Stories from Sunday, January 28, 2001

Frederick L. "Fred" Albright, 77, of Cairo, Ill., died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, at the Jackson Rehab & Care Center in Murphysboro, Ill. Albright was born May 17, 1923, at Cairo. He was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church in Cairo and an Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He formerly lived in Mounds, Ill...

Jackson R-2 students will be stuck in the classroom a week longer this spring. The harsh winter to date led the school board to extend the school year by five days at its Jan. 9 meeting. The only other option was to use holidays to make up the four days missed so far, due to bad weather. The board and the Community Teachers Association did not want to take that route...

Oak Ridge R-6 patrons will vote on a $1.95 million bond issue April 3. The school board voted Jan. 17 to put the proposed bond issue on the ballot. The bond issue would include the construction of a middle school for grades six through eight, as well as a multipurpose building. Both would be on a 30.5-acre tract of land the district wants to buy from the Robert Aubuchon family, just north of the elementary school, on Highway E. The land itself is selling for $96,025...

"God can't build a great Church with spare time and pocket change!" -- Curt Hutson Nothing great or good is ever built with spare time and pocket change! Great causes and successful lives require much more! I'm amazed at what God can do! God, with a word, created suns and moons and stars. ...

Millions of Americans grew up familiar with the jingle "M&Ms melt in your mouth, not on your hands." Younger generations, not familiar with that slogan, are still quite familiar with the tasty shell-coated milk chocolate product put out by Mars Inc. since 1941...

Parochial schools across America will celebrate Catholic Schools Week this week. "Become heralds of good news to the world" will be the Immaculate Conception School's theme for the week. "It's always a big time of the year for us," said Principal Tracy Dumey. "We have a few new things and a few things we've done in the past."...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Missouri Secretary of State's office will hold a local records preservation program workshop at 10 a.m. Feb. 7 at the Cape Girardeau County Archive Center, 112 E. Washington. The workshop will last about 2 1/2 hours and will have two sessions. The first will focus on participation requirements for the grant program and the application form; the second will cover information on microfilming projects...

Despite bad December weather and constant media talk of a slowing economy, local business owners have found this winter to be one of ringing cash registers. Snow fell Dec. 13 and on several days throughout the month. Meanwhile, temperatures never rose high enough to melt much of the snow on sidewalks, parking lots and side roads. The weather was blamed for a slump in Christmas sales nation-wide and statewide. Jackson merchants seemed to avoid the weather problem...

For John M. Thompson and his staff, the mission of The Bank of Missouri and its banking ideals have proven to be a perfect match. So has the new facility at 233 W. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson. "The neat thing for me, personally, is that those values match what I think banking values should be," said Thompson, former president of Community Bank of Jackson...

Although the March 1 work group seminar sponsored by the Jackson Chamber of Commerce is geared especially for business owners and managers, Ken Parrett thinks a wide range of people could benefit from it. "It's predominately for the businessman or businesswoman, but you can take those basics and expand those," said Parrett, executive director of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce. ...

The meeting was called to order by Commander Bill Sullivan. The color guard advanced the colors, Chaplain Boyd Summers gave the invocation, members recited the pledge of allegiance to the flag and Preamble of the American Legion Constitution in unison. Forty-four members were present...

U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) has announced that former staff member Michelle Dimarob has rejoined the Emerson staff as the Communications Director in Emerson's Washington, DC office. Dimarob, who recently relocated to Washington, DC returns to the Emerson staff after spending most of the past year in Missouri...

I just finished reading the article, "Death, It's What Ails You." It was written by Arthur Krystal and published in the February issue of Harper magazine. It seems Krystal has spent some time contemplating his own death. He has explored what different philosophies, religions and science have to say about death and what happens after death. It seems none of the options are acceptable to him. He just doesn't like any of them. He likes being here, now, and in the body he is used to having...

