Stories from Thursday, December 30, 1999

To the editor: In the last several months, genetic engineering has gained worldwide attention. While there has been much in the media about this controversial subject, you would never know it by reading the Southeast Missourian. Since our local newspaper has chosen, for whatever reason, to ignore something that affects every American, I feel that someone must address this subject...

When Southeast Missouri State University officials first announced plans to install an artificial surface at Houck Stadium, there were quite a number of groans. These expressions of dismay along with a number of Speak Out calls came from readers who, shall we say, belong to the Astroturf generation...

Faced with the possibilities of dancing the night and millennium away with Champagne and a crowd, many people seem to be opting for a New Year's evening at home, be it their's or someone else's. "Most people aren't doing anything too bizarre," said Carolyn Kempf of Elite Travel...

Oran native Larry Seyer has released a CD title "Elixers for the Human Heart." AUSTIN, Texas -- Oran native Larry Seyer is best-known in the music business for his work with the hard-driving country swing band Asleep at the Wheel, an association which has brought him six Grammy Awards as a recording and remix engineer and one as a musician. But with his new CD "Elixirs for the Human Heart," Seyer has made an album of meditative music that would be found in the New Age section at a record store...

CHARLESTON -- Work on the South East Missouri Correctional Center is set to begin in two months. A ground-breaking ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 11 at the prison site, which is about 300 feet off Highway 105 near Interstate 57. Gov. Mel Carnahan will be the principle speaker for the event...

Harold M. LaFont, 92, dreamed of being a lawyer as a child and has worked continuously since high school, both contributing factors to his being the oldest practicing lawyer in Texas. LaFont is in Cape Girardeau this week visiting his niece Nancy Nussbaum Robinson and her husband, Van. He's also visiting sites familiar to him from going to high school here -- he graduated in 1924 -- and growing up in Catron...

Hospitals in Cape Girardeau are turning to extra staff to help patients who have poured into emergency rooms over the past few days complaining of coughs, fevers, sore throats and other influenza-type symptoms. Emergency rooms at Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center are being overrun by patients along with offices at Intermediate Health Care in Cape Girardeau...

Amid all the concern about the bite millennium bug might take out of the social order, the real havoc might occur when you sit down in front of your home computer Saturday and discover your computer has caught a deadly virus. A virus is the biggest danger the bug poses to home computers, some technicians say...

Y2K is almost here. Whether you're taking any precautions depends on what you think will or won't happen. But there are some who aren't taking any chances. They are stocking up on supplies of food, water, medications and cash in case there are a few glitches while entering the 21st century...

Even though local officials, firefighters and police, medical personnel and utilities crews don't expect any Y2K-related glitches or disrupted services, they are still being cautious. While most of the region will be ringing in 2000 with grand parties, several people will be working late New Year's Eve to fix any problems that might arise when the clock strikes midnight...

Dec. 30, 1999 Dear Patty, Near dawn of a fresh millennium, the analysis around our family dinner table this holiday week seemed typical. Talk of possible financial calamities reminded my ninetysomething grandma of the Depression. She and my grandpa lost $30 when their bank closed and never reopened. Grandma still doesn't trust banks. She asked for and received a paper shredder for Christmas so she can do unto her bank statements as that bank did unto her...

BENTON -- The Scott County Emergency Operations Center will be activated for Y2K at level one status starting at 6 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday, according to Joe Burton, county emergency management director. Burton advised the commission of the nationwide activation during Tuesday's meeting...

The entire community of Advance wasn't at the Show Me Center Wednesday night -- it only seemed that way. A huge gathering of orange-clad Hornet basketball fans showed up for the semifinals of the University High School Christmas Tournament hoping to see yet another big win for their team...

