Stories from Sunday, September 30, 2007

Editor's note: This is the latest in an occasional series about a southern Missouri town's project to build a house for a girl with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In the last story in July, builders were pouring the concrete foundation. The writer's father is a member of the Ministerial Alliance that initiated the project....

Husband-and-wife journalists Bob Miller and Callie Clark Miller share the same small house (still), work in the same office (again) and somehow manage to cling to their sanity (barely). Older and wiser (she's wiser, he's just older), the Southeast Missourian sweethearts offer their views on everyday issues, told from two different perspectives....

Ten years ago, Cape Girardeau resident Ilena Aslan wasn't as cautious about pulling her car out onto Kingshighway to merge into a lane of traffic. When she visited St. Louis, she didn't plan her day so she would be well away from the city before the 3 p.m. start of rush hour...

Families and strangers came together Saturday in an areawide community-service project. Forty Days of Community was an outreach program carried out mainly by La Croix Church members. Based on the teachings of Rick Warren, author of many Christian books including "The Purpose Driven Life," 40 Days of Community picks up where the 40 Days of Purpose left off -- letting people know purpose can be enhanced when they work together...

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Watching soldiers firing their guns and beating die-hard protesters with clubs in the streets of Myanmar, a distraught man decried the bloodbath and pleaded for American intervention. With the streets eerily quiet Saturday after the military's brutal crackdown on three days of demonstrations, many protesters were losing hope and falling back on such familiar pleas for help from the outside world...

Editor's note: Matt Wittmer is a Cape Girardeau native and an avid cyclist. He is helping to plot a bike route from Canada to Key West, Fla., as part of the East Coast Greenway. Wittmer's portion of the ride started in September in Washington, D.C., and will end in Key West in November....

Buchheit; Marberry; Boswell

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A suburban Kansas City man is charged in an accident that killed a retired Kansas City police officer. Jackson County prosecutors announced Saturday that 71-year-old Robert H. Wilson of Raytown has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and careless and imprudent driving...

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- An alternative-fuel plant that has been the target of lawsuits and complaints over odor problems has agreed to close during two days of a popular festival. The plant closure during next month's Maple Leaf Festival comes at the request of the Missouri attorney general's office and the city of Carthage...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A suburban Kansas City man is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in a traffic accident that killed two bicyclists. The charges against 49-year-old William K. Johnson of Grandview stem from a crash Aug. 6 in Grandview near Longview Lake. Fifty-nine-year-old Larry Gaunt was pronounced dead at the scene, and his 14-year-old granddaughter, Sierra Gaunt, died later at a hospital...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Dengue fever is spreading across Latin America and the Caribbean in one of the worst outbreaks in decades, causing joint pain for hundreds of thousands of people and killing nearly 200 so far this year. The mosquitoes that carry dengue are thriving in expanded urban slums scattered with water-collecting trash...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- President Hamid Karzai on Saturday offered to meet with the Taliban leader and give militants a government position only hours after a suicide bomber in army disguise attacked a military bus, killing 30 people -- nearly all of them Afghan soldiers...

GUBA, Iraq -- A convoy of strangers rumbled into this quiet Sunni village on a riverbed north of Baghdad, their armored vehicles enveloping the town in a cloud of dust. Peeking out from mud brick homes, suspicious residents tried to get a glimpse at the intruders...

FOND DU LAC, Wis. -- Someone is either too cheap to buy his own toilet paper or planning a big prank. Fond du Lac County executive Allen Buechel said someone has been repeatedly stealing toilet paper from the men's public bathrooms at the Fond du Lac City County Government Center since June...

OAK LAWN, Ill. -- A big red sign that says "Stop" sometimes isn't enough to get everyone to stop. Maybe a laugh will get their attention. This Chicago suburb has installed second stop signs beneath the regular ones at 50 intersections with messages, including "WHOAAA" or "Stop ... and smell the roses."...

HARDWICK, Ga. -- Razor wire topping the fences seems almost a joke at the Men's State Prison, where many inmates are slumped in wheelchairs, or leaning on walkers or canes. It's becoming an increasingly common sight: geriatric inmates spending their waning days behind bars. The soaring number of aging inmates is now outpacing the prison growth as a whole...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is set to begin a term that could lead to enhanced rights for terrorism detainees, a ruling against part of a child pornography law and shorter prison terms for crack cocaine dealers. Whatever happened to the court's march to the right?...

