Stories from Friday, March 31, 2000

To the editor: I am an eighth-grade student at Jackson Junior High School and a member of the Student Council. Every day I go to school and sit in small, overcrowded classrooms that I feel make teaching a difficult task. During our lunch period, the cafeteria is so crowded that some students have to sit on the floor to eat...

Cynics, scholars, comedians, candidates, reporters, writers, philosophers and just about everyone else from Plato and Groucho has used humor at one time or another. Every wit, wag, pundit, punster, and one-liner champion has tried his hand at humor...

To the editor: I take issue with the popular misconception we Americans have of the French. My wife and I have traveled to Paris and find the people polite, friendly and helpful. The urban myth of the confused American tourist being treated rudely by the French is classic but not accurate. A view of us, on the other hand, by the French may be overweight, gun-loving hillbillies who whine about the price of gasoline and enjoy NASCAR and WWF wrestling...

Missouri, like most other states, has drastically changed its approach to its disabled residents, particularly the mentally handicapped, in just the past two or three decades. It was only 25 or 30 years ago that most mentally handicapped individuals were institutionalized in large, state-run centers. Now group homes have become the norm...

Given that Cape Girardeau County is thriving -- it's among the bright spots of Missouri -- some attention must be paid to the orderly expansion of residential, business and industrial development in areas that have a proud farming tradition. Both Cape Girardeau and Jackson continue to expand their city limits, and both communities have operated for a long time within the structure of planning and zoning. ...

To the editor: I am completing 12 years on the Jackson Board of Education and am not seeking re-election. I am writing this letter as a resident and taxpayer of the Jackson School District, and it is not intended to represent the views of other board members or the district...

To the editor: My Irish eyes are smiling, because Cape Girardeau has done it again. Thousands of area residents -- when they patronized their favorite convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants and other retail businesses -- brought the luck of the Irish to families affected by muscle-wasting diseases. By purchasing and signing the Shamrocks Against Dystrophy mobiles, they turned these high-traffic venues green with good fortune for St. Patrick's Day...

To the editor: Next Tuesday the voters of Cape Girardeau will determine whether the public schools can proceed with the second phase of a visionary, comprehensive plan to improve learning environments for all the district's children in grades K-12. In the three years since the first phase of that plan was approved by voters, our district has made remarkable progress. ...

To the editor: As a member of the Jackson community for the past 33 years and as president of the Jackson Board of Education, I would like to ask for your support for the upcoming bond and levy election. As a board member for the past 13 years, I have watched our community and school district grow and hold on to the proud traditions that have guided our district through the years. ...

To the editor: Joseph Pulitzer, founder of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, once wrote, "Always tell the truth, always take the humane and moral side, always remember that right feeling is the vital spark of strong writing and that publicity is the greatest moral factor and force in our public life."...

More than 16 million Americans have diabetes and half of them don't know it, according to national statistics. That's a problem because the longer diabetes goes undiagnosed, the greater the chance of serious complications, including blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and amputations, said Nancy Russell, office manager of the Diabetes Education and Management Center at St. Francis Medical Center...

The advisory board for Cape Girardeau's sheltered workshops has not heard complaints about conditions for its handicapped workers, past and present board members said. "We've just been able to help a whole lot of people here," said Robert Landgraf, chairman of the advisory board...

Inside the cover of her new CD are photos of Liesl Schoenberger with her kiddie fiddle beginning at age 3, an older Liesl performing in her trademark hat at Nashville's famous Ryman Auditorium in 1995 and last year's standing-room-only performance of a supremely difficult Tchiakovsky violin concerto at Old St. Vincent's Church. Like getting her driver's license in February, they are milestones in the life of the Cape Girardeau musical prodigy...

A while back, epicurean epistolist Tom Harte, who writes mouth-watering food columns for this very newspaper, elaborated on pralines. Maybe there are some other praline addicts out there, but I haven't met them yet. If we could get three or four of us together, we could start a self-help group. To my way of thinking, any help I can get finding the right praline is worth going to meetings...

