Stories from Friday, April 21, 2000

To the editor: On April 22, Girl Scouts of the USA will celebrate the accomplishments of more than 880,000 leaders and other volunteers. On behalf of the board of the Girl Scouts of Otahki Council, I would like to thank all of our local volunteers for contributing so much time and effort to the Girl Scout movement. They truly make a difference in the lives of girls...

On a recent trip to visit my family in Cape, I noticed a Sierra Club ad in the March 20 Southeast Missourian opposing chip mills in Missouri. With my background both as a native Missourian and a professional forester who has worked all across the United States, I have a perspective on the chip-mill issue that others might not have...

It was something of a shock to read Jack Stapleton's column on the Opinion page last Sunday and the accompanying story on Page 1. We learned that much of the 6-cent increase in the state fuel tax approved by the Missouri Legislature in 1992 doesn't go to the highway department. One state senator who participated in the debate over that increase estimates only 21 percent of the fuel-tax increase goes to highways. The rest is spent on other state agencies...

Almost everyone has a headache now and then....even children. As a parent, the big question is when to be concerned about your child's headaches. Most of the time the apparent cause of your child's headache can be logically identified -- such as staying up too late, missing a meal, playing in the sun too long, or bumping his or her head...

In the wake of Thursday's final public meeting on future transportation projects in Cape Girardeau, the city's Planning and Zoning Commission must now review the findings and send recommendations to the City Council. With the half-cent sales tax that supports the city's Transportation Trust Fund set to expire at the end of the year, the city wants to extend the tax and must decide on a list of projects by May to get the proposal on the August ballot...

JACKSON -- Three juveniles taken into custody early Thursday for vandalism and property damage were said to have admitted committing an estimated 30 similar offenses in the city dating back to November. Two of the boys were apprehended about 2:30 a.m. Thursday after officer Darren Shell saw them while on routine patrol on Donna Drive. The juveniles ran but were caught after a short foot chase, police said. The third boy was detained later. The three are ages 14 and 15...

Those who indulge, bulge. Not a pleasant thought, but vacation time is near and as a dieter you need to take stock of what that means. "Use common sense," said Jeremy Barnes, assistant professor of health promotion at Southeast Missouri State University...

Jean Hogan visits the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall replica to talk to Billy, her 21-year-old son who was killed in Vietnam. She goes to the wall, she says, to see the names of other "boys who grew up in my back yard" and to talk to families who lost sons and children during the war...

JEFFERSON CITY -- A former top official with the Cape Girardeau School District lost his state teaching and school administrator licenses Thursday as a result of a 1997 incident that occurred shortly after he left the district. On Aug. 26, 1997, Dr. ...

They entered carrying items for a feast -- wine, bread and blessed oils -- and left the sanctuary in a procession behind a crucifix. Parishioners at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and other congregants around the region commemorated Jesus Christ's Last Supper with his disciples as part of Holy or Maundy Thursday services...

No basis to bring charges of civil rights violations against Cape Girardeau police exist from last June's confrontation between police, two brothers and a crowd of 150 people, a source familiar with the investigation told the Southeast Missourian. A report of findings from the U.S. ...

CHARLESTON -- School officials in Charleston believe they covered all bases in their effort to protect students following threats against the neighboring East Prairie School District this week. But then a threat was directed at Charleston schools. East Prairie School District, which is seven miles away, was threatened via an Internet message over the weekend. ...

Tension mounts as the invading battleship of the Time Warner Empire draws near to our harbor. Unite! Most of what you are about to read is secret military stuff, so be careful. Loose lips sink ships. When folks from Time magazine began calling the newspaper a few weeks ago, there was no apparent reason to be alarmed. The magazine, we were told, would be sending a team of reporters, photographers and editors down the Mississippi River starting Hannibal and ending in New Orleans...

CHARLESTON -- Four Charleston youths could be punished as adults for the apparent rape of a 7-year-old girl last week. Department of Public Safety Director Richard Couch said juvenile authorities took four boys ages 10, 11, 12 and 13 into custody Wednesday for their roles in the incident, which apparently occurred in an abandoned building Friday afternoon. Officers were called after students overheard the boys talking and told a teacher...

U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft said Thursday he wants to abolish a "double standard" approach to school discipline that differentiates between special education students and the rest of the student body. Ashcroft visited with educators and civic leaders in Cape Girardeau Thursday to tout his legislation for local control over federal funding to schools and an end to federal intrusion into local standards for school discipline and student conduct...

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission Thursday authorized the sale of $17 million in industrial revenue bonds to assist M&W Packaging in expanding its manufacturing plant. The plant, which opened in 1990, is at the intersection of Route J and Highway 177 in northern Cape Girardeau County, next to the Procter and Gamble plant...

