Stories from Wednesday, January 16, 1991

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Linda Ruddy knows that physical activity is vital to one's physical and mental health. As physical education teacher at St. Vincent de Paul Grade School in Cape Girardeau, Ruddy teaches her students that what they learn in her class is worth practicing throughout their lives...

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County Sheriffs Deputies Tuesday arrested two area men on drug charges, bringing to 20 the total number of arrests resulting from Cape Girardeau County grand jury indictments. Roger William Littleton, 26, of Route 4 Jackson was arrested at his home and charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance to a minor, a felony...

ULLIN, Ill. -- After almost a year of searching, Shawnee Community College has a new president. Dr. Jack Hill, who was one of the original three finalists for the job last May, will become the third president in the 22-year history of the college, which is located a few miles east of Ullin...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- If Show Me Center Director David Ross has his way, ticket scalping would be illegal here. Ross said there currently is no city ordinance on the books banning such activity. But Ross hopes to change that. Ross is currently in the process of drafting an anti-scalping measure, which will be submitted to the city staff and City Council...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will begin to offer monthly specials this month at Central Municipal Pool. A special admission price will be offered each month. In January, anyone who brings a church bulletin on Sunday will be admitted to the pool for 50 cents. One bulletin may be used for each family...

This session, the Missouri General Assembly will consider a bill to mandate driver education in Missouri's schools, and require anyone under 18 to take a driver education class before obtaining a license. It's an idea with merit. Car crashes are the single leading cause of death for teenagers today. Driver education training can relay some hard facts to teenagers before they climb behind the wheel. In the hands of an ill-prepared youngster, a vehicle can become a lethal weapon...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - "Call the Doctor!" This phrase has been a familiar one for centuries. In times of sickness or an accident, calling the doctor was the first thing a family thought to do. Long ago doctors made house calls, even late at night. Today when someone becomes ill or there is an accident, an ambulance with paramedics and police are called, and patients are taken to a hospital where they are treated first in the emergency room before being admitted into the hospital, where a doctor sees them.. ...

Some people assume that facing daily deadlines is the most stressful part of newspaper work. That isn't the case. In fact, deadlines reduce the mechanical task of producing a newspaper to a very simple proposition: you either make a deadline or you don't. If you don't often enough, they tend to shuffle you into another line of work...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Paul Ebaugh remembers Kuwait as it once was: a British protectorate where pearls were the ingredient of trade before oil money transformed the country. These days Ebaugh, a Cape Girardeau banker, is paying close attention to the Persian Gulf crisis, which was sparked by Iraq's invasion and conquest of Kuwait last August...

JEFFERSON CITY - Southeast Missouri legislators were divided along party lines in reaction to Gov. John Ashcroft's annual State of the State budget message to a joint session of the General Assembly Tuesday morning. But most agreed that Ashcroft said little that he had not said before as he outlined needs for budget cuts and to tie any increased funding for education to specific reforms, and expressed frustration over federally-mandated programs devouring more of the state's revenue...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Gov. John Ashcroft emphasized Tuesday that any requests for tax increases must be accompanied by proposals for specific reforms. Discussing his proposed budget at a briefing attended by about 10 media representatives at his home, Ashcroft said many proponents of tax increases for education are only asking for more money and are not suggesting how it would be used to better education...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Parents from Franklin Elementary School urged the Cape Girardeau Board of Education to take the lead in increasing funds for the district. The parents expressed their concerns at Tuesday night's meeting of the board. The parents said they were unhappy that overcrowding at Franklin, especially in the third grade, has not been alleviated...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Illinois drivers headed to Missouri whiz past Raymond Snell's service station on Highway 3. If one does stop, it's only to buy enough gasoline to get to Cape Girardeau, where they fill up. Fuel sales not only are slumping at Raymond Snell's place; they're down at other Illinois stations as well...

MARBLE HILL -- Democrat Marilyn Williams of Dudley will face Republican Jerry Seabaugh of Dexter in a special election Feb. 19 for state representative of the 156th District. Democrats met here Tuesday night and chose Williams over three other nominees: John Shock of Bloomfield, Frances Phillips of Dexter and Charles Hawn of Marble Hill...

TINA WRIGHT Occupation: Admitting Clerk at Southeast Hospital Birthplace: Elgin, Ill. Pet Peeve: "People coming to a dead stop to turn." I've always looked up to: "My dad. He has always had the drive to get what he wants and has tried to teach the same to his children."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Southeast Missouri Secondary School Principals' Association will hold its 25th annual winter conference in the Show Me Center today. The conference, "Missouri School Improvement Plan: Teacher Certification and Professional Development," is sponsored jointly by the association and the College of Education at Southeast Missouri State University...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Area Wide United Way and West Park Mall have come up with a "Cracker Jack" idea that could funnel as much as $20,000 into the United Way fund campaign. Elizabeth Chastain, marketing director and assistant manager at West Park Mall, outlined the fund-raising program, which would be conducted in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the mall March 1-3, during the annual meeting of United Way directors Tuesday...

PFC DARYN W. STROP U.S. ARMY Prvate Strop graduated from Cape Central High School in 1989 and joined the ARmy that same year. After completing Military Police School at Fort McClellan, Ala., in April of 1990, he was stationed in Frankfort, Germany. He was deployed to Saudi Arabia on Dec. 18...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- With a green-and-black Nerf football in one hand, Elaine Busse gave 6-year-old Daniel Roth the one present he wanted above all: a visit from she and her husband. The Busses run a regenerative health facility in Grand Lake, Colo., where Daniel, the victim of a brain tumor, has lived off and on for the past five years with his family. He is the son of Dennis and Joan Roth, of 1837 Stoddard...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The St. Francis Information Center at Jackson will present a free public education program tonight entitled "Sleep Disorders Why Fight the Night?" The center is at 2122 Highway 61 East in Jackson's Heartland Plaza. The program will begin at 7 p.m. and feature Jean Gooden, director of respiratory therapy at St. Francis Medical Center and coordinator of the hospital's Sleep Well Center...

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- The Rev. Fred Heckathorn died Tuesday at him home in Sedgewickville. Funeral arrangement with McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson are incomplete.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Funeral service for Allie V. Ritchie of Olive Branch, formerly of Cairo, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Barkett Funeral Chapel. Dr. Larry L. Potts will officiate, with burial in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge. Friends may call after 5 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Funeral service for Mrs. Mary Paukert of Jonesboro will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Elco United Methodist Church. The Revs. Garnett Mitchell and Mark Canada will officiate, with burial in St. John's Cemetery near Dongola. Friends may call at Norris and Son Funeral Home here after 6 p.m. today, and then at the church Thursday from 11 a.m until time of service...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Pulliam Jr. of Scott City, Missouri Delta Medical Center, 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, 1991. Name, Jessica Anne. Weight, 6 pounds 5 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Pulliam is the former Dawn Colegate, daughter of Richard and Patricia Krueger of Cape Girardeau. Pulliam is employed by SEMO Carpet Cleaners, and is the son of Norman and Mary Pulliam Sr. of Scott City...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Funeral service for Leonard H. Kinkade, 1449 Whitener, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Faith Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church. The Rev. Doyle Randol will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

SCOTT CITY -- The Police Personnel Board in Scott City is expected to reach a decision today concerning 11 allegations of misconduct against the city's chief of police brought by a suspended police dispatcher. Board member David E. ("Gene") Thompson said Tuesday that a more-than-four-hour closed meeting of the board Monday night was adjourned before a decision was reached concerning the allegations. Another meeting was held Tuesday night for the same purpose and ran late into the night...

SCOTT CITY -- The 1991 Officers of the Scott City Chamber of Commerce were installed Tuesday. Ron McCulley will serve as president, John Henson as vice-president and Cherie Hillman as secretary/treasurer. Mayor Shirley Young installed the officers at the chamber's dinner at Henson's Cafe Tuesday night...

CHAFFEE - At least one candidate will run for the Chaffee City Council seat being yielded by Ward 3 Councilman Marcus Lauck in the April city election. Chaffee City Clerk Diane Eftink said Danny Finley, of 118 Gray, had filed for the seat Monday. The seat carries a two-year term...

JACKSON -- Jackson Ward 2 Alderman Phil Johnston says he is running for Jackson city collector because he wants to become more involved in daily city operations. Johnston, who is completing the first year of a second, two-year term on the board, filed Friday for the office now held by Deloris "Dee" Uren. Uren announced Monday she will not seek re-election...

