Stories from Wednesday, September 1, 1999

To the editor: I need to tell people how wonderful Van Matre Buick was to me in my time of need. Les, the service manager, was so kind and willing to help in any way he could. During my move to Cape Girardeau, my car's engine caught on fire. I had the car towed to Cape Girardeau and then to Van Matre Buick. It has been two months, and the insurance company has refused any liability...

To the editor: With schools opening, school violence is a concern of parents and children alike. As a mother and a developmental psychologist, I'd like to make a few suggestions that might keep our children a little safer. Commonalities among the school shootings over the last couple of years suggest several things that our community can do to address school violence. ...

To the editor: It is good to know there are large organizations like the Bootheel Food Bank in Sikeston that enable many small area food banks to assist people. So often we forget that there are people in our own communities to whom hunger is a real problem due to unemployment or reduced incomes. Please allow me to share with you a way we can all help to alleviate the hunger in our area...

If you see a motorcyclist outfitted in leather, you may get the wrong idea. A tough biker or gang image may come to mind. But area motorcycle groups are working to change that image. Bikers have worked hard to improve their image by supporting such worthwhile causes as the March of Dimes Bikers for Babies ride and Toys for Tots...

What is a best buy? When it comes to higher education, a best buy should combine not only what you pay, but what you get. The University of Missouri-Columbia found itself at the head of the class in terms of a recent national ranking. U.S. News and World Report ranked the school as the best buy among national universities...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education decided Monday to sell May Greene and Washington elementary schools within the next two months. Resolutions to sell the buildings were approved during an executive session. The district will advertise the sale of both buildings over the next two months. Interested buyers will be invited to make presentations regarding the potential use of the buildings during a school board meeting Sept. 20...

What do you eat? How much do you eat? How is it prepared? How often do you exercise? These are just some of the questions being asked of residents across the state in a Department of Health study looking at why one in three Missourians is overweight...

Cape Girardeau officials hope to preserve a section of the old Mississippi River bridge as a scenic overlook. Mayor Al Spradling III said Tuesday night city officials will discuss the idea with the Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Transportation...

When you find yourself saying things like, "Come here, wittle Romykins, so Mommy can bwush your wittle fur," it's time to consider childbirth. My sister-in-law is pregnant. Granted, she's not a great advertisement for child bearing. She found out she was pregnant while having debilitating back pain checked out, the morning sickness has been pretty repulsive and her doctor is ordering lots of a bed rest...

POPLAR BLUFF -- With the Stoddard County contingent leading the way, the general membership of Ozark Border Electric Cooperative Saturday afternoon re-elected a Dexter-area man to the agency's board of directors. The overwhelming re-election of Bill Silliman -- and the election of three others on an alternate slate -- was seen by many as a reflection of the general membership's shaken confidence in the cooperative's policy makers...

The Department of Economic Development and its new Division of Workforce Development have moved to provide help to the more than 300 employees who will lose their jobs when Florsheim closes its Cape Girardeau shoe factory later this year. Department representatives will meet Tuesday with Florsheim officials to discuss the types of services available for the workers, said Pat Thompson of the department's Division of Workforce Development at Jefferson City...

CHARLESTON -- Tax rates for the 1999 year have been set and approved for Mississippi County. The commissioners approved the Ad Valorem Tax Rates, or property tax rates, as recommended by Junior DeLay, county clerk at a recent meeting. The first rate to be set was for the county's general revenue fund. ...

BENTON -- A weekend of music and activities for all ages is planned as the 31st annual Benton Neighbor Day begins this Friday. The celebration, sponsored by the Benton Chamber of Commerce, begins at 5 p.m. on Friday with the opening of a midway and chances to register for hundreds of dollars in prizes, to be given away Friday and Saturday...

Every fall brings about the beginning of a new school year and the subsequent changes and improvements. Southeast Missouri State University is no different as there are exciting improvements everywhere on and within our campus. The fall will always produce one constant and that is football. ...

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team will open the 1999 season with a bang tonight. The Otahkians, who play virtually all of their matches at Houck Field House, will make a rare appearance at the Show Me Center when Arkansas State visits. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 o'clock...

JACKSON -- Though Jackson and Cape Central looked equal, one sweet-and-low penalty kick made the season opener considerably sweeter for the Tigers. Central's Brett McNabb booted home a penalty kick at about the 30-minute mark in the second half and that proved to be the difference as the visiting Tigers walked away with a 1-0 win over their rivals Tuesday...

WARRENSBURG -- Former Missouri basketball player Lamont Frazier, a product of Charleston High School, has been hired as the top assistant to Don Doucette at Central Missouri State, the school announced Tuesday. Frazier, who played from 1990 to 1994 at Missouri, has been an assistant coach at Lincoln University for the past two seasons...

The Kohlfeld Scorpion Rugby Club defeated the Springfield (Ill.) Celts 34-22 last weekend during its season opener in St. Louis. John Creutz paced the Scorpions with two trys while Marc Harris, Alan Kloss and Shawn Morningstar added one each. Sean Hagan provided three conversions and one penalty kick...

MARBLE HILL -- The favored teams posted relatively routine victories Tuesday night as the annual Woodland Tournament helped kick off the area high school volleyball season. Second-seeded Leopold rolled past No. 7 Greenville 15-0, 15-6 and third-seeded Bell City knocked off No. 6 Notre Dame 15-13, 15-5...

