Stories from Wednesday, February 3, 1999

Steve Unterreiner and Ennis Hinkebein II have been recognized as distinguished graduates for two area schools during Catholic Schools Week activities. Each year Catholic school elementary principals may nominate former students to the National Catholic Educational Association to receive the distinguished graduate award. Recipients must have been an elementary school graduate of at least 10 years and have made a "significant contribution to the Catholic Church and the United States."...

Necessity was the mother of invention in Jackson when Robert Foulk invented a new kind of wheelchair for his stepson, Keith. This wheelchair designed for outdoor use can motor through all terrains. It depends on tracks like a tank or bulldozer to negotiate curbs, steps and grassy, uneven backyards...

Where are the parents? It's a question that was raised by the articles the Southeast Missourian published concerning dress codes at area high schools. Today's school dress codes deal not only with attire, but body piercing. As a fashion statement, teen-agers are putting diamond studs, gold hoops and safety pins in their eyebrows, belly buttons, noses and even tongues. And these trends are even seen in elementary schools in some cases...

Sharing the wealth: Have U.S. standards of living eroded? Are good jobs disappearing? Are the poor getting poorer? Many books and newspaper articles in recent years have answered all three questions with a depressing "yes." This makes "Myths of Rich & Poor" (Basic Books, 256 pages, $25) timely, important and refreshing. ...

When people first suggested the idea of opening a restaurant at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport to Dave McAllister, his response was simple. "When pigs fly," he told them. No sightings have been reported, but McAllister is running the airport restaurant, an endeavor several have attempted but none have been able to make profitable...

To the editor: The following observations remind me of an expression of my father's about unsavory happenings: It sticks in my craw. There was a Speak Out comment about Democrats and Republicans called "Proud of independence." Even though I detest the idea of Speak Out, I wish I had written it. It was a work of art I would have proudly signed my name to...

Keeping businesses in Cape Girardeau and business expansions are priorities of Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce members, a survey by the group said. Other priorities are economic development and recruiting industries to the area. The priorities were established during the chamber's annual "Three-minute Survey."...

As a college student in the early 1930s, Otto Seabaugh sometimes stopped by Kassel's jewelry store in the 600 block of Broadway. Seabaugh and Elmer Kassel were both musicians, and Kassel's wife, Neva, had been Seabaugh's fourth-grade teacher. Seabaugh began buying the sheet music displayed on the counter in the store. The music was for sale because Kassel had disbanded his orchestra, one of the most popular of the day...

PERRYVILLE -- Dr. Rex Miller, Perryville schools superintendent for the past three years, has been named superintendent of Windsor School District. The Windsor Board of Education selected Miller for the top position during a meeting last week. He was one of seven finalists and 24 applicants seeking the position...

Spring is on its way. Girardeau George is back, and anyone traveling Route W between Kingshighway and the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri shelter Tuesday morning may have observed the hairy little rodent scampering about the field that surrounds his home...

Now you see him. Now you don't. And if you show up at the Show Me Center on April 9, you won't. But David Copperfield promises he won't do a disappearing act on April 7. The master illusionist is scheduled to do two performances at the Show Me Center on that date...

Writers interested in writing a novel or finishing the manuscript they have started can participate in a fiction-writing intensive workshop sponsored by the Heartland Writers Guild. University of California-Berkeley writing instructor and author James N. Frey will conduct five days of structured writing instruction and critique...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson on Monday accepted the ninth annual C. Everett Koop Health Advocate Award on behalf of former first lady Betty Ford. "Her openness about her dependency on alcohol and prescription drugs led to the formation of the Betty Ford Center, which has helped thousands of people on the road to recovery from addictions to alcohol or drugs," said Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau...

Dr. Charles Kupchella, Southeast Missouri State University provost, has been elected president-elect of the American Association for Cancer Education. Kupchella will serve a one-year term in the post followed by a one-year term as AACE president. The American Association for Cancer Education was founded in 1947 as the Cancer Coordinators, an association of cancer educators from U.S. medical and dental schools that met annually to discuss problems and methods of mutual interest...

