Stories from Tuesday, April 12, 1994

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has awarded a $2.9 million contract to a Poplar Bluff firm for construction of two bridges over Cape LaCroix Creek in Cape Girardeau. The bridges are part of the larger Highway 74 relocation and Mississippi River bridge construction project...

SCOTT CITY -- Total tonnage at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority for the first three months of 1994 already ranks as the second highest year ever for activity. And if that pace (91,721 tons) continues, the record of 259,338 tons set last year will easily be surpassed...

JACKSON -- Laura A. Beggs, 26, a native of Jackson, has filed as a Republican candidate for Cape Girardeau county clerk. Beggs filed at 3:55 p.m. Friday, just one hour and five minutes before a special five-day filing period for county clerk candidates on the Republican ticket closed...

Almost 1 million Missourians have waited until the final week to place their income tax returns in the mail. "A lot of people will wait until the last minute," said Paul Kipper, manager of the Internal Revenue Service office in Cape Girardeau. "I've seen instances in past years where people line up the final day to get their taxes postmarked before midnight."...

Members of the old Cape Girardeau City Council dealt with several minor matters in less than 10 minutes Monday, before adjourning and watching as a new mayor and three new councilmen were sworn in by City Clerk Gayle Conrad. The last order of business handled by the old council was to canvass returns from last Tuesday's city election where Albert M. Spradling, III was elected mayor and Richard "Butch" Eggimann, Tom Neumeyer, and James J.J. Williamson won seats on the council...

The Mississippi River is forecast to crest Friday at Cape Girardeau at 36 feet, 4 feet above flood stage. But the National Weather Service at St. Charles said 1 to 3 inches of additional rain was forecast over most of Missouri Monday night and today, which could alter the crest prediction...

John "Longjeans" Kelly had to reverse the skills he learned from a previous job when he decided to become the warm-up act for the Great American Circus. "I was a fireman before I decided 15 years ago to be a clown on a regular basis," said Kelly, 45, who juggled and clowned his way into the hearts of a few kids in the St. Francis Medical Center's Pediatric Ward Monday...

Cape Girardeau's Board of Education Monday approved spending of $357,000 to reinstate budget cuts made in 1991, including hiring of a second assistant principal at Central High School, a third band director and restoring the Parents as Teachers program...

When it comes to colors, men and women might as well live on separate planets. I don't know where they learn it, but women have an astounding vocabulary when it comes to colors. Men, on the other hand, live in a world of basic colors: red, green, yellow, blue, brown, black, orange and purple -- the eight-color box of Crayolas. Women wield the 64-box colors with ease...

Sarah Clark Semmler, 83, died Saturday, April 9, 1994, in Cape Girardeau. She had resided in Metamora, Ohio, for 79 years, moving here five years ago to reside with a son. Semmler was head librarian at Metamora Public Library 27 years. She was Sunday School primary superintendent and teacher at the United Methodist Church in Metamora 25 years...

MARBLE HILL -- Forest Owens Tucker, 73, Marble Hill Route 2, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at her home. Baker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

BLOOMFIELD -- Ermer James Garner, 84, of Bloomfield, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at his home. He was born Nov. 11, 1909, at Bell City, son of George M. and Ada Belle Summers Garner. He and Helen Friedlein were married Jan. 2, 1935, in Cape Girardeau...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- William Bowen Sr., 85, of Dongola, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at City Care Center in Anna. He was born Oct. 12, 1908, in Enid, Okla., son of Oliver J. and Jennie Castle Bowen. He and Wanda J. Dover were married April 26, 1947. Bowen was a member of First Baptist Church here...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Clara Mae Oster of Granite City, Ill., formerly of Jackson, will be held at 10 a.m. today at Mitchell Presbyterian Church in Mitchell, Ill. Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery in Edwardsville, Ill. Irwin Chapel in Granite City is in charge of arrangements...

CHARLESTON -- Mary Louise Fitzgerald Vaughn, 65, of Charleston, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born June 27, 1928, in St. Louis, daughter of Buford and Lillie Armer Lomax. She and O.D. Fitzgerald were married in 1945...

JACKSON -- Minnie A. Tindall, 90, of Jackson, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 2, 1904, in Dutchtown, daughter of John and Minnie Bethe Schwab. She and Dr. Albert Tindall were married Dec. 29, 1936, in Jackson. He died Jan. 19, 1984...

SCOTT CITY -- Marjorie Hanner, 70, of Scott City, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at her home. She was born July 29, 1923, in Jerseyville, Ill., daughter of William and Nellie Jane Smith. She and Elmer Lester Hanner were married in 1941. He died Sept. 29, 1966...

SIKESTON -- Roxie I. Eaton, 71, of Sikeston, died Monday, April 11, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Oct. 14, 1922, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of Marshall and Marie Rhodes Fulbright. She and Robert Bland Eaton were married April 12, 1952, at Bernie...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral service for Julia Elizabeth Pulliam of Charleston will be held at 2 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Richard Combs will officiate, with burial in IOOF Cemetery. Pulliam, 96, died Sunday, April 10, 1994, at Sikeston Convalescent Center...

