Stories from Friday, November 13, 1998

To the editor: Thank you for suggesting the use of weekly sobriety checkpoints in your recent editorial regarding the Morgan Oak checkpoint on Halloween night. As Steve Narrow pointed out in his letter, alcohol-related crime far surpasses those associated with all illegal drugs combined. ...

Psoriasis is Greek for "an itching", and it is a non-contagious but incurable, chronic condition that causes the skin to become inflamed, red, and thick with silvery scales, most often on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. Many of the nearly four to five million people in the United States who have this condition have very mild cases and, in fact, may go through life without even knowing they have it. ...

Twins always skip a generation. Identical twins usually run in families. Identical twinning is only passed through the mother's side of the family. People appear to be fascinated with the entire multiple birth experience, from pregnancy aspects to the similar physical, health and mental factors that become apparent after birth. ...

KENNETT -- Shaun Hightower of Kennett is one of many students at Kennett Middle School who eagerly stays an extra hour after school each day. Instead of going home at 3 p.m. like most kids, he goes to the school's computer lab where he plays games and talks with his friends...

Just a little more than a week ago, Missouri voters -- primarily in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas -- voted to change the state's Constitution to allow gambling boats near the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. These so-called boats-in-moats are basically land-based casinos, although some of them are mounted on barges...

While Missourians were settling in to a new era of voter-approved casinos on dry land, the lame-duck governor of Illinois, Jim Edgar, was suggesting that the state get into the casino business -- not as a regulator sharing in the proceeds, but as a riverboat operator taking all the winnings...

To the editor: Much has been said regarding the reasons the Republicans failed to gain any seats in the U.S. Senate and now have just a five-vote majority in the U.S. House. My own feeling is that the Republicans let the momentum gained in the 1994 and, to a lesser extent, the 1995 elections dwindle away, sacrificed on the altar of wanting to get along and be bipartisan. ...

To the editor: The Southeast Missourian's sports pages recently included an article and photograph about a coaching legend in high school athletics in Southeast Missouri. I'm referring, of course, to Coach Paul Webber, who died Oct. 11 at the age of 53. ...

Amy Zych has three last names, plenty of jobs, a husband, two children and a body by Nautilus. Her life is an obstacle course. It is natural that next weekend in Redondo Beach, Calif., Zych will compete with other women from a cross the United States in "The Eliminator," an obstacle course contest to be broadcast by ESPN at a later date...

The application deadline for Cape Girardeau superintendent passed Thursday, and some 18 people have submitted the required paperwork to advance to the next step in the selection process. Cape Girardeau Superintendent Dan Tallent will leave the school district's top post June 30. Board of Education President R. Ferrell Ervin said the board hopes to offer the job to someone before Christmas...

A problem with new computer software for the 911 telephone system in Southeast Missouri caused sporadic outages early Thursday. The computer problems began about 2:30 a.m. and were corrected by 5:30 a.m., said John Pagano of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co...

While Missouri hospitals last year charged barely more than the national average for the most common types of treatment covered by Medicare, Cape Girardeau's two hospitals charged even less. That is the findings of a national study of Medicare costs for treatment of heart failure and shock, pneumonia and joint replacement...

When you're young, worrying about the ills of old age makes just about as much sense as a savings account. It is amusing to my wife that I have become a regular reader of question-and-answer columns written by doctors in newspapers and magazines. "Since when do you care about overactive thyroids?" she asks...

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Basketball season is here again and I know our staff and players are extremely excited about getting the regular season under way Saturday night when we host Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, a good Division II team that went 18-9 last season. I've been very pleased with how hard this team has worked in the offseason and during our early practice sessions. If the current attitude prevails throughout the season, we have the chance to be a very good basketball team...

Southeast Missouri's men's basketball team has announced the signing of two recruits from the St. Louis area in the early signing period. Former Riverview Gardens standout Jamel Richardson and Lutheran North's Mike Sutherland have signed letters of intent to play with the Indians of coach Gary Garner...

Southeast Missouri State University has narrowed its athletic director choice to two candidates, who will be visiting the campus in the next week. Athletic director finalists are Paul Kwalcyczk and Dr. Terry Wanless. Kwalcyck, associated athletic director at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., will visit the campus today where he will be formally introduced as a finalist. ...

