Stories from Friday, September 12, 1997

To the editor. We would like to remind all College High School classmates for the years 1960-64 that Reunion '97 will be held Sept. 27 at Black Forest Village. Come out early in the afternoon for games and fun followed by a barbecue and entertainment by "Showtime." For more information, call Sue Roussel at 335-5845 or send regrets/remittance to Sharon Schneider, 790 County Road 214, Gordonville, Mo. 63752...

To the editor: If you feel you should be politically correct to oblige those who conspire to take away your freedoms, you should observe the following rules: 1. If you are making a public statement, you should be very careful not to tell the truth. This many hurt someone's feelings...

To the editor: People in general like to speak their minds. Some feel bitterness, some gratitude and some just like to express an opinion. That's life. People are all different. Just within the past several weeks, two remarks have appeared in Speak Out regarding the picture of Rush Limbaugh on the Wall of Fame in downtown Cape Girardeau...

I'M SO thankful for the article on Father Darling in the paper. It was just wonderful. It's so good to see something like that in the paper. I appreciate it very much. I HAVE seen brightly colored birds on license plates from other states. Missouri, on the other hand, is a black night crawler worm drawn under the name of our state. I guess that's for the birds...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education Thursday approved a "clean, simple, economical" design for a new elementary school. A groundbreaking could be held in October. "We wanted a functional facility to serve the community. I think that's what we have here," Dr. Ferrell Ervin, president of the board, said after getting a look at the architect's drawings of the building and site plan...

MORLEY -- Scott County Presiding Commissioner Bob Kielhofner called the new enhanced-911 service Thursday. But it wasn't an emergency and the call didn't go far. Kielhofner placed the call just after 2 p.m. from the E-911 center at Morley to mark the official startup of the emergency telephone service in Scott County...

Two accidents involving seven cars within 10 minutes Thursday morning near Gordonville left three people in intensive care at Southeast Missouri Hospital. The first accident involved four cars, blocked Highway 25 and contributed to the second accident...

Riders on the Gravitron stand against the inside wall of a rotating cylinder that gradually picks up speed until centrifugal force makes the ride's floor unnecessary. Physics is hard at work at the SEMO District Fair. In the Gravitron, centrifugal force is what the person going around in circles feels. ...

For 30 years, Judith Williams-Johnson taught Central High School students how to sing. Now she's more interested in how her students swing. Her mid-life departure from choral music teacher to golf pro is not as dramatic as it might sound. "Golf is a mental discipline. So is music," Williams-Johnson says...

It has been a hectic week in River City, and this weekend will be busy with the Shady Nook School reunion over yonder. Yes. The nice cat has a good home. The outpouring of concern was unbelievable after last week's column, which was a commercial for the pride of cat proprietorship...

Today's issue contains the first appearance of Prep Football Stats, a comprehensive look at area high school football leaders. This service will appear every Friday of the 1997 football season. Prep Football Stats can be found on Page 3B.

With no concentrated scouting report on this week's opponent, the Jackson Indians football team did the only thing they could in preparation for tonight's 7:30 home game against the Vashon Wolverines. They prepared for anything. "Instead of preparing this week for Vashon, we caught ourselves preparing for everything," Gross said. "We ended up taking a look at a lot of different (defensive) fronts and put our (offense) in some situations and blitzes that hurt us a week ago."...

SIKESTON -- All systems are go for the first annual James Wilder Celebrity Sports Weekend. The event, which will raise money through donations for several Sikeston youth-related organizations, including the YMCA, the Higher Education Foundation and the James Wilder Foundation, is the brainchild of the former Sikeston High all-star running back who later went on to a standout career with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers...

The Cape Central Tigers and Hillsboro Hawks appear to be heading in different directions as they enter tonight's football game at Houck Field. The Tigers are coming off a 31-0 shutout at Farmington while the Hawks got pounded by the Northwest Lions 33-6 in both teams' respective season openers...

BELL CITY -- Last season, Bell City made its list. Now it has checked it twice. The Lady Cubs applied the first check mark to their wish list after winning the Class 1A state volleyball championship last year. Then Thursday night came mark No. 2: Bell City beat visiting archrival Bernie, last year's 2A state champion and the 1A title winner the two years seasons before that, in straight games, 15-11, 15-13...

ST. LOUIS -- Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball squad will begin play today in the five-team 7-Up Billiken Invitational hosted by St. Louis University. The Otahkians, 4-4 and losers of three straight matches, will have two matches both today and Saturday. Today's opponents are Arkansas State (noon) and George Washington (4 p.m.) while Saturday's foes are East Tennessee State (10 a.m.) and St. Louis (2 p.m.)...

Former Southeast Missouri State University women's gymnastics coach Bill Hopkins began a new job this week as director of student activities for the Lindbergh School District in St. Louis County. In his new position, Hopkins will work for a district that includes seven schools and more than 6,000 students...

The Scott City Rams made it through Week 1 of the high school football season with a 12-3 season-opening victory over St. Vincent and now have their sights set on their next home challenge tonight -- the Dexter Bearcats. "The win over St. Vincent was a big milestone for us," said Scott City coach Terry Flannigan, who's team has struggled over the years early in the season. "We're taking (this season) like a 10-round fight; Round 2 comes Friday night."...

SIKESTON -- Notre Dame High's soccer team continued its strong early-season play by rolling past host Sikeston 8-2 Thursday. The Bulldogs, now 4-1, got two goals apiece from Jason Garner, Ryan Fenwick and Oliver Sanders. Jonathan LeGrand and Wesley Steele both scored once while Garner, LeGrand, Steele, Adam Obermiller and Mark Buehrle all had assist...

A memorial service for Marion H. Henry will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Brendan Dempsey will officiate. Henry, 89, died Monday, Sept. 1, 1997, at Chateau Girardeau Health Care Center. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Sylvester J. Buhs, formerly of Scott City, was held Wednesday at Jay B. Smith Funeral Home in Maplewood. Burial was in Jefferson Barracks Cemetery. Buhs, 85, died Monday, Sept. 8, 1997, at the Veterans Home in St. Louis...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Ella M. Reed of Sikeston was held Thursday at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Cecil Adams officiating. Burial was in Mounds Park Cemetery at Lilbourn. Reed, 93, died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Darrall Allan Lemons, 43, of DeSoto died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at his home. He was born Sept. 24, 1953, in St. Louis, son of Cleo Elwood and Marjorie J. Crader Lemons. Lemons previously owned and operated the Ozark Village Furniture Store, and also owned a used furniture auction company. He had worked on the Casino Queen and Admiral casinos...

JACKSON -- Sheryl L. "Sherry" Wooten, 41, of Jackson died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 8, 1956, in Muncie, Ind., daughter of Gary A. and Patricia Lewman Buntin. She and Bobby G. Wooten were married Feb. 9, 1974, in Muncie...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Mildred B. Aldridge, 88, of Cobden died Thursday, Sept. 11, 1997, at her home. She was born May 31, 1909, in Anna, daughter of John Wesley and Emma J. Treece Baggott. Aldridge retired as a fancy stitcher at Florsheim Shoe Co. in Anna. She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in Cobden...

EDDYVILLE, Ky. -- George William Bruer, 81, of Eddyville and and formerly of Olive Branch, died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at Harrisburg Medical Center in Harrisburg, Ill. He was born March 12, 1916, in Hennipin, Ill., the son of Henry Joseph and Sarah Hetrick Bruer. On Sept. 20, 1940, he married Gertrude Abrams...

Daughter to Brandon Lewis and Audra Faye Chidester of Benton, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:02 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, 1997. Name, Bailie Marie. Weight, 6 pounds 11 ounces. Mrs. Chidester is the former Audra Ray, daughter of Billie Ray and Bruce Ray of Benton. Chidester is the son of Barbara Chidester and Melvin Chidester of Benton. He is employed at Morton Buildings in Charleston...

CIRCLE CITY -- Larry Barnett, 53, of Circle City died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1997, at his home. He was born Sept. 13, 1943, at Charter Oak, son of Alfred C. and Norma Lucille Payne Barnett. He and Sue Patterson were married May 2, 1964, at Bloomfield...

The American Heart Association's annual Heart Walk will be held Saturday at Cape Girardeau County Park North. The 5K run begins at 7:30 a.m., with registration from 6:30 to 6:45. The one-mile walk begins at 9, with registration at 8:30. Refreshments will be provided to the walkers and runners. Prizes will be awarded to participants who have collected the largest donations...

Southeast Missouri State University will hold a number of events celebrating September as "Archaeology Month in Missouri." Archaeologist Jeannette Stephens of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale will lecture and present a slide show on Southeast Missouri State University's Beckwith Collection of prehistoric pottery...

SIKESTON -- It's 7:25 a.m. Most students aren't even close to being ready, but most of the 133 members of Sikeston High School's marching band are putting on their band shoes, that will undoubtedly be soaked in minutes, ready to practice. It takes dedication to be there, and it takes dedication that most avid football fans don't know about...