It's official! West Park Mall is out, Westfield Shoppingtown West Park is in. A new sign, identifying Cape Girardeau's under-cover shopping center at Route K and Mount Auburn Road as The Westfield Shoppingtown West Park, was unveiled Thursday. The new sign outside the center's main entrance reflects a change of ownership that took place about five years ago...

Three local child care providers were among 115 providers in Missouri to receive state grants for early childhood development programs. Christian School for the Young Years, a privately owned day-care center that is run not-for-profit, received a $93,613 grant; day-care operator Marilyn L. McFerren received $23,080 in grant money; and Linda Hodges, who runs a licensed in-home day care, received a grant of $3,000...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education hired staff members and approved a building rental fee waiver during a special meeting Thursday. The special board meeting was held primarily to approve new contracts for teachers and support staff. Board members approved contracts to hire 11 teachers and four other staff members...

Area lawyers, usually seen in court, have been spending time on the court lately trying to win a basketball showdown they've lost five of the past six years. But they think tonight's seventh annual Doctor/Lawyer Basketball Showdown may be their chance to claim a large traveling trophy they haven't won since 1997, said Scott Lipke, assistant prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County and coach of the 14-player team of lawyers...

Great weather, great attitudes and great competition are expected Saturday when some 350 athletes compete in the Southeast Area Special Olympics Track and Field Meet. Opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics begin at 10 a.m. at the Central High School Track, 205 Caruthers. Athletes, aged 5 to 85, will represent some 19 counties from St. Francois County to the north to the Arkansas line to the south...

JACKSON -- Developers of a proposed golf course and residential community on Bloomfield Road say they also want to develop a 525-acre site near Cape Girardeau County roads 616 and 618, abutting the Southeast Missouri State University farm. But the developers told the Cape Girardeau County Commission Thursday that the land won't be developed until the state constructs an East Main Street interchange at Interstate 55...

DELTA -- It took only seconds for a simulated methamphetamine lab to become a raging inferno Thursday. That suited fire training instructor John Sachen just fine, who spent hours preparing the 7-foot by 8-foot wooden structure to be burned. The mock lab included a blue-jeaned dummy standing near a makeshift counter...

Term limits will force 46 state lawmakers out of office in Missouri this year. "And, if you think you're seeing a lot of candidates in elections this year, wait until 2002," said Brad Jones, Missouri director of the National Federation of Independent Business...

SIKESTON -- A man is in custody after allegedly shooting a video store clerk during a robbery Tuesday night. Marvin Lott of Sikeston is being charged with armed robbery, armed criminal action and assault in the first degree in connection with an incident at TNT Video on Main Street. He is being held on $750,000 bond and has been transported to Mississippi County...

Cape Girardeau police are giving area residents a chance to find out how they work beginning on Tuesday. The Citizens' Police Academy consists of an eight-week curriculum held every Tuesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the police station. The academy is designed to familiarize citizens with the daily activities of the department and enhance cooperation between police and the community...

DELTA -- Ward 2 Alderman Daniel Baggett faces an election challenge from James "Ronnie" Howell in Tuesday's municipal election. It is the only contested race for municipal office in Delta. Mayor Gary Anderson, City Collector Kay Keesee and Ward 1 Alderman Donna McClard are running unopposed...

Notre Dame didn't play like the top-ranked team in Class 2A on Tuesday. In fact, it didn't even play like the top-ranked team in the SEMO Conference. Notre Dame played its worst game of the season and Sikeston, which was picked by the SEMO Conference coaches to finish second in the league, stuck ND with a 13-6 loss at Notre Dame in a battle of Bulldogs...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Cape Central's girls track team continued its dominance Thursday, winning the Carbondale quad meet by 68 points. Central's girls took first with 129 points, followed by Carbondale with 61, Carterville with 39 and Herrin with 29. On the boys' side, Central (82 points) took second place behind Carbondale (115)...

Todd Friend School: Notre Dame Sport: Baseball Coach: Jeff Graviett Week Report: Friend wasn't so friendly against opposing pitchers last week. The junior right fielder went 4-for-8 in two games with three runs batted in, two stolen bases and five runs scored. ...

Dionna Webb School: Cape Central Sport: Track Coach: Lawrence Brookins Weekly Report: Webb -- who won the state championship in the long jump last season and was an all-stater in the 100 and 200 -- picked right up where she left off with brilliant performances in her first two meets of the season last week. ...

