Stories from Sunday, March 21, 1999

To the editor: Opponents of Proposition B are panicked. They're up to their usual tricks by trying to scare Missouri voters into thinking this sound, life-saving measure is going to bring violence and harm to our state. Proposition B is a good proposal. ...

The March meeting of the American Legion Post # 158 was called to order by Commander Robert Hartle at 8 p.m., March 9. The Color Guard advanced the colors and Chaplain Charles Hutson, gave the opening prayer. The pledge of allegiance to the flag, and the preamble of the American Legion Constitution were recited in unison by 53 members present...

Modern technology has once again given the individual with versatile talents and drive a chance to compete with the "big boys." Jackson native Ryan Harper hopes to capitalize on this. The Southeast Missouri State University senior recently cut a solid compact disc, titled "Colours of the Sun" and is at work on a second one...

While some creative works only a generation or two in the past seem hopelessly out of date, other masterpieces hold their magic centuries later. More than 400 years after William Shakespeare penned "a Midsummer Night's Dream," the romantic comedy still has all its charm, wit and inspired chaos. ...

25 years ago: 1974 Two residents of north Cape Girardeau County and one from Perry County appeared before County Court Thursday to request re-examination of court's decision not to build bridge across Apple Creek; court agreed to discuss project with Perry County Court, but didn't promise reversal of its decision; Perry County had agreed verbally to share cost of construction with Cape Girardeau County...

AFTER READING the article about the Minnesota players that were not allowed to play in their NCAA tournament game, I just wonder if there's anyone out there who agrees that the players seem to suffer the most. I know they're caught up in a situation where they need to make the grades to play, but what about the coaches? Aren't they responsible? How about putting the coach of the team on probation? It seems like everything is taken out on this young kid, and he's just kind of in the middle. ...

One e-mailer asked, "Why vote at all, when there is no difference between the Democrats and Republicans?" This is a legitimate question. The federal government has grown way beyond anything the Framers contemplated, and Republicans seem as unwilling as Democrats to dismantle this behemoth. But as frustrated as we conservatives sometimes get at Republican officials, there are still major differences between the parties that will have significant consequences for the future of this nation...

By now Missourians have heard the pros and cons of Proposition B, the referendum to allow citizens the right to carry concealed weapons upon completing several hours of training and instruction in the use of firearms. Except for the usual number of distortions from both sides, the facts of the issue are fairly reliable:...

In popular mythology, lobbyists working the halls of your state and federal capitols are unquestionably "bad." Unless, that is, you're a Realtor and the lobbyist represents Realtors, or you're a hairdresser and he or she represents hairdressers, or unless the lobbyist is from a self-styled, public-interest watchdog group favored by liberal editorial writers. Under these circumstances, lobbyists are "good." Few notions are more commonly shared...

Medicare is back in the news, and the latest report isn't good. The medical care program for seniors is running out of money, and everyone knows it. More than a year ago, President Clinton appointed a bipartisan commission to recommend needed reforms to return the program to solvency. ...

To the editor: My wife and I just completed a 12-state trip. We decided to talk to people about the right-to-carry issue. I'm not an official poll taker, so I don't know how it would be rated. All I know is the answers we received. We talked to people in all walks of life and asked if they favored or disfavored the right of American citizens to carry concealed firearms. We included women whenever possible. The answer was invariably yes to carrying firearms for protection...

To the editor: Why would Missourians vote for Proposition B when it does not state all the conditions of violations? You may vote yourself a nightmare if you do not know all the contents of this proposition. Does "unlawful use of weapons" include pocket knives or any other weapon readily available for lethal use?...

To the editor: Robert A. Cron ridicules anyone with an honest opinion that disagrees with his own. His answer to everything seems to be more guns for everyone. After he demands that everyone be allowed to buy more guns, he then says it is necessary to allow everyone to carry concealed guns for protection from the other people he has encouraged to buy guns in the first place. He belittles sources of gun-related crime statistics unless they agree with him...

