Stories from Sunday, September 7, 1997

As late as Friday morning and afternoon, I was still receiving somewhat urgent calls from Brad Ketcher, the amiable and competent chief of staff to Gov. Mel Carnahan. Purpose: Would I agree to work with them on compromise language on the partial-birth abortion bill the governor vetoed? "We have some new language that could be the basis for common ground, and I'd like to fax it," Ketcher said, reprising the offer I had already rejected week before last. ...

Vicki Litzelfelner makes friends with "Griffin" a three-month old Bernese puppy. Vicki Litzelfelner is located on the right waving. They are riding into Charlevoix, Mich. Ever had the desire to ride a bike 500 miles? Ever felt the need to spend a week on bike in some other state, while spending your nights camping?...

25 years ago, 1972 Betsy Popp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Popp Jr. of Jackson, knows what "cordon bleu" means, and probably knows how to do it, too; Popp, fourth-grader at Fruitland Attendance Center, won first place in 8 to 11-year-old division of 1972 Junior Gourmet Cooking Contest; contest was sponsored by St. Louis Globe Democrat and included more than 1,000 entries...

Most everyone is familiar with this wonderful story which we find here in Jonah and the second chapter; let's look and see just exactly what God showed him in the fishes belly. Incidentally, these very truths of the Gospel of God's grace are what all who trust Christ also acknowledge when they are drawn unto the Lord of glory...

The Missouri Air Conservation Commission will meet in Cape Girardeau this month. The commission will hear testimony related to emission standards for hazardous air pollutants and new source performance regulations during its monthly meeting, to be held at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 at the Drury Lodge...

Local attorney A.J. Seier, a former Navy pilot, has embarked on a new mission: Flying the sick and injured of a poor, remote Central American country to distant medical centers for much-needed health care. Seier was in Central America from mid-July to mid-August, sometimes flying two missions a day. ...

Federal authorities are redoubling their efforts against methamphetamine, the do-it-yourself drug that is said to be rampant in Missouri. According to some calculations, Missouri has the most meth labs of any state in the country, rivaled only by California in that category...

THIS IS about the person who believes the voters should have a say in whose picture goes on the floodwall. I agree 100 percent. If I would have had a chance to vote, Rush Limbaugh would probably not be up there. I know a lot of other people feel the same way. He's just too controversial. He doesn't belong there...

Is it inevitable consequence or accidental happenstance that occasionally triggers the tragic downfall of some of Missouri's most powerful, prestigious public servants? The transmogrification of a handful of our state's successful officeholders from power pinnacles to penal prisoners should give thoughtful citizens pause, although to date that has been accorded a lifespan no longer than the interval between the last note of the national anthem and the charging entrance of the Mizzou football team onto Faurot Stadium.. ...

In his preliminary research for the William Faulkner Mural, artist Dr. Grant Lund was struck by one critic's description of the writer's work as "a psychological jigsaw puzzle." Faulkner's use of different narrators could make it difficult to understand how the pieces fit together. But, as Lund writes in his artist's statement about the mural, "From a psychological distance they make sense."...

Tom Neumeyer wants a halfway house in Cape Girardeau for prisoners about to be paroled. However, the Second Ward City Councilman believes that putting it in a wing of the Gibson Recovery Center will endanger the children at the nearby Parkview State School for the Severely Handicapped and the Head Start center, as well as the people living in the nearby apartment complexes...

Alaska and Hawaii each receive more than 4 dollars for every dollar they send to the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Washington, D.C., receives a 3.8 to 1 return for its trust fund dollars. Two Northeast states -- Massachusetts and Rhode Island -- each get better than 200 percent returns on their federal highway funds...

SCOTT CITY -- Volunteers are being credited with the successful completion of Scott City's newest community event. The first Railroad Day attracted more than 400 people who witnessed the dedication of a historical marker and pageants, all set in front of the city's newest tourist attraction. They turned out for the celebration, which commemorated Scott City's heritage as a railroad hub...

Absent from the SEMO District Fairgrounds Saturday were the children screaming in delight, blaring music from brightly colored rides and crowds of talking, laughing people. It may have looked quiet, but there was plenty of activity behind the scenes as more than 100 people put the finishing touches on the area's biggest fair...

And what's all this talk about the Princess of Whales? "I do it myself." We used to think it was cute when our youngest daughter, Bailey, spoke these four little words. Little did we realize that it was a proclamation for disaster. Bailey, who is fast heading toward the terrible twos, has concluded that she can do anything her 5-year-old sister can do...

When National Park Service officials handed out 10 citations for violations of federal gun regulations during the 1996 fall hunting season in the Ozark Scenic Riverways Park area, it triggered some unhappy citizen response. "We usually give out about two to three tickets a year for these violations," said park supertindent Ben Clary. "But last year, we established a check station in the Big Springs area, and this led to observance of more violations."...

Children typically choose Mother's Day and Father's Day to honor their honor parents, but a growing population is finding the first Sunday in September to honor their grandparents. Grandparents' Day is becoming a highly celebrated event as more grandparents assume custody of their grandchildren. More than 831,000 grandparents older than 50 head households that include over 1.02 million children...

Considering Michael Deller's accuracy from long range, Carbondale Community High's football team probably would like to see him in a helmet and pads instead of shorts and shin guards. With the score 0-0 15 minutes into the second half of the Notre Dame Soccerfest's championship game, Deller took a pass from Matt Waxsler and lofted a 35-yard shot from the right side over Cape Girardeau Central sophomore goalkeeper Michael Pickett's outstretched arms...

There is no way you can get very carried away by a victory over an NAIA team and I'm not about to try. But what I saw out of Southeast Missouri State University's Indians during a 24-6 season-opening win over Lambuth on Aug. 30 at least got me thinking that, hey, maybe this SEMO football season will turn out to be a good one after all...

Southeast Missouri State University basketball fans who are anxiously awaiting the results of an NCAA investigation into the Indians' program could be in for quite a wait. At least that's what could be surmised from a telephone interview with Robin Green of the NCAA Enforcement Office. Green serves as a member of the NCAA Committee on Infractions that is responsible for determining possible violations and penalties...

After winning its opening game of the Loyola Tournament Friday, Southeast Missouri's volleyball team dropped two four-set matches on Saturday. The Otahkians won their opener against Loyola 16-14, but then dropped the next three sets 8-15, 12-15, 10-15...

JACKSON -- It was a perfect day for a jaunt through the park Saturday, and since the Jackson Invitational cross country meet was already scheduled, 15 high school teams took advantage of the weather. Four area teams came away with team titles in the eight different high school divisions. Divisions were divided by grade (senior through freshmen) for both boys and girls...

For starters, the Cape Girardeau Central Tigers couldn't have asked for a better way to begin the 1997 football season Friday with their 34-0 shutout at Farmington. The Tigers displayed big-play potential on offense and a swarming defense in a virtual duplication of last year's 30-7 opening-season win over the Knights at Houck Field...

ST. LOUIS -- Cape Central High's girls softball team banged out six hits in a six-run second in a 12-6 victory over Ursaline Academy Saturday. The six-run outburst came right after Ursaline had scored three runs in the first inning to take a 3-1 lead. Ahead 7-3, Central added two runs in the fourth and three in the sixth for an 11-3 lead...

SIKESTON -- William Calvin Stovall, 71, of Sikeston died Friday, Sept. 5, 1997, at Clearview Nursing Center. He was born April 25, 1926, at Bell City, son of William "George" Stovall and Adelia Sadie Smith Stovall. He married Ruby Lee Potter Jan. 7, 1949, at Bell City...

