Stories from Saturday, November 1, 1997

Siemers Drive at Bloomfield Road will be closed for three weeks starting Monday for work on the Bloomfield Road Extension Project. And Bloomfield at Siemers will be restricted to one lane of traffic until the end of the construction project in three to four weeks...

Every day, we pass a little of ourselves onto people that we meet -- we create a ripple of influence, of which the ultimate result cannot be known. Teaching the things that we know, sharing our knowledge and wisdom, with those around us is an opportunity that presents daily and has the potential to make people's lives a little richer for the learning. I believe that we all have some social responsibility to speak out about this problem...

Right: Two tests are taken from the tap, one is for bacteria and the other is a general chemistry sample. Sometimes Nancy Foor finds too much iron. Sometimes she finds too many bacteria. Foor, an environmental health sanitarian for the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, finds all kinds of things when she tests private and commercial water sources around the county...

A camera crew is coming to the region in December to film segments for a TV program that introduces Canadians to French-speaking communities in North, Central and South America. The cultural TV program "Bons Baisers d'Amerique" airs Sunday evenings in Canada and reaches more than 65 million households around the world...

CHARLESTON -- More than 140 jobs will be lost when De-Sta-Co Manufacturing closes its facility in Charleston. Operations at the Charleston plant, in existence since 1976, will move to the De-Sta-Co facilities in Arkansas. Employees were notified Wednesday of the plant's closing and layoffs. Layoffs will start Dec. 12...

The annual trick-or-treat festival at West Park Mall had everything: Men in Black, witches, pumpkins, a few Dalmatians, ghosties and ghoulies. And a partridge in a pear tree. Alana Newell, 10, of Scott City didn't have her holidays mixed up. She just recycled a costume...

I KNOW that the opinion page is the province of the people that call and write in and not of the Republican-run newspaper, but I think you are showing your true colors when you print things like "Democrats can't be Christians" and "Everybody at Waco was wrong except for the participants, and because of it, I'm not going to teach my children or grandchildren to respect this country or salute the flag." I know these people's opinions are constitutionally protected, but what's the matter with you? Are you nuts for printing them? They're terribly inflammatory and awfully offensive. ...

Southeast Missouri State University has worked to make its salaries more competitive. These salaries are being used to attract some of the finest educators in the nation to the Cape Girardeau campus. The university has raised faculty salaries to the point that the average salary for instructors and assistant and associate professors is at the median level for comparable schools nationwide. ...

Southeast Missouri State University is also working hard to increase its student base. But a recent progress report showed that the university's goal of 10,300 students by the year 2000 will be tough to reach. Enrollment this fall stands at 8,234. But instead of taking a big step backward, the university acknowledged the goal is ambitious and plowed ahead. It is good to see the university didn't back off the numbers. Instead, it put a lot of stretch in the goals and pledged to work harder...

To the editor: Concerning the editorial in the Southeast Missourian regarding vehicle insurance: I have corresponded with state Rep. Larry Thomason several times and sent clippings to him from both the Missourian and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I have also sent this information to state Sen. ...

To the editor: This is a letter to the wonderful people of Cape Girardeau. Several days ago (a lifetime), our son, Bert, was diagnosed with a bone tumor (his third in his left leg). This tumor was different though. This one was cancer. It was found the day before his 21st birthday...

To the editor: This letter is in response to a recent Speak Out opinion ("We don't want to first in meth"). Unfortunately, wishing won't make it so. I will take a concerted effort to make our community a safe and drug-free place in which to live. What can we do? Lots. For example:...

ST. LOUIS -- The Southeast Missourian won 14 awards, including general excellence among daily newspapers, in the 1997 Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Missouri Press Association. The honors were handed out Friday at an awards luncheon in St. Louis. In all, the newspaper received one first-place award, three second-place awards, one third-place award and seven honorable mentions...

CAIRO -- Three of 12 Cairo school board candidates have called on federal observers and examiners to oversee next weeks election in Alexander County. Board of Education member Robbie Koen and representatives from the United Front, a civil rights organization that has been active in the community for nearly 30 years, are joining the candidates in their request for federal intervention. ...

A new commuter parking area has been established near Interstate 55 off of Route K at Cape Girardeau. Work on the new area, which can accommodate 20 vehicles, was completed recently by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The parking area, open to the public, is located .25 mile west of I-55 and Route K intersection at the intersection of County Road 317 with Route K...

When Dr. Fred Janzow traveled to Boston for a meeting, his students in Cape Girardeau never missed a class. Janzow taught the course via the Internet. Online education is becoming more commonplace at Southeast Missouri State University and the university continues to expand its use of the Internet as an information source...

In no way can a woman be violated nonpersonally any more than by taking away her chief accessory. Disaster struck in my household last weekend, and neither Patrick nor I have recovered yet. My purse was lost, recovered, then stolen by an as-yet-unidentified female, and I can truthfully say that it was by far the worst catastrophe I've ever experienced...

Oral commitments for women's basketball in this area normally don't draw a whole lot of attention. But a commitment that Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians recently received figures to break that mold. Pam Iversen, a 6-foot-2 senior at Denison Community High School in Denison, Iowa, is rated among the better college prospects in the midwest. She recently gave an oral commitment to Southeast...

POPLAR BLUFF -- In an offensive shootout, Poplar Bluff dodged the final bullet fired by Cape Central Friday night. The Mules saw a 30-yard field goal attempt by the Tigers' Jeff Michel sail wide right with 11 seconds remaining and Poplar Bluff hung on for a 25-24 Class 4A, District 1 victory over Central...

SIKESTON -- Jackson High's first-ever ranking in the Class 5A state football poll evidently didn't go to the Indians' heads. Playing their first game since moving into this week's 5A poll at No. 10, the undefeated Indians celebrated their state-wide recognition with another lopsided victory, rolling past host Sikeston 34-0 Friday night...

On paper at least, Austin Peay's Governors should be just what the doctor ordered for Southeast Missouri State University's ailing football team. But Southeast coach John Mumford warns against the Indians taking the winless Governors lightly during today's 1:30 p.m. non-conference game in Clarksville, Tenn...

For the high school volleyball teams at Notre Dame, Bell City, Leopold and Perryville, today looms as the biggest date of the season so far. Those four squads will all be participating in four-team sectional competitions today, with the champions earning berths in next weekend's state tournament in Warrensburg...

PERRYVILLE -- The St. Vincent Indians football team didn't have time to go trick-or-treating Friday night. But keeping in the Halloween spirit, the Indians used a little trickery to treat the home fans to a 14-3 Class 1A, District 1 victory over the state-ranked Valle Warriors...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- A Halloween night visit to Austin Peay turned into quite a frightening proposition for Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team. The Otahkians fell out of a first-place Ohio Valley Conference tie as the Lady Govs romped to a 15-10, 15-12, 15-3 victory...

Home games against Iowa, Iowa State, Mizzou, Bradley and Southwest Missouri State and trips to Mississippi and Georgia Tech highlight the 1998 Southeast Indians baseball schedule. The Indians scheduled 31 home games and 22 on the road for the upcoming season...

The Southeast Otahkian basketball team have scheduled their annual Red and White Game for Nov. 7 at the Show Me Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Otahkians, coming off a 5-21 season last year, open the regular season Nov. 15 against Wisconsin-Milwaukee...

LaVerne D. Grass, 65, of Perryville died Friday, Oct. 31, 1997, in Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 15, 1932, in Perry County, the daughter of Oscar "Booby" and Paula Weinhold Hacker. She was married to Erwin Grass on July 8, 1948. She belonged to Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown, Perry County Historical Society and was a life member of American Veterans Auxiliary, Post 94 in Chaplin. ...

MORLEY -- Funeral service for Charles Edward Basinger of Morley will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Lee Fansler will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston. Friends may call at the chapel from 5-8 p.m. today...

ORAN -- Elvert F. Evans, 76, Oran Route 2, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau due to complications following open heart surgery. He was born July 3, 1921, in Hazen, Ark., son of Jesse and Annie Phifer Evans. She and Ruth A. Smith were married Nov. 2, 1941, at Senath...

Funeral service for Hilda E. Jenkins, 3029 Mimosa, will be held at 2 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Chapel in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. James Caughlan will officiate, with burial in Morgan Memorial Park in Advance. Jenkins, 87, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997, at the Lutheran Home...

Anna Lee Eggimann, 66, 2560 Marvin, died Friday, Oct. 31, 1997, at her home. She was born Aug. 4, 1931, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Walter and Virginia Heise Phillips. She and Melvin A. Eggimann were married Oct. 11, 1953, in Cape Girardeau. Eggimann was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church...

MORLEY -- Jackie Tanner, 43, of Morley died Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997, in an airplane crash near New Berlin, Ill. He was born Feb. 15, 1954, in Gideon, son of Loran and Jessie Gilbert Tanner. He and Teresa Hopkins were married Sept. 3, 1971. Tanner was employed by Charlie Ross and Son Construction Co. of Malden...

PERRYVILLE -- Edward A. Manning, 98, of Perryville died Friday, Oct. 31, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born June 8, 1899, at Herculaneum. He and Georgia Sue Walker were married Oct. 27, 1939. She died Dec. 8, 1965. Manning owned and operated Manning Drug Store from 1946-63...

VANDUSER -- Lena M. Wilson, 92, of Vanduser died Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997, in Simi Valley, Calif. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Charles E. and Patti Thompson of Safford, Ariz., a hospital in Safford, Monday, Sept. 29, 1997. Name, Coltin Gilbert. Weight, 9 pounds 7 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Thompson is the daughter of Josie and Gilbert Zamora of Truth or Consequences, N.M. She is a deputy adult probation officer in Graham County, Ariz. Thompson is the son of Joe and Edna Thompson of Jackson. He is a computer programmer and instructor at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher...

Luther Alexander Leazenby, 86, of Marble Hill died Friday, Oct. 31, 1997, at the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services in Cape Girardeau He was born July 6, 1911, near Arbor, son of Joseph and Ethel Proffer Leazenby. He and Eva Schlimme were married in 1949...