After some 10 weeks of various types of intrigue, protests, debates, denials and controversy, the American election process is finally complete. Despite its bizarre circumstances this time around, the American political spectacle was once again a grand dance. I rarely tire of the spectacle of American politics...

My uncle went to a Royals ballgame with me when I was a teen-ager. As many teen-agers, then and now, I had a powerful stereo in my car, which I played music on, loud and fast. (My music was loud and fast, my car wasn't -- it was a Datsun 710!). But for riding with my uncle, who taught music and voice at a major university, I brought along tapes such as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. ...

Putting down track: After the roadbeds were forged, the equally demanding job of laying track began. This work crew posed on a hand-propelled rail car during the work. The man in the coat and tie was probably superintendent of the project. The man next to him may have been the crew foreman...

Educators recognize the middle school years as a make-it-or-break it time when students make lasting educational decisions. Some set goals toward their secondary education, while others give up on school performance and begin mentally dropping out of school, even though they can't physically leave for a few more years...

A small plane took off from the polished wood floor of the Notre Dame Regional High School gymnasium, its propeller humming under the power of an unwinding rubber band. It circled low before gliding to a landing, having been airborne for little more than 14 seconds...

More than $40 million and 10 years later, Cape Girardeau is less threatened by potential flood damage. The widening and paving of Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch, which began in 1991, is complete except for a 157-acre detention basin just north of Boutin Drive...

We all know that the world has gone to the dogs. But now scientists at one of the nation's leading science museums that you never heard of are suggesting that Pluto isn't a planet at all, but just a lump of space ice. The latest revelation comes from the Rose Center for Earth and Science, which opened last year in New York...

Three nationally known speakers will reach out to those who want to manage their lives successfully, be more optimistic and cope with stress, organizers of the 12th annual Community Caring Conference say. The event is scheduled from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday at Southeast Missouri State University Center. It is titled "Juggling Life Successfully" and costs $60 per person, which includes lunch. Full-time students may pay only $30 with a copy of their school transcript...

Southeast Missouri State University will hold its first Spring Family Weekend, Feb. 16-18. "This is an opportunity for families to visit their students during the spring semester and to enjoy some special family time together at Southeast," said Diane Sides, director of university relations...

Last week's announcement of $25,000 in new music scholarships, initiation of a concert series and expansion of the newly named Southeast Missouri symphony Orchestra are part of Southeast Missouri State University's effort to make its School of Visual and Performing Arts a reality before the River Campus construction ever begins, says Dr. Ken Dobbins, the university president...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- There is still no telling how Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team will fare during the rest of the 2000-01 season. But if the Indians do go on to have a substantially successful campaign, they just might look back to Saturday night's game at Morehead State as a major turning point...

People have been asking me two things regarding today's Super Bowl. First, who's going to win? Second, will there be any touchdowns? To the first part later. As for the second part, well, there's no question that points do figure to be at a premium when the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants -- two defense-oriented teams -- square off in Tampa, Fla...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team keeps winning on the road and the Otahkians keep making sure the opposition's fans remain in their seats until the very end. For the second straight game, the Otahkians built a big second-half lead away from home but were forced to withstand a furious comeback before holding on at the end...

The Cape Central Lady Tigers outscored Nerinx Hall 18-10 in the fourth quarter and won their fourth straight game, 50-43, over visiting Nerinx Hall on Saturday. Katie Dougherty led Central (11-6) with 17 points -- with seven coming in the fourth quarter -- followed by Sara Hyslop with 11 and Alex Wieser with 10...

Southeast Missouri State University's men's indoor track and field team defeated Western Illinois University on Friday 77-51, while the women fell 69-57. Winning first places for the Indians were Jaret Willi (pole vault, 15-6), Garvin Ambrose (high jump, 6-6), Shelton Scott (long jump, 22-10; triple jump, 48-6 1/4), Brandon Myer (shot put, 53-2 1/2), Glenn Haley (55-meter hurdle, 7.51), Jason Campbell (400 dash, 51.22), Jared Tanz (600, 1:24.34), Adam Shupe (800, 2:01.13), Emmanuel Opoku (200, 22.59) and Wes Ambruster (3,000, 10:31.20).. ...

