Stories from Wednesday, January 19, 2000

A parade and reception were held Tuesday morning to mark the changeover of Barbara Blanchard Elementary School from "a hillside, an idea and a budget" to an operating elementary school. Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska called the school's opening a "climactic event" that represented Cape Girardeau's first new public school since 1967, when the vocational-technical school was built. Clippard Elementary School, built in 1965, was the last elementary school opened in the district...

Children and teachers in the Cape Girardeau School District's preschool classroom were left in the cold Tuesday morning because the heat had been turned off at May Greene School. The heat was turned on, but the boiler system took hours to heat up. By midmorning it was still chilly in the almost-vacant building...

For 28 years, it stood as the Cold War's most visible divide a barrier of concrete and barbed wire separating the people and ideals of the East and West. It was a stunning event when, on a chilly November day in 1989, the Berlin Wall came tumbling down at the hands of thousands of East and West Germans, who clambered atop the rubble to celebrate...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education will seek voter approval of a bond issue and tax increase for construction projects and to cover operating costs. The board voted 6-0 Tuesday night to place two resolutions on the April 4 ballot. Board member Jack Knowlan did not attend the meeting...

I'm fighting the clutter battle on my desk this week and while I'm winning the daily skirmishes now, I have no doubt I'll lose the war. The battle began Monday morning with the announcement here at the Southeast Missourian that some executives would be touring the building mid-week. Wanting to show off a neat and tidy office, the ultimatum came that desks should be cleared...

CARUTHERSVILLE -- A 29-year-old man from Alton, Ill., was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday in the death of 11-year-old Koesha Rodgers, the Pemiscot County prosecutor's office said. Kevin Orlando Bess had been living in Caruthersville when Rodgers disappeared on Aug. 22, said Tommy Greenwell, Pemiscot County sheriff...

Parenting Corners, displays that connect parents to the multitude of information out there on raising children, are coming to Cape Girardeau, perhaps as early as April. Parenting Corners are table-top displays and computer centers that offer information on a wide range of parenting issues and links to services and support, said Penny Fadler, Parenting Corner project coordinator for Missouri. ...

So you want to get "Off." Starting today, "Off," a new entertainment and alternative (off the beaten path) publication being presented by the Southeast Missourian, can be found at a number of places throughout the area. Off is being inserted in the Add Sheet, another special publication around the Cape Girardeau scene. The Add Sheet and Off are available at various convenience stores, restaurants, lounges, video stores and other locations...

The ballot to vote for representatives to the University Extension Council is being run in the Southeast Missourian today. Voting instructions and candidate information are on the ballots, which also are available at the Extension Center, 815 S. Hope in Jackson. Ballots should be returned by mail or brought to the Extension Center; deadline is Jan. 28. To complete a ballot, vote for eight of the 14 nominees...

JACKSON -- Property owners opposed and those in favor of paving the 200 block of South Bast Street agree on one thing the price tag is too high. Reacting to a petition from property owners concerned about storm water runoff and dust along the block, the City of Jackson produced a engineer's estimate of $49,319 to pave the 200-foot section of the little-used dead-end street. ...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Touting the concept of "one man, one vote," supporters of a proposal aimed at making it easier for school districts to pass bond issues testified Tuesday before a House committee. A proposed amendment to the state constitution offered by Rep. ...

Renowned heart surgeon Dr. Randas J. Vilela Batista made quite an impression during a visit to Cape Girardeau last week. He was visiting Dr. William Logue, a cardiothoracic surgeon at St. Francis Medical Center, who was the first American doctor to perform the Batista procedure...

I SAW a sign in the comic strip "Lola" the other day and I think it would be a good idea to have a similar sign in Cape at the corner of Kingshighway and Williams Street. The sign should list the number of days since there was an armed robbery, the number since somebody was shot and the number of days since the last murder. ...

With just under seven minutes to play and trailing by two points, Southeast Missouri State University's basketball Indians knew it was time to turn to their defense. And that defense, which has been a staple of Southeast under coach Gary Garner, bailed the Indians out Tuesday night...

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen said before the Otahkians played Tennessee Tech Tuesday night that the Golden Eaglettes were head and shoulders above the rest of the Ohio Valley Conference. Then the Eaglettes went out and did nothing to change Arnzen's opinion as they dismantled the Otahkians 82-65 at the Show Me Center...

Some time around the 2 minute, 40 second mark of the second quarter, the Cape Central Tigers said enough is enough. At that point, the Tigers found themselves trailing 17-15 to the same cross-city rival which had delivered them two lopsided losses earlier this year...

Cape Central boys swim team took three first-place finishes in a duel loss to Oakville Tuesday at the Cape Central Pool. Cape Central coach Dayna Powell was upbeat despite her team falling to 1-5. "We saw a whole bunch of improvement," said Powell. Individually, Andrew Moreton claimed first in the 500 freestyle (5:56.72) and Jon Lowrance was first in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.30). The 400 freestyle team of Gabe Austin, Moreton, Lowrance and Stratton Tingle also finished first in 3:56.17...

JACKSON -- Trailing 21-20 at halftime, Jackson exploded in the second half, outscoring Seckman 49-18 for a 69-39 victory Tuesday night. "We got some easy shots off the press," said Jackson coach Steve Burk, whose team improved to 8-8. "We bothered them with the press. Once we did that, the offense opened up and the shots started going in. I thought (Tory) Meyr carried us offensively in the first half, while (Brad) Hilbert and (John) Oehl carried us in the second half."...

