Stories from Wednesday, October 25, 2000

What does Old Town Cape mean to you? Well, until Oct. 13 it didn't mean anything to me. I was not aware that it is an incorporated organization established to promote the betterment and revitalization of the downtown and the Old Town Cape area. Recently the Old Town Cape Board and committee members organized A Night on Old Town Cape. ...

We've all heard the folklore about garlic keeping away vampires. Of course, this pungent member of the lily family often has the same effect on others. In fact, maybe that's the basis of the garlic diet you don't really lose weight, but people stand so far away from you that you look smaller...

OTTAWA, Ill. -- A Scott City, Mo., man accused of dismembering a woman and putting the pieces into three portable coolers will be examined by two psychiatrists to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial. Richard G. Meyer, 42, faces two counts of first-degree murder, one count of concealing a homicide and one count of criminal damage to property in connection with the July 11 death of Ernestina M. Hinojosa, 43, of Kennewick, Wash...

Phil Horras wants Missourians to elect him to a job he wants to eliminate. Horras, a Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor, visited with reporters in Cape Girardeau Tuesday. Horras, who operates a small aviation company in Springfield, Mo., argues that the position of lieutenant governor is an "appendix" to state government that serves as a tax-funded stepping stone for career politicians...

U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft sidestepped conversations about former Gov. Mel Carnahan's widow, Jean Carnahan, possibly being appointed to the Senate seat if the Republican senator loses his re-election bid. Ashcroft had been locked in a hotly contested Senate race with Gov. ...

A Scott City, Mo., man was the engineer of a train that struck a vehicle Monday night in Jefferson County, Mo. The driver of the vehicle, Paula Childs, 22, of Festus, Mo., suffered serious injuries. The engineer, Randy Holder, 39, of Scott City, was not injured...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Jackson Board of Education approved a dental insurance plan for employees and heard several presentations during a board meeting Tuesday. A team of bus drivers demonstrated a bus safety presentation that traveled to elementary schools throughout the district last week...

They're not exactly robbing Peter to pay Paul, but the Cape Girardeau Board of Education's approval of a budget amendment Tuesday had the same result. In a special meeting, the School Board voted to free up cash to help pay the district's bills next month by redesignating $546,000 that had been earmarked for future land acquisition...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Vern Sebastian of Jackson has already been awarded a Bronze star and two Purple Heart medals for his bravery during World War II, but now he's been recognized by a local veterans group for his service. Sebastian was awarded a place on the Wall of Valor at a Poplar Bluff, Mo., veterans hospital during a ceremony last week. His photograph and a description of his service will be posted on the wall at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center...

BENTON, Mo. -- An apparent argument between a husband and wife ended in a shooting death and charges of murder this week. The Scott County sheriff's office said Charity S. Carey, 27, of Morley, Mo., has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of her 45-year-old husband...

The 2nd District Cape Girardeau County Commission race must seem like deja vu to voters. Max Stovall, the Democratic incumbent, and Republican Joe Gambill have been there before. Gambill defeated Stovall by 39 votes for the commission seat in 1994 when the term was for two years. Stovall turned the tables in 1996, capturing the seat and a four-year term by less than 500 votes...

A forum on Proposition A will be held from 12:15-1:15 p.m. today at Southeast Missouri State University. Sponsored by the university's environmental science program, the forum will be held in Rhodes Hall Room 121. Proposition A would place restrictions on billboards along Missouri's highways. ...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will make a campaign swing through Southeast Missouri next week on her "2000 Victory Express" bus tour. The Republican incumbent's campaign trip will kick off in Cape Girardeau at 8 a.m. on Monday, campaign aides said. She will begin the bus tour from the Cape Girardeau County Republican headquarters at 839 N. Kingshighway...

A government finding will speed up Cape Girardeau's renovations to its wastewater trickling filter system, city officials say. Renovation work at the wastewater treatment plant on La Cruz Street could begin as early as spring now that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources issued a review of the $1.8 million proposed renovations...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Political action committees are providing most of the financial support in the 155th District legislative race, but particularly to incumbent state Rep. Pat Naeger. During the latest reporting period, which covered most of Sept. 3 through Sept. 30, Naeger, a Perryville, Mo., Republican, raised $4,297.53, all in itemized contributions. Of that amount, 78 percent -- all but $925 -- came from PACs, groups which advocate particular issues, political parties or ideologies...

