Stories from Saturday, April 24, 1999

To the editor: The annual National Day of Prayer on May 6 is quickly approaching. This year, the response from the Christian community in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson area has been outstanding. Six different prayer events are being planned for the first week in May...

John Cunningham and Olivia Laurenn made some script changes prior to filming Thursday at Dennis Scivally Park. Cunningham directed the video that tells his wife, Kim's, life story. The film crew taped the ending of "I Started Over," a video about Kim Cunningham of Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Gary Brothers presented the salvation plan at the video's conclusion...

WE WOULD like to thank the Jackson High School Jazz Band and the director of music, Pat Schwinn, for allowing people to enjoy a night of entertainment with the big-band sound. If you didn't attend, you missed a fantastic evening. To see the young people dancing with the older generation was very inspiring. Thanks again, Ms. Schwinn, for a nice evening...

Necessity is said to be the mother of invention. But inventors take necessity a step further into the realm of "what if." Their vision has brought about many common conveniences and breakthroughs that most of us take for granted, from the microprocessor in our computers to the microwave oven used to fix dinner...

One person's trash is another's treasure. That adage was played out again and again in Cape Girardeau last week during the city's annual spring cleanup. People in big houses and small, apartments and trailers hauled their junk items to the curb. Then a parade of people in pickup trucks and vans and on bicycles scavenged the refuse and took their pick...

To the editor:I thank you for printing the two letters from Yugoslavia. It is not often you get to hear from those most affected by a tragedy such as war. Yes, it may be Serbian propaganda, but so is the coverage of the event from our side of the ocean. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Wise men search for truth, for truth sets men free.JAMES NALLMarble Hill...

The Hopper and Kage roads intersection in Cape Girardeau will be closed to traffic for about five months, beginning next week. The intersection will be closed for reconstruction, city officials said. Delays should be expected and alternate routes should be taken, advised City Engineer Mark Lester. Detour signs will be posted...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- From mid-March to mid-May each year and throughout September and October, the U.S. Forest Service closes a 2 1/2-mile section of LaRue Road in Shawnee National Forest to be good to snakes. As far as he knows, nowhere else in the U.S. is there a road closed to allow snake crossings...

The Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major is a piece of music to make a violinist think about switching to the harmonica. The work is a demanding test of technical skill and the ability both to play aggressively and to convey sadness. So it is only natural that Liesl Schoenberger, only a freshman at Notre Dame Regional High School, is making her debut as a symphony orchestra soloist this year by performing the concerto's first movement...

A surgery technique being offered locally for the first time may provide a more focused future for people who have blurry or fuzzy vision. Dr. Shawn Parker is the only full time corneal subspecialist practicing between St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn. He performs Laser Vision Correction using the LASIK procedure for the Corneal & Refractive Surgery Center, located at EyeCare Specialists, L.L.C. in Cape Girardeau...

I've been watching the controversy over Cape's elementary school boundaries with great interest and more than a little disgust since the whole thing came out two months ago. I've held my opinions for as long as I could, so now I'm going to have my say...

On the surface, it would appear that the worst part of Southeast Missouri State University's Ohio Valley Conference baseball schedule is behind the Indians. But Southeast coach Mark Hogan knows better than to think any OVC foe is a pushover. That's why he's expecting quite a battle this weekend when Tennessee-Martin visits Capaha Field for a big three-game series...

Southeast Missouri State University football coach John Mumford will be looking for execution on both sides of the ball today when the Indians conclude spring workouts with a controlled scrimmage at Houck Stadium. Action is scheduled to get under way at 1 p.m. The scrimmage, which will pit the number one offense vs. the number one defense and the number two units against each other, is open to the public at no charge...

BENTON -- Finally, someone got Kelly's Brad Kolwyck out. But not when it counted. Kolwyck, who posted unbelievable numbers this past week, went "just" 1-for-3 Friday, but his single was the eventual game-winner as the Hawks edged Chaffee 3-2 in a game with important implications...

