Stories from Saturday, January 8, 2000

Heike Klein helps Romanian children who don't have anyone else to care for them. It is her mission, and the work is supported by churches around the world. Klein, 34, works with a children's clinic in Romania that houses infants and toddlers who have been abandoned or are severely handicapped or developmentally delayed...

CHARLESTON -- Former Missouri governor Warren Hearnes never expected to be a footnote in the history of Watergate. But he is there thanks to former President Richard Nixon's Watergate tapes. The Charleston Democrat was mentioned as a possible candidate for special prosecutor to investigate the Watergate scandal in 1973...

The medical-surgical wards at both Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center are nearly filled to capacity. On Friday, Southeast hospital's medical-surgical ward was 96 percent full, which meant only five of the unit's 127 beds were open, said Sharon Stinson, a director of nursing at Southeast. That is about 25 percent more patients than normal for this time of year...

I sent my pretend niece, Alecia, flowers for her birthday this week. As I stood in the florist shop wondering what to get her, I remembered when I thought only boyfriends and daddies were supposed to send flowers. Who knows where I got it: television or the movies, most likely...

Because Girl Scout cookies practically sell themselves, it doesn't take a high-pressure sales pitch to get orders. But the annual cookie sale still teaches youngsters lessons that can last a lifetime, troop leaders say. Girl Scouts will begin taking orders for cookies, which cost $3 a box, at 3 p.m. today, and will take orders until Jan. 24. Cookie orders will be delivered and booth sales will be held Feb. 23 through March 10...

Blanchard Elementary School upperclassmen are looking forward to Jan. 18, the day their school is scheduled to open. But some students said they have mixed feelings about their departure from May Greene Elementary School, where fifth- and sixth-graders have attended classes all year...

Need a job? Try Missouri Works Internet Jobsite. Looking for employees? Try Missouri Works. "We focus on providing services related to employment, training, job and work force development," said Dennis Reed, computer information technology supervisor for Missouri Department of Economic Development, which sponsors the Missouri Works Internet Jobsite. Employers and job seekers can the site...

Not long ago, when political discourse was a trifle more civil, liberals often subtly implied that conservatives were unconcerned about the plight of minorities. But with the Clinton/Gore era of racial politics in full bloom, it is open season on conservatives, including African American ones...

Kids count in Missouri. But how well are they faring? Each year a St. Louis-based advocacy group sizes up the state of children in Missouri. It's merely a statistical look, but it provides some interesting insight. It ranks such issues as infant mortality, child deaths, child abuse, high-school dropouts, births to teens and other relevant statistics...

Are you feeling crummy? You're not alone. Influenza and other respiratory illnesses have taken the country by storm, and Southeast Missouri has not been exempt. Local doctors' offices and hospitals have been overrun. Influenza symptoms differ from the common cold. They are more pronounced with fever of 104 degrees or higher, headaches, muscle aches, chills, cough and congestion. Influenza is a viral infection that affects the upper-respiratory system...

To the editor: On Dec. 1, Gary Rust's column included an excerpt, "Where did it all begin?" The author, Clarence Schultz, names not one factor, but a whole range of social and political influences which he feels are to blame for the moral degradation and unconscience-ing of our youth. ...

PERRYVILLE -- A Hillsboro man received 15 years in prison Friday for part of his actions in a three-county crime spree in 1998. One county court down, two more to go. The 15-year sentence was given to Michael Louis Marshall by Judge John Grimm for holding up the Pizza Haus restaurant in Fruitland with a shotgun, which he fired in the direction of two people before leaving. He was sentenced in Perry County on a change of venue from Cape Girardeau County...

BENTON -- U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson kicked off her annual "Congress in the Classroom" program Friday at Kelly Middle School. Emerson spoke to the seventh-grade class, explaining the work of Congress and answering questions. Each year, Emerson meets with students throughout the 8th Congressional District. This year, the Cape Girardeau Republican is looking at communicating with students through video conferencing and the Internet...

SIKESTON -- Because it serves children with many types of special needs, the Kenny Rogers Cerebral Palsy Center of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston has changed its name to the Kenny Rogers Children's Center. "Over the past 25 years, our center has not only grown in size, but in scope," said Chuck Martin, executive director of the center. ...

If Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team is to remain undefeated in Ohio Valley Conference play, then the Indians will have to knock off one of the league's most talented squads today. Southeast coach Gary Garner figures that most OVC teams will be hard pressed to match the physical skills of Austin Peay, which will be at the Show Me Center for a 3 p.m. tipoff...

If the Kelly Hawks had a time machine, they'd travel back to the 4:53 mark of the fourth quarter Friday night. At that moment, Kelly owned a 55-53 lead and looked poised to pull off an upset. But the Hawks self-destructed down the stretch and Notre Dame finished the game with a 14-0 run and pulled away with a closer-than-it-sounds 68-55 home victory...

