Stories from Saturday, November 13, 1999

Practicing Buddhists in Cape Girardeau have found the city to be a welcoming one."Cape has been a remarkably open community to me," said Rob Dillon, a Zen Buddhist.Yanna Davis, a Nichiren Buddhist, agreed.The modern Zen and Nichiren Buddhist practices stem from the Japanese influence on the ancient faith.The Nichiren practice differs in that it favors chanting the phrase, "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo."That phrase, roughly translated, means "devotion to universal law of cause and effect through harmonious vibration," Davis said.Whether by daily chanting or through silent meditation, each man has the same spiritual objective: First activating their "own Buddha nature," then acting accordingly.The idea is to "be mindful" of others, because it's possible to do harm without meaning to."Everything I do in this moment will affect the next," Dillon said, discussing the idea of reincarnation. ...

Buddhism may seem to be an unusual philosophy to follow in a society with strong roots in Judeo-Christian tradition, but more and more Americans are turning to the Eastern path of dharma.The faith is not just growing on the East and West coasts. In fact, just outside St. ...

Holiday decorations already are on display in most retail outlets around Southeast Missouri, and area charities are gearing up for holiday assistance to needy families. Cape Girardeau always has been good at helping meet the needs of people in tough situations, said Maj. Robert Gauthier of the Salvation Army...

Cape Girardeau's curbside leaf pickup program went well in its first week, but that could change. The four, specially equipped trucks that haul off leaves are pushing 30 years, and no guarantees exist that the fields where leaves are spread now will be available next year, said Tim Gramling, assistant public works director for the city."It has just been one of those things that has worked itself out year to year," Gramling said. ...

Housing cooperatives consist of people who join together to form a corporation that owns the buildings they live in. Those who purchase a share lease a dwelling within the cooperative, pay part of the monthly expenses and participate in its democratically controlled operation. To date, most cooperatives have been located in cities Cooperative City in the Bronx, New York, houses more than 60,000 families but cooperatives increasingly are being used to provide housing in rural areas...

Tori Locke could have bought candy or a soft drink with the dollar bill her mother gave her. Instead the 7-year-old stuffed it into the red Salvation Army kettle set up in front of Big K.Any doubts that the holidays are upon us were laid to rest Friday as bell ringers like Delbert Ray Crain set up their tripods holding red kettles to begin the annual Salvation Army holiday fund-raising drive...

Once upon a time, there lived a young couple and their young son. The parents tried to give their son as much happiness as he could handle each day of his young life. They sang, and read books, and bought trucks and other toys they knew he enjoyed. They made frequent trips to Granny's and PaPa's house so the child could bask in the glow of his grandparents' love. They took long car rides in the rain and shared endless hours together watching Disney movies...

Residents of Vintage Villa Nursing Center will be getting a new home within the next two years. Americare Systems Inc. of Sikeston -- the parent firm of Vintage Villa -- has announced plans to develop a new nursing center off Business Highway 60. The site is located on Bailiff Drive near Taco Bell...

Autographed photos of sports, music, television and movie celebrities will be auctioned off along with donations from numerous artists, merchants and individuals during the sixth annual "Artists for Animals" auction and dinner today. The event is sponsored by Pets Are Worth Saving Inc., an animal welfare organization in Anna. It will be held in the Sunshine Inn, 400 S. Main in Anna...

Two new towns will be added to the Missouri Main Street Program and Old Town Cape merchants hope Cape Girardeau will be one of the two selected. Judith Lang, a downtown store owner, and chairman of the Old Town Cape group here, will make the local group's wishes known during one of two main street application programs to be conducted in the state next week...

JACKSON -- Students at West Lane Elementary School took steps towards understanding other cultures during a special program Friday. The school invited community residents from other countries to speak during its biannual Gathering of Nations program."It's something we do to educate students about international customs," said Dawn Detring, who coordinated the program. Detring is a member of Parents Always Love Students (PALS), a volunteer organization at the school which sponsored the event...

DEXTER -- A Dexter man is reported in serious condition after being struck by a train Monday night at the Highway 25 underpass. Union Pacific Engineer Billy R. Mitchell of Little Rock told Dexter Police Department that Gary W. Christian, 37, was sitting on the tracks as the train approached...

Why is Bill Clinton so militantly opposed to letting the states and local communities decide how to allocate federal education funds? Maybe he was just kidding when he piously announced that the era of big government was over. Apparently caught off guard by a reporter's question, he gave us a glimpse into his guiding worldview. ...

The cost of higher education has been going up. That certainly is no surprise for college students or their parents. Tuition and fees at Missouri's regional universities such as Southeast Missouri State University averaged $2,768 in 1998. Tuition and fees for undergraduate students in Missouri have outpaced both the Consumer Price Index and Higher Education Price Index every year since 1991. ...

