Stories from Tuesday, March 17, 1998

To the editor: When love is my response to anger, When kindness is my reward for hate, When mercy is my antidote for justice, When patience means far more than wait, When God's word is heard when I speak, When I give all my strength unto the weak, When I'm on my knees more than my feet,...

The Cape Friends of Old Time Music and Dance will host an old-fashioned barn dance March 27 from 7:30-10 p.m. The event will be held in the dance studio at the Parker building on Southeast Missouri State University. Joe Surdyk of Carbondale, Ill., will call the dances, which are taught throuthout the night. Max and Ann Drake and friends will also perform...

As many as 400,000 people call Cape Girardeau "home for a night" each year during weekend visits. Some of those visitors will be in town this weekend for two conventions. Cape Girardeau motels are expected to fill quickly this weekend with visitors arriving for the Missouri Elks State Convention and the Children with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHAD) Conference...

The College of Health and Human Services at Southeast Missouri State University will be the topic tonight on "University Conversations." The 30-minute program can be seen at 6:30 p.m. on local cable access Channel 5. Dr. Paul Keys, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, will be the guest...

DELTA -- High School English teacher Mary Jane Blattel Kidd believes in using the team concept to help her students learn. The 16-year teaching veteran is completing her first year at Delta High School but said the team approach has always worked for her...

Student teacher Josh Crowell poured out a box of balls onto a parachute for fifth-grade students at Alma Schrader Elementary School. The exercise simulated popcorn popping. Gym class is more than glorified recess. "Some people think in PE you just throw out a ball and just play games all the time, kind of like recess," said Roger Williams, physical education teacher at Charles Clippard Elementary School...

The fact that Missouri, like all states, must bear the expense of many federally mandated programs for which there is no companion federal funding isn't newsworthy by itself. But when you add up the cost to Missouri taxpayers of those programs initiated -- but not fully funded -- by Washington, then you have headlines...

When Riverfest started 20 years ago in downtown Cape Girardeau, the idea was to have a community celebration that would pay homage to the city's largest natural asset: the Mississippi River. But high water, a floodwall and, frequently, closed floodgates have meant fewer and fewer connections with the river over the years...

Cybertip: One week remains in our online Movie Madness contest. Pick your choice for the top five Academy Award winners, and take a chance on winning movie tickets from Wehrenberg. We'll announce entrants' predictions this weekend. Enter at www.semissourian.com...

JACKSON -- The Board of Aldermen Monday night hired former Cape Girardeau firefighter Brad Golden as Jackson fire chief. Golden is only the second full-time fire chief in Jackson. He replaces Gary Niswonger, who is retiring after 21 years as fire chief...

New proposals for reducing the Cape Girardeau School District's deficit were presented at a Board of Education meeting Monday night. The district's operating fund balance is expected to dip to $400,000 by the end of the current fiscal year June 30. That is about $600,000 below the state's recommended balance of 10 percent of estimated expenditures...

Congress is taking the wrong approach in trying to pass a federal highway bill, says 8th District congressional candidate Anthony J. Heckemeyer. The Sikeston Democrat said Congress should return more federal highway money to the states. "What Washington does is take our money to Washington, rake off a commission for all their pet projects and send us back what is left," said Heckemeyer. "That figure is usually the least they can get away with."...

Cape Girardeau Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3838 has canceled the annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration, but an outpouring of interest could prompt it to reconsider. Rodger Brown, coordinator last year's celebration, said the post hopes the community gets behind a celebration this year. The celebration is "something that our organization believes strongly in."...

"This is a free country: if you don't like the weather where you live, you can go elsewhere and not like the weather there also." -- Evan Esar No matter where you are or what you do for a living, you will have a conversation about the weather at least once in your lifetime. Everyone talks about the weather, especially in early spring when planting season arrives...

Cape Girardeau will be picking up the cost of land acquisition for new residential street construction. The City Council voted Monday night to amend a proposed policy that would have assessed landowners the cost of acquiring their property in figuring the cost of new street construction...

Monday, March 16 Consent ordinances -- Approved an ordinance amending the city code relating to animals. -- Approved an ordinance granting a special use permit to Jackie Ahrens for maintaining and operating a business office with non-resident employee at 1531 Mississippi St...

Opponents of a proposed halfway house for state parolees applauded when the Cape Girardeau City Council voted to deny a special use permit for a halfway house at Gibson Recovery Center. The vote Monday night was 5-0 to deny a requested rezoning and special use permit that would have allowed the Gibson Center, 1112 Linden St., to operate a halfway house for up to 20 state inmates. ...

NORMAL, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's gymnastics team improved its record to 8-4 Monday night by nipping host Illinois State. The Otahkians finished with 193.000 points to squeeze past the Redbirds, who had 192.450 points. Malia Roberts and Aaron Craig were Southeast's top two all-around performers as they finished second and third with scores of 38.800 and 38.600, respectively...

