Stories from Tuesday, March 12, 1996

Bill Sanders, a motivational speaker who talks to more than 200,000 people each year, will speak with over 3,000 Southeast Missouri teachers Friday. He will ask teachers to consider their role in the classroom through the question, "Are we teaching or touching lives?"...

As part of the annual district teachers meeting, four area educators are being honored for their years of work in education. Recipients of this year's "Meritorious Service to Education in Southeast Missouri are S. Edward Sebaugh from Jackson public schools, Barbara A. Miller from Charleston public schools and a husband-and-wife team of Joann and Murray Sullivan of Sikeston public schools...

CHAFFEE -- Tasha Pratt likes nature and her students like her. So they often bring various creatures to her classroom as a gift. Pratt teaches third and fourth grades at St. Ambrose Catholic School in Chaffee. "I had a student bring in a salamander, which he assured me would not escape from the plastic container that so carefully housed it," Pratt said...

More than 3,000 Southeast Missouri teachers will converge on Cape Girardeau Friday for the 120th annual Southeast Missouri District Teachers Meeting. For many students in the region, the meeting means a day off from school. But for teachers, the meeting is a chance to reflect on the teaching profession and recharge for the remainder of the school year...

According to a recent state auditor's report, 88 Missouri school districts have hit taxpayers with $10 million in unconstitutional tax increases. However, under state law, the districts in question had little choice about instituting the increases. Otherwise they would have forfeited state funding...

JACKSON -- Monday morning was tough for Lindsay Siebert. She hadn't been to a full day of classes at Jackson Middle School since Feb. 20, the day after she was attacked by classmates over reporting drugs in school. Back then, Lindsay, 13, didn't know when she would go back to school. ...

The odds have doubled in favor of Cape Girardeau County securing a Missouri Division of Youth Services juvenile facility. Instead of one facility for Southeast Missouri, the state plans to build two in the region. Mark Steward, director of the Division of Youth Services for the state, said the state has tentatively received funding for an additional 10 beds for the southeast region through the federal crime bill...

It's up. It's down. It's up. But during Friday's stock market drop and Monday's rebound, local investors hung tough, investment counselors say. The good news that more than 700,000 new jobs had been created triggered a sell-off Friday because more jobs mean interest rates -- which drive the bond market -- probably won't be cut...

Poor Bailey. As our second child, she just doesn't get photographed as much as Becca. With two kids, there's just less time for those Kodak moments. My wife, Joni, urgently informed me the other day that Bailey was 3 months old and hadn't even come close to a studio camera...

I'M CALLING in regards to the cemetery damage in Old Lorimier Cemetery and the man who has pleaded guilty to damaging the monuments there. I hope Judge Seiler gives him the most stringent punishment possible and, in the event he does not have the money to pay the maximum fine, I think the judge should be creative in his sentencing. ...

Cape Central High School will host a Winter Concert tonight starting at 7:30 in the old gym. The concert will feature the eighth- and ninth-grade and high school bands, said Ron Nall, band director. Admission is free. Students will perform in preparation for upcoming district music contests, Nall said...

Dr. Lawrence Breeze, professor emeritus of history at Southeast Missouri State University, will examine the role of the civil engineer as this year's speaker in the Harold Holmes Dugger Lecture Series at the university. The lecture is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. March 28 in the University Center Party Room...

A group of Cape Girardeau residents will petition the Cape Girardeau City Council to recommend the federal government build a new federal courthouse on the block of old St. Francis Hospital. Supporters of the site expect to submit petitions bearing more than 1,000 signatures. The petitions will be presented at a public hearing at 6 tonight at City Hall...

Tuesday, March 12 7:30 p.m. Jackson Middle School Library Consider proposed May calendar for high school seniors. Grant authorization to submit incentive grant applications. Review results of the Future Business Leaders of America district contest. Receive an invitation from Jackson Mayor Paul Sander...

