Stories from Saturday, August 22, 1998

Even loaded down with her textbooks, Jenny Stakenas couldn't help but smile. The 18-year-old Southeast Missouri State University freshman from St. Charles said the Cape Girardeau campus stacks up well in her book. Price and curriculum were big factors in her decision to attend Southeast this fall, said Stakenas, a business major who received a scholarship to Southeast...

Jefferson Elementary School Principal Mark Cook is an eternal optimist. He looks out his office at boxes of uninstalled ceiling tiles and rolls of cable, watches electricians wiring lighting fixtures and plumbers making connections and says with certainty school will be ready to open on Aug. 31...

After giving Liz the elephant a bath and moisturizing Murphy's Oil Soap rubdown, trainer John Walker III went into his trailer Friday afternoon at Arena Park to change clothes for the evening's performances of the Walker Brothers Circus. Liz promptly began tossing trunkfuls of dirt on herself...

To the editor: I am writing you in regard to some recent discoveries I made on a trip to Rutgers University in New Jersey. I am the victim of a spinal-cord injury like 250,000 other Americans. About 12,000 new injuries occur every year. In the past, the notion of ever curing spinal-cord injuries or regenerating nerve tissue in the brain and spinal cord were thought to be an unattainable goal. ...

For the seventh year, Indian Park in Cape Girardeau, at the corner of William and Lorimier streets, will be hopping with basketball excitement today and Sunday during the annual Slamfest tournament. This event brings out some of the best basketball talent around here for two full days of full-court competition...

The start of the new school year is particularly hectic this year, thanks to all the construction activity. As happens with so many projects, some of the construction and renovation projects are running a little behind. As a result, the Cape Girardeau School District and the new Notre Dame Regional High School had to delay the start of classes to allow for finishing touches...

IT HAS been a bad spectacle to me to watch and listen people defend President Clinton even after has admitted to his shameful antics in the White House. Many are chanting the line put out by the White House spinmeisters: "It's between him and Hillary. ...

Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team is losing a home game for the coming season, but coach Gary Garner doesn't really mind. That's because the Indians will have the rare opportunity to play at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis. It was announced Friday, during a press conference at the Trans World Dome, that Southeast and Southern Illinois University will square off Dec. 28 in the first game of a doubleheader. The event is being called the `Earth Grains Basketball Classic.'...

@$: Troy Baglio Baglio leads by example Summary: Senior is defensive line leader for SEMO football team. By Marty Mishow If you're looking for a vocal leader who is always moving his mouth, then Troy Baglio probably isn't the guy for you...

Daughter to Jeffrey G. and Jeanna M. Kirn of Chaffee, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:27 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, 1998. Name, Shiloh Brooke. Weight, 4 pounds 12 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Mrs. Kirn is the former Jeanna Palmer, daughter of Jim and Betty Palmer of Jackson. She is a secretary at State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. Kirn is the son of Richard and Patricia Kirn of Kelso. He is a self-employed farmer...

SIKESTON -- Arthur T. "Sarge" LaVigne died at his residence in Sikeston Friday, Aug. 21, 1998. He was 80. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the chapel.

Dale Wayne Gunter, 30, of Troy, formerly of Cape Girardeau, Mo. died Thursday, August 20, 1998 in a one-car accident ten miles south of Louisiana, Mo. He was born April 4, 1968 in Fredericktown, Mo., the son of Stephen David and Dianna Marie Hargiss Gunter.Gunter was the Coordinator of EMS at the Pike County Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, Mo. ...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- William J. Hannan, 83, Olmsted Route 1, died Friday, Aug. 21, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Nov. 11, 1914, in Olmsted, son of William and Caroline Egner Hannan Sr. Hannan was a retired farmer, and member of St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Grand Chain...

CHAFFEE -- Sylvia G. Hunter, 75, of Chaffee died Thursday, Aug. 20, 1998, at her home. She was born Sept. 3, 1922, at Zalma, daughter of Ben and Katherine Knuckles Bostic. She and Ray E. Hunter were married in 1943. He died April 8, 1977. Survivors include five sons, Dennis Hunter of East Cape Girardeau, Ill., Carl, Johnny and Ricky Hunter of Chaffee, Terry Hunter of Farmington; three daughters, Kathleen Curneal and Cathy Gaines of Chaffee, and Donna Cox of Sacramento, Calif...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral for Bobby Joe Williford of East Prairie will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. Pastor Ernest Brown will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Williford, 62, died Thursday, Aug. 20, 1998, at East Prairie Nursing Center...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral Mass for Marie B. Geringer of Perryville will be held at 10 a.m. today at St. Vincent's Catholic Church. The Rev. Rich Lause will officiate, with burial in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Friends may call at Young and Sons Funeral Home from 6:30-9:45 a.m. today...

CHARLESTON -- Graveside service for Dorothy Allen of Charleston will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at I.O.O.F. Cemetery. The Rev. Rick White will officiate. McMikle Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Allen, 83, died Thursday, Aug. 20, 1998, at Charleston Manor...

SIKESTON -- J.B. Holt, 73, of Sikeston died Friday, Aug. 21, 1998, at his home. He was born Dec. 5, 1924, in Athens, Ala., son of Bennie William and Minnie Lou Roberts Holt. He and Laura Jean Compas were married April 6, 1949, in Piggott, Ark. Holt was a self-employed farmer. He was a member of First Southern Baptist Church in Diehlstadt...