Stories from Sunday, March 30, 1997

To the editor: This letter is in response to Ray Umbdenstock's second letter in reference to Environmental Protection Agency spending. Before addressing the topic at hand, I would like to say that I have not, as of yet, been witness to such announcements or promises as were mentioned by Mr. ...

A miraculous event nearly 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem changed the world. On this Easter morning, the story is presented again from the Holy Bible (the gospel according to St. Matthew, Chapter 28): In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. ...

Despite numerous attempts over the years to achieve success, most Missourians agree -that school reform measures have not succeeded in finding the answer to poor student achievement. Even as you read this, legislators in Jefferson City debate the efficacy of several proposals claiming educational progress, and this session's agenda is filled with plans, proposals and reforms on this most critical subject...

Let's be clear: It is against federal law for candidates or political parties to accept money from foreign governments. It's undebatably evil to so do. Individuals who agree or conspire to do so should go to jail. All we need now is for the FBI to find the proof beyond a reasonable doubt...

A week from tomorrow, Monday, April 7, at 7 a.m. will find more than a thousand of us from throughout the region at the annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast at the Show Me Center. Previous speakers include Adolph Coors IV, pitcher Dave Dravecky, former Colorado Sen. Bill Armstrong, nationally syndicated columnist Cal Thomas and others. This year's speaker will be of the same caliber, and tickets are still available by calling Dr. Bill Terry at 334-7019...

I UNDERSTAND Scott County is wanting to raise the sales tax because they said their sales were flat since Wal-Mart had moved into New Madrid County. I just wanted to point out that raising the sales tax will not only not raise more money for them, it will probably make more money go to New Madrid County to shop in order to get a lower sales tax. ...

Jackson coach Sam Sides goes over the lineup card with the umps in Wedneday's game against Ste. Genevieve. Shortstop Travis Stevens makes the play. Chris Leimer pitching against Ste. Genevieve. Leimer was the winning pitcher. Coach Sam Sides of the Jackson High School baseball team is in his first season as head coach at Jackson, but he brings 19 years of coaching experience to the Jackson dugout, 13 of which he spent as head coach at other schools...

What? What day is that? Is this something new to celebrate? Well, not exactly. You see, I am writing about Easter. Oh, why didn't you say so in the first place? Well, Easter can mean different things to different people. Easter can bring ideas of bunnies, chocolate candy, Easter egg hunts, baskets with fake grass and marshmallow treats...

School board president Bob Fox thinks Cape Girardeau is poised for a growth spurt that would be triggered by a yes vote on Tuesday's school funding issues. "In the past few years, the city has improved the quality of life in just about every area," Fox said. "Improvement of the schools is the next part."...

The city of Cape Girardeau plans to hook up Gene Hahs' home on Meadowbrook Drive to the city water and sewer systems later this year, but he would rather pass on the offer. Hahs has lived in the neighborhood near Interstate 55 and Missouri Highway 74 for 34 years, has drunk well water and flushed his sewage into a septic tank. In the last year, Hahs has seen the city buy seven of his neighbors' homes to get them out of the flood plain...

Deadbeat parents who don't pay their child support could lose their licenses to drive, hunt, fish and work. The Missouri House and Senate recently gave first-round approval to bills that mirror federal mandates to improve child-support enforcement. Companies could be fined $150 for firing or refusing to hire a non-custodial parent to avoid the hassle of withholding the person's wages for child support...

Anxious relatives lugging lawn chairs and camera equipment and eager children holding bags or baskets eyed each other from around the marked hunting grounds. The children were awaiting their turn to snag Easter goodies and prizes while their parents juggled for position to capture the event on film...

Children absorb food through their skin. It's only when they get older that food starts finding its way into their mouths. Kids crave peanut butter. Chunky or smooth, it is the basic building block of life. Without peanut butter, I'm convinced, today's kids would be vegetables by the time they turned 10...

25 years ago, 1972 Fire destroyed 325 chickens and two brooder houses Friday on Edwin Amelunke farm, Jackson Route 2, but action of state highway patrolman prevented flames from spreading to another building; blaze was spotted shortly after midnight by Trooper Bill Adams of Jackson while he was driving along Highway 72; he rushed into Amelunke home to awaken family; he also summoned Cape Girardeau County Civil Defense fire-fighting unit; farm is located just northwest of Jackson...

It's hard to say that any feat a basketball program with Kentucky's tradition accomplishes is a surprise, but the Wildcats certainly weren't a lock to reach this year's NCAA championship game. And Arizona? Well, I don't think anybody expected the fifth-place team from the Pac-10 Conference to make it that far...

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Cape Central High's baseball team finished the rugged USA Classic Tournament on a strong note. The Tigers, after losing their first two games in the tourney, won their final two contests, including Saturday's 14-5 romp past Horn Lake, Miss., that gave Central 13th place in the 16-team event...

SCOTT CITY -- Scott City High girls basketball coach Randy White says Friends University of Wichita, Kan., is getting one fine player -- and White should certainly know. White's standout senior, Sara Emerson, recently signed a letter of intent with the NAIA school...

