Stories from Thursday, June 3, 1999

The May 17 windstorm that caused much of Cape Girardeau to search out flashlights and batteries brought home the need to get ready for an emergency, said Walter Denton of the city's Project Impact. "That was a relatively minor event, and look what happened," said Denton, who is also assistant to the city manager...

Some people will cry at the drop of a hat. Lakita Johnson's mortarboard was missing when she graduated from high school Wednesday, but she cried anyway. "I struggled so hard to get here, and I finally made it," said Johnson, 18, as she wiped teeming eyes. "At first I was sorry not to get the cap and gown and everything, but after I attended graduation Sunday I realized it wasn't that big a deal...

Cape Girardeau's two Save-A-Lot stores will consolidate into one store in the former Del Farm National Grocery and Schnucks building, giving the city's Midtown its first grocery in almost two years. Heartland Save-A-Lot at 19 N. Spanish and near Broadway and Kingshighway, both owned by Maevers Food Inc. of Jackson, will close when the new market opens at l21 S. Sprigg...

Gary Haskell president of Riverport Terminals Inc. talked with U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson after she visited the grain-bagging operation at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson watched Wednesday as wheat was unloaded from a rail car onto a towering conveyor belt at Riverport Terminals Inc. at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port...

June 3, 1999 Dear Pat, Six rivers ran through the region where I lived in Northern California. The Mad, the Trinity, the Eel, the Klamath, the Van Duzen and the Smith. The Smith was the state's only remaining wild river. Untinkered with. Some were good for fishing, others for swimming. ...

The Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMO-NASV) will achieve its goal of providing round-the-clock service to victims of sexual assault when it officially opens its new center at 63 Doctors Park Sunday. An open house will be held from 2-4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public...

Chris Long, president of Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM), will be guest speaker at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee. The Coffee will be held Friday at the Show Me Center on Southeast Missouri State University campus, starting at 7:30 a.m...

The Missouri State Fair will host some of the top country and rock 'n' roll acts on tour this summer when the 99th edition kicks off Aug. 12. Tim McGraw, Brooks & Dunn, George Jones, Marty Stuart and Reba McEntire top the list of country entertainers. ...

To the editor: Last week, a congressional committee considered the Child Custody Protection Act, a measure that would prohibit someone other than a parent from taking a minor girl across state lines for an abortion in violation of a state's parental notification or consent law...

THIS IS in regard to the owner of the taxi company here in Cape stating that he couldn't hire drivers to drive his cabs. I have to agree with his statement. My husband runs a business here in Cape, and we have been in contact with Job Service regarding needing a driver while months went by and not one person showed up. ...

U.S. bans Air Force retirements in Kosovo crisis: The Pentagon announced a rare ban on retirements of thousands of key U.S. Air Force personnel last week to ensure that combat pilots and others remain available for growing NATO bombing strikes on Serbia...

The Sierra Club, joined by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, has filed a lawsuit in federal court in St. Louis that threatens Missouri's federal highway funding. The environmental organizations are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in another episode of a familiar pattern: The EPA all but solicits a friendly lawsuit in which it is the nominal defendant -- the party being sued. ...

Bolstered by an endorsement from Vice President Al Gore, Missouri U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft introduced legislation last week to open federally funded social programs to more church involvement. Ashcroft proposes an across-the-board expansion of a provision he sponsored in the 1996 welfare overhaul. Under "charitable choice," public welfare funds can go to faith-based programs, striking a rule that religion be kept out of any program run under contract with the states...

Southeast Missouri State University left-hander Ryan Spille was selected Wednesday in the 19th round of the baseball amateur draft. Spille, 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, just completed his senior season at Southeast with a 10-4 record. "I'm so excited. I couldn't be happier," said Spille. "I was hoping but I really couldn't be sure. Last year there was a lot of talk about me getting drafted and it never happened."...

COLUMBIA -- What intimidates some will motivate others. Notre Dame seemed undaunted by the aura of Simmons Field and the atmosphere of the Class 2A Final Four Wednesday in an 11-5 victory. But Valley Park crumbled under the pressure of being a game away from a state title, committing five errors which led to three unearned runs...

COLUMBIA -- The Class 2A semifinals Wednesday ended up being mere warmups for today's state championship game which will be at 5 p.m. at Simmons Field. Neither Notre Dame nor St. Pius X were tested as they combined for 26 runs and 26 hits. After the Bulldogs knocked off Valley Park 11-5, the Warriors -- the defending state champs -- whipped Eugene 15-3 in six innings...

