Stories from Friday, February 9, 2001

A wealthy and fussy Jewish woman upset because she is getting too old to drive and the illiterate black man her son hires to be her chauffeur, Daisy Werthan and Hoke Coleburn are not natural friends in the post-WWII South. They spat about most everything, and her unconscious racism percolates to the surface at times. But through a relationship that lasts 25 years, Hoke and Miss Daisy develop one of the stage's memorable friendships...

The last time Hunter Moore played Cape Girardeau was under the black lights at the long-defunct Hullabaloo club in the 1960s. His teen-aged rock band, The Absolute, came up from Sikeston, Mo., to roar out their versions of tunes by Grand Funk Railroad and Jimi Hendrix...

Missouri gets an "F" for its laws stating when children are required to wear safety devices in vehicles, a national child advocacy group said. Missouri was among 24 states, including Illinois, that failed a study conducted by the National Safe Kids Campaign...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Two Cape Girardeau Central High School students got an up-close look at the inner workings of state government Thursday, spending part of the day shadowing Gov. Bob Holden. Sarah Brown, a senior, and Jon Thompson, a junior, were among 10 high school students from Missouri invited to the Capitol to see government in action...

After asking for information about purple martins in a recent column, I have learned some things: 1. To many purple-martin aficionados, asking for information about purple martins is akin to snooping around for industrial secrets. 2. People who attract purple martins to their purple-martin houses don't particularly want you to know when the martin scouts arrive each spring...

The campaign to enter Cape Girardeau in the "Let's Put on a Show!" contest sponsored by the public radio program "Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?" is off to a limping start. So far, only a few suggestions about how to persuade the offbeat quiz show to broadcast from Cape Girardeau have come into the Southeast Missourian, which supports the idea...

A group of Cape Girardeau teen-agers told school and community officials Thursday that racial biases exist within their school system mainly toward students who try to function outside of stereotypical roles. A diverse group of seven junior high and high school students shared their views about racial relations within Cape Girardeau schools during a joint meeting with school district superintendent Dr. ...

ORAN, Mo. -- The Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District will sponsor its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Oran Knights of Columbus Hall. The guest speaker will be U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, who will give an update on agriculture issues...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority says it needs money to operate and improve transportation services. The authority met with transit consultant Cornelius Henry Thursday at the Cape Girardeau County Administrative Building. The five-member board instructed Henry to secure grant funds from the Missouri Department of Transportation...

Students thinking about sexual activity shouldn't follow the images the media cast, said peer educators who promote abstinence in area schools. Central High School student Matt Cardin, 17, said teen-agers can be overwhelmed by the blatant sexuality promoted by media. He is one of 38 high school juniors and seniors promoting the value of abstinence to pre-teens through the Postponing Sexual Involvement program...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Cape Central-Jackson girls basketball game Thursday night may have been a bit short on star power, but it lacked nothing in excitement and intensity. Jackson, ranked 10th in Class 4A, needed overtime to outlast Central 53-47 in front of a boisterous crowd in a stuffy Jackson gymnasium...

MURRAY, Ky. -- The free fall for Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team continued Thursday night. For the first time since Gary Garner took over as their coach four seasons ago, the Indians are the not-so-proud owners of a four-game losing streak...

MURRAY, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen knew winning at Murray State Thursday night would not be easy. But Arnzen came away particularly frustrated after the Lady Racers used a late spurt to post a 62-61 victory over the Otahkians at the Regional Special Events Center...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Dexter posted a 71-55 victory over Chaffee in a girls game filled with 15 3-point baskets. Dexter's Amy Rose, who finished with a game-high 28 points, accounted for six of her team's seven treys. Katie Dunlap added 18 points. Morgan Kiefer paced Chaffee (6-13) with 24 points, including five of her team's eight 3-pointers. Jennifer Vandeven accounted for the other three 3-pointers in collecting 20 points...

