Stories from Monday, June 21, 1993

JACKSON - Legislative action taken this year at both the state and federal levels will make it easier for citizens to register to vote. In Missouri, the General Assembly approved a bill to allow registration by mail, and Congress has approved a so-called "motor voter" bill that will enable people to register or make changes in their voting address when they renew driver's licenses...

Steve Schmidgall spent part of his Father's Day shopping for fireworks in Cape Girardeau with his two sons. "Daddy, let's get the boat," his 5-year-old insisted. "Let's get the boat it really floats." "No, we've already got a tank," Schmidgall told his son. "We don't need to kill the whole yard."...

Eighty-six-year-old Glen Hindman was returning home to Anna, Ill. having just enjoyed his usual Sunday dinner of Chinese food in Cape Girardeau. Hindman, who used to coach elderly people on their driver's exams, probably was using the cruise control on his '86 Chevrolet Celebrity as he entered the McClure city limits headed north...

The Cape Girardeau City Council tonight will consider a law that would allow the sale of package liquors on Sundays. The council earlier this month delayed a similar measure to allow for additional public comment on the matter. The Missouri Legislature approved Sunday liquor sales in the last session, but cities must approve local ordinances and merchants must apply for a Sunday sales license...

Air bags are an idea whose time took a long time coming. First tested in the 1950s, they were ready for use by the 1970s, but automakers successfully resisted government attempts to mandate them. But in 1990, all new cars sold in the U.S. were required to be equipped with either automatic seat belts or driver's-side air bags...

The summer vacation season is here, and increased demand for gasoline is keeping fuel prices up. "Generally, summer prices are the highest of the year," says Mike Wright, of the public affairs department of the American Automobile Association (AAA), which keeps tabs on fuel prices. "Right now, we're seeing about the same gasoline prices as last year."...

The Yes Group plans to present petitions to the city council tonight that could return the riverboat gambling issue to the ballot in November. What do you think? Peter Woltemade: "I think it's a bit silly for it to come up for a vote again this soon. If it's had a chance and been shot down, it shouldn't come back up."...

The oldest building on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, which was completed in 1902, the social science building, will be renovated beginning this summer. The plan is designed to upgrade its mechanical, electrical and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and the building's faculty office and classroom spaces...

Across the country, the face of law enforcement is changing. It is becoming more professional, more specialized and more aggressive. Southeast Missouri State University Police department is no exception. Drawing its roots from a single, part-time night watchman position created in the mid-1960s, the department is now 15 officers strong, with a support staff of 29...

After years of dreaming and planning, Friday will be moving day for the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Cape Girardeau's senior citizens deserve a round of applause for the hard work and dedication that made this long-time dream come true. The new center will be located on North Clark Street, near the Cape Girardeau Public Library. ...

ADVANCE -- Annie Blackwood, 91, of Perkins, Mo., died Sunday, June 20, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of funeral arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.

Kenny "Brodie" Cavaness, 41, of Scott City died June 19, 1993, at his home. He was born Jan. 23, 1952, in Cape Girardeau to Paul E. Cavaness and Gladys Virginia Kinder Cavaness. They preceded him in death. He married Mary Krauch on Nov. 18, 1972, at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois...

PERRYVILLE -- Henry J. Coffelt, 80, of Perryville, died Saturday, June 19, 1993, at the American Care Center in Perryville. He was born Oct. 23, 1912, at Silver Lake, Mo., son of Walter and Clara Henderson Coffelt. He married Viola B. Hudson, April 18, 1935...

PERRYVILLE -- Ottmer L. Renaud, 66, of Perryville, died Sunday, June 20, 1993 at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Aug. 16, 1926, at Perryville, son of Lawrence and Cecelia French Renaud. He married Betty Cissell, Oct. 7, 1950. Renaud was a veteran of the U.S. Navy...

BELL CITY -- John Howard Abner, 82, of Bell City died June 20, 1993, at the Advance Nursing Center in Advance. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Morgan Funeral Home in Advance.

ANNA, Ill. -- John Howard Blakemore, 84, of Oak Park, Ill., and formerly of Olive branch, died June 20, 1993, at his home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Crain Funeral Home in Tamms.

