Stories from Sunday, July 26, 1992

Here is the problem in trying to digest the long-running Kansas City desegregation case: Just when you think you've heard the most ludicrous example of excessive spending of taxpayer dollars, something comes along to top it. In this instance, the Kansas City school district, with the sanction of its prime benefactor, U.S. ...

The American Cancer Society Cape Girardeau Unit has earned national recognition by qualifying for a priority activities in Cancer Education (PACE) Award. Area adults were reached with cancer prevention and early detection programs through the work of 80 Cape Girardeau Unit volunteer speakers. In addition, 36 Cape Girardeau school coordinator volunteers reached Cape Girardeau youth at the preschool, elementary, intermediate and high school levels...

When are children old enough to care for themselves at home? On Tuesday, area families can hear the answer to that question and learn more about critical self-care issues at a free seminar entitled "Self-Care by Children: Issues and Trends." The first-time program will be presented by Mary Gosche, human development specialist, and Susan Mills, food and nutrition specialist, of the University of Missouri Extension Center...

James F. Waltz of the law firm of Oliver, Oliver & Waltz, was recently elected president of the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association. The organization's membership includes about 100 lawyers and judges. Other officers elected include: John Lichtenegger of the law firm of Lichtenegger, Ellis & Payne as vice president; David G. Beeson of the law firm of Buerkle, Beeson & Ludwig, as secretary; and Michael L. Richey of the law firm of Richey, Rice, Spaeth, Heisserer & Summers, as treasurer...

PERRYVILLE -- In a style that has come to represent 1990s politics, supporters of a measure to fund new school buildings in Perryville are going straight to the people to ask for their vote. Their strategy includes phone calls to registered voters and town meetings, all in an effort to amass plenty of "yes" votes...

It's clear that we in the greater Cape Girardeau area, the state of Missouri and the nation have lost one of our most productive and enterprising entrepreneurs with the tragic death of Jim Dodd. Mr. Dodd, founder of Motorcycle Stuff, died along with employee Rex Pettit in a plane crash Thursday morning in Pennsylvania, shortly after taking off for the return flight to Cape...

Commenting on the "lasting impact" of Perotism, one pundit intoned: "The overwhelming message of the Perot bubble is that voters crave hard facts about the country's condition and plain talk about how the next president will try to improve it." Not quite. Lots of Perot voters want to complain loud and long about all of the governmental stupidities and inefficiencies they perceive. But most of them are not anxious to support the tangible sacrifices they will have to make...

While driving home from a short vacation last weekend, I listened to a radio discussion about differing attitudes among the television "media elite" and everyone else on issues like adultery, abortion and religion. I had already seen the statistics, compiled by the Washington-based Center for Media and Public Affairs, which reported that only 49 percent of the media elite (the most uppercrust of television writers, executives and news producers) believed "adultery is wrong," compared to 85 percent of everyone else. ...

While driving home from a short vacation last weekend, I listened to a radio discussion about differing attitudes among the television "media elite" and everyone else on issues like adultery, abortion and religion. I had already seen the statistics, compiled by the Washington-based Center for Media and Public Affairs, which reported that only 49 percent of the media elite (the most uppercrust of television writers, executives and news producers) believed "adultery is wrong," compared to 85 percent of everyone else. ...

Friends call Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Dodd "an amazing American success story" who started a motorcycle parts business in his garage and built it to a multi-million dollar national operation. Dodd, 50, and Louis Rex Pettit, 43, both of Cape Girardeau were killed Thursday when a twin-engine plane crashed in south-central Pennsylvania. Thursday was Dodd's birthday...

Signs of the time campaign time that is are popping up on street corners everywhere. From billboards to small yard signs, they show support and get a candidate's name before the public. Candidates and campaign managers are reluctant to reveal their strategies concerning signs, but say signs are an important part of running a successful campaign...

Corn growers have urged the Environmental Protection Agency to take a second look at ethanol as a fuel alternative, following a ruling that the corn-based fuel could harm the ozone layer. The federal agency has initiated new tests and has extended a public comment period until the results are in...

After nearly four years of campaigning and fundraising, five veteran officeholders trying to become Missouri's next governor are facing the first cut of the campaign in nine days. The 1992 race for governor has been one of the longest and most intense in Missouri history. On Aug. 4 voters will go to the polls for the primary election and choose a final candidate to represent each party in the November general election...

Construction facts for 1992: Permits have been issued here for 60 homes at a cost of more than $7.2 million. That's an average of more than $120,000 per home. Permits have been issued for more than $14 million in commercial construction through the first six months of the year...

A 14-year-old exchange student from Pamplona, Spain, briefly tasted American culture during the month he spent with a Cape Girardeau family. Gorka Oficialdegvi Perez was welcomed by Charlie and Royce Adams and their three children when he arrived in Cape Girardeau on July 3...

Thad Bullock vividly remembers a conversation he had with Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1968 at Poplar Bluff - the first time he ran for Congress. Bullock was running in a crowded field of candidates and had expressed frustration to Humphrey about not having enough money to spend...