Southeast Missouri State University's performance against Tennessee State Tuesday night probably won't go into the Indians' end-of-the-season highlight film. But it was good enough to net the Indians yet another Ohio Valley Conference victory. The Indians sputtered and staggered to a 61-54 triumph in front of 4,837 fans at the Show Me Center...

JACKSON -- Justin Suedmeyer was `Justin Time' Tuesday night. The senior guard scored a game-winning layup through traffic with two seconds left to cap off Jackson's 12-4 run at the end of the game as the Indians edged Charleston 65-63. With :34 seconds remaining Jackson called a timeout to set up a play. The Indians stalled, and with about :08 left Suedmeyer, dribbled through the heart of the Blue Jays' defense and put in a fairly uncontested, yet difficult right-handed layup...

She may be only a freshman, but Southeast Missouri State University center Pam Iversen is one of the nation's best free-throw shooters. And she is obviously immune to the pressure of being at the charity stripe with a game on the line. Iversen, fouled while shooting after grabbing an offensive rebound, calmly swished both shots with 5.1 seconds left against Tennessee State Tuesday night...

The 19th annual Southeast Missouri Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame induction banquet will be held Feb. 13 at the Sikeston High School cafeteria. A reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the banquet at 7 p.m. The guest speaker will be former St. Louis Cardinals' catcher Darrell Porter, the MVP of both the 1982 National League Championship Series 1982 World Series...

MALDEN -- Jon Beck scored 29 points and Ron Watson added 25 as Scott City High's boys basketball team pushed its winning streak to eight games with an 88-63 victory over host Malden Tuesday night. The Rams (17-2) scored 54 points in the second half after leading 34-23 at halftime...

The 1999 Spring Golf Clinic will be conducted in March at Arena Park Golf. Two separate clinics will be held for beginner and advanced golfers. the beginner class will meet on Tuesdays (March 2, 9, 16) and will be limited to 10 students. The advanced class will meet Thursdays (March 4, 11, 18) and will be limited to eight students...

The Jackson Area Optimist Soccer Association will sponsor a beginner referee instruction class. The class, for participants 14 years of age or older, will include 16 hours of classroom work plus a certification test. Any participant who passes the test will be permitted to register with the United States Soccer Federation. Registration cost will be $25...

MATTHEWS -- Thomas B. Hairston, 64, of Matthews died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 23, 1934, in Conway, Ark., son of Everette and Dorthy Crain Hairston. He and Alice O. Mason were married Feb. 14, 1953, in Canalou. She died June 4, 1992...

SIKESTON -- Helen L. Simmons, 77, of Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 31, 1921, at Blodgett, daughter of Harry and Elizabeth Huff Pryor. She and Morris Simmons were married June 1, 1942, in Sikeston. He died Feb. 28, 1978...

MARBLE HILL -- George Richard Sloan, 79, of Marble Hill died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at his home. He was born Nov. 14, 1919, in Paris, Ill., son of George E. and Lois Dickson Sloan. He and Louise E. Sparks were married March 28, 1942. She died Feb. 6, 1989...

DEXTER -- Funeral for Viola Reeder of Dexter will be held at 10 a.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Dale Grissom will officiate. Burial will be in Dexter Cemetery. Reeder, 79, died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at Vintage Villa Nursing Center...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Dorothy L. Rose, 90, of Mounds died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, at Southgate Nursing Home in Metropolis. She was born Jan. 3, 1909, in Mounds, daughter of William and Effie Laws Wise. Rose was a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. A retired elementary school teacher, she was a member of First Methodist Church and its United Methodist Women...

William A. Ricketts, 83, of Annadale, Va., passed away Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at his home. He was born May 24, 1915, in New Madrid, Mo., son of the late John T. and Nelle Blair Ricketts. He was a graduate of Fayette Central College in Fayette, Mo., in 1936. He married the former Estelle Bess Nov. 25, 1938, at Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Marvin Loos, 83, of Phoenix, Ariz., died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, in Phoenix. He was born Aug. 28, 1915, at Jackson, son of Fred Loos and Lillie Day McFerron. He and Lucille Proffer were married Dec. 9, 1939. She died March 11, 1996. Loos had lived in Arizona 53 years. He had been a carpet salesman...

