Stories from Wednesday, November 10, 1999

For the first time in the West Park Mall's 18-year history, the shopping mall is fully leased. More than 100 retail operations are gearing up for the holiday season. Twenty-one specialty tenants will join the 85 year-around stores in the mall for the holidays...

DEAR SPEAK Out, I just read a piece in the paper where somebody does not want the Ten Commandments in school. I wonder if he spends the money that has written on it, "In God we trust." What is so wrong with the Ten Commandments? If the students would read them every day, the kids would realize that God will punish them if they steal or lie or commit adultery. Could you please explain that to me? On our money says "In God we trust." I hope people think about that...

Time is running out for candidates to file for three openings on the Cape Girardeau City Council. The filing period ends Nov. 23. Dr. Melvin Kasten, who represents Ward 4, and Melvin Gateley, who represents Ward 5, are not eligible for re-election because of term limits in the city charter. Jay Purcell, who represents Ward 3, is running for re-election. He filled an unexpired term in 1994...

To the editor: George Bush may have coined the phrase "a kinder and gentler nation," but Jean Bell Mosley takes us there. I do so enjoy her thoughts that carry us back to those times when people were more caring toward each other and practiced love for their fellow man on a daily basis. ...

With five fires burning in Cape Girardeau County Tuesday, increasing the total to more than 20 for the month, restricted burning was ordered by city and county officials. Continued predictions of dry, warm and windy conditions prompted the request by Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County."We're having a lot of problems now with people burning leaves, throwing cigarettes out while they're driving," said Dave Hitt, director of the Emergency Management Agency for Cape Girardeau County. ...

Charter schools have charted a new course for education in Kansas City, where nearly 4,500 students are enrolled in 15 schools this fall. Two more charter schools will open in 2000. Others are being considered as parents and educators look for alternatives to what many see as a failing public school district...

ST. LOUIS -- Lamar Basil Beyah believes Missouri law and public opinion are on his side. Beyah is chief executive officer of the African-American Rite of Passage charter school, the only charter approved in St. Louis since the state law that permits charter schools in St. Louis and Kansas City was passed in 1998...

Five fires across Cape Girardeau County on Tuesday gave firefighters one of their busiest days this year. Two grass fires, two forest fires and another involving railroad ties occurred within a few hours of each other, the Cape Girardeau County sheriff's office reported. ...

SIKESTON -- A Sikeston man has been sentenced to five months in prison for defrauding Union Planters Bank of Southeast Missouri. Jeffrey L. Young, 39, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. He also was sentenced to five months home detention and fined $5,000 on the single felony count of executing a scheme to defraud...

U.S. Sens. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond and John Ashcroft have scheduled a series of Listening Post forums.Tom Schulte, a representative of the senators, will meet with constituents in Ste. Genevieve, Perry, Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties on Nov. 17.Schulte will be in Ste. Genevieve at 9 a.m., at Hoeckele's Bakery in Perryville at 11:15 a.m., at the Gray Law Office in Marble Hill at 1:30 p.m. and at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce office at 3:30 p.m...

Cape Girardeau County's public administrator could receive a salary rather than be paid with fees, beginning on Jan. 1, 2001. The county's officeholders, meeting as the salary commission, approved the pay change this week at the request of Public Administrator John Ferguson. But the final decision rests with whoever is elected public administrator in the November 2000 election...

Roger R. Rapp received a deed to a 3.6-acre parcel of land Tuesday morning. Rapp, director of field operations for the National Cemetery Administration at Washington, D.C., was in Southern Illinois to take part in an early Veterans Day program at the Mound City National Cemetery."Veterans Day is Thursday," said Rapp, "but for this occasion, we're unofficially observing Veterans Day today."The ceremonies at the 137-year-old Mound City National Cemetery, located at the intersection of Routes 37 and 51 near Mound City, served a three-fold purpose:n The program included the regular Veterans Day program, with local, state and national speakers.n The program was dedicated to the memory of the late Ann Hogendobler Nottage, who served on the cemetery's Preservation Commission until her death on Sept. ...

