Stories from Thursday, February 25, 1999

To the editor: The greatest joke -- the greatest debacle -- in American history is over. The Republican Party and its cronies did everything they could to bring down the president, and they failed. You can bet that a lot of Democratic money and the president himself will be in Missouri to help Gov. Mel Carnahan in his bid to upset U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft...

Most Americans probably have less interest in the Serbian-Albanian conflict than they demonstrated during the year-long process that included the impeachment of a U.S. president. But newspapers and news broadcasts are filled with reports from negotiations in Paris over a place called Kosovo...

Just when you start thinking the Cold War is really over, along come some indicators of Cold War II. Only this time the players may not be just the United States and Russia. Russia still has a nuclear arsenal of some 6,000 warheads, but those old missiles are deteriorating rapidly, if assessments from the Kremlin are accurate. ...

Like many of you, I'm proud of my children ... and also my 11 grandchildren and the way they're being raised. I give most of the credit to my wife, WENDY, for the fine values and habits they developed because of her patience and influence during their early childhood years...

The American Cancer Society's annual gala will set sail March 6 with a fund-raising event following a grand cruise ship theme. The dinner dance will be held at the Show Me Center. "We're bidding the 20th century adieu and cruising into the next century," said Mary-Ann Maloney, publicity chairman for the event...

A leading telecommunications service company has expressed an interest in locating a center in Cape Girardeau if workers can be found to fill more than 250 positions. "The company's primary concern is the labor force," said Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association. ...

Cape Girardeau Board of Education members say they favor many of the redistricting changes proposed by its Attendance Area Study Committee but oppose any changes that would separate neighborhoods. The board likely will decide new school boundaries in April after receiving public input...

Feb. 25, 1999 Dear Pat We thought we'd found the hole in the fence Lucy made her great escape through. It's temporarily covered with a board held in place by a large flat rock she couldn't possibly move. Of course, underestimate Rin Tin Tin and Lassie if you dare...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department is sponsoring the third annual Citizens' Police Academy April 13 through June 1. The academy consists of an eight-week curriculum held every Tuesday night from 6 to 8 at the police station. The academy is designed to familiarize citizens with the daily activities of the department and enhance cooperation between police and the community...

The Cape Girardeau Public library will be purchasing new computers for public access to the Internet and a CD rom server with a new grant. The library was awarded a $12,657 grant from the Missouri State Library to purchase computer equipment. Money will also be used to buy a new computer for the reference staff to improve the quality and speed of information services...

As Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team prepares for its first-ever trip to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals, coach Ed Arnzen wonders: "Why not us?" After all, the Otahkians own wins over the other three semifinalists. And they were in the running for the OVC regular-season championship all season before falling a game short at the end...

What an exciting time of the year! Our basketball team is headed to Nashville for the OVC semifinals and I believe we are playing our best basketball of the season. I think we have grown and matured as a team and we are ready to go to Nashville and give it our best shot...

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner always stresses how a team should be playing its best at the end of the season. And that is certainly what the Indians are doing. In its last four games -- all wins -- Southeast's victory margin has been an average of 17.5 points...

OXFORD, Miss. -- Before Wednesday, Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team had never beaten a Southeastern Conference squad. But that statement no longer qualifies. The Indians parlayed exceptional pitching, strong defense and one timely offensive inning into a 1-0 victory over host Mississippi...

PARK HILLS -- Perryville High's girls basketball team rode a strong first half and the scoring of Tiffany Perkins into the championship game of the Class 3A, District 2 Tournament. The second-seeded Lady Pirates grabbed a 32-16 halftime lead and held off third-seeded North County 56-48 in Wednesday night's semifinals...

Alaina Smith School: Scott City Sport: Basketball Coach: Randall White Week Report: Smith, a senior center, scored 13 points against Oran in the Lady Rams' 50-22 win on Thursday, 13 points against Portageville in a 54-20 romp, and 25 points in a 60-43 victory over Woodland on Saturday...

ROSS CONNER School: Cape Central Sport: Basketball Coach: Brett Reutzel Week Report: Conner, a 6-foot-4 post player, scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as Central claimed its first SEMO Conference title in 10 years last Tuesday. He followed that up with a 23-point performance on Wednesday, when the Tigers wrapped up an undefeated season in conference play with a win over Kennett. ...

The Kohlfeld Scorpions Rugby Club will begin its 27th season Saturday at home against the Memphis Blues Rugby Club. The 1 p.m. game will be played at Arena Park on Hawthorne Road. The Scorpions are scheduled to play in six home games this spring and will play in two tournaments...