FENTON -- Jackson soccer saw its state playoff experience last longer this year, but the Indians still found themselves thwarted in the sectional round. The experience was also proved a little more heart-breaking. The Indians saw their first 20-win season in school history end with a 1-0, double-overtime loss to Hazelwood Central in a Class 4A sectional contest Thursday at the Anheuser-Busch Conference & Sports Centre...

Jackson and Cape Central each saw three players honored on the Missouri Class 4A All State Softball team, which was released this week. Central honorees were sophomore shortstop Ashlie Voerg, senior first baseman Erica McDonald and sophomore outfielder Amber Voerg...

Maralynn Ann Dearing, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Sept. 13, 1929, in Marion, Ill., daughter of Alva and Nellie Stewart Dearing. Dearing was most recently a social service worker at the Lutheran Home. Prior to that she was a salesclerk at JCPenney and had been a waitress at the former Flaming Pit Restaurant...

Esther May King, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998, at Heartland Care and Rehabilitation Center. She was born Jan. 12, 1908, in St. Louis, daughter of William Theodore and Martha Jane Gillham Eddins. She married Austin King in September 1930...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Graveside service for Florence Amellia Sutliff of Jonesboro will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Christian Chapel Cemetery in Dongola. Steve Karraker will officiate. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is in charge of arrangements...

Daughter to Scott Louis and Michele Gail Peters of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:39 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998. Name, Megan Louise. Weight, 8 pounds 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Peters is the former Michele Jackson, daughter of Glen and Pat Jackson of Bentonville, Ark. She is employed at Southeast Outpatient Rehab. Peters is the son of Louise Gene and Marilyn Peters of Cape Girardeau. He is employed at Sunny Hill Garden and Florist...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Roy Eugene Ford, 77, of Karnak died Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. He was born Oct. 18, 1921, in Vienna, son of Roy and Viola Lavender Ford. Ford was a retired MetLife Insurance agent, had owned and operated Ford's Service Station, and was treasurer of Karnak Village Board 30 years. He was a member of Karnak Baptist Church and MAP Training Board...

PUXICO -- Margaret Denbow, 61, of Puxico died Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, from injuries received in an automobile accident near Morehouse. She was born Dec. 27, 1936, at Charleston, daughter of Helen Brown Bone. She and Doyle Denbow were married June 11, 1955...

Funeral services for Dr. Harvey T. Miles, Jr. will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Msgr. Richard Rolwing will officiate. Dr. Miles died Nov. 11, 1998 at St. Francis Medical Center, Cape Girardeau, MO. Visitation will be held Friday from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau, MO.He was born December 23, 1914 at Danville, IL, the son of Harvey T. and Eileen Maroney Miles...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Alice Basham, 70, of Karnak died Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998, at Southgate Health Care in Metropolis. She was born Sept. 29, 1928, in Metropolis, daughter of Charles and Myrtle Downey Stone. She married Aaron Basham. Basham had been a nurse aide in area hospitals and nursing homes. She was a member of Karnak Baptist Church...

JACKSON -- Clemens John "Clem" Kirchdoerfer, 76, of Jackson died Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998, at his home. He was born June 11, 1922, at Cape Girardeau, son of George A. and Bertha Hoefler Kirchdoerfer. He and Viola Seyer were married May 7, 1955. Kirchdoerfer had farmed in the Oak Ridge area. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Western Catholic Union...

GLEN ALLEN -- Zola Mae Kirkpatrick, 62, of Glen Allen died Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998, at her home. She was born Oct. 16, 1936, at Bessville, daughter of William "Dink" and Alma Liley Miller. She married Robert Mouser, who died in January 1963. She and Russell Kirkpatrick were married April 16, 1981...

BELL CITY -- Berneda M. Newcomer, 69, of Bell City died Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 11, 1929, at Randles, daughter of Grover William and Bessie Buelah Patterson Menz. She and Davey L. Newcomer were married June 8, 1990...

DEXTER -- Lois Stanfield, 58, of Dexter died Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 25, 1940, in Hartman, Ark., daughter of Robert Ray and Stella Griffin Barber. Stanfield moved to Carrollton in 1983, and returned to Dexter in 1997...

William Cogo, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 12, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.