Stories from Tuesday, November 7, 2000

LAST WEEK: Hank was shocked to learn that the cowboys didn't have much faith in him and his security efforts. They even called him a clown. Just for that he would have to show them a thing or two. If you recall, Drover and I had been selected for a very important mission -- protecting Sally May's watermelon patch from an invasion of murdering raccoons...

Daughter to Darren Ray and Traci Anne Sturm of Jackson, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 2:27 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, 2000. Name Kaitlyn Paige. Weight, 8 pounds 11 ounces. Third child, second daughter. Mrs. Sturm is the former Traci Rees, daughter of Gary and Anne Rees of Jackson. Sturm is the son of Donald and Xaviera Sturm of Scott City, Mo. He is employed by River City Construction...

Hundreds of elderly Cape Girardeau residents count on the local senior center for annual flu shots, but few who packed the center Monday expected the anxious crowd that appeared for this year's shot clinic. More than 600 people stood in a line which occasionally wrapped around the building, waiting to receive morning flu shots at the clinic sponsored by the senior center and Cape Girardeau County Public Health Department. ...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Two people wandered into an open house held by Missouri Department of Transportation officials on Monday evening. MoDOT officials hoped they sought to discuss long-range transportation planning, the theme of the open house, but they were looking for a meeting in another part of the building...

Red-light runners in Cape Girardeau have at least a few more weeks to avoid being caught on tape and ticketed for their crime. The Cape Girardeau City Council tabled a decision to install video cameras at one intersection after some councilmen expressed doubt Monday night about the system's effectiveness as a deterrent to drivers who run red lights...

Every new job causes some stress. You've got new co-workers, new responsibilities, new standards to meet. You have to learn anew how to "manage your manager" -- which, incidentally, is the only useful advice one of my former managers ever gave me. He meant that you have to figure out your boss' personality and work style and then conform to that style as much as possible. But it's stressful to play psychologist and do your job at the same time. Unless you ARE a psychologist, I suppose...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority will delay a search for a director while members work to identify funding op-tions to coordinate transportation services in the county. Although the transit authority asked the Cape Girardeau County Commission in September to allocate money to cover the salary for a transit manager, it later realized it wasn't ready to hire a manager, said Doug Richards, transit authority chairman...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri customers of Atmos Energy Corp. have seen the rate they pay for natural gas increase 26 percent this year. The Missouri Public Service Commission approved the rate hike Oct. 31 as part of the company's scheduled winter rate filing...

Children's author June Rae Wood gave students at Trinity Lutheran School a personal lesson in kindness, tolerance and the power of words during a visit Monday morning. The themes were familiar territory for Wood, a Versailles, Mo., native who grew up in a family of eight children, one of whom had Down syndrome. Wood has written three young reader novels, two of which are based in part on the life of her brother Richard...

Missouri's leading Republicans flew into Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Monday afternoon as part of a final six-city tour across the state to energize their constituents to vote. A crowd of about 170 greeted the candidates who are running for state offices. Several Republican officeholders from throughout the region also came to the rally...

State Board of Nursing officials will be at Southeast Missouri Hospital Wednesday to discuss a push to adopt multistate licensing procedures for nurses who want to practice in Missouri and elsewhere. Calvina Thomas, executive director of the Missouri State Board of Nursing, said the group will travel the state to inform nurses, medical officials, legislators and others about multistate licensing...

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen has approved a special-use permit for a communications tower on East Jackson Boulevard, despite continuing concerns of a nearby businessman. The board listened to questions Monday night raised by David Warren, president of Environmental Analysis South Inc. ...

Patrons at the Cape Girardeau Public Library can now check the status of a popular book title, place titles on reserve and research genealogy titles with a few keyboard strokes -- and never have to leave their home. The library's catalog of materials is online and available for reference use. The system has been up for about a month and is being refined, said Betty Martin, library director...

Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tim Billings has been both discouraged and encouraged so far by his first season in charge of the Indians. On the one hand, Billings is discouraged that the Indians have only a 3-6 record and -- with just two games remaining -- are assured of a losing season...

Southeast Missouri State University volleyball players Lea Beckemeyer and Emily Scannell were named Monday as the Ohio Valley Conference's offensive player of the week and freshman of the week, respectively. Beckemeyer had 46 kills and 25 digs in two victories last week while Scannell had 114 assists and 14 digs in the two matches...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Cape Girardeau Central eighth grade girls basketball team picked up its first win of the season Monday night, beating Sikeston 34-29. Central (1-5) got 15 points from Megan Yates and eight from Lauren Thompson. In the 'B' game, Central (0-6) lost 29-10...

