Stories from Sunday, September 12, 1999

Cars speeding by busily on the highway, Youthful boys pitching football back and forth, Suddenly one boy turns around and hikes the ball, (I smile to myself.). Next thing, they're sitting side by side... Then up and running for a cup of water...smiling all the way...

The dry earth gasps for water. Cracks yawn wide in the ground, waiting for the deep, enriching moisture of a soaking rain. Grains and grasses wither, even the weeds eventually shrivel as the earth turns a premature brown. Harvest comes early for the fields that have had sufficient early moisture to produce. Morale sinks with the production and desperation rises with the temperature. Such is the time of drought...

Walking tours of the Missouri Botanical Garden, led by garden guides, leave from the ticket counter at 1 p.m. daily, except during Best of Missouri Market in early October. Free with regular garden admission or garden membership. Eco-Cart demonstrations are presented every Saturday throughout the year from 11 a.m. ...

Groundbreaking was held this past week for the new Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center along I-55 in Cape Girardeau. This is a cooperative effort of countless individuals who have worked for years to make this new school a reality. The state has been a 50-50 partner with local school districts in funding these vocational-technical buildings. ...

25 years ago: 1974 County Court intends to meet with architect Thomas E. Phillips at site of proposed county jail complex to discuss feasibility of higher-than-expected earthwork bids that were submitted week ago by two contractors; court Thursday agreed to meet after County Auditor E. ...

Rumors that the Beanie Baby may be on the way out had little or no impact within the Jackson business community. While the furry critters caused traffic jams when their smaller cousins were introduced at Jackson McDonald's, the Beanies have never been a staple for local merchants...

Reagen's Chapel United Methodist Church will hold its annual Harvest Festival Saturday, Sept. 25. The church is located three miles north of Patton Junction. Dinner , featuring fried chicken, kettle beef and chicken-and-dumplings, will begin at 3 p.m. An auction of quilts and other items, starts at 6:30 p.m...

COMMERCE -- Live fish from the Mississippi River will again fill a 5,000 gallon fish tank at the third annual Commerce Floodfest Sept. 17-19. Floodfest will also feature a zoo with water buffalo, a camel, ring-tail lemur, African crested porcupine and many other animals. Pony rides, dunking booths, an outhouse race, craft booths, garage sales, race cars and food booths will also be featured...

David A. Taylor, M.D., and Dr. Dawn Caruso, both psychiatrists, and Mr. Bob LeFebvre, psychotherapist, are now providing specialized psychiatric consultation, assessment, and treatment services at 1404 Old Cape Road, Suite 102, in Jackson. Services are available to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, and are available by appointment. Medicare and insurance payment are accepted...

Hospitality is said by some to be a "lost art." Is this trait of kindness something we want to preserve? If so, how do we go about the task of preservation? First, it is helpful to explore the past. Think of your childhood and lessons of hospitality routinely performed in your home. ...

On the last long weekend of summer, we gathered with our friends and family to celebrate Labor Day. As a national holiday, Labor Day does not seem to resemble our other national days of celebration and remembrance. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veterans Day all share the common thread of remembering our nation's conflicts and battles, our triumph over enemies at home and abroad, and our American sons and daughters who put their lives on the line for us. ...

When it is hot, you feel the cool wind blow against you as you ride your bicycle up and down the street. Your friends are calling you to come play, but all you want to do is ride today. You look back and your hair blows in your face. When you balance on...

A nation with two of its most hallowed institutions under darkening clouds has turned to a distinguished Missourian to try to sort it all out. The two institutions are the Justice Department and the FBI. The widely respected Missourian is former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, who this past week accepted a call from his country to try to make sense of the incredible mess the Clinton administration has made of the April 1993 disaster at Waco...

As if I didn't have enough to keep myself preoccupied, I've lately been finding even more ways of doing it. When I first logged onto the Internet at home in April, 1998, I went through a period of about 10 weeks in which I was very definitely addicted. ...

According to published reports from Lake Wobegon and other venues, Minnesotans are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with their last November choice for governor, Jesse Ventura. It's not that the former professional wrestler has committed any horrendous boo-boo that has disgraced the entire state, but because there is growing evidence that he lacks both the knowledge and the vision to trade holds with the serious problems facing Minnesota...

So the Clintons' policy is clemency for deadly terrorists, and a dozen of these are receiving get-out-of-jail-free passes. What manner of persons are these, the Clintons? I submit that there is no incident -- not Hillary's miraculous luck with cattle futures, not the Lewinsky affair, not the many wag-the-dog scenarios that have played out during their White House years -- that is as telling as clemency for the Puerto Rican terrorists. ...

WHAT A disgrace to America that our secretary of state, who deals with male leaders of other countries, sits with her skirt up to her rear. What a mockery of our nation. She has no respect for statesmanlike diplomacy or herself. Clinton's cabinet is all a big joke. All his appointed people are a big mockery...

