Stories from Friday, March 12, 1999

Fifty years ago this month, President Truman took offense at something Drew Pearson, a well-known syndicated columnist, wrote. The president was so irate he called Pearson an "S.O.B" in public. The national outcry at the president's use of what was widely considered to be inappropriate language was swift. ...

Many parents in the city of Cape Girardeau are concerned about the proposed school boundaries for next year. As parents of children currently enrolled in Franklin Elementary School, we would like to raise a few issues and ask a few questions. The map with the proposed elementary school boundaries, printed in the newspaper Feb. ...

Sometimes kids, like their parents, don't choose the correct tense for their verbs. But what's worse, but endearingly cute, is when they butcher their incorrectly chosen words. For example, I asked my 3-year-old daughter, "How do you know?" Her response was not, "I just know." She chose to use the past tense, but she didn't say, "I just knew." She decided to use the wrong tense and more, "I just knoweded (pronounced NODID) it."...

Diane Gregory wants to make heading out for lunch or an evening meal with the family a little safer. The Missouri Department of Health with the Cape Girardeau County Health Department offer a free food school each month to teach food safety. Gregory and the other sanitarians at the health department also do restaurant inspections. Each of the more than 400 establishments that serve food are inspected at least once a year, some more often...

High schools in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City are doing their part for democracy by educating eligible students about the voter registration process. More than 350 18-year-olds have registered at the three schools this week. School officials said by sponsoring the registrations they are rejuvenating an interest in the democratic process...

PATTON -- Sing "Amazing Grace" and pass the chicken and dumplings. Nine bands will perform Saturday at the first Dogwood Hills Bluegrass Gospel Festival at Meadow Heights High School. Leading off at 1 p.m. will be the sweet-singing Ezells from Van Buren. A band led by Guy Stevenson, a former member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, will finish up at 9 p.m...

Your body stores urine, water and waste removed by the kidneys in the urinary bladder. The bladder is a muscular bag that connects to the urethra, the tube through which urine leaves the body, and during normal urination the muscles in the wall of the bladder contract forcing the urine out through the urethra...

How have downtown businesses fared in the past five years? How would you rate Cape Girardeau's downtown shopping area in merchandise selection, price, parking? What hours of the day do you prefer to shop? What type of businesses does downtown Cape Girardeau need?...

The committee redrawing Cape Girardeau's elementary school boundaries changed the line dividing Franklin and Jefferson schools but made no other changes. The group decided Thursday it shouldn't negotiate changes with parent groups. Instead, the committee recommended that parents take their suggestions to the Board of Education...

If the Prague Conservatory hadn't accepted him during World War II, Karel Husa would have been sent to work in a munitions factory in Dresden, Germany. Still, his father wanted to know if he had any talent. "Wouldn't you rather have him spend the war in the conservatory?" his teacher asked...

This column is really long. But that's what it takes to solve some of life's thornier problems. Nothing hits closer to home than our schools. Just look at what's happening with the Cape Girardeau redistricting for the elementary schools. So far, I haven't met any calm parents of elementary-age children. ...

Like all the nation's 302 Division I schools, Southeast Missouri State University is anxiously waiting to see what the end result will be from Monday's court ruling that says the NCAA can no longer use minimum test scores to keep athletes from being eligible as freshmen...

Daughter to Rocky Bruce and Jami Ellen Walker II of Charleston, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:47 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, 1999. Name, Maegan Pierce. Weight, 7 pounds 10 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Walker is the former Jami Clarkson, daughter of Alvidean and Brenda Clarkson of Charleston. She is a teacher at Kelly High School in Benton. Walker is the son of Rocky and Linda Walker of Charleston. He is an agent with Shelter Insurance at Charleston...

CHAFFEE -- Gordon "Doc" Shy, 78, of Chaffee, died Thursday at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

WHITEWATER -- Funeral for Leta Mildred Rose of Kirksville will be held at 10 a.m. today at Davis-Playle Funeral Home in Kirksville. Berry Poyner will officiate, with burial in Maple Hills Cemetery in Kirksville. Rose, 91, died Monday, March 8, 1999, at Twin Pines Adult Care Center in Kirksville...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Ruby Earnhart, 86, of Valparaiso, Ind., died Wednesday, March 10, 1999, in Valparaiso. She was born Nov. 7, 1912, in Valparaiso, daughter of Onslow and Annie Adams Duncan. She and Otis E. Earnhart were married March 9, 1929, in Jonesboro. He died Oct. 20, 1985...

BERNIE -- J.D. Johnson, 73, of Bernie died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter. He was born Nov. 17, 1925, at Bernie, son of Oscar Samuel and Ina Sarah Cooper Johnson. He and Mabel M. Ross Edwards were married Nov. 21, 1961, at Bernie...

SIKESTON -- Arthur C. Caverno, 87, of Mission, Texas, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999, at Columbia Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen, Texas. He was born Sept. 19, 1911, in Canalou, son of Jere and Ethel Fleming Caverno. He and Catherine M. Halaney were married Oct. 4, 1980. She died June 7, 1990. He and Dorothy Irene Pease were married Jan. 22, 1992, in St. Louis...