Ashley Godwin, Southeast Missouri State's outstanding freshman gymnastics performer, captured the all-around crown as the Otahkians finished second in the Showcase of the Arts meet Saturday at the Show Me Center. The University of Illinois-Chicago won the triangular meet with a team score of 192.725. The Otahkians' score of 189.800 easily outdistanced third-place Hamline University with 178.525...

If you have ever wanted to get a good look at a bald eagle, you are in luck. Next weekend, Feb. 3-4, the Missouri Department of Conservation, in conjunction with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, will host Eagle Days. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Duck Creek Conservation Area. Both areas are located along Highway 51, north of Puxico...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Robert E. McElyea, 89, formerly of Chaffee, Caney and Oran, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001, at Lexington Health Center in Orland Park, Ill. He was born April 20, 1911, at Portageville, Mo., son of Samuel and Mattie McGee McElyea. Prior to moving to Chicago in 1964, he was a long-time resident and farmer in the Oran, Caney and Chaffee area. He attended St. Thomas Apostle Catholic Church in Chicago...

MORLEY, Mo. -- Cleo Robinson, 81, of Morley died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born May 14, 1919, at Biggers, Ark., son of Boyd and Eva Hatley Robinson. He was a retired farmer. Survivors include four brothers, Albert Robinson of Imperial, Mo., Zeldon Robinson of St. ...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Kline R. Smith, 82, of Marble Hill died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, at the St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 28, 1918, near Bloomfield, Mo., son of Claud and Minnie Scism Smith. He and Dell Underwood Ward were married Dec. 24, 1959...

ANNA, Ill. -- Marie Elizabeth Belcher, 86, of Anna died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 28, 1914, at Albion, Ill., daughter of Harry and Mamie Curtis Tinckham. She and Willis L. Belcher were married Dec. 12, 1936, at Anna...

MATTHEWS, Mo. -- Masil Marcus, 85, of Matthews died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born Aug. 25, 1915, at Claremore, Okla., daughter of Monzel and Millie Sowell. She and Elmer L. Marcus were married Sept. 17, 1932. He died Jan. 10, 1992...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Belle Drobaz, 83, of Dexter died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, at her residence. She was born July 24, 1917, at Colton, Calif., daughter of Ben Everett and Mattie Ralph Hart. She and Louis M. Drobaz were married June 9, 1946, in Los Angeles, Calif. He died April 6, 1981...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Ruth G. Seymour, 81, of Jackson died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, where she had lived for the past two years. She was born Sept. 9, 1918, in Randolph County, Ill., daughter of John and Mary Belle Meyer Zang...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Joe E. Beck Jr., 46, of Sikeston died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at his residence. He was born Aug. 1, 1954, at Sikeston, son of Joe E. Beck Sr. and Marjorie Dena Alsup Beck. He and Lee Ann Napier were married Dec. 23, 1973, in Sikeston...

FROHNA, Mo. -- Hilmer Ottomar Lorenz, 81, of Frohna died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, at the Perry County Nursing Home. She was born July 20, 1919, at Wittenberg, Mo., daughter of Alfred C. and Ella A. Doering Lorenz. She was a machine operator at Wagner Electric. She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. She served in the Army during World War II...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Emial "M.L." Smith, 70, of Portageville, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Feb. 20, 1930, at Osceola, Ark., son of Robert and Lucille Casey Smith. He was a retired truck driver and a member of the Travelers Rest Baptist Church of Sikeston. He lived in Missouri for over 45 years...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Dorothy S. Rice, 62, of Mound City died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Mounds, Ill. She was born March 19, 1938, at Mounds, daughter of Kenneth and Flossie Glenn Helms. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mound City...