CHARLESTON -- A grocery store employee was hit over the head and robbed of a day's proceeds while trying to make a night deposit Wednesday at a Charleston bank. Department of Safety officers are investigating the robbery, which occurred at about 10:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Citizens Bank, 207 E. Commercial...

Outstanding volunteers in the area were honored Thursday with praise and trophies, and their efforts earned cash for the organizations where they volunteer their time. "We hope that by recognizing the efforts and effects of active volunteers, more people will be motivated to volunteer themselves," said Don Fisher, manager of the JCPenney Store in Cape Girardeau at Thursday's Golden Rule Award Program at Drury Lodge...

JACKSON -- A Jackson man is accused of ramming a woman friend's car with his truck while she was inside the car, police said. John R. Rohlfs, 27, was charged with assault with a vehicle, a class C felony, Police Chief Marvin Sides said. A witness told police that about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday he saw Rohlfs hit a woman's car with his truck and push the car across the parking lot at the apartments at 211 N. Farmington St. where they lived and down a dirt embankment...

Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team must be wary of a potent Morehead State offense as the Eagles visit for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series. The squads will have a 2 p.m. doubleheader today and a 2 p.m. single game Saturday. The normal Saturday-Sunday format for OVC play was moved up a day because of Easter...

Tommy Stidham School: Chaffee Sport: Baseball Coach: Brian Horrell Week Report: Tommy Stidham defined the word "Gamer" last week. Stidham pitched at least one inning in all three of Chaffee's wins as the Red Devils won their eight-team baseball classic 3-1 over Shawnee, Ill. ...

Amber Voerg School: Cape Central Sport: Soccer Coach: Tom Doyle Week Report: Voerg, the Athlete of the Week just two weeks ago, went on a goal-scoring binge last week, scoring nine goals in four games. It started when Voerg scored a goal and had an assist against city rival Notre Dame on Tuesday. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Jenny Doehring pitched a two-hit shutout as Southeast Missouri State's softball team handed the University of Missouri a 5-0 loss Thursday. Doehring struck out four and walked two. "We have been struggling of late and this was a much-needed win," said Southeast coach Lana Richmond. "We had good defense and hit the ball with runners in scoring position but the story was Jenny Doehring. She was ahead of all the hitters."...

ANNA, Ill. -- Anna-Jonesboro scored all six of its runs in the third inning and that was enough to hold off Chaffee in a 6-4 victory over the Red Devils Thursday in high school baseball action. Anna-Jonesboro (15-2) roughed up Chaffee ace Matt Stroup for six earned runs, three of which came on a home run...

JACKSON -- Fred Brown Clippard Sr., 86, of Jackson died Thursday, April 20, 2000, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

DEXTER -- Patti Michel, 54, of Dexter died Wednesday, April 19, 2000, at Lucy Lee Health Services Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born Dec. 2, 1945, in Susanville, Calif., daughter of Pete and Lillian Carter. She and Duane Michel were married Oct. 1, 1988, in Reno, Nev. Michel lived in California many years, moving to Missouri 11 years ago, and to Dexter in 1990...

BERTRAND -- Lofton Kellick, 89, formerly of Bertrand, died Thursday, April 20, 2000, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. He was born Oct. 7, 1910, in Ripley, Tenn., son of Claude and Lillie Miller Kellick. He and Mary Virginia Peters were married in 1930. She died Jan. 12, 1997...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Walter C. Ancell of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Msgr. William Stanton will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 11 a.m. until service time...

PERKS, Ill. -- Lorene Hefner, 70, of Perks died Wednesday, April 19, 2000, at Good Samaritan Care Center in Metropolis. She was born May 26, 1929, in Pulaski County, daughter of Joseph and Birdie Harmon Spurlock. She married Clarence Hefner, who preceded her in death...

SHOOK -- William Arvel Norton of Shook died Thursday, April 20, 2000, at St. John's Medical Center in St. Louis. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home at Puxico is in charge of arrangements.

DEXTER -- Roger Dale White, 55, of Mountain Home, Ark., died Tuesday, April 18, 2000, at Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home. He was born June 28, 1944, in Winfield, Ala., son of James W. and Clara B. Fowler White. He and Linda Faye Tilley were married Jan. 15, 1965, at Bernie...

DECATUR, Ill. -- -- A Macon County judge has ruled that a West Virginia man accused of attacking a Decatur woman and her 4-year-old daughter in January is unfit to stand trial. Kevon P. Banks, 32, faces multiple felony counts of home invasion, sexual assault and sexual abuse...

ANNA, Ill. -- Nancy Palmer Obptande, 49, of Anna died Wednesday, April 19, 2000, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital. She was a member of Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455 Ladies Auxiliary. Survivors include her husband, Terry Joe Obptande; four sons, Robert Hanner of Fort Bliss, Texas, Charles Hanner and Jerry Obptande of Anna, Rondale Hanner of East Cape Girardeau; and her mother, Florence Halterman of Murphysboro...