Stories from Saturday, September 17, 1994

To the editor: Your Friday editorial "Congressional perks: getting the facts" concludes that "If voters choose to re-elect their representatives and senators, it is one indication they approve of the package" of federal pensions and other perquisites of congressional office. While your piece is otherwise quite accurate, this broad claim is both wrong and misleading...

When voters of Missouri start focusing on the state auditor's race, Margaret Kelly expects them to examine her qualifications, independence and past job performance. Once they do Kelly is satisfied they will support her for another term. "There is a very sharp contrast between myself and my opponent," said Kelly, during a campaign swing through the area this week...

Diabetes and Stress, a program to help diabetics learn how to cope with the stress of living with a chronic illness, will be held Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Harrison Room of Southeast Missouri Hospital. The program is sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center...

A former teacher and chairman of the Exceptional Student Education Advisory will speak at the Monday meeting of CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders. The meeting will be held from 7-9 p.m. in the Harrison Room of Southeast Missouri Hospital. The speaker, Janet Singer, chairs the Exceptional Student Education Advisory in Broward County schools in Florida. She is also the mother of four sons, two of them with attention deficit disorder...

St. Francis Medical Center will sponsor a free, two-part, live teleconference on skin cancer Wednesday in the health and education center. The first half of the teleconference begins at 8 p.m. and addresses preventing skin cancer. The second half begins at 8:30 p.m. and addresses undoing sun damage...

A program about openness in adoption will be held today during the Adoptive Family Group Meeting, 3-5 p.m., at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. Molly Strickland will lead a discussion on the book "Children of Open Adoption." The church is situated at 804 N. Cape Rock Drive. Anyone involved in adoption may attend...

Three-year-old Caleb Landyn Hosey this summer learned to swim and ride a bicycle minus the training wheels. As would most parents, Joann and Bobby Hosey of Egypt Mills adore Caleb and are amazed at his every accomplishment. Unlike most parents, their desire to have a child was complicated by fertility problems...

For the past three years, a battle has been waged in Cape Girardeau over property standards. At issue is whether to apply building codes to existing residential property. On Monday, the city council will hold a public hearing on the latest property maintenance proposal that recently was recommended by a citizens committee studying the issue. ...

The new Teen Center of the Cape Girardeau Public Library will be unveiled today. Opening hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Teen Center will offer a computer with games, board games, role-playing games and paperback novels. Teen-agers will be able to relax while listening to music or visiting with one another...

PERRYVILLE -- The approval of a $614,000 grant to repair flood-damaged buildings at the Perryville airport and a $5 million loan for an expansion at the local TG (U.S.A) Corp. were announced here Friday. Gov. Mel Carnahan announced the funds for the city of Perryville during a Friday afternoon stop at the Perryville Municipal Airport...

Ten minutes before showtime and Sparkle's feathers were getting ruffled Friday afternoon. Sparkle makes that honking sound "whenever she looks out and doesn't see an audience," said Tony Drew, owner of Sparkle The Magical Goose booth at the SEMO District Fair...

The city has agreed to lease the municipal airport space occupied by Cape Central Airways to Air Evac EMS, Inc. Air Evac wants to be the next fixed-base operator at the airport. The only snag: Cape Central Airways holds its spot at the airport while litigation between Central Airways and the city is pending...

Attendance for the 139th SEMO District Fair continues its record-setting pace. The fair drew an estimated 59,000, heading into Friday's events. The eight-day event ends tonight. Rains, which fell at the fairgrounds Friday afternoon, had little effect on attendance. Fair officials say thousands entered the fairgrounds Friday, and more than 2,500 attended the grandstand performance of country singer Janie Fricke...

An interesting phenomenon seems to quietly be flourishing in America and other parts of the world. It is something that has the potential to affect every battlefront in the culture war and to influence public policy more than any law or political reform...

JACKSON -- The Riverside Regional Library will have story time for youngsters on Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. The theme for the September story times will be "Apples." The video "Johnny Appleseed" will be shown, and several stories will be read. Coloring sheets will be distributed...

