Stories from Thursday, March 16, 2000

To the editor: The ballot for the April elections contains an issue that has never been popular. This is the issue of higher taxes -- in particular, higher school taxes for taxpayers in the Jackson School District. I'm hearing a lot of comments like "We don't need more schools" and "Why can't we add a pod to the existing West Lane School as planned?" and "We need to build a new high school, not a new elementary school, so we can move the junior high to the high school building" and "The school taxes are high enough already" and on and on.. ...

Many of the rock 'n' roll bands that formed in Cape Girardeau in the 1960s and 1970s had one thing in common: Chuck McGinty. Beginning in 1964 at 15 with his first band, the Werewolves, and continuing to the late 1970s with the wildly popular band Fletcher, McGinty was associated with a who's who of Southeast Missouri rock musicians and bands (see list). He had a versatile voice and could play both guitar and keyboards...

Horse-riding Russian bears, acrobats performing the Double Swing of Death and one of the world's funniest clowns those are some of the top acts that will perform at a three-ring circus Wednesday at the Show Me Center. The Sterling & Reid Bros. 3 Ring Circus, with more than 125 performers and dozens of animals, will perform two shows, at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m...

In a civilized nation where order is regulated by laws, it is easy to look for legal remedies to every problem that comes along. Some laws define what is against the law and establish penalties for breaking those laws. Some laws define what is legally required and establish penalties or incentives for either breaking or complying with those laws...

Meanwhile, President Clinton is again using a gun tragedy -- this time, one 6-year-old kills another 6-year-old -- as a tool to further his campaign for more firearms regulation. Comments from the head of the National Rifle Association have stirred the national debate...

In the United States, a free public education has been established as a right for every young person. Yet over the past two decades the quality of that public education has been called into question on numerous occasions. During that time, various legislative initiatives have been imposed in an attempt to force an improvement in public education. ...

SALT LAKE CITY -- Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner tried his best Wednesday to keep his players in the right frame of mind for today's game, the biggest in the history of the school. It had to be challenging considering the scores of media representatives hovering in the Huntsman Center, where the Indians, seeded 13th, will take on No. 4 Louisiana State University in Southeast's first-ever appearance in the Division I NCAA Tournament...

Southeast Missouri State University admissions counselor Chris Seyer plans to be glued to the television today watching his beloved Indians play in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Seyer plans to watch at least part of the game on a big-screen TV at the Show Me Center. The Indians play LSU in the first-round of the West Regional at Salt Lake City, Utah...

Four people were injured in three separate accidents Wednesday on highways in Southeast Missouri. Christy Jackson, 20, of Campbell was injured when her vehicle ran off Route H in Dunklin County, struck an embankment and overturned three times. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the accident happened at 9:10 a.m. five miles northwest of Malden. Jackson was treated at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff...

A large sign draped across a school bus parked on the Save A Lot parking lot at 121 S. Sprigg said it best: Drivers Needed. Ryder Student Transportation bus drivers Bob Wade and Larry Hale sat in the bus' shade and waited for the opportunity to tell others about their jobs. ...

Make your picks and place your bets for the Final Four, but just don't tell a Missouri prosecuting attorney. Gambling for money, even in an office pool, is a crime, said Cape Girardeau County prosecutor Morley Swingle. "This is the time of year when the prosecutor becomes the grinch," he said...

The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, located along the Mississippi River between Cape Girardeau and Scott City, has become the first certified Ameren Corporation InSite location in Missouri. AmerenUE's program is an industrial development project aimed at attracting new employers and economic growth to an area by providing a site, with a "ready-to-go building" for new and expanding companies...

The clicking of adding machines and buzz of a copier filled a room at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center Wednesday as all four volunteers with the AARP Tax Aide program were busy helping clients. "We keep thinking there will be a break, but people just keep coming in," said Opal Collins, one of the volunteer tax preparers...

SALT LAKE CITY -- Southeast Missouri State fans know the story. Gary Garner, knowing full well that the school is on probation, comes in as head coach and in his third year leads the Indians to their first NCAA Tournament at the Division I level. As good as this story is, it has a familiar ring in Louisiana...

