Stories from Wednesday, April 12, 2000

THE LIBERAL wing of the Democratic Party is in full control of the agenda. The party has become home for anything-goes morality. They brag about the Democrat leaders years ago like Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy, of which I was a supporter. These men would have been appalled at the platform now supported by their party. Liberalism will finally engulf both parties eventually as our country is on its way down. When it bottoms out, maybe we can get started again with values and decency...

A program such as the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair or the regional National History Day contest shows how local students excel. The projects and imagination of area students are impressive. These competitions underscore the fact that Southeast Missouri students are both intelligent and creative...

When Mrs. Berryman ran the public library in my favorite hometown in the Ozarks, there was no confusion about who was in charge. Of course, that was in the dark ages before computers. Sputnik hadn't even been launched. You want to know how dark the ages were? There was no TV in Kelo Valley, where I grew up on a farm...

Children should not be exposed to pornography on computers in the public library. That's not a tough call. Surely it's not in the best interests of society for children to see sexually provocative material intended for adults. It's such an obvious statement that those who support mandatory Internet filtering for public libraries are mystified at the opposition to their cause. ...

MTBE has been in the news a lot lately. This gasoline additive, methyl tertiary butyl ether, has fouled groundwater supplies across the country. But this troublesome additive is required in St. Louis under Missouri's reformulated gasoline program to meet federal mandates...

by Mark Bastable Did you know that 96% of Americans under the age of forty have at some time or another worked in MacDonald's? I mean, that's a staggering statistic. And rendered no less staggering for knowing that I just made it up. Still - there's a kind of truth there. ...

by Lara K. Sebastian Wrestlers of America Unite!!! Attention all Personnel. If you can smell what the Rock is cooking, if you know who Jesse Ventura was before the political office, if you remember Andre the Giant or have experienced Hulkamania, there is help out there. ...

My Dog Skip Based on the autobiographical book by Willie Morris, the film is rated PG for some violent content and mild language. Frankie Muniz from the Fox hit sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle stars as Willie, a shy and somewhat geeky eight-year-old growing up in the sleepy town of Yazoo, Mississippi. Muniz, a theatrically trained actor, does a good job of portraying Willie and his southern accent is really pretty adorable...

The waltz by R. Reklaw When the river is full it slips, slides, and rolls. Like a tan snake, belly up - slithering. Warm air kisses the water, with steamy puffs, As a slipstream whistles them along. At the rivers edge, banks are soaked stringy soft...

Since its conception, Ear Candy has continued to evolve, CD reviews, band interviews and an occasional soapbox rant have filled my column. Although the content has broadened, the message has always been the same... great modern music that I consider essential to any avid music lovers' collection...

"So subtly is the fume of life designed, to clarify the pulse and cloud the mind" - Edna St. Vincent Millay Greetings and salutations dear readers. Sitting here with my Earl Grey tea, recuperating from the all day frenzy of the MTV campus invasion, my chance to sit down with the pop songstress (and fellow Journey fan) Bree Sharp, and the all out sensoury attacking performance by Moby, I had a moment of clarity. ...

by David Jennings This week's trip: Tower Rock Anyone who knows me, can tell you I'm a big fan of natural phenomena. Whether it be the Northern Lights or the Grand Canyon, nature never ceases to amaze me. There aren't many so called "natural phenomena" in this area- but there are a few...

An Interview with Bree Sharp by Jaysen Buterin Since the beginning of recorded history, human-ity seems to have been at odds with the elements, recalcitrantly submitting to the power of Mother Nature, and today was no different. The wind gods were not happy and decided to wreak slight havoc on the MTV Campus Invasion, prematurely ending activities such as the "I Wanna be an MTV VJ Tryouts" and the Choose or Lose booth. ...

PERRYVILLE -- A board that oversaw state money for the handicapped met Tuesday in a closed session despite the fact that all of its members were dismissed last week by Perry County commissioners. Nevertheless, the meeting was held, said Al Cearlock, who was chairman of the Senate Bill 40 board...

Cape Shoe Co. announced Tuesday the opening of a shoe manufacturing plant in the Florsheim Shoe Co. plant that closed last year. The nation's newest shoe manufacturer is the first to open a shoe plant in the city since 1969, when Florsheim began production at the plant at Highway 74 and South West End Boulevard...

JACKSON -- A planning session will be held soon by the Jackson Board of Education to discuss how best to manage growth following defeat of two school funding measures. A $5.3 million bond issue and Proposition C sales-tax waiver were overwhelmingly defeated by voters April 4. ...

NEW MADRID -- While campaigning for sheriff of Stoddard County, the embattled Morehouse police chief apparently will have to take time out to go to trial. According to court documents, Doug Triplett, who has been suspended from his duties since October, will now face three misdemeanor charges and a felony charge. He is charged with three counts of violation of the juvenile code for failing to take a child to juvenile court and one count of felonious restraint...

BERNIE -- Two longtime Bernie educators were inducted into the Bernie R-13 School District Hall of Fame at the 14th annual Academic Honors BanquetFriday night. Wendell Turner spent his 30-year career at Bernie. According to many, he is the "Will Rogers" of educators. His low-key profile, continual home-spun humor and encouragement helped mark the success of hundreds of students as he engendered initiative and self-confidence with his caring and endless smile...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education adopted eligibility requirements for all students participating in extracurricular activities during a meeting Tuesday night. A 17-member committee has met several times since September to develop a document outlining requirements for continued participation in activities including choir, band, academic bowl, speech/debate, cheerleading, pom pom and sports...

The Cape County Public Health Center offers several types of free vaccinations for children, including those children need to enter school, at regularly scheduled clinics. Clinics are held on the first and fourth Wednesdays and the second Monday of each month in Cape Girardeau and the third and fourth Mondays in Jackson. Call 335-7846 to schedule an appointment...

The chickenpox vaccine is now available for free for children ages 1-18 at the Cape County Public Health Center. Until recently, the health center was charging $60 per injection for the chickenpox or, as it is officially known, the varicella virus vaccine, which the center was having to purchase on its own, said Jane Wernsman, assistant director of the Cape County Public Health Center. ...

Wednesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. City Hall, council chambers Hearings Subdivision plats Discussion and voting...

SIKESTON -- The Rev. Billy Graham himself won't be coming to Southeast Missouri, but a branch of his ministry will. Graham spent four days preaching in St. Louis last fall and now an evangelism crusade supported by his ministry's umbrella organization is coming to Sikeston...

Even without crowds of residents offering suggestions for new road projects under an extension of the Transportation Trust Fund, city planners are confident that the process is working. The Transportation Trust Fund was designed to collect revenue from a half-cent sales tax approved in 1995. The revenue funds are then used to pay for a list of 20 major street improvements and repairs in the city...

Missouri Baptist baseball coach Eddie Uschold acknowledged that his team's 5-4 win over host Southeast Missouri State University Tuesday should probably be considered an upset. After all, most people figured the NCAA Division I Indians would defeat the NAIA Spartans...

Notre Dame's ace battled like a Bulldog. But he chewed through Jackson's lineup like an Obermann pincher. Brian Obermann, a senior southpaw, reverted to last year's form Tuesday and allowed just one hit in four innings as Notre Dame (8-2) defeated Jackson (5-5) for the third time this season, 8-0, on a cold, windy day at Notre Dame High School...

JACKSON -- Mike Kiehne has come full circle. Kiehne, who was an all-state basketball performer as an Indian, became Jackson's first basketball coach in 20 years not named Steve Burk when the school board voted in favor of the hiring committee's nomination Tuesday night...

PEKIN, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State golfers Jason Owen and David Fulton finished 1-2 in the individual competition in the 10-team Bradley University Spring Invitational, helping the Indians to a second-place in the team standings Tuesday. Owen finished two strokes ahead of Fulton as he totaled 225 with three consecutive rounds of 3-over-par 75 at Lick Creek Golf Course. Fulton, who earned medalist in the 12-team Billiken Invitational last week, had rounds of 76-76-75 for a 227 total...

Southeast Missouri State University and Tennessee-Martin exchanged a pair of shutouts Tuesday during an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader played at the Southeast Softball Complex. UTM (12-13 overall, 7-6 OVC) won the opener 3-0 while Southeast (13-18, 5-4) captured the nightcap 4-0...