The cost of cleaning up methamphetamine labs in the area should go down now that a 12-foot-high, 8-foot-long, 6-foot-wide container has been placed behind the Jackson Fire Department. The container is being provided at no expense to the area by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said Bradley Harris, environmental emergency specialist with the department...

Nell Holcomb School District will celebrate 40 years of education Sunday. The school district will host an open house and reception from 2-4 p.m. Sunday. The event will feature a choral program performed by sixth, seventh and eighth grade students. Tours of the school will be available from 2:30-4 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the school cafeteria...

AgendaBoard of EducationWednesday, Nov. 10, 1999Senior High Library, 7:30 p.m. Action/Information Items:Performance contracting report* Long-range planning committee update* Review of student achievement data* Revisions and updating of board policies Sections A-D -- Second Reading* Revisions and updating of board policies Sections E-G -- First Reading* Acceptance of bids: Correction to roofing; Bid for installation of temporary classroom; Backhoe* Enrollment projections* Approval of district transportation and snow routes* Closed session, in accordance with Revised Missouri Statutes 610.021 (1) (3) (6) and (13).. ...

AgendaWednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. City Council Chambers, 401 IndependenceHearingsHearing to consider the requests of St. Andrew Lutheran Church to rezone 804 N. Cape Rock Drive from R-I, single family residential district to C-2, general commercial district.* Request of Peter J. Gordon to rezone 1104, 1108 and 1110 William St. and 131 S. Hanover St. from C-1, local commercial district to R-3, two family residential district...

Santa will take time out of his busy schedule to call Cape Girardeau children Dec. 6-9, but their parents need to put in a request now. Santa's calls are arranged by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. The seasonal elves there expect to help the jolly man in red place 400 to 500 calls in those four days."Parents make requests to call kids of all ages," said Chris Eastridge, a recreation programmer with the department. ...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education approved a $23.9 million budget during a meeting Tuesday that will likely result in deficit spending for the fiscal year. Assistant superintendent Dr. Terry Gibbons said the district will receive an estimated $22,496,301 in revenue from state, local, county and federal sources this year. ...

JACKSON -- Beverly Banks knows just how difficult it can be to break from tradition. She's faced the hardship of telling Jewish family members and friends that she is also believer in Jesus Christ as Messiah. It took her seven years to tell her parents, but they have accepted it...

Central Missouri State University has led the way in sponsoring charter schools in Kansas City. The university sponsors 10 of the 15 chartered schools that have opened this year. The schools vary in their focus. CMSU's charter schools include a college preparatory school, an alternative school for dropouts and students with discipline problems, and elementary schools, including one that focuses on teaching French...

Charter schools have taken root in Kansas City while they have yet to surface in St. Louis. Kansas City has 15 charter schools operating with two more already approved for next year. Another 20 groups are considering starting charter schools in Kansas City, spurred at least partly by concern over the public school district's inability to secure state accreditation for next year...

MALDEN -- Scott City has one blemish on its outstanding season this year a 30-0 loss to Malden. Quite frankly, the Rams are sick of reading and hearing about it. But one way or the other, Scott City will silence the questions and statements made about that game tonight (7 p.m. kickoff) when it takes on the Green Wave in a sectional contest at Malden. Either the Rams will avenge that loss and dismiss it as a fluke or their season will end...

JACKSON -- Mehlville and Jackson have a lot in common. They both can run and pass the ball effectively. Both have good defenses. Both are state-ranked at 9-1 and both are district champs. And both teams' coaches have a lot of respect for the other. The Indians, ranked No. 10 in the state and the eighth-ranked Panthers will put their similarities aside when they clash tonight at 7 in a sectional game at Jackson Stadium...

