Stories from Tuesday, May 23, 2000

ORAN -- Seventeen years after becoming a teacher, Ruth Jones still enjoys her job. Jones, who teaches sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Guardian Angel School, became an educator to share a life-long love of learning. "It's a love of learning that I hope my students take away from my classroom," she said. "Getting to know my students and recognizing their special talents is always the most enjoyable part of my school year."...

THE STORY SO FAR: When they see another explosion at sea, Delia and Grandpa set out to save a man from the flaming water of a shipwreck -- a man who turns out to be Billy Haskell. But when Grandpa suddenly has flashbacks about the terrible "Mirlo" disaster, Delia fears he will leap into the ocean to help the men he imagines he sees. She tries to stop him, but loses her balance and falls into the water herself...

Teri Jones, fourth-grade teacher at Clippard Elementary School, assisted student Ashley Banks at the computer. Students place a red cup atop the computer when they need some help. Writing on boards in the classrooms with fingers and playing computer games during school has become a trend in Cape Girardeau elementaries this year, and teachers and administrators are encouraging it...

Are we there yet? Those four little words, which become a mantra for children, are the bane of vacationing families across America. As a parent who's readying for a roadtrip to Chicago this summer, I find the prospect of vacation offers a mix of anticipation and fear...

About one in three U.S. companies plans to hire more workers the third quarter of the year as a tight labor market continues to keep employment prospects good, says a survey of nearly 16,000 companies. The quarterly survey released Monday by the temporary employment company, Manpower Inc., showed that 35 percent of employers surveyed expect to hire more workers in the third quarter, while 5 percent say they will cut staff and 55 percent expect no change. The remaining 5 percent were uncertain...

Angela McFerren no longer pulls into the first service station she comes to when her fuel gauge moves toward empty. She can't afford to. With gas prices once again inching toward the $1.40 mark, the Cape Girardeau Central High School student said she watches gas prices around town and goes to where the price is lowest, which is something new for her...

Local cable subscribers soon will have more channels to watch. Charter Communications Inc. is adding 14 channels to its expanded basic cable service. The cable company plans to add the channels to its local system, one distribution area at a time. The channels are slated to be added in June and July in Cape Girardeau and in August and September in Jackson...

Without hearts brimming with compassion and the qualities of open-mindedness, empathy and altruism, the Salvation Army couldn't fulfill its mission, said Missouri Supreme Court Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. Limbaugh spoke Monday night at the Salvation Army's Annual Civic Dinner, which recognized volunteers and civic groups that support the army. About 75 people attended the event that also included performances by the Cape Timbrel Brigade and an annual Salvation Army report...

South Floridians spend more time, money and effort on their appearance than any other population on earth. It's a pet theory of mine, one that can't be proven with hard facts but is based on keen observation. First of all, there are those radio ads for cosmetic surgery. The newest one features a man yapping about how he loved his wife in her natural state, but when she became obsessed with her small breasts, he generously helped her pick out a cosmetic surgeon...

An Oak Ridge man was killed and three people injured in an accident Monday in Perry County. Kenneth Emmerson, 28, was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and crossed into the path of a car driven by Lisa Hemman of Altenburg, according to reports from the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

Louis J. Schultz School Principal Rob Huff has been hired as the business manager for Cape Girardeau schools. Superintendent Dan Steska said the school board approved a one-year contract, with a salary of $64,000 plus benefits during a closed session meeting last week. Huff will begin his new position July 1...

JACKSON -- A Perryville man charged with murder will stand trial in September, a Cape Girardeau circuit judge said Monday. Russell Allen Cline, 39, will have a two-day jury trial starting Sept. 27, with Judge John Grimm presiding. The trial will take place in Jackson on a change of venue...

The Otahki Girl Scout Council has honored seven girls with the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, at St. Vincent's Church. Gold winners include: Jessica Fox of Anna, Ill., daughter of Joy and Rick Fox. Her project consisted of an educational evening for first- through fourth-graders and their parents to learn interesting facts about bats...

BENTON -- Three men have been arrested for selling crack cocaine and marijuana, the Scott County Sheriff's Department said. Deputies arrested two Salcedo men and a Sikeston man after searching their residences on Saturday, Sheriff Bill Ferrell said...

Cape Central's Lady Tigers must guard against a letdown as they move to the Class 4A soccer sectionals against Hazelwood Central today. Cape Central will carry a 19-6-1 record into the 5 p.m. game at St. Louis Soccer Park in Fenton. Hazelwood Central will enter with an 18-8-3 mark...

