Stories from Tuesday, March 24, 1998

LEOPOLD - Veteran first-grade teacher Deborah Bueter believes in the slogan "reading is fundamental." Bueter, who has spent all 22 years of her career at Leopold Elementary School, said parents should realize the importance of frequently reading to their children at home."My heart goes out to the children who struggle and work so hard to learn to read," she said. ...

Southeast Missouri State University recently became one of 15 founding institutions of the National Association of Professors of Middle Level Education. Dr. Margaret Theobald, professor of secondary education at Southeast, said, "I can foresee this group only getting bigger. I think to be on the ground floor of an institution that focuses on the needs of college students in middle level education is a pretty big deal."...

Some of the coolest things found on the Internet use a plug-in called Shockwave. It gives Web pages animation, sounds, interactive online games and streaming movies not possible with a Web browser alone. Macromedia, the company that developed Shockwave, has put up a Web site to promote, demonstrate and test new ways to use the technology...

Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University has made a new online service available to Southeast's students, faculty and staff. Southeast now has a campus wide license to the University Microfilm Inc. (UMI) ProQuest Direct online service. "This product really helps to provide and supplement the informational resources that students will need in their courses," said Roy Ziegler, periodicals librarian...

Substitute teacher Tim Davis gave the daily lesson to juniors in American history class at Cape Girardeau Central High School. Try to recall Newton's laws of motion. Can't? Now imagine getting a call at 6 a.m. asking you to teach an advanced physics class in an hour...

Cape Girardeau is one of a number of counties across that state that requests a Social Security number from people registering to vote without informing them that supplying the information is voluntary. A review of voter registration by The Joplin Globe found no standardized form in use across the state, a practice secretary of state Rebecca Cook finds disturbing...

Southeast Missouri State University's administration hopes to push ahead with $40 million in campus construction projects. The administration is scheduled to review the plans with the Board of Regents when it meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the University Center Ballroom...

Which .22-caliber hollow point bullet has the fastest velocity? What are the effects of environmental pollution on chlorophyll concentration? Those questions and more will be answered at the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair today through Thursday at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau...

It's time for a pop quiz: What is your stopping distance when driving 45 miles per hour on a flat, even surface? When parking uphill without a curb, which way do you turn your wheels? At what distance should you begin signaling before making a turn?...

To the editor: This letter is in response to Dr. Stephen W. Stigers March 21 letter. Nurse anesthetists have been safely administering anesthesia for more than 100 years. As anesthesia specialists, nurse anesthetists take care of patients before, during and after surgical or obstectrical procedures. ...

To the editor: In the town of Anywhere, USA, not so very long ago, The townsfolk became quite upset (or so they tell me so). All this turmoil, all this strife, all this noise Over something once thought innocent or "boys will be boys." It seems that Jeff and Jim, the twins of James and Mary Smith,...

To the editor: Dr. Stephen Stigers' March 21 letter talks about a recent proposal by the Health Care Financing Administration to eliminate the Medicare physician supervision requirement for certified registered nurse anesthetists. It saddens us that patients are being needlessly frightened by his statement, "when the unexpected happens and I, the anesthesiologist, truly mean the difference between a patient's life and death."Should the rule be adopted, little would change in operating rooms across the country in terms of working relationships between CRNAs and anesthesiologists. ...

To the editor: After reading Mr. Bauman and Ms. Colo's letters concerning the cost of health care in Cape Girardeau, I feel compelled to share my experience. After scheduling surgery with a physician here, I was informed by the physician's staff that I must pay $900 in advance, to cover my insurance deductible. ...

THANK GOD the council voted to amend the road assessment policy. The original proposal from the city staff to make property owners repay the city for land acquisition did in fact violate the federal and state constitutions and would have confiscated people's property without the right of compensation. ...

As reported recently in the Southeast Missourian, this state's taxpayers have paid nearly $1.5 billion over the past four years for federally mandated expenses covering everything from Medicaid to highways. During those four years -- 1995, to be exact -- Congress passed a law that was supposed to put a clamp on the costs that Washington passes on to state and local governments. ...

Spring break is over for students at Southeast Missouri State University. For all the attention paid to the excesses of the college-student invasions of sunny climes, it is interesting to note that many students don't head for the beaches during this annual ritual...

