Stories from Thursday, March 1, 2001

Starting an exercise regimen is a chore for many people, particularly those who have difficulty disciplining themselves into a routine. But when someone expects you to join them for a game on the courts or a round of golf, things are different. David Ross and Nick Tibbs both agree they aren't very good about making themselves exercise on their own. But both men meet regularly during the week for a little exercise and a lot of fun on the racquetball courts...

Prosecutors charged a 12-year-old rural Cape Girardeau boy's stepmother with two counts of domestic assault and one count each of child abuse and child endangerment Wednesday, weeks after filing similar charges against the boy's father. Jennifer Schwepker, 23, was arrested and taken to the county jail. Eric Schwepker, 30, was arrested in early February after a driver noticed the boy walking alone on a county road on Feb. 2 and deposited him with authorities...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- The search for a missing towboat captain stopped Wednesday afternoon with little hope of finding him after his boat sank in the Mississippi River. Without finding any sign of 36-year-old John W. Distefano of Perryville, Mo., a Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter quit searching about 3 p.m., said Lt. Chris O'Neil of the U.S. Coast Guard...

March 1, 2001 Dear Julie, The first day of March finds the household counting down until spring, breathlessly awaiting the 70-degree wild blue yonder of cabins and rivers and golf courses. Change, if not in the air, is at least in mind. We are the egg at the moment of cracking, the jumbled mess before the omelet appears...

The U.S. Naval Reserve Center of Cape Girardeau plans to offer some payback this weekend to area veterans. The first annual Cape Area Veterans Stand Down and Outreach, to be held Saturday, March 3 at the reserve center on Maria Louise Ln., will feature free supplies and information for veterans of all service branches...

The deadline for purchasing a car for the St. Francis Medical Center - Rotary Club Soapbox Derby is March 10. This deadline has been set so the sponsoring organizations have time to order and assemble the cars, said Cape Girardeau Rotary Club derby chairman Chap Arnold...

The Missouri Riverboat Gaming Association is still wading through some of the bills which have surfaced concerning gambling. The latest would limit the total number of casinos in the state, said Randy Asherbranner, gaming association spokesman. "We're still trying to get through the bill. At this time, we haven't made a determination whether to support or oppose the bill," Asherbranner said...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston teen is charged with making a bomb in his home and having sexual relations on at least 11 occasions with a 9-year-old boy, police said. Bobby Gene Ballard, 17, of Sikeston was caught at his home just after 11 p.m. Feb. 22 by police, who discovered him putting together a bomb, said police detective John Blakely in a probable-cause affidavit...

Two local school districts have found breathing room that will allow them to comply with a stringent state law regarding retention of students with underdeveloped reading skills. Last summer, Cape Girardeau and Jackson school districts were among those in Missouri out of compliance with a state law that requires school districts to retain students who are more than one grade level behind in their reading skills...

JONESBORO, Ark. -- Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team used dominating pitching to roll past host Arkansas State 7-0 Wednesday afternoon. Todd Pennington, Mark Frazier and Jeff Hilz combined on a three-hitter as the Indians improved their record to 6-4. ASU fell to 3-8...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- University City had good shooters, good ball-handlers and above average quickness. Jackson had the size, strength and grit. On Wednesday night, the pickup trucks beat the sports cars to the finish line. Jackson, using an attack-the-basket approach, defeated University City 48-40 in a Class 4A sectional high school girls basketball game at the Farmington Civic Center...

It was a very painful loss on Tuesday night when we fell 72-70 in overtime at Austin Peay in the opening round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. We outplayed a very talented Austin Peay team for 39 minutes, but two turnovers and the missed front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity in the final minute allowed Austin Peay to send the game to overtime and they got some big shots from Nick Stapleton, including a fall-away jumper with just 3.2 seconds remaining, to gain the win...

If Southeast Missouri State University's softball team can survive a rash of preseason injuries and illness, then coach Lana Richmond believes the Otahkians stand a solid chance of once again getting back to the top of the Ohio Valley Conference standings...