YORK, Pa. -- It's a good golf game when someone gets a hole in one. But what about when two people get aces -- in the same game? Bill Maslowski and Carl Workinger got their holes-in-one while in a threesome with Steve Fahs at York County's Grandview Golf Course at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday...

ST. LOUIS -- Kelvin Belle sat at a conference room table at Energizer Holdings Inc.'s headquarters, ticking off the attributes of the products in front of him -- battery-powered cell phone chargers, little black boxes for juicing up iPods, and aluminum and rubber flashlights scheduled to hit sporting goods stores in November...

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- Construction has started on a $1.6 million project designed to bring the public closer to the office Harry S. Truman worked in after leaving the White House. Since 1974, visitors to the Truman Presidential Museum and Library in the former president's hometown on Independence have been offered a glimpse of the 25-by-21-foot office by peering through a window in a museum courtyard...

Camille L. Sawyer-Davis, 2 days old, of Illinois died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 25, 2007, daughter of Chelsey Louise Sawyer of Mounds, Ill., and Christopher Lemar Davis of Cairo, Ill...

ANNA, Ill. -- Geneva Weber, 85, of Anna died Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, at the City Care Center in Cobden, Ill. She was born Jan. 21, 1922, in Pulaski County, Ill., daughter of Nofel and Grace Patrick (Easter) Kellems. She and Everett Weber were married Feb. 25, 1938. He died in 1991...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Maggie Marie Cunningham, 95, of Mounds died Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, at her sister's home. Arrangements are incomplete at Massie Funeral Home in Mounds.

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Bonnie L. Flickinger, 90, of Jonesboro died Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, at Jonesboro Rehab and Health care Center. She was born Feb. 12, 1917, at Harrisburg, Ill., daughter of Augustus and Grace Garrison Fuller. She and Calvin Flickinger were married Nov. 5, 1952, at Fredericktown, Mo. He died July 27, 1962...

Arrests; Arrests

PITTSBURGH -- Adam Wainwright recovered from a shaky start to pitch seven sharp innings and Rick Ankiel homered and had three RBIs, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. Wainwright only retired two batters while giving up four hits and three runs in the first inning, but then allowed only two baserunners the rest of the contest. He gave up six hits, walked one and struck out four...

Nancy Hunter NSDAR The Nancy Hunter Chapter NSDAR held an executive board planning meeting Aug. 28 in the Hirsch Room at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Dorothy Points, Carolyn Geittmann, Lois Spalding, Sue Ludlow and Catherine Allison planned the next year's schedule and programs...

When you have a bend-but-don't-break defense, you need an offense that can put some points on the board occasionally. Southeast Missouri State's offense has not been able to do that, stopping Saturday night at 16 points against Eastern Illinois. That brings the Redhawks average in three Division I-AA games -- if Indiana State still qualifies as Division I-AA -- to 16.7 points per game...

Southeast Missouri State again used two quarterbacks for a good portion of Saturday's game. It just wasn't the same pair that had shared that position for the first four contests this season. Houston Lillard's two cracked ribs suffered last week at Samford took him out of the equation...

Southeast Missouri State made Eastern Illinois earn much of what it got Saturday. But the one gift touchdown Southeast allowed the Panthers foiled the Redhawks' strong upset bid. And it opened the breathing room two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion EIU needed to walk out of Houck Stadium with a 31-16 victory in front of a near capacity 9,925 fans...

CLAYTON, Mo. -- Jackson's Matt Lang has more than just one job to think about on the football field when game day arrives. "He's just Mr. Versatile," Indians coach Carl Gross said. "He plays offense, he play defense, he punts, he kicks, he returns punts and he returns kicks, and if I asked him to play right guard, he could. He's just a playmaker. He's competitive. He wants to play and he's in great physical condition."...

Notre Dame pitcher Lauren Reinagel fired her second no-hitter of the season to help the Bulldogs defeat Notre Dame (St. Louis) 3-0 on Saturday. Reinagel struck out nine while walking just one batter. WP -- Lauren Reinagel (21-0). LP -- Bauer. 2B -- Whitney Eftink (ND Cape). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame (Cape), Erika Reinagel 2. Record -- Notre Dame (Cape) 22-0...

