Stories from Wednesday, February 4, 1998

To the editor: I don't feel that is it right how the city judge is treating defendants. The reason I say this is because I went to court, and the judge sentenced me to 30 days in the city jail and gave me a $500 fine. I figured that was justice. But after I got incarcerated, I got my paperwork that says I am sentenced to 30 days in jail and I owe $971. So I'm wondering how my fine jumped from $500 to $971...

"And I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread," says Costard in the last act of Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost. Though Costard was a clown, I take seriously the implication that gingerbread is something on which it is worth spending one's last cent. Served warm from the pan it is for me the quintessential comfort food...

GENE HUCKSTEP was an excellent choice for this year's Rush H. Limbaugh Award given by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. In fact after listening to David Limbaugh's effectively summarized listing of Gene's many awards and achievements, one wondered why it had taken so long for this much deserved tribute...

It is said that imitation is the finest form of flattery. The Cape Girardeau Center for Youth and Family should be proud that it has become a role model in the state and around the nation for such facilities. More than 20 other states have inquired about the program or have actually visited the center...

Law enforcement, defense attorney, prosecutor, judge, jury -- and, of course, defendant. They all play essential roles in the system of justice that has served this nation well for more than 200 years. Perhaps the secret to its success is the fact lawyers, judge and jury all operate independently. It is a system of checks and balances. Hopefully, when all is said and done, truth and justice prevail...

To the editor: There are advantages in living in your hometown. No matter where you go, be it the grocery store, the mall, a ballgame or out to eat, you will see someone you have known a long time: a teacher, a grade-school friend, an aunt, a neighbor, a co-worker or your minister...

Cape Girardeau County, Cape Girardeau, Jackson, rural fire departments, local hospitals and many organizations have made strides toward being prepared for an earthquake. But David Hitt, director of Cape Girardeau County Emergency Management Agency, said the real key is for individuals to be prepared...

MARBLE HILL -- City Administrator David Jackson preaches of community progress. He is proud of the efforts of merchants who have given a facelift to their storefronts. The federal government spent $660,000 on a new post office, which opened about two years ago...

JACKSON -- Just after noon Tuesday, Division 3 Circuit Court clerk Earlene Sokolowski stood at the counter in Jones Drug Store buying Tylenol for a headache when she heard "a horrible noise." As plate glass shattered and the floor rumbled, Sokolowski and others in and nearby the courthouse square store thought an earthquake had struck. Actually, it was a Chrysler New Yorker...

A noise-control ordinance would give Cape Girardeau police the right to seize as evidence ear-rattling stereos, vehicles and other noisemakers if their owners don't agree to turn down the volume. That doesn't mean police officers would be snatching up boomboxes left and right, said Police Chief Rick Hetzel...

TAMMS, Ill. -- The first group of prisoners will arrive next month at Tamms Correctional Center, which could be the site of Illinois' next execution. Gov. Jim Edgar Tuesday dedicated the super maximum-security prison, which cost $73 million and holds 500 prisoners...

Lord help me, I've caught myself humming "Two Become One." It's not popular to be a Spice Girls fan nowadays unless you're a girl under age 13. So I had to keep my feelings locked deep inside, never revealing them to even my closest friends. When "Spice Up Your Life" came on the car radio and a passenger was sitting next to me, I had to make that little "hrrrmmmph" sound and change the station. ...

Sue Tippen is keeping her fingers crossed that an immunization campaign has contained a hepatitis A outbreak in the Sikeston area. Tippen, the communicable disease coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health in Southeast Missouri, said no new cases of the disease, which is a viral liver infection, have been reported in eight days...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's mobile office will be making stops throughout Southeast Missouri this month. On Thursday, the mobile office will make hourlong stops at 12:30 p.m. at the library in Marble Hill and at 2 p.m. at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce office...

State regulators have suspended the liquor licenses of several area establishments, effective this week, for charges ranging from assault to unlawful sale to a minor. Two Cape Girardeau businesses and one Sikeston convenience store had their liquor licenses suspended, said Hope Whitehead, state supervisor of the Division of Liquor Control. ...

Barbara Blanchard keeps trying to retire, but circumstances and a "love for the school, the neighborhood and the people" continually return her to the school she has attended as a student, faculty member, and most recently as an administrator. Cape Girardeau schools assistant superintendent David Giles said performance evaluations haven't been completed for all building administrators, but as it stands today, Blanchard and all other building principals are scheduled to return to their jobs for the 1998-99 school year.. ...

We've just completed a great five days of basketball with three wins, including a very big road win at Austin Peay. We have a quote of the day for our basketball team each day and today's quote will be: "Isn't it wonderful what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit." That really sums up our team right now...

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner emphasizes that his team certainly misses its two injured players, center Bud Eley and forward Demetrius Watson, who were averaging a combined 25 points and 12 rebounds a contest before going down...

It's strictly a waiting game now for Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball program, which expects in a few weeks to learn of its fate from the NCAA. A group of Southeast officials met with the NCAA Infractions Committee in Florida on Saturday. Southeast interim athletic director Carroll Williams said now the university's work regarding the NCAA investigation is over...

The first day high school football stars around the country can officially sign letters of intent to attend college is today and several area student-athletes are expected to be signing on the dotted line this morning. Both Jackson and Cape Central will have three student-athletes prepared to officially declare their intent to continue their athletic and academic careers, including one that will be signing with a major Division I program...

