Stories from Friday, August 27, 1999

To the editor: Attention St. Louis Cardinal baseball management! Please give me a look-see. I am a right-handed pitcher, available for short- and long-term relief. Mike Shannon may describe me as a stocky, 6-foot 136-pounder. I am 55 years old. However, I have an arm like a 77 year old...

To the editor: Once again the Republican Party is distinguishing itself as a rudderless ship. George Bush is another character flawed politician, not much different from Clinton and Gore. His only distinction is being slightly less hypocritical, dishonest, and immoral than the current office holder. ...

For thousands of former and current students in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois who have played in school bands, the name Shivelbine is synonymous with high-quality instruments and music. That's because Shivelbine's Music Store on Broadway in Cape Girardeau has been catering to band directors and music teachers for half a century...

What's wrong with this picture? According to a government survey, there is a trend that fewer teen-agers are trying illegal drugs. According to widespread media reports, more and more candidates for political office are admitting to drug use -- in many cases, when they were teen-agers...

Dr. Linus Huck drew blood from a jenny (female donkey) in order to perform a Coggins test, which identifies equine infectious anemia if present in the animal. FRUITLAND -- No female approaches an obstetric examination eagerly, and Kate was no different. In fact, it took a few sharp slaps on the rump to get her in the same room with the doctor...

The pituitary gland is about the size of a garbanzo bean and sits in a depression in the base of the skull called the sella turcica (Turkish saddle). Its name is derived from Latin as in ancient times it was thought to be the source of the glutinous mucus emanating from the nose...

Donna Burk usually spends afternoons on her computer at work or handling problems out in the field. But Thursday found her cutting strings on balloons for release at the United Way campaign kickoff. The Southwestern Bell executive and United Way board member believed it was important to do her part to make the kickoff a success in hopes it will lead to a successful fund-raising campaign...

Construction of a federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau could begin in fall 2001, the project manager said Thursday. "We are kind of shooting for September to November of 2001," said Dennis Miller, project manager with the General Services Administration office in Fort Worth, Texas...

What some thought would take a miracle was accomplished with few glitches Thursday when Cape Girardeau public schools opened their doors to students. "The administrators promised that it could happen, the maintenance people said they would see to it it would happen, and working with the contractors, they did what some people might call a minor miracle," said Board of Education President Dr. ...

Cape Girardeau's two Save-A-Lot stores will close and a new one will be born next week, a consolidation that will give the city's south side a grocery store after a two-year absence. The Save-A-Lot store at 396 N. Kingshighway will close Sunday night, the other store at 19 N. Spanish St. will close Tuesday night, and the new store at 121 S. Sprigg St. will open its doors for the first time at 8 a.m. Wednesday...

Rule No. 1: No father is permitted to teach his son or daughter the fundamentals of motoring. Leave that to experts: other teen-agers. If you're the parent of a mid-teen who has his or her eye on a Missouri driver's license, you're probably pretty much up to speed on changes in the law...

Gov. Mel Carnahan has no plans to call a special session to formulate pay raises for lawmakers. Lawmakers will be busy enough dealing with a partial-birth abortion measure in the Sept. 15 veto session, said Carnahan spokesman Jerry Nachtigal. "It is an issue that could be revisited next session, certainly," said Nachtigal...

POPLAR BLUFF - The battle lines have been drawn -- quite clearly, it would seem -- and the two sides are ready to do battle Saturday in the activity center of Three Rivers Community College. And while basketball hoops hang from the ceiling, the action on the floor will be anything but a game for the customers-owners of Ozark Border Electric Cooperative who will be gathering for their annual conference...

Openings remain for the community Beginning Internet training scheduled Thursday. The classes are co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian and Southeast Missouri State University, and are taught by members of the SEMissourian.com web staff. Participants have their own computer with high-speed Internet access for the hands-on session. The session will last two hours, from 7-9 p.m., at the Dempster Hall on the university campus...

Jackson Board of Education Meeting Tuesday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Jackson Board of Education office Action Items: -- Set adjusted tax rate for 1999-2000 as follows: General fund, $2.75; debt service fund, 46 cents; total adjusted tax levy, $3.21 per $100 assessed valuation...

BENTON -- Clever crooks incarcerated around the country are using telephones to remotely control their crime organizations, intimidate witnesses, conduct credit card thievery and even arrange escapes -- but not in Scott County. "We're the only county jail in the state of Missouri that does not have inmate phones," said Sheriff Bill Ferrell...

If everything had gone according to plan, all the work on Mount Auburn Road would be completed all at once. But not everything went according to plan. The idea was to do the work widening Mount Auburn Road to four lanes between William and Independence and the waterline work at the Independence and Mount Auburn intersection at the same time...

BERNIE -- Bernie fifth graders will be able to participate in a few more activities thanks to a recent grant. Doris Carroll, fifth grade teacher, applied for the "Soaring Through Literature" incentive grant and recently received approval. Robin Ritchie, elementary principal, said the $5,000 grant is designed to improve semantic uses such as reading comprehension skills, grammar usage and writing skills...

Southeast Missouri State University's inaugural women's soccer team has already played two games. But tonight, the Otahkians will play the first official match in school history when they open the 1999 season against Drury College in Springfield. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m...

There are only three high school boys soccer teams in the immediate area, but what that group lacks in quantity, it certainly make up for in quality. Notre Dame has posted a 75-19-11 record over the past four seasons and is a defending Class 1A-3A district champion while Jackson won its second straight 4A district title last year...

Webster's Dictionary defines a jamboree as a boisterous party or noisy revel; a gathering or celebration with planned entertainment. For anxious fans, today's high school football jamborees will fit the definition. For coaches, the jamboree will be viewed less like a party and more like an audition...

Ramona Blankenship allowed just two runs and five hits in seven innings Thursday as Notre Dame defeated Poplar Bluff 8-2 Thursday in high school softball action. Notre Dame improved to 1-1. Blankenship struck out six and walked one and also went 2-for-4 at the plate...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for C. Frances Taylor of Sikeston will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Don Russell will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Taylor, 69, died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

CHARLESTON -- Tiyonda M. Johnson, 19, of Charleston died Sunday, Aug. 22, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Oct. 17, 1979, in St. Louis, daughter of Phillip E. Johnson Jr. and LaFondra Booker Parks. Johnson attended Sumner High School...

SCOTT CITY -- Harles Mitchell Pennington, 54, of Scott City died Thursday, Aug. 26, 1999, at his home. He was born Sept. 16, 1944, at Malden, son of Jack and Thelma Lucille Arrington Pennington. Pennington was a 1962 graduate of the former College High School in Cape Girardeau...

MILLERSVILLE -- Paul Dean Cook, 60, of Millersville died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1999, at his home. He was born March 31, 1939, in Cape Girardeau, son of Rufus and Myra Etta Graves Cook. He and Marjorie Roe were married Aug. 23, 1957. Cook was service manager at Forklifts of Cape Inc...

SCOTT CITY -- Alma Alice Blankenship, 91, of Scott City died Thursday, Aug. 26, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 20, 1908, in Scott City, daughter of David Joseph and Barbara Susan Montgomery Brant. She and Edgar Lee Blankenship were married Feb. 25, 1925, in Scott City. He died Sept. 3, 1951...

DEXTER -- Marie Lee Smith, 85, of Dexter died Thursday, Aug. 26, 1999, at Advance Nursing Center. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements.

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Marie L. Anderson, 89, of Ullin, Ill., died Thursday Aug. 26, 1999, at the Jonesboro Healthcare Center in Jonesboro, Ill. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Jones Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill.

Lavada Wanda Vincent, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Aug. 26, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. Funeral arrangements under the direction of Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel.

CHAFFEE -- Leon "Raney" W. Miller Sr., 73, of Chaffee, died Thursday Aug. 26, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born March 14, 1926 to Sereno William and Catherine Halter Miller. He was married to Margaret Ludwig April 23, 1949. He served in the United States Army and fought in central Europe during World War II. ...

Son to John Michael and Shannon Marie Hale of Gordonville, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:35 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999. Name, Brendan Michael. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. First child. Mrs. Hale is the former Shannon Kidd, daughter of Mark and Brenda Gones of Gordonville. Hale is the son of Harold and Sheila Hale of McClure, Ill. He is employed by MidAmerica Hotels Corp...

SIKESTON -- Zora Odell Davis, 89, of Sikeston died Thursday, Aug. 26, 1999, at her home. She was born Dec. 2, 1909, in Wickliffe, Ky., daughter of William Sanford and Rosa May Fields Lee. Davis was a member of Parker Memorial Pentecostal Holiness Church...