Stories from Saturday, July 7, 2001

Cathy Tenkhoff admits that it took her some time to get past the terminology and into the soul and spirit of the Christian life. But Tenkhoff hopes to help introduce basic Christian concepts -- those elements of faith and religion that confound anyone who doesn't speak in those terms -- to anyone curious enough to ask...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Christian worship group Ransom is truly one big family. So much so that when vocalist Tracy Bonner's son, Christopher, had his Game Boy stolen from his doctor's office, the children of the other members all pooled the money in their piggy banks to buy him another one...

Though mostly confined to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke, Harold Gene Payne was able to get around short distances without it, his relatives said. However, Payne, 55, was unable to escape his bedroom and died when fire engulfed his home at 333 N. Fountain St. Friday morning...

Stacy Eggimann joyously echoed the sentiments of many who visited Cape Girardeau gas pumps Friday. "Look at that," the Springfield, Mo., woman said after the tank was filled. "Less than $20." Earlier this year, oil industry analysts said gas prices would soar even higher than last summer, when they hovered well over $2 per gallon in some parts of the country. But Cape Girardeau is seeing prices dip below a dollar a gallon for the first time in two years...

Music was everywhere during my childhood. My dad made sure we didn't lack for the latest in stereo technology, and there was a radio, component set, record player, boom box or something that played music in virtually every room of the house. And where there was music, there was a live singing performance waiting to happen...

JACKSON, Mo. -- A state representative plans to walk the 255 miles from Jackson to Jefferson City to deliver a petition demanding the Missouri Highway Commission finish nine road projects. Rep. Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, also wants state lawmakers to oppose any new taxes until the commission is reorganized...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Painting and routine repairs to the Interstate 55 bridge over the Diversion Channel near Scott City will reduce southbound traffic to one lane on Wednesday and Thursday, state highway officials said. Traffic will be reduced to one lane from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Missouri Transportation Department officials said...

A 38-year-old bus driver and custodian for Delta, Mo., schools was arrested Friday on charges for molesting three children during at least an eight-year period, a detective with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department said. Roy Douglas Hess is charged with three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy for molesting his two sons and daughter beginning when they were 6 years old, said detective Lt. David James...

By moving to Springfield, Mo., attorney Kent Hall claims to be following the advice of former baseball player Yogi Berra. "His newest book is called, When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It!'" Hall said. "That's exactly what I'm doing." After about five years running the largest criminal defense service in Southeast Missouri, Hall is leaving the leadership of the Jackson, Mo., public defender's office for the same position in Springfield...

When Central High School English teacher Stacey Busch became the yearbook adviser last year, she immediately began looking for a little history. She figured the history, bound in volumes of the school's yearbook dating back to 1926, would make good reference tools for her yearbook staff...

The Cape Girardeau area is better prepared for disaster than it was two years ago, when the city received a Project Impact grant originating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "We've completed three of four big projects to help against potential impacts from a tornado, earthquake or flood," thanks to the grant, said Walter Denton, assistant city manager of Cape Girardeau...

A Memphis, Tenn., man was charged with attempted armed robbery this week after pointing a handgun at a fast food worker in a drive-through, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor's office said. Quentin Cook, 20, is charged with two felonies, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, for attempting to rob Hardee's at 2115 William St. early Tuesday...

The Cape Girardeau Sr. Babe Ruth Yankees, Chaffee and Dexter all picked up first-round wins in the Firecracker Classic Friday. The Yankees knocked off New Madrid 12-6, Chaffee defeated Scott City 10-2 and Dexter knocked off the Cape White Sox 8-6 in nine innings...

Nelson Pender, 69, of Old Monroe, Mo., died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at St. Joseph Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Sept. 7, 1931, at Vulcan, Mo., son of John Ray and Pearl Pender. Pender had worked as a machinist and was a member of Progressive Lodge 411 AMAW...

Two men traveling up the Mississippi River ran out of gas in their 30-foot cabin cruiser Friday night, and likely lost their boat but were not injured, a Cape Girardeau firefighter said. The men had been coming to Cape Girardeau to refuel their boat after leaving the Kentucky Lake area earlier in the day, Cape Girardeau Fire Department shift commander Tom Hinkebein said. The boat ran out of gas by the Mississippi River bridge, just short of a marine fueling station...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Flora Marie Wendel, 82, of Whitewater, Mo., died Friday, July 6, 2001, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 22, 1918, daughter of Henry and Mary Ulrich Wendel. She was a member of Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville, Mo. Wendel retired from Bell South Telephone Co. and was a member of Telephone Pioneers in Cape Girardeau. She served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II...

Jake R. Pogue, 79, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, July 6, 2001, at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel.

Yuvonda J. Adams, 56, of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, July 6, 2001, at the Lutheran Home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Iva A. Zahner, 76, of Perryville, died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Oct. 27, 1924, daughter of Edmond and Mary Verstringer Nobus. She and Norbert Zahner were married Sept. 12, 1943, in Florissant, Mo. He died April 8, 2001...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Ruth Wilson, 72, of Jonesboro, died Thursday, July 5, 2001, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Murphysboro, Ill. She was born Jan. 25, 1929, in Reynoldsville, Ill., daughter of Harry and Mae Jackson Wilson. She was employed as a mental health technician at Choate Mental Health Center for many years and was a member of the Jonesboro Methodist Church...

ORAN, Mo. -- Irene LeGrand, 74, of Oran, died Thursday, July 5, 2001 at her home. She was born Dec. 15, 1926, daughter of John and Anna Schulte LeGrand. She never married. She was a retired purchasing agent for the United States Civil Service in St. Louis. She was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran...

GEORGE W. Bush has brought gas prices down all by himself? No one can be ignorant enough to believe that. IF ONE could not find a job during President Clinton's years, he didn't look very hard. MY, MY. How easily some people forget things. A Speak Out caller commented that the only reason we are getting a check in the mail for tax relief was because the Democrats in Congress voted it through. ...

Though conservatives are justified in opposing the Democrats' patients' bill of rights because it is more of a boon to trial lawyers than patients, they may be targeting the wrong demon. The Senate handily passed the McCain-Kennedy bill, and a similar version is pending in the House. ...

The news article on the front page of the July 1 Southeast Missourian stated that the Cape Girardeau School District was close to being declared a financially distressed district because of "overspending" in years past. As a 35-year employee of the district who has worked with staff members at all position levels, I wish to disagree with that comment...

All hope of state funding is not lost for the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. But it doesn't look too promising either. Dan Steska, superintendent, was right when he said the district keeps receiving "mixed messages. We've been pulled back and forth so many times with glimmers of hope follow by clouds of disappointment."...

If an August audit bears out what Cape Girardeau School District leaders believe, the district narrowly will escape the humbling "financially stressed" status followed by a takeover by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. To avoid the financially distressed status, school districts must maintain a balance of at least 3 percent of their annual budgets. Cape Girardeau's balance sits at an estimated 3.3 percent...

To the editor: Special Olympics Missouri is inviting individuals across the state to "Get Into It." We estimate there are at least 92,000 individuals with mental retardation or other closely related developmental disabilities who do not yet know the benefits of Special Olympics in their lives...