Stories from Wednesday, November 8, 2000

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sharon McGinness was guest of honor at a celebration held at McGinness Shopping Center here Tuesday night. "It's a great feeling," said McGinness, who was a winner in her first try on the political scene. McGinness, of Cairo, who defeated four-term, 16-year veteran clerk Susan Hileman in the Alexander County Circuit Clerk's primary by a narrow margin of 214 votes, had another tough time in Tuesday's general election, defeating Christopher B. Bledsoe, 2,110 to 1,673...

Monday, Nov. 6 Council Chambers, City Hall 401 IndependencePublic hearings Consent ordinances (Second and third readings) New ordinances (First reading) Resolutions (Reading and passage) Appointments Other...

SCOTT COUNTY, Mo. -- A 34-year-old Mexican who had been residing in Scott County was sentenced to five months in prison for illegally entering the United States, the U.S. attorney's office said. Mariano Nava-Lara had pleaded guilty earlier after he was called in for an interview by the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service, said Michael Price, assistant U.S. attorney...

Along with a new assistant fire chief, the Cape Girardeau Fire Department announced several promotions for November. Battalion Chief Mark Hasheider officially assumed the duties of assistant fire chief on Nov. 4, taking the place of Max Jauch, who retired after a 30-year career in firefighting...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County voters Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure that would have imposed planning and zoning on the unincorporated areas of the county. With all 37 precincts counted, the measure had 8,670 yes votes to 19,212 no votes. The margin was 69 percent against the plan and 31 percent in favor of planning and zoning...

The major TV networks reported in the wee hours today that Republican George W. Bush has won Florida and, with it, the election. Bush had been in a dead heat with Democrat Al Gore, trading electoral leads several times during the night. Florida's 25 electoral votes would push Bush over the 270 votes he needed to win the election...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State Rep. Bill Foster of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was declared a winner over incumbent Sen. Jerry T. Howard of Dexter, Mo. in the 25th District state Senate race. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Foster, a Republican, had 53.2 percent of the vote, with 29,708 ballots. Howard earned 46.8 percent of the vote, with 26,107 ballots cast in his favor...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The drought is over for the Jackson School District following voter approval of a $6 million bond issue to fund construction of a 20-classroom addition at R.O. Hawkins Junior High School. Following the defeat of four funding measures earlier this year, a small group of school administrators, school board members and community supporters clung to the hope the third attempt would be successful as they awaited election results at the Cape Girardeau County Administration Building Tuesday night. ...

BENTON, Mo. -- For the fourth time in two years, voters in the Thomas Kelly School District have rejected a bond issue proposed to alleviate overcrowding. The $4.9 million bond issue that would have been used to build a new high school failed by a vote of 1,068 to 1,048. Only 49 percent of voters supported the bond issue. A two-thirds majority, or about 57 percent, was needed to pass the measure...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County voters Tuesday re-elected 1st District Commissioner Larry Bock to a four-year term. But 2nd District Commissioner Max Stovall, 76, lost in his re-election bid to Republican Joe Gambill, 73, had a healthy lead over Stovall with most of the votes counted...

Cape Girardeau voters returned a Republican to the Missouri House when they elected Jason Crowell to the 158th district seat Tuesday. Crowell earned 58 percent of the vote, and Democrat Tom Neumeyer gained 42 percent. Crowell defeated Neumeyer 7,458 to 5,368, which included absentee ballots cast...

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Bollinger County Commissioner Rod Jetton landed a new job Tuesday night, defeating retired teacher Katherine Golden 8,281-6,119 in the race for the 156th District House seat . Jetton, a Republican, was elected to the Bollinger County Commission in 1996. He campaigned in part on the accomplishment of helping the county become debt-free for the first time in 25 years...

Two Republican state representatives from the area retained seats in the Missouri House. Rep. Peter Myers, R-Sikeston, defeated his opponent by a 20-percent margin, and Rep. Lanie G. Black III, R-Charleston, defeated his opponent bynearly 15-percent...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A turnout of voters 10 percent above expectations put two incumbents back in office in Perry County and cost a county commissioner of eight years his job. Republican state Rep. Patrick Naeger was re-elected, and Democrats Herb Miller was elected county coroner and Patrick Heaps won the western district county commissioner seat...

Scott City will proceed with much-needed water system improvements after residents overwhelmingly approved the city's issuance of $2.24 million in bonds. Final tallies from the Scott County clerk's office indicated 1,259 voted for the bond issue; 389 voted against it...