For the three seniors on Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team, it doesn't get much better than Tuesday night. It was Senior Night at Houck Field House as a festive, season-high crowd of 726 showed up for the Otahkians' anticipated Ohio Valley Conference showdown with Eastern Illinois...

FENTON -- Vianney High's boys soccer team has one of its worst records in some time, but the Golden Griffins can never be counted out when it comes to the playoffs. The Griffins proved to be too strong for Cape Girardeau Central Tuesday night as they posted a 3-0 victory in a Class 4A sectional game at the Anheuser-Busch Conference & Sports Centre...

PERRYVILLE -- Coaches say the phrase all the time and it sometimes makes cliche-hating reporters cringe in postgame interviews. But St. Vincent coach Paul Sauer speaks the truth when he says "It's a total team effort."St. Vincent doesn't have a runner with more than 500 yards. It doesn't have a 1,000-yard passer. And it doesn't have a receiver with more than 18 receptions...

A Frisbee golf tournament will be held Nov. 20 on the Southeast Missouri State University campus .The tournament is open to both teams and individuals and will have a scramble format. Entry fee is $3 per person.For more information, contact Torrie Tollison at 243-5632. ...

Registration for the Noon Optimist Club Indoor Soccer League will begin at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Show Me Center. The registration fee will be $25 per child. Spaces are limited and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. League play will begin in early December and conclude by the end of January. Games will be played in Houck Field House and at the Southeast Missouri State University Student Recreation Center...

The Cape Girardeau Road Runners will sponsor the 3.1-mile Turkey Trot 99 Nov. 21 at Cape County Park South.The event will also include a 1-kilometer fun run. Entry fee is $4 before Nov. 20 and $5 the day of the race. Entry into the fun run is free. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age division. Hot dogs, chips and drinks will be provided.For more information, contact Bryan at 334-0280...

PUXICO -- H. Vernon Johns, 77, of Puxico died Monday, Nov. 8, 1999, at Puxico Nursing Center. He was born June 28, 1922, son of Harry Van and Vallie Revelle Johns. He and Jessamine "Tiny" Tucker were married Feb. 23, 1944. Johns was a retired farmer and cattle rancher. ...

Barbara Bode, 71, of Mound City, died Monday evening at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 19, 1928 in Jonesboro, IL the daughter of E.H. and Helen Smith. She was the co-owner, with her husband Carl F. Bode Jr. of Bodes Drug Store in Mound City until her retirement. ...

MORLEY -- Alfred H. Caudle, 91, of Morley died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee. He was born Jan. 14, 1908, at Braggadocio, son of Ed and Cora Jordan Caudle. He and Ora Irene Willbanks were married June 14, 1930, in Blytheville, Ark. She died Dec. 6, 1987...

BLOOMFIELD -- Pearl Jane Wortz, 83, of Phoenix, Ariz., died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, in Phoenix. She was born May 30, 1916, at Dexter, daughter of William Thomas and Myrtie Ann Aslin Southerland. She married Ralph Miller, who died in 1968. She later married Harold Wortz, who died in 1981...

JACKSON -- Jerrold "Jerry" Hollis, 69, of Jackson died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, in Englewood, Fla.McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Stillie Rosevelt Leon Byrd, 53, of Sikeston died Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Dec. 23, 1945, in Geiger, Ala., son Rosevelt and Mariah Andrews Byrd. He was a member of the Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Sikeston...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Geraldine Lucille Abner, 78, of East Prairie died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, at her home. She was born Feb. 15, 1921, in East Prairie, daughter of John R. and Lottie Oliver Poole. She and Charles Abner were married March 26, 1967. Abner lived in East Prairie most of her life. She was retired from Brown Shoe Co. in Charleston, and attended First Assembly of God Church in East Prairie...

