Stories from Thursday, June 18, 1998

To the editor: In the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 10, it is stated: "No state shall ... make anything but gold and silver coin a tender of payment for debts." The U.S. Treasury's various first attempts to create a paper form of money was with the very practical reason for the need to carry much less cumbersome and heavy forms of exchange than gold or silver, which are very dense and weighty...

DUTCHTOWN -- A Chaffee man was killed in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday. John B. Spencer, 91, was killed when his car hit an empty dump-truck. The driver of the truck, Bill Sadler, 53, of Broseley, was uninjured. The accident occurred when Spencer's vehicle, traveling northbound on Highway 25 just south of the Highway 74 intersection, went onto the shoulder and swerved back onto the road and into the path of the southbound dump-truck...

The River to River Trail cuts through the rolling hills of an ancient mountain range and winds through seven wilderness areas in Southern Illinois. It is the backbone for nearly 1,250 miles of foot paths and roads in the 300,000-acre Shawnee Forest and is part of the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail...

Gov. Mel Carnahan vetoes a measure increasing legislative pensions. Aides told him the bill increased legislative tensions. A news story reports Missouri spends five times more on convicts than schoolchildren. No wonder we have so many juvenile delinquents. The students are looking for a better deal...

A Republican-sponsored budget plan won narrow approval in the House of Representatives that cuts both spending and taxes over the next five years. Approval of the fiscal year 1999 budget of $1.72 trillion came on a near party line vote. Of 435 members, only nine Republicans opposed it, while only three Democrats backed it...

So, the government says, we are about to bring back a $1 coin. Pursuant to legislation signed into law by President Clinton last December, a special panel is meeting in Philadelphia to recommend to Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin a woman whose image will grace the coin. ...

Social Security may be the most popular of all government programs, but it is not without critics. One Nobel laureate in economics dubbed the program a "government sponsored Ponzi scheme." Surveys indicate that more young people believe in UFOs than the likelihood that they are ever going to collect Social Security benefits...

Country music star Willie Nelson will headline the grandstand entertainment at this year's SEMO District Fair with a performance Sept. 17. The 143th annual fair runs Sept. 13 to 19 in Cape Girardeau's Arena Park. Also scheduled to appear are Kenny Chesney Sept. 15 and Lonestar with Brad Hawkins Sept. 16...

Trent Condellone says Cape Girardeau's decision to start condemnation procedures against the old St. Francis Hospital building won't stop plans to redevelop the structure. That is fine with the city, said Mayor Al Spradling III. "We told him he could do that," Spradling said...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- Facility upgrades and other improvements are on the horizon for Shawnee Community School District just one year after the school board authorized reductions in programs and personnel. Superintendent Dwayne Prater said it appears the school district will meet its $3.2 million budget, although he won't have specific figures until after the fiscal year ends June 30...

June 18, 1998 Dear Carolyn, Running into you at Riverfest and hugging you greedily reminded me that you are a base I always seem in need of touching. Friendships measured in a sizable fraction of a century get beauty points just for lasting. But you're also the friend who has been counted on when my navigational equipment goes loopy and when everyone else seems a stranger...

Southeast Missouri State University hopes to open its doors to more international students by participating in a business mission to South America July 11-25. The trip includes stops in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. About 30 state, business and education leaders have been invited to join Gov. Mel Carnahan. Jesse Perry will represent Southeast. He is the director of Intensive English Programs at the university...

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Chamber of Commerce has extended to Friday its deadline for entries for the Little Mr. and Miss Railroad Day contest. Because there were only a small number of entries in the contest, the minimum age qualifications have been extended to children who area at least 4 by Sept. 12. Contestants are asked to have their entries in by noon on Friday at the Scott City Hall...

Two national pro-life leaders will speak at the Life and Family Rally '98 tonight at the Drury Lodge. The rally, which is sponsored by the U.S. Taxpayers Party, will start at 7 p.m. and feature presentations by Peg Luksik and Ellen Craswell. Debbie Hopper, vice-chairman of the party, said the rally is the first in a series of rallies based on the party's main beliefs...