Editor's note: Southeast Missouri State's Indians, 10-3 overall and 1-1 in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association, play at Missouri Southern tonight and host Missouri Western Saturday night. This past week has been a roller coaster ride for the Southeast basketball Indians. We experienced a very tough loss at UMSL (85-67) and a very good win at home against Central Missouri (81-77)...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Missouri Southern coach Robert Corn would like to think his Lions are getting good enough to boast a familiar advertising strategy : New and improved. Eleven new players make up the Missouri Southern roster this season. Among the four returnees is former Notre Dame High standout Ronnie Ressel, who shares time at the point with sophomore guard Keith Allen...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The `real' Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball team will once again be on display beginning tonight against Missouri Southern in Joplin. Southeast's Otahkians have been without the services of five players, including starters Jerri Wiley, Renee Rogliardi and Sarita Wesley. The five competed on the same team at the Show Me Games last summer and were declared ineligible for the first four Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association games...

CHAFFEE -- The favorites rolled into the semifinals of the Scott-Mississippi Conference boys basketball tournament by posting lopsided victories Tuesday night. Scott City, the second seed, pulled away in the second half to knock off No. 7 East Prairie 76-47...

PERRYVILLE - Guards Kory Thoma and Craig Clippard combined for 27 points and also sparkled on defense as Jackson ran past Perryville 66-51 here Tuesday. Thoma hit a trio of 3-pointers on the night while Clippard added three more long-range bombs as the Indians improved their season record to 10-6...

MALDEN -- Charleston High's boys basketball team suffered its third loss in the last four games as host Malden notched a 51-37 triumph Tuesday night. The Blue Jays entered the contest ranked fourth in the most recent SEMO Top 10 poll of Southeast Missouri teams. Malden was rated fifth...

PERRYVILLE -- Some horrible free-throw shooting kept St. Vincent from seriously challenging visiting Arcadia Valley Tuesday night. The Indians connected on just 11 of 31 attempts from the foul line as they dropped a 22-point decision. "If we hit our free throws it's a pretty close game," said St. Vincent assistant coach Bruce Valleroy, who was running the team in the absence of head coach Tim Winkler. Winkler was ill with the flu...

PATTON -- Basketball fans looking for an offensive explosion should have stayed away from Meadow Heights' gymnasium Tuesday night. "It was a real slow-paced game," said Coach Sam Sides after seeing his Panthers knock off the visiting Wildcats. "It was pretty sluggish for most of the way."...

ZALMA -- Greenville exploded for 29 points in the second quarter and went on to roll over host Zalma Tuesday night. Zalma, which surrenders over 95 points a game, trailed by nine at the end of the first period, 22-13, before being outscored 29-10 in the decisive second quarter as Greenville's pressing defense caused the Bulldogs fits...

SCOTT CITY -- Gene Masterson's pin in the heavyweight bout secured Scott City High's first wrestling win over Dexter in over three years Tuesday night as the Rams defeated the Bearcats 37-30. "This is the big win we've been looking toward for a long time," said third-year Scott City coach Rick Bohn. "It's our first win against Dexter in a long time and the first one against them since I've been coaching here."...

JACKSON - It was easy to tell Jackson High wrestling coach Bruce Thomas was pleased with his team's effort following the Indians' 37-19 dual win over DeSoto. Even the Jackson wrestlers who lost were gaining praise. Jackson won six of the first seven matches and went on to an easy dual triumph over the Dragons Tuesday night in Jackson...

BLOOMFIELD -- As expected, top-seeded Dexter rolled into the semifinals of the Stoddard County Conference boys basketball tournament by beating host Bloomfield 63-52 Tuesday night. The Bearcats, who raised their record to 12-1, led 39-18 at halftime and eased to the victory...

BISMARCK -- A huge rebounding advantage helped Fredericktown ease past host Bismarck Tuesday night. The Black Cats outrebounded Bismarck 52-26 as they raised their record to 10-3, 5-1 in the Mineral Area Athletic Association. Chad Dunnahoo scored 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Black Cats. Jason Starkey led the way with 25 points, Vimille Bentinganan had 14 and Terry Helvey added 12...

Prep Standings THROUGH SATURDAY'S GAMES SEMO Conference Stoddard Co. Athletic Association Ozark Foothills Conference Tri-County Conference Independents Scott-Mississippi Conference Mississippi Valley Bootheel Conference Mineral Area Athletic Association...

Although mistakes in usage seldom appear in Time magazine, the Dec. 24 issue carried an ad for People that proved a shocker. On page 8 we found a photograph of an elderly lady and a small child, along with the information that the lady, Gertrude Palmer, is 105 years old and Senior Adult of the Year. What she and the child had in common was school: both are students. Beneath the picture, in large bold type, was the heartwarming news that "We're these kind of people too."...