Stories from Monday, May 6, 1991

JEFFERSON CITY - Providing local governments more input into decisions on enterprise zone designations and limiting the benefits from such zones to firms that provide manufacturing jobs, are goals of legislation moving through the General Assembly this session...

THE FUNDING DILEMMA IN HIGHER EDUCATION (Second in a series) As legislators debate this week whether to place a record education tax-increase proposal on the November ballot, the question lingers over what Missouri's education priorities should be. Lawmakers, business leaders and school officials have reached a consensus that an education tax is necessary, but the size of the tax and whether it should primarily fund elementary and secondary education or higher education still is a matter for debate.. ...

THE FUNDING DILEMMA IN HIGHER EDUCATION For years Missouri business representatives have stressed the correlation between the state's quality of education and economic development climate. Last year a number of business groups drafted reports urging a tax increase to fund critical primary and secondary and higher-education needs...

Artist Fred Lincoln hopes his floodwall mural combines the best of Cape Girardeau's history with the city's hope for the future. Lincoln visited Cape Girardeau Sunday with his artist's rendering of the mural, which, if approved, will be painted on the Mississippi River side of the downtown floodwall...

With the average American working from January 1 to May 8 just to earn enough to pay income taxes, the Southeast Missourian asked people what they thought about replacing the current income tax system with a federal sales tax that would be collected at the retail level...

JACKSON -- Gwen Winningham, an 82-year-old author from Jackson, says older people should write. "Older people have different stories to tell marvelous stories. What background there is if they would just tell us. For example, my grandfather sold pies to Confederate soldiers. Wouldn't that make a great story?...

A thunderstorm blew through Cape Girardeau early Sunday knocking down several trees and limbs. During the storm, which started just before 4:41 a.m., winds gusted to 60 mph and the overall constant wind speed was about 40 miles per hour, according to MidWest Weather Inc., at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport...

Cape Girardeau, hard by the Mississippi River and with its rolling hills, is unique in its terrain. Along with this uniqueness come certain problems, among them, water problems. A project being directed by Michael Aide, agriculture department chairman at Southeast Missouri State University, will produce a videotape that outlines some of the flooding problems in Cape Girardeau and how the problems are being addressed by governmental bodies and individuals...

Tornadoes damaged homes in northeastern Illinois Sunday and toppled a tree onto a car, killing two people and injuring two others, police said. The storm also brought torrential rains and high winds that buffeted northern parts of the state. One tornado touched down around 5:30 p.m. CDT outside Elgin, in a sparsely populated area called Lily Lake, about 35 miles west of Chicago, police said...

Six Southeast Missouri State University students will perform a piano recital tonight. The recital will be held in Brandt Music Hall, room 205, beginning at 8:15. The six are all students of James Sifferman, assistant professor of music. Performing will be Pamela Gibbs, Bloomfield; Johanna Sutton, Festus; Susan Ho, Malaysia; and Keiko Ikuta, Yukiko Yokomichi and Akkio Kamimura, all of Japan...

TAMMS, Ill. -- John Abercrombie, 97, of Tamms, died Sunday, May 5, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born March 12, 1894, at McClure, son of John and Anata Hill Abercrombie. He and the former Beulah Miller were married April 6, 1912. Abercrombie had been a board member of Tamms State Bank the past 35 years, and served as board member of Fruit Belt Service Co. 16 years. He was a member and trustee of First Baptist Church here...

Oren Junior Hardman, 64, 1836 LaWanda, died Sunday, May 5, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Nov. 5, 1926, in French Creek, W.Va., son of Oren L. and Louise See Hardman. He and the former Edna Seabaugh were married Sept. 5, 1959, in St. Louis...

BERTRAND -- Leon Bass, 56, of Bertrand, died Saturday, May 4, 1991, at Missouri Delta Medical Center, following an extended illness. He was born Oct. 9, 1934, in Fayette, Ala., son of William D. and Ethel Nevelle Bass. He and the former Darlene Smith were married May 30, 1982...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Cleonard Frank "Red" Thurman, 74, of Tucson, Ariz., died Saturday, May 4, 1991, at the VA Medical Center in Tucson. He was born Oct. 8, 1916, in Anniston, son of Golder and Annie Chambers Thurman. He married the former Roberta Hudson...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Willie B. "Bill" Brantley, 85, of East Prairie, died Friday, May 3, 1991, at Missouri Delta Medical Center, following an extended illness. He was born Nov. 15, 1905, in the Whiting community near here, son of William B. and Nora Wilks Brantley...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Evelyn D. Presson, 78, of St. Louis, died Sunday, May 5, 1991, at the Lutheran Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Nov. 2, 1912, in Marmaduke, Ark., daughter of Joe and Willie E. Carter Rice. She married Donald Issac Presson in December 1927. He died Aug. 1, 1969...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Gromer of Lutesville, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:27 a.m. Monday, April 29, 1991. Name, Brandi Nicole. Weight, 7 pounds 6 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Gromer is the former Vickie Fox, daughter of Quinton and Barbara Fox of Lutesville. Gromer is employed at Metro East Industries in Marissa, Ill., and is the son of Charles and Audrey Gromer of Lutesville...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Joseph N. Mattson, 88, of Cairo, died Sunday, May 5, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born April 16, 1903, at Unity, son of George A. and Mary Thompson Mattson. Mattson was a retired carpenter with Valley Steel Co. here, and a member of First Southern Baptist Church...