Stories from Friday, November 7, 1997

To the editor: Global warming: Is it just me, or is anyone else uncomfortable about the way this is all unfolding? I feel like I'm strapped to a railroad track watching a train bear down on me filled with screaming zealots, each reaching for a lever marked "Global Warming." I don't have a warm, fuzzy feeling about what they intend to do if they get their hands on the leverage this issue may afford...

To the editor: What one word would describe the excellent performance presented by the Symphonic Wind Ensemble conducted by Robert M. Gifford last week at Academic Auditorium? The answer is serendipity. I was expecting an evening of wonderful music performed by students with exceptional musical ability under the direction of a professional conductor. I received all that I was expecting and much more...

To the editor: The stock market has been in the news a lot lately. The Southeast Missourian has recently published some very interesting material about it. Though I have no formal training or interest in the subject, I still fancy myself a stock market expert...

To the editor: In his recent letter on so-called global warming, Alan Journet went off on columnist Cal Thomas and other rightist commentators as if they were dictators who want every American to march in step to their tune and, when confronted with all this evidence for global warming, merely stick their heads in the sand and deny it...

U.S. Senate hearings on campaign fund raising have, for all practical purposes, come to an end without any proposals for meaningful legislation. The Senate was faced with an end-of-the-year deadline anyway, which Republicans agreed to in order to get Democrats to go along with the probe in the first place...

Remember all the friendly unity that descended over Washington, D.C., when battling legislators and key administration officials reached a compromise on balancing the federal budget? After government was slowed down a couple of times, the budget agreement was hailed as a new era of working together to achieve ends that were good for all Americans...

Three Southeast students won top honors in competition at the Missouri Music Teachers Association State Convention last weekend in Warrensburg. A total of 24 musicians from universities across the state competed. Patryce King of Marcelline won collegiate honors-piano in the upper division competition for juniors and seniors...

A group of House Republicans has called for an investigation that could determine if President Clinton should be impeached. Seventeen House Republicans introduced a resolution Wednesday requesting the House Judiciary Committee look into alleged violations of law by the president...

Southeast Missouri Hospital administrator James W. Wente was installed Thursday as board chairman of the Missouri Hospital Association. Wente becomes only the third chairman from the Southeast Hospital in the association's 75 years. He was installed before a crowd of 1,000 people at the group's annual convention and trade show at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach...

The Missouri Department of Insurance and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri are hurrying to reassure customers that their managed health-care coverage isn't in critical condition. RightChoice Managed Care Inc., the publicly held subsidiary of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, posted a third-quarter loss reserve of $29.5 million and a net loss of $3.5 million...

The key ingredient to successful transportation projects is cooperation, Freeman McCullah said Thursday night at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's annual Transportation Dinner. McCullah, the assistant chief engineer for strategic planning, said Southeast Missouri is a prime example for what can be achieved when the state, local government and business interests work together to improve transportation access...

When rain starts falling after a dry period, it mixes with dirt, dust and oil on roadways, and the result can be roads that are almost as slick as ice. When that happens in the fall -- as it has here this week -- fallen leaves on streets can worsen the situation. And they have...

You would start turning down the pages of the Christmas catalogs before Thanksgiving -- just in case your parents might notice. There are a lot of young folks who find it hard to believe that electricity didn't reach a lot of rural areas of America until the 1950s. Of course, these same people can't grasp life without shopping malls either...

Thirteen years ago, two boys named Felker started a theatrical tradition in Cape Girardeau. Russ and Rob Felker's roles in a community theater production of "Babes in Toyland" were the first in a string of appearances by Felker children will end this weekend when youngest Shannon Felker appears in "You Can't Take It With You" at Central High School...

Nick Clubb shaved the top of his head to play Paul Sycamore, the fireworks-making member of the eccentric New York City family that is the star of "You Can't Take It With You." Director Cynthia Wyatt didn't want him to do it, but Clubb's right in the spirit of this Pulitzer Prize-winning play being presented this weekend at Cape Central...

The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting Nov. 18 in Cape Girardeau to solicit public input on preliminary route locations for two area road improvements. The open-house session will be held between 4-8 p.m. at the Holiday Inn...

JACKSON -- Five people from the Fruitland and Pocahontas areas are needed to serve on the board of directors for the new Cape Girardeau County Common Sewer District. The Cape Girardeau County Commission is seeking applicants for the job, and hope to make appointments on Dec. 1...

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen must be feeling a little snake-bit right now. Not only were the Otahkians recently picked to finish dead last in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference, but they've also suffered through several injuries that have forced them to cancel tonight's scheduled Red-White intrasquad game...

After three years and nine games, the Cape Central Tigers broke their losing spell in the SEMO North Conference. The Tigers got another big game from quarterback Frank McGinty and arguably their best performance on defense Thursday night to knock off the Sikeston Bulldogs 28-14 at Houck Stadium...

The Jackson High football program has had its fair share of success over the years. District titles and conference championships have been nothing new to the Indians, especially under the nine-year coaching reign of Carl Gross. The Indians even moved up to the No. 7 slot in the Class 5A rankings this week...

