Stories from Sunday, January 19, 1997

To the editor: According to my sister-in-law, the city fathers called off school in Stevens Point, Wis., Friday. The roads were ice packed, and they had over two feet of snow on the ground. And drifting is a real problem. Of course, that isn't why they called off school. The wind chill was -60 degrees, and -40 degrees is the point where they call off school, because the children could literally freeze their noses off waiting for the bus...

Coach Ron Cook works with Dana Littlepage on free thow techniques. Christa Ilham takes a shot at practice. The Jackson Lady Indians stride towards their goal of a state championship by taking it one game at a time. Coach Ron Cook's philosophy is to take it one game at a time and never overlook any opponent and try to improve from the first game to the last game of the season...

To the editor: I would like to respond to the front-page article Jan. 10 picturing children at a local day care center being served snow ice cream. The story featured a recipe using raw eggs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and the American Egg Board all stringently warn against serving raw eggs to anyone, and especially to those who are at highest risk for food-borne illness. ...

While traveling on a recent vacation, I was listening to a call-in talk show on the car radio. The host, "Dan the Answer Man," was giving advice on a variety of subjects. One caller asked Dan if he knew the best option for disposing of a second-hand, old-style, full-length, sleeper sofa in worn out condition...

When political populists began proposing during the turn of this century a greater voice for unelected citizens in deciding critical state issues, most embraced the concept as a form of "true democracy." What was proposed, and amazingly rapidly adopted in many states including Missouri, was a process that was called the initiative referendum, a rather academic phrase that was nothing more than proposed law or constitutional change that could be offered for voter approval not by members of a state legislature or an executive branch officeholder but by everyday, garden-variety citizens.. ...

TO ALL you people fussing about your water bill going up, you ought to think for a minute how lucky you are that UE did not also sell the electric department too. WHY DOES the Missourian newspaper and SEMO University out and out lie about the attendance at the university basketball games. I've been to almost everyone of the games, and there's just about half as many as they list. Of course, tickets may be sold, but the empty seats show that they are not present, so they're not in attendance...

When it comes to arrogant overreaching -- a march into unsustainable territory, a costly, ghastly, bloody mistake -- is it the environmental equivalent of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? Will the latest overreaching by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prove a disaster for the extreme environmental movement on the catastrophic scale of, say, what the Clinton health care plan was to the cause of government-run medicine? The betting here is that the answer to both is yes...

Repudiation of the proposed pay raises for Missouri judges and lawmakers is now halfway completed. Or is it? Wasting no time, on Thursday the House voted by the overwhelming margin of 118-22 -- with 10 members voting "present" -- to reject the pay raise proposal. ...

A proposed Senate resolution introduced with bipartisan support by Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, urges the Missouri Supreme Court to amend its rule on changes of venue for defendants in civil cases. Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 asks the Supreme Court to change its Rule 51.03 to permit changes of venue for defendants in all cases...

SCOTT CITY -- For a man with an eighth-grade education, Edison Shrum has written a lot of books. So many, if fact, that he doesn't know how many. Among them, a book about Southeast Missouri's supposed volcanic history, one suggesting there may be gold in our hills, a book about the hysteria that surrounded Iben Browning's New Madrid earthquake prediction in 1990, a book about Cape Girardeau County slaves and slaveowners, a tome about Scott City and his newest about the history of Commerce...

A sales tax on food is an issue on the table on both sides of the Mississippi River. Missouri lawmakers want to cut the state sales tax on food; Illinois lawmakers are considering reinstating such a tax. The tax cut has bipartisan support in Missouri. Gov. Mel Carnahan and lawmakers in both parties favor eliminating a 3-cent state sales tax on food...

While at least one member of the Cape Girardeau City Council says a proposed 5 percent water rate increase isn't needed, another says it may be unavoidable. Councilman Richard Eggiman said that while some measure of increase is needed to match rising costs, based on information provided by city staff last week, 5 percent is too much...

Chocolate is not just rich and creamy -- it is rich in history. Its revered place across the ages makes it the perfect prime ingredient for the Southeast Missourian's first-ever Devilish Dessert contest. Recipe entries will be accepted through Jan. 27. Desserts can be in the form of cakes, cookies, candy or other sumptuous treats...

