Construction, destruction leave lasting impressions

It took 20 years for a new bridge to come together.

It took 10 minutes for a tornado to rip Jackson apart.

The first story was one of construction. Years of lobbying, planning and welding finally paid off when the $100 million Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge opened Dec. 13.

The other story was one of destruction. In the blink of a tornado on May 6, the city of beautiful homes, parks, schools and churches turned into a dark, wet and frightful disaster zone. Homes, parks, schools and churches were hit by the F-3 twister that ripped through the heart of town, leaving a path a half-mile wide and 2 miles long.

Not even the police and fire department escaped damage. No one was killed or seriously injured by the tornado, but many lives were changed.

The year 2003 brought both good and bad, stories that brought people together and stories that tore towns apart -- the accidents, the lawsuits, the tax proposals, the renovations and the celebrations.

Here are the top 10 stories of 2003 as voted by the Southeast Missourian news staff.

No. 1: Bridge dedication

The biggest story of the year came as no surprise. Cape Girardeau residents and motorists who traveled in or near the city every day had seen the two huge pillars rise over the city. The bridge had been talked about, dreamed about for decades.

Illinois residents making daily commutes into Cape Girardeau watched as daily progress was made on the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, longing for the day when they would no longer have to drive over the bumpy and narrow 75-year-old Mississippi River bridge.

On Dec. 13, the new four-lane, cable-stay bridge was dedicated and opened. The predicted snowfall never came, and thousands attended the ceremonies, ran the races, played in the marching bands and simply walked across the most imposing structure in Cape Girardeau.

Meanwhile, the old bridge was closed to traffic. It will be demolished.

No. 2: Jackson tornado

After a tornado cut through the county seat, 312 structures were damaged; 22 homes were destroyed; and 14 homes, two businesses and a large part of Immaculate Conception Catholic School were condemned.

The tornado struck at 8:49 p.m., Tuesday, May 6. Perhaps no one was killed or seriously injured because the tornado touched down in the evening when many were watching television and were made aware of tornado warnings.

One of the first buildings hit was the police and fire station. The roof was blown off, forcing the departments to work out of temporary office spaces.

No. 3: Jackson bonfire accident

Fourteen people, most of them teenagers, were burned when someone tossed a gasoline can into a bonfire at 3901 County Road 621 in rural Cape Girardeau County on Jan. 18. The can exploded, causing drops of fire to rain down on the crowd. The victims began rolling in the snow to extinguish themselves. One victim suffered third-degree burns and had to get skin grafts.

Jerry Lee Self, 22, of Millersville was charged with 14 counts of second-degree assault, but a jury acquitted Self during a trial in October.

No. 4: Drury settles lawsuits

Cape Girardeau hotel entrepreneur Jim Drury reached a settlement with Cape Girardeau officials ending more than five years of lawsuits that stalled the $36 million River Campus project.

Earlier in the year, Drury filed a third lawsuit after rulings in the first two went in the city's favor.

The settlement was the result of two years of negotiations between Drury and Mayor Jay Knudtson.

No. 5: Southeast makes cuts

Southeast Missouri State University made plans to eliminate the geography, sociology and geosciences programs as well as the golf team and has plans to cut five to seven staff, 10 faculty members and seven graduate assistants by June 2005.

The board of regents approved over $1 million in academic and nonacademic cuts, the result of less money being distributed to the university from the state.

No. 6: Task force assembled

The Cape Girardeau School District assembled a 109-member task force assigned to address the district's budget woes.

Mark Bowles, the schools superintendent, ultimately released a plan that would cut $1.3 million from the budget, based partly on the task force recommendations.

The proposals, which are scheduled to be put to a board vote on Jan. 26, would eliminate several teaching positions, freeze salaries and charge high school students for extracurricular activities.

No. 7: Voters turn down taxes

Cape Girardeau city officials had sought passage of a quarter-cent sales tax, a local-use tax, a storm-water fee and replacement of a 10-cent property tax. Voters rejected all four issues in 14 of the 16 city precincts on April 8.

The four issues would have provided an estimated $4.1 million a year in added revenue for operating expenses, replacement of equipment, and construction of storm-drainage improvements, a new fire station and a water park as well as expansion of the police station.

City officials said they can't afford any of the projects, including storm-drainage improvements, without more tax money.

No. 8: Rebuilding the Marquette

Reconstruction and restoration of the old Marquette Hotel on Broadway in Cape Girardeau began in the spring of 2003.

The building will be the new home to state offices as well as other private businesses.

No. 9: Scrapping nicknames

Southeast Missouri State University's National Alumni Council voted to scrap the school's Indian nicknames and find more marketable names for the athletic teams. The idea is supported by the student government. Athletes and coaches say they understand the move.

No. 10: Lewis and Clark

The Discovery Expedition -- a group of men and women retracing the 1803 to 1806 waterway trek taken by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis -- arrived in Cape Girardeau for a three-day celebration of the expedition's bicentennial in November.

The sidewalks in downtown Cape Girardeau were lined with spectators as the group walked from an encampment at Main and First streets down Main Street to the Red House Interpretive Center.