Stories from Thursday, October 29, 1998

To the editor: While Mike Haydn was the Republican governor of Kansas, he served as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Haydn now serves as chair of the board of directors of the League of Conservation Voters, a bipartisan organization that works to educate citizens about the environmental sensitivity of members of Congress...

History and mystery will come together tonight in Cape Girardeau at a special reading from a soon-to-be-released novel. Spear Morgan, professor of creative writing at the University of Missouri in Columbia and editor of "The Missouri Review," will be at Barnes and Noble Booksellers at 6 tonight to read from his latest novel, "The Freshour Cylinders."...

Raised by his grandparents on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Joseph Marshall III spent the long, isolated winters listening to their stories about the Lakota Sioux. Some were myths but most were tales about real events and real people...

A plot is one of the factors that differentiates "Spirit of the Dance" from "Riverdance" and "Lord of the Dance." `Spirit of the Dance' is one of the most successful shows in British theater and has consistently smashed box office records across the United Kingdom. But to compare it to its more famous cousins, "Riverdance" and "Lord of the Dance," doesn't do it justice, says director/producer David King...

I'D LIKE to address my comment to the lady who was driving the blue pickup truck Friday morning in Jackson and almost hit my 8-year-old child as he was trying to board his school bus. I'd like to tell her that the bright red sign on the side of the bus that says stop means stop. ...

A Sept. 3 decision by a state commission has halted the practice of requiring criminals to pay money into a county law enforcement fund as a condition of probation. The Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges last month advised judges against requiring defendants to pay money county crime reduction funds. The commission said there was no state law or constitutional provision allowing for payments. As a result, judges have stopped ordering convicts to pay into the fund...

Recent figures published in the Missouri Manufacturing Register reveal that while the state's manufacturing activity and employment are at record highs, industrial employment is stagnant or very slightly declining. Missouri had a decline of 156 manufacturing companies, or 1.5 percent, over 12 months, down to 9,509. During the same period, industrial jobs in Missouri dropped by 1,300 to 454,059...

To the editor: Between the national news, local campaign ads and the daily barrage of Speak Out, I've had it up to the buckles of my overalls. If the stuff gets any higher, I may drown. As a songwriter, my way of dealing with the deluge was to write this song:...

To the editor: The Nov. 3 election will provide Missourians with an opportunity to vote on gambling. Amendment 9, if passed, would make it legal for gambling boats to be permanently docked. Before we give the gambling industry this advantage, let's consider some important aspects of the issue...

To the editor: I have seen remarks by uninformed or vested-interest persons in past editions of the newspaper critical of the Republicans for defeating campaign financing legislation proposed by McCain-Feingold and Shays-Meehan. Thank God they did defeat them. All the bills did was protect incumbents and deny our freedom to know how our legislators wheel and deal in Washington...

To the editor: Several years ago -- I won't say how many -- I was newly acquainted with a young college student named Melvin Gateley. That has been several years. Since that time, I have watched this young man mature, get involved and do so many good things for Cape Girardeau and the public school system as well as for his church...

To the editor: These so-called Missourians Against Cockfighting do not speak for all Missourians. Cockfighting has been a way of life, part of the heritage of this state and most of the southern part of the country, for that matter, since this country's birth...

To the editor: The Bible tells us in Psalms 37:23, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way." I believe Melvin Gateley is just such a man. He spent much of his life in the public education system on our children's behalf...

To the editor: I thought the exposure the Southeast Missourian gave about Proposition A was a great public service. Controlled animal fighting, cockfighting and bear wrestling are inhumane ways that uneducated people enjoy barbaric sports. To chemically enhance a rooster's hormones or its nervous system and strap steel claws to the animal's feet in order to achieve death is morally and ethically wrong. ...

To the editor: Although Republicans support school vouchers, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson feels vouchers would take money away from public schools. This may be true, but vouchers would foster competition between schools, where now there is very little, forcing each school to provide the best service it can. ...

To the editor: The article concerning cockfighting in Monday's newspaper utterly disgusted me. The actual thought of people being interested in this inhumane act toward roosters -- or any animal, for that matter -- is absolutely sickening. This barbaric source of entertainment should be banned and no longer tolerated...

