Stories from Friday, October 27, 2000

From its source in northwestern Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River flows 2,340 miles through cities and towns whose names evoke the history, literature and culture of America. Minneapolis, Nauvoo, Hannibal, Ste. Genevieve, Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans are some of those names, very different places with a common bond -- the greatest river in the land runs through them...

Mae West, Xena the warrior princess, Charmander, M&Ms, devils, witches and cartoon characters will be ringing doorbells again this Halloween when for one night children and adults take on new identities. Some will choose ready-made costumes while others will create their attire...

"Sold out" signs were common in Cape Girardeau and across the nation Thursday in stores that sold Sony's new PlayStation2 video game console on its first day of availability. In Cape Girardeau, Babbage's Software began selling the innovative system at midnight and sold out before daybreak. Target and KB Toys were both out of the systems by noon, and Jackson Wal-Mart manager Rick Boyd said the systems were sold out in "just a few minutes, it seemed."...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Southwestern Bell began offering high-speed Internet access in Jackson this week, an advent expected to help ease some of the congestion in the community's phone lines. Digital Subscriber Line technology enables customers to access the Internet at speeds up to 200 times as fast as standard analog modems and to talk on the phone while using the Internet without needing an extra line. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- With an increasing number of deputies quitting and few applicants coming in, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan sent an "emergency communication" to the County Commission this week asking for more money for salaries. "By December, we could be down by half of our deputies in the patrol division," Jordan said Thursday. "The chance of someone calling at night and getting an experienced officer to respond is almost slim to none."...

Let's just say that place names don't always tell you where you are. I waged a losing war this past week to convince reporters and editors across the state that the late governor of Missouri was not -- not -- buried in Ellsinore. Why bother? After all, most of the world won't be sitting around a hundred years -- or even a year -- from now saying, "Herb, what was the name of that town where Carnahan was buried?"...

A candidates' forum sponsored by the local League of Women Voters will air Tuesday and Wednesday on Cable Access Channel 5. Other sponsors were the mass communications and political science departments at Southeast Missouri State University. It will air at 9 p.m. Tuesday and again early on Wednesday evening...

JACKSON, Mo. -- John Jordan was involved in politics even in childhood. "When I was in school in the early '70s, we had a mock political debate," the Cape Girardeau County sheriff said. "Guess who was Richard Nixon?" Now, he is unopposed for his third term as sheriff...

A 21-year-old Cape Girardeau college student bought a computer through the Internet but never got the computer, police said. Investigators are looking into a rare complaint of Internet fraud involving a company based in Charlotte, N.C. The company was selling the computer system for less than $750 in June, Cpl. Kevin Orr said...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's mobile office will make the following stops in Southeast Missouri: Jayson Clark, mobile office director, will be on hand to answer questions...

Last week, Francis Howell, unable to stop the pass, gave up 52 points to Poplar Bluff. You better believe Jackson took notice. The Indians (8-0), who have passed the ball consistently and effectively in the last few games, may take to the air again tonight when they play host to Howell (3-5) at 7:30...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Jackson High School's volleyball team gave Farmington a major scare Thursday night, but in the end the top-seeded Knightettes were simply too much for the second-seeded Lady Indians in the championship match of the Class 4A, District 1 Tournament...

There's just something about T.J. Erlacker. He's not the fastest, the strongest nor the most talented Cape Central Tiger. He isn't going to throw the ball 50 yards down field. He's not a team captain nor a vocal leader. At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, he's not going to intimidate anybody...

Cape Central coach Lawrence Brookins knows exactly how Perryville feels. And that's what scares him the most. The Pirates (1-7) are in the same position that Cape Central (4-4) was at this time last year and will be looking to pull off an upset of the Tigers in the second week of Class 4A, District 1 action tonight...

Southeast Missouri State University will hold its annual 'Take a Kid to the Game' Saturday when the University of Tennessee-Martin visits for Saturday's 6 p.m. football game at Houck Stadium. Kids, ages 18 and younger, will receive a free ticket with the purchase of a full-priced adult ticket...

It's easy to see why the Anna-Jonesboro (Ill.) High School football team has its entire community buzzing these days. During the early to middle part of the 1980s, the Wildcats were a state powerhouse, fielding a host of successful squads and even winning a state championship...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's soccer and cross country teams aren't favored to win Ohio Valley Conference championships this weekend, but both coaches believe their squads definitely have at least a decent shot. The OVC soccer tournament and cross country race will both be held in Charleston, Ill., with the soccer action taking place today through Sunday and the cross country meet being contested Saturday...

