Stories from Friday, September 1, 2000

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri hopes to make some noise with its silent auction. The local arts organization wants to raise $12,000 through the sale of artwork donated by local artists and art patrons. That is twice the amount generated by last year's silent auction, said Leslie Stucker, assistant director of the arts council...

Giuseppe Verdi is known as one of the most human of composers, a man whose operas presented both wonderful music and characters audiences empathize with. He is one of the most performed composers in the world. The music world is paying particular attention in 2001, the 100th anniversary of Verdi's death...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The third annual Western Kentucky Highland Festival will be held Sept. 8-10 at Carson Park. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 with a Ceilidh (Scottish party) at the Marriott Hotel. Entertainers will be Ian Bruce, Red McWilliams and dulcimer player Kyle Meadows...

Cape Girardeau Area Wide United Way officials have set a 2000 campaign goal of $925,000 -- up 23 percent from last year's goal. The 2000 goal was announced Thursday during the organization's annual CEO kick-off luncheon at Drury Lodge. Last year the local United Way collected $68,000 more than its $750,000 goal, prompting officials this year to increase the goal with its eyes on $1 million...

MARSTON, Mo. -- New Madrid County's Mississippi River port is larger. Three tows can now pass in the 1,500-foot slackwater harbor at the port off Interstate 55 in the St. Jude Industrial Park near Marston. "We can have loading facilities on either side of the harbor now," said Timmie Lynn Hunter, who has served as port director since February 1999. "And there will still be room for a barge to pass between them."...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County needs a transit director, members of the county's new Transit Advisory Committee said Thursday. More funding and better coordinated transit services are needed, committee members said during a meeting in the County Administrative Building...

"You can't have too much music." With this year's City of Roses Festival kicking off on a full-moon Friday the 13th, that's the slogan organizers have chosen for the event. About 50 musical acts will perform at two new venues when the fourth annual festival is presented Oct. 13 and 14 in downtown Cape Girardeau...

I was running an errand when it hit me, a smack on the side of the head that left my ear stinging and the blood tingling in my cheek. At first, I thought someone had thrown a wet beach ball through the window of my car. Obviously, I wasn't literally running an errand. I was driving my car somewhere -- I don't remember where, which is the point of why I'm telling you this in the first place...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond criticized the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Thursday over its plan to change the water flow on the Missouri River. The agency wants the Army Corps of Engineers to release more water from upstream reservoirs on the Missouri River in the springtime to aid the endangered pallid sturgeon...

Jodie Brunke of Jackson, Mo., was recently awarded a $500 scholarship by the National FFA Organization. Brunke is the daughter of Tony and Phyllis Brunke of Jackson. She was awarded the scholarship and plans to use the money to attend Southeast Missouri State University to study veterinary science. ...

After six years of searching, federal authorities arrested a fugitive Texas drug dealer in Dunklin County, the United States Marshals Service said. Miguel Angel Rivera-Silva, 29, had been indicted by a grand jury for failing to appear in U.S. District Court in Brownsville, Texas. He faces charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute 362 pounds of marijuana, among other drug charges...

Administrators at Eagle Ridge Christian School are considering expansion just two years after moving into a new building. "It's a good problem," said Principal Janice Margrabe. "We anticipated it would be five years before we'd need new facilities. This will be our third year in this building."...

Forget the crash test dummies for a while. Missouri has found new messengers to help make adults better drivers, a spokeswoman from the state Division of Highway Safety said. The 18 children running a press conference on Thursday at Blanchard School were part of a statewide effort to encourage safer driving among those who can do so legally, said Robin Adkison of the Highway Safety Division. It's called "Save a Grown-Up."...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Two men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 19-year-old Sikeston man on Thursday, police said. Police were awaiting charges from the Scott County prosecutor's office after Reggie Sales was shot Thursday morning in the 600 block of Cleveland St., Capt. Dan Armour said...

Hoping to better the well-being of the community, a group of area Christians will begin gathering for a prayer service at noon once a month. The first service will be at noon Tuesday at Livingway Foursquare Church, 1222 Bloomfield Road. Other meetings will be scheduled around town later...

