Stories from Tuesday, January 20, 1998

Here it is again. Football's big game of the year and the Internet is gearing up, like the rest of the nation. On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers meet up with the Denver Broncos, for the most talked about and highly hyped Super Bowl. Darren joins me for this week's column...

Robin Kralemann, fourth-grade teacher at Charles C. Clippard Elementary School, and student Adria Brewer viewed pins on a map of the United States with postcards from where the class's stuffed animals have been sent. Kirk Lohmann showed the postcards he has received from his stuffed animal's travels across the country...

OAK RIDGE -- Fifth graders in Ginger Riehn's class at Oak Ridge Elementary School have spent the year envisioning their dream school. "Student in my classroom have been exploring their strengths and the strengths of their school," Riehn explained. "Powerful learning environments can be created in every subject when building on student strengths."...

Racism plagues the nation nearly 30 years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., black educator Dr. Hugh J. Scott said Monday. Scott is dean of programs in education at Hunter College of the City University of New York. "For black Americans, America is both the country of oppression and the country of liberation," Scott told a crowd of about 650 people at the 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast at Southeast Missouri State University...

The quest for equality in America is "an unfinished revolution," Dr. Frank Nickell told the assemblage Monday at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration. Debra Mitchell-Braxton, recognized for her tireless work on behalf of African-American youth in the area, received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award...

Secretary of State Bekki Cook wants to replace Missouri's political caucuses with a presidential primary. Cook supports legislation to establish a primary that would be held in April of every presidential election year. If state lawmakers approve such a measure this session, Missouri could hold a presidential primary in 2000, Cook said in an interview following a speech Monday night to the Cape Girardeau Jaycees...

BioKyowa Inc. Monday announced plans for a second major expansion of its plant in the Nash Road industrial area. "The demand for our agricultural product -- feed-grain amino acid L-lysine -- is increasing," Satoru Akiyama, president of BioKyowa, said during a press conference at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. "In order to fill these needs, we need to expand the Cape Girardeau plant."...

Whatever happened to the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" I was reading an article recently on road rage and realized the problem was not America's driving habits. It was our attitude. Many drivers are impolite and discourteous. They fail to use signals, run through stoplights, and in general cause havoc on the roads...

To the editor: The new Medicare law in essence denies Medicare patients the care not covered by Medicare. All of the lawmakers and Medicare people end up saying so. They say non-covered care is not prohibited. That is true, but you must find a doctor who does not take any Medicare patients. If your doctor does treat Medicare patients, he will be punished by not billing Medicare for any care to any patient for two years...

I JUST wanted to let the person who crossed the centerline and sideswiped my truck know that I'm all right. I just thought you might be concerned since you didn't bother to stop. My truck needs $470 work on the driver's door and cab. IS IT just me or what? Within 1 hour and 15 minutes, I've had three telemarketers calling, and I'm tired of it. ...

In just a few short months, the efforts of a group organizing a facility to aid victims of sexual assault and abuse in Cape Girardeau County has come a long way. The new organization, called Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence, brings together under one roof a safe area for women and children who have been assaulted plus a rape crisis center. ...

It is hard to believe that the scourge of polio still exists. Thanks to the development of vaccines some 40 years ago, the crippling disease has been wiped out in North and South America, Western Europe, China and Australia. But in some 116 countries elsewhere in the world, polio still strikes, leaving its human devastation in its wake...

To the editor: I am writing in regard to the Jan. 16 article regarding Cape Girardeau School District students having free periods and being excused from final exams. I applaud efforts to reward students for good work and to motivate students to do well in school. I have concerns about the final exams...

Cape Girardeau Board of Education Agenda Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1998, 6 p.m. Central Junior High Cafeteria Call to order Approval of agenda. Recognition of staff and students. Information, proposals and comments from the audience. New business A. Approval of consent agenda items...

7:30 p.m. Tuesday City Hall Public hearing -- Hearing to consider the proposed voluntary annexation of property owned by Paul and Peggy Fisher. Action items Power and Light Committee -- Consider motion authorizing Park Department to advertise for bids for new front deck mower...

After a grueling week that featured three road games -- and two losses -- Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians now have a little time to regroup before heading into the second half of the Ohio Valley Conference season. The Indians (8-9 overall, 4-5 OVC) are coming off a 101-66 destruction at the hands of OVC favorite Murray State Saturday afternoon...