The Regional Commerce and Growth Association will hold its 5th annual family picnic Thursday at the Cape County South Park Shelter 20. This year's picnic will initiate a weeklong RCGA membership drive. The picnic is used to recruit new members. Tickets can be obtained by calling the RCGA office at 334-4142 or 1-800-466-7715...

The Four Seasons Audubon Society will begin its fall schedule with a program on "Trekking Costa Rica." The society meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cape Girardeau Public Library. Guest hosts will be Robert and Ginny Mae Kuster and Ida and Rebecca Domazlicky of Cape Girardeau...

The Cape Central Municipal Pool will be closed from Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. to Oct. 3 for installation of the bubble. The pool will resume normal winter hours effective Oct. 3. Winter hours are : Monday - Friday, 5:30 -7:30 a.m. Fitness swim. Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Fitness swim...

The 17th annual car show of the River City Rodders of Cape Girardeau at Capaha Park will begin Sunday at 9 a.m. Registration will continue until noon with awards presented at 3 p.m. For an entry fee of $10, local car enthusiasts will be able to display their prized vehicles at the park, giving the public an opportunity to view their handiwork...

Three students from Cape Girardeau Central High School and one from Jackson High School have been named semifinalists in the 1995 National Merit Scholarship competition. Honored from Central High School are Jonathan L. Raymond, Sabrina L. Renka and Jeffrey M. Riley, and from Jackson High School, Erica L. Trickey...

Marc Smith, a vice president with BJC Health System, formed by the consolidation of several St. Louis hospitals, will discuss the reasons behind the move at a public forum in Cape Girardeau on Oct. 4. The Southeast Missouri Business Group on Health is holding the forum, which is open to the public. The forum will be held at 7 p.m. at the Drury Lodge...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Maggie Lee Cole of East Prairie will be held at 11 a.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. Burl Britt will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Cole, 83, died Thursday, Sept. 15, 1994, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Funeral service for Elizabeth Janet Betz of Dongola will be held at 10 a.m. today at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cobden. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home at Cobden is in charge of arrangements...

ADVANCE -- Funeral service for John Julius Robins of Advance will be held at 1 p.m. today at Morgan Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Arvil Huffman officiating. Burial will be in Morgan Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home from 11 a.m. to service time...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Rudolph R. Bittle, 79, of Cobden, died Thurday, Sept. 15, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Feb. 10, 1915, in Alto Pass, son of Marshall and Claudia McKinney Bittle. He and Marjorie D. Allen were married June 29, 1935, in Makanda...

Son to Cheryl A. Houston of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:51 a.m. Monday, Sept. 5, 1994. Name, Kendall Scott. Weight, 8 pounds 13 ounces. Fourth child, second son. Ms. Houston is the daughter of Janet VanGennip and Jim and Dean VanGennip of Jackson...

Cape Girardeau County Alen and Jean Graham to Richard and Yvonne Probst; Ralph John and Glenna K. Knoblauch to Bryan Thomas and Sherrie Ann Smith; Wendy W. Marberry to Edward E. Noack et al. Ashland Land Development Corp. to Edward E. Noack et al.; Gerald E. and Catherine M. Stoverink to Alvin M. and Carol M. Stoverink, doing business as Rosewood Construction Co.; Robert W. and Lodean J. Dougal to the Robert W. and Lodean J. Dugal Trusts...

JACKSON -- Descendants of John G. and Elizabeth Jenkins Brown Sr. will have a family reunion Sept. 25. The event will be held at Pavilion 4 in Jackson City Park, with a basket dinner to be served at 11:30 a.m. Those attending should bring a basket dinner, drinks, table service and lawn chairs. Family members are also urged to bring pictures and memorabilia to share...

SIKESTON -- Ross Harlan Abernathy, 71, of Sikeston, died Friday, Sept. 16, 1994, at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born Sept. 8, 1923 at Gideon, Mo., son of Ross Abernathy and Marie Wilson Abernathy. He married Rosa Lee Johnson Jan. 12, 1943 at Benton. She survives...