Stories from Saturday, March 4, 2000

Editor's note: This is part of a continuing series profiling people in the community and region. It has taken Dr. Charles P. McGinty nearly 75 years to find a comfortable place in the world of religious understanding. But it was a trip well worth the travels, he says...

A third infant-room opening Tuesday at Angels Aware child-care center will raise the number of babies the center is licensed to care for from eight to 12. But those spots were filled long before the room was finished. "Some of those parents paid in advance as much as three months ago to get a spot," said Sue Long, director of Angels Aware. She said a day rarely goes by that she doesn't get at least one call inquiring about openings at the center for children under 2...

An Evansville, Ind., construction company will build the main span of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at a cost of $53.7 million. The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission awarded the contract Friday to Traylor Brothers Construction. The commission met in Jefferson City...

The staff of Ralston Purina Co. Golden Products Division, 300 Airport Road, supports the YELL Foundation. From left: Bob Hency, Chris Walker, Diane Urhahn, Dave Colo, Marshia Eaton, Jennifer Singleton, Kevin Lasher, Suzi Lauder, Stephanie Cummings, Susan Palisch, Phil Brandt, Julie Phillips, Debbie Gainey, Debbie Schmittzehe, Glenda Schroeter, Valerie Rhodes, Regina Haertling, Kim Nesler, Pat Blattel, Linn Crocker, Chuck Daniel and Bruce Nelms...

A 36-year-old Steele man has been sentenced in U.S. District Court to more than 27 years in prison for distributing crack cocaine, the U.S. attorney's office said. Alonzo Jones was sentenced this week to 327 months in prison for two felony counts of distribution of cocaine base, said Paul Kahn, assistant U.S. attorney...

& Everybody has a junk drawer, but what happens when that area has been relegated to the front seat of your car? When I opened my first gift Christmas morning, I found my husband had bought me a car grooming kit. The kit didn't include a chamois or deodorizer or nice things like that...

Two years into the job, state auditor Claire McCaskill presented a brief "state of the office" message before the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee crowd at the Drury Lodge. The former Jackson County prosecutor described the changes she's made since taking office as state auditor...

Sunday at Kent Library, Dr. Susan Swartwhout will recite Walt Whitman's poem "I Sing the Body Electric" while two Southeast students perform avant-garde electronic music. Philosophy professor Dr. Hamner Hill will don a toga to read from Homer's "Iliad" -- in Greek. And farmer Lester Goodin will portray Mark Twain. Huck and Jim will be there, too...

Efforts are under way to pull together the large number of people, groups and organizations who want to recreate the program at the Easter Seals Child Development Center, which is set to close March 10. Easter Seals Missouri announced last week that it was closing the center. Since then parents and staff have lead an effort to carry on the inclusive child-care program that serves children with and without disabilities without Easter Seal affiliation...

BLOOMFIELD -- Super Tuesday might not be so super after all. At least not for Missouri and Stoddad County. As more hopefuls file for county government offices on this autumn's ballot, the attention of County Clerk Don White and his counterparts throughout the state is being focused on Tuesday's presidential primary vote...

SANDUSKY, Ill. -- A 28-year-old Jonesboro woman died Thursday night in a one-vehicle accident on Sandusky Road, a half mile east of Illinois Route 127 in Alexander County. Killed was Joy Marie Pulliam, the driver of the vehicle. Illinois State Police said the accident occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. when Pulliam apparently lost control of the vehicle...

A Southeast Missouri State University committee has narrowed the search for a provost from five finalists to three. The search committee recommended Dr. Jane Stephens, Dr. Stephen Bowen and Dr. W. Hubert Keen. A former Southeast history professor, Stephens is executive vice chancellor at the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg...

A new display of artwork designed to enhance the hospital environment will open Sunday March 5 at Southeast Missouri Hospital. A reception honoring the artists will be held 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday in the gallery area just outside the hospital's surgical waiting room on the first floor of the Harrison Annex...

A new national study warns about Missouri's future funding for higher education funding. The study suggests Missouri and 37 other states face possible crises for the next eight years. Currently, the state ranks a respectable 17th in support of publicly funded higher education...

DO YOU remember Desert Storm? We sent thousands of troops and spent millions of dollars. Do I remember that then-President Bush said something about the price of oil? Remember? THIS IS in response to the person who wrote in about the confusion over the SEMO Indians. The Show Me Center can't put the name Indians anywhere because it isn't politically correct anymore...

Get ready for excitement in Nashville tonight during the semi-finals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Southeast Missouri State University's Indians will take on sixth-ranked Middle Tennessee. Arch-rival Murray State will battle Eastern Illinois. The winners of these two matches will meet for the finals Sunday afternoon. No doubt the Indians and fans would like to avenge the Murray State loss in the final home game...

To the editor: A few months ago John Rocker of the Atlanta Braves made some ignorant statements that appeared in Sports Illustrated that were wrong. The fallout of those pearls of wisdom was a media frenzy to see if they could squeeze any more salacious ethnicity bashing junk out of this media darling and a public outrage, particularly in New York. ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For the men's basketball teams at Southeast Missouri State University and Middle Tennessee State, tonight will be something like deja vu. Last year, the Indians and Raiders met in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals after Southeast had beaten MTSU twice during the regular season...

BLOOMFIELD -- When it comes to Class 2A girls basketball in this part of the state, the Lady Bulldogs are the queens of the hill. Period. Notre Dame, the top seed and the eighth-ranked team in the state, knocked off second-seeded Kelly Friday night 62-64 to claim the Class 2A, District 2 title...

OXFORD, Miss. -- Mississippi scored four runs in the fourth inning as its snapped Southeast Missouri's eight-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory Friday evening. Ole Miss hurlers Jeff McAvoy and Goodwin combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed just five Indian hits...

BLOOMFIELD -- Chalk up another tournament championship for Scott City. Scott City (26-3) used a huge third quarter to pull away from third-seeded Woodland Friday night as the Rams advanced to sectional play with a 55-39 win over the third-seeded Cardinals...

Former major league reliever Tom Henke will be the guest speaker at the 20th annual Southeast Missouri Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame induction banquet, to be held March 11 at Sikeston High School. Henke was the closer for the 1992 world champion Toronto Blue Jays. He also pitched with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers on his way to 311 saves, seventh on the major league career saves list...

FREDERICKTOWN -- St. Vincent's bid for a sweep of the boys and girls titles in Class 1A, District 3 came up as a double disappointment Friday night as both the Indians and Squaws came up short against top-seeded teams. South Iron ended the St. Vincent boys' season with a 66-57 victory. Viburnum dealt the second-seeded St. Vincent girls a 57-28 setback...

PERRYVILLE -- Lilburn R. LeClere, 90, of Perryville died Thursday, March 2, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 1, 1910, at Minnith, son of Joseph and Grace I. Pirkey LeClere. LeClere had been a foreman at Lime Kiln in Ste. Genevieve. He was a member of Saline Baptist Church at Minnith...

Daughter to Willie Lee and Della Marie Douglas Jr. of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:49 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, 2000. Name, Leigha Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 2 ounces. Fifth child, third daughter. Mrs. Douglas is the former Della LaMont, daughter of Betty Fay Goodman and Richard Wayne Goodman of Cape Girardeau. Douglas is the son of Shirley E. Douglas and Willie L. Douglas Sr. of Mound City, Ill...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Constance Carolyn "Connie" Grear, 78, of Carbondale died Friday, March 3, 2000, at her home. She was formerly of Union County. Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro is in charge of arrangements.

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Daniel Kenneth Wilburn, 30, of Dongola was found dead Thursday, March 2, 2000, at his home. He was born June 19, 1969, in South Bend, Ind., son of Kenneth H. and Sandy Palm Wilburn. Wilburn was a graduate of Century High School in Ullin...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Joy Marie Pulliam, 28, of Jonesboro died Thursday, March 2, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Cobden is in charge of arrangements.

TAMMS, Ill. -- Mrs. Bobbie Lea Vick, 65, of Tamms died at 8:21 a.m. Friday, March 3, 2000, at her home. Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Larry Buckles officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery...