charges for allegedly attacking his former girlfriend early Saturday morning in the home they had shared. Nicholas L. Rendleman, 27, was arrested Monday while on the job at Transcraft Corp. in Anna, Ill. He is accused of choking his former girlfriend, Rachel Hayes, 32, until she blacked out during a domestic assault at her home, said Allen James, Union County state's attorney...

The Scott City Council voted 5-0 Monday night to adjust the city's gross receipts tax on telecommunication. The adjustment was made in order to comply with changes to the tax passed by the Missouri legislature last year. Like many Missouri municipalities, Scott City charges a tax on telecommunications services as a percentage of the gross receipts companies report. ...

On Monday area educators and business people will get the opportunity to tell representatives of the St. Louis Science Center what the center can do to advance science education in Southeast Missouri. The Science Center and Montgomery Bank will host two forums, one at the Sikeston Middle School library at 4 p.m. and one at the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University at 7 p.m...

Not even a week of rain could dampen the spirits of elementary school children who gleefully ran races Friday on a grassy field behind Alma Schrader Elementary School. It was Play Day, an annual springtime affair that gets the students out of class and provides a visible sign that the school year is almost over...

A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper underwent minor surgery Monday after an early morning three-vehicle accident on Highway 74, one mile west of Interstate 55. Jeremy Weadon broke his arm in the accident, which also involved two other people, including Elaine Henderson of Delta, who suffered minor injuries and was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Springfield, Mo. -- One of only two teams playing in the 10-team Class 4 field with four players, the Cape Girardeau Central boys' golf team knew they'd have to play close to perfect on Monday to stay in contention for a state championship. They didn't. And after posting an 11-over par 82 on the first day at Deer Lake Golf Course, Robert Kaverman had just one thing on his mind...

Defending district champion Jackson advanced to the Class 4 District 1 semifinals with a 10-4 win Monday over sixth-seeded Poplar Bluff at Central High School. The third-seeded Indians will take on No. 2 Seckman today at 2 p.m. Top-seeded Central will meet No. 4 Farmington, a 5-3 winner over Fox, in the other semifinal at 4:15...

Southeast Missouri State will play its final nonconference baseball game of the season today when St. Louis University visits Capaha Field for a 3 p.m. first pitch. At the same time, the Redhawks will keep a keen eye on their final Ohio Valley Conference series that looms critical, meaning they won't tax any of their primary pitchers...

St. Vincent shocked top-seeded Notre Dame 1-0 on Monday to set up an all-Perryville championship in the Class 1 District 1 girls soccer tournament at the Soccer Complex in Perryville. Notre Dame (11-5-1), which had claimed the last three district titles, is the only team in the district to have won the championship...

CLEVELAND -- Rasheed Wallace's defiant prediction of a Detroit victory backfired when LeBron James scored 22 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Pistons 74-72 to even their second-round series 2-2 on Monday night. Following Detroit's loss in Game 3, Wallace had pledged the Pistons would not only win Game 4, but that the Cavaliers would be playing in front of their fans for the last time this season. ...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Marion G. Scheffer, 51, of Chaffee died Sunday, May 14, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 20, 1954, in Cape Girardeau, son of Lawrence Edward and Adella Marie Heisserer Scheffer. Marion was employed at Scott County Sheltered Workshop in Sikeston, Mo. He was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Chaffee...

To the editor: The headline "Intelligence reform" on the recent op-ed column by U.S. Sen. Christopher S. Bond is pure irony. Combined with the subhead "One year later, it's a mixed bag," it becomes a metaphor for modern politics. Bond, who sits on the Select Intelligence Subcommittee, bemoans the chaotic intelligence reorganization his Republican-controlled Congress has cobbled together. ...

Reckless shooting; Street repairs; Tracking terrorists; Working in fields; No confidentiality; Just say no; Lovely park; Ethnic majority; Relying on teachers; They're responsible; Share the blame; Bad example; Power outages; Not in the river; Mexico's limits; Bell City woes

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Chic Hecht, a Republican known as much for his verbal miscues as his upset victory in 1982 in winning a U.S. Senate seat, died of cancer Monday in a Las Vegas hospital. He was 77. Hecht's death was confirmed by longtime family friend Francine Pulliam. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer a year ago, she said...

To the editor: It was great to see the story about the Boy Scouts Learning for Life Adventure Day. I am a friend of several of the people who put this event together and am proud of their fine accomplishment here. Organizations like this provide many programs that make a positive difference in the lives of young people. Some people too often overlook the impact that programs such as Scouting can have on a young person's life. It's great to see a story like this amidst all the bad news we read...

To the editor: While I am sympathetic with John Rice's views on Darbyism, I must take issue with his perpetuating Dan Brown's misrepresentation of the Gospel of Philip. Brown's claim that "companion" means wife in Aramaic is erroneous but irrelevant since the gospel is a Coptic translation of a Greek text. ...

