Stories from Wednesday, September 15, 1999

It only took a few minutes to bury the YELL time capsule Tuesday evening near A.C. Brase Arena Building at Arena Park, but nearly a century's worth of work went into it. The Rev. Walter Keisker asked the crowd gathered for the 45-minute ceremony to take a little inventory of what has happened in the past century...

JACKSON -- In an emotional and occasionally combative meeting, a crowd estimated at nearly 500 packed the Jackson School District Board of Education meeting Tuesday night to discuss the schools' eligibility policy and handling of a bizarre incident that occurred off the school grounds last spring...

Stacey Robinson takes logging rejects and turns them into works of art. Robinson carves everything from eagles to ears of corn out of timber rejected by logging companies. Sometimes the logs can't be used because of a knot or bad spot that won't affect Robinson's work as a chain-saw carver. "I think it's a better use," he said...

For those who didn't immediately see the students in front of Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Jackson selling YELL papers Tuesday morning, the eighth-graders made sure the motorists heard them. "Buy a paper," they shouted to those driving by. The students jumped, waved and otherwise called attention to their efforts to sell the annual newspaper edition that raises money for literacy...

Terry Hadler of Scott City driving car No. 4 was the winner of the Demolition Derby held Monday night at the SEMO District Fair. Kenny Burton of Scott City rode with Hadler. Curt Vernon, driver, and Mark Rothweiler, rider, both of Perryville, placed second; Roy Grifford, driver, and Phillip Gifford, rider, both of Ste. Genevive, placed third; Jason Schmelzle, driver, and Aaron Schmelze, rider, both of Ste. Genevive placed fourth...

I'm not exactly sure why The Other Half chose only to apply tanning lotion to his face, but it probably would have been better for him not to attend the upscale dinner with me. It's nearly the end of summer, thank heavens. No more shorts. No more of those flirty little tank shirts girls are wearing. No more sandals. Now we ample women can cover up the thigh ripples and arm flab...

You don't even need a flagpole to pray at the annual See You at the Pole. Students at Eagle Ridge Christian School will gather around their new flagpole -- if it gets installed in time. Otherwise, they will meet around 7:45 a.m. at the spot where the flagpole will be, said Tony Hammack, chaplain at the school...

Southeast Missouri State University will host Family Weekend Oct. 1-3, highlighted by a concert by the Beach Boys. "Good Vibrations" will be felt on campus as the Beach Boys perform at Houck Stadium after the football game on Oct. 2. The Beach Boys' cruising tunes have included "Surfin Safari," "Help Me Rhonda, "California Girls," and "Surfin USA."...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County will join a class action lawsuit against the state of Missouri. The county claims the state is violating the law by requiring a pay increase for prosecuting attorneys. The suit challenges a state mandate for counties to increase compensation for prosecuting attorneys in counties with state prisons...

Fairgoers tried to walk a straight line at Arena Park Tuesday afternoon, but Kevin Klipe and his "fatal vision" goggles were making it impossible. "I think you had better stop there," Klipe told a man before he walked into a tent's rope. Klipe of the state Department of Liquor Control was one of 15 riding with the Missouri Highway Safety Brigade, which stopped at the SEMO Fair to encourage traffic safety...

There are thousands of teachers in Missouri, and each year just one is honored as Missouri's Teacher of the Year. The 1999 honoree is Nancy Petersen of Poplar Bluff. It certainly speaks reams about the talents and methods of this high school science teacher. But it also speaks well for the district, which also had a state finalist in the running last year...

WELL HERE they come again, all the little school children selling us sausage and cheese, candy, peanuts, calendars or whatever in order to raise money for their interests and activities in their schools. Their products are overpriced and absolutely useless to most of the people they try to sell to. ...

An e-mailer suggested that he was dismayed that I could suggest that Pat Buchanan's migration to the Reform Party would hurt the Republican Party. It was not Perot's fault that Clinton defeated Bush and Dole. They lost the elections themselves. The Republicans, he implied, are scapegoating other people and third parties instead of accepting responsibility and returning to their roots...

Everyone knows how insurance works: You buy the protection hoping you'll never have to use it. You compare rates trying to get the best deal possible. Such was the case with area school districts when administrators accepted insurance through a state-sponsored program several years ago. The aim was to secure lower rates for employees...

As I write this, it's 12:30 a.m. Sunday on the return trip from Illinois State. We've absorbed a 55-7 loss to the Redbirds, who more closely resembled giant condors. ISU is the best team that we have played at the Division I-AA level -- ever! They look more like a real Division I-A team than the likes of Arkansas State, Hawaii and Middle Tennessee, which we have played in the past...

Illinois State rallied from eight shots down Tuesday to win the 17-team Drury Intercollegiate golf tournament hosted by Southeast Missouri State University. The Redbirds had finished Monday's opening 36 holes eight shots behind leader Morehead State...

