Stories from Friday, March 30, 2001

There are some people who believe the race of a child and his family matters when it comes to foster care, no matter what the federal government says. Federal law requires that foster and adoptive children be placed in foster families quickly and without consideration of race, color or national origin...

In the last two weeks, threats of violence by students at area schools have resulted in five juveniles being pulled from classrooms to undergo psychological evaluation. But those evaluations aren't cheap. At Thursday's Cape Girardeau County Commission meeting, county juvenile officer Randy Rhodes said the evaluations cost $1,500 apiece, and the county can expect to be hit with some of the bills...

Everyone keeps telling me how much smaller the world is getting. They mean, I think, that technology has given us instant virtual access to the world even if our tired old bodies never leave the La-Z-Boy. In the past few days, my wife and I have discovered that the world is a smaller place today than it was just a couple of weeks ago, thanks to food...

A Pontiac Bonneville stolen in a carjacking last week was recovered Thursday under about 10 feet of water in the Mississippi River. Shortly after 1 p.m., Cape Girardeau Police Cpl. Rick Price noticed a taillight protruding from the water about 20 feet away from the riverbank at Honkers Boat Dock while on patrol...

Southeast Missouri State University will host a conference aimed at educating Mississippi Delta officials and residents about new federal grant money available to them. It is from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. today in the University Center ballroom and was organized in cooperation with state Rep. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County voters will decide in a special election Tuesday whether to make the office of prosecuting attorney a full-time position. The Scott County Commission views the question as a move to keep up with crime in the county. "Crime is not on the decrease," says Jamie Burger, 2nd District commissioner...

The Area United Way marked a 10 percent increase in fundraising for last year during its annual meeting Thursday while honoring one person and two organizations for their special contributions that have stretched over several years. By raising $900,000 last year for the 32 area agencies that it serves, United Way showed that it continues to be a local leader in meeting a variety of needs, said Nancy Jernigan, executive director...

Forgiveness not vengeance will be the focus of the "Journey of Hope: from violence to healing," presentation to be held this weekend in Cape Girardeau. The free sessions will address issues surrounding the death penalty in Missouri. The events are co-sponsored by Catholic Campus Ministry and Southeast Students for Social Justice. ...

Additional burglaries may be charged to a 26-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy who are being held responsible for thefts at Cape Girardeau businesses. A Cape Girardeau boy and Steven Ray Wages of Chester, Ill., were stopped by police about 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday in the 400 block of South Kingshighway, Lt. Carl Kinnison said...

David Cantrell is going to have to find a new use for his surf board. Cantrell is giving up the warm cozy beaches of Southern California to become Cape Girardeau Country Club's new Golf Pro and General Manager. Cantrell will bring some fresh ideas back to the place where he was raised...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Chaffee scratched out three seventh-inning runs to edge Poplar Bluff 5-4 in a SEMO Conference baseball game. Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Chaffee's G. P. Glueck singled to knot the score, after two Poplar Bluff errors and a passed ball had put Chaffee runners on second and third...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Elsie Dee Wethington, 86, of Poplar Bluff died Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at Three Rivers Healthcare South Campus. She was born March 18, 1915, in McCrory, Ark., daughter of Charlie and Anna Belle Harp Johnson. She and Virgil Lawrence Wethington were married Sept. 17, 1932. He died Aug. 18, 1968...

Daughter to Steven Roy Sadler and Mary Rosa Jenkins of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:01 p.m. Friday, March 16, 2001. Name, Makayla Rose. Weight, 7 pounds. First child. Ms. Jenkins is the daughter of Nancy Spurlock and Marvin Spurlock of Cape Girardeau. She is employed at S&J's Playhouse. Sadler is the son of Cindy Sadler and Albert Sadler of Jackson, Mo. He is employed at Gilster-Mary Lee in Perryville...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Helen Kimes, 72, of Jackson died Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at Jackson Manor. She was born Nov. 1, 1928, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., daughter of Walter V. and Vera Pride Smith. Survivors include a son, David Kimes of Cape Girardeau; two daughters, Linda Mangels of Cape Girardeau, Penny Del Vecchio of St. Louis; a brother, Luther Smith of Dallas, Texas; a sister, Sue McGowen of Mascoutah, Ill.; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild...