Kelly freshman Tara Johnson finished second in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the Class 2 District 1 track and field meet Saturday at East Prairie to qualify for the state meet. Johnson ran the 3,200 in 13 minutes, 19 seconds and the 1,600 in 5 minutes, 45.04 seconds...

Central junior Emma Porter can remember when, as an eighth-grader, she first attempted to emulate her sister, Katie, and try her luck at the pole vault. "It was very frustrating at first," Porter said. "In this event, when one thing goes wrong, it's all wrong."...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Only one Central golfer was able to break 80 in the opening round of the two-day Class 4 state golf tournament Monday at the Deer Lake Golf Course as the Tigers found themselves in last place in the 10-team field. Defending state champion Rockhurst has a comfortable 14-shot lead with a 289. Park Hill South followed with a 303...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Ruthie Joyce Carter, 85, died Saturday, May 13, 2006, at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis, after an extended illness. She was born Nov. 1, 1920, in the Avert community, daughter of Walter and Viola Pruitt Perry. She and Dan W. Carter were married Feb. 22, 1941. He preceded her in death Dec. 13, 1968...

ST. LOUIS -- Except for maybe some conditioning issues, St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan found a lot to be pleased about with the team's latest crop of rookies. The team wrapped up a three-day minicamp on Monday and Linehan said his initial impressions confirmed the Rams' draft analysis. Selected others participated in the camp, including offensive lineman Richie Incognito, who missed his rookie year with a knee injury...

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Boo this, San Jose: The underdog Edmonton Oilers are one win away from the Western Conference finals. Fernando Pisani broke a tie with his second goal early in the third period, and Ryan Smyth had two goals and two assists in the eighth-seeded Oilers' 6-3 victory over the Sharks on Sunday night, putting Edmonton up 3-2 in the second-round playoff series...

25 years ago: May 16, 1981 An unanticipated seam of mud or clay within the rock layers of the Marquette Cement Co. quarry blew rocks farther than had been expected when 300 tons of dynamite was detonated Friday, destroying a building that housed control devices for the plant's primary rock crusher; the damage likely will delay for two or three weeks operation of the new plant which has been running about a month...

Dorothy Welker, 87, of Olathe, Kan., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, May 15, 2006, in Olathe. She was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church. Arrangements are incomplete with Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Robert A. Bequette Jr., 44, of Perryville died Sunday, May 14, 2006, at his home. He was born Feb. 25, 1962, in Perryville, son of Robert A. and Darlene J. Parker Bequette Sr. He married Kathleen Allen. Survivors include two daughters, Heather Bequette of Farmington, Mo., Cpl. Brandy Bequette of California; a son, Robert Bequette of Perryville; his parents of St. Mary, Mo.; a sister, Dana Bartram of Maryland Heights, Mo.; and a granddaughter...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Randy Dale Wilson, 47, of Malden died Wednesday, May 10, 2006, in Malden. He was born Dec. 11, 1958, in Sikeston, Mo., son of Dawsey Dale and Frances Underwood Wilson. Wilson was a construction worker. Survivors include two daughters, Aimee and Stacie Wilson of Chaffee, Mo.; mother and stepfather, Frances and Dallas Berry of Malden; three brothers, Richie Wilson of Risco, Mo., Paul Berry of Cape Girardeau, Bruce Berry of Malden; a sister, Juanita Smelser of Risco; grandmother, Norma Woodiel of Dexter, Mo.; and a grandson.. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- L. Steve Bess, 59, of Sikeston died Monday, May 15, 2006, at his home. He was born Oct. 4, 1946, in Ardeola, Mo., son of Rosewell and Mona Sitz Bess. He and Jane Oldham were married Jan. 18, 1969, in Sikeston. Bess was a 1964 graduate of Bell City High School, and received a bachelor of science degree in art from Southeast Missouri State University in 1968...

The egregious use of earmarks to obtain federal funding for pet projects has become so widespread that many elected officials act as if they are obligated to grab as many dollars as they can to curry favor with constituents. What amounts to fiscal plunder is made even worse when earmarks are attached to vital funding bills, making it difficult to vote them down for fear of losing appropriations for essential programs...

Lewis Allen Bundy, 79, of Scott City died Sunday, May 14, 2006, at his home. He was born May 1, 1927, in Wickliffe, Ky., son of Herbert Roscoe and Gracie Etta Perkins Bundy. He and Ruby Evelyn Simmons were married July 14, 1948. She died Oct. 23, 1995...

Cape Girardeau city council voted unanimously Monday night to join 88 cities and 27 counties statewide in opting out of Missouri's 2006 sales tax holiday. "Some people might say, 'Here we've got a chance for a holiday, and the city won't give it to us,'" said Mayor Jay Knudtson. "But I think there's a fine line between fiscal responsibility and doing things because they feel good."...