If George Washington were president today, the inaugural committee would be hawking memorial axes and cherry trees. So you can't make Bill's big bash? Don't worry. Thanks to the inaugural committee, you can grab up plenty of souvenirs without going to Washington for Monday's second-term inauguration of President Bill Clinton...

The first three games of the second annual Tiger Shootout looked reminiscent of the first round of the University High Christmas Tournament: a 28-point blow out gave way to a 33-point romp which was followed by a 40-point slaughter. Fans finally got to see a competitive game in the final contest of the day between host Cape Girardeau Central High's boys and St. Louis University High...

True, Southeast Missouri State University's basketball program has not exactly thrived since moving to Division I six years ago, although the Indians are making some early noise in the Ohio Valley Conference this season. Then again, how many teams do find immediate success when making the rugged jump from Division II? Very few...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Richard Lyte slammed the basketball home -- and put out the lights on Middle Tennessee State University in the process. Lyte, a 6-foot-6 junior forward, grabbed the rebound of a miss by Allen Hatchett and jammed the ball through the rim with six-tenths of a second remaining to give Southeast Missouri State University a thrilling 78-76 win over the Raiders Saturday afternoon...

The preliminary basketball tournament for the AAU/USA will be held in Poplar Bluff March 22-23 for teams 13 and under and April 5-6 for players 14 and older Age division for boys: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19 and under. Age divisions for girls: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 and under...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team has been struggling all season, but you couldn't tell it by what happened here Saturday. The Otahkians, coming off a 74-50 non-conference loss to Oral Roberts Wednesday night, stunned Ohio Valley Conference power Middle Tennessee State 74-73 in overtime...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians were able to pick up a huge Ohio Valley Conference road victory Saturday afternoon despite having some glaring things go against them. --Leading scorer Bud Eley played only 23 minutes because of foul trouble and eventually fouled out and finished with just 12 points...

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Southeast Missouri State Univeristy gymnast Erin Chenier was all-around champion, but the Otahkians lost to Ball State Saturday. Ball State had a score of 190.375, while Southeast finished with a score of 188.075. Chenier won the all-around with a 9.800. She was second on bars, fourth on beam and fourth on floor...

ORAN -- Scott City's girls captured the championship crown of the weathered-delayed Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament Saturday with a 47-31 victory over Kelly. Sara Emerson tallied 16 points and Tara Sanford netted 13 as the Lady Rams broke open a close game in the second half. Emerson added four assists and nine rebounds...

KEYTESVILLE -- Chris Bax, of Jefferson City, had high hopes when he ascended an oak tree with his self-climbing deer stand the afternoon of Nov. 1. Signs of deer rutting activity were plentiful on the private property he was hunting in Chariton County, and he had seen a buck with a massive 14-point rack the day before. He was ready to resist "buck fever" if the big whitetail showed up again, but he was unprepared for the animal he encountered later that evening...

Local lake holds a variety of species for anglers. How many folks think there just aren't any good fishing lakes close to Cape Giarardeau and Jackson? There are probably quite a few of you. I'll let you in on little secret. Lake Girardeau offers some of the best fishing in Southeast Missouri. This 162-acre lake is the main attraction at Lake Girardeau Conservation Area, located 14 miles southwest of Jackson. To get there, take Highway 34 west to Highway U and then follow the signs...

JEFFERSON CITY - Buy early. That's the advice the Missouri Department of Conservation offers to deer hunters who want any-deer or bonus permits for the 1997-98 deer hunting season. It's also pretty good advice for those who expect to go trout fishing and for spring turkey hunters, dove hunters and archery deer hunters...

Bon Doza, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Jan. 17, at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

CHARLESTON -- Norma Lee Clough, 88, of Route 2, Charleston, died Saturday, Jan. 18, 1997 at the Bertrand Nursing Center. She was born July 5, 1908 at Murphysboro, Ill., to the late Garrett and Dora Dickey. She had lived in the Diehlstadt and Charleston areas most of her life and was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church in Diehlstadt...

