Stories from Friday, November 6, 1998

To the editor: Once again, I am ashamed of the voter turnout in Cape Girardeau County. Voting is a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Why the residents of Cape don't use the right is a mystery to me. They continue to complain about poor road conditions, sales taxes and sewer repairs, but they make virtually no effort to make changes...

To the editor: Please let me commend the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department and the Cape Girardeau Police Department for their DWI enforcement efforts last weekend. Also let me extend thanks to the Southeast Missourian for its excellent coverage and reporting of the event...

Once again, Cape Girardeau has earned a place on the international map, this time as the host city for the first-ever North American Camel Conference. That's right. Camel conference. Southeast Missouri's agricultural economy is best known for it grain and livestock production along with vast fields of cotton. However, the area's livestock hasn't always put a lot of focus on camels...

Highly developed countries, including the United States, benefit from many technological advances in dealing with forces of nature. Because of thorough and accurate warnings of major storms, for example, -- hurricanes, tornadoes, flood-producing thunderstorms -- Americans tend to be better prepared, often bracing for a storm's impact or leaving the area to get out of harm's way...

I'VE ALWAYS enjoyed Joe Sullivan's column but last Friday's about how the phone company can't call you back anymore and about duct tape was one of his best. His column makes my day. We need more to make us laugh. I WOULD just like to say my two cents worth about the mascot for SEMO University sports. ...

Two bids on dirt work at the new Cape Girardeau Vocational Career Center were opened Thursday, a sign that work on the second of two Cape Girardeau school construction projects is on track. Bids were received from ASA Enterprises and from Nip Kelley Construction Co. The Board of Education meets Monday at noon to award a bid...

In 1817 a London physician named James Parkinson published "An Essay On The Shaking Palsy" which has since become well known as Parkinson's disease. Although Parkinson's disease is a common progressive neurological disorder resulting from degeneration of specific nerve cells in a region of the brain controlling movement, this condition and its therapies were described in the Ayurveda, the system of medicine practiced in India as early as 5000 B.C., and in the first Chinese medical text, Nei Jing, which appeared about 2500 years ago. ...

Cape Girardeau and Jackson still haven't come to any agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation on local highway projects, but any agreement should benefit both cities, the mayors say. Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III and Jackson Mayor Paul Sander talked about their respective city's transportation needs Thursday at the annual Transportation Dinner sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. About 150 people attended the meeting at Drury Lodge...

Richard "Rick" Murray, director of the Division of Inspection Services for the city since 1993, has accepted a similar position at Fulton. Murray will become planning and protective services director at Fulton Dec. 1. "I'll have more responsibility in the new position," said Murray, who has worked in inspection services here since August 1991. "That's one of the things that attracted me to the job."...

A number of area residents got a close-up look at the R/B River Explorer, a floating hotel and touring vessel, when it docked at the Cape Girardeau riverfront Thursday. The 730-foot-long vessel, which was introduced to the inland waterways this year, is on its sixth major tour. The tour included a stop at Cape Girardeau while the vessel is en route to St. Louis...

There's nothing better to boost popcorn sales than a thriller full of plots and twists. That's what we've got here. When it happened, I didn't say anything about the switch from daylight-saving time back to good old Central Standard Time. Not one peep. I thought you might enjoy a break from my semi-annual tirade...

The "Nutcracker," performed by the St. Louis Ballet, will perform one show Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday at the Show Me Center box office, Schnucks and Disc Jockey Records in Cape Girardeau, Carbondale and Paducah...

As far as exhibition games go, Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner got exactly what he was looking for -- a win and the chance to play plenty of people. The Indians cruised past the outmanned Dreambuilders, a group of former collegiate players from Des Moines, Iowa, 81-60 Thursday night in front of 3,571 fans at the Show Me Center...

After all the dips and doodles of their unpredictable 1998 football season, the Cape Central Tigers find themselves on the verge of their first district championship in xxx years. Central must beat Poplar Bluff, or if Jackson beats Vianney in the other Class 5A District 1 game tonight, lose by no more than seven points in order to clinch the District 1 title tonight...