Southeast Missouri State University head men's basketball coach Gary Garner isn't in the market for a new assistant coach after all. That's because Tom Schuberth, Garner's top assistant the past two seasons, is back with the Indians. Schuberth was introduced last week as the new head coach at Christian Brothers University, a Division II school in Memphis, Tenn. But he reconsidered and has decided to stay at Southeast...

ST. LOUIS -- Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team won its fourth straight match Tuesday night by snapping St. Louis University's 10-match unbeaten streak. The Otahkians rallied to knock off the Billikens 8-15, 15-13, 9-15, 15-11, 15-9...

In a battle of local high school girls tennis teams who entered play undefeated in dual matches, host Cape Girardeau Central knocked off Jackson 7-2. According to Central coach Annette Slattery, the contest was much closer than the score indicates. "It was a great match," said Slattery, whose squad improved to 5-0 in duals. "The score doesn't really indicate how close the match was. It could have gone either way."...

A Youth Pizza Pace Race will be held Oct. 16 in Jackson, with the race beginning at the swimming pool parking lot in the Jackson City Park. Registration will be at 8:30 a.m., with the race at 9 a.m. The event is open to boys and girls ages 4-13. Ages 4-5 and 6-7 will run 1/4 mile, ages 8-9 and 10-11 will run 1/2 half and ages 12-13 will run one mile...

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 Scott City Parks and Recreation Department will hold a meeting for its ball league Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Scott City High School gymnasium. Interested people are urged to attend the meeting. For more information, call the Scott City Parks & Recreation Department at 264-3411...

DEXTER -- Jean Henderson, 57, of Dexter died Monday, Sept. 13, 1999, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born Jan. 19, 1942, in Idalia, daughter of Owen B. and Lucille Dallas Musgrave. She and Richard Henderson were married Dec. 24, 1958, at Dexter. He died April 27, 1999...

CHARLESTON -- Remmite Sager, 65, of Charleston died Sunday, Sept. 12, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 11, 1933, at Wolf Island, daughter of Easter and Ida Mae Cornner Cassell. She and Henry Gene Sager were married Dec. 4, 1951...

Private graveside service for Alexander Bailey and Gabriel Taylor Cantoni will be held Friday at Fairmount Cemetery. The Rev. James Caughlan will officiate. There is no visitation. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Alexander, 3 days, died Friday, Sept. 10, 1999, at St. Louis Children's Hospital...

JACKSON -- Funeral for Wilbert H. Ruesler of Jackson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church. The Rev. David Johnson will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 4-8 p.m. today. An honor guard service will be held at 7...

EAST PRAIRIE -- A.J. "Jay" Burton, 53, of the Gravel Ridge community near East Prairie died Monday, Sept. 13, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born July 4, 1946, in Cairo, Ill., son of A.J. "Dude" and Jewell Garrett Burton. He married Joyce Dick on Aug. 28, 1963...

ANNA, Ill. -- Helen Peer Meller, 90, of Anna died Monday, Sept. 13, 1999, at the Jonesboro Health Care Center in Jonesboro. She was born Feb. 2, 1909, at McLeansboro, daughter of J. Marshall and Alma Garrison Peer. She married Frank J. "Don" Meller in 1928 in Chicago. He died Dec. 7, 1962...

Daughter to Matt and Diane K. Cates of St. Charles, St. Joseph Hospital there, 7:08 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, 1999. Name, Emily Grace. Weight, 7 pounds 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Cates is the former Diane Weber, daughter of Richard and Margaret Weber of Perryville. She is a CPA at Arthur Andersen. Cates is the son of Richard and Doris Cates of Bellflower...

SIKESTON -- Curtis Mac Williams, 76, of Sikeston died Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 3, 1923, in Clayton, Miss., son of Lee Andrew and Ethel Robinson Williams. He and Odessie McKenny were married Nov. 9, 1946...

In 1963, the summer of my 12th year, the draft board offered my Uncle Doug six glorious weeks of boot camp and an all-expense paid trip to Germany. He was 19, working for McDonnell Douglas, with no desire to see Germany. The news quickly captured the attention of every family member, and travel plans from far and near were in the works. The week of Uncle Doug's departure there was walking room only at my Grandmother Mays' where more than 15 supportive but sad relatives had gathered...

It's fair time in Cape Girardeau, and with the fair comes lots of great food. I know of several people who go to the fair just to eat and start planning what they are going to eat long before they ever arrive at the fair. And yes, I have my favorites, too. The fish at the Grace Methodist Church stand, the lemon shake-ups, the polish sausage covered in grilled onions, and the cheesecake on a stick Daddy Bars. Are you hungry yet?...

The "heavenly gift of honey," as the poet Virgil referred to it, has always been one of my very favorite foods. Indeed, I was stung to learn recently that the late M.F.K. Fisher, arguably the greatest food writer in the English language, detested it. So does Ruth Reichl, former New York Times restaurant critic and now the new editor of Gourmet Magazine...