As a result of the prank they played on their friend, seven juveniles became a part of Missouri's juvenile justice system. If he had been an adult, the seventh boy would have been charged with one count of third-degree assault, a class A misdemeanor, for placing the friend in the immediate apprehension of harm, and to one count of third-degree assault, a class C misdemeanor, for offensive touching...

There's an altruistic reason for buying a copy of the YELL edition when it is sold on street corners Tuesday morning. Money raised through street sales and sponsorships in the form of ads in the once-a-year newspaper edition, which can be purchased for a donation of $2 or more, go to fund area literacy projects through the YELL (Youth Education Literacy and Learning) Foundation...

Seven-year-old Cody Schremp drilled a few holes Saturday to secure a wooden counter for the American Legion Post 63 as he and his grandfather prepared the stand for today's opening of the SEMO District Fair. But he'd rather look at tractors. "I don't see any tractors or combines out here, Paw paw," Cody said to Floyd Smith, who had promised to show him farm equipment...

Copyright 1999 Southeast Missourian JACKSON -- On April 26, an officer with the Jackson Police Department contacted Stuart and Bobbie Venable because he had received voice-mail calls reporting that the callers had seen a video of the Venables' son being tied to a cross...

Those who want to see the results of YELL grants need look no further than the smiling children in pictures Linda Robert loves to show off. The pictures were taken as these proud children showed off their reading skills at the end of a program Robert lead last year at Clippard Elementary School that took the children from being "basically non-readers to being fluent readers," Robert said...

Business couldn't be better in our home. Just ask our kids. In their mercantile world, wealth is easily acquired from their pretend bank. They make frequent trips to the bank, cashing in on whatever coupons they can find that will serve as play money...

When visitors come to Cape Bible Chapel on Kage Road Sunday for worship, they'll see what a typical service is like in a 1,600-seat worship center. The church is dedicating its new 55,000 square-foot worship center Sunday. Special events are planned throughout the day, beginning with an open communion from 8:30-9 a.m. and a ministry fair from 9-10 a.m. Brunch will be served during the ministry fair also...

A plan to paint more murals on the west side of the Mississippi River floodwall between Broadway and Independence streets is being studied by the River Heritage Mural Association. Though association president Tim Blattner cautions that the project is in the very preliminary stages, the group has taken the step of advertising for artists in an international publication, the Art Calendar...

Actress Janet Leigh, shown in character as Marion Crane in the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 thriller "Psycho." (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The Saturday afternoon matinee, a movie tradition that has been replaced by, is returning this fall on Sunday as the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri...

Before Friday night, the Farmington Knightettes were the Buffalo Bills of the SEMO Specialties and Sports Volleyball Classic. Farmington had climbed to the final game three times since 1993, but there was always an obstacle in its way -- Bernie. Farmington finally overcame the state volleyball power -- in the semifinals -- and went on to win the 30-team volleyball tournament in three sets over Rosati Kain out of St. Louis 12-15, 15-6 and 15-7....

NORMAL, Ill. -- Illinois State is the nation's fifth-ranked NCAA Division I-AA football team -- and the Redbirds will likely get no arguments about that from Southeast Missouri State University. The Redbirds made it look extremely easy Saturday night -- much too easy, in fact -- scoring touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions and bombing the Indians 55-7 in front of 9,322 fans at Hancock Stadium...

Since my primary duties during the football season are to follow Southeast Missouri State University's Indians, I don't get to cover nearly as many high school games as I used to. But I'm sure glad I was in Jackson Friday night, as all of the fans who packed the Indians' stadium must have been...

Apparently an 0-4 start to the season did not sit well with the Southeast Missouri State University volleyball team. Southeast won its first match of the season Friday night and quickly won its second and third matches Saturday, the latter against the University of Missouri to win the Tiger Invitational...

BENTON -- Perryville won two of the four races held Saturday at the Kelly Cross Country Invitational. Pirate runners finished 1-2 in the varsity 5,000-meter run as the Pirates accumulated only 28 points to easily outdistance runner-up Kelly (60), Poplar Bluff (62) and Notre Dame (81)...

Scott City showed its mean, ugly face -- not its red face -- Friday night. One week after being embarrassed 30-0 by Malden in the season opener, the Rams showed no mercy on Portageville in a 44-6 romp. "We got focused and eliminated some mistakes and did a good job in developing a game plan to prevent Portageville doing to us what Malden did," Scott City coach Roy Williams said. ...

Have you ever referred to gar as a trash fish? Have you ever caught a gar and thrown it on the bank to die? Gar have gotten a bad reputation over time. Most anglers think that they are bad for game fish populations or that they don't serve a purpose in any fish population. Others just think that they are ugly and don't deserve to live in our rivers and wetlands...

