Stories from Tuesday, February 9, 1999

Well, it's almost Valentine's Day -- again. A day for love and romance even online. Joni: It's hard for me or my husband to forget Valentine's Day because it's our anniversary, 19 years this Feb. 14. But in a way I think I get gypped. It's kind of like having your birthday on Christmas...

THIS GOES out to the person who has nothing better to do than gripe about kids hanging out in parking lots. Where would you like them to go? There aren't too many choices. Leave the kids alone and let them have some fun. THE HOUSE Republicans have given the Democratic senators every opportunity under the sun to do what is right. ...

Fourth-grader Shelbie Turner knows the importance of listening. How else can you follow your teacher's instructions in class? Turner says it is important to listen "so you know what you are doing." She and her classmates in Helen Lindy's fourth-grade class at May Greene Elementary School received a lesson on listening last week from Esther Rehbein...

Leasa Eudy, a first-year kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary School, uses a variety of methods to express her love of reading to her students. "I love books and reading, and I really try to emphasize it in class," said Eudy, whose mother also teaches a kindergarten class in Cape Girardeau schools...

An effort is under way to form a not-for-profit corporation to finance and carry out improvements to the U.S. 61-Interstate 55 interchange between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Involved in the movement is developer James Drury, who plans to develop the commercial area around the interchange, and Cape Girardeau County and city and Jackson governments...

The number 100 will get top billing today among new counters in Cape Girardeau public schools. Kindergarten and first grade classes throughout the school district will celebrate the 100th day of school today with games, activities and food. Clippard Elementary School also will sponsor an evening event for its students and their parents to commemorate the special day...

Cape Girardeau proposes to spend $75.5 million on capital improvements over the next five years, with $40.6 million being spent in the first year. City staff unveiled a draft of the latest version of the capital improvements program during a City Council study session Monday...

What is happening to the U.S., Missouri and area economy? -- Labor markets continue to be tight. -- Retailers and financial, real-estate and construction companies all report job gains. -- Retail sales are up. -- The conditions of two key gauges of the nation's economic health -- employment and inflation -- are good...

State Rep. David Schwab wants Missouri to establish a state commission on Indian affairs and has introduced a bill that would set up an 11-member commission within the state's Economic Development Department. The commission would help secure state recognition for American Indian tribes and work with them to gain federal recognition...

"In a cat's eyes all things belong to a cat." --English saying I cleaned up the basement Sunday only to find that I'd created more places for my cats to hide. They scampered about, jumping on boxes and checking out furniture that had been moved around. Basements are full of hiding places, and when you are a cat, hiding places are of utmost importance...

Researchers with Southeast Missouri State University's Bootheel Initiative have formed a research consortium to survey individual and family needs and issues in the Bootheel counties of Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott and Stoddard...

Police said Monday that foul play apparently wasn't involved in the death of a 42-year-old Cape Girardeau man at an apartment complex. Vernon Collins, 42, of 45 S. West End Blvd. died Friday after what appears to have been a fall from the apartment complex in which he lived. Collins lived on the fourth floor of the complex, and his body was discovered on the parking lot directly in line with the front door of his apartment...

To the editor: Now the death penalty has become a hot topic since Gov. Mel Carnahan decided to commute the sentence of the death-row inmate following a direct appeal by Pope John Paul II. I can understand that those who support the death penalty are upset, because I used to support the death penalty. Im not bothered that some people are upset by the pope's request or the governor's decision. But I am greatly disturbed at some of the flawed logic from which their disagreements are voiced...

When legislation was passed by the Missouri General Assembly in 1993 to deregulate the workers' compensation insurance industry, there were widespread calls for reform but some lingering doubts about how the new law would work in the marketplace. Workers' compensation provides coverage for workers who are injured on the job. Missouri businesses are required to carry this coverage, and for many years prior to 1993, the premiums -- set by the Department of Insurance -- had been skyrocketing...

To the editor: I enjoyed your Feb. 3 article about awesome illusionist David Copperfield's coming Show Me Center performance April 7. As readers of the story are aware, Copperfield for some reason used his magical powers to make the Southeast Missourian report in a previous article that he was coming April 9 instead of April 7. ...

U.S. policy regarding Iraq has been a puzzlement, to say the least. The oil-rich country under the control of Saddam Hussein continues to thumb its nose at the United States. The result: The United States is no closer than ever to a resolution of the unstable situation in Iraq, and most Iraqis are suffering the consequences of U.N. sanctions while Saddam and his cronies live the high life...

