Stories from Saturday, October 28, 2006

Only 19 percent of black men ages 18 to 29 wear a seat belt. By KYLE W. MORRISON Southeast Missourian Being macho won't save your life, especially in a car accident. That's the message the Rev. Cecil B. Thomas Jr. of Second Missionary Baptist Church wants to send out during today's safety fair...

He said Marc Tragesser has been sworn in as a deputy in a Southeast Missouri sheriff's office. By MATT SANDERS Southeast Missourian ORAN, Mo. -- Oran's police chief may be leaving his current office soon to work for another police agency. Oran Mayor Tom Urhahn said Friday that city police chief Marc Tragesser has been sworn in as a deputy in a Southeast Missouri sheriff's office. ...

About 2,000 customers in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties were without electricity for a few hours. By MARK BLISS Southeast Missourian A lightning strike caused a power outage Friday morning while steady rain frustrated farmers trying to harvest their crops...

By TJ GREANEY Southeast Missourian All across Cardinal Nation red-clad fans were gathering to scream themselves hoarse, hold their breaths and chomp their nails. It's October, and the only thing better than watching the Cardinals compete for their first World Series championship in 24 years is watching it with a crowd of like-minded fanatics...

By WILL WEISSERT The Associated Press PANAMA CITY, Panama -- First comes nausea and diarrhea. Then the facial muscles relax, followed by kidney failure, paralysis and often death. It's a medical crisis in Panama, where contaminated cough syrup, antihistamine tablets, calamine lotion and rash ointment have killed 34 people since July. More than 40 others have been hospitalized, at least half in critical condition...

The Associated Press CHICAGO -- Citing high fuel prices, United Airlines said Friday it has increased fares by $6 per round trip on flights to some cities also served by lower-cost carriers. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines matched the move. United, a unit of UAL Corp., said the increase took effect Thursday night and applies to most routes where it competes against discount carriers, such as Chicago to Dallas and Atlanta, and Denver to San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York...

By DAVID BAUDER The Associated Press NEW YORK -- The Dixie Chicks are again at the center of a controversy over the limits of opinionated talk. A film company said Friday that NBC wouldn't accept an advertisement for "Shut Up & Sing," a movie about the fuss created by Dixie Chick Natalie Maines' comment that she was ashamed President Bush was a fellow Texan. The network suggested the complaint may be a publicity stunt...

By DAVID B. CARUSO The Associated Press NEW YORK -- Police and Secret Service agents determined Friday that a suspicious substance found at former President Clinton's office in Manhattan was not toxic. A staff member opened a package delivered to the president's office that contained a white powdery substance and a letter, and called authorities, said Secret Service spokesman Richard Staropoli. He described the letter as a "rambling diatribe."...

The Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Would-be rescuers ended their search Friday for a manatee that strayed an unprecedented 700 miles up the Mississippi River, leaving the warm-water mammal to an uncertain fate far north of its natural range. The manatee, which had been spotted several times since Sunday along the Memphis riverfront, eluded a rescue team that had hoped to haul it by truck to Florida...

By REBECA ROMERO The Associated Press OAXACA, Mexico -- An American was shot and killed Friday during clashes in the protest-besieged Mexican city of Oaxaca, police said. Several other people were wounded. The American man, whom police believe was a journalist working for an unidentified media organization, was shot in the abdomen and died later at a hospital, said a police official who was not authorized to give his name. The victim's name and hometown weren't immediately available...

The Associated Press WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Authorities investigating the slaying of a family of four alongside a Florida highway said Friday that the father was probably involved in drug trafficking and that the suspected killer was in custody. The suspect was among three men and a woman who were arrested Wednesday on drug charges and are "persons of interest" in the killings, Sheriff Ken Mascara said. None has been charged with the slayings, he said. Another man is being sought, he said...

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH The Associated Press WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Vice President Dick Cheney told several thousand troops at Whiteman Air Force Base on Friday that the United States would prevail in the war on terror. "America's cause is just. America's cause is right, and with you in the fight we will prevail," Cheney said...