ALTO PASS, Ill. -- When Guy Renzaglia retired from Southern Illinois University, he decided to pursue a dream he'd had since childhood -- to start a winery. But people at the university's agriculture department told him a winery wasn't feasible in Southern Illinois...

Jackson's American Legion baseball team has already doubled its win total from last season, when the program resurfaced after an absence of more than 25 years. And Wednesday night, Jackson was poised for an upset when it led Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning...

After watching Cape Girardeau's Senior Legion baseball team hold the eight-team Capaha Classic this past weekend, the Cape SEMO Bank Junior Legion will take its turn at hosting a baseball tournament. The fourth annual SEMO Bank `A' Junior American Legion Tournament begins tonight and continues through Sunday afternoon. The six teams involved will all play each other in a round robin, with the top four teams advancing to the championship and third-place games Sunday...

STE. GENEVIEVE -- Richie Phillips put on a dominating pitching performance as the McDowell Capahas notched a 3-1 baseball victory over host Ste. Genevieve Wednesday night. Phillips struck out 14, walked one and allowed just two hits and an unearned run in six innings...

Cape Girardeau Central's soccer camp, for boys and girls, will be held June 22-26 at the Central football practice field. Kindergarten through 6th grade will be from 4-6 p.m. while grades 7 through 12 will be from 6-8 p.m. The cost is $30, which includes a T-shirt...

The Cape Girardeau SEMO Bank Jr. Legion baseball team won three games over two days to get warmed up for their six-team baseball tournament starting today. SEMO Bank beat Sikeston 11-1 in six innings Wednesday at Cape Central and Tuesday night swept a doubleheader from Jackson at Capaha Field 11-9 and 6-4. The wins improved SEMO Bank to 8-7 overall and 6-1 in district play...

JACKSON -- Funeral for Chloe Ann Johns of Jackson will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home. The Rev. Sam Roethemeyer will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. today...

Ovella Maxine Wilson, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, June 16, 1998, at St. Louis University Hospital. She was born Nov. 6, 1930, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Harry and Mayme Niswonger Ikerman. She and W.A. Wilson were married Nov. 8, 1953, in Cape Girardeau...

Lola Mae Cameron, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, at her home. She was born May 30, 1916, in Centralia, Ill., daughter of William Alan and Grace Edna Krupp Weatherford. She and Louis N. Cameron were married Feb. 13, 1937, in St. Louis. He died Jan. 25, 1986...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Faye Childers, 75, died Monday, June 15, 1998, at St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin. She was born July 8, 1922, in Jonesboro, daughter of Harrison and Vie Arnold Wheaton. She married Delbert Childers, who preceded her in death. Childers was a member of First Baptist Church Fellowship Group, and attended Larkin Avenue Baptist Church in Elgin...

CHAFFEE -- John Bradford Spencer, 91, of Chaffee died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, in an automobile accident near Dutchtown. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee is in charge of arrangements.

CHARLESTON -- Harold J. Uthoff, 82, Charleston Route 2, died Wednesday, June 17, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 29, 1916, at Matthews, son of Fred Andrew and Ava Hinton Uthoff. He and Lucille Westhoff were married July 18, 1944...

Daughter to Jeffrey T. and Jay J. Johnson of Columbia, Boone Hospital there, 7:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, 1998. Name, Jenna Suzanne. Weight, 6 pounds 15 ounces. First child. Mrs. Johnson is the daughter of Suzanne Graham of Cape Girardeau and Durwood Thurman of Fruitland. She is a licensed practical nurse. Johnson is a store manager...

DEXTER -- Andy Gromer, 16, of Van Buren died Tuesday, June 16, 1998, in an automobile accident near Van Buren. He was born Jan. 21, 1982, in Poplar Bluff, son of Bill and Linda Wyatt Gromer. He would have been a junior this fall at Reynolds County R-2 Schools, and was a member of Junior Beta Club...