Stories from Friday, February 23, 2001

Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and Bill Haley are some of the performers whose faces have appeared on the cover of American Music Magazine, a Swedish journal dedicated to documenting the history of American rock 'n' roll. Now Cape Girardeau's Lou Hobbs has joined the select crowd...

Starting Tuesday, an expanded prime-time TV schedule will be published daily in the Southeast Missourian, replacing the weekly TV Today magazine. The new daily prime-time listings will feature 67 on-air and cable channels. None of the premium or pay-per-view channels will be included...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County hasn't paid a phone bill for five or six months, leaving it with charges totaling about $48,000. But county officials say the bill seems excessive, and they won't pay until the charges are straightened out. The problems date back to last fall when Square One Electronics of Cape Girardeau installed a new telephone system for the county at a cost of more than $200,000...

Despite the ice Thursday morning, my wife called to let me know about the drop in gas prices at local convenience stores. A penny saved is a penny my wife can put away somewhere safe. That's the motto in our family. When lunchtime came, I dutifully drove to the gas place, even though the gauge in my car showed the tank was more than half full...

Programming a left-turn signal on newly installed traffic lights at Broadway and Clark is not something Cape Girardeau plans to do, the city engineer said Thursday, even though some motorists are confused about making left turns off Broadway onto Clark...

Customers of Gordonville's water system were exposed to low levels of contaminants, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources revealed in a published announcement, but DNR experts say they shouldn't worry. The legal notice that appeared in the Southeast Missourian newspaper this week about Gordonville water was a formality and not a notice of a serious health threat, a DNR spokesman said...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Jackson Boulevard runs through the City of Jackson like a conservative streak, right past Virginia Mitchell's place of business. Mitchell fits right in, a devout Roman Catholic and a mother of three, an entrepreneur who works out of her home...

BENTON, Mo. -- A 50-year-old former drug and alcohol counselor pleaded guilty to promoting child pornography and a drug charge Wednesday, authorities said. William J. Rasmuson Jr. of Cape Girardeau was sentenced to 7 years for child pornography and 3 years for marijuana possession by Associate Circuit Judge Hense Winchester. He was put on five years probation and given suspended sentences...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Seth Lyon, 16, was recently selected to attend the Missouri Fine Arts Academy June 17-July 7 at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. He is the son of Steve and Marlene Lyon. Funded by the Missouri Legislature for Missouri students, about 220 students who are currently sophomores or juniors were selected to attend from the areas of visual art, music, dance and theater...

A five-mile stretch of Interstate 55 near Portageville, Mo., was closed Thursday afternoon after a hazardous chemical was seen leaking from a barrel being hauled by a flat-bed truck. The Missouri Highway Patrol said it closed down the interstate around 12:15 p.m. and began rerouting northbound traffic on a service road between mile markers 27 and 32 in Pemiscot County. Southbound traffic was not affected...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Watch out. The Jackson Lady Indians just might be on to something. Despite their No. 1 seed, Jackson (19-6) pulled off an upset Thursday, knocking off No. 2 Poplar Bluff (23-3), the second-ranked team in the state, 46-43 to claim the Class 4A, District 1 championship at the Farmington Civic Center...

The result was not what he wanted, but Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen could find no fault in his team's effort Thursday night. Southeast gave Ohio Valley Conference power Eastern Kentucky fits for much of the game but the Lady Colonels were finally able to take charge and post a 91-82 victory at the Show Me Center...

Drew DeMond has become a fan favorite of Southeast Missouri State University basketball fans over the past two seasons primarily because of his shot-blocking ability that has made him one of the Ohio Valley Conference's leaders in that department. But the sophomore forward's offense has also started to draw rave reviews in recent weeks and Thursday night it reached a new level...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The second-seed Perryville Lady Pirates (17-9) advanced to the finals of the Class 3A, District 1 Tournament with a 52-29 drubbing of third-seeded Fredericktown Thursday night. Perryville came out slowly and trailed the Lady Black Cats 15-11 at the end of the first quarter...

Local gymnastics fans will have their final opportunity to watch Southeast Missouri State University's women's team perform at home Saturday. The Otahkians conclude the home portion of their schedule when Winona State visits Houck Field House for a 1 p.m. dual meet...

