Stories from Wednesday, July 21, 1993

When Steve Gerard looks out the picture window of his second-floor Main Street office, he sees both a wondrous once-in-a-lifetime spectacle and a primal force that could drive his family permanently from their home. "If my home wasn't threatened and other people's livelihoods weren't being threatened, it's quite a sight to see," he said...

SCOTT CITY - With the bulging Mississippi River closed to traffic and water at record levels, normal activity at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority has come to a halt. There is still plenty of other activity around the port, however, with Girardeau Stevedores, the dock operators, using the time to get equipment repaired and in good condition...

STE. GENEVIEVE - Missouri Army National Guardsmen, Coast Guard reserve personnel and the townspeople of Ste. Genevieve remained watchful Tuesday as the Mississippi River held itself at an all-time high. Authorities in the historic town warn the river will remain nearly stationary for a time, or fall only very slowly. That means the tremendous pressure being exerted on the hastily constructed temporary levees will continue for at least another week to 10 days...

About 2,300 Union Electric customers in Cape Girardeau and 900 more in Benton were without power for periods Tuesday night as the result of a storm that blew through the area. The Cape Girardeau outage resulted from lightning striking a power line. It lasted from 8:16 p.m. to 8:45 p.m...

Cape Girardeau police closed Big Bend Road early Tuesday, giving up the battle to keep the water off the roadway between Olive and First streets. Barricades were set up at the intersection of Roberts Street and Big Bend Road, allowing only residents to enter...

Beginning this school year, immunization exemptions based on philosophical reasons no longer will be granted for Missouri children. New legislation eliminates philosophical exemptions to immunization. Religious and medical exemptions still will be permitted...

JACKSON - The loss prevention coordinator for the Missouri Association of Counties' workers' compensation insurance pool has praised Cape Girardeau County for its efforts to provide a safe workplace and keep claims low. "You have an excellent claims experience," Jeff Russell told the County Commission. He said that of the 75 counties in the pool, Cape County ranks sixth in terms of experience modification and number of claims...

Two Southeast Missouri State University students who want to be lawmen have been getting their heads out of the books and their hands on some experience this summer. Jim Olsen, a senior at the university majoring in criminal justice, was given the opportunity to experience the daily chores of a Cape Girardeau police officer for six weeks earlier this summer...

Cape Girardeau's city council took time this week to again visit the issue of house numbering. This might seem a rather rudimentary part of municipal regulation ... and it would be were it not for the general neglect the city's house numbering ordinance inspires. With renewed effort, and with a renewed reason, the city wants homeowners to live up to the law. We see no good reason why homeowners shouldn't oblige...

PERRYVILLE -- Ida R. Schott, 82, of Perryville, died Tuesday, July 20, 1993, at the Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Jan. 21, 1911, daughter of Louis E. and Juliann T. Ponder Schott. She was a homemaker. Survivors include three brothers, Theodore L. Schott of Perryville, August A. Schott of Quincy, Calif., Walter J. Schott of Uniontown, Mo.; and three sisters, Flora M Rhodes of Cape Girardeau, Hilda Meyer of Perryville, Alma Baudendistel of Perryville...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Delbert W. Britt, 74, of Olmsted, died Tuesday, July 20, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 14, 1918, at Olmsted, son of Jackson R. and Grace Corzine Britt. Britt was formerly site superintendent with Noble-Redman Construction Co. He was a member of Olmsted United Methodist Church, Mounds VFW Post, and Disabled American Veterans. He was a veteran of World War II...

ANNA, Ill. -- Clarence Richard Henderson, 65, of Anna, died Monday, July 19, 1993, at his home. He was born July 31, 1927, at Alton, son of Willis Edward and Alice Haas Henderson. He and Maxine Chapman were married June 6, 1975. Henderson was a member of United Missionary Baptist Church at Lick Creek, and was a bus driver...

Kay D. Beard, 51, Jackson Route 2, died Monday, July 19, 1993, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. She was born May 1, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Earl E. and Marcella Reynolds Jacobs. She and Darrell Beard were married Dec. 26, 1963, in St. Louis...

THEBES, Ill. -- Michael Joseph Pyron Jr., infant son of Michael J. Pyron Sr. and Margaretta Imparato of Thebes. The infant died shortly after birth Sunday, July 18, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his parents; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Pyron and Mr. and Mrs. Dano Melbourne of Thebes, James Imparato of Philadelphia, Pa., and great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Storm of Thebes...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Caldwell of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 9:55 a.m. Sunday, July 18, 1993. Name, Alexandra Nicole. Weight, 8 pounds 4 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Caldwell is the former Carol Hudoba, daughter of Norbert and Lillian Hudoba of East Chicago, Ind. Caldwell is business manager at Concord Publishing House Inc...

The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau is moving. The CVB, which promotes tourism and conventions in the Cape Girardeau area, is now operating as a new division of the city, and will move from the Chamber of Commerce building to the 1707 Building at the intersection of Mount Auburn Road and North Kingshighway...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: Stonebridge Subdivision Inc. to Robert Penrod; Ronnie L. and Marilyn J. Brown to Ronald S. and Lisa L. Pobst; Linda Louise and Jerald Amos Nelson to Linda Louise and Jerald Amos Nelson...

Enrollment for the Jaycees Learn to Swim program is under way. The next session begins Monday. Children between the ages of 3 and 6 may learn basic swimming safety. The course costs $15 for Cape Girardeau residents and $17 for non-residents. Classes are held Monday through Thursday mornings for 40 minutes at both Capaha and Central pools...

A funny thing happened to the "i" key on my Smith-Corona recently. The cap disappeared! A column was due at the newspaper office in two days, and I was tempted to submit it with the spaces intact for the missing letter. However, my faithful repairman at Plaza Gifts and Office Supplies managed to lift a matching cap from another machine in record time, so readers were spared the challenge...