Stories from Wednesday, February 28, 1996

To the editor: Hillary Clinton's appearance before a grand jury took place Jan.26, making her the first wife of a president ever to answer questions before a grand jury -- another Clinton first. Now was this all. The White House (it is still called white despite the tarnish done its reputation by the present occupants) released a 1993 memo by former White House aide David Watkins explaining that there would be "hell to pay" if he didn't "take swift and decisive action in conformity with the first lady's wishes" that employees at the White House travel office be fired. ...

Perhaps some of our readers will recall a column based on the book "Doublespeak" by William Lutz. Nationally recognized as the creator and donor of the annual Doublespeak Award, Lutz once declared himself the winner, to the audible delight of a captive audience...

What began as a small event 10 years ago has turned into the largest annual fund-raising event for the American Cancer Society in Cape Girardeau County. The 9th annual gala will be held Saturday at the Show Me Center. It begins with cocktails in area homes at 6:30 p.m. and concludes with dinner, an auction and a dance at the Show Me Center...

BENTON -- All officeholders filed for re-election in Scott County Tuesday except Surveyor Norman Lambert. The incumbent, Wayne Pettit, and six others filed for the 2nd District commissioner's seat. They were: Robert Niederkorn, Charles Klueppel, Ben Evans, Joe Lee Michael, Bud Dock and David Coop Dirnberger...

JACKSON -- Filing for county offices opened Tuesday in Cape Girardeau County, and all of the incumbents had their names on the ballot by the close of business. Larry Bock filed on the Republican ticket to retain his seat as county commissioner in District 1. In District 2, Joe Gambill, also a Republican, filed for re-election...

PATTON -- Teachers in Meadow Heights School District have apologized for a disruption at last week's parent-teacher conferences, says a statement released Tuesday. Last week several parents and students held a demonstration at the conferences to oppose the school board's recent decision to fire high school principal Rick Chastain...

Plans to connect Charleston, Mo., and Paducah, Ky., by way of a new bridge across the Mississippi River is still just a dream for backers in both states, but a bridge feasibility study funded by federal highway funds makes the vision seem more real...

When eight state legislators participated recently in Southeast Missouri State University's first public-issues forum, area residents had an opportunity to learn not only what local state senators and representatives are thinking, but also to see some of the legislative leadership up close...

To the editor: Recently some newspapers carried an article on the wild horses in the wilderness of Southeast Missouri. Many people were moved to take up the plight of these beautiful animals, and it is gratifying to know that we have people like that in our part of the state. ...

To the editor: Have you ever wondered why our elected officials don't do the things that we elected them to do? If you would like to find out and learn what to do about it, read on. I think that the root of the problem is the fact that we usually do not elect people who have the same values that we do. ...

Groundwork is under way on a $9.75 million project that will provide three clinker storage silos at Lone Star Industries Inc. in the 2500 block of South Sprigg. The silos will be about 120 feet tall and 70 feet in diameter. "This will give us storage for 40,000 tons of clinker," said John Burian, director of operations at the plant. "The project will take most of the year to complete."...

Temperatures weren't expected to climb out of the 30s today after a cold front that pushed through Tuesday night brought a return of winter weather to the area. Three weather records were set Monday, said Dr. Al Robertson, climatologist at Southeast Missouri State University...

The Southeast Missouri Private Industry Council and its job training programs are on the firing line in the federal budget battle. The U.S. Labor Department has projected the council's funding could be cut by 54 percent for the fiscal year beginning July 1. As part of the cuts, a $1.3 million summer jobs program for low-income youth would be eliminated...

Nobody wants to go back to the good old days clubbing lunch to death with blunt objects, sending messages via horseback or heating up canned stew on top of a stove instead of in a microwave, but making life simple is becoming too darned complex. Not to sound like a grandpa who, as a child, walked the distance from here to fourth planet in the Betelguese System to get to school everyday in minus 974-degree weather while assailed by bears, wolves and obnoxious Republican presidential candidates, but we used to get by fine with a lot less.. ...

IF I understand correctly, Boyd Gaming Corp. was awarded the opportunity to come to Cape Girardeau based on a bid process. They supposedly gave us the best proposition for bringing the boat here and were therefore awarded the contract, so to speak. Now we are renegotiating and, if I'm not mistaken, a year after the initial contract was renegotiated. ...

JACKSON -- Administrators at Jackson schools are bracing for a potential cut in federal funding. Assistant Superintendent Fred Jones spoke to the Jackson Board of Education Tuesday about congressional wrangling that might mean a loss for Jackson schools...

