Stories from Sunday, November 26, 2000

The staff: Staffing Prompt Care will be (from left) Dr. Ramiro Icaza; Dr. Christopher Compton; Kathy Casteel, CFNP; and Lisa Gullette, CFNP. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans Facepaint: Donna Sternickle was on hand to give youngsters face painting. The grand opening also featured finger printing by the Jackson Fire Rescue Unit, as well as free hot dogs and soda and drawings for a weekend in Branson and NASCAR memorabilia. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans...

The Annual Girl Scout Festival of Lights will be held on Monday, 6 - 7 p.m. on the Jackson Court House Lawn. The Tsalagi Service Unit of the Girl Scouts of Otahki Council sponsors this service project. The Tsalagi Service Unit serves all girls who live in the Jackson and Oak Ridge school districts...

The United States Coast Guard Academy is accepting and processing applications to the class of 2005. Appointments are tendered solely on the basis of an annual nationwide competition with no congressional nominations or geographical quotas. Applications must be submitted to the Director of Admissions prior to Dec.15, 2000. Candidates must arrange to pa rticipate in either the SAT I or ACT prior to or including the December 2000 administration...

Jackson Fire Rescue Unit Chief Brad Golden posed with original Southeast Medical Center directors Clarence Brennecke, Garland Powell and Paul Mueller Jr., in whose names the medical center donated a new external defibrillator. Bern Schaper, the other surviving original board member, was unable to attend the ceremony. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans...

"They usually quit crying right away," said Brad Golden, chief of the Jackson Fire and Rescue Unit. "It takes the focus off what's going on around them." "You can literally see a 100 percent change in a kid if you give them a bear," agreed Rodney Barnes, resource officer at Jackson High School and a veteran law enforcement officer...

A man was walking down the road one cold, winter day, when he spied a snake on the road. It was nearly frozen to death and very stiff with cold. Having pity; the man picked up the snake, put it inside his own coat, and took it home. He then set it by the hearth, where it could warm itself and revive by the fire...

Dear Editor: I was saddened to see a photo of Jarret Brown stuffing his mouth with marshmallows in this weekend's edition of the Jackson USA Signal. I have seen this "contest" featured on "Oprah" as being very dangerous. It has caused young children to choke to death...

Log toss: Students, in and out of costume, rolled logs in a traditional Indian contest, the log toss. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans Music: Students also experienced native American musical instruments. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans Computers: Although computers were not part of the first Thanksgiving, the new Internet technology at North Elementary allowed students to tap into several Thanksgiving web sites and take a virtual Thanksgiving tour. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans...

Southeast Missouri State University's first charter school hardly looks like a school at all. Lift for Life Academy is housed in a one-story, concrete block building just north of downtown St. Louis, in view of the Arch. A school by day, a children's gym by night, it's surrounded by vacant businesses...

Months after a $35 million addition to the BioKyowa plant began production, a fire has halted operations in a new part of the plant. Through the media, authorities warned residents near the site in the Nash Road Industrial Park to stay inside Saturday morning because of the possibility that the fire could produce toxic fumes. ...

There's nothing quite like Christmas. But I'm sure those poor evergreens could do without it. For them, the holiday is a death penalty. For years, our family has looked forward to Christmas and the opportunity to kill a tree and decorate it for the holidays...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A 36-year-old man apparently shot his wife and then himself in what would be the second murder-suicide in this small community within the past two weeks, the Perry County Sheriff's Office said. The sheriff's office received a 911 call at 12:40 p.m. Saturday reporting that a man had shot his wife at a home at 1683 County Road 816...

The details of public school financial, enrollment, salary and student achievement data for the past school year will be released by public school districts throughout the state Friday. Missouri school officials will issue mandatory annual reports similar to the report cards students periodically receive detailing their academic progress. The reports were mandated with the passage of the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993...

Editor's note: This is the first in a occasional continuing series of articles on the Center for the Study of Rural America. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Increasingly concerned about the economic future of rural Missouri and other Midwestern states in its service area, Federal Reserve Bank officials here have launched a new project called the Center for the Study of Rural America. It is an effort to find new ways to ensure the region's continued prosperity...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The annual Girl Scout Festival of Lights will be held from 6-7 p.m. Monday on the lawn of the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse. Luminaries made by the Girl Scouts and the lights surrounding the courthouse will be lit to start off the holiday season in the city...