One down, one to go as Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team aims to complete an Ohio Valley Conference home sweep. The Otahkians, fresh off a 59-46 win over Tennessee State Thursday night, will take on Austin Peay today in a 1 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center...

KENNET -- A poor start helped doom Cape Girardeau Central High's boys basketball team to its third straight loss Friday night as the Tigers fell to host Kennett 54-48. Central, now 4-8, fell behind 12-2 after one quarter and 25-14 at halftime. The Tigers pulled to within 37-35 late in the third quarter but could draw no closer as the 9-4 Indians won going away...

MORLEY -- Scott County Central High's boys basketball team pulled off the upset of the night around Southeast Missouri Friday when the host Braves stunned state-ranked Portageville 67-63. The Braves improved to 7-4 while the Bulldogs, ranked fifth in Class 2A, fell to 9-3...

Son to Shannon Richard and Holly Nicole McFarland of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 4:55 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, 1999. Name, Dylan Michael Patrick. Weight, 8 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. McFarland is the former Holly Perkins, daughter of Dick and Kathy Perkins of Jackson. McFarland is the son of the late Richard McFarland and the late Donna McFarland of Springfield. He is a shipping clerk at Lee-Rowan and a night manager at Country Mart in Jackson...

CHAFFEE -- Eloise E. Smith, 83, of Chaffee died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at All Saints Special Care Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Nov. 29, 1916, at Bonne Terre, daughter of John T. and Essie E. Frazier Ward. She and Carl C. Smith were married Oct. 11, 1937, in Corning, Ark. He died Feb. 12, 1999...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral for Wilma E. Dalton of Charleston will be held at 1 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Gerald Brown will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery. Dalton, 78, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at Bertrand Nursing Facility...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- John Cleve Dabbs, 77, of Jonesboro died Friday, Jan. 7, 2000, at Jonesboro Health Center. He was born May 13, 1922, in Hornwall, Tenn., son of John and Ethel Anderson Dabbs. He and Verna Lucille Eldridge were married in 1958. She preceded him in death...

ZALMA -- Landis Beal, 82, of Zalma died Friday, Jan. 7, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 27, 1917, at Zalma, son of Howard and Cora Day Beal. He and Katie Cato were married July 1, 1938, at Marble Hill. Beal was a timber worker 50 years...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral for Sue Johnston of East Prairie will be held at 11 a.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. Martin Lucas will officiate. Burial will be in Dogwood Cemetery. Johnston, 66, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

WARDELL -- Charles F. Maronay, 73, of Wardell, died Monday, Jan. 3, 2000, at Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas. He was born Feb. 21, 1926, in Holland, Mo., the son of Jessie and Amanda Bradshaw Maronay. He was married to Enela Graham on Sept. 12, 1948, in Blodgett...

SIKESTON -- Graveside service for James W. Payne of Sikeston was held Friday at Hagy Cemetery in Dexter. Pat Hogan officiated. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Payne, 58, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at his home. He was born March 12, 1941, in Essex, son of Webster and Syble Eaton Payne. He and Maria Ingolia were married Feb. 15, 1987, in Peoria, Ill...

ANNA, Ill. -- Mary McDuffee, 67, of Spanish Oaks Center in Anna, died Friday, Jan. 7, 2000, at City Care Center in Anna. She was born March 11, 1931, in Carbondale, daughter of Robert and Jessie Gee Meeks. Survivors are a grandson, Tom Thady of Springfield, Ill...

JACKSON -- Funeral for Daisy Ruth Stockman of Jackson will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at McCombs Funeral Chapel in Jackson. The Rev. Raymond Epps will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-6 p.m. today...

ANNA, Ill. -- Graveside service for Lula C. Lacey of Anna will be held at 11 a.m. today at Lightner Cemetery in Scott City, Mo. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate. There is no visitation. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Scott City is in charge of arrangements...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Willis "Doc" Briley, 87, of Karnak died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at Sunnyhill Care Center in Joliet. He was formerly of Metropolis. Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Madge Glass, 77, of Spanish Oaks Center in Anna died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born April 14, 1922, at Gas City, Ind., daughter of William and Martha Welch Glass. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Anna...

Billy Gene Hampton, 72, of Cape Girardeau died at 3:40 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 9, 1927, in Cape Girardeau, the son of Dennie and Alice Langston Hampton. He married Ella Dee Jones. He owned and operated Hampton Bakery in Cape Girardeau. He was a member of Centenary Methodist Church, Moolah Temple Excelsior Lodge 441 of Jackson, and was a 32nd degree Mason...