Stories from Friday, April 23, 1999

To the editor: While some recognition has been previously given to the outstanding accomplishments of both of Southeast Missouri State University's basketball teams during the past season, I would like to add my appreciation to them for jobs well done...

Delicate durability describes the human body, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the human brain. For most of us, our mind serves us well until we no longer need it, that is, when we die. However, for others who suffer from the ravages of dementia, a loss of intellectual function (thinking, remembering and reasoning), the mind may begin to resign before the rest of the body...

Taking a scenic drive through Southeast Missouri gives motorists a chance to see what life was like before the interstates and major highways that most people travel upon. It takes people back to a time when automobiles were new and people would drive around exploring their communities, said Dr. Frank Nickell, director of the Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University...

A tribute to five longtime friends of Southeast Missouri Hospital and a review of highlights of the past year highlighted the annual dinner meeting Thursday of the Southeast Missouri Hospital Association. The dinner at the Show Me Center attracted over 800 association members and guests. It was built around the theme "Keeping Time With the Times."...

A Sikeston man will become Cape Girardeau's new inspection director. Tarryl D. Booker was selected as the director of the city's inspection department. He begins work May 17. Booker fills the post vacated in November when Rick Murray left to take a job as planning director at Fulton...

A tax protest filed this week could pose a financial problem for Cape Girardeau, Mayor Al Spradling III said Thursday. Cape Girardeau businessmen Jim, Robert and Charles Drury paid their motel and restaurant taxes under protest this week. The protest covered taxes paid by Hampton Inn, Drury Suites, Drury Lodge, Pear Tree Inn, Holiday Inn, Burger King and Victorian Inn...

When it comes to medical training, the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School offers nearly a dozen programs that offer hands-on training in everything from nursing to emergency medicine. The courses annually draw more than 200 students from throughout the region...

For about a year, an eight-member team of Cape Girardeau officials has been looking at capital-improvement needs -- buildings, parks and other facilities, but not streets -- and has come up with quite a wish list. The key to this program will be how to raise the estimated $50 million that would be needed to pay for these projects over the next 20 years...

Public education, code enforcement and mild winters are among the reasons Cape Girardeau's fire officials give for a significant reduction in fires in the city over the past few years. This is good news. At the same time, the number of responses by the fire department for emergency medical services has gone up. This is good news too...

To the editor: The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri formally invites the Southeast Missouri community to the Arts for All Day from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the St. Vincent's Seminary grounds. The Arts for All program provides differently abled individuals of all ages an opportunity to uncover their creativity. ...

To the editor: The Cleveland Ballet Dancing Wheels will be performing in Cape Girardeau from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Show Me Center. It is a great opportunity for persons with and without disabilities to see this captivating performance. This is a professional, integrated dance company which, through innovative choreography, accentuates the abilities rather than limitations of the dancers. ...

A catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid Fault likely won't occur for thousands of years, a University of Missouri-Columbia geologist says. It could take 14,000 years for an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale to occur, said Joe Engeln, an associate professor of geological sciences...

The 13 Southeast Missouri counties that make up the Private Industry Council service area have petitioned Gov. Mel Carnahan to designate the area a Workforce Investment Area. Ron Swift, executive director of the Private Industry Council, explained that reorganization is needed because of a change in the federal law that provides millions of dollars for job training to local communities...

Watching members of the Cleveland Dancing Wheels rehearse with local dancers is almost like seeing a new art form being born. Jennifer Friedrich, who has cerebral palsy, moves haltingly to Co-Artistic Director Sabatino Verlezza's instructions to all the dancers: "Take your hat off. Big Bird."...

How do they know it's that old? Is there an expiration date or cornerstone or "Best Purchased By ... " label on old stars? When I look up at the sky at night, I can usually see a few stars. Basically, that's all I know about astronomy. Oh, sure, I can pick out the Big Dipper. That is, I can pick it out on a dark night when there are no clouds and the moon isn't too bright...

The Missouri Department of Transportation should clip its wings, say some GOP lawmakers who want the agency to sell two of its three airplanes. State Rep. Charles Shields, R-St. Joseph, made the request in a letter Wednesday to Henry Hungerbeeler, MoDOT's director...

