Stories from Sunday, January 10, 1999

To the editor: The Dec. 29 Southeast Missourian carried a front-page article concerning a federal judge's ruling on the free-speech rights of an area high school student. The Woodland School District had suspended Brandon Beussink for posting a personal Web page which was critical of the school. ...

In 22 months, we will hold the election of 2000. That simple fact of the political calendar will color every decision taken in Congress and the White House over that period. This is true for several reasons, not least that to some extent this is always the case in a constitutional republic. ...

So Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft won't seek the Republican nomination for the presidency after all. In making this announcement last week, Ashcroft really did just about the only thing he could do. To say that isn't in any way to demean our state's junior senator, who has been extremely well received nationally over the last 18 months. ...

Happy New Year! As we start a new year it would seem to be a good time to reflect on some of our 1998 projects in the city of Jackson. It was an extremely busy and productive year as many projects were completed and others are still under way. It would be hard to list every improvement so I will just mention several that benefit all the citizens of Jackson...

Although it was not his intent, the recent announcement by Missouri Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson that he was accepting part-time employment provided a much needed wake-up call for many of the state's citizens. It would not be stretching the truth too much to suggest that many Missourians, upon reading the announcement, may have boldly proclaimed that Wilson's career move was illegal, unconstitutional or even unethical. ...

I am not one who often complains about the winter weather. I love snow, usually the more the better. One of my earliest and fondest memories is of a snow party, complete with ice skating, sled riding and bonfires held on a friend's farm in northern Scott County when I must have been in kindergarten...

25 years ago: 1973 Fire of uncertain origin swept through house here early Saturday claiming life of Jackson barber Milford W. Meyer; Meyer, 62, died of smoke inhalation apparently while attempting to make his way out of house in which he lived alone and operated one-chair barber shop at 302 East Washington...

To improve the quality of service to campers in state parks, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has implemented changes to its campground reservation system. For the 1999 camping season, the two major changes will be that reservations can now be made any time throughout the year, up to three months prior to arrival. In addition, credit cards can now be used for payment. Both changes took effect Jan. 4...

Two members of the Southeast Missouri Hospital Board of Trustees Executive Committee expressed disappointment following the decision by St. Francis Medical Center's leadership to withdraw from merger talks. "The only thing I can say right now is that I'm disappointed," said Rob Erlbacher, executive committee president...

A three-year, $230,000 renovation of the A.C. Brase Arena Building is slated to begin sometime early this year. It will be the first major overhaul of the 59-year-old structure since the mid-1980s. "When you've got a building that old, it takes constant maintenance to keep it going," said Dan Muser, director of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. "Plus, it continuously gets a lot of use. That amounts to a lot of wear and tear."...

With nine days left before the filing deadline, only three people have announced their candidacy for the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. The Rev. William Bird, Gary L. McIntyre and Andrew Ostrowski are seeking positions on the school board. Voters will select candidates to serve three, three-year terms on the school board during the election April 6...

Southeast Missouri would rank only behind the St. Louis and Kansas City urban areas in state road and bridge funding under the Missouri Department of Transportation's five-year highway plan. Southeast Missouri is slated to receive more money for road and bridge projects than any other rural area of the state over the next five years, according to MoDOT...

Don't look now, but scientists have concluded that women's brains are like Swiss Army knives while men's operate with only one blade. As it turns out, women have larger computer cables in their heads, which allows them to cook dinner and talk on the phone at the same time...

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians have had all kinds of problems playing at Tennessee Tech over the years. But in this season of huge road victories for Southeast, not even the unfriendly confines of the Eblen Center could slow down the rampaging Indians...

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Facing a road trip to play two of the Ohio Valley Conference's top teams, Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen knew it would be quite a challenge for the Otahkians to remain in first place for very long...

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The jury is still out on whether or not Bud Eley has a future in the National Basketball Association. But there's no doubt the stock of Southeast Missouri State University's senior center is rising in a hurry. And there is also no doubt that Eley is one of the real feel-good stories in all of college basketball...