KANSAS CITY -- What a difference a day -- and an opponent -- made for Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team. Friday, the Indians struggled all game offensively during a 16-point loss to tough Toledo in the first round of the Energia Systems Thanksgiving Tournament...

FRESNO, Calif. -- The Southeast Missouri State University Otahkians shot just 36 percent from the field in a 67-58 loss to New Mexico State in the Fresno Classic Saturday. The loss dropped Southeast to 2-1 on the season and into the consolation bracket. The Otahks will play the winner of Eastern Washington and Fresno State...

KANSAS CITY -- Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner experienced a wide range of emotions over the first two days of the Energia Systems Thanksgiving Tournament. Friday, Garner probably was left wondering if the Indians would even reach double digits in wins this season after a shaky performance against Toledo. Southeast lost the first-round tourney contest 59-43...

Jackson's junior varsity basketball team got a basket from Matt McComas with 1.6 seconds left on an assist from Jeffery Beck as the Indians won Notre Dame's junior varsity tournament with a 40-39 win over Charleston Saturday. Charleston made a shot that would've won the game, but it came after the buzzer...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Tom and Patty Barr of Scott City announce the engagement of their daughter, Sher Leeann Barr, to Jeremy David Kallin of Point Lookout, Mo. He is the son of the Rev. John and Sylvia Kallin of Brazil, South America. Barr is a senior at College of the Ozarks in Branson, Mo. She is employed at Maurices...

KENNETT, Mo. -- The presence of partisan and personal politics in affairs of state has always been troubling to citizens who are less interested in party affiliations than good government. Although we Americans are competitive in many areas of our lives -- from business to baseball, extending even to where and how we live -- few of us have a personal stake in partisan skirmishes that over any extended period of time have little or no effect on our daily lives...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Helen Eva Nance, 96, of Chaffee died Friday, Nov. 24, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born March 18, 1904, in Golconda, Ill., daughter of Francis Otho and Etta Mae Minner Hanna. She and Luther Nance were married on Oct. 31, 1921. He preceded her in death on April 13, 1978...

Elvis "Tiny" McCrite, 60, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 23, 2000, at St. Louis University Hospital. He was born Nov. 6, 1940, in Alexander County, Ill., son of Farrell and Lucille Smith McCrite. He and JoAnn Banfield were married Nov. 3, 1969, at Morley, Mo...

William P. Seyer, 86, of Chaffee, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 24, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Seyer was born Jan. 3, 1914, in Kelso, Mo., to the late Jacob and Mary Radin Seyer. He married Camilla F. Georger on April 24, 1946. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary prior to her death on Oct. 12, 1996...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Alfred W. Birk, 85, passed away Friday, Nov. 24, 2000, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call between 4-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, at the McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit, Mo. The Rev. Donald Reder will officiate, with burial in the church cemetery...

Lenno K. "Buntie" Murrell, 78, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 23, 2000, at Heartland Care and Rehab. She was born Aug. 5, 1922, at Success, Ark., daughter of Thomas Organ and Luvie Myrtle Dodie Poyner. She and Aubrey Denzil Murrell were married July 10, 1939, at Success. He died in September 1994...

Irma Rae McGaugh, 98, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 24, 2000, at the Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born Nov. 5, 1902, in Clarkton, Mo., daughter of William Carroll Henson and Bertie Belle Skaggs. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul Lipps in 1971. She then married Richard McGaugh, who died in 1981...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- William E. Ashby, 68, of Sikeston died Friday, Nov. 24, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Jan. 19, 1932, in Centerville, Iowa, son of Raymond Ashby and Rosa Sells Ashby Wright. He and Bernice Goines were married July 5, 1973, in Morehouse, Mo...

