Stories from Tuesday, August 10, 1993

In athletic events, a one-point victory is as good as a rout; it counts the same when the records are written. In politics, a win is a win, too, but it's a trickier business. President Clinton's congressional triumph with his tax package came about only after weeks of arm-twisting, deal-making and other varieties of intense persuasion ... ...

Consider a few of the public comments made by President Bill Clinton's nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Joycelyn Elders. On the pro-life movement: "They (pro-lifers) really should get over their love affair with the fetus." On teenage girls: "I tell every girl that when she goes out on a date, she should carry a condom in her purse."...

Cape Girardeau's Board of Education will ask voters for a 51-cent tax increase on Oct. 5. Money generated would fund construction of a middle school and other improvements. Board President John Campbell estimated the 51 cents per $100 assessed valuation would generate between $16 million and $18 million. The board would finance the building through a lease-purchase plan...

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau Monday began what officials and flood sufferers hope is a steady and prolonged drop after cresting Sunday just shy of 48 feet. The 47.9-foot record crest was below a predicted peak of 48.5-49 feet. By Monday the river had dropped to 47.7 feet still 15.7 feet above flood stage...

A school foundation designed to generate funds for Cape Girardeau public schools is on the drawing table. The Board of Education approved the idea Monday and directed Superintendent Neyland Clark to look at different plans for organization and legal aspects involved in forming a foundation...

SIKESTON -- Due to a sudden illness, country singer Tracy Lawrence will not perform as scheduled Wednesday night at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. Lawrence has been hospitalized, according to the Jaycees. A spokesman for the organization said it is negotiating to find a replacement for Lawrence, and is expected to make an announcement today...

SCOTT CITY -- The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority has sustained an estimated $150,000-$175,000 in damage to its physical facilities due to Mississippi River flooding, Director Dan Overbey said Monday. The estimate, which is just that until the water begins to recede and the damage can be surveyed, includes the cost of debris cleanup. Damage also consists of a 1,200-foot stretch of gravel road believed to have been washed out, and some erosion on the harbor banks...

The Federal Election Commission has closed the book on allegations of election-law funding violations regarding then-president Ronald Reagan's Sept. 14, 1988, visit to Cape Girardeau. The federal agency chose not to prosecute any of the entities associated with the Reagan visit, and closed its files on the case earlier this summer...

When Senate Bill 180 takes effect later this month, law enforcement officials will be required to fingerprint juvenile offenders who have committed felony offenses or aggravated misdemeanors. In much of Missouri, officials are dealing with the concept of fingerprinting juveniles for the first time, but that is not the case in Cape Girardeau...

A new outdoorsman's organization will be introduced during the Buck McNeely Outdoorsman Expo and Sporting Clays Tournament to be held in this area Aug. 28-29. "We will debut the Outdoorsman International magazine before the show," said McNeely. "We're also creating a new sportsman's organization by the same name."...

Southeast Missouri residents will have an opportunity to see the world famous Koshare Indian Dancers when they make their first appearance at the Show Me Center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Through the Koshare's efforts, directly and indirectly, they have inspired and created an interest and love of Indian lore by millions of people all over the world...

ADVANCE -- Youngsters this summer and fall are getting a taste of music, theater even cheerleading through programs offered by the Tri-County Arts Association. Tri-County Arts Association is a non-profit organization serving Stoddard, Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties...

Christy Roethemeyer of Jackson received the Cape Girardeau County Rotary Club scholarship. She received the $300 scholarship based upon her record of community activities which exemplifies the ideals of Rotary International. Most notably she has done volunteer work in youth drug awareness programs and with senior citizen groups...

Heather Deneke of Gordonville recently completed the required hours of volunteer service to be promoted from Ole Miss Regional Representative to Ole Miss Ambassador at the University of Mississippi. She was chosen by a special university committee on the basis of outstanding leadership and scholarship. Selected students volunteer their services assisting Ole Miss officials in recruiting and other promotional efforts...

