Stories from Wednesday, January 28, 1998

To the editor: I would like to inform Mr. Berryhill that there are many readers of Mr. Miller's "overindulgence of big words and overzealous rantings" who thoroughly enjoy his beliefs and who understand where he is coming from. I do not know Mr. Miller. ...

Southeast Missouri State University would bring its industrial technology program to St. Louis under a plan the school's Board of Regents will consider today. The board will meet at 1:30 p.m. in the Robert A. Dempster Hall atrium. Under the plan, St. Louis area students could obtain a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from Southeast without having to set foot on the Cape Girardeau campus. The program would begin this fall...

Chateau Girardeau, a continuing care retirement community in Cape Girardeau, one of only four accredited retirement communities in Missouri, has received its second five-year accreditation from the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC) in Washington D.C...

JCPenney Co. Inc., which operates 1,200 JCPenney stores and 2,800 Eckerd Drug stores, has announced it will close about 100 stores and lay off more than 5,000 people. The chain will close stores that don't meet the company's performance standards, which will result in 3,200 job cuts...

Although I will withhold judgment until the facts are known ... the saga of the private life of President BILL CLINTON and his efforts to glibly talk himself out of the mess he has created for himself, his family, country and supporters has some biblical similarities to the tragedy of DAVID and BATHSHEBA...

The news was the best kind. BioKyowa announced a major expansion. The project will cost about $35 million, and it is expected to generate between 40 and 60 news jobs. Industrial recruitment efforts for new business are crucial to continued economic growth in the region. But more often than not, it is existing industry and business that bring the good news of new jobs and construction to communities...

It's nice to work in the background to make a community better, but it never hurts to earn some recognition. Such was the case with three local residents who were honored last week: Debra Mitchell-Braxton, Charlie Neese and Gene Rhodes. Mitchell-Braxton received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award for her tireless work on behalf of African-American youth. She works as assistant director of the Campus Assistance Center at Southeast Missouri State University...

To the editor: I have a few questions concerning the proposed Missouri Veterans Cemetery. Several years ago a friend of mine died. He was a veteran of World War II and spent his time in hell island-hopping in the South Pacific with the Marines. When he died, his burial flag was refused by the American Legion for its Avenue of Flags as he was not born in Cape Girardeau. ...

Improvements to the city's sewer, water and stormwater systems make up more than half of Cape Girardeau's proposed $80.5 million capital improvements program. The City Council is reviewing a draft of the program, a five-year plan outlining proposed capital expenditures for fiscal 1998 through 2003...

The Southeast Missourian captured four awards -- including one first place -- in the 1997 Suburban Newspapers of America Editorial Contest. The contest drew more than 1,100 entries from newspapers across the country. The newspaper won top honors in the Best Front Page category...

Construction could resume in May on the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, state highway officials said Tuesday. The Missouri Department of Transportation is scheduled to open bids March 20 for jet grouting work to address a bedrock problem in the Mississippi River and construction of the Illinois approach span...

"Gung Hoy Fet Toy." "Syin Nyan Kwai Le!" There are a number of ways to say Happy New Year. Those phrases are Malaysian and Mandarin, respectively. They will be uttered many times throughout the world in the next few days. The Chinese New Year starts today as the ancient, annual festival unites people of Chinese heritage around the globe in a joyous celebration of hope and new beginnings...

I wondered why our guests never returned until I slept on our futon. In this civilized country, we've come to believe that all humans deserve a certain level of comfort. They deserve nutritious food to keep their bodies strong. They deserve decent clothing to protect them from the elements. They deserve shelter that keeps them warm and comfortable on bitter winter nights...

It was a disappointing week with an overtime loss to Eastern Illinois Saturday night and the news later Saturday night that Bud Eley had a stress fracture in his left foot. The bad news continued Monday when we learned that Demetrius Watson also has a broken bone in his foot and will be lost from two to four weeks...

JACKSON -- On a night when Jackson High's offense struggled overall, it was up to the Indians' defense -- and Jeff Walter -- to pave the way for a 10th consecutive victory. The Indians used an 11-0 burst spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the final period as they knocked off visiting Sikeston 46-34 in a SEMO Conference basketball game Tuesday night...

Missing two players due to injury and illness, including leading scorer and rebounder Chris Bergerson, the Cape Central Tigers could have used a patsy on their schedule to beat up on Tuesday night. Instead Central hosted Portageville, the second-ranked team in Class 2A, and the Bulldogs beat the wounded Tigers 51-42...

Jackson High athletic officials would like to warn local merchants of a scam occurring in the area concerning football calendars. A company out of Arlington, Texas, is attempting to solicit money from area merchants for a football calendar featuring the Jackson Indians...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association has released its 1998 schedule of area meetings to discuss potential changes with school administrators and athletic directors at the local level. The Southeast District meeting will be held Feb. 11 at 10 a.m., in Dexter High School...

A tryout will be held Feb. 4 at the Arena Building for soccer teams that will travel to England this summer. The tryout, from 6 to 8 p.m., is open to boys ages 10-17 and girls 11-17. For more information, call 1-800-877-3790 (Ext. 25).

