Stories from Wednesday, May 15, 1991

The sixth annual Missouri Student Mathematics Regional Contest was held recently on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. The event was sponsored by the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Area students in grades four through six competed in three events: problem solving, geometric and numeric concepts, and estimation and computation. The top three winners in each division will compete Saturday in the state mathematics contest at Columbia...

The Southeast Missouri State University debate team has completed its most successful season in many years, with a two-student team finishing seventh of 83 teams recently in the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament. Jay Goff of Ballwin and Christy Filla of Washington finished in the top 10 at the tournament held at Monmouth College and qualified for an award of excellence...

With her husband finally home from the Persian Gulf War, Sissy Colyer set about her plan of action to keep him close to home. "I'm not going to let him leave again; I'll hog tie him this time," she said after her husband, Jeff, a Naval Reserve Sea Bee, climbed off a passenger bus Tuesday afternoon at the Naval Reserve Training Center here...

Bureaucratic snags and uncooperative weather have forced delays in capital improvements projects at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport this year. Airport Manager Mark Seesing said a terminal building renovation project, T-hangar and taxiway construction, and an airport signage project all have been delayed by unforeseen obstacles...

The Missouri General Assembly has approved funding for Southeast Missouri State University of $31.7 million for general operations and more than $500,000 for capital improvements for the 1992 fiscal year. The appropriations measures have been sent to Gov. John Ashcroft for his signature...

Cape Girardeau public schools Athletic Director Gary Lynch will be head football coach at Central High School and a classroom teacher next school year. The Cape Girardeau Board of Education approved Lynch's reassignment at its meeting Tuesday night...

JEFFERSON CITY - Several area legislators said Tuesday they would likely support a $385 million tax plan to increase funding for education being hammered out between Gov. John Ashcroft and legislative leaders. Cape Girardeau County's two state representatives, Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, and David Schwab, R-Jackson, indicated late Tuesday night that it appeared to be a reasonable package and something they could seriously consider...

MARBLE HILL -- Bollinger County voters Tuesday elected Republican Dan Mesey to be the county's new sheriff. Voter turnout for the special election was described as heavy. Mesey netted 1,753 votes to defeat opponents Kindal Ward, a Democrat, and independent candidate Jimmie G. Bollinger. Ward, the department's acting chief deputy, received 907 votes and Bollinger 611...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce membership is near the 1,200 mark, following a one-day membership recruitment blitz Tuesday that resulted in at least 76 new members. "Our goal for the annual one-day membership drive was 75," said Bart Ozbun, membership drive chairman. "The initial count Tuesday evening shows us with 76 new paid memberships."...

CHAFFEE -- Incumbent Ed Gauthier will take back his Ward 2 City Council seat. In a special election Tuesday, voters in that ward picked Gauthier over challenger Janet Sullivan 95-84. Sullivan, who was making her first bid for a seat on the council, had won the first election, held April 2, by 14 votes. But a judge later ruled that voting irregularities warranted a new election...

JACKSON -- The cost of medical and dental insurance for employees of the Jackson public school district is going up, but the good news is there will be no increase in the current $100 deductible. The Jackson school board voted Monday to accept the recommendation of the employee insurance committee to continue the employee health and dental care coverage with the Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company for 1991-92...

BERTRAND -- Effie H. Wilkerson, 90, of Bertrand, died Monday, May 13, 1991, at Miner Nursing Center. She was born May 18, 1900, in Livingston County, Ky., daughter of Jesse and Daisy Williams Hurley. She married William B. Wilkerson Nov. 5, 1916. He died Sept. 7, 1971...

CHARLESTON -- Safrona Wallace, 84, of Kansas City, formerly of Charleston, died Sunday, May 12, 1991, at her home. She was born Sept. 6, 1906, in Roundway, Miss. Survivors include three sons, Robert Wallace of Peoria, Ill., Ivory Wallace of Inglewood, Calif., Cozy Wallace of Kansas City; eight daughters, Annie Johnson, Erma Wallace and Glendora Sazone of Peoria, Gustava Pernell, Ida Wilson, Evelyn Wallace and Artoria Carson of Kansas City, Sytoria Payne of Shelbyville, Ky.; five sisters; 61 grandchildren, and 67 great-grandchildren.. ...

