Stories from Friday, June 19, 1998

To the editor: My five children long ago left the K-12 school environment. Four of the five attended college. Three graduated. One of those is pursuing an advanced degree. Because I was a military professional, my children attended a variety of Department of Defense and public schools throughout the country. ...

A few years ago, when I first met my wife's family (she is one of 11 children) I met her seven brothers including "Brother Joe," who I often think of near each Fourth of July holiday. Joe is a robust young college student who graduated valedictorian of his high school class and like his other brothers, he is a bright wholesome-appearing All-American boy. ...

Children may sign up for the Summer Readers = Adventure Seekers summer reading program at the Cape Girardeau Public Library until July 25. Youths through the fourth grade may sign up for the Summer Reading Club and fifth-graders and older can sign up for the Young Adult RIF Club. Participants will receive coupons, books and a chance to win a bicycle if they reach a goal of minutes reading...

Kmart Corp. will lease the majority of space that Venture Stores Inc. will abandon when Venture completes its liquidation of the company's stores nationwide. But Cape Girardeau and Paducah, Ky. are not among areas being leased by Kmart, said Dan Jarvis, a Kmart spokesman, Wednesday...

Katherine Layton of Perryville, relaxed with her television during her dialysis treatment which takes about four hours. Ernie Poole of Whitewater passes the time watching television or looking at the birds flying past his window. He jokes with the nurses and gives them miniature chocolates...

There is little question that keeping people healthy through preventive care is much less costly than treating serious illnesses brought on by a lack of proper medical attention. But the fact remains that many Missourians don't have medical insurance and, as a result, wait too long for expensive treatment...

There are 172 Missouri musicians, mostly students and their directors, touring Europe right now as the Missouri Ambassadors of Music, one of 40 such groups from around the nation. They are under the overall direction of Dr. Robert Gifford, professor of music at Southeast Missouri State University...

A year ago, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a federal law making it a crime to display "indecent" material on the Internet in a manner available to minors. So on many computers with Internet access, children can surf the Web into the murky waters of cybersmut ungoverned...

OAK RIDGE -- Residents in Oak Ridge have waited 29 years for an interchange at Interstate 55 and the Route E overpass. This week, they received news that the interchange is set for construction. "It's very good news," said Marvin McMillan. "I'm not going to flip my hat in the air just yet, but this sounds like it is some progress."...

A full-fledged merger could be the end result as Cape Girardeau's two hospitals continue exploring a permanent affiliation. St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital announced Thursday that both their boards have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to continue the affiliation process...

SILVA -- A boiled water order issued Wednesday won't keep area Boy Scouts from enjoying their visit to Camp Lewallen this summer. The Department of Natural Resources issued the order after a routine test of well water revealed high levels of bacteria in drinking water...

Those are pretty exact measurements, if you grew up with a wood cookstove or ever swam in a pond with snapping turtles. The temperature has been hovering at around 90 Missouri degrees in recent days. For those of you who may be from North Dakota or some other foreign land, there are Fahrenheit temperatures. And there are Celsius temperatures, which can also be called centigrade temperatures. There may even be some other exotic ways of measuring hot and cold, but I think you get the picture...

One woman is a former Republican state legislator who deserted the party after receiving 42 percent of the vote in her race for governor in 1996. The other is a Pennsylvania third-party candidate who is running ahead of the Democrat in the race for governor...

Trans World Express, which operates a commuter airline between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis, shoots for 100 percent performance in their scheduled flights but some months "we just don't make it," said Bill Mishk, TWE marketing director. The past month has been an example...

PERRYVILLE -- City officials hope to have a city water well operational again by next week. Crews are now at work to repair Well No. 3 in the city's industrial park, said city administrator Craig Lindsley. The well shut down last week when city workers noticed the well "vibrating" and saw that production had dropped from about 350 gallons per minute "down to about 70," Lindsley said...

The chance to play college baseball for a program that is coming off a championship season was what ultimately lured Todd Pennington to Southeast Missouri State University. Pennington, a recent Shawnee (Ill.) High graduate who is one of the top players for Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team, this week signed a letter of intent with Southeast...

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Cape Girardeau's McDowell Capahas overcame an injury to third baseman Ryan Murphy in mauling Murphysboro 18-1 in seven innings. Murphy left the game in the fifth inning after pulling a stomach muscle during his at-bat. Despite the loss, the Capahas improved to 9-4 by outhitting Murpysboro 20-3...

The Cape Girardeau SEMO Bank Junior Legion baseball team took care of some unfinished business Thursday afternoon and then, later in the day, started the SEMO Bank Tournament with a win. Chaffee's Jr. Legion was Cape's victim in both contests, losing to SEMO Bank 4-3 in a make-up game and then losing the opening game of the SEMO Bank Jr. Legion Tournament by the same score. Both games were played at Cape Central...

HAYWOOD CITY -- Sammie Louis Jones, 58, of Haywood City died Sunday, June 14, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, following an extended illness. He was born Jan. 24, 1940, in Shuqualak, Miss., son of Harry and Lurean Hardin Jones Sr. He and Sarah Lee Banks were married March 2, 1959...

ANNA, Ill. -- Floyd M. Hinkle, 74, of Anna died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, at his home. He was born July 21, 1923, at Anna, son of Clyde Warren and Flora Agnes Jackson Hinkle. He and Marjorie Brewer were married Oct. 26, 1940. Hinkle was a serviceman with Walter Hardware and Anna Building Center more than 45 years. He was a member of Ware United Pentecostal Church...

CHAFFEE -- Funeral Mass for John "Brad" Spencer Sr. of Chaffee will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. The Rev. Allan Saunders will officiate, with burial in Union Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee after 4 p.m. today. Parish prayers will be at 7, and Elks service at 7:30...

Funeral for Lola Mae Cameron of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. today at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Gary Belcher will officiate. A committal service will be held at 2 p.m. at Lakewood Park Cemetery in Affton. Cameron, 82, died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, at her home...

MARBLE HILL -- Mildred E. Sawyer, 86, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 2, 1912, in Washington, D.C., daughter of Thomas H. and Eva Truman Codrick. She and Cecil Jaudon Sawyer were married March 1, 1931. He died April 28, 1992...

Harold Hines, 55, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born March 30, 1943, at Neelys Landing, son of Carl and Dorothy Craft Hines. He married Judy Shelton on Nov. 16, 1963. She survives. He was graduated from Jackson High School in 1961 and entered the National Guard after graduation. ...