Stories from Friday, February 11, 2000

To the editor: There is another hoax/scam rippling through the Christian community. It's called Petition 2493, a petition that would limit the Christian content on radio and television. Many people of faith in this area are circulating this petition, and their concerns are rightfully justified...

Each year, when the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri issues its annual report, there is a certain sadness that comes from learning how many unwanted pets there are. This year, the statistics for 1999 at least showed some improvement, fueling hope that efforts to make animal owners more aware of their responsibility are really working...

News that Cape Girardeau officials are looking at developing a walking/biking trail along the Mississippi River comes as good news indeed. Riverfront Park on the river side of the city's floodwall offers some access to the mighty Mississippi River, but there is so much more than could be done to serve the needs of residents who love the river as well as catering to visitors who come to see a historic town...

WE ARE between 75 and 85. We have done without luxuries which we don't need. We have paid for our insurance all our lives. I see people all dressed up with jewelry on every finger, fancy hairdos, nice clothes, taking trips all the time. Griping for help from the government for their medicines so they can keep spending their money for pleasure. Some seniors have no pride. They can still buy their insurance and spend their money otherwise...

Often people think of a "heart attack" and cardiac arrest as being one and the same. A "heart attack" is often associated with an uncomfortable sense of pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest that may last several minutes or more. This pain may spread to the neck, arm and shoulders and may be associated with lightheadedness, shortness of breath, sweating and a generalized feeling of illness...

Chocolate: The sight alone is enough to make the heart race. Combine that with a teasing aroma and the tantalizingly sweet taste that lingers on the lips and you've got a real love affair going. The modern world's love affair with this sinfully wonderful confection dates to 1660 when Maria Theresa, daughter of the Spanish monarchy, married Louis XIV of France and took chocolate with her...

A 41-year-old welder has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving without a valid license for his involvement in a traffic accident Wednesday in Cape Girardeau County that killed a co-worker. John Allen Long was being held Thursday in the Cape Girardeau County Jail in Jackson. Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp set bond at $100,000...

ORIOLE -- There is no set protocol for watching your house burn. And although clearly distressed, Rich Porzelt tried to find comfort in levity Thursday. Standing a couple hundred of yards from the fire that consumed his home, Porzelt joked about forgetting to bring hot dogs and marshmallows...

Members of the Southeast Missouri Superintendents Association voiced concerns over establishment of charter schools during a meeting at Southeast Missouri State University Friday. Only about 20 area superintendents attended the meeting to hear state lawmakers and university officials express views on creation and regulation of charter schools. School administrators questioned whether the local university should actively award charters...

Representatives from 11 communities throughout Missouri will converge on Cape Girardeau next week to discuss the latest practices and techniques to revitalize downtown business districts. Main Street managers from Washington, Warrensburg, Seedily, Nevada, Mountain Grove, Lee's Summit, Joplin, Clinton, Clarksville, Carthage and Branson will hold a one-day session here Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m...

Daffodils don't have reliable calendars, so they do what comes naturally. Golfers do what a golfer's got to do. Period. Daffodils are a little deranged during sunny February days when the thermometer touches 70 degrees. So are men who own golf clubs and bass boats...

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center is encouraging food service workers and others to receive hepatitis A vaccinations next week at a special immunization clinic. Nurses will administer the hepatitis A and tetanus vaccines Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Osage Centre...

Is your child safety seat secured properly? Would you know how to check? Cape Girardeau Safe Communities program and the city fire department will offer a free child safety seat checkup Saturday. The checkup will be from 10 to noon at Fire Station No. 2 on Mount Auburn Road...

The Southeast Missouri State University Jazz Program will present "An Evening of Jazz" Tuesday at the River City Yacht Club at Port Cape Girardeau. The concert is a benefit for the Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival with featured artist and jazz trumpet legend Clark Terry planned for April 15...

Cape Girardeau lawyer and columnist David Limbaugh will speak at this year's Lincoln Day Dinner in Cape Girardeau. Limbaugh is the brother of radio talk-show commentator Rush Limbaugh. The dinner, hosted by the Cape Girardeau Republican Women's club, is slated for 6:30 p.m. March 11 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building...

