Stories from Thursday, September 11, 1997

To the editor: On Sept. 2, Joe Vernier, president of the self-styled Lake Facts Committee, was accorded nearly 12 column inches to express his views on the Bollinger/Cape Girardeau counties lake project. Though members might attempt to portray their group as an independent and unbiased source of information, we should note that this committee is no impartial entity. ...

Members of the Southeast Missouri State University faculty along with present and former students at the Southeast Missouri Music Academy will present a concert of works for harp and flute, voice, piano, cello and trumpet Oct. 5. The concert is a benefit for the Southeast Missouri Music Academy...

The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission rejected a proposal for a car wash at the northwest corner of Lexington Avenue and Cape Rock Drive, but board members seemed to call for some commercial development on the north side of town. "Sooner or later, there's got to be commercial development on Lexington Avenue," said commission member Jim Ramage. "People like me who live up there don't want to have to drive down to Schnucks all the time."...

Joe McDaniel has walked the Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau 64 times. "I've been with the Missouri Department of Transportation 32 years," said McDaniel, maintenance supervisor at the department's Jackson office. "I've been involved with annual inspections of the bridge 32 times."...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Mid-south Fair upcoming Sept. 18-28 has 11 evenings of diverse entertainment scheduled. Opening the fair Sept. 18 will be teen-age star LeAnn Rimes. Also scheduled to perform at the fair at Johnny Cash, Ricochet, David Lee Murphy, Point of Grace, Three Dog Night, Regina Belle, The Monkeys, Bryan White, The Spinners, Goo Goo Dolls, Loverboy, Sawyer Brown & Toby Keith, and the Isley Brothers...

Contemporary ceramics by artist Hyun Chong Kim are currently on display at the University Museum. The show titled "Earth, Water, Me & The Flame" consists of 19 ceramic works and one print, a self-portrait of the artist at work. Her work ranges in size from 17 inches to nearly five feet. The surfaces vary from smoky matte hues of Raku pottery to vibrant glazes...

Missouri school districts recently completed the annual chore of setting tax levies. This process is one of the more fundamental obligations of the elected board members who each year must decide what tax rate will generate needed revenue based on current assessed valuations of property...

Regulating Missouri's gambling industry includes a maze of regulations and laws. Compliance is monitored by the Missouri Gaming Commission, whose responsibility it is to slap the hands of offending casinos. Recently, the commission fined and disciplined two casinos owned by the same company, Station Casinos Inc. ...

To the editor: When a journalist accuses the media of propagating false information on domestic violence, then utilizes the same medium for her own agenda on the topic, I am compelled to respond. Kathleen Parker's commentary on domestic violence being exaggerated was seriously flawed. ...

To the editor: Well, here we go again. Recently Joe Vernier of the Lake Facts Committee had a very lengthy letter published in several local newspapers. In his letter, Mr. Vermier extols the virtues of water. I will not argue the point with him. Water is an essential ingredient to living...

Anyone interested in period architecture, antique cars and the occasional ghost story should be sure to attend the Historic Home Tour Sunday in Cape Girardeau. The Greater Cape Girardeau Historical Association is sponsoring the event, which will include walking tours from 1 p.m. ...

Missouri will loan Illinois $38.6 million to speed up construction of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau. Missouri Department of Transportation officials Wednesday praised the move, but the state auditor's office expressed concern about the arrangement...

She might be Rush Limbaugh's biggest fan. Dondi, a 7,000-pound, 8-foot-tall Asian elephant, is making an appearance at this week's SEMO District Fair. "She's definitely a Republican," said Dondi's trainer Phil Schacht as the elephant curled her trunk around his waist. "She listens to Rush Limbaugh with me every day."...

In his New York days, Willie Morris was in touch with everyone from Norman Mailer to Frank Sinatra. He worked for Harper's, the nation's oldest magazine. In 1967, at the age of 32, he became editor of the celebrated magazine. Morris resigned from Harper's in 1971 over an editorial dispute...

Sept. 11, 1997 Dear Patty, The story of your life has a way of revealing itself to you if you're paying attention. Thanks to a teacher at a nearby high school, I understand why I chose my profession instead of hers. She had asked me to talk to her newspaper staff, and I agreed even though I'd rather wrestle Idi Amin -- dead or alive -- than speak in public. But teaching isn't really public speaking. It's more like a WWF struggle for attention...

The football season is only two weeks old for some teams and just a week old for others, yet already some interesting results have been put on the board around the Ohio Valley Conference. Only two games within the conference have been played so far and one of them produced a mild surprise, although probably not to the coaches who follow the league closely...

