Stories from Thursday, April 24, 1997

Drive down Route C in Perry County through Altenburg, Frohna and Brazeau any weekend and you'll see little towns of white frame houses with big porches and neatly cut lawns separated by rolling hills, farm fields, cattle and stretches of woods. Drive down Route C Saturday or Sunday and you'll find welcoming parties in all three towns...

During the late 1980s, Old St. Vincent's Church underwent a complete restoration that enabled it to remain open as a church. The restoration also transformed the church into a cultural center where some of Cape Girardeau's finest musical performances are now given...

Even with Sam's adding to the number of big stores on Siemers Drive, motorists using the street shouldn't expect it to be widened any time soon. But the Missouri Department of Transportation is working on improving the traffic flow at its intersection with Route K, and Drury Development has plans for improving the intersection of Siemers and Lowes Drive...

Cape Girardeau's restaurant tax is not equitably enforced, says a report presented to the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Wednesday afternoon. "If Baskin Robbins isn't paying but TCBY is, then something is wrong," said Shirley Talley, who chairs a committee the board set up to study the tax...

The region's ABC television affiliate plans to air the coming-out-of-the-closet episode of the "Ellen" sitcom Wednesday night despite opposition from some viewers who object to the lesbian story line. A Baptist minister in Cape Girardeau says homosexuality is a sin and primetime television shouldn't promote it...

People of all faiths will gather May 1 in parks and gymnasiums and churches in both Cape Girardeau and Scott counties. They will be there to pray for the well-being of the country during the National Day of Prayer. In Cape Girardeau, two communitywide events will be held May 1...

April 24, 1997 Dear Paul, Your mother sent along pictures of your wife and new son. What a trip into the unknown to help create your own family, eh? In telling DC who you are, I said you possessed a certain Nordic affection for viewing the world bleakly. Being your roommate was a bit like living with Ingmar Bergman, which certainly had moments of drama. I'm imagining we've both changed some in 20 years...

To the editor: I recently moved to the Cape Girardeau area, and since I am a fully certified and degreed teacher (both elementary and high school), I inquired at the Cape Girardeau School District's central office concerning substitute teaching. I was told that subs were needed very much and that they were hard to find in this area. After learning what substitute teachers are paid after an eight-hour day, I can certainly see why there is a serious shortage...

THE $40 million projected for education as the gambling proponents suggest means that they project a $250 million take from the citizens of Missouri. Only 20 percent of the profit would be going to education, which means that $240-250 million goes into their own pockets. ...

Amidst all the recent hoopla over the successful passage of the Cape Girardeau school bonds and the announcement that Procter & Gamble will be making a multimillion-dollar investment in a new plant north of town, there was another major milestone in the community's march of progress...

This might be called "Local boy makes good." The story of Kenny Hulshof -- make that U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof -- is proof that hard work and dedication to high ideals and worthwhile goals will pay off. The story begins on a farm near Charleston, where Hulshof's parents, Paul and Geri, still work the land. He graduated from Kelly High School at Benton, got a degree in agricultural economics at the University of Missouri and then a law degree from the University of Mississippi...

Construction projects for Cape Girardeau public schools continue to move forward. On Wednesday, the Board of Education awarded a contract for deposit of funds and also picked a firm to do survey work. As of April 30, the district will have $14 million from the sale of bonds. It won't need all the money at one time, so an investment firm was selected to hold the money until it is needed...

Women from throughout the state will begin arriving today for the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) state convention. The convention will be held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center through Saturday. At least 700 members of community-based volunteer clubs in Missouri are expected...

"An Olde Time Railroad Party" is the theme of Downtown Merchants Association's Auction Saturday night. The annual event will be held at the River City Yacht Club above Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the auction starting at 8. A silent auction of several items will continue throughout the evening...

Southeast Missouri State University's softball team clinched its third consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship Wednesday without ever taking the field. A scheduled doubleheader at Tennessee-Martin was canceled due to wet grounds, leaving the Otahkians with an OVC mark of 19-4 that no team can reach in the final week of the season...

After Southeast Missouri State University's baseball game against Missouri Baptist was rained out Tuesday, the Indians were forced to do all of this week's game preparation for their key Ohio Valley Conference series this weekend at Middle Tennessee on Wednesday against Memphis at Capaha Park...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Eastern Kentucky shot a 3-under-par 285 in the final round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament Wednesday to capture its ninth championship. The Colonels shot 860 for the 54-hole tournament. Morehead State shot an even-par 288 to finish two shots back. Three-time defending champion Middle Tennessee State finished five shots back in third place...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team wrapped up its recruiting class Wednesday as two more junior college players signed with the Otahkians. Signing were 5-foot-5 guard Rusty Sowers from Johnson County (Kan.) CC and 6-4 center Allison Iversen from Kirkwood (Iowa) CC. Both will be juniors next season...

PERRYVILLE -- Notre Dame High's softball team -- and Jill Huber in particular -- had a big time here Wednesday afternoon. Huber pitched a five-inning no-hitter as the Lady Bulldogs routed host St. Vincent 15-1 in a run-rule contest. Huber struck out five and walked three as the Lady Bulldogs improved their record to 2-3...

JACKSON -- Charles K. Stoner, 65, of Jackson died Tuesday, April 22, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 1, 1931, in Wichita, Kan., son of Jesse J. and Jenny Macalroy Stoner. He and Laura Marie Jett were married Jan. 7, 1959...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral service for Betty Lou Shelton of Anna will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Rev. Kenneth Mixen will officiate, with burial in McGinnis Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 6 p.m. today...

CHARLESTON -- Modena Garwood, 81, formerly of Charleston, died Wednesday, April 23, 1997, at Calloway County Hospital in Murray, Ky. She was born June 15, 1915, in Mississippi County, daughter of Everett and Mona Georgia Bailey Garwood. Garwood was a graduate of Charleston High School, received a bachelor of science degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1943, and a master of arts degree in education from Peabody Teachers College in Nashville, Tenn., in 1956...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Nelda Ruth "Nell" Kelso of Nevada, Mo., will be held at 11 a.m. today at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Rick Krietemeyer will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel after 9 a.m. today...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Charles W. "Brownie" Brown, 78, of Cobden died Tuesday, April 22, 1997, at Illinois Veterans Home in Anna. He was born Oct. 24, 1918, in Cobden, son of Leonard Harry and Sarah Peterman Brown. Brown served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and American Legion Post 259 in Cobden, and Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455 in Anna...

PERRYVILLE -- The Rev. J. Bernard FitzGerald, 85, of Perryville died Wednesday, April 23, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born July 15, 1911, in Kankakee, Ill., son of John Bernard and Kathryn Feeley FitzGerald. FitzGerald attended St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary and was ordained in 1939. He taught at DePaul Academy and University in Chicago from 1939 until retiring in 1993...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Audra "Red" Garner, 90, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, April 23, 1997, at Jonesboro Healthcare Center. He was born July 26, 1906, in Cave City, Ark., son of Andrew Scott and Josephine Rutledge Garner. Garner had farmed and was employed by Illinois Central Railroad. He was a member of Lockard Chapel Baptist Church...

SIKESTON -- J. C. Dover, 78, of Sikeston and formerly of Oran, died Wednesday, April 23, 1997, at his home. He was born July 14, 1918, at Bertrand, the son of John Wesley and Bird Cooper Dover. He married Orena N. Duke on Nov. 29, 1941, in New Madrid. She survives...