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University and Tennessee Tech split an Ohio Valley Conference softball doubleheader here Saturday. The Otahkians lost the opener 2-1 but came back to prevail 7-1 in the nightcap. Southeast is now 8-1 overall and 3-3 in OVC play. Tech, which suffered its first loss of the season, is 15-1 and 5-1...

RICHMOND, Ky. -- One day after being embarrassed 24-2, Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team bounced back with a strong performance here Saturday. The Indians played well in the opener before falling 3-2, then came back to prevail 10-7 as they earned a split of their Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader with Eastern Kentucky...

This may well be Easter Sunday, but let's talk turkey. Mention "Turkey Day" and most folks conjure up visions of Thanksgiving holiday in late November. Their eyes glaze over and their mouths water at the thought of the plump turkey that is guest-of-honor at the dinner table...

Workshop on Wheels will present a "Creative Art" workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Denis Catholic School in Benton. It will include a demonstration of hands-on materials that encourage children to manipulate, explore and examine the world around them, according to the workshop coordinator...

At least for the time being, the Paducah-based unit of the Coast Guard has stopped emergency operations along the Ohio River. From March 6 to March 21, five Coast Guard Disaster Response Units worked 12- to 18-hour days, performing relief missions during the worst flooding on the Ohio River in 60 years...

THEBES, Ill. -- Lorna "Billie Walsh" Howard, 75, died Saturday, March 29, 1997, at Saint Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born August 12, 1921, in Randols, Mo., daughter of Clarence and Carrie Armstrong McNeely. On March 14, 1987, she married John Howard in Marble Hill...

James W. "Num" Ramsey, 67, of Scott City died Saturday, March 29, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

SCOTT CITY -- John D. Buttrey, 85, died Saturday, March 29, 1997, at Heritage Gardens in Jackson. He was born Aug. 15, 1911, in Jonesboro, Ark., son of James L. and Nora Davis Buttrey. On Sept. 4, 1934, he married Beatrice Jenkins in Ware, Ill. She preceded him in death Aug. 11, 1983...

CHAFFEE -- Luella Philamenia Kirn, of Chaffee, died at her home Friday, March 28, 1997. She was 78 years old. She was born Aug. 4, 1918, in Perry County, daughter of the late John and Anna Ponder Winkler. On Oct. 5, 1937, she married Louis Kirn. She was a homemaker and was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and the Daughters of St. Ambrose in Chaffee...

ADVANCE -- Nora Mae Nash died Saturday, March 29, 1997, at the Advance Nursing Center. She was 97 years old. She was born March 9, 1900, in Brownwood, Mo., daughter of the late Fred F. and Effie C. Stroder Nash. She was an employee of Bemis Bag Company in St. Louis before retiring...

POCAHONTAS -- Leonard H. Koeberl of Pocahontas died Saturday, March 29, 1997, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was 49 years old. He was born Jan. 19, 1948, near Pocahontas, the son of Carl and Bertha Walther Koeberl. He was married to Mary Kranawetter June 13, 1970. He was a 1966 Jackson High School graduate and a member of St. Johns Lutheran Church in Pocahontas...

RAYTOWN -- George F. Clark of Raytown, Mo., died March 28, 1997, at the age of 72. He was a former resident of Millersville. He was born Oct. 6, 1924, son of Robert and Vernona Wright Clark. On Nov. 14, 1947, he married Beatrice E. Jones, who survives him...

SIKESTON -- Opal Marie Robertson of Sikeston died Friday, March 28, 1997, at Columbia Hospital in North Richland Hills, Texas. She was 88 years old. She was born Jan. 7, 1909, in Campbell, daughter of John and Mary Maples Frost. On Dec. 3, 1934, she married William "Bill" Robertson, who preceded her in death Jan. 4, 1967...

A Rotary International Study Exchange Team from Maharasthra, India, toured the Southeast Missourian Friday as part of a tour of the Southeast Missouri region. The Study Exchange Team, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau-Jackson Rotary clubs, includes Team Leader "Ram" Kavra, a practicing surgeon; Dilip Puri, a Holiday Inn manager; Dr. Vaijayanti Nagarkar, a homeopathic consultant; Dr. Sadhana Deshmukh, an obstetrician/gynecologist; and Pramod Deshmuiji, a mechanical engineer...

Last weekend, 603 children packed Capaha Park to embark on the adventure of hunting down 3500 hidden Easter Eggs. Each plastic egg held a special candy prize inside. Chris Eastridge, recreation programmer, said that this year was the most successful hunt in the nine years of the Capaha Park Easter Egg Hunts...

Jerusalem Dear Rachel: I received your message saying that you, Eliab and Rebecca would not be able to come to Jerusalem for Passover this year, so Jonathan and I have decided to observe the Festival of Freedom with you and your family in Bethsaida...

At left, Brooke Reeves, left, Rhonda Reeves, and Meaghin Reeves sorted through the eggs found during the hunt. It's a tradition that dates back more than a millennium, a custom spawned by pagan societies, but kept alive today by its adoptive society of Christianity...