Ruby A. Lenand, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 24, 2000, at her home. She was born March 5, 1918, in Millersville, Mo., daughter of William Francis and Minnie Mae Turner Niswonger. She and James Lenand were married June 27, 1939, in Dutchtown, Mo. He died Aug. 11, 1980...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Alfreda Bernice Morrison, 85, of Jackson died Saturday, Nov. 25, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born July 1, 1915, in Marble Hill, Mo., daughter of George Russell and Lola Mae Slinkard Bazzell. She and Hearl Lloyd Morrison were married Aug. 13, 1935. He preceded her in death on Feb. 20, 1993...

Tonight at dusk will see another in what has become a delightful Cape Girardeau holiday tradition: The Downtown Merchants' Association Christmas Parade of Lights. Since its inception some years back, this has become a highlight of the Christmas season for thousands throughout the greater Cape Girardeau area. ...

I HAVE been hearing on TV about how other countries look down on us because of what is happening in Florida. I beg to differ with them. What the other countries are seeing is a great example of the freedom our country has. We have freedom to choose our candidates without worrying about armies coming to our house and driving us to prison or execution. ...

The French have a saying: Plus a change, plus la meme choses. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Amid all the discussion of Missouri's transportation woes comes news that officials of the Missouri Department of Transportation will once again attempt to sell us on the idea of toll roads. Any such move will necessarily begin with lawmakers but also involve a vote of the people, in order for the necessary constitutional change allowing toll roads to be approved...

This column will refrain for now from commenting on the brazen, ongoing attempts in Florida to steal the presidential election. Suffice it to say that with the single exception of Fox News, you aren't getting the whole story from the broadcast media, and too often you aren't getting it from the great broadsheet newspapers of our country...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Stephanie DeAnna Pick and Keith Edward Inman exchanged vows Sept. 9, 2000, at La Croix United Methodist Church. The Rev. Ron Watts performed the double ring ceremony. Pianist was Chris Nall and soloist was Jeff Smith, both of Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON, Mo. -- St. Paul Lutheran Church was the setting Aug. 26, 2000, for the wedding of Amy Rachelle Gentry and Christopher Todd Haertling. The Rev. Robert Henrichs performed the double ring ceremony. Organist was Lois Fehrmann of Jackson, and soloist was Connie Aufdenberg of Cape Girardeau...

Heather Diana Gregory and Gary Anthony Prince were united in marriage Sept. 9, 2000, at Enchanted Gardens in Jackson, Mo. Morris Prince of Paragould, Ark., grandfather of the groom, performed the double ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are David and Diana Gregory of Cape Girardeau. The groom is the son of Vicky Prince of Cape Girardeau and Gary Prince of Paragould...

Twilights come early now, and they don't linger like they did a few weeks ago. They are short and sweet and full of a different color. By four o'clock in the afternoon one can see, if it is a clear day, that the nearer the sun gets to the horizon the faster it seems to travel...

Tamara Childs Halter and Michael Shannon Dannenmueller were married June 3, 2000, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso, Mo. The Rev. Oliver Clavin performed the double ring ceremony. Organist was LeAnn Hendricks of Cape Girardeau. Vocalists were Daniel Moore of Scott City, Mo., uncle of the groom, and Renee Reinagel of Kelso...

Kayla and Jeff Winters of Jefferson City, Mo., and Jerry and Brenda Henderson of New Harmony, Ind., announce the engagement of their daughter, Kristi Dawn Henderson, to Cameron William Leggett, both of Cape Girardeau. He is the son of Tom and Florence Leggett of Cape Girardeau...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Wayne and Linda Faulkner of Athens, Ala., announce the engagement of their daughter, Leslie Denise Faulkner, to Jeremy Johnson. He is the son of the Rev. Kenneth and Lacquita Johnson of Tamms. Faulkner is a 1998 graduate of Egyptian High School. She expects to receive a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Southeast Missouri State University in the fall of 2001. She is employed at Ruby Tuesday in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON, Mo. -- John and Irmgard Siemer of Jackson announce the engagement of their daughter, Andrea Johanna Siemer, to Christopher Scott Marchi. He is the son of Dennis and Kathy Marchi of Jackson. Siemer received a degree in physical therapy from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is a physical therapist at Southeast Outpatient Rehabilitation in Cape Girardeau...