Stories from Friday, December 19, 1997

To the editor: Too many college graduates can't read or figure out how much change they should get back after putting down $3 to pay for a 60-cent bowl of soup and a $1.95 sandwich. This isn't the fault of the students and not necessarily the fault of the colleges, because these students should have learned this before fifth grade...

SCOTT CITY -- The proceedings of the Scott City Chamber of Commerce were interrupted Tuesday night for a special presentation honoring Chamber president Shirley Young. Shortly after the meeting was opened, Young was interrupted by her husband, Lloyd Young, who read from a framed Missouri State Senate resolution. The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Peter Kinder, recognized Shirley Young for 41 years of "unparalleled service" to the Scott City community...

Five-year-old Michelle Rice sat on the lap of Cape Girardeau reserve police officer Dan Niswonger as the two went shopping for some toys for Michelle. Very quickly, she had a New Born Cry Baby and a Tickle Me Elmo in her arms. Michelle Rice was one of over 200 children from throughout the area who began lining up at 6:30 Thursday morning for a chance to spend a little money and a little time with a police officer in the sixth annual "Shop with a Cop" program at the Wal-Mart Super Center in Cape Girardeau.. ...

Merry Christmas Mrs. C! Thursday afternoon Vickie McDowell, a nurse at the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, loaded her truck with boxes and bags of presents for Mrs. C, one of the needy elderly people featured in this year's Christmas for the Elderly...

Imagine, if you will, this scenario: Next year, when you prepare your federal income-tax returns, you discover that you have had too much withheld during the year and are due a $1,000 refund. That's the good news. So you file your tax return, and here comes a letter from the IRS with good news -- and some bad news. ...

Cape Girardeau voters will decide on a dozen increases in various city fees next April, along with changes in the hotel-motel-restaurant tax that would require more establishments to collect the tax. The vote is an opportunity for voters to have a say about local taxation. ...

To the editor: Regarding recent letters, for example "Political agenda is troublesome" by Frank Dieteker Jr. and "Opportunity of Kyoto was missed" by Alan Journet: It seems I've heard this before. Was it Garbo? No ... Goebbels. JOHN BUCKWOOD Gordonville...

To the editor: Just recently I was asked by my niece what my favorite time of the year is. I quickly responded, "Christmas." Then, just as quickly, I replied, "As of now. They vary." There are many holidays or occasions I regard as favorite. A number of years ago, however, Christmas was the dearest in my heart. It held a magic for me everywhere I looked. It was in fact the most beautiful season for everybody...

To the editor: Christmas is celebration, and celebration finds its origin in the heart. Down through the centuries, in times of love and ward, has Christmas been celebrated since the ringing cry was first heard: "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."...

Members of the legislative committee charged with establishing a bipartisan approach to a more equitable distribution of state education resources said their recommendations accomplish the mission and benefit all Missouri schoolchildren. The 18-member Joint Interim Committee for Desegregation and School Finance Issues held hearings from August through November to take public testimony on school finance issues. ...

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department supporters crowded the County Commission chambers to lobby for more pay for law enforcement. About 35 people, including most of the top-ranking officers of the department, attended the annual county budget hearing Thursday...

Patrick Varner, 5, had to check with his mother before he could assure Santa Claus he had been a good boy all year. So while Santa pulled a Christmas Express train set from his bag of toys, Patrick covered his eyes and peeked through his fingers, awaiting his surprise...

Santa has gone cellular. He even left the reindeer behind in exchange for a minivan. At least that was the picture of many Cape Girardeau Jaycees Santas preparing for Toybox delivery Thursday night. More than 800 children received gifts from the Toybox program...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Shawnee Community College will receive $7.4 million for a building project. Funding for the project, which will include construction of four new classrooms, a wet lab and a 500-seat educational center on the campus near Ullin, was contained in a capital-development spending bill approved by the Illinois General Assembly...

The fruitcake, like spotted owls and manatees, deserves to be saved from oblivion. You can do it, if you're really brave. It is my duty and obligation, in these few days that remain before Christmas, to speak up once again for the most maligned of all holiday goodies: the noble and exalted fruitcake...

There was fun to be had all the way around for Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians Thursday night as they closed out the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule. The Indians took care of business early, which meant everybody got to see plenty of action during a not-as-close-as-it-sounds 79-65 romp past Division II Truman State...

With Christmas less than a week away, over 200 high school wrestlers will be converging at the Cape Girardeau Central Gymnasium this weekend for the 23rd Annual Tiger Classic. And most of them -- when they take to the mat -- will be trying to be naughty, not nice...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Graveside service for Frances Kirkham of Corpus Christi, Texas, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Olive Branch Cemetery in Olive Branch. The Rev. Don Goad will officiate. Friends may call at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo from 11-11:30 a.m. Saturday...

DEXTER -- Funeral service for Pearl Clark of Dexter will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The Rev. James Hook will officiate, with burial in Chalk Bluff Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

MOREHOUSE -- Funeral service for James Doyle Waters of Morehouse will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Morehouse. Woodrow Phillips will officiate, with burial in Matthews Cemetery at Matthews. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until service time...

GLEN ALLEN -- Ethel May Wright, 81, of Glen Allen died Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1997, at her home. She was born April 13, 1916, in Cobden, Ill., daughter of Francis Ray and Edith May Garner Kelley. She and Herbert Wright were married April 29, 1947, in Cobden. He died June 11, 1979...

Mabel M. Allen, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Dec. 18, 1997, at Ratliff Care Center. She was born March 16, 1918, at Parma, daughter of Orville and Margarette Mary Biggs Teaford. She and Ray V. Allen were married Oct. 12, 1935, at Benton. He died March 5, 1993...

MARBLE HILL -- Beatrice James, 73, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 3, 1924, in Arkansas, daughter of Harry and Eva Hall Emmons. She married Frank James Sr. He died May 29, 1977...

Son to Patrick Curtis and Montica Lee Babers, 1422 N. West End Boulevard, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:47 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1997. Name, Nicholas Alexander. Weight, 7 pounds 1 ounce. Second son. Mrs. Babers is the former Montica Masengill, daughter of Charles and Terry Masengill of Jackson. She is a sales agent with Southwestern Bell Communications Inc. Babers is the son of Gail Babers of Cape Girardeau. He is employed at Major Custom Cable...

A memorial service for Jim L. Morrow of Eureka will be held at 7 p.m. today at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Eureka. Hoffmeister-Kriegshauser Eureka Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Morrow, 60, died Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1997, at his home. He was born Jan. 1, 1937, in Cape Girardeau, son of James Louis and Viola Goss Morrow. He married the former Carolyn Eskridge...