Stories from Saturday, October 7, 2000

Ryan Harper wants to communicate with people and help them learn to express themselves whether it be through his influence as a writer, a musician or Christian. Harper is a graduate student at Southeast Missouri State University and a musician who performs frequently in the area. He also works as a part-time minister for youth and children at First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mo...

If she feels any sibling rivalry, Doro Bush Koch doesn't show it. The sister of Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush campaigned for her brother in Cape Girardeau Friday, criticizing Vice President Al Gore for his behavior during Tuesday's presidential debate and lauding her sibling for his positions on women's issues...

Slightly early, record-low temperatures could sock Southeast Missouri this weekend, dropping thermometers to freezing within the next three nights. The prediction means residents must think about how to protect their plants, cars and outdoor-dwelling pets during the cold spell and the winter ahead...

Women's and children's interests will be best served by electing Democrats to top state and national offices, the wife of Missouri Democratic gubernatorial candidate state Treasurer Bob Holden said during a news conference in Cape Girardeau Friday. Lori Holden discussed her husband's views on issues that included women's health care, salary equity and reproductive rights. ...

I'm thinking about writing a book. Most likely it'll be of the self-help variety akin to the well-loved "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" blockbuster. As with most self-help authors, I'm going to base my knowledge on real-life experiences formed during the short lives of my two children, Jerry and Patrick Jr., or PJ for short...

BENTON, Mo. -- Two Scott County men will serve 10 and 15 years in prison for a 1998 gas station robbery in Sikeston, Mo., while another man accused of killing the station's attendant will get a new attorney, court officials said. Orlandis Farr of Malden, Mo., was given 10 years for first-degree robbery, and Michael Bell of Sikeston received 15 years for the same crime as they were sentenced Friday by Circuit Judge John Grimm of Cape Girardeau...

Southeast's Center for Faulkner Studies is one of the world's three major repositories of information about the life and writing of novelist William Faulkner. But M.C. "Chooky" Falkner has something much rarer -- first-hand memories of the Nobel Prize winner...

Two Fredericktown men were seriously injured Thursday in a Bollinger County accident and an 85-year-old Cape Girardeau pedestrian sustained moderate injuries when he was struck by a vehicle Friday north of the city. Brian Stephens, 22, and Brian Fingers, 25, were both taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau after an accident at 1 a.m. Thursday on Highway 72, five miles west of Patton...

JACKSON -- Sooner or later it was bound to happen. And it finally did. Twice. Cape Central played its most spirited game of the season, but Jackson's Mario Whitney bailed out his team with two long runs in the second half as the Indians escaped a huge upset with a 34-24 victory in front of a standing-room only crowd Friday night at Jackson Stadium...

Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky each pounded Southeast Missouri State University's rushing defense for more than 350 yards the past two weeks. It's likely that Tennessee Tech will try to use a similar offensive strategy today when the Eagles play host to the Indians in a 2 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference game at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tenn...

Southeast Missouri State's volleyball team remained undefeated in the Ohio Valley Conference at 6-0 with a straight set win over Morehead State at Houck Field House on Friday. Led by the dynamic duo of Krista Haukap and Lea Beckemeyer, the Otahkians defeated the Eagles 15-8, 15-7 and 15-12. The victory upped the Houck win streak to 25 straight and the OVC streak of 27 in a row alive...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Nicole Thiele scored once and assisted on another goal to lead Southeast Missouri State's soccer team to a 2-0 win over OVC foe Morehead State. Southeast (5-4-1) notched its first conference win against two losses. Morehead State (5-6-1) remained winless in the OVC at 0-2...

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- Scott City, ranked fourth in Class 2A, suffered its first loss of the season to Class 3A Park Hills Friday night. The Rams (5-1) went into halftime leading 13-6, but Park Hills scored 22 second-half points to gain the 28-19 win. Scott City's first score came in the first quarter on a 91-yard blast up the middle by tailback Marcus Klund, who broke a couple of tackles and won a footrace with Park Hills' defenders...

BERTRAND, Mo. -- John W. Baker, 86, of Bertrand died Friday, Oct. 6, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born April 30, 1914, in Cave City, Ark., son of James B. and Verna Pearl Mosley Baker. He and Dellia Guthrie were married Sept. 21, 1935...

Daughter to Timothy Wayne and Lila Anne Loos of Honolulu, Hawaii, Kapi'olani Medical Center, 7:48 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4, 2000. Name, Tina Emily. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. First child. Mrs. Loos is the former Lila Atou, daughter of Tommy and Viola Atou of Honolulu. She is a computer system analyst for the state of Hawaii. Loos is the son of Bill and Mary Loos of Cape Girardeau. He is owner of Pacific Appraisal Service in Honolulu...

SEDGEWICKVILLE, Mo. -- Funeral for Alvina Kern of Overland, Mo., was held Sept. 28, 2000, at St. Paul's Evangelical Church in Creve Coeur, Mo. The Revs. Herbert Stemler and A. Mark Friz officiated. Burial was in St. Paul's Cemetery at Olivette, Mo. Baumann Colonial Chapel in Overland was in charge of arrangements...

