RUST COMMENTARY: JUST ANOTHER BUSY WEEK -- WITH PLENTY TO DO, SEE, HEAR AND ENJOY

Last week was an exciting week. Besides the normal 10-12 hour days filled with regular work and reading ... the following are some of the highlights that took place in the area.

1. Monday, May 17, brought the big 78-to-90-mph straight-line windstorm that did have twists in it. Like almost everyone, our home lost three big trees and parts of others. No electricity for over three days worked out well as my wife, Wendy, was out of town. The flashlight and water worked ... and I got more sleep than normal.

2. The newspaper staff adapted well with printing assistance from a sister publication in Sikeston. Also, a news article informed me I should throw away most of my refrigerated food. Probably saved me from food poisoning.

3. The Missouri University Coaches' Caravan drew over 200 people to a candlelight rally at the still-short-of-electricity Drury Lodge Monday evening. Coaches LARRY SMITH and "Q" SNYDER gave enthusiastic presentations of the outlooks for the MU football and basketball teams next year.

4. The electrical shortage caught a number of well-known locals in their dentists chairs with their mouths numbed and no power to complete the procedure. Many similar stories remind us to thank Thomas Edison for his many electrical inventions.

5. DAVID KEMPER, president of the St. Louis-based COMMERCE BANK, and associates presented their annual state of the economy and economic forecast session in Cape.

6. I learned Wednesday about the NITZSCHKE-DOBBINS-FOX-DUFFY realignment at SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY to be announced on Thursday. The well-kept secret surprised all but the Board of Regents and the people involved.

7. Did change of pace to view STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE with son JON. You'll have to see it to understand why the reviews are so mixed. Also, much movie time was spent setting up the next two planned Star Wars movies. Besides, the popcorn is great, and it's one of the few PG-13 movies out.

8. The SEMO NCAA baseball tournament displayed some hard-throwing pitchers.

There was the retirement recognition of LIL REYNOLDS after 40 years of handling money at First National, Centerre and NationsBank-Bank of America. She worked with the same company, but it kept selling and changing names.

Attended SIKESTON CHAMBER of COMMERCE annual banquet. Largest attendance ever (460 people) to hear radio (former TV) reporter CHARLES JACO make the points of a military conservative hawk which runs contrary to what some say are his more liberal domestic views. JOEL MONTGOMERY, formerly of Cape Girardeau, -- banker, nursing home developer, mobile home investor, real estate developer and philanthropist -- received the major citizen appreciation award for 1999. Master of ceremonies MIKE JENSEN, publisher-owner of the Sikeston Standard-Democrat, did an outstanding job keeping the evening's events moving along with his banter and well-prepared comments. Mike's newspaper also was honored by the small-industry award for this year.

9. Friday, son REX and his mother drove in from St. Louis, meeting there as Rex was coming from Richmond, Va., via Kansas City and Wendy from North Carolina where she had been visiting two of our children's families (including six grandchildren).

10. Saturday featured the company "Anyone Can Play" golf tournament at the Jaycee golf course ... the model airplane show at the airport, baseball, soccer ... and a nice turnout for the "MARCH FOR JESUS" parade.

Rex and Jon's rare visit prompted some business discussions and attendance at the tux-attired wedding of JUNE and HAN KANG'S daughter REESHA and husband DAN. A memorable wedding with sister TARINA KANG treating us to her soul-filled violin playing and down-home toasts in a setting of flowers created by June and a stand up routine by Han ... who displayed wit, humor, wisdom, love and understanding in his classic remarks.

State Sen. PETER KINDER escaped the tux "suggestion" (primarily because he's not married) because of his commitment to speak at the NOTRE DAME graduation ceremonies Saturday night. This class of 80 graduates was the first graduating class who schooled in the new facility.

Sunday (when I'm writing this) brought church, a quick lunch ... and the dedication of the GENE E. HUCKSTEP memorial pavilion in North County Park. A truly deserved tribute in a setting that Gene is greatly responsible for creating.

On reflection ... it was just another week in the life of a newspaper man who is probably more aware than some of the many events that go on in this community. We try to cover them all ... miss some ... but try to provide for you the summaries of what's happening for these and the many events you attended (and I read about here) that I didn't.

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Memorial Day: Somewhere amidst having a great relaxing long weekend, we ought to stop and think about Memorial Day and what it means. It is a chance to honor those men and women throughout the history of our country who have fought and died to keep us free. In 1787 at the close of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin rose to address the delegates in that crowded room and said, "And now, gentlemen, we will give you a republic ... if you can keep it." For over 200 years we have kept our republic strong by acknowledging the right to dissent, but also by upholding the right to reply; we have remembered that patriotism means love of one's own country and a desire to correct the problems that do exist, and by remembering that we have a heritage that has been renewed in places like Bunker Hill, Yorktown, Gettysburg, Okinawa, France, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and now Kosovo.

Just after the Declaration of Independence was signed, John Adams wrote to his wife, in part "I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration of Independence and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means. And that prosperity will triumph in that day's transaction, even although we should rue it, which I trust God we shall not."

John Adams was correct. Our independence has cost us toil and blood and treasure to maintain, but throughout the years we have held onto the principles of the Declaration of Independence at all costs. We have been at the brink of war, through war, and in economic duress and internal turmoil. But today, we face the future with our American heritage in tact and a chance to make our great nation even greater. Today, on Memorial Day, I would like to see the rebirth of that old fashion word "patriotism." Someone once said. "Patriotism is wanting what is best for your country." I would add that patriotism must include the willingness to work and be involved to ensure that it is the best. -- Lou Frey Jr., president of the Retired Congressmen Association.

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More federal interference in education: President Clinton announced his plan for legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Instead of giving states, localities and families more power in education, Clinton is proposing to get the federal government even more involved. Washington now provides about 6 percent of the money that goes to public K-12 education but imposes an estimated 50 percent of all the regulations on local schools. From initial reports it sounds like Clinton's plan would provide more of the same. Despite having vetoed several bills with school choice components, Clinton is trying to spin his new big government proposal as favorable to parental choice in education. -- Washington Update

~Gary Rust is president of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian and other newspapers.