Mark D. Smith of Cape Girardeau, was among the 2,354 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa named to the dean's list for the 1992-93 spring semester. All students named to the dean's list carried at least 12 semester hours during the semester. A minimum 3.5 grade point average is also required for inclusion on the dean's list for the college of liberal arts...

Donna Miller, president of the Cape County American Family Association, attended the 6th annual training conference of the National American Family Association in Tupelo, Miss. AFA is a Christian organization promoting the Biblical ethic of decency in American Society with primary emphasis on television and other media...

Fireman Randy J. Whitticre of the United States Navy of Cape Girardeau, recently named Distinguished Military Graduate upon him completion of the Navy's Machinist's Mate Class "A" Course at Service School Command, Great Lakes, Ill. He was selected for this honor due to his leadership abilities, outstanding military bearing and academic excellence. For this he has been awarded a special certificate of honor and recognition...

Cadet Anthony Charles Zoffuto, Jr., has achieved Gold Star status at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, for the second semester of the 1992-93 college year. Gold Stars, symbols of the highest scholastic rating, are awarded to cadets who earned grade-point ratios of 3.7 or higher...

BENTON - Donna Grossheider of Kelly elementary school in Benton was nominated by Daryl Birk for recognition at the Missouri Scholars Academy Appreciation Day held this summer on the campus of the University of Missouri at Columbia. There were 325 of Missouri's top high school students attending the ninth annual academy in July. ...

Steven W. Logel of Cape Girardeau was among the 791 named to Southwest Missouri State University's summer semester honor roll. Students named to the list earned at least a 3.5 grade point average and completed at least six credit hours during the summer semester...

Union Electric Company is advising emergency workers and others traveling in boats in flooded areas to be extremely cautious around power lines. In many areas, high flood waters have cut the amount of clearance under many power lines. Anyone traveling in boats near power lines should avoid moving directly under or anywhere near the lines, since any contact with the lines could result in serious injury or death...

SCOTT CITY - Jeffrey L. Raines of Scott City recently graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical School with a doctor of medicine degree. Raines began his residency in obstetrics-gynecology at the University of Southern Alabama in Mobile, Ala., in July...

Margie Reisenbichler and Patty La Forrest recently returned from Jefferson City where they were delegates to the Annual Conference of the Missouri Association for Family and Community Education, Inc. Reisenbichler is a member of the Wonderworkers Club and president-elect of the Cape County FCE. La Forrest was a delegate from Cape County for the 1993 Young Families Coordinators...

Debra Eggley Rau has completed the requirements for a Ph.D. in child clinical psychology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She completed a year-long internship at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Rau received a masters and doctoral fellowship. She earned a B.S. in psychology with the highest honors from Southeast Missouri State University...

Beth N. Farrow of Cape Girardeau and Vicki M. Kraemer of Jackson have been award a University of Missouri curators scholarship. Outstanding Missouri high school students are offered the scholarships by the university's governing body, the Board of Curators, to encourage the brightest young people to remain in the state...

Toby A. Crowden of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a Hall of Sponsor's Scholarship to attend Central Methodist College in Fayette for the 1993-94 academic year. The Hall of Sponsor's Scholarship program is designed to provide outstanding students with the opportunity to receive an individualized education in a Christian environment. The endowed scholarships are provided by alumni and friends of Central who believe in the importance of higher education and the mission of CMC...

Otahki Girl Scout Council, Inc. and Southeast Missouri State University were recently awarded grants to develop environmental education projects. These were among 29 grants that were awarded in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska through Region 7 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Kansas City, Kan...

LaRue Brown was honored with a special citation for exceptional volunteer service by the Cape Girardeau County Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Retired Senior Volunteer Program is responsible for placing older individuals into volunteer positions utilizing their expertise and skills...

U.S. Navy Commander M.G. "Gus" Lorberg III, a Cape Girardeau native, recently received a military award on his departure from a two-year tour in Pensacola, Fla., and his retirement from the Navy. As the Navy representative to numerous Interservice Training Review Organization meetings, he was cited for his superior management skills in achieving maximum efficiencies in training expenditures through consolidation of Navy training into interservice training. ...