WYATT, Mo. -- Brian Robert Ketterer, 19, of Wyatt died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, from injuries received in a two-car accident on Interstate 55 near Scott City, Mo. He was born May 25, 1981, at Cape Girardeau, son of Mark Robert Ketterer of Charleston, Mo., and Sheri New Hunt of Springfield, Mo...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Mary S. Mason, 88, of Sikeston died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at her daughter's home in Sikeston. She was born Jan. 4, 1913, at Sedgewickville, Mo., daughter of Robert Alex and Millie Hanners Seabaugh. She worked for International Shoe Co. She was a Baptist...

Ruby Pauline Shanks of Marble Hill, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill.

BROWNWOOD, Mo. -- Charlie Brown, 86, of Brownwood died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at the Beverly Health Rehabilitation Center in Bloomfield, Mo. He was born May 4, 1914, in Lamar County, Ala., son of George Jefferson Brown and Idella Sorrells. He was a retired farmer and attended the Brownwood General Baptist Church...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Lula Vivian Cauthorn, 87, formerly of Sikeston, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2001, at the Lakewood Nursing Center in North Little Rock, Ark. She was born May 7, 1913, at Kewanee, Mo., daughter of Clarence and Mittie Lancaster Mize. She worked at Woolworth's in Sikeston for several years and was a member of the First Baptist Church. She was enrolled in the Fidelis Sunday School Class...

THE UNITED States is based on the concept that we have laws and everybody has to follow the same laws. Everybody deserves equal justice. Why do we have these double standards that keep coming up? People like Jesse Jackson can use donated money to pay off a mistress, and nobody's calling for an investigation. ...

To the editor: The ending was classic Bill Clinton. The day before he leaves he cops a plea to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Never mind that the wording of that final statement was designed to be so obtuse it would obscure what had actually transpired. Actually, the admission was one last lie about past lies, with this most shallow of all presidents trying to cast his perjury in terms of technical inaccuracy...

KENNETT, Mo. -- There is so much smoke rising from the peace talks going on between the two warring tribes in Jefferson City that sightings of the Missouri Capitol dome are shrouded by clouds from the peace-pipe powwows in recent days. This major environmental hazard stems from a fascinating tale of how the warring tribes in the state Capitol thought they had discovered a way to end the unending bloodshed between the traditional combatants...

Bill Clinton ascended to the presidency in 1993 with a pledge to lead the most ethical administration in U.S. history. We all know what happened after that. We are not sorry to see him move on, and we do not wish to dwell on all his flaws. But it is impossible to ignore his final acts in office...

The key election win that put Missouri Senate Republicans in the majority for the first time since 1948 came in the once-overwhelmingly Democratic counties of Northeast Missouri known as Little Dixie. It's a seat no GOPer has ever held. Typical is Monroe County, the only Missouri county to prefer George McGovern in his landslide 1972 loss to Nixon. A longtime GOP operative said to me as the returns came in, "Peter, we're winning Democratic counties with a Republican message."...

Gina Marie Lage and Hugh Edward Jones were united in marriage Nov. 4, 2000, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, Tenn. The Rev. Patrick Kibby performed the ceremony. Vocalist was Jason Shaffer of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, brother-in-law of the bride. William Richardson was pianist...

What are folks talking about these days? The Inauguration? Speeches full of hope? John Ashcroft? Laura's beautiful ball gown? Arrivals of 1040s? Jesse Jackson? Yes, all of these. Most of all, though, they are talking about the high dollar amounts seen on utility bills. ...

Kristin K. Reinagel and Thomas W. Preusser were united in marriage Nov. 11, 2000, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Mo. The Revs. Normand Varone, Amel Shibley and Oliver Clavin performed the double ring ceremony. Organist was Geri Beussink of Jackson, Mo., and soloists were Beth Bishop and Mike Renick of Cape Girardeau...

BENTON, Mo. -- Linda Kay Jones and Matthew Timothy "Skeeter" Glastetter were reunited in marriage Nov. 25, 2000, at La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Ron Watts performed the double ring ceremony. Pianist and soloist was Chris Nall of Cape Girardeau...

