Stories from Wednesday, October 15, 1997

Each year the Missouri Humanities Council honors a handful of people who have made exceptional contributions to history, literature, or the ideas that shape democracy. A Kennett woman was one of this year's recipient of the prestigious Acorn Award. Like an acorn, the seeds that these recipients plant grow into big ideas across Missouri...

JACKSON -- Residents of Dutchtown will weigh the benefits of town incorporation against formation of a levee district in the next step of a process they hope will result in construction of a flood-prevention levee. Initially, residents were leaning towards forming a levee district. But Bud Obermann and Bob Moss, spokesmen at Dutchtown, said Tuesday that incorporation as a town may be more advantageous...

BENTON -- The Scott County Health Department will offer flu shots today at the Chaffee Nutrition Center and at the county health department in Benton. Shots will be offered from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Chaffee, and from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. at the health department...

MARBLE HILL -- Two women are dead following a two-vehicle accident on Highway 34 East near the Hahn Chapel Tuesday morning. Dead are Arlene Seiler, 45, of Leopold and Anna Adams, 68, of Jackson. Seiler was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred about half a mile east of Marble Hill, said the Missouri Highway Patrol...

Congress needs to restructure the nation's complicated tax code and make the Internal Revenue Service more user friendly, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said Tuesday. The Cape Girardeau Republican voiced her comments at a meeting she hosted of business and economic development officials...

Registered nurses wishing to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing may do so by attending classes just one day a week at Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Janet Weber, coordinator of Southeast's RN to BSN Program, said the program is suited to meet the needs of licensed registered nurses who hold an associate degree in nursing or diploma in nursing. ...

Vision 2000's third annual Picnic in the Park starts at 11 a.m. today at Capaha Park. The luncheon, which will be held at the shelter near the lagoon, will features hot dogs and hamburgers, drinks and desserts, said Vision 2000 chairman Bob Robins. Tickets are available at the park, and the picnic lasts until 2 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education set the wheels in motion Tuesday for site work to begin as early as Thursday for a new Cape Girardeau public elementary school. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 8 for the new school, which will be near the intersection of Bertling and Sprigg streets. The school is expected to be completed by August 1998...

THANKS, COUNTY commissioners, for your decision not to jump in and spend taxpayers' money when you were requested to establish a referral system to help the needy. This appears to be another request to establish a position that's not needed, to be funded out of taxpayers' money. ...

I spend a better part of my days READING ... and I owe whatever understanding and success I have to the information and ideas I glean from others. Wendy and I are taking another Bible study course under the leadership of DAVID LIMBAUGH. This one is "The OLD TESTAMENT," and Dave's summary outlines and overview have been excellent...

When it comes to music, Cape Girardeau can really shine. The city is home to a number of talented musicians and singers who perform throughout the region. The first City of Roses Festival will bring these talented groups and individuals together on a single weekend. And those who attend will have an opportunity to really appreciate these home-grown talents...

Higher education officials Tuesday touted a new partnership of five colleges and universities that plans to reach out to the region with technical training and college courses. The Southeast Missouri Educational Consortium was formed in fall 1996. Members are Southeast Missouri State University, the University of Missouri, Three Rivers Community College at Poplar Bluff, Mineral Area College at Park Hills and Lincoln University in Jefferson City...

When the first gambling riverboat casino opened in Tunica County, Miss., it consisted of a boat in a moat alongside the Mississippi River. That operation set the stage for numerous Mississippi casinos, all constructed on barges and surrounded by river water diverted to form artificial moats for casino gambling...

NEW HAMBURG -- Although tradition would have it differently, "past policy" will keep 13-year olds Ashley Throop and Jessica Jansen on the sidelines while other Kelso C-7 eighth-grade girls lead cheers this year. The two girls, who live in Kelso, transferred to the public school district from a nearby parochial school. ...

Who would want a Details magazine form 1992? There are two kinds of people in this world: pack rats and lifeboaters. Pack rats save everything, of course, including those handprint-poem thingies their kids made in kindergarten. Every flower they've ever received -- even from dating nightmares who wore high-water pants and glasses with tape -- is pressed into a book. Their kitchen drawers are stuffed with now-useless twist ties...

The Southeast Missourian asked students at West Lane Elementary School what they would ask the president if they had the chance to meet him. Melanie Essner: "I would ask him how he liked living in the White House and about his pets. Also, I would ask if he had to make a lot of tough decisions."...

JACKSON -- Though trained as a field geologist, Jim Roach's career path has taken him to the land of budgets and schedules. "I like things to be organized," says Roach, who last week assumed his duties as director of the Department of Public Works for the City of Jackson...

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1997 7:30 p.m. Jackson Middle School Library Action Items -- Approved 1997-98 staff development plan. -- Approved position descriptions for benefits coordinator, payroll clerk and paraprofessional. -- Approved district paid life insurance plan for qualified employees...

