Stories from Wednesday, September 3, 2003

Homeowners trapped in an endless cycle of house painting should put down their brushes and sprayers long enough to check out an alternative known as textured coatings. Textured coatings look like paint when applied to siding but the similarity ends there. Residential versions of commercial coatings last indefinitely, offer UV ray protection, resist fading and can span small cracks...

SAN FRANCISCO -- In his first paid TV ads of the recall campaign, Gov. Gray Davis has left it to a far more popular California Democrat -- his one-time rival, Sen. Dianne Feinstein -- to plead his case. The two Davis campaign commercials, previewed for reporters Tuesday, do not mention Davis by name, and they show only one, tiny photo of the governor that appears only briefly at the bottom of the screen...

Storms that washed out Labor Day picnics and parades continued to soak parts of the East on Tuesday as rescuers resumed searching for three motorists swept away by flash floods. Wet weather delayed the U.S. Open in New York on Monday and drenched Indiana and Kansas, where at least five deaths were blamed on flash floods...

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court threw out more than 100 death sentences in Arizona, Montana and Idaho on Tuesday because the inmates were sent to death row by judges instead of juries. The case stems from a 2002 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, in which the high court found that juries, not judges, must render death sentences. But the Supreme Court left unclear whether the new rules should apply retroactively to inmates awaiting execution...

STARKE, Fla. -- An unrepentant Paul Hill boasted Tuesday on the eve of his execution for the shotgun slaying of an abortion doctor: "I expect a great reward in heaven." Barring an unlikely last-minute stay, the 49-year-old former minister will be put to death by lethal injection tonight for the 1994 murders in Pensacola of Dr. John Britton and his escort. Hill has not appealed...

It's not hard to understand why mayonnaise has a happy history and a secure place among cooks' favorite allies in presenting dishes. Store-bought or homemade, classic or spiced up, the creamy emulsion makes an easy dip or an effortlessly rich sauce, and smoothly complements countless other ingredients...

NAJAF, Iraq -- The brother of a cleric assassinated in a car bombing told 400,000 mourners Tuesday he blamed the U.S. occupation forces for the lax security that led to the attack at Iraq's most sacred Shiite mosque. Also Tuesday, another car bomb struck police headquarters in central Baghdad, killing an Iraqi policeman and wounding at least 13 others in the latest attack apparently targeting Iraqis working with the American-led occupation...

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The Taliban are no longer on the run and have teamed up with al-Qaida once again, according to officials and former Taliban who say the religious militia has reorganized and strengthened since their defeat at the hands of the U.S.-led coalition nearly two years ago...

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A court sentenced Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir on Tuesday to four years in prison for sedition, but threw out charges that he belonged to al-Qaida's main Asian ally -- even though some of Southeast Asia's top terror suspects have named him as the group's spiritual leader...

CAIRO, Egypt -- A mummy displayed on the Discovery Channel as the probable remains of Queen Nefertiti is actually a male skeleton, according to Egyptian state archaeologists. "Examinations show that it was that of a male, between the ages of 16 and 19," the spokesman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Hassan Nasrallah, said Monday...

JERUSALEM -- Yasser Arafat should "disappear" from the Palestinian leadership, and Israel may have to decide by year's end whether to expel him if he continues to get in the way of a U.S.-backed peace plan, Israel's defense minister said Tuesday...

JERUSALEM -- Every two or three days, Israeli helicopters track down suspected Islamic militants and unleash Hellfire missiles, blowing up cars and sending crowds surging around the charred bodies. Israel says its new war on Hamas, unprecedented in intensity, is helping prevent suicide attacks...

LONDON -- The weapons expert at the center of a debate about government evidence on Iraqi arms probably killed himself because he felt others had lost trust in him and he was anguished about being identified as the source of a BBC story, a psychiatrist said Tuesday...

