Stories from Thursday, September 9, 1999

The scene in Sikeston one night last week was one of exhilaration when 14 young men returned home from the Babe Ruth World Series in Tallahassee, Fla. The group of 13-year-old baseball players didn't win the series, but they did place third against some tough competition. It was the best finish for a Sikeston Babe Ruth team since 1959, when the city's team of 15-year-olds claimed second place in the Babe Ruth World Series in California...

How would you like to be called out at 2 o'clock in the morning on a cold, winter night, spend the next three or four hours fighting a raging fire sometimes under life-or-death situations, and arrive back home just in time to clean up and go to your real job for eight hours?...

Jefferson City and the entire state are buzzing with talk about whether Gov. Mel Carnahan's veto of House Bill 427, The Infants Protection Act, will stand or be overridden next week during the Legislature's annual veto session. A visit this week from Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, formerly bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Roman Catholic diocese, is raising the stakes enormously. Cardinal Law is returning to Missouri to attempt to persuade lawmakers to override the governor...

Concerned citizens are worried about the overuse of the term "hate crimes." It will have to do until there's an increase in love crimes. The only way politicians can make headlines these days is to raise a lot of campaign money before the election or spend a lot of taxpayer money after it...

I TAKE exception to the self-centered caller who says that the ones demanding health care aren't paying into income tax. I'm for a national health-care plan 100 percent, and I'm well taken care of. I don't especially need it. But there are a lot of people who need health care, including the working poor whose employers do not furnish medical insurance. ...

The Little Egypt Polo Club practiced Sunday near Egypt Mills. EGYPT MILLS -- Dale Watkins went from Western to English nearly seven years ago and has loved every minute of it. Watkins was a professional on the national rodeo circuit. He had done everything from bull riding to being a pick-up man...

Smoke from a grass fire may have contributed to a head-on collision between a school bus and minivan in Scott County Wednesday. At about 4 p.m., Lisa Scherer, 34, of Oran, the driver of the van, veered to the left while traveling east on Scott County Road 264 just off Missouri Highway 77 between Chaffee and Oran...

Tents were going up, carnival rides were being trucked in and a small village of travel trailers was beginning to form Wednesday on the grounds of the SEMO District Fair. As Sunday's opening ceremonies approach, Arena Park is beginning to take on the appearance of the annual fair...

Whether today will be a day of infamy remains to be seen, but Michael Seabaugh won't be spending it near a computer. "I've never really used a computer before, and I'm kind of glad about it," said Seabaugh, a small-business owner in Cape Girardeau. "But I guess there are so many out there that if something happens it'll affect me anyway."...

Sept. 9, 1999 Dear Pat, Most people celebrate Labor Day by relaxing at a lake and having a picnic. DC's family, who wouldn't know Samuel Gompers from Cesar Chavez, marshal the minions to repair their cabin on the Castor River. Bring your ragged clothes because sawdust and paint are going to fly. There's always time to fish and swim, and staunch breakfasts and dinners are served at the long table on the porch, but the business at hand is the hammer in it...

Seven gold shovels and a new name marked the beginning of a technological future for Cape Girardeau schools and other districts in the region Wednesday. The shovels were used by seven area school superintendents representing Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City, Chaffee, Kelly, Oran and Leopold school districts as they officially marked the beginning of construction for the new regional vocational school being built in Cape Girardeau...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education approved a one-time financial contribution to a coalition of hold-harmless school districts during a special board meeting Wednesday. Board members approved a contribution of $3,898 to the Hold Harmless Coalition to help pay costs incurred by a legislative consultant...

Openings remain for the community Beginning Internet training scheduled Thursday. The classes are co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian and Southeast Missouri State University, and are taught by members of the SEMissourian.com web staff. Participants have their own computer with high-speed Internet access for the hands-on session. The session will last two hours, from 1-3 p.m., at the Dempster Hall on the university campus...

DEXTER -- In the parlance of the military, Ken Rinehart is trading his butter bar for a bird. In plain English, Lt. Ken Rinehart is now Police Chief Ken Rinehart. Rinehart will now be sporting an eagle insignia, the rank of colonel and mark of a police chief. The Essex-area native was named chief Tuesday, giving the Dexter Police Department a commanding officer for the first time since early this year when Mike Almond stepped down...

Shutting down parts of Broadway to widen it is an option to save money, but city officials are hopeful that it is a last resort. "We shouldn't close down any city block that has a lot business," said Richard Eggimann, a Cape Girardeau city councilman. "I don't know if that will necessarily cut the cost of building the road. That is a theory. There is nothing in concrete that says it is so."...

Board of Education Meeting Scott County (Kelly) School District Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999 -- 7 p.m. Action/Information Items: -- Winston Williford -- Consider bids on security systems -- Acknowledge donation from Falcon Cable -- Approve board policy update...

