Stories from Saturday, July 30, 1994

Dear Editor: State constitutional amendment no. 4 will appear on the August 2nd special election ballot, as stated here: "'Shall the state incur an indebtedness of two hundred fifty million dollars by issuing bonds to pay for the building and rebuilding of facilities for prisons, youth services, and higher education?' Costs of retiring bonds would depend upon the size of bond issues authorized by the state and prevailing interest rates at the time of bond issuance."...

Missourians will be called upon to make a crucial decision on August 2 regarding two important issues: fighting crime and improving our economic prospects for the 21st century. On that date, a $250 million dollar general obligation bond package will be on the ballot...

A popular video about major league baseball, "When It Was a Game," looks back at the heroes and characters of a professional sport who seemed to take more interest in playing ball than making money. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with making money, a principle obviously embraced by owners and players in major league baseball today. But when money takes precedence over the game itself, the charm leaks dry...

Once the exclusive domain of hospitals, surgery increasingly is done on an outpatient basis at surgical centers that save patients both time and money. Patients once could only be admitted to the hospital for procedures such as tonsillectomies and hysterectomies...

To many people, outpatient surgery amounts to dollars and sense. And, at a time when the nation is talking about controlling health-care costs, the popularity of outpatient surgery has grown dramatically. Cape Girardeau has three outpatient surgery centers, two of which have opened in the last nine months. At the same time, the two local hospitals have seen a surge in outpatient or same-day surgeries...

If major league baseball players take to the picket lines Aug. 12 as they have promised, their action no doubt will yield numerous negative effects ranging from lost income to possible elimination of a post-season World Series this year. The cancellation of Southeast Missouri State University Alumni Night at Busch Stadium, however, is one circumstance that probably neither labor nor management has considered...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- The postmaster in this small community expects a special delivery any day: Her daughter is pregnant with quadruplets. Postmaster Glenda Sheffer will become the grandmother of four boys, doctors say. Her daughter, Susan Graham of DuQuoin, was admitted to Jewish Hospital in St. Louis Thursday as a precaution. She is 29 weeks into the pregnancy. Many multiple births take place around week 30. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks...

As both sides wrangle over myriad legal technicalities in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, the media, always looking for expedient stories critical of our WASP-dominated society, have pursued statistics and outrageous claims on domestic abuse. They would have you believe there is an epidemic of domestic violence in this country. ...

A group calling for the resignation of Cape Girardeau Superintendent Neyland Clark has extended a petition drive through the weekend. Amy Randol of the group will mail copies of petitions to Cape Girardeau Board of Education members Monday. The group met Thursday to gather petitions, but some people didn't attend the meeting. Organizers decided to continue collection of signatures through the weekend...

Cape Girardeau County voters unable to go to the polls for Tuesday's primary election will have a chance to vote absentee ballots today. Offices of Cape County Clerk Rodney Miller will be open from 9 a.m. until noon today for absentee voting in person. The offices are in the Common Pleas Courthouse Annex in Cape Girardeau and on the top floor of the county Administrative Building in Jackson...

State Sen. Steve Danner told a group of Democrats Friday that if he is elected Missouri auditor he will emphasize bottom lines instead of headlines. Danner, D-Hale, criticized Republican incumbent Margaret Kelly for not working closely with local officials to provide information that would enable them to do their jobs better. Danner said Kelly has not fulfilled her role as an independent watchdog of state government...

JACKSON -- When Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep announced last year he would not run again, Gerald Jones began planning to run for the office. "I am interested in the future of Cape County and have always been interested in running for a commission seat," said Jones. "I live here, and will continue to live here. I have a business here and want to see it stay a solid, prosperous county. I think I can help maintain that."...

After having spent much of their legal careers in public service, Allen Moss and Jeff Dix turned to private law practices. Both again are trying to return to public service by seeking the Cape Girardeau County Division IV associate circuit judgeship...

JACKSON -- Raymond Eaker, 89, of Jackson died July 28, 1994 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born in Glen Allen on Aug. 29, 1904 to George F. Eaker and Ida McGregor Eaker. He married Lillie Marie Mouser Aug. 4, 1926 at Glen Allen. She preceded him in death Jan. 14, 1991...

BLOOMFIELD -- Sarah Eula Clayton, 74, of Bloomfield died Thursday, July 28, 1994, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Dec. 30, 1919 at Smyrna, Ark., the daughter of James and Milly Bridges Pack. On Feb. 23, 1938, she married Edgar Clayton. He preceded her in death in 1961. She had formerly been a resident of Matthews and was a member of the First General Baptist Church in Bloomfield...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Hart of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:39 a.m. Thursday, July 21, 1994. Name, Morgan Brianne. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. First child. Mrs. Hart is the former Sherry Beal, daughter of Neil and Kathy Beal of Centralia, Ill. She is a registered nurse for Dr. James E. Palen. Hart is a salesman with Genex, and is the son of Jim and Beverlye Hart of Centralia...

CHARLESTON -- Eli E. Thresher, 80, of Barlow, Ky., Route 1, formerly of East Prairie, died Thursday, July 28, 1994, at the Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. He was born on Feb. 14, 1914 at Paulding, Mo., son of Eli and Hattie Harlan Thresher Sr. He had lived in Barlow for the past 25 years. A retired farmer, he was a member of the First Baptist Church at LaCenter, Ky...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Elmer Lee Bell, 86, of Tamms, Ill., died Friday, July 29, 1994 at his residence. He was born Feb. 26, 1908 in Morley, Mo., son of Joseph Wesley and Lona Elizabeth Whitehead Bell. On Sept. 22, 1928, he married Beatrice Elizabeth Kneezle, who preceded him in death...

MILL CREEK, Ill. -- Joseph "Buddy" Powles, 81, of Mill Creek, Ill., died Thursday, July 28, 1994 at Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born May 31, 1913 at Mill Creek, the son of Calvin and Birdie Williams Powles. On June 6, 1934, he married Reba Jordan. She preceded him in death Aug. 17, 1991...

ADVANCE -- RC Andrews, 69, of Advance died Friday, July 29, 1994 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 15, 1925 at Tiptonville, Tenn., the son of Maud and Bell Barbara Andrews. He was a retired auto mechanic and a veteran of World War II, serving in the Navy. He was a member of the Advance VFW post...