Stories from Thursday, December 24, 1998

To the editor: Thank you for supporting law enforcement efforts to enforce existing laws regarding drinking and driving, as well as the rationale for reducing the legal blood alcohol content for driving undr the influence. In reviewing local police reports published in the Southeast Missourian, DWI arrests totaled 71 in the months of October and November 1998. ...

Using an overall mission statement for Cape Girardeau's city government as a guide, each city department is developing an individual mission statement outlining its goals to better serve the community. Departments are expected to submit completed mission statements by the end of January. The statements will be compiled into a handbook of sorts and made available to the public...

A chill in the air, twinkling lights and last-minute shoppers hurrying to and fro mean Christmas is upon us. From the back of the closet, under the bed and the top of bookshelves, it's time to retrieve those books filled with favorite Christmas stories...

FOR THE Republicans to think that President Clinton ordered a strike on Iraq to avoid hearings scares me. They are really sickos, desperate for a coup. I say, Mr. President, take Saddam Hussein down. I'm with you. YOU KNOW there is something you've really been looking forward to doing with great anticipation and all of a sudden you can't do what you really want to do. ...

It is a simple story, but the birth in a stable some 2,000 years ago changed the world. On this Christmas Eve, the story is presented again from the Holy Bible (the Gospel according to St. Luke, Chapter 2): And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one unto his own city...

It is traditional to make charitable gifts near the end of the year, especially in the weeks leading up to Christmas. There is something about the spirit of the religious overtones of the season. Or maybe it is the taxman who spurs generous giving. At the root of all the donations, however, is that human element -- the emotion of the heart -- that guides most people to give and to give generously...

To the editor: After reading the letter from a gentleman commenting on children getting too much for Christmas, I felt I had to write. My story is different. I want to acknowledge an thank many people, but most of all I want to note the generous spirit of friends, family and total stangers who are my neighbors...

To the editor: Just recently, the entertainment at the Lutheran Home where I reside took a slightly different turn. It was so well-received that a repeat is looked forward to. When word spread that Dr. Peter Hilty, professor emeritus of English at Southeast Missouri State University, would be speaking on the origin on names, curiousity and interest arose, resulting in an amazingly large attendance...

To the editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who made our sixth annual "Shop With a Cop" program a success. We were able to purchase presents for 61 children so they could have a merry Christmas. Thirty-six law enforcement officers from 14 departments participated in this year's program. ...

The Perryville Road improvement project failed to reach completion Monday as scheduled, a situation that will cost the contractors involved. Fronabarger Concreters Inc. of Jackson and Lappe Cement Finishing Inc. of Perryville will have to pay Cape Girardeau combined liquidated damages of $500 per calendar day until the road can be opened to traffic...

A new contract has been signed on the Marquette Hotel in the 300 block of Broadway. The option contract, with a purchase agreement, was signed recently by Thad Bullock of Cape Girardeau, owner of the property, and Eugene Davis of Houston, Texas. The purchase agreement was for $630,000, which includes the hotel, garage and parking lot...

They describe themselves as a bunch of "old goats," and they sit around drinking coffee. Then one day they decided it was time to quit talking and take some action to help the elderly. The "old goats" coffee klatch, a group of businessmen, were among hundreds of people who responded to the call of Christmas for the Elderly, making this year's holiday project a huge success...

Charlie Lottes of Rozier's Mercantile in Perryville remembers the day 10 years ago when someone from Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center asked for a donation of children's shoes. A pair of name-brand tennis shoes seemed such a simple request for children going through a rough time. "We decided, if we could swing it, we would give pairs for each and every one of them," Lottes said...

Dec. 24, 1998 Dear friends, Our fifth Christmas together is very different from the first. Then we were alone in California, our hearts glowing like the candles on DC's tree. This year we are surrounded by family -- parents, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, in-laws -- and for me an increasing sense of being where we belong...

7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21 City Hall Public hearing -- Held hearing to consider the proposed annual budget for 1999. Power and Light Committee -- Approved the 1999 proposed budget. -- Adopted "Year 2000 Readiness Statement" for the City of Jackson. -- Authorized quarterly payment of $1,250 to Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association for services provided...

All three Jackson school board members whose terms expire in April filed for re-election Wednesday. The filing period, which opened Tuesday, runs through Jan. 19. The Rev. William Bird was the only Cape Girardeau school board incumbent to file Tuesday for re-election...