Cape Girardeau Central High's girls soccer team broke open a close game with two second-half goals as the Lady Tigers blanked city rival Notre Dame 3-0 Tuesday night. Amber Voerg scored a first-half goal, with an assist from Lori Bittle. In the second half, Amanda Hiler and Sarah Brown each scored, with Voerg and Carrie Eller providing assists...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Bonnie Kean Ward, 52, of Paducah, Ky., and formerly of Peoria and Karnak, died Sunday, April 9, 2000, at her home in Paducah. She was born Oct. 3, 1947, at Cairo. She was a retired schoolteacher in Peoria and had been working as a receptionist for Dippin Dots Inc. in Paducah...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Jonathan "Johnny" Linton, 86, of Cobden died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, at City Care Center. He was born Jan. 31, 1914, in Alto Pass, son of Asa and Christy Trexler Linton. Linton was store manager at Daniels Grocery many years. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. He was a veteran of World War II...

BONNE TERRE -- Funeral for Jimmy Dale Scowden of Bonne Terre will be held at 1 p.m. today at C.Z. Boyer and Son Chapel in Bonne Terre. The Rev. Denver Glenn will officiate. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Berrong Cemetery near Advance...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Emma C. Henderson, 81, of Cobden died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, at the Jonesboro Health Care Center in Jonesboro. Funeral arrangements are pending at the Lutz & Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna.

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Minnie Pearl Henderson, 59, of Mound City died Saturday, April 8, 2000, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. She was born Oct. 5, 1940, in Charleston, Mo., daughter of Jesse James and Mary Spencer Davis. She married Charles Henderson, who preceded her in death...

Daughter to Jon Gregory and Christina Lynn Corbett of Portageville, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:34 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, 2000. Name, Brenna Michelle. Weight, 8 pounds 10 ounces. Mrs. Corbett is the former Christina Smith, daughter of L.B. Smith and Joyce Smith of Portageville. Corbett is the son of Maurice Darnall and Sharon Darnall of Portageville. He is employed at IPSCO...

JACKSON -- Edna Mae Brugger, 86, of Jackson died Sunday, April 9, 2000, at the Monticello House in Jackson. Funeral Mass was held Tuesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with Msgr. Edward Eftink officiating. Burial was in Russell Heights Cemetery...

JACKSON -- John W. Shrum Hinton, 35, of Jackson died Monday, April 10, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 3, 1964, in Fort Worth, Texas, son of Waymond Buddy and Sandra Henry Shrum. He was employed as a concrete finisher at Cement Masonry Union Local 908 in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON -- Aileen Beal, 78, of Sikeston died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born June 16, 1921, in Thaxton, Miss., daughter of Gaston and Bessie Russell McCoy. She and James F. Beal Jr. were married March 29, 1941. He preceded her in death...

CHARLESTON -- Jackie Sinks, 32, of Charleston died Tuesday, April 11, 2000, of an apparent heart attack. She was born Oct. 7, 1967, in Charleston, daughter of Herbert Lee Merriweather and Dorothy Jean Sinks. Sinks was a 1986 graduate of Charleston High School. She was a secretary at Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center Spirals in East Prairie...

SIKESTON -- Graveside service for Joseph Lynn Wright of Kansas City will be held at 10 a.m. today at Memorial Park Cemetery. David Craig will officiate. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Wright, 66, died Sunday, April 9, 2000, in Kansas City...

COMMERCE -- Dan J. Simms, 47, of Commerce died Monday, April 10, 2000, at his home. He was born Nov. 4, 1952, at Caruthersville, son of J.T. and Gladys Inez Edgin Simms. He and Laura Ann Palmer were married Feb. 6, 1970, at Caruthersville. She survives...

Sherman R. Watson, 56, of Mansfield, Texas, died Monday, April 10, 2000, at North East Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel...

SIKESTON -- Betty L. Arbaugh, 73, of Sikeston died Monday, April 10, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Aug. 22, 1926, at Sikeston, daughter of Cleve and Clara Kernell McCann. She and Charles L. Arbaugh were married Aug. 14, 1942, at Charleston...

To eat well in Britain, Somerset Maugham once remarked, you must have breakfast three times a day. That observation, of course, was less a tribute to the traditional English morning meal, a rather substantial repast, than it was a commentary on the state of British cooking. ...

It never fails, just when I'm wondering what I should write about, I get a call from someone needing a good recipe for punch. I gave her two different ones to choose from, and she was pleased. Later I went to check the mail in the Recipe Swap mailbox and a letter from Melinda Dodd of Cape Girardeau wound up being quite a coincidence. ...