Stories from Sunday, March 23, 1997

Drastic cuts in popular programs are inevitable if the Clinton administration doesn't join with congressional Republicans in reforming entitlement spending. The point was re-emphasized last weekend on the Sunday TV talk shows in appearances by Senate Budget Committee chairman Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico, and others...

A recent visit to Cape Girardeau by an official of Associated Industries of Missouri further highlights the need for reform in Missouri's laws regarding venue, particularly that portion of the law that governs where a lawsuit can be filed. Recent news reports across the state have focused on the fact that juries in St. ...

Apparently no one sees anything unusual about our Governor discussing the importance of early childhood development while at the same time recommending the construction of 10,000 new prison cells. Not long ago, in a conversation with Mel Carnahan, he discussed both subjects without skipping a beat. I know the man is intelligent enough to know there is a connection between the two, but who's paying attention?...

Passing through an airport last weekend with time on my hands, I was tempted into an unnatural act: purchasing the New York Times. My interest was piqued by a Page 1 story: "Under Attack, Clinton Gets No Cover From Party." Excerpts from heavyweight correspondent Adam Clymer's news story are truly ominous:...

BROTHERS RECEIVES PROMOTION Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian G. Brothers was recently promoted to his present rank while serving with Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 59, Naval Air Station, Dallas, Texas. He is the son of Robert and Laura Brothers of Jackson...

25 years ago, 1972 With passage of deadline for filing for positions on Jackson R-II School Board, voters in this district will choose two men of three candidates for three-year terms; seeking one of two seats open are Cecil J. Unger, incumbent and present board of education president; James L. Jones, and Donald Shaner; other incumbent, J. Allen Birk, didn't file for reelection...

Erin Mirly, a junior at Jackson High School, was recently accepted to attend the second Missouri Fine Arts Academy. It is scheduled to be held from June 15 to July 5. She was chosen as one of the 175 students from Missouri who were invited as members of the 1997 Academy class...

Baby Jesus is visited by the three kings. It took more than 300 people to put on this year's First Baptist Church Easter Pageant in Jackson. This is the 11th year for the locally produced pageant and once again people are coming in expecting an amateur production and walking out amazed at how professional and polished the production is...

There's a new ordinance in the works that will affect many residents of Cape Girardeau County. Charlotte Craig, director of the county Health Department, the Cape Girardeau County commissioners and Prosecuting Attorney Ian Sutherland are working together on a Animal Control, Nuisance and Abatement Ordinance for the county...

The frogs vociferously chirping away these spring mornings remind me of one of Aesop's fable. It seems that frogs long ago were not content with their happy, easygoing life in and near the water. So they sent their complaint to Zeus, asking for a king to rule over them, to give their lives order and purpose. Zeus, amused at the frogs request, threw down a log into the pond...

Members of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People want the record to show not all members oppose the upcoming school bond issue. About 15 individuals -- many of whom have ties to the educational arena -- said they were unaware the civil rights group was planning to oppose the bond issue, which would provide funding for numerous changes within the public school district...

On April 1, Cape Girardeau school voters will decide two funding issues for the city's public school district. Voters may be asking, "What's it going to cost me?" Unfortunately, the answer isn't easy to calculate because of a process under way called reassessment...

Southeast Missouri State University should have a buffalo for a mascot, or perhaps a cheetah, a wolf or even a coyote, Southeast Missourian readers say. A buffalo topped the list among the suggested mascots offered by 14 Southeast Missourian readers...

Paving gravel roads takes time and money. It's a difficult task in Cape Girardeau County where limited funding means slow going in efforts to pave county roads. But a state law called the Neighborhood Improvement District Act could pave the way for local governments and county residents to get the job done sooner...

COLUMBIA -- As the nation's health care system moves to a variety of delivery systems, Missouri University Extension specialists warn the transformation could be even more dramatic in the state's rural areas -- with nearly four out of every 10 Missourians -- than in urban regions...

Hail to our nation of nibblers, our society of snackers and magnificent munchers. We are so consumed by snacking that only 2 percent of Americans claim they don't snack. For most Americans, snacking is a national pasttime. The people at Melba Toast know that's the case. How else can you explain how this lowly piece of toast could be coveted by so many people?...

A lecture on comets, including the Hale-Bopp comet, will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Rhodes Hall, Room 121. Dr. Michael Cobb, chairman of the physics department at Southeast Missouri State University, will present the lecture. The Hale-Bopp comet, which is visible in the early evening and early morning, has generated local interest in comet sightings...

Sonja Hughey Davis never thought of herself as a writer. "I always dreamed of writing," said Davis, an English teacher at Jackson High School. "Every English teacher thinks she has a book to write but most of us never get around to doing it." Davis hasn't written a novel but is a published writer. Her essay, "Reflections to Accompany the Pine Box," has been published in "Exposures -- Essays by Missouri Women."...

A 23-year-old Charleston man died after he was struck by a pickup truck early Saturday in the 800 block of South Kingshighway. Cape Girardeau police said Shannon Anthony Mascia was trying to hitch a ride back to Charleston when the accident occurred around 4:40 a.m...

It probably wasn't an intentional slap, but Notre Dame High's girls basketball team was able to ride its no-respect theme all the way to Saturday night's Class 2A state championship game. The Lady Bulldogs battled powerful Urbana Skyline at the Hearnes Center in Columbia in a game that was still going on as the Southeast Missourian went to press...

