Stories from Friday, October 29, 1993

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Earlene Caroline Densman, 50, of Tulsa, Okla., died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1993, in Tulsa. The Norris and Son Funeral Home in Jonesboro is in charge of funeral arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.

To the Editor: In a recent letter to the editor Bill Zellmer made this statement, "The casino boat debate is about economics and entertainment, and very little else". That may be all that Bill is listening to but there is, in fact, much more to it. People, our friends and neighbors, will be hurt by gambling. ...

Four Cape Girardeau churches will meet for a Reformation Sunday communion service at 3 p.m. this Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, 235 Broadway. The four sponsoring churches are: Evangelical United Church of Christ, First Presbyterian, St. Mark Lutheran Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church...

If all goes as planned, the Enhanced 911 will go on board early next week in Cape Girardeau County. The service will advance emergency response by leaps and bounds. This system brings 911 service to the city of Jackson and homes and businesses serviced by the Cape County Sheriff's Department. ...

To the Editor: Most of the reasons given by those who oppose or support riverboat gambling have not touched on my biggest reason to support the proposal. We have wanted an excursion riverboat here for years. Several groups have attempted to get a boat based at Cape as a tourist attraction, without success. ...

To the Editor: The Yes Group is pushing for riverboat gambling on an economic basis. They are trying to paint a very depressing picture of the economic conditions in Cape Girardeau. As we look around Cape, we see all the good that we have going for us. Maybe we all need to be reminded of what we've got...

To the Editor: With all the hype the Yes Group is putting out regarding riverboat gambling, the main topic has been the 700 or 800 jobs that supposedly will be created, the $1 million for the city, and $360,000 for the schools. Oh, yeah, the one million visitors coming to Cape to spend, spend, spend. ...

To the Editor: Would riverboat gambling bring an economic bonanza to Cape Girardeau? Some people of good will sincerely think so. The economic realities, however, are that after an initial "honeymoon" period of a year or so the net economic effects upon our community will be negative...

To The Editor: In regards to the letters concerning riverboat gambling: I've lived in Cape for about seven months and have enjoyed what I have seen since being in Cape Girardeau: nice quiet neighborhoods, good friendly people. I grew up in a city the size of Cape in northern Iowa, and until I moved here to Cape I had forgotten how simple and easy life could be...

To the Editor: The proponents of riverboat gambling assure us that, should this measure pass on Nov. 2, the city of Cape Girardeau will experience an unprecedented boost to its economy. They are confident that aside from an increase in traffic we will see no ill side effects. Common sense tells us, however, that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is; and we are wise to take a second look at these promises...

Daughter to Steve Burton and Genni Miller of Sikeston, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:36 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, 1993. Name, Tori Lynn. Weight, 6 pounds 12 ounces. Second daughter. Miss Miller is the daughter of Bill and Phyllis Miller of Chaffee. Burton is the son of Herbert and Mary Burton of Morley...

CHAFFEE -- A.B. Boley, 61, of Murphysboro, Ill., died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1993, at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital there. He was born Aug. 9, 1932, in Pinie, Ark., son of William Claude and Daisy Mae Hill Boley. Boley was a retired self-employed carpenter, and member of Gospel Assembly Church in Dexter...

MORLEY -- Carl Edward Roderick, 82, of Morley, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1993, at his home. He was born Dec. 27, 1910, at Rolla, son of Charles Edward and Lotta Faye Fulton Roderick. He and Helen E. Evans were married July 15, 1950. She died Oct. 12, 1988...

Funeral service for C. Dorothy Hudgings of Logansport, Ind., will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Kroeger Funeral Chapel in Logansport. The Rev. Leo Haigerty will officiate, with burial in Ever-Rest Memorial Park Cemetery. Hudgings, 80, died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1993, at Memorial Hospital in Logansport...

CHARLESTON -- Robert King, 80, of Charleston, died Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1993, at Sikeston Health Care. He was born Nov. 20, 1912, in Tupelo, Miss. King was a retired farm laborer, and attended St. Matthew Baptist Church. Survivors include a son, James King of San Antonio, Texas; four brothers, Dalis Green of Cleveland, Ohio, Dennis Green of Gore Springs, Miss., Alonzo Green of Grenada, Miss., Bishop Green of East St. ...