The annual benefit golf tournament for the campaign of Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, will be held Monday, Sept. 27 at Bent Creek Golf Course. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. with play starting at 12:45 p.m. Prizes will be awarded at 6 with a dinner to follow...

The Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Department is sponsoring its third annual St. Louis Rams trip on Oct. 10 when the San Francisco 49ers visit. Cost of the trip is $42, which includes tickets and transportation. To reserve a spot, call the Parks & Recreation Department at 335-5421...

A women's seniors doubles and singles bowling tournament will be held Oct 2, 3, 9, 10 and 16 at Bluff Lanes in Poplar Bluff. All women age 55 and over are eligible to participate. The entry fee is $27 per woman, with the entry deadline Sept. 16. Checks should me made payable to MSWBA Seniors Women Tournament and mailed to Brenda Stanfield, 3116 Laurel Lane, Cape Girardeau, 63701...

The 19th annual City of Roses Half Marathon will be held Sept. 26 at Arena Park. In addition to the 13.1-mile run, which begins at 7 a.m., a 5,000-meter run and 1-kilometer youth run will be held. A half-marathon power walk begins at 6:30 a.m. The 1-kilometer run is for youths ages 12 and under...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill -- Margaret Ella Haffly, 73, of Springfield, Ill., died Saturday, Sept. 11, 1999, at Memorial Hospital in Springfield. She was at born March 17, 1926, at Buncombe. She was a retired clerk from the Illinois State Police. She was a member of the Seventh Street Assemble of God Church in Springfield...

CHARLESTON -- Lela Boardman Pruett, 92, formerly of Charleston, died Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999, at Jackson Manor. She was born Aug. 19, 1907, in Paragould, Ark., to George and Linda Rien Jackson. She lived most of her life in Mississippi County. She was member of the First Baptist Church at Charleston and was member the Order of Eastern Star. She was employed with Brown Shoe Co. 32 years, before retiring in 1971...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Raymond O. Schwieger, 75, formerly of Olmsted, died Friday, Sept. 10, 1999, at the Bertrand, Mo., Nursing Facility. He was born March 29, 1924, in Olmsted, son of Otto and Louise Dagner Schwieger. He was of Baptist faith. He is survived by a son, Murray Schwieger of Charleston; a daughter, Robin Gibson of Paducah, Ky.; two brothers, Norman Schwieger and Loren Schwieger, both of Olmsted; three sisters, Louise Golightly and Thelma Bagby, both of Olmsted, and Ruth Wasson of Metropolis; and two grandchildren.. ...

CHAFFEE -- Ines Lee Stafford, 66, of Chaffee died Saturday, Sept. 11, 1999, at Chaffee Nursing Center. She was born Aug. 18, 1933, at St. Louis, daughter of Tom Purdom and Nora Crawford Purdom. She married Bob Stafford Aug. 1, 1964. He survives. Other survivors are a son, Don Stafford, Topeka, Kan.; a daughter, Kelley Petitt of Chaffee; a sister, Laura Schmitt of St. Louis; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild...

Calvin E. Unterreiner, 71, of Perryville died Friday, Sept. 10, 1999, at the Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital. He was born Jan. 19, 1928, at Perry County, son of Gilbert L. and Lydia L. Moore Unterreiner. Unterreiner had retired as a carpenter from Penzel Construction Co. in Cape Girardeau. He was a member of the Eagles...

Son to Bryan Wayne and Keasha Marie LaPlant of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, 1999. Name, Riley Thomas. Weight, 9 pounds 2 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. LaPlant is the daughter of Dennis and Pamela Furlong of Jackson. LaPlant is the son of Robert and Linda LaPlant of Desloge and Kenny and Linda Rogers of Arnold. He is employed at Lynn Enterprises...

CHAFFEE -- Cleo Houseman, 81, of Chaffee died Friday, Sept. 10, 1999, at the Senath Nursing Home. She was born Sept. 19, 1917, at Williamsville, daughter of Pearl Clifford Halbert and Harriett Caroline Leach Halbert. She was a retired housekeeper at the U.S. Post Office in Chaffee...

Nathan Fridley, age 4, says his favorite parts of the SEMO District Fair are the pony rides and fair food like hot dogs and hamburgers. His mother, Stephanie Fridley, who could see fair preparations going on as she looked after her children at an Arena Park playground on Thursday, said she likes the animal exhibits...

R-r-r-rinng. "Hello." "Mrs. Masley?" "It's Mosley. Long o." "Well, how are you today, ma'am?" The voice was so cheerful, full of energy and purpose. "I'm (I didn't catch the name nor the next few words of his identification. The only words I heard distinctly were "I'm" and "windows")...