Stories from Monday, September 30, 1991

Teenagers across the state have shown great interest in a new driving permit for 15-year-olds, a state official said. The number of permits issued since Aug. 28, when a law allowing the permits took effect, was 9,670, said Diane Gaines, driver's license administrator for the Missouri Department of Revenue in Jefferson City. The department had estimated it would issue 25,000 of the permits over six months, or about 4,000 a month...

When it comes to National Public Radio, the signal of KRCU, 90.9 FM, is coming in loud and clear, but only over a relatively small area. But officials of the radio station on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University are hoping to change that situation. Plans are under way to boost the radio station's signal from 100 watts to about 2,300 watts...

Owners of gasoline stations in Missouri say they are concerned about liability exposure they face because of an inability to get insurance coverage on underground storage tanks. They also said they are upset over delays by the Department of Natural Resources in setting up a state program to provide coverage...

Students at L.J. Schultz Middle School tell about their home study skills. LeAnn Call: "I start studying about 5 o'clock in the living room with my parents. I have to study in the dining room if my grades drop. So far they haven't. I practice my clarinet for 30 or 40 minutes after school. I put my dog outside when I study for a test."...

KELSO -- The third annual Horseshoes for Herb Benefit Tournament will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. at Redbone's Tavern in Kelso. All proceeds will go to the area American Cancer Society in memory of Herb Steimle. Steimle owned the Redbone Tavern for 38 years. He died of cancer over two years ago...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- More than seven million pounds of old tires are still on the ADM-GrowMark property here. "We've asked Archer Daniels Midland Co. to remove the tires, because of a possible health problem," said Mounds Mayor Marguerite Ward. "We were assured five months ago the tires would be removed. They're still there."...

To the Editor: After having read the article in your column pertaining to the procedures of the Scott City Council meeting, I have a rebuttal to the research of the city codes Sections 135.100 and 135.120 done by councilwoman, Brenda Moyers. I, therefore, would like to print the exact wording of the codes she referred to in her article September 26, 1991 for the citizens of Scott City...

A clear signal from the White House over the weekend was that President Bush is serious about reducing nuclear weaponry and the threat of nuclear war; so serious, in fact, that the United States took the first step to do so. Bush's plan, announced Friday and partially implemented by the Pentagon on Saturday, provides a means of accelerating the process of cutting nuclear weaponry and even destroying warheads...

The Southeast Missouri Life Chain will be held Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Capaha Park as part of a nationwide event against abortion. "In Cape Girardeau, people will be standing both ways to Kingshighway and to Broadway," said Marjie Eftink, who is helping organize the Southeast Missouri Life Chain. "We will be holding signs that say, `Abortion Kills Children.'"...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- A Unity, Ill. man was in stable condition Sunday night at a Cape Girardeau hospital following a one-car accident near Olive Branch earlier in the day. Larry D. Howard, 22, received "major" injuries in the accident and was admitted to Southeast Missouri Hospital, Illinois State Police said...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Timothy John Compas, 1551 Bunker Hill, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:27 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 1991. Name, Joshua Crawford. Weight, 7 pounds 10 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Compas is the former Beverly Crawford, daughter of Darrell and Anna Crawford, 1813 Greenbrier. She is office manager of the accounting department at the Southeast Missourian Newspaper. Compas is a line technician at Procter & Gamble, and is the son of Vernon and Elwanda Compas, 224 Marlin...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Eslie Jones, 72, of Cairo, died Sunday, Sept. 29, 1991, at Daystar Care Center. Jones was retired from the U.S. National Cemetery in Mound City. He was a member of Cairo Masonic Lodge 237, Cairo VFW Post 2648, and Cairo Elks Lodge 651. He was a veteran of World War II...

Elpha Mae Bass, 86, of Cape Girardeau Nursing Center, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 1991, at the nursing center. She was born Jan. 31, 1905, at Benton, daughter of Reece and Stella Hopper Venable. She married Orville Bass Sept. 24, 1922, at Benton. He died Feb. 19, 1976...

Alma E. Ludwig, 92, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Sept. 29, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born May 9, 1899, at Longtown, daughter of Charles F. and Louisa Bergmann Rauh. She married Arthur William Ludwig Nov. 27, 1919. He died Jan. 13, 1962...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Silas S. Brooks, 70, of Olive Branch, died Sunday, Sept. 29, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born March 17, 1921, in Massac County, son of Herman and Dessie May Miller Brooks. He married the former Marjorie Medaker...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Bill Burkhart, 64, of Mounds, Ill., died Sunday, Sept. 29, 1991 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 10, 1927 at Mounds, the son of John and Cuba Dowdy Burkhart. He is survived by two daughters, Billie Widt and Cuba Jean Lawn, both of Princeton, Ind.; five sons, John Burhart, Gleason, Tenn., James Burkhart, Salt Lake City, Utah, William Burkhart Jr. ...

CHAFFEE -- Minnie Keen, 79, of Chaffee died Saturday, Sept. 28, 1991, at her home. She was born in Portageville Nov. 24, 1911, the daughter Marvin and Dora Austin Robins. On Sept. 15, 1928, she married Earl Hopper. He preceded her in death in 1972. On June 1, 1976, she married Ira Keen. He preceded her in death Oct. 9, 1988...

CHAFFEE -- Erwin "Butch" Schmitt, 71, of Chaffee Route 1, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 30, 1920 in New Hamburg, the son of Ludonis and Anna Weber Schmitt. On Dec. 12, 1942, he married Lucille Wolfe at Chaffee. She survives...

Branch 1015 of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) held a drawing recently to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Myrna Collier of Scott City won the grand prize of a $1,000 gift certificate donated by Cracraft-Miller Furniture of Jackson...