Stories from Friday, October 1, 1999

To the editor: That disease with which I am afflicted, writing letters to the editor, is easily acquired but hard to shake. It sometimes serves me well when I wish to remember some friend whose life, I feel, deserves more than the passing moment gives...

Tracy Metzger called out commands during cardio boxing class. Boxers wrap their hands to protect them and to keep their wrists straight. Outfitted with a microphone and boxing gloves, Tracy Metzger shadow boxes, punching and kicking an imaginary opponent as she shouts out directions to students in her exercise class...

I THINK exercise is great and runners are great, but the runners I saw, even if they were doing it for a worthy cause, should have been in church praying for rain. All the way into town, for six miles, it was covered with runners. Instead of being in one lane, where cars could pass in the other, they were all over the road and would not move. ...

Notice to Southeast Missouri weather watchers: In the event you have recently observed an off-white, wet substance falling from the sky, be advised it is called rain. Bill Clinton has a great future ahead of him in the field of creative finance. His first book should be about how someone with $5 million in debts can get a $1 million home loan...

No one may ever know all the facts about deadly nuclear contamination at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant that has been a part of the Kentucky city's landscape for decades. But in the minds of many workers and former employees of the plant, this much is for certain: There has been a deliberate and effective attempt to keep the facts secret...

The current flap in New York City isn't the first time a work of art has generated a national scandal. At issue is an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art that includes an obscene depiction of the Virgin Mary splattered with elephant dung. Supporters of the exhibit -- wouldn't you like to know who supports such garbage, besides Hillary Clinton? -- claim a threat to withdraw government funding from the museum because of the exhibit amounts to a violation of the First Amendment...

The memo read: "We will have a Language Arts departmental meeting on Tuesday. We will be discussing last year's test results, if there are any needed changes in curriculum or instruction, and any topics of concern. I'm looking forward to discussing these topics with you."...

To the editor: I am writing in response to the Speak Out caller of Sept. 28 who is displeased with the band coverage in the Jackson High School Silver Arrow yearbook. As band secretary and co-editor-in-chief of the 1998-99 yearbook, I feel I should relay some additional information to readers...

Recently, in New York City dead crows were discovered, and the Bronx Zoo began losing some of its birds in captivity. Initially this was very perplexing, but tests on these birds, and a New York City resident who died recently, confirmed that some birds and mosquitoes in the New York City and Connecticut area are infected with a West Nile-like virus. ...

CHAFFEE -- Columbia Sportswear Co. will close its Chaffee plant next spring, employees were told late Thursday. Representatives from the company's headquarters in Portland, Ore., said the closure is a move to reduce costs and enhance operating efficiency. It will enable the company to focus on other areas, including product design and marketing, said Tim Boyle, Columbia's president and chief executive officer...

Bar codes, scanners and automatic sorters have made the processing and distribution of mail easier in Southeast Missouri over the past eight years. "But we've run out of space," said Mike Keefe, Cape Girardeau postmaster. Keefe said Thursday the Postal Service is planning a $6 million expansion at the central processing center at 475 Kell Farm Drive in Cape West Industrial Park...

For Larry Moon, the most difficult part of losing both his legs and suffering serious internal injuries because of an accident is accepting what happened to him. "I just take it day by day," Moon said. In his journey toward acceptance, he has shown a determination that has inspired others and won him St. Francis Medical Center's Courageous Patient Award...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education unanimously agreed Thursday to ask voters in 2000 to approve an $18 million bond issue without a tax increase and a separate tax-levy hike to make staff salaries competitive. The board met in a study session to review a financial summary and projections for the next decade. No action was taken during the meeting, but the consensus was that both proposals are critical and need to be considered as soon as possible...

The latest trend on the sidelines of golf and tennis ought to make us wonder just a little about our species. You don't see my name on the sports pages of this or any other newspaper. At least not very often. It just so happens my name has been published on our sports pages twice in the past couple of weeks. In itty-bitty type where they list all the box scores and bowling results...

As the world moves closer to the 21st century, it is important to remember there is more to health care than just the science of diagnosis and treatment. Quality service and a healing touch are vital to health care, and that's what patients will find at St. Francis Medical Center, said Harry Rediger, chairman of the center's board of directors, during an annual dinner held at the Show Me Center...

Honest Abe missed his plane Thursday. Lincoln impersonator Charles Brame was scheduled to present his one-man show "An Evening with Abraham Lincoln" Thursday night at Academic Auditorium. But Brame phoned Southeast's Dr. Frank Nickell earlier in the day to say he'd missed his flight out of Los Angeles because an accident halted traffic on the freeway...

DEXTER -- Six months after Dexter Memorial Hospital affiliated with NetCare Health Systems, Inc., of Nashville and became a for-profit medical facility, it remains without a board of directors. Meanwhile, the hospital's longtime surgeon, Dr. Ron Hill, has begun performing some operations at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, apparently a result in part of a lack of experienced operating room personnel at Dexter Memorial Hospital...

