Stories from Wednesday, July 8, 1998

To the editor: We at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center thank you for the publicity you have been able to give us in the past few weeks regarding our capital campaign fund drive. As we continue to educate the seniors in our area and our community, there sometimes needs to be some clarification of the operation of the nutrition program and the foundation...

For 15 years, Municipal Court Judge Edward Calvin had a no-nonsense reputation. He handed down tough sentences to those who broke Cape Girardeau ordinances. Most of the offenses involve traffic violations, minor assaults and petty thefts. His tough approach has proved a powerful deterrent for crime, especially for those found guilty of shoplifting. Most never return to court for the same kind of crime...

Public school districts in Cape Girardeau and Jackson ended the year with higher-than-expected fund balances. The Cape Girardeau district received a greater-than-anticipated state payment of $697,996 and underspent its budget by $106,407. As a result, year-end balances are nearly $1.5 million, a far cry from the anticipated $428,000...

The three-day Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival (this Friday, Saturday and Sunday) has one of the finest air show schedules ever in my 35 years of flying. Balloon launches Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning provide a never-ending sight of quiet beauty...

The Delta Queen, the oldest of three paddlewheelers in the Delta Queen Steamboat Co.'s fleet of three riverboats that ply the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, will make its second stop of the summer here Thursday. The 285-foot-long, 43-foot-tall Delta Queen was built in 1926 and spent 19 years in the service of the U.S. Navy before she began steaming the Mississippi River in 1947. The oldest queen was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office in Paducah will conduct a change-of-command ceremony Thursday at Information Age Park. The ceremony marks the beginning of Cmdr. Michael L. Blair's tour as commanding officer of the office...

"Doubtless God could have made a better berry," opined Dr. William Butler writing in the 16th century about the strawberry, "but doubtless God never did." His position is tenable, but I wonder whether it represents careful analysis or mere prejudice. ...

CAIRO, Ill. -- The Alexander County Board of Commissioners announced the resignation of County Clerk Sue Harrington and appointed Louis Maze as interim clerk during a meeting Tuesday. Presiding Commissioner Charles "Chuck" Bonefield said Friday will be Harrington's last day in office. She served the county well and will be missed, he said...

Only 24 buildings remain to be demolished as part of Cape Girardeau's 1995 flood buyout program. Once the wrecking ball swings on those structures -- including 23 houses and an old service station -- the flood buyout program will be completed. In addition, nine vacant lots will be cleaned up...

Superintendent Dr. Dan Tallent will recommend approval of $340,000 in incremental salary increases for the 1998-99 school year during a special Cape Girardeau Board of Education meeting today. If approved, the increases will mean eligible employees, including all teachers, will receive pay increases for years of service and professional development...

The Missouri Association of Counties has filed a class-action lawsuit against the state in an effort to preserve money the association says belongs to local governments. The lawsuit is yet another effort to clarify who pays for Missourian's Hancock refunds. The question becomes even more pressing as the state gears up for another round of refunds this fall...

When exactly did underwear become outerwear? They were abundant in the mall Saturday night. Adolescent girls with shopping bags, whispering and giggling and practically running from store to store. But something was different about them compared to giggling adolescent girls from generations past. These were wearing short shorts...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Ford & Sons' Todd Pennington fired a one-hitter in the nightcap of a doubleheader Tuesday as Cape Legion split with Paducah. After dropping the opener 6-3, Cape Legion (19-17) won the second game 6-0. Pennington turned in a dominating performance, striking out 12 batters and walking two...

The Cape Area Youth Soccer Association is in need of sponsors for the fall and spring recreational leagues. Anyone interested in sponsoring a team should contact Howard Aslinger at 334-3921.

The 10th annual Fredericktown Open Tennis Tournament will be held July 17-19. The tournament, for all ages, will include 10 divisions, covering youth boys and girls, men's and women's singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles. Entry fee is $5 for one event and $10 for two or three events. Only three events are allowed per person...

The SEMO Soccer Club will hold tryouts for its boys under 13 team on July 14 and July 16 at Field No. 2 in Jackson City Park. The tryouts, which will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. are open to boys born on or after Aug. 1, 1985. Anyone wishing to tryout must attend one of these dates...

JACKSON -- Sue Zoll recorded her first career hole-in-one recently at Kimbeland Country Club. Zoll achieved her ace on No. 6, a 134-yard par 3, with the help of a 4-iron. Witnessing the shot were Bob Zoll, Cheryl Cook and Don Cook.