VIENNA, Austria -- Coughing vigorously until an ambulance arrives could save the lives of heart patients who are going into cardiac arrest, a doctor said Tuesday. Dr. Tadeusz Petelenz, a researcher in Poland, said the technique, called Cough CPR, forces blood to the brain while the heart is starting to fail and keeps patients conscious long enough to call for help. It may also rectify their heart rhythm, he told a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology...

Ethnic Albanian fighters warn of new bloodshed VAKSINCE, Macedonia -- Former ethnic Albanian fighters warned on Tuesday that they might take up arms again if Macedonian government forces hunting a fugitive militant push too far in the siege of a village...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Ozarks Technical Community College students who smoke are cooperating with a new policy that bans the use of all tobacco products, officials said. "It's far better than I could have ever imagined. We don't find anybody smoking on campus," said Ty Patterson, vice president for student affairs...

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. -- Democrat John Kerry formally launched his presidential candidacy Tuesday by offering his Vietnam War-hero credentials and Senate tenure as an alternative to President Bush's record. His campaign at a political crossroads, he denied any shakeup was coming...

FAIRFAX, Va. -- The judge in the capital murder trial of Lee Boyd Malvo will allow the testimony of two prison guards who say the sniper suspect bragged to them about committing several of the shootings. Defense lawyers had sought to suppress the testimony of Maryland prison guards Joseph Stracke and Wayne Davis, contending that Malvo had already invoked his right to remain silent by the time he had spoken with the guards...

NEW YORK -- A long, rainy day turned into a short one for Andre Agassi. The two-time champion moved into the U.S. Open quarterfinals Tuesday night when Taylor Dent quit because of a right hamstring injury with Agassi leading 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5. It goes into the books as Agassi's 200th career Grand Slam match victory. If he wins the tournament, he'll tie Pete Sampras at 203, the third-most in the Open era behind Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl...

CHICAGO -- Matt Morris outpitched Kerry Wood and Jim Edmonds hit his second homer of day as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 to split their day-night doubleheader Tuesday night. Sammy Sosa hit a two-run homer in the 15th inning to give the Cubs a 4-2 win in the four-hour, 47-minute opener...

NORTON, Mass. -- David Duval no longer works on weekends, the result of a slump identified as much by his posture as the numbers on his scorecard. He hasn't broken par all summer. He has shot in the 80s his last three stroke-play events. He has no clue which way the ball is going...

Southeast Missouri State University's wide receiver position, a question mark to begin with, took another hit Tuesday when sophomore Bill Coleman was declared academically ineligible for the remainder of the season by the NCAA. Coleman was Southeast's second-leading returning receiver from last year, when as a redshirt freshman he caught 32 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns...

When the clouds rolled in over the weekend and dropped almost 5 inches of rain on Southeast Missouri, plenty of people were happy to see the precipitation. Gardeners and farmers were delighted in the rainfall, hoping that the water would saturate their dry, thirsty plants. And while the rain gave Jesse Hall a break, he also knew it meant longer work days for him...

Rust and age have stripped away the beauty of the old Mississippi River bridge. But there are no tarnished memories for those who attended the dedication of Cape Girardeau's first river bridge 75 years ago today. "It was just awesome to see," recalled Cape Girardeau resident Jane D. Stephens, who was 8 years old at the time...

The Cape Girardeau City Council will look at ways to strengthen its animal control laws but won't ban pit bulls. The council delivered that message at Tuesday night's council meeting after listening to the concerns of area residents. Mayor Jay Knudtson advised police chief Steve Strong to work with animal experts in the area to see if new regulations are needed to combat irresponsible pet owners...

DAVID CARSON * St. Louis Post-Dispatch Billy McDonnell, 12, from Clayton, left, gave a horse a carrot as a treat after a therapy session at Longview Farm Park in Town and Country, Mo., as volunteer Amie Edmondson, right, kept the horse under control.By Marc Powers ~ Southeast Missourian...

In 1989, a small group of women worked together to form the River Heritage Quilt Guild in Cape Girardeau.This group is involved in many community and service projects, many of which involve the donation of quilts. To help finance these projects, the guild has put together a very nice 250-page cookbook. The book is a revised edition and features two additional sections with new recipes...

