Stories from Friday, June 23, 2000

Jackie Morgan peers over her easel at the model at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's Wednesday Night Drawing Group, Wednesday, June 14, 2000. Leslie Stucker, the assistant director of the arts council, softens the lines on her drawing of Nathan Elder, a senior at SEMO studying sculpture and a regular model at the council's Wednesday Night Drawing Group...

Gene Magnus isn't the top-ranked player on Jeff's New Crew pool team, but in league play every player makes an important contribution. Together the team has worked to qualify for a national tournament in Las Vegas. "Our main goal was to have fun and then if we could, make it through the areawide tournament and qualify for Las Vegas," said Magnus, one of the owners of Clas Computers whose team plays once a week at Pockets. "And we did all of the above."...

The source of a gasoline leak in the vicinity of Morgan Oak and Asher streets has been narrowed but not located, the Cape Girardeau fire chief said. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources drilled three holes with one hitting "a pocket of pure gasoline," Fire Chief Dan White said. The gasoline was found at the southwest corner of Rhodes 101 gas station, 407 Morgan Oak St...

Southeast Missouri State University plans to take steps to decontaminate Magill Hall in the wake of a federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigation of a radioactive material found in a locked safe in the basement of the science building. School officials disclosed the problem Thursday. School officials said they thought the material, americium-241, had been hauled off by a hazardous waste contractor in 1991...

No matter what your politics are, you've got to admit Al Gore has taught us a lot of useful things. (Whoa, Joe. You're not going to start writing political mishmash, are you? The slop pail is overflowing already. No, dear readers, I have discovered after more than half a century that I am neither real stupid nor real smart. To write about politics, you have to be one or the other.)...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Until this week, residents of Jackson officially had only two choices for street surfaces -- gravel or concrete. On Tuesday, the Jackson Board of Aldermen approved a new Street Improvement Policy which allows residents of gravel streets to choose an asphalt overlay instead of having to pay the higher cost of a fully engineered concrete street with curbs and gutters...

Despite a booming economy and reduced unemployment rates, children's well-being in Missouri did not make substantial gains last year. Missouri ranked 32nd among all states in child well-being in the 10th annual Kids Count report released Tuesday by the Annie Casey Foundation. The organization annually tracks factors indicating child welfare issues state-by-state...

The McDowell Capahas needed a little help Thursday night. A little help from the second base umpire and a little help from the Goreville defense. The Capahas improved to 15-4 on the season with a wild, controversial, dramatic, 13-9 come-from-behind win at Capaha Field...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston pulled off a pair of comebacks to sweep Ford & Sons Cape Legion Thursday night in a makeup of Wednesday's rained out action. Sikeston scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh in both games, winning the opener 4-3 and the nightcap 9-8...

Four Southeast Missouri teen-agers were injured in three separate accidents Thursday, according to reports from the Missouri Highway Patrol. Derek Hale, 18, of Cape Girardeau, was moderately injured when his vehicle ran off the right side of Highway 34 west of Marble Hill, Mo. Hale overcorrected and then ran off the left side of the road before overturning...

Billy E. McBride, 60, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at the Lutheran Home. He was born April 7, 1940, in Sallis, Miss., son of Elmer and Birdie Mae Acy McBride. He and Patricia A. Harbin were married July 9, 1961, in Hobbs, N.M. McBride received an associate's degree from Hines Junior College in Raymond, Miss...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Irma Hagler, 91, of Olive Branch, Ill., died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Jackson Manor in Jackson, Mo. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Funeral for Martha Jane Wilkins of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Dewayne Coleman will officiate. Burial will be in Matthews Cemetery at Matthews. Friends may call at the chapel from 11 a.m. until service time...

