Stories from Sunday, February 16, 1992

SCOTT CITY - Maxine Leist Callaway, 62, a native of the former community of Illmo, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 1992 at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Ark. Callaway, of Pine Bluff, was born at Illmo Feb. 24, 1929, daughter of Otto Leist of Scott City and the late Berneice Lambert Leist. On April 9, 1950, she married James Lewis Callaway in Illmo. He survives...

We are down to the wire in New Hampshire. A teeny-weeny, overwhelmingly Republican state with about one million people is in the process of choosing the Democratic nominee for president. As of now the polls say it will be former Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts. You've heard of him, of course? He's a figure of national renown sort of a modern day Millard Fillmore, except Fillmore was more exciting...

The Center for International Studies at Southeast Missouri State University is offering non-credit Japanese language and culture classes. The classes will be conducted weekly on three consecutive Thursdays beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. in Grauel Room 305...

Trends toward single-parent families, both parents working outside the home, a changing role for women in society, new technology, and increasing societal pressures all contribute to vast changes in boy and girl scouting. The organizations - both dating back more than 80 years - have tried to be on the cutting edge of societal changes in their efforts to serve youths, trying to address the changing needs of young people...

Few people would choose a hobby that involves exhaustive running in sometimes deafeningly loud, close quarters with people shouting their disapproval. But Ryland "Dutch" Meyr, a basketball referee in Southeast Missouri for the past three decades, claims the job relaxes him...

The American Red Cross is looking for caring people and organizations willing to give of their time to serve others when a disaster strikes. The local Red Cross chapter office at 2610 Gerhardt is conducting a series of community-level disaster-training programs during the coming year...

The Cape Girardeau Public School District is trying to crack a tough nut. Through a broad examination of its fiscal structure and needs, the district has aimed at trimming $1.4 million from its budget. It attempts to do so without adversely affecting the quality of its academic offerings. To accomplish this, officials must be willing to tighten belts and be more than a little innovative. Both of these qualities are evident in the school board's approval last week of a retirement incentive plan...

Joy and Gary Gilbert likely would try any sport that included middle- or long-distance running. So it's not surprising that when the Cape Girardeau couple learned three years ago of a new summer version of Olympic biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with target shooting, they were eager to give the sport a try...

Herman D. (Sonny) Swallow Jr. of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Arnold, died at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis Thursday, Feb. 13, 1992. He was born April 20, 1952, son of Herman and Shirley Schachner Swallow. He is survived by son, B. Kyle Swallow; daughter, Lauri N. Swallow; sisters, Donna Schweitzer and Patricia Swallow; and a brother, Henry N. Swallow...

I have learned that when my phone rings at 4 a.m., I should just answer in Russian. Invariably, a friend from Russia or Ukraine is on the other end of the line. Although I am a little groggy at this hour, I am never upset. To telephone me in the United States is a serious endeavor for my friends. ...

PULASKI, Ill. -- Lloyd Chancy, 79, of Pulaski, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 1992, at Meridian Manor Nursing Home in Mounds. He was born Jan. 2, 1912, at Marion, son of Silas and Mary Brown Chancy. He married the former Ruth Cruse. Chancy was a retired truck driver with Automobile Transportation Co. in St. Louis. He was a past village trustee for the city of Pulaski, and member of the Church of God in Marion...

MORLEY -- Naoma Grace McDonough, 84, of Morley, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 1992, at Sikeston Health Care Inc. She was born April 21, 1907, in Maynard, Ark., daughter of Atlas and Tura Phipps Hatley. She married Clarence Edward McDonough May 16, 1936. He died June 25, 1973...

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Betty Lou Thomas, of 2301 Belleridge Pike, formerly of Chaffee, died Friday, Feb. 14, 1992 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was 66. She was born in Seminole, Okla. on April 10, 1925 to the late James and Julia Hamilton Bair. On July 18, 1948, she married Ervin Thomas, who died in March 1975...

MARBLE HILL -- Grace Ward, 88, of Marble Hill, died Friday, Feb. 14, at her home. She was born at Greenville, Mo., July 17, 1903, daughter of Edward and Ada Croney Carlton. She married Leonard H. Ward on April 20, 1918. He preceded her in death July 14, 1974...