To the editor: The debate over Proposition B is a very personal issue about our right as American citizens. It is an issue of government control. It is an issue about freedom of choice and the right to protect ourselves. It is not a new issue. There are currently 43 states that have some type of right-to-carry gun laws. In those 43 states, the right-to-carry law has never been repealed...

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To the editor: I am writing this letter to applaud Morley Swingle's recent commentary against Proposition B. Those folks who have a desire to play the Wild West show are very vocal, and it is refreshing to have a politician who has the courage of his convictions...

An Associated Press story this past week related how unspent welfare money totalling billions of dollars is tempting some in Congress who "want to reclaim the cash windfall from the states." The unusual problem is causing a fight among Republicans who want the money for disaster relief and others who argue they must keep promises made during the welfare debate just three years ago, and let the states spend the money as they see fit...

Missouri's prisons are crowded with inmates, many of them placed there by mandatory sentencing laws. State Sen. Harold Caskey, D-Butler, says locking up all these lawbreakers is costly. Missouri spends $500 million a year operating a state prison system that as of September was bulging with nearly 25,000 inmates...

Dr. Frank Nickell, left, coordinator of History Day at Southeast Missouri State University, presented the Sweepstakes Award to Risco schoolteachers Cheryl White and Michael Murphy at Academic Hall Saturday. Some 518 students from throughout the region convened at Southeast Missouri State University Saturday for the 21st annual History Day competition...

Cape Girardeau County is gearing up for another round of property value reassessment. Two years ago, significant changes in property values for some resulted in big tax increases, but County Assessor Jerry Reynolds said this year's reassessment shouldn't cause such widespread changes...

Dwayne Warncke of Ironton brought his catch of five blue catfish to the scales at the end of the CatMaster Classics tournament Saturday. Lindsay Sample couldn't have been happier. His day of fishing for catfish on the Mississippi River paid off. He reeled in the biggest catch of the day -- 35-inch, 16-pound, 4-ounce flathead catfish -- in the daylong CatMaster Classics fishing tournament at Cape Girardeau...

As far as I can tell, the four Chaffee High head coaches that the Chaffee School Board recently decided not to rehire for next year are all fairly solid citizens who worked hard to try and build their programs up. I do not know three of the coaches nearly as well as I know the fourth. The teams of three of the four coaches in question did not have winning records in recent seasons and two of the squads were way below .500, which may or may not be a valid reason for making a change...

RICHMOND, Ky. -- The non-conference season has been somewhat disappointing for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team. But the Indians proved Saturday afternoon that they still plan on being a major force in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast, the defending OVC Tournament champion and the preseason pick to win this year's regular-season title, opened 1999 OVC play by sweeping host Eastern Kentucky...

We sympathize with Cinderella. Poor girl. She spent her days slaving away, cleaning up after her lazy stepsisters. Let's face it, cleaning up isn't fun. Doing laundry has never been man's goal in life or even a woman's. It clearly wasn't hard for Cinderella to decide between doing laundry and marrying the prince...

Armed with a brand-new facility and five consecutive district titles, Cape Girardeau Central High's track and field program again will look to make plenty of noise this season. Central's boys and girls each are riding a string of five straight district and SEMO Conference championships. And this year, for the first time in a long while, they won't have to leave school and use Southeast Missouri State University's facility for meets and practices...

COLUMBIA -- Torry Saxton scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Portageville past North Callaway 75-63 in the Class 2A boys third-place game Saturday. After leading 33-29 at halftime, Portageville (26-6) broke the game open in the third quarter...

Although the local baseball teams figure to compete with the usual parity this season, Notre Dame could be the team to beat. The Bulldogs lost by one run to Kelly in the district final last year, but the team lost no one to graduation. Chaffee also looks promising, losing just two players from last year's team which went 15-8...

