Stories from Sunday, May 8, 1994

Jeff S. Heisserer, 26, of Jonesboro, Ark., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died late Friday or early Saturday at his residence. Ford and Sons Funeral Homes of Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.

When a fire alarm is sounding in a business in the middle of the night, the fire department is left with few choices when it comes to gaining entry. Some businesses have provided the department with keys, which leave firefighters on the scene hunting and pecking through a mass of more than 300 master keys looking for the right one...

Missouri Secretary of State Judith K. Moriarty made Cape Central High School one of the stops Friday of a two-week tour around the state promoting voter registration and participation by youths. The theme of Moriarty's visit, which included a program for several high-school social studies classes, was that youths have a responsibility to register, learn about candidates and issues, and be a part of the democratic process...

Three tons of new textbooks are headed to a Nigerian university thanks in part to the efforts of the chairman of Southeast Missouri State University's marketing department. The books will be used by Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) in Nigeria...

The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau has various events planned this Month to mark May as national tourism month. Plans include free Cape Girardeau city tours. The one-hour tours depart from the downtown pavilion across from Hutson Furniture...

The Cape County Chapter of the American Red Cross, KWKZ-FM and J Hangin' C Productions will host Western Dance Days at Stroder Country in Jackson June 18. Jack C. Watt, event coordinator, said the event is being held to raise funds to purchase a disaster services van needed by the local Red Cross chapter...

Missouri voters will be asked later this year to approve a $250 million bond issue to pay for prison construction and higher education projects, including one of great significance to Cape Girardeau. Legislators sent the measure to Gov. Mel Carnahan Thursday. ...

We've been at it this year in Jefferson City since Wednesday, January 5. The pace has been steadily accelerating over the last few weeks. We start again Monday morning at 9 a.m., and after an action-packed week, legislative business will come to a halt this Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. Here's a quick snapshot of how things look as we head into the final, furious week of the second session of Missouri's 87th General Assembly:...

First comes euphoria, then comes soaring expectations, then comes despair. That's been the post Cold War sequence when nations, as large as Russia and as small as Haiti, hold free elections and the electorate expects the presumed magical economic bounty of democracy to materialize immediately. As Nelson Mandela becomes President of South Africa this week, his first order of business will be to lower the expectations of a liberated people...

Dear Editor, We wish to thank your newspaper for the excellent coverage of concerts this semester made possible through the hard work of the Music Department of Southeast Missouri University. We have enjoyed some of the finest performances people can have the opportunity to hear and see...

To the Editor, A serious problem is discussed in John Bierk's letter to the editor. Not just the burgeoning numbers of teenage, illegitimate pregnancies but the general loss of the social values. While John's modest proposal would reach the pregnancy problem it does not directly reach the general loss of values...

JACKSON -- The streets of Safety City U.S.A. were bare Saturday morning because the rain washed out the parade of young bicyclists scheduled to cruise the course. But starting next Saturday, the Jackson Noon Optimists are set to begin a third year of bicycle safety classes at the mini-city in the Jackson city park...

Dear Editor, Several centuries ago, Jonathan Swift, of Gulliver's Travels fame, wrote an essay entitled, "A Modest Proposal". In the essay, Swift made a "serious" case for eating children in order to alleviate hunger. The essay was a brilliant, satirical one, though some may not have taken it that way, and were appalled. ...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Gladys Mae Cowser Coffer, 81, of East Prairie, died Saturday, May 7, 1994, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Feb. 15, 1913, at Anniston, daughter of Charles and Florence Smith Cowser. She married Bishop Coffer, Feb. 2, 1931. He died Aug. 10, 1978...

MATTHEWS -- Lois Hartlein, 63, of Matthews, died Friday, May 6, 1994, at her residence. She was born June 22, 1930, at Aberdeen, Miss., daughter of John Walker Kelso and Aubrey Jackson Kelso Adams. She married R.E. Hartlein, Dec. 27, 1946. He died Sept. 19, 1978...

BERTRAND -- Yewell Taylor Sr., 81, of Bertrand, died Friday, May 6, 1994, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Aug. 22, 1912, at Biggers, Ark., son of John Lewis and Peggy Gamel Taylor. He married Lucille Martin, Jan. 9, 1932...

JACKSON -- Carrie E. Conley, 88, of Daisy, died Saturday, May 7, 1994, at the Cape Nursing Center. She was born Sept. 26, 1905, at Daisy, daughter of Forrest and Daisy Robinson. She married Richard Conley, March 1, 1934. He died Jan. 25, 1983. Conley was a member of the New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson...