Patricia Stotzheim, who has coached at Division III Hamline University in Minnesota since 1993, has been named the new head coach of the Southeast Missouri State University women's gymnastics program. Stotzheim replaces Kris Buchheister, who resigned to become an assistant coach at the University of Iowa...

The area's biggest -- by far -- regular-season high school volleyball tournament will make its annual appearance in Cape Girardeau this weekend, with 30 teams battling for the title. It's the 12th annual SEMO Classic, which will be held Friday and Saturday at four venues on the Southeast Missouri State University campus...

Former Southeast Missouri State University standout Angel Rubio was waived earlier this week by the San Francisco 49ers -- but it didn't take Rubio long to land with another National Football League team. Rubio, a defensive lineman, has been acquired by the Arizona Cardinals, who have placed him on their 53-man roster that all NFL squads must reach to begin the 1999 season...

It's third down and 15 to go on the 20-yard line. Scott Pingel and his Westminster Blue Jays are down by seven. The ball is snapped and No. 10, wearing a navy blue jersey with gray pants takes off from his split end position into the heart of the defense on a post pattern where there are two, maybe three secondary players keyed on him...

Tommy Stidham School: Chaffee Sport: Football Coach: Allan Horrell Week Report: As the expression goes: it's not about the size of the dog in the fight, it's about the size of the fight in the dog. Such is the case for Stidham, a 5-foot-6, 145-pound senior running back from Chaffee. ...

Sarah Booth Sport: Volleyball School: Woodland Coach: Emily Johnson Week report: A second-team all-state selection as a junior, Booth opened her senior season in strong fashion. The Lady Cardinals christened the 1999 campaign by winning their own Woodland Tournament. ...

Jackson's volleyball team defended its championship in the SEMO Conference Tournament by defeating Sikeston 15-6, 15-6 Wednesday night at Cape Girardeau Central High School. Earlier Wednesday, Jackson knocked off New Madrid County Central 15-6, 15-5, relegating New Madrid to third place...

Eric Foote has been hired as director of sports marketing and promotions at Southeast Missouri State University. Foote served last year as director of marketing and sales for the Rapid City Thrillers in the International Basketball Association. He also formerly served as a sales associate and marketing assistant with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Francis Ann Nottage, 57, of Villa Ridge, Ill., died Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999 at the Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. She was born Jan. 20, 1942, at Cairo, daughter of James A. and Dorothy Hogendobler. She was a nurse at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Mounds, Ill. She was a member of the Villa Ridge Union Church and president of the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary Post 8891 in Mounds...

BERNIE -- Lindell Watkins, 77, of Bernie died Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 28, 1922, at Patterson, the son of William Watkins and Nora Ellen Croney Watkins Faith. He and Oniece Embrey were married at Malden on Sept. 24, 1941...

Floyd Eugene "Gene" York, 56, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Dec. 7, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, son of Floyd and Mary Elizabeth Wright York. He and Karen Sitze were married Dec. 24, 1963, in Cape Girardeau...

MAKANDA, Ill. -- Allen Larry Reynolds, 72, of Makanda died Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 23, 1926, in Clarkton, Mo., son of Ollie Dean and Catherine Allmon Reynolds. He and Nadene Frans were married April 14, 1951...

Norvel M. Derickson Sr., 79, of St. Louis died Monday, Sept. 6, 1999, at St. Joseph Hospital in Kirkwood. He was born at Festus, son of Abraham and Nancy Derickson. Derickson was a pipefitter. He was a member of Pipefitters Local 562, past grand exalted ruler of Affton Elks Lodge 2635, and member of VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau...

Mildred M. Sander, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Jan. 23, 1925, at Oak Ridge, daughter of Thomas M. and Hattie Hartle Mayfield. She and David G. Sander were married Nov. 29, 1944, at Gordonville...

Funeral for Linda Lou Lumley of Kinderhook, Ill., was held Tuesday at Kirgan Funeral Home in Barry, Ill. Lumley, 54, died Saturday, Sept. 4, 1999, at her home. She was born Dec. 27, 1944, at Lutesville, daughter of Linder S. and Marjorie Farnsworth Green. She and Norvin L. Lumley were married Oct. 31, 1981, at Hannibal...

Mertha Louise "Mickey" Miller, 64, of Belton, Texas, died Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999, at Crestview Manor in Temple, Texas. She was formerly of Cape Girardeau. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Vernon and Karmen Robertson of Bucklin, University Hospital in Columbia, 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999. Name, Kellen Paige. Weight, 9 pounds 15 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Robertson is the daughter of Janice Jones of Lilbourn, and the late Harold D. Jones. Robertson is the son of Clyde and Pat Robertson of Lena, Miss. He is plant manager at Walsworth Publishing Co. in Marceline...

ORAN -- Allana Hulshof, 67, of Oran, died Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.