Stories from Thursday, January 9, 1997

The creation of art can be a pleasurable torture, Jaclyn Lawson says. "Sometimes it is torture because I can't always put down what I've got pictured in my mind," she said. "The creative process takes weeks and involves a lot of personal rejection of the initial work."...

An expected snowstorm swept through Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois Wednesday, making driving hazardous by early evening. More than 1 inch of snow had fallen in Cape Girardeau by 9 p.m. Wednesday, with an accumulation of 4 to 8 inches expected before ending today...

"You don't tug on Superman's cape, "You don't spit in the wind, "You don't pull the mask off the ol' Lone Ranger "And you don't mess around with Jim." Jim Croce's popular song "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" may have to be rewritten: Superman won't have a cape to tug on anymore...

Plans to build a veterans cemetery in Southeast Missouri have been temporarily placed on the back burner, but the Missouri Veterans' Commission expects to ask for site proposals for the project by early 1998. Legislation signed into law by Gov. Mel Carnahan in July allows for creation of a statewide system of veterans cemeteries...

Jan. 9, 1997 Dear Pat, Lately, DC has been wondering about the workings of her mind. A few years ago she was longing for twins and got dogs. Last year, she dreamt a tree fell on our car shortly before one actually did. More recently, she'd been concerned that the dogs and her dad were going to be in a traffic accident. Turned out she was the chauffeur when it happened...

A proposal by a New Bloomfield Democrat to place financial accountability for the vast University of Missouri system directly under the control of the Missouri Legislature isn't attracting many supporters. The plan was suggested by state Rep. Gracia Backer, who also serves as the House majority leader...

Until just a few weeks ago, most of the world had never heard of Ebonics. But once a few columnists got hold of a decision by the Oakland, Calif., school board's decision to seek federal funding for programs to deal with how English is spoken by many blacks, the lid blew off...

To the editor: At the risk of repeating myself on a subject, I think it is important to make it clear to the caller to Speak Out who complained about the city's approval of the franchise agreement with TCI. The caller there thought it was the city's fault that TCI was granted a franchise agreement without protecting customers from bad service or excessive price increases...

Republicans in Congress who didn't support the re-election of Newt Gingrich as House speaker won't be punished, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said Wednesday. "Newt is not like that," Emerson said in a telephone conference call to 8th District reporters. "He doesn't take this personally at all."...

Islamics begin a month of fasting in observance of Ramadan this weekend, but the exact date the holiday begins locally depends upon the sighting of the moon. There are approximately 120 Muslims in Southeast Missouri who will come together each week to recognize the holiday...

It has been a while since my last article about what's going on with Southeast basketball. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holidays. The holidays were extremely short for us as we played in a tournament in Puerto Rico and began conference play shortly thereafter. Basketball players and coaches hardly have time to get their breath this time of year...

Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team took care of business on the road to open its Ohio Valley Conference schedule. Now the Indians will be looking to take care of things at home, beginning tonight when Tennessee-Martin provides the opposition in a 7:45 tipoff at the Show Me Center...

It might not be apparent right away, said coach Bill Hopkins, but Southeast Missouri State University's gymnastics team should once again have a banner season. "We're going to kind of limp into our first competition," said Hopkins, whose squad has been ravaged by injuries so far. "But we have a deep team with a lot of talent. Even with the injuries, we're going to put a good team on the floor."...

POPLAR BLUFF -- John Ward, 78, died Wednesday Jan. 8, 1997, at the John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are incomplete at the Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston.

MOREHOUSE -- Brevilee Freeman, 70, of Morehouse, died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Dec. 4, 1926 at Clarksville, Ark., daughter of the late William and Donie Viola Walker Henson. She married M.A. Freeman and he preceded her in death on Dec. 1, 1985...

Cathron Colon, 104, of Aurora, Colo., died Friday, Jan. 3, 1997, at Cherry Creek Nursing Center in Aurora. She was formerly of Cape Girardeau. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Ellena Lingle, 91, of Dongola died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born July 27, 1905, at Wetaug, daughter of William and Letha Hasing Kearney. She married Raymond A. Lingle, who preceded her in death...

Esther A. Schuppan, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1997, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Aug. 23, 1905, at Egypt Mills, daughter of Herman and Ida Mueller Schuppan. Schuppan lived in St. Louis where she did domestic work and was a nurse's aide. She moved to Altenburg in 1963, and then to Cape Girardeau in 1986. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church at New Wells...

Son to Kent and Judy Peetz of Fayetteville, Ark., Washington Regional Medical Center there, 9:25 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, 1996. Name, Derrick Albert. Weight, 8 pounds 3 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Peetz is the former Judy DeSantis, daughter of Jim and Mary DeSantis of Texarkana, Texas. ...

Slick driving conditions claimed two lives Wednesday on Southeast Missouri roads. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Janice F. Metcalf, 53, of Qulin was killed around 3 p.m. when she lost control of the 1989 Chevrolet she was driving north on U.S. 67 seven miles south of Poplar Bluff...

BUNCOMBE, Ill. -- James Roscoe Barringer, 85, of Buncombe, Ill., died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 1997, at City Care Center in Cobden, Ill. He was born March 28, 1911 in Buncombe son of the late James and Mary Alice Jenkins Barringer. He married Vesta Sitter on Aug. 29, 1947, in Buncombe and she preceded him in death on Aug. 12, 1984...