To the editor: Now that it has been demonstrated through party-line votes on crucial procedural questions that I have a better chance of being elected pope than President Clinton has of being ousted, does anyone actually think the House impeachment managers intend to accomplish anything with taped depositions of the three allowed witnesses, Lewinsky, Jordan and Blumenthal, other than to bring out, in the manner of those who purvey erotica in adult bookshops, other salacious details of the president's dalliance? I am here to tell you that despite all of President Clinton's vaunted licentiousness, to which I stipulate and which I reprehend, there is still nothing quite equal to a group of social conservatives on moral high horses in the way of taking the most sublime delight at seeing phrases like "oral sex" in print or at uttering them so that their pleasure at letting these phrases roll luxuriously off their tongues can almost be cut with a knife. ...

It wasn't quite that extreme, but Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team received something of a pardon Saturday night. Now the Indians hope to take full advantage of it. As Southeast was being upset 68-62 by visiting Tennessee Tech Saturday night, most people -- including the Indians -- must have felt like the Tribe's Ohio Valley Conference championship hopes were slipping away...

JACKSON -- Jackson, ranked No. 1 in Missouri Class 4A, disposed of SEMO Conference adversary Sikeston in commanding fashion Monday night. The Lady Indians' 55-15 victory improved their record to 16-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play. Jackson held an 18-4 bulge in the first quarter and stretched its lead to 30-8 by halftime...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's track and field team turned in another strong performance over the weekend as the Otahkians placed second out of 10 squads in the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Ind. The Otahkians scored 85 points as they finished well behind host Indiana, which had 155 points...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Verlie Ray Brown, 86, of Mounds died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 22, 1912, in Alexander County, son of Ode and Emma Snell Brown. He was a psychiatric technician at the Alton State Hospital before his retirement...

ANNA, Ill. -- Edna Lodema Spurlock, 83, of Anna died Saturday, Feb. 6, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born May 12, 1915, in Elco, Ill., daughter of William Richard and Mary Elizabeth West Harvel. She and Floyd "Frosty" Spurlock were married Nov. 11, 1939, in Jackson. He died Aug. 17, 1991...

BLOOMFIELD -- Samuel Jesse Perry, 97, of Bloomfield died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter. He was born Feb. 8, 1901, at Avert, son of William L. and Mary Aslin Perry. He and Willena Evelyn Sorrell were married Sept. 19, 1930. He died Sept. 28, 1987...

CHAFFEE -- Elsie L. Willett, 88, of Grand Blanc, Mich., died Saturday, Feb. 6, 1999, at her home. She was born Sept. 28, 1910, at Poplar Bluff, daughter of Samuel and Deeley Gulley Wells. She first married William H. Phegley in 1926. He preceded her in death. She later married Bernard Willett, who also preceded her in death...

Harvey Lee Houck, 81, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born June 30, 1917, at Randles, son of William Henry and Minnie Porter Houck. He and Bertha Maurine Keesee were married Oct. 3, 1936, at Fornfelt...

ADVANCE -- Funeral for Lucille Geile of Lake Station, Ind., will be held at 11 a.m. today at Morgan Funeral Home. The Rev. Larry Greenfield will officiate. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery at Perryville. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9:30 a.m. until service time...

Funeral for Michael Lee Floyd of Southaven, Miss., was held Monday at Forest Hill South Chapel in Memphis, Tenn. Burial was in Forest Hill South Cemetery. Floyd, 52, died Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999, in the Emergency Room at Baptist Desoto Hospital. He was born in 1947 in Cape Girardeau, son of Wilbur and Lorene Floyd...

GRASSY -- James T. Robbins, 67, of Grassy died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 18, 1931, at Grassy, son of Jasper and Iva James Robbins. He and Charlotte E. Cutsinger were married Aug. 4, 1959...

JACKSON -- Viola Randol, 81, of Jackson died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Heritage Gardens in Jackson. Friends may call at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church...

CHARLESTON -- Merle Annalee Pace, 72, of Advance, formerly of Charleston, died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 26, 1926, in Peace Valley, daughter of Clark E. and Cora Broyles Spiller. She and Clarence Pace were married April 3, 1946. He died Jan. 26, 1995...

