Stories from Tuesday, May 9, 2000

To the editor: Behind one of the best economies in our country's history, there still lurks the specter of poverty. Poverty affects all of us, indirectly or directly, and has an important impact on our community and our nation. In these generally prosperous times, much has been made of the successes of welfare reform in getting people into jobs and off the welfare rolls. ...

THE STORY SO FAR: The war is getting closer. Several British sailors, the victims of German submarines, have been buried on the island. Delia fears for her father and for all the islanders and their loved ones at war. The school year ended and June arrived. The days grew hot. Delia spent more time outdoors, fishing and wading and going barefoot like a native islander Freckles sprouted on her face and her feet grew tough, and she felt stronger inside and out...

My oldest daughter is becoming a bookworm. In fact, her friend called her one the other day when she wanted Becca to come out and play. She just smiled and kept her nose deep in her newest find: Junie B. Jones, a precocious kindergartner who has a big mouth and knack for landing in trouble...

A self-contained Tick Tack Toe block was one of the shop projects students made at R. O. Hawkins Junior High School. JACKSON -- Industrial technology teacher David Willer uses the same table saw, jointer and drill press to teach students at R.O. Hawkins Junior High he used in the school as a student more than 20 years ago...

LEOPOLD -- Leopold High School teacher Teresa Cooper likes the combination of education and family values. Whether she's encouraging her students to record their personal family history or following her own children at various educational events, Cooper said families should be high priorities...

DAVID LIMBAUGH'S columns are right on the money. Clinton's excuse-making Democrats can't accept the truth, especially on the character of this adulterer, liar and pervert we have in the White House. When will these Clinton groupies stop lying to themselves? Maybe their morals are as low as his. Keep up the good work, David. The truth hurts some...

Why is it, when we see a deal too good to be true, that we are so often inclined to seize the moment and examine our scruples later? American consumers are infatuated with the labels in their clothing. The better the label, the more we are willing to pay. Some clothing manufacturers even put the label on the outside to make sure everyone knows how label-conscious we are. Once upon a time, our mothers or our spouses would have chided us for putting on our clothes wrong-side-out...

It's hard to come up with good reasons to raise taxes, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has done its darndest. The CDC released a report recently that says there is a relationship between cheap beer and sexually transmitted diseases. Here's what the study found:...

To the editor: Recently, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri was hosted for Arts for All: Arts for Differently Abled Persons at Southeast Missouri State University's newly acquired seminary grounds. Miscommunication and scheduling conflicts beyond anyone's control caused last-minute reorganization of the day's events. ...

Flash flooding that destroyed property and swept away homes in Franklin and Jefferson counties over the weekend could again be a problem for Cape Girardeau if the city doesn't better manage its flood plain, city planners said. Over the years the city has worked to eliminate flood damage, but changes are needed in the flood-plain management ordinance to eliminate future problems, they said...

JACKSON -- A head-on collision seriously injured two men early Monday, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. Two helicopters from Southeast Missouri Hospital responded to the accident about two miles outside Jackson on Highway 34. The men, 26-year-old Michael Borgfield of Patton and 58-year-old Larry Aufdenberg of Burfordville, were transported in separate helicopters, a spokeswoman for the hospital said...

A cloud of steam poured out of the 76-foot-high stack at the Missouri Electric Works Superfund site Monday as an environmental contractor moved ahead with the task of cleaning 30,000 tons of PCB-contaminated soil. The soil treatment work should be completed within six weeks, said Sheila Hockel, who works for Sverdrup Corp. and handles contract management at the site...

A woman was found dead in a house that caught fire at 175 Paiute Lane off Route W north of Cape Girardeau Monday, and the Bollinger-Cape Girardeau County Major Case Squad was activated to investigate. Teen-ager Joshua Wolf, who lived at the house, escaped the fire. He was treated at an area hospital for smoke inhalation and released...

The seven-hour drive between Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale allows a driver plenty of time to think. Most of it is on Florida's Turnpike -- not the Florida Turnpike, as any normal state would name its major thoroughfare -- which doesn't distract motorists with anything unnecessary, like scenery. The only attractions to break the monotony are eight service plazas, two orange groves and an unusually odiferous cow pasture...

The following names were inadvertently left off the listing of honor rolls in Monday's Southeast Missourian: Cape Christian School: Jacob McConnell, Collin Summers. St. Paul Lutheran School: Bryan Sladek, Amanda Whaley. Jackson Middle School: Samantha Woods...

A number of area residents were injured in a spate of accidents that occurred Sunday and Monday in the region. One of the most serious accidents involved a 13-year-old Cahokia, Ill., boy who was driving a Moped that ran a stop sign and into the path of another vehicle near Sedgewickville...

JEFFERSON CITY -- After an hour of debate, legislation to provide upfront money for state highway projects failed to make any headway in the Missouri Senate Monday. However, the discussion raised a new concern about the proposal. The bill calls for the Missouri Department of Transportation to sell $2.25 billion in bonds over six years to accelerate construction or repair of some state roads and bridges. ...