SCHOLARSHIPS; Schlosser joins Phi Beta Kappa; Chaffee student accepted to honors program; GRADUATIONS, HONORS

I'll admit it -- I cried at my high school graduation. I remember starting my freshman year and telling my parents how much I couldn't wait for it to be over with so I could go out there in the real world. They told me to cherish the upcoming four years, because they were going to be gone before I knew it. ...

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's new plan for fixing the nation's immigration woes is an old-fashioned carrot-and-stick approach. The stick comes in the form of 6,000 National Guard troops dispatched to the U.S.-Mexico border to help support efforts to apprehend foreigners trying to sneak into the country. ...

WAYNESVILLE, Mo. -- The 2002 kidnapping and slaying of a Cape Girardeau County man was motivated by greed and led to an expensive night at strip clubs for the accused killers, prosecutors said Monday during the trial of one defendant. The body of Ralph L. ...

The Cape Girardeau School District erased a $1 million deficit this school year and the school board celebrated Monday by approving 3.1 percent base pay raises for faculty and staff. "We should have confetti and balloons," said school board president Sharon Mueller. "We are not going to go in the hole."...

The Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest will host its second annual showcase at the Cape Girardeau VFW hall this Thursday through Saturday. Western swing bands will be on hand for performances. Times for the showcase are 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday, 1 to 11 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Thursday is jam day, open to any musician who wishes to participate. For more information, call Bob or Virginia Dolle at 334-1377...

Consent ordinances New ordinances Appointments Liquor licenses Other...

Public hearings Action items Power and light committee Street committee Vacated a portion of the West Monroe Street public right of way, as requested by the Reorganized School District of Cape Girardeau County...

Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau...

DURHAM, N.C. -- A Duke University lacrosse team captain became the third player indicted in the rape scandal Monday and the first to speak out, blasting the charges against him as "fantastic lies." "I look forward to watching them unravel in the weeks to come," said David Evans, a just-graduated 23-year-old from Bethesda, Md., who was one of four team captains...

Owners of a local grocery store, Global Trading, are wondering whether all businesses are being treated equally by city hall in Cape Girardeau's Broadway widening project. City hall officials counter that they have altered their plans to accommodate the store and believe the process is a fair one...

Missouri Department of Transportation officials will observe the start of the second phase of the Highway 34/72 improvement project today with a groundbreaking ceremony. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. at Pioneer Market in Jackson. Speakers will include state Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, state Rep. Scott Lipke, R-Jackson, Jackson Mayor Paul Sander and Marybeth Williams, president of Jackson's Chamber of Commerce...

KAHUKU, Hawaii -- Michelle Wie wanted to do something special for her mother's birthday. Mission accomplished. Wie moved a step closer in her long-shot bid to become the first female player to qualify for the U.S. Open, shooting an even-par 72 on Monday to win a local qualifier...

ST. LOUIS -- Injuries gave John Rodriguez his first big break in the major leagues. A lofty .417 average is helping him carve out a more permanent niche. The 28-year-old rookie had two more hits and scored twice on Sunday in his latest successful game as the St. Louis Cardinals' No. 2 hitter. For now, at least against right-handed pitching, he's filling what had been one of the team's big lineup voids...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Doug Flutie retired Monday, ending a 21-year career in which the undersized Heisman Trophy winner threw one of college football's most famous passes and played a dozen seasons in the NFL. "It's just been a fun run for me," the 43-year-old Flutie said...

From staff and wire reports Too much of a good thing isn't good for anyone. That goes for protein, too. After years of people stuffing themselves with chicken, pork and beef while they were following low-carb diets like Atkins, the meat industry is looking at a glut as the diet trend turns toward a more balanced approach...

ST. LOUIS -- Nearly a month ago, Attorney General Jay Nixon said he would soon file criminal or civil charges against Ameren Corp. because of the Taum Sauk reservoir collapse. No suit has been filed, and a Nixon spokesman said the legal situation has changed, although he wouldn't elaborate...

Remember what your mom always said about first impressions? It's true: They are important, especially when it comes to landing a summer job. Making a good first impression is what Cheryl Roeger spends a good deal of her time ingraining in job-seeking young adults...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Cool, cloudy weather kept farmers out of their fields much of last week and slowed the development of the corn and soybean crops, the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service said Monday. Spring tillage was 89 percent complete, one week behind last year but one week ahead of normal...

PERRYVILLE -- St. Louis-based developers are frequent visitors in Perryville where they build and operate commercial and residential projects, according to Larry Tucker, executive director of the Perry County Industrial Development Authority. For example, he recently was speaking with Joe Dale, the owner of Beck Properties in Brentwood, Mo. Dale just finished a 24-unit townhouse complex that's behind the new Crossroads Village open-air mall...

