Stories from Friday, March 2, 2001

As well plumbed as the "Let's put on a show" vein of musical theater has been, Rodgers and Hart's "Babes in Arms" offers one thing that makes most any old plot work -- great music. Present-day musicals struggle to eke out a single memorable song. This score includes "My Funny Valentine," "The Lady is a Tramp," "Where or When," "I Wish I Were in Love Again" and "Johnny One-Note." Whatever the cause the show needs to raise money for, these songs can do it...

Paulo Bellinati, one of Brazil's most important contemporary guitarists, will perform March 11 in Cape Girardeau. Bellinati will play his own compositions as well as arrangements by the famous Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. Cape Girardeau will be his first stop in an American tour that will follow performances in Europe...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The name has changed but the two-step is still king at 1820 Old Toll Road. After nine years in business, the dance hall called Stroder Country has closed only to reopen three days later as the Jackson Jaycees Community Center. The Jaycees bought the 6,700-square-foot hall because "the Jaycees have always had a dream of having their own home," says member Rick Saupe...

If you're looking for TV schedules, please turn to Page 16B for a complete listing of on-air and cable channels. The daily prime-time listings do not include premium channels. The last issue of TV Today, the Southeast Missourian's weekly guide to TV schedules, was published last Friday...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- The search for a missing towboat captain has ended at least temporarily as Mississippi River waters rage above flood level. John W. Distefano of Perryville, Mo., had made his way to the railing of the Patty Ann before it sank late Tuesday, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Chris O'Neil said Thursday, but it's unknown where the current carried him...

Middle East specialist Judith Kipper will speak on March 7 at noon in a Common Hour presentation at Southeast Missouri State University's Academic Auditorium. The event is open to the public. Kipper directs the Council on Foreign Relations Middle East Forum...

A thousand years from now, archeologists will be digging in the vicinity of the fabled walled River City of Roses, and some grime-covered digger will shout "Eureka!" Then there will be articles published in highly scientific journals about the mysterious circle of bricks that surely, at the dawn of this millennium, was of some religious significance...

Cape Girardeau County 1st District Commissioner Larry Bock of Gordonville, Mo., received the University of Missouri Presidential Award for his support of the school's Extension service. Bock was honored recently in Columbia during the University of Missouri's Alumni Alliance Legislative Day ceremonies...

A Zimmer Radio Group commercial urging people with rough road problems to use a local paving company's services won a best of show award at Thursday night's Tri-State Advertising and Marketing ADDY Award ceremony. The commercial, called "Involuntary Vibrato," won creator Bryan Young his second Best of Show award since 1999...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Kelly kept waiting to catch fire, but it was no match for Charleston. Charleston, the Class 2A district 2 tournament's top seed, dominated No. 4 Kelly Thursday night 75-46 to advance to the finals. The Bluejays will take on Notre Dame at 8 p.m. today for the championship...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Notre Dame used a strong third quarter and a strong inside game to knock off Scott City 58-51 in the semifinals of the Class 2A, District 2 Tournament. The Bulldogs (20-8) outscored the Rams 22-10 in the third quarter and Notre Dame held 6-foot-7 center Nick Steimle to just five points through the first three quarters. He ended up with 13...

ORAN, Mo. -- It has been quite a turnaround season for the Richland High boys basketball team. Last year, the Rebels went 4-19. This year, they are the Class 1A, District 2 Tournament champions. Third-seeded Richland captured the district title here Thursday night by pulling away from fifth-seeded Scott County Central 82-67...

Strong pitching has been the early season theme for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team and that trend continued Thursday afternoon. In their first home game since Feb. 11, the Indians got a combined one-hitter from four hurlers as they rolled past Harris-Stowe 8-0 in front of 155 fans at Capaha Field...

ORAN, Mo. -- Delta High girls basketball coach Nate Crowden didn't think his team executed very well for much of Thursday night's Class 1A, District 2 Tournament championship game. But the Lady Bobcats came through when it counted the most -- after host Oran had rallied for a fourth-quarter lead...

NORMAL, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's rapidly improving women's gymnastics team posted its second straight season-best score here Thursday night. Still, the Otahkians were defeated by host Illinois State in a dual meet 193.925 to 193.750...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Jose Roman Perez, 53, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson on Saturday, March 3, beginning at 10 a.m. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau. The Revs. Ron Watts and Richard Combs will officiate...