Southeast Missouri State's new punt formation may look like something out of Steve Spurrier's offensive playbook, but it was effective in helping Doug Spada launch some monster punts with very little return yardage. Spada averaged 47.6 yards per punt on his seven kicks Saturday night in a 31-16 loss to Eastern Illinois...

The competition wasn't quite the same, but Southeast Missouri State wasn't about to complain about a victory. After being swept at home by Ohio Valley Conference leader Morehead State the night before, Southeast bounced back to knock off Eastern Kentucky...

Dear Tom and Ray: I am in the process of buying a new Subaru Outback. My question is: Do I need to get the six-cylinder model, or does the four-cylinder engine in this year's models have enough get-up-and-go to be sufficient? I hate to spend the extra money for gasoline -- plus, it is supposed to be fed premium gasoline, so the cost continues after the purchase. Thanks....

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The discovery of destructive zebra mussels in a southwest Missouri lake has prompted concerns about the invasive species spreading. A few zebra mussels have been found in Lake Taneycomo, and officials are trying to keep them out of adjoining Table Rock Lake. Earlier this month, Empire District Electric workers at Ozark Beach Dam at Lake Taneycomo found zebra mussels on a waterlogged tree...

FREEPORT, Ill. -- A 35-foot high wind turbine 12 feet in diameter on Troy Rudy's property saved him $80 in electrical bills the first month he had it running. But economics wasn't the only driving force behind setting up the device. Rudy said he's "always been intrigued by old windmills."...

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University President Richard Brodhead apologized Saturday for not better supporting the men's lacrosse players falsely accused in last year's highly publicized rape scandal. Brodhead, speaking at the university's law school, said he regretted Duke's "failure to reach out" in a "time of extraordinary peril" after a woman accused three players of raping her at a March 2006 party thrown by the team...

WASHINGTON -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will not run for president in 2008 after determining he could not legally explore a bid and remain as head of his tax-exempt political organization, a spokesman said Saturday. "Newt is not running," spokesman Rick Tyler said. "It is legally impermissible for him to continue on as chairman of American Solutions [for Winning the Future] and to explore a campaign for president."...

Brian and Delissa Goecke of Booneville, Miss., and Randy and Brenda Wright of Perryville, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Sharon Denise Wright, to Travis Richard McClain, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Ron and Cecelia Kee of Cape Girardeau, Beth McClain of Kelso, Mo., and the late Richie McClain...

Kim Martin and Thomas Martin of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Aurora Christine Martin, to Tyson Johnson Rayburn, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Rhonda Johnson of Marble Hill, Mo., and Richard Rayburn of Cape Girardeau...

Gary and Carolyn Sander of Millersville announce the engagement of their daughter, Jessica L. Sander, to Biri M. Blevins, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Sandra Gremard of Jackson. Sander is a 1999 graduate of Jackson High School. She is employed at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Cape Girardeau...

Tammy Marie Bowers and Zachary Patterson Fulenwider exchanged vows July 14, 2007, at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson. The Rev. John Rice performed the ceremony. Organist was Linda Thompson of Jackson. The bride is the daughter of Mike and Debbie Bowers of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Dixie Fulenwider of Jackson and the late Dr. R.A. Fulenwider...

Meghan Theresa Winter and Jeffrey Aaron Haycraft were married July 28, 2007, at St. Dominic's Catholic Church in Breese, Ill. The bride is the daughter of Curt Winter and Glad Winter of Breese. The groom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Haycraft of Cape Girardeau...

BENTON, Mo. -- Delanie Ann Tanchek and Danny Lee "Bud" Finley II were married July 7, 2007, at First General Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Sam Ramdial performed the ceremony. Organist was Metta Matthews of Jackson and trumpeter was Michael Steinmeyer of Jackson. Vocalists were Lindsay Bowerman of Cape Girardeau and Keith Allen of Oran, Mo...

Rebecca Jensen and Dean Bucher were united in marriage Sept. 15, 2007, at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in O'Fallon, Ill. The bride is the daughter of Mark and Mary Beth Jensen of O'Fallon. The groom is the son of Denis and Sharon Bucher of Jackson...

