Stories from Thursday, October 15, 1998

To the editor: When Watergate first started, it was not looked on as a serious issue. Most Republicans felt that it was purely a media issue pushed by many Democrats who intensely disliked Richard Nixon. However, as the hearings progressed and the tapes were discovered, it became an entirely different matter. ...

Whether they get a response from the gaming industry, members of the United Methodist Church in Missouri intend to hold a forum tonight to discuss Amendment 9. The public is invited to the meeting at the Sikeston United Methodist Church, 1307 N. Main St., from 7-9:30 p.m...

It looked like a miniature funeral procession traveling through the streets of Cape Girardeau Wednesday -- a hearse preceded by a police car with its lights flashing. But instead of going to a cemetery, it stopped on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Out of the back of the hearse stepped a skeleton-faced figure clad in a black robe and carrying a sickle. It was the Grim Reaper, the figure of death...

The University of Missouri Outreach and Extension in Cape Girardeau County wants advice on what programs to offer during the next five years. Donna Taake, 4-H youth specialist, said they will plan programming by priorities set by the community. Six meetings are scheduled to collect public input. The first is Tuesday at the Cape Girardeau County Health Department...

Community support for Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus project will be a key factor in getting state funding for the project, said Gov. Mel Carnahan. On Wednesday Carnahan, along with city and university officials, toured the St. Vincent's Seminary grounds to see the site of the proposed $35.6 million redevelopment...

Edward Villella had to punch a few people on his way to the New York City Ballet. Growing up in a first-generation Italian family in a working-class Queens neighborhood, Villella played baseball and became a champion welterweight boxer. But he also wanted to pursue dancing, an art other boys in the neighborhood didn't appreciate in 1945...

Whether it is writing plays or building sets, David Kaempfer of Cape Girardeau feels more comfortable backstage than in the spotlight. But Kaempfer was downstage center with all eyes upon him recently when the Missouri Association of Playwrights named him the 1998 recipient of the Playwright of the Year award...

You can see Mark McGwire's 70th home run baseball in St. Louis for a $4 fee. Some of us can remember when you could watch an entire baseball game for less. There's not sense in being critical of the state's new $2.3 million jet, but it seems unfair that the taxpayers who paid for it will never get to ride in it...

The annual fund-raising campaign of the Area Wide United Way is in full swing. More than 15 percent of this year's $625,000 goal already has been raised, ahead of last year's pace even though this year's target is well above the 1997 effort. Businesses, industries and organizations are finding creative ways to encourage giving by employees, many of whom use the payroll checkoff method of regular giving to United Way. ...

A nice way to start a fund drive is to get a check for $10,000. That's the amount NationsBank has given to the new fund-raising foundation set up by the SEMO District Fair. Over its 143 years, the fair has enjoyed strong and loyal support from corporate sponsors. With the creation of the foundation, those gifts will be tax deductible...

To the editor: Baptist churches and Baptist associations share equal rights. Neither is superior or inferior to the other. Baptist churches are autonomous, but so are the associations. Either can seek to join the other, and either can withdraw from that agreement...

Dressed in a ruffled pink and purple leotard, Ashley Brotherton, 4, tumbled across the floor mats at Parker Gymnasium at Southeast Missouri State University like a soon-to-be-professional gymnast. Then she headed for the trampoline where she could jump high and eventually hang from the uneven bars after getting a little help from some adult volunteers...

Oct. 15, 1998 Dear David, On the very first night "Death of a Salesman" was presented in 1949, the audience met the final lines with 35 seconds of silence, then began to applaud. In a sense, the applause hasn't stopped. Time again stood still more briefly Saturday at a "Salesman" performance by the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Then tumultuous clapping erupted from the sold-out house and people rose in tribute...

Short answers. That's what you get from Libertarian congressional candidate John Hendricks. The Jackson man delivered his less-government-is-better message in short answers to questions posed at an 8th District congressional candidates' forum Wednesday morning...

Widening Highway 34-72 through Jackson won't solve traffic congestion on Route K, Cape Girardeau zoning commissioners told state highway officials Wednesday. In fact, they argue, it might even add cars to the already crowded roadway. The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission met Wednesday night with Missouri Department of Transportation officials and representatives from QST Infrastructure, the state's consultants on the Highway 34-72 corridor study...

Gov. Mel Carnahan lost out to his father when it came to naming Southeast Missouri State University's renovated social science building. The university officially dedicated the nearly century-old structure Wednesday afternoon, naming it A.S.J. Carnahan Hall in honor of the governor's father...

Despite one example to the contrary, Cape Girardeau School District buildings can only be named after persons who have been deceased for at least three years. An ad hoc committee to the Cape Girardeau Board of Education is accepting suggestions from district patrons to name the district's newest elementary school, which is scheduled to open next fall. Suggestions will be accepted until Oct. 29, the committee's next meeting date...

SIKESTON -- Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Regents broke ground Wednesday for the $4.8 million Sikeston Area Higher Education Center. Gov. Mel Carnahan and Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Kala Stroup participated in the ceremony along with and local lawmakers...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Willie Enoch, who was convicted of murder in Peoria County in 1984, is scheduled to be executed Nov. 18 at Tamms Correctional Center. Enoch was convicted of stabbing a woman to death in 1984. He has been scheduled for execution twice before but received reprieves...

