Stories from Thursday, April 2, 1998

The Saint Louis Ballet will perform "Beauty and the Beast" at 7 p.m. Saturday at the show Me Center. The ballet is based on the original fairy tale by Madame Marie LePrince deBeaumont. It includes music by Massenet, Nielsen, Reade, Shostakovitch and Rachmaninoff...

When country music star Ty Herndon sings his new hit "A Man Holdin' On" Friday night at Casino Aztar in Caruthersville, John Ramey will be in the audience listening. But he already knows the words by heart. The Cape Girardeau County native, now a resident of Nashville, co-wrote the song...

A $786,000 contract has been awarded for annual maintenance, revetment work and other repairs along Mississippi River banks from the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers at Cairo to about 12 miles south of Chester, Ill. Luhr Brothers Inc. of Columbia, Ill., which has a branch office at Cape Girardeau, is taking advantage of high water to make needed repairs along the shoreline between Thebes, Ill., and Gale, Ill...

Eighteen local students have earned the Gold Cup honor by the National Federal of Music Clubs. They are students at the Cape Girardeau Keyboards & Kindermusik Conservatory and were honored at the Junior Music Festival held in February. Awards are given to those students who have achieved a cumulative score of 15 points for at least three years...

The much-talked-about El Nino has wreaked devastation on the West Coast, but local school administrators hail the weather system as a winter marvel for Southeast Missouri. El Nino occurs when westward-blowing trade winds weaken, allowing a mass of warm water normally sitting off Australia to move toward western South America. The unusually warm Pacific water acts on jet stream patterns, altering weather worldwide...

Voters may get a chance next year to decide whether they want planning and zoning in Cape Girardeau County, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones said Wednesday. A proposal to put planning and zoning before county voters is proceeding with slow deliberation, Jones told the Cape Girardeau Lions Club...

PERRYVILLE -- The Perry County School District Board of Education wants to build a high school to ease overcrowding in the district. But they are worried about selling the project to district voters. It carries a price tag of nearly $14 million. School board members and administrators met Wednesday with architect David Kromm of Kromm, Rikimaru and Johansen to review preliminary plans for a new school...

Missouri voters on Tuesday will decide the fate of two proposed constitutional amendments that two area school superintendents said could have an impact on local school districts. One amendment, Amendment 3, deals with the Kansas City School District. The other, Amendment 4, affects all school districts. Both require a simple majority for passage...

April 2, 1998Dear Patty,If asked to compress my life into a sentence or two, the words "I moved around a bit" would seem to go in there somewhere, perhaps sounding like an excuse or boast or evasion. The truth is, I was looking for something. Northern California offered essential friends like you and Julie and a ride as wild and unpredictable as any earthquake. ...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and Democratic challenger Anthony J. "Tony" Heckemeyer are at odds over the new federal highway bill. Emerson, a Cape Girardeau Republican, said the six-year, $217 billion spending bill would benefit Missouri and her district...

Although a number of candidates will face opposition in their bids for seats on school boards throughout Scott County, only a handful of city council elections will be contested throughout the county when voters go to the polls next week. In most of the school board races throughout the county, at least one person has come forward to challenge incumbents seeking re-election...

Cape Girardeau voters will see proposed increases for everything from golf course fees to sewer connection fees on Tuesday's ballot. Voters will decide the fates of proposed user fee increases for 11 categories of city services and two new fees. Most of the user fee increases are aimed at covering higher operating costs for city services, said Mayor Al Spradling III...

The race for Cape Girardeau County Collector heats up as contests are assured for Democrats and Republicans seeking the position. Filing deadline for county elections was Tuesday. The primary election will be held Aug. 4. The position of county collector drew two Democrat and four Republican hopefuls. The only other contested race in the county will be for county clerk in the Nov. 3 general election...

Day-care facilities, almost unheard of prior to World War II in this country, have become so matter-of-fact that second and third generations of youngsters are now being cared for by someone other than a family member. Even though it is a way of life these days, most working mothers still have emotional pangs when they drop off their child, particularly at first...

It will be up to some sharp-eyed historian to prove otherwise, but the claim by Cape Girardeau's Capahas baseball team of being the oldest semi-professional baseball team in the country is a matter of great pride for area residents, many of whom have either played for the team or rooted for it over the years since it started in 1894...

To the editor: I enjoyed your recent piece on some of those who frequently write letters to the editor. They are special people. In addition, I would like to thank you for leaving my husband, Steve, out of the story. If he had been included, it would have motivated him to spend still more time (it that's possible) composing letters to the editor. ...

To the editor: We have just returned from a very nice short concert in Academic Hall's auditorium at Southeast Missouri State University. This recital-type concert was presented to begin a scholarship fund for SEMO music students in memory of Betty Sue Palsgrove, a 35-year teacher in the music department. ...

To the editor: My son has a car which we have named Old Blue. Recently, she started acting up while in Jackson as he was on the threshold to take her to Cape. He left her stranded, afraid to push her any more than he already had, as she was acting very much out of her normal disposition...

A forum featuring candidates for the Cape Girardeau City Council and the Cape Girardeau School District Board of Education will air today at 10 a.m. and again at 10 a.m. Monday on Cable Channel 5. The forum, which was held March 24, was sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the mass communications and political science departments at Southeast Missouri State University. The video was produced by the university's mass communications department...

JACKSON -- John Hendricks of Jackson has filed as a Libertarian Party candidate for the 8th District congressional seat. Hendricks, 38, and his wife, Joanie, own the Book Rack in Cape Girardeau and Spin City CDs in Jackson. The Book Rack sells used books...

Cape Girardeau businessman Claude Edward Meadows III hopes to be elected the next county collector. Ed Meadows, a Democrat, will face Judy Beussink in the primary. Four Republicans will also face off. County collector Harold Kuehle is retiring after 32 years...