MARBLE HILL -- Oletha G. Nanney, 69, of Marble Hill died Friday, Jan. 17, 1997, at St. Louis University Medical Center. She was born July 25, 1927, at Grassy to Earl and Mary Ellen Spain Robbins. In 1942 she married Thomas G. Gromer, who died in 1976. She married Jeff Lee Nanney July 14, 1984...

PERRYVILLE -- Alvin J. Zoellner, 90, of Perryville died Jan. 18, 1997, at Perry Oaks Nursing Center in Perryville. He was born May 11, 1906, at Biehle to Anton Zoellner and Theresa Hotop Zoellner. On Oct. 16, 1928, he married Irene H. Unterreiner, who died April 23, 1982...

DEXTER -- Francis Powell, 85, of Dexter died Thursday, January, 16, 1997, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born July 9, 1911, near Puxico to John and Pearl Kimes Powell. On Aug. 3, 1936, he married Thelma Hartz, who died Aug. 23, 1993. He had worked as a security guard at Terminal Railroad in St. Louis. He was a member of Presbyterian Church in St. Louis. He moved to Dexter in 1994...

DEXTER -- Lawrence A. Robinett, 72, of Dexter died Thursday, Jan. 16, 1997, at his home. He was born May 1, 1923, at Couch to Arthur L. and Allie Jobe Robinett. He had lived in Dexter for the last 16 years and had previously lived in Sikeston. He was a retired carpenter and a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II...

BUNCOMBE, Ill. -- The Rev. Earl V. Roberts, 80, of Buncombe, Ill., died Friday, Jan. 17, 1997, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. He was born March 1, 1916, at Energy, son of Emory E. and Cora Tripp Roberts. He and Ellen Wiggs were married on April 10, 1940...

JACKSON -- Perry Lee Dockins, 87, died Saturday, Jan. 18, 1997, at his home on State Highway 72. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson at 2 p.m. Visitation will be Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home, with burial in Memorial Cemetery...

CHATAWA, Miss. -- Sister M. Agnesine Winschel, 89, of Chatawa, died Thursday, Jan. 9, 1997, at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa. She was born May 19, 1907, in Apple Creek, Mo., daughter of John and Louise Trapp Winschel. She did community service as homemaker at St. Mary Cathedral in Cape Girardeau from 1977-1983. She retired to St. Mary of the Pines in 1938...

Joseph O. Miller, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Jan. 16, 1997, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 23, 1922, north of Egyt Mills to Oliver J. Miller and Clare Bray. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War and was stationed at Pearl Harbor...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Roy Collins, 85, of Cairo died Saturday, Jan. 18, 1997, at Murray-Calloway County Hospital in Murray, Ky. Arrangements are incomplete at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo.

PATTON -- Zack B. Grindstaff, 85, of Patton died Saturday, Jan. 18, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 20, 1911, at Patton to Jefferson and Mary Seabaugh Grindstaff. He married Gertrude Aslinger on Feb. 16, 1935...

DENVER -- Funeral for Amy Jo Schwettman, 31, of Denver and formerly of Jackson, will be at 6 p.m. today at the McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. Sam Roethemeyer will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. A private burial service will be in Russell Heights Cemetery...

William "Bill" K. Hahs, 61, of Sedgewickville died at his home Friday, Jan. 17, 1997. He was born Oct. 24, 1935, at Sedgewickville, son of Wilbur and Eula Kuhlman Hahs. He married Donna Naeger Dec. 31, 1958, at Fredericktown. She survives. He was a corrections officer at the Farmington Correctional Center. From 1965-1967 he worked on the St. Louis police force, and from 1967-1976, he owned a service station in St. Louis...

"Hurry up, now," I coached myself. "You're having Bridge Club here soon." Bridge clubs, I mused. They have evolved from quilting bees, sewing circles, afternoon teas and, maybe, from loftier organizations, the literary clubs of America. Some folks think the bridge clubs are a waste of time. ...

These flowers of a cyclamen plant at the university greenhouse should be in full bloom in about five days. Several hanging baskets of torch begonias are kept at the university greenhouse. Pink carnation flowers are growing at the university greenhouse...