Stories from Sunday, February 2, 1997

Expense allowance for legislators needs to be increased By wide majorities, both houses of the Missouri General Assembly this past week rejected the recommendations of the Commission on the Compensation of Elected Officials to enact huge increases in the pay for lawmakers and judges. This the solons had to do prior to yesterday in order for the proposed raises not to go into effect automatically...

The following is an eyewitness account of registered nurse Brenda Pratt Shafer. I stood by the doctor's side and watched him perform a partial-birth abortion on a woman who was six months pregnant. The baby's heartbeat was clearly visible on the ultrasound screen. The doctor delivered the baby's body and arms, everything but his little head...

For Jackson High School Wrestling Coach Steve Wachter it hasn't been a perfect season, but it has been a fun one to be a part of. Jackson is 7-0 in their dual matches this season, but has failed to win a tournament as a team. "We've always been in the thick of things," Wachter said...

25 years ago, 1972 Total of $646,413 in railroad and utility taxes will be distributed to school districts in Cape Girardeau County, according to county clerk Rusby C. Crites; receiving largest share, based on enrollment, is Cape Girardeau school system, $406,957; Jackson R-II will receive $169,804; others receiving funds, in order of amount, are Advance R-III, Delta R-V, Oak Ridge R-VI, Nell Holcomb R-IV, and Patton-Sedgewickville C-4...

Perhaps nothing says more about the times in which we live than the recognition that Missouri's Department of Corrections is scheduled to receive a larger boost in the next budget than any agency in state government. Missouri taxpayers will pay more to increase appropriations for Missouri's penal system than they will pay for increases in either welfare assistance or public education. ...

Upon taking office the first time in January 1993, I was reading one of the splendid, free monthly publications of Hillsdale College, the famously independent, tiny liberal arts college in the Michigan town of the same name. That month's issue of Imprimis ("In the first place") dealt with an academic's study of legislative bodies and the witnesses who appear before them. ...

Gov. Mel Carnahan's administration has agreed to provide labor unions the home addresses of some 22,000 state workers. Unions represent those workers through collective bargaining units even though more than 80 percent of them aren't union members and don't pay union dues...

Dr. Bertice Berry gave a sparse crowd insight on living in a racist society during a speech at Southeast Missouri Academic Auditorium Saturday night. Berry spoke to about 100 people on the theme of "Help Somebody," a theme which has tied together all of the activities during the Dr. Martin Luther King celebration on campus. Berry's appearance was the final event in the celebration...

School funding, safe schools and teacher welfare were the key issues discussed at a meeting of about 110 Southeast Missouri teachers and legislators Saturdya. The Southeast District of the Missouri State Teachers Association held its annual legal workshop at Drury Lodge to discuss possible legislation changes with lawmakers...

The Four Seasons Audubon Society is one environmental organization that walks softly but doesn't carry a big stick. Members said they are more interested in promoting education about the outdoors and conservation than promoting activism on the subjects...

Joni and I majored in crowd control Saturday. You have to when you invite more than a dozen children to your oldest daughter's 5th-birthday party. We held the morning party at Kid's World, one of those businesses that thrives because of one simple concept: Parents would rather let a dozen children run wild in the indoor playground than in their own home...

A worldwide model search will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the center court at the West Park Mall. The search will be sponsored by Network Agency Services and the West Park Mall. There will up to $1,200 in scholarships awarded. They are looking for men, women and children between the ages of 3 to 60 who are interested in modeling or acting...

From a purely basketball standpoint, a lot of people in this area still wish Southeast Missouri State University's Indians had not made the huge jump from Division II to Division I. On the Division II level, the Indians were consistent winners and one of the premier teams in the nation. Fans attending games at the Show Me Center rarely saw a SEMO loss, because the Indians lost very few games no matter where they played...

With games against Ohio Valley Conference co-leaders Austin Peay and Murray State still on tap this week, Saturday's contest against Tennessee State certainly loomed as a must-win situation for Southeast Missouri State University. Of course, as Southeast basketball coach Ron Shumate said, "At this point, all the games the rest of the way are very important. They're all critical."...