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Holder of Scott City, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 6:39 p.m. Thursday, May 13, 1993. Name, Robert Christopher. Weight, 6 pounds 7 ounces. Mrs. Holder is the former Misty McKee, daughter of Jerry and Donna McKee of Olive Branch, Ill. Holder is employed by David B. Knight and Associates, and is the son of Norman and Martha Holder of Scott City...

The Cape Girardeau Junior Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Membership Night Saturday open to all persons ages 21-39. The social will be held at the old Marquette School, at 2815 S. Sprigg, starting at 4 p.m. Barbecue and refreshments will be provided...

POPLAR BLUFF -- The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) recently donated a mini-van to the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. The van was donated for use as part of the national DAV Transportation Network. In addition to the national and state DAV, local chapters in West Plains, Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Sikeston, Kennett, and Fredericktown were instrumental in the efforts to get a new van...

Tania Morris, 15, of Cape Girardeau, will be attending an intensive summer training program with Pacific Northwest Ballet, in Seattle, Wash. She will travel to the West coast following a two-week program with the State Ballet of Missouri. Morris was accepted to the schools' programs as a result of national auditions held in the spring. She is a scholarship recipient to both programs...

Richie Tankersley Cusick, author of more than a dozen young adult thrillers, will talk to the Young Adult Summer RIF Club members about reading and writing thrillers, Tuesday, from 1-3 p.m. Cusick will read from some of his works at the Hirsch Community Room, in the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Members of the club will received free autographed books for attending...

The Cape Girardeau County American Red Cross has welcomed Dr. Stephen L. Gibson of Cape Girardeau as instructors of a brand new program. Gibson, a chiropractor for the Accident and Back Pain Clinic in Cape Girardeau, recently completed the new "Protect Your Back" instructor program...

The first Antiques and Collectibles Market of the summer will be held at Cape Girardeau's Arena Building Sunday, June 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exhibitors from four states will be showing and selling primitives, baseball cards, antique glassware, jewelry, dolls, furniture, pottery, coins, character collectibles, and paper Americans...

They say you don't have to know all the right answers if you know the right questions. A Cape Girardeau native, a partner in a St. Louis-based financial planning and education company Moneywise hopes her new book will provide some of the right questions for people to ask about their money...

Twenty five years ago it was a junk yard. Now it's a recycling center. Twenty five years into the future, it may be an ecology center. "Call it what you want, but it's all the same business," says Cleo E. Johns, who operates Johns Metal-Iron and Salvage Co., 1110 S. Kingshighway. "Scrap materials are recycled to be used in new materials."...

The small Southwest Missouri Ozarks community of Branson, population 3,700, is suddenly the place to go, ranking right up there with Disney World, Yellowstone National Park, and Washington, D.C. "Branson is now one of the top five tourist destinations in the nation," said Mike Wright in the public affairs department of the American Automobile Association (AAA), which recently compiled its annual tourist destination list for the summer...

Scrap-metal dealers started getting some respect during the years 1942-1945. Scrap metals used with raw steel in making munitions and implements of war were short in supply and "Salvage for Victory" campaigns were conducted throughout the nation in the war effort...

Lee-Rowan Manufacturing will open a new operation in Newbern, Tenn., in early 1994. "Newbern's location in northwest Tennessee, north of Dyersburg, means the plant is close enough to two existing plants in Missouri so that all three can coordinate their operations," said Desmond Lee, chairman of the board for Lee-Rowan, which is headquartered in St. Louis and has a large manufacturing facility at Jackson...

Deborah Vandeven has joined the Southeast Missourian Creative Services department. Vandeven recently moved to Cape Girardeau from Shawnee, Kan. She has a bachelor's degree in visual communications from the University of Kansas. Scott Anderson, who has been working part-time in the Southeast Missourian's Creative Services department since October 1991, is now a full-time graphic designer in that department...

Margie's Pie and Cake Factory, 1001 Independence, is now a member of Cakes Across America, a link which connects the bakers of America to each other. "The organization makes it possible for people to order a freshly-baked cake for anyone in North America," said Francine M. Greene, president and CEO of Cakes Across America. We have more than 29,000 independent bakers who are members of this group."...