Stories from Friday, May 3, 1991

It seems inevitable that gun control legislation the Brady Bill or some form of it will be approved by Congress this year. The mood appears right for the action, former presidents have endorsed the bill and President Bush has, in a backdoor fashion, removed his own opposition. Our problem is not so much with the legislation, which shouldn't bother most gun buyers in this area, but with the attitude we seem to adopt in forwarding such measures...

Tourism and convention business will be the topic of today's Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee gathering. Lyn Muzzy, director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Laurel Adkisson, bureau marketing director, will present the program. Next week is National Tourism Week...

In recognition of National Tourism Week, the May general membership meeting of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association will be held at one of the area's newest tourist attractions. The meeting will be held Wednesday the middle of National Tourism Week at the American Heritage Museum, off of Airport Road south of Cape Girardeau. It begins at 5:30 p.m...

Wayne Graham of Omaha, Neb., executive vice president of Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society, headquartered at Omaha, Neb. and Willie Shaver, of Salisbury, N.C., a national trustee of the firm, will be keynote speakers during the company's Missouri-Kansas Jurisdictional Convention, to be held at Cape Girardeau Friday through Sunday morning...

BLOOMFIELD -- A "Spring Car Show and 50s-60s Sock Hop" will be held at Bloomfield City Park here Saturday. The day's activities get under way at 10 a.m. with registration for the show and sock hop. Several games will be presented from 2 to 4 p.m., with the sock hop to be held from 5 to 8 p.m...

A friend told me recently he had relatives visit from a town so backward that they were enthralled by the process of making microwave popcorn. They stood at the lighted window and watched as the flaccid bag grew and spouted steam. A night of modern technology in the big city...

Missouri is an agricultural state, but one highly profitable cash crop is unwelcome. State legislators are considering a measure that will reinforce efforts to eradicate in-state marijuana cultivation. It's a necessary step and the General Assembly should not overlook it in the rush to complete other pressing business...

A class of eighth-grade art students have taken kite flying to new heights. Despite the fact that the artwork on their kites was of the Ninja Turtles, the Simpsons and Motley Crue, these kids took Nell Holcomb's annual kite flying contest seriously...

A class at Southeast Missouri State University wants the Cape Girardeau City Council to ban smoking in grocery stores. Students in Practical and Professional Written Communication will present their proposed ordinance to the council Monday. Michael Hogan, who teaches the class, explained that students have worked all semester to develop a report supporting their proposal...

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County officials voiced disappointment Thursday at the low interest rate received on depository bids for county funds. County officials had not expected to receive a top rate of 9.53 percent, which the county has enjoyed for the past two years. But they were stunned at Thursday's top bid of 6.15 percent...

JACKSON -- The current move to reduce U.S. military forces should be met with a counter strike of letters to congressmen, the director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety said Thursday night. Richard C. Rice, the director and an Army veteran of more than 28 years, spoke to a Southeast Missouri Peace Officers Association gathering. ...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Russell Hayward, 840 Jefferson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:15 a.m. Saturday, April 27, 1991. Name, Tameka Lynn. Weight, 8 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. Hayward is the former Tammy Smith, daughter of Robert Boitnott and Mary Boitnott of Cape Girardeau. Hayward is an orderly at Cape LaCroix Care Center, and is the son of the late Rogerine and John Davis Hayward...

Funeral service for Jasper McKeller, 227 South Fountain, has been changed to 10 a.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel. The Rev. Johnny Thomas will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. Sunday...

SIKESTON -- Mrs. Hattie Mae Martin, 82, formerly of Sikeston, died Monday, April 29, 1991, at Bertrand Retirement Home. She was born Oct. 30, 1907, in Aliceville, Ala., daughter of Jim and Clara Bonner Gardner. She married William Otis Martin Sept. 24, 1965, at Benton. He died April 20, 1978...

CHARLESTON -- Lessie Mae Williams, 83, of Charleston, died Thursday, May 2, 1991, at Miner Nursing Center. She was born Oct. 20, 1907, in Tennessee, daughter of John Henry and Martha Jane Mullins Arnold. She married Daniel C. Williams Oct. 30, 1921. He died in 1965...

CHARLESTON -- William Mays, 76, of Charleston, died Tuesday, April 30, 1991, at Charleston Manor. He was born June 2, 1914, in Tennessee. Mays was a farmer. Survivors include a stepson, John Miller Jr. of Wisconsin; a cousin, George Greer of Wilson City; nieces and nephews...

A memorial service for Nathaniel Mansker of Santa Rosa, Calif., will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bethany Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Donny Ford will officiate. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. today at Church of the Nazarene in Panorama City, Calif. Burial will be in Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, Calif., with Daniels Chapel of the Roses in charge of arrangements...

Mrs. Carrie Alice Findley Bolen, 91, of Chateau Girardeau, died Thursday, May 2, 1991, at Chateau Health Center. She was born March 23, 1900, in Bunker Hill, Ind., daughter of George Orlando and Bertha Jane Daniels Hoffman. She first married Dr. William Oscar Findley May 30, 1920, in Chalmer, Ind. He died Oct. 23, 1966. She later married Dr. Homer R. Bolen March 12, 1973, in Tucson, Ariz. He died Jan. 27, 1988...

POPLAR BLUFF - A tractor-trailer overturned near Poplar Bluff early Thursday morning, killing a Bonne Terre man, the Missouri Highway Patrol reported. Kenneth Stegall, 53, died as a result of the accident, which occurred four miles south of Poplar Bluff on Highway 53, said a patrol spokesperson...

Otto H. Friedhof, 86, 1021 S. Ellis, died Thursday, May 2, 1991, at Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. He was born Sept. 17, 1904, at Tilsit, son of Christian and Mathilda Friedhof. He and the former Nadine Kinder were married Dec. 20, 1947, in St. Louis...

MARBLE HILL -- George Hadley Davault, 81, of Marble Hill, died Wednesday, May 1, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 17, 1909, near Marble Hill, son of George W. and Ruth Aldrich Davault. He and the former Laney N. Cheek were married Feb. 5, 1930. She died Aug. 31, 1984...

PUXICO -- Dwight L. Peters, 77, of Puxico, died Tuesday, April 30, 1991, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born Aug. 25, 1913, at Puxico. He and Stella Vardell were married Dec. 24, 1936 Peters was a retired farmer, and attended Egypt Community Church...

Harold N. "Hal" Crider, 77, 1960 Briarwood, died Thursday, May 2, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Oct. 30, 1913, at Meta, son of Dr. Adolphus J. and Clara C. Otke Crider. He and Etheleen Dunning were married March 28, 1968, in Cape Girardeau...

LUTESVILLE -- Franklin D. Hernandez, 57, of Marble Hill, died Thursday, May 2, 1990. He was dead on arrival at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Dec. 20, 1933, at Carbon Hill, Ala., son of Filepe Hernandez and Lucille Herron Hernandez. He married Agnes Stratton on Sept. 30, 1956. She survives...

The first-ever Cape Shrine Club Rodeo begins tonight at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. The rodeo is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy's Association and will include bull riding, saddle bronc-riding, bareback riding, team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing...