Stories from Thursday, June 17, 1999

To the editor: I would like to compliment the peace officers of our city for their handling of the riot which occurred June 11. I think most citizens of our community support them regardless of the absurd accusations of racism. The race card is often used by black criminals as there is often no other defense for their behavior. I am confused as to what the black community would like for our officers to do. Do they want the laws enforced or not...

Now that the supposed summer blockbusters "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" and "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" have debuted, the rest of the summer movies deserve some attention. "The Phantom Menace" has brought in well over $250 million since its opening last month. And cryogenically resuscitated '60s spy Austin Powers snagged $54 million on his opening last weekend...

Life is full of choices and priorities. One of the top priorities for my wife, Wendy, and me is to be with our children and grandchildren at major stepping-stones in their lives. Last week it was not only an easy choice to make a trip to Boston where our son JON received his MBA from HARVARD UNIVERSITY, it was a delightful three days to observe some of the classes (intimidating section of 80 students being randomly called on by the instructors for case study reports) and to participate in the many ceremonial programs.. ...

A group of agribusinessmen is in Missouri looking at the diverse agriculture-related industries in the Show Me State. Missouri is a good place to visit if you want to learn about farming and the marketing of farm products, because the state is still a national leader in agribusiness...

It's not enough that President Clinton has heavy-handedly ignored the Constitution again in making an appointment that is subject to the consent of the U.S. Senate. He also has incurred the wrath of delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention, of which he professes to be a member...

To the editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of our community who have openly expressed their concern through flowers, telephone calls and letters regarding the police officers who were injured during a recent incident on Good Hope Street. I cannot tell our community how much its support has meant to the officer and their families...

A complaint has been filed with the Cape Girardeau Police Department regarding police behavior during the arrest of two brothers in an incident that turned into a melee Friday morning. Rose Campbell, a sister of the men, filed the complaint, which was forwarded to Police Chief Rick Hetzel. She also has filed federal complaints with the Department of Justice and FBI alleging unnecessary verbal and physical abuse by officers during the incident that occurred in the 300 block of Good Hope...

PERRYVILLE -- Perryville students will not be wearing school uniforms in the fall after a survey showed a lack of support for the change. Fifty percent of the 1,819 survey responses submitted to the Perry County School District favored uniforms, 48 percent opposed them and 2 percent were undecided...

Cutting through the tension between much of the black community and police won't be easy, but the Rev. David Allen suggests that a police advisory board is a place to start. "Then people with grievances against police might be able to get better input than now," said Allen, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Cape Girardeau County...

Southeast Missouri State University's proposal to use state tax credits in developing the River Campus may not pass legal muster. Missouri Department of Economic Development officials are exploring the legality of the proposal. Kristi Jamison, a spokeswoman for the state's Economic Development Department, said the proposal raises a "red flag."...

June 17, 1999 Dear Ken, DC awoke me with the anxious words "I smell gas." I arose, foggily. No matter what the words are, when her voice is that fretful she won't rest until new information has soothed her. But then, I smelled something, too. Racing to the front bedroom to see if her parakeets and finches were still alive, DC reminded me about an accident somewhere, someplace in which gas fumes exploded, flattening an entire neighborhood. I am married to the Goddess of Doom...

SCOTT CITY -- Several activities are planned over this weekend for the Mid-Summer Festival. Events will start off 6 p.m. on Friday with the band Renegade Sound performing at Scott City Community Park. The band will perform until midnight. In between, two contests will be held. A Little Mr. and Miss contest starts at 7 p.m., followed by a Karaoke contest...

Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan will speak June 25 at a groundbreaking ceremony for Southeast Missouri State University's Otto and Della Seabaugh Polytechnic Building. The ceremony is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. near the Greek Housing dining hall. The dining hall will be reused and incorporated into the new Polytechnic Building...

U.S. Sens. Christopher Bond and John Ashcroft have established a grassroots advisory panel of educators and parents. The 37-member panel includes Betty Chong, director of special services for the Cape Girardeau School District, and Elizabeth Wilson, a member of the Sikeston Board of Education...

SIKESTON -- As wheat fields across Southeast Missouri go up in flames, area farmers are celebrating a stellar harvest of the golden grain. Pat Turman, an agronomist with the University of Missouri Extension Center in New Madrid County, said that she expected this year's wheat harvest to be much better than last year's harvest...

The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team picked up a much-needed sweep Wednesday evening -- but it was far from easy. Ford & Sons won both games of a doubleheader from visiting Poplar Bluff by a run, prevailing 7-6 and 6-5 at Capaha Field...

Kelly's Jason Glastetter and Oran's Dustin Dannenmueller, Dustin Glastetter and Billy Loper have each signed letters of intent to play baseball for Mineral Area College in Park Hills next year. "The Oran kids went to state the last two years and Kelly was good enough to go to state," said Mineral Area coach Jim Komar. "All these kids come from solid programs which are well coached."...

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. -- The McDowell Capahas -- playing their 10th road game already this season -- picked up a 10-5 victory over Fairview Heights Tuesday night. McDowell (8-3) has had only one home game, but that will change this weekend when the Capahas are scheduled to play five home games...

