Stories from Friday, April 9, 1999

Seven educators have been honored with this years Educator of the Year awards presented by the Cape Girardeau and Jackson chambers of commerce. The awards underscore the fact that our students are in good hands. What was particularly interesting in this year's class of top educators is that each of them, either in their applications or in supporting documentation, exhibited a focus on students...

What do allergies and asthma have in common? Both can cause airway constriction and difficulty breathing. Asthma and allergies can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or socio-economic factors. Although asthma and allergies seem to be more common in children, they can occur for the first time at any age, or, in some cases, recur after many years of remission. ...

The world's cultures will be showcased at Southeast Missouri State University's weeklong International Festival. The week begins Sunday with the International Carnival scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. in the University Center lobby. It will feature displays, food and entertainment provided by Southeast's international students...

Special meeting agenda Cape Girardeau School District Noon Friday, April 9, 1999. Board of Education office, 61 N. Clark Action Items: -- Approve bid on HVAC equipment for Alma Schrader and Clippard elementary schools. -- Executive session to discuss student, real estate, personnel, bidding and litigation issues, as allowed under 610.021, Revised Statutes of Missouri...

I WOULD like to say I'm very proud that they put Matthew Martin in the paper as being a Marine hero. But they put an "ex" in front of Marine, and there is no such thing as an ex-Marine. They are former Marines. ALL THESE people over in Kosovo are fleeing. ...

Following Tuesday's voting, much of Missouri's attention has been drawn to the failure of Proposition B, which would have allowed qualified residents to carry concealed weapons. But there was an even stronger message contained in the results on Proposition A, which was turned down by a decisive 57 percent of the state's voters...

Just like any athlete training for an event, the 350 athletes who will compete in the Southeast Area Special Olympics Track and Field Meet Saturday want to do their best. Opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics begin at 10 a.m. at the Central High School Track, 205 Caruthers...

Vince and Michelle Wingo are taking the educational future of their 3-year-old autistic son into their own hands. Ten days ago the couple served notice to the Cape Girardeau School District they would be withdrawing their son, Elijah, from the district's early childhood special-education program today...

State Sen. Peter Kinder may run for attorney general. The 44-year-old Cape Girardeau Republican said Thursday that he is laying the groundwork for a possible challenge to Attorney General Jay Nixon in 2000. Kinder said he has contacted possible backers in an effort to gauge if he can raise the money needed to challenge the two-term Democrat...

FRIEDHEIM -- Lester Berkbigler, 53, of Friedheim died Thursday morning from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle accident that occurred near Friedheim Wednesday night. The accident occurred at 8:01 p.m. on County Road 415 one mile south of Friedheim. Berkbigler was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 6:55 a.m. Thursday...

Honest to goodness, I'm not making this up. And the print is smudged, so that could be Slot C or Slot 8 or ... I'd like to be able to tell you that my barn-building project is out of my system. But it's not. There are two boxes of prefabricated metal pieces on the floor of my garage. If I procrastinate long enough, my garage will not only provide shelter for all the things I'd like to put into my new storage shed, but it will also become home to my unassembled barn...

The conditions of two Florida men injured when their single-engine plane crashed Wednesday afternoon near Vienna, Ill., were reported to be improving at St. Francis Medical Center Thursday. Pilot Aaron M. Moore, 48, and his passenger, Walter R. Anderson, were taken to the hospital after the 4 p.m. crash in a field 1.3 miles northwest of the intersection of U.S. 45 and Dutchman Lake Road. The intersection is about four miles northwest of Vienna...

It was a big decision for a little girl. Erin Chenier was enrolled in dance and gymnastics instruction but, her parents told her, the activities were becoming too expensive. She would have to pick between the two. Erin's choice was emphatic and, coming from a 5-year-old, fortuitously farsighted. "All I remember saying was, `Gymnastics,'" she recalls...

Ten of the region's track teams will compete Saturday in the Jackson Invitational, one of the area's biggest prep track events of the season. Field events will start at 10 a.m. and the running events are scheduled to begin at 10:30. The track is located at the junior high school...

CHAFFEE -- Several citizens appeared at Thursday night's Chaffee school board meeting to ask the elected officials why high school baseball coach Bruce Qualls' contract was not renewed. Qualls' supporters didn't receive any answers. The board refused to comment on the issue, saying personnel matters discussed during executive session are not to be made public...

Jason Frank, a 1996 graduate of Notre Dame High School, earned academic all-conference honors as a member of the Quincy (Ill.) University soccer team. Frank was selected to the 11-player academic squad in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Quincy finished with a 14-4-2 record and made the NCAA Division II national tournament...

CHARLESTON -- Kelly scored eight runs in the sixth inning and five in the seventh in disposing of Charleston 15-2 Thursday. Tim Schmidt (2-0) got the win and went the distance. Schmidt tossed a two-hitter and struck out seven. Kelly is now 4-1-1. Kelly totaled eight hits and drew eight walks. Bradley Kolwyck hit a grand slam and had five RBIs, Jim Hulshof was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Jason Glastetter and Jamie Essner each had a hit and two RBIs...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Doris Weaver, 77, of Karnak died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at her home. She was born Jan. 5, 1922, in the Hillerman community in Massac County, the daughter of Dewight and Elsie Gray Barnett. She married Jasper Weaver, who preceded her in death. She was a Baptist...

SIKESTON -- Rosa Bell Segraves, 102, of Sikeston died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at her home. She was born March 10, 1897, in Birdell, Ark., daughter of James Willis and Harriet Elizabeth Shaver Hufstedler. She and Burley Segraves were married Dec. 24, 1916, in Biggers, Ark. He died Sept. 21, 1948...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Dorothy A. Turner of Sikeston will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Msgr. William Stanton will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories. Blanchard Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements...

Funeral for Sandra Maire Humes of St. Charles was held Tuesday at Kutis South County Chapel in St. Louis. Burial was in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Humes, 55, died Thursday, April 1, 1999, at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis County...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Nella Hill of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church. Dr. Jim Davis will officiate. Burial will be in Dexter City Cemetery at Dexter. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Hill, 86, died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Funeral for John Ice of Hillsboro will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms. The Rev. Verlee Eaker will officiate. Burial will be in McCrite Cemetery at Tamms. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a.m. Monday...

CHARLESTON -- Edward Earl McCleary, 74, of Charleston died suddenly Tuesday, April 6, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston of an apparent heart attack. He was born Sept. 3, 1924, in Ripley, Tenn., son of Walter and Blanche Bradley McCleary. He and Marilyn Bankhead were married Dec. 15, 1949. She died Nov. 7, 1988...

Gladys M. Mendenhall, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Sept. 12, 1905, in Marion County, Kansas, daughter of J.A. and Lydia Heyland Graham. She and C.D. Mendenhall were married Nov. 15, 1925, in Liberal, Kan. He died in October 1971...

PERRYVILLE -- Lester "Perry" Berkbigler, 53, of Perryville died Thursday, April 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, from injuries received in an automobile accident. He was born June 5, 1945, in Cape Girardeau County, son of Lester and Artie Wills Berkbigler. He and Elizabeth "Betty" Baer were married May 2, 1965. She died Nov. 25, 1991...

PERRYVILLE -- Robert E. Hornbeak, 59, of Perryville died Thursday, April 8, 1999, in Perryville. He was born Dec. 5, 1939, in Pamona, Ill., son of Joseph and Frances Lipe Hornbeak. He first married Donna Allen, who preceded him in death. He and Barbara Mills were married May 26, 1990...

ESSEX -- Ola Mae Hupp, 78, of Essex died Thursday, April 8, 1999, at Doctors Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born April 18, 1920, in Center Ridge, Ark., daughter of Alonzo and Edith Coleman Anderson. She and Elmer Hupp were married Sept. 3, 1937, in Piggott, Ark. He died in 1992...

Master Sgt. Richard A. Whittaker, 55, of Zion, Ill., died Wednesday, March 24, 1999, at St. Luke's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis. He was born Jan. 26, 1944, in Cape Girardeau, son of Ruben and Lucy Reynolds Whittaker. Whittaker was a graduate of Central High School and a member of the football team. He was also active in Boy Scouting many years...

SIKESTON -- Dequashia Monae Turner, 4, of Sikeston, died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at her home following an extended illness. She was born Sept. 23, 1994, in St. Louis, daughter of Dena Johnson and Antonio Turner of Sikeston. She was a student at Early Childhood for two years and also attended Kenny Rogers Center for over three years for therapy...