Stories from Saturday, October 24, 1998

To the editor: Over the past several weeks, I have read numerous newspaper articles and have seen several television talk shows that featured arguments between Democrats and Republicans about what to do with the so-called federal budget surplus. Republican leaders say they want to use the surplus to cut taxes. ...

On Sunday, the Southeast Missourian debuts a new column geared to saving readers money at home. It will appear each Sunday in the Life section. Author James Dulley has been writing a newspaper column since 1982. For years, the column was known as "Cut Your Utility Bills."...

Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages and Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. have kicked off the 1998 Project ReDirectory program. Distribution of more than 67,000 copies of the new Southwestern Bell Cape Girardeau Region Directory started this week and should be completed by the end of October...

MARBLE HILL -- Bollinger County Presiding Commissioner Elwood Mouser, who won the Republican primary contest in August by a single vote, faces Democrat Kenny Trentham in the Nov. 3 general election. The 71-year-old Mouser has served as presiding commissioner for the past eight years. He is seeking his third, four-year term...

Whether they plan to appear as cartoon characters, restaurant foods or traditional standbys like ghosts and hoboes, children will be turning out in droves for candy and treats next weekend to celebrate the second most-popular holiday of the year. How they choose to make the Halloween rounds may be a little different this year, however, thanks to the efforts of some local churches...

I WORK for a company here in town and managed a successful business for 25 years. They didn't name this business after me, and the person who's taken over my place has done a good job and increased the business. I do not understand why for some reason we think, because someone works for the school system, they should be entitled to have the building named after them. ...

Methamphetamine is not just someone else's problem. It is addicting friends and relatives and ruining lives right here in River City. Busting clandestine labs is keeping the SEMO Drug Task Force so busy that there is hardly time to address other drug problems that haven't gone away...

Teen pregnancy and abortion rates have hit a 20-year low, according to statistics released last week by the government. We'd like to think it was due to a growing acceptance for sexual abstinence. Perhaps the messages about the importance of delaying sexual activity is finally sinking in...

To the editor: I've researched the proposed River Campus issue quite thoroughly. As an economist, I agree that there's little doubt that the revitalization of this property is good for downtown, good for the university and good for the county. And the cost seems to be failry shared among the beneficiaries. But this isn't the movies. I'm on record on "Let's Talk Business" (heard on KRCU-FM) as stating that an attitude of "build it and they will come" just won't do the trick...

To the editor: Although the local headline was a bit misleading, the endorsement of Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson was made by the National VFW Political Action Committee. If you are familiar with the organization, you would know that this is an appointed committee of the VFW whose sole purpose is to study the voting records of members of Congress, regardless of political party, and the aims of incumbents on only two issues: veterans' entitlements and keeping a strong national defense...

Southeast Missouri State University will hold its annual Homecoming celebration next week. This year's Homecoming is part of the university's 125th anniversary celebration. Highlights of the Homecoming weekend will be the presentation of the Faculty and Alumni Merit Awards, the Friend of the University Award, Homecoming parade and the football game...

Area businesses are working with the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School to locate or train skilled workers for available jobs. Coordinators at the vocational school have been developing the Work Keys workforce development program with area business leaders for the past two years. The program, which was founded by the American College Testing company nine years ago, helps employers screen potential employees and improve overall employee performance through training programs...

River Campus project supporters say the proposal will bring big returns for a small investment by Cape Girardeau residents. Voters will decide whether they want to make that investment when they go to the polls Nov. 3 to vote on an $8.9 million bond issue and an accompanying measure to increase the city's hotel-motel tax and extend the restaurant tax to pay for the bond issue...

There's a grass-roots movement to eliminate Daylight Savings Time, Internet -- http://www.standardtime.com/. Some time late tonight, or early Sunday, David Hutson will stop time for an hour in downtown Cape Girardeau. "We'll literally stop the downtown clock," said Hutson, president of the Cape Girardeau Downtown Merchants Association...

I take risks ... sometimes. For example, even though I know I have poor eyesight, on rare occasions I have been known to operate my car and clean my eyeglasses simultaneously. Not a good idea. I also took a trip with my husband last summer on the Six Flags ride the Dragonfly. ...

ST. LOUIS -- After exploding to a 23-point lead, Cape Girardeau Central High's football team nearly imploded during Friday night's Class 4A, District 1 opener against Vianney. Seventeen unanswered points brought the Golden Griffins within three points, 33-30, with 9:10 remaining in the game. But touchdown runs of 28 and 36 yards from Demarco Williams in the final six minutes buoyed the Tigers to a 47-30 victory...

POPLAR BLUFF -- In a game that Jackson appeared on the ropes on several occasions, the Indians upended Poplar Bluff with a 20-19 overtime victory Friday night. Jackson's Josh Hopkins ultimately banged an extra point attempt through the uprights after a Todd Wessel touchdown run to provide the slim margin of victory...