With the sounds of skate blades on ice, pucks echoing against the boards and sticks cracking against the ice, the sounds of hockey are unique. And for those that ever play, the experience is like no other. "When they get into it, it seems like there's not a lot that get out of it," said Bill Mercer, president of the local SEMO Wildcat hockey organization...

Guardian Angel of Oran and St. Augustine of Kelso finished first in their respective divisions of the recent New Hamburg Girls Basketball Tournament. Guardian Angel capture the `A' team division, followed by Kelso C-7 of New Hamburg, St. Ambrose of Chaffee and St. Augustine of Kelso...

Cape Girardeau Central is coming off a dream season but needs to fill plenty of holes, Jackson is also coming off a strong season, Notre Dame made plenty of improvement last year and Perryville is joining the fun. That sums up the area high school girls soccer outlook for the 1998 season, which is just around the corner...

A SEMO South Babe Ruth baseball meeting will be held March 23 at 7 p.m. at Scott City High School, room 9. Coaches interested in having their teams play in this area should attend. For more information, call Phyllis Spinks at 264-3411.

Scott City youth league registration will be held Saturday from 8-11 a.m. in the high school cafeteria. A final registration will be April 4 from noon-1 p.m. at the Scott City Park. Tryouts will follow. For more information, call Phillis Spinks at 264-3411...

Signups for the 1998 Girls Softball/Tee Ball season will be held the next two Saturdays (March 21 and March 28) at Jackson City Hall. Registration hours for both days will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration fee is $30 per player. Checks should be made payable to Jackson Girls Softball League...

The 1998 Knights of Columbus free throw championship was recently hosted by Council #6420 of Scott City. District winners were as follows: Age 10 - (G) Kelly Loos, Jackson; (B) Mark Johnston, Scott City Age 11 - (G) Erica Essner, Jackson; (B) Mark Unterreiner, Cape Girardeau...

Graveside service for Marie Brookshire of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Mary's Cemetery. The Rev. Randolph Tochtrop will officiate. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 9-10 a.m. Brookshire, 69, died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

ELLSINORE -- Funeral for Dorothy Mae Montgomery of Ellsinore was held last week at McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The Rev. Garry Reagan officiated, with burial in Pine Lawn Cemetery at Ellsinore. Montgomery, 76, died Wednesday, March 11, 1998, at The Cedargate...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sarah Virginia Walker, 81, of Bardwell, Ky., died Sunday, March 15, 1998, at her home. She was born Aug. 23, 1916, in Graves County, Ky., daughter of Joseph and Ada Johnson Lee. She first married Wayne Hayden and later married Frank Walker. Both preceded her in death...

ORAN -- Gilbert A. Hamm, 71, of Oran died Monday, March 16, 1998, at Advance Nursing Care Center in Advance. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.

ANNA, Ill. -- Evelyn Eudene Johnson, 68, of Anna died Monday, March 16, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born March 16, 1930, at Buncombe, daughter of Samuel and Mamie Miller Morgan. She and Arnold Johnson were married July 22, 1947. He died March 11, 1993...

PUXICO -- Funeral for Debra Ann Stoelting of Puxico will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden. The Rev. Frank Bain will officiate, with burial in Memorial Gardens at Kennett. Friends may call at the chapel from 6-9 p.m. today. Stoelting, 45, died in an automobile accident Sunday, March 15, 1998, near Puxico on Highway 51...

PUXICO -- Thelma A. Voelker, 89, of Puxico died Sunday, March 15, 1998, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. She was born March 20, 1908, in Arcola, Ill., daughter of George and Myra Spray Stanley. She and John Voelker were married July 5, 1970, at Puxico. He died May 3, 1990...

DEXTER -- Funeral for Glenda Mae Hopkins of Dexter was held Monday at Rainey Funeral Home, with the Rev. Ray Rowland officiating. Burial was in Hagy Cemetery. Hopkins, 60, died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. She was born July 23, 1937, at Kime, daughter of Frank and Mozuria Campbell Osborn. She first married Earl Eugene London, who died July 11, 1968. She later married Hestle "Hop" Hopkins Jr. July 8, 1986, in St. Francis, Ark...

CHARLESTON -- Jerry Cloud, 54, of Charleston died Monday, March 16, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. McMikle Funeral Home at Charleston is in charge of arrangements.

BERNIE -- Fred L. "Freddie" Tanner Jr., 50, of Bernie died Saturday, March 14, 1998, at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. He was born Feb. 2, 1948, in Poplar Bluff, son of Fred L. and Mary E. Collier Tanner Sr. He and Sandra E. Sawyer were married May 8, 1971...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Sean Thomas Jones of Madison, Tenn., St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1998. Name, Conor Patrick. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. First child. Mrs. Jones is the former Kathy Moore, daughter of Marie Moore of Orlinda, Tenn., and the late Russell Moore. ...

DEXTER -- Loyd Glendale Dillworth, 77, died Monday, March 16, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 7, 1920, at Gray Ridge, son of Earl and Eunice Barfield Dillworth. He and Irene Tyson were married Oct. 28, 1939. Dillworth was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Dexter. He had served as a deacon at Southside Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau...