Stories from Tuesday, March 21, 2000

The money-raising game in politics these days is a bizarre affair. Detractors of virtually every candidate can cite examples that cross every political dividing line. Both the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Missouri, John Ashcroft, and the likely Democratic candidate, Gov. Mel Carnahan, are benefiting from creative uses of so-called soft money that permits donors to skirt current contribution limits...

When older Americans get concerned by the health coverage provided by Medicare, they usually worry about what's covered and whether or not the national program is going to run out of funds. Many Medicare participants would like to see prescription benefits added to Medicare coverage, as would President Clinton. And the boom economy has eased a lot of worries about the demise of the Medicare program in a few years...

I READ Gary Rust's column about the things the Earth Liberation Front has done as far as destroying property and such in the name of environmentalists. And talking about Al Gore, I don't recall the Southeast Missourian running any of these catastrophes as headlines in the newspaper. ...

JACKSON -- There's a school within area schools for students who show signs of being gifted learners. Gifted education programs are on the rise throughout Missouri. The state-funded programs are for an elite group of learners only students who range in the top 5 percent of their class and meet intelligence quotient assessment standards are invited to participate...

The envelope please ... Sunday marks the 72nd annual Academy Awards the award show with the largest viewing audience. It's a night of surprises, glamour and sometimes goofiness. With Billy Crystal returning as host for a seventh year, anything's possible...

Lisa Coleman finds it exciting and humbling to be a teacher. "I enjoy teaching. This is something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl," said Coleman, who is in her second year of teaching. "It is also very humbling when I think about the awesome job I have of being responsible for the education and welfare of a whole classroom full of children."...

Delia was awakened by pale, gray light streaming through the curtains. The wind still whistled outside, and a cold draft came through the window. When she looked around, she remembered she was in Aunt Hetty's room, but Aunt Hetty wasn't there. It looked as if she had not come back to bed at all...

Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Talent says his "classroom trust fund" plan would provide $742,995 a year in added funding for the Cape Girardeau School District. Talent, who met with school officials Monday in the Cape Girardeau Central High School library, said his plan would provide increased state funding to "hold harmless" school districts like Cape Girardeau for the first time since adoption of the Outstanding Schools Act in 1993...

Aurangzeb Khan, who for two years was billed by himself and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as the world's tallest man at 8 feet, may not stretch the tape measure to a full 8 feet. But he is still tall. Khan was in Cape Girardeau Monday in advance of the Sterling & Reid Bros. 3-Ring Circus, which will be at the Show Me Center Wednesday for two performances...

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday moved a step closer to establishing a transit authority. The five-member transit authority board would help develop a coordinated, public transportation system for the county that would better use existing transportation services that already receive state and federal funding...

A piece of Americana will return to the streets of Cape Girardeau this year with the resurrection of the All-American Soap Box Derby. The Cape Girardeau Rotary Club voted Monday to hold a series of races of the hand-built, gravity-powered cars this year for youngsters ages 9 to 16...

It's amazing what a few nasty lawsuits have done for big business. We've developed a whole new corporate interest in instructing employees about avoiding sexual harassment, valuing diversity and working as a team. Talk about all you need to know you learned in kindergarten...

Robin White looks healthy now, but she lives with the knowledge her body is working against her. White has multiple sclerosis, a chronic, often disabling disease in which the body's immune system turns against the central nervous system, destroying the connections between the brain and the body...

Concern for the safety of 65 children at a Cape Girardeau day care prompted 45 parents, teachers and workers from Friends Forever Preschool to attend the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting Monday night. The council two weeks ago gave conditional approval of a liquor-by-the-drink license to Show Me's, a Florida-style restaurant and bar. The business is at Independence and Caruthers streets and shares a parking lot with the preschool off Independence...

After much discussion, two amendments and some confusion about parliamentary procedure, the Cape Girardeau City Council Monday night gave final approval to an ordinance that prohibits the sale or discharge of bottle rockets in the city. The ordinance takes effect in 10 days but grants a temporary forbearance for anyone who buys and shoots bottle rockets this season...

More than 1 million unintentional poisoning exposures among children under age 5 are reported to poison control centers each year. The vast majority of these poisonings are preventable with planning, precaution and diligence, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign...

JACKSON -- Drivers who cut across lots to avoid stop signs and stop lights will be liable for a ticket under an ordinance passed by the Jackson Board of Aldermen Monday night. The amendment to the City Code makes it a misdemeanor to cut across lots to avoid traffic signals. ...

JACKSON -- Although they expressed some strong opinions, the four Jackson School Board candidates largely agreed on issues Monday night at the 12th annual American Business Women's Association's candidate forum. Incumbent David Ludwig is being challenged by Mark Baker, Mack Illers and Brent Wills. Candidates responded to eight prepared questions -- asked by moderator Dave Courvoisier of KFVS-12 TV, then answered a handful of impromptu questions from the audience...