In incumbent John Carpenter and challenger Harold Cobb, Cape Girardeau County voters Tuesday night had to choose between two coroner candidates steeped in experience. Conversely, the race for county administrator pitted political newcomers Phyllis Schwab and Michael Hurst...

Dutchtown voters approved 22-10 Tuesday a county personal property and real estate tax that they've already been paying for a year. The tax appeared on a public ballot for the first time Tuesday but has been collected for the last year. The tax is 32 cents for every $100 of assessed valuation...

Jo Ann Emerson spent the final hours of her campaign to remain in the U.S. House of Representatives shopping at the grocery store, taking her mother-in-law to the eye doctor, and voting at the Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. She has made a tradition of not campaigning on election day, she explained...

A shuttle service for disabled residents of Cape Girdeau County will start operating Tuesday. The SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence will operate the shuttle service, which is geared to transport mentally and physically handicapped persons to and from work...

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team has locked up another Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship and will host the OVC Tournament Nov. 17-18. But that doesn't mean the Otahkians' final two conference matches of the regular season -- both at home this week -- aren't important to the squad...

The Cape Central Tigers aren't just making progress. They're making history. For the first time since 1942, the Tigers have shut out four straight opponents. Their 17-0 win over Farmington for the Class 4A, District 1 title on Friday also gave the Tigers their fifth shutout overall and that hasn't been done by a Central team since 1970...

St. Vincent has won more playoff games in the last two years than Van-Far has won this entire season. So it should be safe to say that undefeated St. Vincent, ranked second in 1A, will be the favorite when it travels to Vandalia (4-5) tonight in a sectional game between two Indian teams...

As we prepare for our intrastate matchup with Southwest Missouri State I am reminded about the quality of our football coaching staff at Southeast. As a first year head coach, I am pleased to have coordinators who not only run the offense and defense but also help me in a lot of other ways...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team will have its second and final exhibition tuneup tonight. After that, the games begin to count. The Otahkians will take on the University of Missouri-St. Louis at 7 o'clock at the Show Me Center. There is no admission charge...

All but two of Charleston High's first six football games this season were against schools from larger classifications. So, even though the Bluejays started off 0-6, coach Brent Anderson tried to convince his players to hang in there, that better times were in their future...

Cape Central playoff football tickets on sale Tickets for Cape Girardeau Central High School's football playoff game at Hillsboro tonight night can be purchased in the Central athletic director's office. Tickets for the 7 p.m. contest are $5 each.

A rules meeting for wrestling coaches and officials will be held Thursday, Nov. 9,, at Cape Central High School. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The Noon Optimist Club Indoor Soccer League will conduct registration from 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Show Me Center. Registration forms will not be available in advance. Registration fee is $25 per child. League play will begin in early December and run through the end of January. The league, open to both boys and girls, will have nine age divisions, ranging from kindergarten through high school...

The Turkey Day Tennis Tournament will be held Nov. 18-19 at Saint Francis Universal Health & Fitness Center. The tournament will hold events in men's and women's singles and doubles. Entry fee is $20 per person for the first event and $10 for a second event. Entry fee includes hospitality room, balls, shirt and awards...

BERNIE, Mo. -- Billy Humphries, 77, of Bernie died Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter, Mo. He was born March 4, 1923, at Pell City, Ala., son of William and Roxie Ann Rich Humphries. He and Earlene Dockins were married June 17, 1950, at Pell City...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Flossie E. Tidwell, 92, of Springfield, Ill., formerly of Scott City, died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at her home. She was born Dec. 21, 1907, in Savannah, Tenn., daughter of Archie and Matilda Shelby Austin. She and J.V. Tidwell were married in 1939 in Paragould, Ark. He died in 1977...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Minnie C. Schumer, 79, of Perryville died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Dec. 13, 1920, at Millheim, Mo., daughter of Bernard and Julie Barks Huber. She and Herman J. Schumer Jr. were married July 11, 1939. He died Aug. 13, 1996...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Graveside service for Birtha Miller of Waterproof, La., will be held at 11 a.m. today at Dogwood Cemetery. Larry Smith will officiate. Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie is in charge of arrangements. Miller, 90, died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2000, at her home...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Funeral for Shirley McLean of Dupo, Ill., will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Life Chapel Assembly of God Church in Puxico. The Revs. Gary Schluckebier and Eddie Bennett will officiate. Burial will be in Puxico Cemetery. Friends may call at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico from 6-8 p.m. today...

