Stories from Wednesday, February 9, 2000

Each summer and fall several home orchardists give me samples of pears, peaches and apples that are full of disease and insects. They want to know what they can do about their problem Unfortunately, when I get the samples, it is too late in the year to do anything about the problem. Therefore, before this season begins, I thought I would discuss a general spray and fertilization schedule to help most home orchardists reduce insect and disease problems in their fruit trees...

The statistics are rather unbelievable, perhaps too much so. A private study released in Washington, D.C., finds that youngsters who live in rural America are 50 percent more likely to use crack cocaine than city youths. Perhaps what is the most disturbing about the study is the fact a growing number of eighth graders are turning to drugs. We're talking about eighth graders, children who are not yet driving. They're 13 and 14 years old...

Football: More than just a game: Why is football so popular? Because it exemplifies heroism and purposefulness, said an Ayn Rand Institute senior writer. "The essential value of spectator sports, like football, lies in their capacity to illustrate, in a dramatic way, the process of human goal-achievement," said Thomas Bowden. "They do this by making the process shorter, simpler and more visually exciting than it is in daily life -- and by giving us heroes to admire."...

I OVERHEARD some grumbling in the church because we were closed in the big snow. I think God gives us a brain to use, people. He probably doesn't want us out risking life and limb even though he's going to call us home in our due time. So instead of grumbling, maybe we should be humbling...

You can see the bright school bus-colored signs near area schools: Drug free, gun free school zones. The signs boast that violators will face severe federal, state and local criminal penalties. A series of gun laws enacted by Congress in 1990 included the Gun-Free School Zones Act, which encouraged schools to post the signs. In Cape Girardeau, the signs were posted in 1992. In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the gun limitations was unconstitutional...

More stray animals from the local Humane Society shelter found homes in 1999. At the same time, the shelter took in fewer animals. That is good news to Kimberly Peters, director of education for the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. The Route W shelter serves an 11-county area in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois...

Cape Girardeau's $8.5 million sewer revenue bond issue passed in an election Tuesday in which fewer than 4 percent of the city's voters participated. Voters approved the measure by a vote of 704-148, showed an unofficial count that included 28 absentee ballots. All of the absentee ballots were cast in support of the issue...

CHAFFEE -- For the second time in three months, Chaffee voters have rejected a proposed increase in the operating tax levy of the Chaffee School District. The vote in Tuesday's special election was 331 for the levy and 493 opposed. The district had proposed a 44-cent per $100 assessed valuation increase in the $2.81 operating levy. Last November the school district had unsuccessfully sought an 85-cent increase...

Today is Food Check-out Day in Missouri and across the nation, marking the day Americans on average will have earned enough to pay for the family's entire food supply for the year, including food prepared and eaten in and outside the home. "Food Check-out Day is being promoted nationwide," said Linda Job, a member of the Cape Girardeau County Farm Bureau."...

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri says a microchip will make it easier to reunite lost pets and their owners. Within a few weeks, the Cape Girardeau shelter plans to begin inserting microchips under the skin of animals as part of the adoption process...

Cape Girardeau police urge people to take special precautions in view of a rash of vehicle break-ins over the past month. Since January police have received a higher than usual number of reports on thefts from vehicles. There were 60 reports made during January, nearly twice the number during the same month last year. And between Feb. 1 and 4,19 reports of thefts from vehicles were received...

JACKSON -- In the late 1980s, Darrell Sievers was an offensive lineman for the Jackson High School football team. Now he's leading interference for a new program he hopes will improve relations between the community and his current team, the Jackson Police Department...

NEW MADRID -- A single-vehicle accident left a New Madrid woman with moderate injuries Tuesday. Valeria Word, 34, of New Madrid was injured when her vehicle swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle and she lost control of her car. The vehicle crossed the highway, hit a ditch and overturned, the Missouri Highway Patrol said...

7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7 City Hall Power and Light Committee Street Committee Executive session Held executive session to discuss litigation, personnel and purchase of property...

Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. Council chambers, 401 Independence Hearings Discussion and voting on applications...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Robert M. Wolpers, editor and publisher of the Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic for nearly half a century, has died. Wolpers, 84, died Friday at Doctors Regional Medical Center in the southeast Missouri town. Wolpers' parents, John H. and Hattie Kinder Wolpers, founded the newspaper in 1916. Robert Wolpers took over at his father's request in 1942. He retired in 1988 when the family-owned newspaper was sold to Woodward Communications of Dubuque, Iowa...

BLOOMFIELD -- Stoddard County is getting serious in dealing with a serious problem: The theft of county road signs. The County Commission Monday authorized a reward of $100 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone stealing the signs...

How tight was Cape Central's defense? Let's just say they stuck to Tory Meyr like orange and black body paint. Cape Central smothered the Indians Tuesday night 41-25 and no, that wasn't the halftime score. The Tigers, playing inspired basketball in front of a raucous crowd at the Tiger Field House, held their arch rivals to just 19 percent from the field (9 of 47) and held Tory Meyr to just eight points a team high...

Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner stressed how important it was for his team to start strong Tuesday night as it attempted to snap a two-game losing streak and cool off the Ohio Valley Conference's hottest squad...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department is conducting registration for its spring aquatic programs. Classes offered will include: Learn to Swim, Lifeguard Training, Water Safety Instructor and Aqua Aerobics. Classes will begin in March. For more information, call the Parks & Recreation Department at 335- 5421 or the Central Municipal Pool at 335-4040...

