Stories from Sunday, November 14, 1999

In addition to honoring the best of the past year's theater productions, the River City Players also announced the coming year's schedule."Bus Stop," directed by Suzanne Scherer of Jackson, will be first on the docket. It will hit the stage in February...

A group of Jackson citizens has been meeting and has started an organization called "Citizens Supporting Jackson Schools."The group has adopted the following mission statement: "To pursue, promote and uphold the opportunity for ALL STUDENTS; academic excellence; a safe and disciplined learning environment through consistent application of school policy, citizen participation and accountability."The first public CSJS meeting will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, 206 E. ...

JFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting grant applications for the federal Recreation Trails Program. A workshop to assist applicants with the grant process will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 30 at the DNR Conference Center, 1738 Elm St., Jefferson City...

Honoring the best works of an outstanding 1998-99 theater season, the River City Players presented their annual Abbott awards Nov. 6. Named for long-time director Ann Abbott, the awards included best actor and actress ins tarring and supporting roles, best director, best technical achievement, and the "unsung hero" award...

To the editor: Today there is a major threat to our constitutional and God-given rights of freedom of religion, and it has made itself known right here in the heartland. It involves prayer in school (at graduation, before sporting events), the posting of the Ten Commandments in public buildings, the removal of religious symbols from city logos and the many other ways groups are using to stifle our freedom...

Area Boy Scouts lived up to their motto of helping others Saturday, collecting as many as 50,000 cans of food to help feed the hungry this winter. The area-wide count wasn't official Saturday, but "this year could be the biggest," said Harold Meagle, chairman for the district's "Scouting for Food" drive."We're looking for as many as 50,000 cans of food in the district," said Meagle, of KFVS-TV 12...

"With eyes cast to the 2000 elections," an Associated Press dispatch began this past week, "the Senate voted Tuesday to give minimum-wage workers a dollar raise over three years but tied the increase to $18.4 billion in business tax sweeteners opposed by the Clinton White House. ...

Missouri is considering jury reform. Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Ray Price heads a 12-member panel of attorneys and judges studying possible ways to improve how juries operate in state courts. The primary ideas being discussed include allowing jurors to take notes during testimony, pose questions to witnesses and discuss the case prior to deliberations...

Several new titles are in at the main Jackson branch of the Riverside Regional Library. In the adult line, the following titles have been added: Christmas With Southern Living Cookbook and A Very Mary Christmas, by Mary Engelbreit; Dale Evans Rogers: Rainbow and a Hard Trail, by Dave Evans Rogers; Misty, by V.C. Andrews; The Looking Glass, by Richard Paul Evans; The Christmas Cross, by Max Lucado; Hard Time, by Sara Paretsky; and The Quiet Little Woman, by Louisa May Alcott...

A 3-day annual crafts, gifts and collectibles show sponsored by the River City C.B. Club based in Chaffee, will get into full swing this Friday evening, 5-8 p.m., at the Bavarian Halle, near Jackson at 1-55 exit 105. It will continue on Saturday and Sunday with shopping hours of 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. each day...

ST. LOUIS -- Pat Washington couldn't be more enthusiastic about her job as coordinator of Southeast Missouri State University's St. Louis outreach office. From her eighth-floor corner office in a downtown office building, she can gaze westward at nearby Busch Stadium. To the east, she has a view of the soaring Arch...

With her mother and sister standing by and her grandmother snapping photographs, Kelly Kuehn got her first haircut on Saturday. Angela Woodfin, who has cut hair for three and a half years, said Kelly was better about it than other children getting their first haircuts. But the others weren't in seventh grade...

Heidi Boettcher of Altenburg heard from a family member in Germany that she might receive a call from the New York Times. The Times had been working on a series of articles surrounding the 10-year anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall. Boettcher escaped from Germany just 17 months before the Berlin Wall went up. ...

The article orginally published on the front page of the Nov. 7, 1999, New York Times is a part of a series examining Europe a decade after the fall of the Berling Wall. Previous articles have looked at Vaclav Havel, the Czech dissident who helped bring down the wall, as well as the troubles that unification has brought to Germany and the shifting relationships between Eastern European countries 10 years after the fall of Communism...

The district economy continues to operate at what appears to be full capacity.Home sales continue to be strong throughout most of the district, and year-to-date residential building permits are above their year-earlier levels.In Cape Girardeau, home sales -- new and existing -- have averaged more than 40 a month this year. ...

The Christmas elves must be working overtime these days. We've started receiving all those toy catalogs in the mail. Our children pay no attention to the mail, unless it's a toy catalog. Becca and Bailey can spy a toy catalog even when it's buried under a stack of bills, newspapers and sweaters...

Two area schools will join thousands of teachers, students and educational organizations in celebrating American Education this week. Washington and Franklin schools each have activities planned in recognition of American Education Week, which continues through Saturday. Open house events will be held at both schools this week in addition to various other activities...

When Vice President John C. Calhoun referred to slavery as "our peculiar domestic institution" in 1830, he was speaking in defense of a system of economic and social subjugation that did not recognize marriage between black people, split apart families and often assigned slaves the last name of their current owner. Those are some of the reasons for the vacuum of information for black families wanting to research their genealogy...

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. Not that there was really any doubt, but Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team officially wrapped up another Ohio Valley Conference championship Saturday. The Otahkians, who had already clinched a title tie and earned the right to host the OVC Tournament next weekend, defeated Tennessee Tech 15-4, 15-5, 11-15, 15-6 for their 18th straight victory...

It might be hard to believe, but the start of the 1999-2000 basketball season for Southeast Missouri State University's Indians is less than a week away. And today, the Indians will have their final exhibition tuneup when the Vasda USA Stars, a team of former collegiate players based out of Atlanta, comes to the Show Me Center for a 3 p.m. tipoff...