ADVANCE -- Opal Mashek, 83, of Advance, died Sunday, April 10, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 20, 1910, in Advance, daughter of Vader and Cloe Atkins Sitz. She and Robert Mashek were married Nov. 9, 1932, at Bell City...

Among the Missouri cities and counties left in a quandary by last week's rejection of a riverboat gambling amendment are 20 political subdivisions that held elections to allow floating casinos simultaneous to the statewide vote. Since the local issues were written to coincide with the amendment, it seems certain affirmative votes (attained in 16 of those elections) lack legal standing, though anything appears possible these days in the topsy-turvy climate of Missouri gambling laws. ...

Students at St. Mary Cathedral School are looking to learn more algebra formulas. Formulas, the seventh and eighth graders said, make solving math problems a lot easier. It's all part of the master plan of their teacher, Avelina W. Lichtenegger. Youngsters need to understand the relevance of the things they learn in math class, and she insists math can be fun...

Teaching a class with fifth-graders and sixth-graders presents some challenges, but Guardian Angel teacher Sandi Hulshof believes it also offers opportunities for her students. "I have twice as many papers to grade, lesson plans, and I have to keep one class occupied while I am teaching the other," said Hulshof...

Adam Whiteside, a junior at Meridian High School, will receive the Xerox Award in the Humanities/Social Sciences, presented by Xerox Corporation. Xerox Award winners are selected on the basis of scholarship in the humanities or social sciences, leadership and community service...

Bryn McDougal of Cape Girardeau Central High School won first place in the recently held Optimist Club Essay District Contest. McDougal submitted her essay on "The Boundaries of Freedom" and won the Noon Optimist Club contest in Cape Girardeau. Her essay was then submitted to the district competition and was again declared the winner...

Winners have been announced in the annual Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. John Byrd, chairman of the board, said 195 posters were entered in the contest from Kelso C-7, Oran, Scott County Central, St. Augustine and Sikeston schools...

Cadet Anthony Charles Zoffuto Jr. of Cape Girardeau has achieved dean's list status at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, for the first semester of the 1993-94 year. Dean's list students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.2 out of a possible 4.0. cadets who make the dean's list receive certificates and medals indicating the number of times their names have appeared on the list...

American Legion Post 158 has begun a new program honoring music students at Jackson High School. The post is giving a $100 United States savings bond each month to the student selected. Students selected this year are Seth Webb, Mark E. King and Jamie Becker...

Kathy Nesbit and Amy Broander, students of Rose City Christian Academy, recently attended the Accelerated Christian Education Missouri Student Convention in Springfield. Over 500 teens attended. Nesbit placed third in the state in oil painting. Broander placed third in spelling and sixth in short story...

Members of the Zonta Club organized Career Days at Notre Dame High School last week. Speakers talked with sophomores and freshmen about essential courses to take in high school and college, job recruitment and a typical day on the job. Speakers participating included Bridgette Ostrow, surgeon; Cindy Drewitt, physical therapist; Donna Domian, investment broker; Joyce Kuntze, florist; Priscella Kasten, sales representative; Diane Howard, attorney; Don Dennington, orthodontist; Mary Billmeyer, speech pathology; Stephanie Kasten, medical management; Susan McClanahan, American Lung Association; Jeanie Goodman, marketing; Elizabeth Ader, librarian; Nancy Brown, attorney; Ann Seabaugh-Kinsey, veterinarian; Marci Schlueter, real estate; Jayne Sherman, dentist; Patty Smith, finance/accounting; Jill Smirl, sales; Lanita Frey, beautician; Janice Hill, retail/fashion; Jane Daume, sales; Bob Ward, surgeon; Mike Rust, retail/decorator; Lizbe Knote, engineer; and Tammy Johnson, engineer.. ...

Jillayne M. Catron of Marionville, has been awarded a University of Missouri Curators Scholars Award. The scholarships are offered by the four campuses of the University of Missouri System to encourage academically superior high school students to attend the University of Missouri campus of their choice...

The Cape Girardeau Area Vocational School held its annual capping and pinning ceremony for the 20th practical nursing class. The ceremony marks the halfway point of the program. Students were addressed by Debby Biri, LPN, a 1993 graduate of the practical nursing program at the school, and Louise St. ...

The key provisions of the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" may be what some public education critics consider as just what the doctor ordered to repair the alleged despair of the American public education system. Although there is some quantitative data to indicate the American public education system is not in the chaotic condition its critics wish to portray. The national agenda, however, will present this nation and the individual states with some interesting and long avoided decisions...

CompuQuest Educational Services has announced its third annual poster contest. Three grand prize winners will be selected in July and each will receive $2,000 toward college funding. The 1994 contest is open to children age 3 through sixth grade and is designed to educate youngsters about brotherhood, the environment and protection of endangered animals. Teaching materials are available along with contest rules...

Jason Green of Cape Girardeau earned individual honors in three events at the International Forensic Association Tournament held March 29-30 in Munich, Germany. He placed first in prose, fourth in impromptu speaking and fourth in informative public address...