Stories from Saturday, February 24, 2001

Religious leaders around the nation are speaking out against capital punishment more loudly than ever, emboldened by a shift in public opinion and cases of innocence on death row. "We may be finding the courage we didn't have before, given the climate," said the Rev. Joe Vought, a Lutheran minister based in Harrisonburg, Va., who has served as chaplain to seven executed inmates...

Southwestern Bell is distributing 75,000 cards carrying phone numbers for Cape Girardeau schools, county offices and the Cape Girardeau Crime Stoppers program in an effort to clear up faulty listings in its current telephone directory. Marsha Haskell, regional director of external affairs for Southwestern Bell in Cape Girardeau, delivered 6,000 of the cards to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education office Friday morning. ...

Churches don't want to talk about the problems with fatherhood in this nation because the discussion always causes distress in the congregation, says the Rev. Clay McLean. "People are attracted to it because of their pain and afraid of it for the same reason. But if we don't address this issue we won't be able to save our communities," McLean says...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A Whitewater, Mo., man could spend nearly 30 years in prison after his third conviction on a methamphetamine charge on Friday, a Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said. Bradley Lee Brown was found guilty after 15 minutes of deliberation by a jury of possession of methamphetamine, assistant prosecutor Ian Sutherland said...

BENTON, Mo. -- A 50-year-old Cape Girardeau man who pleaded guilty to promoting child pornography will not be required to register as a sex offender, the Scott County prosecutor said. Since 1994, Missouri has required certain convicted sex offenders to register with sheriff's departments in the counties where they live. But convictions for crimes involving pornography, including child porn, do not carry the same condition...

A girlfriend of mine was distraught this week because her daughters had torn the arm off a doll. She couldn't believe they had so abused the mock baby and was torn between desires to either toss the doll in the trash or take her to a seamstress for mending...

Construction of a new Cape Girardeau high school is set to begin following selection of a contractor by the Board of Education Friday. The school board voted 6-0 in a special meeting to award a contract worth $17.4 million to Kiefner Brothers Inc. of Cape Girardeau. School board member Mark Carver did not attend the meeting...

It's not easy being a Lady Bulldog. Sure, they make it look easy, destroying every small school in their path, hitting threes, running the floor, running their offense. But there are reasons why Notre Dame's group of all-stars -- any one of their starters could be the leading scorer for many of the area's small schools -- is ranked at the top of the latest state poll. There are reasons why they make it look so easy...

The United States would not be a world power without the blue-collar guys; the guys who make the steel, fix the cars, deliver the gravel and build the homes. The same can be said for a basketball team. Most good teams have a laborer, a guy who gives up glamour for grit; a guy who doesn't score much, but gives everything he has...

As wild and wide open as Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball has been this season, why not a coin flip? If the results from three games on tonight's final date of the regular season go as expected, then that's exactly how Southeast Missouri State University's opponent for Tuesday's first-round OVC Tournament contest will be determined...

The most unheralded -- and definitely unknown -- member of Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball program has also been one of its most important. So says Southeast coach Gary Garner, who sings the praises of team manager Jason Mott. The native of Chaffee, Mo., has been with Garner since he took over the Indians' program four years ago...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team will try to end its late-season skid by knocking off one of the Ohio Valley Conference's hottest squads. The Otahkians will close out the regular-season today at the Show Me Center with a 5:30 p.m. tipoff against surging Morehead State, which could be one of the OVC's most dangerous teams heading into Tuesday's first round of the conference tournament...

JACKSON, Miss. -- Southeast Missouri State's Brian Hopkins' two-run homer, his first hit of the season, sparked a 13-4 Indian win over Jackson State University on Friday. After a scoreless first inning, Hopkins unloaded his big blast following a Jackson State error on a Jeff Bourbon grounder as part of a three-run second...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Advance shook off stubborn Leopold in the second half to win their regular season finale 76-49 Friday night in boys basketball action. Advance (19-7), the No. 1 seed in the Class 1A, District 2 Tournament which gets underway on Monday, dominated the Wildcats in the second half, outscoring them 41-19. The Hornets led just 35-30 at halftime...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The New Madrid County Central Eagles still rule the roost in Southeast Missouri. In a game of the region's basketball titans, New Madrid came out on top 85-78 in a fast-paced, highly skilled Class 3A, District 1 championship game Friday night in front of a standing-room only crowd estimated at least 2,500...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The Perryville Lady Pirates had it in the first, let it slip in the second and lost it in the third. Doniphan (24-2) outscored Perryville 16-2 in the third quarter in capturing the Class 3A, District 1 title with a 51-38 victory Friday night...