First of all I would like to thank everyone who attended the homecoming football game. We had a great crowd and a great atmosphere for college football. Our football team has played well the last two games, but we haven't found a way to win. We have beaten ourselves with errors and costly turnovers. It is amazing that we had seven turnovers in the Murray State game and we were still in the game with a chance to win in the fourth quarter...

Southeast Missouri State University volleyball coach Cindy Gannon recorded her 300th career victory over the weekend, which is quite an accomplishment considering she is in just her 12th season with the Otahkians. But Gannon, when congratulated by a reporter, said she appreciated the thought but hasn't gotten very caught up in the milestone...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team improved its perfect Ohio Valley Conference record to 11-0 with a four-set victory over Austin Peay Tuesday night. Southeast won the first two sets handily 15-7, 15-4, dropped the third set 11-15, before closing the match with a 16-14 victory...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State University placed 11th in the 13-team, two-day Pepsi/SMS Challenge held at Highland Springs Golf Course. Arkansas State won the three-round tournament, which concluded Tuesday, with an 864 total, edging the University of North Texas by two strokes. Southeast compiled a 923 total...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Top-seeded Notre Dame dominated No. 2 Bloomfield 15-8, 15-4 in the championship match to win the Class 2A, District 2 Tournament in volleyball action Tuesday night. "We came in ready and took care of business," said Notre Dame coach Helen Payne...

The Cape Girardeau Area Officials Association will hold a meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at River Eagle Distributing.

An informational meeting for the 2001 Girls Youth Basketball League will be held Monday, Nov. 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the Osage Community Centre. If a church, school or community-sponsored group would like to participate in the league, please send a team representative to the meeting...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor its 13th annual Basketball Hotshot Contest Nov. 11 at the Osage Community Centre. The event, which is free, begins at 10 a.m. and will be preceded by registration from 9-9:30 a.m. The competition consists of three one-minute time trials of shooting from designated spots on the court. The event is open to boys and girls ages 9-18...

Saint Francis Universal Health & Fitness Center will offer fall tennis clinics for various skill levels of players in November and December. Beginning players ages 6-10 will meet each Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. starting Nov. 7 and ending Dec. 12. The cost is $30. ...

The Basketball Points for Pizza will be held Saturday, Nov. 18, at the First General B aptist Church in Jackson. The competition, which has a $1 entry fee, is open to boys and girls ages 9-17. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the contest will begin at 10...

The 13th annual Set & Spike Co-ed Volleyball Tournament will be held Nov. 5 at the Osage Community Centre. Entry fee is $44 per team. All entry forms must be received by Nov. 1. Trophies and T-shirts will be awarded to the top three teams. For more information, contact Amy at the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department at 334-2859...

The Saint Francis Indoor Soccer Invitational, to be held Jan. 5-7, 2001, is accepting team registrations. The tournament, which will be played on the Southeast Missouri State University campus, is open to all boys and girls that were born on or after Aug. 1, 1984. Each team is guaranteed three games of approximately one hour...

Michael Wayne Vogelsang, 52, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, Oct. 23, 2000, at his home. He was born Jan. 22, 1948, in Cape Girardeau, son of Ervin Harold and Margaret Elizabeth Cracraft Vogelsang. He and Linda Keel were married April 24, 1971...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Sterling G. Smiddy, 72, formerly of Oran, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000 at the St. Francis Chest Pain Clinic in Memphis. Born in Oran, he was the son of Thomas and Nell Davenport Smiddy. The owner of Mid-South Carpet Co. in Memphis, Smiddy was married to Sarah Sharp, who survives...

