Stories from Friday, December 24, 1999

To the editor: A few weeks ago there was a letter in the paper that was a reprint of a letter from a little girl to the Chicago Sun newspaper. The little girl asked her father if there really was a Santa Claus, and her father told her that if she saw an article in the paper about Santa Claus, then it must be true. So she wrote to the newspaper, and the newspaper answered...

It is traditional to make charitable gifts near the end of the year, especially in the weeks leading up to Christmas. There is something about the spirit of the religious overtones of the season. Or maybe it is the tax man who spurs generous giving...

The following is a partial listing of the churches offering special worship services during the Christmas holiday. Christmas Eve A children's program will be at 6:30 p.m. and a candlelight service at 11 p.m. Christmas Day...

The on-again, off-again plans for demolishing old St. Francis Hospital appear on again. A $250,000 state grant will aid in tearing down of the abandoned building at Good Hope and Pacific streets. The Missouri Department of Economic Development has awarded the grant to Cape Girardeau to remove asbestos and hazardous material Total cost of the razing is about $537,000, with the remaining cost of the actual demolition to be shared by the city and Phillips Cos., owner of the property...

Southeast Missouri State University's football program ushered in a new era Wednesday with the introduction of head coach Tim Billings at a press conference Thursday at the Show Me Center. Billings, one of four finalists for the vacant position, is currently defensive coordinator at Marshall University...

The gallery exhibitions, children's art education and community arts programming presented by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in 1999 have earned the organization recognition as a state model. The designation as a state model was made by the Missouri Arts Council, which provides arts councils and programs throughout the state with financial support...

The moon isn't getting any bigger, but it has gotten closer. Changes in the orbits of the moon and Earth have brought them nearer to each other than usual. It happens about every 133 years, said Mike Cobb, a physics professor at Southeast Missouri State University...

This being Christmas Eve and all, I thought I should write a column appropriate to the occasion. But as I was getting ready to write, the mail came. In the mail was a hand-written letter to the editor. Like I always do, I checked to see if the letter was signed and if the person's hometown and telephone number were provided...

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County officials say their first-class county hasn't followed in the footsteps of St. Louis County when it comes to bidding practices. A Missouri appeals court ruled Tuesday that St. Louis County officials violated the state open-bidding law when they awarded a $1.7 million contract for a computer-aided dispatching system last year through a state agency...

Those outside between 10 and 11 a.m. Thursday may have been lucky enough to see the area's first snow fall. But any dreams of a white Christmas dissolved with the clouds, which had cleared to allow the sun to come through and temperatures to rise into the mid 30s shortly after lunch and remain there throughout the afternoon...

The bag was black plastic instead of red velvet and Santa's helper was dressed in a gray sweatshirt and black jeans, but there was definitely a feeling of Christmas giving at the Salvation Army on Thursday. Food and toys began being distributed to needy families at 8 a.m. and continued until late in the afternoon as hundreds of people, bundled against the cold, filled the gym of the Salvation Army for its annual Christmas basket give-away...

LEOPOLD -- Leopold School District patrons had very little to frown about when they received the school district's report card earlier this month. Much of the news included in the report card, a document which profiles the district's previous school year, reflected continued growth or progress to meet or exceed average performance by other school districts in the state...

Oh, you better not sneeze, you better not cough It's Christmas Day and the doctor is off Colds and flu are coming to town. Why is it you can feel great all week but start hacking, wheezing and running a fever the minute the doctor's office closes for a long holiday weekend?...

Keeping your medicine cabinet stocked with over-the-counter medications can help you treat minor illnesses yourself. Paul Mackey, a family nurse practitioner at St. Francis Medical Center's Convenient Care, and John Taylor, a flight nurse at Southeast Missouri Hospital, say the following are some basic items to treat the colds, flu and sore throats that tend to strike at this time of year...

His arrival was delayed by more than an hour, but that didn't diminish the rousing reception Tim Billings was afforded when he was introduced as Southeast Missouri State University's new head football coach Thursday afternoon. As Billings walked into the Show Me Center meeting room at 3:35 p.m. ...

It seems fairly obvious to me and a lot of people I talk to. It's about time for Chaffee and Meadow Heights -- and maybe even a couple more schools -- to graciously remove themselves from the University High Christmas Tournament. For many years now, the Red Devils and Panthers have been perennial punching bags for the top seeds in the annual event held at the Show-Me Center...