Early slots; ICE campaign; Nonpartisan plan; Earth's cycle; Smokers' business; Science guy; Bacon and sausage; Daily grades; Unfair to pit bulls; Student viewpoint; Shabby Broadway; Missing Esicar's; In the classroom; Working with mice

To the editor:I was delighted to see you highlight the need for quality early childhood education in Southeast Missouri, specifically in Cape Girardeau, in Wednesday's article "Breaking the cycle." All children, regardless of race or economic background, deserve the best possible preparation for success in kindergarten. This premise has been the very foundation of Parents as Teachers for almost 25 years...

Mario and Doris Grippo of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Angela Marie Grippo, to Barrett Bartee Peebles. He is the son of Fritz and Sharon Peebles of Chubbuck, Idaho. Grippo is a 2002 graduate of Jefferson High School in West Virginia. She is co-owner of Mario's Italian Grill in Marble Hill, Mo...

Kurt and Patti Kamp of Patton, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Erika Jo Kamp, to Eric Simmons, both of Millersville. He is the son of Ruth Simmons of Oak Ridge and David and Beverly Simmons of Cape Girardeau. Kamp is a graduate of Meadow Heights High School at Patton. She received a bachelor's degree in animal science from Murray State University in Murray, Ky., in 2007...

To the editor:We were all told several times that the only way to get a road paved in Cape Girardeau County was to have all landowners sign easements. Then, and only then, the road would be put next in line, and it was first-come, first-served. There was no other way...

To the editor:We spend so much time worrying about illegal immigration that we neglect those hard-working immigrants who follow the rules and those employers who depend on their labor to help them through the seasons We are at an important date for ALL H-2B visa employers: On Sept. 30 the provision that allowed H-2B visa recipients who had come to the U.S. on a previous H-2B visa to not count against the numerical cap limiting the number of H-2B visas available to 66,000 is sunsetting...

Providing food for those in need is a basic ministry. In Cape Girardeau, the Salvation Army serves dinner Monday through Friday during the last week of every month. St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church serves a meal the last Saturday of each month. And Christ Episcopal Church has started serving breakfast on the third Saturday of each month...

Marilyn Zimmer of Jackson, Wyo., and Chris and Debra Zimmer of Marine, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Lenore C. Zimmer, to Samuel Andrew George Herndon V. He is the son of Mary Herndon of Jackson, Mo., and Sam and Barb Herndon of Scott City...

FARRAR, Mo. -- Willis and Janet Koenig of Farrar announce the engagement of their daughter, Sara Koenig, to Colby Palisch. He is the son of Ronald and Charlene Palisch of Altenburg, Mo. Koenig is a 1998 graduate of Perryville High School, and a 2002 graduate of Deaconess College of Nursing in St. Louis. She is a registered nurse at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

Don and Patty Rogers of Illiopolis, Ill., announce the engagement of their daughter, Mandy Dawn Rogers, to Nicholas Aaron Cozby. He is the son of George and Judy Cozby of Jackson and Dan and Sheryll Page of Cape Girardeau. Rogers is a 1996 graduate of Illiopolis High School, and received a degree in business management from Quincy College in 2000. She is an account executive with Alexander Open Systems in St. Louis...

Terry Duvall and Robyn Roy of Perryville, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Valerie Lynn Duvall, to Brandon Kyle Petzoldt, both of Jackson. He is the son of Jerry and Darlene Petzoldt of Jackson. Duvall is a 2001 graduate of Perryville High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in agri-business from Southeast Missouri State University in 2006. She is employed by Voelker Dairy in Perryville...

About 1,000 musicians will crowd onto Jackson Senior High School's football field Tuesday for the annual Jackson Marching Band Festival. With that many instrument-toting students on the field at once, Jackson director Scott Vangilder doesn't anticipate much room for marching. ...

One thousand mini-eruptions will occur in Arena Park on Wednesday if all things go as planned. Science lovers will attempt to break the world record, currently at 853, for the most Mentos fountains launched into the air after the candies are dropped into bottles of diet soda...

7:30 p.m. Monday City Hall, 101 Court St. n Call to order. n Introduction of guests/visitors. n Nonagenda resident input. n Adoption of agenda. n Approval of minutes. n Minutes of regular meeting of Sept. 17. n Monthly bills. n Power and Light Committee...