Alvin Leon Robinson, 57, of Cape Girardeau died suddenly Sunday, Oct. 22, 2000, at his home, of an apparent heart attack. He was born May 9, 1943, in Lonoke, Ark., son of Woodie and Annie Mae Terry Robinson. Robinson was a 1961 graduate of O'Bannon High School in New Madrid, Mo. He was a retired over-the-road driver with Overnight Transportation Co. He was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Marjorie Clark, 59, of Charleston died Sunday, Oct. 22, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born Feb. 13, 1941, at Poplar Bluff, Mo., daughter of the Rev. L.B. and Pearlean King Bostic. Clark attended Lincoln School in Charleston, and Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill. ...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Dorothy L. Williams, 76, of Cobden died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 27, 1924, in Dogwalk, Ill., daughter of George and Bertha Fulkerson Smith. She and Paul L. Williams were married Sept. 24, 1945, in St. Louis...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Funeral for Betty Cohen of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home. The Rev. Carl Addison will officiate. Burial will be in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Cohen, 74, died Monday, Oct. 23, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Irene Concordia Steeg, 83, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Jackson, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 21, 2000, at Fountainbleau Lodge. She was born Oct. 13, 1917, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Alexander Richard and Concordia Emma Kasten Boren. She and Lee Gus Steeg were married Oct. 29, 1937, in Cape Girardeau. He died Dec. 30, 1964...

KELSO, Mo. -- Martin L. Jansen, 67, of Kelso died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000, at his home. Plans are pending at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel.

FROHNA, Mo. -- Amanda H. Weber, 79, of Frohna, Mo., died Monday, Oct. 23, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Nov. 24, 1920, in Shawneetown, Mo., the daughter of Theodore and Thekla Degenhardt Wachter. She married Edwin Weber on Oct. 11, 1942. He survives...

VANDUSER, Mo. -- Wanda Lee Rysdam, 57, of Vanduser died Monday, Oct. 23, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 26, 1943, in St. Louis, daughter of Homer Lee and Helen Mildred Glenn Kendall. Rysdam was a secretary six years at Duckett Truck Center in Sikeston, Mo. She attended Rauch-Spence Memorial United Methodist Church at Morehouse, Mo...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Shirley Jean Ozment, 55, of Jackson died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 29, 1944, daughter of Ray and Mary Walker Stueve. Ozment had worked at Wal-Mart in Sikeston, Mo., 20 years, and at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Cape Girardeau eight years. She was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church...

Twin son and daughter to Capt. Kevin and Lee Ingram of Fort Bliss, Texas, Thursday, July 13, 2000. Jackson Porter was born at 12:18 p.m. and weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces. Alexandra Elyse was born at 12:24 p.m. and weighed 5 pounds 7 ounces. First children. ...

To the editor: Proposition A, the November ballot issue that promises preservation of scenic vistas throughout Missouri through increased regulation of billboards, unfortunately will do nothing but eliminate an effective means of promoting economic prosperity...

To the editor: State Sen. Jerry Howard's attack on his opponent, state Rep. Bill Foster, is false. This attack comes from Howard's radio commercial where he portrays Foster as someone who isn't a supporter of tougher domestic-violence laws. As a former board member for Haven House, a domestic-violence shelter, I have seen up close the needs of helping battered women and their children. ...

It's heartening to see a community that believes so much in the good of a program -- and so much in itself -- that it raises $500,000 in cash and in-kind donations for that program. The new 8,000-square-foot University of Missouri Outreach and Extension office opened last week at 684 W. Jackson Trail off Highway 25 south of Jackson after a 20-month fund-raising effort supported wholeheartedly by the community...

It wasn't until the Jackson Board of Aldermen added a moment of silent prayer to its regular meeting that most people realized there wasn't one. Mayor Paul Sander said aldermen took a cue from the group who -- unhappy about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against school-sanctioned prayers -- organized its own prayer at a Jackson High School home football game last month...

What gender are computers? An English teacher was explaining to his students the concept of gender association in the English language. He stated how hurricanes, ships and planes were, at one time, referred to as "she." One of the students asked, "What gender is a computer?" The teacher decided to divide the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide if a computer should be masculine or feminine and give four reasons for their recommendations. Conclusions were as follows:...

I JUST want to make a comment to emphasize a fact: Truth and character do count in a candidate in the presidential race. If I could jog your memory about the little white lie that President Johnson told Congress about the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which resulted in getting more deeply involved in the Vietnam War, which is ultimately the only war the United States has ever lost. So truth and character do count...

To the editor: Planning, zoning and building permits in a growing area like ours are needed. To date we have been fortunate largely due to common sense and courtesy. However, it won't last much longer. I am voting against countywide P&Z because no plan acceptable to most is in place. ...