Stories from Saturday, March 10, 2001

Billy Sunday mixed baseball and the Bible in a way that attracted crowds every time he spoke. Nearly 1,000 people came to meet his train when the plain-speaking evangelist arrived in Cape Gir-ardeau Feb. 27, 1926, for a five-week stint. Thousands more, sometimes as many as 5,000 per night, would pack into the tabernacle at Bellevue and Middle streets to hear Sunday preach...

As editor of the Southeast Missourian newspaper throughout the 1960s and 1970s, John L. Blue forcefully voiced his belief that growth and prosperity were Cape Girardeau's destiny. He loved the city as well as the Southeast Missourian newspaper, Southeast Missouri State University and Southeast Missouri Hospital -- the elements he believed were essential to the city's future...

Missouri Gov. Bob Holden says his $620 million transportation plan has little chance of winning legislative approval if lawmakers don't pass it this year. Holden said the future political landscape would make it hard to secure approval of his tax and fee hikes for transportation projects...

I periodically serve as a presenter for a local welfare-to-work program about the importance of balancing work and family. The idea is to give participants possible solutions to some of the difficulties they'll encounter trying to be good employees, taking care of family concerns, and managing regular household maintenance at the same time...

Southeast Missouri State University can't count on state funding for the River Campus arts school project until a lawsuit filed by Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Drury is resolved, Gov. Bob Holden said Friday. While state funding for the project remains in limbo, the Missouri Department of Transportation has awarded a $260,000 grant to Southeast to construct hiking and biking trails at the River Campus site overlooking the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau...

A Southeast Missouri State University basketball player was arrested Friday for trafficking marijuana and assaulting his wife, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said. Terry J. Rogers, 21, was charged with felonies for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and second-degree domestic assault. The combined maximum punishment for both felonies would be 22 years in prison...

Southeast Missouri State University student volunteers will educate elderly residents about disaster preparedness today as part of the Area Wide United Way's annual Days of Caring. Volunteers will check smoke detectors and change batteries as needed in homes throughout the community. If necessary, arrangements will be made with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department to install smoke detectors for residents free of charge...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The president of a Cape Girardeau school's parent-teacher association spent more than $1,600 on the Internet after using another woman's identity to acquire credit cards, police and prosecutor's reports state. Rebecca A. Parkinson, 33, has been charged with felony and misdemeanor fraud and thefts of Alma Schrader school PTA funds, Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle said...

Marsha Barron Haskell, who spent 21 years with Southwestern Bell, 15 of them in St. Louis, before moving back to the Cape Girardeau area, has been named regional director-external affairs, after a five-year absence from the company. "Marsha is a seasoned communications veterans with a deep understanding of the dynamic industry we operate,' said Jan Newton, president, Southwestern Bell-Missouri...

Forget Jackson. Forget Cape Central and Poplar Bluff. John Burroughs is the one team Notre Dame wants to beat more than any other. The Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs have had March 10 circled on their calendars since the first day of workouts in November. And the Lady Bombers have been their long-range target...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Entering Friday night's Class 4A semifinal game against heavily favored Parkway West, Jackson High girls basketball coach Ron Cook had one primary objective. It was to control the tempo and keep things close entering the fourth quarter...

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Princeton University scored early and often against Southeast Missouri State's pitchers Friday. The Tigers scored at least one run in each of the first five innings as they stomped the Indians 12-4 at Reynolds Stadium. Princeton (1-0) banged out 15 hits and knocked out starter Jeffrey Hilz after just 1 1/3 innings. The Tigers scored four runs in the first, one in the second, two in the third and fourth; and three in the fifth...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Both games came down to the final seconds of the Missouri Class 3A boys semifinals Friday, with New Madrid County Central and Hickman Mills advancing to Saturday's title game. Ronland Ranson hit a game-winning shot with 19 seconds left to give New Madrid County Central a 54-52 win over Jefferson City Helias. In the other game, Hickman Mills used a 13-3 run to start the fourth quarter to upset Ozark...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Patricia Jane Klobe, 68, of Columbia, Mo., died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at her home. She was born Sept. 19, 1932, in Perry County, Mo., daughter of George N. and Harriett Hatch Klobe. Klobe was a 1950 graduate of Central High School in Cape Girardeau, received a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and a master's degree from the University of Tennessee...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Alice "Babe" Simmers, 65, of Farmington, Mo., formerly of Advance, died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at Ashbrook Manor in Farmington. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Freda M. Edwards of Anna will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Rev. Clifford Heil will officiate. Burial will be in Ebenezer Hall Cemetery near Lick Creek, Ill. Friends may call at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. today...

