Stories from Saturday, April 18, 1998

To the editor: I am responding to the April 14 news article "Taxes on Internet sales studied." Your subtitle states, "County officials say fairness key." I would first ask the question: What is meant by fairness? Is fairness a kind of government welfare for local businesses? Do we want the government to intrude more in the free market? Can we not find ways to compete with Internet businesses on our own...

Southeast Missouri State University is making a lot of noise testing its power plant boiler and cleaning the steam pipes. High pressure steam is released for brief periods at regular intervals. Significant noise and a plume of steam will accompany each release," said Al Stoverink, director of facilities management for the university...

The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a public information session from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau on two upcoming road projects. One project creates a bypass on Route 34-72 from west of Jackson to I-55 near the new Route 74 interchange to ease traffic congestion between Jackson and Cape Girardeau...

A man who was a member of the press for 40 years and edited the Southeast Missourian for 19 was honored by the Southeast Missouri Press Association Friday night. John Blue received the 1998 Mildred Wallhausen Friend of Southeast Missouri Press Association Award at the organization's annual banquet at Dempster Hall...

It's time to clean out those garages and get the trash hauled out to the curb. Cape Girardeau's annual citywide Spring Cleanup starts Monday. Furniture, appliances, yard waste and general junk not collected during normal trash pickups will be collected throughout the special cleanup week...

I'M COMMENTING about the recent letter to the editor about the Drurys giving much to Cape Girardeau. I'm not even a resident of Cape Girardeau, but I enjoy doing business often in Cape. I was stunned that a few members of your City Council could reject such a reasonable request for a special-use permit for a sixth-floor addition to the Auburn Park office building. ...

The long wait ended last week. The NCAA finally handed down its ruling on athletic violations at Southeast Missouri State University. The university's men's basketball program was placed on probation for three years and lost a scholarship for violating NCAA regulations. The penalties stopped short of barring the university from post-season tournaments. In general, there was a sigh of relief from all involved with the program and from basketball boosters...

Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center are moving forward with plans to permanently affiliate. The effort appeared to get some support in a report saying such an affiliation would save a $47 million over five years. The estimate came from an efficiency study conducted by the Arthur Andersen & Co. consulting firm...

To the editor: The old reference to three score years and ten is becoming outdated. We hear about plans for life extension. Advances in medical science and improved dietary systems, as well as exercise programs, are changing life expectancy. The process of aging begins when we are born. It lasts as long as the systolic and diastolic keep functioning properly...

Starting your own business and information for aspiring entrepreneurs will be discussed Sunday in two programs on KRCU. Jerry Smith of Commerce will be the guest at 3 p.m. on "Going Public." He will discuss his development of a winery in Commerce and his previous career as an air-traffic controller...

PERRYVILLE -- A new community parks association has been charged with managing the community's newest park. The newly-formed Perryville Community Parks Association will be overseeing the use and operation of a new approximately 34-acre park made available to the community by the Congregation of the Mission-Midwest Province, commonly known as the Vincentian Order...

Southeast Missouri State University should enlist the help of the business community to provide a more welcoming environment for minority students, the school's Commission on Minority Affairs said Friday. In its second and final meeting for the academic year, the commission offered suggestions for improving the racial climate in Cape Girardeau...

Traffic accidents and fatalities on state roads were up in Missouri and down in Illinois in 1997. However, the two states share a common statistic: Interstate fatalities were up. The accidents which did occur were deadlier. "The accidents are more severe," said a spokesman of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...

After getting home in the evening from his radiator and air conditioning repair shop, Dale Beam often goes to the Cayman Islands or to the Bahamas. How he goes there is to be discovered in a remarkable exhibit this month at Gallery 100. These minutely detailed wooden models are his interpretations of the remote villages he sought out during many years of traveling in Central America and the Caribbean...

I remember telling some very bad jokes as a child, but none of them included a punch line about killing somebody. I have never enjoyed the macabre jokes people come up with about another person's handicap or misfortune. Like ethnic humor, grisly humor bothers me, maybe because it isn't a very far cry from the real thing...

When Lynwood Baptist Church moved into its new building last week at 1712 Lynwood Hills Drive, the congregation packed up everything but the pews and pulpit. Members of Bethany Baptist and Fellowship Baptist churches will do the same this week. The three Southern Baptist congregations will move into new buildings this month. ...

Editor's note: A new reature of the Religion section, "Pastoral Perspectives," begins today. It was formerly known as "Church of the Week." Twice monthly, an area pastor or church leader will write a devotion or scriptural message to be featured in the Southeast Missourian...

When St. Louis Cardinals behemoth Mark McGwire is mired in a home run slump, fans wonder what's wrong. When the same happens to Notre Dame High's version of Big Mac, shortstop Josh Eftink, he hits the batting cage. Eftink responded with a towering two-run homer to left field in the first inning Friday that gave Notre Dame a 3-0 lead. The blast held up as the winner in the Bulldogs' 4-2 victory over the Calloway County (Ky.) Lakers in the first game of the inaugural Tiger Showcase...

A Middle Tennessee State team that is finally starting to live up to its preseason billing will provide the opposition this weekend for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball Indians. The Raiders, who have been one of the Ohio Valley Conference's top squads over the past decade, were the preseason choice to win the league this season...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Randy Johnson won his fourth straight javelin title Friday as Southeast Missouri State University's teams began the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships with a strong showing. Southeast's women, the defending champions and heavy favorites, lead after the first day with 45 points. Tennessee State is second (35) and Eastern Illinois third (31)...

DESLOGE -- Despite allowing seven unearned runs Friday, Cape Girardeau Central High's baseball team was able to claim a thrilling 9-7, nine-inning road victory over North County, the defending Class 3A state champion. "We had six errors, but we were still able to get the win over a very good team," said Central coach Steve Williams, whose squad improved its record to 10-2...

ST. LOUIS -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team earned a doubleheader split Thursday with the nationally-ranked Lady Tigers of Missouri. After dropping the first game 8-2, the Otahkians bounced back behind the strong pitching of Debbie Schmelz for a 4-0 win. Southeast is now 29-9 overall while Mizzou, ranked eighth in the country in the most recent poll, sports a mark of 30-15...

JACKSON -- Three men sustained serious injuries in a collision Friday afternoon three miles north of Jackson. Injured were John H. Fix, 23, of Perryville, Billy W. Pittman, 57, of Jackson and Lyle V. Johnson, 21, of Perryville. Fix and his passenger Johnson were taken to St. Francis Medical Center, and Pittman was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital...

ADVANCE -- Lola E. Evans, 87, of Advance died Thursday, April 16, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Jan. 18, 1911, at Zalma, daughter of Ranzy and Callie Lemons Randolph. She married Thurman Evans on Oct. 11, 1930, at Marble Hill. He died Aug. 27, 1964...

MARBLE HILL -- Nancy Jane Rhodes, 84, of Marble Hill died Thursday, April 16, 1998, at her home. She was born March 29, 1914, at Hurricane, daughter of George A. and Fannie Garland Kirkpatrick. She and Joseph A. Rhodes were married July 29, 1930. Rhodes attended Plainview Congregational Methodist Church...

Robert Lee Ray, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, April 17, 1998, at his home. Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Johnnie Thomas will officiate, with burial in Lorimier Cemetery.

Richard Kenneth Brockmire, 63, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, April 17, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Sept. 13, 1934, at New Hamburg, son of Ralph and Luella Zeyen Brockmire. He and Julia Burger were married May 24, 1958, at Oran...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral for Geraldene Lix of Scott City will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at the chapel after 4 p.m. today. A VFW Auxiliary service will be held at 7:30...

Daughter to James Darren and Stacey Dawn Smith of Advance, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:21 a.m. Monday, April 13, 1998. Name, Katelyn Dawn. Weight, 9 pounds 7 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Smith is the former Stacey Walker, daughter of Richard Walker of Arab and William and Dorma Walker of Advance. Smith is the son of the Rev. J.D. and Mary Smith of Advance. He is employed at Arvin Automotive...

CARUTHERSVILLE -- Homer Wilson Barnes, 79, of Caruthersville died Thursday, April 16, 1998, in Springfield. He was born Feb. 14, 1919, at Cullman, Ala., son of A.E. and Ellen Elizabeth Pike Barnes. He married Virginia Bradsher on May 16, 1982, in Hayti. She died Nov. 15, 1994...