Stories from Friday, December 17, 1999

To the editor: When I was in business, we had a service station. You drove in to get a dollar's or two dollars' worth of gas of a fill-up. We checked the air in your tires. We washed your windows. We checked your oil and looked at your fan belt and air filter. I had a service station that kept you from having a large repair bill later on due to neglect from servicing your automobile...

The holiday season is packed full of parties and celebrations, and many times that includes alcoholic beverages. Statistically, this is one of the deadliest times of the year on our nation's highways. Impaired, aggressive driving is a big part of this problem...

What's wrong with Santa? Plenty, if you ask the doctor. You can't help but notice Santa in today's health-conscious world. He doesn't fit in with the exercise-and-diet crowd. He doesn't mind being overweight and he's not about to give up smoking. Clement Clarke Moore captured Santa's health problems in his famous poem, "'Twas the Night before Christmas."...

I WOULD Like to make a comment on how Hillary Clinton is so upset now over her husband's deal about gays in the military, the don't ask-don't tell policy. Well, fine. Why doesn't Hillary Clinton get out here and pass out pink triangles and tell the soldiers to put the pink triangles upside down on their uniform. Remember? Hitler made homosexuals wear pink upside-down triangles. Where have we seen them lately? At the college here in Cape...

Besides the constant irritant of the Clinton administration, what is the one thing that elevates a conservative's blood pressure more consistently than anything else? The answer: the undisclosed liberal bias in the reporting of the national media. Please note every word. ...

As the northern Scott County area from Scott City to Chaffee continues to grow, ever-increasing demands will be placed on the congested I-55 interchange that causes traffic delays every morning and every afternoon Monday through Friday. There is general agreement by residents of that area and the Missouri Department of Transportation that the Scott City interchange has long passed its ability to adequately handle the traffic load. ...

When a Russian bugging device was recently discovered inside the State Department in Washington, it probably came as a surprise to many Americans who tend to forget that espionage continues when there is no real war or Cold War going on. Spying is the backbone of diplomacy, even if it's called intelligence gathering or policy analysis or some other euphemism...

To the editor: For a campaigning politician, visiting the Cuban exile community of south Florida seems to have an effect sort of like getting out and admiring the full moon has for the wolf man. How else can one explain the asinine remark by U.S. Sen. ...

Mistletoe hanging above the door, a tree festooned with glass ornaments, baking going on in the kitchen, lighted candles on the coffee table. What seems like a happy Christmas scene is actually a home full of potential holiday dangers for children, especially babies and toddlers...

Southeast Missouri State University English associate professor Dean Monahan wants a federal judge to dismiss his lawsuit against the school's Board of Regents. But Monahan says he hasn't given up the fight and may file a new lawsuit against his employer if the school doesn't address his concerns...

School districts in Missouri and neighboring states are building high schools for less on average than the rest of the nation. Based on information gathered by the Southeast Missourian, seven public school districts that initiated or completed construction of a high school in 1998 and 1999 in Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas will spend between $65 and $111 per square foot on construction. ...

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission approved a $20 million budget Thursday for fiscal 2000, which begins Jan. 1e. The budget projects spending $10 million for general operations and $2.1 million on roads and bridges. Another $7.5 million is budgeted for capital improvement projects, with the jail expansion project heading the list...

During a recent month more than 15 million Americans bought something on the Internet. Taking advantage of what might be the last tax loophole, 99 percent of them didn't pay sales taxes. Without knowing it, most broke the law. States can't force out-of-state sellers to collect sales taxes, but 45 states require buyers to pay the tax anyway via use taxes...

Tim Billings, defensive coordinator for unbeaten Marshall University, interviewed for the vacant head football coach position at Southeast Missouri State University on Thursday. Billings has been part of a dramatic turnaround at Marshall, which has seen the team undergo a metamorphosis from one of the worst teams in the country at the Division I-AA level to a berth in the Motor City Bowl as an unbeaten Division I-A school. ...

Thomas Edison rarely slept. I read that in a recent magazine article. He didn't sleep because he had so many ideas for new inventions. The great inventor, according to the article, took catnaps. To me, there are very few things more important than eight hours of sleep every night. ...

A Cape Girardeau attorney pleaded guilty this week to misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana. William Shohet pleaded guilty on Tuesday and received fines and suspended sentences. On the marijuana charge, Judge Byron Luber of Pemiscot County sentenced Shohet to one year in the county jail, but suspended the sentence in lieu of two years of supervised probation. Additionally, Shohet received a $500 fine...

SIKESTON -- As Southeast Missouri Weed and Seed approved a fiscal year 2000 budget of $675,000 on Thursday, board members tried to solve personnel and organizational issues that have gone unanswered since the first grant money was issued a year ago...

POPLAR BLUFF -- A third man has been found guilty of throwing rocks in an incident that sparked a melee on Good Hope Street last June, involving a crowd of about 150. Elijah Fisher, 19, of Cape Girardeau, one of seven charged in the June 11 incident, was found guilty Tuesday of interfering with an arrest...

Children have no difficulty believing magical things happen at Christmas. With spirited dance, colorful costumes and engaging music and drama, "Carol's Dream" charmingly recreates that atmosphere of wonder and enchantment for viewers of any age. Two performances of Cape Girardeau native Dana Goodin Vanoni's theatrical dance based on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" were presented for area schoolchildren Thursday at Academic Auditorium...

BENTON -- Buddy Alberson just wants to build a house with a basement on his land. As things stand now the basement is not allowed by Scott County ordinances. County commissioners learned Tuesday that ordinance helps the county remain eligible for a flood insurance program which currently has some 292 unincorporated Scott County resident policyholders with nearly $19 million in combined coverage...