We get all manner of news releases over our newsroom fax machine, many of them merely advertisements disguised as news. But the fax from J.C. Penney's Manhattan public relations agency -- asking the Southeast Missourian to put the chain's Nationwide Bra Fit Event on our calendar -- had something the others didn't. It had the statement, "Eight out of 10 women wear the wrong size bra."...

WASHINGTON -- Cancer deaths may be leveling off after several years of decline, and many states are lagging in proven methods to fight the most common tumors, says the nation's annual report on cancer. Sixteen states spend less than $1 per person on tobacco control -- far less than the $5 to $10 per person recommended -- even though smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, the nation's top cancer killer. Screening for breast and colorectal cancer varies widely, too...

NEW YORK -- John Stamos will be Broadway's new Guido Contini. Stamos replaces Antonio Banderas Oct. 7 as the film director obsessed with women in the Tony Award-winning revival of "Nine," playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. The 40-year-old Stamos, best known for starring on the television sitcom "Full House," has appeared in several Broadway musicals. ...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Appeals court judges hearing the case of Lionel Tate, the teen whose lawyers said he was imitating pro wrestling moves when he killed a 6-year-old girl, questioned Tuesday whether some children might be too young to be locked away for life with no chance of parole...

TROY, Mich. -- A hotel worker was shot to death and a guest wounded early Tuesday in a hotel robbery, and the shooter and several other suspects were arrested within hours, police said. The victims were found about 1:30 a.m. at the Troy Holiday Inn in this Detroit suburb...

NEW YORK -- Jessica Lynch has struck a $1 million deal for a book that will tell the story of her capture and rescue in Iraq. But questions remain over how much she remembers. Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Tuesday that the former prisoner of war will collaborate on "I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story" with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Rick Bragg...

ST. LOUIS -- A popular midtown St. Louis eatery has proven particularly popular with the city school district. An audit by the district's new management team calculated the bill at the Salad Bowl cafeteria at $444,975 for one year. Upon learning of the amount, the account was immediately closed, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday...

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- A suburban St. Louis alderwoman pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony charges of leaving the scene of an accident, then resigned from the city council. St. Peters Alderwoman Michelle Stiens, 34, had to give up her position under state law that prohibits felons from holding elected office. Stiens was placed on probation for five years. Her trial was to start Tuesday...

Ohio Valley Conference football is off to a strong start after league teams went 6-3 in last week's openers -- including victories from a pair of squads who are already halfway to matching their victory totals from all of 2002. Tennessee State eased past South Carolina State 37-20, and Tennessee-Martin slipped past Austin Peay 21-20. ...

To the editor: I read with great interest the article on gasoline prices by Scott Moyers in Saturday's Southeast Missourian. I found the article was correct and contained good information. The article failed to mention the reason we enjoy such low gasoline prices here in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area. That reason is Basic Fuel...

To the editor: In response to the story "Only game in town" about the support for the Jackson High School football team: Great story. As a former J-town player, I have a lot of pride in what goes on in our town. It's nice to see a story like this...

To the editor: I am very mad at editor Joe Sullivan. He virtually stole my idea. In his Aug. 22 column, Sullivan left readers with the distinct impression that he came up with the idea that a retractable floodwall would improve the appearance of downtown Cape Girardeau...

To the editor: I would like to say thanks for the praise from Bob Miller's article on the Jackson football games. I work at a large manufacturing company that has a lot of people who have transferred from out of state. I have been asked, "What is there to do in Jackson on the weekends?" My reply is always, "Nothing until football season comes around, and then it's the Friday-night games."...

