Stories from Friday, September 22, 2000

Beneath her elegant dress, a corset kept Dr. Janice LaPointe-Crump's spine erect and a pannier gave the illusion of improbably wide hips. She curtsied and diverted her eyes when greeting a male visitor. If this weren't Parker Dance Studio, she easily could have fit into the court of Louis XIV...

Just as Monet painted the water lilies he grew at his home in Giverny, James Parker's favorite subjects are the plants in his Cape Girardeau yard. Roses, dill, jonquils, money plants, Gerber daisies and yarrow all populate his newest creation in acrylic, watercolors, collage, stitchery and ink...

Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney dismisses all the poll talk. Vice President Al Gore was leading Republican George Bush in some national polls. A Newsweek poll last weekend showed Gore ahead 52 percent to 38 percent among likely voters...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The first courthouse bomb threat on Thursday was frightening, but the second call the same morning was just annoying, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said. Shortly after 8 a.m., a man called the circuit clerk's office and said a bomb was in the County Courthouse and would explode at 9:30 a.m...

Special prosecutors from the Missouri attorney general's office will take the place of Scott County's prosecutor when two men charged with murder appear in court next month. Melvin Teer and Richard Hicks, assistant attorney generals, will prosecute two cousins charged with killing a 56-year-old Scott City, Mo., woman on July 26, said Scott Holste of the attorney general's office...

JACKSON, Mo. -- If anyone had an emergency around Jackson early Thursday, police, firefighters and sheriff's deputies may not know about it. An electrical malfunction during an upgrade at a Southwestern Bell switching station cut phone service for five hours to all Cape Girardeau County numbers beginning with a 243 or 204 prefix, said David Hitt, county emergency management operations director...

Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney's brief campaign stop in Cape Girardeau on Thursday brought out 700 excited supporters, a few loud protesters and a giant gray rat. As hundreds of cars lined up in a grass lot between the terminal and the hangar where Cheney spoke, a woman dressed in a rat costume and about a dozen other members of area labor unions distributed literature challenging the Republican presidential ticket's position on minimum wage and chanted slogans over a megaphone.. ...

Now that I have them, I am not at all fond of allergies. And now that it is September, I have enough allergies to choke a horse. Judging from the watery eyes, hoarse voices and general crankiness of just about everyone I meet, I know we have hit the worst of the allergy season...

Ongoing projects:...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Planning and zoning would help address future development conflicts in Cape Girardeau County, supporters of a November ballot measure said at a meeting Thursday night. "In my opinion, the county is growing tremendously," said John Dudley, chairman of a 10-member temporary planning commission that drafted the planning and zoning proposals...

Jumping mules, fish sandwiches, prize swine -- their arrival in Altenburg means one thing: It's time for "the best little fair in the land." Organizers expect 15,000 people to descend on Altenburg today and Saturday for the East Perry Community Fair...

A recall of a limited selection of potato salad products carried in Schnucks markets in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana won't affect Cape Girardeau shoppers. Company representative Carrie Trent said Schnucks stores in all three states and Logli stores in Rockford, Ill., were notified Wednesday to pull mayonnaise, mustard and red potato salads from Mrs. Crockett's Kitchens Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas, as a cautionary measure...

Independent gubernatorial candidate Larry Rice called upon Southeast Missouri State University students to protest the exclusion of third-party candidates from a debate that will be held at the university next week. Rice is one of five candidates who was not invited to participate in a televised debate taking place at 7 p.m. Monday at Academic Hall. Major-party candidates Bob Holden and Jim Tallent will participate in the event, which will be televised live on KFVS TV-12...

In the late 1960s, Davy Jones was a teen idol to compare with any era's. As the "cutest" member of the TV show/band The Monkees, he was chased by female fans on and off the screen. Things haven't changed much. At a recent concert stop, a young female wearing a delivery cap and carrying a vegetarian pizza knocked on his motel room door. When he protested that he didn't order a pizza and isn't a vegetarian, she confessed to bribing a delivery guy so she could meet him...

