Stories from Thursday, June 10, 1999

After a few shaky weeks of not knowing exactly whether Riverfest would be a reality or not this year, plans for the 21st annual event have been finalized and everything is ready for this weekend. Music will abound as Riverfest gets under way at 4 p.m. Friday with five bands providing a variety of music from alternative rock to ska to bluegrass...

This is one of Jean Chapman's pastels of irises. "The Winner," a polyform painted sculpture, by Jean Chapman "Pregnant Female," sculpture made from walnut, by Jean Chapman In the sixth grade at the old Campus School, Jean Chapman was artist enough to be placed into college art classes. For a career, he chose the art of medicine over other kinds for his career, but art has continued to be meaningful in his life...

The towboat that ran aground Tuesday afternoon on the Mississippi River about one mile south of Cape Girardeau leaked less than 50 gallons of diesel into the river, according the U.S. Coast Guard. The Sharon Wildman ran around on a dike at 4:45 p.m. while towing 16 barges southbound...

The Procter & Gamble Company has announced details of its five-year, far-reaching, strategic plan to carry the company into its next phase of "Organization 2005." During the process, which will increase long-term annual sales growth 6 to 8 percent, 15,000 jobs will be eliminated over the next six years -- about 13 percent of the work force -- and 10 plants may be closed...

The latest commitment by the nation's movie theaters to card young people seeking admission to R-rated movies is nothing new, local movie theater operators say. With much fanfare, President Clinton announced Tuesday that he had won pledges from thousands of movie theaters to require photo identification from young people seeking admission to R-rated movies...

An effort to finance and carry out improvements to the Interstate 55-U.S. 61 interchange between Cape Girardeau and Jackson got first round approval from the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission. The cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson and Cape Girardeau County want to form a non-profit transportation corporation that could issue bonds and move construction of the road improvements ahead at the intersection commonly known as center junction...

June 10, 1999 Dear Patty, The picture depicts a lush river grotto in blues, greens, browns and grays. A sandy-haired man lies on the thick grass on the bank of a tranquil river. His head rests against a stone. His blue trouser legs are rolled up, one leg is crossed over the other. ...

Runners will carry a torch through Cape Girardeau's streets today in an effort to raise awareness of the Show Me State Games. The torch run begins with opening ceremonies at noon at Capaha Park. Runners will travel on a loop through the campus, then west on Broadway to Kingshighway and north on Kingshighway to Cape County Park North...

U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson, a former federal prosecutor from Arkansas who took a leading role in the impeachment trial of President Clinton, will visit Cape Girardeau on June 25. Hutchinson will speak at a fund-raiser for fellow Republican and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau...

BLOOMFIELD -- Troops arrived here at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, 1861. Looting began among the Confederate soldiers as the Union troops converged forcing the confederates South. Union soldiers crossed the immense swamp expeditiously while establishing a police force which would slow the confederate looting...

Circuit City, a giant retailer of brand-name consumer electronics, is coming to Cape Girardeau. The company, headquartered at Richmond, Va., has been looking at the Cape Girardeau market for a number of months. Despite the announcement, no official date for opening has been set, said Erica Eades, a spokesperson at Circuit City headquarters...

Southeast Missouri State University may seek to have old St. Vincent's Seminary put on the National Register of Historic Places. The university is looking at seeking the designation for the former seminary's main brick building. The L-shaped structure was built in three phases from 1843 to 1871...

To the editor: I enjoyed reading Dr. Michael Cobb's piece on astronomy published in a recent edition of the Southeast Missourian. Dr. Cobb is chairman of the physics department at Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Cobb did a great job of explaining why knowing something about the age of the universe is important. I agree with him wholeheartedly. Having knowledge of such matters is a must...

As reported in the Dunklin Daily Democrat in Kennett, not only are second graders learning to spell some pretty big words -- and how to use them in sentences, the community also is getting involved in a novel and creative bit of education. Second graders in Sandre Crunk's class at Masterson Elementary School are learning words like "altercation" and "discombobulate." These are extra words in addition to the regular second-grade list of spelling words. ...

It's time to strike up the bands in Cape Girardeau and Jackson. These two communities are fortunate to be home to thriving municipal band programs. These muny bands perform concerts throughout the summer, entertaining thousands of appreciative fans...

To the editor: What in all the wide world is going on at our schools? Why the shootings? Has it come to this, that guns must be banned from all school campuses? My answer: Don't blame guns for the tragedies but the humans who handle those weapons. Suppose we, in plainclothes police fashion, attempt a little research. ...

Baseball is about many things. It's about history. It's about grass infields and hot dogs, peanuts and cracker jacks. It's about triple plays and no-hitters, 70 homers and 3,000 hits. But perhaps more than anything, baseball is about fathers and sons...