Cape Central High is accepting nominations for the school's athletic Hall of Fame. All nominations need to have complete resumes which include the nominees honors, stats and reason why the deserve to be inducted. Send nominations to Central athletic director Terry Kitchen or call 335-8467 for more information...

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team picked up another transfer this week as former Clemson player Lea Beckemeyer has enrolled at Southeast. She joins Amy Henken, who transferred from Indiana State earlier this month. Beckemeyer, a 6-foot-1 sophomore outside hitter from Breese, Ill., saw limited action for Clemson last season. She played in three games and had one kill and four digs...

DELTA -- Marquand remained undefeated in Mississippi Valley Conference play with an exciting 78-71 overtime victory over host Delta Tuesday night in boys high school basketball action. Marquand's Dusty Stephens forced overtime when he converted a pass from teammate Brandon Settle into a layup at the buzzer to tie the score 64-64...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Skylar Ray Gibson, son of Greg and Belinda Gibson of Dongola, died shortly after birth Monday, Jan. 26, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his parents; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Foster of Olive Branch; paternal grandparents, Mr. ...

Loonie Charles Pruitt, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at the Lutheran Home. He was born July 31, 1915, at Whitewater, son of Loonie H. and Effie Snider Pruitt. He and Lillian Ford were married in 1935 at Whitewater. She preceded him in death May 6, 1997...

CHAFFEE -- Charlene Talley, 77, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 21, 1920, at Chaffee, daughter of Charles William and Hattie Pearl Parmeley Vickery. She and William "Wid" Talley were married April 13, 1941. He died June 11. 1988...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Nolan Davis, 89, died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. He was born Sept. 1, 1908, in Balcom, son of Charles Frances and Bertha Beatrice Settlemoir Davis. He and Hazel C. Brown were married Jan. 7, 1933, in Metropolis. She died March 10, 1991...

CHAFFEE -- Doris Louise Snider, 73, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at her home. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Chaffee is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE -- Wilford "Bill" Beck, 72, Chaffee Route 1, died Monday, Jan. 26, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 28, 1925, at Silex, son of Oscar and Mary Edna Morris Beck. He and Frances Alma Hahn were married April 10, 1947...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral service for Angie Lois Conley Beaty of Charleston will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Rick White will officiate, with burial in IOOF Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. Friday...

MARBLE HILL -- Manford "Bub" Darby, 60, of Marble Hill died Monday, Jan. 26, 1998, in Asheville, N.C., after an apparent heart attack. He was born July 16, 1937, at Delta, the son of Lon and Ruby Fox Darby. He was a professional truck drive for Able Trucking Co., and was of the General Baptist faith...

BENTON -- Floyd Alvin Bryant, 62, of Benton died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Benton is in charge of arrangements.

PERRYVILLE -- Tola Marie Schumer, 87, of Perryville died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born May 1, 1910, in Perry County, daughter of Felix and Judy Pearson Zahner. She and Leo T. Schumer were married May 8, 1928, in Perryville. He died Aug. 23, 1982...

Daughter to Andrew and Lisa Stagoski of Memphis, Tenn., Methodist Hospital in Germantown, Tenn., 5:51 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, 1998. Name, Sarah Grace. Weight, 8 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. Stagoski is the former Lisa Hagan, daughter of Bill and Mary Ann Hagan of Chaffee. She is a branch manager with NBC Bank in Memphis. Stagoski is the son of Robert Stagoski of Memphis and Bill and Suzanne Clark of Collierville, Tenn. He is employed by Federal Express...

A Frohna man was killed Tuesday afternoon when his vehicle ran off the road and overturned in Perry County. Norman E. Meisner, 65, was killed in the accident, which occurred on County Road 410 just north of County Road 412, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

Two Cape Girardeau women will be among a group of people converging on Jefferson City today when the Silent Witness Exhibit opens in the Capitol Rotunda as a part of Domestic Violence Advocacy Day. Paula Huggins, executive director of the Safe House for Women, and Debra Willis Hamilton, the shelter manager, will join with other members of the Missouri Coalition against Domestic Violence to participate in the opening of the Silent Witness Exhibit...

The Southeast Missourian asked people about their family's experience with fire. Myrna Hensley: "About 13 years ago, I got a call at work from a neighbor that my house was on fire. They had called the fire department, and by the time I got there, the fire was out. It was an electrical fire that started behind the stove. I lost everything in the house."...

The accord reached by leaders of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers Monday to merge will create the largest union in American history, but that wasn't their primary goal. Cape Girardeau schools Missouri NEA president Brenda Woemmel said the accord will create a better profile for public schools and promote better educational opportunities for all children...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education began preparing for next fall's scheduled opening of South Elementary School Tuesday by approving building assignment guidelines and reviewing new school boundaries. Assistant Superintendent Fred Jones presented a set of guidelines prepared by elementary school principals for granting interdistrict transfers to students living in a specific attendance area. ...

JACKSON -- The six finalists for the city's new position of parks and recreation director are being interviewed this week. Jackson officials hope to have one of them on the job by March 1. The request to find someone to coordinate and develop recreational activities in the city has been among the most common he's heard in recent years, Mayor Paul Sander says. "We have needed that for quite some time with the growth Jackson has incurred."...