7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28 City Hall Action items Power and Light Committee -- Consider a bill proposing an ordinance designating a portion of the City of Jackson as a Redevelopment Area; approving a Redevelopment Plan; and approving Redevelopment Project Area Number 1 therein under the Real Property Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act...

First of all, on behalf of our basketball team, coaches and staff, I would like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. This is a special time of the year for family and friends and I hope everyone enjoys the holiday. After the Southwest Missouri game Tuesday night, we released the players so they could have a couple of days to be with family and friends. Several left with family members from Springfield while others came back to Cape Girardeau and left from there...

Most of the small schools that play in the University High Christmas Tournament represent towns whose entire population can't even fill the Show-Me Center. But that doesn't mean that small schools can't fill the bucket. The consensus among the coaches for the 54th annual event, is that any number of teams could win the four-day, 16-team, 26-game basketball marathon, including several of the small schools...

Tiffany Perkins School: Perryville Sport: Basketball Coach: Vicki Lohmann Season report: The 5-10 senior guard has averaged 19.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in leading the Lady Pirates to a 4-4 record so far this season. Week report: Perkins easily led all scorers in last week's HealthSouth Holiday Classic in which Perryville took fifth place. ...

Lance Schlick School: Jackson Sport: Wrestling Coach: Steve Wachter Season report: Schlick, a senior, is 14-0 with 12 pins this season. He took first at the Fox Tournament and first at the Missouri Duals in Jefferson City. Schlick finished sixth in state as a freshman at 103 pounds, third as a sophomore at 103 and sixth last year at 125...

CHARLESTON -- Gladys Ruth Chilton, 79, of Charleston died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born March 21, 1919, in Hickman, Ky., daughter of Henry and Clara Adams Nichols. She and Walter Chilton were married Nov. 13, 1937. He died March 15, 1965...

Virginia Meyer Dubs, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Dec. 21, 1998, at McAllen Medical Center in Hidalgo, Texas. She was born May 10, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Adolph and Cora Meystedt Meyer. She married Martin Dubs Jan. 15, 1946, in Sikeston. He survives...

Clara M. Stoll, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 23, 1998 at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

MARBLE HILL -- Delphia Viola Angle, 87, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Dec. 23, 1998, at Bond Nursing Care Center. She was born Dec. 31, 1910, at Mayfield, daughter of David and Evva Mayfield Green. She and W.C. "Chan" Angle were married March 17, 1928. He died March 29, 1983...

MOREHOUSE -- John Raymond Twitty, 43, of Morehouse died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born March 18, 1955, in Sikeston, son of Clarence and Pauline Huddleston Twitty. Twitty lived near Morehouse most of his life. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army...

Judge Don U. Elrod, 59, of Fredericktown died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at his home. He was born Dec. 26, 1938, in Cape Girardeau, son of Dr. Dennis and Loise Elrod. He and Rita Simpson were married June 9, 1984. Elrod was a judge in the 24th Judicial Circuit. He was a member of Missouri Bar Association, American Bar Association, Eagles Aerie, Elks Lodge, and Shrine Club...

CHAFFEE -- Jesse Franklin Hansen, 72, of Florissant died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at Sunrise Medical Center in Freeport, Grand Bahamas. He was born July 2, 1926, in Crittenden County, Ky., son of Louis and Johnnie Houser Hansen. He and Twila Hindman were married July 1, 1950...

DEXTER -- Nelson Palmer of Dexter died Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home at Dexter is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Kris G. and Cheri Sue Stoffregen of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:11 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1998. Name, Hunter Mark. Weight, 6 pounds 10 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Stoffregen is the former Cheri Crawford, daughter of Don and Sue Crawford of Brighton, Ill. She is a customer service representative with city of Jackson. Stoffregen is the son of Bob and Nancy Stoffregen of Delta. He is a firefighter with Cape Girardeau Fire Department...

Mr. Edwin R. Puls of Jackson passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape. A longtime banker in both Jackson and Cape Girardeau, he was president of the old Cape County Savings Bank located in Jackson. Mr. Puls came from a line of bank executives. His father, Mr. Henry Puls, was the president of the Cape County Savings Bank for a number of years and his grandfather, Mr. Elam Russell, was the first president of the Jackson Exchange Bank...

"To me," says my friend from Virginia, "the nativity scene is the most important of the Christmas decorations." She has no argument from me. As I assemble my own creche this year, I hold each piece in my hand for a while to let my real-life experiences cluster 'round it. ...