Stories from Sunday, February 21, 1999

To the editor: I have never taken the time to write a letter or protest or grievance. But after viewing "60 Minutes" on Feb. 14, I felt compelled. I have never witnessed such a display of not only a one-sided view on the part of a journalist, but an outright attempt to deceive and mislead...

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, along with a number of local veterinarians, will offer free spays and neuters Tuesday, Feb. 23, to mark National Spay and Neuter Day. The Humane Society has designated $3,750 for the project. Money comes from forfeited spay and neuter deposits and from Debbie Litzelfelner, a Humane Society volunteer. Litzelfelner received an award last year for her volunteer efforts. She donated the $750 prize toward this project...

Jackson residential growth continues at phenomenal pace. Jackson USA Photo/Bill Zellmer Jackson will be recognized this month in the Missouri Municipal League Magazine as a "town on the move," though the fact that this progressive, fast-growing community is moving forward comes as no surprise to any city official--and probably not to most of its residents...

Rick Boyd's first taste of the Jackson-Cape Girardeau area came as a rival college football player a decade ago. Today Boyd is part of the hometown team. Boyd, who played football at Southwest Baptist University 1989-92, was named new manager of Jackson Wal-Mart Nov. 1...

The city of Jackson authorized a record $21,794,466 worth of commercial and residential construction last year. The bombshell was Wal-Mart, currently erecting a $3.25 million structure along Highway 72. Across the busy highway, Mercantile Bank is putting in a $496,000 branch. (To get a real feeling for the kind of growth that Jackson is experiencing, let's look at 1992, when $7 million worth of construction was authorized.)...

Mary and Chad Meyer have been named co-chairpersons for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's MS Walk scheduled for Sunday, April 11, 1999, in Jackson. The MS Walk is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at Jackson City Park. While raising money is the main purpose for this event, the MS Walk also provides a great opportunity for family, friends and co-workers to get together," Mary said. ...

There will be a wine tasting and buffet benefit for the Rotary Foundation on Monday, Feb. 22, from 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m. at Celebrations Restaurant, 615 Bellevue. Two wine distributors will provide a variety of European and California wines. Nine Missouri wineries will donate their wines for the benefit. For cost information and reservations call Celebrations at 334-8330...

There's nothing terribly wild about the band Wild Blue Country. But like slugger Mark McGwire, they touch all the bases. The U.S. Air Force band performed before an audience of about 700 Saturday night at the Cape Central High School Auditorium. The concert was sponsored by the Southeast Missourian, the Cape Central High School music department and radio station K103...

Robyn Hosp won the grand prize in Style Stop's recent paraffin contest. Hosp's "Children of the World" entry won first place, earning her a half-day "pampering package," worth $71. The pampering includes shampoo, design style, mini-manicure, facial, pedicure, in-chair massage and refreshments...

25 years ago: 1974 Filing Thursday of Cape Girardeau attorney for County Probate Court judge has posed fourth race in November general election; Donald A. Fee, Republican, will oppose Mrs. Paul A. Mueller Jr., Jackson Democrat, for judge's post, unless another Republican files before primary; county Auditor H. Weldon Macke of Gordon also filed for re-election Thursday...

The Friendship Club met Feb. 9 at the Regional Library. Ruth Neschwitz, president opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Wilma Grassheider had the devotion, "It only takes a minute." Becky Heuer gave an interesting program on making angels...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Laura Davis hopes to bring a higher level of awareness to issues which impact the lives of women when she speaks March 4 on the Campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Before her 30th birthday she pioneered nationwide promotional campaigns for clients such as MTV, VH1, Rock the Vote, Ferrari, General Foods, Doritos and MCA records...

Motorists can expect traffic delays on the Mississippi River Bridge this week. Traffic will be reduced to one lane on the Cape Girardeau bridge Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Delays of 10 to 15 minutes can be expected, Missouri Department of Transportation officials said...