BENTON -- The retirement of three Scott County officials and the appointment of a fourth to another position has led to a flurry of filings for the August 4 Democratic primary in the county. When the filing deadline ended at 5 p.m. Tuesday, only two candidates did not have challengers in their races...

Tatum Kitchen kicked off his 18th birthday party a bit early on Wednesday. Kitchen, Cape Girardeau Central High's senior third baseman, smacked a towering, three-run home run in the second inning, which provided the Tigers a 6-0 cushion. Central cruised on to a mercy-rule-shortened, 11-1 walloping of visiting Jackson...

Coming off a second team all-state basketball season for the Class 4A runner-up Jackson Lady Indians last year, Christa Millham left scant room for improvement in her senior season. But the 5-foot-10 point guard capped off an outstanding career at Jackson this season, leading the Lady Indians to the 4A title game for the third consecutive year and earning first team all-state honors in a vote of Missouri sportswriters and sportscasters...

For the Indians of Southeast Missouri, it was just a matter of getting things to go the right way. After winning just one of three OVC games last weekend against Eastern Illinois and accumulating 18 hits overall, Southeast steamrolled to a pair of victories Wednesday at Capaha Field...

Craig Ringwald School: Cape Central Class: Senior Sport: Baseball Position: Pitcher Coach: Steve Williams Week report: Preforming in front of nearly 20 professional scouts, Ringwald put on quite a show in Central's 15-0 season-opening win at Chaffee. ...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team opened Ohio Valley Conference play with two wins over Austin Peay on Wednesday. Southeast won the opener 9-1 and the nightcap 6-5 to improve to 19-5 overall. In the first game, Southeast had 15 hits as Michelle Frank hit a grand slam and Ricki DeArmon went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Pitcher Debbie Schmelz walked none in seven innings...

Down by a run with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the last inning, Notre Dame's Scott Reinagel had a two-RBI single that beat visiting Chaffee 3-2 on Wednesday. "It was good to finally see someone get a big hit," said Notre Dame coach Gregg Muench...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Claud Edwards, 97, of Olmsted died Tuesday, March 31, 1998, at City Care Center in Anna. He was born April 3, 1900, in Taney County, Mo., son of David and Dora Freeman Edwards. He first married Velma Kenney, who died May 22, 1945. He later married Kathryn Starling in 1952. She died Feb. 7, 1987...

DEXTER -- Joe Hunter of Dexter died Wednesday, April 1, 1998, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was 74. He was born Sept. 7, 1923, in Memphis, Tenn., the son of the late Joe Abner Sr. and Essa Elizabeth Mosley. He married Beverly Webb Greer in Marble Hill on Sept. 30, 1966. She survives...

Son to Jeff and Amy Holman of Advance, St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, 7:48 a.m. Friday, March 6, 1998. Name, Kaleb Ford. Weight, 7 pounds 13 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Holman is the former Amy Woodfin, daughter of Stan and Andrea Woodfin of Oran and Glenda and Terry Schroeter of Jackson. Holman is the son of Glen and Charlotte Holman of Wappapello...

PERRYVILLE -- Josephine V. Besand, 83, of Perryville died Tuesday, March 31, 1998, at Vencor Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Oct. 2, 1914, in Perry County, daughter of Frank and Theresa Kirn Unterreiner. She and Leo Besand were married Jan. 9, 1940. He died July 25, 1989...

COMMERCE -- Graveside service for Earline Adams of LaCenter, Ky., will be held at 1 p.m. today at Oakdale Cemetery in Commerce. Greg Siener will officiate. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Benton is in charge of arrangements. Adams, 99, died Tuesday, March 31, 1998, at Life Care Nursing Home in LaCenter...

OAK RIDGE -- Eldon E. Thompson, 84, of San Antonio, Texas, died Tuesday, March 31, 1998, in San Antonio Community Hospital. He was born June 26, 1913, in Oak Ridge, son of Oscar and Dora Bowers Thompson. He and Iva Hahs were married Aug. 7, 1935. Thompson was a building contractor many years in Colorado Springs, Colo., moving to San Antonio four years ago...

Funeral for Marshall E. Ayers Sr. of Springfield, Ill., will be held at noon Sunday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. Bishop Charlie Green will officiate, with burial in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 6-8 p.m. Saturday. Ayers, 51, died Tuesday, March 31, 1998, near Osborn...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Charles H. Roberts, 74, of Cairo died Wednesday, April 1, 1998, at his home. He was born June 23, 1923, in Fancy Farm, Ky., son of John W. and Florence Hobbs Roberts. Roberts retired as a caseworker with Illinois Department of Human Services. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Cairo Elks Lodge 651, Disabled American Veterans, and was a 4th Degree member of Cairo Knights of Columbus Council 1027...

CHAFFEE -- Mary H. Hart, 81, of Chaffee died Wednesday, April 1, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee is in charge of arrangements.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department announced Wednesday the beginning of the second Citizens' Police Academy. The program will begin Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Police Department headquarters on Sprigg Street. Those who attend will meet one night per week for tour hours each night...

BLOOMFIELD -- Junita L. Maze died Wednesday, April 1, 1998, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was 64. Maze was born in Hanns, Mo., Nov. 4, 1933, the daughter of the late Jess and Alma Perkins Morlan. She married Audie F. Maze on Feb. 15, 1955, in Elgin, Ill. He survives...

MCCLURE, Ill. -- Students at Shawnee South Elementary School got to walk and talk with the animals during a visit by conservation police officers Wednesday. The students had a chance to see animals and animal hides up close when officers from the Illinois Department of Conservation visited the school in the Conservation Police Lodge. The lodge is a trailer containing educational literature and a variety of wild animal hides and stuffed animals...