Stories from Tuesday, February 2, 1999

People often wonder, with so many Web sites out there, which ones are worth a visit. One way to know is through the annual Webby Awards. The awards won't be presented until March 18, but you can get a sneak preview of the nominees and cast your own ballot in the People's Voice award. The Webbies are called the "Oscars of the Internet," and this marks the third year...

The Letter People hang from the ceiling in the kindergarten classrooms. Kristopher Nunley colored overalls, one of the "O" words. Visitors to the kindergarten classrooms at Washington Elementary School can expect to see two things: brightly-colored balloon figures suspended by string from the ceilings, and children excitedly talking about their letter friend of the day...

MARBLE HILL -- Bollinger County commissioners say the county needs a DARE officer to help educate students about the dangers of drug abuse. At its meeting Monday, the commission said it hopes to work with the county's schools to obtain a grant to establish a DARE program. DARE is an acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education...

PATTON -- Duane Schindler, superintendent at Marquand-Zion schools and former high school principal at Oak Ridge, has been named superintendent of Meadow Heights School District. Schindler succeeds Jerry Deardorff, who is retiring after 33 years in Missouri education. Deardorff has been superintendent at Meadow Heights for three years...

David Copperfield, who has been called "the world's greatest illusionist" will perform two shows at the Show Me Center on April 9. Southeast Missouri State University officials announced the April shows at a press conference Monday afternoon at the Show Me Center...

Catholic schools in Missouri are finding it difficult to top the excitement and enthusiasm that a visit from Pope John Paul II brought. Most realize that the pontiff's visit can't be outdone by events planned this week in honor of Catholic Schools Week. But that doesn't keep them from continuing the celebration...

It seems that no matter where I turn lately, people around me are talking about issues of equality. Granted, those aren't the words they use. But the topic is clearly identifiable. It's a topic that has come up in conversations both at home and work. References have been made in news articles written recently by the Associated Press and in speeches made by the president...

WARE, Ill. -- An Anna woman died Sunday in a two-car accident on Highway 3. The accident occurred at 1:55 p.m., approximately three miles south of Ware. Betty Lingle, 79, was taken by helicopter to Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, where she was pronounced dead at 2:55 p.m...

Randy List, who will become part-owner of the Greencastle newspapers, is being named publisher effective today. Gary Rust, Rust Communications president, and Wally Lage, a former Indiana resident and chief operating officer of Rust Communications, are also investors in the property...

Absent-minded Missourians consider it a victory if they have stopped writing last year's date on checks by the time the governor delivers his State of the State address. More plans have been offered to improve Missouri's highways than there are accountants in the highway department...

In his effort to give something to everybody, President Clinton announced so many goodies in his State of the Union message that it was difficult to keep up with all of them. It became clear, however, as the speech went on, that the president believes in tax cuts -- not in the form of reducing taxes, but in the form of tax credits for certain groups of individuals who happen to fit whatever social-engineering scheme the White House has cooked up based on the latest polls...

It takes vision to see things not as they are, but as how they could be. That has been the role of Vision 2000 in Cape Girardeau since 1987. The organization's dedicated volunteers have worked hard to better the community in so many ways. As the city approaches the millenium, Vision 2000 boosters decided they weren't ready to quit. The name has been updated to Vision 2020...

To the editor: The sour grapes have been harvested. Jesse Ventura, a well-known Reform Party candidate, has proven that there is still hope for America. No longer will the Republicans or Republicans take the average man's vote for granted, at least not in Minnesota...

To the editor: I have decided to declare Washington, D.C., in a state of emergency. There was a wind that came through there and blew Clinton's pants right off of him. It was called Hurricane Monica, and it has cost us millions of dollars. This is not a joke, people. We better start opening our eyes. They say Social Security may not be here down the road, but they keep taking it out of my husband's check...

The Cape Girardeau City Council Monday took a step toward allowing microbreweries to do business in the city. By a unanimous vote, the council granted preliminary approval to changes in the city's zoning ordinance that would allow such businesses to operate. A final vote is expected Feb. 15...

JACKSON -- With the rezoning of 60 acres of property along North High Street, Jackson took another step toward establishing its own industrial tract in the northern part of town. Monday night, the Board of Aldermen rezoned 50 acres of city-owned land at 2501 N. High St. from single family residential to heavy industrial and 10 acres of city-owned land at 2504 N. High St. from single family residential to general commercial...

January sales tax receipts for Cape Girardeau County continue a trend of revenue growth seen during 1998. Receipts for January 1999 totaled $414,293, up about 4 percent from January 1998. "Almost 4 percent, that's good news for the county," said H. Weldon Macke, Cape Girardeau County auditor...

This is the biggest week in our basketball season thus far. We have three conference games in five days at the Show Me Center and to keep our championship hopes alive we need to win all three games. This week will make or break our conference season...

The regular season is fast winding down and Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen sees this week as one that will likely determine his team's fate in the Ohio Valley Conference race. "This is the week that was," said Arnzen with a laugh. "We have to stand tall this week because it will dictate how a lot of teams finish, including us."...

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner looks at Tennessee State as one of the Ohio Valley Conference's real mystery teams. Garner is hoping the Tigers remain as mysterious as possible tonight when they meet the Indians in a 7:30 tipoff at the Show Me Center...

CHARLESTON -- Randi Senciboy had a huge fourth quarter Monday night as Notre Dame High's girls basketball team slipped past Scott County Central 58-54 in the opening round of the Charleston Tournament. The fourth-seeded Lady Bulldogs, who raised their record to 10-9, will take on top-seeded Jackson in Thursday night's semifinals. The other semifinal will pit No. 2 Cape Girardeau Central against No. 3 New Madrid.,...

William A. Ricketts, 83, of Annandale, Va., died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at his home. He was born in Missouri, son of John T. and Nellie Blair Ricketts. Ricketts had been an administration worker for the United States Government. Survivors include his wife, Estelle; and a son, Robert Ricketts of Annandale...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral for Betty L. Lingle of Anna will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Crain Funeral Home in Anna. The Rev. Scott Harner will officiate. Burial will be in Anna Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today. Lingle, 79, died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, from injuries received in an automobile accident earlier that day on Highway 3...

PERRYVILLE -- Mary E. Lalumondiere, 75, of Farmington died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, at St. Francois Manor in Farmington. She was born March 30, 1923, in Ste. Genevieve, daughter of Elic and Genevieve Duvall Williams. She and Harold Lalumondiere were married March 4, 1942. He died March 27, 1965...

PERRYVILLE -- Lillian M. Weith, 94, of Perryville died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Feb. 14, 1904, at Frohna, daughter of Charles and Louisa Rauh Groh. She and Louis A. Weith were married June 28, 1924. He died Oct. 2, 1971...

Juanita Cora Feverston, 83, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, at Bangor City Nursing Facility in Bangor, Maine. Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

SCOTT CITY -- Patricia Louise Holder, 60, of Scott City died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 7, 1938, in St. Louis, daughter of Helen Diebold. She and Ardell Anthony Holder Jr. were married Dec. 23, 1956, in Scott City. He died April 25, 1983...

BLOOMFIELD -- Leon Ray Armes, 80, of Bonifay, Fla., died Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999. He was the son of George Alva and Agnes Mary Atherton. Survivors include his wife, Ida of Bonifay; a son, Darrell Armes of Bonifay; four brothers, Robert Armes of Milan, Albert and Dewey Armes, both of Bloomfield, and Theodore Armes of Vanduser; four sisters, Geneva Parker of Kansas City, Laura Almond of Lennon, Mich., Cathy Wagner of Flatonia, Texas, and Mary Williams of Lathrop...

SIKESTON -- Thomas J. "Red" McVey, 69, of Sikeston died Monday, Feb. 1, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 30, 1929, in St. Louis, son of Howard and Kathryn Reese McVey. He married Evelyn "Eve" Kretshmayer June 16, 1986, in Portageville...

Evelyn E. Monroe, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, in San Pablo, Calif. Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Stephen and Carrie Clardy of Jonesboro, Ill., Marion Memorial Hospital in Marion, Ill., 10:32 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 1999. Name, Zachary Dalton. Weight, 8 pounds 13 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Clardy is the former Carrie Mayberry, daughter of Wayne and Glenda Mayberry of Jonesboro. Clardy is the son of Elbert and Shirley Clardy of Anna, Ill. He is employed at Unimin Corp. in Elco, Ill...

Travis T. Hux has no apology for his sixth-grade classroom's nickname. His students call the class at Clippard Elementary School "Comedy Central." "I think laughter is a key element for creating positive attitudes," Hux said. "These positive attitudes create excitement about coming to school and learning something new."...

An experiential education symposium will be held Feb. 11 at Southeast Missouri State University. The symposium, slated for 3 to 5:15 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom, is designed to promote the benefits of experiential learning opportunities for students...

The Cecil Elsie Gross Education Scholarship has been endowed at Southeast Missouri State University. The late Cecil Elsie Gross of Jefferson City left provisions in her trust for the university foundation to receive a residual of her estate -- $150,130 -- to establish the scholarship...

Southeast Missouri State University has named 1,587 students to its Dean's List for academic achievement for fall semester. Students named to the list earned at least a 3.5 grade-point average and completed at least 12 degree credit-hours. Area students by hometown:...