Stories from Friday, May 14, 1999

To the editor: Events in Littleton, Colo., on the heels of similar happenings across the United States have left our country wringing its collective hands about the fate of its youth. These killings, horrible as they were, are no cause for the absurdly negative generalizations being made about our children. ...

For 75 years, the home known as Wildwood in its gracious setting on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University has served as the residence for university presidents. But that may be coming to an end. The university's Board of Regents will be meeting this afternoon to discuss the purchase of another house several blocks from campus to become the official president's home. Wildwood would be converted into an alumni center...

THANKS TO former university president Mark Scully for speaking out about turning Wildwood, the home for the university presidents, into an alumni center. The present home has many advantages. The disadvantage is the dining room is too small to entertain large groups. ...

Kristy Unger called Thursday to report a continual act of kindness from six Central High School volunteers who help tutor and mentor students at Franklin Elementary School. The high school students meet with the elementary students Monday through Thursday after school, and have been doing so since February...

Leroy Mier of Oran is a farmer. He has found through hard work that you reap what you sow. The same can be said of volunteering. Mier has donated of his time to Southeast Missouri Hospital as a volunteer for a dozen years. His dependable, cheerful, and willing attitude makes him a favorite among the patients and staff in the radiology department...

St. Francis Medical Center calls Irene Eaker a "bad weather friend." When snow and ice keep many volunteers at home, Miss Irene can be counted on to arrive at the front door, by taxi or borrowed ride, smiling and saying "Hello, I'm here." Miss Irene, who is 92, began volunteering in 1977 and has given more than 33,000 hours of service, more than anyone in the St. Francis Auxiliary...

Southeast Missouri State University plans to establish the Regional Public Service Institute and snare millions in state and federal grants for the region. The Board of Regents will consider establishing the institute when it meets today. University officials said the institute could pay dividends to address the needs of communities throughout the region...

FRUITLAND -- Jackson Middle School students received a different type of educational experience Wednesday when students became teachers and the classroom was moved to Flickerwood Arena. Nearly 320 students attended Equine Day '99 to learn how to groom, saddle and tack horses correctly. The students also learned about general horse safety and anatomy during the sixth annual event...

The majority of shoppers in the Cape Girardeau retail market -- 77 percent -- visit the downtown area to dine, and 53 percent make the trip downtown to shop, surveys say. Sixty percent of customers who were surveyed rate downtown shopping as fair. Attitudes about shopping downtown were consistent on a couple of points -- friendliness of sales people and a safe environment for shopping -- during surveys of customers and merchants by the community and economic development group of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.. ...

A cleanup brigade from Someone's Treasure Clubhouse hit the parking lot at Cape Girardeau's downtown Save-A-Lot store Thursday armed with rakes and plastic bags. In just over an hour, the brigade bagged up all the litter and leaves from the parking lot...

Tears streamed down Christell Meyers' face as she remembered all the family photographs and mementos she lost Thursday in a fire. Baby pictures of her four children, now 4, 7, 10 and 11, are gone, as well as photos and reminders of her brother, who died about 10 years ago. All the keepsakes were kept in a plastic trunk beside her bed...

Close friends aren't always those who are closest. Really good friends remember the silly stuff but don't tell anyone. Among the advantages of living all over the United States -- 11 towns, some of them cities, over 34 years -- are the friendships my wife and I have been fortunate to find...

Burn survivors are all different shapes, sizes and ages. The scars are obvious on some, hidden by clothing on others. But all share one trait, Gary Hanson says. "I don't think a lot of us would be burn survivors -- though we'd be burn victims -- if we weren't so tough," says the president of Burns Recovered Support Group Inc. of St. Louis...

MORLEY -- A Bell City woman was killed Thursday in a two-vehicle accident five miles west of Morley. Barbara Finney, 29, was killed in the accident, which occurred at 8:10 a.m. Thursday. A westbound truck driven by Kenneth Bright, 69, of Sikeston, pulled into the path of a vehicle driven by Finney...

Cape Central sophomore Heather Jenkins is already at the top. And the only direction she can go, it seems, is up. As an underclassman, the discus and shot-put phenom has already posted throws that, in years past, would have won state championships. She has qualified for the junior nationals in both events...

Yet another big-time athletic season at Southeast Missouri State University was celebrated Thursday night. More than 900 athletes, coaches, parents and Southeast Booster Club members were at the Show Me Center for the 1999 Southeast Booster Club Athletic Awards Banquet...

Southeast Missouri State University's football game at Eastern Illinois last season featured a wild finish. The Indians rallied to take a late lead, the Panthers kicked a field goal in the final seconds to surge back ahead and then Southeast missed a last-second field goal as Eastern Illinois hung on for a 35-33 victory...

Three members of the OVC champion Southeast Missouri State University softball team have been named to the GTE District Seven Academic All-District team. Named to the 11-person squad were senior pitcher Christine Engelhardt, junior shortstop Jenny Oermann and senior center fielder Anne Trieb. All three players will receive consideration for the Academic All-America team...

Cape Central girls track coach Lawrence Brookins has watched both the boys and girls track teams win every meet this season, so he knows they have the ability to win Saturday's Class 4A, District 1 meet at Jackson. Knowing that, Brookins warned the group to not get nervous, to avoid BMS -- big meet syndrome...

Cape Girardeau Central High School's girls soccer team established a new single-season record for victories as the Lady Tigers routed visiting Poplar Bluff 8-0 Thursday. The Lady Tigers, now 21-1-2, broke the record which was set last year. Scoring two goals for Cape Central were Amber Voerg and Lorie Bittle, while Amanda Hiler, Jennifer Daume, Corey Nunnally and Kim Aslinger netted one apiece...