The Delta Alumni Basketball Tournament will be held April 1-2. Open gym practices will be held every Saturday from 5-7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Troy Smith at 794-0256 or Kenny Burnett at 794-2097.

The Jackson Boys League will hold its 2000 baseball signups on three upcoming dates at the Jackson City Hall Community Room. The signup dates at times: Saturday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 27, 1-4 p.m.; Thursday, March 2, 6-9 p.m. The Community Room, on the third floor, is located on the Missouri Street side of Jackson City Hall...

St. Louis Rams receiver Isaac Bruce, along with several other Rams players, will present a football camp June 16-20 at SIU- Edwardsville. Boys ages 8-18 will have the opportunity to learn football from NFL MVP Kurt Warner, Torry Holt, Marshall Faulk, Az-zahir Hakim Kevin Carter, Grant Wistrom Orlando Pace and many more...

MORLEY -- The Notre Dame Bulldogs needed a big fourth quarter of boys high school basketball action, and got it, outscoring the Braves 26-16 to earn a tough 68-61 road win over Scott County Central. Notre Dame led 13-10 after the first quarter and took a 34-29 advantage into halftime, but was outscored 16-8 in the third as the Braves rallied to lead 45-42 going into the final period...

Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen can only hope that his team can still recover from what happened Tuesday night. Desperately needing to begin their three-game homestand with a bang, the Otahkians instead suffered a damaging 67-58 loss to Middle Tennessee State...

The Saint Francis Universal Health & Fitness Center will host its St. Pats Racquetfest March 11-12. The tennis tournament will hold competition in the following brackets: Men's Open Singles, Men's A, Men's 35, Men's 45, Men's 55, Men's Doubles Open, Men's Doubles 35, Women's Open and Women's Doubles...

McCLURE, Ill. -- Levena Graham, 68, of McClure died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 3, 1931, in Popp City, Mo., daughter of Walter E. and Noley Ann Rice Johnson. She and Theodore W. Graham were married Jan. 4, 1946, at New Madrid, Mo...

Bob R. Welker, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at his home. He was born Aug. 11, 1934, in Cape Girardeau, son of Luther and Audrey Rhodes Welker. He and Judith Roe were married Oct. 26, 1968. Welker was a graduate of Central High School. He was an electronics instructor in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-58...

BENTON -- Robert B. Mothershead, 40, of Benton died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at his home. He was born Oct. 30, 1959, at Sikeston, son of Hoyt and Betty Zook Mothershead. He and Christy Dodson were married April 2, 1980, at Blodgett. Mothershead was a 1978 graduate and salutatorian of Thomas W. Kelly High School and a 1981 magna cum laude graduate of Southeast Missouri State University...

FARMINGTON -- Alene Harbison, 71, of Farmington died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at Parkland Health Center. She was born Nov. 9, 1928, at DeSoto, daughter of Guy and Alice Carter Haywood. She was a homemaker and a longtime member of the Farmington Church of the Nazarene...

Daughter to Lawrence Barrett "Barry" Rice and Shannon Michelle Lowes of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:44 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28, 2000. Name, Gwynnivere Angela. Weight, 6 pounds 5 ounces. Ms. Lowes is the daughter of Steve and Jane Lowes of Cape Girardeau. ...

Lucile Mount, 92, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Funeral for Eloise Wee Wren of Cape Girardeau will be held at noon Saturday at Greater Dimension Church. The Rev. Don Henson will officiate. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel from 4-8 p.m. Friday...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Bernita L. Garrett Melton, 80, of Olive Branch died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 31, 1919, at Pulaski, daughter of Charles W. and Ola M. Dillie Lackey. Melton's first husband, Douglas Ward Garrett, died Aug. 30, 1963. Her second husband, Harold L. "Slats" Melton, died May 7, 1991...

CHARLESTON -- Antowon Maurice Davis, 28, of Charleston died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2000, in an automobile accident near Fremont. He was born May 12, 1971, in Detroit, son of Willie Hart and Mary Davis. Davis was a 1990 graduate of Charleston High School, and served in the U.S. Navy...

SIKESTON -- Charles B. Stone, 78, of Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at his home. He was born Sept. 11, 1921, in Macon, son of Thomas Roscoe and Velma Sue Wisdom Stone. He and Marjorie L. Powell were married Nov. 2, 1946, in Kansas City, Kan. Stone was a graduate of Macon High School, and attended Truman State University...

JACKSON -- Walter P. Been, 97, of Webster Groves died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at LaClede Groves Lutheran Convalescent. He was born Oct. 19, 1902, in Baldwin, Ill., son of William E. and Grace McDonough Been. He and Esther Tant were married May 23, 1940, in Jackson...

ANNISTON -- Shirley J. Cloys, 63, of Anniston died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2000, at East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born Oct. 19, 1936, in Fulton, Tenn., daughter of Charlie Franklin Cloys and Eula Rose Jackson Seay. Cloys was retired from Prairie Manufacturing Co. and was a member of Anniston Baptist Church. She was a resident of Mississippi County most of her life...

While meandering about the countryside, about an hour from Alexandria, Va., we discovered the quaint little village of Occoquan, founded in 1734. We decided to partake of a few morsels to eat at the Virginia Grill perched above the Occoquan River. It was evident that this was the local gathering place because we were greeted by the police chief, mayor and a host of others. ...

It is wonderful to have our friends back from Altenburg. Recipe Swap received a big fat envelope from them, and as usual, all of the recipes sound great. We haven't had mail from these wonderful cooks in a while, so it is nice to have them back. A variety of different recipes are being shared, so let's get right to the good stuff...