Poplar Bluff left little doubt that it is the best basketball team in this region of the state by wrapping up its third consecutive HealthSouth Championship on Wednesday. The Lady Mules, after getting a first-round bye, beat Notre Dame 53-37 in the semifinals, then defeated Cape Central 51-37...

Cyle Huck School: Jackson Sport: Wrestling Coach: Steve Wachter Weekly Report: Huck, a senior, took first place at 135 pounds in the prestigious 16-team Tiger Classic held at Cape Central. He defeated two-time state champion and three-time all-stater Clint Wolk for the championship...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral for Paul Hill of Charleston will be held at 11 a.m. today at First Baptist Church. The Rev. Gerald Collier will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery. McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston is in charge of arrangements. Hill, 92, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

CHAFFEE -- Paul Francis Scheffer, 40, of Chaffee died Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999, at the family home. He was born Jan. 11, 1959, in Cape Girardeau, the son of Lawrence Edward and Adella Marie Heisserer Scheffer. He was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and the St. Ambrose Mens Club...

THEBES, Ill. -- Celestia R. Hazel, 83, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. She was born July 23, 1916, in Thebes, daughter of John and Ella Sowders Hazel. She and John Hazel were married Feb. 9, 1946. He died Sept. 19, 1986...

CHAFFEE -- Wilma Jean Sadler, 62, of Chaffee died Monday, Dec. 20, 1999, at her home. She was born Aug. 20, 1937, in St. Louis, daughter of Ira Andrew and Edna Louise Sadler. Sadler had been a machine operator at Florsheim Shoe Co. Survivors include a son, Danny Holifield of Park Hills; a daughter, Terry Ratliff of Cape Girardeau; three brothers, Donald, Ira and Jackie Sadler of Chaffee; three sisters, Anna Nanny and Irene Steger of Chaffee, Janet Totty of Rockview; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.. ...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Dr. Cecil R. Albright, 81, of Orlando, Fla., died Monday, Dec. 20, 1999, in an Orlando health care facility. He was born June 30, 1918, son of Claudius and Freda Arnold Albright. He and Druetta Bee Forbey of Charleston were married Sept. 6, 1942...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Lyman T. Harris of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home. The Rev. Mickeal Quillman will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Harris, 71, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

SCOTT CITY -- Charles Ray Kynion, 66, of Scott City died Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999, at his home. He was born May 12, 1933, at Hickory Ridge, son of Henry Reed and Pearl Ethel Lowe Kynion. He and E. Pearldean Blevins were married July 5, 1952, in Granite City, Ill...

CHARLESTON -- Harrison Jackson, 84, of Charleston died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born April 8, 1915, in the state of Mississippi, son of the Rev. James Melchal and Alice Jackson. He and Mary Elizabeth White were married Feb. 25, 1942, in New Madrid...

CARTERVILLE, Ill. -- Ann Freyenberger, 70, of Carterville died Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. She was born March 25, 1929, at Cobden, daughter of Leonard Harry and Sarah Frances Peterman Brown. Freyenberger was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Cobden, and was active with the Lions Club Telethon...

Son to Jason Burton Gordon and Catina Marie Bloodworth of Oran, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:14 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29, 1999. Name, Jakoata Burton. Weight, 9 pounds. Ms. Bloodworth is the daughter of Sue Roberts and Doug Roberts of Oran. Gordon is the son of Rita Senciboy and Tom Senciboy of Oran. He is employed at CPS Trailer...

Funeral for Earl Chester McDaniel of Cape Girardeau will be held at 11 a.m. today at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Vyron Yount will officiate, with burial in Cape County Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 9 a.m. until service time...

SIKESTON -- Hunter F. Moore Sr., 89, of Sikeston died Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born March 23, 1910, in New Madrid, son of Alpheus "Bud" and Ethel Mae Broughton Moore. He and Pauline E. Tate were married April 16, 1929. She died Feb. 4, 1997...

Nikko hugged Santa Claus after Toybox delivered Christmas presents to his home Tuesday night. Santa helper Cheryl Gelsheimer Two-year-old Alesux Walker dragged off a bag of gifts delivere Tuesday by Toybox volunteers. "Twas a few days before Christmas and all through the town, children were peeking up street and down.....