Perryville High right-hander David Riojas was vexed with control problems from the outset. After ushering in the Pirates' game against Cape Girardeau Central Thursday at Tiger Field with nine consecutive balls, Riojas eventually began locating the strike zone...

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner announced the signing of Damarcus Hence of Fairley High School in Memphis, Tenn., to a national letter intent Thursday. Hence, 6-foot-6, averaged 17 points and nine rebounds his senior season while earning all-city honors...

The Rev. Norval D. Smith, 64, of Valdosta, Ga., died Wednesday, May 12, 1999, at his home. He was formerly of Cape Girardeau. He was the son of Marvie and Stella Statler Smith. He was a graduate of Central High School, St. Louis Barber College, Southeast Missouri State University, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral for Eugene Ray "Gene" McIllwain of East Prairie will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. The Rev. George White will officiate. Burial will be in East Prairie Memorial Park. McIllwain, 62, died Wednesday, May 12, 1999, at East Prairie Nursing Center...

BERNIE -- Vernia Lee Walker, 72, of Bernie died Wednesday, May 12, 1999, at the Veterans Administration Center at Memphis, Tenn. He was born July 9, 1926, at Bernie, the son of Virgil William Walker and Ruby Alma Becker Walker. He married Mary Josephine Harmon at Bloomfield Nov. 23, 1943. She preceded him in death on May 20, 1985...

PARK HILLS -- Max Leland Jennings died Sunday, May 9, 1999, at Jefferson County Memorial Hospital in Festus. He was born earlier that day at the hospital. Survivors include his parents, Virgil and Vicky Redman Jennings of Park Hills; two brothers, Joshua Casteel of Doe Run, Ricky Norden of Park Hills; a sister, Sheena Jennings of Park Hills; maternal grandfather, Donald Redman of Pilot Knob; and paternal grandparents, James and Irene Jennings of Park Hills...

JACKSON -- Carolyn Lynette Wade, 64, of Jackson died Monday, May 10, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 11, 1934, daughter of Curtis L. and Verline Miller Pettit. She and Eugene M. Wade Sr. were married Feb. 24, 1955. He died July 26, 1996...

Bennie Floyd Edwards, 64, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at Heartland Care and Rehab Center. He was born Feb. 23, 1935, at Chaffee, son of William Edgar and Mary M. Humphrey Edwards. He and Sandra K. Tollison were married Aug. 14, 1962, in Edwardsville, Ill...

JACKSON -- Robert C. "Bob" Sides, 56, of Jackson died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 24, 1943, in Cape Girardeau, son of Chester L. and Mildred "Lorene" Hodge Sides. Sides owned and operated Sides Saw Mill, worked in residential construction, and owned and operated the Lil Country Store...

WHITEWATER -- Private graveside service for Ervin Wayne Collins of Whitewater was held Thursday at Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Cy Smith officiated. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Collins, 58, died Wednesday, May 12, 1999, at his home...

JACKSON -- Elsie E. Voorhes, 89, died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 19, 1909, at Daisy, daughter of Herman and Mary Kaiser Brune. She and William Curtis Voorhes were married Sept. 12, 1931. He died Aug. 12, 1989...

ADVANCE -- Freeda F. Ladd, 79, of Advance died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at Advance Nursing Center. She was born Sept. 22, 1919, near Greenbrier, daughter of Charles and Bea Baker Hindman. She and Lacy Ladd were married Dec. 24, 1941, near Advance. He died March 7, 1996...

PERRYVILLE -- Woodrow "Woody" Knox, 84, of Perryville died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 18, 1914, at Oak Ridge, son of Bert B. and Clara Belle Tacke Knox. Knox retired from the U.S. Geological Survey in Jefferson City. He had also farmed in Perry and Cape Girardeau counties...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Pauline Eddleman, 77, of Dongola died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at her home. She was born Nov. 20, 1921, in Perks, daughter of Samuel and Etta Dale Nalley. She and Van Eddleman were married Aug. 31, 1940. Eddleman was a member of Maple Grove Baptist Church...

VANDUSER -- Funeral for Berlin Cecil Newell of Pekin, Ill., was held Tuesday at Liberty Baptist Church in Pekin. The Rev. Tim Najpaver officiated. Burial was in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin. Preston-Hanley Funeral Home in Pekin was in charge of arrangements...

Daughter to Devon and Ann Young of Manchester. Born Feb. 3, 1998, in Gomel, Belarus. Adopted April 13, 1999, in Belarus. Name, Anastasia Marie. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Young is the daughter of Tony and Sallie Barreca of Des Peres. She is a part time claims specialist with State Farm Insurance Co. Young is the son of Lloyd and Shirley Young of Scott City. He is an assistant vice president at Arthur J. Gallagher and Co. in St. Louis...

BELL CITY -- Barbara Lynn Finney, 29, of Bell City died Wednesday, May 13, 1999, in a traffic accident near Morley. She was born Sept. 8, 1969, the daughter of Joe and Louise Hagar Dollins. She married Terry W. Finney July 28, 1990. He survives. She was a member of Victory Life Center United Pentecostal Church in Oran...

Small ticks, no bigger than a poppy seed, may carry a microorganism capable of causing potentially debilitating diseases in humans. This family of ticks is called Ixodes and the most recognizable member of this family is the "deer" or "bear" tick. These ticks are much smaller than the common dog or cattle ticks and may be no bigger than a pinhead. They feed on birds, the white-footed mouse, white-tailed deer and other mammals, including humans...