The Certified Capital Company could be renewed during this session of the General Assembly. CAPCO, an economic development initiative aimed at creating jobs and promoting entrepreneurial activity in Missouri, could be revitalized by a couple of bills in this legislative session...

Brian Obermann couldn't remember the last time he'd had such strong control. "I seem to walk a few people every game," said Obermann with a laugh. But there were no free passes from Obermann Monday afternoon as the Notre Dame High pitcher tossed an absolute gem in leading the red-hot Bulldogs to an impressive 7-0 win over visiting Clearwater...

Southeast Missouri State University's softball squad is the No. 3 seed for the six-team Ohio Valley Conference Tournament that begins Thursday in Murfreesboro, Tenn. A late-season push by Middle Tennessee propelled the Lady Raiders to the OVC regular-season championship and earned them the right to host the league tournament...

Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner has added some serious size for next season's team. Garner announced Monday that Terry Rogers, a 6-foot-10, 265-pound center from Mineral Area Community College in Park Hills, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Southeast in the fall...

JACKSON -- Notre Dame High's Bulldogs secured their third trip as a team to the Missouri Class 2A Golf Championships with a runner-up finish in Monday's District 1 Tournament at Bent Creek Golf Course. Notre Dame, powered by a second-place finish by sophomore Tim Buerck in individual play, finished with a 351 total, two strokes behind district champion Caruthersville (349)...

ESSEX -- Clarence Swinger, 72, of Essex died Monday, May 8, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Sept. 28, 1927, at Frisco, son of Herschel and Gladys Snider Swinger. He and Leatrice Joy Fox were married Aug. 3, 1985, at Castor River Church...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Mildred Grace, 89, of Villa Ridge died Monday, May 8, 2000, at her home. She was born Oct. 23, 1910, in Elco, Ill., daughter of Fred and Cordelia Oller Heater. She and Raymond Grace were married Dec. 7, 1929. He died Feb. 21, 1985...

PUXICO -- Millie Quick, 68, of Puxico died Sunday, May 7, 2000, at Puxico Nursing Center. He was born Jan. 29, 1932, at Bloomfield, son of Merly and Cleo Wilson Quick. He and Luetta Lizenbee were married July 5, 1958, at Bloomfield. She died Oct. 25, 1999...

Ruth Burns Nathaniel, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 7, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Oct. 4, 1915, at Glen Allen, daughter of Marvin and Clara Lincoln Burns. She first married Harold Pettibone, who preceded her in death. She later married Dr. Del Nathaniel, who also preceded her in death...

Daughter to Jeff and Stacy Enderle of Town and Country, Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis, Saturday, April 8, 2000. Name, Victoria Lauren. Weight, 9 pounds 10 ounces. Mrs. Enderle is the daughter of Bill and Emilie Duckworth of Sullivan. Enderle is the son of Theon and Carol Enderle of Cape Girardeau...

CHARLESTON -- Marie Jewel Rapert, 70, of Charleston died Monday, May 8, 2000, at Bertrand Retirement Facility. She was born May 30, 1929, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of the Rev. W.S. and Cleo Williams Bailey. She and Aaron E. Rapert were married Dec. 11, 1947...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Lela E. Hayes George, 87, of Mound City died Monday, May 8, 2000, at Massac Memorial Hospital in Metropolis. She was born Aug. 7, 1912, in Grand Chain, daughter of John and Lura Hall Hayes. She married Chellis George. He preceded her in death in 1987...

DEXTER -- Funeral for Wilford "Bill" Cureton of Dexter will be held at 11 a.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston. The Rev. Ted Stone will officiate, with burial in Gravel Hill Cemetery near Bloomfield. Cureton, 47, died Friday, May 5, 2000, at his home...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Talmadge "Dude" Little, 75, of Karnak died Monday, May 8, 2000, at his sister's home in Karnak. Arrangements are incomplete at Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak.

MORLEY -- Graveside service for Drake Isiaih Phillips will be held at 2 p.m. today at New Morley Cemetery in Morley. The Rev. Don Russell will officiate. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee from 12:30-1:30 p.m. The infant, two weeks, died Sunday, May 7, 2000, at his home...

Funeral for the Rev. Clay Brooks of Fairdealing will be held at 1 p.m. today at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The Rev. J.L. Campbell will officiate. Burial will be in Doniphan Cemetery. Brooks, 76, died Saturday, May 6, 2000, at his home. He was born Feb. 21, 1924, in Linden, Tenn. He and Ruby Felts were married June 21, 1943, in Mississippi...

WHITEWATER -- Funeral for Owen R. Fletcher of Olive Branch, Miss., will be held at 2 p.m. today at Brantley Funeral Home in Olive Branch. Burial will be in Blocker Cemetery at Olive Branch. Fletcher, 65, died Friday, May 5, 2000, at Baptist Hospital East...