SALT LAKE CITY -- For the Southeast Missouri State Indians, the word "underdog" needs a few more syllables. Try under-sized-and-less-athletic dog. At a press conference Tuesday, Southeast coach Gary Garner said, "I don't know of any physical advantage we might have (over Louisiana State). They're bigger, more athletic and shoot the ball pretty well."...

Southeast Missouri hammered out five home runs and its fourth straight win as the Indians defeated Memphis 12-9 at Capaha Field Wednesday. Jeremy Johnson provided the game's final homer as he broke a 9-9 tie with a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth. It was part of a three-run eighth for the Indians, who had seen Memphis (5-13) tie the game in the top of the inning with five runs...

The Southeast Missouri State University softball team opens play in the eighth annual Capital Classic Softball Tournament today in Sacramento, Calif. The 15-team tournament field contains three teams ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll. Southeast (5-4) will face Louisville, Nebraska, CSU-Sacramento and Utah in pool play. The teams will then be seeded in a single-elimination tournament which begins on Saturday. The tournament concludes on Sunday...

The Southeast Missouri State University gymnastics team will host the Midwest Independent Championships tonight at Houck Field House. The meet will consist of Southeast, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago and Winona State. Individually, Southeast's Stephanie Furman and Malia Roberts have an excellent chance of qualifying for the NCAA Independent Regionals on the vault and bars, respectively...

Marie Frances Geringer, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 11, 1913, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of Adolph and Clara Simpher Roloff. She and Rupert Geringer were married Aug. 8, 1932, at Cape Girardeau. He died June 21, 1990...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- Juanita A. Earley, 75, of East Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, March 14, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 7, 1924, in Fort Totten, N.Y., daughter of Peter and Alda Adams Bush. She married William "Jack" Earley...

A service of remembrance for Virginia Lee Neace of Cape Girardeau will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. D.J. Charles will officiate. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Neace, 81, died Tuesday, March 14, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Daughter to Jay Michael and Sara Marie Snider of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:15 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, 2000. Name, Alix Flora. Weight, 3 pounds 4 ounces. First child. Mrs. Snider is the former Sara Eyler, daughter of Linda J. Eyler and Flora and Weldon Hamlin of Jackson. Snider is the son of Brenda Snider and Ray Snider of Marble Hill. He is employed at Snider Alignment Service...

JACKSON -- Alton Glenn Proffer, 81, of Jackson died Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at his home. He was born Aug. 29, 1918, son of Andrew and Blanche Proffer. He and Hazel Davenport were married Feb. 26, 1938, in Jackson. Proffer was a self-employed farmer and carpenter. He was born on and lived on the family farm a mile south of Crump until moving to rural Jackson in 1993...

CHARLESTON -- Jennie French, 99, of Charleston died Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at Bertrand Nursing Facility. She was born Feb. 6, 1901, at Charleston, daughter of E. Lindsay and Mollie Sikes Brown. She and Oliver B. French Sr. were married May 10, 1923. He died Feb. 10, 1985...

SCOTT CITY -- Danny Edward Brashear, 52, of Scott City died Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 13, 1947, at Sikeston, son of Clarence Edward and Sherma Pauline Nation Brashear. He and Verna Louise Shuffit were married Sept. 5, 1976, in Scott City...

CHAFFEE -- Jackie Ray "Jack" Craft, 55, died Wednesday, March 15, 2000, at his home. He was born June 26, 1944, at Cape Girardeau, son of Raymond Walter and Goldia Chapman Craft. He and Marjorie Niswonger were married Sept. 12, 1987, at Cape Girardeau...

FREDERICKTOWN -- John Randy Walker, 53, of Fredericktown died Tuesday, March 14, 2000, at his home. He was born Aug. 1, 1946, in New Albany, Miss., son of Vernon G. and Lillie Mae Beck Walker. He and Mable Polk were married Dec. 22, 1979, at Matthews...