CHARLESTON -- Jackson Indians' coach Steve Burk and Charleston coach Danny Farmer hooked-up in a game of chicken Tuesday night in their SEMO Conference basketball matchup. Neither blinked, but Charleston sophomore Howard Biles did, making a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter that pushed the Blue Jays to 41-36 win...

Cape Girardeau Central High wrestling coach Drew Lilledahl knows what it feels like to be shut out. Early last month Central lost 79-0 to Farmington, and against Ste. Genevieve in December the Tigers even finished with a negative score after the referee assessed a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after the match...

SCOTT CITY -- A big first-half defensive performance led to a dominating 79-56 victory Tuesday night for Scott City High's boys basketball team. The Rams led visiting Malden 35-14 at halftime and then cleared their bench in the second half. "Our first five played extremely well," said Scott City coach Derek McCord, whose team is now 18-2. "We got after them defensively in the first half. They had a lot of trouble getting into their offense. Then in the second half we played everybody."...

St. Francis Sports Medicine and the Southeast Missouri coaching staff will conduct a basketball clinic on Feb. 14. There is no charge for the clinic. The clinic is open to elementary and junior high school basketball players and will be held in the Student Recreation Center on the Southeast campus at 10 a.m...

St. Francis Sports Medicine will present free workshops for coaches of female athletes on Feb. 5. The workshops, which run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will address training methods for female athletes and other topics. Saint Francis will provide lunch to all participants...

A tryout will be held today at the Arena Building for soccer teams that will travel to England this summer. The tryout, from 6 to 8 p.m., is open to boys ages 10-17 and girls 11-17. For more information, call 1-800-877-3790 (Ext. 25).

Norma M. Sutherland, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Feb. 2, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON -- Virginia R. Luetje, 93, formerly of Jackson, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 1998, at the Presbyterian Manor in Kansas City, Kan. She was born Nov. 19, 1904, at Neelys Landing, daughter of August and Willie Statler Litzelfelner. She and Lawrence Luetje were married Oct. 19, 1931. He died in August 1976...

ALTO PASS, Ill. -- Funeral service for Maggie H. Harris of Alto Pass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Alto Pass. The Rev. Gilbert Gee will officiate, with burial in Alto Pass Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. Thursday...

CHAFFEE -- Funeral service for the Rev. Floyd James Berry of Evansville, Ind., will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee. The Rev. Watis Harrell will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at the chapel after 4 p.m. today...

PERRYVILLE -- Dennis K. Berger, 30, of Perryville died Monday, Feb. 2, 1998, at his home. He was born April 11, 1967, in St. Louis, son of Finley H. and Theresa M. Tyskiewicz Berger. Berger was a machine operator at Gilster-Mary Lee. Survivors include his mother of Perryville; two sisters, Gloria Fritz of Spokane, Wash., Theresa Evans of Perryville; two brothers, Joseph and Robert Berger of Perryville...

GREENBRIAR -- O'Dell O. Corbin, 78, of Coal City died Sunday, Jan. 25, 1998, at his home. He was born June 4, 1919, in Greenbriar, son of Grover C. and Ruth Blacklidge Corbin. He and Fredia Welker were married April 6, 1940. Corbin was raised at Greenbriar. He and his wife moved to Coal City in 1955 and had farmed since that time. He was a charter member of Coal City Area Club, served as a Democratic township committeeman, and as an ASCS board member...

JACKSON -- Dorothea M. Weisbrod, 91, of Jackson died Monday, Feb. 2, 1998, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 4, 1906, in Jackson, daughter of James Henderson and Octavia Kinder Weisbrod. Her family moved to St. Louis when she was a child. She attended St. Louis University and Washington University. She was a regular contributor to Capper's Weekly magazine, and won numerous honors and prizes for her writing and artwork. She wrote her first article for Capper's in 1932...

Ruth E. Crites, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1998, at the Lutheran Home. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Barton Jeremy and Amy Michelle Elliott of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:10 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, 1998. Name, Jeremy Isaac. Weight, 9 pounds 6 ounces. Third child, first son. Mrs. Elliott is the former Amy Sharp, daughter of Larry Sharp and Lula Sharp of Cape Girardeau. She is a registered nurse with Visiting Nurse Association. Elliott is the son of Larry Elliott and Pat Elliott of Jonesboro, Ark. He is a telecommunications technician with Advanced Business Systems...

A two-week residency by the Katherine Dunham Dance Company will highlight activities held at Southeast Missouri State University in observance of Black History Month. The University's dance programs are hosting the company through Feb. 13. Master classes in Dunham technique -- a combination of African-American, Caribbean and modern dance styles -- will be conducted at Southeast, as well as in the Cape Girardeau public schools, the Cape Civic Center, and the Kennett area...

Identifying and emulating the work of Alexander Calder will be the program when Festivals, Families & the Arts is presented at 2 p.m. Saturday at Central Junior High. The program is designed for children ages 5-13 to learn art skills with their parents. Rita Johnson is the teacher...

Final construction figures for 1997 show Jackson experienced a record year in total building. More than $21.3 million was spent on building projects last year. This surpasses a previous high of $18.3 million spent several years ago. A strong building climate helps our community in many ways. ...

The Southeast Missourian asked people what they are looking to see during the Winter Olympics which will be televised from Nagano, Japan, beginning with opening ceremonies Friday. Delbert Mouser: "I mainly like to watch the ice skating. I hope to watch all that I can of that."...