Stories from Sunday, May 10, 1998

Jackson High School promgoers flocked in front of the camera of Charles Hutchings to record a traditional high school memory. Jackson senior Mark Sickles gave his date Amber Ellinghouse a glass of punch. Mike Weston, a senior at Cape Central High School, twirled his dance partner Katie Pelikan during a dance at the Jackson High School Prom...

The Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau will hold a luncheon and vintage hat display from 11 to 1 Tuesday at the Glenn House. Attendees are asked to wear a hat. In addition to the luncheon and display, tours of the Glenn House will be available...

Last week Ruthie Tipton received a congratulations letter from Gov. Mel Carnahan sending his best wishes as she serves as a public relations ambassador for the state of Missouri. He expressed he understood how rewarding it is to travel the state and represent an area that is important to the tourism efforts of the state...

You would think that columnists viewing today's society would have no problem coming up with a suitable subject. Heaven knows, there's plenty of news out there, from special prosecutor promises to impeach a sitting president, who may turn out to be a sitting duck, to $10 million clerical errors in Missouri's largest urban area to the determination of numerous state officials to mix sexual-abuse prisoners with innocent mental health patients. As they might have said back in the '70s, weird, huh?...

These reenactors fire a cannon at a local reenactment. The St. Louis Iron Mountain Steam train participates in a reenactment each year. Civil War letters can give certain details that are missed in history books. Bernard Schaper, historian, has five letters detailing Civil War actions within Missouri. ...

25 years ago: 1973 Federal prisoner at county jail was injured in attempted escape Friday morning; he sawed his way out of jail cell during night and waited in cell block until Deputy William A. Sperling came to serve breakfast to prisoners; as deputy opened door, prisoner ran out, leaving jail through rear door and scaling chain-link fence topped with barbed wire; he suffered large cut as he straddled fence and was apprehended in front of Jackson High School, just seven minutes after jailbreak...

I WOULD just like to go ahead and put my two cents in about the human cockroaches and the people who don't want them in their trash. I felt the same way as the people who had their trash disturbed until a very nice young man came up and asked me if he could have something that we were throwing out. After he asked, I did not mind at all. So think about it. Why don't you go ask before you just take something that's not yours?...

For the third year, thousands of people in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois will be finding ways to show their kindness during Random Acts of Kindness Week. This event, organized by the Southeast Missourian, puts a focus for an entire week on the acts of generosity, compassion and concern that folks in this area do year around...

It has been said that "Mothers' Day is a time to sing the virtues of mothers in our churches, and Fathers' Day is a time to brow-beat the fathers." Nothing could, and should, be further from the truth Truly this is a day when we celebrate the joy of motherhood. A search of the Bible for examples of good mothers is standard procedure in most sermons. Women like Sarah, Naomi, Ruth, Hanna, Rachel, Elizabeth, and Mary come to mind...

This is the 91st year for the official celebration of Mother's Day in the country. It's difficult to imagine a time when mothers weren't put on a pedestal to receive special honor and gratitude on the second Sunday of May. Millions of greeting cards will be sent. Millions of telephone calls will be made. Millions of hugs will be exchanged. Millions of reservations will be made at restaurants...

To the editor: One occasionally hears complaints about the cost and inequity of our political process for election of our government officials. Yes, some candidates are eager to toss their hats into the ring with possible strategies to convince the voting public that they are the best qualified to serve the needs of a deserving public. They may even finance much of their own campaigns, and if fraud raises its ugly head, there are means through which the problem can be rectified...

To the editor: Over the past several years, college students have been in the news for a variety of negative things. It seems that organizations on college campuses across the country have taken a beating for incidences involving a few unruly youths. We by no means want to discount the seriousness of those offenses, but we think that praise should be given where praise is due...

In O.D. Niswonger's backyard, tiny iris seedlings have poked up through the dirt. It will be two years before Niswonger can tell what those seedlings will produce, But he's patient. Niswonger knows that sometimes a little patience pays off in a better iris. In the 45 years he has been breeding irises, Niswonger has developed about 200 new introductions. This year, he is introducing 19...

Getting hold of Missouri bingo records can be a difficult task. It took two months for the Southeast Missourian to obtain from the state the 1997 quarterly financial reports on bingo operations run by nine organizations in Cape Girardeau County. The Southeast Missourian first asked for the records from the Missouri Gaming Commission's Bingo Division in late February...

Cape Girardeau County doesn't have a riverboat. But it has plenty of gambling in the form of bingo games. Nine Cape Girardeau and Jackson civic organizations offer bingo on a weekly or regular basis. Last year, those groups held more than 9,200 bingo games and took in more than $1.25 million in net receipts, according to financial records filed with the Missouri Gaming Commission's Bingo Division...

It wasn't hard to know who belonged to whom during the Mother-Daughter Look-Alike contest held Saturday at West Park Mall. It was easy for onlookers to pair the 31 mother-daughter teams competing in the annual event because most had on matching or color-coordinated outfits. But even when the clothes didn't match, hairdos, eyes and smiles were dead giveaways for almost all of the contestants...

The Gibson Recovery Center has found a new site for a halfway house it wants to operate for state inmates needing drug and alcohol treatment. Cape Girardeau's Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday night on a special use permit being sought to locate the halfway house program in a building at the corner of Sprigg and Independence streets...

Today it begins. Today marks the start of Random Acts of Kindness Week in the region. The observance will continue through Saturday. This year's celebration spreads across seven Missouri counties, Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott, Bollinger, Stoddard, Mississippi and New Madrid; and Alexander County in Illinois...

It's hard to believe they could stand there so long without breaking ranks. Naturally, I'm talking about Kindergarten students. Our 6-year-old daughter, Becca, never would have stood that still at home. But there she was the other night, standing on the second row of risers and singing on cue, along with all the other Alma Schrader kindergarteners at the spring concert in Central High School Auditorium...

If you're a sports fan looking for a really inspiring feel-good story, look no further than what Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team accomplished over the past three days. The 1998 Indians, coming off a 24-33 season, were picked in a preseason poll to finish just sixth in the nine-team Ohio Valley Conference...

Jeremy Johnson is a humble young man who doesn't seem to be hung up on personal accomplishments as long as his team does well. But Southeast Missouri State University's sophomore center fielder got to experience the best of both worlds Saturday. Not only did the Indians win the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship, but Johnson was named the tourney's most valuable player...

Rain fell much of Saturday, but it certainly didn't rain on Southeast Missouri State University's parade. The baseball Indians won their first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship, holding off Eastern Illinois 15-11 in front of 625 enthusiastic fans at Capaha Field...

SCOTT CITY -- Scott City senior Sarah Glenn recently signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Lindenwood College, am NAIA school in St. Charles. Glenn, a 5-foot-3 guard, was a two-year starter for two 20-win teams at Scott City. She's also a two-time all-conference selection and the president of her senior class...

Mark Kneer recorded his first hole-in-one Saturday at the Cape Girardeau Country Club. Kneer accomplished the feat on No. 8, a 140-yard par 3. He used an 8-iron as Wally Lage, Howard Dillard and Don Wimberly witnessed the shot.

Allow me to paint a picture of the outdoors. Early morning sunlight dances through the canopy, enticing dew to glisten off of the leaves as you walk through the forest. The stillness is broken with a low rustling noise. If memory serves you, it is the sound of a stiff breeze blowing. That seems a bit odd since you cannot feel any wind...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Deer seasons and limits for the 1998-99 hunting season will look familiar to experienced hunters. And procedures for getting Bonus Deer and Any Deer Permits will look more familiar than they have in a couple of years. Most deer regulations approved at the Missouri Conservation Commission's April meeting are the same as they have been in recent years...

Notre Dame staged a three-run seventh-inning rally against Cape Central Saturday and went on to defeat the Tigers 7-5 in eight innings. The game wrapped up the rain-plagued Big 8 Tournament, which began the previous weekend. Eureka won the tournament title with a 3-0 record while Notre Dame (12-6) finished at 2-1. Cape Central ended tournament play with a 1-2 record...

Southeast Missouri State University's athletic department will once again be holding a variety of summer camps this year. Coaches and players of the respective sports at Southeast will direct the summer camps. Following is a listing of the dates, ages and cost of all the camps that have already been announced (some will be announced later)...

The Cape Central athletic department will once again be holding a variety of summer camps this year. Coaches of the respective sports at Cape Central will direct the summer camps. Following is a listing of the cost, dates, ages and times of all the camps for the upcoming summer...

The Otahki Girls Scout Council Benefit Two-Lady Scramble will be held May 18 at Cape Girardeau Country Club. Entry fee is $50 per person. Entries will be accepted until May 11. Tee time is 9 a.m. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Prizes will be awarded...

The eighth annual Ed Nunnelee Memorial Tennis Tournament for adults and youths will be held June 5-7 at Sikeston High School. Deadline for entry is June 3. Cost to enter is $12 per singles event and $16 per team for doubles. T-shirts will be given to each player and tennis balls will be provided. Trophies will be awarded for first and second places in all of several divisions...

