Stories from Saturday, June 16, 2001

JACKSON, Mo. -- Don't tell Ron and Ina Winstead that China is unwilling to open its doors to new forms of religion. Based on their experience, the feeling in China is just the opposite. "The church in China is thriving," said Ron Winstead, who will return there in early July after spending 30 years with his wife as missionaries in China and Taiwan. ...

In the years before his death five years ago at age 104, well-known attorney Rush Limbaugh Sr. was working on a tribute to the generosity of Mabel and Robert W. Erlbacher, who donated the Victorian mansion that became Cape Girardeau's historic showplace, the Glenn House. Seeing he no longer could complete the tribute, Limbaugh asked his son, U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, to finish the task...

Members of the River Campus Board of Managers say Southeast Missouri State University officials have kept them in the dark about plans for the arts school in Cape Girardeau. Board members demanded Friday that the university disclose more information and allow them more input into the $36 million project to turn a former Catholic seminary into the River Campus...

Letters of apology to families of four murder victims and a $50,000 payment to Missouri's crime victims fund have settled the state attorney general's lawsuit against Italian clothing manufacturer Benetton. The suit, filed by Attorney General Jay Nixon last year, was sparked by Benetton's "We on Death Row" advertising project on capital punishment that included interviews with four Missouri inmates convicted of murder...

FUTURE CITY, Ill. -- As a youngster, Ronnie Harris couldn't count all of the houses in Future City. Harris remembers a number of homes, a school, a grocery store or two and a church in the tiny community on the northern edge of Cairo, Ill. But now he can count the houses. There are only 14 occupied homes, said Harris, who still lives in Future City and works in Cairo. "The school is here but it's closed, and the church is here," he said...

It was a major event this week when we prepared Jerry for his first day of summer school. I was up at 5:30 Monday morning to make sure we had plenty of time to get everyone dressed and fed and out the door by 7:30. I made Jerry a hot breakfast (microwavable pancakes, one of his favorites), and Patrick performed an impromptu song and dance called "You're Going to Summer School, You're Going to Summer School" that brought the house down...

Strong storms cut off electricity in Cape Girardeau and pelted Jackson with golfball-size hail late Wednesday through early Thursday, authorities said. About 1,000 customers in south Cape Girardeau lost power for about three hours when a tree struck a 12,000-volt line, said AmerenUE spokesman Michael Cleary...

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons senior Legion team got out to a 4-0 lead after two innings but couldn't hold on as Mt. Vernon, Ill., rallied for a 7-4 victory Friday in the Pacucah Tournament. Mt. Vernon scored four runs in the sixth to key its comeback...

Donna Sue Daigger, 44, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 6, 2001, at her home. She was born Dec. 28, 1956, in Herington, Kan., daughter of Walter Adam and Beatrice Hazel Miller Fauss. Daigger lived in Cape Girardeau 13 years. She worked at Interlochen Corp. in Sikeston, Mo., in 1997 and 1998...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Paul G. Rozier, 92, of Perryville died Wednesday, June 13, 2001, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Feb. 28, 1909, at Perryville, son of Pratte A. and Clara M. Seitz Rozier. Rozier retired from International Shoe Co. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church; past commander, executive board and life member of American Legion Post 133; life and 4th degree member of Knights of Columbus; VFW Post 4282; Amvets Post 94; and Elks Lodge 2701, all in Perryville...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Hazel Harvey, 72, of Elk Grove Village, Ill., died Friday, June 15, 2001, at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill. She was born Feb. 8, 1929, in Cobden, daughter of Lawrence and Helen Lilley Tripp. She and Fred Harvey were married Jan. 31, 1953...

