Stories from Saturday, November 6, 1999

Southeast Missouri isn't as diverse religiously and culturally as other cities, but that isn't necessarily a negative, area ministers and other religious leaders say. Rating the community's diversity depends on how you define diversity, said the Rev. Dr. Andy Pratt, a religious studies professor at Southeast Missouri State University...

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission approved the formation of a local corporation to speed up improvements to the busy Interstate 55-U.S. 61 interchange. Commissioners took the action at their meeting in Cape Girardeau Friday. But a MoDOT official said the agency won't move ahead with improving the interchange unless right-of-way problems with Cape Girardeau developer Jim Drury can be worked out and Drury proceeds to develop the property around the intersection...

JACKSON -- A man in a telephone prize scam from Canada is trying to get $3,100 from an elderly woman. A person identifying himself as Ray Parks has been calling the Jackson resident at her home since Wednesday, telling her that she has won $1 million from the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, said Cape Girardeau County sheriff's detective David James. But to receive her prize, the caller told her she must send $3,100 via Western Union to pay for various costs...

OAK RIDGE -- Residents of Oak Ridge said it over and over Friday: The people make it special. Much of the town turned out for a parade and school assembly on Friday to celebrate the Oak Ridge School District's 125th anniversary. The events were the beginning of a weekend of festivities, which conclude tonight with the annual alumni banquet...

In a small rowboat, two men are taking a long journey down a mighty river, all in the name of a little girl. Autumn's Journey, a 14 -foot rowboat, was anchored in Cape Girardeau Friday as Erik Maklezow and his father, Viktor Maklezow, took a break from rowing from Kenosha, Wis., to New Orleans to rest, clean up, resupply and spread the word about their mission...

Circuit City, a retailer of brand-name consumer electronics and major appliances, will open here next week. Grand opening ceremonies area planned at the company's newest store, located at 164 Siemers in Cape West Business Park, Friday. Business hours for the new, 17,000 square foot store will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m Sunday...

Teen opportunities in recreation, employment and community service exist in the Cape Girardeau area."There are a lot of opportunities for youth in the area," said Jim Govro. "But, something is missing."The missing element, said Govro, is how to make teens aware of all the things they can do...

As milestones go in our part of the nation, anything over 100 years old is considered significant, whether it's your grandmother or or one of our local institutions. So it is fitting that the Oak Ridge School District spent a good part of Friday marking its 125 years of service to an area of northern Cape Girardeau County...

In making its case before a federal judge in New York, the Brooklyn Museum of Art said its First Amendment rights had been violated by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's threat to cut off funding after an obscene exhibit opened. The judge agreed and issued a preliminary injunction against the mayor, saying the city's action was "directly related, not just to the content of the exhibit, but to the particular viewpoints expressed."Those viewpoints, if you want to look at it that way, are disgusting. ...

To the editor: The recognition given to volunteers at St. Francis Medical Center's Leona Bunch Hair Care Center in the article written by Teresa Johnson in the Oct. 30 Southeast Missourian was certainly well-deserved. At Southeast Missouri Hospital, we also know the value of hair-care services to our patients. ...

SCOTT CITY -- Scott City answered the dare and Charleston was stuck with the cold truth of a 38-6 loss Friday night in a game that decided the Class 2A, District 2 championship. After the Blue Jays stacked the line of scrimmage and dared Scott City to throw the ball, the Rams opened up the passing game -- and distanced themselves -- as quarterback Scott Johnston met the challenge with 105 yards on 4-of-4 passing in the second half alone. ...

Southeast Missouri State University's football team will try to gain a bit of revenge and put together a three-game winning streak today. The Indians, who saw a tremendous comeback wiped out in the closing seconds against Eastern Illinois last year, will host the Panthers in a 1 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference kickoff at Houck Stadium...

Notre Dame High boys soccer coach Brad Wittenborn knows his team will be a decided underdog tonight against powerful St. Mary's of St. Louis. But Wittenborn believes that doesn't mean the Bulldogs can't win the Class 1A-3A sectional playoff game, set for a 7 p.m. start at the Anheuser-Busch Conference & Sports Centre in Fenton...

CHARLESTON -- Martha Belle Slaten, 70, of Charleston died Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999, at her home. She was born April 20, 1929, in Mississippi County, daughter of John and Bertha Limbaugh Roach. She and Hal Warren Slaten were married Sept. 26, 1946. He died Nov. 25, 1970...

CHARLESTON -- Luther Sydney Cherry, 84, of Charleston died Friday, Nov. 5, 1999, at Bertrand Nursing Facility. He was born Jan. 9, 1915, in Big Sandy, Texas, son of William Simon and Sarah Caroline Cherry. He and Juanita Padgett were married Sept. 28, 1940...

MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS --Howard Gene Russell, 74, of Missouri City, Texas, died Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999, at Mariner Health Rest Colony in Missouri City. He was born Jan. 23, 1925, at Fruitland, son of Ben and Lottie L. McClendon Russell. He married the former Betty Marfell...

Sirphenia Isabelle "Pheeny" Diebold, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Feb. 16, 1925, in New Madrid, daughter of Walter L. and Hattie Louise Broughton Meier. She and Quentin C. Diebold were married June 29, 1949, at New Madrid. He died June 27, 1994...

DEXTER -- Gene England, 67, of Dexter died Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999, at his home. He was born Oct. 19, 1932, at Painton, son of Robert Adolph and Lottie Mae Fish England. He and Linda Lucille Harper were married Dec. 22, 1951, at Dexter. England was a maintenance worker and carpenter at Collins Development in Sikeston. He lived in the Dexter area all his life and was a member of Faith Fellowship Church...

HAYWOOD CITY -- Bertha Vaughn Foehand, 63, of Haywood City died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born March 31, 1936, in Richmond, Va., daughter of George and Ida Mae Vaughn Simpson. She had lived in Missouri for 20 years. She was a member of the New Morning Star Baptist Church in Haywood City and served on the usher board...

BELLEVILLE, ILL. -- Thelma June Mahan, 82, of Belleville, Ill., died Friday, Oct. 29, 1999, at her home. She was born Sept. 1, 1917, in O'Fallon, Ill., daughter of LeRoy and Edna Metcalf. She married Everett "Bud" Mahan, who preceded her in death. Mahan was formerly of Cape Girardeau and had worked at JCPenney. She had been a filing secretary at Paul Flum Ideas Inc. of St. Louis...

Larry R. Corbin beloved husband of Barbara J. Bednarek Corbin passed away Thursday, November 4, 1999 at the Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was an electrician for the City of Saint Louis. He also was a member of Union Electricians and I.B.E.W. Local #1...