Hearings were held this past week on House and Senate bills that seek to close a loophole in the state's liquor laws that permits certain businesses to bypass local liquor laws. Cape Girardeau Police chief Rick Hetzel, joined by Capt. Steve Strong, were in Jefferson City Tuesday to testify on Senate Bill 166 and House Bill 156. ...

A state legislator wants to mandate jail time for all persons convicted of driving while intoxicated -- even for first offenders. State Rep. Mike Schilling, D-Springfield, has introduced such a bill. The proposal was the subject of a hearing this past week in a House committee. ...

The invitations may already be in the mail since it will not take long for the political scientists, historians and capital media pundits among us to schedule the first of what will unquestionably be an outrageous number of seminars on the recent Clinton impeachment trial. ...

The Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope, will serve Meals With Friends this week. Serving time is 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Any individual is welcome to enjoy a hot, nutritious meal at no cost. The following menu will be served: Monday: Spaghetti with meatballs, green beans, garlic sticks, applesauce, pie...

Kenneth C. Werner of Cape Girardeau joined the Horizon Club by naming Southeast Missouri State University in his estate plans. Werner established a $150,000 charitable annuity trust which will be used to endow the Werner Family Scholarship, designated to the general athletic fund...

To the editor: Bill Clinton has gotten yet another pass. The good news is Al Gore will be denied the leg up of being president during the next campaign. The bad news is our Constitution has taken a major hit. Equal justice for all means criminals can now obstruct justice and lie before grand juries with impunity. ...

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson with its 1999 "Spirit of Enterprise" Award for her support of pro-business policies and legislation. "Talk is cheap, but in 1998, Rep. Emerson compiled an excellent pro-business voting record and demonstrated that jobs and economic growth are top priorities," said Thomas J. Donohue, president and chief executive officer of the chamber...

The New York Timex/CBS poll of American teenagers was reported by The New York Times April 30, 1998. The article states, in effect, that our kids aren't all that bad. That's really good news. The article further stated: "But 55 percent agreed that there were times when they had something they wanted to talk to their parents about, but did not."...

Stone to be guest on KRCU Chuck Stone, professor of journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will be guest on KRCU's "Going Public" radio show Sunday. The program will focus on the status of the American media and civil rights...

MILLERSVILLE -- Westview Club of Millersville will hold a beef dinner at the Masonic Hall on Feb. 28. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Proceeds will go to different charities, organizers said. The cost is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children, ages 6 to 12. Children, under 6 years of age, can eat for free...

Curves For Women, a 30-minute fitness and weight loss center in Jackson and Cape Girardeau, will be joining in the "Food For Friends," nationwide food drive to benefit local food banks. During the month of March, members who bring a bag of non-perishable food items exercise three times weekly and lose five pounds and five inches, will be awarded a limited edition Food For Friends tee-shirt...

Most people know "Sugar" better in the form of the movie "Some Like It Hot" and its all-star cast of Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. "Sugar" is a light comedy that includes tap-dancing gangsters, cross-dressing musicians (hardly anything new or old) and plenty of songs...

Concealed weapons work when it comes to reducing violent crime, say proponents of Missouri's "right to carry" referendum. Missouri voters will decide in the April 6 election whether citizens should be allowed to carry concealed weapons. About 300 people attended a National Rifle Association "right to carry" seminar in Cape Girardeau Saturday at the Drury Lodge...

JACKSON -- The state of Missouri's position on paying prisoner medical costs remains a mystery to Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan. The county holds hundreds of state prisoners, or those charged under the state penal code, over the course of a year. The state pays a daily fee for housing those prisoners. The state pays costs of extraditing prisoners from other states. The state pays for food and transportation and even the costs of trials...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A fire in a basement electrical box primarily caused smoke damage to a house on Perryville Road Saturday evening and snarled traffic along the route for a period. The fire occurred at 5:54 p.m. at 1941 Perryville Road. A spokesman for the Cape Girardeau Fire Department said the box shorted out, damaging the electrical panel, the main electrical box and charring floor joists along with causing the smoke damage...

