Stories from Saturday, March 11, 2000

American society is full of self-made people who earn millions, have traveled into space and continue to make technological advances but still grapple with issues of forgiveness and confession, area church leaders say. People have a difficult time asking God for forgiveness because forgiveness doesn't convey an image of success, said the Rev. Bill Matzat. Confession takes humility, trust and contrition, he says...

Having a new building helps make Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church visible, but it's not the sole reason the church gathers each Sunday. The two-story building that has 3,600 square foot on each level is only one part of a construction project for the church. "We're here so that others can come to know and grow in Christ," said the Rev. Art Hunt, pastor...

SCOTT CITY -- An incident of "road rage" that began Friday afternoon on northbound Interstate 55 between Sikeston and Benton ended with a collision in front of the Scott City police station and the arrest of a 71-year-old Missouri man. Police said a man reported being followed from Sikeston by a car along Interstate 55 shortly before 2 p.m. ...

Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Sikeston school districts may make great athletic rivals, but they shouldn't compare notes when it comes to student achievement. That is the opinion of the Public Education Evaluation Report (PEER) released Thursday by the Missouri Partnership for Outstanding Schools. During a press conference Friday at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, representatives of the group applauded Cape Girardeau and Jackson school districts for being caught "doing something right."...

PERRYVILLE -- A 22-year-old woman was arrested, accused of distributing methamphetamine from her apartment near Perryville High School, the Perry County sheriff said. A 15-year-old girl was cited into juvenile court Thursday in connection with the incident, Sheriff Gary Schaaf said. He said he suspects other high school students were going to Kerri Sue Ellis' apartment for narcotics...

It's amazing the things a mother knows. I guess maybe I should substitute the word parent in that sentence, but honestly, it's been my experience that it is a mother's job to pick up on anything that might remotely involve her children. Take for example, my knowledge of popular cartoon characters. I know all about the Rugrats, Cat-Dog, Tigger and the Thornberries, and I can tell you without hesitancy which characters I will be able to find on video, clothing or popular food or cereal packages...

Two people suffered moderate injuries in separate accidents Thursday and Friday in the Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop E District of Southeast Missouri. Kimberly E. Nicholson, 37, of Advance was taken to St. Francis Medical Center after her vehicle ran off the road and overturned Thursday morning near Zalma. The accident occurred at 9:50 a.m. on Highway 51, two miles south of Zalma...

JACKSON -- A fatal traffic accident involving two co-workers on Highway 177 last month was murder, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said. Charges were increased from manslaughter to second-degree murder against an Illinois man witnesses said was drag racing down the two-lane highway on Feb. 9...

Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Drury's lawsuit to block the city from spending tax money on the River Campus project has been returned to circuit court where it was originally filed. Last April, Drury and his MidAmerica Hotels Corp. filed a lawsuit in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court against the city of Cape Girardeau...

CHARLESTON -- The Mississippi County prosecutor has filed charges of possession of a controlled substance and trafficking against Jeramy Biles, 22, of Charleston. Biles and a 19-year-old woman were arrested Friday during a search where officers seized about 40 grams of what they said was "crack" cocaine...

Firstar is in and Mercantile out. Firstar Bank logos started making an appearance in the area last week. New, green-and-white Firstar logos have taken the Mercantile out of signs on banks, in-store locations, automated teller machines and other places that previously designated Mercantile banks...

DAVID L. GROSS To the editor: Thank you for the nice article in the newspaper concerning the Newspaper in Education program and how it is used at North Elementary. We really appreciate the fact that the YELL Foundation supplies the Southeast Missourian to our school each year. They have been a real asset to our fifth-grade classrooms. We also appreciate your generosity with the Mini Page papers you send to us...

Pick up the litter OUR STATE and particularly our town need a deposit on all aluminum cans. We also need a fast-food soda-container deposit as well. All the fast-food containers should be plastic, and there should be a deposit on them. We need homeowners who, when they come home in the evening, pick up the litter and trash around their homes. ...

The River Heritage Mural Association is busy again. In its quest to turn Cape Girardeau into a tourist spot with a series of murals, it has set its sights on the inside of the Mississippi River floodwall. Initial plans are to paint a 1,200-foot, 60-panel mural. The timetable for the project would be two to four years down the road...

A proposed development on the former site of St. Francis Hospital may finally be moving forward. The project received a financial boost from the Missouri Housing Development Commission in the form of about $600,000 in tax credits. Philips Development Corp. of Little Rock plans to replace the old building with a 48-unit apartment complex called Fort Hope...

Now that George Bush has effectively wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination, all the experts are admonishing him to rush back to the political center for the general election. I hope he ignores them. Isn't it interesting that the very people who delight in denouncing Richard Nixon for his corruption are the first to quote him approvingly concerning matters relating to character? Isn't it Nixon that is credited with the cynical "truism" that GOP presidential candidates must "run to the right" during the primaries and "run to the center" in the general election? Why is it that so many pundits have begun to glorify the center as if it were some virtuous high ground? I know neither party has enough support to deliver its nominee the election in a two-man race without attracting swing voters. ...