U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond and Democratic challenger Jay Nixon accused each other of slinging political mud during separate campaign stops Wednesday in Cape Girardeau. Bond, who has served in the Senate since 1986, voiced his views during a visit to the Southeast Missourian...

On Monday, Cape Girardeau's two hospitals begin a joint venture aimed at improving care for patients without a local doctor. The new "hospitalist" program should also improve work schedules for local physicians, said Karen Hendrickson, assistant administrator and nurse executive at Southeast Missouri Hospital, and Cheryl Mothes, vice president of medical staff relations at St. Francis Medical Center...

Democratic congressional candidate Tony Heckemeyer stresses his Southeast Missouri roots in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson. The former circuit judge from Sikeston also talks a lot about his farming and business background. Heckemeyer has harsh words for the nation's farm policy. He blames Republicans for scrapping the government safety net for farmers that had been in place since the Great Depression...

Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III is more than ready to put away the red, Jackson Indians sweatshirt he wore to two City Council meetings immediately following the Jackson-Central high schools football game each of the past two years. He wore it to the two meetings because Jackson won both games. Now it is time for Jackson Mayor Paul Sander to don an orange Cape Central sweatshirt at his next Jackson Board of Aldermen meeting, Spradling said...

Some area residents may bring back interesting stories when they return home from vacation destinations in the western Caribbean. One couple on a cruise wasn't sure where they were headed, but the ship's route had been changed due to the fourth strongest Caribbean hurricane to hit in this century...

Oct. 29, 1998 Dear Patty, I was awakened Sunday morning by DC screaming. From opposite ends of the house, I've come to differentiate between the sound of a real DC emergency and simply a scary movie on TV. Out the second floor window, she'd spied a puppy playing in the street...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Only one county race is on the Union County election ballot Nov. 3: Everett L. Ury faces Relis Oliver for county commissioner. One of the biggest races in the county was settled in the primary when Jim Nash, a 23-year deputy sheriff, defeated a former sheriff, Larry Tripp. The current sheriff, Harlan Coffman, did not file for re-election, and Nash has no opposition Nov. 3...

MARBLE HILL -- Associate Circuit Judge Scott Thomsen faces a re-election challenge from Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Hopkins. Hopkins, a Marble Hill Democrat, wants his old job back. He served for 20 years as judge in Bollinger County before losing to Thomsen in 1994...

Each of the three candidates for 8th District were asked the same set of questions. The candidates will appear in the order they were interviewed. John Hendricks' interview ran Tuesday. Jo Ann Emerson's interview was published Wednesdeay. Interviews were edited for length...

The Wessel family credo provides some insight into how Todd Wessel has arrived at his current place in life. "We were always taught to work, go to school and play sports," said Jack Wessel, Todd's father. "And to give our best at each of them." Todd has followed the advice, becoming the third generation of the Wessel family to play football in the area...

Tennessee State's football team has been on a serious roll lately -- and that trend certainly continued last weekend when the Tigers faced lowly Tennessee-Martin. The Tigers set an Ohio Valley Conference record by piling up an amazing 737 yards of total offense during a 76-0 homecoming demolition of the Skyhawks. A record crowd of 22,046 was on hand at Hale Stadium to watch the massacre...

Chalk one up for the little guy. Notre Dame High, the smallest fish in the pond that is the SEMO Conference, captured the soccer league's championship Wednesday with a 3-0 victory over host Cape Girardeau Central. Notre Dame, a Class 2A school which posted a record of 6-1-1 in the conference, outstripped league foes Central, Jackson, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston, all members of Class 4A...

Before last season, Jackson High School had never before won a district tournament championship in boys soccer. This year, the Indians are favored to make it two in a row. Jackson is the top seed out of five teams for the Class 4A, District 1 Tournament that will be played Monday through Thursday in Poplar Bluff...

DESLOGE -- Jackson High's volleyball team, the top seed, defeated third-seeded Poplar Bluff 15-8, 15-9 Wednesday night to win the Class 4A, District 1 Tournament. Andrea Koeper had eight kills and 10 digs in the final. Chrissi Glastetter added nine kills and 12 digs. Diane Mirly and Sara Johnson each had five digs. Heather Brown led the Indians with 20 assists...

