Stories from Saturday, April 26, 1997

To the editor: I am distressed by the punishing tone of much of the current welfare reform debate in our state. While people on all sides of the debate agree that the ideal is that everyone who is able should work, it seems to me there are some fundamental issues to be resolved before implementing such a standard...

Five years of planning and $2 million dollars in expenditures has culminated in the opening of the new Shawnee Park Sports Complex. The first of 15 softball tournaments was held last weekend at the new complex - a great way to usher in the city's newest tourist attraction. The tournaments on tap this year will draw competitors and fans from distant parts of Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and possibly Texas...

The Cape Girardeau City Council has a number of advisory boards to aid councilmen on issues ranging from planning and zoning to cable television. But age is the issue and point of view of the newest board. In an unanimous move, the council appointed eight students to a brand new advisory board. Four are from Notre Dame High School; four attend Cape Central High School. The board grew out of the Optimist Youth in Government Day held earlier this month...

I'M CALLING concerning the comment about cleaning up our Cape Girardeau parks. You know, last Saturday we had Friends of the Park Day, and I think it says 400-plus people participated. I wonder if this person who commented about the dirty parks came out and participated. ...

The Internet may allow people to live longer, healthier lives. Kathy O'Howell, a staff nurse at Southeast Missouri Hospital's Generations Center, helps people every day as they weave through the World Wide Web looking for everything from herbal medications to the latest Alzheimer's research...

Firefighters are expected to risk their lives to save others, but today they encounter fewer opportunities to do so. John Sachen, a training officer for the Delta Fire Protection District, said the way homes are made coupled with some materials in furnishings make it difficult for people to survive a house fire...

FRUITLAND -- Toby Hutcheson picked up his buyer's number Friday afternoon for the Mid-America Animal Auction. "We're looking for a few oddities and good buys," said Hutcheson, of Sprucefire, Ala. Hutcheson, his wife, Sharon, and three children, including 8-month-old Alyss, were all at the auction...

Firefighters can't say the words often enough. John Sachen, a training officer with the Delta Fire Protection District, said some aspects of modern homes promote the accumulation of smoke within the structure during a fire. Since most fire fatalities are from smoke inhalation, Sachen said smoke detectors are essential to prevent loss of life...

Cape Girardeau residents could face higher garbage collection fees while city employees would get slightly higher than usual raises if the City Council goes along with the recommendations of the city staff. The raises would bring city employees' salaries closer to parity with comparable cities in Missouri, city officials said. But the increases would come at the expense of replacing some of the city's aging equipment because city revenue is not increasing like officials predicted...

ANNA, Ill. -- The Southernmost Illinois Prison Committee is at work again. The group, which helped attract attention to Tamms for a super maximum prison more than three years ago, hopes to attract interest in Southern Illinois for another prison, or maybe two...

You'd be amazed how close you can become when your only companions are your sister or a dog that prefers sleep to your company. Today I will share a very special moment in my sister Clarissa's life. She's graduating summa cum laude from Florida A&M University with a degree in mathematics, and the family is gussied up with cameras in hand in preparation for this family milestone...

Democrats are playing hard ball to pass a Kids Care bill that is steeped in bureaucratic, big government, state Rep. Patrick Naeger said Friday. Naeger, R-Perryville, said the Democratic leadership prevented him and other Republicans from offering amendments to the bill on the House floor Tuesday...

Over 200 people comprised of 30-to-35-member teams of individuals and businesses, are expected to walk today for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica. The walk begins at 10 a.m. with registration at 9 a.m. at Capaha Park. Matt Hopkins, division director for the Southeast Missouri March of Dimes office, said each team will walk for a prepaid donation to the March of Dimes...

The fifth annual Student Research Conference will be held Tuesday and Wednesday at Southeast Missouri State University. The conference will be held at the University Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. A reception will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday for all student participants and their faculty sponsors...

Area children recently benefited from the national celebration of Doctors' Day. Local doctors could have received red carnations or could have been treated to an elegant dinner; instead, the Cape Girardeau Area Medical Society Alliance helped local children feel good about themselves...

FRUITLAND -- The Fruitland Volunteer Fire Department will observe its 20 anniversary Sunday with an open house at the Fruitland Fire House. Most of the 25 members of the fire department, which includes fire houses at Fruitland and New Wells, will be on hand for the open house activities...

If he had his way everyone would fill out a donor card. Gary Anderson, transplant coordinator for the Mid-American Transplant Services in Cape Girardeau, said he wants to see everyone share his life through organ donation. "A donor card is not a legal document but it indicates what your wishes would be at the time of your death," he said...

A reception and book signing honoring nurses from Southeast Missouri Hospital and the Department of Nursing at Southeast Missouri State University who have written books or contributed chapters to nursing texts were honored Friday. Eight nurses, three from the hospital and five from the university, were on hand to sign books and copies of their work. The event was held in the hospital's Harrison Room...

Mainly because of a slow start, it might be asking a bit too much for Southeast Missouri State Universitys baseball team to win the regular-season Ohio Valley Conference championship. But the Indians at least have a prime opportunity to capture second place in the nine-team league -- which would be quite important...

Southeast Missouri State University's annual spring football game today won't really be a game after all. Because of thin numbers at linebacker, the Indians will conclude spring drills with a 1 p.m. scrimmage at Houck Stadium. The scrimmage is open to the public."Due to injuries at the linebacker position, we won't divide the team up and have a game," said Southeast coach John Mumford. ...

Cape Central High School will be hosting the 30th Annual running of the Central Relays starting today at 10:30 a.m., at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Admission is free and refreshments and T-shirts will be sold throughout the event. No preliminary events will be run...

POTOSI -- Nathan McGuire continued his pitching domination of area baseball teams during Friday's action in the Potosi round-robin tournament.McGuire, a Notre Dame High senior who has been the area's top hurler so far this season, raised his personal record to 6-0 as the Bulldogs rolled past Jackson 10-2.Notre Dame, which improved to 8-1, played Pacific late Friday night. ...

Adopted daughter to Neal Donald and Dawn Marie LeDure of Pataskala, Ohio, Wednesday, April 9, 1997. Name, Morgan Layne. Weight, 6 pounds 14 ounces. Mrs. LeDure is the former Dawn Gulasa, daughter of Donald and Jane Gulasa of Dayton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. LeDure are employed at Defense Electronics in Columbus, Ohio. He is the son of Roy and Pam LeDure of Commerce...

Glenn T. "Tom" Edmonds Sr., 54, of Jackson died Thursday, April 24, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Aug. 7, 1942, at Oriole, the son of Everett and Ruby Cummings Edmonds. He married Charlotte McClard on July 11, 1983. She survives. He worked at QT Masonry in Jackson and was a member of Union Local 916 of Farmington...

Funeral service for Mary Alice Bull Cody will be held today at Brazeau Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Kriegshauser Brothers Funeral Service in St. Louis is in charge of arrangements. Cody, 94, died Thursday, April 24, 1997, in St. Louis...

JACKSON -- Graveside service for Flora Alice Thiele of Jackson will be held at 11 a.m. today at Russell Heights Cemetery, with the Rev. Scott Lohse officiating. Friends may call at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home from 9-11 a.m. Thiele, 99, died Friday, April 25, 1997, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau...

Funeral service for Minnie Jane Hacker of Cape Girardeau was held April 16 at Wilson Funeral Home in Fredericktown. The Rev. Alan Berry officiated, with burial in Mt. Pisgah Church Cemetery near Zion. Hacker, 96, died Sunday, April 13, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Bessie Lorene Oliphant of East Prairie will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel in East Prairie. Pastor Richard Farquhar will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Oliphant, 72, died Thursday, April 24, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...