CHARLESTON -- Mary Frances "Fran" Kuykendall, 65, of Charleston died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, in Kansas City. She was born Aug. 29, 1934, in Charleston, daughter of Jasper McDonald "Mack" and Velma Catherine Mitchell Williams. She and Bill Edwards were married Aug. 25, 1949...

Kenneth L. Birk, 70, of Woodbury, N.J., died Monday, Nov. 8, 1999, at Manor Care of West Deptford, N.J.He was born in Cape Girardeau, and had lived in Woodbury since 1954. He married the former Bette Ballistreri. Birk received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Southeast Missouri State University, and in 1952 received a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Elana Danielle Warren, the infant daughter of Michael and Melinda Warren of Mounds, Ill., died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.She was born Nov. 8, 1999, in St. Louis.She is survived by her parents; maternal grandparents Jimmie and Ann Russell of Mounds; and paternal grandfather Harold Warren of Sikeston, Mo.She was preceded in death by a grandmother.Private graveside services will be held Friday at Spencer Heights Cemetery in Mounds.Barkett Funeral Home in Mounds is in charge of arrangements.. ...

SIKESTON -- Albert LeRoy "RCY" Marks, 80, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, in Dyersburg, Tenn., after an extended illness. He was born April 4, 1919, in Columbus, Kan., son of Albert Lynn and Agnes Palicero Marks. He married Mildred E. Friedline on Feb. 25, 1939, in Jackson. She died Sept. 28, 1999...

JACKSON -- Funeral for Brenda Wood-Gilder of Jackson will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. Dale Hendrix will officiate. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. today...

BLOOMFIELD -- Shana Marie Palmer Briscoe, 18, of Bloomfield died Monday, Nov. 8, 1999, at St. Louis Children's Hospital. She was born Feb. 16, 1981, at Poplar Bluff, daughter of David Briscoe and Joyce Ann Washburn Briscoe. Briscoe was a student at Bloomfield Schools, and was a member of Full Gospel New Life Cathedral Church at Dexter...

BERTRAND -- Clarice "Evelyn" Jobe, 69, of Bertrand died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999, at her home. She was born May 8, 1930, in Doniphan, daughter of William "Arnold" and Clarice H. Featherston Braschler. Her mother survives of Donibookkeeper and teller at the Bank of Doniphan. ...

SIKESTON -- Dusty Wayne Alvern Hart, infant son of Douglas Wayne and Crystal Johnson Hart of Sikeston, was stillborn Monday, Nov. 8, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Survivors include his parents; two sisters, Leanna and Savanna Hart of the home; maternal grandmother and stepgrandfather, Linda and Larry Scott, maternal grandfather, Roy Johnson, all of Sikeston; paternal grandmother, Carrie Hart of Scott City; and maternal great-grandmother, Mary Burton of Chaffee...

Tom F. Park Jr., 77, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Nov. 8, 1999, at the VA Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Sept. 11, 1922, in Okolona, Ark., son of Tom F. and Belle Tarpley Park Sr. Park had been superintendent at Malden and Portageville Public Schools. He also coached football, basketball and track in Dyess, Ark. He led the Dyess junior basketball team to a state championship...

Nanny Moore always set a fine table, and all her delicious treasures were seasoned with good humor. My mouth starts to water when I think of the tantalizing smell of her down-home spoon bread baking. She served this favorite with country ham and red-eye gravy. Talk about having to loosen your belt a notch or two...

The Bell City Community Betterment will hold a chili and soup supper with gospel singing from 5-7 p.m. Saturday in Bell City High School cafeteria.Performing gospel music will be The Dukes and The Tolbert Family.Tickets at the door are $5.50 for adults, $3 for children 6-11, free for ages 5 and younger. For tickets contact any member or call 733-4115 or 722-5392...

History is full of admirable pairings: Antony and Cleopatra, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Abbott and Costello. But none is more worthy of admiration, in my judgment, than macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and cheese, along, perhaps, with red beans and rice or bacon and eggs, is one of the premier dynamic duos of the food world. ...