Stories from Sunday, January 31, 1999

To the editor: I have to disagree with the new in-state tuition for out-of-state students from Illinois at Southeast Missouri State University. The university seems to have forgotten its mission. Missouri -- that is, taxpayers through elected representatives -- has chosen to subsidize the cost of educating our students. ...

Former Vice President Dan Quayle pointed to a disturbing fact this past week: The Social Security payroll tax was just 2 percent in 1949, when many of today's grandparents and great-grandparents were getting their families started. Today's families stagger along, forced to pay the same tax at more than 15 percent -- half paid by the worker and another half paid by the employer. This is just one of the many reasons why Americans are today taxed at the highest rates ever in peacetime...

A battle royal is shaping up in the General Assembly over whether to hand over your state government, lock, stock and barrel, to the union bosses. With Missouri one of only six states in which Democrats control both the Legislature and the governor's mansion, and the Carnahan administration starting its seventh year, those bosses are getting restive and demanding their due. The bill: Pass a collective bargaining bill in 1999...

Without our even having to ask, the American news industry ceaselessly tells us we are the best informed citizens in the world. Of course we are. No other country receives more news at a faster pace than do we who live within the continental limits of the United States...

MY FAMILY has been greatly disturbed by the "unfriendliness" of the Cape area churches. We moved here recently and needed a church home. We have visited congregations where not one person other than the pastor or his wife even spoke to us. We have sat in pews where often a deacon or lay person came along and shook hands with only those they knew, passing us by without a nod or a welcome smile. ...

25 years ago: 1974 A 35-member Citizens Jail Committee is circulating petitions throughout Cape Girardeau County asserting that proposed move of county jail from Jackson to County Farm in Cape Girardeau is "wrong, illegal, arbitrary, capricious and nonsensical"; there are about 75 petitions in circulation in every county community, including Cape Girardeau; in addition, many rural members of citizens committee are obtaining signatures from their areas...

The meeting was an introduction to the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. The 13th century Japanese priest focused on the Lotus Sutra taught by the first historically recognized Buddha, who also is known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha. The Lotus Sutra teaches that all living beings can attain Buddhahood or enlightenment. It is a humanistic philosophy that teaches compassion and respect for the sanctity of life...

A couple of buddies place a friendly wager on the Super Bowl. Workers in an office throw in a buck or two apiece in the office pool on the big game. A college student calls a bookie and puts down a bet on his favorite team. It's a part of the Super Bowl tradition and is all in good fun...

Sleep-over party. It sounds innocent enough when viewed on a Mary-Kate and Ashley video. So when our oldest daughter, Becca, asked to have a sleep-over party to celebrate her 7th birthday, we said "yes." How tough could it be for two adults with college degrees to police a party of Becca's friends?...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Looking at the final score of Saturday's women's basketball game between Southeast Missouri State University and Morehead State, it's hard to imagine that the Otahkians actually appeared to be in trouble for a while. The Otahkians wound up blowing out the host Lady Eagles 104-70 -- but not before trailing by 15 points early and by six points at halftime...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner always talks about how defense is the key to winning on the road. Taking that into account, it's easy to see why the Indians were able to post a convincing 72-60 victory over Morehead State Saturday night...

Unless you're a true fan of either team, choosing who to root for in today's Super Bowl is not an easy choice. When the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons square off in Miami in Super Bowl XXXIII, there will be plenty of interesting story lines to consider...

No performances rated a perfect 10 score Saturday night in the Wellness in Motion gymnastics meet at the Show Me Center. Or a 9.9. Or even a 9.8. But a sufficient number of Southeast Missouri State University showings were fair enough to total a fair sum, a 190.500 that easily bested Illinois State's 183.550 in the Otahkians' home opener...

DE SOTO -- The Cape Central wrestling team took second place in the De Soto tournament Saturday and had five individuals take first place in the nine-team event. Central's Hoss Hodges (103), Kevin Allen (119), Otis Turner (171), Matt Strickland (189) and Alex Elfrink (215) each took first place...

Cape Central made a good first impression in a 62-59 win over Riverview Gardens on Saturday. But, as the Tigers found out, you can't always judge a team on a first impression. After a 14-0 start, Central (8-10) looked as if it would coast to an easy win, but the streaky Rams (4-12) eventually took the lead in the fourth quarter and had two chances in the final five seconds to send the game into overtime...

The preliminary basketball tournaments for AAU/USA will be held in March in Poplar Bluff. Tournament dates for both boys and girls will be March 19-21 for ages 13 and under and March 26-28 for 14 and over. For more information about entering a team, contact Linda Jacquemain at 686-6851. Entry deadline is March 5...