CHARLESTON -- George Lankheit, 83, of Charleston, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Funeral service for Donald Edward Lynch, 1501 Whitener, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Michael Zoellner will officiate, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery at Scott City. Friends may call at Lorberg after 4 p.m. today. A Masonic service will be conducted at 6:30 p.m. by Harold O. Grauel Masonic Lodge. A prayer service will follow at 7:30...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Mayme Ann DeField, 95, of Jonesboro, Ark., died Thursday, Feb. 13, 1992, at Craighead Nursing Center in Jonesboro. She was born July 28, 1896, at East Prairie, daughter of Allen Houston and Laura Bell Hill Mainord. She married Clyde DeField, who died in 1975...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Lela Scott of Sikeston was held Saturday at Shelby Funeral Chapel in East Prairie. The Revs. Clinton Wofford and Robert Burke officiated, with burial in East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery. Scott, 92, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

Sister M. Jolende "Josephine" Meyer, 90, died Jan. 7, 1992, at the Villa Gesu in St. Louis, a retirement home for the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was born Nov. 18, 1901, at Longtown, daughter of Barney and Mary Tuschoff Meyer. Meyer entered the convent of SSND Jan. 30, 1936. She was a cook and housekeeper in numerous convents before retiring to Villa Gesu in 1987...

Linda Leah Hunter, 44, of New Madrid, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 1992, at the home of a sister here. She was born May 21, 1947, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Sam L. and Ethel Patti Hunter Jr. Hunter was an oncology nurse consultant with H. Lee Moffit Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Fla...

Sales of pre-owned homes are continuing to make a modest recovery as buyers respond to the lowest mortgage rates since the mid-1970s. "The housing market is continuing to pick up," said Carl Blanchard owner and broker of Coldwell Banker Blanchard and Associates Realty Inc. "And we're predicting more of the same for 1992."...

Boatmen's Bancshares Inc. is one of the 40 largest bank holding companies in the U.S., and the largest commercial banking organization in Missouri. Mercantile Bancorporation has been listed second on a list of the largest St. Louis-area banks and bank holding companies...

In 1979, City Hall and the Cape Girardeau School District launched a cooperative effort to build, maintain and operate a swimming pool throughout the year on the campus of Central High School. The Central Swimming Pool project was, by most measures, a success for more than a decade...

When Jeff and Kim Harms first met four years ago in a brain injury rehabilitation program, both were trying to salvage lives shattered by serious injuries they had suffered in car wrecks. Now they're husband and wife in a relationship that embraces a special kind of cooperation and determination...

JACKSON -- The person Chelsea loved and trusted most in the world violated that trust and shattered her young life: Her stepfather sexually abused her for seven years. Chelsea, now a 15-year-old student at Jackson Junior High School, has been through counseling and is now reaching out to help other incest victims. She asked to use the name Chelsea instead of her real name...

A 1,500-pound crossbred Brahma bull brought an unexpected, heart-pounding ending to a rodeo at the Show Me Center Friday night when it jumped a fence and ran through the aisles, creating panic among some spectators. The bull was quickly lassoed by rodeo cowboys and brought under control, but not before it sent some spectators and members of the rodeo band fleeing for safety...

With mortgage rates falling to their lowest levels in 18 years, homeowners looking to refinance their existing mortgages have caused business to boom for some lenders. One Cape Girardeau lender said it has been hit with "a tidal wave" of refinancing applications since dropping its rates on a basic 30-year fixed-rate loan below 8.5 percent in response to the recent Federal Reserve discount rate cut...

A vehicle ran off Route Y north of Jackson Saturday and struck a tree, injuring a Cape Girardeau man. Randell Kennedy, 36, the driver, sustained moderate injuries in the wreck, said a spokesman with the Missouri Highway Patrol. Kennedy was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital, where a spokesperson said Saturday night that he was being treated in the emergency room...

Some long-term unemployed Missouri workers will be eligible to receive up to an additional 13 weeks of extended unemployment compensation in Missouri. "The newest packet of benefits will be available to those workers who have exhausted their extended benefits the weekend ending Feb. 15," said Dan Freeman, employment service supervisor at the local Missouri Division of Employment Security office in Cape Girardeau...

Cape Girardeau Police reported that 22 accidents occurred Friday in the city in nearly 13 hours. The accidents were reported from 10:05 a.m. to 10:50 p.m. Patrolman Eddy James said he didn't know for sure if Friday's rain directly contributed to any of the wrecks. "I'm sure some of them were because of the weather," he added...

CHAFFEE -- One undisputable fact of life is that sooner or later everyone will be confronted with death. When death occurs to a close friend or relative, a funeral director is there to provide comfort and assistance at a difficult time. That opportunity to serve people in their time of need and to carry on a family tradition in the funeral business is what led Jack L. Burnett of Chaffee to choose a career as a funeral director...

Most people have about as much perseverance when it comes to resolutions to work out and get into shape as they do to quit smoking or overeating. But Pam Freeze, 33, has worked out consistently for the past 16 years. The fitness fanatic says variety is the key to persistence when it comes to working out...

JACKSON -- Golf has sometimes been referred to as the "royal and ancient game." Once looked upon as a rich, old man's game, golf now appeals to all ages, and it offers splendid exercise, sociability and pleasure in the open air. Something akin to the game now known as golf was played in Scotland before the middle of the 15th century. The name is derived from the Dutch word for club, "kolf."...