The Kohlfeld Scorpions Rugby Club of Cape Girardeau will open its 2001 spring season Saturday with a pair of matches at Arena Park. The Scorpions will take on Southern Illinois-Carbondale at noon and the Little Rock Rugby Club from Arkansas at 2 p.m. The public is welcome to attend...

There are eight spots left in the final 2001 golf development class run by Southeast Missouri State University golf coach Carroll Williams. The class will begin March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Parker Physical Education Building on the Southeast campus. Golf instruction, video taping, computer analysis, drills and a visit to Heartland Golf Academy for one session are all part of the class...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Notre Dame High girls basketball team stormed into the championship game of the Class 2A, District 2 Tournament Wednesday night as the top-seeded Lady Bulldogs rolled past fourth-seeded Scott City 75-37. Notre Dame, the state's No. 1 ranked 2A squad, will face third-seeded Charleston in Friday's 6:30 p.m. title contest at Bloomfield...

JACKSON, Mo. -- A Marble Hill, Mo., woman faces up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty Wednesday of possessing morphine, an assistant Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said. Jowanda K. Chiles, 40, was found guilty by a jury after 20 minutes of deliberation, prosecutor Lora Cooper said...

Son to Douglas Alexander Edwards and Patricia Anne Underwood of Burfordville, Mo., Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:16 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, 2001. Name, Maxwell Alexander. Weight, 7 pounds 4 ounces. First child. Ms. Underwood is the daughter of Gary and Mary Underwood of Burfordville. She is employed at Kmart. Edwards is the son of Doug and Kaye Edwards of Cape Girardeau. He is employed at Trees n Trends...

A memorial service for Russell L. Bankston of Ocklawaha, Fla., will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 2001, at Bethany Baptist Church. The Rev. Donny Ford will officiate. Mr. Bankston, 76, died Friday, Feb. 2, 2001, at Monroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Fla...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Dakota Albert Harris, infant son of Darla Knupp and Jason Harris, was stillborn Monday, Feb. 26, 2001, at Marion Memorial Hospital in Marion, Ill. Survivors include parents; maternal grandparents, Doug Knupp and Retha Clover of Grand Tower, Ill.; paternal grandparents, Linda Harris of Jonesboro and Gary Harris of Rockwood, Ill.; maternal great-grandmother, Dorothy Knupp of Grand Tower; paternal great-grandparents, Vernon and Glenna Watkins of Anna, Ill., Ruth Harris of Wolf Lake, Ill.; and paternal great-great-grandmother, Beulah Mowery of Anna.. ...

Glenda J. Wilkinson Barker, 61, of Houston, Texas, died Feb. 24, 2001, at Ben Taup Hospital in Houston. She was born Jan. 31, 1940, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Geneva Wilkinson and the late Woodrow Wilkinson. Mrs. Barker was a graduate of Marquette School and College High School in Cape Girardeau. She was a member of Springwoods Baptist Church in Houston...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Evelyn Louise Talley Lewis, 86, of Jackson died Monday, Feb. 26, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 3, 1914, at Jackson, daughter of John Robert and Bessie Ann Cotner Talley. She and Truman R. Lewis were married May 31, 1935. He died Feb. 12, 2001...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Jose Roman Perez, 53, of Jackson died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

McGEE, Mo. -- Bill Pedigo Jr., 47, of McGee died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001, at his home. He was born Oct. 13, 1953, in St. Louis, son of William and Evelyn Riley Pedigo Sr. He and Diane Rogers were married Dec. 18, 1971, in Advance, Mo. Pedigo was a general contractor 24 years and owned Pedigo Construction Co. He attended Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Cape Girardeau, and was a Democratic committeeman in Wayne County...

