Stories from Tuesday, February 11, 1997

What is the difference between a superior student and a gifted learner? Ingenuity, creativity, passion and a need to know. Students with a "gift" for learning in Cape Girardeau public schools are allowed to participate in Challenge classes from the first through the 12th grades. The students chosen for the gifted learning program are distinguished from superior students through a variety of intelligence, academic and creativity tests...

Lee Pasborg says teachers are specialized storytellers. "I try to enliven what the text I'm teaching is describing by expanding on it and making the students want to know what happens next," he said. "Frankly, some lessons are easier to do that with than others."...

SIKESTON -- U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will be among speakers at the annual Rural Restoration Conference that gets under way Sunday and runs through Tuesday at Sikeston. Emerson will speak at a general-assembly session Monday at the Ramada Inn in Sikeston. She will share the Monday morning stage with Richard Wheeler, owner of Christian Radio Station WJLY in Ramsey, Ill...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- Cutbacks in programming and personnel could help turn around the financial decline Shawnee Community Unit School District 84 has been in since 1993. Over the past three years the district has spent $169,000 more than it took in. This year overspending will total $100,000 to $150,000. The district has had to tap reserve money to cover overspending, and reserves are rapidly dwindling...

CHARLESTON -- Despite the loss of a courthouse, Mississippi county government officials agreed that the business of governing must go on. But where? That is what about 30 county government workers and Charleston residents met at the Charleston Public Library to discuss Monday night, just 12 hours after a fire of suspicious origin destroyed the Mississippi County Courthouse...

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County officials met Monday to weigh options of where to carry on county government after an early-morning fire destroyed the 96-year-old Mississippi County Courthouse. Arson is suspected. County officials didn't reach a decision on where to conduct county business during a meeting of the Mississippi County Commission late Monday. Several possibilities were discussed...

As it happens when you put more than two women in the same place, the topic of feminism came up. It began with the two women talking about the injustices they had personally encountered at the hands of sexist men. Throughout horror stories of bosses making passes and salary inequity, I remained curiously silent...

To the editor: Never before had I heard of the edition "Chicken Soup for the Soul" by Jack Canfield and Victor Hansen until a friend gave it to me to read. I now realize my lack of knowledge. The book seems to be creating interest, perhaps the reason for my sudden attention. I have become definitely more knowledgeable concerning the once-great men of our fine country...

The fate of a bold, new round of statewide tax reassessment may hinge on a decision to be made in a challenge brought by officials in Dunklin County in Southeast Missouri. At issue is a process of raising -- for the most part -- residential property assessments all over the state to reflect what the Missouri Tax Commission believes has happened in the marketplace over the past few years...

Getting Missouri legislators into a tax-cutting mood may be more than Gov. Mel Carnahan bargained for. Carnahan is pushing a 3-cent reduction in the state sales tax on food. This isn't out of regard for taxpayers as much as it is mandated by the Hancock Amendment that limits the growth in state revenue...

To the editor: My son was recently involved in an auto accident in Cape Girardeau with an uninsured motorist. The other driver was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way. He has not come forth with compensation for damages to my son's car, and because the car was an older model, we carried only liability coverage on it. Therefore, my son is without a car, as it was totaled in the accident...

Famed comedian Bill Cosby is scheduled to perform at the Show Me Center in April. Southeast Missouri State University officials wouldn't confirm it Monday, but two sources with ties to the school said Cosby would perform. The school has scheduled a news conference at the Show Me Center for 2:30 p.m. today. A formal announcement of Cosby's appearance is expected to be made then...

The Southeast Missouri Area Pachyderm Club will meet Friday at noon at Port Cape Girardeau. Guest speaker will be Gerald Jones, presiding commissioner of Cape Girardeau County. Jones will discuss the county's move to first-class status, county planning and zoning and other countywide activities...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will hold three public sessions to learn firsthand what is on the minds of 8th District residents. The Cape Girardeau Republican said she wants to hear from constituents so she can better represent them on Capitol Hill. Emerson will hold "listening posts" from 2-3 p.m. Sunday at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, 7-8:30 p.m. Monday at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, and 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the James Memorial Library in St. James...

RICHMOND, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team left Cape Girardeau Friday hoping to climb in the Ohio Valley Conference standings against the two worst squads -- record-wise -- in the league. Instead, the Indians limped back home early this morning with an 0-2 mark to show for their longest road trip of the OVC season...