Janelle Quigley says her college running career seemed like it had been going so fast and she didn't want to give her senior season anything but her best shot. So far, cross country foes are feeling the sting. The only senior on an extremely strong Southeast Missouri State University women's squad, Quigley is putting together a sensational season. She's been the Otahkians' top runner in every meet so far and has two first-place finishes and a second place to her credit...

Bob Deneke laughs when he thinks about today's high school football players, who routinely tip the scales at 275 pounds -- or even heavier. "When I played, the heaviest guy on the team was 240 pounds," he said with a laugh. "I played fullback and linebacker and weighed 202 -- and that was big for those positions then...

Last weekend was a time for the supposedly have-nots of the Ohio Valley Conference to speak up and be heard. Middle Tennessee State, Tennessee State and Southeast Missouri State -- selected to finish fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively, in the eight-team league -- all posted big victories over teams picked to finish ahead of them in the OVC standings...

Erin Vickery registered nine kills as Notre Dame swept Chaffee in high school volleyball action Wednesday night 15-11, 15-8. Notre Dame improved to 12-10-2 on the season. Notre Dame also won the JV contest 15-4, 15-9.

Ross Bennett, a 1998 Cape Girardeau Central High School graduate, has received a prestigious honor for his baseball exploits with the Tigers. Bennett was recently named to the National High School Baseball Coaches Association District 5 All-American Team...

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- Maude E. Hanners, 93, of Sedgewickville died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998, at Beverly Health Care Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 10, 1905, at Millersville, daughter of John M.D. and Susan Roe Johnson. She and Julius Lloyd Hanners were married Aug. 21, 1924, at Perryville. He died Aug. 4, 1985...

JACKSON -- Memorial service for Jo Diane Miller of Palm Harbor, Fla., will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home. Miller, 62, died Friday, Oct. 9, 1998, in Clearwater, Fla. She was born Feb. 22, 1936, in Jackson, daughter of Joe D. and Sylvia Wise...

ANNA, Ill. -- Helen Couch, 98, of Anna died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998, at City Care Center. She was born Aug. 2, 1900, in Charleston, Mo., daughter of William Henry and Mary F. Kelly Farmer. Couch was the oldest living member of Anna Heights Baptist Church...

JACKSON -- Mildred Grossman, 84, of Jackson died Friday, Oct. 9, 1998, in an automobile accident in Topeka, Kan. She was born Sept. 13, 1914, in Jackson, daughter of J.S. and Daisy Cowan Godwin. She married John Hutz Grossman May 18, 1935. He preceded her in death...

PERRYVILLE -- Graveside service for Michael Vernon Edmond of Columbia was held Tuesday at Whitewater Church Cemetery in Yount. The Rev. Rick Reagan officiated. Nilson Funeral Home in Columbia was in charge of arrangements. A memorial service will be held later...

THEBES, Ill. -- Oscar A. Bryant, 81, of Thebes, Ill., died Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 14, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Arrangements were incomplete at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel in Cape Girardeau.

MARBLE HILL -- Mollie Williams, 95, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 8, 1903, in Antlers, Colo., daughter of Edward and Mary Louise Hagstrum Anderson. She and Dewey W. Williams were married June 1, 1920. He died June 1, 1977...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Jean Ellen Lamer, 59, of Cobden died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998, at her home. She was born Oct. 25, 1938, in Cobden, daughter of Paul A. and Frances Bollwerk Flamm. She and Roy Glenn Lamer were married Oct. 5, 1963, in Cobden. Lamer was in the upholstery business until becoming ill. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church...

CAIRO, Ill. -- David Lee Banks, 63, of Cairo died Monday, Oct. 12, 1998, at Daystar Care Center. He was born Sept. 9, 1935, in rural Wyatt, Mo., son of Jesse and Martha Dowd Banks. He married Mary Welch. Banks had lived in Illinois 22 years. Survivors include his wife; two sons, David Banks of Kalamazoo, Mich., Kevin Banks of Cairo; five daughters, Kimberly and Arnetia Banks of Kalamazoo, Lisa Morgan of Detroit, Mich., Bertie Darnell of Canada, and Tracy Banks of Cairo...

Former businessman R.S. Duncan, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998, at his home. He was born Oct. 18, 1905, in Dixon, Ky., son of Charles Franklin and Ida Mae Edwards Duncan. He and Lilyan Bowman were married June 1, 1928. She died in 1986...

Memorial service for Opal Inez Baugus of Cape Girardeau will be held at 10 a.m. today at Lynwood Baptist Church. The Rev. Mark Anderson will officiate. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Baugus, 63, died Sunday, Oct. 11, 1998, at her home...

Iva Mae Hoover, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1998, at Maple Crest Manor. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Frances Loraine Kesler, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1998, at the Lutheran Home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

CHARTER OAK -- Maurice Thompson, 59, died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998, at his home. Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Jim H. and Sudena Ann Lambert of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:21 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 1998. Name, Tanner James. Weight, 8 pounds 1 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Lambert is the former Sudena Carriger, daughter of Jim and Wanda Carriger of Alton. She is an account executive/installation assistant at General Sign Co. Lambert is the son of LaDonne Lambert of Carbondale, Ill. He is a driver with Elfrink Truck Line...

KELSO -- Paul J. Diebold, 70, of Kelso died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.