Stories from Saturday, February 26, 2000

"And he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." -- Luke 9:2 (NIV) When Sheri Draper attends services at First Christian Church she might be asked questions about a child's severely scraped knees or complicated surgical procedures...

Parish nursing makes all the sense in the world to Karen Mustoe and plenty of other nurses in the area. It gives them a chance to mesh both their professional and spiritual lives. Parish nursing is a holistic approach to healing that lets nurses use their caring nature to offer advice, consultation and education for their church congregations...

BENTON -- Scott County officials are talking to anyone who will listen about an upcoming ballot issue to fund construction of a new jail. "If you know of any groups that would like more information, please let us know," County Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel told a group of north Scott County business people and farmers gathered at the courthouse Friday...

BENTON -- A Scott County jury on Friday awarded $4 million to a Sikeston man who was badly burned from a furnace explosion at an aluminum recycling plant Lawyers for the injured man said the verdict is believed to be the second largest ever in a civil case in circuit court in Southeast Missouri...

Cape Girardeau City Councilman Jay Purcell plans to run for state representative of the 158th District, assuring a GOP primary battle with local lawyer Jason Crowell. Another Cape Girardeau councilman, Tom Neumeyer, is leaning toward running for the seat on the Democratic ticket. But his decision could hinge on whether Democrat Jim Grebing enters the race to succeed retiring state Rep. Mary Kasten...

Planned closing of the Easter Seals Child Development Center in Cape Girardeau has parents scrambling for other child-care arrangements and some school districts pondering how they will provide services for special-needs students. Parents were told when they dropped their children off at the center Friday morning that Easter Seals Missouri had decided to close the Cape Girardeau center on March 10. The center serves children ages 6 weeks to 8 years old with and without disabilities...

Feb. 25 is a good day for unusual weather. The thermometer registered a high of 73 degrees Friday, not quite breaking a record but provoking thoughts of spring. Feb. 25 happens to be the same date that 24 inches of snow paralyzed the region in what became known as the Great Blizzard of 1979...

For the past week I've been commuting from Charleston with my family, and it's been only a little worse than the gallstone attacks I had last winter. The problem is not the 30-minute drive down the interstate and through Diehlstadt. I know every bump and curve of that stretch like the back of my hand and can drive it in even the worst weather...

JACKSON -- State Rep. David Schwab plans to seek re-election to the 157th District House seat. The Jackson Republican has served in the Legislature the past 12 years. Filing for the November election opens Tuesday. Schwab said he would continue to push for more accountability in government while keeping bureaucracy to a minimum...

One step into the library at Cape Girardeau Central High School and you realize libraries have changed a lot over the years. The low lighting and narrow passageways between stacks of ancient books have been replaced with bright colors and best sellers, and "flying" books and kites strung from the ceiling...

JACKSON -- A 46-year-old man previously acquitted of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in 1990 has been charged with several instances of sexual abuse involving a 12-year-old girl, Jackson police said. Richard D. Park of 804 Independence was charged with five counts of sexual abuse, police said...

Auditions for the upcoming River City Players production of "Play Dead" will be held from 1-3 p.m. today and from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday at Port Cape Restaurant. "Play Dead" is a black comedy and murder mystery that invites audience participation. Six males and six females are needed...

Northwest State University at Maryville is gearing up for its first round of students in the university's new Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing. As many as 50 high school juniors and seniors will converge on the campus this fall as full-time students to attend college classes in math, chemistry, computer science and other subjects for a two-year period...

A Honor Roll 6th Grade -- Rachel Huebel, Michael McBride, David Olson, Brittne Stovall. 5th Grade -- Phillip DeCoursey, Raymond Harp, Cara McElmurry, Christopher Shelton, Jonathan Young. 4th Grade -- Peyton Beasley, Sarah Ford, Andrea Horrell, Riley Lohmann, Matthew Miller, Bethany Parry, Daniel Ross, Mia Russell, Joel Smart, Carissa Wheeler, Ashley Willis, Jennifer Willis...

Dr. Shirley Staples Carter, president of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, will be the guest Sunday on KRCU's "Going Public" radio show. Topics will include how the media is perceived by the public and the portrayal of blacks in television, films, society and politics...

JACKSON -- A 19-year-old Jackson man was found guilty of possessing a variety of illegal drugs, which could result in a prison sentence of over 20 years, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor's office said. "Sometimes it's hard to believe we have drug dealers this young and who are of this large-scale caliber in our community," said Angel Woodruff, assistant county prosecutor...

Cape Girardeau's designation last week as a Main Street Community is intended to spur revitalization efforts in the historic downtown area. But it won't happen if interested merchants, residents and city boosters don't get involved. A public meeting to explain the Main Street program is planned for 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at the River City Yacht Club at the Port Cape Girardeau restaurant...

Open primaries are gaining renewed attention as the Republican race between John McCain and George W. Bush heats up. McCain is winning primaries with crossover votes from independents and Democrats. But here's the real question: Are Democrats voting for McCain because they want him as president? Or is he getting large number of Democratic voters because they feel he's the weaker candidate and could more easily be beaten by the Democratic candidate in November?...

To the editor: A special friend and caring advocate of all children, Dr. Jesse Ramsey, has been taken from us. Jesse was a man of compassion. Many anxious and helpless parents were made to feel hopeful, knowing that having their children in the hands of Dr. Jesse was the best they could have hoped or prayed for...

