Stories from Friday, July 23, 1999

Elma Cook knows the importance of healthy feet, and she never misses an appointment to get her nails trimmed and feet massaged a little. "It feels good," she said, after slipping her socks and tennis shoes back on. Healthy feet are happy feet, explained Susan Farrow a foot care nurse with Southeast Missouri Hospital...

The human brain has four ventricles (spaces) wherein about a pint of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is produced each day. This fluid circulates in and around the brain and spinal cord, bathing it and providing buoyant insulation and protection of these fragile tissues. ...

All of the Republican congressmen from Missouri and Illinois voted for a $792 billion tax-cut measure Thursday. The two states' Democratic members voted against it. The House passed the Financial Freedom Act by a vote of 223-208. In all, 217 Republicans and six Democrats voted for the bill that President Bill Clinton has threatened to veto...

The lack of rain coupled with more water use is forcing a depletion of Cape Girardeau's water reserve and city officials are asking for citizens to cut back their use. And to make matters worse, a 12-inch water main broke at about 7 p.m. Thursday at the corner of Old Sprigg and Bertling Street...

Former Cape Girardeau school superintendent Dr. Dan Tallent has been hired as director of the Perry County Higher Education Center. Tallent began his new job July 1. He is charged with developing, implementing and expanding education programs offered at the center...

CAIRO, Ill. -- A discrimination complaint against the Cairo city government has been filed with the Illinois Department of Human Rights by a police officer. The officer, Connie Martin, alleges in her complaint that after she was injured on the job, she was not given the same pay compensation as her peers...

A Division of Youth Services facility, to provide a day treatment center for youths under supervision of Department of Social Services, will open in Cape Girardeau this winter. The 8,274 square foot structure is under construction at 3445 Armstrong Drive, on the west side of Interstate 55, by Drury Southwest Inc., which will lease the facility to the Missouri Office of Administration's Division of Facilities Management...

Lawrence Salemme of New York has donated a watercolor painting titled "The Hour on the Square" to the Southeast Missouri State University Museum. The gouache on paper is the work of his mother, New York painter Lucia Autorino Salemme. The piece is valued at $20,000...

I'll be honest. I expected the worst. What I got was the best, thanks to a couple of great young fellows. If I had to write a report on how to survive 32.7 miles in a canoe on a fast-flowing river in the Ozarks, this is what it would say: Have a grand time...

Perhaps in the future homeowners will have a choice of electric companies the way people have a choice of long-distance telephone companies. Some 160 directors of Missouri rural electric cooperatives heard a discussion of electric deregulation Thursday...

Construction on the Bloomfield Road project has begun, forcing the road to be partially closed. The road is closed between Siemers Drive and Silver Springs Road. The City Engineering Department is requesting that only local traffic use that portion of the roadway for the next two to three months...

DeWayne Cossey, superintendent of State Schools for Severely Handicapped and Hilary Schmittzehe, CEO of VIP Industries and Regency Management, Inc., were on hand Thursday to receive donations from Danny Essner, Bank of America, and Nancy Jernigann, United Way, which will help fund Parkview State School's latch-key program...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will hold her annual political picnic on Aug. 14 at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for the fund-raising event. Republican candidates for statewide office have been invited to attend, along with other elected officials...

JACKSON -- The fairway on the fifth hole at Bent Creek Golf Course Thursday looked and felt like a mission to lay carpet on the sun. In 95-degree heat and stupefying humidity, nine men framed by geysers of sprinkler water from nearby Spring Lake were cutting and fitting strips of sod...

POPLAR BLUFF -- An explosive situation was defused quickly Wednesday evening after a natural gas line was broken on Gardner Street. Residents were evacuated from their homes for about an hour while Missouri Natural Gas crews repaired the line, which reportedly was broken when new poles had been erected earlier in the day...

For anyone who savors produce fresh from the garden or orchard, there can't be too many farmers markets. For more than a dozen years, there has been an active market each Thursday afternoon during growing season at the Plaza Galleria parking lot. Now there will be another market each Saturday at the Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse parking lot...

WELL, I'M the glad the air show is over. Now I can enjoy my home that I worked so hard for. The noise of the planes was excruciating, and the planes flew way too low to people's homes. I would like to know who gives them permission to fly that low. It sure isn't the homeowners. ...

To the editor: I would like to applaud U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson for voting against the so-called Green Grants Bill that allocates federal funds to be utilized to purchase park and recreational facilities. At this time our governments own over 29 percent of the land in the United States. ...

