Stories from Thursday, August 26, 1999

This tea set made of porcelain is ready to be fired. The rough cut ornamentation is a facet of her pottery that sets it apart from others. Amy Kephart's work is often inspired by nature. Artists whose work can be used to pour tea don't always get the same respect other artists do, admits ceramic artist Amy Kephart...

JACKSON -- Construction of single-family homes in Jackson this year is on a pace to break the record 145 set in 1994. The city issued 74 permits for single-family dwellings through the first six months of 1999, representing $4.3 million in construction. If the number of permits doubles, the 148 will set the all-time record...

Unemployment may be low and programs may be getting people off welfare, but area food banks say many are still lining up for food. "We are seeing an increase in the number of people receiving food," said Maj. Robert Gauthier, commanding officer at the Cape Girardeau Salvation Army. Its food pantry distributes U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities and bags of food to individuals...

Aug. 26, 1999 Dear Dixie At the Jambalaya bar in Northern California late one December night in 1978, my job took me to see the folk-blues singer Dave Van Ronk. I had spent the earlier part of my career asking questions of coaches and athletes, some of whom had seen so many sports interviews on TV that they tended to recite the answers already tattooed on their brains...

Former state representative Nancy Farmer of St. Louis quit her job this month to campaign for state treasurer. Farmer, a Democrat, worked as assistant treasurer under state Treasurer Bob Holden for the past year and a half. She served five years as a state representative for District 64, leaving that post in 1997. She worked in the St. Louis city administration briefly before taking the assistant treasurer job...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education again voted not to increase its tax levy during a tax-rate hearing Tuesday night. The hearing was held prior to a school board meeting. School boards are required to hold a public tax-rate hearing before Sept. 1 of each year for the purpose of setting a tax levy...

The American Heart Association's upcoming American Heart Walk fund-raiser got a boost from a $7,500 donation from Southeast Missouri Hospital. The donation was made Tuesday night at a Heart Walk kickoff at Bent Creek Golf Course Clubhouse. At the kickoff, about 30 team captains received information about the walk, which will be held Oct. 2...

The sixth annual Doctors vs. Lawyers Softball Game, a fund raiser for United Way, will be held Saturday at Capaha Field. The game will be preceded by a silent auction of St. Louis Cardinals memorabilia. The auction will be held at the pre-game party at Celebrations, 615 Bellevue, which begins at 5 p.m...

DEXTER -- Wednesday is the deadline for entering the Miss Dexter Heartland Pageant, which will be held Sept. 5 at Dexter High School. Times for judging of age groups are 1:30 p.m. for ages up to 17 months, 2 p.m. for ages 18 to 35 months, 2:30 p.m. for ages 3 to 5 years, 3 p.m. for ages 6 to 8 years, 3:30 p.m. for ages 9 to 11 years, 4 p.m. for ages 12 to 14 years, and 4:30 p.m. for ages 15 to 19 years...

To the editor: Tuesday's editorial page showed quite a range of views about the Kansas evolution flap. Craig Brelsford's excellent column from the Hickory (N.C.) Daily Record was a refreshing change from the usual simplistic conflict between creation and evolution. ...

There are two distinct issues involved in what has now become a near-farcical story. 1. Did George W. Bush ever take cocaine? 2. Should he answer that question? Though no one has been able to produce any proof that W ever used cocaine, we can reasonably wonder why, if he didn't, he doesn't just come out and deny it. But from his point of view, there may be a justifiable reason he hasn't...

Most everyone experiences some kind of disaster somewhere, sometime. The Cape Girardeau area is no exception, with its flood-prone Mississippi River, tornadoes, fires and ice storms -- just to name a few occurrences that cause disruptions in our lives...

The Southeast Missourian does a good deal of reporting on the good things people do, particularly the younger generation whose members are still learning about humanitarian service, codes of conduct and moral and ethical behavior. Still, readers from time to time call or write to urge this newspaper -- and other media as well -- to put more emphasis on all the good things youngsters are doing...

Not that most high school athletes don't work hard, but those who compete in cross country have to be some of the most dedicated around. Their sport is not only grueling, with countless miles of pounding the pavement, but cross country runners generally compete with little or no fanfare, usually cheered on only by relatives and close friends...

There is exactly one week to go before Southeast Missouri State University's opening game of the 1999 football season. And the Indians have absolutely no idea what Southern Illinois offense to prepare for. "I guess we'll have to be ready for everything and anything," said Southeast coach John Mumford with a laugh...

The annual Southeast Missouri State University Booster Club barbecue will be held today at the Show Me Center. There will be a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by a dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. Southeast's athletes and coaches will be on hand. All Southeast boosters are invited to attend...

The American Volleyball Coaches Association has honored the Southeast Missouri State University women's volleyball team with the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 1998-99 academic year. The award honors teams that displayed excellence in the classroom, maintaining at least a 3.3 cumulative team grade-point average during the 1998-99 academic year...

Season sports passes for Cape Girardeau Central High School are now on sale. A football season pass costs $10 while an all-sports pass for the school year is $40. For more information, call the Central athletic office at 335-8467.

Cape Girardeau Central High School's softball team picked up its second win in as many days to open the season as the Lady Tigers knocked off city rival Notre Dame 11-5 Wednesday afternoon at Arena Park. The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 9-0 lead after three innings and coasted the rest of the way to defeat the Lady Bulldogs in their season opener...

MORLEY -- Alderman Hallie Granville heard the good news from the city clerk, prompting an impromptu celebration in Granville's Morley Cafe. "We are going to have a party," said Granville. "We have a fall festival coming up," she said. "We might just all dance in the street."...

SIKESTON -- Ray V. Burnett, 77, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Aug. 24, 1999, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born June 11, 1922, in Neelyville, the son of George and Estella Ellison Burnett. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII. He is survived by three sisters, Lucille Troup of Sikeston, Mildred Smith of Kansas City and Ruth Conley of St. Louis; and many nieces and nephews...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Graveside service for Arlene Dixon of Carbondale will be held at 10 a.m. today at Masonic Cemetery in Cypress. The Rev. Ivan Ryan will officiate. Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak is in charge of arrangements. Dixon, 76, died Monday, Aug. 23, 1999, at Memorial Hospital...

CHARLESTON -- Ruth Ann Forbey, 44, of Charleston died Tuesday, Aug. 24, 1999, at her home. She was born Aug. 31, 1954, in Oakland, Calif., daughter of Albert Z. and Jeanette Scott Holt. She and Richard A. Forbey were married June 21, 1975. Forbey lived in Mississippi County most of her life. She had been a secretary in the New York Life Insurance Office in Charleston, and was a member of First Christian Church...

SCOTT CITY -- Ruth Lee Hale, 72, of Scott City died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 25, 1927, at Commerce, daughter of Uel Lee and Ruth Bolton Miller. She and Roy Everett Hale were married in December 1943 in Cape Girardeau. He died in April 1996...