Stories from Tuesday, August 15, 2000

Rita Lavanchy isn't concerned about her 11-year-old son Micah getting up to go to school. Most days the sixth grader will wake up around 5:30 a.m. and start on home school assignments without prodding. "He'll go through a certain amount of review material himself," his mother said. "When he gets to something he doesn't understand, he'll come and wake me up."...

The next day it was cool but sunny. There were full, white clouds moving across the sky. After the twins came home from school, Brian slipped out. It was four o'clock. "Tell them I took a walk by the river," he said to his sister. He carried two blue towels and a change of clothes under his arm...

OK, it's shades of Dr. Seuss and his famous "Feet" book today. As busy as all of us are, I'm sure we meet many feet during the week. Today, my column takes a rather unusual theme today. It's about feet in all kinds of situations. I ran across an interesting site the other day that got me thinking about feet. Warning: The flash intro is a little loud as it combines popular tunes of the decades with the shoes that tapped to the beat...

JACKSON, Mo. -- How exactly do you celebrate 150 years of Catholicism in a community? As a community of faith and in much the same manner as the first Catholics who gathered in the basement of the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse. About 400 people -- many of them from area churches and Catholic parishes -- filled the lawn Monday night at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse for an outdoor Mass celebration...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The Chaffee Board of Education has reduced staff positions and otherwise tightened the district's budget to increase fund reserves over the next year. Interim Superintendent Dr. Arnold Bell said the school board hopes its actions of last week will improve low fund balances that resulted from completion of a building project at the high school last year. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perry County's Senate Bill 40 board waited until the final day of a court-imposed deadline to announce which three of its nine members appointed in April would be removed. Removed from the board on Monday were Kim Dunker, Catherine End and the Rev. Robert Huttegger, said Pat Naeger, board chairman...

Watching The Weather Channel's computer simulation put Hurricane Alberto well away from Florida was like watching a mother carry her screaming baby past your gate at the airport. You know you've narrowly avoided a long, irritating, potentially disastrous experience...

A man and woman from Marble Hill, Mo., were in serious condition Monday evening after an afternoon accident with a tractor-trailer on Interstate 55, a doctor at St. Francis Medical Center said. Clifton R. Davis, 52, and Veronica Davis, 72, were in the intensive care unit, the doctor said. Charles L. Brown, 61, of Marble Hill was treated and released...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education held a study session Monday to consider board policies and administrative concerns regarding student grades, dress, attendance and behavior at secondary schools. Building principals made presentations to the school board on policies regarding dress codes, attendance, waiver of final examinations, in-school suspension procedures and the merits of an 11-point grading scale over a four-point grading scale. ...

A Cape Girardeau native is poised to join the Georgia Senate after toppling a two-term incumbent in a primary runoff election last week. Mitch Seabaugh, a 1978 Central High School graduate, won the Republican spot on the November ballot in Georgia's 28th Senatorial District, which covers a three-county region just southwest of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Since there is no Democrat candidate, Seabaugh's primary win virtually assures him the seat...

Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tim Billings, like probably most coaches across the country, always puts safety first when it comes to the prospective health and well being of his players. But Billings said the Indians will be watched over even more closely now following the death Sunday of an Ohio Valley Conference player who collapsed while participating in what seemed like routine sprinting drills in unusually cool 80-degree weather...

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- Dunklin County's sensational baseball season wound up one victory short of the American Legion World Series. The Missouri state champion lost to the Texas state champion -- Texas City -- 15-5 Monday night in the title contest of the eight-team Mid-South Regional Tournament. The game ended after seven innings because of the run rule...

MILLVILLE, N.J. -- The Heartland Heat 16-under girls fast-pitch softball team -- a squad based out of Benton, Mo. -- moved to 3-0 in pool play Monday with another win at the Babe Ruth Softball World Series being played here. Marissa Essner, who had pitched a one-hitter Sunday when the Heat won twice, hurled a four-hitter Monday as the Heat knocked off the Southwest Region champion 2-0...

The following is a listing of players with area ties who are competing in professional baseball. Included in the list are each players' local connection, his last year as an amateur and his major league affiliation (if applicable). Statistics are through Sunday...