Harold Kuehle collects cameras the way some people collect snapshots. His house at 1725 Georgia Street is crammed full of cameras, some of them dating back to around the turn of the century. Kuehle, who has served as county collector since 1967, has about 100 cameras, from old Polaroid to box cameras. "I've always liked cameras," he said...

New churches are preaching the gospel and putting down roots in Cape Girardeau in settings ranging from a movie theater to a former grocery store. "New churches are a great hope for (religious) revival because they are such an evangelistic tool," said the Rev. Ron Watts, pastor of La Croix United Methodist Church, whose members hold service at West Park 4 Cine in West Park Mall. The church was formed three years ago...

Bill French is looking forward to his band's return to Cape Girardeau. The Bill French Band is comprised of members of the former Jack Staulcup Band, a noted orchestra from past years that made appearances at several night clubs and hotels throughout Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky...

Webster's New World Dictionary describes a toxophilite as "a person who is especially fond of archery." Toxon is the Greek word for bow. That pretty well describes Danny Yarbrough; his wife, Ginger; and their two children, Terry and Regina, who participate as a family in the ancient sport of archery...

Legislation to raise the 11-cents-per-gallon motor fuels tax by 6 cents is "the fastest way to jumpstart the economy," state Sen. Roger B. Wilson, D-Columbia, said Friday. Wilson, who heads the Senate appropriations committee and is running for lieutenant governor, voiced support for the gas tax during a campaign swing through Southeast Missouri...

As an agent for the Missouri Department of Conservation, a big part of Gene Myers' job is sharing nature with others. It's a part of the job he enjoys a great deal. "We do a good variety of programs for people of all ages, but all of them have the same idea of being informational and hopefully educational," explained Myers. "Our basic idea is to make the public more aware of the natural world around them."...

Justin Crader has a flair for hockey, and it's one that's existed before on a professional level in his family. Former Blues hockey player John Wensink of St. Charles is married to a third cousin of the Jackson boy, said Justin's father, Stan Crader, president of the SEMO Youth Hockey Association. Wensick, now coach of the Blues' Peewee team, has skated a path Justin would like to follow...

CHAFFEE -- Smoking is out at Chaffee public schools as of July 1. The district's school board, by a 4-to-1 vote, banned smoking in the district's buildings at its regular Thursday night meeting. "That doesn't mean campus; that just means within the buildings," said district Superintendent Wayne Pressley...

Cape Girardeau Central Junior High students will welcome newcomers to the school with a packet of goodies. Brenda McCowan, Future Business Leaders of America co-sponsor and teacher at the junior high school, said ninth-graders have put together information about the city that is of importance to students...

JACKSON -- As a reading teacher for grades kindergarten through third, Mildred Seboldt became interested in library work because she realized just how important books are in the lives of children. "It was just a natural stepping stone to a librarian's work," said Seboldt, who has been at Riverside Regional Library for 20 years and has served four years as administrative director...

SCOTT CITY -- Every school has its share of outstanding athletes, and occasionally a handful will excel in two or three sports. But it's rare when an athlete not only competes but also achieves excellence in four sports. Greg Klund, an 18-year-old senior at Scott City High School, is such an athlete...

SIKESTON - Highway and bridge construction could be on the verge of exploding in Missouri, thanks to a new federal highway bill that raises the state's return on fuel taxes paid and the possibility of enhanced revenue from an increased state fuel taxes...

When Mike Cochran of Cape Girardeau started looking at how to improve his business, he turned to the Small Business Development Center for advice. Cochran said the center at Southeast Missouri State University helped him plan for the future of his business. The company, Personnel Support, provides temporary employees for businesses...

New growth helped keep Cape Girardeau's retail community stable in 1991. While many retail communities nationwide coped with disappointing 1991 sales, Cape Girardeau recorded strong sales during the final half of the year, and prospects for 1992 appear to be favorable as well, said local retailers...

JACKSON -- Jamie Mayfield must be a pretty popular guy at the Lee-Rowan Co. plant in Jackson. Throughout the day his name is called frequently over the plant's public address system. That's because Mayfield is a Set Up Adjustor Coordinator (read "troubleshooter") for the day shift at the plant. If a piece of equipment on the production line isn't working properly, and the operator can't correct the problem, the call goes out for Mayfield's help...

As a weather watcher for Midwest Weather Services, Jeff Dahms has observed a lot more than weather at the Midwest Weather Service observation station at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport. Dahms has seen everything from a U.S. president to rock stars as they arrive at the airport. When he isn't watching people, Dahms has a front row seat to the glorious beauty of nature at sunset, the power and magnitude of a raging thunderstorm, or the antics of the airport coyotes and rabbits...

