Stories from Thursday, December 7, 2000

Everyone at one time or another has certainly witnessed someone with headphones on listening to music while singing out loud, usually off key, entertaining themselves to the great amusement of others. Usually this occurs when the person is so engrossed in what they are listening to that they are oblivious to those around them. ...

When Jeremy Wells looks at the decaying Marquette Hotel building, he sees more than a heap of aging bricks. He sees an historical landmark worth saving. "History is not something you can manufacture," he said, gesturing toward the building's yellowish brick walls, decorative, ceramic trim and hanging marquee signs...

JACKSON, Mo. -- In 1997, French businessman Pascal Dunod announced the purchase of 109 acres of Pioneer Orchard land west of Jackson and his plans to build an upscale subdivision with large lots plus a fountain, bakery and restaurant. When the one-year extension of Dunod's preliminary plat for French Orchard Estates expired in June, Jackson officials didn't know why the project had halted. Some wondered if he had run short of money. Dunod spent more than $1 million on the land...

Dec. 7, 2000 Dear Leslie, The first snow of the year lies sprinkled like confectioner's sugar on the yards of Cape Girardeau. It's not enough to provoke sledding but just enough to make you accept that winter is settling in for a while. Winter comes, like silence, as a respite from the hum and drum of the rest of life. ...

People wanting to live to be a centenarian can look to a Cape Girardeau woman for advice. Myrtle Hurst, a former schoolteacher from Monette, Ark., turned 106 Wednesday. As she sat primly with her hands folded in her lap, she explained that living that long was a surprise...

State education officials have revoked certification for 81 teachers in the past two years. Since August, applicants for a teacher's certificate must be fingerprinted for criminal background checks that are run through state and FBI files. The background screenings have been conducted at five different levels periodically over the past two years...

MALDEN, Mo. -- The arrest of two men in Jefferson County on Wednesday should allow deputies to solve several burglaries in three Southeast Missouri counties, the Dunklin County sheriff said. Officers began searching for the suspects after an armed robbery was reported at a bar in Malden at 1:40 a.m. ...

Camelot will come to Cape Girardeau March 17 when the local American Cancer Society opens the doors for its annual gala. "Return to Camelot" was chosen as the theme for the 2001 gala, the organization's largest fund raiser. Although decorations and other plans are in the works, organizers say guests can expect a setting of castles, moats, knights and Camelot-influenced surroundings...

OTTAWA, Ill. -- A LaSalle County judge agreed to delay the murder trial of a Scott City, Mo., man while his defense attorney seeks additional witnesses. Richard Meyer's trial likely won't start until sometime in January, said Brian Towne, first assistant state's attorney for LaSalle County. It had been scheduled to begin Monday, but the public defender's office filed a motion for an extension...

FRUITLAND, Mo. -- A Show Me Select Bred heifer sale over the weekend has broken previous records on average prices of the Missouri University sales of young female stock from the University's Extension on-the-farm program. The sale of 230 heifers at the Fruitland Livestock Sale Inc. averaged $1,085 a head...

Every little girl wants a crown. For 10-year-old St. Vincent de Paul student Katie Boyer, it has taken just five years to go from newcomer on the pageant circle to Miss Pre-teen Missouri. Although she won't be eligible for at least eight years, Boyer has set her sights on being Miss Missouri...

Southeast Missouri State University Theatre is organizing a 10-day trip to Ireland June 21 through June 30. The trip, titled "Ireland 2001: Castles, Concerts and Countryside," will make stops in Dublin, Waterford, Blarney, Killarney, Adare, Limerick, Bunratty and Galway. The cost is $1,998 per person...

Beautifully decorated homes and businesses in Cape Girardeau were rewarded Monday, as the local chamber of commerce named winners of its annual Holiday of Lights decorating contest. Winners were named in each of seven areas of town. When possible, judges chose two residential and one commercial display winners in each section...

The new Cape Girardeau region Bell Telephone directory features local art on the cover for the second time in three years. The new phone book's cover is a photograph of the Cape Rock scenic overlook of the Mississippi River, taken from the files of the Cape Girardeau Convention & Business Bureau, said Lin W. Jones, sales-marketing manager with the CVB...

Some students take summers off. But O.J. Turner, like he does everything else, took his summer on. Head on. After grinding through 75-hour work weeks for an ice-packing company last summer and yet not missing any weightlifting workouts or conditioning training, Cape Central's 6-foot, 200-pound senior middle linebacker is seeing his effort come to fruition...

We had a great win, 87-84, over a very good Southern Illinois team at the Show Me Center Tuesday night. It was a great game that had playoff intensity early in December. Regional rivalries are special and the SIU game lived up to the billing. Both teams played with great intensity and enthusiasm and our fans were great. Our players fed off the enthusiasm in the crowd and that helped us hold on for the win late in the game...

The Cape Central Lady Tigers took a bite out of the Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs with a 55-43 win at Notre Dame on Wednesday night. Central improved to 4-1 while Notre Dame suffered its first loss to go 6-1. Playing inspired defense and forcing turnovers early, the Lady Tigers held the Lady Bulldogs without a field goal until the 7:50 mark of the second quarter. As a result Cape Central led 10-2 after the opening stanza...

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois has hired Emporia State football coach Jerry Kill as head coach of the Salukis, the university announced Wednesday. Kill, who will be introduced Thursday, replaces Jan Quarless, who was fired earlier this month after his team finished 3-8...