Shannon Russell is tired of things the way they are and believes it is time for change. Because he wants to play a role in that change, the 52-year-old Gideon resident is running for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 8th District. Russell said there is too much waste in state and federal governments, workers' compensation should be funded with a statewide pool, he wants to get away from production controls in agriculture and focus more on marketing, and he is concerned that jobs are leaving Missouri and going into Arkansas.. ...

With experience as a farmer, union carpenter, self-employed businessman, and a factory worker, Johnny Dover is satisfied that he has the kind of diverse background necessary to help bring changes in the United States House of Representatives. "The mood of the country is change; the people want new people in office. I just want to help make a difference," remarked the 40-year-old Bell City resident, one of six Democrats running for Congress in the 8th district...

Running for Congress in 1992 is not something Jon Kiser has thought a lot about. But as the late March filing deadline approached and several potentially strong candidates ruled out running, Kiser was encouraged to consider the race himself. On the afternoon of the final day to file, the 32-year-old Wayne County prosecuting attorney formally entered the race...

After having been active in the Democratic Party and teaching social studies at the secondary education level for years, Dean Burk decided this might be a good time to make a run for public office. He sensed that 1992 might be a good year to win a congressional seat...

Like many other Americans, James L. "Jay" Thompson is frustrated by what he has seen from elected officials at the national level. He believes the best way to change the system is to take personal action. He took that action earlier this year by filing as a Democratic candidate in the 8th Congressional District...

Nola Marie Nitsch, 90, 3120 Independence, died Friday, July 24, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born July 6, 1902, at Sedgewickville, daughter of Rudolph and Sarah Cathrine Bollinger Statler. She married Albert Joseph Nitsch in 1922 at Benton. He died April 25, 1954...

CHARLESTON -- Harry Richardson, 64, of Charleston, died Friday, July 24, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Nov. 17, 1927, at Wyatt, son of William and Annie Duty Richardson. He and Lacey Crawford were married Nov. 10, 1966. Richardson was a retired sawmill worker, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Frieda Schneider of Jackson will be held at 2 p.m. today at St. Paul Lutheran Church. The Rev. Lawrence Eatherton will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m...

Marcella S. Lawson, 83, of Orlando, Fla., died Thursday, July 23, 1992, at Regents Park Health Center in Winter Park, Fla. She was born Jan. 26, 1909, at Malden, daughter of John M. and Mary Porterfield Stephens. She married Charlie Lawson Jan. 7, 1928, at Catron. He died March 24, 1962...

Lewis Rex Pettit, 43, of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, July 23, 1992, in an airplane crash in West Cocalico Township, Pa. He was born July 18, 1949, in Cape Girardeau, son of Ralph and Dorothy Baldwin Pettit. Pettit was a buyer for Motorcycle Stuff. He attended Southeast Missouri State University, and was a member of Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church...

James D. Dodd, 2107 Woodhaven, owner and operator of Motorcycle Stuff, died Thursday, July 23, 1992, in an airplane crash in West Cocalico Township, Pa. He was 50 years old. He was born July 23, 1942, in St. Louis, son of Leonard and Mary Brasure Dodd. He and Susan Myklebust were married Feb. 19, 1960, in Des Moines, Iowa...

CHARLESTON -- Jennie Marie Atkins, 87, of Charleston, died Friday, July 24, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Oct. 2, 1904, in Diehlstadt, daughter of Daniel Jackson and Nettie English Horton. Atkins was a caseworker with Division of Family Services, retiring in 1968. She was a member of First Baptist Church...

Hettie Erwin, 81, of 2720 Themis, died Saturday, July 25, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Funeral arrangements are pending at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn.

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- Freeman Martin, 76, of Sedgewickville died Friday, July 24, 1992, at Stockhoff Nursing Home in Fredericktown. He was born Sept. 15, 1915 at Marquand, the son of Leonie and Effie Henson Martin. He was a member of the Post Oak Congregational Methodist Church of Patton and had been a farmer...

Morgan M. English, 82, of Cape Girardeau Route 3 died Saturday, July 25, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Aug. 12, 1909 in Fornfelt, the son of Joe and Sarah Rhodes English. On Aug. 26, 1933, he married Lillian McAtee at Jackson. She survives...

BENTON -- Robert Wesley Adkisson, 84, of Benton, died Friday, July 24, 1992 at his residence. He was born Nov. 18, 1907 in Owensboro, Ky. to Samuel Bruner and Sarah Hattie Scyfres Adkisson. He lived in Benton for the past 22 years, moving from East Prairie, where he was a retired farmer. He was a member of the First Church of God in East Prairie...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Friese, Jackson Route 2, Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, 9:17 a.m. Thursday, July 9, 1992. Name, Austin Blaine. Weight, 4 pounds 11 ounces. Second son. Mrs. Friese is the former Martha Siebert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Siebert of Jackson. She is employed at Johnson Communications. Friese is a self-employed carpenter, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Oda Friese of Oak Ridge...

"Everything ought to have its day in the sun." So said the distaff side of my family for generations back, maybe into the Dark Ages and beyond. They did not mean it societally but literally. Imagine how pleased the cave woman must have been to emerge from her wintertime abode in her fur body stocking and see it fluff up in the warm sunshine...