A noted author and lecturer on spiritual healing and wholeness will lead a workshop on the topic in Cape Girardeau beginning Sunday. Dr. James Wagner, who retired from the ministry after 35 years as a church pastor, will lead the three-day seminar. It will be held Sunday through Tuesday at Grace United Methodist Church and is jointly sponsored by Grace and Centenary United Methodist churches. Meetings begin at 2:30 p.m. Sunday and at 6:45 p.m. Monday and Tuesday...

The walk-in clinics for flu shots at the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center have been postponed until the second week in October. The clinics were to begin Tuesday, but there has been a delay in the government's delivery of flu vaccine, according to the health center...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's cross country team is once again drawing considerable attention across the Midwest this season. The Otahkians are ranked 10th out of 35 squads in this week's Midwest Region rankings. Thirty-five teams are included in the Midwest Region, including many of the Big 12 Conference and Big 10 Conference squads...

If Jackson starting quarterback Chris Stockton had to get injured, he picked a good time to do it. The Indians (3-1) take on winless Beaumont out of St. Louis tonight, the first of three consecutive, very winnable home games. That's not saying that backup quarterbacks John Jackson, a junior, and sophomore Bryan Austin aren't capable of beating top-notch teams. It's just that Stockton, who has a sprained shoulder and caught the flu this week, has been very effective in his first four outings...

It's not going to be easy for the Cape Central Tigers to pick up their first win of the season tonight. It hasn't even been easy for them to score. But Cape Central coach Lawrence Brookins hopes to see a more consistent offense tonight when the 0-4 Tigers play at Graves County, Ky (3-2)...

JACKSON -- Stacey DeClue's two-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning completed an exciting 6-5 comeback victory by Jackson over Kelly Thursday afternoon in high school softball action at Jackson City Park. DeClue's hit plated Lindsey Meyr, who had reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base...

Don Burnett of Charleston carded his first career hole-in-one Thursday at Cape Girardeau Country Club. Burnett used an 8-iron to ace No. 11, a 143-yard par 3. Witnesses were Daryl Leine, Britt McConnell and Greg Luehmann.

A week after knocking off Class 4A school Perryville 20-6 and completely shutting down the Pirates in the second half, one would think Class 2A Scott City wouldn't perceive Chaffee, a Class 1A school, as much of a threat. To keep Scott City from becoming overconfident about tonight's matchup in Chaffee, all it has to do is remember Week 1 when Malden defeated the Rams 30-0...

ANNA, Ill. -- Martin Paul Groh, 42, of Anna died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, near Dongola. He was born June 23, 1957, in Elgin, son of John Herbert and Mary Ann Bailey Groh. He and Pamela Ann LaBott were married July 7, 1984, in Barrington. Survivors include his wife; a son, David Groh of Anna; a stepson, Brian Glover of Anna; two brothers, Jack Groh of Rockford, Thomas Groh of Carpentersville; and a sister, Virginia Fennessy of Huntley...

Marvin L. "Bud" Murray, 61, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1999, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

ORAN - Naomi Ghent McCallister of Oran, 84, died Tuesday morning, Sept. 28, 1999, in Branson, while traveling with her daughters, Raona Miller Hentz of Poplar Bluff, Stephanie McCallister Turek of Fenton and her sister, Sue Wornica of Oran. She was born on Feb. 20, 1915, in Oran, to Anna Kathryn and Grover Cleveland Ghent, who preceded her in death...

J.W. "Brownie" McBride, age 84, died Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999, at his home. He was born Oct. 17, 1914 in Cape Girardeau, the son of Talmage D. and Martha E. (Lynch) McBride. His wife of 62 years, Dorothy L. (Price) McBride, preceded him in death. Mr. ...

Myrtle M. Gilles of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Sept. 26, 1922, in Cape Girardeau County, the daughter of George and Elizabeth Goode. She married Cletis O. Gilles on July 27, 1940, in Cape Girardeau County...

Jerry R. Surface of Delta died Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

Larry W. Sanders, 50, of Longwood, Fla., died Sunday, Sept. 26, 1999, at home. He was born Nov. 13, 1948, in St. Louis. He grew up in Cape Girardeau and graduated from Cape Central High School in 1967. After high school he entered the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was the recipient of two Purple Hearts...

ANNA, Ill. -- Roscoe D. Craft, 87, of Anna died Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999, at his home. He was born June 7, 1912, in Whitewater, Mo., son of Alfred and Bertha Gohn Craft. He and Florence Adams were married. She died in 1957. He then married Clara Smith, who died in 1990...

Daughter to Daniel Scott Mayberry and LaDonna Jean Stewart of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:06 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1999. Name, Alexis LeAnn. Weight, 6 pounds 4 ounces. Second daughter. Ms. Stewart is the daughter of Barbara Stewart of Cape Girardeau and the late Zollie Stewart. She is a licensed practical nurse for Dr. Karen Yates. Mayberry is the son of Karen Mayberry and Tom Mayberry of Sturdivant. He is employed in the maintenance department at Wal-Mart...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Lela Newman Garner, 88, died Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1999, at Eden Village Care Center in Glen Carbon. She was born Aug. 24, 1911, in Alto Pass, daughter of Otis and Nellie Champion Alger. She first married Claude A. Newman in 1928 in Edwardsville. He died in 1949. She and Audra "Red" Garner were married Aug. 20, 1955, in Jonesboro. He died April 23, 1997...