Oakland City was just the kind of opponent Southeast Missouri State University's struggling women's basketball team needed. Reeling after losing four straight games, the Otahkians were desperately seeking a big boost of confidence. And the Division II Lady Oaks provided it in the form of an 88-47 Southeast romp in front of about 250 fans at the Show Me Center Wednesday night...

Jackson junior running back Mario Whitney, who rushed for 1,422 yards and scored 30 touchdowns, was named second-team all-state in Class 5A by the Missouri Sports Writers and Sportscasters Association. In 4A, Cape Central's O.J. Turner was named first team as a linebacker (see related story on 1B), while teammate Brian Emmendorfer made second team as a kicker. ...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Top-seeded Kelly and No. 3 Scott City each advanced in the winners' bracket with victories in the Chaffee Lady Devils girls basketball tournament Wednesday night. Kelly improved to 6-0 with a 69-40 win over No. 5 Chaffee in a semifinal game, while the Lady Rams (2-1) posted a 57-31 win over No. 6 Delta in a first-round contest...

Virgil L. "Buddy" Baker, 45, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Oct. 16, 1955, in Carbondale, Ill., son of Virgil Lee and LaVerna Spain Baker. He and Beth Baker were married in Cape Girardeau. Baker was a salesman with R.C. Cola and Pet City Distributors. He was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Virginia Proffer, 82, of Puxico died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at Three Rivers Medical Center South Campus in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was born July 7, 1918, at Millersville, Mo., daughter of William and Maggie Mae Welker Hutson. She and Wesley Proffer were married March 24, 1945, in Jackson, Mo...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Mary Lee Pass, 74, of Carbondale, Ill., died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. She was born April 17, 1926, in Dongola, daughter of Frank and Blanche Etherton Corzine. She and Francis Pass Sr. were married in 1947 in Bethesda, Md. He died Nov. 6, 1973...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Funeral for the Rev. Ralph Edward Marshall of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie, Mo. Victor Marshall and David Dowdy will officiate. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery near Charleston, Mo...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Clarence A. Biri, 79, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000. He was born May 24, 1921, near Silver Lake in Perry County, Mo., son of Andrew and Anna Stortz Biri. Biri was a member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Eugene Marcellus "Peter" Dixon, 68, of Chicago died Monday, Dec. 4, 2000. He was born Sept. 20, 1932, near Charleston, son of Ozark and Essie Martin Dixon. He married Aslie Watts. Dixon attended Charleston schools, and served in the U.S. Army...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Wilbert E. Lorenz, 85, of Perryville died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at Perry Oaks Manor. He was born Oct. 28, 1915, at Friedheim, Mo., son of Joseph Henry and Frieda Bachmann Lorenz. He and Lillian L. Schamburg were married Oct. 19, 1941...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Carroll Clayton Castleberry, 96, of Scott City died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 18, 1904, in Romance, Ark., son of Clayton Carroll and Ann King Castleberry. Castleberry was a bus driver 45 years with Bi-State Bus Lines in St. Louis, retiring in 1970...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Mary Eugenia "Jean" Simmons, 84, of Charleston died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 7, 1916, at Dexter, Mo., daughter of Roy Horace and Jessie Sterett Miller. She and W.J. "Pedro" Simmons were married Jan. 30, 1938. He died March 3, 1992...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Patricia K. Hill, 48, died Monday, Dec. 4, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 25, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Jack and Jean Latimer. Hill was a 1969 graduate of Jackson High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in home economics management from Southeast Missouri State University in 1974...

Son to Brian Eric and Jennifer Lynne Krauss of Perryville, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 3:44 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000. Name, Dylan Eric. Weight, 9 pounds 7 ounces. First child. Mrs. Krauss is the former Jennifer Hayden, daughter of James E. Hayden and Leila M. Hayden of Perryville. She is employed at Perry County Abstract and Title Co. Krauss is the son of Ken F. Krauss and Ann L. Krauss of Perryville. He is employed by Krauss Trucking Inc...

To the editor: Recently I was in Boston and read this article in the Lowell Sun of Lowell, Mass. I agree with every word. I thought this might be of interest to readers: No ordinary loser Republican Sen. John Ashcroft deserves respect in defeat The Missouri incumbent delivered a gracious concession speech to a dead man -- the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, who died in a plane crash Oct. 16 and whose name remained on the ballot...

There are still veterans of the bombing attack on Pearl Harbor who remember the horror of that Sunday morning -- Dec. 7, 1941 -- when their comrades died and were injured. They will never forget. Nor should any American ever forget the price that has been paid by servicemen and women who have worn our nation's uniform and followed the U.S. flag into perilous situations so that we all might have a nation of liberty and freedom...

There is so much that is good about December and its holiday atmosphere. The anticipation of Christmas morning raises the excitement level among children of all ages. And the hustle and bustle of all the preparations can leave us both exhausted and exhilarated...

A message for Ashcroft, Talent, Gore and others: "The path was worn and slippery. My foot slipped from under me, knocking the other out of the way," Abraham Lincoln said, after losing a Senate race. "But I recovered and said to myself, It's a slip and not a fall.'"...

TO THE person who responded that Republicans are not sore losers, citing John Ashcroft who lost to the deceased Gov. Mel Carnahan: Yes, Ashcroft was gracious in not appealing the decision and accepting the vote of the people. However, two things make that case very different. ...

To the editor: Elections come and go. But, as we are aware, this presidential election has sparked considerable debate. We all -- yes, even the Republicans -- revere the sanctity of every vote. Regardless of the outcome, existing laws should not be modified or set aside in order to ensure a 100 percent vote count. We should not be attempting to divine voters' intent. This can become a slippery slope indeed...