A large part of Chaffee's plan to ruin St. Vincent's perfect 1998 season last night depended upon staying within striking distance by halftime. It might have worked better if it wasn't for that meddling kicker. Derek Kutz, St. Vincent's sophomore field goal kicker, connected on field goals of 41 and 43 yards in the first half, helping the Indians to a 20-6 lead at the break...

Jackson High cross country coach Jim Stoverink views the Class 4A, District 1 meet as two-horse races: his Lady Indians versus Cape Girardeau Central on the girls side, and Central against Northwest-House Springs in the boys event. "The top two teams are pretty good," Stoverink said, "but the rest are not very strong at all."...

SPRINGFIELD -- For the second consecutive week, Southeast Missouri State University's Indians will face a team that sends out a host of receivers and fires the football all over the field. Southeast coach John Mumford hopes the Indians are more successful today than they were last Saturday...

Cape Central 47, Vianney 30 Jackson 20, Poplar Bluff 19, OT North County 45, Sikeston 6 Scott City 74, Grandview 0 St. Vincent 46, Chaffee 12 Malden 48, East Prairie 6 Portageville 19, Caruthersville 0 Charleston 31, Crystal City 7 Fredericktown 20, Dexter 12...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- With her two wins Friday, Cape Girardeau Central High's Eliane Hess stands two victories from the Missouri Class 4A state singles tennis title. But a daunting obstacle looms in her path. Hess will meet Parkway Central's Aleke Tsoubanos, the defending state champion, this morning at 9 in a semifinal match...

PERRYVILLE -- Matt Jenkins rushed for three touchdowns and a season-high 208 yards as Perryville rolled past Windsor 27-14 in its district opener Friday night. Perryville improved to 7-1 on the season and 1-0 in Class 4A District 2 action. Windsor fell to 4-4 overall and 0-1 in district...

Inez Boswell, 95, of Ormond Beach, Fla., died Sunday, Oct. 11, 1998, in an Ormond Beach nursing home. She was born July 26, 1903, at Puxico, daughter of Tom and Cora Miers. She and Okal Boswell were married in 1925. He died in 1971. The Boswells lived in Cape Girardeau about 25 years. She had been a member of Order of Eastern Star more than 50 years...

ESSEX -- Charles Daniel Wyatt, 84, of Essex died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at Sikeston Health Care Center near Morehouse. He was born Dec. 25, 1913, at Malden, son of James Daniel and Laura Bell Swain Wyatt. He and Opal Grim were married Jan. 8, 1944, in Corning, Ark...

BERNIE -- Funeral for Ruth Ann Thrasher of Bernie will be held at 3 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The Rev. Betty Smiley will officiate, with burial in Taylor Cemetery near Essex. Thrasher, 39, died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at her home...

Frances S. Newton, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Oct. 23, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born March 20, 1927, in Portsmouth, Ohio, daughter of Karl W. and Willa H. Hazlett Seiling. She and Ralph R. Newton Jr. were married June 12, 1948, in Houston, Texas. He died Oct. 13, 1988...

James William Buckman Jr., 57, of Drury died Wednesday, Oct. 21, 1998, near the junction of County Road W and Highway 14 in Douglas County. He was born Sept. 10, 1941, in Chicago, son of J.W. and Della Marceil Jenkins Sr. Buckman attended Southeast Missouri State University, and was a member of First Christian Church. He was a self-employed commercial fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico 30 years...

MARBLE HILL -- Ora Edward Davault, 91, of Marble Hill died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at Jackson Manor in Jackson. He was born May 8, 1907, at Dongola, Mo., son of Wiley S. and Marada Shell Davault. He and Ruth Snider were married Aug. 30, 1925. Davault had farmed, sold automobiles and insurance, and retired from Ward Funeral Home...

MARBLE HILL -- Funeral for Viola L. Rhodes of Marble Hill will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Hutchings Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Randy Poole will officiate, with burial in Plainview Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. Sunday. Rhodes, 61, died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

Daughter to Herb Seyer and Kim Baker of Cape Girardeau, St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, 11:31 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1998. Name, Savanah Reagan. Weight, 4 pounds 15 ounces. First child. Ms. Baker is the daughter of Barbara J. Baker of Cape Girardeau, and the late Howard Baker. She is a realtor at Town and Country Realty. Seyer is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Seyer of Dutchtown. He is a sales representative with Major Brands...

Funeral for Cedric B. McCauley of Torrington, Conn., will be held at 12:30 p.m. Monday at First Assembly of God Church. The Rev. Roy Marshall will officiate, with burial in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call Monday at the church from 10 a.m. until service time...