KARNAK, Ill. -- William Lee Lessar, 46, of Karnak died Friday, Feb. 23, 2001, at his home. He was born Aug. 3, 1954, in Cairo, Ill., son of Orville and Joann Ramage Lessar. He married the former Pamela Wright. Lessar was a maintenance employee for the city of Karnak. He was formerly of Elco, Ill., and was a member of Ullin Pentecostal Church...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Webster L. Rowe, 72, of Malden died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 24, 1928, at Zalma, Mo., son of Carl and Alfaretta Staats Rowe. He and Dixie Thomas were married Dec. 29, 1946, in Piggott, Ark...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Graveside service for Loeta Collins of St. Louis will be held at 11:30 a.m. today at East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery. Dempsey Collins will officiate. Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie is in charge of arrangements. Collins, 72, died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at Garden View Nursing Center in Valley Park, Mo...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Lloyd John Corvick Jr., 52, of Scott City died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 9, 1948, in Cape Girardeau, son of Lloyd John and Helen Webb Corvick. He and Michele Reddick Drury were married July 21, 1988, at Benton, Mo...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Cleora C. Blair, 75, of Perryville died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2001, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Oct. 22, 1925, in Perryville, daughter of Frank J. and Minnie C. Zoellner Pingel. She and Howard L. Blair were married May 29, 1948, at Biehle, Mo. He died July 13, 1991...

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Funeral for Pansy Peggy Thomas of Chaffee will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee. The Rev. Nancy Woods will officiate. Burial will be in Union Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel after 5 p.m. Sunday...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Summer Kimmet, 16, of Perryville died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, in an automobile accident near Anna, Ill. She was born July 7, 1984, in Chickasha, Okla., daughter of Chip D. and Sarah J. Kelley Kimmet Sr. Kimmet attended Perryville High School...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- David McRaven, 56, of Jonesboro died Friday, Feb. 23, 2001, at the Sparta Community Hospital in Sparta. Arrangements are incomplete at Hileman & Parr Funeral Services.

THEBES, Ill. -- Margaret E. Cotton, 89, of Thebes died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Services of Cape Girardeau. She was born July 4, 1911, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of James and Maude Brown Jones. She married Harold Cotton, who died in 1989...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Edward E. Smith, 78, of Sikeston died Friday, Feb. 23, 2001, at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis, Tenn. He was born Aug. 23, 1922, at Wyatt, Mo., son of Ervin and Virgie Brown Smith. He and Carrie Mae Clinton were married Oct. 19, 1940, in Charleston, Mo...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Renee D. Hileman, 43, of Jonesboro died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at her home. She was born Jan. 24, 1958, in Bremerhaven, Germany, daughter of Carl E. and Rose Marie Elder Sellars. She and Roger D. Hileman were married Jan. 1, 1977, near Cobden, Ill...

To the editor: Recently, a giant left us, and no one noticed. Raymond Richey was a rehabilitation therapist. He saved us. Richey devoted his life to fighting a horror called polio. He ran a boot camp in St. Francis Medical Center. We recruits weren't laughing. ...

And while the Cape Girardeau School District is building new schools, it also has done a good job of maintaining an old one. With the closing of May Greene and Washington elementary schools. Franklin Elementary, built in 1927, is the oldest elementary school...

Cape Girardeau School District officials got some news last week they were happy to hear: Three construction bids came in for the new Central High School, and all were well below the district's $19.6 million cost estimate. The district awarded the contract Friday to Kiefner Brothers Inc. for $17.4 million...

Though I may be tempted to apologize for again discussing the perpetual-motion machine known as the Clinton scandals, I refuse on the grounds that everyone else is doing it. And, under liberal mores, one cannot be guilty of something if everyone else is doing it. So back off...

I WONDER how many of the Missourian's readers know that Hillary Clinton donated the proceeds from her first book to the White House? This came to over $500,000. This is not common knowledge. KILLING PEOPLE is wrong. Whether it is an individual doing the killing or all of us through the death penalty. ...

To the editor: A recent letter and Speak Out comment criticized the Rev. David Dissen for his letter defending capital punishment. I agree fully with the pastor in his quoting of Scripture in defense of capital punishment. If only the poor are executed, that's the fault of our system, and that should be corrected so there's justice for all...

The congregation at Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau will rejoice and celebrate Sunday with special jazz music during the 10:45 a.m. worship. The second annual service marks the changing liturgical seasons. Lent begins Wednesday when many Christians celebrate Ash Wednesday...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Some of us skip a meal and think we're starving to death. In the meantime, 30,000 children around the world die from hunger every day, which amounts to one dying every time you take a breath. In an effort to raise awareness of world hunger, several local young people are participating in a 30-hour fast this weekend. ...

Twin sons to Ty and Jennifer B. Turner of Pocahontas, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001. Jonah Alexander was born at 7:47 p.m. and weighed 5 pounds 11 1/2 ounces. Evan Nathaniel was born at 7:48 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds 4 1/2 ounces. The couple also has a daughter. Mrs. Turner is the former Jennifer Eisenhauer, daughter of Bob and Dodie Eisenhauer of Daisy, Mo. Turner is the son of Terry Turner of Rico, Colo. He is employed at Sam's Club...