Stories from Wednesday, October 28, 1998

To the editor: Again I have been assaulted in my own home through TV ads asking Missourians to vote yes on Amendment 9. And when we reach into our mailboxes we find more of the same. I will be voting a big NO to approving further expansion of this cancer that plagues this state...

BENTON -- Scott County voters will decide Tuesday on a property tax increase that would help fund services for senior citizens in the county. Voters rejected a sales tax increase by a 54 to 46 percent margin in April 1997 that would have gone to the Senior Citizens Services Fund. The current initiative is not for a sales tax increase but for a property tax increase...

Citizens for a Sound Economy recently presented its Jefferson Award to U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson. Every two years, the organization recognizes members of the House and Senate who cast votes that support CSE's mission of smaller government and lower taxes...

The Marching Tigers of Cape Central High School ended their season of competition with a performance at the Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival. The annual festival was held at the TWA Dome, and over 15,000 people attended. There were 48 bands from Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee competing...

SIKESTON -- The race for the 160th District legislative seat pits an incumbent who wants to finish what he started four years ago in Jefferson City against a challenger who wants to restore checks and balances to state government. State Rep. Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston, will square off against Republican challenger Peter Myers for the 160th District legislative seat Tuesday. The district takes in parts of Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties, with the majority in Scott County...

American Indian novelist Joseph Marshall III will speak and read form his work at 7:30 tonight at Kent Library's Little Theatre. A reception for Marshall and his wife will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. today in the University Center Lobby. Marshall, a native of the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, is appearing in association with the SEMO Powwow to be held at the Student Recreation Center Nov. 7. Nearly 3,000 people attended the first powwow last year...

EAST PRAIRIE -- East Prairie voters Tuesday will decide whether to continue a sales tax of one half of 1 percent to finance street improvements. City officials want to extend the transportation sales tax for 10 years beyond its October 1999 expiration date. The tax was first approved in 1989 to cover the cost of paving gravel roads and resurfacing deteriorated routes...

BLOOMFIELD -- Since claiming her 159th District seat in a special election in 1991, state Rep. Marilyn Taylor Williams, D-Dudley, says she has worked for affordable health care, quality and safe education, economic development and infrastructure improvements...

Each of the three candidates for the 8th District were asked the same set of questions. The candidates will appear in the order they were interviewed. John Hendricks' interview ran Tuesday. Tony Heckemeyer's interview will be published Thursday. Interviews were edited for length...

Last weekend I attended the Aircraft Owners and Pilots annual convention in Palm Springs, Calif. It was my first time to this delightful, scenic, mountain-view oasis where many Hollywood stars reside. Surrounded by mountains on all four sides, the valley is only 95 air miles from Los Angeles 75 from San Diego and 150 from Las Vegas...

Cape Girardeau voters are encouraged to vote YES on two measures that will be on next Tuesday's ballot regarding the River Campus proposed by Southeast Missouri State University at the former St. Vicent's Seminary between Morgan Oak Street and the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge...

To the editor: The letter to the editor in the Southeast Missourian, "Emerson has taken casino money," has a glaring error. First and foremost, the statement that Jo Ann Emerson has "received $5,000 from Harrah's Entertainment" in the 1996 campaign is incorrect...

To the editor: In his recent letter, "Students' top priority: Good faculty," Steve Correll is absolutely right in his suggestion that the River Campus will not enhance the educational experience of Southeast Missouri State University students and will not increase enrollment. ...

To the editor: My show, "Let's Talk Business," has been pulled from the air because you added the call letters KRCU and the licensee's name to my letter. I purposely did not put in the call letters, because I did not want my opinion to be confused with the station's. ...

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson wants changes in the nation's farm policy to provide a safety net for farmers. She also wants to preserve Social Security and Medicare. She said government has a contract to provide retirement security for America's elderly...

U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft pushed his flat-tax plan during a meeting Tuesday with members of two Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce committees. Ashcroft, who hopes Congress will adopt his plan, said Americans are burdened by high taxes. The federal tax system is unfair and out of control, he said...

His resignation announcement is the third from an area superintendent since August. Dr. Dan Tallent, superintendent of Cape Girardeau schools, and Dr. Howard Jones, superintendent of Jackson schools, also have tendered resignations effective next summer...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- An Illinois Department of Natural Resources team has recommended an ecological restoration plan for Horseshoe Lake. The 1,965-acre lake near Olive Branch is filling with sediment at a rate of about a half inch a year. If it continues at that rate, the average depth of the lake is projected to be a foot by 2018, said John Tranquilli of the department's regional office in Benton...

Sports lovers have a new major to choose from at Southeast Missouri State University. The physical education department is offering a bachelor of science degree in sport management, as well as a master of science degree in administration with an athletic administration option, and a master of arts degree in school administration with an athletic administration option...