Image may not be everything for political candidates, but it's sure an important part of the package. So important that consultants and high-priced agencies advise candidates on virtually their every move. Gov. Bill Clinton, rumor has it, still has his hair cut in Arkansas so he can avoid the impression that he's spent $40 in a salon...

"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" was the title of a book a few years ago. However, modern day scientists, environmentalists and health food enthusiasts, say "Do eat the calendula, chrysanthemums, geraniums, dianthyus, nasturtiums, roses, violas, pansies and lavender." It is incredible how many flowers, or parts of flowers, have come into use as edible foods the past few years...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: Jo Anne Seabaugh to the City of Cape Girardeau; J. Robert and Mary Jane Maxwell to the City of Cape Girardeau; Kenneth J. and Judith A. Voepel to the City of Cape Girardeau...

Caryl K. Smith, interim vice president for student affairs at Southeast Missouri State University, received the 1991 Harold Riegelman/Maurice Jacobs Award for Outstanding Interfraternity Service last Friday in Kansas City. The award was bestowed by Zeta Beta Tau fraternity...

Cape Girardeau residents Katya Anthi Karathanos and William Allen Frye were named to the Dean's List for the 1992 spring semester at William Jewell College in Liberty. To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average while carrying 14 or more semester hours...

Mark Buelow, a 1983 Notre Dame graduate, was named to the Dean's List at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville for the 1992 spring semester. Buelow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marlin Buelow, will graduate in May of 1993 with a bachelors of science degree in Animal Science. He is currently residing in Stanberry...

The Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope, will be serving Meals With Friends, from Monday through Friday. Serving time is from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Any individual is welcome to come and enjoy a hot, nutritious meal in a cool, friendly atmosphere at no cost whatsoever...

MARBLE HILL -- Keith Stewart of Marble Hill is a 1992 initiate into the Central Missouri State University Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. To become eligible for membership in the society, undergraduate students must rank in the upper 5 percent of their class at the end of their junior year or in the upper 10 percent of their graduating class as seniors...

After almost 20 years of service, Bonnie Kinder of Dutchtown is retiring July 30 from Mercantile Bank of Cape Girardeau. "I'm looking forward to my retirement," Kinder said, "although I have really enjoyed the people I've worked with. I feel I have met some of the career goals I set for myself."...

PERRYVILLE -- Mark A. Hotop has opened Andrew's Flower Garden, 9 East Ste. Maries St., in Perryville. Hotop, originally from Cape Girardeau, has eight years' experience working with flowers. Grand opening for the new flower shop took place July 10-11. Velda Sutterer won the grand opening prize of a fresh arrangement delivered monthly for a whole year...

Sissy Colyer, who has owned and operated Special Touch Pet Grooming and Nursery Kennels in Cape Girardeau for the past seven years, is opening a second location in Sikeston on Aug. 3. Open house for Special Touch II, 2106 E. Malone in Sikeston, will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday...

PADUCAH, Ky. Construction of a five-story, 118-room Drury Inn Hotel will get under way here in the near future. Work on the new facility, to be located at the northeast corner of Interstate 24 and U.S. 60, will start within 45 days, said Bonnie Chiaurro, marketing services manager for Drury Inns, Inc., St. Louis...

Shannon Y. Davis of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a bachelor of hamburgerology degree from McDonald's Hamburger University after completion of the advance operation course. The course is required of all McDonald's restaurant managers, franchisees, mid-management and company executives...

Machine Maintenance and Equipment Co. of St. Louis has purchased some assets of Case Power and Equipment Co. of Fenton and Cape Girardeau. Both facilities had been a distributor for Case Corp., a division of Tenneco, which is a manufacturer of construction and utility equipment...

Earl Hartline will retire Saturday, his 80th birthday, after 31 years of service to Hartline Hardware, 234 Broadway. As one of the owners, Hartline said he does office work, takes orders and contacts customers. Hartline started the hardware business with one employee on April 15, 1961. The business has expanded to include 17 employees, he said...

Doris Jean Arnold has joined Century 21 Ashland Realty Company as a realtor associate. A resident of Cape Girardeau for over 25 years, Arnold is well-versed in many facets of real estate. She has completed Century 21 CareerTrak Residential Specialist courses consisting of: 2 and 1, Effective Financing, Business Financial Planning, and VIP Sales Associate Training...

Linda Harris has been appointed to the position of assistant vice president/cashier at Mercantile Bank. Harris has been with Mercantile since 1977 and formerly served as loan operations officer. Harris and her husband, Keith, reside in Cape Girardeau. They are parents of two sons, Ryan and Brandon...

George Cash is new store manager at Central Hardware in Cape Girardeau. Cash, a native of Mt. Vernon, Ill., has more than 13 years management experience with Central Hardware at five different St. Louis locations. He served as store manager at the South County Central Hardware store more than a year before transferring to Cape Girardeau...

Farmers Manufacturing Inc., manufacturer of laminated cabinets and store fixtures, has developed a new line of cabinets and store fixtures, and has taken on dealerships for Cal-Tuf Glass Corp. and Spartan Showcases Co. The firm, at 505 Optimist Drive, sells to businesses, designers and contractors...