Stories from Sunday, March 24, 1996

NEW HAMBURG -- Ralph Benjamin Klipfel, 63, of New Hamburg died Friday, March 22, 1996, at his home. He was born Sept. 30, 1932, to Benjamin Franklin and Ella Marie Glueck Klipfel. He married Margie Stause on Nov. 7, 1953. Klipful was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg and was a retired equipment operator for William E. Schlosser Excavating and Construction Co. in Benton...

"The Jury Room," by C.B. Gilford, sets up a whodunnit in which a number of murder scenarios are possible. Here Missy Miller, left, and Jessica Winkler play the Old Ladies and Matt Reno plays the Man With Glasses. Central to this taut play is the Actress, played by Heather Blackwell, center, who alone of the jurors is convinced that young Julie Fletcher didn't stab her rich uncle in the back...

For 10 years Jackson residents have known where to find Mel Gibson, Sharon Stone, Eddie Murphy and the like. The Movie House, a video rental store, located at 1335 Old Cape Road, has provided the most popular movies to its patrons for many years. In fact, the movie house celebrates its 10th anniversary this month...

Many community members have participated in the pageants over the 10 years since it first began. The pageant depicts the last days of Jesus Christ. This year's pageant is entitled "In Search of A Savior." Among family and friends, traditions and holidays go hand in hand...

A volunteer fireman's dedication to helping others is what helped save a woman's life last December. Randy Sander recently received the Missouri state-level Life Saving Award for his efforts in removing Pat Hill from her burning home on Dec. 18, 1995. Sander was also awarded by the city of Jackson for his actions...

Ronald R. Riehn Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ronald F. Riehn has been decorated with the Air Force Commendation Medal. The medal is awarded to those individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement or meritorious service in the performance of their duties on behalf of the Air Force...

A Jackson resident was recently one of five graduates of Southeast Missouri State University to receive its Young Alumni Merit Award. Dr. Connie Simmons, a pediatric physician with Physician Associates of Cape Girardeau, was selected as the College of Science and Technology's recipient of the prestigious award...

Challenger Tom Ludwig takes the podium to talk about his background. From left, incumbents Vicky McDowell and Darrell Hanchen, challenger Ron Lowes, and incumbent Dr. T. Wayne Lewis looked on. Brad Palmer, a news reported for KZIM, was moderator for the forum...

I FAIL to find the logic in the locations mentioned for the new federal building. Why not permanently close off the block of Fountain Street immediately west of the present federal building. Convert it into a courtyard, walkway or parking space and use the land on the south side of the 400 block of Broadway. ...

Late last Saturday afternoon, I headed for a local book store in search of "Blood Sport," the sensational book on the Clintons and Whitewater affair written by James B. Stewart, the Pulitzer-prize winner and Harvard Law graduate. Calling ahead, I asked the lady who answered whether they had the book in stock. ...

As regards most matters of human frailty, there is a tendency in political affairs to assume that power extends even to uncharted areas. This tendency of one political force to expand its power and influence to regions regarded as possessing lesser power is often evident in matters between the federal government and state governments, and in issues affecting state government and local (county/city) government...

To the editor: The Americans for Tax Reform, a tax-research organization, has calculated the tax burden of U.S. citizens in terms that are easily understandable. The results of their studies are as follows. The average American taxpayer will pay all wages and salaries earned between Jan. 1 and May 6 of this year to various levels of government as taxes in one form or another. If the current government deficit is included, then that date is extended to May 16...

To the citizens of Jackson: On April 2, the citizens of Jackson will be asked to vote on a proposal concerning the elected office of the city collector. In an effort to keep up with the "changing times" and a rapidly growing community, the Jackson Board of Alderman are asking the citizens to consider a proposal making the city collector's position an appointed position instead of an elected one. This would NOT eliminate the collector's office...

With a Midwestern sweep this week in four large state primaries, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has effectively clinched the Republican presidential nomination he has sought three times since 1980. With President Bill Clinton the first sitting Democratic president to avoid a primary battle for re-nomination since FDR, the field for this fall's general election is set. Or is it...

This week saw President Bill Clinton come forward with his ninth proposed budget over the last year -- one that supposedly balances the budget in seven years. In fact, this is another smoke-and-mirrors exercise that is heavy on supposed spending restraint occurring years down the road -- most of them after Clinton will have left office in 2001, should he win a second term. ...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Bill Skaggs, 69, of East Prairie died Friday, March 22, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau due to an extended illness. He was born Oct. 21, 1926, in New Madrid County, son of Lee and Alma Woodruff Skaggs. He married Norma Roderique on Oct. 23, 1958, in Memphis, Tenn...

ELDON -- Freda W. Weeks, 98, of Eldon died Saturday, March 23, 1996, at Capital Regional Medical Center in Jefferson City. She was born Oct. 5, 1897, in Olean, the daughter of Dr. Grant D. and Margaret Haynes Walker. She married Curtis G. Weeks on Oct. 31, 1917, in Eldon. He died Feb. 17, 1970...

With the coming of spring comes the realization that my life as a bachelor is about to end. Sorry girls, it's official -- I'm engaged. Regular readers know that I've actually been engaged since last July. But I must admit (only to you, Dear Reader (never to my delicate flower), that the betrothal never seemed quite real, not altogether concrete. In my mind, the fact that I was getting married seemed vague and hard to understand, like lyrics to a Jimmy Hendrix song...

ANNA, Ill. -- Ray Plott, 79, of Anna died Saturday, March 23, 1996, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Marion. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Anna.

Alma E. Ervin, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 23, 1996, at Deal Nursing Home in Jackson. She was born Jan. 23, 1909, to August and Emilie Wedekind Soehling at Whitewater. She married Elmer Ervin on Dec. 1, 1933, at Jackson. He died in 1982...

ORAN -- Mabel E. Stanfield, 84, of Oran died Saturday, March 23, 1996, at her home. She was born Feb. 8, 1912, to J.H. and Annie Barley Longacre. She married J.W. "Jim" Stanfield on Oct. 12, 1929. He survives. Other survivors include three sons, Charles Stanfield of Overland Park, Kan., and Bill Stanfield and J.W. ...

PERRYVILLE -- Flora R. Brown, 80, of Perryville, died Friday, March 22, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 20, 1916, in Perry County, daughter of John W. and Ena Sanford Reiss. She married Sylvester Brown on Jan. 23, 1954. He died Aug. 23, 1965...

BRIGHTON, Ill. -- David Winchester, 52, of Brighton died Thursday, March 21, 1996, at his home following an extended illness. He was born Dec. 10, 1943, in Memphis, Tenn., the son of Milford "Windy" Winchester of Arbor, Mo., and Tina Dodd of Hazelwood, Mo. He married Martha Ford on Sept. 10, 1966, in East St. Louis...

ST. LOUIS -- Bernice Martin Whitledge, 84, died Thursday, March 21, 1996, at her home. She was born Sept. 25, 1911, in Norbor, the daughter of Lawrence C. and Ruth Henderson Martin. She married Herbert Whitledge in 1928. Whitledge formerly was employed by Scrugg Vandivort Department Store in St. Louis and was a member of the Presbyterian Church...

George "Ray" Grosswiler, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, March 21, 1996, at The Lutheran Home. He was born Aug. 9, 1915, in Webster Groves, to Harry and Elizabeth Wagner Grosswiler. He married Frieda Petzoldt on Sept. 11, 1940. Grosswiler was a U.S. Army veteran and served more than 30 years as branch manager of International Harvest Co., retiring in 1972...

CANALOU -- Irene Ambrose, 74, of Canalou, formerly of East Prairie, died Saturday, March 23, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Aug. 21, 1921, in Big Ridge, to Denver and Early Bohannon Lacey. She was first married to Fay Hill in 1938. He died Oct. 17, 1963. She then married Orin Ambrose in October 1969. He died May 10, 1991...

SIKESTON -- Elizabeth Ann Waltrip, 29, of Florissant, formerly of Sikeston, died Friday, March 22, 1996, at St. John's Mercy Hospital in St. Louis due to cystic fibrosis. She was born Aug. 9, 1966, in St. Louis, to Dr. Tom and Margaret Ann Gordon Waltrip...

Amy Worley goes over a board problem with Chad Pulley, 14, who is in her foreign language class at R.O. Hawkins Junior High. Jackson USA/Scott Moyers Worley teaches about 156 eighth-graders French and Spanish. While Worley loves teaching French and Spanish, she also feels that teaching discipline is a part of her job...

If you've been kept in the dark lately, you've probably already seen Comet Hyakutake, the latest celestial discovery. It should be at its brightest tonight, visible to the naked eye. Craig Joseph, an astronomer at Southeast Missouri State University, will set up telescopes for public viewing at Cherokee Park from 9-11 p.m. through Tuesday...

Dreary morning skies and a chill in the wind Saturday didn't stop thousands from thinking about spring and accompanying home improvements. Organizers estimated 7,000 people had been to the 16th Annual SEMO Homebuilders Association Home and Garden Show by mid-afternoon. They expect more people at the Show Me Center today, when the home show will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m...

Men who typically team up to fight crime are drawing battle lines within their ranks and competing against each other. About 65 men representing law enforcement agencies in Southeast Missouri and Springfield will descend Saturday on Houck Field. The event isn't some vast police operation. It's a football game to benefit the Easter Seal Society...

Small businesses can expect fewer regulations and more understanding from the federal government soon, Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond said Saturday. The senator stopped in Cape Girardeau to speak with area business leaders about their concerns with the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal regulators...

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor an Easter Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. Saturday in Community Park. Children under age 8 are invited to participate. Participants will meet at the basketball court. In case of rain, the event will be conducted under the Horseshoe Pavillion in the park...

Former President Harry S. Truman will be the focus of the annual Southeast Missouri Historical Conference April 26-27 at Southeast Missouri State University. The conference, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Room 121 of Rhodes Hall...

After a town hall meeting Tuesday, members of the Healthier Communities Committee will start trying to identify priority health issues in Cape Girardeau County. Tuesday's meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church activity center, 926 Broadway in Cape Girardeau, will be the last in a series of meetings in which committee members have garnered public input about health and quality of life concerns in Cape Girardeau...

It's the time of the year when fishing fever begins to surface like a feisty largemouth bass. When spring is in the air, fish and fishermen are both susceptible to the hook. And when the fever hits, it's always desirable to be in the company of those who can help combat the symptoms...

Mossbacks The organization is the second oldest bass club in the state. The club holds the distinction of being the defending state champion. It has also won three state championships at Truman Lake, making it the only club to have three titles at a non-home lake...

Rachel Roberts, president of the Red Dagger Club at Cape Central High School, painted hay stacks for the backdrop of "Oklahoma" being presented March 28 through 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the CHS Auditorium. Scott Strattman as Frank gave Katie McCann as Sara a kiss during the rehersal of a scene of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" at Notre Dame High School...

One of the joyful, invigorating sounds of spring is the pre-dawn chorus of the robins. You have to get up early to hear it. I suppose one could be out all night and arrive home just before daylight and hear it but then you'd be tired and sleepy and have to get to bed...