COLUMBIA -- In Oran's Class 2A semifinal baseball game, there wasn't much difference between a one-run lead and one bad lead. Oran senior first baseman Billy Loper -- after hitting a dramatic three-run triple to close the Eagles' deficit to 4-3 in the top of the seventh -- was thrown out at the plate on a wild pitch Wednesday as the Marion C. Early Panthers advanced to the Class 1A state championship game...

STE. GENEVIEVE -- Cory Crosnoe belted two home runs and had six RBIs as the McDowell Capahas routed Ste. Genevieve 19-3 in seven innings Wednesday night. Crosnoe also had a double to go 3-for-4 in McDowell's 18-hit attack. Daren Kinsolving added a grand slam in going 3-for-4 as the Capahas improved to 4-1 on the season...

Wes Steele School: Notre Dame Sport: Baseball Coach: Chris Neff Weekly Report: Steele, a junior third baseman, personally saved Notre Dame's season last Thursday when he provided a two-out, two run double to rightcenter to beat South Pemiscot 4-3. After Notre Dame's cleanup hitter and No. ...

DIONNA WEBB School: Cape Central Sport: Track Coach: Lawrence Brookins Week report: Webb won the Class 4A state championship in the long jump this past weekend and also finished all-state in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Her final jump of 18 feet, 11 1/2 inches broke her own school record and surpassed the jump of freshman Eziamaka Okafor of Rolla High School. ...

Wood & Houston Cape Junior Legion swept Dunklin County in a pair of games Tuesday night to improve to 4-0 both on the season and in district play. Cape won the first game 6-5 in eight innings, overcoming both a 45-minute rain delay and a three-run, seventh-inning deficit. Wood & Houston then won the nightcap 9-1 behind the five-hit pitching of Rob Carr...

Three female distance runners who will run both cross country and track -- including a Jackson High School product -- have signed national letters of intent to attend Southeast Missouri State University. Southeast coach Joey Haines has announced that Jennifer Brown of Jackson, Anna Versman of St. Charles West and Christy Williams of West Plains have signed with Southeast...

Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team knew it was opening its season Wednesday night with something of a short deck. Several of the squad's top players were not available because of the 1A and 2A state tournaments being held in Columbia...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Josephine L. Spurlock, 82, died Wednesday, June 2, 1999, at City Care Center in Anna. She was born Feb. 13, 1917, in Ware, Ill., daughter of William and Ethel Smick Peeler. She and David B. Spurlock were married Oct. 16, 1973, in Anna. He died July 28, 1991...

JACKSON -- Adolf Sokolowski, 56, of Jackson died Tuesday, June 2, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 27, 1942, in Poland, son of Friedrich and Lydia Steinke Sokolowski. He and Earlene Conrad were married Feb. 23, 1963, at Millersville...

ANNA, Ill. -- Gary Barker, 48, of Anna died Wednesday, June 2, 1999, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Lowell E. Berrong, 77, of McGee died Wednesday, June 2, 1999, at John Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Morgan Funeral Home in Advance.

Clara Mae Jacobsin Shanks, 84, died on Sunday, May 30, 1999 at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. Shanks was born in Illmo, Mo. on November 18, 1914, the daughter of Harry Alexander and Mary Blakemore Skelly DickeyMrs. Shanks received her B.S. ...

FARRAR -- Vera I. Roth, 79, of Farrar died Monday, May 31, 1999, at her home. She was born May 16, 1920, in Perry County, daughter of Dietrich and Emma Lohmann Brueckner. She and Alfred Roth were married Sept. 24, 1939. He died March 4, 1986. Roth was a member of Salem Lutheran Church and its Lutheran Womens Missionary League, Ladies Aid, Senior Servants, Altenburg Senior Citizens and Frohna Fun Club...

Son to Kenny Wayne and Rhonda Michelle Bramlett of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:54 a.m. Saturday, May 22, 1999. Name, Kegan William. Weight, 7 pounds 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Bramlett is the former Rhonda Dillow, daughter of Ron and Martha Dillow of Dongola, Ill. She is a social worker with Division of Aging. Bramlett is the son of Carolyn Bramlett of Cape Girardeau, and the late Kenneth Bramlett Sr. of Wappapello. He is superintendent at Sikeston Bootheel Golf Club...

David R. Seyer, 52, of Clermont, Fla., died Tuesday, June 1, 1999, in Chula Vista, Calif. He was born June 9, 1946, in Cape Girardeau, son of August and Minnie Menz Seyer. He and Linda Decker were married Dec. 7, 1969, at New Hamburg. Seyer was a graduate of Kelly High School at Benton. He moved to Clermont 18 years ago from Cape Girardeau...