MARTIN, Tenn. -- After a five-game losing streak was snapped Saturday at Murray State, Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen said the third game in the Otahkians' current Ohio Valley Conference road trip was "a winnable game for us."...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Poplar Bluff, which beat Notre Dame by 22 points in the championship game of the HealthSouth Holiday Classic in December, opened a 19-3 first-quarter lead and topped the Lady Bulldogs 59-40 at home on Monday. Notre Dame (11-4), which trailed 32-21 at halftime, was able to cut the deficit to six points in the third quarter...

Shane Anderson defeated Rob Hale 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 Sunday in the Men's Open Singles final to highlight the Snowman Tennis Classic held at Universal Physique Fitness & Racquet Center. John Davie won the Men's A Singles title by beating Dennis Leitner 6-3, 6-4...

Southeast's women finished third and the men placed fourth in this past weekend's indoor track meet, the Saluki Booster's Invitational. Southern Illinois won the 11-team women's competition with 100 points. Georgia Tech followed with 89 and Southeast was next with 81...

The Cape Area Youth Soccer Association (CAYSA) will hold its spring youth soccer sign-ups the next two Sundays (Jan. 18 and Jan. 25) at the Venture Courtyard at West Park Mall from noon to 5 p.m. The league is open to all youths ranging from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade...

Shea Smith of Delta will represent Chaffee Elks Lodge #1810 in the upcoming state finals of the Missouri Elks State Hoop Shoot contest. Smith, 9, won the Delta Youth League contest held Dec. 11, Chaffee's Elks Hoop Shoot Dec. 13 and then placed first in regional competition at Mineral Area College in Park Hills on Jan. 10...

What's the best way to get a view of tomorrow's area high school basketball talent? For two weekends in January, the Notre Dame High School gymnasium is transformed into a giant window into the future as the 16-team Notre Dame High School Invitational Grade School Tournament is held...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Lela Mae Fox, 90, of Cobden, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 1998, at the Jackson County Nursing Home in Murphysboro. She was born May 30, 1907, at Lick Creek, the daughter of George and Ida Jane Gurley Wilson. She and John K. Fox were married July 3, 1926, at Carbondale, Ill. He died Oct. 11, 1986...

Comfort K. Copeland, 85, died Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born May 2, 1912, at Gravel Hill, the daughter of William and Josie Kinder Slinkard. She first married Utah Austin Sept. 2, 1933, in Cape Girardeau. He died in 1981. She then married Fred Copeland Sept. 7, 1984, in Cape Girardeau. He died in 1987...

Judy Hester, 51, of Olive Branch, Ill., died Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, on arrival at Alton Memorial Hospital. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Opal Leona Deck will be held at 1 p.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home. The Revs. Gary Cooper and Lewis Gardner will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery near Bloomfield. Deck, 89, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 1998, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Tony A. Caruso of Jackson will be held at 11 a.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson, with the Rev. Grant Gillard officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Caruso, 83, died Saturday, Jan. 17, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Janice E. Kuehnert, 59, of Jackson died Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements.

Lt. Cmdr. Robert A. "Butch" Davie, 52, of Fargo, N.D., died Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Fargo. He was born Oct. 19, 1945, in Cape Girardeau, son of Robert Lee and Lorene Davie. Davie was a graduate of Zalma High School and the University of Idaho. He served in the U.S. Navy 24 years...

SCOTT CITY -- Graveside service for Gary Lane Tisdale, formerly of Scott City, will be held at 2 p.m. today at Lightner Cemetery. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate. There is no visitation. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City is in charge of arrangements...

JACKSON -- Frieda Wendel, 82, of the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 18, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 21, 1915, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of Henry and Meyhulda Geiser Schlegel. She and Wilburn Wendel were married in August 1941. He died Feb. 4, 1953...

Graveside service for Maude J. Higgenbotham of Chapel Hill, N.C., will be held at 2 p.m. today at Memorial Park. The Rev. Cy Smith will officiate. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements. A memorial service was held Sunday at Aldersgate Methodist Church in Chapel Hill...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Minnie Stevenson, 85, of East Prairie died Sunday, Jan. 18, 1998, at her home. She was born Oct. 20, 1912, at Malden, daughter of William P. and Serena Taylor Gulledge. She and Floy Stevenson were married Oct. 17, 1930. He died June 29, 1991...

Lorena Gibbs, daughter of Norman and Melinda Canada Hutchison, was born January 6, 1916 in Gale, Illinois and passed away Sunday, January 18, 1998 at the Union County Hospital in Anna at the age of 81. Mrs. Gibbs was united in marriage to Elijah A. Gibbs in Jonesboro on December 14, 1935 and to this union eight children were born. ...