The Area United Way will sponsor the seventh annual Doctors vs. Lawyers Softball Game on Saturday at Capaha Field. This year will feature a doubleheader with the Capaha Old Timers playing at noon and the doctors and lawyers at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, and children younger than 12 will be admitted free. Tickets may be purchased at the game...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Campaign records show Democratic challenger Van Harry Sharp had more than twice as much money in the bank as Republican incumbent state Rep. Lanie Black in their 161st District legislative race. Although Sharp, a New Madrid, Mo., businessman, had the fatter campaign warchest, both candidates raised comparable amounts of money during the latest reporting period and Black, a freshman legislator from Charleston, Mo., has already spent $22,000 more in the campaign...

The saying goes "Finders keepers, losers weepers," but Pete Poe doesn't want to keep all the things found during the SEMO District Fair. Poe, a member of the fair board, said the lost and found office at the fair collected two boxes of everything from keys, cellular phones and pagers during the week...

Thursday's Game Poplar Bluff 20, Cape Central 7 Tonight's Games Dyersburg, Tenn. at Jackson Brentwood at Scott City Portageville at Chaffee De Soto at Perryville St. Vincent at Grandview Fredericktown at Potosi New Madrid at Charleston Sikeston at Kennett...

The Jackson Indians didn't have to look very far for motivation for tonight's matchup with Dyersburg, Tenn. The Trojans (3-1) were the only team other than the Class 5A state champs to knock off Jackson last year. The Indians (3-0) don't want that to happen again...

To Cape Central, Stan Revelle was as annoying as a dripping faucet. Poplar Bluff's standout quarterback completed 21 of 31 passes for 236 yards as the Mules' offense moved the chains and controlled the tempo in a 20-7 win over the Tigers at Houck Stadium...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's soccer team, which has already matched its win total from last year's inaugural season of play, faces a tough test tonight when state rival Southwest Missouri comes to Houck Stadium for a 7 o'clock match...

PATTON, Mo. -- In a power matchup pitting two of the premier high school volleyball teams in Southeast Missouri, Meadow Heights continued its sensational season by knocking off visiting Jackson 15-13, 6-15, 15-9 Thursday night. The Lady Panthers improved to 18-1 while the Lady Indians fell to 11-3-2...

For Scott City, there will be a lot more to play for than a mere win tonight. Mourning the death of classmate and friend, Jessica Arnzen, the 3-0 Rams will be full of emotion when they play host to Brentwood (1-1). "We'll be fired up and will play with a lot of emotion and there will be a lot of energy," said Scott City coach Stephen O'Brien. "Emotionally, this has affected everybody up to the coaching staff. It's been tough on our mental preparation."...

WYATT, Mo. -- Opal DeLine, 92, of St. Louis died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in New Albany, Miss. She was born Aug. 7, 1908, at Wyatt, daughter of Allie and Emma Alley Duty. She and Roy DeLine were married Sept. 4, 1949. He preceded her in death...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Odessie Williams, 65, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at her home. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Oran is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Dr. Johnnie Lee Schlenker, 55, of Anna died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at Union County Hospital. He was born May 5, 1945, in Anna, son of Levi and Blanche McRaven Schlenker. Schlenker was a chemist crystallogra; a senior staff scientist with Mobil Technology Co. in Thorofare, N.J., 22 years. He served in the U.S. Air Force...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Rosalie Dickey, 72, of Puxico died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at Three Rivers Medical Center North in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was born Nov. 24, 1927, at Fisk, Mo., daughter of Robert L. and Sweetie Wallace. She and Dr. Quincy C. Dickey were married Sept. 6, 1946, at Dexter, Mo...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Paul Raymond Myer, 61, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at his home in Jackson. Friends may call today, Sept. 22, from 4-8 p.m. at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. An Elks service will be held at 7, and an American Legion service at 7:30...

