Stories from Saturday, December 13, 1997

To the editor: It is regrettable that the Southeast Missourian has contrived to miss another opportunity. Instead of using the Kyoto Conference as a vehicle for producing an article that outlines the evidence and concerns regarding global warming, the newspaper turned a brief and hastily produced news story into a commercial for the Jo Ann Emerson re-election campaign. ...

Many of us who enjoy the change of the seasons enjoy the effects of winter -- watching the snow fall flocking the trees and dampening the sounds in our busy world. Winter brings with it many fond memories of holidays and family times, but for many others, these cold months bring joint pain and stiffness -- the result of arthritis...

John Riney, a water treatment plant operator, looks over a sample at the Cape Rock Treatment Plant. The water is regularly tested at the plant and samples are also sent to a private lab to insure water quality. Water doesn't always elicit tranquility. A molecule as simple as two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom can spark impassioned debate...

I'M CALLING in regard to the article by Jeffrey Jackson on the Cape Parade of Lights. What was so untraditional about the SEMO hog float? It had Christmas lights, a Christmas tree, a Santa Claus, a fireplace and chimney. I think he was very insulting. I think he owes the group an apology...

The Missouri Department of Health routinely compares hospitals across the state and issues a series of buyer's guides. The most recent focused on emergency room services as opposed to costs, which is typically the focus. The guide compares services, policies, staffing and patient satisfaction...

Twice in the last month, a Southeast Missouri sheriff has left office because of nepotism. In November, a circuit judge ousted the Butler County sheriff because he had appointed his son-in-law as a reserve officer. Then in early December, the New Madrid County sheriff resigned. He had hired his sister-in-law as a temporary prisoner transportation guard...

To the editor: In his response to my last letter, Alan Journet failed again to answer my question as to whether warming and cooling cycles that occurred in the past were natural or manmade. He dodges it because he knows the answer is natural, and if there are climatic changes occurring now it is a naturally occurring event. And if we are warming up, why does it have to be a bad thing? It might be beneficial to mankind...

To the editor: In the debate over global warming, there are two levels of opinion in the clique of deniers: the shallow level acknowledges global warming but denies that human activity may be responsible for it. At a deeper and more troublesome level we find those who have a political agenda that forces them to deny even that global warming is occurring. ...

SIKESTON -- A steady stream of people visited the Scott County Health Department's Sikeston clinic Friday. Young and old alike, they came to the clinic to get vaccinated against hepatitis A. The contagious, viral disease has sickened 43 people in the Sikeston area...

Two years ago the hospitals in Owensboro, Ky., pooled their resources in order to compete against the "big guys." Medical centers in nearby Louisville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn., and Evansville, Ind., were enticing patients away from Owensboro's two hospitals...

Officials studying the potential "permanent affiliation" between St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital say the process will be a lengthy one. If federal antitrust agencies -- chiefly the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice -- decide to get involved, "lengthy" could be an understatement...

Health care in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding region could be a new ballgame in six months to two years. Health and business leaders are awaiting the outcome of a joint study on the feasibility of a "permanent affiliation" between Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center...

The local construction industry is on track for healthy growth into next year, says Cape Girardeau's inspection services director. "We're looking for a good year in 1998," said the director, Richard Murray. "Some major school construction is on the horizon, and we expect the housing market to remain solid. We could see an increase in construction for the year."...

Many people have a hard time reflecting upon death during the Christmas season, myself included. This is the season of life and birth, a time when people decorate their homes with twinkling lights and invite others in to share gifts and laughter. This year, many people will mourn during the time of celebration. Not only will they feel sadness for the loved ones who aren't here to share the holidays, but some will also remember people they don't even know...

Kim Baker, lauded as "not just a talker but a doer," was named Realtor of the Year Friday night. The announcement was made during the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors Christmas Installation and Awards Banquet at Deerfield. Baker has been a Realtor for five years and is employed by Town & Country Realty. She is single and lives in Cape Girardeau...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team has turned things around in a big way after a 1-5 start. The Otahkians muddled through their first six games -- all non-conference affairs -- looking very much like the squad picked to finish last in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference...

It was certainly not a good 20 or so hours for Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team. Thursday night, the Indians suffered by far their most lopsided loss of the season, an 81-62 setback at Southern Illinois. And late Friday afternoon, Southeast learned that 6-foot-10 center Bud Eley -- the team's leading scorer and rebounder -- would miss the next several weeks of the season with a broken foot...

BENTON -- Kelly High boys basketball coach Kent Mangels dubbed this week "Championship Week" for his team. Break out those old Queen albums Kelly fans because the Hawks are the champions of the champions. After knocking off Woodland Tournament champ and Class 1A state-ranked Delta earlier in the week, Class 2A Kelly worked its way to a 71-62 victory Friday night over Farmington tourney-champion Jackson...

SIKESTON -- Charleston, Sikeston and Cape Girardeau Central were the winners Friday night as the 26th annual Sikeston Invitational boys basketball tournament came to a close. Charleston, seeded second, won the championship for the seventh time in nine years with a come-from-behind 64-55 victory over fifth-seeded Blytheville, Ark...

SCOTT CITY -- Jon Beck isn't going to hit 16 3-pointers and score 59 points every night. So it's a good thing Beck has all-around talent -- and a skilled teammate named Tim Lowery. Behind the guard tandem's 41 points, Scott City beat Oran 63-52 on Friday...

DELTA -- Delta High's boys basketball team continued its strong early-season play Friday night, getting 20 points apiece from Garrett DeBrock and Andy Blattel in a tough 80-69 victory over visiting Bell City. Delta, which improved its record to 4-1, also got a 16-point performance from Shawn Kinder and a 10-point night from Ryan Livingston...

PERRYVILLE -- Dina W. Schloss, 82, of Perryville died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Jan. 7, 1915, in Perry County, daughter of Louis H. and Anna T. Meyer. She and Eldred L. Schloss were married May 14, 1940, at Apple Creek. He died April 21, 1987...

BERNIE -- Georgia Mae Harvey, 41, of Columbia died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at her home. She was born April 9, 1956, in Crawfordsville, Ark., daughter of Love and Annie Mae Smith. She and Ronnie Harvey were married April 27, 1995. Harvey was a graduate of Bernie High School. She moved to Columbia 12 years ago, and was a member of St. Paul Methodist Church...

ADVANCE -- Kelly S. James, 34, of Advance died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 10, 1963, in St. Louis, daughter of William and Barbara Williams. She and Gary James were married Dec. 9, 1993, in St. Louis...

SCOTT CITY -- Paul Kenneth Chitty, 74, of Kerrville, Texas, died Tuesday, Dec. 9, 1997, at the veterans hospital in Kerrville. He was born Nov. 15, 1923, at Fornfelt, son of Walter Augustus and Emma Foster Chitty. Chitty had been a clerk and fireman with the railroad, and also a self-employed realtor. He was a member of Masonic Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Legion. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II...

ADVANCE -- Ronald Courter, 77, of Advance died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997, at his home. He was born on Jan. 3, 1920, son of Dan and Willa Seagraves Courter. He was a farmer and a member of the Church of Christ. He married Nettie Douglas Cavaner in 1978, at Bloomfield...

Funeral service for Glenn E. Hodges, 41 Green Acres, will be held at 10 a.m. today at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston. Friends may call at the chapel from 9 a.m. until service time. Hodges, 58, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Mollie E. Morgan, 92, of Jonesboro died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 13, 1905, in Jonesboro, daughter of John Wesley and Sara Elizabeth Coffman Russell. She and Rollie Morgan were married Oct. 31, 1925, in Union County. He died in 1958...

Mabel Lane Bartlett, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born June 18, 1907, in Alexander County, Ill., daughter of Charles and Beatrice Jones Sickman. She and William Frank Bartlett were married in 1954. He died July 31, 1990...

JACKSON -- Mildred M. Bollinger, 84, of Jackson died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997, at Jackson Manor. She was born Oct. 5, 1913, at Mayfield, daughter of George and Minta Eaker Mayfield. She and Truman D. Bollinger were married June 1, 1932. He died May 14, 1986...

Son to Mark and Connie Klein of Lexington, Ky., Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, 10:09 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, 1997. Name, Connor Alan. Weight, 7 pounds 1 ounces. First child. Mrs. Klein is the former Connie Jansen, daughter of Leonard and Joyce Jansen of Cape Girardeau. She is employed at Excel Communications. Klein is the son of Rose M. Klein of Cairo, Ill., and the late John R. Klein. He is materials manager at Hoffman Enclosures...

A 25-year-old Perkins man was killed late Thursday night in a collision with a tractor-trailer truck on Nash Road two miles west of Scott City. James Senciboy was driving westbound on Nash Road when an eastbound tractor-trailer pulled from a private drive into the path of his car, a spokesman for the Missouri Highway Patrol said....

James Truman Senciboy Jr., 25, of Perkins, Mo., died Thursday, December 11, 1997, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Senciboy was born June 16, 1972, in Cape Girardeau, the son of James Truman, Sr. and Doris (Seabaugh) Senciboy. He was a 1990 graduate of Oran High School in Oran, Mo.; and a 1995 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University where he was past president and current advisor of his fraternity, Theta XI. He was a member of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Oran, Mo...

The state of Missouri wants higher education to be more accountable, Southeast Missouri State University officials said Friday. Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president, said that message was clear to those who attended the Governor's Conference on Higher Education this week...