After practically gift-wrapping a win for Northwestern in the opener, Southeast Missouri State University's softball team played much less gracious hosts in the nightcap. The result was a doubleheader split at chilly Parker Field Monday afternoon. Southeast committed four errors in the first game and three of them caused all of Northwestern's runs to be unearned as the Wildcats prevailed 6-2...

Southeast Missouri State University gymnasts Erin Chenier and Malia Roberts have qualified for the NCAA Gymnastics Regionals on April 4 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. To obtain a regional berth, a gymnast must finish in the top seven in their respective region. Chenier, a junior, averaged 38.806 in the all-around for the third seed. Roberts, a sophomore, qualified as the fifth seed...

Ron Hudson, tight ends coach at Kent State University last season, has been hired as offensive line coach at Southeast Missouri State University. Hudson, who began duties on Monday, replaced Jeff Richards, who resigned to accept an assistant coaching position at Jacksonville State...

Cape Girardeau Central and Jackson won while Notre Dame lost Monday as the Noon Optimistic Kickoff Classic got under way to open the area high school girls soccer season. All the games in the tournament, which runs through Thursday, are being played at Shawnee Park...

The Texas Rangers announced Monday that they had placed Charleston High graduate Matt Whiteside, who has spent all or part of the past six seasons pitching for the Rangers, on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Elsie V. Eddleman, 87, of Dongola died Sunday, March 22, 1998, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born March 18, 1911, in Mill Creek, daughter of William Arthur and Lura Dillow King. She and Vivian Eddleman were married March 11, 1932. He died Jan. 28, 1997...

BELL CITY -- Jewel Georgia Rhodes, 92, of the Bell City and Vanduser areas died Sunday, March 22, 1998, at Advance Nursing Center in Advance. She was born June 20, 1905, daughter of John T. and Eliza Mathews Pearson. She married Lee Alex Rhodes, who died Jan. 3, 1974...

Randy Kraust, 31, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 22, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Oct. 14, 1966, in Cape Girardeau, son of Jewell and Virgie Simmons Kraust. He and Nicki Conrad were married May 20, 1989, in Cape Girardeau...

Juanita C. Abbott, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, March 23, 1998, at the Lutheran Home. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON -- Opal Jewel Robb, 90, of Jackson died Monday, March 23, 1998, at Jackson Manor. She was born Sept. 3, 1907, at Purman, daughter of John Harve and Mary Dorinda Asher Daubs. She and Clive Robb were married in 1927 at Doniphan. He died in 1958...

SIKESTON -- Marie G. Jackson, 68, of Sikeston died Monday, March 23, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Aug. 16, 1929, she was the adopted daughter of the Rev. Gayle and Evelyn Newbill Jackson. Jackson was a lifelong resident of this area, and did hometown missionary work. She was a member of Trinity Gospel Church...

SIKESTON -- Martha Lou Kimbrell, 84, of Union, formerly of Sikeston, died Monday, March 23, 1998, at Sunset Healthcare Center in Union. She was born July 14, 1913, in Berry, Ala., daughter of William Austin and Ruth Johns Barnes. She married William C. "Jake" Kimbrell, who died Dec. 18, 1973...

Funeral for James Edgar Lewis of DeSoto will be held at 11 a.m. today at First Freewill Baptist Church in DeSoto. The Revs. Charles Miller and Bob Thebeau will officiate, with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery at DeSoto. Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home in DeSoto is in charge of arrangements...

Daughter to Kirk Alan and Christie Rochelle Mueller of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:30 p.m. Monday, March 16, 1998. Name, Brianna Sue. Weight, 9 pounds 2 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Mueller is the former Christie Walker, daughter of Rocky and Linda Walker of Charleston. She is a bookkeeper with Information Management Systems. Mueller is the son of Roy and Irene Mueller of Farrar. He is a loan officer at NationsBank...

When Deniece Schofield's third child was born, her household organization hit rock bottom. "I wasn't born organized. And it got worse every year," Schofield said. "Finally I said enough is enough." Schofield is in Cape Girardeau tonight to offer her expertise on how to get organized. The program begins at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. Tickets are available at the door...

A.L. "Jake" Hardcastle, 81, of Jonesboro, Ark., died Sunday, March 22, 1998, at St. Bernard Regional Medical Center. He was a native of Doniphan. Hardcastle had been an office manager with Social Security Administration in Ardmore, Okla., Shreveport, La., and Fort Smith, Ark. He had lived in Jonesboro since 1984...