Stories from Saturday, January 29, 2000

While most churches don't condone divorce, religious leaders have come to realize it is a growing occurrence. New research by Barna Research Group shows that more Christians will have experienced divorce than non-Christians. Divorce has become an unfortunate reality in America, said the Rev. Art Hunt, pastor of Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau. "It's obvious in our culture that something is wrong."...

J. Ronald Fischer, a native Cape Girardean who served more than three decades in city and county government before his retirement as Cape Girardeau city manager in 1995, has joined a small but growing elite list. Fischer became the 12th recipient of the Rush H. Limbaugh Award, which was established in 1989 by the local Chamber of Commerce to recognize area business people who have expended exceptional effort on behalf of the community for an extended time...

JACKSON -- A demand for electrical linemen has led the city of Jackson to substantially increase the salaries of linemen on the city payroll. Jackson's electrical linemen have received a six-step pay boost in a move intended to keep them employed and put the city in the position of being able to hire new ones. Three linemen have resigned their positions with the city in the past two years, officials say...

Snow that began falling about mid afternoon and lasted into the night Friday made travel hazardous across the area. Numerous traffic accidents were reported, particularly along Interstate 55, where a number of vehicles skidded off the highway, some overturning...

Sometimes I wonder whose bed I sleep in every night. I thought it would be mine when Patrick and I began shopping for a bedroom set last summer. I took the lead in the selection process, deciding what type of wood and size of bed I wanted. I fluctuated, comparing queen and king sizes, sleigh and Shaker styles, oak and maple woods. I finally selected a bed that fit my size, style and budget, and was quite proud of my choice...

CHAFFEE -- Two teen-agers were arrested for vandalism and burglary at a church on Friday, Chaffee police said. "The sad thing is one of them was a member of the church," Police Chief Keith Carr said. Police were called by staff at First Baptist Church shortly after 8 p.m. on Thursday. They discovered that office doors had been broken open and seven large fire extinguishers were sprayed throughout the three floors of the building, Carr said...

"All those in favor, go get a Pepsi." And with that statement by board president Don Dickerson, the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents gave its approval to a contract that gives Marion Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. exclusive pouring rights at the Show Me Center for the next 11 years...

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents cited insufficient data as the main reason they rejected a faculty plan to toughen academic distinction guidelines Thursday. The board voted unanimously not to accept a faculty-sponsored effort to increase the grade point averages students must achieve to graduate cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude. The proposal was made to hinder the practice of grade inflation awarding students grades higher than they have earned...

ULLIN, ILL. -- Two people were arrested Friday and a third is being sought after a burglary investigation led to the discovery of a methamphetamine lab, the Pulaski County state's attorney said. Deputies of the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department had originally obtained a warrant to search a mobile home on Butcher Road near Mound City, Ill., said Patrick Duffy, state's attorney. They were investigating a burglary that had occurred in a rural part of the county on Jan. 15...

Three Cape Girardeau businesses are coming out from under liquor license suspensions just in time for Super Bowl weekend, while a fourth was saved by an appeal. The suspensions, ranging between three to 10 days, have a bigger impact than many realize, said Kenny Pincksten, area supervisor for the state Division of Liquor Control...

If every person who attends a house of worship Sunday donates $1 to the soup pot collections, the effort could help alleviate hunger in communities nationwide. Nearly 16 churches in Southeast Missouri will participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday. The money and food donations they collect will be given to area food pantries...

A Marble Hill Scout who received a national recognition for saving his brother's life was among those honored Friday night at the Boy Scouts of America Cape Girardeau district annual volunteer recognition dinner. The annual dinner honors volunteers who have done an outstanding job, and this year the special guest was Scout Andrew J. McGee, who received a Medal of Merit at a National Court of Honor in St. Louis last month. Such medals are given to only about 600 Scouts per year...

In one sense, Republicans owe Bill Bradley for challenging Al Gore for the Democratic presidential nomination. Without this primary battle, voters may have believed that Gore's ruthlessness and duplicity were reserved exclusively for Republicans. Not long ago, Gore was desperately seeking to distance himself from Clinton and all of his character baggage. ...

Cape Girardeau could play a key role in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition. And why not? The city was a stopover on the Mississippi River for the explorers. They spent a night in Cape Girardeau before heading on to St. Louis...