Son to Walter Brian and Joanne Shannon Lewis of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:09 p.m. Saturday, June 9, 2001. Name, Travis James. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Lewis is the former Joanne Veasey, daughter of Texcie Veasey of Mobile, Ala. Lewis is the son of Walter Lewis and Linda Lewis of Greensboro, N.C. He is campus minister at Second Presbyterian Church...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Angela Jo Moeller, 34, of Jackson died Friday, June 15, 2001, at her home. She was born March 5, 1967, in Crystal City, Mo., daughter of Robert M. and Patricia J. Swope Cash. She and Todd William Moeller were married June 10, 1989, in St. Louis County...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Lydia N. Guess, 93, of Sikeston died Friday, June 15, 2001, at Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. She was born Aug. 5, 1907, in Morehouse, Mo., the daughter of Alexander Thomas and Anna Laura Wright Holder. She married William B. Guess May 9, 1925, in Benton, Mo. He died Aug. 23, 1971...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Corine L. Vowels, 95, of Cairo died Friday, June 15, 2001, at the Daystar Care Center in Cairo. She was born April 16, 1906, at Wyatt, Mo., the daughter of Jess and Anna Bradley Vowels. She was a retired sales clerk at Eddie's Pastry Shop in Cairo. Vowels was a member of St. Patricks Catholic Parish...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Ennis "Tony" Rawlings, 85, of Perryville died Friday, June 15, 2001, at his home. He was born Oct. 8, 1915, in Doniphan, Mo., son of Fred and Daisy Schanks Rawlings. He married Georgia L. Kohm, who died Jan. 26, 1995. Rawlings was a mechanic. He was a member of River Hill Eagles in Perryville, Model A Ford Club, and former member of the Lions Club...

ANNA, Ill. -- Lowanda Pulliam, 76, of Anna died Thursday, June 14, 2001, in Bartlett, Tenn. She was born May 30, 1925, in Union County, Ill., daughter of Bill and Elsie Marie Baker Stout. She and Thomas A. Pulliam were married July 17, 1949, in Anna. He died July 12, 1989...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Viola A. McCain, 91, of Hines Landing, Mo., near Jackson, died Friday, June 15, 2001, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home at Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Frances E. Forrest, 73, died Friday, June 15, 2001, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born Aug. 25, 1927, in Knobel, Ark., daughter of Arthur and Cornelia Hastings Jett. She and Paul Forrest were married Aug. 5, 1947. He died March 12, 1987...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Geraldine F. Brasenell, 85, of Sikeston died Friday, June 15, 2001, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born Sept. 9, 1915, in Barlow, Ky., daughter of Tillman Lee and Willie Mae Crice Duley. She and Thomas Calvin Brasenell were married Feb. 8, 1946, at Miner, Mo. He died April 23, 1991...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Jennetta Kleffer, 87, of Dexter died Thursday, June 14, 2001, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born March 11, 1914, at Brownwood, Mo., daughter of William Edgar and Rachel Aretta Williams Watson. She and William Edgar Kleffer were married May 16, 1933, at Bloomfield, Mo. He died July 22, 1969...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Coy Girtman, 94, of Cobden died Friday, June 15, 2001, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. He was born June 10, 1907, in Johnson County, Ill., son of Theodore and Lilly Eastwood Girtman. He and Dorothy Mae Little were married Jan. 19, 1930, in Jonesboro, Ill. She died Oct. 1, 1988...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Elizabeth Ann Allen, 88, formerly of Perryville, died Wednesday, June 13, 2001, at Barnesville Hospital in Barnesville, Ohio. She was born Aug. 24, 1912, in Cleveland, Ohio, daughter of Edward Wood and Anna Richards Butler Tanner. She first married Donald Miller, who preceded her in death. She later married William Allen, who also preceded her in death...

MATTHEWS, Mo. -- Mary Lou Wagley, 84, of Matthews died Thursday, June 14, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. She was born Aug. 10, 1916, in Albertsville, Ala., daughter of Walter N. and Nora Curtis Jackson. She and Ardith W. Wagley were married Feb. 14, 1935, in Lilbourn, Mo. He died Sept. 27, 1986...

BERTRAND, Mo. -- Eugene "Gene" Hammons, 70, of Bertrand died Friday, June 15, 2001, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born April 15, 1931, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., the son of Eugene and Frances Thompson Yoakum Hammons. He was raised by his grandparents, William and Lida Hammons...

DAVID LIMBAUGH, please quit trying to convince me that Big Media is anything other than a conservative servant of scions favoring preservation of the status quo. WHY DO so many of you get all agitated when people switch political parties? As long as the switches involve Democrats, Republicans and Independents, the changes are virtually meaningless. ...

It was disheartening to learn that vandals are ruining the hard work of downtown merchants to make that area a pleasant place to shop, drink and dine. Specifically, the vandals are tearing down decorative trees that line the streets. They actually pull the tops of the trees down until the trunk snaps in two. The latest victim was a dwarf crab apple tree at the corner of Main and Themis streets...

It would be nice if everyone who knew about crimes came forward out of the kindness of their hearts and offered to help police in any way possible. And many do. They put aside the trepidation that comes from getting involved and bringing criminals to justice...