COMMERCE -- It will take more than rising waters and a flood buyout program to make Bobby Kight leave his home. Kight was one of five Commerce residents who attended a public meeting Monday night to discuss resurrecting the Scott County river town. "I've lived here 30 years and I'm not going to give up my home or this town," Kight said. "I love it here and I'm going to stay. This is the first time I took part but I never had to before."...

This open letter was sent to members of the Cape Girardeau Board of Education: The possibility exists that a statewide voucher program will be implemented in the near future. Before our legislators are asked to vote on such a measure, it is only prudent to see what real effects such a program would have on private and public education. ...

To the editor: For years American education was the envy of the world. Then, in the last fourscore years, pied pipers introduced revised history, modernized math, dumbed-down science etc. The first of the radical changes was to replace time-tested phonics with more profitable but less effective non-phonics. Now this whole-language experiment is in some 85 percent of our classrooms and has given us an education that, when compared academically with other nations, is a national embarrassment...

The Civil Air Patrol, which currently has 14 cadets in Cape Girardeau, provides teen-agers an opportunity to learn about aviation and leadership skills while providing community service. Now the local group has an airplane of its own, thanks to the Missouri Wing. The state group has provided a Cessna 172 for the local patrol to use...

Speed limits on Missouri highways have been regulated to a large extent by the federal government since 1974. Now the state Legislature has approved new limits -- without the federal oversight -- for motorists. For the most part, the new limits set maximums for certain kinds of highways. For example, 70 mph is the fastest on interstates. Other key limits are 65 mph on some rural highways and 60 mph on many two-lane highways...

To the editor: I would like to correct a few of the comments made, supposedly by me, in your article about the three finalists for the presidency of Southeast Missouri State University ("Southeast finalists all faced campus hurdles," March 7). I said, when taken in context, that I could not meet entrance requirements in applying for Louisiana State University and when discussing New Orleans and a 60-mile drive, that students were inclined to attend Southeastern Louisiana University because the school meets the needs of the wide-open region. ...

DeWITT, IOWA -- Wilma L. Clubb, 78, died Monday, March 11, 1996, at her home in DeWitt. She was born April 21, 1917, in DeWitt, daughter of William A. and Lucetta Smith Atkinson. She and Leeman E. Clubb were married Oct. 12, 1962, at Denver. He died June 25, 1978...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral mass for Frank Short of Scott City will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The Rev. Pat Wissman will officiate, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City after 4 p.m. today...

RALEIGH, Ill. -- Lena Whitlock, 90, of Raleigh, died Sunday, March 10, 1996, at Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Galatia. She was born Nov. 22, 1905, in Hamilton County, daughter of Columbus and Mary Smith Pemberton. She married Jack Whitlock, who died in 1972...

Sara E. Fallon, 82, of Greenville, Miss., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, March 10, 1996, at her home. Survivors include a daughter, Mary Snodgrass of Greenville, and two grandsons. Graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. today at New Live Oak Cemetery in Selma, Ala...

Col. Roy F. Sides, 84, 905 S. Benton, died Monday, March 11, 1996, at his home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE -- Elmer Edward Ullman, 76, of Chaffee, died Wednesday, March 6, 1996, at his home. He was born May 6, 1919, in Chilton, Wis. Ullman had been a self-employed construction worker. He moved to Chaffee two years ago from Sikeston. Survivors include a son, Larry Ullman of Manitowoc, Wis.; four daughters, Rena Lippert and Andree Erickson of Manitowoc, Kathleen Bosi of Cato, Wis., Mary Clark of Maryland; a sister, Mabel Sommers of Manitowoc; eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren...

Son to James Darren and Stacey Dawn Smith of Advance, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:41 p.m. Sunday, March 3, 1996. Name, Aaron James. Weight, 8 pounds 4 ounces. Mrs. Smith is the former Stacey Walker, daughter of Richard Walker of Advance. Smith is the son of the Rev. J.D. and Mary Smith of Advance. He is employed at Arvin Automotive...