But that kind of talent doesn't just happen. One must watch a lot of home design shows on cable. The television at my in-law's house is pretty much on the Discovery Channel all day, where smiling host after smiling host explains things like how to make antique-looking tables by beating new pine tables with chains. (I also think this could have something to do with repressed sexuality, but that's another column.)...

Southeast Missouri State University's game Saturday at Southwest Missouri State was marred by 34 penalties, 18 against Southwest and 16 against us. After a close and competitive first half, we ended up losing the game 45-10. It was Southwest's homecoming before a crowd of nearly 14,000. The atmosphere and conditions were that of a super afternoon for college football...

The four seniors on Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team would love dearly to close out their college careers on a winning note. And all said during Tuesday's media day at the Show Me Center that they truly believe the Otahkians will be able to turn around last year's 8-19 record...

FARMINGTON -- Nathan Windeknecht scored four goals -- giving him 46 for the season -- as Jackson High's boys soccer team routed host Farmington 10-0 Tuesday in its final regular-season game. Jackson led 7-0 at the half and ended the game with 17 minutes left in the second half due to the 10-goal-lead rule...

The Cape Girardeau Area Officials Association will hold a meeting for current and prospective referees tonight at 6 at River Eagle Distributing. All referees, and those interested in becoming a referee, should attend.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor its 11th annual Basketball Hotshot Contest Nov. 14 at the Osage Community Centre. Registration will be held 9-9:30 a.m. and the event will begin at 10. The event is free to all participants...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Allie F. Ford, 90, of Cairo died Monday, Oct. 26, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Oct. 5, 1908, at Oran, Mo., daughter of William and Clara Heard Vaughn. She married Harry Ford, who died in 1978...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Stuart Byron Decker, 18, of Orlando, Fla., died Monday, Oct. 26, 1998, in Orlando. He was born Dec. 14, 1979, in Morris, son of Norman and Ellen McIntosh Decker. Decker was a senior at Colonia High School in Orlando. Survivors include his mother, Ellen Decker of Orlando; his father of Live Oak, Fla.; a sister, Madeline Decker of Orlando; maternal grandmother, Gladys Lippett McIntosh of Lexington, Ky., and paternal grandmother, Opal Lingle Decker of Morris...

James E. Graham, 68, of Pekin, Ill., died Sunday, Oct. 25, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 6, 1930, in St. Louis, son of William and Agnes Stallings Graham. Graham was a division manager with Caterpillar Tractor Co. at the Mossville, Ill., plant, retiring in 1987. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War...

ANNA, Ill. -- Aretta Poole, 90, died Monday, Oct. 26, 1998, at Union County Hospital. She was born Jan. 12, 1908, in Mill Creek, daughter of Lewis and Dora Mason Poole. She and Corlas "Coke" Poole were married Sept. 6, 1923, at Jackson, Mo. He died Nov. 5, 1967...

ESSEX -- Funeral for Grace Barber of Essex will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter. The Rev. LeRoy Williams will officiate, with burial in Sunset of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston. Friends may call at the funeral home after 11 a.m. Saturday...

BLOOMFIELD -- Lottie Ann Cook, 85, of Bloomfield died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 28, 1913, at Avert, daughter of Andy and Mollie Strop Robey. She and Bloys Cook were married Dec. 30, 1930. He died June 1, 1981...

CAIRO, Ill. -- John Ed Beno, 76, of Cairo died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Barkett Funeral Home at Cairo is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Troy Donnie and Viki Lynn Kramer of Chaffee, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:12 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, 1998. Name, Destiny Rose. Weight, 9 pounds 1 ounce. Second daughter. Mrs. Kramer is the former Viki Austin, daughter of Connie McDade and Raymond McDade of Chaffee. Kramer is a carpenter...

CHAFFEE -- Tom Gross Jr., 72, of Chaffee died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 16, 1926, at Blodgett, son of Tom Henry and Cecila Marie Myers Gross. Gross was a retired self-employed tree trimmer. He was a deep sea diver in the U.S. Navy...

JACKSON -- Board of Education members approved a pilot breakfast program for three Jackson elementary schools during a meeting Tuesday. Beginning next week, students will be able to purchase breakfast every morning at Millersville, Gordonville and North elementary schools. The meals will consist of an entree, juice and milk and will cost 75 cents...

JACKSON -- One bridge down, one to go. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the recently reopened Washington Street Bridge will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday. Mayor Paul Sander will be on hand along with other dignitaries. The city decided to replace the bridge after the concrete support structure started eroding. Construction began in August, and the bridge reopened two weeks ago...

It was aboard the liner Imperator shortly before the start of World War I, as the Larousse Gastronomique tells it. The Kaiser, Emperor William II, was so impressed with the job that the supervisor of the ship's imperial kitchens had done that he turned to him and said, "I am the Emperor of Germany, but you are the Emperor of chefs."...