PERRYVILLE -- Individuals, families, businesses and organizations are being sought for membership in an alliance needed to support families who need more than quick fixes. Founder Jim Martin says the new Missouri Family Support & Education Alliance will provide long-term advocacy and support for individuals and families who are dealing with problems associated with disabilities, substance abuse and financial, behavioral, educational and vocational issues...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, has been re-elected as president of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association. She is entering her second year in the post. "Preserving our waterways is vital to protecting the lives and livelihoods of the families, farmers and businesses of southern Missouri and countless other communities all along the Mississippi River," she said...

EAST PRAIRIE -- A Mississippi County couple is in jail charged with child abuse and molestation. Tom Bewley is charged with two counts of sexual misconduct, Class D felony prior offender; child molestation, Class B felony prior offender; endangering the welfare of a child, Class D felony; two separate counts of statutory sodomy; endangering the welfare of a child; statutory rape first degree; statutory rape second degree; and statutory sodomy...

CHAFFEE -- Superintendent Bob Biggs is not unhappy with the Chaffee School District report card, but he believes additional operational funding will make future reports even better. The annual school report card was one of more than 500 released by Missouri public school districts earlier this month. State law mandates the annual release of educational and financial data to district patrons, local media outlets and local state legislators...

SIKESTON -- Work ended earlier this month on the newest Interstate 55 interchange in Scott County. Highway officials plan to celebrate the opening Tuesday with a special ceremony. The Route HH-Interstate 55 interchange has been a two-year project for the Missouri Department of Transportation that cost more than $6 million...

Tim Billings' desire to become Southeast Missouri State University's new head football coach is part personal as well as professional. Billings' late wife, the former Terri Eifert, was from Cape Girardeau, and her parents still live here. Billings can think of nothing better than to have his two young children close to two of their grandparents...

There might have been some people who doubted whether Scott City High product Jon Beck could make an impact as a freshman on the Arkansas State basketball team. Beck's head coach in Jonesboro even wondered just how much Beck might be able to help the Indians right away...

December is the month for tournaments in Cape Girardeau. There is the prestigious 16-team University High Christmas boys basketball tournament and there is the HealthSouth Holiday Classic for girls basketball teams. But neither of those tournaments draw from a larger area than the Tiger Classic, a 16-team high school wrestling event which draws wrestlers from three states...

Marissa Essner School: Kelly Sport: Basketball Coach: Curtis Finley Weekly Report: Essner, a 5-foot-9 junior forward, led her team to a championship in the Chaffee Tournament last week, scoring 59 points over a three-game stretch. Against East Prairie, Essner scored 26 in the first round, then put up 21 against Oran, followed by a 12-point performance against Scott City in the championship game...

Jreece Johnson School: Scott County Central Sport: Basketball Coach: Steve Wells Week Report: Looking for some offense? Look no further than Morley. Johnson, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, has been a scoring machine this season for the Braves (5-1), who were given the No. 6 seed in the upcoming University High Christmas Tournament. Last week, he scored 55 points in two games...

DE SOTO -- Cape Girardeau Central guard Dionna Webb scored a game-high 19 points and posted six steals, four assists and six rebounds as the Lady Tigers defeated De Soto 50-43 Thursday night. Central (6-1) led 11-4 going into the second quarter, but took just a 21-20 lead into halftime. De Soto led 32-29 going into the fourth quarter, but the Lady Tigers outscored De Soto 21-11 in the final eight minutes...

Daughter to James Daniel and Kelly Marie Jordan of Marble Hill, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:57 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, 1999. Name, Hailey Nicole. Weight, 6 pounds 14 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Mrs. Jordan is the former Kelly Castulik, daughter of Melody Eldridge and Marvin Eldridge of Marble Hill. Jordan is the son of Barbra Jordan and Phillip Jordan of Marble Hill. He is employed at Kasten Masonry in Jackson...

Allene M. DeWilde, 90, of Perryville, died Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Sept. 27, 1909, at Perryville, daughter of Maurice and Justine Rollet Guyot. She and Frank A. DeWilde were married May 1, 1929, at East Moline, Ill. He died Oct. 24, 1992...

Lynn Drews, 30, of Sikeston died Thursday Dec. 16, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Sept. 8, 1969, daughter of Carl and Carolyn Hagy Fielder. She and James Drews were married Nov. 25, 1989, at Clarkton. Drews was employed at Kmart in Sikeston. She was a member of Stanfield Baptist Church in Clarkton...

PARMA --Shirley Reynolds of Parma died Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Parma is in charge of arrangements.

LILBOURN -- Clementine Terry Thomas, 65, of Lilbourn died Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 3, 1934, in Utica, Miss., daughter of Paul and Elvira Thomas Terry Sr. She married Andrew Thomas on Dec. 3, 1955. He survives...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral for Ovella Mae Scott of East Prairie will be held at 2 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Larry Smith will officiate. Burial will be in East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery. Scott, 90, died Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

PUXICO -- Clarence Siemer, 73, of Greenville died Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico is in charge of arrangements.

HAYWOOD CITY -- Zion R. Banks, the infant son of Starkeysha N. Banks of Haywood City, died Monday, Dec. 13, 1999, at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Oct. 4, 1999, at St. Mary Hospital in St. Louis. He also is survived by his grandparents, Charles Smith of Haywood City, Abagail Smith of East St. Louis, Ill., and Larry Beasley of Rockford, Ill.; and great-grandparents, Vergie Banks of Haywood City, Gertrude Beasley of Rockford and Willie J. Dixon of Houston, Texas...

10 years ago: Dec. 17, 1989 LaCroix United Methodist Church receives its charter in special service; chartering conference is held in morning, with District Superintendent Kenneth Johnston presiding; that service is followed by worship service, with Bishop W.T. ...