MARBLE HILL -- Perl Cook, 88, of Marble Hill, died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 28, 1910, at Lutesville, son of Adam Lee and Kizzie C. Langston Cook. He and Stella Long were married June 23, 1929. She died Jan. 20, 1997...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral Mass for Lavern O. Smith of Perryville will be held at 11:30 a.m. today at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. The Rev. Richard Lause will officiate. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery at Lemay. Young and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

JACKSON -- Funeral for Geska G. Richter of Jackson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Revs. Sam Roethemeyer and Chris McCutchen will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today. An Eastern Star service will be held at 7...

Gerald L. Kostedt, 51, of High Ridge died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1999, in St. Louis. He was born June 21, 1947, in St. Louis. He married the former Rachel Amelunke of the Cape Girardeau area. Kostedt sold heating and cooling equipment. Survivors include his wife; a son, Jerry Kostedt of High Ridge; a daughter, Nicole Kostedt of High Ridge; his mother, Juanita Cummings Kostedt of St. Louis; two sisters, Pat Thole of Cedar Hill, Cheri Konersmann of High Ridge; and a brother, Jim Kostedt of Troy, Ill...

Blanche LeRoy, 94, of Henderson, Texas, died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1999, at Henderson Memorial Hospital. She was born March 17, 1904, in Harpersville, Texas. She married William "Bill" LeRoy, who preceded her in death. He was formerly a librarian at Southeast Missouri State University...

JACKSON -- M. Frances Barnes, 83, of Jackson died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 12, 1915, at Mineola, daughter of James Robert and Martha Zelma Page Barker. She married Clyde Barnes. Barnes had worked at Continental Bag Co. in Mexico, Mo. She was a member of Mineola Baptist Church. She moved to Jackson more than nine years ago from Mexico...

BENTON -- Wilburn Kirby, 76, of Monmouth, Ill., died Sunday, Feb. 21, 1999, at Cottage Hospital in Galesburg, Ill. He was born June 17, 1922, in Corning, Ark., son of John and Bertha Miller Kirby. Kirby was a veteran of World War II. Survivors include three sons, Ronald, Don and Dean Kirby of Rockport, Ill.; a brother, John Kirby of Milam, Ill.; a sister, Letha Livingston of Bell City; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren...

Evelyn Frease, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. She was born April 3, 1915, near Dexter. She married Elmo W. Frease May 13, 1934. He died April 18, 1973. Survivors include three daughters, Betty Chasteen of Cape Girardeau, Diane Behlke of St. Louis, Darlene Sanders of Sikeston; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren...

WARE, Ill. -- Duane "Doc" Brown, 75, of Ware died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at Union County Hospital in Anna. Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro is in charge of arrangements.

POPLAR BLUFF -- Ruth Evelyn Fears, 74, of Poplar Bluff died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1999, at Lucy Lee Healthcare System. She was born Sept. 18, 1924, at Herculaneum. She and Charles Fears were married Jan. 10, 1942, in St. Louis. He died June 28, 1992. Fears had worked at a garment factory in St. Louis...

Son to D. David and Kimberly Catherine Woolf of Arnold, St. Anthony's Hospital, 2:46 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, 1999. Name, Devon Michael. Weight, 7 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. Woolf is the former Kimberly DeBrock, daughter of Glenn and Betty DeBrock of Chaffee. She is a financial specialist at Boeing in St. Louis. Woolf is the son of Robert Woolf of Oran and Mary Penhale of Florida. He is service manager at Schaefer Water Center in Herculaneum...

Mary Jo Howard Wagner, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1999 at her home in Bradenton, Fla. She was born Sept. 7, 1925 in Malden, Mo., the daughter of Harry John and Olive Tomerlin Howard. She married Bill Wagner in 1947 at Reno, Nev...

The Longhorn World Championship Rodeo will over more than $32,000 in prize money. Gerardo "Jerry" Diaz is proud of being a charro -- the Spanish word for cowboy. He is a fourth-generation charro, a national champion whose horsemanship and roping skills will be spotlighted when the Longhorn World Championship Rodeo returns to the Show Me Center this weekend...

Scott Krietemeyer and George Aplin made the ultimate sacrifice for their art: They shaved their legs. The consensus at rehearsals for the University Theatre's upcoming production of "Sugar" is that Aplin makes the better girl. Krietemeyer and Aplin play two musicians who dress as women and join an all-female band in "Sugar," opening at 8 p.m. Friday at the Forrest Rose Theatre...