SIKESTON -- The Jackson Lady Indian volleyball team won two matches Wednesday to claim the 1997 SEMO Conference Tournament. Jackson (4-1) beat Poplar Bluff for the championship 10-15, 15-2, 15-12. Heather Brown served 13 straight points in the second game, including four aces, to even the match heading to the deciding game. Brown also had 13 assists...

SIKESTON -- Ella M. Reed, 92, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Feb. 4, 1905, in Decaturville, Tenn., daughter of Will and Johnannie Warren Yarber. Reed had been a nurse aide in a hospital and nursing home in Rockford, Ill...

SIKESTON -- Frank Henry, 57, Sikeston Route 1, died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, at his home. He was born March 28, 1940, at Bell City, son of M.C. and Tecora Lewis Henry. He and Alice Faye Calhoun were married July 13, 1968. Henry was a self-employed mechanic. He was a member of Greer Chapel Missionary Baptist Church...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Dorothy M. Mitchell Berbling of Scott City will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at the chapel from 4-8 p.m. today. Berbling, 38, died Monday, Sept. 8, 1997, in a car-school bus accident near Olive Branch, Ill...

PERRYVILLE -- Talida M. Rubelius, 96, formerly of Perryville, died Monday, Sept. 8, 1997, at St. Joseph Carmelite Nursing Center in St. Charles. She was born May 2, 1901, in Perry County, daughter of Henry and Mary Schrempp Unterreiner. She married Erick Rubelius, who preceded her in death...

DEXTER -- Krystal Michelle Riddle, 22, of Dexter died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, in an automobile accident west of Hayti. She was born June 26, 1975, in Dexter, daughter of Terry and Jeanette Riddle. Riddle was an emergency medical technician at Kennett Hospital...

COLLEYVILLE, Texas -- Charles Lee Ponder, 55, of Colleyville, formerly of Charleston, died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, in Colleyville. He was born May 7, 1942, in Charleston to P.J. and Evelyn Lankford Ponder Jr. Ponder had lived in Colleyville, where he served as president and chairman of the board of Ponder and Company, for a number of years. He was an Eagle Scout and a member of White's Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Lola Mae Pinkard, 68, of Cobden died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, at City Care Center. She was born Sept. 13, 1928, in Haleyville, Ala., daughter of Oscar and Lela Martin Southern. She and Olen Ray Pinkard were married Oct. 1, 1947, in Haleyville. He died Aug. 6, 1993...

Age 3 to 6 months: First: Jett Taylor Rohlfs, son of Randy and Kelly Rolphs, 3638 Chateau; second: De'Drion Malik Thomas, son of Pamela C. Thomas, 610 Sycamore; third: Collin Temperly, son of Greg and Kim Temperly of Jackson. Age 6 to 9 months: First: Ty Cody King, son of Rocky and Tomma King of Delta; second: Tristin Hecht, son of Gary and Tisha Hecht of Jackson; third: Logan Michael Littrel, son of Jessica Littrel, 213 N. Clark...

BELL CITY -- Charles D. Bonifield, 89, of Bell City died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at his home. He was born Dec. 26, 1907, near Charleston, son of Charles Marion and Nina Belle Wood. He and Elizabeth Carlisle were married May 8, 1932. Bonifield was a retired farmer. He was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church at Oran, its St. Joseph Sodality, and Knights of Columbus Council 4311...

SCOTT CITY -- Graveside service for Mary Lucille Berry of Scott City will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Lightner Cemetery. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate. There is no visitation. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City is in charge of arrangements...

FROHNA -- George Wilhelm Weber, 81, of Frohna died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 20, 1915, at Frohna, son of Herman C. and Emma Poppitz Weber. He and Milda Fiedler were married Sept. 20, 1940...

Travis B. Clary, 75, of Flint, Mich., died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at Heritage Manor in Flint. He was born July 28, 1922, at Gravel Hill, son of Jack and Stella Hopkins Clary. He and Mary Ellen Gunter were married Aug. 2, 1942, at Van Buren. Clary was a watchmaker, jeweler, and professional photographer, retiring in 1985. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Flint. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Son to David Joseph and Victoria Lea Charlier, 757 Woodbine, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:24 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997. Name, Gabriel Joseph. Weight, 8 pounds 14 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Charlier is the former Victoria Miller, daughter of Maurice and Connie Miller of Scott City. ...

RIDGEWAY, Ill. -- George Bruer, 81, of Ridgeway, formerly of Olive Branch, died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at Harrisburg Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

Vera Windisch said she was surprised to get a summons for failing to fix the apartment building she owns at 14 N. Fountain St. After all, she had her employees fix the gutters on one side of the house, put a new roof over the front porch and start to cover the exposed black-board insulation with siding...