Stories from Wednesday, August 18, 1999

The end of summer brings so many new changes for many of us, and our family is no exception. We have had the true privilege of having a 21 year old college student living with us the past eight weeks or so. Leigh Barrett is from Anthony, Kansas and is a student at Kansas State in Manhattan and has worked on a custom combine team during harvest. She fit in so well with our family that it almost seemed as though she was one of my own, except we couldn't claim her as a tax deduction...

COMMERCE -- One of the worst droughts in recent history combined with rock-bottom prices has ensured 1999 will be long remembered as a hard year for farmers. But for winemakers and wine aficionados alike, 1999 is likely to be hailed as a classic year...

Perhaps you've seen the promo on the Weather Channel (at our house we affectionately call it MTV for old people) in which a meteorologist makes a smoothie to teach students about tornadoes. First, he fills a blender container with yogurt and milk and blends it on low speed. ...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education likely will restore about $1 million in construction costs to the district's Vocational Career Center. Two months ago the board scaled back $1 million in costs from the design of the school because of higher-than-anticipated bids and postponed awarding a contract for construction...

Cape Girardeau School District officials hope the state will approve nearly $2 million to help cover cost overruns on the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational Career Center. The school district this year is to receive a $650,000 check as the final installment of the state's $3.1 million pledge to the project, made in 1996...

As he looks out over a pasture where several mares and their foals are grazing, Dr. William Seabaugh's pride in the horses he raises is apparent. As he shows off pictures of his winning thoroughbreds and tells stories of their lineage and victories, a visitor begins to appreciate Seabaugh's abilities as a breeder...

City councilman say they don't want to rush into seeking more money to finish the city's sewer separation project. The city is working to separate the sewer and storm-water lines. Cape Girardeau voters in 1994 approved a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for $25 million in improvements through issuance of bonds. The tax will end in 2015...

Dorian Havens brought almost everything from home but the kitchen sink. The Southeast Missouri State University freshman from Carthage brought two carloads of belongings to her seventh-floor room in the Towers East residence hall Tuesday. Havens was helped by members of her family and students from a Southeast fraternity...

We're waiting for the day the cops haul Jenny away from the gym on charges of indecent exposure. My name is Heidi, and I'm obsessed with another woman's physique.Before you send this to the "700 Club" as an example of how low the "liberal media" can stoop, let me qualify that statement...

Dr. Susan Swartout, an assistant professor of English at Southeast Missouri State University, has compiled a collection of poems that question and celebrate American culture. Swartout and Jim Elledge, professor of English at Illinois State University, co-authored the collection of poetry titled, "Real Things: An Anthology of Popular Culture in American Poetry." The collection takes a look at pop culture and icons of 20th century America...

The Cape Girardeau City Council put the finishing touches to its part of a new community board to oversee the River Campus project. The city council Monday made three appointments to the six-person board that will consist of three members of Southeast Missouri State University staff and three representatives from the community...

Three men were seriously injured late Monday night in an accident in Bollinger County, the state Highway Patrol reported. Steven Upchurch, 25, of Sedgewickville, was driving westbound on County Road 244 about five miles west of Sedgewickville when the accident occurred, Trooper A.M. Harrison reported. Upchurch lost control of his car, which ran off the roadway and struck a tree head on...

The Missouri Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission came to Cape Girardeau Tuesday looking for suggestions on how to celebrate "one of the greatest adventure stories in American history." That was the evaluation of Lewis and Clark's expedition provided by Jim Denny, a historian with the Department of Natural Resources...

SIKESTON -- Don't let anyone fool you, warn area experts, going to kindergarten can be tricky business. It's not all snacks and playtime, said one group of students. And they know from firsthand experience, they were kindergartners last year. Seven-year-old Kyle Welter of Sikeston didn't hesitate a second when asked what the best part of kindergarten is: recess, of course...

SIKESTON -- School is set to begin Wednesday in Sikeston and in an effort to help ensure students' safety, the Department of Public Safety will be watching for those who speed in school zones. "We will be avidly watching with radar in all of the school zones over the next week and we will even have a speed notification trailer," said DPS Capt. Drew Juden...

To the editor: Another summer has flown by, and school is about to start again. This week Southeast Missouri State University students will be moving into their dorm rooms, their home away from home. Sure, it takes five minutes longer to get to work by 8 a.m., the drive-through lines are twice as long, and the mall seems to be a bit more crowded, but our kids are home...

To the editor: The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri would like to express its appreciation for the kind donation made by two girls. Jessica and Kelly set up a lemonade stand and donated the proceeds to the animal shelter. The shelter took in over 5,400 animals last year, yet we receive no federal, state or United Way funding. So donations like this and many others are critical to the success of our mission to save animals' lives...

Well, the Iowa caucus is history, and our old friend Pat Buchanan did not fare too well. The question is: Where will he go from here? Pat's relatively poor showing is attributable either to the fact that he was enormously outspent or that parts of his message didn't resonate with enough caucus participants -- or perhaps a little of both...

Misuse of the Internet by those with criminal intent has brought us to a need for a new law to protect us against credit-card fraud that is being perpetrated over this new medium. So says Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle. The problem occurs, Swingle says, when a person's credit-card number is used to make a purchase in a county where he or she doesn't live. ...

An emergency farm relief package is complicating congressional efforts to stay within the two-year-old budget caps lawmakers have been working under. The Senate approved a Republican-sponsored $7.4 billion farm-relief measure two weeks ago by a vote of 89-8. This came after lawmakers rejected a Democratic package that would have spent $11 billion. There is enormous pressure to spend more money. Says Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.: "The tendency and pressures are to go the other way."...

Considering the tremendous players who have competed in the event over the past few years, it seems almost hard to believe. But Scott Porter says its true: This weekend's eighth annual Slamfest -- an outdoor, full-court basketball tournament -- will feature its most talented field ever...

There was no game-winning penalty kick in overtime. And no player ripped off her shirt and sprinted in circles in her sports bra. No, it wasn't exactly the World Cup, but this game generated excitement all the same. Southeast Missouri State's inaugural women's soccer team held its own Tuesday, losing an exhibition game 3-1 in front of an impressive home crowd of 250. ...

Tony Moore, a 1996 Perryville High School graduate and a senior-to-be at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., was scheduled to throw the ceremonial first pitch prior to Tuesday night's Minnesota vs. Baltimore game at Camden Yards. Moore was selected to throw the first pitch as part of a large Naval Academy group attending the game...

If a preseason poll of the Ohio Valley Conference women's soccer coaches is any indication, the race for the 1999 championship should be a tight one. Eastern Illinois, second in the OVC last year, is favored to win the title this season, but just barely. The Panthers received three first-place votes and 23 total points...

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Matt Kuchar stood on the edge of the 18th green, his back to the Pacific Ocean, and looked skyward. Then he let out a sigh. Kuchar, the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion and a favorite in this year's event, had just been ousted before reaching match play. He shot a 10-over 81 Tuesday on the Pebble Beach course and missed the cut...

The American Cancer Society has rescheduled its Capaha Bank and Outback Steakhouse 1999 Golf Shamble to Sept. 22 due to current course improvement work at Bent Creek. The tournament is a four-person best ball. Entries must be submitted by Sept. 15. For more information, contact the local American Cancer Society office at 334-9197...

The Jackson Boys League will hold sign-ups for its fall baseball league Aug. 19 from 6-8 p.m. at the Jackson City Hall Community Room. Registration cost is $25 for ages 9-11 and $35 for 12-14. The league is open to all boys in Southeast Missouri. For additional information, contact Rich Gross at 243-2616 or 243-3337...

Beginning youth and adult golf classes will be held Sept. 7-16 at Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course. Instruction will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Registration is being held at the A.C. Brase Arena. For more information, contact Sabrina Tate at 334-2031, or call 335-5421...

