Stories from Sunday, November 19, 2000

ST. LOUIS -- It's 50-50 America. The presidency is a tie. The Senate is a tie. The House of Representatives is a tie. From a political perspective, the country is split right down the middle. In the days since the election, we have heard the following phrases: A bipartisan approach. Reach across the aisle. The moderate middle of each party should get together. Men of reason should get together. People meeting halfway. Spirit of bipartisanship. Power sharing. The nation must unite...

Anderson speaks: Dr. Ron Anderson, superintendent of schools, spoke during the flag raising ceremonies Monday, launching National Education Week. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans Choir performs: The R.O. Hawkins Junior High choir sang several patriotic songs during the ceremony, directed by Alan Bruns. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans...

Cubby bunnies: In a bizarre post-tournament competition at Greenville, Jackson's Jarrett Brown took first place in a "Cubby Bunny" contest. On Nov. 2 the Jackson Speech and Debate team traveled to Greenville, Mo., to compete in its second tournament of the year...

Jackson's growth has been called everything from "phenomenal" to "frightening." While it has escalated during the 1990s, that growth began to take place during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The decade of the 1970s saw the city make some huge strides toward becoming the young giant it is today...

Buz Sutherland may understand what makes Jackson tick as well as anyone. He has seen Jackson grow as an insider and an outsider. Currently the director of the Small Business Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University, Sutherland was the first executive director of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, (1975-'76). Before that he worked in the former Missouri Division of Commerce and Industrial Development...

For the third straight year, residents of Jackson Manor are receiving weekly visits from Jackson Middle School students. The SHARE (Students Helping, Aiding, Reaching the Elderly) Program, was cooperatively developed by Jackson Manor and the middle school, to give residents and youth a chance to interact...

The goodness of God refers to the perfection of His nature; there is nothing wanting or defective in God's character or in any of His attributes. Webster defines "goodness" as morally excellent, beneficial and virtuous, this is most certainly true of the God of the Bible, yet the thought means much more. God is essentially good and originally good which nothing else is. Therefore every act or aspect of His dealings with all the creatures He has created is totally good...

I JUST read the comment in Speak Out regarding how Jean Carnahan had been involved in her husband's political career and consequently has the background to be successful in the U.S. Senate. I agree. When Missourians visit Washington, D.C., I am sure her experience as a tour guide at the Missouri governor's mansion will be a benefit as she gives tours at the U.S. ...

To the editor: Bush. Gore. Republican. Democrat. Election 2000. This basically all you hear. Newspapers hardly even cover the other parties. The same with TV news and sometimes the radio. I have been reading the newspapers this election year even though I am not old enough to vote yet. I have only seen a little coverage of the other parties...

I think we better take a deep breath before trying to fashion legislative panaceas for perceived problems with our electoral system. The uncertainty in the Florida election result is not due to a flawed system, but fallen humanity. As soon as the nation's preliminary presidential election returns suggested that the popular vote winner might lose the Electoral College vote and thus the presidency, people such as Hillary Clinton began clamoring for the abolition of the Electoral College. ...

Calls for jettisoning the Electoral College are being heard again, given the closest election in 40 years and an apparent result in which one candidate has won the popularity vote while losing the electoral tally provided the electors register their preferences as anticipated. Nationwide, Vice President Al Gore's popular vote total was some 200,000 higher than that of Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who appears to have a majority of electoral votes...

Rare is the November election day, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in even-numbered years, when reports don't abound, by midmorning at least, of a "heavy" and frequently "record" voter turnout. The fact is that when all tabulations are done, only rarely is there an especially "heavy turnout." And so it was again this year...

Parade marshal: Grace Willie was parade marshal of the 2000 Jackson Veterans Day Parade. She was driven by Dr. John Holcomb in a 1911 Model T. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans POW/MIA: Flags reminding patrons of America's prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action were among those unfurled Nov. 11. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans...

When children are sexually abused, well-meaning police, pastors, school employees and others sometimes make the crime more difficult by shuffling victims through an endless series of examinations and interviews. The Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence is working to alleviate the pain in the procedure, director Tammy Gwaltney said...

The halo over Ebonee Ray's head is not the reason the nurses at St. Louis Children's Hospital nicknamed her "the angel on the seventh floor." Two weeks ago, Ebonee broke her neck in the same place actor Christopher Reeve did. Often the result is death or paralysis. But 10-year-old Ebonee not only survived without paralysis but did so with a kind of preternatural grace...

Private and parochial schools come in different sizes and faiths, but school officials and parents said they all offer what their families want most: Faith-based education that raises the academic bar and disciplinary code for students. More than 2,000 students attend 10 private and parochial schools in Cape Girardeau County. ...

