Stories from Saturday, January 7, 1995

The year promises remarkable developments for Cape Girardeau, region and the nation. The construction boom made a smooth transition to 1995. And plans for two riverboat casinos -- one in Cape Girardeau and one in Scott City -- could pump millions of dollars into the local economy. But prosperity can soon wither without orderly planning and preparation. Here are some of the key issues that deserve particular attention in 1995:...

America this week witnessed what passes for investigative journalism when CBS leaked an off-the-record remark whispered to Connie Chung by Newt Gingrich's mother. In an extended interview for the TV program, "Eye to Eye," Chung asked Mrs. Gingrich, "just between you and me," what her son thought of the president's wife. When the mother of the new speaker of the House of Representatives balked, Chung pressed: "Whisper it in my ear," she urged...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Even though his father has served in the Missouri House since 1961, Fred W. Copeland had never seen him sworn in. This year, as Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, was poised to take the oath for the 18th time, the younger Copeland decided to bring his family up to see the brief ceremony where all 163 members are sworn in simultaneously...

Cold temperatures caused two power outages affecting about 270 customers Thursday. Both outages occurred at about 6:30 a.m. and were caused by overloads from increased use of electric heat, said A.D. Cox of Union Electric Co. About 110 customers in Hillcrest Subdivision west of Cape Girardeau lost power at 6:20 a.m. Power was back on to all but five customers by 9:30 a.m. The five households got power back around noon...

From the hot-selling Thin Mints to the new, low-fat Snaps, Otahki Council Girl Scouts will have it all to offer cookie lovers this week. The annual Girl Scout Cookie Sale has begun, and residents in the council's 11 Missouri and Illinois counties can expect to see more than 2,000 Scouts swarming the streets, trying to be top sellers. They have until Jan. 30 to take orders, with delivery set for between Feb. 21 and March 10...

If a proposed coast-to-coast highway becomes a reality, members of Missouri's Highway Commission want the interstate to cross Missouri. Missouri's Highway Commission met Friday in Jefferson City and decided to send a letter to the state's congressional delegation stating that position...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Amid the bitter battle for control of the Missouri House Wednesday and Thursday, Bob Griffin offered to withdraw from the speaker's race. Griffin told Minority Leader Mark Richardson, other Republican leaders, and some Democrats involved in the effort to dump him, that he was willing to withdraw from the race and let the Democratic caucus choose someone else...

Instead of waking Friday morning to a serene blanket of snow, many area residents faced their worst nightmare -- ice and freezing rain. Most area schools canceled classes because of the ice and dangerous driving conditions. Southeast Missouri State University delayed opening its offices because of the weather...

Some 125 of 126 levees damaged during the 1993 flood have been fully restored, the St. Louis District of the Corps of Engineers reported. The Bois Brule levee near Perryville and the Kaskaskia Island levee in Southern Illinois were among those restored as of Dec. 30 to the full level of protection, Capt. Scott Fehnel said...

Everyone made his or her New Year's Resolutions yet? The column is a little late, so most of those resolutions were probably made and broken a long time ago. For example, mine were to stop using profanity and to lose weight. Yes, the "fluff" columnist, as I've so often been called, can be a potty mouth on some occasions, usually work-related. I read somewhere that people who can't make their point in the King's English have to rely on curse words, and it's a sign of limited intelligence...

Volunteers are needed to help others with their 1994 tax returns as members of VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The program is sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service and locally coordinated by Dorothy Ank. Ank said that for eight years VITA has helped area residents who can't afford professional help, but need assistance with their taxes. She said the program has been successful for the last seven years, but the group is in need of volunteers again this year...

Joan Houston loves her job as a part-time receptionist for the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence Inc. Although she's a volunteer she said, "I'd work more days if they'd let me." Houston of Cape Girardeau said she wouldn't mind having a paying job, but she hasn't worked for 25 years...

Suzanne Graham looked forward to an evening watching her federal government at work Wednesday. Instead she got University of Missouri basketball. C-SPAN coverage of the opening day of Washington politics was preempted by taped coverage of the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting followed by a Mizzou basketball game...

CHARLESTON -- James Preston "J.P." Brown, 81, of Wyatt died Friday, Jan. 6, 1995, at his home. He was born Nov. 7, 1913, in Ballard County in Kentucky, the son of Samuel Oscar "S.O." and Gertie Cowell Brown. He had lived in Wyatt since 1938 where he farmed until his retirement in 1984...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Kay Virginia Lush, 58, of Atlanta died Friday, Jan. 6, 1995, at the Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, Ill., after an extended illness. She was born Sept. 6, 1936, in Cairo, the daughter of Amy Ent of Cairo and the late Dr. Lewis Ent. She had been a guidance counselor at the Southwest DeKab High School in Atlanta...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral service for Lenora I. Bergman of Perryville will be held at 11 a.m. today at Immanuel Lutheran Church. The Rev. Jeffrey Lloyd will officiate, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call at Young and Sons Funeral Home from 6:30-9:30 a.m. today...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral mass for William O. Skaggs of Perryville has been rescheduled for 10 a.m. Monday at St. James Catholic Church in Crosstown. The Rev. Charles Rice will officiate, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call at Miller Family Funeral Home from 4-9 p.m. Sunday, and 6:30-9:30 a.m. Monday. The wake will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, and rosary at 9 a.m. Monday...

Ferne L. Loberg, 75, of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 1995, at her home, following a lingering illness. She was born July 1, 1919, in East Prairie, daughter of John and Grace DeLeon McFarland. She and Lloyd Loberg were married Aug. 15, 1950, in Jonesboro, Ark...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Mike Ivie of East Prairie will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel here. The Rev. Burl Britt will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted by Charleston National Guard...

BERNIE -- Lotes Lee Christian, 66, of Bernie, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 1995, at his home. He was born Feb. 10, 1928, in Malden, son of Winford Dudley and Maude Ann Menley Christian. He and his wife Melba Ruth were married Jan. 15, 1953, in Piggott, Ark...

DEXTER -- Paul Ray Rickman, 60, of Dexter, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 1995, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born Aug. 19, 1934, in Senath, son of Ira and Clara Stafford Rickman. He and Janice Elaine Hester were married Nov. 22, 1966, at Dexter...

ANNA, Ill. -- Helen E. Sneddon, 81, of Anna, died Thursday, Jan. 5, 1995, at her home. She was born Feb. 15, 1913, in Anna, daughter of Donald and Dollie Lindsey Barker. She and John M. Sneddon were married July 16, 1936, in Jonesboro. Sneddon was a member of First Christian Church...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. James William Summerour III of Atlanta, Ga., Piedmont Hospital there, 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, 1994. Name, Edwin Park. Weight, 8 pounds 6 ounces. First child. Mrs. Summerour is the former Sara Noffel, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. S. Edwin Noffel, 2435 Brookwood. Summerour is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James William Summerour II of Atlanta...

Resolutions for the new year and fitness aspirations, often one and the same, lead to high hopes. Gloom sets in when the inevitable demands of everyday life play havoc with resolve. But many people are finding health and happiness by laying claim to fitness one step at a time...