Stories from Tuesday, October 21, 1997

One of the great things about the Internet is that you can travel the globe from your living room, or you can check out your neighbors and friends online. A growing number of local folks and organizations are going online with their own web pages. We've found a few. We know there are a lot more out there...

Retirement is only a formality for teaching veteran Pat Hill. The computer science teacher and special services coordinator taught for two-and-one-half years in Scott City public schools and 28 years in Jackson public schools before retiring in May 1996. After only two months away, however, she accepted a position at St. Vincent de Paul Grade School, where she still teaches...

Union Electric Co. is seeking authority to remove, reroute and replace a transmission line on Procter & Gamble Co. property north of Cape Girardeau. The request to the Missouri Public Service Commission seeks commission authority to remove and reroute a 161-kilovolt line and construct a double-circuit 161-KV line in its place...

Phyllis Schnell says she often feels like she is trying to hold back the ocean in her efforts to warn Southeast Missouri State University students about alcohol abuse. But the university's coordinator of substance abuse prevention says she isn't waging a one-person battle: She has plenty of help from student groups like SADD, Students Against Driving Drunk...

The Cape Girardeau City Council approved an ordinance outlining where halfway houses can operate within the city Monday night. Under the ordinance, halfway house programs will be allowed to operate with special use permits in most of the city's commercial, manufacturing and industrial zones...

Swinging horses on the playground of Cape Girardeau County Park South have been removed as a precaution after an inspection of playground equipment last week. The heavy, molded plastic swings might be dangerous, said Bruce Watkins, park superintendent...

Sarah Riley says her tree-lined neighborhood is being destroyed by the city tearing down two large trees that have buckled the sidewalks. Riley, who chairs Southeast Missouri State University's art department, was saddened to see a crew cutting down a large tree on the corner of Themis and Fountain Monday morning...

Educators anticipate opportunities to foster closer parental contact and improved student performance during parent-teacher conferences at area schools over the next two weeks. Many school districts have designated conference days at the end of the first quarter of the school year. Educators said holding conferences in the autumn has proven more beneficial to students than in the spring, when fewer parents participate...

"Youth is a religion from which one always ends up being converted." -- Andre Malraux Something has happened that I thought never would happen -- I became an adult. Until it happens to you, you don't realize just how devastating it can be. One day I realized I had gotten older -- I was an ADULT...

To the editor: On Wednesday, the Missouri Supreme Court will hear Akin vs. the Gaming Commission. This case challenges the constitutionality of the huge Maryland Heights casino complex. The outcome will have broad ramifications for our state. The basis of the suit is that Missourians voted to amend our Constitution to restrict gambling to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. ...

I THINK it would be wonderful if I-66 went through. Just think of how many more billboards we could have in Missouri. CONCERNING cheerleading at the New Hamburg school: It was my understanding that the parents of cheerleaders all agreed these girls should be allowed to cheer. However, because of the sponsor not responding to the board's request to the parents' agreement, the girls were omitted again. Is this fair? What kind of person do we have for a sponsor?...

Two days after our visit to Cambridge, I was treated to a game of golf at a very old and well-established golf club. The Thetford Club is a private club in which the men belong to a "society" and the ladies to a club, with a captain for both men and women who oversees all competitive events...

A good partnership can mean all the difference between success and failure. That's the reasoning behind a new higher education partnership involving five colleges and universities. Higher education partners plan to build on each institution's strengths to provide greater learning opportunities in the region. It is a sensible approach that could benefit both traditional and non-traditional students and the region at large...

A higher speed limit on the nation's highways is resulting in more traffic deaths. A study of a dozen states shows 500 more traffic deaths on highways since speed limits were raised before April of last year. The problem may not strictly be the speed limit itself, but the fact people are exceeding those limits...

Monday, Oct. 20 Consent ordinances -- Approved an ordinance annexing land into the city at the request of P. David and Jerry Lyn Gerlach and Summit Enterprises, L.L.C. Second and third readings. -- Approved an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of property for the Hopper Road Bridge Project. Second and third readings...

JACKSON -- Locating a sales office in the Holigan Homes Savannah Ridge Subdivision would be out of character for the area and would set a precedent for future developments, speakers at a public hearing said Monday. The hearing before the Jackson Board of Aldermen was held to consider Holigan Homes' request for a special use permit to place the office in the subdivision. The permit would have to be renewed after two years...

The annual Oak Ridge High School alumni banquet will be held Nov. 1 at the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria. Social hour begins at 5 p.m. and will be followed by a meal at 6 p.m. Entertainment will be provided. Tickets cost $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Reservations must be made by Oct. 24...

Carl Ritter and Kermit Meystedt, two of Southeast Missouri State University's all-time basketball greats, remember Charles Parsley as a disciplinarian who favored a fast-break style on the court and earned the admiration and respect of his players off the court...