Everything from homemade beef jerky to military surplus was on display alongside the firearms and knives of vendors from around the state Saturday at the Missouri Gun and Knife Show at the Show Me Center. The show features more than 350 tables with vendors buying, selling and trading all kinds of merchandise. Some avid collectors, like Tony Sandusky of Jackson, attend to show off their rare pieces of weaponry...

TRENTON, N.J. -- The Topps Meat Co. on Saturday expanded its recall of frozen hamburger patties that may be contaminated with the E. coli bacteria and sickened more than a dozen people in eight states. Topps said it was recalling 21.7 million pounds of ground beef products distributed to retail grocery stores and food service institutions throughout the United States, up from the 332,000 pounds it recalled Tuesday...

Vice President George Bush comes to Cape Girardeau on behalf of U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson's re-election campaign, but Emerson isn't here to meet him; the congressman is in Washington, where Congress continues in session; Bush goes immediately to the home of Dr. and Mrs. Charles McGinty for a special reception for Emerson contributors...

Mr. and Mrs. Art Bodenstein of Gordonville recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with a meal and reception hosted by their children at the home of John and Jill Peters. Bodenstein and Ann Buchheit were married Sept. 2, 1967, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville, Mo...

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Koch of Cape Girardeau celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a surprise garden and pool party at their home Aug. 17, 2007. The event was hosted by their daughters, Megan and Amanda. Koch and Jane Mehrle were married Aug. 21, 1982, at the home of Ken and Bettie Mehrle, parents of the bride. The Rev. Ernest Jordan performed the ceremony...

Charles and Wanda Cox of Whitewater celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Sept. 1, 2007. The couple was married Aug. 30, 1947, at Benton, Mo. They have lived in Whitewater most of their lives. They have four children, Vickie Burke of Glenwood Springs, Colo., Bobbie Barber of St. Louis, Basil Cox of Jackson, and the late Brenda Meyer...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Patricia Bollinger of Marble Hill announces the engagement of her granddaughter, Jessica Lynn Bollinger, to Jacob Andrew Manning, both of Arnold, Mo. He is the son of Michael Manning and Pamela Manning of Las Vegas, Nev. Bollinger is a 2001 graduate of Leopold High School at Leopold, Mo., and received an associate degree from Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo. She is a certified pharmacy technician with Walgreens in St. Louis...

Mack and Doris Illers of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashley Illers, to T.J. Humphrey, both of St. Louis. He is the son of Mike and Mary Moyers of Jackson and Rick Humphrey of Nashville, Tenn. Illers is a 2003 graduate of Jackson High School. ...

WASHINGTON -- It is gallows humor time for Republicans in Congress, where one lawmaker jokes that "there's talk about us going the way of the Whigs," the 19th-century political party long extinct. "That's not going to happen," Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., hastens to add, although a little more than a year before the 2008 election, the major leading political indicators still point downward for a party abruptly turned out of power in 2006...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Rebecca Throgmorton grew up like many Bollinger County children -- on a country farm, where chasing down and catching a porker is as familiar as video games are to her more urbanite counterparts. So it really wasn't that much different for the 15-year-old to chase down a piglet in front of a crowd...

Our new Autumn/Winter collection is here and it is sure to inspire you! The look is fresh and pure, perfect for the bride-to-be. Autumn and winter complextions are flawless with creamy, porcelain-smooth skin and doll-like cheeks. This season is also daring and edgy so it's important to go all out on either your lips or eyes...

For a festive wedding cake that follows a fall theme, food columnist Susan McClanahan searched around and found these great offbeat tips and recipes. In a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar, beating with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Next, add eggs, one at a time, beating well. ...

How to involve the people in your life in your wedding can be a tough decision. Squeezing in men as ushers, girlfriends as guest book attendants and just hoping no one gets offended for being left out can all add to the ordinary pressures and worries of matrimony...

Don't be surprised if you think the new Nissan Altima Coupe is more expensive than it is. The sleek side profile looks sporty, while the Altima Coupe's rear end is reminiscent of the styling on a luxury Infiniti. But a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, for the five-passenger, two-door Altima is just $21,195, or $490 more than a mid-size, 2008 Altima sedan...