Stories from Wednesday, December 9, 1998

Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday, Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. City Hall Hearings and Applications -- Request of Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel of Cape Girardeau for a special use permit for an addition to the church and a temporary construction crew camp at 1904 West Cape Rock Dr. in an R-1, single family residential district...

Firefighters from five departments were called out just after noon Tuesday to battle a blaze that destroyed a house south of Cape Girardeau. The two-story house at 4240 Highway 74 was 50 percent involved when the first firefighters arrived, said Gordonville Fire Chief Roger English...

Schnucks customers and associates collected $1,000 in the "Hunger Never Takes a Vacation" promotion that was co-sponsored by the Zimmer Radio Group. From left, Dennis Marchi, store manager, presented the check to Art Hunt, president of the FISH Volunteers, with Terry Hester, Zimmer operations manager. (FRED LYNCH)...

Scott County R-IV Board of Education Thursday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m. Superintendent's office, Benton Agenda -- Approval of financial report and authorization to transfer from Fund 1 to Fund II and Fund I to Fund IV to cover monthly expenditures. New business...

To the editor: Just a few words of thanks to one of your reporters, Jeffrey Jackson, who helped make the Thanksgiving of a 100-year-old gentleman, D.G. Wilson of Wolf Lake, Ill., a pleasant day. D.G. always enjoys going to the Salvation Army with his son who helps deliver meals. D.G. has a problem hearing and doesn't see very well, but he said so many people took time to talk to him...

BUS TOUR When: Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Where: Tours leave from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, 100 Broadway, and last about one hour. Tickets: $1 per person. May be purchased in advance at the CVB office or at the time of the tour. The CVB office will open at 6:15 p.m. for ticket purchases before the tour...

PERRYVILLE -- Construction of the Perry County Multipurpose Center is proceeding on schedule and should open April 1. The $9 million dollar building will include a gymnasium, performing arts center, meeting rooms and a new home for the Perryville branch of Riverside Regional Library...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has been named president of the Lower Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association. Emerson has championed flood control, private property rights and land-use issues since her election to Congress in 1996. Emerson said she would work to strike a balance between land-use and conservation issues...

Church will hold living nativity Members of Mount Auburn Christian Church, 930 N. Mount Auburn Rd., will host a living nativity Friday and Saturday at the church. The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. both days. The church annually hosts the living nativity as a Christmas gift to the community...

JEFFERSON CITY -- With voter approval of amendments 8 and 9 on Nov. 3, Missouri has become one of the nation's most gambling-intensive states, offering a constantly expanding number of gambling opportunities. Missouri's gambling-intensive designation stems from conclusions reached by a special study by the Council of State Governments, which recently sponsored an extensive review of various kinds of gambling sanctioned by voter referendums or state governments, or both...

I KIND of wonder why the college wants to buy the old St. Vincent's Seminary and spend so much money on those old, dilapidated buildings when they've got a place like Academic Hall where you can't even come to a concert and be comfortable. Looks like to me they need to fix the buildings they have before they go investing in something else...

A one-sentence sales seminar: Henry and his family started a community paper in the mid-1970s. They didn't have a lot of cash at the time. And they didn't have the backing of a huge publishing conglomerate. But they did have a dream. And they were determined to work hard...

The transformation of the former St. Vincent's Seminary into a River Campus for visual and performing arts at Southeast Missouri State University is moving closer to reality. It continues to receive strong support in the community as evidenced by a packed house at a community forum recently. All who spoke gave the project an enthusiastic thumbs up...

Southeast Missouri State University has turned off the lights on the recreation fields project after keeping them on 24 hours a day for about a week. Testing of the lights was one of the last tasks in construction of the fields on the southwest corner of Sprigg and Bertling...

Mr. J could also be described as Mr. Practical. Over the years he has learned how to stretch a dollar and how to do without luxuries outside his budget. But as he has aged Mr. J has experienced a string of illnesses. First he had a lung disease followed by heart disease. Now he is losing his hearing and his strength...

Three local photographers have earned international recognition in the 1998 KINSA competition. David Baltzell of Cape Girardeau, Phyllis Brunke of Jackson and Mary Cobb of Scott City each won Special Merit Awards in the judging. Each also received a $50 check from Kodak...

Sports games are critical in the life of 6-year-old Blythe, who loves to play soccer. And he is a big baseball fan, especially of St. Louis Cardinals' home run king Mark McGwire. "But then who isn't?" his mother asks. Blythe would really like some sports equipment, like a new soccer ball or a baseball glove and bat for Christmas. He also likes action figures and soldiers...

A 12-week-old black lab puppy that was fed methamphetamine and physically abused by its former owners has been rescued and is on the way to a complete recovery thanks to efforts of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. The puppy, named Janus, was brought to the shelter last week by a family that had rescued the dog from their neighbors...

Summary: Former Perryville principal visits Cape Girardeau as superintendent finalist. Sometimes teachers and school administrators can get so caught up in day-to-day operations that they forget their real purpose -- educating students. That is the opinion of Dr. Dan Steska, one of two finalists for the superintendent of Cape Girardeau schools. He said he doesn't ever want that to happen...

SUM: A quivering red dot on my garage door shattered in a moment my illusion that I lived in the perfect neighborhood. The Other Half and I were bidding a few friends farewell as they walked to their cars in the calm darkness. They'd come to celebrate our new, very fine rental house, with two cats in the yard -- plus cathedral ceilings and a great location...

SUM: Cape Central finds win column for first time with 67-55 victory. By Bob Miller SIKESTON -- Four points separated Notre Dame and Cape Central last Tuesday in an overtime game, but three seeds separated the rivals last night in the opening round of the Sikeston Tournament...