SPRINGFIELD -- Southeast Missouri State University's golf team wrapped up a highly successful fall season by placing fourth out of 16 squads during the Southwest Missouri State Tournament played Monday and Tuesday. The Indians had a 54-hole total of 907. Arkansas State was first at 886, with Missouri second (888) and host Southwest third (896)...

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team will have two important Ohio Valley Conference matches in Tennessee this weekend. The Otahkians, who have not played since Oct. 22, will face Middle Tennessee State Saturday and Tennessee Tech Sunday...

Jeremy Penwell School: Fredericktown Sport: Football Coach: Kent Gibbs This season: Penwell, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior tailback, has rushed for 1,128 yards on 157 carries; an average of 7.2 yards per carry. He has scored nine touchdowns for 3-5 Fredericktown. Last year, Penwell ran for 1,100 yards. Penwell also is averaging 22 yards on kickoff returns...

Brittany Ballard School: Cape Central Sport: Cross Country Coach: Mark Hahn This season: Ballard, a freshman, has exploded on the scene as the Tigers' second-best runner behind senior Myka Bohnsack. She established herself with a solid finish at the Hancock Invitational, came close with a second-place finish at the SEMO Conference meet two weeks ago and broke through with a victory at the district meet last week...

With a few raps of his gavel, Gary Reutzel, dressed in white from head to toe, completes the judgment scene where Mike and Jen learn their eternal fate. Other names are called from the book of life as visitors to "Judgement House" are asked to consider their fate after death...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Funeral Mass for John Ed Beno of Cairo will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The Rev. Jerome Fortenberry will officiate. Burial will be in U.S. National Cemetery at Mound City. Friends may call at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo from 5-8 p.m. today. Parish prayers will be at 7...

SIKESTON -- Leo R. Adams, 78, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1998, at his home. He was born Sept. 19, 1920, at Malden, son of William Henry and Mary Angela Huffman Adams. He and Lillie Mae Flynn were married Nov. 15, 1945, in Brownwood, Texas. Adams had been a driver with City Cab Co. He was a charter member of New Hope Baptist Church...

ZALMA -- Doyle E. Randolph, 69, of Zalma died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 3, 1929, at Zalma, son of Alva and Lillie Pittman Randolph. He and Nancy Faye Talley were married Feb. 1, 1964, in Wood River, Ill...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Ruby Krauss Crum, 74, of East Prairie died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born July 13, 1924, in Savannah, Tenn., daughter of Clyde and Luverna Edmundson Taylor. She first married Herbert Marshall Krauss Dec. 28, 1940. He died Nov. 17, 1978. She later married Deward Crum in 1980. He died April 27, 1990...

Jesse W. Williams, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Daughter to Macail Nicole Harris of Cape Girardeau, 8:17 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998. Name, Ayreal Jayda-McKyln. Weight, 6 pounds 4 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Ms. Harris is the daughter of Debra Harris and Larry Jackson of Cape Girardeau...

A panel of political science professors at Southeast Missouri State University will analyze the results of local, state and national elections on Wednesday. The panel will include political science faculty Dr. Russell Renka, Dr. Brian Smentkowski, Dr. Michael Levy, Dr. Rick Althaus and Dr. Peter Bergerson...

Local volunteers and supporters from the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri Regional Chapter recently received awards at the American Red Cross Missouri State Conference. KFVS-TV and its general manager Howard Meagle received the Community Relations Award for their support of Red Cross through public service campaigns. Dusty McDowell received the Outstanding Youth Award, and the Cape County Blood Services Committee earned the Biomedical Award...

MCCLURE, Ill. -- A stray dog adopted Shawnee Elementary South students in McClure, Ill., shortly after school started. Even though she became a favorite of students and staff at the school, the dog needed a permanent home, so she was brought to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau and put up for adoption...

An idea 20 years ago to raise money and have some fun with a fall fashion show has evolved into a tradition for the Cape Girardeau Zonta Club. This year's 20th anniversary fashion show will be held Monday at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. Seven local stores will offer a variety of fashions, including casual wear, evening wear, children's clothing and furs...