VANDUSER -- Graveside service for Johnnie Ray Foster will be held at 11 a.m. today at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Morley. Stephen Watkins will officiate. Friends may call at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico from 9-9:30 a.m. today. Foster, 48, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Carolyn Wathen, 74, of Cairo died Tuesday at Good Samaritan Care Center in Metropolis. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

SCOTT CITY -- Robert N. Smith, 66, of Scott City died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Service will be at the funeral home at1 p.m. Friday...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Wilma Bell, 72, of Cobden and formerly of Sesser, died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2000, at City Care Center in Cobden. Survivors include a son, Larry Otterson, and a sister, Ellen Dotson, both of Mount Vernon. Graveside service will be Thursday at Pleasant Grove Memorial Park. Crain Funeral Home in Anna is in charge of arrangements...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Irene Eddleman Lingle, 86, of Dongola, died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born on July 3, 1913, in Dongola, daughter of Jacob and Norma Casper Eddleman. She married Van H. Lingle on Aug. 16, 1936, in Karnak...

BELGIQUE -- Homer Jacob L'Hote, 88, of Columbia died Saturday, Jan. 15, 2000, at Columbia Manor. He was born Nov. 6, 1911, at Belgique, son of John and Lillian Steyns. He and Earlene Patton were married Dec. 28, 1937, in Aurora. She preceded him in death...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Harry Powers of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Dr. Jim Guffie will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Powers, 86, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Allene Frances Metheny, 78, passed away Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000, at her home in St. Charles City, Iowa. She was born Aug. 28, 1921, in Arbor, daughter of the late Herbert and Frieda Gerecke Quade. In June 1941 she married William E. Metheny. He passed away Jan. 7, 1990...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral Mass for Beulah M. Hotop of Perryville was held Tuesday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. The Rev. Kevin Fausz officiated. Burial was in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Young and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Hotop, 94, died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2000, at Perry County Nursing Home...

Charlotte Alley of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born in Frisco, Ind., daughter of Charles W. and Lucille O. Cummins Batson. She and Lynn Dale Alley were married Jan. 19, 1968, at Indianapolis, Ind...

ADVANCE -- George "Glen" Dunlap, 78, of Advance died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000, at Beverly Health Care in Bloomfield. He was born May 23, 1921, in Advance, son of William and Myrtie Garner Dunlap. He and Wanda Brown were married Nov. 30, 1943, in Jonesboro, Ark...

EGYPT MILLS -- Otis Martin Lange, 83, of Egypt Mills, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born in Egypt Mills on Feb. 2, 1916, son of Martin Albert and Mary Dena Schwettmann Lange. He married Vivian Bishop on Nov. 14, 1936, in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- George A. Dubbs, 38, of Jackson died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born July 26, 1961, in Chicago Heights, Ill., son of William and Tasha Douvitsas Dubbs. He married Donna Moore on May 20, 1983, in Jackson...

JACKSON -- Ernestine Eggimann, 92, of Jackson died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Mattie L. Walker, 45, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Aug. 12, 1954, in Caruthersville, daughter of J.B. and Rosie Lee Frazier Smith. She married Johnnie Walker Nov. 6, 1975, in Cape Girardeau...

UNIONTOWN -- Alphons E. Wichern 83, of Uniontown died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 5, 1916, at Point Rest, son of Henry and Martha Cornehlsen Wichern. He and Helen Darnstaedt were married May 4, 1946...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Graveside service for Judy Quesenberry of Olive Branch will be held at 11 a.m. today at Olive Branch Cemetery. The Rev. Ernest Brown will officiate. Crain Funeral Home of Tamms is in charge of arrangements. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 27 at Alexander Free Will Baptist Church. The Revs. Ernest Brown and Billy Don Heady will officiate. Friends may call at the church after 4:30 p.m...

SIKESTON -- Alma Beatrice Schuchart, 82, of Sikeston died Saturday, Jan. 15, 2000, at her home. She was born Jan. 23, 1917, in Hornersville, daughter of P.V. and Lora L. Moody Branum. She and Emil J. Schuchart Sr. were married March 30, 1940, in Sikeston. He died Jan. 5, 1988...

SIKESTON -- Esther Mae Williams, 74, of Sikeston died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Sept. 27, 1925, in Shuqulak, Miss., daughter of Tolly and Esther Parker Hyde. She and Abe Williams Sr. were married Dec. 13, 1942. He died in 1954...

Mary Loretta Vandeven, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Ratliff Care Center. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Perhaps you've noticed the recent newspaper ads for something called the vinegar diet which promises that you can lose weight without counting calories or going hungry. The hitch is you have to drink vinegar (you're apparently allowed to lace it with a little honey) several times daily...

It must be that from year to year I forget just how bad the flu bug really is. And here again this year I think it is worse than I can ever remember. There have been so many people out sick at the Senior Center and church, and it seems everywhere I go people are talking about the illnesses in their particular family. ...

My Aunt Chris and Uncle Herbert were married when I was five years old. Therefore, I have no memory of my Uncle Herbert without my Aunt Chris. They have seven children of their own, and they make me feel like an honorary child. Uncle Herbert calls me "junior," in reference to the fact that I am so much like my mother, his eldest sister...