Stories from Tuesday, March 11, 1997

Cybertip: We're compiling a comprehensive list of our favorite Internet sites for the Resource Room section of SEMissourian.com. Please e-mail your suggestions to clicksemissourian.com The World Wide Web. It can be a pretty intimidating animal, especially to newcomers...

Jackson school board candidates squared off in preparation for the April 1 election during a forum Monday night at Jackson Middle School. Tom Ludwig, Wendy Hayes, Gerald Adams and current board member Jack Knowlan were more alike than different in nearly all of the views they expressed during the forum, which was sponsored by the Jacksonian Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association. ...

For Carol Kimball, thoughts of getting a high school diploma were 45 years in her past. Now they're one month in the future. On an impulse, Kimball decided to finally get a general equivalency diploma through the Adult Basic Education program offered through the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School...

The Missouri Motor Vehicle Commission mailed approximately 4,400 letters Monday advising auto dealers about consequences of selling uninspected cars through public auto auctions. Wayne Morton, owner of I-55 Auto Auction in St. Louis, said he and a group of dealers were preparing to bring suit against the commission if it didn't send out the letters...

Questions about reassessment and changes in elementary boundaries dominated discussion Monday at the last of three scheduled public meetings concerning Cape Girardeau's upcoming school ballot issues. Six people attended the meeting held at the Junior High School. Board president Bob Fox said he hopes the low turnout indicates people understand and support the proposals...

Mayors of Cape Girardeau and Jackson will sponsor the 10th annual Mayors' Prayer Breakfast April 7, featuring motivational speaker Ted DeMoss. The breakfast is a project of the Christian Business Men's Committee of Cape Girardeau. It will be held at the Show Me Center at 7 a.m. Doors open at 6:30 a.m...

The aroma of cooking beef will greet the thousands of people who visit the 17th annual SEMO Home Builders Home and Garden Show at the Show Me Center this weekend. The show has been chosen as site of the Missouri State Beef Cook-off, said Cindy Gage, event coordinator. All weekend show-goers may sample award-winning recipes from some of the best cooks in the state...

Missouri should scrap its caucus system and go to a presidential primary. That was the message at Secretary of State Bekki Cook's town hall meeting Monday night in Cape Girardeau. About 40 people attended the meeting at the Southeast Missouri State University Center. The meeting was the first in a series of meetings Cook plans to hold around the state this spring to gather public input on what changes should be made to Missouri's election laws...

The big legal question lately has been whether the practice of the death penalty is unfair and whether it should be discontinued. It is a good one. And I'll get to my opinion on the matter in a moment. The whole mess began in February when the American Bar Association urged a nationwide moratorium on the death penalty. The ABA's House of Delegates, which makes policy for the nation's largest group of lawyers, voted 280-119...

I AM a parent of teen-agers and am very concerned about the easy availability of drugs in the community. Is there some organization that parents can go to to look for answers to find out what to look for in your children if they may be experimenting with drugs, how to find out if the friends they're running around with are involved with drugs? There has to be some sort of education for parents. ...

When most of the churches in Cape Girardeau agreed a little more than a year ago to require counseling sessions before a wedding, the move was generally applauded as a model of a community's spiritual effort to prevent divorce and the resulting social upheaval, particularly when children are involved...

The current discussion over nicknames and mascots at Southeast Missouri State University is the result of an effort by student government to find ways to get more students interested in athletic events, which are poorly attended to say the least. In the process, concerns about political correctness -- the men's teams are Indians, and the women's teams are Otahkians -- have crept into the discussion...

To the editor: The Feb. 28 issue of the Southeast Missourian Speak Out contained comments from a supporter of the effort to unionize the city employees from Jackson. The caller's contention was that job security is an issue in Jackson. What is insecure about working for Jackson? How often in the past years have you heard of someone being dismissed from the city without good reason?...

To the editor: Times are bad. The world is unfair. What to do about violence, divorce, alcohol, crime, drugs and suicide? I know a child who uses something simple to solve the problems of distress. She sucks her thumb and hugs the one she loves and trusts, her teddy bear...

To the editor: We are so blessed to live and work in the caring communities served by the Area Wide United Way. That blessing is evident through all the hard work and support of everyone involved with the United Way campaign and their success in exceeding the goal of $525,000. ...

To the editor: The three-cent cut in sales tax on food being considered by the Missouri Legislature is not a sure thing. It could be in trouble in the Senate. Our state senators need to hear from the people now. We need to insist on support from our senators and ask them to make the food tax reduction a first priority...

Norb Plassmeyer, vice president and director of Associated Industries of Missouri, will speak at the Southeast Missouri Area Pachyderm Club Friday. The club, an official auxiliary of the Republican National Committee, will meet at noon at Port Cape Girardeau...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has opened an office in St. Francois County. The first 8th District congressional office in St. Francois County is at 22 E. Columbia St. in Farmington. "I would hope that this congressional office will allow me to better represent the folks of the northeast part of the 8th District," said Emerson...

Carrie Peters has no obvious signs of illness other than a pale complexion. Even so, she suffers from an illness that could end her life any time. Peters, 29, has been HIV-positve for 11 years. She is touring Southeast Missouri this week telling students about living with AIDS and encouraging them to choose abstinence as a way to avoid getting the disease...

JACKSON -- And to just think that Ron Cook at one time never even contemplated coaching girls basketball. Rest assured that everybody associated with Jackson High -- not to mention fans of the school's girls basketball team -- are counting their blessings that Cook eventually changed his mind...