Though St. Vincent, ranked No. 2 in Class 1A, will likely face No. 9 Hayti for the District 1 title next week, it's doubtful the 8-0 Indians -- despite not being scored upon in the last three weeks -- will look past Valle in tonight's 7 p.m. matchup in Ste. Genevieve...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Michael Schuette was credited with four goals and Patrick Kohm posted two as the Jackson Indians rolled to a 6-0 soccer victory over Farmington on Thursday. Matt Neal had three assists and Matt Gordon and Matt Buttry had an assist apiece, while goalkeeper Austin McDowell posted the shutout...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Ernest M. "Ernie" Funke, 80, of Perryville died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born March 10, 1920, at Longtown, Mo., son of Adolph and Clara Hacker Funke. He and Leola Leible were married July 31, 1948...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Nancy I. Clifton, 63, of Perryville died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000. She was born July 12, 1937, in St. Louis, daughter of Ralph and Orbie Wisley Bullar. She and Earl F. Clifton were married Sept. 14, 1956. Clifton was a member of York Chapel Methodist Church...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Funeral for Katie Irene Radica of East Prairie will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, Mo. The Rev. Jimmy Monahan will officiate. Burial will be in East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery. Radica, 91, died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at East Prairie Nursing Center...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Flora Mae Baker, 72, of East Prairie died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born July 27, 1928, in Tuscaloosa, Ala., daughter of Newborn C. and Sarah Katherine Duncan Griffin. She and Charles Baker were married April 18, 1952...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Johnnie Atchison, 78, of Puxico died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter, Mo. He was born Dec. 19, 1921, at Kinder, Mo., son of John and Myrtle Hill Atchison. He and Louise Murphey were married March 23, 1946, in Puxico. She died Nov. 30, 1996...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Kermit E. Wood, 84, of Dallas, Texas, died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. He was born Jan. 3, 1916, in New Madrid, Mo., son of Lois A. and Ada Black Wood. He and Louisa N. Nickens were married June 24, 1934, at Benton, Mo...

RANDLES, Mo. -- Fillmer E. Moore, 91, of Randles died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 4, 1908, at Kurreville, Mo., son of Elick Andrew and Dora Ann Bollinger Moore. Moore was a retired self-employed farmer. He was a member of the Southern Baptist Church...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- John Albert Evans, 57, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at his home of an apparent heart attack. He was born Feb. 10, 1943, at Tanner, Mo., son of Harry D. "Pete" and Elsie Lorene Payne Evans. He and Sandy Hopper were married June 20, 1965, at Bertrand, Mo...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Thomas Warren Womack, 48, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at his home. He was born April 26, 1952, at De Soto, Mo., son of Frank Hartwell and Clare Ryhm Womack. He and Beverly Stanley were married Aug. 6, 1977. Womack was retired from the trucking business...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Nicholas Ray Sadler died shortly after birth Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his parents, Barry and Glenda Bigham Sadler of Chaffee; a sister, Jazmen Jaco of the home; paternal grandparents, Jackie Sadler of Chaffee and Carolyn Jobe of Cape Girardeau; maternal grandparents, Helen Bigham and Patrick Coad of Cape Girardeau...

Nell Elizabeth Seabaugh Morse Keller of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Aug. 30, 1909, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Jonas and Mary Josephine Biehle Seabaugh. She was married to Claude E. Morse in 1925. She later married Charles Frank Keller, who died in 1976...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Wilburn Lee Garner, 78, of Chaffee died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 29, 1921, at Dexter, Mo., son of Thomas Lee and Amanda Trammel Garner. Garner had owned and operated a horse farm and raised quarter horses. He was a member of First Baptist Church at Morley, Mo., and the American Quarter Horse Association...

LILBOURN, Mo. -- Funeral for Vermont Samuel "Monte" Johnson of Lilbourn will be held at 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church. Chaplain Jeffrey Militti and the Rev. Don Stephens will officiate. Burial will be in Mounds Park Cemetery, with military rites conducted by New Madrid American Legion Post 595...

To the editor: The voters of Missouri deserve information to make an informed decision about their vote on Proposition A. I realize the billboard industry is a lucrative one for some individuals. However, I would rather view the remaining beautiful scenery our state has been blessed with rather than more offensive signage. And I resent anyone cutting down trees on publicly owned land...

To the editor: In today's American society, to allow gun violence to go unpunished would be a terrible injustice to the citizens of any community that demands freedom from the element of the criminal as well as that of the bureaucrat. This is exactly what is happening in Cape Girardeau at this time. ...

When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did the global edginess that had characterized the Cold War for nearly half a century. Now that peace has been declared in the Cold War, it is easy to be lulled into believing that world peace is at hand. But China, our new trading partner, demonstrated this week its military might is something to be taken seriously. ...

There's so much to look forward to in the few remaining days before the big election on Nov. 7. Given the campaign rhetoric up to this point, just imagine what you're likely to hear in the next 10 days. An example of things to come accompanied the announcement Tuesday that the federal government posted a $237 billion surplus for the third consecutive year, something that hasn't happened in this country since the 1940s...

IT SEEMS that God is forgotten when some people are talking of the right to choose on abortion rights and a woman's rights to choose life over death. But when tragedy strikes, everyone prays to God and turns to him and asks for his blessing, forgetting the genocide...

To the editor: Maybe I am naive, but I find it a little hard to believe that anyone, including Missourians, would vote for a dead man. That may sound insensitive, but it is a fact. Mel Carnahan is dead. John Ashcroft is running unopposed for this next term of office...