When you're only up by eight points and your top scorer fouls out; and when one of your top defenders fouls out with 1:19 left and you're only up by five, that's a sure sign of trouble. But Scott City Weatherspoon-ed the storm. The second-seeded Rams held off a late charge by Jackson and knocked off the No. 3 seed Indians 65-63 thanks to three clutch free throws by Ryan Weatherspoon in the final 21 seconds of a University High Christmas Tournament semifinal game Wednesday night...

Notre Dame, Cape Girardeau Central, Leopold and Kelly all were winners Wednesday afternoon at the Show Me Center during consolation play in the 55th annual University High School Christmas Tournament. In the fifth-place semifinals, fourth-seeded Notre Dame held off No. 9 Woodland 63-56 and No. 7 Cape Central slipped past No. 6 Scott County Central 68-66...

STE. GENEVIEVE -- St. Vincent needed two overtimes, but pushed aside Ste. Genevieve Valle 53-49 Wednesday to reach the championship game of the Ste. Genevieve Christmas Tournament. Ryan Prost scored seven of the Indians' 13 points in overtime as he finished with a team-high 21 points. ...

DEXTER -- Lula Woods, 88, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, at the Beverly Health Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 3, 1911, in Bell City, daughter of John and Rhoda Lewis Pemberton. She married Zannie Woods at Weona, Ark., on Sept. 9, 1929. He died Dec. 13, 1986...

Mary Helen Bernice B. Stock, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel.

CHARLESTON -- George Powell, 79, of Charleston died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Lester Harry "Sox" Grandstaff, 85, of Mounds died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at Daystar Care Center in Cairo. He was born June 25, 1914, in Mounds, son of Charles Harry and Golda Pearl Kennedy Grandstaff. He had served 12 years as a captain in the National Guard, was a 50-year member of the Cairo Elks Lodge 651, was a retired district sales manager from E.L. ...

JACKSON -- Earl E. Vogelsang, 79, of Jackson, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born May 20, 1920, in Gordonville, son of Ervin and Amelia Frank Vogelsang. He married Geraldine M. Bierschwal on Oct. 22, 1938, in Corning, Ark. She died March 1, 1999...

CLARKTON -- Wilford Thomas Baird, 77, of Clarkton died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott, Ark. He was born March 10, 1922, at Clarkton, son of Walter Thomas and Lillian Waltrip Baird. He married Lela White March 17, 1946, at Paragould, Ark. She survives...

Frankie Anita "Shorty" McConnell, 75, of Dexter, died at her home Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999. She was born in Bartlesville, Okla., on Dec. 7, 1924, daughter of the late Frank and Opal Hudgins Johnson. She had lived in Dexter since 1951. On Dec. 24, 1941, she married Louis McConnell at Charleston...

Bessie R. Lancaster, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born Oct. 2, 1905, in Scranton, Ark., daughter of Thomas and Claudie Alexander Lasiter. She was married to Leroy Lancaster on May 29, 1927, at Scranton. He died April 25, 1964...

JACKSON -- Zola A. Riehn, 88, of Jackson, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born April 6, 1911, at Oak Ridge, daughter of Marshall and Tishey Lou Crites Wills . She and Herbert E. Riehn were married March 22, 1930. He died March 11, 1983...

Daughter to Gerald P. and Gina L. Landewe of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:09 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999. Name, Hannah Taylor. Weight, 8 pounds, 1/2 ounce. First child. Mrs. Landewe is the former Gina Beussink, daughter of Herman and Vergie Beussink of Gordonville. She is employed by Orthopaedic Associates. Landewe is the son of Bernard and Shari Landewe of Cape Girardeau. He is employed by Notre Dame High School...

NEW CITY, N.Y. -- Carol Ann Kimball, 67, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, at New York. She had formerly lived in Cape Girardeau. She is survived by five daughters, Nancie Aita, Margaret Bolan, Carol Ann Gargano and Susan George-Bollaro, all of New York, and Theresa Kimball of Cape Girardeau; a son, John Kimball of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Kathleen Murray of New York; and 17 grandchildren...