Stories from Tuesday, September 24, 1991

In just three weeks, reading teacher Ruth Kasten says she sees progress in her first-grade students participating in the Reading Recovery program. "It works," said Kasten, whose enthusiasm about the program was evident. Kasten, who teaches at Franklin Elementary School, is among 13 teachers learning the Reading Recovery technique being taught at Southeast Missouri State University for the first time this year...

SCOTT CITY - The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority and Union Electric are headed to court next week to seek an interpretation on whether the port can purchase energy at wholesale rates. An evidenciary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2 in Scott County Circuit Court at Benton before Circuit Judge Tony Heckemeyer. The hearing could take two days and the judge will likely make a decision in 30 to 60 days...

Local spokesmen for Cape Girardeau's black population Monday night told members of the Missouri Housing Development Commission that public housing is needed here to meet low-income and minority housing needs. Michael Sterling, president of the Cape Girardeau area chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the city has a large unidentified minority population that needs affordable housing...

SCOTT CITY -- Students at Scott City schools have been selected to design the 1991 Christmas greeting cards for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Superintendent Bob Brison said the school was selected to design the cards by Robert Bartman, Missouri commissioner of education. Last year the task was awarded to the Stix School for the Performing Arts in St. Louis, Brison said...

Alfred C. Robertson, a professor in the earth science department at Southeast Missouri State University, was elected vice president of the Missouri Academy of Science at its 1991 annual meeting at Westminster College in Fulton this year. As vice president, Robertson will assume the presidency of the MAS for the 1992-93 year. The academy's 1994 annual meeting will be held in Cape Girardeau...

Health care in Missouri is in a state of crisis, according to one expert who leads a project to study the state's public health care system. Toni Sullivan, dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Missouri-Columbia, will be in Cape Girardeau Wednesday to discuss problems in state health care and what a group of nursing professionals are doing to improve it...

A retired river industry executive and towboat pilot from Cape Girardeau County received two of the Coast Guard's highest civilian awards recently for his work in helping keep the Mississippi River open to commercial navigation in 1988 and 1989. Everett Johnson, former chairman of the River Industry Action Committee, received the two Coast Guard public service commendations from 2nd Coast Guard District commander, Adm. ...

Two Southeast Missouri State University debaters couldn't stave off a British invasion Monday night at the university's Kent Little Theatre. The debaters, Timm Schowalter and Dan Byron, both Southeast juniors majoring in philosophy, lost a debate on censorship to two Britons, Helen Berry and Kim Preston. Preston is a graduate of Birmingham University and City University law school and Berry is a sophomore seeking a history degree at Durham University...

SCOTT CITY -- A senior citizen trip to Big Oak Tree State Park will be held Oct. 14 for senior citizens in Scott City. The trip is sponsored by the Scott City Parks and Recreation Department. Those interested may sign up at the Illmo Nutrition Center, the Scott City Housing Center or the park office. The cost is $3 per person, which will cover lunch and transportation...

CAPE TRASH-PICKUP changes scheduled to become effective Oct. 1 should be canceled and a more organized and practical system implemented to meet the federal government regulations by the year 1998. The recent city notice was ill-conceived and poorly presented. ...

Both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia owe more than a debt of gratitude to the United States for leading the coalition that forced Iraqi troops out of Kuwait and defended Persian Gulf oil fields. The two Persian Gulf nations are $5.8 billion short of fulfilling their pledge to help defray the costs of the military effort...

An optimist is a Missourian who doesn't believe that a scheduled press conference in the governor's office means another curtailment of state services. --- The murder rate in St. Louis is already higher than it was for all of 1990, and that's not even counting the Cardinals...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Greg Martell Jones of St. Louis, St. Mary's Medical Center in Clayton, 3:31 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16, 1991. Name, Eric Anthony. Weight, 8 pounds 9 ounces. First child. Mrs. Jones is the former Kimberly Anselm, daughter of Joe and Susan Bellis of Cape Girardeau, and Anthony and Susan Anselm of Mountain Home, Ark. Jones is employed by Centaur Building Services in St. Louis, and is the son of Faye Jones of Roy, Utah...

Walter H. Geringer, 77, 3120 Independence, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at Chateau Girardeau Health Care Center. He was born July 6, 1914, in Cape Girardeau, son of Anton and Rosa Schott Geringer. He and Oma Schlueter were married July 12, 1945, in Cape Girardeau...

ADVANCE -- John W. Lewis, 74, of Chesterfield, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield. Morgan Funeral Home of Advance is in charge of arrangements.

Ronald D. Speer, 53, of 719 William, died Sunday, Sept. 22, 1991, at the Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. He was born Feb. 20, 1938, in Joplin, the son of the late Guy R. and Clara Gilbert Speer. He owned and operated a coffee service company. Survivors include a sister, Janet E. King of Peabody, Kan. and a brother, Del Speer of Mesa, Ariz...

Archie David Dunlap, 52, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, Sept. 22, 1991, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Wentzville. He was born Aug. 23, 1939, son of Lonnie and Bernice Dunlap of St. Charles. He and Elma Gene Gourley were married Jan. 20, 1961, at St. Charles...

Lucille Fuerth, 83, Cape Girardeau Route 1, died Sunday, Sept. 22, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Feb. 7, 1908, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Joseph F. and Emma L. Betten Fuerth. Fuerth had been involved in land and farming operations, and was a member of Old St. Vincent's Church...

MARBLE HILL -- Hazel A. Buttry, 77, of Marble Hill, died Sunday, Sept. 22, 1991, at Bond Nursing Care Center. She was born Oct. 8, 1913, in the state of California, daughter of Robert and Della Allison Taber. She married Solon Buttry Nov. 14, 1937, who died Oct. 20, 1986...

PERRYVILLE -- Helen L. Hagan, 76, of Perryville died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. She was born Feb. 3, 1915, the daughter of Theodore and Minnie Kasten. On Aug. 12, 1949, she married Pius Ambrose Hagan, who preceded her in death Dec. 19, 1968...

Madlyn Beatrice Nagel, 74, of 2627 Leroy Drive, died Monday afternoon, Sept. 23, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital, where she had been a patient for eight days. She was born March 4, 1917, at Whitewater, daughter of Sylvester and Dora Francis Schafer...

The National Park Service has provided Cape Girardeau Public Library with a review copy of the Draft Comprehensive Management and Use Plan with Environment Assessment for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The plan includes a special draft map supplement containing detailed trail routings superimposed on county road maps...

A Southeast Missouri State University sponsored community group recently returned from a study tour of England and Wales. The group, accompanied by history professor Martin Needels and International Programs Coordinator Margaret Popham, visited London, Lincoln, Coventry and Swansea, Wales...

SCOTT CITY -- The American Red Cross and Knights of Columbus-Scott City are sponsoring a blood drive Oct. 1 from 2-7 p.m. at the KC Hall, Highway 61. "People feel a real sense of community this time of year," said Bruce Blankenship, blood drive chairman. "Being there for your friends and neighbors in need is a big part of giving blood. It's nice to see everyone band together...

The Four Seasons Audubon Society of Southeast Missouri will meet Wednesday at Cape Girardeau Public Library. Following a brief business session at 7 p.m., members will present an informational session on the status of the wetlands bills before Congress...

PERRYVILLE -- A Beginning Experience Weekend, designed to help divorced, widowed and separated persons start a new beginning, will be held Oct. 25-27 in Perryville. A trained team leads participants through the program of presentations, private reflection and dialog...