Stories from Friday, May 5, 2000

To the editor: I have read with interest Mark Bliss' article regarding the siphoning off of gas-tax money for non-highway purposes. This is an issue I have attempted to address in House Bill 1588. This bill was amended to House Bill 1742 and sent to the Senate, where HB 1588 was removed in committee. I am attempting to have that language re-amended onto the Senate conference substitute for HB 1742 on the Senate floor...

Yoga instructor Lori Mahala, left, led a class in one of her Yoga Therapy Connection classes Tuesday evening. This pose is called "eagle"; in this pose, students also balance on one foot with one leg wrapped around the other. The only sounds are a lone flute from a CD player and a dozen people breathing...

In 1993 I was an honorary house officer at the National Hospital for Neurological Disease and Stroke at Queen's Square in London. While I was there I visited the Royal London Hospital where the skeletal remains of Joseph Cary Merick have been kept. Merick is a relatively famous Victorian who is probably better known as "the elephant man."...

Every time congressional Republicans fail to match their actions with their rhetoric, they lose precious credibility with the grass roots. That's one among many reasons they must follow up on their pledge to hold hearings on the government's seizure of Elian Gonzalez...

Crowley's Ridge is special. The remnant of a glacially formed ridge starts at the Mississippi River near Commerce in Scott County and gently arcs across Stoddard and Dunklin counties before slipping into Arkansas and rejoining the river at Helena, Ark...

These days, too much of the regulating once left to legislative deliberation has been taken over by executive edict. Consider: Missouri's Clean Water Commission last month banned the issuance of any new chip-mill permits in the state, even though it hasn't developed convincing data on the dangers the mills pose to streams. North Carolina and Virginia already have major studies in progress, but no conclusive findings yet...

To the editor: One of the greatest gifts we can give to our children is the gift of being their parent and not their friend. Being a parent means setting limits, stating the consequences if the child oversteps the boundaries and following through with the consequences...

DELTA -- Police Chief Marty Keys resigned Thursday night following a closed-door meeting with the city's aldermen, who had voted earlier this week to eliminate his position. Mayor Gary Anderson said the arrangement includes a severance package. Terms of the package weren't announced...

Gov. Mel Carnahan and top officials of the Department of Public Safety and Department of Natural Resources handed over three methamphetamine cleanup trailers to members of three Southeast and south central Missouri drug task forces Thursday. The trailers, designed to transport hazardous waste found at clandestine meth labs, were unveiled during a press conference in a private hangar at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport...

Dr. Dan Steska, superintendent of Cape Girardeau public schools, readily admitted his guilt to a crowd of 800 people Thursday morning. He said he was guilty of praying in school. Steska was featured speaker during the Mayors' Prayer Breakfast at Osage Community Centre. The event was held in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer...

Few problems were reported locally from a so-called "love bug" computer virus that by some estimates infected tens of millions of PCs around the world Thursday. The software virus seduced computer users with an e-mail note proclaiming "ILOVEYOU," crippling government and corporate computer networks and destroying personal files of music and pictures. ...

During a discussion this week about a bit of writing, it was gently suggested that my intended use of the term "butt-ugly" might not be the best choice. There was little disagreement that this low-minded description was appropriate. No, that wasn't the issue at all...

Send us your artwork! The Southeast Missourian is seeking descriptive pictures to use daily with the weather forecast on the front page. Students in the region are encouraged to submit color drawings that illustrate sunny, partly cloudy, rain, snow and various holidays. Please print the artist's name, age and city of residence on the back of the picture...

Wesley Bilbrey's freckled face was all smiles as he clanked two sticks together and kept rhythm to a song at one of the dozen or so activity stations at Adventure Day on Thursday. During the morning full of singing, sports activities, fishing and fun held at Cape County Park , Bilbrey, age 12, and some 200 other special needs children participating in the Classroom Scouting event focused on what they could do, not what their limitations were...

Some 350 people gathered to celebrate the art of teaching at the 200 Educators of the Year banquet Thursday night. Jacqueline Brandtner, Barbara A. Egbert, Gail Fairbanks, Bill Springer and Dr. Charles R. Wiles all were recognized at the event held at the Drury Lodge. The banquet was sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Education and University Relations committees to recognize excellence in education and bring education and business communities closer together...

Mike Woelk, pastor of Livingway Foursquare church in Cape Girardeau participated in the National Day of Prayer on the Jackson Court House steps Thursday. JACKSON -- Gathered under shade trees, around a fountain and lined up in lawn chairs, about 150 people prayed and sang Thursday during a noon observance of the National Day of Prayer...

People often enter churches today with some preconceived ideas and expectations about what the buildings should look like. Churches need educational space, nurseries and fellowship areas to complete their ministry, says the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel...

American Red Cross director Mary Burton had made her presentation to the United Way agency review committee, then sat back and asked for questions. There were plenty. How does Red Cross coordinate with other providers of emergency services? Why was the agency asking for an increase in allocation? How does Red Cross determine how much money will need to be put aside for emergencies each year? What happens if the agency runs low on funds? How many volunteers does the agency have?...

