Stories from Friday, January 16, 1998

To the editor: Child abuse is among the worst of our many human behavioral problems, occurring more often than we like to believe. The most cowardly form leaves no visible marks or bruises. No one suspects the parent to be the kind of person who could be labeled a child abuser...

We all get tired when we overwork, but for some this feeling occurs daily and may be the result of a failing thyroid gland. If you feel stressed, anxious, or revved-up it may be because your keeping too fast and furious a lifestyle or it could be that your thyroid is overactive...

The Cape Girardeau County Waste Water District 1 is looking for an engineer to help design a unified sewage system for residents in the Fruitland and Pocahontas communities. The sewer district was formed in November by voters in those areas. About 2,700 registered voters live in the district. The district's southern border is close to the Jackson city limits. The district's boundaries lie north of Pocahontas and include property on both sides of I-55...

More than 230 Cape Girardeau Central High School students got time off Thursday and today for good behavior -- and attendance and grades. Students who had perfect attendance during the first semester, at least a "C" grade point average in class and no discipline referrals for the semester were invited to participate in the Ultimate Final. The event is an incentive program that provides games, food and free time for exemplary students...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson wants to ax Clinton administration plans to suspend construction of logging roads in the back country of most national forests. In Washington Wednesday, the Cape Girardeau Republican said she was outraged over the Clinton administration proposal...

Artificial joints made of plastic and titanium metal replace worn human joints in, from left, the hip, knee and shoulder. Rose Walter's left knee had been bothering her for years when she finally decided it was time to replace it. "I almost got to the point where I couldn't walk," the 60-year-old Cape Girardeau woman said. "The cartilage was completely gone."...

THE MULE on the quarter: I like it: I like it. CONGRESSWOMAN EMERSON, what do you plan to do about those millions of people who are without health insurance? You're pro-life. Take care of them when they come here. What about those minimum-wage people who work for employers that don't have health insurance? Ignoring them is not going to make them go away. ...

Once gambling companies have a toehold in a state, it appears they think the sky's the limit. Look at the Illinois riverboat casinos, for example. For the second consecutive year, gross receipts are down. The reason? Why, it's all that competition in the neighboring states like Missouri...

A lawsuit by the Conservation Federation of Missouri has raised an intriguing question. At issue is whether the voter-approved eighth-cent conservation sales tax should be included in the mix of state revenue that triggered refunds under the Hancock Amendment...

To the editor: I am writing in reference to the Jan. 10 article, "Mother of 680-pound teen convicted of child abuse." Can a person who weighs 680 pounds move to avoid bed sores? I also don't believe it is easy to care for a person who weighs that much...

To the editor: I read with great interest state Rep. Pat Naeger's comments in the Southeast Missourian article, "Tax cuts top lawmakers' list for '98 session," published Dec. 29. Particularly interesting to me was the following quote: "The state could afford a tax cut of $200 to $400 million without hurting government services. They key to such cuts is to eliminate government waste and fraud."...

To the editor: The Southeast Missouri Business Group on Health was recently contacted by your staff for a response to the announcement of a bankruptcy filing and impending dissolution of MedAmerica HealthNet Inc. Unfortunately, we were unable to respond until our board of directors had a chance to discuss and review the issues. We have now done so and offer the following observations...

The state's health-care plan has accused Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield of trying to breach its contract to provide insurance coverage to public employees. Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield's managed care arm, RightChoice Inc., has sued Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan for $18 million in damages for losses on the contract. Consolidated has filed a countersuit against Blue Cross...

Cape Girardeau's Joint Veterans Council will lead the charge to get a state-run veterans cemetery in the county. The council, made up of representatives of veterans organizations in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, voted Thursday night to support an effort to secure the cemetery...

Taxpayers in Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri will be near the front of the pack when it comes to receiving refunds under the Hancock Amendment. The Missouri Department of Revenue will begin mailing refunds in February, and taxpayers in this region can expect to begin receiving their checks within a few weeks...

A decision Thursday by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education to refinance general obligation bonds will net the district about $300,000 in long-term savings. "It's like refinancing a house mortgage," said Tim Guiling, associate vice president for A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., after the noon meeting. "There will be an overall savings of around 3.8 percent."...

And if that headline doesn't make any sense, neither does the fact that someone taped some greenbacks to my computer. When I came back to my office from lunch one day this week, there was something taped to my computer terminal that immediately caught my attention...

MARTIN, Tenn. -- Tennessee-Martin's sharp-shooting Skyhawks were simply too hot for Southeast Missouri State University's Indians to handle Thursday night. The Skyhawks blistered the nets for 56 percent shooting -- including a sizzling 65 percent from 3-point range -- but they still had to go two overtimes to claim a thrilling 91-82 Ohio Valley Conference victory in front of 1,482 fans at Skyhawk Arena...

CHAFFEE -- After knocking off top-seeded Scott City on Wednesday, No. 4 Delta's well of upsets ran dry against No. 2 Kelly in the championship game of the Scott-Mississippi Conference girls basketball tournament. Kelly controlled the first half and on Thursday won 50-42...