One way parents of young children can brace themselves for the high cost of college is through Missouri's new higher education savings program. It offers tax breaks on money set aside for college or trade school. It's a great incentive for families to save for the future. Anyone, not just parents, can open an account with $25 to $100,000 in the Missouri Saving for Tuition (MOST) program for a child...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's cross country team will once again try to prove that it is one of the better squads in the Midwest Region. The Otahkians will shoot for their second straight top-10 finish today when the NCAA Midwest Regional is held, with the University of Illinois serving as host...

Southeast women's basketball head coach Ed Arnzen has announced that Jenny Anderson has signed a national leter of intent to play for the Otahkians. The signing is the first for the Otahkians in the early signing period that opened this week. Anderson, a 6-0 guard/forward from Mt. ...

Eagle Ridge Christian School won its opener of the Ozark Christian Conference Volleyball Tournament Friday night but later suffered a loss in the double-elimination tournament. Eagle Ridge, the fourth seed, opened with a 15-8-15-13 victory over fifth-seeded Agape Christian School of Poplar Bluff. Amber Karnes had seven service points and Brandi Shreve added six for Eagle Ridge. Hannah Cordes turned in four digs in the winning cause...

CHARLESTON -- Larry C. Coleman, 49, of Charleston drowned Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999, in Upper Big Lake. He was born Feb. 12, 1950, in Charleston, son of Fred and Elsie Harris Coleman. He and Lucille Kent were married June 4, 1972. Coleman was a mechanic with Missouri Department of Transportation more than 28 years. He was a member of Opportunity Church of God in Christ...

DEXTER -- Betty Jo Jarrell, 71, of Dexter died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at the Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. She was born Aug. 7, 1928, in Quanah, Texas, the daughter of William and Velma Jewell Curlee Johnson. She married John Richard Jarrell at Fort Worth, Texas, on July 9, 1977. He survives...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Lurene Joyner, 92, of Cairo died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 14, 1906, in Crossville, daughter of Charles and Martha Calvin Upshaw. She married Louis Herbert Joyner, who died in 1942...

ALTO PASS, ILL. -- Sidney A. "Shady" Myers, 76, of Alto Pass died Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 1, 1923, at Thebes, the son of Clarence R. and Elizabeth Vanover Myers. He married Floetta Farmer on May 6, 1946, at Jonesboro. She survives...

CHARLESTON -- Henry W. Short, 73, of Charleston died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at his home. He was born Feb. 13, 1926, at Neelyville, son of Robert L. and Johnnie Lee Chamberlain Short. He and Nancy Elizabeth DeLine were married in November 1975. She died May 24, 1993...

LILBOURN -- Funeral for Joseph Daniel Norton will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. The Rev. Jerry Willer will officiate. Burial will be in Dogwood Cemetery. The infant died shortly after birth Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

ADVANCE -- Funeral for Elizabeth M. Neads of Advance was held Friday at Ronald Dickson Funeral Home in Cochranton, Pa. Burial was in Cochranton Cemetery. Announcement courtesy of Morgan Funeral Home. Neads, 81, died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, at Advance Nursing Center...

NEW MADRID -- Funeral for Janice Faye Burnes of New Madrid will be held at 10 a.m. today at Blanchard Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Scott Sutton will officiate. Burial will be in Matthews Cemetery at Matthews. Burnes, 40, died Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999, in an automobile accident near Portageville...

Lynn Stuart Schuerenberg, 32, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999, at his home. He was born Oct. 23, 1967, in Cape Girardeau, son of Fred H. and Kay Stuart Schuerenberg. He was a 1986 graduate of New Madrid County Central High School, and received a degree in business from Murray State University in 1990. He attended law school two years at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, and was a 1994 graduate of the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Ore...

DIEHLSTADT -- John William Carter, 67, of Diehlstadt died Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999, at East Prairie Nursing Center, following an extended illness. He was born Dec. 21, 1931, in Arkansas, son of Elzy F. and Ethel M. Kilgoe Carter. He and Emma Lou Wilson were married Oct. 3, 1960...

Wilma Marie Grimes, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Feb. 18, 1908, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Holman and Josie Sieler Scott. Grimes was a licensed practical nurse at St. Francis Medical Center 31 years. She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral and its Council of Catholic Women...

Two faculty members at Southeast Missouri State University have been asked to lead a study to determine the feasibility of a livestock slaughter and processing plant in Stoddard County for beef produced in Southeast Missouri. Dr. Cheryl Brown, Southeast assistant professor of agriculture, and Dr. Jack Sterrett, chairman of the department of marketing, will conduct the study...

The Richard Flentge Memorial Athletic Scholarship has been endowed through the Southeast Missouri University Foundation. The Richard Flentge family made a gift of $10,000 to the foundation to endow the scholarship. Cedric Webb, a Southeast Missouri State University freshman from East Prairie, was awarded the scholarship during pre-game ceremonies as part of Southeast Homecoming weekend in October. He received a $500 award for the 1999-2000 academic year...