Staci Lea Underwood, 30, of Nashville, Tenn., died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000, at her home. She was born Jan. 7, 1970, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Ronald and Sandy Morse Underwood. Underwood was a graduate of Central High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University where she was an honor student...

Daughter to Ted Henry and Sheryl Ann Eftink of Marble Hill, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000. Name, Madison Lucille. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Mrs. Eftink is the former Sheryl Forrester, daughter of Al and Sharon Forrester of Marble Hill. ...

ORAN, Mo. -- Annie Rose Miederhoff, 85, of Oran died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000, at her home. She was born Sept. 1, 1914, at New Hamburg, Mo., daughter of Leo and Alvina Klipfel Gosche. She and Bernard Miederhoff were married May 15, 1934. He died Nov. 15, 1987...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Karen K. McWilson, 36, of Jackson died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000, at her home. She was born Aug. 23, 1963, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Floyd W. and Mary Ann Kelpe Petzoldt. She and Michael McWilson were married Feb. 24, 1990. McWilson was a 1985 graduate of Murray State University in Murray, Ky. She attended Gospel Chapel and Bible Study Fellowship Organization...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Hazel M. Allen, 91, of Jackson died Monday, Aug. 14, 2000, at Jackson Manor. She was born June 30, 1909, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of John and Minnie Smith Grimes. She and Cecil Eugene "Gene" Allen were married Oct. 23, 1926, in Cape Girardeau. He died Oct. 18, 1968...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Danny Lynn White, 48, of Marble Hill died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000, at his home. He was born Sept. 9, 1951, in Cambridge, Neb., son of W. Harold and Doris Mae Fairchild White. White was a self-employed livestock auctioneer. Survivors include a son, Danny White Jr. ...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Jimmy Lee Mims, 22, of Dexter died Saturday, Aug. 12, 2000, in an automobile accident on Route 3 in Alexander County, Ill. He was born Dec. 31, 1977, at Dexter, son of James Samuel and Sherry Ellen Everett Mims. Mims had lived in Southern Illinois nine years before moving to Dexter...

James W. Mowery, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000, at the Lutheran Home. He was born June 18,1914, in Piggott, Ark., son of John and Nellie Morgan Mowery. He and Neva Travillion were married Nov. 20, 1937, in Greenway, Ark. Mowery worked for Lohmann Fixtures 30 years. He then was self-employed, retiring in 1994. He was a member of Maple United Methodist Church, VFW Post 3838, and Full Gospel Businessmen...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Catherine Neuhaus, 80, of Dexter died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born July 26, 1920, in DeWitt, Ark., daughter of John and Lillie James Putney. Neuhaus lived in Dexter most of her life, and attended Gospel Assembly Church...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Funeral for Sam Frans of Mounds will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Crain Funeral Home in Ullin, Ill. The Rev. Jerry Herring will officiate. Burial will be in Beechwood Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today, and Wednesday until service time...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Clifford Newman, 74, of Tamms and formerly of Sikeston, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 14, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday and on Thursday morning prior to services at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms...

I'M SICK and tired of these mental midgets calling Speak Out claiming that the Democrats are the only ones looking out for the working people. I work in construction, and my wife is a beautician. I guess we qualify as working people. As you might guess, we certainly aren't wealthy. ...

Issues relating to the farm economy are once again in the news, just as U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has wrapped up another in her series of annual farm tours through 8th District agribusinesses. Farm prices are in the third consecutive year of being at or near historic lows...

To the editor: In recent years we have heard a lot about violence towards pro-choice supporters by supposedly pro-life activists. Last year tax money was set aside to set up protection devices at all abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood offices. No self-respecting pro-life advocate would condone or participate in any violence towards anyone. But that does not make any difference to the media who like to paint all pro-life citizens and organizations with the same brush...

To the editor: Regarding the Aug. 11 Southeast Missourian article stating Dr. Ron Anderson's determination to raise funds for the Jackson School District in view of the non-passage of the large bond issue, I wonder why Dr. Anderson refuses to accept the will of the people who twice voted down the bond issue. What doesn't he understand about the word "no"? The taxpayers have spoken, and I feel it behooves Dr. Anderson to accept their decision...