The Paducah American Legion baseball team has been a powerhouse for about as long as anybody can remember. Wednesday night, the Kentucky squad flexed its muscles in Cape Girardeau during a 16-2 mauling of Ford & Sons at Capaha Field. The game was stopped after seven innings because of the 10-run mercy rule...

Everybody knows Courtney Haman can high jump. But the javelin? Haman, a recent Cape Central graduate, has accepted an athletic scholarship to participate on the Southeast Missouri State women's track and field team. Haman was a standout at Central in the high jump this past spring. She was an all-stater in that event, posting a sixth-place jump of 5-foot-4. Had she duplicated her personal best of 5-7, she would have taken first in the event...

Dan Groesbeck, a recent graduate of Cape Central High School, has signed to play golf at Southeast Missouri State University. Groesbeck was a district champion and a state qualifier his junior year. Groesbeck said he began playing golf at age 7, but didn't consider getting a scholarship until he was in high school...

The Cape Girardeau Wood & Huston Bank Junior American Legion baseball team split a doubleheader with visiting Chaffee Tuesday night. Chaffee won the opener 7-1 behind the pitching of Justin Simpher, who allowed just three hits and no earned runs in going the seven-inning distance. He struck out five and walked five...

Several area athletes have been selected to participate in the 12th annual Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series which will be held this weekend at Central Missouri State in Warrensburg, Missouri. The All-Star games -- there will be one game for each of the four classes -- will pit the best senior players from the east side of the state against the west...

SIKESTON -- Flora E. Lancaster, 89, of Sikeston died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Feb. 9, 1910, in Monette, Ark., daughter of Frank W. and Laura Lee Weatherford Roy. She married Otis M. Lancaster Dec. 8, 1928, in Lake City, Ark. He died Jan. 27, 1990...

MILLERSVILLE -- Mildred Elizabeth Luetje, 82, of Kirkwood died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Bethesda Dilworth Memorial Home in Kirkwood. She was born July 24, 1916, at Millersville, daughter of Grover C. and Dona C. Thaxton Fulbright. She and Glenn R. Luetje were married Nov. 15, 1937. He died Oct. 26, 1967...

PERRYVILLE -- Edgar J. Schnurbusch, 74, of Perryville died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Nov. 2, 1924, at Apple Creek, son of Hugo and Louise Wichern Schnurbusch. He and Alma Clements were married in April 1953 at Biehle. She died in September 1976...

ADVANCE -- Mary A. Skelton, 84, of Advance died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 12, 1915, in Port Byron, Ill., daughter of Joe and Alice Michaels Salvage. She and Lester Skelton were married June 30, 1956. He died Dec. 27, 1990...

B. Jewell Bennett, 87, died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Kermit W. Gerhardt, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Missouri Veterans Home. He was born Dec. 4, 1909, at Old Appleton, son of Julius W. and Rosalia Woeltje Gerhardt. He and Ernestine Miller were married Aug. 2, 1941. She died Sept. 17, 1995...

SIKESTON -- Vera M. Conrad, 86, of Sikeston died Sunday, June 6, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Aug. 25, 1912, in Bollinger County, daughter of Arthur R. "Lando" and Ida Murray Conrad. Conrad attended Cane Creek School in Cape Girardeau County...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Floyd Richard Brown, 86, of East Prairie died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born March 5, 1913, at Oran, son of John Richard and Louise Young Brown. He and Elizabeth Ownsby were married July 6, 1935. She died Dec. 22, 1997...

CHAFFEE -- Leo L. Glastetter, 81, of Chaffee died Wednesday, June 9, 1999, at Chaffee Nursing Center. He was born Sept. 24, 1917, at Chaffee, son of Anton and Regina Heuring Glastetter. He and Luella H. Glueck were married May 1, 1943. Glastetter was a retired farmer. He was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and its Men's Club...

Graveside service for Mary Edna Holland of Advance will be held at 11 a.m. today at Abernathy Chapel Cemetery in Zalma. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements. Holland, 79, died Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

NEW WELLS -- Joseph J. Kridel, 71, of New Wells died Wednesday, June 9, 1999, at his home. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 5-8 p.m. Friday. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells.

Daughter to Darrin Jere and Pamela Sue Tenkhoff of Oran, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:51 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, 1999. Name, Megan Nicole. Weight, 8 pounds 2 ounces. Third child, first daughter. Mrs. Tenkhoff is the former Pamela White, daughter of Lucille White of Cape Girardeau, and the late Duck White. Tenkhoff is the son of Jere and Carolyn Tenkhoff of Oran. He is owner/operator of E.W. Sales Co. in Oran...

Mrs. Olive Rowena McCarty Carr, age 89, of Auxvasse, passed away Monday, May 24, 1999, at the Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, Mo. She was born January 14, 1910, in Spring Valley, Ohio, a daughter of John Parks McCarty and Lela Rowena Scott McCarty. ...