MURRAY, Ky. -- De'Teri Mayes scored 19 points -- including his 1,000th career point midway through the second half -- as Murray State beat Eastern Illinois 88-77 Thursday night. The Racers (16-2, 6-1 Ohio Valley Conference) led by as many as nine in the first half before the Panthers (8-7, 5-2) cut the margin to two, 43-41, by halftime...

Southeast Missouri State has announced the signing of catcher Renee Enos from Bakersfield High School in Bakerfield, Calif. Enos, who graduated last year, hit .411 with 30 RBIs her senior year. She will join former Bakersfield High teammate Angela Godrey at Southeast...

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis guard Corey Frazier was reinstated to the team in time for Thursday night's game against Houston after completing academic requirements. Frazier, a 6-1 senior from Charleston, has averaged 6.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 59 career games. He has started 55 of those games, but had not played this season...

Jessie Elizabeth Procter Stovall, 86, of St. Louis died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998, in St. Louis. She was born Dec. 14, 1911. She married Ernest Hezekiah Stovall in December 1930 at Toledo, Ohio. They resided in St. Louis for many years. She is survived a daughter, Norma Jean Bond of St. Louis; a son, Donald Ray Stovall of St. Louis; and nine grandchildren...

ANNA, Ill. -- Edith Cox, 88, of Anna died Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998, at City Care Center in Anna. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Anna.

PADUCAH, Ky. -- James P. Smith, 91, of Paducah, formerly of Cairo, Ill., and Memphis, Tenn., died Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah. He was born Feb. 20, 1906, in Wesson, Miss., son of Howard and Donie Dampier Smith. He retired from the U.S. ...

Funeral service for Robert Franklin Watkins of Yucaipa, Calif., was held last Friday at Mountain Avenue Baptist Church in Banning, Calif. The Rev. Paul Stalmaker officiated, with burial in Crest Lawn Memorial Park in Riverside, Calif. Watkins, 95, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998, in a nursing home, following an illness of three weeks...

PERRYVILLE -- Memorial service for Mae Lucille Kindle of Perryville will be held at 10 a.m. today at Miller Family Funeral Home. The Rev. Kevin P. Fausz will officiate. Private burial will be in Sergeants Chapel Cemetery at Sedgewickville. Kindle, 54, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1998, in Perry County Nursing Home...

SIKESTON -- Lorean Evans, 79, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born March 18, 1918, in Warm Springs, Ark., son of John Wesley and Lola Madeline Flanigan Payne. She and Harry D. "Pete" Evans were married Sept. 26, 1936, in New Madrid. He died Sept. 30, 1974...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral service for Bertha Elzetta Manriquez of Charleston will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Raymond Brammer will officiate, with burial in Carson Hill Cemetery at Piedmont. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9 a.m. to service time...

ADVANCE -- George E. Leazenby, 83, of Advance died Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 30, 1914, near Advance, son of Jesse and Margaret "Maggie" Uphoff Leazenby. He first married Adeline Montgomery Nov. 1, 1941. She died in February 1990. He later married Lois Adkins Johnson July 14, 1990, at Delta...

GOREVILLE, Ill. -- Mamie Aldridge, 77, of Goreville died Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998, at Fountains Nursing Home in Marion. She was born Dec. 31, 1920, in Jonesboro, daughter of Richard Albert and Florence Dennison Rector. Aldridge was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Cobden...

PERRYVILLE -- Perry W. Cissell, 70, of Perryville died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1998, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 8, 1927, in Perry County, son of Thomas and Idelle Moore Cissell. He and Marile J. Smith were married Nov. 15, 1947...

Memorial service for Charles E. Knote of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Brendan Dempsey will officiate. Entombment will be in Memorial Park Mausoleum. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

HOWARDVILLE -- Albert L. Holbrook Sr., 80, of Howardville died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998, at his home. He was born Jan. 25, 1917, in West Point, Miss., son of the Rev. V.L. and Maggie Mosley Holbrook. He married the former Viola Jennings. Holbrook was a retired auto mechanic, and member of Beebe Memorial CME Church in New Madrid...

THEBES, Ill. -- Vernon Garnett McHughs, 75, of Thebes died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1998, at his home. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Brian Kelly and Chris G. Trierweiler of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:27 a.m. Friday, Dec. 26, 1997. Name, Casey Rose. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. Mrs. Trierweiler is the former Chris Morrison, daughter of Lynn E. and Helen V. Morrison of Jackson. Trierweiler is the son of Lou Trierweiler of Greenville, Iowa. He is employed at the American Legion Hall...

CHARLESTON -- Ethel Starks, 85, of Charleston died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1998, at home after an extended illness. She was born May 10, 1912, in Shelby, Miss., daughter of Zeb and Amethie Spears and had lived in Missouri for more than 70 years. She was a retired cook and a member of the Mercy Seat Baptist Church in Charleston, where she was in the choir and a member on the mother board...