Stories from Friday, November 20, 1992

For the third year in a row, the SEMO District Fair board has turned a profit. The achievement is certainly no accident. It's a tribute to the professionalism of fair board members and the popularity of the fair. Board President Pete Poe reported a $70,000 profit at last week's annual meeting. It represents one of the most profitable years for the fair...

This weekend's arts and crafts shows offer more than good prices on creative holiday gifts. The shows are among the largest tourism draws of the season. We welcome these exhibitors and bargain hunters to town. The Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts "Christmas at the Show Me Center" and the River Valley Arts and Crafts Expo each will attract about 10,000 to 12,000 people Saturday and Sunday. ...

The conclusion of many of these intellectual treatises is that voters would have acted differently if only such and such had happened or someone else had been the candidate, which is a little like saying the University of Missouri Tigers would have been this year's Big 8 champions if only they had scored more touchdowns. Changing reality to draw conclusions is always dangerous stuff, and ought to be avoided by writers who should know better...

Abby Simms didn't smoke a cigarette on Thursday. "I've tried to quit before, but it's like some people are genetically more inclined to get addicted than others," said Simms, a smoker for 31 years. "I once quit for three weeks, but I always go back."...

SCOTT CITY - A few concerned parents tried to pin the Scott City School Board on the issue of wrestling Thursday night. The group spoke at the board meeting, urging the school district to reinstate the wrestling program, which was discontinued at the end of the season during the last school year...

Action this week to speed the implementation of ward-style council elections in Cape Girardeau could result in violations of state law. According to the Missouri revised statutes, city council members can not be voted out of office until their terms expire...

JACKSON - Sixteen days after voters rejected county planning and zoning, the Cape Girardeau County Commission took formal action abolishing its planning department and related ordinances. After a meeting with J. Fred Waltz, who was the attorney for the county planning commission, the county commission Thursday unanimously approved a resolution he prepared to carry out the will of voters from the Nov. 3 general election...

Earl Sams last set foot in Franklin School in 1936 when he was an elementary student. He came back for a visit Thursday as part of the Cape Girardeau school district's open house for senior citizens. Sams was among some 45 senior citizens who participated in the open house, designed as an introduction or re-introduction to the school system...

The Notre Dame High School participated in the 19th Annual Fast for a World Harvest Thursday to help raise money for starving children in Somalia. The students purchased "Good Neighbor" lunch tickets at the beginning of the school day. The lunch ticket enabled the student to an apple and milk instead of a regular lunch...

The Circle K Club of Southeast Missouri State University will conduct a city-wide canned food drive for the Salvation Army Saturday. Volunteers will be going house to house, soliciting canned foods that will be used for Thanksgiving, Christmas and throughout the year...

Brandon Hahs, a 1992 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School, will perform Saturday with the Northeast Missouri State University show choir at the Central High Auditorium. Hahs is one of 34 members of the "Franklin Street" singers. The show choir is on a fall tour throughout Missouri, which includes the performance in Cape Girardeau...

A representative of the Missouri Department of Health will be guest speaker at the Lyme Disease Self-Help Support Group meeting Tuesday. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Harrison Room at Southeast Missouri Health. The topic for Sue Tippen of the State Department of Health will be "Update on Statewide Efforts on Lyme Disease."...

U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond said Thursday his top priorities in the new term will be legislation to strengthen the nation's economic health and working toward eliminating the federal deficit. "The deficit and national debt are anchors around our necks, and unless they are seriously addressed now our standard of living will decline, our competitiveness will erode, and our children's future will be bleak," said Bond...

The area chapter of Freedom of Road Riders Inc. will hold a "Toys for Tots" ride Sunday. Motorcycle riders will travel from Cape Girardeau to Jackson and back again. The ride begins at 1 p.m. at Eagles Aerie Lodge at 321 N. Spring. Admission to the ride is one new toy and a can of food, said Mike Hellman of Cape Girardeau, trustee for Local 16 of the statewide group. "Of course, we are inviting anyone who would like to ride," he added...

Angered by the fact that the movie "Malcolm X" did not open in Cape Girardeau Wednesday as it did in other locales across the country, Michael Sterling called Hollywood. And Hollywood answered. Sterling, president of the Cape Girardeau branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, phoned Warner Brothers on Thursday to ask why the film opened in Carbondale and Paducah but not Cape Girardeau...

MARBLE HILL -- John W. Baker, 81, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1992 at the Advance Nursing Care Center. He was born Aug. 12, 1911 near Lutesville to Samuel P. and Janie Eaker Baker. He was a retired farmer and was a member of the Clubb Creek General Baptist Church, just south of Marble Hill...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Pat Boone, 65, of Plantation, Fla., formerly of East Prairie, died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1992, at Manor Care Nursing Center, following an extended illness. She was born Feb. 20, 1927, near Matthews, daughter of Fred A. and Ava Hinton Uthoff. She and Dale F. Boone were married Dec. 13, 1945. He died Oct. 14, 1967...

Paul Edward Meyer, 72, 1902 Herman, died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.