John Lloyd Blue, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born March 3, 1915, at Flat River, Mo., son of Ernest K. and Mabel Nicewarner Blue. He and Mary Lucille Boyd were married Sept. 27, 1940, in Cape Girar-deau...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Tom A. McCoy Sr., 73, of Dexter died Thursday, March 8, 2001. He was born Oct. 26, 1927, at Bernie, Mo., son of George and Bertha Garner McCoy. He and Ella Edwards were married Dec. 6, 1948, at Piggott, Ark. McCoy was former superintendent of Hidden Trails Country Club in Dexter. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

MATTHEWS, Mo. -- Leonard Junior Nation, 64, of Matthews died Friday, March 9, 2001, at his home. He was born Jan. 13, 1937, at Hugo, Okla., son of Leonard Paul and Lecia Himes Nation. He and Charlotte Porter were married Sept. 13, 1958. He was a member of First Missionary Baptist Church in Matthews and had worked as a warehouse loader for 30 years before retiring...

ANNISTON, Mo. -- Funeral for Leatta Whybark of Anniston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, Mo. The Rev. Ernest Brown will officiate. Burial will be in Anniston Cemetery. Whybark, 83, died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at East Prairie Nursing Center...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Helen M. Picou, 77, of Perryville died Thursday, March 8, 2001, in Perryville. She was born July 4, 1923, at St. Marys, Mo., daughter of John and Ima Beare Cleary. She and Adrian Picou were married Nov. 4, 1941. He preceded her in death...

Charles "Charlie" Smith, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, March 9, 2001, at his home. He was born July 18, 1927, at Kennett, Mo., son of Eldon and Minnie Steele Smith. He and Betty L. Huber were married Jan. 13, 1949, in Cape Girardeau. Charlie worked at Cauble and Field and L.A. Tucker Truck Line (Inman Freight) from 1949-81. He was a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church and served on the first board council and grounds committee, and transferred to St. Andrew Lutheran in 1986...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Ralph E. Lowes, 73, passed away Thursday, March 8, 2001, at Drake Rehabilitation Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson, and after 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11, at Hanover Lutheran Church...

McCLURE, Ill. -- Pauline Goodman, 86, of McClure died Friday, March 9, 2001, at Heartland Care Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 21, 1915, in Olmsted, Ill., daughter of Harry and Amelia Kissman Coleson. She and Honley W. Hooker were married in 1929 in Olmsted, Ill. He died in 1987...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Ida Mae Lawrence, 85, of Dexter died Friday, March 9, 2001, at Vintage Villa Nursing Center in Dexter. She was born June 6, 1915, at Huntington, Tenn., daughter of Robert and Jennettie Smothers Wimberly. She and Vader Lawrence were married Dec. 24, 1940, in Holland, Mo. He died Nov. 17, 1978...

ANNA, Ill. -- Vivian Burd, 78, of Anna died Friday, March 9, 2001, at her residence. She was born Dec. 26, 1922, at Olmsted, Ill., daughter of Byron and Clara Shelton. She and Herman E. Burd were married. He died in 1988. Burd was a former resident of Olmsted, where she was a member of the United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women's Club...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Irene A. Stewart, 95, of Perryville died Friday, March 9, 2001, at her home. She was born June 30, 1905, at Dutchtown, Mo., daughter of Theodore and Martha Cook Diamond. She married James E. Stewart, who preceded her in death. Survivors include a daughter, Florence Rugh of Perryville...