The road has not been kind to Tennessee State's women's basketball team this season, but the Lady Tigers got well in Cape Girardeau Saturday night. TSU, which had been 0-7 in previous road games, knocked off Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians 84-70 at the Show Me Center...

POPLAR BLUFF -- In a power matchup featuring two of the premier girls high school basketball teams in Southeast Missouri, Poplar Bluff rallied for a 69-52 victory over visiting Cape Girardeau Central Saturday afternoon. The Lady Mules won their ninth straight game and improved to 12-2. The state-ranked Lady Tigers fell to 14-3...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The acorns that fall from Missouri's mighty oaks are a mainstay in the winter diets of many wildlife species. Each year the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Forestry Division staff surveys heavily forested areas in the state to determine the availability of acorns. The oak mast production survey for 1996 found that statewide mast production is below average, but in most regions there will be plenty of acorns available to feed wildlife...

Oshal Bennett Capps, 80, of Lubbock, Texas died Friday, Jan. 31, 1997 at Carillon Health Care Center in Lubbock. He was born Jan. 18, 1917 at Bloomfield, son of the late Clarence Norman and Cora Bell Aslin Capps. He had been a resident of Jefferson City for 40 years, but had lived in Lubbock since October 1996. He was retired from the Missouri Department of Conservation and Forestry...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- James Robert Jump Sr., 62, of Route 1, Mounds, died Saturday, Feb. 1, 1997, at Mounds. He was born Feb. 15, 1934, in Mound City, Ill., son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jump. He was a retired truck driver and a veteran of the Korean War...

Ada Mae Metje, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Feb. 1, 1997, at Southeast Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete with Ford & Sons Funeral Homes.

CANALOU -- Joann Elizabeth Pierce of Canalou died Saturday, Feb. 1, 1997, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was 62 years old. She was born Feb. 27, 1934, at Checotah, Okla., daughter of Otis and Laura Emberson Marshall. On Sept. 19, 1953, she married Blain Pierce at Canalou, who survives. She was a resident of Canalou most of her life, and attended the Canalou Assembly of God Church...

ST. LOUIS -- Mildred Emma Marsh, formerly of Perryville, died Friday in St Louis. She was 80 years old. She was born April 7, 1916, in Leban, S.D., daughter of William and Wilhelmina Marxen Dommer. She worked as a church secretary at the Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis, where she was also a member...

CHAFFEE -- Justin Dragoni, 13, of Chaffee died Saturday, Feb. 1, 1997, at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

JACKSON -- Alfred W. Johnson of Jackson died Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997, at Boulder Community Hospital in Boulder, Colo. He was 70 years old. He was born April 17, 1926, at Arcada, Calif., son of Alfred and Hanna Perrson Johnson. On Sept. 4, 1949, he married Helen Evart in Santa Rosa, Calif. She preceded him in death on Jan. 16, 1982...

ANNA -- Joyce Madeline Rains, 36, of Anna, died Saturday, Feb. 1, 1997, in her home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by the Lutz & Rendleman Funeral Home in Cobden.

DUDLEY -- Katherine Hardy, 96, died Friday, Jan. 31, 1997, at the Vintage Villa Nursing Center in Dexter, Mo. She was born Feb. 4, 1900, at Mill Shoals, Ill., daughter of John and Sarah Jane Headley Koch. On Jan. 27, 1934, she married Joseph Hardy at Dexter. He preceded her in death in April of 1984...

ANNA -- Melvin E. Wright, of Anna, died Friday, Jan. 31, 1997, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was 67 years old. He was born Jan. 21, 1928, in Makanda, Ill., son of Green and Mae Davis Wright. He married Ramona Brown Feb. 18, 1950, in Oak Park, Ill. He was a retired carpenter and a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy...

Groundhog Day! I had a pet groundhog once. I called him Chuck, though, short for woodchuck, the anglicized corruption of its Indian name. Chuck didn't know he was my pet. Our eyes met only once. But we had an ongoing game for a while. At least I thought it was somewhat of a game, maybe a nuisance for Chuck...

The Cape Girardeau County Chapter of American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Grace United Methodist Church, Broadway and Caruthers. The speaker will be a representative from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri...