Stories from Friday, August 13, 1999

Dr. Teena Shrrock talked with Lottie Carpenter at Carpenter's bedside at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Carpenter entered the hospital after her jaw was broken in two places. The middle of an appendicitis attack is not the time to remember you don't have a family doctor. But that's exactly what happens for a number of acutely ill emergency room patients at two local hospitals...

Surrounded by straw and farmers, Gov. George W. Bush made his way to the podium Thursday with sweat pouring down his face. "It is just like campaigning in Texas," he said. "It's hot." The sun beat down on a makeshift parking lot at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port near Scott City. ...

It isn't every day you hitch a ride with a presidential candidate. But there I was Thursday morning, seated in a car with Texas Gov. George W. Bush as he departed from Drury Suites hotel in Cape Girardeau for a campaign stop 15 minutes away at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port near Scott City...

What do Moses, Isaac Newton, Marilyn Monroe, Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Bruce Willis, and Carly Simon have in common? They stuttered. Stuttering and stammering are the same thing and this condition was first mentioned on Mesopotamian clay tablets and it has been referred to in the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. ...

With a little extra technology from the FBI, law enforcement officials in Missouri soon will keep more criminals behind bars. The FBI this week officially dedicated its new $640 million electronic database of fingerprints at its Criminal Justice Information Services center in Clarksburg, W.Va. The goal of the system is to shorten the length of time it takes to positively identify individuals who are under arrest...

Texas Gov. George Bush raised more than $100,000 for his Republican presidential campaign at a Cape Girardeau fund raiser Thursday. But he came away most impressed with Millie Limbaugh, mother of conservative radio-talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. "She is fabulous," Bush said after a Wednesday night visit to her home...

Dangling wires, missing ceilings and unfinished construction won't delay the opening of Cape Girardeau public schools or Southeast Missouri State University. Officials for the school district and university said construction projects appear further behind than they are. In particular, the majority of extensive renovations under way on Greek housing at the university could be completed over the weekend, said Al Stoverink, director of facilities management...

JACKSON -- Next stop Jefferson City. A public hearing at Jackson City Hall Thursday was the next step in a plan by local governments to accelerate construction of improvements at the Interstate 55 and U.S. 61 intersection known as Center Junction. The public comments will be gathered and presented to the Missouri Transportation Commission in September or October...

Republican presidential candidate and Texas Gov. George W. Bush touted tax cuts and farm aid during his campaign visit to Cape Girardeau Thursday. He told a crowd of more than 300 supporters at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port near Scott City that the nation can afford to save Social Security, strengthen Medicare, build up the military and cut taxes...

I have to tell you about three things at once. Otherwise, I'll forget to tell you some really good stuff. There are three things I want to talk about, and I don't want to keep you in suspense about any of them: 1. Potholes. 2. How my mother tried to bribe me...

ST. LOUIS -- The 42 governors at the National Governors' Association meeting devoted more time and study to the needs of public education than any other subject. The comprehensive look at kindergarten through 12th-grade education, triggered by numerous studies conducted by the NGA's Center for Best Practices, focused on a sizable number of issues ranging from reforming state procurement to obtaining the best information technology to lectures by visiting students from as far away as Las Vegas, Nev., to the quality of teacher training in state colleges of education.. ...

Waylon Jennings, Billy Ray Cyrus and Terri Clark won't perform in Cape Girardeau until next month, but they are already helping boost ticket sales to the SEMO District Fair. The trio of country singers will be the grandstand entertainment at the fair during its last three days with Clark performing Sept. 16, Cyrus Sept. 17 and Jennings Sept. 18. Their performances are helping fuel advance ticket sales to the fair, said Pete Poe, president of the Southeast Missouri District Fair Association...

Charles R. Jackson, past president of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), will be in Cape Girardeau next month. Jackson is a 25-year member of NARFE and will be a guest at the annual NARFE Chapter 0626 Picnic. The picnic will be held Sept. 1, at South County Park, Pavilion 20...

Tuesday's blood drive sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association comes just at the right time for the American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Regional Blood Services. "We are in a critical need for blood right now," said Shawnna Rhine, donor recruiter for the Red Cross. "We need all blood types."...

More than 1,000 children spent hundreds of minutes this summer reading as part of a program sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Children who participated in "Reading Time '99" at the library were then eligible for coupons from local restaurants...

THIS IS to the called in Speak Out who commented on Rush Limbaugh's remarks regarding the death of JFK Jr. It is obvious that this reader did not actually hear Rush's comments, for if he had he would know that what Rush said exactly was in no way vitriolic nor offensive. ...

Missouri has already executed a record number of convicts this year, raising doubts about any changes the pope's visit to the state might have had. Missouri may appear to be unremarkable to the rest of the world, but the state holds the record for spending $3.4 billion to make its urban school students dumber...

President Clinton came to St. Louis this week to talk about budgets and tax cuts and entitlement programs. To the president, the debate over these issues boils down to one word: arithmetic. Unfortunately, federal policymakers long ago demonstrated an aptitude for dubious math, stretching dollars here, ignoring spending caps there and always spending far more than the nation has in its checking account...

In this age of air conditioning, malls with multiple movie screens, TV videos and electronic games, it is a wonder that anyone will venture out of doors in August's heat and humidity for an evening of thrills and spills. But for the 47th year, the Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo in Sikeston is attracting its usual crowds...

The inception of a women's soccer program at Southeast Missouri State University was perfect timing as far as Nichole Thiele is concerned. Thiele was one of Missouri's top high school female athletes at Cape Girardeau Central a few years ago, earning all-state honors in basketball and track while also starring in soccer...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Mary Delphine Alsobrook, 74, of Portageville died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 21, 1924, in Portageville, daughter of Joseph Casey and Delphine Mary Dunne McCrate. She and Phil Alsobrook were married April 8, 1947, in Portageville...

PERRYVILLE -- Dorothea B. Stueve, 92, of Perryville died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born March 28, 1907, at Daisy, daughter of August Franz and Anne W. Kuntze Leine. She and Rudolph A. Stueve were married Dec. 9, 1926. He died Sept. 14, 1978...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Graveside service for Mary Lois Morgan of East Prairie will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Dogwood Cemetery. The Rev. David Dowdy will officiate. Friends may call today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Morgan, 73, died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, at her home...

Funeral for Donna Marie Taylor of Cape Girardeau will be held at 1 p.m. today at Pentecostal Power Church in Caruthersville. Burial will be in Morgan Ridge Cemetery at Caruthersville. H.S. Smith Funeral Home in Caruthersville is in charge of arrangements...

David Lester Miller, 66, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, at St. John's Hospital in St. Louis. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

DUTCHTOWN -- Funeral for Hubert N. Amelunke of Clayton, La., was held Wednesday at First Lutheran Church. William D. Gassett officiated, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Laird Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Amelunke, 62, died Monday, Aug. 9, 1999, at his home...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- William Austin Willis, 77, of Jonesboro died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Hileman and Parr Funeral Services.

Son to David Thomas Brown and Lamecha Requetta Abraham of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:43 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, 1999. Name, Davin Thomas. Weight, 7 pounds 1 ounces. Second child, first son. Ms. Abraham is the daughter of Ronnie Abraham and Jamesetter Abraham of Cape Girardeau. Brown is the son of Dennis Furlong and Pamela Furlong of Jackson...

PARMA -- Funeral for J.V. Matlock of Parma will be held at 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church in Catron. The Rev. James Swiney will officiate. Burial will be in Mounds Cemetery near Lilbourn. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home at Parma is in charge of arrangements...