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Betty LaCroix, 72, of Advance died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001, in Muskogee, Okla. Morgan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

PEKIN, Ill. -- John J. McNish Sr., 64, of Pekin died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, at his home. He was born Dec. 6, 1936, in Virden, Ill., son of Elmer and Clarabell Mincemeyer McNish. He and Charlotte N. Weinberg were married July 1, 1965, in Alton, Ill...

THEBES, Ill. 00 Funeral for Mitchell Lanier of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., will be held at 1 p.m. today at Neal Funeral Home in Lawrenceburg. The Rev. Bobby Gobble will officiate. Burial will be in Summertown Cemetery, with full military honors. Announcement courtesy of Crain Funeral Home in Tamms, Ill...

GRAY RIDGE, Mo. -- Alice R. Miller, 89, died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, at Vintage Villa Nursing Center in Dexter, Mo. She was born Nov. 23, 1911, in Seabrook, Md., daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Alvey Stewart Sr. Miller lived in the Gray Ridge area most of her life. She was a secretary at Citizens Bank in Dexter many years, and a member of Essex First Baptist Church at Essex, Mo...

GLEN ALLEN, Mo. -- Margaret Sorrentino, 86, of Glen Allen died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 12, 1914, in Calcutta, India, daughter of Richard and Dierdre Smith Cornwell. She and Jerry Sorrentino were married Dec. 10, 1945, in Calcutta...

PINHOOK, Mo. -- Anthony Hull, 26, of Pinhook died Monday, Feb. 26, 2001, in a mobile home fire. He was born May 21, 1974, in Sikeston, Mo., son of John Hart and Peggy Anderson Simpkins. Hull attended New Dawn State School in Sikeston. Survivors include his father of Charleston, Mo.; his mother of Pinhook; four brothers, Jeffrey Anderson, Troy and Tim Hart, all of Charleston, Demarcus Simpkins of Pinhook; four sisters, Karisa and Shannon Gillespie, Angela Craig and Cynthia Hull, all of Charleston; stepfather, Larry Simpkins of Pinhook; and maternal grandmother, Pearlean Howard of Charleston.. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Helen C. Kiser, 81, of Sikeston died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born July 9, 1919, in Bloomfield, Mo., daughter of James Melvin and Mollie Walker Skelton. She and O.L. Kiser were married Aug. 19, 1944, in Pasco, Wash. He died Nov. 13, 1999...

To the editor: Your otherwise fine newspaper was marred by Monday's front-page story "Talking trailer trash." Your story needlessly hurt a lot of feelings and propagated a prejudice many Americans have toward less fortunate people. Missouritrailertrash.com is a tasteless, insensitive and offensive Web site, and your front-page coverage of it was inappropriate...

To the editor: I have noticed that the debate over a new stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals is coming to the forefront. The following letter I sent to state Sen. Peter Kinder in August summarizes my thoughts on using taxpayer dollars for a stadium:...

Gamblers are losing more money to Missouri casinos these days. The latest figures from the Missouri Gaming Commission showed that gamblers in January lost $86 million at the state's casinos, 7 percent more than they lost in January 2000. Weekends draw the heaviest crowds to casinos, so the fact that losses were up 7 percent despite there being one less weekend last January than in January a year ago is particularly striking...

Authorities say the illegal drug Ecstasy, a form of methamphetamine that has become increasingly popular in metropolitan areas, is beginning to find its way into the area. The drug has been likened to Prozac. Both regulate the amount of chemicals released in the brain that control sleep, appetite, body temperature and mood...

AFTER THE most recent news we've been hearing and reading about, I am convinced that the blacks have already had their first president. He just left the office. I WOULD like to comment on the caller who said Lincoln's Republican Party is not today's Republican Party. ...

To the editor: I am thoroughly disgusted with the content of the TV show "Judging Amy." It seems Hollywood is once again attempting to shove its view of moral rightness down the throats of the American people. Using free TV to advocate same-sex marriages is, in my opinion, violating my rights. The TV industry wonders why its revenue is falling. This is the reason. Give us something worth watching and quit trying to ram your beliefs and lifestyles down my throat...