Stories from Saturday, July 22, 2000

Churches increasingly are reaching out on the Web to potential members and their own congregations. A number of local churches have Web sites. Their ministers view it as a communications tool, but they say the "virtual church" won't replace brick-and-mortar churches...

Cape Girardeau and Jackson school districts are among those in Missouri out of compliance with a one-year-old state law that requires school districts to retain students who are not reading at their grade level. School officials estimated the majority of districts would be out of compliance with the statute enacted last August that eliminates social promotion for students whose reading levels are at least one year behind their grade level...

Missouri Department of Transportation engineer Stan Johnson knows there is work being done on the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge. The public just can't see it. This year, most of the work will be beneath the Mississippi River as construction crews set the foundation for the pier in the middle of the river...

PERU, Ill. -- The FBI is looking into possible connections between unsolved homicides nationwide and the slaying of a Kennewick, Wash., woman. Richard G. Meyer of Scott City, Mo., is accused of killing the woman. Details of the crime have been given to the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program in Quantico, Va., which will look for matching patterns from other homicides, law enforcement officials said...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A 39-year-old woman has been charged with assault in connection with severe burns suffered by a 1-year-old boy, police said. The boy was taken by his grandmother to the Missouri Delta Medical Center on Wednesday after she discovered burns on the lower half of his body, Sgt. Susan Rockett said. He was treated for second- and third-degree burns while medical personnel called police for assistance...

When I gave birth to my first son, my husband was very loving, very happy to be a father, very glad the complicated delivery was a success. But he was also very leery of being in a hospital any length of time and limited his visits to under 30 minutes whenever he came to check on us during our three-day stay...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A man and six juveniles have been taken into custody for thefts and property damage totaling over $200,000, police said. James Groom, 34, of Sikeston has been arrested and charged with second-degree burglary for his role in at least seven local burglaries, police said...

BIEHLE, Mo. -- At one time in Southeast Missouri history, the phrase, "Going to Biehle," meant just one thing -- a trip to Buchheit's stores. Now, "Going to Buchheit's" can mean a trip to Jackson, Perryville or Herculaneum in Missouri, or Sparta or Jacksonville, Ill...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Barry Hughes served as interim Bollinger County Sheriff about 10 weeks in 1991. Now he wants the full-time job. Hughes is one of four Republican candidates on the Aug. 8 primary ballot. The winner of the August Republican primary will face incumbent Democrat Sheriff Dennis Willis in the November general election...

Lanson DeBrock pitched an eight-inning gem and the Capahas needed just two hours to knock off the Monarchs -- an all-star team comprised of players from Goreville and Saline County -- in a 4-1 pitchers' duel Friday night. The Caps (28-8) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles by Steve Kress and Darin Kinsolving. Then they added two insurance runs on three hits in the eighth when hurler Chad McCamm got a little tired...

CHARLESTON, MO. -- Top-seeded Chaffee and third-seeded Sikeston hooked up in a marathon struggle late Friday night for the right to remain alive in the District 14 American Legion Baseball Tournament. As the Southeast Missourian went to press, the squads were tied 11-11 in the 10th inning of an elimination game...

The All-State baseball team has finally been released and it was peppered with players from Southeast Missouri. In Class 4A, Cape Central senior Mark Fisher -- who spent half the season playing first base and the other half as catcher -- made the first team as a utility player. Fisher led Cape Central, which made it to the state quarterfinals, in batting average (.419) and runs batted in (31)...

MARSHALL, Mo. Jackson Senior Babe Ruth defeated Marshall West 4-1 in its opener of the Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament Friday. G.P. Glueck struck out 13 batters and allowed just three hits in going the distance. Jackson (26-3) had six hits, including two by Whit Thornborough, who also finished with an RBI. Glueck, Lucas McCulley and Toby Freeman all finished with a hit and an RBI...

FULTON, Mo. 00 Behind three home runs from Chris Bradshaw, the Cape Girardeau Riverdogs defeated California (Mo.) 11-6 in its debut in pool play Friday at the Show Me Games. Bradshaw, who went 3-for-3, finished with seven RBIs. Steve Packingham also went 3-for-3, while Brandon Talbot added a two-run home run. The Riverdogs (4-8) finished with 13 hits...

Mary Carolyn Arnold Forhan, 52, of Scott City, Mo., died Friday, July 21, 2000, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth G. Seyer of Oak Ridge, Mo., Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville, Mo., 8:04 a.m. Sunday, July 9, 2000. Name, Brent Anthony. Weight, 9 pounds 3 1/4 ounces. First child. Mrs. Seyer is the former Sherry Schaupert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin "Kelly" Schaupert of Perryville. She is employed at Shawneetown Feed and Seed. Seyer is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Seyer of Oak Ridge. He is employed at Biokyowa Inc...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Oralea "Lee" Hawley, 55, of Dexter died Friday, July 21, 2000, at her home. She was born Sept. 9, 1944, in St. Louis, daughter of Walker and Lucille Louise Boyce Hudson. She and Jerry W. Hawley were married March 18, 1967, in St. Louis...

Samuel Perry Tanksley, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, July 21, 2000, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau after several years of illness. He was born Aug. 20, 1926, at Walnut Grove in New Madrid County, son of William Perry and Delia Rose Foust Tanksley. He and Jewel Lee Allred were married for 54 years...

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- John Raymond Spicer, 76, of Chesterfield died Wednesday, July 19, 2000, at the Missouri Baptist Church in Chesterfield. He was born Oct. 29, 1923, in Cape Girardeau, son of John Henry and Helen Marie Johnson Spicer. He and Lucille Washington were married. She died Aug. 25, 1996...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Russell Triplett, formerly of Bloomfield, died Friday, July 21, 2000, in Memphis, Tenn. Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Marvin Z. Eichhorn, 81, of Chaffee died Thursday, July 20, 2000, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 28, 1918, at Oran, son of Edward and Nora Dannenmueller Eichhorn. He and Lois Amos were married July 20, 1940. Eichhorn was a retired, self-employed carpenter. He was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and St. Ambrose Men's Club in Chaffee and Knights of Columbus Council 4311 of Oran, Mo...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Catherine A. Renaud, 97, of Perryville died Friday, July 21, 2000, at the Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Oct. 29, 1902, at Leopold, Mo., daughter of John S. and Gesina Wubker Scharenborg. She and Martin J. Renaud were married June 9, 1925. He died Nov. 22, 1961...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Mary Lucille Crews, 80, of Charleston died Thursday, July 20, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born Jan. 16, 1920, in Graves County, Ky., daughter of Joseph Ezekiel and Louvie Lura Jackson Washburn. She and Eli Henry Crews were married Oct. 24, 1953. He died June 1, 1992...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Loren H. Waite Jr., 64, of Mounds died Friday, July 21, 2000, at his home. He was born Jan. 16, 1936, in Cairo, Ill., son of Loren and Jane McRaven Waite Sr. Waite was the city attorney for Mound City and operated a private law practice there many years. He was a graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Law...

In case some of you think that a cease-fire has been achieved in the culture war, I'm here to tell you that the guns are still blazing or should I say the nukes are exploding? Let me share with you a few news stories I've come across in the last few days:...

Politicians in both parties are trying to do something about the high price of gasoline. Today's financial tip: Buy oil-company stock. Between building new stadiums and rebuilding cities after riots when a team wins a championship, the cost of professional athletics is out of the ballpark...

High gasoline prices are almost as popular as the weather, if you've been paying any attention to office conversations or coffee-shop chatter. Meanwhile, Cape Girardeau officials say most residents aren't heeding last week's request for voluntary cuts in water usage. ...

Southeast Missouri State University has plans to add some snazzy suites and club seating, along with some other major improvements and a general facelift, at Houck Stadium. In a way, the stadium's facade facing Broadway is a front door for the university. Right now, it looks kind of like the Clampetts' old home place. Plans announced earlier this month would make Houck a showplace...