Son to Kevin David Rhodes and Sondra S. Hendershott of Chaffee, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 4:38 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9, 2001. Name, Laudon Kevin. Weight, 7 pounds 13 ounces. Fourth child, third son. Ms. Hendershott is the daughter of Ricky Hendershott and Ann Hendershott of Marble Hill, Mo. Rhodes is the son of Jerome and Linda Foster of Whitewater, Mo., and David Rhodes of Advance, Mo. He is a self-employed carpet installer...

A Cape Girardeau County couple whose uninsured home was destroyed in a fire on Feb. 13 while their infant daughter was hospitalized are still trying to recover. Edward Coomer said he and his wife, Jennifer, might be able to move out of his grandmother's house in Cape Girardeau this week, but there are no guarantees...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Ruth Lorene Kage, 81, of Charleston died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001, at East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born April 14, 1919, in Mound City, Ill., daughter of James William and Alice Sarah Parrott Koen. She and Edward Dewey Kage were married Feb. 9, 1952. He died Dec. 5, 1990...

WYATT, Mo. -- Allen "Jack" Williams, 79, of Wyatt died Thursday, March 1, 2001, at his home. He was born July 11, 1921, in New Canton, Ill., son of Albert Allen and Loraine Hamilton Williams. He and Ella Mae Brumley were married Jan. 13, 1940. Williams lived in Mississippi County most of his life. He was a retired ironworker and certified welder...

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Stephen Wayne VanGennip, 43, of Leopold died Thursday, March 1, 2001, at his home. He was born Dec. 3, 1957, in St. Louis, son of John J. and Wilma Therese Nenninger VanGennip. He and Mary Alice Eftink were married July 22, 1978, at Oran, Mo. She died Feb. 28, 1999...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Ophelia "Granny" Watson, 91, of Charleston died Thursday, March 1, 2001, at her home. She was born Dec. 18, 1909, in Tolu, Ky., daughter of Joel Henry and Alice Love Franklin. She and William Albert Watson were married in January 1927. He died May 15, 1955...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Charles Grammer, 91, of Jonesboro died Thursday, March 1, 2001, at City Care Center in Anna, Ill. Friends may call at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro from 5-8 p.m. Saturday. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home...

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- James Larry Evans, 54, of East Prairie died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001, at his home. He was born Nov. 2, 1946, in Sikeston, Mo., son of Spirling and Eva M. Harden Evans. He and Reba F. Sims were married March 7, 1988. She died June 2, 1996...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Carol Jean Purdiman, 48, of Mounds died Saturday, Feb. 24, 2001, in Chicago. She was born Jan. 15, 1953, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of Maurice Houston Jr. and Barbara Young. Purdiman was a member of the Church of God in Son in Hodges Park, Ill...

To the editor: The Feb. 23 article about Virginia Mitchell, a fortune-teller and spiritualist in Jackson stated, "Mitchell does not understand why some other Christians don't believe in psychics and even oppose them." I know of no better way to respond than letting God speak through his Word:...

To the editor: Thank you for your article on Ash Wednesday. I especially appreciated the fact that you acknowledged that Orthodox Christians began Great Lent on this past Monday this year. We use the term Clean Monday to designate the first day of the fast. ...

To the editor: I once asked my students to describe someone they knew personally who reveals his or her character by the work he does. One of my students worked in a piano store and described a young girl, the precocious daughter of the owner, who used her delightful personality and knowledge of pianos to meet customers and sell pianos. ...

To the editor: Recent unemployment-compensation rulings have concluded that testing positive for illegal drugs while on the job is not misconduct. Legislation before the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate attempts to establish whether the policy should be to encourage or discourage illegal drug use...

When it comes to the inner workings of government, the need for the taxpaying public to know what's going on is paramount. As a result, most states and the federal government have crafted laws to give the public the access to government information they deserve...

In a way, the recent story about the union that represents Cape Girardeau's public works department employees was humorous. It seems public-works employees in the 1970s opted for representation by the International Union of Operating Engineers even though collective bargaining with public employees isn't permitted in Missouri...

THE VOTES in Florida have come in, and George W. Bush is still the winner. Now what are people like James Carville going to say? Last week he was on TV saying, "You wait until the votes from Florida come in. It will show that Al Gore won." Is he going to apologize now that he's wrong?...

To the editor: In his recent speech, President George W. Bush depicted the earnings of the Social Security Trust fund as being only 2 percent. Actually, the current yield of the bonds in the fund is about 5 to 6 percent. GILBERT DEGENHARDT Cape Girardeau...