Stories from Sunday, July 11, 1999

To the editor: This is a letter I have sent to U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson:Representative Emerson,I recently received a letter from you on federal tax on income. In this letter you state, "Taxes in this country are simply too high, the result of years of misguided tax-and-spend policies. ...

A curious thing has happened along the campaign trail. It seems that heartthrob Al Gore is having difficulty with women. The New York Times reports that a recent CNN poll shows Bush leading Gore by 11 points. The so-called gender gap has been a mainstay for Democratic presidential contenders, and studmuffin Al Gore doesn't want to be the exception. He needs a substantial majority of female voters to win the general election...

NOW THE Cape School Board has voted to approve grandfathering. IN other words, this means you can pick the schools you want to go to. You have a choice too. If you don't want to go to the school district you live in, you can pick another one and go free. But the Catholic schools, when they pick another one, they have to pay. Is this still called a democracy?...

Planning weddings and other special events usually brings to mind anything BUT a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. Phyllis Lukefahr and Joyce Ross and their partners, however, see no reason why such potentially happy occasions should be proceeded by overwhelming stress and worry...

A lobbyist writing a book on politicians recently inquired how I would characterize Missouri politics today as compared to three score years ago. It was a question I had never asked myself, so the query required more than minimal reflection. To gain time to compare our state in the 1930s with the 1990s, I flippantly provided a reflex response that today's politicians were both smarter and more devious than those who traveled the road in the days of Guy Park, Lloyd Stark, Harry Truman and, yes, even non-candidate Tom Pendergast.. ...

25 years ago: 1974 Cape Girardeau County Board of Equalization is expected to complete changes to 1974 merchants and manufacturers tax book Tuesday and begin hearing inquiries on tax assessment increases on Wednesday. Although deadline for registering to vote in Aug. ...

House speaker pro tem Jim Kreider, a Democrat from Nixa, recently took this newspaper to task for editorial comments on the growth of state spending that he deemed excessively partisan. Jimmy Kreider is as likable as they come, but I always reserve the right to disagree with my friends...

Last week saw congressional passage of legislation to limit the potential liability of companies for fallout arising out of any so-called Y2K computer problem. The bill is sponsored by U.S. Sen. John McCain, and its passage in a form President Clinton says he will sign -- even if only reluctantly -- is a major achievement. A House vote of 404-24 followed Senate passage by an 81-18 vote...

To the editor: Nobody expected Maria Lydia Hernandez to awaken from a coma. Her doctors certainly held no hope for the twin girls that she carried. Last April 24 Maria complained of a severe headache. Doctors assured her that it was caused by her pregnancy. ...

Last week, Gov. Mel Carnahan signed into law a measure giving parents greater access to information about the day-care workers who care for their children. The law also covers workers who care for the elderly. The law requires day care workers to undergo background investigations so that parents will more easily be able to check out who is minding their youngsters...

Several major projects in Jackson are progressing. Phase one of the E. Main St. extension which will complete the road from Shawnee St. to Oak Hill Rd. is in full swing and is scheduled, weather permitting to be finished by late summer. The intersection of Shawnee and East Main St. will also be improved as a part of this project...

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Russ Felker III has always gone his own way. Twenty years ago, when personal computers were just a speck on the Silicon Valley horizon, 7-year-old Russ already had one. While his three siblings all have theatrical aspirations, he was enticed by technology and business...

Shawnee National Forest sprawls from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River across Southern Illinois. In its more than 265,000 acres of forest are 500 camp and picnic sites and a number or attractions along the more than 2,000 miles of roads that wind through its 10 counties...

The lure of political life set in at an early age for Jack Oliver. It all started with a fund-raising event for a Republican lawmaker at his father's house when he was barely 7. Now the Cape Girardeau native is at the heart of Texas Gov. George Bush's $36 million-fund raising spree. And he's loving every minute of it...

Margaret Kennedy squinted as she tried to follow the 1941 Stearman bi-plane across the Cape Girardeau sky. "My baby is in there," she confided. Her baby, 16-year-old Bobby, had just taken off for his first non-commercial airplane flight. He was excited, but mom was worried...

Ten-year-old Kyle Reed called to a wild mustang that was up for adoption Saturday at Flickerwood Arena near Fruitland. FRUITLAND -- Less than a decade ago, Mercedes didn't have a name or a home. The young mustang was among the more than 165,000 horses and burros roaming the wild country in the western United States...

