Stories from Friday, February 4, 2000

What do a fish and a tomato have in common? Genes. That's not a punchline. Science's ability to manipulate the foods we eat -- putting a fish gene in a tomato plant to improve tomatoes, for example -- has sparked debates and opposition. From a local store opposing genetically modified foods to U.N. negotiations in Canada last month that produced international trade rules to allow countries to ban their import and make exporters label their products...

Your eyes depend on a small spot (the macula) in the central area of the retina at the back of the eye for perceiving sharp detail with straight-ahead vision. Light from the objects you view enter through the clear portion of the eye, passing through the pupil and lens where it is focused upon the light sensitive layer called the retina. ...

Slow telephone service inJanuary isn't limited to Southeast Missouri, say Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. representatives. It happens every January in many places, they said. People get computers for Christmas, resulting in more people on the Internet, and people talk more now than they used to, they said...

Middle-school students carrying violins and bows streamed between Brandt Music Building and Academic Hall while others filled the third floor of Academic Auditorium with the deep rumble of the bass viol Thursday. The reason was the fourth annual Middle School String Orchestra Festival at Southeast Missouri State University...

JACKSON -- It soon could be a crime for people to leave trash, used tires, scrap metal or other rubbish on their land. The Cape Girardeau County Commission is considering an ordinance that would police litter- and junk-filled land. Violators would be fined or even jailed...

JACKSON -- Gwendolyn Wims pleaded guilty Thursday to the misdemeanor charge of child endangerment in connection with the death of her 2-year-old daughter. When Wims, 22, is sentenced March 23 by Judge Gary Kamp, the harshest sentence she could get is one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine...

Thank goodness the days are getting longer. Now it's not dark when I go to work and come home. Look! Is that grass in front of my house? If any of you have been paying attention, you already know what I think about switching back and forth from Central Standard Time to Daylight-saving Time...

Radio station KRCU will host its second annual Valentine Dinner and Dance on Feb. 12 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. Dancing will follow at 8 p.m. with the swing and big band sounds of Southeast Jazz. Over 225 people attended last year's dinner and dance...

JACKSON -- A Cape Girardeau man pled not guilty to two rapes that occurred this week involving women who said they were interviewing for an apartment cleaning job. Ronald Monroe Brumback, 48, of 2568 Lisa, Apt. 5, pled not guilty before Judge Gary Kamp Thursday. He had been arrested by Cape Girardeau police Tuesday...

Many of the students attending local Catholic schools are continuing a tradition started by their parents or grandparents. "I went to Catholic schools, and I sent my children to them," said Nancy Heberlie, principal at St. Vincent de Paul School, which along with other area Catholic schools is celebrating Catholic Schools Week this week. "It's a continuity of faith."...

SIKESTON -- Diabetes affects nearly 16 million people in the United States and many in the Missouri Bootheel. In an effort to help those in the area who have the disease, a new diabetes center is operating in Sikeston. "Diabetes is such an epidemic, especially in this area," said Pam Klosterman, diabetes educator at the new Delta Diabetes Center located at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. ...

BENTON -- A 49-year-old Benton man has been arrested for statutory rape, completing a two-year investigation that could result in more charges, the Scott County sheriff said. William J. Rasmuson Jr. is charged with two counts of statutory rape and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Sheriff Bill Ferrell said...

Death threats from a 14-year-old boy wielding a knife against his mother was an atypical assault, Cape Girardeau police said. Police responded to a residence shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of Hackberry Street where an assault had been reported, Sgt. Carl Kinnison said...

California has a proposed law that would protect from prosecution parents who abandon their babies in safe places. At first, such a law would appear to condone abandonment. In reality, however, there may be good reasons for it. Currently, California -- and other states -- tend to find far more dead babies than live ones. ...

ONLY IN Southeast Missouri would conservatives respond to a charge of name-calling with "yes we do and we're proud of it." What these conservatives fail to realize is each time they resort to mud-slinging, they are merely admitting the fundamental weakness of their argument. ...

When voters in Cape Girardeau go to the polls next Tuesday, they will have to decide if they want the city to issue $8.5 million of sewer bonds to pay for some major projects. The bonds would be funded by the existing quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1995 when the city embarked on a major upgrade of storm and sanitary sewers...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee State's recent surge continued here Thursday night, and the Tigers ended Southeast Missouri State University's surge in the process. The Tigers, who were mired in the Ohio Valley Conference's cellar until less than a week ago, picked up their third straight victory as they upended the Indians 56-52 in front of 2,133 fans at the Gentry Complex...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Ohio Valley Conference road woes continued Thursday night for Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team. Tennessee State hit a 3-point basket just four seconds into the game and built a big lead, then the Lady Tigers held off a furious Southeast rally down the stretch as they posted a 65-60 victory...

