Stories from Thursday, July 11, 1991

President Bush announced Wednesday that the United States will end five years of sanctions with South Africa. The American president said that South Africa, a nation for years eroding domestically and internationally because of its oppressive policy of apartheid, has shown good faith in working toward racial unity. Enough is enough. We applaud the president's action with the hope South Africa continues to adjust to these sweeping social changes...

JACKSON -- A vehicle accident involving a farm tractor caused injury to the driver of a truck that also was involved in the wreck Tuesday west of Jackson, said the Missouri Highway Patrol. Eugene Cosma, 57, of Fredericktown, received minor injuries in the accident and was taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, the patrol reported...

Dr. Charles H. Pancoast will discuss summertime emergencies on this week's "Ask Your Doctor" program. The program will be aired tonight on cable channel 13 beginning at 8 p.m. "Ask Your Doctor" is a weekly program featuring local doctors answering questions from local viewers who may call in. Martha Muench and Dr. Jean A. Chapman host the program...

Bob Kuban, the '50s and '60s recording artist of rock and soul tunes, will perform in Cape Girardeau on July 20 at the Jackson High School Class of 1966 reunion. Kuban's performance will be open to the public, and is scheduled from 9 p.m. to midnight. The reunion and Kuban's performance will be at the Holiday Inn Convention Center...

MARBLE HILL -- Only about 250 ballots have been collected so far in an informal straw poll that may decide the fate of a proposed recreational lake in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties. And Bollinger County officials say the results of the poll will stand, even if voting is light...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- The chore of moving seven million pounds of old tires that have been stored here is expected to get under way within 90 days. "We've been talking to a lot of people since we learned of the tires' existence," said Richard E. Burket of Archer Daniels Middling Co. (ADM) of Decatur...

The work of a Southeast Missouri State University graduate student and elementary art teacher is being displayed as a summer exhibit at the University Museum. Mary Jo Wilder, 28, has completed eight figure drawings for the exhibit, which opens today...

If it's any comfort, this is the hot weather you dreamed about last January. --- You're definitely getting older if you can remember when state government spent less in a year than Gov. John Ashcroft cut from the existing budget. --- The bad news was that the recession kept many cities from having a Fourth of July fireworks display. The good news is they didn't have any money to hire Roseanne Barr to sing "The Star Spangled Banner."...

Organizers of the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo say they're gearing up for the biggest year ever for the rodeo. "We're putting the finishing touches on everything now, and ticket sales are ahead of where they were last year at this time," said Tim Merideth, entertainment chairman of the rodeo. "I think it's going to be a really big year," he said...

McCLURE AMERICAN LEGION and Auxiliary: I would like to thank you for the very nice picnic and fireworks display on the Fourth of July. It was as good as any Cape has given and it was a very nice picnic. I hope you continue it next year. Thank you. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE Jackson Fourth of July celebration. It was outstanding. Loved the car show...

Free baseball tickets and additional prizes are in store for winners in the Cape River Heritage Museum's annual Baseball Day drawing. First prize includes two tickets to the Aug. 4 Cardinals-Pirates baseball game plus a hotel room at Holiday Inn South in St. Louis...

The lights flickered for only about a second through much of Cape Girardeau early Wednesday afternoon after an earthmover struck a 55-foot-high utility pole on North Sprigg Street Road near Cape Rock Village. But others weren't so lucky. About 500 Union Electric customers in the Cape Rock Village area were without power much of the afternoon and early evening while the current was turned off and the pole was replaced...

About 100 faculty members at Southeast Missouri State University expressed concern Wednesday about last month's decision by the Board of Regents to adopt a merit pay plan that excludes across-the-board pay hikes. In a one-hour meeting Wednesday afternoon with university President Kala Stroup, faculty members questioned the board's decision...

Cape County voters may be asked in November to give their opinions on an "Enhanced 911" emergency system for the county. The county's six-person, E-911 Committee, which was formed in February 1991, met with governmental leaders of the county Wednesday night to officially recommend that the county seek to establish a countywide E-911 system...

By a vote of 4-3, the Cape Girardeau City Council Wednesday formally reprimanded Mayor Gene Rhodes for violating "the public's trust" by not disclosing his financial interests in an asphalt company hired to do city work. The council took the action at a special meeting called to deal with charges that Rhodes violated the city charter's conflict of interest rules...

One map apparently being given serious consideration by members of the Missouri Senate Redistricting Commission would make major changes in the makeup of Southeast Missouri districts. The plan, which is a modified version of one presented by Republican members of the commission last month, would make the 27th district now served by Sen. ...

FRUITLAND -- Some area farmers plan to don gas station attendant caps Friday at an area convenience store to tout the benefits of corn-produced ethanol-blended gasoline. Roger Schwab, a Jackson farmer and member of the Missouri Corn Growers Association's board of directors, said the farmers will pump gas for those buying the ethanol blend at the Fruitland D Mart. The promotion will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday recommended that the City Council deny a request by Cape Bible Chapel to rezone property on Kage Road. But the commission unanimously recommended the church grant a special use permit. Harold Tilley, a spokesman for Cape Bible Chapel, said the church wanted the property rezoned from R-1 to R-4 so that the congregation wouldn't have to continue to request special use permits every time it plans an expansion. ...

Daughter to Jeff and Sandra Sneathen of Gordonville, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 10:44 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, 1991. Name, Kaylyn Suzanne. Weight, 8 pounds 14 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Sneathen is the former Sandra Propst, daughter of Paul and Marilyn Propst of Cape Girardeau. She is a respiratory therapist at St. Francis Medical Center. Sneathen is the son of Douglas and Edna Sneathen of Gordonville, and is the owner of SEMO Mustang...

William Everett "Bill" Norris, 49, of Katy, Texas, and formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Wednesday, July 10, 1991, at his home. He was born Feb. 26, 1942, in Cape Girardeau County, the son of William M. and Maggie Miller Norris. He was a carpenter and moved to Texas in 1981...

ADVANCE -- Richard Eugene Baker, 45, of Advance, died Monday, July 8, 1991, at Doctor's Regional Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born Oct. 15, 1945, at Oakland, Calif., son of Gene Baker and Mary Calhoun Baker. He was a laborer. He married Marie Brown March 4, 1969, at Modesto, Calif. She survives...

Ada T. Helwege, 87, of 426 South Hanover, died Wednesday, July 10, 1991 at Deal Nursing Home in Jackson. She was born Oct. 11, 1903 at Farrar to Carl and Bertha Mehner Helwege. She was manager and housekeeper of the Most Precious Blood Catholic Church Home in Denver for many years, and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau...

ANNA, Ill. -- Edward L. Wright, 78, of Anna died Tuesday, July 9, 1991 at the Life Care Center in Jonesboro. He was born Jan. 16, 1913 at Pana, Ill., the son of Nathan and Rosie Coleman Wright. He was a member of the World Wide Church of God in Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Norman Rufus Bradham, 75, of East Prairie, died Tuesday, July 9, 1991 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born June 19, 1916 in Stoddard County, son of Thomas Lake Bradham and Lena DeBaun Bradham Emory. He was a retired truck driver...