As much success as the McDowell Capahas have had over the years, the way the past two seasons ended left something of a bad taste in veteran manager Jess Bolen's mouth. In each of the past two years, the Capahas failed to win a game at the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan. The 1999 squad that compiled a stellar 29-8 record went 0-2 in Wichita, as had the 1998 team...

The following is a listing of players with area ties who are competing in professional baseball. Included in the list are each players' local connection, his last year as an amateur and his major league affiliation. Statistics are through Sunday. Steve Bieser, OF (Ste. Genevieve High School, Southeast Missouri State 1989) St. Louis Cardinals:...

JACKSON -- Russell Lee Mason, 92, of Jackson died Monday, May 22, 2000, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements.

DEXTER -- Thelma Maxine Lotti of Michigan died Sunday, May 21, 2000, at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Mich. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home at Dexter is in charge of arrangements.

MARBLE HILL -- Annie K. Long, 84, of Marble Hill died Monday, May 22, 2000, at ElderCare of Marble Hill. She was born Jan. 4, 1916, at Scopus, daughter of Adam Lee and Kizzie Caroline Langston Cook. She and Glen Long were married Sept. 19, 1940. Long was a member of Hurricane Fork General Baptist Church...

BLOOMFIELD -- Ruth Mae Cox, 82, of Bloomfield died Sunday, May 21, 2000, at her home. She was born Oct. 29, 1917, at Bloomfield, daughter of Alva and Grace Culbertson Bennett. She and Lloyd Cox were married in 1932. He died in 1966. Cox had worked at Anderson Music Co., and was retired from Lafayette Sales in Detroit, Mich...

PERRYVILLE -- Thomas W. Phillips Sr., 78, of Kirkwood died Saturday, May 20, 2000, at Clayton House in Chesterfield. He was born Nov. 29, 1921, in Perryville, son of Thomas A. and Edith Difani Phillips. He married the former Betty Allen. Phillips was retired from educational sales...

PUXICO -- Funeral for Michelle Payne of Puxico will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. The Rev. David Skinner will officiate. Burial will be in Puxico Cemetery. Payne, 29, died Saturday, May 20, 2000, near Puxico...

CANALOU -- Paul E. Barnes Sr., 74, of Canalou died Monday, May 22, 2000, at his home. He was born May 2, 1926, in Canalou, son of John D. and Crissie E. Shoulder Barnes. He and Bernice Bohannon were married Feb. 19, 1949, in Piggott, Ark. Barnes was a farmer...

PERRYVILLE -- Marion A. "Tony" Zoellner, 89, of Perryville died Monday, May 22, 2000, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Feb. 19, 1911, at Perryville, son of August B. and Amelia Buerck Zoellner. He and Mary Ann Van Doren were married June 10, 1931...

ALTO PASS, Ill. -- Marjorie Miller, 80, of Alto Pass died Monday, May 22, 2000, at Rehab and Care Center of Jackson County in Murphysboro. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Alto Pass is in charge of arrangements.

Keith Osmer Lounder, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 21, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 26, 1914, in Spokane, Wash., son of Henry Gilbert and Ella Mae Rundell Lounder. He and Melba Roberta Gregory were married March 21, 1953, in Piggott, Ark...

Daughter to James Andrew and Tammy Elizabeth Coates of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:08 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, 2000. Name, Hailey Jean. Weight, 8 pounds 1 ounce. Third daughter. Mrs. Coates is the former Tammy Palucki, daughter of Alan and Nancy Gratefend of Bloomingdale, Ill., and Drew M. Palucki of Peoria, Ariz. She is a production worker at LeeRowan. Coates is the son of James H. Coates of Jackson. He is an operator at LeeRowan...

Don't you think it's time to give your poor state legislator a break now that he's undergone the acrimonious disgust of hundreds, yes thousands, of his constituents for the lousy, despicable, incomprehensible record of this year's session of the General Assembly?...

The Federal Reserve has struck again. For the sixth time since last June, Fed chairman Alan Greenspan has raised the federal funds rate, which is the interest that banks charge each other. All the previous hikes these last eleven months were by a quarter-point; this time, it was a bolder half-point. After this aggressive action, the bellwether rate stands at 6.5 percent...

It's one of the thorniest issues in all of medicine: How to teach doctors the pros and cons of the dozens of new drugs that hit the market each year. A drug that's safe for one person can kill the next; it largely depends on how each patient's risk factors match each drug's side-effects...

To the editor: It has come to my attention that once again there might be cutbacks in our school system. A couple of the teacher assistants in kindergarten at Alma Schrader will probably not have jobs this next school year. From what I have been hearing, the ratio of teacher assistant to student will be 1 per 61, 2 per 66, and three per 71. ...