"Gender Bending: Beyond Sex Roles and Stereotypes" is the theme for the spring Common Hour Program at Southeast Missouri State University. The theme focuses on the social construction of gender and how it affects the way we interact with each other today and throughout history...

Now, finally, Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team can start talking about Murray State. The Racers were a forbidden word all week as the Indians embarked on a three-game homestand. Southeast coach Gary Garner wanted his squad's sole focus placed on its first two opponents...

Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner gets so caught up in trying to direct his team to victories, he barely has paid attention to a major career milestone he was approaching. Thursday night's win over Tennessee-Martin was Garner's 300th triumph as a collegiate head coach. In his 17th season, Garner has an impressive record of 300-190 for a winning percentage of .612...

Cape Central landed the proverbial jab. Jackson countered. Cape Central countered that counter. Repeat that process about a dozen times and you can get a picture of the fourth quarter of the girls basketball game Thursday night at Tiger Field House...

Tory Meyr School: Jackson Sport: Basketball Coach: Steve Burk Week Report: Meyr scored a season-high 27 points against district foe Farmington to avenge a loss to the Knights earlier this season. The 5-foot-10 shooting guard also scored 19 points -- including a free throw with six seconds left -- against Charleston in a 62-61 victory. Charleston had also beaten Jackson earlier this season...

Mindy Hoffman School: Cape Central Sport: Basketball Coach: Darrick Smith Week Report: Hoffman, a 5-foot-9 guard/forward, had her best week of the season last week, leading the Lady Tigers to wins over Notre Dame and Rosati-Kain. Against Notre Dame (ranked fifth in Class 2A), Hoffman scored a career-high 20 points on seven of 12 shooting. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Two overtime sessions and a referee's broken leg were needed by Portageville to decide an 80-73 win over Notre Dame in boys' high school basketball action on Thursday night. Notre Dame held a comfortable eight-point lead with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter, when an official suffered a broken leg, causing a 20-minute delay, taking away Notre Dame's momentum...

It was a bit too little, too late for Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team Thursday night. The Otahkians, despite a valiant late rally, suffered their fourth straight loss as Tennessee-Martin posted a 74-64 victory at the Show Me Center...

ROCKVIEW -- Funeral for John Benton Long of Rockview will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee. The Rev. Nancy Woods will officiate. Burial will be in Pulliam Cemetery near Scopus. Friends may call at the chapel after 4 p.m. today...

JACKSON -- The Rev. David William Rice, 79, of Jackson died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2000, in Jackson. He was born Oct. 2, 1920, in Vevay, Ind., son of David Luther and Gladys Irene Casey Rice. Rice was a United Methodist minister, and member of a Masonic lodge. He was formerly of Portageville...

PERRYVILLE -- Edna Mae Stevens, 67, of Perryville died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2000, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born March 17, 1932, in St. Louis, daughter of Carless and Bessie Robinson Batey. She and Roy A. Glass were married Sept. 10, 1949. He died in June 1961. She then married Leonard Stevens June 10, 1968. He died March 16, 1975...

Daughter to David Griffin and Sonya George of Paragould, Ark., Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould, 3:23 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, 2000. Name, Destinee Rae. Weight, 5 pounds 11 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Ms. George is the daughter of Louise Allen and Jimmy George of Paragould. Griffin is the son of Doug and Bev Koehler of Jackson...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Elberta Culp, 85, of Arnold, formerly of East Prairie, died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2000, at Woodland Manor Nursing Center in Arnold. Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Stanley M. Jurrens, 76, of Saginaw, Mich., died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2000, in Saginaw. He was born Aug. 26, 1923, in Concordia, Mo., son of the Rev. George and Viola Schroder Jurrens. He and Pauline McDowell were married Nov. 21, 1945. Jurrens was formerly of Anna. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois, and served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II...

JACKSON -- Wilhelmina A. "Minnie" Bartels, 91, died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2000, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 1, 1908, at Tilsit, daughter of August F. and Bertha J. Sternberg Bartels. Survivors include a sister, Emma Bartels of Jackson; two nephews, Joe Vrbosky and wife, Becky, of Festus, Paul Vrbosky and wife, Beth, of Jackson; a niece, Betty Phillips of Jackson; three great-nieces, Andrea Vrbosky and Amy Vrbosky of Jackson, and Angela Phillips of Cape Girardeau...