BENTON, Mo. -- Roger Elwood Lemons Sr., 50, of Benton died Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at his home. He was born Feb. 28, 1951, in St. Louis, son of Cleo Elwood and Marjorie Jane Crader Lemons. Lemons was a self-employed carpenter. Formerly of St. Louis, he moved to the Benton area seven years ago from Alabama...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Robert Lee Biggs Sr., 57, of Scott City died Thursday, March 29, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 15, 1943, in Cape Girardeau, son of William Marion and Mary Isabelle Brock Biggs. Biggs was a self-employed mechanic...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Funeral for Amanda C. "Babe" Short of Jackson will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. David Johnson will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4:30-8 p.m. today...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Inez M. Snell of Anna will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Revs. Larry Shacklee and Lonnie Dale will officiate. Burial will be in Anna Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Mary Ellen Davis, 21, of Memphis, Tenn., died suddenly Sunday, March 25, 2001, at her home. She was born Feb. 27, 1980, in Detroit, Mich., daughter of Bernard E. and Mary Davis. Davis attended schools in Charleston, Cairo, Ill., and graduated from a Memphis high school. She was a student at Concorde Career Institute in Memphis...

Roger Henry, 66, of St. Louis, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, March 29, 2001, at his home. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Estella Dina Hahn, 97, of Scott City died Thursday, March 29, 2001, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City is in charge of arrangements.

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- John T. Thurman, 77, of Charleston died Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at his home. He was born Sept. 24, 1923, in Anniston, Mo., son of William Amburg and Jessie Ann Johnson Thurman. Thurman was a member of First General Baptist Church...

Mary Margaret "Sally" Myers, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, March 28, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Jan. 20, 1918, in Grand Chain, Ill., daughter of Theodore and Louise Klein Diepenbrock. She married Lawrence Edward "Eddie" Myers, who died in 1982...

To the editor: It's spring. Have you noticed that yellow and green have returned to our beautiful city? Forsythia bushes with their bell-shaped flowers adorn the property of many citizens. Jonquils are plentiful at many locations throughout Cape Girardeau. ...

To the editor: It's a shame about what's happening to America's youths today. So many high school students are killing themselves or others. Is there an end in sight for school violence? I don't know, but I think the kids need a lot of help. What if something like that happens in Cape? It seems every school shooting is getting closer to Cape with every incident. We have to find a way to end the insanity in our schools and make our high schools better places for the kids' sake...

To the editor: Budget projections by the Jackson School District show there will be a $954,000 deficit in the general fund. The response of the administration and board has been to call for a tax increase or a possible freeze on salaries. Other alternatives need to be considered...

In this drive-through world, plans to make voting as easy as picking up a cheeseburger and fries was bound to happen sooner or later. Bills to permit what is called early voting are making their way through the Missouri Legislature. Two other states, Kansas and Texas, already have early voting procedures. ...

DAVID LIMBAUGH'S book, "ABSOLUTE POWER," hit the New York Times best-seller list this week ... rapidly rising to No. 14 with the brief description: "A lawyer's critical evaluation of the Clinton-Reno Justice Department." With recent television appearances on "Hannity and Combs" and "Fox and Friends" ... and over 100 radio interviews, Limbaugh has had a busy and, I'm sure, fascinating two weeks of exposure...

THE ONE thing Cape Girardeau needs is a place to eat with meeting rooms on the side for various organizations. We do not have a place where groups can meet and use a meeting room with the purchase of meals. Some groups have to drive to Jackson. That's the only place with this arrangement. I understand the Marquette Hotel is under consideration of a buyer again. How great a service to Cape if the first floor could be turned into such a place...

A $5 million renovation that includes new seats, a fresh layer of concrete and new signs and railings is progressing on schedule at The Muny in St. Louis. The target date for completing the work at The Muny's home in Forest Park is May 1, a month and a half before the opening of "Brigadoon," The Muny's first show of the 2001 season...