Stories from Wednesday, August 13, 1997

Unilateral disarmament ... repeating history? A new study done by the Army, but not released to the public, shows the severe decline in morale and preparedness. Nearly half of the soldiers and officers said they believe the Army is becoming "hollow." Officers complained of combat units that were not effective and questioned the strain of dozens of foreign deployments at a time when resources are limited. ...

To the editor: Everyone knows that the older you get, the faster time seems to pass. It is a psychological truism that when we are young, each day leading to Christmas can drag like a year. Then, as we round middle age, a whole summer seems compressed into a fleeting few days...

To the editor: I am an 18-year-old male. Young people such as myself should have hobbies. I have one that is being looked upon with great prejudice by many individuals, including the city of Cape. My hobby is aggressive rollerblading. I don't understand why there is so much prejudice toward skaters. A short time ago, this very same newspaper took a photograph of a skater down on the riverfront. The picture ended up on the front page...

The recent shooting of a cemetery caretaker and the subsequent arrests of four people left a lot of area residents shaking their head. Many of them wondered about their own safety. Many of them recalled the residential burglaries of several months ago that put so many elderly folks on edge...

There is little question that grown-ups everywhere would like to find a way to stop alcohol and drug abuse among their children. Parents do what they can. Law enforcement officials deal with the results of youngsters who abuse illegal substances. Church groups and schools get involved. Legislators look for answers...

AS I drive U.S. 61 to Jackson, I never notice the potholes. I would like to thank Cape Girardeau for a beautiful area to live in. And I've never seen a city so beautiful as when the daffodils are in bloom, especially near the Burger King and that area. Thank you, Cape Girardeau for a fairly beautiful place to live...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will hold a series of town forums during the August congressional recess. The forums will be held Aug. 18 to 20 in Bollinger, Mississippi, Pemiscot, Perry, Scott and Stoddard counties. People may attend the forums and talk with Emerson about legislative issues...

Cape Girardeau police Sgt. J.R. Davis trains the telescopic sight on an approaching vehicle, curved metal stock pressed into his right shoulder, finger poised on the trigger and then -- ZAP -- speeding ticket. Davis has been familiarizing himself with one of the police department's newest weapons against speeding motorists, a laser gun. Radar guns emit a wave of sound to measure speed; laser guns use light...

Central High student volunteers want to guarantee a sellout of YELL newspapers Sept. 9 at the school. So members of the school's Renaissance program will issue signs for students and staff to hold up as they are bombarded with requests to buy the special edition on the way to school. "I'm buying my YELL paper at Central" the signs will say...

JACKSON -- Umbrellas popped open under a light rain on the first evening of the 89th annual Jackson Homecomers celebration Tuesday. Although attendance was low, rides, music and the smell of fried fish and hamburgers beckoned on opening night of the Jackson tradition...

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission did a poor job of putting together its 15-year highway plan in 1992, says a report by Missouri's Total Transportation Commission. First off, the project started $1.4 billion in the hole. That deficit could grow to 10 times that amount -- $14 billion -- by the time the project is completed in the new century without new funding, says the report...

The Rev. Milton Ryan plays to a packed house five times a week. Ryan, pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau, says at least two of five masses held each week are standing room only. But things are about to change: Work begins this week on a church expansion at St. Vincent...

A five-hour drive can be mighty long with nothing but a Mademoiselle magazine for entertainment. There's something about testosterone that make men want to cruise. The Other Half is no exception. He'll gas up his little Mitsubishi and drive that thing until the break of dawn, with nowhere to go but back home when he's done. He convinced me to cruise from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis one night on a whim, using Dunkin' Donuts as incentive...

EDDYVILLE -- A Kentucky paper company began thinning stands of pine trees in the Bell Smith Springs natural area of the Shawnee National Forest on Tuesday. Crews from Westvaco entered the site unhindered, forest officials said, despite promises from environmentalists that they would try to stop the loggers...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education adopted a set of goals to enhance student achievement and the quality of instruction during its regular meeting Tuesday at the Jackson Middle School. Dr. Howard Jones, superintendent, presented a list of 31 goals for the coming school year to the board for approval. ...

The Southeast Missourian asked people what they like about Homecomers. Loretta Fluegge: "It's meeting and visiting with people who you haven't seen for quite a while. Also, you have to go to some place like that to get a funnel cake. I like the municipal band concert."...

Southeast Missouri State University hopes to enhance student life and increase tournament opportunities with a three-phase project to develop the area surrounding the Abe Stuber Sports Complex. L. G. Lauxman, director of student recreational sports, said the university recently began work on the intramural fields located in the triangle at the intersection of Sprigg and Bertling and a new field to be located on the west side of Sloan Creek on Sprigg Street Road. ...