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Funeral for Malrose May of Charleston will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shiloh Baptist Church, with the Rev. Levan Brayboy officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at the church from 11 a.m. until service time...

ORAN, Mo. -- Funeral Mass for Todd Daniel of Oran will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Guardian Angel Catholic Church. The Revs. Lewis Hejna and Normand Varone will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran after 4 p.m. today. Parish prayers will be at 7, and Knights of Columbus prayers at 7:30...

BERNIE, Mo. -- Jimmy Cokley, 71, of Bernie died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at his home. He was born March 19, 1929, at Flint, Mich., son of Eddie and Hattie Cunningham Cokley. He and Theetta Owens were married Nov. 19, 1949, at Piggott, Ark. He was a truck driver for Motor Car Transport in Pontiac, Mich., before retiring...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Shirley F. McLean, 62, of Dupo, Ill., formerly of Puxico, died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Norma Margaret Dunlap, 79, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born May 25, 1921, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Perry and Minnie Jones Chezem. She and Jesse Dunlap were married Aug. 13, 1973, in Jackson, Mo...

Memorial service for Olaf H. Popp of Cape Girardeau will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Douglas Breite will officiate. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a.m. Popp, 85, died Saturday, Nov. 4, 2000, at Heartland Care and Rehab Center...

WYATT, Mo. -- Virginia Marie Williams Gaines, 77, of Wyatt died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Sept. 6, 1923, at Hayti, Mo., daughter of Robert "Bob" and Ora Lou Richardson Dotson. She and Eli Gilford Williams were married Jan. 9, 1957. He died July 10, 1985...

MINERAL POINT, Mo. -- Funeral for Sandra Ann McGuire-Klase of Mineral Point was held Monday at Moore Funeral Home in Potosi, Mo. The Rev. Wayne Gibson officiated. Burial was in Sunset Hill Cemetery at Potosi. McGuire-Klase, 48, died Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2000, at Washington County Memorial Hospital in Potosi...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Anna M. Ballman, 96, of Perryville died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born July 3, 1904, at Weingarten, Mo., daughter of Leo and Mary Weiler Hogenmiller. She married Theodore J. Ballman, who died Dec. 29, 1982...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Robert E. "Bob" Peterson, 74, of Dongola died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at his home. He was born Aug. 25, 1926, son of Hobart and Jewell McKenzie Peterson. He and Ola Houseman were married Dec. 5, 1948, in Marion, Ill. She died March 19, 1995. He and Bettie Boyd Bales were married March 27, 1996...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Pat King, 53, of Jonesboro died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. She was born Jan. 20, 1947, in Anna, daughter of Ernest C. and Ruby Wilkins Collie. She and Richard King were married Feb. 22, 1997, in Jonesboro...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Loretta C. Krauss, 76, of Perryville died Monday, Nov. 6, 2000, at her home. She was born Sept. 18, 1924, at Uniontown, Mo., daughter of Chalmer and Hedwig "Hattie" Bock Morrison. She and Howard W. Krauss were married April 21, 1942...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Irene Fay Jenkins Balkenbush, 81, of Dexter died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2000, at her home. She was born Nov. 18, 1918, in Fairfield, Ill., daughter of John and Rosie Masterson Musgrave. She and George Edward Jenkins were married Jan. 19, 1940, at Dexter. He died Jan. 28, 1969...

To the editor: An Oct. 26 front-page story in the Southeast Missourian has the headline "Report: Pollution promotes global warming," and The Washington Post's front-page story says "Global warming theory affirmed." I guess that just about settles it. Global warming is occurring...

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan may soon find himself in a problem that could have serious consequences: a lack of experienced deputies to handle crime and domestic problems in rural Cape Girardeau County. The sheriff blames the developing problem on low pay and has sent an "emergency" letter to the Cape Girardeau County Commission asking for more pay for deputies. ...

The continued employment at a sheltered workshop of a woman who faces a murder charge in connection with the 1993 shooting death of her husband surprised most people but not those who work with her and know her. Fellow workers at VIP Industries Sheltered Workshop at Fruitland, Mo., and parents of some handicapped workers there speak highly of Connie Pair, who is charged in connection with the death of Rocky Ice in Poplar Bluff., Mo. ...

AT A time when schools and boards are trying to take God and prayer out of their meetings, they are still spending his money. Every coin and bill is marked "In God we trust." So I suppose they will be trying to take God out of the money. I want to commend the Jackson Board of Aldermen for putting God back in and opening meetings with prayer. Way to go, guys. Praise the Lord...

To the editor: As a parent and legal guardian of a young man employed at the VIP Industries sheltered workshop in Fruitland, Mo., I plead with Hillary Schmittzehe and the VIP board of directors to use its authority to suspend Connie Pair from employment at the workshop...