It's back to work this week for Southeast Missouri State University's football team, which evidently used an open date to freshen up both physically and mentally. The Indians have not played since suffering a heartbreaking 17-14 loss to Tennessee Tech on Oct. 11. They'll return to action Saturday in a 2 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference game at Middle Tennessee State...

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team will be looking for some revenge tonight. When the Otahkians take on host Murray State in a key Ohio Valley Conference match, they will be aiming to avenge a recent loss to the Lady Racers that snapped Southeast's long OVC regular-season winning streak...

O'FALLON -- Notre Dame High's boys soccer team defeated John F. Kennedy 4-0 Monday in the first round of the St. Dominic Tournament. Notre Dame, which will face Clayton in Wednesday's semifinal action, improved to 15-2-3 on the season. Zach Miller provided the only goal the Bulldogs needed just nine minutes into the game off a pass from Oliver Sanders. Notre Dame took the 1-0 lead into halftime...

When the weather gets cold, the SEMO Wildcats simply go with the flow. The local hockey organization is preparing to begin another exciting season for youths ages 18 and under. The season starts Nov. 2 and continues into early March. While the league is nearly filled, league organizer Bill Mercer said newcomers are still welcome...

ANNISTON -- Funeral service for Hattie Mae Calhoon of Anniston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Anniston Christian Church. Martin Lucas will officiate, with burial in Anniston Cemetery. McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston is in charge of arrangements...

SIKESTON -- Lorene G. Evans, 81, of Sikeston died Monday, Oct. 20, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 17, 1916, at Bell City, daughter of Everett and Edna McIntosh Link. She and Charlie Ray Evans were married April 9, 1938. He died Aug. 26, 1969...

NEW MADRID -- Funeral service for Woodrow W. Parrish of Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau was held Monday at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery. Parrish, 81, died Friday, Oct. 17, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

Carmen Sue Lenhart, 62, 1106 Harmony, died Sunday, Oct. 19, 1997, at her home. She was born April 9, 1935, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of John W. and Anna Niswonger Cracraft. She was a graduate of Central High School. Lenhart owned and operated Mary Lee Donuts on Broadway 18 years. She also had worked at KGMO Radio and had been a secretary at Meyer Realty Co...

JACKSON -- Eula M. Sievers, 60, of St. Charles died Sunday, Oct. 19, 1997, at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles. She was born Nov. 20, 1936, in Carrollton, Texas, daughter of Edwin and Esther Sievers Amelunke. She married Martin E. Sievers, who preceded her in death...

JACKSON -- Earl L. Marston, 77, of Jackson died Monday, Oct. 20, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 22, 1919, in Kansas City, son of Earl and Marian Namysol Marston. He and Victoria Sorensen were married Sept. 12, 1942...

BENTON -- Ralph Andrew Scherer, 72, Benton Route 1, died Monday, Oct. 20, 1997, at his home. He was born April 28, 1925, at Benton, son of Victor and Pauline Welter Scherer. He and Ann C. Vetter were married May 20, 1953, at New Hamburg. Scherer farmed and was a salesman with MoorMan's Manufacturing 22 years, retiring in 1988...

SIKESTON -- Eddie Ray Critten, 46, of Sikeston died suddenly Saturday, Oct. 18, 1997. He was born Jan. 6, 1951, in Sikeston, son of Johnny R. Longstreet Sr. and Eula Critten. Critten was a restaurant cook. Survivors include three sons, Eddie Critten Jr. of Atlanta, Ga., Tim Craig of Kalamazoo, Mich., Richard Critten of Charleston; a daughter, Stephanie Critten of Atlanta; his mother, Eula Critten of Washington, D.C.; and stepmother, Goletha Longstreet of Sikeston...

PERRYVILLE -- Dr. Victor L. Lohmann, 87, of Largo, Fla., died Sunday, Oct. 19, 1997. He was born Oct. 9, 1910, in Canyon, Texas, son of the Rev. A.M. and Hulda Kipping Lohmann. He and Vona King were married in April 1928. His family moved to Perryville in 1921. He graduated from Perryville High School in 1927, and received a bachelor of science degree from Southeast Missouri State University...

JACKSON -- Billie F. Edwards Sr., 72, of Jackson died Monday, Oct. 20, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home at Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Jeff and Barb Breer of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997. Name, Lindsey Kathryn. Weight, 5 pounds 6 ounces. Mrs. Breer is the former Barb LaBrot, daughter of the late Vernon and Alma LaBrot of Park Hills. She is an eighth grade English teacher at Fredericktown Middle School. Breer is the son of Robert and Cindy Breer of St. Louis. He is sports editor at the Southeast Missourian Newspaper...

WHITEWATER -- Waldo Richardson, 81, of Whitewater died Sunday, Oct. 19, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 2, 1916, in Cape Girardeau County, the son of Ben and Nellie Simmons Richardson. On Sept. 16, 1940, he married Jessie Rhodes. She survives...