Stories from Saturday, April 29, 2000

As part of his ministry, Kenny Stroup of Advance writes to celebrities and lets them know he and God care about them. He has taken the responses he's received and the experiences he's had in meeting many of these celebrities and put them in four small books...

Prayers are said in church, before meals and in private. Prayers can be said to thank God for blessings, ask forgiveness or plead for help. "Ultimately praying is communication with God," said the Rev. David R. Allen of St. James AME Church. A number of prayer events will be held next week in connection with Thursday's National Day of Prayer 2000. ...

Editor's note: This column originally ran May 1, 1999. My friend Daniella asked me recently if I would buy a house in the country if the opportunity arose. I didn't hesitate before telling her that I would love to return to the country. Daniella felt the same way. She had grown up in a one-horse town located on the Illinois side of the river, and we both agreed that country living was best...

Television is at least partly to blame for the public's low opinion of the news media, two executives with major newspapers said in Cape Girardeau Friday. "I think we are better than television people," said Elliott Brack, associate publisher of the Gwinnett section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I think television people bring us down."...

PERRYVILLE -- The transition from VIP Industries to a new sheltered workshop contractor will be rough, members of Perry County's Senate Bill 40 Board said Friday. Besides the absence of good records and allegations that the facility will be stripped bare once VIP Industries finishes operations June 30, claims of continued poor treatment of disabled workers were brought before the new board during its second meeting...

People need to strike a balance between materialism and morality so the world would be a less frightening, fearful and angry place, said the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi during a visit to Cape Girardeau Friday. Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi, spoke to more than 100 women from southern Missouri during a conference of the Council of Catholic Women in the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese...

A number of panelists at the community forum hosted by Time magazine Wednesday continued discussions about Cape Girardeau informally over sauted shrimp and asparagus at a dinner the magazine hosted after the forum. Seven or eight community members joined more than 20 editors and reporters from Time on the boat the magazine is sailing down the Mississippi as part of its "Pulse of America" tour, said Lisa Lane, executive director of Southeast Missouri Weed and Seed Inc...

Two men are lodged in the Cape Girardeau County Jail today after large amounts of crack cocaine and marijuana were discovered by Cape Girardeau police officers who went to a location with a search warrant Thursday afternoon. Andrew Mosley, 25, of 2857 Themis St. has been charged with possession of over 35 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute. No bond was set because Mosley had a previous warrant as a probation absconder...

Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president of Southeast Missouri State University and a longtime newspaperman in Southeast Missouri, was awarded the Mildred Wallhausen Friend of SEMO Press Award Friday. Southeast Missouri Press Association President Peggy Scott presented the award at the annual meeting of the Southeast Missouri Press Association on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University...

The soothing sounds of trickling water fountains, lush plants and upholstered armchairs are part of a new look for the Cape Girardeau Public Library. But despite its newly refurbished interior and freshly-painted walls, the library is still in the business of providing information for its patrons and the community, said Director Betty Martin...

CAMPBELL -- Crowley's Ridge Scenic Byway, Southeast Missouri's first scenic byway, was formally dedicated here in ceremonies Friday morning. The Crowley's Ridge Scenic Byway is a 42-mile route that begins at the Stoddard County line on Highway 25 and continues to the Arkansas line...

Because they can approach problems with a local understanding, community partnerships like the Cape Girardeau Community Caring Council have been extremely effective at helping Missouri's children and families become safer, healthier, more prosperous and more educated, according to the head of an organization that assists those partnerships...

Three years ago, Beverly Strohmeyer was directing the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in a former beauty salon at the corner of Sprigg and Independence Streets in Cape Girardeau. Earlier this month, she became acting executive director of the St. Louis-based Missouri Arts Council, which last year distributed $5.4 million to state arts organizations...

KRCU's "Going Public" show Sunday will focus on Southeast Missouri State University's Student Research Conference in psychology. Dr. Martha Zlokovich and Dr. Betsy L. Morgan will discuss psychological research on the public affairs program. The program airs at 3 p.m. on 90.9 FM, the region's Public Radio affiliate station...

