Stories from Wednesday, April 19, 2000

Dr. Supreme (as he refers to himself) and I have often met, during the last 20 years, to discuss the art and science of growing turf grasses and landscape plants. Our discussion usually revolved around the efficacy of new fertilizers or pesticides on the market...

To the Editor: As a group, we must express our disagreement with part of your April 3 editorial position on Highway 34. We strongly disagree with your support of the Missouri Department of Transportation's position that a major upgrading isn't justified for this highway...

To the editor: Cape Girardeau County is a thriving and prosperous county as far as counties go in Missouri. There are many businesses, shops, stores and some key industries that operate within the boundaries of the county. These businesses were begun without any interference from either local towns or the cities of Cape Girardeau or Jackson...

Gilbert Leimer is an example of someone making a difference in the community. Leimer volunteers his time and energies with the Jackson Senior Center and food pantry. Leimer was the local winner of the USA Weekend Make a Difference Day award. In his garden last year, Leimer raised more than 1,000 pounds of vegetables to give to the needy. His recognition resulted in a check for the local food pantry and a pat on the back...

A little kindness goes a long way. That's the thought behind Random Acts of Kindness Week, which begins May 14 on Mother's Day. The Southeast Missourian sponsors Random Acts of Kindness Week as a way to raise awareness about the importance of small kindnesses every day. Isn't it the little kindnesses that stick with you?...

WARD CONNERLY, chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, chairman of the California Civil Rights Institute and a member of the University of California Board of Regents, spoke to a disappointing crowd of about 75 people Monday night on the Southeast Missouri State University campus...

To the editor: On behalf of the Community Counseling Center Foundation Board of Directors, I want to thank you for all the publicity and news coverage that you and your staff provided for the Doctor-Lawyer Basketball Game, Family Fun Fair and Antique and Collectibles Show. The news articles and calendar of events that the Missourian and Tipoff published are definitely noticed by the public. We could not hold our special events without the Southeast Missourian getting the word out...

Prayer isn't controversial, doesn't create denominational divides and is something everyone can do comfortably together, says the coordinator for National Day of Prayer events in Cape Girardeau. National Day of Prayer shows "in action what it means to be part of the body of Christ," said Sherri Mehner, who has helped plan and coordinate the event for the past four years...

An accident that left Michele Struttmann seriously injured and took the life of her 2-year-old son has prompted the Washington, Mo., woman to start a campaign against leaving children unattended in vehicles. As part of her effort Struttmann is pushing for passage of legislation introduced by state Rep. Dennis Bonner, D-Independence, that would make it a crime in Missouri to leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle...

Plans to turn a Southeast Missouri State University warehouse into a regional crime lab remain on hold over federal bureaucratic red tape. "It is really frustrating," said Dr. Robert Briner, who as director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Crime Lab is anxious to move ahead with relocation of the lab to more spacious quarters...

Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill plans to release a state audit report today that includes the agency's findings on Southeast Missouri State University's contract with Chancellor Dale Nitzschke. The findings are part of the agency's statewide review of separation agreements drawn for top university officials throughout the state...

PERRYVILLE -- The Charlie Daniels Band will headline the first-ever concert to be held at the Perry Park Center. The band known for such hits as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "The South's Gonna Do It Again" and for hosting the annual Volunteer Jam will perform June 16...

EAST PRAIRIE -- An estimated 400 students were pulled out of school by concerned parents Monday in response to a threat posted on the Internet. The spelling was poor; the punctuation just as bad, but the intentions of the threatening message were clear...

College baseball games don't get much wilder than Southeast Missouri State University's 10-9, 11-inning win over Arkansas State Tuesday. More than 400 fans at Capaha Field saw the squads -- both named Indians -- combine for 29 hits, 16 walks and six hit batsmen in the non-conference contest...

Brian Hinton knows he isn't the biggest football player around. But the speedy Hinton nonetheless believes he has a solid chance of earning a spot in the National Football League. Hinton, a cornerback who completed his eligibility at Southeast Missouri State University last season, will at least get the opportunity as he has agreed to terms on a free-agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hinton will report to Kansas City for a minicamp in early May...

Notre Dame senior Oliver Sanders is taking his soccer gig to the NCAA Division I level. Sanders recently signed a letter of intent to play soccer at Valparaiso University. "I'm really excited to be playing Division I," said Sanders. "I looked at a lot of Division II schools. Division I is a lot more competitive and that's where I wanted to be playing."...

After beating Eastern Illinois 6-1 in the opener, the softball Otahkians settled for a split with a 5-1 loss in extra innings in the nightcap of an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader. In the first game, Southeast (17-20, 9-6) scored six runs in the fifth inning to go up 6-0. Eastern Illinois (20-27, 10-2) added a run in the seventh...