It's been a wonderful and exciting season for both Southeast Missouri State University basketball teams. And Tuesday, the excitement level -- not to mention the intensity -- figures to increase a few notches. That's because the start of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament is just around the corner. And, for the first time ever, both the SEMO men and women will be hosting first-round games...

COLUMBIA -- Both Jackson's Lance Schlick and Cape Central's Matt Strickland lost wrestling rematches on Saturday at the Missouri Class 4A Championships, but it did little to diminish medal-winning performances. Schlick placed second in the 135-pound division, losing to nemesis Jake Hopson of Oakville 15-9 for the third time in two weeks. Schlick finished the season 35-3, with all three losses to Hopson (42-1)...

Amid these circumstances, a pair of 3-2 games doesn't seem so atypical. Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team, playing with the new NCAA-mandated, powered-down bats and under occasional snow flurries, split its season-opening doubleheader against Creighton Saturday before 515 at Capaha Field...

All in all, Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team couldn't have picked a better way to enter the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The Indians used a big second half to rout Eastern Illinois 92-70 Saturday night in front of 6,434 fans at the Show Me Center...

There's something about Eastern Illinois that brings out the comeback mode in Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team. For the second time this season, the Otahkians erased a double-digit second-half deficit to defeat the Panthers...

Consider, if you will, the following nonsense otherwise known as "As the Class 4A, District 1 World Turns": Sikeston's boys beat Jackson pretty easily, but Jackson splits its season games with Cape Central, which beats Sikeston on its home court. Cape Central, which at one point or another was seeded behind Jackson, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff in early-season tournaments, ends up beating all three district foes, but loses to Farmington, which is considered to be the weakest of all of the five schools in the district, even though it flaunts a 19-5 record, the best in the tournament. ...

The Jackson High School Symphonic Band and Freshman Band will be performing in concert Monday night, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m., in the old high school gymnasium. The Freshman Band will perform four varied selections which include Theme from Robin Hood, Into the Storm, Roughriders' March and a medley of old standard tunes, including Peg of my Heart and Twelfth Street Rag...

CHARLESTON, Ill -- The Southeast Missouri State University women's track team, the two time defending OVC champions, were displaced by Eastern Kentucky Saturday at the 1999 OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships. Southeast's women took second place with 85 points, well behind the 109.5 total by the Lady Colonels. ...

Notre Dame's Zach Miller scored 17 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Bulldogs routed Sedalia-Sacred Heart 79-50 in the Catholic Classic hosted by Notre Dame. The Bulldogs (10-12) scored 22 points in each of the first two quarters and led 44-18 after the first half...

Southeast Missouri State University's gymnastics team faces a tough challenge today as they take on the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois. The triangular meet at Houck Field House is set to begin at 2 p.m. Southeast, with a 7-2 record, is ranked 41st in the nation and eighth in the Central Region. The Otahkians defeated Missouri earlier 192.75 to 191.65 earlier this season at the Shakespeare's Festival in Columbia...

Have you ever seen an old outer space movie? Some of the aliens depicted in some of these old films look just like some aquatic insects found in streams. I bet there are a lot of people that don't realize that certain insects that they see flying around (such as dragonflies or mayflies) spent most of their lives as a nymph or larva in a nearby lake or stream...

On March 18, 23, and 25, 1999, the Missouri Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Conservation Service will host three pond management workshops. The first workshop will be held at the Conservation Department office in North County Park in Cape Girardeau, the second workshop will be held at the American Legion in Benton, and the third workshop will be held at the University Outreach and Extension office in Ste. Genevieve. All workshops will run from 7:00 until 9:30 p.m...

The McDowell Capahas will hold their annual auction March 6 at the Show Me Center. Over 100 items will be up for bid. Admission is free. Doors open at 8 a.m. for viewing of auction items. The auction begins at 9. For more information, contact Jess or Mary Bolen at 335-6644...

Southeast Discount Golf will hold a series of beginning golf lessons in March. Led by head golf professional Gary Squires, the staff will conduct lessons on March 6, 13, 20, 27. The lessons will last two hours each session in groups of 10 or less. The $50 fee includes all four lessons, balls, clubs and fitting...