Lucile C. Howard, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at Ratliff Care Center. She was born July 31, 1905, in Horse Cave, Ky. She and B.I. Howard were married Dec. 24, 1929, at Morley, Mo. He died April 20, 1985. The family opened Howard and Swan Athletic Goods (Howard's Athletic Goods) Aug. 1, 1945. Lucile was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church and its Wimodausis Class. She was very active at church and was a past Sunday School teacher. She was an avid bridge player...

SEYMOUR, Mo. -- Eleanor L. Todd Smith, 76, of Dallas, Texas, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2000, at her home. She was born Sept. 9, 1924, at Seymour, daughter of Earl and Iva Todd. She married the Rev. William P. Smith. Eleanor was a funeral director in the Dallas area many years, retiring in 1990...

Funeral for Virginia L. Heuer of Rockford, Ill., will be held at 10 a.m. today at Calvary Baptist Church. The Rev. Ray McCain will officiate. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park. Fitzgerald and Associates Funeral Home Mulford Chapel in Rockford is in charge of arrangements...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- According to his colleagues, the legacy left behind by Butler County Chief Deputy Joe Raymond is one of professionalism, dedication and devotion to others. Raymond died of cancer early Wednesday morning at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was 52...

Stevens-Laschanzky Son to Robert Wayne and Rachel Renee Laschanzky of Jackson, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:47 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, 2000. Name, Xavier Cain. Weight, 7 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. Laschanzky is the former Rachel Stevens, daughter of Karen Jones of Jackson and Ernest Stevens Jr. of Scott City, Mo. Laschanzky is the son of Robert and Kay Laschanzky of Cortland, Neb. He is maintenance supervisor at M&H Pallet Inc...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- James A. Welker, 71, of Perryville died Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born April 8, 1929, in Perry County, son of Joseph A. and Anna Buchheit Welker. He and Rose M. Weinrich were married Jan. 28, 1950...

HIGHLAND, Ill. -- Leonard E. "Lennie" Seitz, 87, of Highland died Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2000, at St. Joseph Hospital. He was born Feb. 26, 1913, in Highland, son of Joseph H. and Ida Frey Seitz. He and Helen L. Holzweg were married May 28, 1947, in Highland...

KARNAK, Ill. -- Gladys E. Martin, 97, of Mounds, Ill., died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at Rehab Center in Murphysboro, Ill. She was born Nov. 1, 1902, in Northup, Ohio, daughter of Leslie and Bertha Houck White. She and Gallie Martin were married. Survivors include a son, Kenneth Martin of Idaho Falls, Idaho; and a grandson...

UNTIL PRESIDENT Reagan's second term, I was a dedicated Democrat. I worked to see people elected to Democratic offices. Along the way, I began to look at the issues and the way the nation was going. Yes, President Roosevelt did start Social Security and welfare. ...

After about 50 years, the Soap Box Derby has returned to Cape Girardeau. And if the races on the Sprigg Street hill in front on Blanchard School last Saturday are any indication, the derby will be a nice addition to the annual calendar of events. The official organization that oversees such events is the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. ...

The U.S. district judge who presided over the criminal case lodged against Wen Ho Lee didn't mince any words after the government's case was settled with a plea bargain. Said the judge: Lee's detention for 278 days after nuclear secrets were discovered to be missing from Los Alamos "embarrassed our entire nation."...

To the editor: I have noticed in the paper many people are against planning and zoning in Cape Girardeau County. If they use their heads and think about it, they should vote for it. I have had people tell me they are moving to the country so they can do what they want to do. That's true, but don't forget your neighbor can do what he wants to do also, and you may not like what he is going to do...

To the editor: There still are some honest, hard-working youngsters out there. During rush-hour shopping recently, I left my purse in a shopping cart on the parking lot of the local Wal-Mart Supercenter. It was nearly two hours before I realized the purse was missing. Any woman who has gone through this knows the sinking, sickening feeling you get the instant your realize your purse is gone...