Stories from Wednesday, January 3, 2001

Snow and ice plastered Cape Girardeau streets in December, but now city road crews are battling a new enemy. Potholes of every size and shape have appeared on city streets and state highways, causing workers to scramble to make temporary repairs before the next bout of winter weather descends on Cape Girardeau...

Every morning, Captain Steve Stanionis and his crew go aboard the Hickman-Dorena ferryboat, crank up the engines and check the Mississippi River ice to determine whether the ferry can make it from Hickman, Ky., to Dorena, Mo. Only once during the past 10 days has the ferry left the Hickman harbor, and it couldn't make it across, said Stanionis...

Mary Burton has helped thousands of victims of floods, fires and other disasters during her 10-year tenure directing the local American Red Cross. Yet the 47-year-old Marissa, Ill., native who averages 60-hour workweeks humbly attributes the chapter's success to its many volunteers across Southeast Missouri...

Hibernating teachers, students and school buses were roused from beneath blankets of snow and ice this week as classes resumed at area schools. Most public and private schools in Cape Girardeau were to reopen today, but Jackson, Nell Holcomb and Scott City school districts were among those resuming classes Tuesday...

U.S. District Judge Rodney Sippel has handed down sentences for three area defendants. Sippel Tuesday sentenced Shone Yarber, 26, of Sikeston, Mo., to more than 11 years of prison on two felony counts of distributing 5 or more grams of crack cocaine...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff man is free on bond after being arrested last week on a warrant for distributing methamphetamine and marijuana. Members of the SEMO Drug Task Force, Poplar Bluff Police Department and Butler County Sheriff's Department arrested Dallas Wayne Burden, 27, Friday...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Timothy Allen Wright, an on-call firefighter with the Jackson Fire Department, has filed to run for Ward 1 alderman in the April election. Wright works for Alliance Food Service as a route driver and also is employed by the Show Me Center in security. He also is a paid on-call firefighter with the Jackson Fire Department...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The city has done a good job of snow and ice removal, City Administrator Steve Wilson said Monday, but he cautioned that the forecast for warmer temperatures presents another problem. "The next dilemma is, when are we going to get the cinders off the street?" Wilson said...

It wasn't pretty on either side of the ball, but it counts. The Notre Dame Bulldogs (8-3) outlasted the St. Vincent Indians 52-36 at Notre Dame High School on Tuesday. With the shooting about as cold as the weather outside, both teams struggled early, going into the intermission with St. Vincent (5-3) up 19-15...

Cape Central's game against Carbondale Tuesday night was like a bad first date. When Central finally got to Carbondale's doorstep and worked up the nerve to make a move, the Terriers slammed the door in its face. After getting off to a poor start, Central clawed its way back to within five points late in the third quarter before Carbondale went on 20-6 run to claim a 63-46 victory...

I talked to my former assistant coach Anthony Beane on the phone Monday night and I congratulated him on his Illinois State team being 8-1. Anthony said they were off to a good start, but they are entering conference play this week and it is time to put up or shut up...

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen was looking for another strong performance Tuesday night before his team started Ohio Valley Conference play. Instead, what Arnzen got was a real dud as visiting Arkansas-Little Rock came to the Show Me Center and spanked the Otahkians 76-55...

MORLEY, Mo. -- Scott City broke a two-game losing streak as it mounted a strong second-half charge to overtake Scott County Central 68-61 Tuesday night. Ben Sample paced Scott City (6-4) with 19 points while Nick Steimle had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Craig Jungers added 10 points...

THEBES, Ill. -- Louann Carter, 72, of Thebes died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 30, 1928, in Pinckneyville, Ill., daughter of Ed and Anna Bailey Williams. She married Carl L. Carter, who died in 1975...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Funeral for Fern Berniece Wise of Scott City will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. The Rev. Larry Lawman will officiate. Burial will be in Oakdale Cemetery at Commerce, Mo. Friends may call at the chapel from 5-8 p.m. today...

ORAN, Mo. -- Gary Todt, 49, formerly of Oran, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000, in Williams, Ariz. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran is in charge of arrangements.

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Lester W. Carlin, 88, of Chaffee died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 6, 1912, in Mediapolis, Iowa, son of Clyde R. and Inez Young Carlin. He and Dallie Irene McCulley were married April 20, 1952, in Kansas. She died April 22, 1983...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Funeral for Orin Phillips of Bloomfield will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Morgan Funeral Home in Advance, Mo. The Revs. Thurman King and Bob Bradford will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery near Aquilla, Mo. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4:30-8 p.m. Thursday...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Notra Mae Fuller, 72, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001, at her home. She was born April 27, 1928, in Egypt, Ark., daughter of Osa L. and Rosetta Peters Cline. She and Jesse N. Fuller were married May 15, 1948, in Hoxie, Ark. Fuller was a seamstress at Thorngate Ltd. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Lela Aldridge, 86, of New Melle, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000, at Wentzville Park Care Center in Wentzville, Mo. She was born Aug. 5, 1914, in Jonesboro, daughter of J. Walter and Lydia L. Ferrell Tripp. She and Millard F. Aldridge were married July 8, 1948...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Anna M. Finger, 71, of Perryville died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born April 26, 1929, at Hildebrand, Mo., daughter of William and Lena Ruch Clements. She and Lawrence Finger were married Oct. 4, 1947. He died Oct. 20, 2000...

