Stories from Friday, January 8, 1999

To the editor: The tobacco settlement for Missouri has generated much publicity and comment as to how the dollars should be spent. Considering that Missouri is ranked second in adult smoking (Kentucky is higher) and that Missouri youth smoking exceeds the national average by approximately 5 percent, it would make sense that a significant portion of the settlement money be allocated towards prevention...

One of the major hurdles to ending the 27-year-old school desegregation lawsuit in St. Louis appears to have been cleared. The various parties involved announced Thursday they have reached a settlement after months of negotiations. The plan still must get the OK of all the school districts involved and the U.S. district judge, Cape Girardeau native Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr, who now presides over the complex case...

Never underestimate newspaper readers who have strong opinions. In recent months, Speak Out comments and letters to the editor have been unflinching on a variety of topics. Gun control, global warming and the origins of religious holiday customs are just a few of the interesting areas that have been explored by callers and writers...

I'M CALLING in response to the editorial about superintendent openings mirroring trends. As a public school teacher, I feel the editorial is definitely on target with respect to these issues facing education and is to be commended for stating succinctly what these issues are and how they can be remedied. Keep up the good work...

The Cape Girardeau Police Department and Chamber of Commerce will launch a new effort this month to diminish the impact of crime on businesses. The Business Protection Program kicks off Jan. 28 with a four-hour seminar conducted by police officers on what businesses can do to prevent crime losses. The meeting will be held at Drury Lodge...

To the likely relief of affected residents, an improved Perryville Road opened to traffic Thursday, 18 days behind schedule. Work on the $1.7 million project began in February. Portions of the road remained closed for much of 1998, forcing nearby residents to use alternative and often inconvenient routes...

TAMMS, Ill. -- A lawsuit in behalf of four inmates will allege "cruel conditions" and "restrictive movements" by prisoners at Tamms Correctional Center. The suit was anticipated even before the first brick was put in place at the new super-maximum security prison...

Concerned that a planned merger between Cape Girardeau's only two hospitals would harm competition in the local health-care market, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon announced his opposition to the proposal Thursday afternoon. Officials at St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital were disappointed by the decision. ...

The impeachment trial of President Clinton in the Senate shouldn't distract House members from their legislative duties, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said Thursday. Both Republicans and Democrats in the House want to put impeachment behind them and move forward with the nation's business, the Cape Girardeau Republican said...

The Area Wide United Way surpassed its 1998 campaign goal by nearly $66,000, raising $690,887 to support local service agencies. "We'd have been proud to say we made goal, but look at this," said Edythe Davis, campaign chairman, as the total was unveiled at a victory party Thursday night...

The old meets the new today when nontraditional Girl Scouts join their conventional counterparts to kick off the group's annual cookie sales event. The Otahki Girl Scout Council will begin taking orders for Girl Scout cookies at 3 p.m. Cookies again will sell for $2.50 per box...

Some columns write themselves, but others take more energy than training a bunch of cats to look like they care. It has been almost a month since my last column, so let me get a few things out of the way pronto: First, whaddya mean we don't get every Friday off?...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- It's just not supposed to be this easy to win league games on the road. But Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team is sure making it look that way. The Indians picked up their third straight convincing road victory over a top Ohio Valley Conference contender Thursday night when they knocked off Middle Tennessee State 73-63 in front of 4,237 fans at the Murphy Center...

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team had quite a comeback Thursday night. But, because of a horrible start, all the Otahkians had to show for their rally was an 82-75 Ohio Valley Conference loss to host Middle Tennessee State...

The fourth annual Tiger Shootout, which is hosted by Cape Central High School, figures to be as unpredictable as the recent weather. There are no seeds. There are no obvious mismatches. And there are few, if any, scouting reports. That's because the Shootout is geared toward uniting teams from Southeast Missouri -- Cape Central, Jackson and Notre Dame -- with teams they would not normally play...

BENTON -- Kelly's Bridgette Riley scored 13 of her 17 points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Hawks rolled to a convincing 52-34 win over visiting Oran Thursday night. Marrissa Essner scored a team-high 19 points for Kelly, while Oran's Sara Heisserer scored a game-high 23 points for the Lady Eagles. Only three Oran players scored...

Mr. Edward G. Robinson of Perryville passed away on Thursday, January 7, 1999, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was 95 years old. He was born October 16, 1903, at Perryville, the son of the late Sophia (Schremp) and Andrew Robinson. He married Mary A. (Buchheit) Robinson on November 15, 1932. They were married for 66 years...

THEBES, Ill. -- Funeral for Nota Sutton of Thebes will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms. The Rev. Carl D. Fisher will officiate, with burial in Rose Hill Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today, and Saturday until service time...

Raymond G. Boren, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at his home. He was born Nov. 6, 1918, in Cape Girardeau, son of Amos George and Hilda Schoenberg Boren. Boren was a conductor with Cotton Belt Railroad 42 years, retiring in 1984. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church...

Modena Drennan, 58, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Feb. 14, 1940, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Rusby V. and Clara A. Hartle Cook. She and Eugene Drennan were married May 28, 1960, in Cape Girardeau...

Funeral for Christine Allison Zimmerman of Cape Girardeau will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Cy Smith will officiate, with burial in Fairmount Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel Saturday from 11 a.m. until service time...

JACKSON -- Gladys Leana Surface, 80, of St. Charles died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 12, 1918, daughter of Lewis O. and Esther Seabaugh Bowers. She and Marvin Surface were married Dec. 24, 1937. He died April 9, 1987...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral for Theon Frank "Mouse" Schaefer of Scott City will be held at 10 a.m. today at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate, with burial in Lightner Memorial Cemetery. Schaefer, 77, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Vernon Miller of Anna will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home. The Rev. Joe Aldridge will officiate. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery with graveside rites by Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455 of Anna...

SIKESTON -- Ona M. Kennedy, 87, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born Nov. 7, 1911, at Point Pleasant, daughter of Claude and Eula Smith Spence. Kennedy had been a cook at Charcoal House Restaurant. She was a member of Temple Baptist Church...

Sister Augusta Catherine Georger, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born July 17, 1916, at Kelso, daughter of Charles and Louise Schoen Georger. Georger received a degree in teaching from Southeast Missouri State University. She entered the Wheaton Franciscan Community in 1946...

An old foe is making a comeback. Definite signs of a new and potentially very dangerous epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) have already appeared. TB is a chronic, recurrent infection most common in the lungs, but any organ or tissue may be affected. Once an infection is established, signs and symptoms may develop within months or it may be delayed for years or even decades. ...

BERNIE -- Helen Inez Ashby, 87, of Bernie died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at Vintage Villa Nursing Center in Dexter. She was born Nov. 6, 1911, at Bernie, daughter of John and Emma Jane Palmer McNece. She and Charles Everett Ashby were married Feb. 17, 1930, at Bloomfield. He died Oct. 31, 1998...

SIKESTON -- Graveside service for Terrin Diane Adams will be held at 10 a.m. today at Essex Cemetery in Essex. Elder Cecil Adams will officiate. Friends may call at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home at Morehouse after 9 a.m. The infant died after birth Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Suzanne Stewart, 45, of Carbondale died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999, in an automobile accident near Fairview Heights. She was born May 29, 1953, in Anna, daughter of Lloyd and Lucille Foster Choate. Stewart had been a registered nurse at Choate Mental Health Center 21 years. She was a member of Wolf Lake Methodist Church...

CHARLESTON -- Lucille Edwards, 94, of Cairo, Ill., died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at Hunter Acres Caring Center in Sikeston. She was born March 7, 1904, in LaForge. She was a member of Morning Star Free Will Baptist Church in Cairo. Survivors include a niece, Mary Foster of New Madrid; three nephews, Lloyd Wade of Charleston, Henry Wade of Kansas City, and Vernell Wade of Rochester, N.Y...

Son to Anthony Joseph and Julie Suzanne Thompkins of St. Louis, Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis, 7:44 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, 1998. Name, Micah David. Weight, 8 pounds 13 ounces. First child. Mrs. Thompkins is the former Julie Logan, daughter of Bill and Linda Logan of Cape Girardeau. Mr. and Mrs. Thompkins are employed at New City Fellowship Church in University City. He is the son of Connie Thompkins and Fred Thompkins of Kansas City...