COLUMBIA -- Notre Dame High's Lady Bulldogs played the role of night owls Saturday in trying to bring home the school's first state girls basketball championship. The Lady Bulldogs and Urbana Skyline hooked up in the Class 2A title contest that did not start until nearly 10:30 p.m...

Cape Girardeau Central High's girls swimming team held on Saturday for an exciting 89-83 dual-meet victory over visiting Wentzville. The Lady Tigers improved their record to 2-2. Grace Freeman and Jean Maguire both had state qualifying times for the Lady Tigers. Freeman won the 200 freestyle in 2:08.79 while Maguire captured the 100 freestyle in 58.92...

DeKALB, Ill. -- Despite finishing first in only one event, Southeast Missouri State University's women's gymnastics team won the Midwest Independent Championships held here Saturday night. The Otahkians, who closed out the regular season, scored 194.95 to prevail in the four-team meet...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team split two games with host Southern Illinois Saturday -- but still finished behind the host squad in the four-team SIU Tournament. The Otahkians beat the Salukis 5-3, but both teams advanced to the championship game of the tourney by virtue of having the best records in round-robin play...

Pitching was the name of the game as the Southeast Missouri State University baseball team split two seven-inning contests Saturday afternoon against Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech at Capaha Park. The Indians dropped the opener 6-3 as Tech coach David Mays earned his 500th career win. In the second game, Southeast got the benefit of a controversial balk call in the fifth inning that scored the eventual winning run in a 3-2 victory...

A walk in the vernal woods can provide wondrous experiences. Perhaps you have taken the time to admire the emergent green leaves that bathe the boughs and branches of our native trees, casting a misty halo of light. Your eyes move downward, examining textures and colors as varied and diverse as the species that comprise our forests. ...

Cape Girardeau's two high schools pulled off a district baseball sweep last year as Central prevailed in Class 4A and Notre Dame captured the local Class 2A title. Both teams have high hopes again this season, as do several other area squads, including Jackson, Scott City and Chaffee...

Coming off the first girls' soccer seasons in the history of their respective schools, Monday the Lady Bulldog/Tiger Kickoff Classic will open the soccer seasons for three area teams at Shawnee Park. Cape Girardeau Central will start its season on the No. 1 west end field against Marion, Ill., at 4 p.m. Notre Dame and Jackson will open up against each other at 4 p.m., on field No. 3...

BLOOMFIELD -- Woodrow T. Williams, 84, of Bloomfield died Thursday, March 20, 1997, at the Bloomfield Nursing Center. He was born July 20, 1912, at Bloomfield, the son of E.J. and Melissa Ezzell Williams. He married Velma Link. She died on June 24, 1971. On Dec. 8, 1991, he married Opal Taylor...

MARBLE HILL -- Louise Grimsley, 81, of Marble Hill died Saturday, March 22, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 23, 1915, at Marble Hill, the daughter of Ralph A. and Della Crader Dewitt. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Marble Hill for more than 70 years. She served 12 years as Bollinger County treasurer and was a retired bookkeeper...

Hurschel E. Wagner, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, March 21, 1997, at Heartland Care Center. He was born April 1, 1907, at Fairfield, Ill., son of Seth and Amy Wilson Wagner. Wagner was a lineman for the Missouri Public Service of Cape Girardeau. He was a truck driver with A.B. Potashnick Co. of Cape Girardeau and a trucking company in Boise, Idaho...

RANDLES -- Gilbert Allen, 83, of Randles died Friday, March 21, 1997 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 12, 1914, at Camden, Tenn., son of Nelson and Elsa Hope Allen. Allen was a retired railroad bridge builder for the Cotton Belt Railroad Co. at Malden. He attended the Free Trinity Pentecostal Church at Randles...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Ellade S. Cox, 79, of Cobden died Friday, March 21, 1997, at her home. She was born Dec. 2, 1917, in Saline County, the daughter of Curtis Ray and Anna Marie Robbs Scott. She and Ray Cox were married on May 10, 1935. He died on Jan. 12, 1990...

Shannon A. Mascia, 23, of Charleston died Saturday, March 22, 1997, in Cape Girardeau. Mascia is the son of Peggy and Jim Jepsen of Charleston and the late Tony Mascia. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

JACKSON -- W. Berneice "Blondie" McNeely, 71, of rural Jackson died Friday, March 21, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born April 6, 1925, at Tilman, the daughter of Lewis M. and Mary Jane Goad Pierce. She and George W. McNeely were married on May 17, 1941, at Cape Girardeau. He died on March 28, 1992...

ZALMA -- Dale Fish will have to fight off three challengers who want to hook his Zalma School Board seat on April 1. Fish's opponents are Republican nominee for the 8th Congressional District seat, Richard Kline, former school board member Steve Dickinson and businessman Bruce Huffman...

Creeping vinca, Flowering quince, Pansy, Greigli tulip, Hyacinth, Scilla "Spring Beauty," Forsythia April showers bring May flowers, but Thursday was the first day of spring, and that's when gardeners should have started thinking about spring flowers...

A long time ago, the other day, once upon a time are all phrases that indicate vague dates. "Once upon a time,"is the usual way a fairy tale begins, such as, "Once upon a time there lived in the middle of a live oak forest a single palm tree." When one uses "The other day," he is usually referring to some event that happened day before yesterday or last week, maybe two weeks ago, i.e., "The other day I was in a floral shop and witnessed someone arranging for 350 palm fronds to be delivered to a church.". ...