Mrs. Minnie E. Schuette beloved wife of Mr. Ernest Schuette of Jackson passed away Sunday, February 8, 1999 in the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau at the age of 90. She was born Oct. 29, 1908 at Scopus, Mo., the daughter of William E. and Eliza Barrett Conder...

Audrey Stuart, the daughter of the late Overton Alexander and Orpha Leora Carter Caldwell, was born in Stoddard County, MO March 9, 1932, and passed away at the Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff, MO on Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at the age of 66 years, 10 months and 29 days...

PERRYVILLE -- Earlene L. Prost, 81, of Perryville died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born June 29, 1917, at Perryville, daughter of Andrew M. and Louise Pannier Emmendorfer. She and Harvey J. Prost were married June 7, 1940, at Perryville. He died Aug. 7, 1991...

Magdaleno S. Ramos, 71, of Acambaro, Guanajuato, Mexico, died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born April 22, 1928, in San Pablo Pejo, Guanajuato, Mexico, son of Juan and Trinidad Sanchez Ramos. He married Soledad Hernandez March 5, 1950, in Iramuco, Guanajuato, Mexico...

DEXTER -- Ward G. Wilfong, 83, of Dexter died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 1, 1916, at Leora, son of Vader and Hazel Raney Wilfong. He married Norma L. Looney at Clayton May 26, 1941. She died Aug. 30, 1996...

DEXTER -- Walter Byron Beard, 57, of Dexter died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Better known as "Butch," Beard was born June 26, 1941, in Dexter, son of Walter and Virginia Beard Temples. He married Rebecca "Becky" Crews in Dexter on April 8, 1981. She survives...

ADVANCE -- Elsie E. Rhodes, 88, of Advance died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at Beverly Health and Rehab Center in Bloomfield. She was born Dec. 6, 1910, at Swinton, daughter of Richard and Addie Caldwell Sheldon. She and Cecil "Shug" Rhodes were married Sept. 10, 1927, at Bloomfield. He died March 5, 1985...

CHARLESTON -- Betty Lee Powell, 68, of Charleston died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Nov. 28, 1930, at Charleston, daughter of Leland and Willie Mae Baker Griffin. She and William Carman Powell were married Dec. 15, 1945. He died July 9, 1982...

PERRYVILLE -- Mary Myrtle Vessells, 96, of Perryville died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at Perry Oaks Healthcare Center. She was born Dec. 8, 1902, in Perry County, daughter of Marcellus and Rosella Tucker Moore. She and Leo Benjamin Vessells were married March 4, 1924, at Brewer. He died Feb. 22, 1973...

The following students have been named to the Dean's Lists at their college or university for the fall semester. Six area students were included on the Dean's List at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Honorees were Donna Lynn, daughter of Donald and Katherine Lynn of Benton; Amber Burroughs, daughter of Ilmer and Connie Burroughs of Frohna; Jason Enders, son of Mike and Judy Enders of Jackson; Ryan Mattes, son of Wayne and Kathy Mattes of Cape Girardeau; and Brenda Thompson, daughter of Glen and Linda Thompson of Jackson.. ...

JACKSON -- Fred Henry Stockton Jr., 67, of Jackson died Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at his home. He was born April 12, 1931, in Port Lavaca, Texas, son of Fred Henry and Lila Mirl Neal Stockton. He and Joyce Petzoldt were married Aug. 29, 1993. Stockton was maintenance manager at Lee-Rowan Co. He served in the U.S. Navy 20 years, and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars...

The Mississippi River is expected to reach flood stage today at Cape Girardeau, a relatively unusual phenomenon in February. The river was at 31.2 feet at Cape Girardeau Monday and was forecast to reach 33.2 feet today. Flood stage here is 32 feet. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Cape Girardeau and Thebes, Ill., Monday...

SIKESTON -- Wanda L. McDowell, 62, of Sikeston died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Dec. 17, 1936, at Morehouse, daughter of John Sylvester and Esther Strobel Kinder. She and Frank J. McDowell were married April 12, 1952, in Piggott, Ark...

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999, 7:30 p.m. Jackson Board of Education Office Action Items: -- Missouri School Boards Association presentation. -- Recognition of Esther Gray's service to Jackson School District. -- Executive Session Employment, personnel evaluation and real estate. Authority is Section 610.021, Para. 2, 3 and 13, Revised Statutes of Missouri, as amended...