School's out for the summer, but not at our house. Our children love to play school. Our older daughter, Becca, likes to run the show. She likes to be in charge. Sometimes she's the teacher. Sometimes she's the parent, but she seems best suited to be an education czar...

"Heroes and Legends: An air tribute to our veterans" Today 10 a.m. gates open 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Airplane rides and helicopter tours Aerobatic stearman and T-6 airplane rides M-4 simulator rides Experimental aircraft fly-bys Interactive entertainment playground...

I've been on vacation -- and out of town -- for the past week and a half, so I was basically out of touch with what was going on around the local sports scene. But before I left, I pretty well knew that Southeast Missouri State University's basketball signing of big center Nyah Jones was imminent...

The McDowell Capahas will use Sunday to rest. The McDowell Capahas emerged from the NBC Mid-South Tournament unscathed and will not play another tournament game until next weekend in the winners' bracket finals. Each of the other teams left in the tournament will resume play today...

SENATH -- Dunklin County avenged its only district loss of the season by sweeping Ford & Sons Cape Legion in a doubleheader Saturday. Dunklin County, which suffered its lone district loss Wednesday in a doubleheader split with Cape, posted a 10-7 victory in Saturday's opener and a 10-0, five-inning win in the nightcap...

Tupelo, you know the name but do you know the tree? You might be one of the many Missourians who could not pick Tupelo out of a tree "line up." In spite of this you could be surprised to find they are a fascinating native tree that can be of use to people and wildlife...

The Kelly High School alumni softball tournament will be held Aug. 6-8 in Benton. Entry fee is $15 per person. Entry deadline is July 28. For more information, contact Greg Riley at (573) 545-3933 or Stan Essner at (573) 545-4178.

Tryouts for the SEMO Soccer Club under 14 boys will be held at Jackson City Park (Field No. 2) on July 19-21. Boys born 8/1/85 to 7/31/86 will are eligible for the team. The tryouts will be held 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each day. Please bring a soccer ball and wear shin guards...

The Cape Area Youth Soccer Association (CAYSA) will conduct sign-ups at West Park Mall Sunday July 18 and July 25 at the JC Penny courtyard from noon to 5 p.m. Parents may also pick up a registration form from Unisoccer in West Park Mall, Howard's Sporting Goods and Play it Again Sports...

MORLEY -- Verlene Blankenship, 79, formerly of Morley, died Friday, July 9, 1999, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born Oct. 18, 1919, at Hornersville, daughter of W.V. and Mable Hudson McArthur. She worked for the Oran hat factory for several years and sold Avon cosmetics for 18 years...

ADVANCE -- Harold W. Hazel, 36, of Bell City, died Friday, July 9, 1999, at his home in Bell City. He was a construction worker. He is survived by his father, Roscoe Hazel of Sikeston; his mother, Mildred Wallace McIntyre of Advance; a daughter, Stormie Hazel of Memphis, Tenn.; three brothers, Ben Hazel of Bloomfield, Bill Hazel of Advance and Charlie Hazel of Orrick; six sisters, Louise Ford of Dongola, Dorothy Sturgeon of Advance, Alice Wright of South Haven, Miss., Brenda McKenzie of Sturgeon, Miss., Sharon Agrkenhoff of Hazelwood and Regina Ulloa of Germany; and a special friend, Amy Eilers of Bell City.. ...

CHAFFEE -- Pearl Hubbard, 92, of Chaffee, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, July 9, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 1, 1907, at Zalma, daughter of Paul and Liza Rice Howell. She married Vernie Hubbard at Frisco Jan. 12, 1924. He preceded her in death...

JACKSON -- Betty Green, 56, of Jackson died Saturday, July 10, 1999, at her home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

Some basic things needed to start backpacking include a first aid kit, sleeping bag, tent, camping stove, boots, trail food and water bottles, A sign posted on a tree along a hiking trail east of Cape Girardeau reminds passersby of a no hunting regulation...

Winged creatures have always fascinated me. They seem to move so effortlessly, so blithely. Have you ever seen a tired butterfly, bug, bird or beetle? They don't have to vie for a parking space, have no head-on collisions. I like to study them -- the bugs -- under my magnifying glass. They don't want to sit still for this but this past week I've had the opportunity to see two, one up close and personal...