Stories from Thursday, March 17, 1994

SCOPUS -- Balaska F. Daugherty, 86, of Granite City, Ill., died Wednesday, March 16, 1944, at her residence. She was born Oct. 7, 1907, in Bollinger County, daughter of Joseph Thompson and Louise Mayfield Crain. She married Marshal Daugherty. He died in September 1984...

I often find myself wishing it were possible to define more accurately the word "politics," for if there was ever a word that conveys a multitude of meanings, this one is it. To show the latitude of definition, some use the word only when it is accompanied by the word "dirty," while others try to separate its definition by being geographically correct, as in "state politics" or "national politics." Still others expand its meaning and include the pursuit of public policy and the administration of government, while a close friend who has spent his life toiling in the political vineyards, uses the word with such reverence that he appears to be praying.. ...

Despite the curious and fleeting 12 inches of snow that graced our region last week, March brings to Southeast Missouri the promise of spring. At odds with this, however, the month exalts people of this area with the best of a pastime rooted in winter. ...

Although not by design, when the floodwaters encroached upon the city of Cape Girardeau during the summer of 1993, Fire Station No. 1 was transformed into a flood control center. Perhaps it was because Battalion Chief Mark Hasheider, the emergency operations coordinator for Cape Girardeau, has an office in the building. Maybe it was because the U.S. Coast Guard set up its command post in the upstairs meeting room of the building...

Cape Central High School and the American Red Cross are teaming up once again for a May 12 blood drive. It is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Tiger Field House. Cape Central holds the current high school record with 369 units of blood collected at a single drive. This year's goal is 400...

Five downtown bars have joined forces for the seventh straight year to host the St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl, to raise money for the Downtown Beautification Fund. From 7-9 tonight, revelers are encouraged to visit Port Cape Girardeau, Griffins, Broussards, The Billiard Center and Jeremiah's to get their "Pub Crawl" cards stamped when they buy drinks at each establishment...

Sunday in the Park, an annual fund-raiser for the Community Counseling Center's Family Learning Center, will be held April 10 at the A.C. Brase Arena in Cape Girardeau. Children ages 2-12 may enter a contest for one of six $50 savings bonds. Games will be presented by the Programming and Recreation class at Southeast Missouri State University, taught by Drew Laudi. Children will win food coupons to local restaurants and small prizes...

All that work planting flowers, mowing the grass, and trimming the edges could lead to more than just a beautiful lawn. It could result in "Yard of the Month" honors. The annual competition will begin in April and end in October. The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office is now accepting nominations for lawns to be considered...

To the Editor: I am a member of the Housing Assistance Task Force. In your editorial on March 10, 1994, you had an error of fact. There were also some places in the editorial that some additional information might serve the public. The error of fact was stating that during 1968 a public referendum vote defeated public housing. There was no such vote taken...

For younger Americans, World War I seems an eternity past. For those who lived during and after the war, it seems like only yesterday. The American Legion was formed at the close of World War I, as American troops waited to be shipped back home on what few boats the U.S. forces had to carry them...

VIENNA, Ill. -- Everett "Bud" Tapley, 62, of Vienna, died Tuesday, March 15, 1994, at his home. He was born March 28, 1932, in Karnak, son of Floyd and Virgie King Tapley. He and Barbara Borth were married June 30, 1961, at Tamms. Tapley was a correctional maintenance worker with Illinois Department of Corrections. ...

DIEHLSTADT -- Funeral service for Juanita M. Pemberton of Diehlstadt will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the Church of Christ in Charleston. Charles McConkey will officiate, with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston after 5:30 p.m. today, and at the church Friday from 9 a.m. to service time...