By DAVID ROBB Columbia Daily Tribune COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Exhausted and frustrated, Jarrett Harrison sprawls in the alley behind The Blue Note, knees in the air, hands behind his head. After three rounds of full-contact, mixed martial arts fighting, he just wants to lie down. He has just finished nine minutes of punching, kicking and grappling in a black hexagonal cage with his taller opponent, Sean McGlensey of Fort Leonard Wood...

The Associated Press JOPLIN, Mo. -- No charges have been filed against a 15-year-old student arrested for allegedly making a false bomb threat, county juvenile authorities said Friday. The boy, who was not named because he is a juvenile, was detained Wednesday shortly after a note was found in a restroom at Joplin High School. "The note indicated that someone would blow up the school," a statement from Joplin police said...

K.J. Choi shot a 5-under 66 for a one-shot lead Friday in the Chrysler Championship. Choi was at 8-under 134 and led Els (66), Jonathan Byrd (67) and Brian Gay (71) by one shot. The Chrysler Championshipin Palm Harbor, Fla., is the final full-field event of the year on the PGA Tour...

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS -- David Eckstein took his mom to dinner at the White House, made a believer of Barry Bonds and got married at Walt Disney World. To Tigers manager Jim Leyland, the 5-foot-7 shortstop looks like a "cute, little kid."...

By JEANNINE AVERSA The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The economy has slowed to a snail's pace, growing in the just-finished quarter at the slowest rate in more than three years and stirring fresh debate about the country's financial health heading into the elections...

The following information was released by the office of federal prosecutor Catherine Hanaway for defendants who appeared in federal court Monday before U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber: PLEADED GUILTY Name: Terry L. Golden Age: 35 Residence: Parma, Mo...

Cape Girardeau...

Do you sometimes feel you're bogged down in the sand and unable to move? Has your work become mundane and your spirits won't seem to lift? Is this going to go on forever? Not if you look to see what's beneath the sand, hidden under the ordinariness of your life...

Cape Girardeau...

Southeast Missourian The New Salem Baptist Academy volleyball team continued its unbeaten season with another perfect day at the Missouri Christian Schools Activities Association state tournament in Joplin, Mo. New Salem of Marble Hill defeated Riverview 25-19, 25-18 Friday afternoon in its final pool-play game...

The Cape Girardeau City Council is taking steps to fix a problem with stormwater erosion that has turned some newer subdivisions into muddy messes after heavy rains. Monday the council approved the first reading of an ordinance aimed at holding builders responsible for controlling erosion...

By LINDA REDEFFER Southeast Missourian When thousands of Baptists affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention gather at Southeast Missouri State University's Show Me Center Monday through Wednesday for the 172nd annual meeting, messengers from Cape Girardeau's First Baptist Church will not be recognized...

Crystal City wins Class 2 District 2 crown with a 38-0 victory over Scott City. By JEREMY JOFFRAY Southeast Missourian SCOTT CITY -- Some may have called it football weather, others just plain nasty. However you classify the monsoon-like mixture of wind and rain Friday at Scott City, the weather did nothing to deter Crystal City's vaunted rushing attack in a 38-0 rout of the host Rams...

By LINDA REDEFFER Southeast Missourian The Rev. Ann Mowery blessed a group of heifers before they headed to Louisiana last week. Two bred heifers, raised on the Nothdurft farm, just outside of Gordonville, will help replenish the herds lost from last year's devastating Hurricane Katrina. The Nothdurft heifers joined six others from Sedalia, Mo., who also made the trip to Louisiana...

By MATT SANDERS Southeast Missourian Two days after the Show Me Center announced another addition to its fall concert lineup, an already scheduled concert has been canceled. On Friday Premier Productions president Gary Gentry said the Nov. 5 concert by Christian rock band Third Day at the Show Me Center has been canceled. Premier, a company that promotes tours for Christian bands, is promoting Third Day's current tour...

Murray State has lost five straight games, while Southeast has dropped its last three. By MARTY MISHOW Southeast Missourian After Murray State bottomed out to its worst Ohio Valley Conference record since 1966 last season, Matt Griffin was brought in to revive what had previously been a solid program...

