Stories from Sunday, August 25, 1996

To the editor: The capital of any nation ought to be the showpiece of the country. When tourists and visiting dignitaries travel to Washington, D.C., they want to see the monuments, museums, halls of government, the White House and even the world-famous cherry blossoms. ...

The charcoal was hot and so was the competition for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce BBQ Fest. More than 150 individuals were involved in the competition for the giant grand champion trophy and $200 cash prize. The Chaffee Ribs & Butts team, a third-place finisher in last year's contest, emerged the grand prize winner this time around, finishing in front of First Missouri Terminal and Midwest Agri-Chemical...

Just like anyone else Kenneth Neal of Gordonville didn't think anything of it when he bought a ticket for a truck giveaway from the Jackson Boys Youth League. Then he received a call where he was informed he had won a 1996 Chevy S-10 extended cab pickup from Brennecke Chevrolet...

Offense and defense practice on Wednesday. Coach Gross espects good things out of tight end Travis Wilson, above, this season. The players come to practice in good shape and have allowed the coaching staff to work on offense and defense. Mike Gross fires a pass over the middle at practice...

Nicki Jett of Bloomsdale pitches a horseshoe at the recent state horseshoe tournament held at the Jackson Knights of Columbus grounds. C.J. Seyer of Cape Girardeau lines up a horseshoe at the state tournament held Aug. 17-18 in Jackson. The Bishop Timon #6405 Knights of Columbus Council of Jackson hosted the state Horseshoe Tournament Aug. 17-18...

Seated in front is Agnus Borgfield of Cape Girardeau holding great-great granddaughter Hailey Koerber of Gordonville. Back row (left to right) Elsie Gerecke of Gordonville, daughter, Bernice Koerber of Gordonville, granddaughter, Susan Koerber of Gordonville, great granddaughter. ...

You never know who you'll get to work on at Hair World. Here Emily Tuschhoff clips some hair of a President Clinton imposter. Submitted photo. (submitted photo) It seems like every time you turn around the Olympic Committee is adding another sport to the list, but one sport has been left out, hair styling...

Now that the August primaries are behind us (you did know Missouri held elections the other day, didn't you?), it would not be inappropriate to turn a scintilla of attention on who will occupy the office of Governor for the next four years. The reason it might be important is because, outside of your husband or wife and perhaps your employer or stockholders, no person will have more direct influence on your life through the year 2000 than the man or woman who occupies the executive office in our state Capitol.. ...

So Gov. Mel Carnahan now says he wants to eliminate Missouri's sales tax on food. With an election a little over two months away in which he is asking for another four-year lease on the governor's mansion, talk of tax-cutting seems just the thing. Hard-pressed Missouri taxpayers might ask where, exactly, the governor has been these last four years...

The Missouri School Board is an unelected body, appointed by the governor and confirmed to eight-year terms by the Senate. As such, its deliberations don't often attract a great deal of notice. This has changed as Missourians have begun to awaken to the fact that this board has hired a commissioner, Dr. Bob Bartman, who brazenly and intentionally misleads the taxpayers for whom he supposedly works as to the true nature of the school "reform" process...

The week before the Cape Girardeau presidential visit by Bill Clinton, Al Gore and their spouses promises to be a busy one. Over the weekend, campaign workers and volunteers have been getting ready for the event, which will be held in Capaha Park on Friday...

A new 250 megawatt power generation plant is planned for Southeast Missouri. PanEnergy Corp of Houston, Tex., and Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., (AECI) headquartered in Springfield, Mo., have reached an agreement to develop a partnership which would share the cost of a proposed gas-fired combined cycle power generation plant, in a location to be announced later...

SIKESTON -- Brad Brown ran with the wrong crowd. He brought drugs to school. He attempted suicide. Now he just wants to learn. The 16-year-old doesn't look like the menace his history would indicate. He is short for his age and too skinny. He says it's his anti-depressant medication that makes him look so tired and takes away his appetite...

Life is full of reruns, whether it is old sitcoms or ear tubes. I never expected to watch "I Love Lucy" reruns. But the other day, I was doing just that. It's my oldest daughter's fault. Becca has discovered black-and-white television. Forget Cinderella. It's Lucy she loves...

With the sweltering temperatures that we have recently endured, it might seem inappropriate to think about hunting. We associate most hunting seasons with the cool, crisp days of autumn or the bitter cold days of winter. Unless you are a hard core squirrel hunter, you are probably limiting your hunting activity to daydreaming as you stare wistfully out the window of an air conditioned building or motor vehicle...

The Third Annual Friends of the NRA Banquet will be held Sept. 5 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. A social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. and dinner follows at 7. Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door. The event will include door prizes, raffles and auctions for NRA merchandise...

Cape Girardeau County Lance Tollison and Nichole Tollison to Harold F. Schmarje and Patty J. Schmarje; Finley Burke and Donna Burke to the city of Cape Girardeau; Anthony K. Bierschwal and Lisa D. Bierschwal to the city of Cape Girardeau; Melba Laverne Dewrock to the city of Cape Girardeau...

Two people suffered injuries in a two-vehicle accident at 2100 William in Cape Girardeau Saturday. Shannon Marie Kidd, 18, of Gordonville, driver of one of the vehicles, was taken to St. Francis Medical Center where she was reported in stable condition...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Jasper Easter, 75, of Charleston, formerly of Anniston, died Friday, Aug. 23, 1996, at St. Bernard Hospital in Jonesboro, Ark. He was born June 3, 1921, in Anniston, son of Virgie Easter Ivie. Easter was a member of the Anniston Baptist Church. He was a member of the VFW Post in Charleston and a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army. He worked in the grain and cotton business in Mississippi County until his retirement...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Charles Edward Duryea, 75, of Cobden died Friday, Aug. 23, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born July 16, 1921, at East St. Louis, son of Charles and Lula Fletcher Duryea. He married Mary Lou Lence on Sept. 13, 1949, at Piggott, Ark. She survives...

SIKESTON -- Paul J. Norton, 90, of Sikeston died Friday, Aug. 23, 1996, at Hunter Acres Caring Center at Sikeston. He was born July 25, 1907, at Villisca, Iowa, son of Thomas F. and Glendora Brown Norton. He was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where he served as an usher for more than 50 years. He was a fourth degree and lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council 3151. He owned and operated Norton's Shoe Store for 35 years and until 1972...

Blanche Senn, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Aug. 24, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Ford & Son Sprigg Street Chapel.

Monopoly dates back to 1933 when Charles B. Darrow of Germantown, Pa., created the game to amuse himself while he was unemployed. Darrow pitched the game to Parker Brothers, which initially rejected it. Parker Brothers said the general public would have trouble grasping the real estate concept. The company also was concerned it could take too long to play the game...

HARRISBURG, Ill. -- Roger Craig has passed "Go" more than most. He has won tens of thousands of dollars, but he can't spend a dime. It is only play money. The 35-year-old Harrisburg tire salesman is this nation's Monopoly champion. He will compete Sept. 13-16 at the world championship in Monte Carlo. This will be his first trip abroad. His wife, Lori, will accompany him...

August is the month of watermelons and tomatoes. If I were designing a collage for August I'd have the two fruits intertwining all around as a border. Inside the border there would be an entanglement of green beans, squash, cucumbers, sweet corn, okra, etc., but the entanglement would never overcome the bright green and red border...