Stories from Tuesday, February 1, 2000

A good teacher realizes there are sides of her students' personalities she may never see because they only interact in classrooms, but teachers also work with students as club sponsors, and sometimes, that's when the real learning begins. Being a sponsor for an extracurricular club is similar to distance learning, said Central High School math teacher Karen Atwood. ...

Andrew Robert Ostrenga, Benjamin Cameron Chisman and Errin Mackenzie Schermann, all of Cape Girardeau, and Rebecca Ann Messmer of Benton were named to the University of Mississippi Chancellor's Honor Roll for the fall 1999 semester. Stanley Michael Clark of Cape Girardeau was named the Dean's Honor Roll...

We all know sex sells. But how about death? In what has to be one of the most twisted advertising campaigns in recent history, clothing giant Benetton has picked three death row inmates as their new poster children. One of Benetton's new fashion models is Jerome Mallet of St. Louis, who killed Highway Patrol Trooper James Froemsdorf in cold blood 15 years ago...

For Sue Rees, variety truly is the spice of life. Rees, a teacher at Nell Holcomb School District, demonstrates her love for variety in the style and students she teaches. Even the way in which she became a teacher is different from her coworkers. "I volunteered as a Project Charlie coordinator and enjoyed that experience so much I enrolled in college to pursue a teaching career," she said. "I completed my bachelor's degree, as a single mom, in three years."...

Even though they are only about half true, schools still want "Drug Free, Gun Free" signs posted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Price got a request a few months ago from a school, so he pulled up a sign near old Notre Dame High School at Ritter Drive and Caruthers Street. Price is keeping it at home until he decides with the school on the best place to put it...

MARBLE HILL -- Bollinger County government used to find it hard to make ends meet. Bit these days the county government is on solid financial ground. The Bollinger County Commission has approved a budget of more than $2 million for this calendar year. The general-revenue budget alone totals more than $1 million for the first time, commissioners said Monday...

Otto Davis' parents put off buying a present until four days after their son's 13th birthday in hopes the family's favorite football team would do well in Super Bowl XXXIV. The St. Louis Rams came through with a win Sunday night in Atlanta, so Tim and Stephanie Davis were at the Cape Girardeau JCPenny store Monday afternoon looking through the Super Bowl Champion Rams T-shirts...

Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top, two of the most successful bands in rock 'n' roll history, will co-headline March 3 at the Show Me Center. Lynyrd Skynrd is best known for the rock classics "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "What's Your Name?" and "Gimme Three Steps."...

A vehicle accident Monday at the corner of Spanish and Morgan Oak knocked a power pole askew, snapping a power line. The accident occurred at 5:50 p.m. and was caused by a driver cutting the corner too close, Cape Girardeau police said. Only the power to the street light was affected. Traffic was reduced to one lane until the damage was repaired...

A man was attacked and robbed by three other people, one wielding a knife, on Sunday, Cape Girardeau police said. The man told police he was walking east in the 400 block of Good Hope Street at 10:40 p.m. when he was approached by three people who had been standing in the street. The person who had been standing closest to the sidewalk on the left demanded money. When the man refused, the assailant pulled a knife from his coat sleeve...

Circuit Judge John Grimm plans to seek re-election to a second, six-year term. Grimm, a Cape Girardeau Democrat, announced his candidacy Monday. He has served as a circuit judge in the 32nd Judicial District since he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Judge A.J. Seier in 1993...

A 22-year-old woman who had advertised house cleaning services reported being raped by a potential client, Cape Girardeau police said. The woman had placed a free advertisement offering to clean homes and apartments at a retail store, Cpl. Kevin Orr said. A man answered her ad, and called her at her residence to arrange for her to look at his apartment...

SEVERAL WEEKS ago I placed an articulate and well-written plea to area readers for any information about how to acquire a venomous snake license. I got a reply from someone who said I should be in a padded cell or a psychiatric program. Obviously this fine citizen was raised by some backwoods rednecks who just love to kill snakes or was taught by his parents that all snakes are scary and dangerous, which anyone with a brain can tell you is just not the case. ...

This is the year of the U.S. census. Taking a head count across the land is required by the Constitution. There are many reasons for a census, but if you listen to the publicity being generated for this year's count, you would think it's all about greed...

To listen to some environmentalists, the forests of southern Missouri are in danger of being stripped bare in order to keep chip mills running. Now a secret report -- made public by the Columbia Daily Tribune -- has set back efforts of the governor's advisory committee to come up with recommendations about chip-mill operations...

Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner has preached defense throughout his career, and he points to that aspect of the game as one of the primary reasons for the Indians' fantastic record so far. The Indians sport the Ohio Valley Conference's top-rated defense, which has been a big key to Southeast's 16-3 overall record and 9-1 OVC mark that has the Tribe in first place in the 10-team league...