Definite connection A RECENT Speak Out caller said there are no links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida. Attacking Iraq was not about the Bush administration's corporate interests. If you follow the news, you would know that very solid evidence, including documents and pictures, have been found that prove beyond a doubt that ties existed between Hussein and al-Qaida. If we didn't attack when we did, we could have had another 9-11 on our hands...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Raymond "Bud" Mashek, 80, of Advance passed away Sunday, Aug. 31, 2003, at Advance Nursing Center. He was born April 2, 1923, at Advance, son of Frank and Flora Pixley Mashek. Bud and Alma Tropf were united in marriage June 15, 1947, in Marquand, Mo...

Thomas Jefferson Morris, 52, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Sept. 1, 2003, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WARE, Ill. -- James Michael "Mike" Watkins, 56, of Mount Pleasant, Ill., died Monday, Sept. 1, 2003, at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale in Carbondale, Ill. He was born July 27, 1947, in Cape Girardeau, son of Troy James and Mary Leota Rogers Watkins. He and Carol L. Stokes were married May 19, 1972, in Ware...

Manns Daughter to Jeff and Sara Manns of Alton, Ill., St. Anthony's Hospital in Alton, 9:23 a.m. Monday, Aug. 25, 2003. Name, Suzanne Ella. Weight, 7 pounds 8 ounces. Second child. Mrs. Manns is the former Sara Fisher, daughter of James and Martha Fisher of Alton. She is a secretary at Rexel United Electric Supply and Motor Repair. Manns is the son of James and Noreen Manns of Jerseyville, Ill. He is a firefighter and paramedic with the city of Alton...

Capaha Scottish Rite The Capaha Scottish Rite Women's Club met at the home of Laura Corse for their August meeting. There were nine members and nine visitors present. Luella Armstrong presided and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Cynthia Alfaro was in charge of the program...

10 years ago: Sept. 3, 1993 Two Southeast Missouri State University regents are opposed to idea of school's foundation operating license fee offices in Cape Girardeau and Jackson; regents Mark Pelts of Kennett and Ann Dombrowski of Cape Girardeau say they oppose plan because it smacks of partisan politics; neither will discuss their opposition at length...

Hundreds of bats in about 10 different species make the Wappapello Lake area their home. Using echo-sounding, they zero in on flying insects for a quick meal after sleeping during the day. One of their favorite flight corridors is along the East Fork of Lost Creek, a spring-fed creek about 10 miles north of the lake...

From staff and wire reports Country musician John Anderson will perform at the SEMO District Fair Sept. 13 despite suffering a heart attack over the Labor Day weekend. Pete Poe, the fair's publicity coordinator, said Tuesday that Anderson's organization told him the star has been released from the hospital. "Everything is fine and he will begin his new tour starting September 9," Poe said...

OFF THE MAP By Callie Clark ~ Southeast Missourian There were after-school tutoring sessions and hundreds of hours spent pouring over data. There were workshops and pep rallies held, hamburgers and college scholarships offered...

Sommer McCauley had nine assists, six kills and eight service aces to help Notre Dame's volleyball team edge visiting Festus 26-24, 26-24 Tuesday. The game marked the season opener and the start of rally scoring, which was adopted by the Missouri High School Activities Association in the offseason. With rally scoring, points can be gained on the opponent's serve...

This is the last in a series of fall sports previvews for area high schools. Information was provided by each school. Not all coaches responded. Central Coach: Mark Hahn n Assistant coach: Jason Bandermann...

BRANSON, Mo. -- Revenue from tourism in this southwest Missouri resort town is down so far this year, but officials are optimistic about the upcoming fall and Christmas seasons, normally the best time of year for attracting visitors. Spring was a challenge for Branson because of the depressed national economy, concerns about the war in Iraq, a plethora of rainy weekends in May and June, and devastating area tornadoes...

CLEVELAND -- No injury hurt Tim Couch as much. No loss has been as tough for him to forget. When Couch was stripped of his job as the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback a few weeks ago, his world briefly crumbled. He had not been a backup since his first game as a rookie, and the 1999 No. 1 overall draft pick did not handle the demotion very well...