Sara Catherine Seesing and Richard Dale Sizemore were married Nov. 4, 2000, in Eureka Springs, Ark. Jan Wilson performed the double ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are Randy and Chris Welland and Chip and Debbie Seesing, all of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sizemore of Tulsa, Okla...

ORAN, Mo. -- Guardian Angel Catholic Church was the setting Sept. 16, 2000, for the wedding of Tammy Sue Wubker and Michael Patrick Maloy. The Rev. Lewis Hejna performed the double ring ceremony. Pianist was Dana Lynch, guitarist was Marlene Scherer, and vocalists were Jill Landewee and Chris Scherer...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Janet Lea Beasley and William Ray Silliman exchanged vows Sept. 16, 2000, at Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. Dr. Clayton Smith and Mike Heston, uncle of the bride, performed the double ring ceremony. Parents of the couple are David and Carolyn Beasley of Jackson, and Bill and Violet Silliman of Dexter, Mo...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo, Ill., was the setting for the wedding of Alison Renee Henry and Scott Uelsmann Oct. 7, 2000. The Rev. Edwin Hustedde performed the double ring ceremony. Organist was Linda Mueller, and soloist was Kristi Kish. Readers were Richard Toenjes, uncle of the bride, and Scott Henry, cousin of the bride...

Cecil and LaNora Shrum of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Lisa Kay Shrum, to Patrick Dan Kelly, both of Mission Viejo, Calif. He is the son of Nancy Kelly of Coto de Caza, Calif., and the late Jack Kelly. Shrum is a graduate of Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University. She is employed by Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. in Irvine, Calif...

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ebaugh of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Kara Michelle Ebaugh, to Ronny Issa Askar. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Abdo Askar of Burbank, Calif. Ebaugh received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University in 1995. She is employed in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at Providence Holy Cross in Mission Hills, Calif...

G.A. and Mary Sue Schaefer of Crystal City, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Dana Suzanne Schaefer, to Timothy Derek White. He is the son of Robert and Bonnie White of Cape Girardeau. Schaefer is a 1996 graduate of St. Pius X High School in Crystal City, and a 2000 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. She is a financial analyst at Nordenia USA Inc. in Jackson, Mo...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Richard and Audrey Schubert of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Ann Schubert, to Jerry Robert Broshuis. He is the son of Robert Broshuis of Hiram, Mo., and Gloria Lunsford of Cape Girardeau. Schubert is a 1995 graduate of Jackson High School. She is employed at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Cape Girardeau...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Steve Graham of Chaffee and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wessel of Chaffee announce the engagement of their children, Jill Marie Graham and Steven Michael Wessel. Graham is a 1998 graduate of Chaffee High School. She is employed at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Elvis Sturdivant of Trimble, Tenn., announce the engagement of their daughter, Angela Sturdivant, to Jamie Gordon of Dyersburg, Tenn. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Danny Gordon of Chaffee. Sturdivant is a 1996 graduate of Dyer County High School, and 2000 graduate of Dyersburg State Community College nursing program. She is employed by Methodist Healthcare-Dyersburg Hospital...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Dr. Timothy and Donna Miller of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Renee Miller, to Mark Allan Adams. He is the son of Mark T. and Tamera Adams of Sikeston, Mo. Miller is a 1997 graduate of Jackson High School, and received a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2000. She is a reporter at the Washington Missourian...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Wayne G. and Rhonda Parenteau of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Gina Marie Parenteau, to Benjamin Paul Bishop, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Marion Joe and Nancy Bishop of Jackson. Parenteau received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University. She is a registered nurse at PRN Urgent Care...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Paul and Carolyn Sides of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Christina R. Sides, to F. Keith Johnson, both of St. Louis. He is the son of Fonnie and Mary Johnson of St. Louis. Sides received a bachelor's degree in nursing from Southeast Missouri State University in 1995. She is a registered nurse with First Call Team Inc. in St. Louis...