ELCO, Ill. -- Thelma O. Bridges, 80, of Elizabethtown, Ill., formerly of Elco, died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at Hardin County Hospital in Rosiclare, Ill. She was born July 2, 1920, in Northfork, W.Va., daughter of Byron and Gladys Stafford. She married George W. Bridges...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Michele A. Jarrell, 32, of Dexter died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2000. She was born March 2, 1968, in St. Louis, daughter of Homer and Sharon Patterson. She and Mike Jarrell were married in August 1991, at Bloomfield, Mo. Jarrell was formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and had resided at Dexter nine years. She was employed at U.S. Poly...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Blanche Joan Eldridge, 92, of Jackson died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at her home. She was born April 6, 1908, at Chaffee, Mo., daughter of William C. and Artie May Blocker Totty. She and Willie M. Eldridge were married June 2, 1926. He died June 7, 1971...

PARMA, Mo. -- Doris Loraine Biggs, 71, of Parma died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at her home. She was born Sept. 24, 1929, at Parma, daughter of John Robert and Ruth Golden Tharp. She first married Harland R. Norman, who preceded her in death. She and Neavle Biggs were married Feb. 6, 1976...

Daughter to Daniel Joseph and Jennifer Renee Sanders of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:04 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2000. Name, Elizabeth Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 10 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Sanders is the former Jennifer Volkerding, daughter of the late Vernon and Fern Howard Volkerding. She is director of nursing at Chaffee Nursing Center. Sanders is the son of Linda Sanders of Jackson, Mo., and the late George Sanders...

PERKINS, Mo. -- Floyd Carroll Jones, 76, of Perkins died Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2000, at his home. He was born April 21, 1924, in Dover, Ark., son of Charles Franklin and Clemmie Agnes Boze Jones. He and Alma Lee Reynolds were married Dec. 31, 1943. She died June 7, 1980...

Funeral for Norma Margaret Dunlap of Cape Girardeau will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel. The Rev. Billy G. Burke will officiate. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery. Dunlap, 79, died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

To the editor: This letter is a reflection on the events in Houck Stadium during halftime ceremonies Oct. 21 honoring Southeast Missouri State University's last undefeated conference championship football team of 1975. The recognition that was bestowed upon a group of individuals who have since grown was both humbling and satisfying. Memories exploded through the mind and, at times, were embellished through the lips. I only wish more of the teammates could have been there to share the moment...

To the editor: We would like to thank the North County Rural Fire District, AmerenUE and Halter Gas Co. for their quick and efficient fix for an electrical fire we had Oct. 28 on County Road 637. Thanks again, and may God bless. ROBERT WARD Cape Girardeau...

To the editor: I have to tell you how sad this story makes me. I heard an update on the radio that the suspect in the abduction of the little girl from Scott City admitted to binding the girl with duct tape and raping her while he watched a porno movie. I cried my eyes out. He just killed every ounce of innocence that little girl had...

"New area code for St. Louis means 10-digit dialing," read the headline on an Associated Press story this past week. "Making a call across the street will soon mean dialing 10 digits in St. Louis and Kansas City," read the first sentence. The Missouri Public Service Commission approved new overlay area codes for our state's two large urban areas last month. ...

Just seven years after the historic rewrite of Missouri's formula for distributing state aid to local school districts, that formula remains unfair to many districts. So says an 11-page report released by the Missouri School Board Association. The group represents about 80 percent of the state's 524 school districts. The report questions whether Missouri's school finance system passes legal muster...

I LIVE on Lorimier Street and have for a long time. Don't let anyone fool you that there is not a huge problem on this street and in Indian Park. Regarding the man who is raising his daughters on this street: I can guarantee his children do not play in this park or walk at night. ...

Gesturing toward the White House, a senator once facetiously asked Calvin Coolidge, "Who lives there?" Coolidge replied, "No one. They just come and go." Thus, Tuesday the American people went to the polls to determine who would be the next tenants to move in for a while at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue...

I started looking through this week's mail trying to decide what the main theme would be for this week. But there was no pattern to the recipes submitted, and I thought it would be great sharing a variety of recipes. I hope you enjoy them and that they inspire you to send in your favorites...