VIBURNUM -- Bryan Jones of Viburnum received two awards at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Orlando, Fla. last week. Jones was one of two top winners at the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair in Cape Girardeau. Jones' project, "Design and construction of an underground mine fire-fighting robot," won a $250 award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. An article about Jones' project will be published in the society's magazine called Mining Engineering...

Lloyd George Henson, 71, 906 S. Ellis, died Tuesday, May 14, 1991, at Veterans Administration Medical Center in Marion, Ill. He was born Jan. 15, 1920, in Cape Girardeau, son of Howard and Millie Davis Henson. He married Delores Ervin July 5, 1940, in Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Alpha Omega McMikle, 96, of East Prairie, died Tuesday, May 14, 1991, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Jan. 15, 1895, in Crittenden, Ky., daughter of Robert Perry and Martha Helen King Lucas. She married Ernest Tilman McMikle Dec. 29, 1915. He died June 7, 1981. She was a member of Dogwood United Methodist Church...

Richard Lester Finkbeiner, 65, of Kenosha, Wis., died Monday, May 13, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 14, 1925 in Kenosha. A veteran of World War II, he retired from the U.S. Navy after 20 years of service. He also retired from American Motors of Wisconsin after 18 years...

CHARLESTON -- Helen Simpson, 68, of Charleston, died Monday, May 13, 1991, at her home. She was born Aug. 25, 1922, in Middle, Tenn. Survivors include two brothers, Henry Sager of Charleston, Walter Grimes, address unknown, and a sister, Annie Vernon of Charleston...

JACKSON -- Allois G. Philipps, 93, Jackson Route 3, died Monday, May 13, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 1, 1897, near Jackson, son of Julius G. and Sophia Geldmacher Philipps. He and the former Lulah Petzoldt were married June 19, 1926. She died July 6, 1959...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. David Bolen of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:08 p.m. Thursday, May 2, 1991. Name, Katlyn Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Bolen is the former Sherri Howell, daughter of Kenneth Howell of Poplar Bluff and Barbara England of Cape Girardeau. She is employed by Gastroenterology Associates. Bolen is employed at Overhead Door of Southeast Missouri, and is the son of Bill and Juanita Bolen of Jackson...

Dear Sir: My family and I have recently returned to this area after being away almost 13 years. On the whole we are very, very happy to be back but I have a comment to make about the medical care in the area. I was under the impression that the reason a family paid for health insurance was to obtain medical care from a competent physician at a minimal deductible cost. Was I being naive? Apparently in Cape Girardeau and Jackson one must have cash in their pocket in order to become ill or injured!...

Historic Preservation Week seems a fitting time to spotlight Cape Girardeau's Historic Preservation Commission. Formed in February of 1990, the commission's task is to identify and hopefully protect city landmarks. To achieve its mission, the group will designate local landmarks and historic districts, and survey local historic resources...

I was trying to explain to one of my sons the other day about the difference between a college degree and a college diploma. The college degree, if attained in a forthright and committed fashion of education, is a good thing to have, extremely useful in later life. The diploma, as an ornament, is negligible...

Northbridge parents: It may be of interest to you that no RESIDENT of Northbridge made the call to Speak Out, but rather a visitor. The point of the call was the SAFETY of your children, not the delay in reaching any of the houses further up this street. It takes but a moment's distraction of any one of you parents for a tragedy to occur. The residents and frequent visitors DO slow down because we know there are children likely to be present...

Jai N. Dahiya, an associate professor of physics at Southeast Missouri State University, presented a research paper at the general meeting of the American Physical Society last month. The meeting was held in Washington, D.C. Two undergraduate students, Melinda Gray and Mark Wetzler, participated in the physics research...

Four Cape Girardeau residents were among the scholarship recipients and honor students recognized recently at the 15th annual College of Science and Technology Honors Program at Southeast Missouri State University. Jerry Canady, Vicky Gass, Howard Poston and John Tibbs, all of Cape Girardeau, were recipients of Dean's scholarships. Canady is majoring in mathematics. Gass is a pre-physical therapy major. Poston is majoring in earth sciences and Tibbs is a biology major...

Janet L. Jarrell of Cape Girardeau has received a President's Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1991-92 academic year. The President's Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who meet the following criteria: Rank in the upper 15 percent of their high school class and score a 23 on the ACT; rank in the upper 20 percent of their high school class and score a 24 on the ACT; or graduate as their class valedictorian or salutatorian...

