Stories from Saturday, January 4, 1997

Gerry Salter, left, a physical therapist, talked with Dr. Bernard Burns at the St. Francis Center for Health and Rehabilitation. At one time, the prevailing medical practice for treating injuries was bed rest, bed rest and more rest. The theory was that inactivity speeded the healing process...

Old Man Winter has been locked up in Canada for the majority of the past three weeks, but he is expected to get out today. Meteorologists say the unseasonably warm weather the region has enjoyed this week will end with the arrival of more seasonal temperatures as early as this afternoon...

Creating and keeping jobs should remain the top priorities of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, its members say. Tackling crime also ranked high in a survey of chamber members. Combating crime in general and gangs and youth violence ranked third and fifth, respectively, in priority with chamber members...

Everything is in place to make the quality of life better for Cape Girardeau residents in 1997. They will get new soccer fields and a community center. Some will have newly paved roads in front of their homes. New fire and police chiefs are expected to improve their departments, making life inside the city limits a little safer...

Has this been a great year already or what? Thursday night I got to watch my alma mater, the University of Florida, beat the living snot out of our cross-state rivals the Florida State Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl. Not only did they beat the 'Noles, that would have been good enough for me, but the Gators won their first national championship to boot...

In December, the Cape Girardeau area opens its hearts and pocketbooks to support numerous charitable campaigns that benefit children and families. It is good to know that a system is in place to prevent duplication of services and to ensure that the greatest number of children benefit from such drives as Toy Box, Shop With a Cop, the Salvation Army's distribution of toys and food and several other such charitable programs...

To the editor: A New Deal agency, the Works Progress Administration, had the reputation of being an institution whose sole purpose was to provide not a job, but a job in which it wasn't of too great a concern whether or not useful work was actually performed. ...

To the editor: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in a post office? The hardships that are place on them often, trying to decipher the address written on a letter. Many are the thing we aren't aware of. We accuse the postman for delayed mail or lost mail when often it stems from the careless action of the sender...

To the editor: On Dec. 28 the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois staged their annual "Braggin' Rights" men's basketball game in St. Louis. Residents of Cape Girardeau who had any interest in the contest were unhappily out of luck. ...

A familiar name is closing up shop. After 28 years, Dr. C. John Ritter quit his private practice at year's end. But the 59-year-old Cape Girardeau physician won't be leading a retiring life. To his credit, he plans to devote his time and energies to medical missions and charitable work both here and abroad...

AS THE voice of the Republican party in Southeast Missouri, I wish you'd at least get your facts straight. The thing that Newt Gingrich is really in trouble for is not the fact that he cheated on the tax thing. The thing that he really is trouble for is the fact that he lied to Congress. You don't do those things. There are a lot of people in jail for doing what Newton thinks he can get by with...

To the editor: Recently I submitted a bill to my health insurance company for a service a hospital in California provided to my son. The insurance company booklet clearly mentioned that this particular service was covered, but this highly reputable insurance company indulged in several tactics to avoid payment...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Will he or won't he? That's the hot topic of conversation regarding today's Ohio Valley Conference basketball opener for Southeast Missouri State University's Indians. The question centers around Austin Peay's outstanding senior forward, Bubba Wells, who has missed the Govs' first 12 games of the season with a stress fracture in his foot. Wells, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 26.3 points as a junior, underwent surgery Nov. 20 to have a steel rod placed in his left tibia...

JACKSON -- The Jackson High girls basketball team would've liked to have played a game at home in the 1996 portion of the 1996-97 season, but who could blame the Lady Indians for accepting invitations to events like the KMOX Shootout and HealthSouth Classic and a game at Cor Jesu?...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Ed Arnzen isn't about to concede anything. But Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball coach readily admits that he would gladly settle for a split in the Otahkians' first two Ohio Valley Conference games of the season...

MARQUAND -- Marquand avenged two early season losses Friday with an 81-75 victory over Valley of Caledonia. Marquand, which saw four players score in double figures, improved to 8-3 on the season. Dusty Stephens led the attack with 17 points, while Andy Barnes was right behind with 16. Jeremy Reimler and Brandon Settle each finished with 13...

