Stories from Thursday, September 5, 1991

JACKSON -- The auxiliary of the Lutheran Family and Children's Service of Southeast Missouri will sponsor the SEMO Quilt Show on Saturday, Sept. 7. The show will be held at the St. Paul Lutheran Church gymnasium, 223 W. Adams, in Jackson. The quilt show will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature various types of quilts on loan from quilters throughout Southeast Missouri. Show attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite quilt...

It may be magic but it's no illusion: five accomplished magicians will perform in Cape Girardeau Sunday in a show that will entertain the whole family. Bill Coomer, a professional magician who is based in Cape Girardeau, will be a featured performer at the show along with Leo Behnke, known professionally as LEO, and area magicians Eric "Wiz" Wingo, Anthony Zappa and Andy Leonard...

At 28, Steven Curtis Chapman has already become one of contemporary Christian music's biggest entertainers. And he insists he's gotten this far by refusing to focus on the thrill of his success. "It's a God-given ability," Chapman said in a telephone interview last week from his home in Nashville, Tenn. "It's something I've taken and worked hard at. Beyond that I try not to think a lot about it."...

A series of arts and crafts workshops will begin today in Cape Girardeau for people over age 50. Every Thursday in September, the techniques of "tie pillows" will be taught from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The first class begins today at the Senior Learning Center, 805 N. Sprigg St. in Cape Girardeau...

The Baroque Ensemble of the department of music at Southeast Missouri State University will present its first concert of the year on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Old St. Vincent's Church in downtown Cape Girardeau. The program will feature two new faculty members in the department, Louisa Takahashi, soprano, and Sara Edgerton, cello. Also performing will be Robert Fruehwald, flute, and Gary Miller, harpsichord. They will be assisted by senior flute major Kristine Springer of Jackson...

The 1991-92 Area Wide United Way campaign officially began Wednesday with volunteers working toward a goal of $470,000. The money raised by United Way will be distributed to 25 community agencies. "This is a team effort," campaign chairman Harry Rediger said, as key players in this year's campaign were announced. "As you can see there are many people involved in the United Way campaign."...

Police officers in Cape Girardeau are aiming a new sidearm in the face of crime. The new weapon does little more than deliver a blast of propellant, but it's the kick that comes with that blast that counts. The weapon is a day-glo orange, 4-ounce, aerosol container of pepper Mace, a derivative of cayenne pepper. ...

Those anxious to experience the 1991 SEMO District Fair can venture to the fairgrounds Saturday for carnival rides and a limited number of other fair activities. The fair officially kicks off Monday, but Sneak-A-Peak Day, with free admission, is Sunday...

Enrollment on the first day of classes Tuesday at the Cape Girardeau Public Schools was 4,274, down 13 students from the first day of school last year. Superintendent Neyland Clark reported on enrollment at a meeting of the Board of Education Wednesday morning at the board office...

DUTCHTOWN -- A Jackson construction company is the low bidder for construction of a seismically designed, Highway 25 traffic bridge across the Diversion Channel, between Dutchtown and Blomeyer in southwest Cape Girardeau County. Penzel Construction Co. submitted a bid of $3.6 million. Penzel's bid was one of three bids opened Friday by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department in Jefferson City...

State Reps. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, and Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, are serving on special task forces of the American Legislative Exchange Council. The organization held its annual meeting last week in Seattle, and both Kasten and Thomason attended...

The Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau advisory staff will recommend that the Missouri Division of Tourism spend some of its advertising dollars in Tennessee and Arkansas. It was revealed during the state group's "Tourism Think Tank," held in Cape Girardeau in early August, that few, if any, funds were being spent in Nashville, Memphis, or Little Rock in efforts to attract tourists and travelers to the Southeast Missouri area...

The Cape Girardeau Central Junior High Parent-Teacher Association will meet Sept. 17 for its annual Back to School meeting. Parents may visit their child's classrooms and meet teachers at the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m The annual PTA fundraiser will also be held that night. T-shirts, sweatshirts, mock-turtleneck shirts and shorts with the school emblem will be sold...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Engelen of Leopold Route 1, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:25 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, 1991. Name, Cassandra Lea. Weight, 9 pounds 4 ounces. Seventh child, fourth daughter. Mrs. Engelen is the former Annabel Seiler, daughter of Orval and Helen Seiler of Leopold. She is a youth education assistant at the University Extension Office. Engelen is a self-employed farmer, and is the son of Paul Engelen of Leopold...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Ruth Kathleen "Katie" Bailey, 69, of Olive Branch, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1991, at Hillside Terrace Nursing Home in Cobden. She was born Sept. 14, 1921, in Middle, Tenn., daughter of Jessie and Emma Brown Harris. Survivors include her husband, Clyde; two sons, Paul Stokes of Waterloo, Don Stokes of Tampa, Fla.; two brothers, Eugene Harris of Martin, Tenn., J.D. ...

Clarence S. Mecham, 75, 611 South West End Boulevard, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Jan. 19, 1916, in Paris, Mich., son of Clarence S. and Sarah Howard Mecham Sr. Mecham worked at Cape Supply Co. 20 years, and as a truck driver for Stovall Block and Brick Co. He retired in 1979...

CHARLESTON -- Everett Bone Sr., 90, of Charleston, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1991, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. He was born Jan. 13, 1901, in Clinton, Ky., son of Benjamin Franklin and Ida Bone. He and Patty Glass were married May 13, 1933. Bone was a retired farmer...

CHAFFEE -- Sidney Ray Woods, 67, of Chaffee, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1991, at Sikeston Health Care Center. He was born Nov. 5, 1923, at Benton, son of John and Martha Carter Woods. Woods was a factory worker. Survivors include two sisters, Opal Abbott of Chaffee, Helen Harris of Richland, Wash.; several nieces and nephews...

FARMINGTON -- Elvis Smith Jr., 67, of Farmington, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1991, at his home. He was born Jan. 18, 1924, in Diswood, Ill., son of Elvis and Ellen Irene Pool Smith. He and Mary Scarsdale were married Feb. 1, 1947. Smith was retired from Granite City Steel Co. in Granite City, Ill. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and was a member of VFW in Farmington...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Minnie Grable, 98, of Cairo and formerly of Mounds, Ill., died Tuesday, Sept. 3, 1991, at the Daystar Nursing Home in Cairo. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mounds. Survivors include three daughters, Barbara Ann Verble of Cairo, Shirley Dishinger of Centralia, Ill., and Charlotte Grant of Nashville, Ill.; two brothers, Harve Mowery of Cairo and John Mowery of Madison, Ill; 14 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral service for Wilson McDowell, Charleston Route 3, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at McMikle Funeral Chapel here. The Rev. Richard Combs will officiate, with burial in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Fruitland. Friends may call at the funeral home after 5 p.m. today...

JACKSON -- Julius Gustav "Gus" Witzel, 94, of Jackson, died Tuesday, Sept. 3, 1991, at Jackson Manor. He was born June 29, 1897, at Tilsit, son of William and Minnie Meyer Witzel. He and Josie Schreiner were married Jan. 13, 1932, at Benton. Witzel worked at Cape County Milling Co. a number of years, and retired from Lenco in 1966. He was a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church...

MARQUAND -- Funeral service for Tosha Ann Rutherford of Marquand was held Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Chapel in Jackson. The Rev. Naamon Eaker officiated, with bvurial in Haynes Chapel in Millersville. Tosha, 2, died Sunday, Sept. 1, 1991. She was born Sept. 16, 1988, at Sikeston, daughter of Roberta Rutherford of Marquand...

L.D. (Jim) Hoover, 67, of Cape Girardeau, died at his home Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1991. Service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Grace United Methodist Church, with burial at Morgan Cemetery in Advance. Friends may call after 4 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel...

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport restaurant closed this week after three decades of operation. But Airport Manager Mark Seesing said the city plans to reopen the facility under new management after an airport terminal building renovation project is completed some time next year...

CHAFFEE -- Jody Grim knows what it's like to be a school principal as well as a teacher. She has done both at St. Ambrose School in Chaffee. But her present position is not the norm for a teacher. She teaches both third and fourth grade. "Teaching a double grade is especially challenging," Grim said...

To the Editor: After having lived in St. Louis for most all of 50 years, your paper in general, and your editorial page in particular, gives me a great deal of pleasure. I have been in many larger cities, and The Missourian compares favorably with most all of the newspapers I have seen. I know that most of them are larger, due to a greater volume of advertising, but in the "meat" of the paper, The Missourian more than holds its own...

Simon LeVay of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego said last week his research might show a biological basis for homosexuality. LeVay's studies have found that a group of brain cells believed to guide male sex drive is up to twice as large in heterosexual as in homosexual men. The California researcher said the finding suggests a possible biological origin for homosexuality...

The rise of democratic principles in the Soviet Union has captivated Americans. Link it to our philosophical character: our nation's love of freedom and desire that people everywhere enjoy the fruits of liberty. From a practical standpoint, there are many avenues by which the United States can encourage these moves toward Soviet democracy, including ways in which American too can benefit. ...

To the Editor: I would like to comment on the article on the Opinion page of Aug. 27th, by Walter Williams. It sounds as if Mr. Williams came up the hard way. I can sympathize with him. I worked during the summer vacation at farming, peddled watermelons, delivered ice, dry cleaning, bottled soda water, sheet metal shop, drove a team to build a road, and the last two years of high school, worked in a hardware and furniture store before and after school and Saturday...

A sponsor is needed to operate a Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Scott and Cape Girardeau counties, said Pat Willis, acting state director of ACTION, the federal domestic volunteer agency. ACTION wants to expand services into this area. RSVP "gives retired people over 60 the chance to share the skills they have learned over a lifetime by becoming volunteers in their communities," said Willis...

A Cape Girardeau boy who fell about 30 feet in an open elevator shaft under construction at L.J. Schultz School Aug. 29, was released from Southeast Missouri Hospital Monday. The boy, Jerry Berger, 14, lives with his mother, Theresa Evans, and stepfather, Gerald Bahr, at 821 Locust...

WE ALL NEED help and sometimes counseling in overcoming problems or obstacles in our lives. To the person who asked for help, you've made the first step in realizing you do need help. So I would suggest getting in touch with the church of your choice and asking to speak to the clergy, the preacher there. ...

Cape Girardeau firefighters were called to the Lone Star cement plant on South Sprigg at 8:32 a.m. Tuesday after a bearing on a 75-horsepower, 440-volt fan motor next to the plant's kiln burned out, causing the fan motor to overheat. The fan injects air into the kiln at high pressure to aid in the combustion of finely ground coal dust that is used to fire the kiln...

Two workshops designed to help local businesses identify federal buying offices that may potentially purchase their product or service will be held in Cape Girardeau and Sikeston. The first workshop, "Identifying Your Piece of the Government Market," will be held on Oct. 3 at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau. The workshop will present a step-by-step approach to identifying federal business opportunities...

CHAFFEE - The Chaffee City Council passed four ordinances Tuesday, including one for a special bond election to fund improvements to the city's waste-water-treatment plant. Board members passed the ordinances at their regular meeting Tuesday. City Clerk Diane Eftink said board members passed the ordinances unanimously after each was read by City Attorney David Summers...