Scott City High School has landed an experienced hand to lead the Rams in the 1999 football season, hiring longtime coach Roy Williams as head coach. Williams, who retired from Berkeley High School in St. Louis two years ago after a long, successful stint which included a 3A state championship in 1987, was approved at Wednesday night's school board meeting...

BENTON -- Kelly High School will host 14 schools today in the eighth annual Hawk Track and Field Invitational. The 14 schools matches the largest invite to the Hawk Invitational, which will begin at 10 a.m. Chaffee, Scott City, Portageville, East Prairie, Ste. Genevieve-Valle, Malden, Caruthersville, Grandview, New Madrid County Central, Charleston, Park Hills Central, Oran and Crystal City will all field athletes...

FESTUS -- Cape Central High's baseball team reached the .500 mark Friday with a 14-1 run-rule win over Festus in five innings. Dusty Barrows had two hits including a grand slam and five RBIs. Mark Fisher, Mike Sullivan and Josh McIntosh each had two hits apiece. Fisher had three RBIs, Sullivan had two and McIntosh had one...

ESSEX -- Scott City standout basketball player Jon Beck led all scorers with 32 points Friday night in the first "Area's Best" senior all-star basketball game played at Richland High School. But Beck and the North team lost the game 84-83. Kelly's Jim Hulshof, who pitched seven solid innings just hours before the basketball game, missed a shot at the buzzer which would have given the North the win...

MARBLE HILL -- Funeral for Robert W. Smith of Marble Hill will be held at 1 p.m. today at Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill. Bill Smith will officiate. Burial will be in Bollinger County Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until service time...

Audrey Hudson, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, April 22, 1999, at her home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

UNIONTOWN -- Elmer "Sonny" Best, 69, of Uniontown died Friday, April 23, 1999, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Oct. 29, 1929, at Uniontown, son of Theodore and Emma Pruesser Best. He and Aleen Engert were married April 30, 1950. Best farmed, raised livestock, and worked at Ceramo. He was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church at Frohna, and American Legion...

MORLEY -- Milton Thomas Hawkins, 75, of Morley died Friday, April 23, 1999, at Hunter Acres Caring Center in Sikeston. He was born May 8, 1923, at Commerce, son of Milton Joseph and Ida Lux Hawkins. He and Ruby Janet Curnell were married Nov. 28, 1954, in Tunica, Miss. She preceded him in death...

SIKESTON -- Alfred "Doodle" Pearson, 80, died Thursday, April 22, 1999, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. He was born Oct. 24, 1918, in Hagarville, Ark., son of Arch and Sharlie Ava Morrow Pearson. He and Irene Ferguson were married June 24, 1939. She died March 16, 1987...

Daughter to Derek James and Ruth Ann Kennedy of Fort Hood, Texas, Darnall Army Community Hospital in Fort Hood, 9:36 a.m. Sunday, April 18, 1999. Name, Alexander Christin. Weight, 5 pounds 14 ounces. First child. Mrs. Kennedy is the former Ruth Ann Boettcher, daughter of Albert and Heidi Boettcher of Altenburg. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are stationed with the U.S. Army at Ft. Hood. He is the son of Diana Kennedy of Chino, Calif...

The congregation of Westminster Presbyterian Church will honor its pastor and his wife, the Rev. Miles and Caroline White, during an anniversary celebration Sunday morning. A brunch will be served after the worship service. The Whites have been serving the Cape Girardeau church for 10 years. He is the fourth minister for the congregation that began in 1963...

Bethany Baptist Church will hold a family fun festival May 1 beginning at 2 p.m. The event includes a Hawaiian luau dinner at 4:30 p.m., games throughout the afternoon, and a music concert and Christian comedian. Child care will be provided during the concert and comedian act...

Dr. Eric Mount, the son of a former minister at First Presbyterian Church, will preach there Sunday. Mount's father was pastor of First Presbyterian from 1947 to 1967. Mount is professor of religion at Centre College in Danville, Ky. He has been a faculty member since 1966. He teaches on topics like business and Christian ethics, Bible history and contemporary theology. He has served as college chaplain, vice president and dean of students at the college...