Stories from Sunday, August 12, 2001

To the editor: I was amused by your Aug. 8 editorial observation that the attorney general's No Call List does not stop all unwanted telemarketing calls. If that is your concern, then why not ask how our local state representatives and senators voted on the proposals to close the loopholes in the law. ...

Hot, hazy, humid days! These are the "dog days" of August, the hottest days of the summer! The ancient Romans had an explanation: It was during the early part of August that the Dog Star, Sirius, appeared in the summer sky; the Romans believed that the heat of the Dog Star, added to the heat of the sun, made for the hottest days of the year. We no longer believe that; but we continue to talk about the "dog days" of August. Traditions die hard!...

It seems a little late to be passing this information along, but perhaps it can be useful in planting the seed for a new way of thinking, for some gardeners. If I've learned anything living in Southeast Missouri, it is, there's always next year, when it comes to gardening...

Blake Kingree, left, and Shelby Kingree of Team Nordenia, participated in the Relay for Life. Nordenia's Mark Gum dressed in accordance with the team's Aloha theme. Team Jenny Style provided face-painting and manicures at its Relay for Life campsite...

IF PEOPLE really think the refund checks are going to tilt the world on its axis or kick start the economy, then can they imagine the boost the monthly Social Security checks, which are collected and paid out in the same manner, become in the scheme of things? I fear some Democrats are about to wreck the Social Security train. Hang onto your seats. You ain't seen nothing yet...

I never dreamed that my high school reunion, class of 1966, would transport me -- zip -- directly back in time to my senior year. Saturday we met at Wib's -- our traditional, favorite hang-out, during and after hours -- for lunch. All of a sudden the door opened and there stood this vision in a white uniform; a whistle blew and through the megaphone I heard, "All right girls! Listen up! Who's in, who's out?" My heart hammered in my chest. ...

With the arguments so compelling on both sides, one hesitates to pronounce with any finality on the contentious issue of federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. The careful citizen struggles to absorb as much information as possible from wide reading of print publications, leading journalistic Web sites, talk radio, church and other moral leaders, as well as visits with friends and associates. ...

With this Constitution now written, we face the teal task of making it work. -- Benjamin Franklin KENNETT, Mo. -- Benjamin Franklin's words, uttered as his fellow delegates completed their work of writing the first Constitution of the newly independent United States, quickly became a disturbing prophecy for those who expected that the just-concluded war with Great Britain would be their greatest challenge. Events would soon enough dissuade them...

Here's a news flash from Washington: Big Labor had no political expenses to report from the infamous 1996 presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative races. That's what The Associated Press says. The AP story reports: "Labor unions have spent millions of dollars of workers' dues on election-year ads and get-out-the-vote drives while reporting no taxable political expenses to the IRS, a review of union and government documents shows. ...

These are hard times for state government, we are repeatedly told. Missouri Gov. Bob Holden has made this theme a hallmark of his first six months in office. He made news again this past week with his prospective withholdings and wide-ranging budget cuts...

The following are just a few of the new titles recently added to Riverside Regional Library in Jackson. If a title is not available at one branch, people can ask the library staff to request it from branch, or, if the library does not own a book, it can be borrowed from another Missouri library...

Janna Schulte, back left, and Charity Seyer, taught the 3 and younger class at the recent Vacation Bible School. Front, from left, were Katelynn Frasier, Jared Gibbs, Hunter Asher and Josh Stortz. Shelly Holzum was the first-grade Bible school teacher, and Shelly Bodenstein was her student...

The Jackson Public Library will hold two preschool Story Time sessions this fall. Sessions begin Aug. 22. There will be a Tuesday 1 p.m. session and Wednesday 10:30 a.m. session in the third-floor conference room. Terri Noland, children's library assistant, said, "We'll read stories, make crafts, play games and have lots of fun!"...

Lives in: Jackson Family: My parents are Jerry and Sandy Buchheit. I have one brother, Nate, 17. Job: I'm an employee of Super Video Warehouse as well as SEMO Child Enrichment Center and Early Head Start. What do you like most about the area? The friendly people...