Signe E. Larson, 89, of Lindsborg, Kan., died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1993, at Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka, Kan. She was born Jan. 6, 1904, in Lindsborg, daughter of Carl H. and Esther M. Peterson Anderson. She and Leo S. Larson were married July 20, 1930. He died Aug. 6, 1987...

CHARLESTON -- William H. "Willie" Hart, 55, of Charleston, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1993, in Sikeston. He was born Jan. 24, 1938, in Charleston, son of Herman and Edna Lou Nicholson Hart. Hart had been a salesman at Ponder Chevrolet, retiring in 1991. He was a member of St. Henry's Catholic Church, VFW Post 4294, and 4th Degree member of Knights of Columbus...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Janet Laverne Underwood of French Village was held Thursday at Irwin Funeral Chapel in Granite City, Ill. The Rev. David Fielding officiated, with burial in Sunset Hill Memorial Estates. Underwood, 74, died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1993, at Mineral Area Regional Hospital in Farmington...

JACKSON -- Robert E. Cook, 61, of Jackson, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1993, on his farm. He was a retired professor at Southeast Missouri State University. He was born Nov. 29, 1931, in Marquette, Iowa, son of James Boyd and Della McCarroll Cook. He and Dixie Lee Wilkes were married Nov. 19, 1955, in Fayette, Iowa...

ADVANCE -- Elsie Johnson, 93, of Advance, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1993, at Advance Nursing Care Center. Morgan Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SIKESTON -- Frances Irene Penfold, 78, of Jasper, Ark., died Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1993, at her home. She was born April 19, 1914, in Sikeston, daughter of Walley S. and Nettie A. Darter Martin. She first married William A. Bender, who preceded her in death. She later married Don V. Penfold, who also preceded her in death...

As the mayor of Bay St. Louis, Miss., Eddie Farve sometimes has trouble believing the good fortune that has struck his town of 8,000 people since voters approved riverboat gaming in December 1990. He recalled driving through the parking lot of Casino Magic's development in Bay St. Louis at 3 a.m. on a Friday, only to find a lot full of cars, buses and recreational vehicles with license plates from all over the country...

About 25 police chiefs and administrative personnel from throughout the region were brought up to date Thursday on recent changes in Missouri statutes which were passed during the last legislative session. Representatives from law enforcement and the Missouri Police Chiefs Association have been travelling throughout the state since August, providing legislative and procedural information to its members. On Thursday, they stopped at the Drury Lodge for their sixth of seven seminars...

When Cape Girardeau voters go to the polls Tuesday, they'll decide for the second time in five months whether to allow riverboat gambling in the city. That's all the proposition asks them to do. They aren't being asked to approve the $37.5 million proposal by the Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming Corp. to build a gambling enterprise on the city's waterfront. But that prospect no doubt will be in the back of many voters' minds...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Appeals Thursday refused to buckle before pressure from the city council to alter a proposed property maintenance code. In a three-hour meeting, the board went through the measure item by item, essentially restoring the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) version of the code...

Get ready: The first killing freeze and coldest temperatures thus far this fall are expected in the area early Saturday. The National Weather Service says a hard freeze will occur when temperatures fall into the mid- to upper-20s early Saturday and Sunday morning in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois...

MARBLE HILL -- A cash shortage of at least $10,398 occurred in the fee account of the 32nd Judicial Circuit's Division 5, and $824 is still missing, State Auditor Margaret Kelly said Thursday. The shortage could have been detected had proper controls and adequate oversight been in place for the Bollinger County associate Circuit Court, the auditor said...

Starting Nov. 8, Southeast Missouri State University students can let their fingers do the walking to enroll in classes. Students will be able to register by telephone, thanks to a new computer system installed in Academic Hall. The system will also allow students to add and drop classes...

A bicyclist was injured early Wednesday when a vehicle turned into the bicycle's path. Bernard Dirnberger, 48, of Cape Girardeau, was transported to St. Francis Medical Center after a car driven by Elizabeth Richardson, 38, of Cape Girardeau, turned in front of him on County Road 621 north of the city...

The voter registration office will be open from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday at the Common Pleas Courthouse Annex in Cape Girardeau, to give voters a chance to cast absentee ballots for Tuesday's election. Absentees can also be voted in person until 4:30 p.m. today, and from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Congressman Bill Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau) will join state Rep. Mark Richardson of Poplar Bluff Tuesday as guest speakers at the Southeast Missouri Friends of the National Rifle Association banquet and auction. Emerson will discuss national issues concerning people's right to own guns...