Koch talks about his patients. But instead of talking back, they usually bark, meow, purr, or make some other unintelligible sound that might help the doctor diagnose their problem. Koch said that's the challenge of practicing veterinary medicine. "Being a veterinarian means you have to be part doctor and part detective," he said. "You must enjoy a mystery because that's really what its all about. Your patients can't tell you very much, so you find out," he said...

If you're looking for a haircut or new hair style in Cape Girardeau County, chances are you'll have a short wait, if any at all. The county has 481 people who are licensed for both hairdressing and manicuring, said Mary Neutzler, research analyst with the Missouri Department of Health, the state Board of Cosmetology's data gathering agency. Sixteen additional people are licensed as hairdressers only, she said, and four more are licensed only as manicurists...

Social drinkers have changed over the years, says a local bartender. They're drinking less alcohol, and more than ever, they're not getting behind the wheel if they've had too much. Dale Pruett, who has tended bar at Port Cape Girardeau for nine years, says most drinkers are more conscious than ever of observing their limit. And sticking to nonalcoholic drinks has become another acceptable alternative...

The Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau celebrates its 25th anniversary this week with plans to continue work started a quarter century ago. "I think we have people who are committed to seeing that the things that were good about the past stay here for the future," said Doris Dace, president of the association...

A cupful of colorful pansies is a good thing with which to whisk away the winter doldrums. Brought by a friend, I put the happy little blossoms in a pale green cup trimmed with gold and placed them on a table where morning sunshine beams would poke inquisitive fingers amongst the petals. All this on the fourth of February when one can find practically nothing outside in bloom except a dandelion or two in some sheltered place...

February is the shortest month of the year and the most unpredictable. Its name comes from a Latin word meaning "to purify", for February was the month in which the Romans were purified for religious festivals during the following months. February usually has 28 days, but every fourth year, leap year, there is an extra one. ...

SIKESTON -- Tri-County Health Related Services in Sikeston has announced that health screenings will be held this week in Chaffee and Scott City. They will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday at Chaffee Nutrition Center, and the same time Thursday at Scott City Nutrition Center...

BENTON -- Screening for kindergarten students will be held at Kelly Elementary School on March ~3-4 from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. All parents of children who will be 5 prior to July 1 should call the school at 545-3544 to schedule an appointment. The screening process takes about one hour. A birth certificate, social security number and health record are required...

PERRYVILLE -- Each year more than 50 new businesses open in Cape Girardeau County. "That figure more than doubled in 1991," said Ron Steele, regional economic development planner for the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission in Perryville, which keeps tabs on new business openings and closings for seven area counties...

Bluff City Beer has announced plans to move its headquarters from Poplar Bluff to Cape Girardeau. The firm, headquartered at Poplar Bluff, has five distribution centers throughout Southeast Missouri, including a new 15,300-square-foot warehouse constructed recently on Siemers Drive in Cape West Business Park...

Dr. Allen Branson has joined Wal-Mart Vision Center. Branson, of Cape Girardeau, has been working with Royal Optical for more than two years. He will start at Wal-Mart when the company opens its new Superstore here. John Turner, manager of the vision center, said calls were being taken now for appointments...

The Cape Girardeau School of Real Estate will hold its "Salesperson Pre-Licensing" course starting Saturday. The course, which is presented in preparation for the Missouri Real Estate Sales License Examination, will be held at Montessori School, 417 Independence, over three weekends: Feb. 22-23; Feb. 29-March 1; and March 7-8...

Cape Bicycle Cycling and Fitness Inc. has purchased the Amoco Service Station adjacent to the bicycle sales and service firm in the 1800 block of Broadway. "We've owned the land there for six years," said Eric Gooden. "The station became available recently, and we saw the opportunity to obtain it."...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has completed its pledge of $6,000 to the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Department for use in local economic development efforts. Terry Godwin, manager of the Cape Girardeau Wal-Mart, recently presented a check for $2,000 to the chamber. The check represented the third and final payment of a three-year, $6,000 pledge...

Kenneth Mehrle of Cape Girardeau has been named president of the NARD Foundation headquartered at Alexandria, Va. Mehrle, a past president of both NARD and the Missouri Pharmaceutical Association, succeeds Frank Lobraico of Indianapolis, Ind., who served as foundation president for 17 years...

PERRYVILLE -- "How to Start and Manage a Small Business" will be the topic of a three-hour workshop at 321 N. Main in Perryville March 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. "The workshop is designed to acquaint the small-business owner or operator with current management principles," said Rick Sparks, business and industry specialist with the University of Missouri Extension. "Topics will include new business start-up, buyout or franchising; financing a small business; record keeping, and others."...

Second Time Around Furniture recently opened at 520 Broadway. "We feature all types of used furniture and household items," said Kay Crockett, owner of the business. "We want to offer a wide variety of furniture, including dining room suites, chairs, kitchen cabinets, bedroom suites and china cabinets."...