Stories from Tuesday, December 24, 1996

To the editor: Glamour magazine recently took trash journalism to oceanic depths by publishing an article tagging Sikeston as Crank Central U.S.A. The community is collectively outraged, and rightly so. The "evidence" author Robert Draper used to dump on Sikeston was anecdotal in nature. His conclusion, that Sikeston is Crank Central U.S.A., was unwarranted and not documented with accurate, solid, statistical data as specifically pertains to Sikeston...

The Rev. William Bird, a board member in the Cape Girardeau School District, has achieved certification in the Missouri School Boards Association's Certified Board Member Program. The program was established by the state school board association to equip school board members with the knowledge and skills to function as effective education leaders in their communities...

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Even if local weather doesn't cooperate, the Internet guarantees virtual snow on the World Wide Web. Snow sites are provided both by businesses, government and individuals. One of our favorite snow sites comes from the Teel family in Alaska. This is certainly well done, and is featured on several Internet listings for children...

Cape Christian School recently honored school spelling bee winners during chapel. Those honored were first-grade students: Joel Smart, Bethany Parry and Riley Lohrmann; second-grade students: Jonathan Young, Danni Dowdy and Charly Fausett; third-grade students: Sam Bornstein, Brittne Stovall and David Olson; fourth-grade students: Devon Edmonds, Casey Little and Jackson Bahn; fifth-grade students: Monica Jordan, Conor Trulsson and Tara Ford; and sixth-grade students: Brad Benton and Nathan Snow...

American Legion Post 158 of Jackson has selected the following students as Music Student of the Month for September, October and November. This is a program of the Americanism Committee of the Legion Post and recognizes outstanding music students of Jackson High School. The students receive a $100 savings bonds in honor of their accomplishments...

Cape Girardeau Elk's Lodge 639 has named its students of the month for November. Ryan Mattes, 18, is the Notre Dame High School student of the month. Ryan is the son of Wayne and Kathy Mattes of Cape Girardeau. He is an active member of Future Business Leaders of America and the National Honor Society, and he maintains a B+ average. After graduation, Ryan hopes to attend the St. Louis College of Pharmacy...

In conjunction with Heartbeat '97, the American Heart Association will hold the second annual Heartland Video Game Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 8, at West Park Mall. Games will begin at 10 a.m. Players will be divided into four age divisions, ages 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16 and older, with the top three winners in each category receiving prizes. ...

JACKSON -- Barring any major setbacks, work on an expansion of the Cape Girardeau County Jail could begin sometime in 1997, county officials say. "If everything goes well, stays positive and we get a good financial report, we could start in '97," said Presiding County Commissioner Gerald Jones. "But we're not going to race into it."...

The fifth-grade class at West Lane Elementary School in Jackson made a Christmas delivery to the Safe House for Women. In lieu of exchanging gifts among themselves, some 140 students collected, sorted and wrapped gifts of toiletries, paper goods, toys, books and personal items for the women and children of the Safe House...

Amie Arnold, a student at Scott City High School, has been selected to the Missouri All-State Band. Arnold was one of 104 students selected from a field of more than 900 students. The band will meet, rehearse and perform at the Missouri Music Educators Conference Jan. 29 though Feb. 1 at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Lake of the Ozarks. The band will perform Feb. 1 at 1 p.m...

The Saint Louis Symphony Community Music School has announced its registration dates for the spring semester. Registration will begin Thursday, Jan. 16, and end on Jan. 29. Classes begin Jan. 27 at all locations, except Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club, where classes begin Feb. ...

Two Southeast Missouri educators were recently honored by the Missouri State Teachers Association for their outstanding leadership. Winning top honors was Jo Ann Hahs, an elementary teacher in the Oak Ridge School District. She was named Overall Outstanding MSTA/CTA Leader of the Year. Jo Peukert, a seventh-grade social studies teacher in Cape Girardeau, was named MSTA/CTA Leader of the Year in the category of Local, District and State Service...

Two Cape Girardeau students have been awarded scholarships from the University of Kansas at Lawrence during the fall semester. William J. Large, son of William and Phyllis Large, was awarded the Grace M. Starlin Scholarship. He is a senior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences...

Dr. Ann Puryear, associate professor of educational administration and counseling at Southeast Missouri State University, has been appointed as the school's representative on the Missouri American Council on Education's National Identification Program (ACE-NIP) for Women in Higher Education Administration...

Fourth-grade teacher Laura Kern is a home girl. Kern has spent the last seven years teaching in the Kelly School District, where she also graduated from high school, and soon, she and her husband, Mike, will bring into the world another potential Kelly graduate. The Kerns are expecting their first child in March...

If the future of any sport is its younger participants, then bowling in this area appears to be in good hands. Both West Park Lanes in Cape Girardeau and Jackson Lanes have thriving youth programs that feature upwards of 100 participants at each center...

It is traditional to make charitable gifts near the end of the year, especially in the weeks leading up to Christmas. There is something about the spirit of the religious overtones of the season. Or maybe it is the taxman who spurs generous giving. At the root of all the donations, however, is that human element, the emotions of the heart, that guides most people to give and to give generously...

