Stories from Saturday, February 1, 1997

To the editor: In the Missourian's Jan. 29 article, "Doctors plan managed health-care group," there was a statement that the local hospitals were giving prices lowered by 19 percent to the managed-care groups. Perhaps the administrators of the hospitals can explain just how the managed-care groups lower the hospitals' expenses by 19 percent. Or will the cost of these discounts just be shifted to the sick who are independently insured or who are on their own?...

Missouri's population is aging. In 1990, Missourians 65 and older accounted for 14 percent of the state's population. By 2020, the percentage will have climbed to nearly 18 percent. By then, more than 1 million of the state's 5.6 million people will be 65 years of age or older, according to the Missouri Division of Aging...

Erna Tucker was born more than 100 years ago in Egypt Mills north of Cape Girardeau. Four-year-old Kathie Scott, left, great-great-granddaughter of Erna Tucker, received a hug during Tucker's 100th birthday party last fall. Florentine Wagner and Erna Tucker have lived for more than a century...

IS IT mere coincidence that the gambling company is leaving town, or is it the hand of the Lord finally led them out of the promised land of Cape Girardeau? Is it mere coincidence that the gambling company has had one stumbling block after another thrown in its path, or is it the hand of the Lord strategically placing all these obstacles in front of it to deny them access to the promised land of Cape Girardeau? Praise the Lord, the gambling company has finally gotten the message. ...

There is a reason Catholic school enrollment is growing by leaps and bounds. More parents are embracing the fact that sound education principals are combined with spiritual and moral lessons. As the national celebration of Catholic Schools Week comes to a close, it is a good time to reflect on the fine job local Catholic schools are doing...

U.S. District Judge Russell G. Clark has decided to withdraw from the Kansas City school desegregation case. It is a move that is long overdue. Judge Clark's decisions have cost the state of Missouri millions upon millions of dollars. Missouri has literally been held financial hostage to one man's concept of justice, which has been questionable at best...

To the editor: Last fall I made various comments in the press and sent a letter to all state judges in an effort to change the laws of Missouri as they affect a civil defendant's ability to change venue in counties having a population in excess of 75,000...

Southeast Missouri State University hopes to reach into the pockets of the nation's major corporations and private foundations to fund a fine-and-performing-arts center. Dr. Dale Nitzschke, the university president, said private funding is essential for such a project...

In the movie "Groundhog Day," Bill Murray plays an egotistical and knavish TV weatherman who becomes entrapped in a time warp in which every day is Groundhog Day. To his horror, he has to cover Punxsutawney Phil's me-and-my-shadow bit over and over and over...

Approximately 60 people gathered at Cape Girardeau City Hall Friday to hear more about community information networks. Legislation that went into effect last year created a new state program called Missouri Express. The program is designed to help communities tie informational resources together on the Internet...

Public schools always have had to find powerful reading materials to inspire their students without offending anyone. Last week the Egyptian Board of Education in Illinois ran headlong into that problem when a group of citizens protested an Egyptian High School English class's use of "Death of a Salesman."...

As of 1994, 1,034 books have been challenged or banned by school systems in the United States, according to "Banned Books 94" by Robert P. Doyle. A book is challenged when a complaint is filed with the school board and the book is reviewed. It is banned when it is removed from the curriculum...

Paul Ebaugh has joined a small and prestigious group. Ebaugh, retired consulting construction contractor and bank president, was named recipient of the Rush H. Limbaugh Award Friday night. The award was presented by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce during the chamber's annual dinner-dance held at the Show Me Center...

Ebonics is not like a hairdo: It doesn't get more accepted with time. When my husband Patrick and I first read that the Oakland, Calif., public school system would teach Ebonics as a separate language, he was enraged. Patrick thought they were going to mock the informal street language used by many blacks across the nation...

The city of Cape Girardeau announced its five Employees of the Year for 1996. The recipients are Brock Davis, Brad Dillow, Tracy Lemonds, Mary Thatch and Stephen Williams. "These five individuals exemplify the hard work and dedication possessed by all of our city employees," said City Manager Michael Miller...

Two civic organizations are just wild about Harry, and they let him know it Thursday. Harry Rediger Thursday was recognized for his service at two separate events sponsored by Vision 2000 and Area Wide United Way. Representatives from both organizations said Rediger enjoys helping others and is always ready to lend a hand...

St. Louis Cardinals baseball great Ozzie Smith will be keynote speaker when Southeast Missouri Hospital holds a free community-wide conference from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 1 at the Show Me Center. The conference, "Linking Generations for a Better Tomorrow," will acquaint the community with the hospital's new Generations Center. Scheduled to open in March, Generations will offer a wide spectrum of services for individuals of all ages...

The stage was set for Notre Dame High's boys basketball team to finally break through and snap its five-game losing streak against visiting Portageville. Three things made Notre Dame coach Chris Janet very optimistic entering the game: None of that mattered Friday night...

If you just look at the final score, Cape Girardeau Central High's boys basketball team enjoyed a routine 79-59 romp past visiting Poplar Bluff Friday night. But the struggling Mules actually made the red-hot Tigers work a lot harder than that before Central pulled away for the victory at the Tiger Field House...

Forget Southeast Missouri State University's 71-53 romp past Tennessee State in Nashville back on Jan. 6. The Tigers are a much different team since then, so there figures to be quite a battle at the Show Me Center today when the teams square off in a 5 p.m. tipoff. The game will be televised by KBSI-Fox 23...

True, things are not looking real good right now for Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team in the Ohio Valley Conference race. But Southeast coach Ed Arnzen keeps emphasizing that it's not too late for the Otahkians to turn things around, although they must get started in that direction right away...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Lowell W. "Timer" Hileman, 79, of Jonesboro died Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997, at Union County Hospital. He was born Feb. 8, 1917, in Union County, son of Oliver F. and Ida Kohler Hileman. He and June Powles were married April 10, 1939, at Jackson...

SIKESTON -- Pearl H. Willhite, 91, of Sikeston died Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997, at her home. She was born Aug. 2, 1905, in Scott County, daughter of Will and Susie A. Knight Heath. She first married Stacker J. Wood in 1921, who died June 14, 1929. She later married Lotis Willhite in 1949. He died in January 1987...

Son to Michelle Renee Pullen of East Prairie, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 2:13 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997. Name, Austin Curt. Weight, 4 pounds 13 ounces. Third son. Ms. Pullen is the former Michelle Cobb, daughter of Darrell and Sharon Cobb of East Prairie. She is a student at Shawnee Community College...

Entertainer Dr. Bertice Berry will speak in the Academic Auditorium at Southeast Missouri State University tonight at 7. Her appearance will conclude the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration activities. Berry has been an advocate for educating against racism and sexism...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Donald W. Laws of Portageville died Friday, Jan. 31, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was 50 years old. He was born in Portageville Jan. 13, 1947, son of Edward and Mildred Lovell Laws. On April 15, 1965, he married Hazel Cornman of Malden...