Jackson has not played a completely meaningless game in over four years. Tonight, when Jackson faces Vianney in a Class 5A District 1 game at 7:30 at Jackson, absolutely nothing tangible will be on the line. Both teams are out of the playoff picture...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Jackson High won its second straight Class 4A, District 1 soccer title Thursday and turned in the school's first 20-win season in the process. Behind the 47th and 48th goals of the season by Nathan Windeknecht, Jackson successfully defended its crown with a 4-1 victory over Poplar Bluff...

Thursday's results Sikeston 45, Potosi 22 Valle 35, Chaffee 14 Tonight's Games (7:30 p.m. kickoffs) Poplar Bluff at Cape Central Vianney at Jackson Scott City at Charleston St. Vincent at Hayti Portageville at Malden East Prairie at Caruthersville Fredericktown at Kennett...

The last three opponents unfortunate enough to encounter the Scott City Rams were nothing more than lambs led to the slaughter. Scott City clubbed Hayti 51-8, Grandview 74-0 and Crystal City 69-13 over the last three weeks. Before anyone accuses the Rams of a lack of mercy, consider that they led 51-0, 62-0 and 69-0 at halftime of the three games, which they were trying to use to prepare for an important game at the end of its district schedule...

Sarah Fletcher, who earned all-state commendation in 1993 and 1994, may soon have company in the annals of Cape Girardeau Central High cross country history. Possibly twice over. Fletcher is the only Central girl to don a state-meet medal. But if the race Saturday morning at Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City plays out as Central coach Mark Hahn foresees it, Brittany Ballard and Myka Bohnsack will join Fletcher as the school's most decorated harriers...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Funeral for Larry Eugene Gibbons of Dublin, Ohio, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Crain Funeral Home in Ullin. Joe Cook will officiate, with burial in Christian Chapel Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Calvin E. Watson, 82, of Cairo died Thursday, Nov. 5, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 9, 1916, in Mound City, son of Earl and Oma Sheerer Watson. He married Evelyn Baker. Watson owned the Calvin Watson Inc. Cadillac-Buick-Pontiac and GMC Truck dealership in Cairo many years, retiring in 1988...

JACKSON -- Timothy J. Collins, 38, of Jackson died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 12, 1960, in Cape Girardeau, son of Raymond and Sylvia Long Collins. Collins was a floral designer at Silk Tree Factory. He attended Egypt Church in Puxico...

Eva D. Mercier, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 5, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

MARBLE HILL -- Ada M. Clubb, 91, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1998, at her home. She was born Feb. 28, 1907, at Lutesville, daughter of Monroe and Vina Isabell Ramsey Rambo. Clubb was a member of Lutesville General Baptist Church. Survivors include two brothers, Charlie Rambo of Bakersfield, Calif., John Rambo of Momence, Ill.; and a sister, Annie Stone of Marble Hill...

SIKESTON -- Mary Louise Waters, 76, of Chapel Hill, N.C., formerly of Sikeston, died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1998, at the University of North Carolina Hospital. She was born Nov. 30, 1921, in Benton, daughter of Judge Marshall E. Montgomery and Perle Black Montgomery. She and Allen "Buddy" Waters were married June 7, 1944, in Washington, D.C...

Daughter to Antionette Lynn Bird and Jamie Dewayne Long of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:47 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998. Name, Alexus Veshai. Weight, 6 pounds 13 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Ms. Bird is the daughter of Earnest Bird and Alfreda Bird of Cape Girardeau. She is employed at Missouri Veterans Home...

POPLAR BLUFF -- A Doniphan man died Thursday afternoon, and three other people were injured following a two-car accident on U.S. 67 near Poplar Bluff. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the victim as Earl Ward, 83, of Doniphan, a passenger in a vehicle driven by Walter Carter, 64, of Everton, Ark...

JACKSON -- Funeral for Edgar O. Jones of Jackson will be held at 10 a.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. O. David Griffin will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Jones, 86, died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1998, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau...