Stories from Tuesday, August 12, 1997

Hello surfers. I'm back. My son, Daniel Allan, is 2 months old, not quite old enough to sit at the keyboard yet. But his older brother and sisters spent much of their summer vacation in front of the computer with mom. By the way, my name is Peggy, in case you've forgotten...

Students and teachers are getting geared up for the school year as the lazy days of summer give way to energetic school days. In the two weeks before school begins, many students can be seen taking their final swims of the summer and going to bed early at night in preparation for their new schedule. Parents start thinking about back-to-school sales and school registration, and teachers begin dusting off books and designing bulletin boards for their classrooms...

David D. Hodge, a 16-year employee of NationsBank, has been named regional executive of NationsBank's Southeast Missouri-Illinois region. Hodge, most recently a regional executive in Charlottesville, Va., will begin in Cape Girardeau Monday. "Hodge brings with him a depth of banking experience to serve the complex financial needs of our customers," said W. Curtis Graff, who made the announcement Monday...

Cape Girardeau's streets Saturday night were so safe they were boring. I should know, I went riding with the Cape Girardeau Police Department's Safe Streets unit. I now know the true meaning of the word "sweep;" as Safe Streets' units rolled through Good Hope, Ellis, Lorimier, Morgan Oak and surrounding areas more and more people would seemingly be swept off the streets...

To the editor: On Aug. 18, 1996, while my 10-year-old son, Josh, was spending the night with a friend, I received the phone call every mother fears: My son was on his way to the hospital with a fish hook in his eye. As I rushed to meet him there, I tried to prepare myself for what I was going to see so I could be strong for my son. But nothing could have prepared me, and I broke down as soon as I saw him, despite his assurances that he was OK...

WE SHOULD continue spending the money to get to the bottom of the illegal contributions. I purposely don't want my government bought off by another country. We spend lots of money to put criminals away to apply the death penalty. Money is no object when it comes to justice. So we should always seek justice no matter what the cost...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education acted in a timely way -- before the start of the new school year -- and in a logical fashion -- no more busing of kindergartners -- when it decided last week to revise the district's policies regarding class sizes...

When the Southeast Missouri decided to sponsor -- for the first time -- the Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Award contest, there were a lot of questions: -- Would reader take an interest in submitting their favorite snapshots? -- Would the photos be interesting and demonstrate an artistic eye?...

The motor vessel Mississippi was in Minnesota Monday and will be in Iowa Wednesday. Those places are off the beaten bath for the Mississippi, the Army Corps of Engineers revetments boat used to conduct the annual Mississippi River Commission low-water inspection of the Mississippi and Atchafalya rivers...

Street sweepers weren't built for speed; you've got to move slow if you want the streets swept well. But one Cape Girardeau Public Works street sweeper was moving too slowly for a Jackson woman Aug. 1. When she tried to go around it near the intersection of Frederick and Jefferson, the sweeper made an unexpected left turn and the vehicles crashed, police said...

The University High School class of 1977 will celebrate its 20th reunion Aug. 30-31 in Cape Girardeau. Graduates in the classes of 1975-1980 are invited. Reunion activities begin with a dinner and dance Aug. 30 in the Mississippi Center Room of Drury Lodge. This event will last from 6 p.m. to midnight, and tickets are $17 per person or $34 per couple...

The old met the new Monday as all of Southeast Missouri State University's 1997 football players practiced together for the first time. After 30 newcomers had workouts Friday and Saturday, the full squad went at it in two sessions Monday, early in the morning and late in the afternoon...

WICHITA, Kan. -- The Kohlfeld Capahas, an offensive machine during the 1997 National Baseball Congress World Series, had the tables turned on them Monday afternoon. As a result, the Capahas have been eliminated from the tournament, but not before they finished in a seventh-place tie among the original field of 32 teams...

Southeast Missouri State University softball coach Lana Richmond has signed Joanna Hicks of Meramec Junior College to play for the Otahkians next season. Hicks batted .425 at Meramec last year and earned third-team junior-college All-American honors...

Son to Randall B. and Laura J. Sparkman, 3714 Hopper Road, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:40 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, 1997. Name, Thomas Sumner. Weight, 7 pounds 10 ounces. First child. Mrs. Sparkman is the former Laura Marberry, daughter of Alvin Marberry of Cape Girardeau and the late Lil Marberry. She is employed at Commerce Bank. Sparkman is the son of Dr. Thomas and Carol Sparkman of Cape Girardeau and Elizabeth and Rex Jones of Hewitt, Texas. He is employed at Health Services Corp...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Esther Louise Walker of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Dr. Dale Merritt will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Walker, 93, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

BLOOMFIELD -- Graveside service for James Robert Ringham of Bloomfield will be held at 11 a.m. today at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Poplar Bluff. The Rev. Ralph Kirkman will officiate. Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Ringham, 80, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997, at his home...

ESSEX -- Howard Dale White Jr., 35, of Essex died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at Baptist Central Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn. He was born April 15, 1962, in Sikeston, son of Howard Dale and Bobbie Jean King White Sr. He and Marsha Gay Phillips were married Feb. 4, 1994, in Sikeston...

Shirley Ann Tiehes, 61, 2216 Brookwood, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at her home. She was born Dec. 16, 1935, in Perryville, daughter of Herbert and Clara Hoffstetter Sandler. She and Robert Tiehes were married Dec. 25, 1953, at Perryville. Tiehes moved to Cape Girardeau in 1968 from Perryville. She had been an election judge 30 years...

SIKESTON -- Cecil E. Crawford, 57, of Sikeston died Monday, Aug. 11, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Sikeston is in charge of arrangements.

SCOTT CITY -- Herbert Lowell Pickett, 75, of Scott City died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at his home. He was born March 19, 1922, in Whittington, Ill., son of Willard Wilson and Mazie Whittington Pickett. He and Emma Mae Wylder were mrried Feb. 5, 1941, at Benton...

CHARLESTON -- Memorial service for Dr. Geneva Drinkwater of Winter Park, Fla., will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at McMikle Funeral Chapel in Charleston. The Rev. Rick White will officiate, with burial in IOOF Cemetery. Drinkwater, 99, died Monday, July 21, 1997, in Winter Park...

Betsy Virginia Diggs, 98, 1105 Linden, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Feb. 12, 1899, in Natchez, Miss., daughter of Morgan and Emmaline Marsaw Earley. She and Henry Diggs were married in Natchez. He preceded her in death...

Meeting Action Items -- Consider board policy revisions -- Third reading. -- Consider Board of Educaiton goals for 1997-98 and receive report regarding 1996-97 goals. -- Consider eligibility criteria for free and reduced student lunches for 1997-98...

DEXTER -- Ida Payne Lewis, 82, formerly of Essex and Bloomfield, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at Cassville. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home at Dexter is in charge of arrangements.

WEINGARTEN -- Thomas M. Korenak, 39, of Weingarten died Monday, Aug. 11, 1997, at Ste. Genevieve Care Center in Ste. Genevieve. He was born November 5, 1957, in Poplar Bluff, the son of Paul and Adeline Safreno Korenak. On Oct. 24, 1981, he married Sarah L. Stoll in Ste. Genevieve...