We are now in the midst of a bye week after a tough 17-14 homecoming loss to an improved Tennessee Tech football team on Saturday. Many have approached me in consolation due to the way the game ended. I'm appreciative for their thoughts. All I know to do is to get our team rested up, healed and go back to work in preparation for our road trip against Middle Tennessee...

Much to the delight of coach Cindy Gannon, Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team made short work of Ohio Valley Conference contender Austin Peay Tuesday night. The Otahkians recorded a three-game win over the Lady Governors, rolling 15-12, 15-11, 15-7...

Dante Bryant is no longer hamstrung by his previously balky hamstring. As a result, he's putting together the kind of season most people thought he was capable of when he came to Southeast Missouri State University last year. Bryant, a junior wide receiver for the Indians, ranks fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference in receptions with a team-leading 26, good for 347 yards and two touchdowns...

PEORIA, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's golf team finished tied for 12th out of 18 squads during the three-day Bradley Fall Classic that concluded Tuesday. Drake was first with a score of 898, followed by Illinois State at 904. Southeast had a 953 total...

JACKSON -- It was a big game in a big season for Nathan Windeknecht. With his hat trick in Jackson High's 7-0 soccer win over Sikeston on Tuesday, Windeknecht, a junior, scored his 21st, 22nd and 23rd goals of the season, breaking Rick Fink's season scoring record of 22 goals...

Three local runners -- all members of the Cape Girardeau Road Runners -- certainly made a major impact during last Sunday's prestigious St. Louis Marathon. Ron Keller finished sixth overall among men and the 41-year-old runner also won the men's masters division (40 and over) with a time of 2:48.38...

SIKESTON -- Warrick W. Miller, 81, of Sikeston died Monday, Oct. 13, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born March 9, 1916, in Matthews, son of Albert and Prilla Bradley Miller. He married Frances Irene Samford on April 24, 1943, in Sikeston...

SCOTT CITY -- Bonnie Jean Daniels, 56, of Scott City died Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997, at her home. She was born Jan. 31, 1941, in Painton, daughter of Bertis and Sylvia Ovina Jordan Storey Sr. She married Walter Edward Daniels on Oct. 16, 1959, in St. Louis. He survives...

DEXTER -- Tom Davis, 78, of Idalia, died Monday, Oct. 13, 1997, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center in Dexter. He was born Oct. 21, 1918, near Essex, son of Claude Edward and Grace Snyder Davis. He married Margaret Hilderbrand on Jan. 27, 1939, in Charleston. She survives...

SIKESTON -- Verneal McGill, 81, of Garland, Texas, formerly of Sikeston, died Sunday, Oct. 12 at Baylor Hospital in Garland. She was born on March 20, 1916, in Vanduser, daughter of Andrew Houston and Lulu Ethel Vanduser Phillips. She married William Howard McGill on Dec. 18, 1933 in Charleston. He preceded her in death April 14, 1965...

JACKSON -- Anna Elizabeth Adams, 67, of Jackson, died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1997 at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Dec. 11, 1928 at Glennon, daughter of Henry and Mary Laurentius Eftink. She married Leonard M. Adams on April 19, 1947 at Glennon. He survives...

SIKESTON -- Christine Daniels Hayes, 71, formerly of Matthews, died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1997, at her home in Clermont, Fla. She was born July 2, 1926, in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., daughter of J. R. and Maude Newton Daniels. She married Ronald D. Hayes Sept. 19, 1974. He survives...

ADVANCE -- Evelyn K. Barry, 67, of Advance, died Monday, October 13, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 4, 1930, in Maize, Kan., daughter of John and Rosa Rheton Woodard. She married Carl Barry on May 6, 1950, at Maize, Kan. He survives...

NEW MADRID -- Delores Littleton, 43, of New Madrid, died Oct. 11, 1997 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Nov. 24, 1954, in Osceola, Ark., daughter of Everdale Warren and Pauline Jenkins Starks of New Madrid. She was married to James Littleton...

LEOPOLD --Arleen M. Seiler, 45, of Leopold died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1997, as the result of an automobile accident near Marble Hill. She was born Aug. 30, 1952, at Cape Girardeau, the daughter of Clarence "Peck" and Irma Steinnerd Stause. She graduated from Leopold High School in 1971 and was a member of St. John's Catholic Church and St. Ann's Ladies Sodality. She worked in maintenance at Procter and Gamble...

"These islands are very green and fertile and the breezes are very soft, and it is possible that there are in them many things, of which I do not know," Christopher Columbus wrote in his diary exactly 505 years ago today. He was spending his first week in the New World, an occasion which was observed, though not necessarily celebrated, this week, as it is every year around this time, on Columbus Day...