Stories from Thursday, September 28, 2000

Lupus means "wolf". In 1851 doctors coined this name for the disease because they thought the facial rash that frequently accompanied lupus looked like the bite of a wolf. Lupus is a type of immune system disorder wherein the body harms its own healthy cells and tissues. ...

It has been the longest nine months in history. You didn't think the time would ever come, but now you're holding this tiny bundle in your arms. You're about to embark on a marvelous journey, but wait -- where's the instruction book? How do you know when to feed him? What do you do if he won't stop crying?...

Anyone who has traveled through Cape Girardeau in recent years can tell that the city has tried to build better streets, develop older, historic areas of town and plan for comprehensive growth. Vision 2000 contributed the voice residents needed to get their planning concerns heard. The progress the city made is related to the work of Vision 2000, said Charlie Haubold, chairman of the city's Planning and Zoning Commission...

The Missouri Republican Party on Wednesday accused Democratic state Sen. Jerry Howard of Dexter, Mo., of failing to disclose his ownership of a condominium at Lake of the Ozarks in violation of a state financial disclosure law. GOP political consultant David Barklage of Cape Girardeau said the Republican Party turned over information regarding the complaint to the Stoddard County prosecuting attorney's office Wednesday afternoon...

Blame it on Y2K. Experts suspect a minor baby boom nationwide has to do with the craziness nine months ago. National figures have yet to be tallied, but hospitals and obstetricians around the country say their numbers have been up all year. And September -- traditionally a big month for babies -- has been particularly busy...

The Cape Girardeau County Commission acted legally in spending tax money to develop proposed planning and zoning regulations in advance of a November vote, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones told a meeting Wednesday night. Jones said the prosecuting attorney's office, at the request of the commission, issued an opinion Wednesday that the commission acted legally in appointing a temporary planning commission in December 1996 to propose planning and zoning regulations...

Ongoing projects: The Broadway and Caruthers intersection will be closed Friday. Detours will be posted...

Sept. 28, 2000 Dear Leslie, The last time I was in Eureka Springs, Ark., was for a reunion with you and Sheila. Leaving was sad because I knew it would be a long time before we met again and because the woman I had brought to meet you was, I knew, not "the one."...

Not long after leaving his teaching job in the Southeast history department 18 years ago, Dr. John David Smith began trying to figure out why a man so hated his origins that Booker T. Washington called him "a man without a race." The resulting book, "Black Judas: William Hannibal Thomas and The American Negro'," has been nominated for the 2000 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award...

Scott City School District has experienced one of the largest enrollment gains among area school districts this year. Enrollments at Jackson and Oak Ridge school districts also are up. Most other area schools saw their enrollments drop this year. Based upon official counts taken Wednesday, Scott City schools Superintendent Roger Tatum said enrollment in his district increased to 1,072 this year. The 5.3 percent increase follows a slight dip the previous year...

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3838 has rescheduled the annual post family picnic, which was rained out. The event will be at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the VFW lake property, located off Route K behind Notre Dame Regional High School. Members and their families are invited to attend. Lunch will be served at noon...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The attorney for death row inmate Cecil Barriner asked the Missouri Supreme Court Wednesday to grant her client a new trial, claiming unfairly prejudicial and irrelevant evidence and testimony was used to convict him for a 1996 double murder in New Madrid County...

In keeping with a five-year theme, the newest downtown Cape Girardeau holiday ornament will have a familiar look -- Old St. Vincent's Church. The church, which is still used for various functions, is 147 years old. This year's ornament is the last in a series of five issued by the Downtown Merchants Association...

Cape Girardeau needs to recognize its historic treasures whether they are local landmarks, listed among the ranks of the National Register of Historic Places or just homes and buildings that have been well preserved over time. The city's Historic Preservation Commission has approved a yard sign program that will recognize property owners for their efforts to maintain, preserve and restore the community's older homes...