Richard and Donna Ryan of Jackson advanced to the final round of the Couples Resort Mixed 55 Doubles competition during the recent United States Professional Tennis Registry's International Tennis Symposium held in Hilton Head Island, S.C. The week-lone USPTR International Symposium attracted more than 1,000 tennis teachers, coaches and tennis enthusiasts from more than 50 countries. ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- After losing four games, Southeast Missouri State University's softball team finally picked up its first wins in the Capital Classic here by beating Sacramento State 2-1 and Portland State 9-1 Saturday. Southeast (5-9) pushed across a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to prevail against Sacramento State...

Cape Central and Charleston sport the only two boys tennis teams in the immediate area. And the two teams appear to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. Central looks primed with some key returning players and a nice blend of underclassmen. Charleston, meanwhile, is very inexperienced and is coming off its first sub-.500 season in coach Mitch Baker's 14-year tenure...

The sounds of singing birds and the scent of fresh cut grass are signs that spring has arrived in Southeast Missouri. These signs mark the beginning of spring fishing which can be the most productive time of year for catching several kinds of fish. Lakes and streams are coming alive as fish begin feeding in preparation for upcoming spawns. Spring fishing is productive in both lakes and stream. However, stream fishing can offer a little more diversity in types of fish to be caught...

Red Star Baptist Church will sponsor its Run for the Son race on April 3. The 3.1-mile race, sponsored by the Cape RoadRunners, is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. For additional information, contact the church office at 335-3381.

Della Frances Baker, 105, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 20, 1999, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation. She was born Jan. 16, 1894, at Morganfield, Ky., daughter of Abson and Anna Boutwell Duncan. She married Bennie Baker Sr. Dec. 12, 1917, at East Prairie. He died Dec. 19, 1941...

DEXTER -- William Donald Rushing, 66, died Friday, March 19, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 21, 1932, at Shaw, Miss., son of the late William and Myrtle French Rushing. On Aug. 18, 1984, he married Phyliss Burch of Sikeston. She survives the home...

SCOTT CITY -- Wanda Genese Bles, 75, of Scott City died Friday, March 19, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 1, 1924, at Fornfelt, daughter of Otto and Ella Young Summers. She married Raymond Bles on Oct. 22, 1942, in Kelso. He died March 2, 1977...

Virginia Marie Ervin, 86, died Friday, March 19, 1999, at Ratliff Care Center. She was born Oct. 16, 1912, near Daisy, daughter of William Harrison and Effie Friese Moore. On Jan. 30, 1932, she married Clarence Hezekiah Ervin in Cape Girardeau where she lived all of her adult life. He preceded her in death Nov. 12, 1989...

SIKESTON -- Sarah Leigh Forrester, 21, of Sikeston died Friday, March 19, 1999, from injuries in an automobile accident. She was born Aug. 4, 1977, in Oran, daughter of Martin and Helen Kidd George Jr. On March 8, 1996, she married Richard Forrester, who survives the home...

DEXTER -- Alice Mae Alsup, 99, of Dexter died Friday, March 19, 1999, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born at Lawrenceburg, Tenn., on Dec. 23, 1899. On Aug. 26, 1917, she married Cecil Alsup at Shoates Creek, Tenn. He died Dec. 30, 1984. She was a homemaker and had lived in the Dexter area most of her life. She attended New Bethel General Baptist Church near Dexter...

PERRYVILLE -- Iona Brickhaus, 89, of Perryville died Saturday, March 20, 1999, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born in Perry County on Jan. 12, 1910, daughter of Amsirah and Louella Eddleman Hoffman. She was retired from International Shoe...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral for Leatha Christine Bugg of Charleston will be held at 1 p.m. today at the Shelby Funeral Home Chapel in East Prairie. Pastor Mark Odle of the Diehlstadt General Baptist Church will officiate, and burial will take place at 2 p.m. Monday in the Cagle Cemetery near Coble, Tenn...

Kathleen Crawford of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 20, 1999, at her home. Ford and Sons is in charge of arrangements...