URBANDALE, Ill. -- The Rev. Raymond L. Whitaker, 73, of Urbandale died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. He was born March 14, 1927, in Livermore, Ky., son of William and Frances McClure Whitaker. He married Juanita Whitaker, who died in 1996...

BELL CITY, Mo. -- Katie Mae Ray, 86, of Bell City died Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born May 13, 1914, in Halls, Tenn., daughter of Major and Josephine Isom. She had lived in Missouri since 1932...

Virginia L. Jacobs, 90, of Lohman, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at Capital Regional Medical Center in Jefferson City, Mo. She was born Feb. 19, 1910, at St. Martins, Mo., the daughter of Henry C. and Leona Gratz Meller. She married Frank Joseph Jacobs on April 22, 1930, at Jefferson City. He died Feb. 17, 1977...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- Greta J. Willeford, 55, of Wolf Lake, formerly of Grand Tower, Ill., died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home at Anna, Ill., is in charge of arrangements.

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Memorial service for Arthur Ray Hopper of Louisville, Ky., was held Dec. 27 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Louisville. Pearson Funeral Home in Louisville was in charge of arrangements. Hopper, 77, died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2000, at St. Matthew's Manor...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- John W. Spaulding of Villa Ridge died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON, Mo. -- Hazel Deen Proffer, 88, of Jackson died Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 7, 1912, at Millersville, Mo., daughter of Benjamin and Jeffie Arizona Davis Davenport. She and Alton Glenn Proffer were married Feb. 26, 1938. He died March 15, 2000...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Rosa Bertha Doberenz, 81, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2001, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 17, 1919, at New Wells, Mo., daughter of Gustave A. and Pauline M. Perr Meyr. She and Helmuth M. Doberenz were married Oct. 15, 1939, at New Wells...

BERTRAND, Mo. -- Wylmoth "Wilma" Lynn, 74, of Bertrand died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. She was born July 8, 1926, in Dexter, Ky., daughter of H.D. and Jennie Jewell Sweet. She and Donald A. Lynn were married Dec. 5, 1945...

KENNETT, Mo. -- There is an interesting scenario taking shape in the U.S. Senate. With the announcement last week of Missouri's John Ashcroft as the designee for U.S. attorney general, a confirmation hearing is already shaping up in the Senate. In bygone days there was a sense of decorum among senators that resulted in the treatment of a fellow senator, or former colleague, with kid gloves. ...

Disclaimer: While the tone of this column may sound pessimistic, I want to assure you that I am optimistic about George W. Bush's ability to lead this nation. But realism requires that we squarely acknowledge the enormity of the challenges. Bill Clinton and Al Gore will bequeath to Bush a multitude of significant domestic and foreign problems and a disturbingly polarized nation...

It's disgusting and unacceptable, just one more example of how the federal government can give away millions of our taxpayer dollars only to repent later. This time, the Social Security Administration has paid out since 1996 at least $76 million and maybe as much as $283 million in disability benefits to fugitives from state and federal felony charges...

What a heartbreaker that Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians fell 69-64 in a first-round loss to Houston in the Sierra Providence SunClassic Tournament last week in El Paso, Texas. Even though Houston's record was 2-7 and Southeast's 7-3 going into the game, it's understandable that the Indians were shaken...

I READ to my spouse, because he was busy with budget work, the allegations against John Ashcroft in today's paper. I asked my husband what he thought of them. He smiled with his usual humor and said, "Sounds wonderful. Compassionate conservatism at work." Is George W. Bush going to follow in his father's footsteps? The man who promised no new taxes? Now we have his son who promised compassionate conservatism. I ask, Where is the compassion in nominating Ashcroft?...

To the editor: While watching a TV news magazine segment about how we really have no defense to a nuclear bomb being sent our way, I had a flashback to the 1950s, a time when Americans were preoccupied with being the ones to survive an atomic bomb attack from Russia...

THEBES, Ill. -- William Howard "Bill" Prater, 60, of Thebes died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2001, at his home. He was born June 13, 1940, in Gale, Ill., son of Herbert and Ollie Busby Prater. He and Harriet Cullison were married Nov. 23, 1960. Prater worked 35 years at Aetna Coatings in St. Louis, retiring in June 2000 because of ill health. He was a member of Beech Grove Baptist Church...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Terry Shockley of O'Fallon, Mo., St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo., 12:13 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, 2000. Name, Joseph Brady. Weight, 7 pounds 3 ounces. First child. Mrs. Shockley is the former Aprill Zagar, daughter of Carl and Pat Zagar of Hartford, Ill. She is a registered nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Shockley is the son of Richard and Sue Shockley of Cape Girardeau. He is an application engineer at Industrial Network Systems in St. Charles, Mo...

With the New Year upon us, we traditionally take stock of the year just ended and look ahead to the future. Thus, The Associated Press selects the top story of the previous year (the presidential election no surprise there), movie critics identify the best and worst films of the past season in anticipation of the academy awards, and financial seers make predictions about the best investments for the coming year...

The Christmas has come and gone, the New Year has come and gone, and time continues to fly by. In looking through my box of collected mail from the past year, I am so pleased with the response from you. Readers like you make this column a success by your involvement, and you've done a great job. Keep up the good work in 2001...