Four teams seriously contended for last year's Ohio Valley Conference women's basketball title and those four squads are expected to wage another fierce battle for supremacy this season. Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin and Middle Tennessee finished in a three-way tie for last year's crown, with Southeast Missouri just a game back...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's cross country team placed 17th out of 25 squads during Saturday's NCAA Midwest Regional hosted by the University of Illinois.Amy Arteme, the Ohio Valley Conference champion, led the Otahkians by finishing 38th. Other Otahkian finishers were: Leslie McNamara 80th, Tammy Wenkel 99th, Anna Verseman 107th, Jessie Thompson 126th and Celeste Ramsey 144th...

Eagle Ridge Christian School of Cape Girardeau ended its volleyball season by splitting two matches Saturday as the host team in the Ozark Christian Athletic Conference Tournament.Eagle Ridge (5-12) defeated Southern Missouri Christian School15-7, 15-7. Carrie Margrabe had nine service points while Amber Karnes added five. Rachael Carbaugh led the way in kills with five.New Salem Baptist Academy then beat Eagle Ridge 15-9, 15-6.Southern Missouri Christian of Poplar Bluff won the tournament...

Led by four returning starters, Murray State's Racers are expected to win yet another Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball championship. Murray State, which last year won both the league regular-season and tournament titles, is a unanimous choice to capture its...

ARNOLD -- Mildred Lorene Straughan, 82, of Arnold, died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999 at deGreef United Hospice House in Arnold. She was born Oct. 12, 1917, at Bunker, daughter of James O. and Nora Wisdom Montgomery. She married George Straughan, who preceded her in death...

I know you want to get out. Some of you cannot stand to be inside for too long. But the leaves are dropping and it is getting colder. So, going outside has lost its appeal, right? You might be surprised to find a great winter hiking spot in Ste. Genevieve County. Pickle Springs Natural Area is a superb winter hiking spot...

The Cape Girardeau Road Runners will sponsor a 1-mile run/walk on Sunday, Nov. 28, to benefit the Toybox Charity. The run will start five minutes before the annual Parade of Lights and cover the parade route from Capaha Park to Main Street. Adults, children, families and student groups are encouraged to participate...

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...

An informational meeting will be held for the Excelsior Optimist Girls Basketball League 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22, at the Osage Community Centre.If a church, school or community-sponsored group would like to participate, send a team representative to the meeting.The league will have three divisions: Grades 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. ...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor its 2000 men's basketball league, which will begin January 3rd.Two games are to be scheduled each week for a total of 14 regular season games.This year the league will offer five divisions of play: Division I, Division II, Division III, Division IV and Division V. ...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Russell E. Warren, 72, of Olive Branch died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 10, 1927, at Olive Branch, son of Howard and Orpha Bedwell Warren. He and Virginia Ruth DePriest were married Oct. 11, 1952...

Erna H. Sullenger, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at her home.She was born June 9, 1911, at Cape Giren's fashion department at Montgomery Ward's in Cape Girart. Auburn Chapel.Funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the chapel. The Rev. James Caughlan will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Howard "Slick" Honey, 80, of Tamms died Saturday, Nov. 13, at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Mounds, Ill. He was born June 28, 1919, at Diswood, Ill., son of Fred and Essie Blackstone Honey. He and Mildred Lingle were married on Dec. 24, 1938...

SIKESTON -- Oliver Lee "O.L." Kiser, 84, of Sikeston died Saturday, Nov. 13, 1999, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. He was born Aug. 5, 1915, at Wayne County, son of Sam and Elsie Eaton Kiser. He and Helen Skelton were married Aug. 19, 1944, in Pasco, Wash...

OAK RIDGE -- Evelyn Marie Friedrich, 78, of Oak Ridge died Saturday, Nov. 13, 1999, at her home.Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson.

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. -- Joy I. Gowin, 85, formerly of Olive Branch and Oblong, Ill., died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at Merrillville, Ind. She was born in St. Marie, Ill., Nov. 13, 1913, daughter of Bert and Minnie Lough Brownfield. She and William Gowin were married on Dec. 1, 1935. He preceded her in death Aug. 20, 1984...

Wilma Marie Grimes, 91, of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at the Fontainbleau Lodge. She was born Feb. 18, 1908, in Cape Girarolic Women. Survivors include one son, Montey G. Grimes and his wife, Elizabeth, of Cape Girardeau; one daughter, Sister Jo Donna Grimes SSND of St. ...

Cape GirardeauSunday Nov. 14 On Friday, firefighters responded to the following calls:At 2:55 p.m., an illegal burn at 3906 Valley View.At 8:05 p.m., fence fire at 3906 Valley View.At 10:32 p.m., emergency medical service at 1033 West Mount Auburn Road.On Saturday, firefighters responded to the following calls:At 3:43 a.m., alarm sounded at 2852 Independence.At 11:39 a.m., illegal burn at 1114 Landgraf.At 12:14 p.m., illegal burn at 1500 Mississippi.At 12:14 p.m., illegal burn at 241 Hillview.At 1:06 p.m., emergency medical service at 3049 William.At 2:33 p.m., emergency medical service at 535 Benton.. ...

Just as I had honed my tactics for gaining attention while shopping in the larger stores, I now find such help and attention almost at arm's length. Without any help from reminders of what season we are entering, I can tell by the attention I get as soon as I step through the stores' doors. It is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season although Thanksgiving enters in there somewhere along the way...

This is the view from the huge windows in the loft. The side bedroom of this three-bedroom home provides views in two directions. The stairwell provides dramatic access to the loft. Venture a few miles south of town and just west of I-55 to find a setting as alluring as the great outdoors. ...