Cape Girardeau Central High's girls basketball team was looking sluggish late in the third quarter Monday night when Lady Tigers' coach Darrick Smith decided to try something. Smith looked down at his bench and motioned for five new players to enter the contest against visiting Doniphan...

DELTA -- Fangie Edward Jones Jr., 73, of Chandler, Ariz., died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at St. Luke's Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz. He was born Feb. 26, 1926, son of Fangie E. and Nellie Ann Jones of Delta. He and Bonnie V. Halbert of Chaffee were married Nov. 10, 1946...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Funeral for Ann M. Holt of Poplar Bluff was held Monday at Fitch-Hillis Funeral Home. The Rev. Michael McDevitt officiated. Burial was in Memorial Gardens at Kennett. Holt, 26, died Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 12, 1973, in Kennett, daughter of Melvin and Linda Holt...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Funeral for Mae Cerney of Jonesboro will be held at 3 p.m. today at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home. Burial will be in Ebenezer Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 1 p.m. until service time. Cerney, 90, died Monday, Jan. 31, 2000, at Jonesboro Healthcare Center...

ALTENBURG -- Lorene Zoellner, 80, of Altenburg, died Monday, Jan. 31, 2000, at her home. She was born Jan. 5, 1920, at Altenburg, daughter of Adolph and Emilie Fiedler Petzoldt. She and Albert E. Zoellner were married Oct. 25, 1941, at Altenburg. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and its choir...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Lucetta Bostian, 86, of Cobden died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at Friendship Manor Nursing Home in Nashville, Ill. She was born Nov. 23, 1913, in DuBois, daughter of Elmer and Nina Griffith Biggs. She and Eugene Bostian were married Aug. 8, 1934, in Du Quoin. He died Nov. 29, 1988...

SIKESTON -- Mayme Jean Poage, 85, of Plant City, Fla., died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2000, at her home. She was born Nov. 29, 1914, in Sikeston, daughter of James Gay and Madeline Russell Wilbur Harvey. She married Elmer B. Poage, who died Nov. 28, 1981. Poage had been a member and organist at First Presbyterian Church. She received awards for civic work from the Chamber of Commerce and USO...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Thomas Freddie Hodges, 82, of Bensenville and formerly of Cobden, died Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in Elmhurst. He was born April 18, 1917, in Cobden, son of James A. and Anna Mary Blessing Hodges. He and Mary E. Nipper were married June 14, 1975, in Chicago...

ANNA, Ill. -- Gertrude A. Swink, 82, of Anna, died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at Jonesboro Health Care Center. She was born on March 12, 1917, daughter of Francis and Cora Westbrook. She married Boyd E. Swink on March 14, 1936. He died Dec. 17, 1988. She was a member of Anna Heights Baptist Church...

LITHIUM -- Brenda Kaye Jenkins, 44, of Lithium died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at her home. She was born Sept. 11, 1955, at Menfro, daughter of Herbert A. and Viola E. Stelling Schilling. She and David D. Jenkins were married July 1, 1989. Jenkins was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville...

PARMA -- Marie Campbell, 74, of Sullivan died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at Beverly Health Care Center in Sullivan. She was born Aug. 15, 1925, at Parma, daughter of Elmer B. and Almer A. Adams Hull. She and William E. Campbell were married Nov. 7, 1947. He died July 4, 1982...

BERTRAND -- Funeral for Patricia Diane Dugan of Bertrand will be held at 1 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Thomas Godwin will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until service time...

Grand Chain, Ill. -- Funeral for Ernest Delbert Mayer will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Olmsted. The Revs. Carl Miller and Jim Rivett will officiate. Burial will be in Concord Cemetery at Olmsted. Graveside military rites will be conducted by Mounds VFW Post 8891...

BONNE TERRE -- Funeral for Doris M. Berghold of Bonne Terre will be held at 1 p.m. today at C.Z. Boyer and Son Funeral Home. The Rev. Ron Poole will officiate, with burial in St. Francois Memorial Park. Berghold, 84, died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at St. Joe Manor in Bonne Terre...

SIKESTON -- Melvin Lee Poley Sr., 68, of Sikeston died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, at his home. He was born Jan. 9, 1932, at Parma, son of Robert Williams and Jeanette Burns Poley. He married Mildred Poley, who preceded him in death. He later married Dorothy Hubbard...

Tasha Dubbs, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Jan. 31, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Sept. 30, 1931, in Ann Arbor, Mich., daughter of Angelos and Angeline Marini Douvitsas. She and William Lee Dubbs were married Aug. 10,1957, in Angola, Ind. He died Aug. 14, 1997...

Houston L. Clark, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Jan. 25, 2000, in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 24, 1927, at Van Buren, the son of William and Emma Myers Clark. He had lived in Cape Girardeau for the past 30 years. He was a self-employed truck driver and a member of the Assembly of God Church...