For blues and gospel music lovers who don't like each other's music, Rick Ulman is here to say a whole lot of cross-pollination has been going on. Ulman is an ethnomusicolgist from the St. Louis area who presents a program called "The Holy Blues." In it, he shows how blues and gospel music and black and white music have influenced each other...

In a Short package, Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team received both offense and defense. The Indians addressed their guard needs Thursday when they signed Antonio Short, a NJCAA second team All-American out of Moberly Community College...

Given the inconsistency displayed by Cape Central's defense over the past week, coach Steve Williams must have wondered which of the two teams would show up to host Poplar Bluff on Thursday. Both of them did. Central (8-9, 3-3 SEMO Conference) committed four errors in the first three innings before rallying in the fourth and eventually overtaking the Mules 7-6 on a two-out, game-winning single by Bill Posey in the bottom of the seventh off losing pitcher Chris Reeves...

Cape Central's track athletes will have the opportunity to show off their abilities and new track Saturday in one of the oldest track invitationals in the area. Central boys track coach Jerry Dement said that Central's male and female athletes should win several events in the 33rd annual Cape Central Relays...

PERRYVILLE -- Perryville High's girls soccer team made a forceful statement Thursday, dealing Cape Central a 3-0 setback. It was the biggest triumph in Perryville's two-year history and its first win over Central after five defeats. Central hadn't lost a regular-season game since 1996. Perryville improved to 9-2-1; the Lady Tigers slipped to 13-1-1...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Donald Wayne Hill of Anna will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Rev. Clifford Heil will officiate. Burial will be in Jonesboro Cemetery, with graveside rites by Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455...

Mary E. McMullen, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at the Ratliff Care Center. She was born in Calhoun County Miss., Jan. 15, 1924, the daughter of Thomas and Lola Shelton Rutledge. She married L.Z. McMullen March 15, 1949, in Choctaw, Miss. He preceded her in death on Jan. 23, 1963...

SIKESTON -- Visitation for Beatrice Potts Moore, 74, will be after 11 a.m. Saturday at Travelers Rest Baptist Church. The Rev. Sylvester Morgan will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset of Memories Cemetery. Moore died Friday, April 16, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Oct. 12, 1924, in Yazoo City, Miss., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Potts...

DEXTER -- Funeral for Willard D. Cross of Dexter will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The Rev. Clifford Wray will officiate. Burial will be in Dexter Cemetery. Cross, 87, died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, at his home...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for William Randall "Randy" Riley of Sikeston will be held at 10 a.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home. Ed Pangburn will officiate. Burial will be in Sikeston Memorial Park Cemetery. Riley, 36, died in a construction accident Tuesday, April 20, 1999, in Cape Girardeau...

UNIONTOWN -- Sister Leocadia Meyer, 89, died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, at Anna House-The Sarah Community nursing center in Bridgeton. She was born at Uniontown, and reared at Apple Creek. Meyer entered the congregation of School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1935, and professed her final vows in 1944...

ADVANCE -- Geneva Corbin, 81, of Advance died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 14, 1917, at Greenbrier, daughter of R.D. and Dora Dorhman Snyder. She and Paul Corbin were married Aug. 20, 1936...

BERTRAND -- Gene Sweet, 64, of Bertrand died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, at his home. He was born Sept. 21, 1934, in Mississippi County, son of Hardy H. and Lela Burkeen Sweet. He and Carolyn Keene were married July 18, 1981. He had lived in Mississippi County all his life and was employed in the detailing department at Sikeston Motors. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army...

PERRYVILLE -- Thelma M. Guyott, 83, of Perryville died Wednesday, April 21, 1999, at Fenton. She was born Jan. 16, 1916, in Perry County, daughter of William John and Pearl Mae Farrar. She was married to Frank X. Guyott. He died Dec. 25, 1984. She worked at International Shoe Factory in Perryville and was a machine operator with Coin Acceptors in St. Louis for 20 years. She also was a homemaker. She was a former member of York Chapel Methodist Church near Longtown...