If you want to see some fancy footwork that makes onlookers dizzy, just watch the May Greene Jump Rope Team in action. The rope jumpers were just part of a whole day of special activities during last Saturday's neighborhood party called the Healthy Families 2000 Community Block Party...

To the editor: Given the avowed positions of our elected federal and state representatives and the editorial policy of the Republican Southeast Missourian, residents of this state, particularly those in Southeast Missouri, might be forgiven for thinking that to be a Republican one must adopt a devoutly committed anti-environmental philosophy...

A Tiger and an Indian will be playing in a Lions game. Former Cape Central standout quarterback Frank McGinty and St. Vincent linebacker Aaron Unterreiner, will be participating in the 23rd Annual Missouri Lions All-Star East vs. West game on Saturday, July 31 at Lincoln University in Jefferson City...

SEDALIA -- Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. The Chaffee Junior American Legion team isn't living by that adage as it waited until the last inning -- again -- to pull off a stunning victory. Trailing 7-4 going into the bottom of the seventh, Chaffee scored four runs, knocking off Kirksville 8-7 in the first round of the state tournament Thursday night...

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team turned to their ace pitcher Thursday night in order to once again stay alive in the District 14 Tournament. And Garrett Broshuis, who will be a senior at Advance High School in the fall, certainly did not disappoint...

The Cincinnati Reds on Thursday acquired outfielder Kerry Robinson, a former Southeast Missouri State University baseball standout, from the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Todd Williams. Robinson, who last played for Southeast in 1995, had been hitting better than .300 for the Mariners' Triple A Tacoma (Wash.) team. Robinson was leading the Pacific Coast League in triples and stolen bases...

ANNA, Ill. -- Allen K. Hawk, 58, of Anna died Wednesday, July 21, 1999, at his home. He was born May 10, 1941, in Chicago, son of Kenneth and Ileen Commean Hawk. He and Phyllis Smith were married May 7, 1977. Hawk was a route salesman with Heartland Distributors in Cape Girardeau, Mo...

BERNIE -- John Wesley Roberts, 69, of Bernie died Thursday, July 22, 1999, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter. He was born April 21, 1930, at Essex, son of Joe and Bertha Darby Roberts. Roberts had lived in Essex, Palmyra, Ill., and moved to Bernie in 1980. He was a member of American Legion Post 0293 at Malden...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Clara Beulah Metje, 91, of Poplar Bluff died Wednesday, July 21, 1999, at Westwood Hills Health Care Center. She was born Oct. 29, 1907, near Upalika. She first married Ernest Lawson, who died in 1936; then John F. Aaron, who died in 1963; and later married Eldon Metje, who died in 1978...

ANNA, Ill. -- Beverly C. Smith, 44, of Cumming, Ga., formerly of Anna, died Thursday, July 22, 1999, at her home. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

WYATT -- Perry Lee West, 86, of Wyatt died Thursday, July 22, 1999, at Bertrand Nursing Facility. She was born Aug. 26, 1912, in Colorado Springs, Ark., daughter of M.D. and May M. Morgan Russell. She and Oscar Lee West were married July 31, 1939. He died in 1985...

William E. Bennett Sr. died July 20, 1999 at his home in Charleston, S.C. The son of Connie and Jewell Bennett, he was born on Dec. 22, 1928, at Conway, Ark. Mr. Bennett was a World War II veteran, serving in the U.S. Air Force. He was a professional truck driver for many years before his retirement. He was of the Protestant faith...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Thomas J. Eledge, 82, of East Prairie died Wednesday, July 21, 1999, at the East Prairie Nursing Center after an extended illness. He was born Nov. 3, 1916, in Phillipy, Tenn., son of Paul Eledge and Mable Haley Eledge Cooper. He had lived in Mississippi County most of his life and was a retired farmer. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Air Force with the medical attachment...

Daughter to Steven P. and Jill M. Wendling of Effingham, Ill., St. Anthony's Hospital there, 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 1999. Name, Meridith Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 13 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Wendling is the former Jill Kroenung, daughter of Glenn and Barbara Kroenung of Cape Girardeau. Wendling is the son of Paul and Judy Wendling of Effingham...

Funeral for Nelson Dale King of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson. The Revs. Jimmy Winfrey, Jimmy Merity and Howard McGee will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery at Jackson...