MAUI, Hawaii -- The Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team opened it season with a 188.850-184.375 loss to West Virginia in the Maui Classic Gymnastics meet Friday night. Ironically, Malia Roberts -- a Hawaii native -- had the best outing for Southeast. Another Southeast gymnast, Melanie Krehl, is also from Hawaii. She competed in her first meet as an Otahkian in front of a "home" crowd...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting its second annual Osage Invitational Co-ed Volleyball Tournament on Sunday, Feb. 7. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3 The event will be a 6-on-6 format and there must be three males and three females on the court at all times...

A quick gray form jumps off the fence, races across the lawn and scampers up a tree. Your bird feeder is raided repeatedly by a furry, four-footed bandit. Loud chattering comes from above you in your yard, you look up and see a little animal sitting upright on a branch with a large bushy tail. Ok, you guessed it! It's a squirrel...

OAK RIDGE -- Robert Lee Newell, 92, died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Chaffee Nursing Home. He was born Oct. 15, 1906, at Grassy to Daniel and Lucy Quinn Newell. He married Grace Bowers Oct. 17, 1946. She died March 3, 1996. He made his living in timber and saw milling and later worked at the former IXL Handle factory in Jackson. He retired in 1968...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Marie Davie, 81, of Jonesboro died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 2, 1917, in Union County to Daniel and Victoria Kohrman Davie. She had been a member of Ware United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church of Jonesboro. She was a member of St. John's Homemakers Unit and the Anna-Jonesboro Women's Club...

WATERLOO, Ill. -- Ethel M. Belt, 92, of Waterloo, and formerly of Blodgett, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 9, 1999, at the Monroe County Care and Rehab Center. She was born on April 23, 1906, at Diehlstadt, Mo., to Thomas Burton and Maud Agnes Priester Faulkner...

James "Jim" McClard, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born July 20, 1921, at Jackson to Samuel F. and Alma Franck McClard. His foster parents were Frank Proffer, Eugie Freeman and Arnie Proffer, all of Burfordsville...

Lawrence Reddic, 44, died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Heartland Care and Rehab in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Lorberg Funeral Home.

Jesse William McLain, 80, passed away on Wednesday, January 6, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was the longtime city fire marshal. He was born on Jan. 28, 1918 in Oriole, the son of Burnis Monroe and Myrtle May (Comer) McLain. He married Velma Thompson on Aug. 24, 1940 in Benton, Mo. She passed away on Dec. 23, 1980...

Marion F. Strickland, 79, of Florissant died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at his home. He was born Oct. 8, 1919, in Mississippi County, son of Van and Willie Carmen Strickland. He married Hazel Shelby on Nov. 21, 1942. She survives. He had been retired since 1977 and was a member of the Parker Road Baptist Church in Florissant...

GOLCONDA, Ill. -- Ronnie R. Clark, 58, of Golconda died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. He was born July 13, 1940, in Illmo. He married Helen Pilger. She survives. He was employed by Lowes in Paducah. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a Baptist...

CHAFFEE -- Debbie Ann Landeros Taylor, 46, of Chaffee died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999. She was born July 2, 1952, daughter of John and Marilyn Davis Dohogne Jr. She married Manuel Landeros Jr. Oct. 17, 1970. He preceded her in death Aug. 21, 1983. She was a homemaker and a member of the St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Daughters of St. Ambrose and the SEMO Chapter HOG Club...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Sara Lee Trexler of Paducah and formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Saturday, Jan. 9, 1999, at the home of her daughter in Paducah. She was 86. She was born Jan. 28, 1912, in Carryville, Ark., daughter of Andrew and Lovie Toombs Vancil. She married Lowell Earl Trexler. He died 1972...

The Cape Girardeau Public Library begins its annual winter reading program "Discover the Reading Rainforest" with registration starting Monday. The program runs for 10 weeks and ends March 20. Children from birth to age 18 may participate. Throughout the 10 weeks of the program, children will earn prizes as they read library books on their own or have library books read to them...