It is a simple story, but the birth in a stable some 2,000 years ago changed the world. On this Christmas Eve, the story is presented again from the Holy Bible (the Gospel according to St. Luke, Chapter 2): And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one unto his own city...

IF IT rains while the sun is shining, we might see a rainbow. If it snows while the sun it shining, do we see a snowbow? Merry Christmas. I WOULD like to thank the person who cleaned the snow from our sidewalks on the 300 block of North Lorimier. I really do appreciate because no one else could do it for us...

ALTENBURG -- It was early Sunday morning -- very, very early -- when Ruth "Rudie" Boettcher left a holiday party. She was on Route A between Frohna and Altenburg at about 4:20 a.m. when she noticed headlights off the road ahead. Another car had flown off a dangerous curve...

ST. LOUIS -- Mercantile Bancorporation Inc. and Roosevelt Financial Group, Inc. announced Monday that the organizations have signed a definitive merger agreement which will create the largest locally managed and independently-owned financial services organization headquartered in the lower Midwest...

Not all students are cut out for a mainstream education. Some students don't have the temperament or maturity to make it in a normal classroom setting, so they drop out. Others have slower or lower mental or physical capabilities, and they also leave without graduating...

Ebeneezer Scrooge looked up from his cards and made an announcement: "I have to go to the toilet." The rest of us moaned. Old Scrooge had just gone to the bathroom moments before and every time he left, it held the rest of us up. And me sitting with three beautiful queens...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Albert August Christian Maevers, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born March 14, 1904, son of Henry and Bertha Wettengel Maevers of Burfordville. He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit. He attended Burfordville grade school, Tilsit Immanuel Lutheran School and College High School in Cape Girardeau...

ADVANCE -- Trella Mae Ward, 68, of Advance, formerly of Zalma, died Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Oct. 28, 1928, in Zalma, daughter of August and Eula Thomas Pape. She married Carl Ward on June 2, 1942, in Arkansas. He survives her...

CHAFFEE -- Clyde Eichhorn, 76, of Chaffee died Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Trecie Vanover of Bloomfield will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston. The Rev. John Tolbert will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston. Vanover, 78, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

Funeral service for Fred O. Riske of Shenandoah, Iowa, will be held at 1 p.m. today at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shenandoah. The Rev. Steven Teske will officiate, with burial in Rose Hill Cemetery at Shenandoah. Riske, 88, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 1996, at Garden View Care Center in Shenandoah...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Joseph K. Davis, 63, of Cairo died Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Nov. 7, 1933, in Cairo, son of Aud M. and Ethel Snow Davis. Davis retired as owner and president of Illinois Minerals Mining Co. in Cairo. He served on the board of directors of First Bank and Trust Co., Cairo Municipal Airport Authority, Alexander County Building Commission, and Cairo Chamber of Commerce...

Memorial service for Kathryne Ann Clark of Cape Girardeau will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Ken Jarvis will officiate, with burial in Sikeston City Cemetery. Clark, 91, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Funeral service for Alice Hazel Ervin, 1933 Perryville Road, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Maple United Methodist Church. The Revs. John Gregory and Marshall Ervin will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 4-7 p.m. Thursday...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Edna Irene Crenshaw, 81, of East Prairie died Monday, Dec. 23, 1996, at Bertrand Retirement Home in Bertrand. She was born Feb. 26, 1915, in Hickman, Ky., daughter of John C. and Martha Elizabeth McBride Grogan. She first married Isom Carden, who preceded her in death. She later married Vernon Crenshaw, who died Nov. 3, 1966...

Memorial service for Margie I. Boren of Cape Girardeau will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Mark Lutheran Church. The Rev. Fred Schmucker will officiate. Entombment will be in Memorial Park Mausoleum. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

Daughter to Wayne and Margie McFarland of High Ridge, St. Anthony's Hospital, 10:01 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1996. Name, Zoie Kailean. Weight, 8 pounds 13 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Grandmothers are Nancy Branson of Oran and Maxine McFarland of Thebes, Ill...

CHAFFEE -- Six teen-agers were injured Sunday night in a single-car accident near Chaffee. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Doyle McDowell, 17, of Essex was driving a 1989 Chevrolet west when it strayed off the right side of Route A two miles east of Chaffee and struck a tree...

There have been no confirmed influenza cases in the immediate area, but many patients have "flu-like" symptoms -- aches, fever, chills, wheezing. "We've been swamped," said Pat Pennington, nurse manager of emergency service Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Seventh-graders from L.J. Schultz in Cape Girardeau provide some lpoetic thoughs on Christmas and winter in this section, alsong with a few of the many groups that contributed to Toy Box and Christmas for the Elderly this year. What is Christmas? By Amy Rauls...

With only one day is left in the Salvation Army Tree of Lights fundraising campaign, and Captain Robert Gauthier said the organization is still $30,000 short of its $150,000 goal. Funds collected through mailings and the annual kettle drive will not only be used to help with food and toys at Christmas, Gauthier said, but throughout the year...