Ever found 24 bucks on the sidewalk? Something can be said for being in the right place at the right time. Cape Central's reward for being opportunistic didn't come in the form of cash, however. It came in the form of 24 turnovers. The Cape Central Lady Tigers were in the right place at the right time almost the entire game Friday night in a 58-49 win over cross-town rival Notre Dame...

Andrea Koeper School: Jackson Sport: Basketball Coach: Ron Cook Week Report: Koeper scored 18 points in a win against Perryville and 21 in a narrow loss to Notre Dame last week. Season Report: Koeper, regarded by many as the most complete basketball player in the region, goes for 16.6 points, six rebounds and two assists per game. ...

Jon Lowrance School: Cape Central Sport: Swimming Coach: Dayna Powell Week Report: Lowrance became the first of his teammates to post a state-qualifying time by dropping 2.1 seconds in less that a week in the 100 breast stroke at the Springfield Invitational. His time of 1:06.04 beat the state cut by .01 seconds. He also cut two seconds off his personal best in the 200 individual medley, finishing in 2:22...

PERRYVILLE -- The Perryville Lady Pirates hit a season-high nine 3-pointers in an 84-22 win over Windsor Thursday night as they improved to 7-0 in Jefferson County Conference play. On senior night, Perryville (10-9) had two seniors combine for eight of the 3-pointers. Amanda Schumer had six threes in finishing with a game-high 22 points. Angie Bohnert nailed two threes and finished with 16 points. Stacy Baer added 12...

Son to Jeffrey Scott Sherman and Patty Sue Sebastian-Sherman of Creve Coeur, St. Mary's Health Center in St. Louis, 5:39 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1999. Name, Tyler Joseph. Weight, 8 pounds 14 ounces. First child. Ms. Sebastian-Sherman is the daughter of Freeman and Shirley Sebastian of Jackson. She is account manager at Century Business Services Inc. Sherman is the son of Shelton and Nancy Sherman of Creve Coeur. He is a head engineer with Emerson Electric Co. Inc...

JACKSON -- Alphonse Bernard Knott, 75, died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 14, 1924, at Cranes Island, Ill., son of Joseph and Stella Griffith Knott. He and Inez Sievers were married Oct. 20, 1951...

BERTRAND -- Betty Ann Brewer, 51, of Bertrand died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Jan. 4, 1949, in Henson, daughter of Elsie McGill Betts. She married Walter Brewer Jr. July 10, 1966. Brewer was a member of St. Matthew's Baptist Church where she was church secretary, a member of the usher board, and was in charge of the food pantry...

Eloise Wren, 68, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

COBDEN, Ill. -- Shirley Ann Lipe, 67, of Cobden died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. She was born Sept. 25, 1932, at Carbondale, daughter of Halley and Wilma Borden Nebughr. She married John Lipe July 27, 1951, in Carbondale...

ADVANCE -- Lawrence Gilbert Cagle, 84, of Advance died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born May 5, 1915, in Advance, son of Fred and Flora Bright Cagle. He and Oma Stacy were married Dec. 25, 1966...

SIKESTON -- Baxter Lee Bridges Jr., 85, of Sikeston died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born June 9, 1914, in Clarksville, Ark., son of Baxter Lane and Bertha Matthews Bridges Sr. He and Velma Mae White were married March 26, 1934, in Clarksville...

Ilene Prater, 94, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. She was born Aug. 23, 1905, in Oklahoma, daughter of William Earl and Mary Jane Davis Reed. She and Dudley Prater were married Aug. 7, 1925, in Essex. He died Aug. 7, 1979...

CRUMP -- David C. Jones, 46, died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at his home. He was born Feb. 16, 1953, in Talladega, Ala., son of Clinton Paul and Daisy Allen Jones. David was a 1971 graduate of Delta High School. He worked for Williams Trucking in Crump and Peters Supply of Marble Hill...

Otto Osroz Moore, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at the Lutheran Home. He was born Dec. 22, 1919, near Delta, son of Charles and Anna Bock Moore Sr. He and Margaret Geiser were married June 14, 1942, near Gordonville. Moore had been a material handler with Atlas Plastics, and also farmed. ...

SCOTT CITY -- Eileen Alwine Emilie Sprenger, 83, of Scott City died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 13, 1917, at Illmo, daughter of William George and Pauline E. Eifert Sander. She and Harold E. Sprenger were married March 24, 1940, at Illmo...

SIKESTON -- Harvey Otis Capps, 90, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Oct. 21, 1909, at Vanduser, son of Roscoe and Victoria Morrison Capps. He and Lillian Hawley were married Dec. 8, 1934, at Essex...

DEXTER -- Dollie Beatrice Mills, 91, formerly of Dexter, died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000, at St. Joseph West Hospital at Lake St. Louis. She was born at Dexter Oct. 7, 1908, daughter of Nathan LeRoy and Lela Mont Harris Williams, and had lived at Bernie until 1948. She had spent the past several months in Lake St. Louis...