Southeast Missouri State University track & field coach Joey Haines expects his women's team to bring home another Ohio Valley Conference championship this weekend -- but Haines sure isn't expecting a cakewalk. In fact, Haines is counting on quite a battle as the Otahkians look to make it a clean sweep of the OVC during the 1999-2000 school year when the league's outdoor meet is held today and Saturday in Murfreesboro, Tenn...

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's softball team probably will not win the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title this year, but the Otahkians are certainly playing as well as any squad in the league these days. The Otahkians captured their 15th victory in the last 20 games Thursday as they blanked OVC leader Eastern Illinois 3-0...

John O'Rourke School: Notre Dame Sport: Baseball Coach: Jeff Graviett Week Report: O'Rourke, Notre Dame's new leadoff hitter, went 4-for-6 in the Bulldogs' 14-9 win over Cape Central in the Big Eight championship game this past Saturday. O'Rourke, a junior second baseman and occasional shortstop and pitcher, fell just a triple shy of the cycle and drove home three runs as Notre Dame avenged an earlier loss to the Tigers. ...

Sara Sprigg School: Cape Central Sport: Diving Coach: Dayna Powell Week Report: Sprigg, a junior, posted a state-qualifying score of 212.10 last Saturday at the Springfield Invitational. The score was the second highest recorded in school history and the best since 1994 when Grayson Erlbacher posted a 218...

A team headed by former Southeast Missouri State University basketball player David Shipley of St. Louis won the 17th annual Kohlfeld Southeast Booster Club Golf Tournament played Monday at the Cape Girardeau Country Club. Joining Shipley on the winning team were David Owens, Kent Waggoner and Mike Gehrs of St. Louis and Jeff Brune and David Shell of Cape Girardeau. They shot a 16-under-par 54...

SCOTT CITY -- Ron Watson and Ryan Weatherspoon have a lot in common. They both played basketball for the Scott City Rams this past season. They both were named to the all-region team. They both have the same initials. And they both will be playing college basketball...

Notre Dame and visiting Jackson played to an unusual 1-1 tie in high school girls soccer action Thursday. The game was stopped with about 25 minutes remaining in the second half when the referees determined that the field was not safe for play after a heavy rain...

JACKSON -- Donald Ray Randall, 61, of St. Charles died Wednesday, May 3, 2000, at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles. He was born Oct. 25, 1938, in Jackson, son of Raymond and Alpha V. Randall. Randall was a foreman at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis 35 years...

ANNA, Ill. -- Edith Corzine, 91, of Anna died Wednesday, May 3, 2000, at her home. She was born Feb. 12, 1909, in Anna, daughter of William Ira and Rose Leora Bostain Colboth. She and Fred Corzine were married June 22, 1929. He died March 3, 1988. Corzine was a member of First Baptist Church...

LEADWOOD -- Carrel William Swan, 78, of Leadwood died Thursday, May 4, 2000, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Crystal City. He was born Sept. 3, 1921, at Grassy, son of Charles and Ida Hillis Swan. He and Wathena Rea were married Aug. 30, 1944. Swan was a machine operator at Olin Corp. in East Alton, Ill. He was a member of Lively Stone Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church of Leadwood, and Bluff City Machinist Lodge in East Alton...

PULASKI, Ill. -- Funeral for Carl Edward Thompson of East St. Louis will be held at 2 p.m. today at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge. Wiley D. Godfrey will officiate. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, with military honors by VFW Post 8891 of Mounds...

Daughter to Jeremy R. and Amelia K. Verhines of Dana Point, Calif., Mission Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, Calif., 5:49 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, 2000. Name, Madison Michelle. Weight, 6 pounds 15 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Verhines is the former Amelia Poblete, daughter of Rolando and Erlinda Poblete of Hanford, Calif. Verhines is the son of Brad and Janet Verhines of Cape Girardeau and Julian and Michelle Chavez of Jackson. He is employed at Guaranty Chevrolet...

ANNA, Ill. -- Larry Joe Baker, 61, of Anna died Thursday, May 4, 2000. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Leroy Stephen Laurentius, 70, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, May 3, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born May 3, 1930, at Biehle, son of Stephen and Theresa Lee Laurentius. He and Marie Schabbing were married Oct. 10, 1964, in Cape Girardeau...

SIKESTON -- Funeral for Reta E. Kellett of Sikeston will be held at 11 a.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home. Pat Hogan will officiate. Burial will be in Matthews Cemetery at Matthews. Kellett, 92, died Tuesday, May 2, 2000, at Clearview Nursing Center...

CHAFFEE -- Graveside service for Randy D. Payne II of Chaffee will be held at 10 a.m. today at Union Park Cemetery. The Rev. Charley Shrum will officiate. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee after 9 a.m. Payne, 24, died Monday, May 1, 2000, on Route PP five miles east of Kelso...