The Chaffee Youth League will hold a meeting Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Chaffee City Hall. The meeting is for all interested parties of the Chaffee Youth League and anyone interested in helping coach. Those who cannot attend the meeting but wish to help out during the season should call Jim Chambers at 887-3917...

In 1991 the Missouri Department of Conservation officially opened the new Southeast Missouri Regional office in Cape Girardeau. After more than seven years of operation I still often hear from people that are unaware of the wealth of services that are available to them at this facility. The building houses resources for everyone from teachers to landowners...

Ada Aisthorpe Sullivan, 93, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at Chateau Girardeau. Funeral arrangements will be announced later by Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel Inc.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Alta Carr, 74, of Cairo died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at Caseyville Nursing Home in Caseyville. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by the Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Robert Lesley Whitis Jr. of New Johnsonville, Tenn., formerly of Cairo, died Thursday, Jan. 28, 1999, in New Johnsonville. Survivors include his wife, Isabelle Whitis of New Johnsonville; two sons, Bobby Whitis of Olive Branch and Anthony Whitis of St. Louis; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren...

JACKSON -- Rose E. Nanna, 85, of Jackson died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at the Jackson Manor. She was born on Jan. 14, 1914, at Farrar, daughter of John and Bertha Leibel Sticht. She was a fund solicitor with the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau for more than 50 years. She also was a member of the Home League of the Salvation Army. She taught Bible school and Sunday school at the Salvation Army...

Helen Ferree Lemonds, 81, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Kennett, died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at the Beverly Rehabilitation Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born on Dec. 9, 1917, near Holcomb, daughter of John H. and Ethel B. Ferree Mayberry. She married Truman Lemonds on Aug. 6, 1938. He preceded her in death...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Leta E. Norris, 85, of Jonesboro died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at her home. She was born on July 10, 1913, at Anna, daughter of Luther D. and Laura Treece Anderson. She married George W. Norris on April 21, 1934, at Murphysboro. He died on June 9, 1986...

TAMMS, Ill. -- George Robison, 75, of Elco died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born on Aug. 6, 1923, in Alexander County, son of Ora and Bernice Provo Robison. He married Anna Belle Cox. She died in 1979. He married Dean Morris Honey in 1983...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Charles Edward Sanders, 68, of East Prairie died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at his residence. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

Evelyn Louise Smith, 39, of Cape Girardeau and formerly of East Prairie, died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis after a brief illness. Arrangements are incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

ANNA, Ill. -- Mary Bacon, 84, of Anna died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Aug. 22, 1914, in Anna, daughter of John and Madie Spann Bacon. She was the librarian at Stinson Memorial Library in Anna for more than 50 years. She was a Presbyterian...

DUDLEY -- Maxine McGowen, 65, of Dudley died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born July 13, 1933, daughter of Lester F. and Gertie Allen Clark. She married Cecil "Jake" McGowen in Clay County, Ark., on Feb. 24, 1951. He survives...

SCOTT CITY -- Beulah Catherine McEachen, 83, of Scott City died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Dec. 23, 1915, in Mine La Motte, daughter of Avery and Jane Doris Green. She married George McEachen July 16, 1937, in Detroit, Mich. He died June 26, 1986...

DEXTER -- Sterling Otto Stanfill, 73, of Dexter died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born on July 31, 1925, at Marquand, son of Edward Otto and Bessie Bell Combs Stanfill. He was retired from General Motors in Flint, Mich...

There I was, face down on Skid Row. Soaking wet, feet strapped to something resembling a large tongue depressor, nose buried in snow; how had I reached this point? What had possessed me, a pasty-faced, 31-year-old desk jockey, to try snowboarding? The average snowboarder is half my age, a male skateboard fiend who takes to the slopes each winter to "catch some air."...

Are you ready for a ski trip, but don't have the time or the money to fly to Colorado, Vermont or the Swiss Alps? The solution is right here in the Show Me state. Never give skiing a passing thought? Maybe you should. Believe it or not skiing in Missouri is not an oxymoron. In fact, the sport is fairly popular...

Dr. Fred and Virginia Keisker Goodwin of Cape Girardeau have agreed to give at least $10,000 to Southeast Missouri State University through their estate. At the time of their deaths, a financial gift will be made to the university to establish the Fred and Virginia Goodwin Piano Scholarship. The recipient must be endorsed by the music department chairman and display talent through an audition...