Stories from Tuesday, September 8, 1992

SCOTT CITY - Progress toward extending Nash Road into the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is about as far as it can get until the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission begins prioritizing projects identified on the 15-year needs study...

Supporters in Missouri and Illinois pledged more than $281,000 through this year's Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon, helping boost the national total raised by the telethon to nearly $46 million. Local segments of the telethon, an annual event that is responsible for close to half of the local MDA's yearly budget, were broadcast from West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau...

The Cape Girardeau City Council Wednesday will consider amendments to the city's storm water regulations that will enable local developers to comply with new federal erosion guidelines at no additional cost. On Oct. 1, new Environmental Protection Agency regulations go into effect that require a storm-water discharge permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for among other activities new construction or development on sites of five acres or more...

Former Cape Girardeau School Superintendent Arthur Turner has moved two states away to Greensburg, Ind., but he's seeing some familiar educational issues. The public schools in Greensburg opened Aug. 18 under the leadership of Turner, who has been superintendent there since July 1991...

Despite limits on local regulation of cable television, Cape Girardeau next year should have a new and improved cable TV franchise agreement, thanks to the work of a citizens advisory committee. Michael Maguire, chairman of the Cable Television Citizens Committee, said the group has recommended several changes in the current franchise agreement with TCI Cablevision of Missouri that will expand consumer rights...

The Southeast Missourian asked people what they thought about the career move that Dagwood Bumstead is making in the "Blondie" comic strip. Dagwood is leaving his desk job with Mr. Dithers to work with Blondie's catering business. Bob Briner: "I think it's fine. It's a sign of the times in that many people are making a career move late in life. It might work. Blondie is a pretty strong personality. Maybe they are trying to add to their audience with this new direction."...

Cape Girardeau attorney Mike Ponder is outraged about a suggestion made by state Democratic Chairman Gene Bushmann that he and three other former Ross Perot supporters were planted by the Republican Party. "This just shows the Democratic Party is without honor," said Ponder, adding that he has no idea where Bushmann came up with the idea...

A half-mile trail through a natural area of the Cape Girardeau County North Park has been completed by the Missouri Department of Conservation to complement its regional headquarters/nature center already located in the park. The regional headquarters opened last August on a tract of land leased to the state by the Cape Girardeau County Commission. As part of the agreement, the conservation department agreed to build a nature trail through a section of the park...

In the perpetual debate of government over public interest versus individual rights, there seems a natural disadvantage for the former's position. Individuals want the responsibility of their own risky behavior while the government is left to take the role of mother hen, fretting over the public well-being. ...

PERRYVILLE -- Robert Louis Ubinger, 76, of Perryville, died Thursday, Sept. 3, 1992, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born July 4, 1926, in St. Louis County. He was owner of Allstate Refuse in Perryville. He was married Feb. 11, 1950, in St. Louis, to Lorraine A. Hummel. She survives...

SIKESTON -- The causes of two early-morning fires in Sikeston Monday are being investigated by fire officials, who say they aren't sure if the two are connected. Three businesses were destroyed in the fires, just four blocks away. The first blaze, at 515 West Malone Ave., destroyed a warehouse and party business, both at the same location. The warehouse was owned by Food Giant and the party business is Affairs to Remember...

PERRYVILLE -- William L. Brown, 87, of Perryville, died Thursday, Sept. 3, 1992, at his home. He was born Dec. 21, 1904, in Perry County, the son of Frank L. Brown and Mary Blachle. He was a retired farmer. He married Ida L. Welker on Dec. 29, 1934, at Highland, Mo. She survives...

JACKSON -- Renzo James, 78, Jackson Route 2, died Sunday, Sept. 6, 1992, at his home. He was born May 25, 1914, at Sedgewickville, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Seabaugh James. He married Hulda Lange, who died July 6, 1983. James had owned and operated the Starlight many years, and also several farms. He was a member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158, Westview Masonic Lodge at Millersville, Shrine Club, and Coon Hunters Club. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Gladys G. Herbst, 83, of San Bernardino, Calif., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died suddenly Sunday, Sept. 6, 1992, at her home. She was born May 2, 1909, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of Mason and Phenia Windeknecht Thomas. She and Raymond Herbst were married Sept. 13, 1942, in Cape Girardeau. He died Sept. 23, 1969...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Funeral service for Ruby Long of Cairo will be held at 11 a.m. today at Barkett Funeral Chapel here. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9-11 a.m. Long died Sunday, Sept. 6, 1992, in Chesterfield, Mo...

CHARLESTON -- Mildred Williams, 79, of Charleston, died Monday, Sept. 7, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born June 19, 1913, in Oakville, Ky., daughter of James Payton and Sudie Ann Blackburn Lane. She married Harold Williams in 1938. He preceded her in death...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Effie Gertrude Endicott, 94, of Villa Ridge died Sunday, Sept. 6, 1992, at the Hillside Nursing Home in Cobden. She was born June 3, 1898, in Alexander County, the daughter of Fredoline and Flora Ellen Sims Cauble. She was a member of the Villa Ridge Union Church, the Ladies' Aid Society of the church and was a charter member of the Pulaski-Alexander County Farm Bureau...

Daughter to Bobby Toombs and Nioka Seets of Glen Allen, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:50 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, 1992. Name, Lacee Nikoal. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. First child. Miss Seets is the daughter of Donna Seets of Cape Girardeau and David Fox of Marble Hill. Toombs is a mechanic at Woodfin Tires and Saws at Glen Allen, and is the son of Ruby Toombs and James Toombs of Marble Hill...

A Coping Skills clinic will be held Friday for people who are separated, divorced or widowed. The topic for this meeting is "Dealing with your former spouse or the memory of your deceased spouse." The program begins at 7 p.m. at the Community Counseling Center. For more information, call Pat at 243-2287...

All Missouri Department of Conservation areas will be open for a special teal season to be held Saturday through Sept. 20. "Most of the areas will be open on a first-come, first-serve basis," said David Wissehr, wildlife biologist at the Southeast Missouri Regional DOC office. "But, there will be exceptions at Duck Creek, Otter Slough and Ten-Mile Pond areas for weekends...