To the editor: In response to the Speak Out comment about the National Guard Armory on Independence Street in Cape Girardeau: It has always been the intent and mission of the Missouri Army National Guard to be an integral member of the community. That means we always strive to be a good neighbor wherever we are allowed and asked to locate our facilities...

Talk about deja vu. The situation for Notre Dame's girls seems remarkably similar to a year ago. Wiinter weather could be headed this way. Notre Dame will be facing John Burroughs at the same place Central High School in Park Hills. They know they have to stop Amy Argetsinger and they're one game away from Columbia...

If you don't like elevators, you may not want to attend Scott City's state quarterfinal game against Whitfield tonight. Because this game is going to be up and down. Tipoff for the game is slated for 8:15. "We try to fast break as much as possible," said Rich Fanning who is in his third year as coach at Whitfield (27-3) . "If it was up to me, it would be every possession and I guess it is up to me."...

As far as basketball philosophy goes, it seems that Advance and Billings read from the same book. The Hornets (27-4) and Wildcats (23-6) will feature similar styles tonight when the teams do battle in a Class 1A Quarterfinal game at West Plains High School. The opening tip is scheduled for 8:15...

The Southeast Missouri State University gymnastics team will travel to Auburn today to compete in its final road meet of the season. The Otahks are 3-12 on the season after defeating College of William & Mary 190.225-187.70 last Saturday at Houck Field House...

Weather permitting, the Southeast Missouri State University baseball team will be home for three games this weekend. Southeast takes on the University of Tennessee-Martin (1-8, 1-3) in a non-league doubleheader at 1 p.m. today. The Indians are scheduled to play Lindenwood University (4-5) in a single game at 1 p.m. Sunday...

COLUMBIA -- In a game that was see-saw all of the way, the ending proved to be no different as the New Madrid County Central Eagles won their state semifinal game against Reeds Spring Friday afternoon in bizarre fashion. After a two-minute delay, an official waived off a controversial foul after the final buzzer sounded giving the Eagles a 64-63 victory and a ticket to the state championship game...

ST. LOUIS -- After a day of preliminaries, Cape Central's girls swimming team had four relay teams get a top-eight seed at the Marquette Relays Friday. Central's 300 butterfly consisting of Mary Beth Owen, Marci Kester and Casey Brennan, got the sixth seed...

New Salem Baptist Academy hit just two of 17 free throws and it proved costly as Eagle Ridge won 37-35 in the first round of the Ozark Christian Athletic Conference Tournament Friday night. New Salem's Leah Poole led all scorers with 19, while her teammate Jennifer Meek scored 11...

COLUMBIA -- Poplar Bluff's girls basketball team needed overtime Friday night to advance to the Class 4A title game, 57-56, over Columbia Hickman (25-4). The Lady Mules (24-3)got 20 points from sophomore point guard Ashley Williams and 12 points from sophomore guard Nicole Rivers...

Billie Dalton , 62, of Thebes, Ill., died Thursday, March 9, 2000 at home. Arrangements are bending at Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

PARMA -- Oliver McClung, 81, of Parma died Friday, March 10, 2000, at Sikeston Health Care Center in Sikeston. He was born Jan. 5, 1919, in Keiser, Ark., son of Henry and Leona Matthews McClung. He and Sylvia Nolan were married Jan. 12, 1946, at New Madrid. She died Aug. 4, 1999...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Linsey Allen Ditto, 44, of East Prairie died Wednesday, March 8, 2000, at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas. He was born Feb. 15, 1956, in New Madrid County, son of Paul J. and Ruth V. Bolden Ditto. Ditto was a 1974 graduate of East Prairie High School. He had lived in the McAllen area two years...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Alma Houston, 93, of Dongola died Thursday, March 9, 2000, at her home. She was born Oct. 1, 1906, at Dongola, daughter of Emery and Ivo McCommons Casper. Houston was retired from Dongola School, where she was a cook. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Dongola...

Cora C. Patterson, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, March 7, 2000, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. She was born Oct. 2, 1914, at Commerce, daughter of David Edgar and Lillie Mae Scott Allen. She married Charles Patterson Sr., who died in 1959. Patterson was a member of St. James AME Church. She was a member of Princess Oziell Chapter 101 Order of Eastern Star, and was a past worthy matron and past district deputy of the order...

Son to William Brian and Gina Christine Suchman of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:20 p.m. Saturday, March 4, 2000. Name, Brian Joseph. Weight, 7 pounds 6 ounces. First child. Mrs. Suchman is the former Gina Crenshaw, daughter of JoDonna Day Crenshaw of Cape Girardeau and Ronald Crenshaw of Charleston. Suchman is the son of Ellen Harmon of Gainesville, Ga., and William Suchman of Clarksville, Tenn. He is employed by Glaxo Wellcome...

Joanna Tygett, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, March 10, 2000, at Saxony Village. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Ethel Myrtle McQueen, 82, of Sikeston, died Thursday, March 9, 2000, at her home. She was born Dec. 24, 1917, at Blue Mound, Miss., daughter of Willis and Mary Booth. She was married to Averdee McQueen, who died in 1982. McQueen was a member of Green Memorial Church of God in Christ, where she was president of the Usher Board...

Earl J. Brock Sr., 77, of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, March 10, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.