JACKSON -- Ervin A. Borgfield, 82, of Jackson died Saturday, May 7, 1994 at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 25, 1911, at Fruitland, the son of Albert and Annie Puchbauer Borgfield. On Sept. 26, 1937 he married Hester Ruehling in Pocahontas. She survives...

ANNA, Ill. -- Patricia Lee Steck, 68, of Sesser, Ill., formerly of Anna, Ill., died Saturday, May 7, 1994, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. There will be no visitation of funeral services.

CAIRO, Ill. -- Minnie H. Quellmalz, 95, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Cairo, Ill., died Saturday, May 7, 1994, at the St. Peters Villa Nursing Home in Memphis. She was born Oct. 21, 1898, at Omaha, Neb., daughter of Gus and Josephine Pearson Olson...

CROSSTOWN -- Delmar W. Verseman, 63, of Crosstown, died Friday, May 6, 1994, at the Aspen Forest Care Center. He was born May 24, 1930, at Farrar, son of Martin and Edna Fritsche Verseman. He was a carpenter. Verseman was a member of the Lutheran Layman's League, the American Legion Booster Post 133 in Perryville and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Booster Post 4282...

A year after Senate Bill 380 changed the way Missouri public schools are funded, area school administrators say they can live with the legislation. It's what looms ahead that scares them. New legislation, which started as a "cleanup" measure for SB-380, could have greater impact than the original legislation, Southeast Missouri school administrators say...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The final grade of the 1994 session of the Missouri General Assembly may be based more upon what was not passed than what was passed, a number of state lawmakers said last week. "No legislation is better than bad legislation," said Rep. Marilyn Williams, D-Dudley. "I think everybody is more cautious and aware of what we pass needs to matter."...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Despite opposition from school superintendents across Southeast Missouri, it appears that a school finance bill intended to make revisions in Senate Bill 380 from last year is headed for passage in the Senate. "Everyone who has contacted me -- some in urgent terms -- has opposed it," said state Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, waving a stack of faxes outside his third-floor capitol office...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Mayor James Wilson is quick to admit that Cairo has a lot of things to offer for business, industry and tourism. "We're in a positive mode down here," said Wilson, of the small city in the southernmost part of the state at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers...

On Tuesday Cape Girardeau residents will experience a partial eclipse of the sun, the best eclipse to view here until well into the next century. Craig Joseph, assistant professor of physics, said precautions are necessary when viewing the eclipse. People must not look directly at the sun. Although the sun's surface will be partially covered, enough light is left to cause serious damage to the eyes...

A former high-ranking official in the administration of Gov. John Ashcroft told Missourians that passage of a constitutional amendment known as Hancock II would devastate state government by forcing staggering budget cuts. Those budget cuts would also have major state policy implications, said the ex-official, James R. Moody, because more than $1 billion would have to be slashed from 18 areas of government to cover a refund that would be required in fiscal 1996...

May is family month at Cape Girardeau municipal swimming pools. On Sundays parents get in for half price when they bring their children to swim. Central Pool will be open normal hours with the following exceptions: It will be closed May 28 from 1:-5:00 p.m.; May 29 from 1-5:00 p.m.; and May 30 from 5-8:00 p.m...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department is holding its fourth annual Arts and Crafts Festival at Capaha Park this weekend. The two-day event, which began Saturday, is free and open to the public today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Concessions are available at the event...

During his 14 years as county park superintendent, Chester "Chet" McCain has seen many improvements to Cape Girardeau County's parks. Almost everything in the two parks was developed since McCain has been superintendent. Situated along both sides of North Kingshighway, the beautifully landscaped 200 acres of North and South county parks provide a striking entrance to Cape Girardeau from Interstate 55...

Occasionally I review George Washington's "Rules of Civility" to see how I'm doing, or, for that matter, how the nation is doing since there seems to be a current lament about the demise of civility. George suggested that you shouldn't sing nor hum to yourself in the presence of others, nor drum your fingers either. ...

East Missouri Action Agency is accepting applications for the Summer Youth Employment Program funded through the Southeast Missouri Private Industry Council. To be eligible, applicants must be between 14 and 21 and meet federal income guidelines. The program, commonly called SYEP, provides youths with training and services to assist them in developing occupational and career goals. Enrollees may work at public not-for-profit agencies for a total of 240 hours...

U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson has announced the schedule for his 8th District mobile office for the week beginning Monday. Among stops on Thursday afternoon will be the Marble Hill Library from 12:30 to 1:30 and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce from 2 to 3...