Peter Kinder doesn't see his job of lieutenant governor as an idle one -- especially when it comes to doing whatever he can that will benefit the state's economy and keep Missourians working. The Cape Girardeau native and former state senator is a member of several boards and commissions that have a direct impact on the state's bottom line...

When Kevin Cantwell's son attends Oxford next year in England, the two will be staying in touch by computer. And we're not talking e-mail here. Cantwell, president of Cape Girardeau-based Big River Telephone, and his son will both be hooked up to Skype, the free voice-over-Internet protocol system...

Look around your work place. Statistics show that one of every two persons -- half the people you work with -- will at some time in their lives need help eating, dressing, bathing, or the simple task of moving from one place to another. They will need to spend some time in a nursing home or have skilled help provided at home...

Instead of filing, they're sliding. Rather than fielding a phone call, they're playing center field. And -- for a few hours in the evening anyway -- area employees are opting to crush a softball rather than crunch the numbers. Company softball time has arrived, with 58 area businesses -- from restaurants to mortgage companies -- sponsoring softball teams that play schedules drawn up by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department...

Your car. Your house. Your computers. Even a shoebox full of family photos. These are the valuable things that can be stolen by a fire, flood, tornado, burglary or other disaster. If someone is unfortunate enough to suffer through one of those situations, those who have taken the time to document what they owned will be glad they did...

Three years ago this month, a tornado banged through Jackson damaging 25 businesses and 255 homes. Sections of the city were a mess. Bill Wallace's State Farm Insurance on East Main Street damaged. Windows were broken and tree limbs were thrown into the lobby. He was insured by State Farm and everything was quickly fixed, he said. But there were so many claims to handle that other State Farm agents came to help...

Being prepared for any weather-related emergency goes beyond having a cache of food, water and supplies in case of an earthquake or tornado. Insurance experts will tell you being prepared means having enough insurance coverage on your property. Being prepared, they say, also means you have that information about your insured property easily accessible for your claims adjuster after an emergency...

Strong capitalization, sound risk management and efficient global risk sharing enabled the U.S. property/casualty insurance industry to withstand record-setting catastrophe losses in 2005. But the industry also should keep its eye on emerging risks, according to Frank J. Coyne, chairman, president and CEO of ISO, a provider of products and services that help measure, manage and reduce risk...

The Missouri Department of Insurance helped consumers recover more than $10 million from insurance companies in 2005. Preliminary figures also show that almost 4,500 complaints were received by the department's Consumer Affairs Division in 2005, with an additional 3,400 inquiries logged during that same year. Through informal resolution, the department is able to assist consumers with concerns about sales practices and claim and settlement amounts...

So you think Sweat Equity is the value of the effort you put into improving your property. Or you think Sugar and Spice is what little girls are made of. Maybe you think Blew By You is a song Roy Orbison co-wrote and recorded (OK, it's Blue Bayou, but you get the picture)...

Fifty years after Cape Girardeau city officials made it one-way, two-way traffic returned to Main Street in late March. After more than a month, it looks to be a good move. From our view, having two-way traffic makes navigation easier for the consumer. The consumer should always be the deciding factor in anything that takes place downtown...

Have you been to Downtown Cape lately? If you have, you've probably noticed all of the changes that have happened recently. I am pleased to see that our city leaders have begun to show an interest in this beautiful historic area. Historic Downtown Cape is charming and unique. It is made up of an eclectic mixture of commerce that serves a diverse group of people...

Bankruptcies filed through April for the Southeastern Division of the Eastern District of Missouri's U.S. Bankruptcy Court are listed below with their corresponding case number. The Southeastern Division includes the counties of Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne. Court is held in Cape Girardeau...

Business licenses recorded at the Cape Girardeau Collector's Office during April: Are You Enterprises LLC, 2806 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson Are You Enterprises LLC, 31 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau Are You Enterprises LLC, 1036 N. Sprigg, Cape Girardeau...

Tax liens and lien discharges recorded at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds, during the month of April are filed by the Missouri Department of Revenue except as indicated by IRS designation. For information concerning the dollar amount of the liens, contact the recorder's office at 243-8123...

Saint Francis Medical Center, 150 S. Mount Auburn Road, Saint Francis Medical Center, remodel, $195,000 Kiefner Bros. Inc., 407 N. Kingshighway, Union Planters Bank, remodel, $850,000 Beardsley & Sons Construction, 3439 William, Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, Beardsley & Sons Construction, remodel (Subway), $20,800...

A tractor-trailer struck a road construction safety vehicle, broke an axle and burst into flames Tuesday on Interstate 55 in southern Perry County. The J.B. Hunt company truck driven by Benny E. Sellers, 40, of Festus, Mo., was headed north when it hit the slow-moving safety vehicle shortly after 11 a.m., said Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Ken Robinson...