Stories from Friday, January 14, 2000

To the editor: In response to the recent article regarding police response to suicide attempts, I would like to offer some additional information that may be of interest to the general public and most especially to those individuals who may be affected in some way by the issue of suicide...

To the editor: On behalf of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian, I would like to thank everyone who took time to make donations to Toybox this year. We had a record number of families apply for assistance. We provided approximately 1,400 children with toys. ...

There are so many proposals floating around in Jefferson City on how to use the billions of dollars anticipated from the state's settlement with tobacco companies that it's hard to keep track of all of them. All those ideas are doing is creating a fog of confusion while politicians attempt to get their cut of the money...

The blood supply at the Red Cross blood distribution center in Cape Girardeau is critically low, with less than one day's supply on the shelves. It has caused no major problems so far, said David Palmer, donor recruitment representative for the 15-county Bootheel area covered by the Cape Girardeau office of the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. But if there were a multiple-injury accident, an explosion or some other disaster, the local supply might not be adequate, he said...

Jeff Kienitz, the Minnesota school staffer upset over the dissemination of bomb-making information on the Internet, likens David Smith's actions to yelling fire in a crowded theater. But the law does not concur. There is nothing illegal about providing this kind of information, says Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel...

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County South Park will be closed to traffic during the evenings this winter in an effort to keep homosexual activity out of the park. Bruce Watkins, county parks superintendent, told county commissioners Thursday that homosexuals have been seeking sexual partners in park restrooms...

Beneath one of the buttons on David Smith's Web site hides a trove of how-to information about making bombs: letter bombs, paint bombs, touch explosives, Thermite bombs, CO2 bombs, Solidox bombs, smoke bombs, mail box bombs, napalm, a fertilizer bomb, a tennis ball bomb, a diskette bomb and landmines along with instructions for making plastic explosives from bleach...

The Beatles invade the United States on Feb. 7, 1964, and about 3,000 teen-agers, mostly girls, converge on New York's Kennedy International Airport to greet the Liverpool rock group sensations. They appear on Ed Sullivan's variety show, bringing the highest ratings in TV history; sell 2.5 million albums in less than a month and pack every stadium and concert hall they play...

SCOTT CITY -- Another 160 people in Southeast Missouri will be without jobs when an area grocery distributor closes this spring. The Supervalu Distribution Center announced Thursday it will close its Scott City operation after nearly 40 years in business. The center should close sometime between April and May. It has operated in Scott City since 1962...

The year is barely two weeks old, and already we have what is surely going to be the top news story of the new millennium. Are you ready for some great news? Well, you better sit down and hold on to something, because this is dynamite. Are you sitting down?...

Thanks to his probation officer, Darius Harris is drinking more coffee. "Since I stopped going to school, it's hard to get up this early," said Harris, who attends the 10 a.m. GED preparation classes at the Salvation Army. Coffee helps Harris stay on time for the classes, provided through the Cape Girardeau Vocational School's adult education program. They started at the south Sprigg Street location at the suggestion of probation officer Priscilla Miller...

Voters may find the pickings slim for some Boards of Education when elections are held April 4. Filings close at 5 p.m. Tuesday for school board elections in Cape Girardeau, Scott, Bollinger, Perry, Stoddard and Mississippi counties. By Thursday afternoon, eight of 18 area school districts had no candidates or just enough to fill the two, three-year terms available in most districts...

A series of performing and fine arts events could foster public interest in the River Campus development, a Southeast Missouri State University official said Thursday. Dr. Marc Strauss, associate dean for the River Campus, said it is important to schedule concerts and other events for the 2000-2001 academic year that can be held on the main campus and at the riverfront campus...

A Caruthersville man was killed in a three-car accident Thursday morning in Pemiscot County, the state Highway Patrol said. Patrick Gibson, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which took place about 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. 412 and Route Z...

BLOOMFIELD -- A Stoddard County man reported missing on Sunday has been found safe and sound -- and headed south -- in Illinois. Kevin Faulkner of Bloomfield, who was last seen Saturday afternoon reportedly on the way to Sikeston to pay a bill to a rental company, was seen in Union County, Illinois, Wednesday afternoon, according to Stoddard Sheriff Steve Fish. A motorist noticed Faulkner's 1984 pickup parked at a rest stop on Highway 157 in Union County...

The committee allocating United Way funds was working with more money this year than they ever have before, but that didn't make the process any easier, said the committee chair. "There are always more agencies and needs than money," said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the United Way allocations/program review committee. ...

MARTIN, Tenn. -- The upset bid of Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team was foiled Thursday night by a barrage of turnovers and a big second-half comeback by Tennessee-Martin. Southeast had 26 turnovers -- 16 coming in the second half -- as UTM overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and rallied for a 71-65 Ohio Valley Conference victory...

Bob Barker won't be there to remind you to have your pets spayed or neutered. There will be, however, a Showcase showdown. Twelve teams -- including six from Cape Girardeau County -- will be on stage Saturday as Cape Central holds its fifth annual Tiger Showcase, starting with the Notre Dame girls against John Burroughs at 11 a.m. at Tiger Field House...

MARTIN, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner was afraid of this. With an Ohio Valley Conference showdown at Murray State coming up Saturday night, Garner was worried that the Indians might not take Tennessee-Martin seriously enough...

Jreece Johnson School: Scott County Central Sport: Basketball Coach: Steve Wells Week Report: Johnson scored 70 points in two games last week against two of the top defensive teams in the region. First, he scored 31 in a loss to Scott City, now ranked No. 2 in Class 2A. A few nights later, he posted 39 points in an upset victory over Portageville, then ranked fifth in 2A...

Katie Dougherty School: Cape Central Sport: Basketball Coach: Darrick Smith Week Report: Dougherty scored 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds in Cape Central's biggest win of the year a 48-42 victory over Poplar Bluff, the fourth-ranked team in Class 4A. Earlier in the week, Dougherty scored 12 points in a victory over district foe Farmington...

SCOTT CITY -- Scott County Central's Vontrice Blackmon hit two free throws with two seconds left and the Bravettes took the Scott-Mississippi County Conference Tournament championship with a 48-46 victory over Kelly Thursday night. In a game where three key players were playing at less than 100 percent, Brandy Miller -- playing with a slightly pulled hamstring -- scored a game-high 19 points. Blackmon, who turned an ankle in the first quarter, scored 12...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- George Bowman, 74, of Mound City died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at his home from a fire. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City.

BERNIE -- Curtis Oliver, 73, of Bernie died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at the Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center at Dexter. He was born June 11, 1926, the son of Burd and Minnie Harold Oliver. He married Sylvia Bryan at Bloomfield on April 10, 1976. She survives...

JACKSON -- Eula Cook, 81, of Jackson died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. today at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pulliam Cemetery near Scopus...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Katie E. Bough, 95, of Mounds died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Sept. 6, 1904, in Perks, daughter of John and Sarah Patterson Sowers. She married Lorenzo Bough Sr., who died in 1945. Survivors include three sons, Dr. ...

Loretta T. Mehner, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at her home. She was born March 7, 1915, at Ironton, daughter of John and Pansie O'Donnell. She married Albert Mehner, who preceded her in death. Survivors include two sons, Jack and Mark Mehner of Cape Girardeau; two daughters, Pat Kaisner of Bloomington, Ill., Betty Vogelsang of Barnhart; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren...

KARNAK, Ill. -- James Howell, 71, of Beaver Dam, Wis., died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at Columbus Health Care Center in Columbus, Wis. He was the son of Samuel and Lucille Lippert Howell. He attended Grinnel College in Iowa and received a bachelor's degree in math from the University of Illinois...

Daughter to Wade and Carolyn Walker of Cape Girardeau, St. Mary's Health Center in St. Louis, 5:03 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 25, 1999. Name, Lauren Nichole. Weight, 5 pounds 9 ounces. First child. Mrs. Walker is the former Carolyn Wood, daughter of Edmon Wood of Pollard, Ark., and Louise Aldridge of Williamsville. She is employed at Health Services Corp. of America. Walker is the son of Sue Walker and Richard Walker of Lebanon, Tenn...

JACKSON -- James Lonnie Osborne, 58, of Jackson, formerly of Mound City, Ill., died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Barkett Funeral Home in Mound City is in charge of arrangements.

Helen G. Welker, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON -- J.O. "Bud" Cord Jr., 68, of Jackson died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 7, 1931, in St. Louis, son of Jesse Owen and Martha Larsen Cord Sr. He and Betty Crites Clippard were married Aug. 26, 1972, in St. Louis...

WILSON CITY -- Harvey L. Williams, 60, of Wilson City died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born March 26, 1939, at Wyatt, son of Eddie Jackson and Helen Williams. He and Erma Brooks were married July 12, 1977...

PERRYVILLE -- George K. "Jack" Wilson, 68, of Perryville died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at his home. He was born May 20, 1931, at Jackson, son of Glen and Ella Siemers Wilson. He and Bert Lawrence were married Feb. 10, 1990. Wilson owned and operated Wilson Casket Co. more than 30 years. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, Missouri Funeral Directors Association, American Legion Post 133, charter member of Perryville VFW Post 1438, AmVets, Elks and Eagles in Perryville...

Debra D. Hitt, 42, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Dec. 17, 1957, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Herschel and June Davie Hunt. Hitt was a 1976 graduate of Sikeston High School, and received a master's degree from Southeast Missouri State University...

QUINCY, Ill. -- Graveside service for Hazel L. Chapman of Quincy will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Quincy Memorial Park. Duker and Haugh Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Chapman, 96, died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at Sunset Home in Quincy...

Mildred M. LaGrand, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at Fountainbleau Nursing Center in Festus. She was born Dec. 21, 1919, in Jackson, daughter of John and Emma Lowes Savers. She married Hoyt A. LaGrand, who died in 1991. LaGrand had worked at the former Sunny Hill Restaurant and Vandeven Grocery Store, and worked last in the housekeeping department at Southeast Missouri State University...