Southeast Missourian The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team began its last homestand of the season Friday night with a four-game loss. Tennessee State beat the Redhawks 33-31, 30-27, 29-31, 30-24. The Tigers improved to 16-11 overall and 8-3 in Ohio Valley Conference play...

Victoria J. Harris, 53, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Dec. 10, 1952, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of Joseph L. and Shirley C. Griffith Koelzer. Harris was employed at Big Lots in Cape Girardeau as a cashier. She graduated in 1970 from Cape Central High School. She was a member of Eagles Aerie 3775 in Cape Girardeau...

Robert Earl Bouge, 81, of Marshall, Mo., died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006, at The Living Center in Marshall. He was born Feb. 5, 1925, in Villisca, Iowa, son of Selwyn and Ruth Shadwell Bouge. He and Daphna Keller were married March 13, 1946, in Cape Girardeau...

Gertrude Loeta Helderman, 90, of Whitewater died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center. She was born Dec. 19, 1915, at Crump, daughter of William Elmer and Rachel Ruth Jones Brown. She and Buford "Shorty" Helderman were married Dec. 20, 1936...

LOCKPORT, Ill. -- Georgia G. Malone, 87, of Lockport died Friday, Oct. 27, 2006, at Sunny Hill Skilled Rehab Center in Joliet, Ill. Visitation will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Clint Nale officiating. Interment will be in McCrite Cemetery...

Connie A. Langston, 64, of Jackson died Friday, Oct. 27, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Ruth Hilda Schomberg of Marthasville, Mo., passed away at her home on Friday, Oct. 27, 2006, at the age of 85 years, 11 months and 3 days. Ruth was born to Walter William and Ida (nee Rocklage) Rottmann on Nov. 24, 1920, in Marthasville. She was united in marriage to Wilfred Wilhelm Schomberg on April 13, 1941, in Marthasville. To this union were born five children: David, Dwayne, Donald, Doris and Denise. Wilfred preceded her in death on April 14, 1999. They celebrated 58 years of marriage...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Jack L. Blankenship, 77, of Advance was born Aug. 23, 1929, at Braggadocio, Mo., the son of James "Lawrence" and Mary Katherine Phillips Blankenship. He passed away Oct. 26, 2006. at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Jack was a retired construction worker...

LAMAR, Mo. -- Richard "Dick" Feilner, 73, of Lamar died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo. He was born Jan. 5, 1933, in St. Louis, son of Oscar C. and Ines Amos Feilner. He and Aline A. Horman were married April 16, 1966...

MURFREESBORO, TENN. -- Dorothy Marie Hampton, 83, of Murfreesboro, died Friday, Oct. 27, 2006, at NHC Rehab Center. She was born Dec. 20, 1922, at Richmond, Va., daughter of Stella Todisman. She and Leslie C. Hampton were married March 4, 1942. He died Oct. 5, 1973...

25 years ago: Oct. 28, 1981 For the second time in three months, voters in the Jackson School District will be going to the polls next Tuesday to decide the fate of a $1.5 million bond issue for construction of classroom additions and expansion of the high school gymnasium; school superintendent Dr. Frank. A. Wiley says he is "cautiously optimistic" that voters will approve the measure...

FROHNA, Mo. -- Anna Ocine Kassel, 73, of Frohna died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006, at Tupelo, Miss. She was born May 24, 1933, at Russellville, Ala., daughter of Jefferson Andrew and Julia V. Thorn McKinney. She and Milbert N. Kassel were married May 6, 1961. He died Sept. 13, 2005...

Long...

By ANDREW GLAZER The Associated Press BEAUMONT, Calif. -- As flames roared through the canyons of Southern California, authorities tripled the reward to $300,000 Friday for the arrest of the arsonist responsible for the deaths of four firefighters in the nation's worst such tragedy in five years...

Southeast Missourian Chaffee put up a solid effort Friday night but suffered its fifth straight loss, as visiting Hayti won 22-6. The Red Devils fell to 2-7, including 0-2 in Class 1 District 2 play. The Indians are 7-2 and 2-0 in the district. Playing on a muddy field and in driving rain for the first half, Chaffee led 6-0 at the intermission after a 47-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Collin Dannenmueller...