PERRYVILLE -- Cleta A. "Pete" Govro, 94, of Perryville, died Tuesday, March 15, 1994, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Dec. 17, 1899, in Perry County, daughter of William A. and Mary Jane Francis Cissell DiFani. She and Dennis Francis Govro were married Feb. 27, 1933, in Perry County. He died July 14, 1971...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Charles "Chuck" Bonifield led the balloting in Tuesday's race for county commissioner in Alexander County. He had campaigned for restoration of the Alexander County Ambulance Service, more jobs for all citizens, a federal flood insurance feasibility study, and better communications between county officials and the public...

Son to Sarah E. Volkerding of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:40 a.m. Thursday, March 10, 1994. Name, Joshua Thomas William. Weight, 9 pounds 6 ounces. First child. Miss Volkerding is the daughter of Kenneth and Rebecca Volkerding of Jackson, and is a receptionist at Lutheran Brotherhood Life Insurance...

BRAYMER -- In the obituary of the Rev. James H. Holt Jr. of Braymer that was printed in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian, the name of a daughter was given incorrectly to the newspaper. The daughter is Julia Roberts of Jackson, not Julia Moore. Funeral service was held Wednesday at Braymer United Methodist Church. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery at Braymer, with Pitts Funeral Home in charge of arrangements...

Members of the Missouri General Assembly are enjoying a spring break this week, providing some badly needed rest for lawmakers who will return to work Monday with most major issues to finish and the clock running down to a May 13 adjournment. Most Southeast Missouri legislators say they are pleased with what has been accomplished so far and the wide range of important issues they have dealt with...

Tom O'Loughlin insists he never kissed the Blarney Stone when he visited Ireland 10 years ago. Perhaps its aura traveled on a brisk Irish breeze and kissed him as he slept in Dronmoreland Castle, situated just outside Limerick. Or could it be that the 78-year-old Jackson resident was just born with a glib tongue and a penchant for tracing his family roots all the way back to the old sod?...

WHITEWATER -- For a village that doesn't find itself in the news too often, folks in this tiny farming community are finally getting used to seeing their namesake in the headlines. That wasn't the case at first. "When I first saw it, I said, `Wow, Whitewater's in the news," said 15-year-old Susan Dunning...

Former secretary of education William Bennett will speak March 25 at Southeast Missouri State University. Bennett, a former Reagan official and one of the nation's leading conservatives, will speak at 5:15 p.m. at Rose Theatre. "He will speak on current events and where he sees America as headed," said Nathan Cooper, chairman of the university's College Republicans, which is sponsoring Bennett's appearance...

March 17, 1994 Dear Pat, This week, one of DC's patients, a child from the hills around Garberville, told her that her class from school had come to town on a field trip. DC asked what they were here to see. "A parking lot," the little girl said. No, Toto, we aren't in Missouri anymore...

Chaffee Police Chief Jerry Bledsoe at a computer retrieving arrest records of on-going investigations. CHAFFEE -- When Jerry Bledsoe became chief of the Chaffee Police Department in February 1992, he inherited an agency with an antiquated filing and reports system, just one typewriter and two worn-out police cars. The department was viewed by many as something less than a professional operation, caught up in some kind of time warp...

Cindy King and Ellen Seyer found a way to challenge Notre Dame High's most gifted theatrical and musical players by planting the best and brightest in "A Secret Garden." For the next several weeks King and Seyer plan to watch the fruit their labor grow into a promising cast...

Southeast Missouri State pianist Yuko Fujiki distinguished herself with a fourth place finish in the Young Artists Competition in Memphis, Tenn., recently. The competition was sponsored by the Beethoven Club of Memphis. Fujiki, a junior international student from Japan, was competing against musicians from a 250-mile radius encompassing several states and reaching as far north as St. Louis...

The Southeast Missouri State University orchestra will help kick off International Week with a concert April 12 featuring music from Russia, Spain, China and Norway. The symphony orchestra concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Academic Auditorium. The program will begin with a composition by 20th century Chinese composers Mao and Liu titled "The Dance of the Yao Tribe." This piece combines the traditional sounds of the full symphony orchestra with tunes and rhythms drawn from oriental sources...