The Southeast Missourian asked people about the significance of Leap Year Day, Feb. 29. Beth Becker: "I think it's neat that some people can say they are much younger than they are if their birthday is on Leap Year Day. For me it will just be a normal day."...

JACKSON -- The Girl Scouts in the Tsalagi service unit will hold a recycling drive from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 9 at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Jackson. They encourage people to bring magazines, catalogs and newspapers along with all types of aluminum. Newspapers should be placed in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Plastic bags, phone books and string will not be accepted...

When we live and raise our families in the rural communities of the Midwest, we tend to shake our heads at the terrible discipline problems we hear about in urban school districts. Statistics would verify that behavior problems are more significant in large metropolitan school districts, both in terms of the frequency and the severity of its expression...

SIKESTON -- Fern A. Mothershead, 89, of Sikeston, died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996, at Hunter Acres Caring Center. She was born Dec. 10, 1906, in DeSoto, daughter of Frank and Cornelia Tullock Breckenridge. Mothershead was formerly of Scott City Route 1...

Billy Howard, 60, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Feb. 26, 1996, at his home. He was born March 10, 1935, at Cape Girardeau, son of W.L. and Ethel Burns Howard. He and Elizabeth Hoffman were married Dec. 25, 1977, at Las Vegas. Howard was employed as a surveyor for the Hutchinson Homes Co. in Colorado. He was an Air Force veteran during the Korean Conflict and was a member of the St. Mark's Lutheran Church...

DEXTER -- James M. O'Dell, 88, of Dexter, died Monday, Feb. 26, 1996, at Vintage Villa Nursing Home. He was born May 23, 1907, near Dexter, son of William Louis and Effie Francis Hays O'Dell. He and Letha P. Martin were married July 3, 1926, at Dexter...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for William Wallace Hosey of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home. Patrick Hogan will officiate, with burial in Forest Hills Cemetery near Morley. Hosey, 70, died Monday, Feb. 26, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

Funeral service for Melvin S. Kistner, 32 Camellia, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Revs. Scott Moon and Fred Poston will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park. Kistner, 85, died Monday, Feb. 26, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Lolita Elizabeth Stone, 79, died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996, at the Springdale Health Center in Cartersville. She was born Sept. 18, 1916, at Washington, daughter of Arnold and Lois Dillon Baumann. She and Louis Stone were married. He died in 1991...

Daughter to Michael Allen and Shana Chloe Warner of St. Louis, Baptist Medical Center, 9:20 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26, 1996. Name, Samantha Rae. Weight, 8 pounds 3 ounces. First child. Mrs. Warner is the former Shana Cobble, daughter of Margie Welker of Cape Girardeau and Dan Cobble of Jefferson City. ...

PERRYVILLE -- Joseph "Sep" Renner Jr., 86, of Perryville, died Monday, Feb. 26, 1996, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Dec. 10, 1909, in Biehle, son of Joseph and Julia Bohnert Renner. He and Rose C. Leible were married May 26, 1947, at Apple Creek...

ORAN -- Joseph Raymond Schott, 78, Oran Route 1, died Monday, Feb. 26, 1996, at his home. He was born Jan. 23, 1918, at Oran, son of Charles and Otillia LeGrand Schott. He and Corine Tisdale were married March 31, 1948. Schott was a retired carpenter. He had worked at Ray Clinton Construction in Sikeston and Stockade Building in Oran. He was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church and St. Joseph Sodality. Schott served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

A St. Louis University associate professor and former student of the late Southeast professor Dr. H.O. Grauel will present the first H.O. Grauel Memorial Lecture March 18 at Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Avis Meyer will speak at the free event scheduled for 4 p.m. in Rose Theatre. Title of his lecture is "H.O. Grauel: From More to Less." A reception will follow in the theater lobby...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Turnout on Tuesday for the first day of filing for state offices in the 1996 elections was up significantly from recent years and may be a state record. A total of 292 candidates filed for statewide office, House and Senate seats, circuit judgeships and congressional races. Staff in the secretary of state's office checked the records back several years and unofficially called the total a record...

What's fast, flavorful and worth up to $25,000? Your family's favorite beef recipe -- if it wins the National Beef Cook-Off. Amateur cooks from Missouri have a chance to win more than $50,000 in cash and Frigidaire appliances at the 1997 National Beef Cook-Off in Tampa, Fla., Sept. ...

Alexis Reese had her nails shaped by Leah Callis at D-J's Beauty Mart in Cape Girardeau. Callis has been doing nails for four years. The acrylic nails are fitted the first time you have your nails done and then have to be filled in every three or four weeks...