COLUMBIA -- Former Jackson High School basketball standout Kory Thoma was recently named the American Midwest Conference men's basketball Player of the Week. Thoma, a 6-foo-4 guard at Columbia College, helped the Cougars to a 84-72 victory over College of the Ozarks...

NEW MADRID -- Cape Girardeau Central High's girls basketball team, ranked seventh in the state in Class 4A, won 14 of its first 16 games this season. The Lady Tigers then hit a bit of a slump early this month, losing three of its next four games. The losses came against Poplar Bluff (twice) and Notre Dame...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Grady Underwood of French Village will be held at 11 a.m. today at Irwin Funeral Chapel on Maryville Road in Granite City, Ill. The Rev. David Fielding will officiate, with burial in Sunset Hill Cemetery. Underwood, 79, died Saturday, Feb. 8, 1997, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Avelle Williams of Sikeston will be held at 10 a.m. today at Ponder Funeral Chapel. Dr. Jim Guffie will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Williams, 88, died Sunday, Feb. 9, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Fay Cook, 77, of Kansas City died Saturday, Feb. 8, 1997, at her home. She was born Oct. 13, 1919, in Lamar, Ark. She married Vester Cook, who died in 1989. Cook had lived in the Kansas City area since 1972. Survivors include a son, Gary Cook of Blue Springs; a daughter, Shirley Heffner of Independence; two brothers, Dan Clark of Chaffee, Grover Clark of Cape Girardeau; two sisters, Hazel Storms of Vanduser, Myrtle Proctor of Omaha, Neb.; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a great-stepgranddaughter.. ...

Stella Faye Sidden, 90, of Chillicothe died Sunday, Feb. 9, 1997, at Morningside Center in Chillicothe. She was born June 15, 1906, in Livingston County, daughter of Robert H. and Lou Ellen Wallis Gilliland. She and Charles Sidden were married Sept. 29, 1929, in Chillicothe. He died Aug. 30, 1980...

Verba Bolden, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Feb. 9, 1997, at the Lutheran Home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for James A. Harper of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Revs. Charles Warren and Eugene Warren will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from noon to service time...

A cleanup test could begin next week at the PCB-contaminated Missouri Electric Works site in Cape Girardeau. TerraTherm Environmental Services of Houston, Texas, will demonstrate its cleanup technology at the 6.4-acre site at 824 S. Kingshighway. A mobile unit is expected to arrive at the site this week, said Rich Hansen, project spokesman. "It comes with all the equipment," said Hansen...

SIKESTON -- Sarah L. "Lou" Marlin, 96, of Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 10, 1997, at Miner Nursing Center in Miner. She was born April 14, 1900, in Cave City, Ark., daughter of Troy W. and Tennie Anderson Brashears. Marlin worked in housekeeping at El Capri Motel 25 years. She was a member of Smith Avenue Church of God...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Della Rossi, 79, of Tamms died Sunday, Feb. 9, 1997, at Carbondale Health Care in Carbondale. She was born March 27, 1917, in Morgantown, Ky., daughter of Tom and Mamie Elizabeth Burden Beasley. Rossi had been a nurse, and member of Jehovah's Witnesses in Anna...

ALTENBURG -- Otto A. Kasten, 83, of Altenburg died Sunday, Feb. 9, 1997, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 25, 1913, in Altenburg, son of Benjamin and Mary Grebing Kasten. Kasten was a farmer and raised livestock. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church...

Fund raisers for the new Notre Dame High School have exceeded the expectations of their consultants by raising more than $4 million since July. Now, with the fund-raising drive coming to a close, organizers are hoping to continue their momentum all the way to their ambitious goal of $5 million, which will allow construction of the type of building they've all been working for...

Former superintendent of Sikeston Public Schools Lynn Twitty, 87, of Chateau Girardeau, died Monday, Feb. 10, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center. Twitty died from injuries received in a five-vehicle accident Jan. 21 on the Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot...

Daughter to Gregory Scott and Nicole Ann Pullen of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 2:13 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, 1997. Name, Lauren Ashley. Weight, 9 pounds 7 ounces. Mrs. Pullen is the former Nicole Rolwing, daughter of Michael and Judy Rolwing of Charleston. Pullen is the son of Michael and Sheila Pullen of Charleston...

ANNA, Ill. -- Clifford Lingle, 89, of Anna died Monday, Feb. 10, 1997, at Union County Hospital. Friends may call after 6 p.m. today at Lutz & Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery near Dongola, Ill...