Stories from Friday, September 24, 1999

To the editor: The Cape Girardeau chapter of Rolling Readers USA would like to extend its appreciation to Cracker Barrel Old Country Store for its recent donation of children's books. The books will be used locally for our read-aloud and tutor programs as well as for donations to area children and the Cape Girardeau Public Library...

It is that time of the year again and back to school means more infestations by head lice. This can be a burdensome problem but there are some effective, proven solutions for treating this condition. There are also a multitude of reported home remedies that have been tried and many of these lack safeguards or may cause more problems than the lice...

Who says you can't make money with the weather? Starting this week, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange lets investors speculate on temperatures in four U.S. cities. The new weather market is important, because temperatures and storms affect 20 percent of the nation's $9 trillion economy...

A deli owner in Chicago has had it with customers who use cell phones while they eat. Those Car Talk brothers in Boston have launched a nationwide campaign on their weekly radio show to get motorists to stop using cell phone while driving. Neither the deli owner nor Click and Clack want to ban cell phones. They just want to restore common sense in the use of the go-everywhere phones...

To the editor: The students and teachers have enjoyed and continue to use the Caldecott award winners that were purchased with the YELL grant money. With the 1997 YELL grant, nine Caldecott winners were purchased for the library. With the 1998 grant, and additional 21 titles were purchased. Nineteen winners were purchased with district money. At this point, we have 49 of the 62 winners...

JACKSON -- One of seven Jackson High School students involved in a shocking videotaped prank has been suspended "from certain extracurricular activities" for showing the video in a class last spring. The action was taken by the Jackson Board of Education Monday based on new information brought forward by a teacher. Superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said the board and administration learned that "a few minutes" of the video were shown in a class while the teacher was out of the room...

Whitewater competitors hope to paddle their way to victory next March on Southeast Missouri's roaring St. Francis River and possible spots on the U.S. Olympic canoe and kayak team. The Fredericktown area will host the Midcontinent trials, one of the "Final Four" sites. The winners will compete in final trials April 6 through 9 on the Ocoee River in Tennessee for the right to represent the United States at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sidney, Australia...

Shu-Ju Lulu Chuang can't stop crying. She worries about the fate of friends in her earthquake-devastated country of Taiwan. Chuang is one of a handful of Taiwanese students attending Southeast Missouri State University. "Every time I watch the news I am crying," she said...

Missouri Goodwill Industries, which operates 15 thrift stores mostly in the St. Louis area, is coming to Cape Girardeau. Goodwill will open a full-line retail store at 350 S. Silver Springs Rd. next month, said Stacy Erdmann of the organization. "The new Goodwill store will feature apparel for the entire family, including baby, children and adult clothing, as well as small appliances, furniture, housewares and other items," said Erdmann...

No one walks in this age of the automobile. So why are so many students walking so far to class every day? When I was growing up on that Kelo Valley farm, our mailbox was a mile from the house. Actually, its was exactly nine-tenths of a mile, but it was a lot easier to say a mile...

The Vision 2020 Strategic Planning committee will hold its second meeting from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday at St. Francis Medical Center. The meeting will be held in Rooms A&B of the Education Center. The committee will review the results and ideas collected from focus groups over the past six months...

Southeast Missouri Weed and Seed may be getting its money back soon, but not every organization connected to it will. As Weed and Seed's regional board met Thursday in anticipation of having its funding restored, it made clear that money already spent by groups expecting to be reimbursed by the board wasn't going to be available...

JEFFERSON CITY -- As a university president, Dr. Kala Stroup focused on the needs of her campus. As Missouri's commissioner of higher education, her scope has become considerably wider. "It is fun," Stroup said. "Being a university president is also very rewarding, but in this position I am able to bring together all the experiences I have had in 40 years in higher education, which enables me to see the big picture of what higher education in Missouri can be."...

FRUITLAND -- Sheriff's office dispatcher Anita Watkins answered the calls the way she usually does: "9-1-1. What's your emergency?" And on Thursday afternoon she was getting an earful of children telling her about fires, shootings, accidents, even a bomb...

Representatives of the St. Louis-based World Bird Sanctuary will bring some fine feathered friends to Cape Girardeau Monday. Ornithologists and birds will be here for a meeting of the Four Seasons Audubon Society to be held at 7 p.m. in Room 121 of Rhodes Hall on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. The public is invited...

DEXTER -- Area residents will be able to step back in time soon when World War II-vintage aircraft will be on display at the annual Dexter Air Day. The day-long event -- beginning with breakfast and ending with a remote-control model airplane show -- is set for Sunday, Oct. 3 at Dexter Municipal Airport off Highway 114 and is sponsored by the Crowley Ridge Flyers of Dexter...

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents will host two strategic planning forums today. The first is scheduled from 1-3 p.m. today at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce building, 125 E. Main. The second is scheduled for 4-6 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office, 1267 N. Mount Auburn Rd...