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and with it, expanded waistlines. But that seems a small price to pay for turkey and dressing and all the trimmings. It wouldn't be a truly American holiday without a huge meal. Our nation was founded on the belief that all Americans have a right to party, which explains why the revolution began with the Boston Tea Party...

On the first day of drills for Cape Girardeau's new Army reserve unit, nobody marched. "Today were in processing," said James Roche, drill sergeant. "We're going through paperwork, payroll and procedures." The 27 members of the 348th Engineering Company now based in Cape Girardeau brought a variety of experiences together on Saturday for their first weekend together. But their goals are generally the same: to make extra money, get extra benefits and learn new skills...

You can't read very much into a win over a Division II opponent, but I came away from Southeast Missouri State University's season-opening 70-59 victory over visiting Truman State Friday night with the impression that the Indians do indeed have the potential for another big-time season...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- St. Vincent's football staff needs to keep Saturday's game film in a safe place. Because if the Indians ever need an example of how football should be played, they will need to look back no further than Nov. 18, 2000. Second-ranked St. Vincent (13-0) dominated fourth-ranked Adrian (12-1) in every facet of the game as the Indians advanced to the Class 1A finals with an emphatic 24-7 victory Saturday...

If it's possible to build on perfection, Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team did just that Saturday at Houck Field House. After cruising through the Ohio Valley Conference regular season with a 16-0 record, Southeast added the crowning jewel by defeating Tennessee-Martin 15-5, 15-3, 15-9 in the championship game of the OVC Tournament...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For two college football teams having dismal years, Southeast Missouri State University and Tennessee State put on quite an entertaining season-ending show here Saturday afternoon. In a back-and-forth game that featured numerous momentum swings, the host Tigers overcame two early deficits, built a sizable second-half lead, held off a Southeast comeback and eventually pulled away for a 51-33 victory in front of just 1,835 fans at 68,000-seat Adelphia Coliseum...

Eagle Ridge Christian boys basketball team opened the season on a winning note Saturday, defeating Unity Christian 53-38. Kris Dodson scored a game-high 20 points for Eagle Ridge while teammate Toby Shreve added 11. Sam Arnone paced Unity Christian with 12 points...

Mary Louise Matthews Harbert, 73, of Morris Chapel, Tenn., died Friday, Nov. 17, 2000, at Hardin County General Hospital in Savannah, Tenn. She was born in McCory, Ark., and was married to Kermit Harbert. She had worked for H.I.S. Garment Manufacturing in Saltillo, Tenn., as an inspector. She was a member of the Morris Chapel Baptist Church...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Pity Missouri's deer hunters; many found themselves waiting in line to check deer on opening morning of firearms deer season. By the end of the opening weekend, they had checked 111,002 deer. That's 16,521 more than last year and 496 more than the opening-weekend harvest record set in 1998. Best of all, the Missouri Department of Conservation recorded only one non-fatal firearms-related hunting accident...

This time of year most sportsmen are concentrating on hunting or trapping, not fishing. Once September arrives, we see a dramatic drop in fishing pressure on both lakes and streams in Southeast Missouri. If you've already put your fishing gear away, you're missing some great opportunities...

JACKSON, Mo. -- William Marion "Lee" Proffer, age 96, died Friday, Nov. 17, at Whitewater, Mo. He was born Jan. 22, 1904, in Crump, Mo., the son of Harvey Lee Proffer and Marzilla Fulbright. Lee worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad and retired from International Shoe in Cape Girardeau in 1966. He was an active member of the Whitewater United Methodist Church and Methodist Men's Club...

HOUSE SPRINGS, Mo. -- Thurman Gifford Statler, 81, formerly of Jackson, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 17, 2000, at his home in House Springs. He was born Nov. 7, 1919, at Sedgewickville, Mo., son of Melichi and Alie Statler. He and Goldie M. Barks were married June 29, 1939...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Pauline Johnson, 74, of Olive Branch died Thursday, Nov. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill., from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday and until service time Wednesday...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Delores Jean Kersey, 64, of Sikeston died Saturday, Nov. 18, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born March 1, 1936, at Bell City, Mo., daughter of Gilbert and Odena Brewer Clary. She and Richard Kersey were married May 16, 1959, in Sikeston...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Jesslyn Ann Perry, 63, died Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000, at Alamogordo, N.M., after several years of failing health. She was born June 17, 1937, at Bloomfield, Mo., daughter of Jess and Willena Sorrell Perry. She was a former resident of Bloomfield, but had lived in New Mexico the past several years...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Annabelle Borders, 59, died Friday, Nov. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 7, 1941, at Stoddard County, Mo., daughter of Carl and Dora McFarland Hagy. She had lived in Fisk, Mo., the past 10 years. She was a member of the Star Community Church near Fisk. She and Dean Borders were married May 13, 1962, at Neelyville, Mo...