When it comes to shoe plants, the news has been dismal in recent years. Foreign shoe competition has closed plant after plant across the United States. What once was one of the largest industries in Southeast Missouri has diminished substantially. Last year, Florsheim and Trimfoot shoe plants closed in Cape Girardeau and Farmington, resulting in the loss of more than 450 jobs...

To the editor: I must disagree with your editorial arguing that it would be a mistake to replace the Highways and Transportation Commission with a state secretary of transportation. Twelve years ago, I ran for mayor of the city I live in. The gentleman I ran against had served for nearly two decades. ...

All that stands in the way of Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team and a perfect four-game homestand is an Eastern Kentucky squad that is reeling with seven straight losses. But Southeast coach Gary Garner emphasizes that this is certainly not the time for the Indians to take anybody for granted...

Seemingly everybody in St. Louis has caught Ram fever. And that includes two young St. Louis Cardinal prospects. Rick Ankiel and Adam Kennedy hope the football frenzy spills over to baseball season. Ankiel, Kennedy and Chad Hutchinson -- the top three young baseball prospects in the Cardinal organization -- were in Cape Girardeau Friday night as part of the St. Louis Cardinal Caravan at the Osage Center...

What Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen has been saying all along about the Ohio Valley Conference seems to be coming to fruition. Arnzen believes that, after Tennessee Tech, there isn't much difference between most of the other nine OVC teams. He believes the second through eighth or even ninth spots in the league are almost totally up for grabs...

It apparently hasn't taken new Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tim Billings and his staff long to make quite an impression on prospective recruits. Wednesday is the first day that players can begin signing with colleges, but Billings and his new staff have already received several oral commitments, including from two of the state's top high school players...

The Southeast men's and women's indoor track teams will compete today at the Saluki McDonald's Invitational at Southern Illinois-Carbondale. The field will include nine women's teams and seven men's teams. In addition to Southeast and host SIU, competing will be Arkansas State, Jackson State, Lindenwood, Murray State, Wallace State, Austin Peay (women) and Tennessee Tech (women)...

After losing at Illinois State last Saturday, the Southeast Missouri State University women's gymnastics team gets another shot at the Redbirds during today's 1 p.m. meet at Houck Field House. At Normal, Ill., last Saturday, Illinois State scored 191.675 points to improve to 7-2 while Southeast scored 187.10 points to fall to 1-3...

PIEDMONT -- The Rev. J. Carl Rusch, 91, of Piedmont died Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2000, at Doctors Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Jan. 28, 1908, in Chicago. Rusch was a 1932 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He and Emma A. Anderson were married Aug. 2, 1939...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Helen Meyer, 86, of Jonesboro died Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at Jonesboro Health Care Center. She was born Aug. 7, 1913, in Jonesboro, daughter of John R. and Myrtle Sasser Stacy. She and Frederick E. "Ted" Meyer were married April 20, 1933, in Elizabethtown...

Marie Popp, 96, of St. Louis died Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, at South Point Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Jan. 2, 1904, in Blockton, Ala., daughter of Louis and Emma Gudicci Degiovanni. Survivors include her husband, Olaf Popp; a daughter, Dolores Zakabie of St. Louis; a son, Edward Florian of Arkdale, Wis.; a stepson, Ronald Popp of Cape Girardeau; a sister; and six grandchildren...

Son to Jeffrey Thomas and Jay J. Johnson of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:19 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000. Name, Jeremiah Edward. Weight, 9 pounds 1 ounce. Second child, first son. Mrs. Johnson is the former Jay Thurman, daughter of Mr. ...

Carl Edward Davie, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 18, 1920, at Gordonville, son of Charley and Elizabeth Schuette Davie. He and Lillie E. Proffer were married June 17, 1944, in Jackson...

MARBLE HILL -- Lillian E. Spenner, 81, of Marble Hill died Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 4, 1918, near Marquand, daughter of Arnold and Eva Jordan Gromer. She and Roy L. Spenner were married March 30, 1974...

JACKSON -- Pearl E. "Bud" Wille, 63, of Jackson died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000, at his home. He was born Jan. 21, 1937, in Jackson, son of Ernest and Opal Clifton Wille. Wille worked with his father in the former Wille Plumbing and Heating. He was employed many years with the city of Jackson, retiring in 1992 as foreman of the water and sewer department...

ANNA, Ill. -- Sula Alice Baggott, 99, of Anna died Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at her home. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.