The issue of elementary-school attendance boundaries has been raised again in the Cape Girardeau School District. Just a year ago the same topic generated a lot of hard feelings. This time around, the district is looking at the boundaries between Blanchard and Franklin schools...

Why are many of us so outraged over Bill Clinton's illegal bodily seizure of Elian Gonzalez? He's grossly abused his power before. He's twisted and broken the law before. He's misused the Justice Department countless times before. Why aren't we numb by now? What distinguishes this act so much that we can't let it go? I believe this Elian issue -- the whole thing, not just the raid -- crystallizes for us all that is repugnant about Clinton and his sordid administration. ...

The State Board of Education has revoked the teaching and school administrator licenses of a former Cape Girardeau School District administrator as the result of his misdemeanor conviction on charges of property damage and harassment. The action came not as the result of a complaint from any school district or individual, but as part of a routine check by the state...

As tight as the top of the Ohio Valley Conference baseball race is, Southeast Missouri State University coach Mark Hogan realizes that the Indians have little margin for error. So Hogan will be looking for another strong performance this weekend when the Indians host Murray State in a three-game OVC series at Capaha Field...

SCOTT CITY -- Twenty-one of the best high school basketball players in Southeast Missouri met at Scott City Friday night. Twenty-one hosses, if you will. But when all was said and done, Ross showed which hoss was boss. Cape Central's Ross Conner dominated the "Area's Best" All-Star basketball game and was named the player of the game for the North team Friday night as the North squad cruised past the South 98-77 in front of a large crowd at Scott City's gymnasium...

The Oran Eagles have the Perryville Pirates to thank after a first-round beating in the Big Eight Tournament Friday. While the Pirates were nowhere to be found, the taste of their upset victory over Notre Dame earlier this week still lingered in the mouths of the Bulldogs...

Top seeds Cape Central and Jackson breezed into the semifinals of the Noon Optimist Spring Classic girls soccer tournament Friday at Notre Dame High School. Cape Central, the No. 1 seed, recorded an 11-1 thumping of No. 8 Farmington, No. 2 Jackson peppered No. 7 Marion 6-0...

Funeral for Robert Carl Kiehne of St. Charles will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Barry L. Pfanstiel will officiate. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

Funeral for Patricia Ann Florence of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. today at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Lee Roy Quinn will officiate. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 9 a.m. until service time...

SIKESTON -- Gregory Lynn Butrum, 32, of Reno, Nev., died of natural causes Tuesday, April 25, 2000, at his home. He was born Sept. 29, 1967, in Charleston, son of Gary Lloyd and Barbara Sue Starr Butrum. He and Terri Douglas were married Feb. 22, 1994, in Fort Worth, Texas...

SIKESTON -- Junior Isaac "Joe" Wilder, 70, of Sikeston died Friday, April 28, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Sept. 8, 1929, in Ellsinore, son of Isaac and Mable Francis Wilder. He married Imogene Massey, who died March 24, 1995...

Thelma "Pat" Niswonger, 67, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, April 27, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Jan. 2, 1933, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Oscar Owen and Edith Mae Rentfro Crites. She and Chester D. Niswonger were married Jan. 15, 1952, in Piggott, Ark. He died June 7, 1994...

SIKESTON -- Beulah Mae Frazier, 70, of Sikeston died Thursday, April 27, 2000, at her home. She was born Oct. 20, 1929, in Dunklin County, daughter of Riller and Esther Mae Richardson Coleman. She married Jack Frazier, who preceded her in death. She was employed as a private duty nurse until her retirement. She was a member of the St. John Missionary Baptist Church...

Tuschhoff Son to Bradley and Jeanine Tuschhoff of Arnold, St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, 10:54 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2000. Name, Justin Bradley. Weight, 8 pounds 6 ounces. First child. Mrs. Tuschhoff is the daughter of Gary and Marilyn Lively of Cape Girardeau. Tuschhoff is the son of Donnie and Norma Tuschhoff of Oak Ridge...