KARNAK, Ill. - Joseph Bernatowiz, 81, of Karnak died Friday, Oct. 6, 2000, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. Arrangements are incomplete at Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak.

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Darris Ayers, 72, of Jonesboro died Friday, Oct. 6, 2000, at a nursing home in Murphysboro, Ill. He was born Nov. 7. 1927, the son of Willie Paul and Mary Agnes Hamilton Ayers. He and Birdie Turner were married were married in 1956 in Streator, Ill...

OLD APPLETON, Mo. -- Nora D. Ruehling, 89, of Old Appleton died Friday, Oct. 6, 2000, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born May 12, 1911, at Old Appleton, daughter of Charles A. and Bertha I. Hoffman Bodenschatz. She and Leo H. Ruehling were married May 28, 1937. He died Jan. 24, 1974...

Larry Wayne Box, 54, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Oct. 5, 2000, at his home. He was born Nov. 13, 1945, in Sikeston, Mo., son of Loyd Wilson and Iva L. Sexton Box. Larry received a bachelor of science degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1969. He had been a comptroller for various businesses. He was a member of the former Airport Southern Baptist Church in Malden, Mo...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Harold Joseph Burger, 77, of Scott City died Friday, Oct. 6, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Oct. 20, 1922, at Commerce, Mo., son of Alexander and Clara Georger Burger. He and Louise M. Scherer were married June 18, 1946, at Benton, Mo...

Funeral for Frances Hanusa of Cape Girardeau will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Roger Leveillee will officiate. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel after 12:30 p.m. Sunday...

GLEN ALLEN, Mo. -- Funeral for Oletha R. Shell of Glen Allen will be held at 1 p.m. today at Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill, Mo. The Rev. Frederick Mouser will officiate. Shell, 87, died Thursday, Oct. 5, 2000, at Eldercare of Marble Hill. She was born Jan. 8, 1913, at Marquand, daughter of Americus Franklin and Lora C. Pridy Moore. She and Vernon L. Shell were married May 12, 1935...

Ruth Estes Sturm, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born March 5, 1920, at Marble Hill, Mo., daughter of Sylvester and Maude McGlothlin Estes. She and Ferd Sturm were married Dec. 4, 1942, in Cape Girardeau...

Carolyn Louise Brinkle, 59, of St. George Island, Fla., died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000, at Weems Memorial Hospital in Apalachicola, Fla. She was born July 16, 1941, in Little Rock, Ark., daughter of Narvol A. and Dorothy Randol Sr. She and Dr. Lydle F. Brinkle were married Dec. 31, 1961, in Cape Girardeau...

TAOS, Mo. -- Sabena Helen Forck, 93, of Taos died Oct. 5, 2000, at the Westphalia Retirement Center. She was born Nov. 5, 1906, in Cole County, daughter of Henry and Mary Talken Kerperin. She and Cletus B. Forck were married Nov. 26, 1931, in Taos. He died Oct. 15, 1967...

To the editor: We have relatives who live in southeastern Iowa whom we visit perhaps once a year. Their homes in Lee County are pleasant, well-groomed spots, and I am happy when I see them and remember that cousins live there. But to reach this charming spot, we must drive along a stretch of highway in our own state which, it seems, God has forsaken: mile after mile of crumbled buildings with rusty, torn roofs, twisted hay rakes right up to the roadway, Model A pickups with glass shattered and shredded tires, random piles of sand and dirt. ...

In an era when blaming our nation's public education system for the country's ills is all too common, it's nice to see public schools in Cape Girardeau's suburban areas posting substantial enrollment gains. The official student count required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, taken on the last Wednesday of September, showed Scott City schools with a remarkable 5.3 percent enrollment gain...

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents made the right decision recently in granting a five-year charter to the Garden School in St. Louis, only the second charter school the regents have approved. In doing so, the regents are supporting a different concept in public schools: allowing groups who feel they can do a better job of education without the weight of state regulations to give it a try...

To me the only thing more frightening than Al Gore's book "Earth in the Balance" is that he reportedly believes the stuff in it. There's another thing about it, though, that bothers me even more. I confess that when I bought the book I expected sensationalism and doomsday alarmism, but I did not anticipate the sweeping scope of the book and what it apparently reveals about Gore...

IF CLINTON and Gore are so concerned about working people and farmers, then why are they willing to flood farmers out along the Missouri River and hurt workers' jobs at shipping companies? Are working people a priority as Gore claims, or is that another big lie?...

To the editor: I suppose I should no longer be surprised by any editorial stance taken by the Southeast Missourian. But I must admit I was taken aback by the Sept. 29 editorial regarding slaughterhouse procedures. How anyone could be against humane slaughtering practices is hard for me to fathom. After all, additional costs are negligible. The slaughterhouse may even benefit, since there is less chance of discolored meat due to the biochemical reactions that take place in stressed animals...