As far as Babe Ruth girls fast-pitch softball is concerned, the small community of Benton will have the national spotlight all to itself this week. The Heartland Girls Softball League will be hosting the 1997 Babe Ruth National Tournament Thursday through Sunday on two adjacent fields in the Benton City Park...

A sure sign it's back-to-school time begins when area high school football teams take to the field for their first day of practice. Today marks the first official day Missouri high school football teams can begin practice for the upcoming season. Several area squads will be taking advantage of that time with two-a-day practices starting early this morning. The teams will then break off and come back for an evening session...

Scott City graduate Jason Landis has signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Forest Park Community College in St. Louis. Landis, a righthanded pitcher, played four years of varsity ball at Scott City. He emerged as the Rams' ace his senior season with a 6-1 record and sparkling 0.94 E.R.A. He struck out 61 batters, walked 31 and was named second team in the Scott Mississippi Conference...

DEXTER -- Funeral service for Ida Payne Lewis of Cassville will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter. The Rev. H. Worth will officiate, with burial in Essex Cemetery at Essex. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

Funeral service for Betsy Virginia Diggs, 1105 Linden, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Zion Flower Baptist Church in Natchez, Miss. The Rev. Wilson Ford will officiate, with burial in Painters Cemetery at Natchez. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Ella Myrtle Johnson of Herculaneum will be held at 11 a.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel in East Prairie. Larry Smith will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Johnson, 84, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at Westview Nursing Center in Herculaneum...

MOREHOUSE -- Mary Abernathy, 55, of Morehouse died Monday, Aug. 11, 1997, at her home. She was born Nov. 4, 1941, at Swift, daughter of Ben and Mary Cobb Davis. She and Vendol Abernathy were married March 11, 1956. Abernathy lived in Morehouse most of her life. She was a member of Morehouse Oneness Pentecost Church...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Cecil Elmo Crawford Jr. of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 10 a.m. to service time. Crawford, 57, died Monday, Aug. 11, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

William H. Bynum, 70, of St. Louis died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997, at his home. He was born March 24, 1927, in Alton, Ill., son of Arley Bynum and Rose Miller. Bynum was formerly of Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his wife, Belinda. Friends may call at Mayer Funeral Home in St. Louis from 5-8 p.m. today...

SCOTT CITY -- Esther Victoria Hockersmith, 84, of Scott City died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 29, 1913, in Rockwood, Ill., daughter of John and Sarah Mansker Lorentz. She and John W. Hockersmith were married Nov. 5, 1938, at Charleston. He died May 17, 1994...

Son to David Michael and Danni Sue Jobe, Chaffee Route 2, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:25 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, 1997. Name, Ryan Davis. Weight, 7 pounds 14 ounces. Third child, first son. Mrs. Jobe is the former Danni Whitlow, daughter of Dennis and Flora Whitlow of Chaffee. She is employed at Scott County Transit. Jobe is the son of Fred and Marjorie Jobe of Chaffee. He is a commercial salesman at Plaza Tire Service...

A Benton man is dead and a Benton woman hospitalized after a traffic accident Saturday on U.S. 60 near Paducah. David Buchannan, 28, died after the pickup he was driving collided with a car, said Terry Long, chief deputy sheriff of McCracken County, Ky...

Clippard SchoolBus #1Start at Edgewood & Bloomfield. Stops at 7:36 at Jan and Edgewood, 7:37 at Quince and Edgewood, 7:39 at Barberry and Quince, 7:40 at Jewell and Barberry, 7:42 at Route K/William and Edgewood, 7:45 at 505 Broadview (Apts.), 7:48 at 1138 Landgraph, 7:49 at 1117 Landgraph, 7:50 at 1136 Landgraph, 7:51 at Tillerie and Lombardo, 7:53 at 2425 Cape Rock, 7:54 at 2323 Cape Rock, 7:55 at 2151 Cape Rock, 7:57 at Marietta and Clark, 7:59 at Jane and Howell, 8:00 at Jean Ann and Howell, 8:02 at 1133 Howell, 8:04 at Erna and Karen, 8:05 at 1353 Karen, 8:07 just after turning onto Tulip Lane from Cape Rock, 8:08 at 2528 Tulip Lane, 8:09 at 2503 Fairlane, 8:11 at 1032 Kingsway, 8:13 at 2008 Kingshighway, 8:15 at Starview Trailer Court, 8:16 at Hucks Auto Sales and then to school.. ...

Parents are asked to please teach their elementary students where they will be going after school. Name and address of parents or the daycare center or sitter is absolutely necessary to make certain that these younger students are on the right bus after school. ...