Stories from Friday, July 6, 2001

Cape Girardeau should have new fire and police chiefs by the end of summer. City Manager Michael Miller and his staff in coming weeks will interview nine candidates already chosen from a pool of 56 applicants for fire chief. An as yet undetermined number of finalists will be selected following the face-to-face interviews...

JACKSON, Mo. -- No relief is in sight this year for already crowded Jackson classrooms. The district has experienced an enrollment boom over the past decade, averaging about 3 percent growth annually. Schools superintendent Ron Anderson said growth is projected to fall short of the average when students return to classes next month, but almost 100 students will be added to the district's enrollment of 4,550...

The SEMO District Fair may have an unwanted exhibit this year: road construction. Getting to the fair could be harder because construction work on a Cape Girardeau road that leads to the Arena Park fairgrounds may not be finished by the time the annual event rolls around in 65 days. The project includes replacement of the East Rodney Drive bridge over Cape LaCroix Creek...

Fourth of July, it turned out, was a good day to see "Pearl Harbor." My wife and I realized this week that we hadn't been inside a movie theater with its smell of freshly popped popcorn for a long time. Why? Because we can't find many movies worth the effort...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Sheila Perry has gotten good at writing grant proposals. Still, never in a million years did the Bloomfield Elementary School principal imagine sitting at a Los Angeles hotel among the nation's outstanding school policy-makers and business leaders...

BENTON, Mo. -- Through tears and trembling, 32-year-old Charles "Scott" Biggs pleaded guilty Thursday in circuit court to killing his 57-year-old lover last summer. For his guilty plea, the Missouri attorney general's prosecutor agreed to charge Biggs with second-degree murder instead of first-degree murder in the death of Willie Mae Vasquez of Scott City, Mo...

Gasoline is selling below a dollar in Cape Girardeau for the first time in at least five years, and some drivers find it hard to believe. When the price for regular gasoline was lowered to 99.9 cents at a cash-only station at 2012 William St., one man asked the manager to pinch him...

To the editor: After viewing the fireworks here in Cape Girardeau, I got stuck behind a lot of traffic. I quickly noticed there were no cops controlling traffic, which made the wait to get out of the downtown area needlessly long. After leaving downtown, there were cops controlling traffic at a traffic light nowhere near the riverfront. ...

Jimmy Kite could be handed offers in the next two weeks to race full-time on the NASCAR Busch Series and the Indy Northern Lights Series. Choosing one, he says, could be the toughest decision of his life -- much harder than deciding whether to spend Saturday night behind the wheel of a winged sprint car at Auto Tire and Parts Racepark near Benton, Mo...

The Cape Girardeau Sr. Babe Ruth Yankees managed only seven hits total in two games, but they still came away with a doubleheader sweep over the Cape White Sox. The Yankees won the first game 4-2, then finished off the twinbill with a 4-1 victory. In the first game, Adam Ralls picked up the win. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out six...

Officials at Malden Speedway expect a big crowd of fans and cars tonight when the Mid-America Racing Series returns to the track for its second and final appearance of the year. In its last program May 4 at the 3/8-mile dirt oval, 36 cars and drivers competed for a $3,000 top prize. Another big field is expected today in the second stop of a three-day weekend...

Son to Jeffrey Alan and Chrystie Lynne LaFave of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:49 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2001. Name, Austin Alan. Weight, 6 pounds 6 ounces. First child. Mrs. LaFave is the former Chrystie Offerman, daughter of Judi Ervin of Jackson, Mo. LaFave is attending Southeast Missouri State University, and is employed at Cape Regional Credit Union. LaFave is the son of Larry and Betty LaFave of Jackson. He is employed at Langford Mechanical and Sheet Metal...

DELTA, Mo. -- Nathen E. Purdom Sr., 78, of Delta died Monday, July 2, 2001, at his home. He was born Nov. 5, 1922, at Neelyville, Mo., son of John D. and Nora E. Campbell Purdom. He and Lorraine Stewart were married in 1958. She died earlier this year...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Herschel Lane, 72, of East Prairie died Tuesday, July 3, 2001, at his home. He was born Jan. 23, 1929, in Hickman, Ky., son of Irvin and Bessie Evans Lane. Lane was a retired farmer. Survivors include a daughter, Debbie Dodd of Kansas City, Mo.; three brothers, Leamon Lane of Clinton, Ky., Carmen Lane of Stewart, Fla., Ellis Lane of Lake Worth, Fla.; six sisters, Dema Russian, Brenda Lane, Joyce Jewell and Linda Russell, all of Clinton, Wanda Bonds and Lois Harrison of Union City, Tenn.; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Leroy Humes, 82, of Jackson passed away Thursday, July 5, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. The Rev. John Rhodes will officiate. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Oliver Ford, 93, of Advance died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 4, 1907, near Bell City, Mo., son of A.M. and Margaret Jane Stewart Ford. He and Odena Winemiller were married March 26, 1932, at Bloomfield, Mo...

