Stories from Friday, December 31, 1993

ADVANCE -- Lena Marguerite Warren, 65, of Granite City, Ill., formerly of McGee, Mo., died Thursday, Dec. 30, 1993, at Christian Hospital in St. Louis. She was born March 13, 1928, at McGee, daughter of Herman and Dora Mae Peters Payne. She married Charles L. Warren, Oct. 20, 1947...

Today brings 1993 to a close. A nation stands grateful. Not that these glad tidings reflect a disenchantment with the past dozen months, though months of high water in Missouri and low comedy in Congress make it a year easy to part with. With the steady march of my own years, I find no great affection in any calendar turn. ...

COLUMBIA -- The Missouri Conservation Commission will hold its next meeting Jan. 13 in Columbia. The open meeting will begin at 10:15 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Commission meetings are open to the public. Commissioners are: Jerry P. Combs, Kennett, chairman; Andy Dalton, Springfield, vice chairman; John Powell, Rolla, secretary; and Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, member...

NEW MADRID -- New Madrid County Port has granted a one-year option on 14 acres of land to Louis Dreyfus Corp., which plans to more than double the size of its plant at the port. Dreyfus, a grain company using 13.5 acres, paid $4,000 for the option, said Bill Pinnell, port director...

The filing period for the April 5 municipal and school board elections in Jackson and Chaffee open Tuesday. Candidates for city alderman or school board in both towns may file between Tuesday and Feb. 1. School board members serve three-year terms and aldermen two-year terms...

BENTON -- With the holiday season, the Scott County Sheriff's Department again is drawing attention to the relationship between children and parents or guardians. Since 1977, Scott County Sheriff Bill Ferrell has distributed bumper stickers asking the question "Have You Hugged Your Kid Today?" in recognition of the vital bond that must exist between adults and children...

Record flooding, school finance, riverboat gambling, and bank fraud topped Cape Girardeau headlines in 1993. It was a year of disaster, debate and development. The river began edging higher and higher as early as March. But it wasn't until late June, with continued rain northward, that the impending disaster became clear. ...

JEFFERSON CITY - State Rep. Larry Thomason says he is concerned that too many people are driving vehicles without insurance, even though Missouri law requires mandatory liability insurance on vehicles. So, the Kennett Democrat is once again planning to push a bill next year that he believes "will put some teeth" in the state law by increasing penalties and requiring police officers to seek proof of insurance on all stops...

Daughter to Petty Officer 2nd Class and Mrs. James B. Mitchell of Hornbeak, Tenn., Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City, Tenn., 1:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, 1993. Name, Hayley Rhianne. Weight, 8 pounds 1 ounce. First child. Mrs. Mitchell is the former Laura Kempster, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kempster of Scott City. Mitchell is stationed with the U.S. Navy in Dyersburg, Tenn. He is the son of Mary Mitchell of Scott City...

SIKESTON -- Ruth E. McMullin, 92, of Sikeston, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 1993, at her home. She was born Sept. 18, 1901, in Frisco, daughter of John Henry and Della Weaver Boyt. She and Charles R. McMullin were married Feb. 24, 1920, at Essex. He died Jan. 26, 1987...

MARBLE HILL -- Graveside service for Annice Kinder of St. Louis will be held at 11 a.m. today at Slaybaugh Cemetery here, with the Rev. Gerald Huff officiating. Baker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Kinder, 88, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1993, at St. Mary's Hospital in St. Louis...

CHARLESTON -- Harry A. Giltz Jr., 76, of Charleston, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1993, at his home. He was born Feb. 20, 1917, in Mississippi County, son of Harry S. and Cassie Presson Giltz. He and Louretta Burke were married Oct. 17, 1936. Giltz had farmed with Emmett T. Burke and Sons and Burke Brothers and Giltz, retiring in 1973. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Earl W. Robey of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Revs. Don Russell and David Webb will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10:30 a.m...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Herman Leslie Harris of Sikeston will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Paul Balch will officiate, with burial in Forest Hills Memorial Gardens at Morley. Harris, 88, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

VANDUSER -- Funeral service for Roy Franklin Phillips of Vanduser will be held at 3 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston. The Rev. Marvin Graham will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Phillips, 91, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Eugene D. Champion of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Chapel. The Revs. Carl Addison and Roy Ferguson will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Champion, 83, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1993, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

With disaster after disaster hitting Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, 1993 turned out to be a record-breaking year for the American Red Cross. "It has been a record-breaking year, not only in how many disasters we had but also the magnitude of the disasters," said Kim Groves, chairman of the board of the local Red Cross. "These are not records we ever care to break again."...

Being debt-free sounds good to most people, but not for a school district, officials say. Cape Girardeau School District has been debt-free since 1989, and Board of Education member Ed Thompson said, "It's bad to be out of debt if you are a school system."...

As she prepares to begin her 12th session in the Missouri House of Representatives, Mary Kasten has studied a wide range of issues during her career. Many of those issues -- like education, tight budgets, and children and family issues -- are addressed to some degree every year...

By late afternoon Thursday, as the final games of the U-High tourney were ready to get under way, action in the Southeast Missouri State University's recreation center was just hitting its peak. The Bulls faced off against the Spurs for the title. Dozens of spectators gathered round to witness the this ultimate matchup of skill and teamwork...

A faulty cable is blamed for an early morning power outage that affected Union Electric customers in parts of northern Cape Girardeau and in the Egypt Mills area on Thursday. Temperatures were in the low teens when the electricity went off. The low at the airport was 14 degrees at 7 a.m...

A coping skills clinic sponsored by Beginning Experience of Southeast Missouri has sessions planned Jan. 6 and 13. Both sessions begin at 7 p.m. at the Mount Auburn Christian Church, 930 Mt. Auburn. The program is for people experiencing changes in their lives, including separation, divorce or being widowed...