Lemro Frederick Hale, 80, 2209 Brookwood, died Sunday, March 10, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 20, 1915, at Ironton, son of Elza and Nellie Spitzmiller Hale. He and Theresa Axtetter were married March 1, 1938, in Festus. Hale was a jeweler in St. ...

VIENNA, Ill. -- Ellen Marie Burns, 91, of LaGrange, Ga., died Sunday, March 10, 1996, at Brian Center Nursing Care in LaGrange. She was born Sept. 28, 1904, south of Vienna, daughter of Charles A. and Grace Atherton Parker. She married George E. Burns, who died in 1988...

Funeral service for Viola Amanda Reed of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Trinity Lutheran Church, with the Rev. David V. Dissen officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements...

Area schools competed for titles at the district speech contest earlier this month at Southeast Missouri State University. Sikeston High School placed third and Jackson High School placed fourth in the district contest. Other area winners include Kevin Walters and Justin Tanner, both of Sikeston, for cross-examination debate; Nisha Shah of Cape Girardeau, for Lincoln-Douglas debate; Brant Gunther and Brandon Swanner, both of Scott City, for duet acting; Laura Chubboy of Jackson, for dramatic interpretation; Bryn McDougall of Cape Girardeau, for extemporaneous speaking; Thomas Blissett of Sikeston and Ryan Kasten of Jackson, both for poetry reading; Bryan Kasten of Jackson and Crystal Lenon of Sikeston, for prose reading.. ...

Rep. Mary Kasten presented the Caring Communities project with special flags Friday. Four schools in the Cape Girardeau district participate in the program. Flags were given to Washington, May Greene, Jefferson and Franklin elementary schools. The program, with offices based at the schools, coordinates social services for children and families...

STE. GENEVIEVE -- Information is still needed for the Project Pioneer books. The books are collecting information about the Fallert and Papin families in Ste. Genevieve. The deadline is March 31. The books will be sold at the Jour de Fete on August. Advance orders will be taken in May...

Scott County Central schools will conduct a kindergarten orientation for parents Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the school library. Parents whose children will be 5 years old by July 1 are invited to attend. Kindergarten enrollment and screening appointments also can be made...

CLARKTON -- The Senior Class of Clarkton High School will hold a St. Patrick's Day pageant Saturday. The pageant begins at 1 p.m. at the school gymnasium. Entry fee is $10 for ages 3 to 5 and 6 to 9. Other age divisions are 10 to 12; 13 to 15; and 16 to 19. Entry fees for these contests are $15...

The SEMO MS Society Self Help Group will hold a video presentation and ice cream social Saturday as part of Family Month. The events begin at 10 a.m. at the Friends Lounge of the St. Francis Medical Center. Children can participate in a pen pal presentation by Victoria Pingel and watch "The Lion King."...

Shawnee Community College Small Business Development Center and the Rural Economic and Community Development Center are sponsoring a pre-home ownership seminar March 19, 21, 26 and 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the River Room. The seminar will include tips on how to file credit reports and applications, household budgets, loan commitment, home self-inspection and working with realtors...

The Excelsior Optimist Club of Cape Girardeau has announced the winners of Optimist International Oratorical Contest. Summer Chaudhari was awarded first place, and Annise Maguire was runner-up. Chaudhari, a sophomore at Cape Central High, if the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Basit Chaudhari of Cape Girardeau...

Tim Price, a sophomore at the University of Missouri at Columbia, was named to the Dean's List for fall semester. Price is the son of Donna and Mike Price of Cape Girardeau. Laine Lindley, a 1995 graduate of Central High School, has been named to the Dean's List for the fall 1995 semester at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Lindley is the daughter of John and Linda Koenig of Cape Girardeau...

Eric Marsh of Boy Scouts of America, Troop 6, Camden, Ark., has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Marsh is 15 and a student at Camden Fairview Junior High School. He is the son of Jeff and Debbie Marsh. His grandparents are the Rev. and Mrs. Jeff Marsh, formerly of Cape Girardeau, and Kenneth and Bessie Buck of Gordonville...