If they aren't already, at least 230 members of the Cape Youth Tackle Football League will become loyal fans of the St. Louis Rams. And there's sure to be other local residents wooed by the NFL team. Prior to the start of Saturday's game between Southeast Missouri and Eastern Kentucky, the St. Louis Rams Foundation will make a $5,000 donation to the local youth organization. The ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m. at Houck Stadium...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Jackson High's boys soccer team laid claim to its first-ever district title, defeating Cape Central 3-0 in the Class 4A, District 1 championship game Thursday. Nathan Windeknecht led the way with two second-half goals as Jackson improved to 14-3-6. The Indians advance to Tuesday's 5:30 p.m. sectional game at St. Louis Soccer Park against the District 2 champion, either Lindbergh or Oakville. The Lindbergh-Oakville game Thursday was canceled due to rain...

With several area football teams wrapping up their seasons Thursday night, a short list of gridiron action is on the slate tonight. A look at the three area games on tap tonight: Ste. Genevieve (8-1) at Charleston (5-4) There will be no need for a fancy playoff point system here. The winner of this game claims the Class 3A, District 2 title...

Funeral service for John Roscoe Lewis of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Clayton Smith will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 4-8 p.m. today. Lewis, 88, died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1997, at the Lutheran Home...

MATTHEWS -- Ernest James Gates, 81, of Matthews was pronounced dead Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997, in Matthews. He was born Feb. 29, 1916, in Milton, Tenn., son of J.W. and Sally McCoy Gates. He and Hazel Nance were married April 23, 1942, at New Madrid. She died May 10, 1958...

CHARLESTON -- Barbara Harris Baker, 96, of Kennett died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1997, at National Health Care Center in Kennett. She was born April 28, 1901, daughter of Charles I. and Martha Lutz Sr. She and Elmo A. Baker were married Aug. 30, 1925. He died in 1951...

PERKS, Ill. -- Walter Oaks, 106, of Perks died Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997, at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Mounds. He was born Oct. 24, 1891, in Black Rock, Ark., son of Pat and Mariah Oaks. He and his wife Lula were married Dec. 25, 1913. She died April 3, 1970...

Hazel L. Hente Crose, 82, of Sarasota, Fla., died Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1997, at Sarasota Health Care Center. She was born Sept. 3, 1915, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of Frank and Etta Niswonger Penny. She first married Milton Hente and later married Roy Crose. Both preceded her in death...

BURFORDVILLE -- Cleman John "J" Quade, 77, of Burfordville died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 8, 1920, at Jackson, son of John W. and Lera M. Kinder Quade. He and Anna Lee Schweer were married Aug. 24, 1945, at Jackson...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Earl McKinney, 84, of Karnak died Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997, at Hillview Nursing Home in Vienna. He was born June 12, 1913, in Massac County, son of Orland and Grace Pearl McKinney. McKinney was retired from Main Brothers Box and Lumber Co...

Funeral service for Lawrence A. Fornkohl of Cape Girardeau will be held at 2 p.m. today at Scriptural Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Rev. J.H. Larson will officiate, with burial in Thompson Cemetery at Egypt Mills. Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Billy B. Lewis, 66, of Chattanooga, Tenn., died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1997, at his home. He was born June 15, 1931, in Johnsonville, Tenn., son of Henry and Ethel Bailey Lewis. Lewis lived in Chicago most of his life, moving to Chattanooga in 1992. He was a member of Loyal Order of the Moose in Elmhurst, Ill...

MENFRO -- August J. "Bud" Moldenhauer, 91, of Menfro died Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997, at his home. He was born Jan. 12, 1906, in Perry County, son of John and Emma Gerstacker Moldenhauer. He and Virda Horn were married June 3, 1933. Moldenhauer had farmed, and owned and operated Moldenhauer Alfalfa Mill. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church at Crosstown...

FRIEDHEIM -- Mary Kathrine Shipp, 51, of Friedheim died Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997, at her home. She was born Sept. 5, 1946, in Advance, daughter of Leo I. and Helen Louise Baker Lada. She and John E. Shipp were married Nov. 22, 1986, at Baden. Shipp worked at Ford Motor Co. in St. Louis 18 years, retiring in 1994. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church at Friedheim. She was a graduate of Beaumont High School in St. Louis...

Son to David Lee and Terra Candace Owens Jr. of Chaffee, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:31 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, 1997. Name, Alden Micheal. Weight, 7 pounds 5 ounces. First child. Mrs. Owens is the former Terra Witcher, daughter of Candace Witcher of Chaffee and John Witcher of Scott City. She is a certified nurse assistant at Chaffee Nursing Center. Owens is the son of Wanda Owens of Chaffee and the late David Owens. He is employed at Chaffee Public Works Department...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Chalmer Hampton of Bloomfield will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The Rev. Harold Gass will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery at Malden. Hampton, 85, died Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

"Henry IV, Part I" is a play about the struggle between political beliefs and personal choices, but in Shakespearean terms the historical drama is important because it introduces audiences to the sublimely ridiculous and comically magnificent fool called Falstaff...

SIKESTON - The Veterans Day parade scheduled for Saturday is canceled. "Everyone here at the station and others in the community have worked so hard to put this parade together. We are all very disappointed," said Bill Powers, operations manager at KSIM Radio...