BLODGETT -- Owen M. Kearby, 73, of Blodgett, and formerly of Mississippi, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, at the Bertrand Retirement Home. He was born Feb. 5, 1925, in Clay County, Ark., to James E. and Anna Nelson Kearby. He married Susie Haynes May 9, 1956...

Lucinda Rudolph, 81, of Cape Girardeau, and formerly of Anna, Ill., died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born May 11, 1917, at Robinson, Ill, to Roy H. and Laura Patrick Rudolph. She was a member of the Anna United Methodist Church...

SIKESTON -- Graveside service for Corlin Moore-Barber will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. Victor Williams will officiate. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Moore-Barber, infant son of Tracey Moore and David Barber of Sikeston, died shortly after birth Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Wayne Jason Buckhanon, 86, of Dallas, Texas, died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, in Dallas. He was born May 4, 1912, in Cape Girardeau, son of William Jefferson and Blanche Kendall Buckhannon. Buckhanon worked at Eaton Labs in Dallas 27 years, retiring as regional manager. He was a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Billy Joe Tolson, 66, of Cobden died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, at Union County Hospital in Anna. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Sarah Prather, 37, of Smyrna, Tenn., died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. She was born Nov. 10, 1961, in Anna, daughter of Ralph "Chico" and Carol Mertz Travis. She married Ronald Prather. Prather was a graduate of Anna-Jonesboro High School, and Vanderbilt University. She was a certified nurse anesthetist, and a captain in the Tennessee National Guard. She was a member of Middle Tennessee Anesthetist Association...

Son to Walter L. and Kristin R. Johnston of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:25 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, 1999. Name, Braden Scott. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Johnston is the former Kristin Tranter, daughter of Wes and Babs Tranter of Jackson. She is self-employed. Johnston is the son of Linus and Nancy Johnston of Jackson. He is employed by Interstate Brands Corp. (Wonder Bread)...

Thomas Wayne Ates, 46, of Muskegon, Mich., died Jan. 1, 1999, at Hackley Hospital in Muskegon. He was born Feb. 6, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, son of Lewis "L.B." and Mary Ann Spradling Ates. Ates served in the U.S. Army during the Korean and Vietnam wars...

FISK -- Millie Standridge, 79, of Fisk died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, at Doctors Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born April 24, 1919, in Atkins, Ark., daughter of Francis Marion and Almeda Coffman King. She and Duel Standridge were married July 27, 1935, in Atkins...

Graveside service for Robert J. Nickless of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Fairmount Cemetery. There is no visitation. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Nickless, 74, died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club will meet at 11:45 a.m. Friday at the Holiday Inn. Cape Girardeau policemen Charlie Herbst and Ike Hammond will discuss the Weed and Seed program. The club is also making plans for the Lincoln Day banquet with guest speaker Rep. Steve Largent of Oklahoma...

It was a bright, sunny afternoon at Tan-Tar-A Estates at the Lake of the Ozarks in 1989. My husband and I were enjoying the view from our sixth-floor balcony shortly after our arrival. It was then that I spied a frisky squirrel on the ground, swiftly nipping the buds from a flower bed. ...

A mountain of meringue tops a slice of coconut cream pie at Joey's Restaurant. Rose Levy Beranbaum, in her best-selling book, "The Pie and Pastry Bible," says, "There are two kinds of people: cake people and pie people." Though I have never been known to turn down a piece of chocolate layer cake, I know which category I belong in. I'm a pie person...

As I look over the recipes that were sent in this week I am trying to decide which one I'm going to try first. You see, I have a little extra time on my hands this week. I am home from my job at the Cape Senior Center with my 4 1/2 year old Ross, who has the chicken pox...