Son to Jay Clark and Jacqueline Noel Sproat of Marble Hill, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:07 p.m. Friday, June 26, 1998. Name, Jacob Christopher. Weight, 8 pounds 4 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Sproat is the former Jacqueline Pressley, daughter of Jeannie and Larry Gow of Dexter. She is editor of The Banner Press in Marble Hill. Sproat is the son of Alyce Sproat of Hot Springs, Ark., and the late John Sproat. He is a staff writer at The Banner Press...

Funeral for Shirley M. Warren will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Nunnelee Funeral Home in Sikeston, with the Rev. Jimmy Kirby officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Hills Memorial Gardens near Morley. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Friday at the funeral home...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Emma Lee Baker will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home, with Dr. Jim Davis officiating. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Baker, 81, died Monday, July 6, 1998, at Sikeston Health Care. She was born May 19, 1917, in Charleston, daughter of Ralph and Geraldine Howlett Carson. She married Joseph Lewis Baker, who died April 12, 1974...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral for James H. "Shack" Smotherman of East Prairie will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. The Rev. Raymond Hannah will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Smotherman, 76, died Monday, July 6, 1998, at New Madrid Nursing Center...

SIKESTON -- Jerry B. Dock, 55, of Sikeston died Monday, July 6, 1998, at his home. He was born Jan. 18, 1943, in Malden, son of William Arthur and Audrey Elizabeth Hardin Dock. He and Connie Gosnell were married Feb. 6, 1970. Dock was a masonry contractor...

MALDEN -- Funeral for Terry Lee Strong of Malden will be held at 2 p.m. today at Bradshaw Funeral Home. Burial will be in Rosewood Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until service time. Strong, 27, died Sunday, July 5, 1998, in an automobile accident at Dudley...

CHAFFEE -- August J. Dohogne, 93, died Tuesday, July 7, 1998, at the Chaffee Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

JACKSON -- Funeral for Hulda M. Sides of Jackson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church. The Rev. David Johnson will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 4-8 p.m. today, and at St. Paul Church after 10 a.m. Thursday...

JACKSON -- Lonnie Robert "Rob" Bangert, 30, of Jackson died Tuesday, July 7, 1998, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON -- Funeral for Stella Burger Sides of Jackson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Morgan Funeral Chapel in Advance. The Rev. Ron Watts will officiate, with burial in Morgan Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 6-8 p.m. Thursday...

JACKSON -- Pearl L. Vechorik, 91, of Jackson died Sunday, July 5, 1998, at Jackson Manor. She was born April 15, 1907, at Esther, daughter of John and Francis Triplett Pipken. She and Dominik Vechorik were married Sept. 8, 1928. He died Nov. 17, 1988...

SCOTT CITY -- Bernice Cargle, 84, of Scott City died Tuesday, July 7, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 30, 1914, at Delta, daughter of Charles Thomas and Neva Edna Preyer Deweese. She and Theodore Cargle were married April 30, 1930, at Jackson. He died July 10, 1967...

BERNIE -- Funeral for Mildred Ruth Ballard was held Monday at Rainey Chapel in Bernie. The Rev. John Talbert officiated, with burial in Bernie Cemetery. Ballard, 71, died Thursday, July 2, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. ...

Two Southeast Missouri residents were injured in separate accidents Tuesday morning. A Cape Girardeau man was in the intensive care unit at Southeast Missouri Hospital Tuesday after his vehicle struck a parked tractor-trailer on Interstate 55. Geronimo Cantu, 26, was listed in serious but stable condition Tuesday night. He suffered serious injuries in the accident, which occurred at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday...

JACKSON -- Though only 12, Kelsey Shearon is twice as old as the youngest fellow participants in the youth golf camp under way at Bent Creek Golf Course this week. But she's only eight sunshine-filled seasons younger than Se Ri Pak, who just became the youngest woman ever to win the U.S. Women's Open...

The Southeast Missourian asked people about lessons they have taken. Shirley Coomer: "I took eight weeks of sewing lessons years ago. I have been sewing for a long time, and I am starting an embroidery business soon." Julie Welch-Platz: "Years ago I took swimming lessons in the summer. I took them for four or five years. Now my kids are taking swimming lessons."...