Jamie Suedekum and Robert W. Dodson Jr. have been named Students of the Month for May by the Cape Girardeau Elk's Lodge 639. Suedekum, 17, is a senior at Cape Girardeau Central High School. She is active in National Honor Society, Pep Club and Spanish Club. She is secretary of the Student Council and has been named to Who's Who Among American High School Students...

Four students from L.J. Schultz Middle School were recognized for their performance in the 1990-91 Talent Identification Program. In the talent search, sponsored by Duke University, seventh-grade students take the ACT or SAT college entrance exams. Jennifer Jones' score on the test qualified her to attend the Grand Recognition Ceremony on the Duke University campus June 2. ...

Three Southeast Missouri State University students were awarded scholarships at the annual Marketing Club banquet, held recently at the Drury Lodge. Jayne Jeffries of Poplar Bluff, Lorna Reese of Piedmont and Kimberly Kunz of Creve Coeur received E. Victor Williams scholarships...

JACKSON -- Marvin Adams of Jackson recently attended a week-long Rotary International Assembly at Anaheim, Calif., for leadership training in preparing for his future role as Rotary District 609 governor. Adams, a member of the Rotary Club of Jackson, will assume his district governor's duties July 1. District 609 has a total of 40 clubs in Southeast Missouri...

SCOTT CITY -- Stephanie R. LeDure of Scott City has received a President's Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1991-92 academic year. The scholarship is for $1,000 per academic year and is renewable for a possible four years if a 3.5 grade point average is maintained...

Southeast Missouri State University officials announced the establishment of the Margaret Woods Allen Piano Scholarship last week. Allen, a Sikeston resident who during the past decade has made several donations to the university, presented the gift on her 82nd birthday...

Mary "Chris" Sirimaturos of Cape Girardeau, a student at Southeast Missouri State University, has received the Margaret M. LeMone nursing scholarship for the 1991-92 academic year. Sirimaturos is working toward a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Southeast. She is a member of the Student Nurses Association at Southeast...

Teresa L. Wildman of Cape Girardeau has received a President's Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1991-92 academic year. The scholarship is for $1,000 per academic year and is renewable for a possible four years if at least a 3.5 grade point average is maintained...

MARBLE HILL -- Christy D. Miller of Marble Hill has received a Regents Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1991-92 academic year. The scholarship is awarded to high school seniors graduating in the top 10 percent of their class and scoring above the 90th percentile on the ACT or SAT. The award covers full-time fees per semester and is renewable for four years...

JACKSON -- "Don't switch yet!' That is the advice of a Missouri agriculture statistician during a recent teleconference from the University of Missouri Extension Service, concerning the planting of corn. Wet weather has slowed spring planting in most parts of the state, with fieldwork practically at a standstill, according to the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Office reported...

One of Missouri's famous landmarks will be rededicated this Saturday in Hannibal the boyhood home of Mark Twain. He called this house his home from boyhood until he was almost 18, when he left Hannibal to seek his fortune. The dedication ceremony and reopening of the restored home and adjoining museum will be held at 11 a.m. at 206 Hill Street. Free tours of the home will follow...

PATTON - For Judy Womack, deciding to become a teacher was easy. "My mother was a teacher," she said, "and she clearly loved her work. I got caught up in her enthusiasm at a very early age." Womack teaches home economics at Meadow Heights High School. She has taught there for the last seven years and before that, she taught for five years at Windsor High School in Imperial...

Peter Bergerson, professor of political science at Southeast Missouri State University, has been selected to attend C-SPAN's 1991 seminar for professors in Washington, D.C. Bergerson is one of 35 college and university instructors selected through a competitive application process. All 2,800 college-professor members of "C-SPAN in the Classroom," the cable television network's free national membership organization for educators, were invited to apply...

The Depressive/Manic Depressive Association is starting a new support group that will meet weekly. Targeting members who need weekly support, the group will hold its first meeting Thursday, beginning at 7:30 p.m. It will be held in the St. Francis Medical Center Learning Lab North...

Long-time readers know redundancies are high on my list of pet peeves. I've banned so many so often, this effort could probably be dismissed as redundant. However, I'm one of the few survivors who believes repetition is an excellent teaching device...