CHARLESTON -- Imogene Black, 62, of Boaz, Ky., died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1999, at Parkview Nursing Home in Paducah, Ky. She is formerly of Mississippi County. McMikle Funeral Home at Charleston is in charge of arrangements.

Ernest B. Hooten, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Aug. 16, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Sept. 22, 1914, in Hilham, Tenn., son of James Travis and Osie Geeslin Hooten. He and Effie Pauline James were married Aug. 10, 1947. She died Feb. 14, 1997...

Rilda B. Dattge, 92, of Jackson Manor died there Monday, Aug. 16, 1999. She was born July 2, 1907, in Maeser, Utah, daughter of George Sanford and Janet Anderson Gerber Bingham. She and Albert George Dattge were married Oct. 18, 1928, at Salt Lake City, Utah. He died Dec. 12, 1979...

PERKS, Ill. -- Funeral for Wayne Duke of Perks will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Crain Funeral Home in Dongola. The Rev. Ron Ferguson will officiate. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery, with military rites by Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455 in Anna...

BELL CITY -- Darnell Brown, 86, of Bell City died Monday, Aug. 16, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born May 12, 1913, in Widner, Ark., son of George and Pearl Dozier Brown. He and Inace Banks were married Dec. 7, 1940, at Widner...

PARMA -- Graveside service for Beatrix Adkins of Parma will be held at 9 a.m. today at Hagy Cemetery in Dexter. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements. Adkins, 85, died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1999, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews...

PERRYVILLE -- Percy V. Henderson, 89, of Perryville died Monday, Aug. 16, 1999, at Montclair Residence Care II. He was born April 23, 1910, in East St. Louis, Ill., son of Henry and Henrietta Tucker Henderson. He and Hazel Jones were married Aug. 18, 1929. She died March 14, 1979...

OLD APPLETON -- Anthony W. Adkins, 43, of Old Appleton died Sunday, Aug. 15, 1999, in Crest Hill, Ill. He was born March 7, 1956, in Elkhorn City, Ky., son of Farley and Lena Mae Epling Adkins. He and Paula Wilhite were married Dec. 16, 1989. Adkins was an underground construction worker. He was a member of Masonic Lodge 1133 Argo-Summit...

Altha Shirrell, 90, died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Mercedes N. Bonner, infant daughter of Tyrone and Lequechey Robinson Bonner, died Monday, Aug. 16, 1999. She was born May 17, 1999, in Sikeston. Other survivors include a sister, Tyriona Bonner; maternal grandmother, Alma Robinson of Malden; paternal grandmother, Sharon Scott of Tulsa, Okla., paternal grandfather, Henry Bonner of Sikeston; and maternal great-grandparents, James and Alma Robinson of Malden...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Pearl May Lang, 74, of Urbandale, died Monday, Aug. 16, 1999 at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Oct. 4, 1924 in Smithland Ky., the daughter of Elmer and Ethel Clark Gill. She attended the Community Chapel Church in Urbandale...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Oscar D. Niestrath, 87, of the America Community died Monday, Aug. 16, 1999, at his home. He was born April 30, 1912, in the America Community, the son of the late Harry and Elizabeth Leidigh Niestrath. He married Glenna Pat Dunn on Aug. 4, 1938. She survives...

Son to Thomas Frank and Bethany LeAnne James of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:26 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, 1999. Name, Reid Thomas. Weight, 6 pounds 13 ounces. Second son. Mrs. James is the daughter of Kenneth and Bonnie Willis of Olive Branch, Ill. She is a cost and budget analyst at Dana Corp. James is the son of Donald and Julie James of Cape Girardeau. He is a technician at Procter & Gamble...

My mother served as tour guide for my husband and I on a recent trip to the Clifton, Tenn., area, since these were her old stomping grounds. The 150-year-old country church cemeteries of Lone Chestnut and Old Center were quiet reminders of dear loved ones and close friends long gone but not forgotten...