ORAN -- Class 1A Oran came within one out of a big upset of Sikeston, the ninth-ranked team in Class 4A, but saw victory slip painfully away in a 5-1 loss Tuesday in high school baseball action. Oran (7-4), on the strength of a Philip Seyer solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, took a 1-0 lead into the seventh. ...

DEXTER -- Verla Mae Parker, 62, of Dexter died Monday, April 17, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born April 1, 1938, in Ash Hill, daughter of Clarence and Pansy Gilpin Macom. She and Robert L. Parker were married Feb. 23, 1957, in Brockton, Mass...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Danny Jean Fincher, 49, of Hickman, Ky., died Monday, April 17, 2000, from injuries received in a tractor-trailer accident. He was born Feb. 17, 1951, in Mississippi County, son of Daniel and Velma Carlyle Fincher. Fincher was formerly of East Prairie. He was a truck driver with Tyson Food Co...

CHARLESTON -- Kiron Kelon Rodgers, four months, died Sunday, April 16, 2000. Survivors include parents, Arthur Barker and Latresa Rodgers of Charleston; three sisters, Tashina and Moshe Owens of Charleston, Breianna Barker of Chicago; two brothers, Lamarr Owens of Charleston, and Arthur Barker Jr. of Chicago...

Geneva Nadine Heuer, 78, died Sunday, April 16, 2000. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 6-8 p.m. today. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Hanover Lutheran Church.

OAK RIDGE -- John G. "Red" Kester, 66, passed away Monday, April 17, 2000, at his home. Friends may call today between 4-8 p.m. at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Christ Gospel Church near Millersville, followed by interment in Old Salem Cemetery. The Rev. George Newell and Rev. Larry Spicer will officiate. Friends may call at the church after 12 p.m...

BERTRAND -- Dora "Sally" Wilmurth, 95, of Bertrand died Monday, April 17, 2000, at Bertrand Nursing Facility. She was born July 22, 1904, at Blodgett, daughter of George W. and Aura Hubbard Russell. She and Claude Lepchenski were married Dec. 20, 1924. She later married Glen H. "Chick" Wilmurth Dec. 3, 1938. He died Feb. 8, 1981...

CHARLESTON -- Delores Blanchard, 51, of St. Louis died Thursday, April 13, 2000, at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis. She was born March 10, 1949, in Charleston, daughter of David and Alfreda Scott Rodgers Sr. She married James Blanchard. Blanchard was a member of Ecclesia of Christ First Assembly Church...

Son to Shawn William and Lisa Catherine Asmus of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:35 p.m. Thursday, April 13, 2000. Name, Jordan Phillip. Weight, 7 pounds 5 ounces. Mrs. Asmus is the former Lisa Martin, daughter of C.A. and Wilma Martin of Advance. She is a naturalist at Trail of Tears State Park. Asmus is the son of Sylvester and Pauline Asmus of Chaffee. He is a computer programmer with Automation Services Co. Inc...

MARBLE HILL -- Albert Charles Peters, 63, of Riverview Gardens and formerly of Marble Hill, died Monday, April 17, 2000, at Granite City, Ill. He was born June 4, 1936, at Bessville, son of Charles and Agnes C. Beel Peters. He married Marie Landewee on Aug. 11, 1962. Peters was a packer for the Young Dental Manufacturing Co. in St. Louis...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Funeral Mass for Barbara E. Pafford of Cairo will be held at 2 p.m. today at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The Rev. Jerome Fortenberry will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery at Villa Ridge. Friends may call at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m...

DEXTER -- Ed Churchill, 77, of Dexter died Tuesday, April 18, 2000, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born Sept. 28, 1922, in Stuttgart, Ark., son of Paul Lee and Sybil Hale Churchill. He and Joyce Crank were married Jan. 16, 1954, in Piggott, Ark. She died Oct. 21, 1989...

SIKESTON -- Opal V. Newman, 75, of Sikeston died Monday, April 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 15, 1924, in Portageville, daughter of John Henry and Versie Anna Rogers Ling. She and Lois Newman were married Aug. 8, 1942, at New Madrid...

I, like many of you, are counting down the days until the Recipe Swap cookbooks are released at the Southern Living Cooking School. It will be so nice to have all of the recipes in one book, instead of all of the newspaper clippings in a file. Carolyn Moore of Cape Girardeau called to say she couldn't wait to get her copy of the book. She has clipped out every Recipe Swap from the beginning in December 1998 to the present. She was very glad to hear the book would have a comprehensive index...