Stories from Wednesday, October 16, 1991

Access. That's the motive behind the Cape Girardeau Public Library's campaign for a book mobile. The new service will allow the library to reach out into the community, bringing services to those without ready transportation. The mobile library will visit schools, nursing homes, and a number of other locations around town. The book mobile will constantly be on the road - making regular stops at least 30 locations each month...

Gil Degenhardt is a retired Cape Girardeau businessman who continues to engage in business counseling. Reflections on the Clarence Thomas confirmation process Well.....things have certainly taken an unexpected turn in the Clarence Thomas hearings. Probably, many of us (as I had stated in a previous public letter) had accepted the "reality" that judge would be confirmed and would be a capable and faithful member of the Supreme Court. ...

Wedding albums are like intimate jokes: they aren't embarrassing ~until exposed to the public. The poses are universally unnatural, the faces are too young, the fashions are dated. It is the first and last time in your life a spouse will put cake to your mouth. You wince at being a party to inane ritual...

If we wait long enough, others may do something about all those TV commercials we are tempted to correct and send to company writers. Some time ago, I wrote about a coffee commercial but didn't send the column to the writer(s). However, mistakes were rectified over the air soon after, and the changes pleased me no end. Today, after a series of changes, the original would not be recognized...

Two Southeast Missouri legislators serving as co-chairmen of a recently formed House-Senate task force on wetlands, say they are hoping a meeting today week will give members a better understanding of the whole issue of wetlands preservation. Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, and Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, have called a meeting for today in Jefferson City. The 12-member panel will hear from representatives of state and federal agencies and interest groups interested in wetlands...

The Cape Girardeau Central High School Marching Band is scheduled to compete Oct. 26 in the Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival at Busch Stadium. About 50 of the state's most honored high school bands will compete at the festival, which begins at 9 a.m. and is expected to last until 10:30 p.m...

Cape Girardeau public schools, like schools across the country, are working to provide more nutritious meals for students. Lisa Elfrink, director of food services, said steps are being taken to lower fat, lower salt and lower sugar in school lunches...

The Grim Reaper will arrive today on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, focusing attention on National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, which begins Monday. The Grim Reaper will arrive in a hearse at 12:50 p.m. in front of Academic Hall. The reaper will then roam the campus, visiting residence halls and academic buildings and randomly distributing about 100 T-shirts to students...

Most voters won't consider expansion of Cape Girardeau's park lands a crucial component of a city proposal to purchase Union Electric Co.'s water system. But City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said the proposal could include Union Electric property across from Cape Rock Park...

OLD APPLETON -- The Old Appleton Bridge Committee will receive a $3,000 grant from Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. this month. "We're real excited about the grant," said Jan Dellamano of Cape Girardeau, who heads the bridge committee. "The funds will go into the general fund to help with the restoration of the bridge."...

The lure of a multimillion dollar jackpot is attracting long lines of peopLe in Illinois. Lines have been forming the past three days at the Purple Crackle Club in East Cape Girardeau, Ill., where people can buy chances at a $63 million jackpot in the Illinois lottery's Lotto...

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission has approved a set of guidelines for any group of property owners interested in establishing a Neighborhood Improvement District. The commission, at a meeting Tuesday morning, approved the guidelines prepared by its attorney, Larry Ferrell...

ROGER L. ALLGOOD Occupation: Art teacher at Scott City High School for 18 years. The best part of my job is: "All the smiling faces at graduation. (And June, July and August)." What do you do in your spare time? "Work on old Corvettes, ride my Harley Davidson, quail and duck hunt."...

KELSO -- A horseshoe tournament in Kelso on Oct. 5 raised more than $1,000 for the American Cancer Society. Marlene Morton said more than 30 teams participated in the tournament, held at the Red Bone tavern. "We'd like to thank everybody who made the tournament a success," Morton said. "Many people donated prizes and lots of people participated."...

WASHINGTON -- A Gordonville native who helped develop the computer programming for the Navy's Tomahawk cruise missile has been named technical director of a new naval research and development command in California. "It's good news and bad news for me and my family," said Paul Wessel, 53, of Silver Springs, Md., in a telephone interview from his home. ...

GORDONVILLE - A rural Cape Girardeau County man was seriously injured Tuesday when his leg became entangled in a piece of farm machinery on his farm near here. Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department investigators said Wilbert E. Welker, 72, of Gordonville, Route 3, and his son, Edwin Welker of Cape Girardeau, were unloading grain from a farm truck to a grain conveyer when Wilbert Welker's left leg began entangled in the power-take-off shaft that operates the grain auger...

Parents who find it difficult to talk to their children about sex can sign up for a class that will help teach good communication. Donna Fields, education director at the East Missouri Action Agency, said the classes, which are extremely popular, teach parents how to talk about sex and related issues...

CHAFFEE -- Alvin Arthur Baker, 56, of Chaffee, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Nov. 10, 1934, at Chaffee, son of Carl and Ruby Viola Crumbaugh Baker. He and Jane Day Leggett were married April 28, 1963. Baker was a truck driver for a construction company, and veteran of the U.S. Navy...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Lindell Roscoe Collins, 66, of Kenosha, Wis., formerly of East Prairie, died Monday, Oct. 14, 1991, at Kenosha Memorial Hospital. He was born Sept. 21, 1925, in Johnsonville, Tenn., son of Thomas V. and Myrtle Corbett Collins. He and Claire Mae Gammons were married Dec. 27, 1949...

YOUNT -- Evelyn Marie Hahn, 82, of Farmington, formerly of Yount, died Monday, Oct. 14, 1991, at Farmington Community Medical Center. She was born Aug. 12, 1909, at Farmington, daughter of Andrew J. and Mary Evelyn Coffer Hawn. She married Joseph Franklin Hahn, who preceded her in death...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Ray L. Coonrod, 48, of Cairo, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 1991, at his home. He was born July 30, 1943, at Mound City, son of Charles and Evelyn Coonrod. Coonrod was retired from First Bank and Trust Co. here, member of Cairo Elks Lodge 651, and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps...

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson says a federal highway bill approved by the House Public Works and Transportation Committee Tuesday will bring "direct, positive benefits" to the 8th Di~s~trict. The six-year, $151 billion Surface Transportation Act calls for spending money from the Highway Trust Fund and giving states more flexibility in utilizing federal highway and mass transit money...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Tim Lukefahr of Leopold, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 1991. Name, Whitney Lyne. Weight, 7 pounds 6 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Mrs. Lukefahr is the former Susie Stoverink, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Stoverink. She is a sewing machine operator at Paramount Cap. Lukefahr is employed at Lone Star, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lenzel Lukefahr...

ORAN -- Paul Bernard Geer, 83, of Oran Route 2, died at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau at 9:47 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, 1991. He was born Sept. 23, 1908, at Campbell, son of Jasper Louis and Mary Frances Provance Geer. On Aug. 14, 1941, he married Virginia A. Black at Williamsburg, Mo. She survives...

PORTAGEVILLE -- The University of Missouri, with funding from the Southern Cotton Ginner Association, has developed a plan for a cottonseed storage building. The building is designed to store approximately 1,200 tons of cottonseed with ability to expand to 2,400 tons. The building is a wood frame design, using 1 x 12 wood studs, wood trusses, concrete flooring and removable aeration ducts...

Herb Scheeter and Edna Scheeter of Cape Girardeau were winners in corn shucking and walking-plow contests held at Rockome Gardens at Arcola, Ill. recently. Herb Scheeter was a winner in the walking plow contest, and finished second in his division of corn shucking. Edna Scheeter won her division of corn shucking and finished second in the walking plow contest...

Indian summer has begun. The first frosts of the season have encouraged individuals who enjoy fall vacations to contemplate driving south, where fall tours have been arranged by tourism committees. Missouri is one of these states. To better acquaint out-of-state visitors with the scenic beauty of Missouri and the historical landmarks, a booklet about these attractions has been published by the state. It is available at offices of the Chamber of Commerce, and some post offices, and is free...

Tony Balsamo of Cape Girardeau, a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, has been selected as a member of the Mizzou Tour team. Balsamo is among 20 students at the university who will present an in-depth look at MU to prospective students and visitors during campus visits and other university events...

Missouri teachers will score 65,000 handwritten compositions by eighth-grade students in a statewide project to assess the writing skills of the students. On Nov. 7-8, about 550 teachers will work with state education officials to score all the essays. In fact, every student's essay will be evaluated at least twice by different teachers...

A Halloween carnival will be held Oct. 24 for children ages 3 and 4 by the Cape Girardeau Parents as Teachers program. The free carnival will be at Jefferson School gym, 520 S. Minnesota, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Activities planned include cooking, face painting, digging for apples, an obstacle course, and pumpkin art...

JACKSON -- A two-part course for first-time babysitters will begin Thursday and conclude Oct. 24. The course, entitled "Guide for the First-Time Babysitter," will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. both evenings at the St. Francis Medical Center information center, 2122 Highway 61 East. A $5 registration fee includes all course materials...

The Washington Elementary School PTA's annual chili supper will be held Thursday from 4:30-7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Tickets are $1.75 and may be purchased from students in grades 4-6. Tickets will also be available at the door. Homemade deserts will be sold for 25 cents, and carry-outs are available for those who bring their own containers...