Gospel singer Crystal McCallister of Jackson will be a special guest at the final Jackson Municipal Band concert for the season at 8 p.m. Thursday. This concert will take place at the Gazebo in uptown Jackson. McCallister, originally from Marquand, has been singing gospel music at churches and special events in Southeast Missouri and surrounding areas for most of her life. ...

The March of Dimes and the Bikers for Babies are about helping babies to survive who've been born prematurely and by supporting lifesaving research and innovative programs to find ways to prevent being born prematurely. The pre-registration party for Bikers for Babies takes place at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau at 5 p.m. Saturday. There will be a party with raffles, door prizes, snacks and entertainment...

The judges for the 4-H events were, from left, Claire Illers, clothing judge; Kyle Hemmann, citizenship judge; Amy Wichern, clothing judge; and Jessica Morrow, citizenship judge. The judges for the 4-H events were, from left, Matt Bollinger, livestock judge; Andrew Telle, vegetable judge; Kent Kranawetter, outdoorsman judge; Paul Gholson, livestock and outdoorsman judge...

The Jackson Wal-Mart made a matching fund donation to Boy Scout Troop 311 of Jackson for its Christmas tree lot. Troop 311 is sponsored by the Optimist Club of Jackson, also participants in the Boy Scout tree lot. Both Troop 311 and the Optimist Club will sell Christmas trees again this year at Wal-Mart...

Grapes grown in the Loennecke garden produced 20 gallons of wine. The basement was where produce was weighed and paid for. These Roma tomatoes are from the garden, as well as Margie Loenecke's preserves. Walter and Margie Loennecke grow a variety of plants, flowers and crops at their residence on Anna Street...

For a few years, city planner Kent Bratton has been working on a map that methodically charts the historical growth of Cape Girardeau, beginning with the small, unincorporated trading post of 1808 to its present-day boundaries. While the map shows steady expansion from 1808 to 1967, growth slows dramatically after that...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perryville High's marching band won't take the field at half-time, because there won't be a half-time. There won't be football, basketball or any other sports played in the 2002-2003 school year if voters don't approve a 50-cent tax hike in November, school district officials warn...

Colton Rhodes calls his disease "didabetes." At age 5, the Jackson, Mo., boy doesn't remember a life without needles, but he's already worried about how it with affect his kindergarten year. John E. Jenkins heads home from work to hand-feed lunch to his wife. Lou Gehrig's disease has frozen her limbs and made swallowing an ordeal...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Steamy weather notwithstanding, the 35th annual Jour de Fete drew thousands to Ste. Genevieve Saturday to purchase crafts, sample food, gawk at exhibits and sample some more food. Jill Chatman watched as festival-goers did double takes at the "boot birdhouses" on sale at her booth...

It's not easy walking through a major discount store with Becca and Bailey. They're girls. What can I say? They have their mom's shopping genes and would buy up a whole lot of the denim kind too if they had a bigger allowance. With Joni out of town on business the other day, I bravely took my daughters shopping...

The executive director of Old Town Cape, Catherine Dunlop-Stock, will be the featured guest today on KRCU's "Going Public" radio show. She will discuss upcoming events in downtown Cape Girardeau and efforts to revitalize the city's historic district...

The United Way held its fifth annual Care Fair Saturday at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park, with trivia contests and prizes given away throughout the day. The event was to make the public aware of the things the various agencies do, said Nancy Jernigan, executive director of the Area Wide United Way...

I've got to admit, when the Chaffee Medicap Pharmacy Senior American Legion baseball team lost its opening game in the state tournament Thursday night, I didn't give the squad much of a chance of coming back to win the championship. That's just another of my many prognostications that have been way off base over the years. And am I ever glad I was wrong...

Sometimes it was funny. Sometimes it was serious. But at all times it was educational. "Who's got the tight end?" Cape Central assistant coach Darrick Smith asked the 60-plus sophomore through senior football players. "Yeah, that's a touchdown if the quarterback sees it," added assistant coach Greg Klund...

COLUMBIA, Mo. --Thanks to a pair of victories Saturday -- including a 10-inning thriller -- Chaffee Medicap Pharmacy is the champion of Missouri American Legion baseball. Chaffee finished off its improbable climb out of the loser's bracket by beating Kirksville twice -- 8-1 in the opener and 7-6 in the extra-inning, winner-take-all title contest -- to capture the four-team Senior Legion state tournament...