Son to Phillip Edwin and Tracy Leigh Thomas of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:52 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, 1996. Name, Phillip Edwin Cole. Weight, 6 pounds. Mrs. Thomas is the former Tracy Gibbs, daughter of Mamie Gibbs and John Gibbs of Jackson. She is employed at Schaper's IGA. Thomas is the son of Charmaine Thomas and Wallace Thomas of McClure, Ill. He is employed at Stewart's Auto Sales...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Mary L. Hood, 71, of Tamms died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Aug. 17, 1925, at Tamms, daughter of John H. and Emma B. Wilson Hale. She and George C. Croft were married June 6, 1943. He died Nov. 11, 1981. She later married Charles F. Hood Sept. 26, 1987...

PATTON -- Grace Alma Welker, 74, of St. Peters died Friday, Jan. 3, 1997, at Garden View Care Center in O'Fallon. She was born June 1, 1922, at Patton to Harley and Grace McGraw Statler. She married Loy S. Welker in May 1937. She was a member of Reagan Chapel United Methodist Church and was a retired factory worker...

Funeral service for A. Virginia Shrum, 3114 Aspen, will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. John Gregory will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 5-8 p.m. Monday. Shrum, 76, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at Heartland Care Rehab Center...

GORDONVILLE -- Harry Raymond Duschell, 80, Gordonville Route 1, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 12, 1916, in Vanita, Okla., son of Joseph and Myrtle Cook Duschell. He and Grace Farmer were married May 3, 1949, at Dexter...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Robert Junior Kemp, 66, of Immokalee, Fla., died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at Columbia Medical Center in Fort Myers, Fla. He was born Nov. 9, 1930, son of James Robert and Inez Davis Kemp. He and Georgia Ann Moore were married Dec. 22, 1950...

SIKESTON -- Helen M. Johnson, 89, of Memphis, Tenn., died Friday, Jan. 3, 1997, at Eastwood Hospital in Memphis. She was born Feb. 13, 1907, in Ellington, daughter of Richard Henley and Effie Elizabeth Brawley Montgomery. She and Edgar J. Johnson were married July 5, 1930, in Wickliffe, Ky...

Memorial service for Gustav A. Zadick of Brentwood, Tenn., will be held at 1 p.m. today at Brentwood United Methodist Church. The Rev. Jacob Gardiner will officiate. Brentwood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Zadick, 91, died Saturday, Dec. 28, 1996, in Nashville, Tenn...

CHAFFEE -- Larry Gale Hicks, 55, Chaffee Route 2, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 25, 1941, in Cape Girardeau County, son of James Elbert and Pauline Grace Davis Hicks. He and Betty Jean Seabaugh were married July 16, 1960...

Cecil Bernard Chaudoir Jr., 56, 2223 Hillbrook, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital, following a three-year illness with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was born Aug. 10, 1940, in Alexandria, La., son of Cecil B. and Sadie Lemmons Chaudoir Sr. He and Bonnie L. Laseter were married Aug. 26, 1961, in Ruston, La...

DEXTER -- Pauline Decker, 93, died Friday, Jan. 3, 1997, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born Oct. 26, 1903, at Bloomfield, daughter of William and Evalina Mott Sorrell. She married Homer C. Decker, who died April 7, 1967. Decker had been a school teacher and gave music lessons. She was a member of the Methodist Church at Morehouse...

PERCY, Ill. -- Memorial service for Royal Wayne Jacobs of Percy will be held at 1 p.m. today at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro. The Rev. Steve Wilkinson will officiate, with burial in Jonesboro Cemetery. He married the former Elsa Mae Black...

BLOOMFIELD -- Bessie McLain of Aurora, formerly of Bloomfield, died Friday, Jan. 3, 1997, at Aurora Hospital. Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SCOTT CITY -- Samuel J. Hitt, 90, died Friday, Jan. 3, 1997, at his home in Scott City. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel of Scott City will handle funeral arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.