SUM: Southeast women improve to 6-2 on the season. Southeast Missouri State University's game Tuesday night wasn't a game at all. It was a root canal. "This was like being in a dentist's office all day long," lamented Otahkians coach Ed Arnzen, after Southeast's anemic 81-53 victory over mediocre Division II school Oakland City before 474 fans at the Show Me Center...

JONESBORO, Ark. -- Kahn Cotton is a native of Arkansas but he had never played a collegiate game in his home state. And Arkansas State probably wished Cotton had stayed away from the Convocation Center Tuesday night. Southeast Missouri State University's senior guard hit an unbelievable driving layup with 2.7 seconds left to give the Indians a stunning 76-75 victory in front of 6,433 fans...

For Wed. paper (with St. Vincent group photo, mugs of Scott City's Steven Thomas (ran Oct. 8) and Matt Underwood (ran Nov. 12) Needs one bullet Scott City, St. Vincent haul in state honors SUM: Two schools combine for eight all-state players. By Marty Mishow...

DELTA -- Russ Mothershead's game-high 21 points helped push Kelly to a 79-65 victory over Delta Tuesday night. Kelly, which just won the Oran Tournament this past weekend, improved to 4-0. Kelly's Jim Hulshof added 17 points, and Aaron Johnson and Jason Glastetter contributed 14 and 13, respectively...

Jackson Optimist girls basketball signups Signups for Jackson Optimist girls basketball will be held Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Jackson Middle School. The program is for girls in Grades 3-8 who reside in the Jackson School District. The league is sponsored by the Jackson Noon Optimist and the Jackson Evening Optimist...

Verna Teeters BERNIE -- Funeral for Verna C. Teeters of Bernie will be held at 1 p.m. today at Rainey Funeral Chapel in Bernie. The Rev. Dick Murray will officiate, with burial in Bernie Cemetery. Teeters, 75, died Monday, Dec. 7, 1998, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter...

Raymond Robertson JONESBORO, Ill. -- Raymond Lee Robertson, 66, of Jonesboro died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1998, at Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born May 29, 1932, at Jonesboro, son of Curtis Hugh and Martha Jane Shephard Robertson. He and Anita June Verble were married Oct. 17, 1990, in Jonesboro...

Doug Franklin Sr. CAIRO, Ill. -- Funeral for Doug Franklin Sr. of Cairo will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo. The Rev. Kelly Cox will officiate. Burial will be in Spencer Heights Cemetery at Mounds, with military rites by Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455 of Anna...

James Nigra JACKSON -- James Paul Nigra, 93, of Jackson died Monday, Dec. 7, 1998, at Heritage Gardens in Jackson. He was born Jan. 21, 1905, in Herrin, Ill., son of Frank and Mary Genesio Nigra. He and Marguerite Mortimer were married Dec. 7, 1932, in Marion, Ill...

Lucille Backfisch BENTON -- Lucille Rose Backfisch, 82, of Benton died Monday, Dec. 7, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 20, 1916, at New Hamburg, daughter of Louis and Mary Miederhoff Halter Jr. She and Joseph Lawrence Backfisch were married April 25, 1939, at New Hamburg. He died Oct. 15, 1984...

Maud Ritter ADVANCE -- Maud Ritter, 88, of Advance died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Morgan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Jewel Godwin JACKSON -- Funeral for Jewel Mae Godwin of Milton, Fla., will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Kenneth Truelove will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-6 p.m. today...

John G. Cooksey BENTON -- John G. Cooksey, 90, of Benton and formerly of Sikeston, died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1998, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. He was born Aug. 29, 1908, at Statonville, Tenn., to John Matthew and Daisey Mae Garner Cooksey. He married Maggie Hughes on March 14, 1932, at Savannah, Tenn...

Daughter to Sean Adam Dietrich and Michelle Diane Thomas of Scott City, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:01 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, 1998. Name, Maddisan Elizabeth. Weight, 8 pounds 15 ounces. First child. Ms. Thomas is the daughter of Patricia Thomas and Steven Thomas of Scott City. Dietrich is the son of Denise Reisenbichler of Scott City...

Dennis Hoelting SCOTT CITY -- Dennis Lee Hoelting, 52, of Scott City died Sunday, Dec. 6, 1998, following a lengthy illness. He was born Feb. 27, 1946, in St. Charles, son of Arthur and Mary Hoelting. He married Ruthanne Henry. Hoelting was a machinist at a gear manufacturing company in Scott City. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army...

JACKSON -- The Rev. John Rice and his wife, Pat, follow God's directive "Let there be light" quite literally at Christmas. Their 20,000-bulb lighting display turns their home at 1443 Oak St. into a beacon of good cheer in the city's western reaches...

JACKSON -- Rescue 6, Jackson's new state-of-the-art fire engine, has arrived to provide the city with enhanced firefighting and rescue capabilities. The engine is a $236,000 Ferrara built in Baton Rouge, La., and augmented with $70,000 worth of rescue equipment...

JACKSON -- The Jackson School District expects more than $22.3 million in revenue for the current fiscal year under a revised budget outlined Tuesday night. Dr. Terry Gibbons, the assistant superintendent for finance, explained the district's estimated revenues during the Board of Education meeting. Estimated expenditures will be outlined next month...

Fall brings a bountiful harvest of so many wonderful fruits and vegetables. Apples, pumpkins, persimmons...yes, persimmons. Many of us have never eaten a fresh persimmon, but they are delicious and truly a gift of fall. A reader sent in this recipe using persimmons and I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you try it...

What signals the start of the Christmas season for you? Is it when the decorations go up on Broadway and Main Streets? Or the opening of the Optimist Tree Lot? Or, perhaps, the sound of holiday music drifting through the mall? It could be any of these things, but for me it is that first batch of Christmas cookies warm from the oven...