Glenn Wagganer, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Nov. 18, 2000, at his home in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 5, 1926, at Fredericktown, Mo., son of Joseph and Mary White Wagganer. He and Ann Atkinson were married Dec. 1, 1972, at Bonne Terre, Mo...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Richard Dean Park, 47, of Jackson died Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000, in Callaway County, Mo. He was born June 19, 1953, in Cape Girardeau, son of James and Ruth Kennedy Park. He and Patty Hunsaker were married Jan. 1, 1980, in Jackson. He worked as an auto body technician in the Cape Girardeau area...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Perkins A. "Perk" McCormick, 79, of Marble Hill died Friday, Nov. 17, 2000, near Marble Hill. He was born Aug. 17, 1921, at Hahn, Mo., son of William M. and Sarah M. Yount McCormick. He and Mary Draper were married May 15, 1948. She died March 12, 1991...

Thomas Graviett, 84, of Oran, Mo., died Saturday, Nov. 18, 2000, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 15, 1916, at Marked Tree, Ark., son of Clarence Lee and Mary Lou Evans Graviett. He and Eudora McCarty were married on Dec. 25, 1939...

Barbara Herbert prefers to listen to music on an LP instead of a compact disc because the sound is better, but then, many record owners would agree that vinyl albums produce better sound. "On my records, it sounds like you're right there," said Herbert, host of Sunday Night at the Opera on KRCU-FM...

When readers slip the daily paper from its waterproof covering, unfold it, glance at the headlines, they are members of a vast union of people who approach the paper in this way, but from thereon they follow diverse and personal habits of ingesting the news. ...

Janine Jepsen and Kenny Mayberry exchanged vows Sept. 16, 2000, at Enchanted Gardens in Jackson, Mo. Chaplain Russell D. Pipkin performed the double ring ceremony. Pianist was Shane Steck, and soloist was Wendy Taliaferro. Reader was Joe Pangelinan...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Dana Elizabeth Monier and Richard Paul Taylor Jr. were married July 15, 2000, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. The Rev. Kevin Fausz performed the double ring ceremony. Organist and soloist was Judy Wengert of Perryville. Parents of the bride are Dale Monier of Perryville, and the late Lucy Monier. The groom is the son of Rick and Brenda Tisher of Perryville, and the late Richard Paul Taylor Sr...

Daryl and Norma Oldvader of Springfield, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Amy Jean Oldvader of Columbia, Mo., to Scot Edward Wanamaker of Muncie, Ind. He is the son of Ralph and Anna Wanamaker of Cape Girardeau. Oldvader expects to receive a degree in elementary education from the University of Missouri-Columbia in December...

Tom and Judy Holshouser of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Kimberly Kay Holshouser, to William Brian Link. He is the son of Bill and Elsie Link of Kirkwood, Mo. Holshouser is a graduate of Central High School, received a bachelor of science degree from Southeast Missouri State University, and a master of arts degree from St. Louis University. She is marketing communications manager with MDSI/Connectra and editor of eService.com in St. Louis...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Terry and Kay Uhrhan of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Sherri K. Uhrhan, to Roger DeBrock. He is the son of Bernard and Rosemary DeBrock of Chaffee, Mo., and the late Mickey DeBrock. Uhrhan is a graduate of Scott City High School. She is employed at Huttig Building Products in Cape Girardeau...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Terry and Jo Ann Daniels of Marble Hill announce the engagement of their daughter, Mandi Chole Daniels, to Lucas James Sturm. He is the son of Jim and Sherri Sturm of Scott City, Mo. Daniels is a 1996 graduate of Scott City High School, and a 1997 graduate of Stage One The Hair School. She is employed at JCPenney Styling Salon in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jim Roberson and Monta Akin of Leander, Texas, and Mike and Linda Garner of Pflugerville, Texas, announce the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Lynn Roberson of Leander, formerly of Sikeston, to Peter Arnold Eckhoff of Leander. He is the son of Michael and Susan Eckhoff of Florissant, Mo...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Douglas P. Roe of Advance announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Arnel Roe, to Joey Lee Seabaugh. He is the son of Judy Seabaugh of Fredericktown, Mo. Roe received a bachelor of science degree in social work and elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University. She is a learning disabilities teacher with Advance Public Schools...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Norman and Sharon Hughes of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Amy Lynn Hughes, to Simon Paul Irvin. He is the son of Thomas and Sydney Irvin of Scott City. Hughes is attending Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed at Southeast Missouri Hospital...