Graveside service for Cleo Jones of Cape Girardeau will be held at noon today at Kenyon Cemetery in Delta, Mo. The Rev. Donald Estes will officiate. There is no visitation. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Jones, 83, died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at the Lutheran Home...

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- Lucille Wilson, 79, of Fredericktown died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at the Stockhoff Memorial Nursing Home. Born Aug. 19, 1921, in Chaffee, Mo., she was the daughter of Homer and Adel Arnold Harmon. On June 21, 1957, she was married to Ray Wilson in Fredericktown and the couple owned and operated the Wilson Funeral Home from 1963 to 1999...

Rosetta Nutter, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

ORAN, Mo. -- Irene LeGrand of Oran died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at her home. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran is in charge of arrangements.

ULLIN, Ill. -- William J. Henley, 85, of Ullin, formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. He was born Oct. 3, 1915, in Paducah, Ky., son of Sam and Audie Dunn Henley. Henley retired as an engineer with Walker Boat Co...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Marie Steers, 88, of Mound City died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at the home of a daughter. She was born July 15, 1912, in Anniston, Mo., daughter of James and Nannie Leath Weaver. She first married Tom Franklin Butler, who preceded her in death. She later married Henry Steers, who also preceded her in death...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Pearline Sander, 87, of Marble Hill, died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at Eldercare in Marble Hill. Born May 13, 1914, at Morehouse, Mo., she was the daughter of Carlton and Amanda Blaze Gray. On Oct. 27, 1935, she was married to Dale Sander. He died Jan. 24, 1998...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Charlie Frank Carthell, 62, of St. Louis died Tuesday, July 3, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 23, 1938, in Trenton, Tenn., son of Thomas and Samella Carthell. He and Bernice Bostic were married Nov. 10, 1969...

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Elsie M. Schroeder, 76, of Altenburg died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 20, 1925, near Altenburg, daughter of Joseph and Bertha Frances Perr Schroeder. Schroeder had worked at Cater Carburetor in St. Louis. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and Ladies Aid in Altenburg, Perry County Club in St. Louis, VFW Auxiliary 6407 in Scott City, Mo., and United Auto Workers...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Cora K. Schrader, 101, of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at home. She was born Sept. 17, 1899, in Cape Girardeau. A member of Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. In 1917, she graduated from the Old State Normal College, now Southeast Missouri State University...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Mattie June Dowd, 78, of Poplar Bluff died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 23, 1923, in Williamsville, Mo., daughter of Frank and Annie Eudaley Caul. She and James Dowd were married Sept. 18, 1964. He died July 16, 1994...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Funeral for Milburn "Mib" Powell of Charleston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, Mo. The Rev. Jon Archie will officiate. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, with military rites by Missouri Military Funeral Honors Program...

It was interesting that the Supreme Court ruled last week that states couldn't apply their own restrictions on the advertising of tobacco products because it would violate the First Amendment rights of tobacco companies. But free speech hasn't proven to be a barrier to the Supreme Court in its ongoing rulings regarding limits on the amount of money supporters can contribute to political campaigns...

Anyone in this area looking for an all-American Fourth of July didn't have to search long. Cape Girardeau and Jackson each drew thousands of patriotic residents, along with dozens of smaller celebrations and fireworks displays throughout Southeast Missouri...

IT AMAZES me that Southeast Missouri State University has enormous plans for a River Campus costing millions and cannot meet the daily maintenance needs and salary upkeep for employees. University salaries are not competitive with the community or region. ...

To the editor: The bicentennial celebration of Lewis and Clark's journey into the unknown is an exciting time for Cape Girardeau. I applaud the efforts to recognize this momentous event. However, I have reservations about the appropriateness of the reconstruction of Louis Lorimier's Red House...

When Gwendolyn St. Julian moved to Los Angeles after graduating from the University of Northern Iowa with a master's degree in speech pathology, she became involved with a theater company called the Paul Robeson Players. They sent her to see Eugene "Pineapple" Jackson for tap dancing lessons. Jackson, now 84, had a remarkable career in movies and on TV that included a role in the "Our Gang" comedy series...