When the football is kicked off at 7:30 tonight in Dyersburg, Tenn., it will be as if the hosting Trojans are opening the door to a blind date. Jackson, this is Dyersburg. Dyersburg, this is Jackson. Until that point, neither team knows exactly what to expect...

JACKSON -- The St. Louis Cardinals have Mark McGwire and Fernando Tatis. The Seattle Mariners have Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. The Jackson Lady Indians boast two phenomenal sluggers of their own in Andrea Koeper and Jennifer Mesey. But they do their pounding not with 34-inch sticks, but with their bare hands...

While the state and much of the Midwest has been suffering from a drought, Cape Girardeau Central's football team has been drenched for 114 points in three games so far and has yet to come within 22 points of winning. The Tigers (0-3) figure to plug the spiraling season tonight when they host Oakville, a squad which doesn't look to be the caliber of team that Central has faced in its first three games. The kickoff is at 7:30 at Houck Stadium...

Southeast Missouri State University volleyball coach Cindy Gannon figures her team can't be much more prepared for tonight's start of Ohio Valley Conference play. The Otahkians survived a rugged pre-conference schedule and should be brimming with confidence when they take on Austin Peay in a 7 p.m. match in Clarksville, Tenn...

The University of Missouri Alumni Association is inviting all area Mizzou fans to cheer on the Tigers each Saturday at Garfield's in Cape Girardeau's West Park Mall. Missouri's football team takes on Nebraska at 6 p.m. Saturday and Memphis at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 2...

CHARLESTON -- Central's eighth-graders improved to 2-0 as Mitch Craft scored three touchdowns and rushed for 150 yards. Chris Slaughter rushed for 100 yards while Kyle Schuessler scored twice, on a 90-yard interception return and a 50-yard pass from Mark Dunaway. Dunaway completed five of eight passes for 103 yards...

There was more than just a hint of urgency in Perryville football coach Jerry Tucker's voice when he was talking about his Pirates' game at Scott City tonight. Tucker simply came out and said it. "We have to win this one," said Tucker, whose Pirates are 0-3. "It's time for us to start rolling. In Missouri, the only important games are the last three, but if you don't play well heading into the last three, it's hard to do well in districts."...

Ashley Foutch capped an 11-run first inning with a three-run home run as Cape Girardeau Central High's softball team routed visiting Poplar Bluff 17-2 Thursday in a four-inning, run-rule contest. Central (12-10) combined six hits, five walks and two errors in the opening frame to take control of the game...

Clara Emily Marion, age 86, of Cape Girardeau passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999, in Cape Girardeau. She resided at Heartland Care Rehabilitation Center. She was born January 26, 1913 in Egypt Mills, Mo., daughter of William Ervin and Elizabeth Caroline Schwettmann. ...

Opal Haman Young passed away September 21, 1999, at St. Joseph Health Center, Kansas City, MO. She was a lifelong resident of Cape Girardeau, Mo. She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Deborah J. Young, Overland Park, KS, and her brother, Robert Haman, Sarasota, FL. ...

A memorial service for William L. "Bill" Schwartz of Cape Girardeau will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church in Delta. Funeral was held Sept. 6 at All Saints Church in University City. Burial was in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis...

Marvin P. "Burr" Robert, 72, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 2, 1926, at Chaffee, son of Alphonse and Clara Schlitt Robert. He and Rosemary Schaefer were married June 1, 1957, in Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Rosalie M. Banks, 78, of East Prairie died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 11, 1921, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of Alfred and Dollie Evelyn Kief Blyzes. She married Shirley Banks Sept. 12, 1936...

SIKESTON -- Vetra Fuller, 87, of Sikeston died Saturday, Sept. 18, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 20, 1912, in Vanndale, Ark., daughter of Jessie and Molly Robinson. She and Thomas Fuller were married April 12, 1944. He died Feb. 15, 1994...

Graveside service for George W. Campbell Sr. of Cape Girardeau will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Lorimier Cemetery. Dr. David Everly will officiate. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel Saturday from noon to 1:15 p.m. Campbell, 75, died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center...

Funeral for Dennis Charles Rothe of Waco, Texas, will be held at 10 a.m. today at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waco. The Rev. Donald Olson will officiate. Burial will be in Waco Memorial Park. Connally/Compton Funeral Home in Waco is in charge of arrangements...

Larry Dean Underwood of Jackson passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999 at Barnes North Hospital in St. Louis. Born on April 2, 1954 in St. Louis, the son of Ivan and Kathleen DeJournett Underwood, he was a Realtor with ERA Cape Realtors for nine years and was currently a Director of the Cape County Board of Realtors. He served on several committees including the Award of Excellence, was chairperson for the Community Service Committee and was chairperson of the Finance Committee...