Stories from Friday, September 22, 1995

To the editor: Are your kids or grandkids being abused? Before you answer, consider this: If your are mature, you most likely learned to read using the phonics method that was used for years. It resulted in a remarkable national literacy rate. Gradually it was displaced, often without school board or parental knowledge or consent...

Cape Girardeau Central High School will honor former band members at tonight's home football game. Director Ron Nall said anyone whoever performed with the band is invited. Former band members don't have to perform but will receive a gift. The presentation will be made during pregame ceremonies...

The lawsuit contends that 72 troopers who also hold commissions as gaming agents are doing so in violation of state laws and, as a result of their riverboat duties, have decreased enforcement of Missouri's traffic laws. The technical questions raised by the lawsuit will be resolved by a judge. ...

When operators of gambling riverboats and their suppliers and regulators met recently for a convention and expo in St. Louis, there were some red alerts. A big topic of discussion was whether or not the proliferation of riverboat gambling has resulted in the saturation of the market...

To the editor: The most sizable prevailing consensus in America today is one of general disappointment, disillusionment and even despair. Colin Powell is the most recent of several national leaders suggesting that neither of the two major political parties is inclined to realistically engage the issues comprising this resulting consensus...

CHAFFEE -- Almost 60 years ago Bernice Montgomery had a chance to compete in the Miss America Pageant, but her father wouldn't let her travel alone to Atlantic City, N.J., and she didn't go. Last Saturday, Montgomery got to the pageant, as a spectator, to watch her granddaughter compete as Miss Arkansas...

To the editor: With the issue of child pornography making waves in the headlines (Calvin Klein ads), we take a close look at how this hot news topic may have relevance to our own backyard. Don't see anything? Let's look closer. In order to make the point, maybe it would help to break apart these words which are being thrown around in conversation today: child, a word denoting innocence, and pornography, a word conjuring up in our minds lack of innocence, corruption. ...

To the editor: I just wanted to congratulate you and the entire staff of the newspaper on your outstanding recognition from the National Newspaper Association. It was a well-deserved honor. In addition, West Park Mall had a great time with the YELL program last Tuesday. We appreciate you letting us be a part of such a great program...

The LifeBeat pilot at the stick when the copter crashed Wednesday morning in Union County, Ill., said Thursday that he "ran out of altitude" and hit the ground after flying into a fog bank. Bob Campbell, 41, of Cape Girardeau was attempting to return to the helipad at Southeast Missouri Hospital when the copter crashed, injuring the three-member flight crew. The team was responding to a traffic accident near Cobden, Ill., when bad weather forced it to abort the mission just after 4 a.m...

As the Teen Pregnancy and Responsibility Network gears up for its 10th anniversary, The PARENT Project is bracing for closure. Part of the pregnancy network, the two-year-old PARENT Project provides classes, support groups, home visits and encouragement to stay in school. It takes about $45,000 a year to pay for salaries and supplies, and that money came from a Children's Trust Fund grant for two years...

Cape Girardeau city officials have scaled back plans for the Osage Park community center and Shawnee Park sports complex. The move was made to bring the projects within budget and terms of an agreement between the city and businessmen Jim and Robert Drury...

There you were, sitting through another meeting, when one of the reporters mentioned that the Smithsonian, the repository of American artifacts in our nation's capital, is adding an ATM to its vast collection. Who would have thought that the country's foremost museum of U.S. ...

Shelly Mitchell carries a portfolio of baby pictures in a backpack/diaper bag/purse. Mention her kids and she will have that sack open and the pictures out in seconds. It's typical behavior for any proud parent, but Mitchell isn't just another mom. Her baby face makes her look younger than her 18 years -- perhaps 15, her age when her daughter was born...

I JUST wanted to say thank you to the owners of the theaters at the West Park Mall who have the courage to show "To Wong Foo" at their theaters. I moved my family here from a major city where everything's tolerated and accepted. It's really nice to see someone around here is willing to buck the religious stranglehold and show a movie that actually depicts gay people as having real thoughts and feelings. ...

Although Interquest Information Services is listed in yellow pages across the nation under "investigative services," the company's work isn't as clandestine as a private investigator's. "They do more fieldwork than us," Interquest president Stephen Parsons said. "There isn't really a direct competition between us, but sometimes we overlap."...

PATTON -- Before long, students at Meadow Heights Elementary School will send mail without a stamp. The intraschool mail delivery program is just one of many innovative teaching methods begun this year through incentive grant awards. Teachers at the elementary and high schools were approved for six of their seven grant proposals...

A harvest dinner featuring kettle beef and chicken and dumplings will be held Sunday at the Masonic Temple, 2307 Broadway. The family-style meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. by members of Past Matrons and Past Patrons Club of Cape Rock Chapter 60...

The Board of Regents likely will hire a consultant today as it prepares to search for a new president for Southeast Missouri State University. The regents will meet in closed session and then hold an open session that begins at 2:30 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom...

Maggie Devaney and Olivia Harline, both of Cape Girardeau, have been selected as finalists in the 1995 Pre-Teen Missouri Scholarship and Recognition Program held today and tomorrow at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City. It is a scholarship and recognition event involving girls, 7 to 12 years old and ranking in the state's top 10 percent academically. ...

Funeral service for Evelyn Young, 639 Perry, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 4-8 p.m. today. Young, 83, died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1995, at Vencor Hospital in St. Louis...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Rayburn Martin Poole of Boonville, Miss., will be held at 3 p.m. today at McMillan Funeral Home in Boonville. Poole, 67, died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1995, at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. He was born Nov. 30, 1927, in Guy, Ark., son of Marvin and Erma Bess Glover Poole. He married the former Essie Garrett...

Minnie Koechig, 100, of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 1995, at Heartland Care and Rehab Center. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Anita E. Martin, 83, 1412 Lexington, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 1995, at her home. She was born Nov. 29, 1911, in Farmington, daughter of William and Carrie Denman Cofer. She and Robert C. Martin were married Nov. 17, 1931, in Jonesboro, Ill. He died March 14, 1988...

ANNA, Ill. -- Lillian Cooper, 78, of Anna, died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1995, at Union County Hospital. She was born March 26, 1917, in Dongola, daughter of Theron and Zelma Hill Rice. Friends may call at Crain Funeral Home in Anna from 5-8 p.m. today...

WAPPAPELLO -- Robert William Schwab, 73, of Wappapello, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 1995, at St. Louis University Hospital. He was born Feb. 14, 1922, in Cape Girardeau, son of Henry and Josephine Schaeffer Schwab. He and Ruth Hargrove were married Feb. 6, 1949, in Sikeston...

Daughter to Robert Waddington and Nikia Owens of Scott City, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, 1995. Name, Kira Brickel. Weight, 9 pounds 13 ounces. Miss Owens is the daughter of Kathy Johnson of Crestline, Calif., and Barry Walker of Scott City. Waddington is the son of Chris Beasley of Cape Girardeau and Toby Waddington of St. Louis...

CHARLESTON -- Graveside service for Rachel Hurley of Big Canoe, Ga., will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Oak Grove Cemetery near here. The Rev. Gerald Collier will officiate. Shelby Funeral Home at Charleston is in charge of arrangements. Hurley, 84, died Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1995, at her home...

(Kickoffs at 7:30 p.m.) Naval Jr. ROTC at Cape Central Jackson at Sikeston Scott City at Perryville Chaffee at Portageville Herculaneum at St. Vincent (7:15 p.m.) Farmington at Fredericktown Charleston at New Madrid Poplar Bluff at Springfield Kickapoo...