The Rams hope to break through on their fourth attempt. By JEREMY JOFFRAY Southeast Missourian The Scott City volleyball program has figured out the district tournament, winning three straight titles and four in five years. The Rams have not had any luck once they've made their way past the district tournament, losing in two games in the sectional round on all three occasions...

The Associated Press JOPLIN, Mo. -- Eleven students at Missouri Southern State University have tested positive for exposure to the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, but none shows symptoms of active cases of the disease, university and health officials said...

By KYLE W. MORRISON Southeast Missourian Criminal charges will not be filed against a Cape Girardeau high school student wrote a note describing how a school shooting could occur. The 17-year-old Central High School student was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the school when officials learned he had written a note with a diagram showing how to conduct a school shooting, police Cpl. Jason Selzer said...

By MARIA SUDEKUM FISHER The Associated Press HOLDEN, Mo. -- For those who knew and cared about Angela Lockridge, this much was clear: She could be difficult. At 42, she was mentally retarded, epileptic and dependent on medication to treat her borderline personality disorder...

Southeast Missourian A Cape Girardeau woman was charged Friday with whipping her 6-year-old daughter. On Thursday, a school resource officer came to Jefferson Elementary School to investigate a case of possible child abuse after a school administrator noticed bruises on a girl's neck, according to police Cpl. Jason Selzer...

West Park Mall is offering a safe environment for Halloween night by having retailers at the mall hand out candy to trick-or-treaters from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, a release from West Park Mall stated. Barnes and Noble will also be holding a "pirate story time" at the mall from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in their children's section of their new store...

By ELAINE GANLEY The Associated Press CLICHY-SOUS-BOIS, France -- Police deployed 4,000 reinforcements as marauding youths torched at least two public buses Friday, the anniversary of the deaths of two teenagers that ignited weeks of riots in largely immigrant housing projects across France...

By MATT APUZZO The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- A federal judge sentenced a former Bush administration official to 18 months in prison in the Jack Abramoff lobbying case Friday -- after delivering a 30-minute eulogy for good government in Washington...

By GILLIAN FLACCUS The Associated Press POPPET FLAT, Calif. -- Fire crews struggled to protect homes Friday from a wind-whipped wildfire that trapped and killed four firefighters as it raced through Southern California mountains. The blaze in the San Jacinto Mountains, which authorities said was arson, has blackened nearly 24,000 acres, or almost 38 square miles, and already forced hundreds to evacuate. ...

By DOUG GROSS The Associated Press LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The trial of an Atlanta-area father accused of circumcising his 2-year-old daughter with scissors is focusing attention on an ancient African practice that experts say is slowly becoming more common in the United States as immigrant communities grow...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Terry Parker and Sallie Goodin of Charleston, Mo., will present an organ-piano concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center (formerly Cairo Baptist Church), 10th and Poplar Streets in Cairo, to benefit "Project Kitty City." The concert will include sacred, classical and contemporary Christian music, and will conclude with a Broadway medley sing-along. ...

By BERNARD McGHEE The Associated Press HAPEVILLE, Ga. -- Ford's Atlanta Assembly Plant, the production point for some of America's most popular pickups and sedans for several generations, closed Friday after assembling the company's last Taurus. The plant was 59 years old...

By JIM ABRAMS The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The IRS will put off until after the new year enforcement action against people in Hurricane Katrina-hit areas who are late in paying their income taxes, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said Friday. Everson, said that, after consultation with career officials at the agency, he decided not to further extend the Oct. 16 deadline for the approximately 1.2 million taxpayers in hurricane-hit areas of Lousiana and Mississippi to file their 2005 returns...

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals barely got to the postseason, much less the World Series, and then they had to survive rain and cold as much as the bumbling Detroit Tigers. They'll take it, though. They beat the Tigers 4-2 on Friday night behind castoffs Jeff Weaver and David Eckstein and sore-shouldered Scott Rolen to wrap up a five-game Series victory, their first title in nearly a quarter-century and 10th overall...