Gary Stone of Cape Girardeau was named to the honors list last spring at MidAmerica Nazarene College in Olathe, Kan. To be selected for the honor a student must carry 12 hours or more and earn a grade point average of 3.2 to 3.49. Stone is a senior majoring in accounting and business administration. He is the son of Walter and Gerri Stone of Cape Girardeau...

Kristin Schenimann of Cape Girardeau has been named to the dean's scholar list at William Woods College for her accomplishments during the 1993 spring term. Students must earn at least a 3.75 grade point average to make the honor roll. William Woods College is the only private women's university in the United States...

Whitney L. Rueseler of Cape Girardeau has been named to the dean's list for the spring semester at Samford University. To qualify for the honor, a student must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade point average, while attempting at least 12 credit hours of course work...

Margaret M. Smith of Cape Girardeau and Jennifer L. Palisch of Altenburg have been inducted into the St. Louis University Chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society. Membership in Alpha Sigma Nu is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a student at a Jesuit university. ...

PATTON -- Lester Earl Aslinger, 91, of Patton, died Sunday, Aug. 8, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 23, 1902, son of Joe and Cora Shrum Aslinger. He and Nola Tinnin were married Nov. 3, 1928, at Fredericktown...

JACKSON -- Virginia M. Proffer, 71, Jackson Route 4, died Sunday, Aug. 8, 1993, at Cape LaCroix Manor in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 27, 1922, in Shelbyville, Ark., daughter of Ulysses Palmer and Frances Myrtle Pinkston Montgomery. She and Kermit Proffer were married March 25, 1942...

Jacques Cousteau can't hold a candle to Cape Girardeau police officer Brian Ritter, who on Sunday went diving for a car completely submerged in floodwaters of the Diversion Channel. Ritter, the "official diving officer of the department," as dubbed by fellow officer Barry Hovis, donned his diving gear to fish out the car, which had crashed into the floodwater just north of the channel early Sunday...

JACKSON -- A Perryville man received moderate injuries when two dump trucks collided Monday afternoon on Highway 72 about five miles west of Jackson. A spokesman for the Missouri Highway Patrol said that a westbound dump truck driven by Kenneth R. Cole, 55, of Perryville, crossed the center line of Highway 72, striking a dump truck driven by Timothy S. Welker, 23, of Jackson...

LITHIUM -- Arthur James Erwin, 86, of Lithium, died Monday, Aug. 9, 1993, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. He was born March 1, 1907, at Lithium, son of Elias and Rose Feltz Erwin. Erwin had been a school teacher, shoe factory worker, had farmed, raised livestock, and had worked at Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. He was a member of Lithium Baptist Church...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Clifford Phalin, 70, of Wetaug, died Sunday, Aug. 8, 1993, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital. He was born Feb. 20, 1923, at Mill Creek, son of William Jessie and Nellie Eva Powles Phalin. He and Francis Seals were married May 18, 1984...

BERKBIGLERTwin sons to Mr. and Mrs. Terry Berkbigler, Friedheim Route 1, Perry County Hospital in Perryville, Sunday, July 25, 1993. Jacob Louis was born at 12:06 p.m. and weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces. Kaleb Joseph was born at 12:07 p.m. and weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces. The Berkbiglers also have two daughters. Mrs. Berkbigler is the former Lanitta Hogan, daughter of Grover and Jean Hogan of Cuba, Mo. Berkbigler is the son of the late Norbert and Luella Berkbigler...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Pauline D. Futch, 79, of East Prairie, died Sunday, Aug. 8, 1993, at her home. She was born Oct. 20, 1913, at East Prairie, daughter of James T. and Eula May Barley Hunt. She and Wayne Futch were married Feb. 2, 1930, at Dorena. He died March 2, 1986...

ZALMA -- Jon Stephen Deckard, 36, of St. Peters, formerly of Zalma, died Saturday, Aug. 7, 1993, in St. Peters. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements.