Stories from Sunday, December 14, 1997

To the editor: This is a letter I sent Nov. 24 to the tax collector: "Dear Sir, "On May 7, 1995, my wife and I purchased a home on Saddleridge Lane in Cape Girardeau. In 1995 we paid $1,418 in property taxes. "In 1996, we paid $1,889 in property taxes. I have just received my property tax bill for 1997, and it is $2,567...

Let's just make some things up this week. Well, Latrell Sprewell's lawyer, Johnnie Cochran shocked the world with his bold claim that El Nino is to blame for Sprewell's attack on coach P.J. Carlesimo. The weather phenomenon couldn't be reached for a response to the million dollar lawyer's accusation...

FRUITLAND -- Gordonville firefighters joined volunteers from the Fruitland Area Fire Protection District to battle a fire in a futile effort to save a barn and its contents Saturday afternoon. The fire occured at 16452 Hwy. 177 near Fruitland at approximately 4:10 p.m. Firefighters realized early on that the building could not be saved and concentrated on preventing the blaze from spreading to several surrounding storage structures...

25 years ago, 1972 When Cape Girardeau County moves into planning and zoning program -- County Court has said it will name planning commission after first of the year -- program will be undertaken in light of political realities; and most immediate reality is slim margin by which program passed in general election; if 100 voters had changed their minds, planning and zoning would have been defeated...

Eight churches in Jackson weren't deterred by a cold drizzle that fell as they came together Thursday night at Emmanuel United Church of Christ to tell the story of Christmas through a live Nativity scene and carols sung by a choir as they have for more than 20 years...

Southeast Missouri State University students can study in The Netherlands under a new program scheduled to begin next fall. The Maastricht Center for Transatlantic Studies (MCTS) represents a new consortium arrangement that will bring faculty and students together from six American and six foreign institutions. They will examine historical, social, economic, cultural and political issues, Southeast officials said...

The Trail of Tears will be the topic of discussion on KRCU's "Going Public" show today. Brother Mark Elder, a member of the Vincentian order of priests and the faculty of DePaul University in Chicago, and Marie Exler, a former historian at Trail of Tears State Park, will be the guests on the public affairs radio show...

To the editor: Today I read something that I have been expecting for years, but it still made my blood run cold. In Europe today, there are networks of psychiatric, legal, media and socialist groups pressuring the European governments to outlaw or curtail the activities of well-know religious groups such as Catholic charismatics, Hasidic Jews, Baptists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Quakers, Buddhists and the YWCA. ...

The results of the 1998 congressional elections will depend primarily on two factors: money and voter turnout. If the recent congressional race in Staten Island is a portent, the Republicans will outspend the Democrats significantly. The Democrats have two major fund-raising dilemmas: their own debt of over $15 million, and a flood of "soft" money going to GOP candidates...

Understand this about the U.N. treaty conference on global warming, just concluded in Kyoto, Japan: It isn't about the facts, it isn't about a sensible, achievable approach, it isn't even about arriving at a treaty that can be ratified by the U.S. Senate. ...

U.S. Rep. Jim Talent, R-St. Louis, visited Cape Girardeau recently to address the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee. Talent occupies the key position of chairman of the House Small Business Committee. As such, he offered many insights into the major issues Congress will face when its members reconvene next month. Among these are the subjects of Internal Revenue Service reform and radical reform of the tax code it enforces...

Recent days have brought the unwelcome news to Missourians that the casinos we were told would be "riverboat" in nature -- most of which aren't on our rivers and don't traverse their waters -- will now be able to stay open shaking people loose from their money literally around the clock. For this small favor we have the Missouri Gambling Commission to thank. Make that no thanks...

To the editor: I just wanted to say God bless you all for organizing the Toybox. I shed a few tears every day when I read about the children and their families and also about the elderly. I'm not just shedding tears, though. I am doing something about it. I am now on my fourth bag of toys and items for the elderly. I am not looking for a pat on the back. I just want more people to get out there and do the same...

What Child is this . . . the Babe, the Son of Mary! In the hustle and bustle of this Advent and pre-Christmas season, it is always helpful and necessary for all, even God's people, to hear again who the Babe born of the virgin Mary is and why He came to live and die among us some 2,000 years ago. It is refreshing to revisit the manger in view of the cross to see He is our only source of true joy and peace during this holiday season and throughout the world...

Rob Francis doesn't dance across rooftops with Julie Andrews -- or anyone else for that matter. He doesn't wear the traditional top hat and tails. But the Jackson man does clean chimneys. Francis operates Dr. Soot Chimney Services. This time of year, he has plenty of business cleaning out chimneys...

On Dec. 1, Missouri school districts had to issue report cards -- on themselves. Much like teachers issue report cards to give students and their parents a record of the child's academic progress, school districts are required to issue annual report cards so the public has a record of the district's achievements and failures during the previous year...

Judy Wilferth, left, received the Vandiver Award and Dr. Janet Weber received the Pride Award during commencement exercises Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University. English professor Dr. Robert Hamblin urged Southeast Missouri State University graduates Saturday to embrace the future with courage and confidence...

The city of Cape Girardeau will offer free safety inspections for homeowners in January and February. Rick Murray, director of the city's inspection services, said "Operation Safe House" will "fill a gap" in the city's inspection program. "Other structures already have inspection processes that help them," Murray said. "The one segment of our society that does not have any of these types of services is that homeowner who is not doing anything to his property other than living there."...

Any day now, scientists will discover that Beanie Babies are really an intelligent life from the Planet of Bad Poetry. Bean bags have never had it so good. They were a poor man's toy for years. But now they've hit the big time, thanks to Beanie Babies...

It remains to be seen just how it will affect SEMO's season. Even though they suffered a somewhat surprisingly lopsided 81-62 loss at Southern Illinois Thursday night, the season was still rolling along pretty well for Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians...

COLUMBIA -- Based on the events of the past several days, most people probably thought Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team would be easy pickings for Missouri Saturday night. But the Indians were evidently not among those folks. Sure, they lost the game. But not before throwing a major scare into their heavily favored neighbors to the north...

The way things were going in the first half of the Southeast Otahkians' basketball game Saturday night against Oakland City, a 3-point basket could have been considered a scoring explosion by either team. Southeast senior Jamie Koester proved that with her buzzer-beating 3-pointer from 27 feet away to bring the crowd to its feet and put the Otahkians up 26-23 at halftime...

JACKSON -- It's understandable if Cherish Tillman, Jackson High's 5-foot-10 sophomore center, felt a little intimidated when she met Cor Jesu's 6-4 sophomore Katie Neff for the opening tip Saturday afternoon. Once play began, any intimidation quickly vanished. Tillman controlled the tip, and Jackson dominated, winning the game between the perennial state powers 67-44 in the Lady Indians' home debut...

CHAFFEE -- Scott City jumped out to a 12-2 first-quarter lead and beat Kelly 54-37 in the championship game of the Chaffee Tournament Saturday night. In other games Saturday, Delta beat Portageville 48-32 in the third-place game and Sikeston topped Chaffee 67-55 in the consolation final...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Ask a dozen Missourians what a white-tailed deer is worth, and you will get a variety of answers. For some, the primary value of deer lies in seeing them. For others, wily whitetail bucks provide a yardstick to measure woodcraft learned over the course of a lifetime. But the most tangible measure of deer's worth is their value as food -- venison...

Have you ever seen a white animal? Every white animal seen in the field is labeled as an albino. This is a good assumption and it would seem the education system has done its job. A majority of people recall discussions about heredity and how albinos come to be. However, there is seldom time to discuss other causes of being white. Albinism is not the only reason for lack of color. The cause can be genetic or developmental...

The Missouri Olympic Development Program will hold registration Sunday, Dec. 21, at the park shelter in Shawnee Park in Cape Girardeau. Participants must be registered with the Missouri Youth Soccer Association. Cost for ODP registration is $35 and includes two ODP T-shirts. The registration is for boys born 1980-84...

PERRYVILLE -- Bernard T. "Barney" Winkler, 84, of Perryville died Saturday, Dec. 13, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 20, 1913, at Uniontown, son of Hugo F. and Anna Meyer Winkler. He married Laura V. Ruessler on April 19, 1947, at Perryville...

Funeral service for Glenn E. Hodges, 41 Green Acres, was held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel. Interment was in Garden of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston. Hodges, 58, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

CHARLESTON -- Louise Lane Swank of Charleston died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Ella Mae Hackett, 89, died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997, at a nursing home in Chattanooga. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Sikeston. She was the widow of James L. Hackett; they were long-time residents of Sikeston...

CYPRESS, Ill. -- Wanda Davis Hatton of Cypress died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1997, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. She was 81. She was born May 29, 1916, in Sullivan, daughter of Sevia and Lolia Churchill Davis. She married Amos Hatton. He died in 1996...

DEXTER -- Georgia Mae Harvey, 41, of Columbia, formerly of Bernie, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 1997, at her home. She was born on April 9, 1956, at Crawfordsville, Ark., daughter of Love and Annie Mae Smith. She lived in Bernie before moving to Columbia 12 years ago. She was a graduate of Bernie High School and a member of St. Paul Methodist Church in Columbia...

He was born April 29, 1911, at Egypt Mills, son of Nicholas and Rosie Fornkohl Koeppel. He married Marie Rehkopf April 29, 1935, at Jackson. She survives. He worked until retirement as a farmer and was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. He was confirmed at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills...

JACKSON -- Benjamin Arthur King Sr., 82, of Heritage Gardens in Jackson, died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997. He was born April 13, 1915, in Rule, Ark., son of Charles and Molly Simpson King. He and Beulah V. Lynch were married May 13, 1949, in Arkansas. He was the owner and operator of King Automotive in Jackson for over 25 years and worked for the Missouri Barge Line for over 10 years. He was an avid hunter and fisherman...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Milton Lee "Mutt" Grogan of East Prairie died Saturday, Dec. 13, 1997, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was 71. He was born Jan. 16, 1926, at Dorena, son of John and Elizabeth McBride Grogan. He had lived in Mississippi County most of his life, where he was a retired farmer. He was of the Baptist faith...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Paul Gunn Jr., 74, of Cobden died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997, at Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born Aug. 4, 1923, in Cobden, the son of Paul and Flossie Idell Dillow Gunn. He married Eileen Friese on June 8, 1946, in Jonesboro. He was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church and was a retired mechanic with the Illinois Department of Transportation. He was a veteran of World war II and a member of Cobden American Legion Post 259 and Anna American Legion Post 3455...

MORLEY -- Donald W. Standridge, 59, of Morley died Friday, Dec. 12, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 17, 1938, in Lamar, Ark., son of Samuel and Lois Arbell Sparks Standridge. He had worked for Florsheim Shoe Factory for 29 years. He was a member of the Rotary Club and Volunteer Fire Department of Morley...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Merl Kimmel, 78, of Jonesboro died Saturday, Dec. 13, 1997, at the Illinois Veteran's Care Center. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Monday at Lutz & Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna, with the funeral at 3. The Rev. John Cripps will officiate, with interment to follow in the Anna Cemetery...

CHAFFEE -- Frank Miller, 57, of Chaffee died Saturday, Dec. 13, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

Virtual pets are popular with schoolchildren, but they can be a major distraction in the classroom. Like some other schools nationwide, St. Mary Cathedral Grade School in Cape Girardeau has banned virtual pets from the classroom. "We just did that at the start of school because we figured it was going to be a terrific distraction because all the kids had them," said Carol Strattman, school principal...

Brenda Schloss takes her two dogs to work with her every day. She plays with them, feeds them and generally takes care of them -- all with the press of a button. Schloss' dogs are virtual pets, those stopwatch-sized computer gadgets you can hang from belt loops or backpacks, or just carry in your pocket...

Jean Bell Mosley's new autobiography, "For Most of the Century," is only available in serialized form in the Southeast Missourian. Return each week for her continuing story. In the spring of 1927 there was Eighth Grade Graduation, a much looked forward to event. Right after Christmas of 1926 the girls in my class began to talk of the dresses they would wear, all made at home, of course, although times were getting better and better for everyone...

Angela Fornkohl and Scott Kirkley, sophomores at Southeast Missouri State University, already know what they will be doing after graduation. They are preparing for medical school at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Fornkohl, of Egypt Mills, and Kirkley, of Poplar Bluff, are among eight college sophomores in Missouri who were selected for early acceptance into the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine through the MU Rural Scholars Pre-Admissions program...

SCOTT CITY -- Amy Arnold, a student at Scott City High School, has been named to the Missouri All-State Band. On Dec. 6, more than 900 students from across Missouri met at Hickman High School in Columbia to audition for the honor of participating in the top honor band in the state. One hundred and four students were accepted...

The Fulbright Memorial Fund is looking for 600 teachers to travel to Japan in 1998. Teachers and administrators in grades one through 12 will participate in three-week study visits as guests of the Japanese government. They will travel in three groups in June, October and November 1998...

Cape Friends of Old Time Music and Dance will hold an old-fashioned barn dance Dec. 19 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The event will be held in the dance studio of the Parker Building on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Joe Surdyk of Carbondale will call and Max and Ann Drake will perform old-time tunes on guitar and fiddle...