BERTRAND, Mo. -- Around 40 angry Bertrand residents stand opposed a proposed housing project. On the agenda at a recent City Council meeting was Glenn Ault of Charleston, who presented a proposal for section 42 private housing on Poplar Street on the north side Bertrand...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Central (18-5) scored three unearned runs in the top of the sixth to edge the Lady Indians 3-2 Wednesday. Jackson (10-14) got one in the second inning when Heidi Jansen led off with a single and Jenny Schlick, pinch-running for Jansen, scored on an RBI double by Wendy Blankenship...

The Jackson Indians looked like a team on a mission in their 43-14 home win over Dyersburg (Tenn.) last week. The Indians played well in all facets of the game and elevated their intensity to a new level as they physically dominated a talented Tennessee squad...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Wanda Moore, 83, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill. Hileman and Parr Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Visitation for Adina Ida Sprenger, 90, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight at the Zion Lutheran Church in Ulm., Ark. Sprenger was born Sept. 14, 1910 in Illmo, Mo. and died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000 in Warren, Ark. Arrangements are under the direction of Searcy Funeral Home in Searcy, Ark...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Lula Belle Brimm, 62, of Downey, Calif., died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000, at her home. She was born Aug. 21, 1938, in Pulaski County, Ill., daughter of Charles and Wilma Arnold Wright. She married Raymond Brimm. Brimm lived in Union County in Illinois many years, moving to California in 1965. She earned a real estate license in 1977, and retired in 1990...

Lester Isaac "Rip" Sherfield, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born May 27, 1915, in Marked Tree, Ark., son of Van and Mollie Williams Sherfield. He and Charlotte Blattner were married Feb. 14, 1942, in San Luis Obispo, Calif...

DEXTER, Mo. -- John Allen, 53, of Dexter died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born Oct. 23, 1946, in Stoddard County, Mo., son of Mellissa Boles. He and Betty Rollins were married March 9, 1998, in Piggott, Ark. Allen lived in the Dexter and Bernie, Mo., areas most of his life. He was affiliated with the Pentecostal Church...

Franz Allen Teichman, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2000, at his home. He was born Aug. 18, 1938, in Cape Girardeau, son of August and Ethel Louise Hayden Teichman. He and Susan Jackson were married Sept. 5, 1959, in Cape Girardeau. Teichman was a boiler operator at Southeast Missouri State University Power Plant 30 years, retiring Oct. 1, 1999...

Daughter to Jeffrey Stephen and Rhonda Evonne Nolen of Charleston, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:09 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000. Name, Alyssa Payge. Weight, 8 pounds 3 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Mrs. Nolen is the former Rhonda Payne, daughter of Ron and Georgia Payne of East Prairie, Mo., and Sharon Payne of Bertrand, Mo. ...

REGARDING JACKSON schools: Probably not a person on either side of the issue of a tax increase for the schools doubt that the junior high needs some immediate help. But how about using some ingenuity and common sense to alleviate the symptoms while the power brokers duke it out? Two difficult things the administration could do to give kids immediate help at the junior high: block classes. ...

It is always good to welcome newcomers to Cape Girardeau, particularly when they bring ideas and experience that could, in some way, make this a better place to live. Such an example is Dr. Stanley Grand, the new director of the Southeast Missouri State University Museum...

For an hour this past Monday night, 1,000 interested spectators, mostly from Southeast Missouri, sat in Academic Hall's auditorium at Southeast Missouri State University and watched as the two top contenders for governor answered questions and commented on each other's responses. It was an interesting hour and well worth the effort that it took to make it happen...

To the editor: I grew up on a farm in Cape Girardeau County. After being away, I am now back on the family farm. There have been many changes over the years. We now have indoor bathrooms with a nearly $5,000 government bureaucracy-approved septic system...

To the editor: If the group Scenic Missouri gets its way, Missouri employers may lose much of their ability to use outdoor advertising and on-premise signage. Associated Industries of Missouri has announced its opposition to this effort and has joined an organization called STOP Taking our Property to combat this ballot initiative on the November ballot...

Establishment of two scholarships to Southeast Missouri State University have been announced by the university. The Forsee Family Endowed Scholarship has been established through the Southeast Missouri University Foundation. Gary and Sherry Forsee of Atlanta, Ga., made a gift of $25,000 to establish the scholarship, which will be awarded for the first time this fall...