ULLIN, Ill. -- A 16-year-old girl from Perryville, Mo., was killed in an accident during an ice storm on Wednesday night, Illinois State Police reported. Summer Kimmet was a passenger in a car driven by Lakota Amberger, 16, also of Perryville. The car was traveling south on Lick Creek Road south of Kraft Lane when the driver lost control of the car, which spun around, left the road and struck a utility pole...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Elizabeth Ellen "Betty" Lowe, 81, of Salem, Ore., died Saturday, Feb. 17, 2001, in Salem. She was born March 6, 1919, in Nogales, Ariz., daughter of Orville and Bridgett Devine Weaver. She and Dalbert A. Lowe were married June 1, 1940. He died Nov. 18, 1979...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Peggy Thomas, 82, of Chaffee died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Marilyn Jo Rudisill, 65, of Sikeston died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born March 17, 1935, at Matthews, Mo., daughter of Carl and Zola Rather Palstring. She and William Kenneth Rudisill were married March 21, 1953, at Matthews. He died Sept. 7, 1993...

ANNA, Ill. -- Graveside service for Mary L. Wood of Anna will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Anna Cemetery. The Rev. Steve Wilkinson will officiate. Burial will be in Anna Cemetery. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements...

George Fred Bodenschatz, 91, of Ava, Ill., died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro, Ill. He was born April 8, 1909, in Cape Girardeau County, son of Herman and Rose Landgraf Bodenschatz. He and Elsie Ruth Kranawetter were married June 14, 1969, in Jacob, Ill...

PATTON, Mo. -- Joseph Floyd Miller, 62, of Patton died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, at his home. He was born Nov. 12, 1938, in Forrest Hill, Tenn., son of Floyd and Arvelle Anderson Miller. He and Ruth Ann Thompson were married Feb. 1, 1959. Miller was a truck driver for Gilster-Mary Lee in Perryville, Mo. He was a member of Little Whitewater Baptist Church...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Eldon T. Cooper, 84, of Dexter died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at his home. He was born Jan. 25, 1917, at Zadock, Mo., son of Charlie and Victoria Pope Cooper. He and Georgia Irene Bailey were married Aug. 30, 1940, in Advance, Mo. She preceded him in death June 29, 1984...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Alberta F. Sweitzer of Anna will be held at 1 p.m. today at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Alto Pass, Ill. The Rev. Clifford Heil will officiate. Burial will be in Alto Pass Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a.m. today...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Stephen Franklin Emerson, 61, of Parkville, Mo., died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2001, at Veterans Affairs Hospital in Kansas City. He was born Jan. 27, 1940, in Cairo, Ill., son of H.F. and Sue Brunette Swaim Emerson. Formerly of Sikeston, Emerson played football at Sikeston and Cairo schools...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Myrtle Ann Austin, 92, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Dec. 15, 1908, in East Prairie, Mo., daughter of William and Belle Farnsworth Streve. She and Jesse Austin were married Dec. 26, 1923. He died April 2, 1976...

Emil J. "Jim" Meyer, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, at the Lutheran Home. He was born June 9, 1913, in Cape Girardeau, son of Julius and Lulu Windeknecht Meyer of Cape Girardeau. He and Hildreth "Toots" Heuer were married Sept. 1, 1946. She died Dec. 22, 1989...

To the editor: I think Marty Mishow could have been more tactful when describing the way Cape Central boys shot the basketball. If he would have been paying attention at all, he would know our boys had much improved since the season began. Marty should be more considerate of our players' feelings...

To the editor: I am fed up with people calling Speak Out to complain about the help the community has given to the Cape Girardeau police officers who were injured in the shooting. If not for the police force, this community would not be as safe as it is...

Senate Bill 182, which got a committee hearing earlier this week, would create runoff elections for key Missouri races. But the case for runoffs is weak. And the possibility of something called "instant runoffs" is even weaker. The bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. John Louden of Ballwin, Mo., thinks election winners should at least take a simple majority of the votes cast...

It has been a month and a half since Bob Holden became Missouri's governor, and it remains to be seen what his leadership style will be. But it appears he has little control of the legislative process, even in a House of Representatives controlled by legislators from his own Democratic Party...

IF THE Republicans truly stole the presidential election, I say congratulations. They finally got smart. They've been letting the Democrats steal elections for years. THE SPEAK Out comments regarding the school opening early have really gotten ridiculous. ...

To the editor: This is in response to Louie King's unhappiness letter. King must be watching CNN (Clinton News Network), MSNBC or CNN Headline News to come up with his comments about the presidential elections. He does not mention that all ballots were counted at least three times (except military ballots, which were not allowed) or the fact that Gov. Jeb Bush recused himself or that Secretary of State Katherine Harris only followed the laws of Florida as she swore to do...