SIKESTON -- With two freshmen and a sophomore starting for the Scott County Central Bravettes, the future looks awfully bright. Of course, with a 67-60 Class 1A regional basketball win over the Naylor Lady Eagles Monday night at Sikeston High School Field House, the present doesn't look all that bad either...

Cape Girardeau Central High's girls swimming team begins a new season today with plenty of youth and inexperience -- but also plenty of optimism. "We sound a lot like the boys were this year," said Central coach Dayna Powell. "We're young with not a lot of experience. We said the same thing about the boys, but they ended up having a really good year. I think the girls can do the same thing."...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Ethel M. Hancock, 85, Dongola Route 2, died Monday, March 10, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Zella Naomi McMillen, 89, of Sikeston died Monday, March 10, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Oct. 20, 1907, in Formosa, Ark., daughter of Charles W. and Melissa Scroggins Shipp. She and Dee McMillen were married Dec. 11, 1926, in Conway County, Ark. He died Jan. 27, 1985...

DEXTER -- James T. Hughes, 86, of Dexter died Sunday, March 9, 1997, at his home. He was born Feb. 20, 1911, in New Haven, Ill., son of Jesse and Lydia Akers Hughes. He and Dixie Dillon were married Oct. 21, 1930, at Bloomfield. Hughes retired as a mechanic with Cotton Belt Railroad. He was a member of Second General Baptist Church...

Dewey Ada LaCroix, 98, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 9, 1997, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services. She was born April 17, 1898, in Advance, daughter of Henry L. and Elmina Williams Davis. She and William O. LaCroix were married Aug. 17, 1917, in Advance. He died March 15, 1968...

EAST PRAIRIE -- William Lee Counts, 83, of East Prairie died Monday, March 10, 1997, at Charleston Manor in Charleston. He was born Nov. 23, 1913, in Shannon County, son of John Tucker and Mary Adeline Martin Counts. He first married Pearl Littrell, who preceded him in death. He later married Madge Allen...

SCOTT CITY -- Genetta Blankenship Riley, 59, of Scott City died Saturday, March 8, 1997, at her home. She was born Nov. 28, 1937, in Vendor, Ark., daughter of Simon David and Tilda Caroline Smith Farmer. She first married William Leroy Blankenship Dec. 2, 1955, in Benton. He died Oct. 10, 1963. She later married Leon Riley Nov. 25, 1967, at Canalou...

MARBLE HILL -- Linder S. Green, 76, of Piedmont died Sunday, March 9, 1997, at Harry S Truman VA Medical Center in Columbia. He was born March 31, 1920, at Patton, son of Walter C. and Minta Starkey Green. He and Marjorie B. Farnsworth were married Aug. 17, 1940...

MOREHOUSE -- Clyde C. "Buddy" Hicks, 58, of Moline, Ill., died Sunday, March 9, 1997, at Genesis Medical Center in Davenport, Iowa. He was born Sept. 10, 1938, in Morehouse, son of Clarence "Shorty" and Clessie Lee Hall Hicks. Formerly of Davenport, he was a truck driver for a construction company there. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps...

Willett Frayser "Bill" Calvert, 75, 1632 Scivally, died Monday, March 10, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Oct. 15, 1921, in Evansville, Ind., son of Willett H. and Mary Elizabeth Frayser Calvert. He and Beatrice Mae Queen were married Nov. 14, 1943, in Varnville, S.C...

Daughter to Drs. Lynn and Ann Wiens of Great Bend, Kan., Central Kansas Medical Center, 4:43 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, 1997. Name, Evangelina Grace. Weight, 5 pounds 12 ounces. Fourth child, second daughter. Mrs. Wiens is the former Ann Hardeman, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Howard Hardeman of Patton. Wiens is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Wiens of Meade, Kan. He is an allergist...

PERRYVILLE -- John W. Martin Jr., 78, of Perryville died Monday, March 10, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born July 4, 1918, in Perry County, son of John W. and Myrtle Weisbrod Martin. Martin was a retired construction worker. He was a member of Brazeau Presbyterian Church, Eagles Aerie, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and an Amvets booster...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Harold F. Powers, 98, of Olmsted died Sunday, March 9, 1997, at his home. He was born March 6, 1899, in Mackinaw, son of John W. and Minnie McGrady Powers. He married Anna Guile, who died in 1974. Powers was a retired farmer. Survivors include a daughter, Lois Lulis of Phoenix, Ariz.; two sons, Leland Powers of Champaign, Dr. Marvin Powers of Paducah, Ky.; a sister, Minnie Powers of Bloomington; a brother, Claude Powers of Champaign; and four grandchildren...

A simulated motor vehicle accident on the Southeast Missouri State University campus was so realistic it prompted calls to the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Police dispatchers said they received a half-dozen calls from members of the public who saw a motionless man who appeared to have been thrown through the windshield of his vehicle after the car collided with a tree...

Debbie Schlitt, a first-grade teacher at Guardian Angel school in Oran, enjoys watching people learn. The wife and mother of two says children express an excitement when learning that is never seen in adults. "It's so gratifying to watch their excitement as they learn new things," said Schlitt, who is in her ninth year of teaching. "You just don't see that kind of excitement in adults."...

Second Quarter A Honor Roll 6th Grade -- Tabitha Boswell, Nathan Bragg, Patty Cheung, Ashley Colon, Lisa Crain, Laden Force, Meghan Kern, Whit Lynn, Cyndi Ulrich. 5th Grade -- Danielle Auer, T.J. Bishop, Louis Hagler, Jacob Knepp, Sarah Metje, Paul Stuart, Christopher Yuen...