Lygia D. Temple Whitelaw, 78, of Joliet, Ill., died Saturday, August 28, 1999, at Salem Village Nursing and Rehab Center in Joliet. She was born Oct. 22, 1920, in St. Louis, daughter of William and Pauline Slaughter Temple. She married Donald Whitelaw, who preceded her in death...

Alma O. Shirrell, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Sept. 7, 1922, at Lutesville, daughter of David and Ida James Cloninger. She married Fred Shirrell. Shirrell had worked at International Shoe Co. She was a member of First Church of God, its WCG, and taught Sunday School many years. She was also a member of VFW Auxiliary...

Edwin W. "Bill" Koerber, 93, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Jan. 4, 1906, in Cape Girardeau, son of Albert and Emilie C. Bertling Koerber. Koerber was a 1930 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, received a master's degree from the University of Missouri in 1937, and attended Colorado University in 1947...

PERRYVILLE -- Edward Allen Hartel, 72, of Perryville died Saturday, Aug. 28, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 10, 1926, in LaSalle, Ill., son of Edward Anthony and Olivia Helen Pohlig Hartel. He and Geraldine S. "Gerry" Schlue were married July 27, 1963...

ADVANCE -- Narvel L. Pinson, 74, of Advance died Monday, Aug. 30, 1999, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Sept. 4, 1924, at Pevely, son of Lester and Freida Hesse Pinson. Pinson was retired from Anheuser-Busch Co. in St. Louis. He was a member of Masonic Lodge 2 AF&AM in St. Louis. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Funeral for Pauline V. Huffman of Ironton was held Monday at Bryson Funeral Home in Pilot Knob. The Rev. Edgar St. Clair officiated. Burial was in Parkview Cemetery at Farmington. Huffman, 72, died Saturday, Aug. 28, 1999, at her home. She was born Sept. 4, 1926, at Boss, daughter of Arsdel and Eva Camden Hanson. She and Gary G. Huffman were married Nov. 13, 1965, in Cape Girardeau...

Henry Hinton, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Inman Harrelson, 91, of Anna died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999, at City Care Center. He was born Oct. 22, 1907, in Macedonia, son of Gideon and Sarah Florence Todd Harrelson. He and Margaret Rendleman were married April 2, 1934. She died Feb. 17, 1988...

JACKSON -- Graveside service for Norma Jean Hisle of Jackson was held Aug. 24 at Miami Cemetery in Miami, Mo. The Rev. Mark Conyers officiated. Weiker Funeral Home in Slater was in charge of arrangements. Hisle, 73, died Sunday, Aug. 22, 1999, at Jackson Manor Nursing Center...

APPLE CREEK -- Robert W. Schnurbusch, 84, of Apple Creek died Monday, Aug. 30, 1999, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Jan. 18, 1915, at Apple Creek, son of Benjamin A. and Ida B. Leible Schnurbusch. He and Olivia J. Wibbenmeyer were married May 28, 1946. She died April 18, 1970...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral Mass for Frances Marie Heisserer of Scott City will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The Rev. David Coon will officiate. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City after 4 p.m. Thursday. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m., followed by Knights of Columbus service at 7:15...

PERRYVILLE -- Wanda Fay Hahn, 71, of Arnold died Monday, Aug. 30, 1999, at her home. She was born June 28, 1928, at Silver Lake, daughter of Arthur and Ellen Marie Heaps French. She and Ulysses Sherman Hahn were married Dec. 16, 1944. Hahn was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Arnold...

Mary Lucille Pierce, 80, of Pine Bluff, Ark., died Monday, Aug. 30, 1999, at her home. She was born Nov. 2, 1918, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Torrence and Minnie Luebbers Kinder. She married E.L. Pierce, who died Dec. 3, 1990. Pierce was a graduate of Central High School. She had lived in Pine Bluff since 1941. She was a member of Hawley United Methodist Church and its Ladies Auxiliary...

Willie James Mosley, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 29, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. He was born Oct. 12, 1927, at Benton, son of Charlie and Alberta Carter Mosley. He and Thelma Campbell were married Sept. 16, 1950, in Osceola, Ark. Mosley was a retired heavy equipment operator. He was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church...

ORAN -- Sister Mary William Goeckner, 84, of Guardian Angel Parish in Oran died Monday, Aug. 30, 1999, at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis. She was born Dec. 2, 1914, at Dietrich, Ill., daughter of William and Rose Probst Goeckner. She joined the Adorers of the Blood of Christ at Ruma, Ill., taking the religious name of Sister Mary William. She professed her first vows on July 1, 1938...

Louisiana Cajun country is one of mine and Larry Joe's favorite places to visit. We quickly chameleon ourselves into the everyday lifestyle as we travel the back roads and Atchafalaya River Basin levee. In many places, sugar cane is still harvested by hand, and the locals can take you into the swamp where Big Bertha, their favorite alligator, resides...

Everyone asked me last week how we got along sending our Ross off to kindergarten. Well, the first day was fine, and he and I both did great. The second day, Friday, I fell apart, but not in front of him. All the way to work I had to really get myself under control. It was not the school, or certainly not his wonderful teacher, it was just this little boy taking this huge step into independence. We survived, and all is well now...

Label from the Howling Wolf Brand Salmon exporters. Ready for a fish story? I've recently returned from a cruise through Alaska's Inside Passage during which I visited a salmon hatchery in Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world, and renewed my respect for those beautiful, persistent and tasty creatures...