BERNIE -- Carmen Gayle "C.G." Boyle, 60, of Bernie died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at his home. He was born Dec. 20, 1939, at Kewanee, son of Gordon and Eva Geneva Hunsperger Boyle. Boyle was a farmer and was retired from the National Guard at Bernie. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War...

Cecil D. Shearer, 90, of Chesterfield died Thursday, March 30, 2000, at Brooking Park Nursing Home in Chesterfield. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

DEXTER -- Alma Hillis, 80, of Dexter died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born March 30, 1919, in Center Ridge, Ark., daughter of Thomas Leslie and Oma Ethel Lewis Hillis. Hillis moved to Missouri in 1937 from Arkansas, and to Dexter in 1945. She was a seamstress at Elder Manufacturing Co. 39 years. She was a member of the Church of Christ...

DEXTER -- Herschel Elles, 63, of Dexter died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at the home of a daughter. He was born May 12, 1936, in Salem, son of Harvey Lee and Virgie Mowery Elles. He had lived in the Dexter area most of his life and was a retired farmer...

ANNA, Ill. -- Howard Leon "Tom" Girtman, 68, of Anna and formerly of Cobden, died Thursday, March 30, 2000, at the Veterans Hospital in Marion. He was born April 5, 1931, in Alto Pass, the son of Coy and Dorothy Mae Little Girtman. He married Marion Peacock Nov. 8, 1952, in Cobden. She died Oct. 27, 1990...

SIKESTON -- Memorial service for Lee Austin Bowman Sr. of Sikeston will be held at 5 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church. Dr. Jim Davis and the Rev. Sandy Schaller will officiate. Friends may call at the church from 3:30 p.m. until service time...

MARBLE HILL -- Martha M. Thele, 83, Marble Hill Route 2, died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 19, 1917, at Leopold, daughter of Ben and Elizabeth Wubker Broshuis. She and Edward Henry Thele were married Sept. 8, 1943, at Leopold...

CHARLESTON -- Robert Henry Kent, 75, of Charleston died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at Charleston Manor. He was born Dec. 11, 1924, in Walls, Miss., son of Julius and Flora Brown Kent. He married Emma Banks. Survivors include his wife; eight sons, Robert Kent Jr. and Julius Kent of Michigan City, Ind., John Kent of Oceanside, Calif., James Kent of Cape Girardeau, Anthony and Thomas Kent of Blytheville, Ark., Wilbert McCain of Charleston, Donald Ingram of Ft. Wayne, Ind...

BERNIE -- Pauline Duncan, 69, of St. Peters died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at her home. She was born Feb. 25, 1931, at Steele, daughter of William E. and Ethel Lester Chism. She and Raymond L. Duncan were married Feb. 15, 1947, in Paragould, Ark. Duncan was a member of First Baptist Church of Harvester at St. Peters...

Daughter to Craig Scott and Stacy Darlene Carnell of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:59 a.m. Thursday, March 23, 2000. Name, Allison Leanne. Weight, 7 pounds 13 ounces. First child. Mrs. Carnell is the former Stacy Eakins, daughter of Doyle and Wanda Eakins of Whitewater. She is a deputy clerk at the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau. Carnell is the son of Clarence and Evelyn Carnell of Dutchtown. He is a mechanic at Carnell's Garage and Wrecker Service...

SIKESTON -- Robert Lee "Crow" Griffin, 66, of Sikeston died Tuesday, March 28, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born April 29, 1933, in Sikeston, son of John and Vastie Young Griffin. Griffin retired from Bunny Bread in 1984. Survivors include two daughters, Anna King and Melinda Griffin of Sikeston; his mother of Sikeston; a brother, Johnny Griffin of Detroit, Mich.; a sister, Annie Jimmerson of Sikeston; and seven grandchildren...

Ruth A. Rainey, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, March 29, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born April 23, 1928, at Zadock, daughter of Freeman and Mary Rampley Strobel. She and Hubert D. Rainey were married Sept. 21, 1945, in Piggott, Ark. He died Dec. 1, 1983...

Elmo H. Maevers, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, March 30, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.