Stories from Saturday, December 10, 1994

By the fall of 1995, Cape Girardeau will be home to a riverboat and more than 860,000 more tourists. Now is the time to prepare for the load. The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission is advocating that William Street be widened east of Sprigg to prevent traffic congestion. It seems a reasonable idea...

The Federal Aviation Administration is considering closure of 23 air-traffic control towers nationwide. Cape Girardeau Regional Airport is among the airports on the list of potential closures. At this point, there is no reason to sound the panic button. There is no formal recommendation on the table...

Earlier this week, Paul Hill was sentenced to the electric chair for the murder of an abortionist and his bodyguard in Florida. The day his sentence was announced, one of the national media outlets interviewed a woman aligned with pro-abortion forces in Florida. The woman said she thought the electric chair was too lenient a sentence for Hill. She hoped instead the killer could be made to suffer a protracted and painful death...

Southeast Missouri State University wants to pull the plug on its current electrical power arrangement. The school wants to upgrade its power plant and electrical distribution system at a cost of $5.6 million. The improvements would allow the university to generate more of its own electrical power rather than relying almost entirely on Union Electric as is currently the case...

Southeast Missouri State University has a new regent. Gov. Mel Carnahan on Friday appointed Doyle Lee Privett of Kennett to the Board of Regents. Privett, 43, will fill the remaining two years of the unexpired term of Kennett resident Mark Pelts, who resigned from the board earlier this year...

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board Friday were investigating the fatal crash of a Cape Central Airways airplane at Kansas City International Airport. FAA spokesperson Sandra Campbell said the investigation involves the pilot's concern about ice buildup on the plane and other possible reason for Thursday night's crash...

When Susan Essner accepts her diploma during commencement exercises this afternoon she will be the 12th daughter or son of Ina and John A. Essner to graduate from Southeast Missouri State University. The Cape Girardeau family has been congratulating graduates since 1975. University officials say such a feat is a rarity...

PERRYVILLE -- Kathleen Miller wonders if President Bill Clinton remembers the plate of chicken wings they shared at Bull Shoals resort. She'll have a chance to ask him Monday. Miller, of Perryville, has been invited to a holiday reception at the White House with Bill and Hillary Clinton. She and her 9-year-old son, Dustin, fly out Monday morning...

WARE, Ill. -- Rich Whitten has some good news for waterfowl hunters in Southern Illinois. "We have snow reports from Wisconsin," said Whitten, waterfowl biologist for the Illinois Department of Conservation. "That area has 5 inches of snow on the ground and more expected this weekend."...

Dec. 18 is my 25th birthday, and the Roommate who has sworn to take me to the Olive Garden in celebration certainly won't forget it. That's Dec. 18. Exactly one week before Christmas Day. Now that we've got that straight, let's talk about psychics. In my nearly 25 years on this planet, not once have I paid money to have my palm, tea leaves or cards read. ...

Two Cape Girardeau children, 2 and 3, have endured hardship on more than one occasion this year. The 2-year-old brother has had surgery twice. His 3-year-old sister has just recovered from pneumonia. Their mother would like to provide a reward for their courage and perseverance and make this Christmas a memorable one...

Scott County Land transfers First Royal Enterprises Inc. to Dwight and Mary Jean Crader, 109 Greenbrair, Sikeston. FmHA, trustee's deed under power of sale for Deborah R. Grogan, to Balus and Wanda Singletery, 105 Comstock, Sikeston. Kenneth Lee Dement, quit claim deed, to Margaret Randol Dement, 913 Davis Blvd., Sikeston...

The Rev. Arley M. Roberts, 82, of Hillsboro died Friday, Dec. 9, 1994, at Festus Nursing Center. He was born March 2, 1912, in Salem, son of Matt and Alberta Hayes Roberts. He and Opal Mounce were married Jan. 25, 1930. Roberts became an Assembly of God minister in the late 1930s. ...

Son to Cecil Thomas and Michelle Renee Chiles of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 2:22 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 1994. Name, Kellon Thomas. Weight, 8 pounds 14 ounces. First child. Mrs. Chiles is the former Michelle Smith, daughter of Gary and Joy Smith of Altenburg and Bob and Mary Boitnott of Cape Girardeau. She is a hairstylist at Hair Works. Chiles is employed in housekeeping at West Park Mall...

PATTON -- Franklin V. Acord, 64, of Patton, formerly of Gipsy, died Friday, Dec. 9, 1994, at Glen Allen. He was born Oct. 24, 1930, at Greenbrier, son of Carie and Lillie Simmers Acord. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the Marines. He had worked at Inland Shoe Co. in Advance...

Opal Lee Amos, 82, 611 S. West End Boulevard, died Friday, Dec. 9, 1994, at Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. She was born March 14, 1913, in Scott City, daughter of John and Winnie Bridges McKinney. She and Norman T. Amos were married July 29, 1940, in Jackson. He died Oct. 28, 1975...

SIKESTON -- Russell Ball, 74, of Gladstone, died Thursday, Dec. 8, 1994, at Dearbrook Nursing Home in Gladstone. He was born Jan. 6, 1920, in New Madrid County, son of James and Laura Ball. Survivors include his wife, Marie; four sons, Mike Ball of St. Louis, Gary Ball of Waterloo, Ill., Jim Ball of Kearney, Don Ball of Fredonia, Kan.; a brother, Robert Ball of Redding, Calif.; two sisters, Fern Littleton of Sikeston, Lois Jones of Sunnyvale, Calif., and six grandchildren...

SIKESTON -- Elmer Maurice West, 76, of Sikeston, died Thursday, Dec. 8, 1994, at Sikeston Health Care Center. He was born June 26, 1918, in Lepanto, Ark., son of Joseph Anderson and Ollie Bailey West. He first married Ola Marie West April 5, 1941. She died Nov. 2, 1987. He and Hazel Hardin were married June 3, 1989, at Sikeston...

MILLERSVILLE -- Funeral service for Dalva Ruth Kennedy of Millersville will be held at 11 a.m. today at Liley Funeral Chapel in Patton. The Rev. Kirby Grindstaff will officiate, with burial in Liberty Cemetery near Marquand. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9 a.m. to service time...

Billie Evelyn Ewing, 69, 704 Normal, died Friday, Dec. 9, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born May 23, 1925, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of Harry H. and Dovie E. Johnson Adams. She and Bill Neil Ewing were married Dec. 9, 1946, in Phenix City, Ala. He died Feb. 9, 1988...

Lenice V. Stephan, 81, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, Dec. 9, 1994, at the home of a son in Monroe, La. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

ST. LOUIS -- Susan Joyce Smith of Cape Girardeau was among 55 women leaders from Missouri who received their GREATER MISSOURI graduation certificates this past month during graduation ceremonies held at Mercantile Bancorporation. Smith is a student health clinician at Southeast Missouri State University...

At some time in our lives 80 percent of us will experience back pain, caused by accidents and the natural aging process. How we use our backs plays a major role in determining our chances of back pain. Many problems can result in back pain, and the causes may be complex. Regardless of the event that brought on the pain, most doctors agree the pain is usually produced in one of three ways muscle spasm, pressure on nerves or inflammation around the spinal structure...

Quality of Life Services Inc. recently honored two Southern Illinois medical professional with the Quality Service Award. Dr. C. Norman Geyer of Carbondale and physical therapist Lisa Rountree of Eldorado, were honored at a dinner and silent auction...