Southeast Missourian There were after-school tutoring sessions and hundreds of hours spent pouring over data. There were workshops and pep rallies held, hamburgers and college scholarships offered. Officials in local school districts say they did everything they know of to improve students' scores on annual state assessments. But many schools didn't make the cut...

NORTON, Mass. -- The Skins Game will have the No. 1 player, even though Tiger Woods is taking this year off. Annika Sorenstam, who became the first woman in 58 years on the PGA Tour by playing at Colonial, will cap off her remarkable season as the first LPGA Tour player to compete in the Skins Game...

Jackson store robbed at gunpoint Monday A masked gunman robbed two convenience store clerks Monday night at Casey's General Store, Jackson police said. At about 9:30 p.m. a man wearing a black mask, shirt and pants and white athletic shoes entered the store at 920 W. Independence. The clerk described the gun as being either a gray or black .32- or .38-caliber revolver...

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is preparing to ask the United Nations to transform the U.S.-led force in Iraq to a multinational force and to play a leading role in forming an Iraqi government. President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell met on the issue Tuesday and agreed to move forward with a new U.N. resolution, three administration officials said on condition of anonymity...

WASHINGTON -- A breakdown in communication and cooperation among Midwest utilities contributed significantly to the worst power blackout in U.S. history, a utility executive has told congressional investigators. Government and industry officials, testifying at congressional hearings that begin today, will say it's too early to pinpoint the cause of the Aug. 14 blackout that cascaded from Ohio through Michigan and into Canada, then engulfed New York state...

Jackson business owners may soon be able to borrow money to recoup losses suffered in the May 6 tornado that affected 13 businesses. The Missouri Department of Economic Development recently asked Jackson to sponsor a near $500,000 revolving loan program to allow local businesses to apply for zero percent financing on some loans, said city administrator Jim Roach. ...

Cape Girardeau Wednesday, Sept. 3 The following items were released by the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Arrests do not imply guilt. Arrests Evan D. Johnson, 20, of 420 Vine, Charleston, Mo., was arrested Monday on suspicion of property damage. Willie C. Shannon Jr., 58, no address given, was arrested Monday on suspicion of assault and driving while revoked...

Cape Girardeau Wednesday, Sept. 3 Firefighters responded Monday to the following items: At 4:14 p.m., alarm sounding at 325 Merriwether. At 4:41 p.m., medical assist at 3913 Annwood. At 6:28 p.m., medical assist at 130 Vantage. At 8:37 p.m., medical assist at 3026 Wisteria...

Siding is one of the most important building components of a home. It, more than any other element, influences a home's overall appearance and, thus, its value. Siding is not designed to act as a waterproof barrier. It is an architectural finish that protects the waterproof barrier that lies between it and the sheathing or wall framing below. ...

Many American workers are familiar with the culture of some workplaces where new ideas and innovative thinking are trumped by an attitude that nothing needs to be changed because existing methods and systems have proven to be best. This has been the culture at NASA, according to the final report on the Columbia shuttle disaster, which was issued last week...

Amended the city code to include nonmotorized scooters in the ordinance governing skateboards. Approved an ordinance prohibiting delivery or concealment of contraband in the jail. Set the tax rate for 2003. The rate is the same as in 2002. Approved a loan of $650,000 for the city's new water treatment plant...

The Scott City City Council welcomed a new member to the chambers at the beginning of the its regular session Tuesday night. Darren Raines, 37, was sworn in to represent Ward 4. He replaces Kevin Gresham, who resigned Aug. 1 because he was moving to Bakersfield, Calif...

Consent ordinances (Second and third readings)n Approved the record plat of Kinder Lynwood Townhouse No. 1 on Lynwood Hills Drive. Approved the record plat of Kinder Lynwood Townhouse No. 2 on Lynwood Hills Drive. Established handicap parking in the 700 block of Jefferson Avenue...

By Heidi Hall ~ Southeast Missourian From here on, the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is all about temperature. It's got to be warm enough to grout the cables. The 3-inch silica fume driving surface needs ideal weather conditions to be applied...