ADVANCE -- William John Halstead Sr., 71, of Advance died Saturday, Sept. 6, 1997, at Missouri Delta Hospital in Sikeston. He was born Oct. 22, 1925, at Advance, son of Ward and Anna Belle Pike Halstead. He retired from Norfolk Western Railroad as a sign maintainer in Illinois after 33 years of service. He served in the Army during World War II...

DEXTER -- Nela Chrisman, 79, of Arlington, Va., died Thursday, Aug. 28, 1997, in an Arlington hospital. She was born May 19, 1918, at Rector, Ark., daughter of Bud Hill and Isabell Deniston Hill. She marred J.U. Chrisman at Paragould, Ark., on Dec. 22, 1944. He survives...

She was born March 28, 1921, in Montana and had worked as a housekeeper in the Market Hotel in Cape Girardeau. She had lived at Jackson Residential Care since Dec. 9, 1981. She is survived by a friend, Mellville Welker of Jackson. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Monday at the Jackson City Cemetery, with McCombs Funeral Home in charge of arrangements...

WAPPAPELLO -- Evelyn J. "Sam" Deneke, 78, of Wappapello died Sunday, Aug. 31, 1997, at Doctors Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She retired as a lab receptionist at Kneibert Clinic. She was a member of the Methodist Church, VFW Auxiliary, and a volunteer at Wappapello Senior Center...

MORLEY -- Mildred L. Drum, 90, of St. Louis, formerly of Morley, died Friday, Sept. 5, 1997, in St. Louis. She was born Nov. 27, 1906, in Morley. She had been married to Frederick R. Drum and Louis Weissenborn, and both preceded her in death. She was a member of the Missouri Association for the Deaf...

JACKSON -- Rosine S. Sandvoss, 101, of Jackson died Friday, Sept. 5, 1997, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 27, 1896, in Kurreville, daughter of Louis and Wilhelmine Haupt Schmidt. She married Henry R. Sandvoss on Sept. 28, 1921, in Gordonville. He died April 25, 1985...

PATTON -- Tony I. "Ted" Dolle of Jackson, 91, died Friday, Sept. 5, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 28, 1906, at Sedgewickville, son of John B. and Kittie Wilson Dolle. He married Grace B. Seabaugh on May 6, 1927. She survives...

PERRYVILLE -- Jesse Anton Robinson, 90, of Perryville died at Perry Oaks Health Center in Perryville Saturday, Sept. 6, 1997. He was born at Perryville Oct. 6, 1906, son of Andrew and Sophia Schremp Robinson. Robinson had worked as a cab driver with the Black-And-White Cab Co. in St. Louis...

Charles Russell Kauffman Jr., 48, of Jackson died in a riverboat accident while attempting to save two crew members during a crew change on the Missouri River. He was born Sept. 24, 1948, in Bloomington, Ill., son of Charles Russell Kauffman Sr. and Elizabeth Marie Burkhart Kauffman...

ST. MARY -- Harrison J.J. Worley, 87, of St. Mary died Saturday, Sept. 5, 1997, at Riverview Manor Nursing Home of Ste. Genevieve. He was born Feb. 20, 1910, in Crawford County, son of Jim and Mary Worley. He was a retired lime bagger for Mississippi Lime Co. He was in service during War World II...

Jean Bell Mosley's new autobiography, "For Most of the Century," is only available in serialized form in the Southeast Missourian. Return each week for her continuing story. I entered Loughboro, a one-room rural school in September, 1918. Woodrow Wilson was president. World War I was coming to a close. I was unaware of either of these conditions. My red-backed Big Chief 5-cent tablet, my penny pencil and what would my first teacher be like were of more interest...

Bob Hughes of Coglizer-Smith Tent & Awnings, Joplin, raised one of the tents that will cover the SEMO Pork Producers food stand at the SEMO District Fair. Polly Johns straightened stuffed animals at Johns' concessions at Arena Park to get ready for the SEMO District Fair. The Johns have been in the concessions business for four generations...