Summertime, time for family vacations. For many it means heading south to the land of cotton, majestic homes and ancient trees. And it's hard to miss the huge areas covered in vines that are smothering all those trees. It's not the Spanish moss that you always think of when you picture the South. Growing up I was fortunate enough to have traveled to many of the 50 states. Twenty some odd years later I have learned that the viney looking thing growing all over those trees was kudzu...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Laddie May Smith, 82, died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2001, at Southern Missouri Healthcare in Dexter. Born Dec. 15, 1918, she was a daughter of Walter Neff and Veda Neff Oliver. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter, past Matron of the Dexter Order of the Eastern Star, member of the Southern Missouri Healthcare Auxiliary, former librarian at Dexter Senior High School and a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Mary Ellen Wilkins, 86, of Cobden died Friday, Aug. 10, 2001, at the Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. She was born July 18, 1915, near Balcom, Ill., the daughter of Homer W. and Hazel Davis Goddard. She and Homer W. Wilkins were married Oct. 27, 1937, in Cape Girardeau. He died July 9, 1992...

WHITEWATER, Mo. -- Eric E. Dittlinger, 57, of Whitewater died Friday, Aug. 10, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 17, 1944, in Cape Girardeau, son of Albert Alphonse and Helen Dial Dittlinger. He and Bobbie Adams were married Nov. 2, 1979, in Miami, Okla. She survives...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Charles D. Choat, 73, of Bloomfield died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center. Born Jan. 3, 1928, in Bloomfield, he was a son of Albert Edward and Essie Pullum Choat. He was a self-employed heavy equipment operator. He attended Mount Pisgah General Baptist Church near Bloomfield...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Kenneth L. Hoehn, 58, of Perryville died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2001, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. He was born March 21, 1943, in Perry County, son of Floyd and Irene Pecaut Hoehn, who survive. He and Doris T. Baudendistel were married Nov. 16, 1963. She survives...

ORAN, Mo. -- Guardian Angel Catholic Church was the setting May 12, 2001, for the wedding of Stacey Suzanne Bertrand and Darren Michael McIntosh. The Rev. Lewis Hejna performed the double ring ceremony. Servers were Trent Ray of Benton, Mo., and Clayton Scherer of Oran...

Jerry and Ann Jaco of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Christina Lynn Gore, to Nickolas Andrew Bigham. He is the son of Paul and Cindy Bigham and Marvin and Jane Dowdy of Olive Branch, Ill. Gore is a 2000 graduate of Central High School. She is a service representative with Southwestern Bell...

Margie Auer and Andy Auer of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Christine M. Auer, to Drew P. Hrach. He is the son of Cathy Portfilio of Saegertown, Pa., and Dale Hrach of Edinboro, Pa. Auer is a 1994 graduate of Notre Dame High School, and received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from St. Louis University in 1998. She is a fourth year medical student at St. Louis University School of Medicine...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lynn Meyer of Jackson recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with a family picnic at the home of a daughter in Cape Girardeau. Meyer and the former Vesta Mae Lange were married July 13, 1936. Their children and spouses are: Marilyn and Bill Harrellson of St. Charles, Mo., Darlene and John Derr of St. Joseph, Mo., and Diana Meyer of Cape Girardeau. The Meyers have five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren...

Emily Ashworth Trueblood and Dr. Erin Scott Gardner were married May 19, 2001, in the Japanese Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. Dr. William Willimon performed the double ring ceremony. Music was provided by the St. Louis Brass Ensemble...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Mr. and Mrs. Charles Propst of Jackson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a luncheon and reception July 14, 2001, at New McKendree United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. Hosts were their children and spouses, Charles and Francis Propst Jr. of Lake Charles, La., and Phyllis and Barry Sander of Jackson. Members of Wesleyan Circle of United Methodist Women provided the meal...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Everett L. and Carmen E. Cassady of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Julie A. Cassady, to Scott W. Stone. He is the son of Roy Stone of Cape Girardeau, and the late Judy Stone. Cassady is a 1994 graduate of Jackson High School. She expects to receive a bachelor's degree in social work from Southeast Missouri State University in December. She is employed at Stogie's Texaco...

MILLERSVILLE, Mo. -- Terry and Cindy Brake of Millersville announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Brake, to Chris Davis. He is the son of Cheryl Davis of Chaffee, Mo., and Randy Davis of Whitewater, Mo. Brake is a 1994 graduate of Jackson High School. She received an associate's degree in art from St. Louis Community College, and expects to receive a degree in elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University in May 2002. She is a server at Red Lobster...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Torie Lynn Calhoun and Jason Michael Forrester announce their engagement. She is the daughter of Judy Oldham of Oklahoma City, Okla. Forrester is the son of Herb and Kathy Forrester of Oklahoma City and formerly of Charleston, Mo...

Frank and Theresa Proffer of Sikeston, Mo., and Marilyn and Joe Gilmore of Cape Girardeau announce the engagement of their daughter, Kara Ann Proffer, to Wesley L. Jordan. He is the son of George and Georgia Jordan of Villa Ridge, Mo. Proffer is a 1991 graduate of Oran High School. She is business office supervisor at Washington Pediatric Associates in Washington, Mo...

OAK RIDGE, Mo. -- Steve and Edie Davis of Oak Ridge announce the engagement of their daughter, Mackenzie Renee Davis, to Ryan Joseph Schemel. He is the son of Dale and Debbie Schemel of Perryville, Mo. Davis is a 1997 graduate of Oak Ridge High School. She is a personal banker at Firstar Bank in Cape Girardeau...

ORAN, Mo. -- Eula Mansker and Karen Pobst of Oran announce the engagement of their daughter, Kari Nichole Mansker, to Jason Micheal Montgomery. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Montgomery of Kelso, Mo. Mansker is a 1994 graduate of Oran High School, and a graduate of Stage One the Hair School. She is employed at Clippity Clip in Oran and Applebee's in Cape Girardeau...

THEBES, Ill. -- Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Jackson of Thebes and Roberta Matlock of McClure, Ill., announce the engagement of their children, Victoria Lee Jackson and Shane Allen Matlock. Jackson is a graduate of Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. She is employed at Bank of America in Cape Girardeau...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Melissa Ellen Renee Missey and Travas Wayne Chiles were married July 14, 2001, at Perkins Fireman's Hall. Jack Owens performed the double ring ceremony. Music was by Billy Farris of Randles, Mo. Parents of the bride are Clark and Ruth Missey of Chaffee. The groom is the son of Ronnie and Janet Seabaugh of Chaffee...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Andrea Kathryn Welker and Christopher Britton Livingston exchanged vows June 16, 2001, at Red Star Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. Jim Matthews performed the double ring ceremony. Celtic harpist was Sophanisba Gathman of Pocahontas, Mo...

Courtney Brooke Bollinger and Clifton Kent Verhines Jr. were married June 2, 2001, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg, Mo. The Rev. Frederick Lutz performed the double ring ceremony. Organists were Bernice Kern and Gretchen Reutzel. Soloists were Patti McPheeters and Gary Reutzel. Music was provided by the Elder Quartet of St. Louis...

Mindy Chong and Doug Dolenc exchanged vows June 23, 2001, at First Baptist Church. Coleman Chong performed the ceremony. Parents of the couple are Frank and Betty Chong of Cape Girardeau and Ken and Pat Allen of Auburn, Ill. Matron of honor was Sheri Devillez. Bridesmaids were Jill Chong, Dana Loo, Sheila Meidel and Annette Coleman...

JACKSON, Mo. Gina Marie Parenteau and Benjamin Paul Bishop were married March 10, 2001, at La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Ron Watts performed the double ring ceremony. Pianist was Aimee Keillor of Jackson, sister of the bride. Soloist was Christy Hency of Benton, Mo...

Lora Elizabeth Fornkahl and Jason Lee Estes were married June 23, 2001, at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Rev. Douglas Breite performed the double ring ceremony. Dennis Rolwing of Texas read scriptures. The Trinity Ringers Handbell Choir provided music. Organist was Dottie Meyr; flutist was Anna Bonney of Jackson, Mo., sister of the bride; and soloist was Bill Bonney of Jackson, brother-in-law of the bride...