To the editor: Does the Cape Girardeau Board of Education know that at Central High School discipline is down, attendance is up and our school spirit is at one of its all-time highs? Have the board members heard that Randie Fidler, the principal, is fair and that he supports his faculty and staff's good judgment decisions always, or that no other administrator I have worked for has had an open-door policy that works like Mr. ...

This letter is in response to recent allegations relating to the alleged abuse of a 12-year-old boy by Eric and Jennifer Schwepker. I was visiting in December 1993 when the boy returned from visiting his father. I noticed scratches on his body and marks on his neck. A social worker from the Missouri Department of Social Services was contacted...

The latest in our nation's plague of school shootings leaves a predominant question that should be echoing through the minds of every student, parent and school employee: When will we take threats of student violence seriously? Our hearts go out to the friends and families of the two dead students and 13 injured individuals in the Santee, Calif., high school. ...

The Missouri House voted Thursday to repeal a prohibition on promoting students who don't read on grade level. The new law requires more reading instruction. Which means, if the measure passes the Senate, Cape Girardeau and Jackson school districts will again be in full compliance with Missouri law...

I AM a parent of a student at Central High School who is tired of reading the emotional opinions over the recommendation not to rehire Randie Fidler as principal. I feel certain the board made a tough but objective decision based on the facts related to the principal's job performance over the last several years. ...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- Missouri's $500 loss limit at casinos is designed to protect people who might lose more money than they can afford. It is also intended to act as a safeguard to minimize the danger to compulsive gamblers. Unfortunately, the loss limit does neither...

Three articles concerning the Bush administration's approach to various defense and foreign policy issues caught my attention in The Washington Times. Reading them reaffirmed my confidence in President Bush as a strong commander in chief with an appreciation for the indispensability of a powerful and spirited military...

Son to Alex and Meredith Ogburn of Lewisville, Texas, Baylor Medical Center in Grapevine, Texas, 4:16 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001. Name, Miller Hollis. Weight, 8 pounds 4 ounces. First child. Mrs. Ogburn is the former Meredith Crain, daughter of Jim and Barb Crain of Cape Girardeau. Ogburn is the son of Roy and Sherry Ogburn of Houston, Texas. He is regional director of Allied Division, Merritt Hawkins Group...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Gracie L. Stites Porter, 98, died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at Hillview Care Center in Vienna, Ill. She was born March 5, 1903, in New Burnside, Ill. She married Auttie Porter, who died in 1983. Survivors include a daughter, Alice King of Grand Chain, Ill.; three sons, Raymond Porter of Hartford, Ill., Eugene Porter of East Alton, Ill., and Auttie Porter of Mattoon, Ill.; 14 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren...

Lillian G. McDowell, 81, of Liberty, Mo., died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at Liberty Hospital. She was born March 6, 1920, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Henry and Viola Steinhoff. She and Wayne McDowell were married May 5, 1946, in Cape Girardeau. He died in 1992...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Don Scowden, 66, of Dexter died Thursday, March 8, 2001, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born Jan. 1, 1935, at Greenbrier, Mo., son of Oren and Annie Simmers Scowden. Scowden served 20 years in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Amvets and Eagles Aerie...

ANNA, Ill. -- Harold L. Poole, 90, of Anna died Friday, March 9, 2001, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Marion, Ill. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Hileman & Parr Funeral Services in Jonesboro, Ill.

UNIONTOWN, Mo. -- Theodosius "T.J." Frentzel, 85, of Uniontown died Friday, March 9, 2001, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville, Mo. He was born July 1, 1915, at Uniontown, son of Theodosius A. and Bertha Gentsch Frentzel. He and Erna Meinz were married April 28, 1946. She died April 4, 1978...

McGEE, Mo. -- Jim Gribler, 82, of McGee died Friday, March 9, 2001, at the Advance Nursing Center in Advance, Mo. He was born June 27, 1918, son of John and Henrietta Fagger Gribler. He had lived in the McGee area all his life. He was a member of the Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church near Zalma, Mo...