Stories from Monday, July 25, 1994

Enough is enough. That was the sentiment that spurred Sharon Sterrett and Becky Kies to begin a campaign in support of besieged Cape Girardeau Superintendent of Schools Neyland Clark. A group seeking Clark's ouster recently began circulating petitions asking the school board to sever Clark's contract...

Seen together, Ralph Temple and Barbie Washer look related. Both have slim builds, dark brown hair, sky blue eyes and radiant smiles. It's no coincidence. They're brother and sister. But for 28 years they were apart -- separated by fate. On Dec. 28, 1993, their broken bond was refastened with a phone call from Washer's adopted family, who informed her that her biological brother was looking for her. For Washer, it was a long-held dream come true...

Even in an era of jet planes and the space shuttle, the fascination with man's oldest form of flight known to man remains strong. It was in 1783 when two brothers, Joseph and Ethene Montgolfier, sent up an unmanned, smoke-filled balloon in Annonay, France. A few months later, the first manned flight in a smoke-filled balloon was launched...

The Southeast Missourian asked children at the Cape Girardeau Public Library about their summer reading. Carly Trautwein: "One book I read was "Hill of Fire." It was on Reading Rainbow. It was about a volcano. I like to read to my little sister." Kelly Manley: "I like books about dinosaurs. I read in my room, usually for an hour or two. I also like books about cats. We have three cats."...

When Chad Deimund first skated at The Ice in the Plaza Galleria, he hated it. Eight years later, he spends part of almost every day on skates. Deimund is one of the home-grown ice skaters helping celebrate the Plaza Galleria's 10th anniversary this week...

There are footprints on the moon, left 25 years ago by the first Apollo astronauts, that will remain for thousands of years. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," said Neil Armstrong, as he jumped in slow motion from the last step of the lunar module onto the surface of the Bay of Tranquility on July 20, 1969. ...

Fourteen years ago Missourians approved a highly touted $60O million bond issue that proponents claimed would end the state's long-standing capital oversight of colleges and universities, mental hospitals and other public buildings. Proposed by then Governor Kit Bond, and approved by a Democratically controlled General Assembly, the bond issue was touted by both the governor and legislators as a way to get Missouri moving during a recession characterized by high unemployment, sluggish retail sales and lower tax revenues.. ...

Verna Mae Coomer, 80, of Heyworth, Ill., died Saturday, July 23, 1994, in Bloomington-Normal, Ill. She was born July 20, 1914. She married William E. Coomer. He died Jan. 31, 1983. Coomer was a homemaker. Survivors include a son, William E. Coomer of Cape Girardeau; two daughters, Phyllis Woodburn of Bloomington-Normal, Kathy Lindsey of Beever Dam, Ky.; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren...

Lucille M. Ochs, 86, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, July 24, 1994, at Chateau Girardeau. The Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.

CHARLESTON -- Mary Lou Cross, 68, of Wyatt, died Saturday, July 23, 1994, at the Boone Hospital Center in Columbia. She was born June 9, 1926, at Hayti, daughter of Clyde RAymond and Annie Elizabeth McClanahan Sheckell. She lived in Wyatt for the last 34 years, where she worked as a secretary for the city, until retiring in 1980...

CHAFFEE -- Harold L. Halbert, 63, of Chaffee, died Sunday, July 24, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born July 10, 1931, at Chaffee, son of Pearl Clifford and Harriet Caroline Leach Halbert. He married Dottie Scheeter, July 16, 1955...

A retail clothing store went out of business for six months. A jewelry retailer stretched it to 10 months. An oriental rug company recently went out of business again. A series of abuses in going-out-of-business sales has prompted the Better Business Bureau to question whether Missouri is diligently enforcing consumer laws or whether current laws are strong enough...

Home building in Cape Girardeau is moving at a record pace this year. Overall starts during the first six months of 1994 are a healthy 12.1 percent above those of the same period in 1993. "This is home-building time," said Richard Murray, Cape Girardeau Inspection Services director. "Every month I keep waiting for a letdown in new-home permits. It hasn't come."...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: Kathleen Krauska to Billy M. Turner Sr. and Lydia L. Turner; Larry M. and Rebecca S. Kent to Terrance C. Schwartz; the Linda Musgraves Trust to Gary E. and Janice R. Slaubaugh...

Capital Bancorporation's net income for the three months ended June 30 was $1,713,000. Earnings per common and common equivalent share for the three months were 52 cents. Total assets exceeded $862 million. Non-performing loans June 30 were $3,623,000. The allowance for possible loan losses was $10,733,000, representing approximately 296 percent of non-performing loans and approximately 1.57 percent of total loans...

Drs. Jerry L. Karr and Richard J. Tipton have joined the medical staff of the Gene E. Huckstep Emergency Center of St. Francis Medical Center. Karr, a native of Southern Illinois, served as a physician at Fort Leonard Wood hospital. He was also a member of the medical staff of Springfield (Mo.) Community Hospital and has been active on the medical staff of Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla. He is board certified in emergency medicine...