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. -- Leonard R. "Randy" Crowell, 33, of Murphysboro and formerly of Paducah, Ky., died Tuesday, June 15, 1999, at his home. He was born June 18, 1965, in Benton, Ky., the son of Leonard R. and Janice Miller Crowell Sr. He married Marla M. Woods June 1, 1990, in Jonesboro...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Henry E. Bennett, 65, of Cobden died Wednesday, June 16, 1999, at his home east of Cobden. He was born Oct. 2, 1933, in Carbondale, the son of Claude Everett and Anna Foster Bennett. He was an electrical contractor and owner of Bennett Electric in Cobden. He was a member of IBEW Local #702 in West Frankfort. He was a Korean War veteran and member of Anna VFW Post 3455 and Cobden American Legion Post 259...

ALTO PASS, Ill. -- Jackie Phillip Trexler, 61, of Alto Pass died Tuesday, June 15, 1999, near Alto Pass. He was born April 23, 1938, at Alto Pass, son of Floyd and Ida Brown Trexler. Trexler was a truck driver and a member of Alto Pass Fire Department...

MARBLE HILL -- Thomas Joseph Lawler III, 38, of Miami, Fla., died Sunday, May 23, 1999, in Miami. He was born March 15, 1961, in Keflavik, Iceland, son of Thomas Joseph and Margret Baeringsdottor Lawler Jr. Lawler was a graduate of Virginia Beach High School in Virginia Beach, Va. He served in the Virginia National Guard...

MORLEY -- Morley Mayor Artenis Segraves, 74, of Morley died Wednesday, June 16, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 26, 1925, in Catalpa, Ark., daughter of T.E. and Maude Dewberry McMillan. She and G.R. Segraves were married Nov. 19, 1942. He died Dec. 11, 1987...

MARQUAND -- Mabel E. Dees, 80, of Marquand died Tuesday, June 15, 1999, at Cla Ru DeVille Healthcare Center in Fredericktown. She was born March 12, 1919, at Castor, daughter of U.E. and Emma Kinder. She and Silas Dees were married April 27, 1940. He preceded her in death...

SIKESTON -- Marvin M. Ocheskey, 66, of Sikeston died Wednesday, June 16, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 16, 1933, at Hope, son of August and Amelia Eads Ocheskey. He first married Ruth Knoke, who preceded him in death. He later married Patricia Dorthea Brunke Batchelor June 12, 1982, at Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Mary Juanita Henley, 78, of Sikeston died Wednesday, June 16, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born March 24, 1921, at Neelyville, daughter of Luther E. and Mary Columbia Guge Loflin. She and Philip H. Henley were married Sept. 17, 1946, in Jonesboro, Ark. He died Feb. 21, 1985...

SCOTT CITY -- Dallas Ray Kinder, 62, of Scott City died Tuesday, June 15, 1999, at his home. He was born Aug. 4, 1936, in Advance, son of Eugene Bernard and Vivian Marie Winemiller Kinder. He and Susie Wheeler were married Oct. 26, 1985. Kinder had been a professional carpet installer for Hutson Furniture in Cape Girardeau, was a partner in B and K Carpet, drove a bus for Scott City Schools, and later was a driver with Scott County Transit System...

Doyle Nakia Harris of Cape Girardeau died after birth Monday, June 14, 1999, at St. Clements Hospital in Red Bud, Ill. Survivors include her father, Johnny Murphy of St. Louis; her mother, Geminesse Harris of Cape Girardeau; a brother, Doyle Pierre Harris of the home; maternal grandparents, Jimmy Bell and Birder Harris of Cape Girardeau; paternal grandparents, Eugene Murphy of Cape Girardeau, Marilyn Murphy of St. Louis; and maternal great-grandmother, Bernice Harris of Cape Girardeau...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Graveside service for Hazel Schlem of Mound City will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Cairo City Cemetery in Villa Ridge. Dr. Larry L. Potts will officiate. There is no visitation. Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City is in charge of arrangements...

ANNA, Ill. -- Pauline Nothern, 83, of Anna died Wednesday, June 16, 1999, at Union County Hospital. Crain Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Andrew E. and Elizabeth M. Rogers of Uniontown, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:24 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, 1999. Name, Theodore Walter O. "Teddy". Weight, 8 pounds 10 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Rogers is the former Elizabeth Opalewski, daughter of Joe and Joyce Opalewski of Shook. She is a speech/language pathologist at Perry County School District 32. Rogers is the son of Ron and Zelma Rogers of Lowndes. He is director of special services at Perry County School District 32...

Inah Lou Fugier, 90, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, June 14, 1999 at St. Francis Medical Center. Fugier was born Feburary 18, 1909, in Shelbina to William A. and Mary Edith Cochrane Jordan. She and Delmar S. Merrill were married May 30, 1936. He died on Dec. 13, 1975. She and Victor Fugier were married on Nov. 5, 1982. He died Nov. 11, 1992...