Son to Leslie Ann Dunn of McClure, Ill., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:51 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, 2001. Name, Jesse Isaiah. Weight, 7 pounds 5 ounces. First child. Miss Dunn is the daughter of Richard Dunn and Judy Dunn of McClure. She is attending Shawnee College...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Kathern M. Rhodes, 63, of Poplar Bluff died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, at her home. She was born Aug. 8, 1937, at Silva, Mo. She and C.L. "Buck" Rhodes were married Feb. 20, 1960. Rhodes had been a salesperson at Wood's Clothing Store in Poplar Bluff. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church at Silva, and Order of Eastern Star Chapter 337 at Greenville, Mo...

Barbara S. "Tootie" Myers, 64, of Wolf Lake, Ill., died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are pending at the Lutz & Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna, Ill.

DELTA, Mo. -- Paul D. Jaco, 63, of Delta died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 2, 1937, at Delta, son of John Fred Curtis and Suddy Biri Jaco. He and Janet Jaco were married Feb. 14, 1969. She died July 23, 1996...

Denzel F. "Fat" Slinkard, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born April 16, 1909, at Burfordville, Mo., son of Dennis and Lou Essie Green Slinkard. He and Madeline L. Steger were married June 21, 1930, in Jackson, Mo. She died Dec. 5, 1981...

DUDLEY, Mo. -- Lonnie D. Mitchell, 68, of Dudley died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was born May 31, 1932, at Dudley, son of James Glen and Ally Fields Mitchell. Mitchell was a former heavy equipment operator...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Ralph W.D. Dexter, 76, of Quincy, Ill., died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy. He was born Sept. 14, 1924, in Ullin, son of Ben and Ella Mowery Dexter. Dexter was a retired farmer, and member of Crossroad Methodist Church in Ullin...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Ahleen Godfrey, 83, of Dexter died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born May 27, 1917, in Clinton, Ark., daughter of Thomas and Belle Harris Bonds. She and Clifton C. Godfrey were married Dec. 24, 1931, in Clinton...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Minnie E. Steinhoff, 94, of Federal Way, Wash., formerly of Jackson, died Monday. Feb. 5, 2001, at Hallmark Manor in Federal Way. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Alice C. Miller, 93, of Perryville died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001, at Perry Oaks Manor. She was born June 17, 1907, in Oklahoma City, Okla., daughter of Dr. Frederick Patrick and Rose Tobin Riley. She and Edgar Joseph Miller Sr. were married Nov. 15, 1930. He died April 23, 1985...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Edna Mae Harper, 86, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2001, in Bellevue, Wash. She was born Nov. 28, 1914, at Essex, Mo., daughter of Roy and Ethel Wright Hyslop. She and Earl Elvin Harper were married Sept. 12, 1931, at Bloomfield, Mo. He died May 2, 1982...

I GET tired of reading about people who are on a fixed income. This is supposed to indicate that they are poor. If you look at our whole society, almost everyone is on a fixed income. The only exception I can see are people who work on commission. Acting like someone is disadvantaged because he has a fixed income is ridiculous. Planning ahead would take care of a lot of the suffering people say they're going through now...

Does hard work pay off? Consider the three highly successful basketball coaches featured in last Sunday's edition of the Southeast Missourian. In each case -- Scott City's Derek McCord, New Madrid County Central's Lennies McFerren and Scott County Central's Ronnie Cookson -- these coaches have seen their teams become winners by expecting far more than just above-average performance...

High achievers, it seems, tend to be motivated to do far more than what is expected. Those who are successful in business generally do so by working harder, longer and smarter. In many, if not most, cases of financial success you can find individuals whose zeal for reaching lofty goals started when they were youngsters...

To the editor: It seems that every time you pick up the paper there is a story about someone suing someone because his coffee was too hot, his ice cream was too cold or he did not wear a helmet on a motorbike. I would like to share a story of another kind, a story of professional behavior and caring. I had a serious eye problem that happened quickly. Dr. Tilley of Anna, Ill., examined me despite a heavy schedule on Tuesday and immediately referred me to Eye Care Specialists in Cape Girardeau...