Wilma M. Rudert, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at the Lutheran Home. She was born Jan. 18, 1924, at New Wells, daughter of Martin and Meta Bingenheimer Meyr. She and J. Ben Rudert were married May 16, 1948. Rudert worked in the family store in Pocahontas, known as Meyr Store, many years prior to her marriage. She moved to Cape Girardeau in 1948 and worked briefly at the former Bib and Tucker children's store...

THEBES, Ill. -- Herbert F. Berndt, 92, of Thebes died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born July 16, 1907, in West Chicago, son of Frank and Augusta Fischer Berndt. He and Gaynelle Rhyme were married June 21, 1936, in Rockford...

Thomas Howard Moore Jr., 82, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 6, 1918, at Kennett, son of Thomas Howard and Vaudie Pearl Myers Moore Sr. He and Mildred Gamblin were married Oct. 27, 1945, at Kennett...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Shirley Banks, 86, of East Prairie died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at his home. He was born Feb. 7, 1914, in New Madrid County, son of Luther and Birdie Baker Banks. He married Rosalie M. Blyzes Sept. 12, 1936, in East Prairie. She died Sept. 22, 1999...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Ruby Mae Lamunion, 68, of Malden died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at her home. She was born June 9, 1932, at Lake Ridgley, Tenn., daughter of Edward Carmack and Dellar Mae Burns Winters. She and Burley Ray Lamunion were married Sept. 22, 1955, in Hancock County, Ill...

ANNA, Ill. -- Ray Gene Morgan, 54, of Anna, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, near Gorham, Ill. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Lutz & Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna.

Anyone who has had the privilege of knowing Mildred Wallhausen of the Enterprise-Courier in Charleston, Mo., knows what a charmer she is. Her 86 years of sparkle, wit and common sense are well-known among newspaper folks in these parts. Now Miss Millie is about to join those select few who have added so much luster to journalism in this state. In September, she will be inducted in the Missouri Press Association's Newspaper Hall of Fame...

If you want to engage students at Southeast Missouri State University in a lively discussion, ask them about parking. Like most universities and colleges these days, most students live -- and often hold jobs -- in Cape Girardeau or other communities, unlike a couple of decades ago when most students would live on campus or be involved in nearby fraternities and sororities...

To the editor: Thanks to a generous donation from the Downtown Cape Girardeau restaurant and bar owners, the Downtown Merchants Association once again made efforts to beautify the area by installing four large planter pots near the clock on Main Street only to have them vandalized repeatedly. If you will recall, two years ago just prior to Riverfest, 18 flowering baskets were hung in that same area. Within three days, all were stolen or destroyed beyond use...

A lot of people are angry that the Humane Society kills (euthanizes) animals. Some understand the need. But they don't want to see it, hear it or think about it. And they're content to let the shelter handle the job behind closed doors. Others think the fact that we euthanize thousands of animals every year means we've failed our goal and that we really don't love animals...

To the editor: How many times have you heard, "Jesus saves. He is my Savior, my buddy, my pal"? This is true, but them ask if Jesus is also their Lord, and they will say, "Well, sometimes." Jesus is Lord and Savior. How do we know if he is Lord in our life? Very simple. ...

Comediennes Shelah Groce, aka "The Trailer Trash Commanche," and Caroline Picard, "The Queen of the Cajun Nation," will perform tonight at Auntie Albert's. Groce is from St. Joseph, and Picard now lives in Houston, Texas. They are the only female comics ever invited to perform on the main stage at the Sturgis Bike Rally. That performance will be in August...

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis is one of only four cities selected for the upcoming U.S. tour by the China National Orchestra. The performance will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at Powell Symphony Hall. It will feature 80 musicians performing Chinese folk music using traditional wind and string instruments. Titled "Face of Love Towards the East," the performance is sponsored by Gitana Productions...

ST. LOUIS -- Jazz saxophonist Ahmad Aladeen will perform July 13 at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The free event is the finale of the summer's Whitaker Jazz Festival. The Kansas City-based Alaadeen has performed with jazz legends Miles Davis, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald along with R&B legends Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson and the Temptations...