The Jackson swim team will conduct sign-ups May 16 from 1-4 p.m. at the Riverside Regional Library. Registration fee is $35 plus $12 for an AAU card. For more information, contact Robert Wade at 243-8713.

BENTON -- The mailing deadline to register for the Kelly school district's basketball camps is May 12. The camps will be held May 26-30 for grades 3-8. A ninth-grade camp is also being offered on June 8-12. Cost is $30 for the camp. All participants will get a basketball...

The Murphysboro (Ill.) Park District will host a double elimination coed softball tournament May 15-17. Entry fee is $100. Trophies and travel money will be awarded to placing teams. Entry deadline is May 13. For more information, contact Lloyd Nelson at (618)549-3194...

The Little Egypt Women's Slowpitch Softball Tournament will be held June 6-7 in Murphysboro, Ill. Entry fee for the double elimination tournament is $100. Travel money and sponsor trophies will be awarded to the top three placing team. Entry deadline in June 3...

Tryouts for Jackson's Senior Babe Ruth baseball team for players ages 16 through 18 will be held today from 1-6 p.m. at the Jackson Legion Field. In case of rain, tryouts will be held May 16 from 2-6 p.m. For more information, call 243-8895.

CHAFFEE -- Harry F. Funkhouser, 72, of 124 Helen died Saturday, May 9, 1998, at his home. He was born Aug. 5, 1924, at Blodgett, son of Lee and Maggie Hardest Funkhouser. He married Margaret Hutson on Jan. 30, 1948. She died Nov. 25, 1978. He married Ida Mae Wiseman on March 3, 1990, and she survives of the home...

ELLIS GROVE, Ill. -- Arthur V. "Bud" Doll, 74, of Ellis Grove, formerly of Perryville, Mo., died Friday, May 8, 1998, at St. Clement Hospital in Red Bud. He was born Feb. 13, 1924, at St. Mary, Mo., son of Henry and Myrtle Lawrence Doll. He married Margery Mae Sadler, She died Feb. 21, 1975. He married Rose Marie Gassel Donagher on Oct. 13, 1979. She survives of the home...

JACKSON -- June U. Crites, 67, died Friday, May 8, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 28, 1930, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Frank and Frieda Strong Unnerstall. She married John C. Crites Aug. 27, 1950. He survives...

BURFORDVILLE -- A memorial service will be held at McGuire Cemetery at 2 p.m. May 17. The cemetery is on Highway OO two miles south of Burfordville. A brief business session will be held, with contributions to be received for cemetery maintenance. For those unable to attend the service, checks may be made payable to McGuire Cemetery Fund and mailed to Cathy Schweain, 1730 Westwood, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701...

PERRYVILLE -- Wilena M. Hogard Long, 86, of Perryville died Friday, May 8, 1998, at Ste. Genevieve Memorial Hospital in Ste. Genevieve. She was born in Perry County Jan. 20, 1912, daughter of Leo and Mary Moore Elder. On Oct. 1, 1932, she married Paul Hogard. He died Oct. 6, 1966. She later married Curtis Long. He died Jan. 16, 1980...

1988 PARTICIPANTS Center for Professional Counseling in Sikeston Cape Senior Center Cape Senior Center Site Council Schnucks Shawnee Elementary South in McClure, Ill. Cape Girardeau Police Department Heavenly Ham Girl Scout Troop 165 in Scott City Kindergarten classes at the Sikeston Public Schools...

Life is sweet when you are 97 years old and get your daily dose of ice cream. Carol Jones makes sure that is the case. The Cape Girardeau woman and her 97-year-old mother, Bernice Clark, visit Capaha Park almost daily. But first they drive through Dairy Queen to get some ice cream...

Carol Dean isn't surprised that her daughter, Lillian, 15, is so active in school and church clubs. But what amazes her most is how Lillian does everything from Spanish club to Girl Scouts activities and still maintains her grades. And she has fun at it...

Lena Fuist has seen much in her 77 years. But when it comes to her favorite kind person, she doesn't have to look far."My daughter is the most caring, kind, uplifting individual I know," says Fuist. "She's a great inspiration to me."She isn't alone in her assessment...

Jean Bell Mosley's new autobiography, "For Most of the Century," is only available in serialized form in the Southeast Missourian. Return each week for her continuing story. In spite of the distant rumblings of discontent in the later part of the 1950s, my days were full of peace. ...