The 3rd annual St. Pats Racquetfest Racquetball and Tennis Tournament will be held March 13-14 at Universal Health & Fitness Center. Five men's singles racquetball divisions will be available and two doubles divisions. Five women's singles divisions will be held and one doubles...

Tickets for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament basketball games in Nashville, Tenn., are now on sale in Cape Girardeau. Tickets can be purchased Monday and Tuesday at the Houck Ticket Office and during and after Tuesday night's first-round tournament games at the Show Me Center...

Rick Attig, track coach at the University of Kansas, will conduct a speed development clinic Feb. 28 at the Southeast Missouri State University Student Recreation Center. The clinic, intended for athletes ages 12 and older as well as coaches and parents, will run from 8 a.m. until approximately 8:30 p.m. It will include lectures, video analysis and drill sessions...

CHARLESTON -- Thomas J. "Juby" Neal, 73, of Charleston died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at the Charleston Manor. He was born Aug. 27, 1925, in Morehouse, son of Matthew and Elsie Bailey Neal. They preceded him in death. He married Jo Elma Carter on Nov. 1, 1997. She survives...

PUXICO -- James Dew Jr., 45, of Puxico died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at Osceola, Ark. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Puxico...

ANNA, Ill. -- Juanita Hindman, 83, of Byron, Ill., and formerly of Anna and Salem, Mo., died Friday, Feb. 19, 1999, at Rochelle Hospital in Rochelle. She was born Aug. 16, 1915, at Carterville, daughter of Alfas Cratis and Anne Wallace Cagle. She married Rupert Hindman, who died in 1967...

LEOPOLD -- Rubena Bollinger Lukefahr, 87, of Leopold died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born on Dec. 25, 1911, in Bollinger County, daughter of Daniel and Delphina McGraw Friese. She was a machine operator for International Shoe Co. in Jackson for 30 years. She retired in 1960...

MORLEY -- Lester O. Mayfield, 89, of Morley died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. He was born Oct. 7, 1909, in Marble Hill, son of John Franklin and Nannie Mayfield Mayfield. He married Bessie Ellen Purdy on Oct. 25, 1935. She died April 7, 1982. He married Irene Matthews Nov. 2, 1984. She survives...

Evelyn Lewis Webber, 92, of 1800 William died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born on Aug. 2, 1906, at Zadock, daughter of Guild C. and Elmina Lewis. She married John K. Webber on Aug. 19, 1945, at Cape Girardeau. She was a member of the First Church of God in Cape Girardeau and St. Marks Chapter 167 of the Order of the Eastern Star...

Daughter to Rick and Sherry Horrell of Millersville, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 2:50 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, 1999. Name, Clara Elaine. Weight, 8 pounds 2 ounces. Third child, first daughter. Mrs. Horrell is the former Sherry Muench, daughter of Bob and Darlene Muench of St. Charles. Horrell is the son of Paul and Rosemary Horrell of Kelso. He is a self-employed investment representative...

Jesse Lewis, who was born in Risco and grew up in Bloomfield, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 1999, at his home in St. Louis. He was 74. He was born July 18, 1924, son of Perry and Ethel Ashley Lewis. He married Beverly Stewart in St. Louis on April 23, 1954. She survives...

Everybody wants a piece of the pie. Pizza has become such a large part of American culture that many families have dedicated at least one night a week as "pizza night." According to a government survey, Americans eat out twice as often as they did in the late 1970s. The proportion of meals eaten away from home has gone from 16 percent in 1977-78 to 29 percent in 1995 -- an upward trend that will likely continue, the government said...

The Cape Girardeau Lions Club will hold its 61st annual Pancake Day at the A.C. Brase Arena Building on Wednesday, March 10. Pancakes and sausage will be served from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.. The price for pancake tickets remains $2 with all proceeds going to charity. Anyone donating a pair of eyeglasses to help support the Lions Club sight program will receive a free pancake ticket...