The Community Teachers Association is the most recent organization to support the Cape Girardeau School District's proposed $18 million bond issue that would finance construction of a new high school. CTA president Carol Brice read a statement of support for the measure during a Board of Education meeting Monday night...

Two people were injured Monday in separate accidents in Southeast Missouri. Nidrell Lyons, 18, of Charleston was taken to Perry County Hospital in Perryville after his vehicle overturned on I-55, a mile south of Route M, at 3:50 a.m. Monday. The Missouri Highway Patrol reported that Lyons apparently fell asleep at the wheel and drove off the right side of the roadway. His vehicle traveled down an embankment and struck a concrete culvert before overturning...

For the second straight year, former Cape Girardeau Central High standout swimmer Erin Vogt turned in an impressive performance during the NCAA Women's Championships. A sophomore at the University of Arizona, Vogt earned a pair of All-America honors and finished in the top 16 of two other events as she helped lead the Lady Wildcats to a second-place finish during the meet held over the weekend in Indianapolis...

Cape Central girls swim team picked up its first dual meet victory of the season Monday with a 111-75 victory over Oakville. The Lady Tigers had seven first-place finishes, including a state-qualifying time by it 200 freestyle relay team. The quartet of Jean Maguire, Katie Maginel, Casey Brennan and Mary Beth Owen combined for a 1:49.51...

Rachel Spinks of Scott City recently placed fourth in the state competition of the Knight of Columbus Free Throw Contest in Jefferson City. Spinks, a 14-year-old freshman on Scott City High School, won on both the local, district and regional levels to advance. She connected on 13 of 15 on the local level; 20 of 25 at the district competition; and 21 of 25 on the regional level in Sikeston. She sank 19 of her 25 attempts at the state competition...

PERKINS -- Thomas Jefferson Smith, 90, of St. Charles died Sunday, March 19, 2000, at his home. He was born Feb. 13, 1910, in Perkins, son of Bill and Odie Rhine Smith. He and Dorothy "Toots" Burlison were married April 27, 1935, at Benton. She died Aug. 15, 1989. He later married Jean Hanner in 1990. She died Oct. 9, 1998...

MORLEY -- Burnice Mayfield, 85, of Morley died Sunday, March 19, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 11, 1915, at Diehlstadt, daughter of James and Nettie Riley Smith. She and Crulus Mayfield were married May 25, 1935, at Morley...

CHARLESTON -- Billy Richard Edwards, 49, of Concord, N.C., died Saturday, March 18, 2000, at his home. He was born July 13, 1950, in Cairo, Ill., son of Billy A. and Mary Frances Williams Edwards. He was formerly of Charleston and Kansas City. He grew up in Charleston, where he was a member of Southside Baptist Church...

THEBES, Ill. -- Herschel Davis, 74, of Thebes died Sunday, March 19, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born May 19, 1925, in Success, Ark., son of Hardy and Maude Stainer Davis. He and Hazel M. Tucker were married March 19, 1945...

HAYTI -- Funeral for William L. Jones of Springfield was held March 15, 2000, at Greenlawn Funeral Home South. Norman Sewall and John Dougherty officiated. Burial was in McConnell Bledsoe Cemetery near Nixa. Announcement courtesy of Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee...

GIDEON -- Funeral for Ethel Lucille Boyet of Gideon will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Gideon. The Rev. Mike Cobaker will officiate, with burial in Stanfield Cemetery at Clarkton. Boyet, 79, died Saturday, March 18, 2000, at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro, Ark...

BENTON -- Funeral Mass for Francis L. "Smokey" Diebold of Wichita, Kan., was held March 13, 2000, at St. Francis of Assisi in Wichita. The Rev. Thomas McGread officiated. Burial was in Resurrection Cemetery in Wichita. DeVorss Flanagan-Hunt Mortuary in Wichita was in charge of arrangements...

ORAN -- Eugene H. Kluesner, 70, of Oran died Monday, March 20, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 25, 1929, in St. Joseph, Tenn., son of Joseph David and Anna Mae Reischman Kluesner. He and Evelyn M. Ostendorf were married Aug. 28, 1954...

Daughter to Mike Wayne and Becky Ann Ruehling of Old Appleton, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 4:21 a.m. Monday, Feb. 14, 2000. Name, Lexi Clymer. Weight, 9 pounds 2 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Ruehling is the former Becky McCormick, daughter of Larry and Penny McCormick of Jackson. Ruehling is the son of Vickie Ruehling of Old Appleton. He is employed at SEMO Tank and Supply in Perryville...

BLOOMFIELD -- Cassidi Lee Davis, 10, of Bloomfield died Sunday, March 19, 2000, at St. Louis Children's Hospital. She was born May 11, 1989, in Poplar Bluff, daughter of Terry and Connie Pullum Davis. She was a student at Bloomfield Elementary School and a member of 4-H Rodeo...