There will be no First Friday Coffee today because of the Labor Day weekend. The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a "Second Friday" Coffee Sept. 8. The event will be held at 7:30 a.m. at the Show Me Center. Six area candidates will appear at the coffee: state representative candidates Tom Neumeyer, a Democrat, and Jason Crowell, a Republican; Cape Girardeau County commissioner candidates Joe Gambill, a Republican, and Max Stovall, a Democrat; and public administrator candidates Phyllis Schwab, a Republican, and Mike Hurst, a Democrat.. ...

It hangs over their heads heavier than the saturated, oven-baked air. For the Cape Central Tigers, they would like to see their home losing streak vanish even more than the 100-degree weather. And that's saying something. Cape Central hasn't won at home since Nov. 7, 1997. That's a span of 11 games...

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- In a duel of impressive quarterbacks Thursday night, Marshall's Byron Leftwich made a dazzling debut while Southeast Missouri State University's Rashad West picked up right where he left off last season. Leftwich, a redshirt sophomore making his first career start, might never make Thundering Herd fans forget Chad Pennington, who led Marshall to a 13-0 record last year and was a first-round NFL draft pick as well as a Heisman Trophy finalist...

Last year at this time, Jackson and Sikeston went into the season opener not knowing what to expect. Going into the season, it was basically a coin toss as to who would win. My, how times have changed. But Jackson, which knocked off Sikeston 35-0 last year, will be the clear favorite to win tonight when the Indians play host to the Bulldogs at 7:30...

JACKSON -- They can still throw Hail Marys. But they can't say a public prayer. The Supreme Court ruled this past June that schools may not have public prayers before athletic events, citing separation of church and state as grounds to ban the sentiment...

Southeast Missouri's Nick Reed rushed for yardage before being met by Marshall's George Miller (90) during the first half Thursday at Marshall Stadium. HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Southeast Missouri State University hung tough for a while, but Marshall University's powerful Thundering Herd wound up posting their expected lopsided season-opening victory over the outmanned Indians Thursday night...

The Southeast Missouri State University women's volleyball team opens its season this weekend in the Coca Cola Billikin Invitational in St. Louis. Southwest Missouri State, Stephen F. Austin and host St. Louis University round out the field. The Otahkians, making their third appearance in the Billikin Invitational, will open against Stephen F. Austin at 5 p.m. today. They will play St. Louis and Southwest Missouri on Saturday...

The Southeast Missouri State University women's soccer team travels to Muncie, Ind., to play two games in the Ball State University Cardinal Classic. The Otahkians will battle Western Illinois at 2 p.m. today and will face Youngstown at noon on Sunday on the Ball State Soccer Field...

Perhaps no football game played in Southeast Missouri tonight will have more meaning than the Scott City-Malden game. The SEMO South Conference title will likely be on the line as the Rams and Greenwave are generally considered far better than the rest of the competition in the league...

Cape Central and Notre Dame's soccer teams both posted easy shutout victories in the Notre Dame Soccerfest Wednesday. Cape Central recorded its second shutout of the season, making easy work of Sikeston and allowing the Bulldogs just six shots on goal...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Patrick L. Cox, 47, of Perryville died Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000, at his residence. He was born Dec. 4, 1952, in Farmington, Mo. His stepfather was Erwin Weygandt and his mother was Hilda Weygandt Marmon. He married Paula Sterling on June 27, 1975. She survives...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- William Henry Messemore, 81, of Dongola died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. He and Selma Barnhart were married Oct. 5, 1945, in Jonesboro, Ill. Messemore had been a heavy equipment operator with Union County Highway Department. He was a member of Mill Creek Baptist Church and Operating Engineers Local 318. He was a veteran of World War II...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Bertha May Triplett, 88, of East Prairie died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born April 17, 1912, at Bertrand, Mo., daughter of George and Hattie VanPool Graham. She and Dallas Earl Triplett were married Jan. 24, 1931. He died Feb. 11, 1980...

ANNA, Ill. -- Robert E. Williams, 68, of Anna died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. He was born Oct. 17, 1931, in Cobden, Ill., son of Marion E. "Dutch" and Bertha Watkins Williams. He and Patricia F. Manninger were married Nov. 9, 1954, in Cobden...

MARQUAND, Mo. -- Bessie Jewel Miinch, 89, of Marquand died Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000, at Perry County Hospital in Perryville, Mo. She was born Oct. 26, 1910, at Patton, Mo., daughter of Jesse A. and Pairlee Farmer Yount. She and Charles A. Miinch were married Feb. 29, 1928. He died Dec. 6, 1991...

GORDONVILLE, Mo. -- Paul Phillip Gross, 82, of Gordonville died Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000, at his home. He was born Aug. 11, 1918, at Allenville, Mo., son of William and Emma Hager Gross. He and Hazel Davis were married Sept. 6, 1958, in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Franklin "Frank" Harris, 65, of Jackson died Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 27, 1935, at Leora, Mo., son of James E. and Maude M. Eaker Harris. He and LaDonna Spooner were married May 31, 1955...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Pamela G. Luttrull, 47, of Jackson died Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 9, 1953, in Odessa, Texas, daughter of Carl R. and Letha Helen Timms Henley. She and Larry Luttrull were married Aug. 16, 1991, at Farmington, Mo...

MILLERSVILLE, Mo. -- Joe Dayton Sander, 75, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000, at his home. He was born Oct. 1, 1924, at Stroder Branch, between Burfordville and Scopus, Mo. He and Lillian E. Abbott were married Feb. 19, 1945. Survivors include his wife, Lillian of Millersville; five sons and daughters-in-law, the Rev. ...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Carl Vernon Parker, 65, of West Memphis, Ark., died Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000, at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis, Tenn. He was born Feb. 24, 1935, at Wolf Island in Mississippi County, son of James Floyce and Daisy Margaret Johnson Parker. He and Anita Lynch were married Jan. 6, 1957...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Phyllis "Jo" Liley, 61, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000, at her home. She was born July 12, 1939, in Athens, Ala., daughter of William Marion and Beulah Wade White Gibson. She and Lindall Henry Liley were married Feb. 2, 1973...

To the editor: Chalk up another banner week for societal immorality: Stupid businessman hires hit man/undercover cop to kill Cape man. Police use catsup to fool stupid businessman. Democratic National Convention delegates boo Boy Scouts' best because their party wants to impose homosexual sin...

To the editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people involved in obtaining and installing new lights in the front hallway at North Elementary in Jackson. I would like to thank United Electric Supply Inc. and Perry Rice for the donation of the light fixtures. ...

To the editor: Thank you for the recent coverage of the Missouri Department of Transportation's newest newsletter, The Beacon. We are very please we can use this forum to inform the public on the progress of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge construction, and we are even more please that the Southeast Missourian chose to showcase this publication...

To the editor: In case no one noticed, there was another political party holding its convention over the Independence Day holiday weekend. This event was televised from opening to close on C-SPAN, though it was hardly mentioned, if at all, by the major networks. This party is generally ignored by media representatives, both national and local, when discussing the presidential election even though smaller and less-organized parties always get mentioned...

To the editor: My family and I just want to say a big thank you for everything the Muscular Dystrophy Association has done for my brother, Donald Hunsaker, and myself. My brother and I could not have had the care of nurses, doctors and therapists we have had with MDA's help. I have had leg, foot and hand braces which MDA helped pay for. I also benefit from the quarterly support group meetings. My brother had a wheelchair purchased through MDA...

It would be difficult to recall a more tragic story in recent days: A father drives to his teaching job on one of the hottest days of the year. He returns to his vehicle after a full day in school only to discover the body of his 2-year-old daughter still strapped in her car seat. He had forgotten to drop her off with a baby sitter...

It has been two years since the Southeast Missourian did a week's worth of in-depth reporting about methamphetamine in Southeast Missouri. That week concluded with a newspaper-sponsored community forum attended by more than 200 individuals whose awareness about the meth problem had been heightened by the more than 40 stories that were published in August 1998...

Oh, boy. Alan Journet and his buddies put together another entertaining letter displaying their extreme environmental viewpoints. I wish they would all just get in their little electric car with Al Gore and move to the closest socialist country where they would live happily ever after...

To the editor: As a relative newcomer to Cape Girardeau, I have been surprised and disheartened by the divisiveness that appears to be associated with the name Drury. I have read with interest the opposing viewpoints about Jim Drury's intent and vision for Cape. ...