Has George Bush sabotaged his chances in the general election by moving too far to the right in order to placate conservative voters in South Carolina? Yes, say the monolithic voices of the media elite, and McCain's victory in Michigan proves it. They're wrong...

To the editor: I want to thank everyone in Dongola, Ill., for the honor that was bestowed on me Feb. 18. The naming of the new trophy case after me was an event I will cherish forever. There are many people who made this possible, and they are greatly appreciated by me and my family...

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team will attempt to break a long-standing jinx today. The Otahkians have never won at Eastern Kentucky, but that will be their mission as they conclude the regular season with a 1 p.m. tipoff at McBrayer Arena...

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Like most basketball coaches, Gary Garner takes nothing for granted. That's why Garner claims he is plenty worried about Southeast Missouri State University's final regular-season opponent. Eastern Kentucky, which will play host to Southeast in a 3:15 p.m. tipoff today, has lost 15 straight games and the Colonels have long been eliminated from contention for a berth in the Ohio Valley Conference postseason tournament...

To say Notre Dame's girls are considered a favorite to win the Class 2A District 2 Tournament at Bloomfield is an understatement. Considering the eighth-ranked Lady Bulldogs (17-5) are seeded first and have already posted a 55-29 win over the second seed, Notre Dame would be considered as close to a lock to win a district title as one could find in this part of the state...

Scott City will be the favorite to win the Class 2A, District 2 Title at Bloomfield this week. But just because the top-seeded Rams, ranked second in the state, have lost just three games and have beaten every team in the district which they have played, doesn't mean they're untouchable...

The Southeast Missouri State University baseball team will put its six-game winning streak on the line this weekend when Southwest Missouri visits Capaha Field for a three-game series. The teams will play a pair of nine-inning games today, beginning at 1 p.m. The final game will be played Sunday at 1 p.m...

KENNETT -- Second-seeded New Madrid picked up its third win of the season over Charleston and the Class 3A, District 1 crown in the process with a 76-58 victory over the Blue Jays in the championship game Friday night. Rowand Ranson netted a game-high 22 points and Byron Minner added 20 for New Madrid, which improved to 18-6. Dereke Tipler also had 18 points and Ricky Smith finished with 12...

The Notre Dame Bulldogs have been awarded the No. 1 ranking among Class 2A schools in the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association's preseason poll released Friday. Notre Dame finished as state runner-up last season with a 26-4 record. Defending state champion St. Pius X, which beat Notre Dame 13-7 in the state title game, is ranked No. 5...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Funeral Mass for Bernice Cox of Cambridge, Ohio, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Anna. The Rev. Tom Miller will officiate. Burial will be in Anna Cemetery. Friends may call at Crain Funeral Home in Anna from 4-7 p.m. Sunday...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Graveside service for Kathleen "Tut" Flanagan of East Prairie will be held at 3 p.m. today at Dogwood Cemetery. Aubrey Wilson will officiate. Friends may call at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie after 1 p.m. today. Flanagan, 81, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

MARBLE HILL -- Irma Lee Cumpton, 57, of St. Louis died Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2000, at her home. She was born July 5, 1942, in LaPorte, Ind., daughter of Frank Milton and Versie Underwood Martin. Cumpton was a secretary. Survivors include two daughters, Nikki Siebert of Festus and Meredith Wilkins of Washington, Mo...

ADVANCE -- Aubert W. Atkins, 94, of Advance died Friday, Feb. 25, 2000, at Advance Nursing Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Morgan Funeral Home at Advance.

PARMA -- Pauline Aycock, 85, of Parma died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Sept. 2, 1914, in Slate Springs, Miss., daughter of James and Lillie Kimbrel West. She and Robert E. Aycock were married May 23, 1931. He died June 22, 1995...

Son to Jimmy L. and Yolande D. Johnson of Mounds, Ill., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:28 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000. Name, Justin Louis. Weight, 7 pounds 15 ounces. Mrs. Johnson is the former Yolande Williams, daughter of Karen and Andrew Carter of Chicago. She is a unit superintendent at Tamms Correctional Center. Johnson is the son of Jimmy Johnson Sr. of Cairo, Ill., and Ernestine Johnson of Chicago Heights, Ill. He is a corrections captain at Tamms Correctional Center...

JACKSON -- Sidney Hill, 57, of Jackson died Friday, Feb. 25, 2000, at his home. He was born Oct. 30, 1942, in Varney, W.Va., son of Oren Charles and Rebecca Musick Hill. He and Supaporn Yamklin were married Sept. 4, 1985, in St. Louis. Hill grew up in East Tennessee and attended East Tennessee State University...

BLOOMFIELD -- Ida Mae Allen, 91, of Bloomfield died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter. She was born Sept. 26, 1908, in Sikeston, daughter of James Kirkpatrick and Ida Green Williams Engram. She and William E. Allen were married Aug. 23, 1930, at Winona. He died May 28, 1979...

JACKSON -- Aliene Virginia Brown, 74, of Lees Summit died Friday, Feb. 25, 2000, at Truman Medical Center in Lees Summit. She was born Dec. 25, 1925, in Jackson, daughter of Albert and Lillian M. Huter Nagel. She and Fred Brown were married Dec. 28, 1945. He died July 19, 1983...