Stories from Wednesday, July 21, 1999

Some people are nothing short of amazing. The Rev. Walter Keisker -- age 100 -- falls in this category. Earlier this month, the Lutheran Family and Children's Services honored the man who spent more than a half century years ministering to the congregation of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson with a "century of blessings" dinner party...

Sometimes individuals can make a difference beyond their scope. Such has been the case with officers Charlie Herbst and Ike Hammonds, whose names have become synonymous with Cape Girardeau's community policing program. Herbst, a 10-year veteran, will leave the department this month to take a marketing job in Jackson. But his efforts since 1994 will leave a permanent mark on the community policing program...

We were all shocked by the sudden death of JOHN F. KENNEDY, JR. and the lengthy time required to confirm the obvious; and the (to me) initially unbelievable repetition of misinformation and speculation as to what happened. As a pilot...I was seeking basic information which was not generally reported until two days after the flight...

IS IT just because it's politically incorrect to say so, or am I really the only person in the world who was bored to death by the women's World Cup championship soccer match? I'M A Southeast Missourian reader, and I would like to say that I enjoy your prayers each day that you have in the paper. ...

Getting trash to a landfill near Dexter is costly to Cape Girardeau and other Southeast Missouri communities. Cape Girardeau officials hope a planned switch to a new system of hauling will be more efficient. The city hauls trash to a transfer station in Cape Girardeau where it is compacted and taken to Dexter. Other surrounding communities also haul trash to the transfer station as do citizens...

End-of-the-year financial reports indicate fund balances for the Cape Girardeau School District are on the rise. Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska and business manager Dr. Steve Del Vecchio presented the reports at a Board of Education meeting Monday. The general fund had a balance of $2,622,912 when the fiscal year ended June 30. That is $1,377,966 more than the district had at the beginning of the last fiscal year...

Combined with the heat and humidity, temperatures felt like 105 to 110 degrees Tuesday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a heat advisory at least through Thursday. If it doesn't cool off, the heat advisory likely will continue through the weekend, said David Humphrey of the National Weather Service...

Harry and Rosemary Crisp and their Marion, Ill., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. over the years have donated more than $1 million to Southeast Missouri State University in property and financial gifts. But their largess hasn't bought them an exclusive contract with the Cape Girardeau school. The university continues to split its soft-drink business between Crisp's company and Central States Coca-Cola in Jackson...

As if the bad frames weren't enough, now I find my ears aren't even! My last pair of glasses lasted five years. You'd be amazed how long glasses, clothes, shoes, haircuts, furniture, dental work and cars will last for a person in the journalism business. Might have something to do with that whole eat-or-get-new-glasses dilemma that faces all of us writers...

What Marlon Brando did for the image of bikers in "The Wild One" largely has been undone these days by motorcycle clubs that are part of communities instead of tearing them apart. Members of six motorcycle clubs from Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri will participate in the March of Dimes' first annual Bikers for Babies ride Aug. 21...

A Fredericktown woman suffered serious injuries Monday after her car was hit from behind by a driver who had fallen asleep. Linda Godsey, 33, had pulled to the side of U.S. 67 about five miles north of Fredericktown on Monday about 3 p.m. when another car crashed into the back of her vehicle, according to reports from the state Highway Patrol. The second driver, Jerald Eck, 25, of Fredericktown, had fallen asleep while driving...

Paul Krautmann has a better idea for marketing his farm products -- community support agriculture (CSA). "I like knowing that our produce is sold before heading to market," he said. Krautmann, who grows organic produce on a farm near Hillsboro, started his CSA program seven years ago. He contracts with customers to provide them with fresh, organically-grown vegetables throughout the growing season...

DEXTER -- Thirty years after Neil Armstrong and Edwin A. Aldrin climbed gingerly from their Apollo 11 moon ladder to the rock-strewn surface of the Sea of Tranquility, a high school science teacher remembers every step. Charles Cooper, now a science teacher at Dexter High School, was just 10 when the astronauts walked on the moon. But the memory survives...

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- A committee studying problems with NCAA Division I basketball urged tying the number of scholarships schools can award to their academic success, but stopped short of supporting a proposal to make freshmen ineligible to play. "We have had to temper the enthusiasm of some with the realities of what we can accomplish," said Syracuse University Chancellor Kenneth "Buzz" Shaw, the committee chairman. ...

JACKSON -- Poplar Bluff American Legion pitcher Jamie McAlister might have been the youngest player on the field here Tuesday. But to Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons, McAlister looked like a seasoned veteran. McAlister, recently promoted from Poplar Bluff's Junior Legion squad, pitched no-hit baseball for 7 2/3 innings to help lead the fifth seed to a 10-7 win over the fourth seed in the opening round of the District 14 Tournament at the Jackson Legion Field...

Sean Dougherty shot his first hole-in-one recently, using a 7-iron to ace the No. 3 hole at the Cape Girardeau Jaycee Municipal Golf Course. Dougherty was playing with his father, Mike.

Saint Francis Universal Health and Fitness Center along with River Eagle Distributing and Domino's Pizza will host the Outdoor Tennis Classic Aug. 7-8 on the Southeast Missouri State University courts. The events will include men's open singles, men's open doubles, men's 35 doubles, women's open singles and women's open doubles...

SIKESTON -- James V. Shelton, 80, of Sikeston died Tuesday, July 20, 1999, at his son's home. He was born Oct. 25, 1918, to Robert Lee and Callie Mae Shelton in Senath. He was married to Juanita Urhahn May 22, 1938, in Benton. Shelton was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army and was held as a POW. He worked as a superintendent at the Sikeston Cotton Oil Mill for 43 years...

BLOOMFIELD -- Edna Mabel Wilkison, 87, of Bloomfield died Tuesday, July 20, 1999, at Beverly Healthcare Center in Bloomfield. She was born Sept. 15, 1911, to Ed and Mabel McDonald Reiter near Puxico. She was married to Hugh Wilkison. He died June 22, 1977...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral for Robert Morris Bailey Sr. of East Prairie will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. The Rev. George White will officiate. Burial will be in Dogwood Cemetery. Bailey, 70, died Monday, July 19, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

GRAND CHAIN, Ill. -- Funeral for Lois Schuler of Grand Chain, formerly of Ullin, will be held at 11 a.m. today at Living Hope Fellowship Church in Karnak. The Rev. Kevin Badgley will officiate. Burial will be in Masonic Cemetery. Friends may call at the church from 9 a.m. until service time...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Funeral for Celestine Harris of Mounds, formerly of Tamms, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms. The Rev. Billy Don Heady will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Memorial Park at Murphysboro. Friends may call at the funeral home after 9:30 a.m. Thursday...

JACKSON -- William M. "Bill" Wilson, 57, of Jackson died Monday, July 19, 1999, at his home. He was born Jan. 3, 1942, in Chicago, son of Marion and Edna Dowling Wilson. He and Madeline Brown were married Oct. 10, 1985. Wilson attended Central High School in Cape Girardeau...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Funeral for Alice Clendenin of Jonesboro will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home. The Rev. Jim Stamp will officiate. Burial will be in Jonesboro Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

MARBLE HILL -- Ruby J. Toombs, 50, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, July 20, 1999, at Advance Nursing Center in Advance. She was born July 22, 1948, at Hiram, daughter of Fred J. and Berniece Fox Wilfong. She and James A. Toombs were married April 24, 1964. He died Aug. 15, 1992...

CATRON -- John Kinsey, 63, of Catron died Tuesday, July 20, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 9, 1936, at Lilbourn, son of Tom and Fern Vails Kinsey. He and Thelma Edwards were married Nov. 27, 1959, at Catron. Kinsey had lived at Catron 32 years. He was a retired farm laborer, and member of Lilbourn General Baptist Church...

Nelson Dale King, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, July 19, 1999, at his home. Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Son to James David and Robin Renee White of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:36 a.m. Sunday, July 11, 1999. Name, Robert James. Weight, 8 pounds 8 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. White is the former Robin Risdon, daughter of Bob and Evelyn Hanks of Borger, Texas. She is employed at Thorngate Ltd. White is the son of David and Marian White of Cape Girardeau. He is a truck driver with Plaza Tire...

A piece of chess pie is a piece of rich Southern tradition. And, my mother, Tessie Thompson, makes the best chess pie using a treasured family recipe. In 1969 my college dorm mates never tired of eating the chess pie that came "special delivery" via my mother and daddy. The arrival of my parents on Saturday mornings was a most anticipated event, since they came bearing food, not by the box, but by the boxes...

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri held its annual Ice Cream Social and Dessert Auction Sunday and it turned out to be a tremendous success. There was wonderful attendance and some very generous bidding on spectacular desserts. The Rainbow Auction Company donated its time to conduct the bidding. The roof came off Mollie's Grill and Bar when a dessert was accidentally dropped on the floor, and yes, even it was auctioned off as a donation only with the name changed to Carpet Cake...

"Man cannot live by bread alone," comedian Bill Cosby once quipped. "He must have peanut butter." The same must go for women and children too, for roughly half the peanuts consumed in North America are eaten as peanut butter. Moreover, one third of the U.S. ...