Stories from Saturday, April 22, 1995

This is the 25th anniversary of Earth Day, which is set aside to foster awareness of the environment and to promote activities that enhance the natural world in which we live. It is debatable whether or not Earth Day has had any real impact, but there is little doubt that the annual observance has made millions of Americans more aware of their surroundings...

Renelda McClarney, left, a registered occupational therapist at St. Francis Rehabilitation Services in Cape Girardeau, worked with Mary Moit of Chaffee, who's recovering from a nerve injury in her arm, to thread some pegs in a coordination test to improve hand function...

This week marked the two-year anniversary of that federal law enforcement debacle known as Waco. Waco began with a misguided and poorly planned attempt to serve arrest and search warrants for weapons violations at a cluster of buildings outside the Texas city that housed the Branch Davidians, a small religious sect. It ended seven weeks later, on April 19, 1993, in the fiery slaughter of 75 men, women and children within the Mt. Carmel complex near Waco...

The American Red Cross will hold its Greek Week Blood Drive beginning Monday at Southeast Missouri State University. The blood drive is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday in the Greek Complex Lounge and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday and Friday in Academic Hall Auditorium...

An exercise program designed specifically for people with arthritis will start Monday at St. Francis Medical Center. The program, called PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise), was developed by the Arthritis Foundation and is sponsored by the Regional Arthritis Center at St. Francis...

Cape Girardeau youngsters on tuesday will be part of a national event designed to promote awareness about the importance of physical fitness. "All Children Exercise Simultaneously" was created by the President's Council on Physical Fitness "to help fight the mindset that today's children are destined to lead a sedentary lifestyle," said Scott Givens, a wellness specialist at Southeast Missouri Hosptial's Fitness and Wellness Center...

Both the Missouri Senate and House currently are considering versions of legislation to amend the state's Hancock Amendment, which was adopted by voters in 1980 and which limits state and local tax increases. Since its adoption, the Hancock Amendment has been riddled by exceptions. ...

Projects in all areas of the city are included on a priority list of capital street improvements compiled by a subcommittee of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Surface Transportation Committee. The list, which includes proposed road work along sections of Bloomfield Road, Perryville Road, Hopper Road, Mt. Auburn Road, New Madrid Street, Rodney Street, West End Boulevard, Southern Expressway and Lexington Avenue, now will be submitted to the chamber board for further discussion...

Design plans for the new Mississippi River Bridge at Cape Girardeau are "more than 95 percent complete," said Fred Martin, assistant chief of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Department's bridge division. Once funding is secured, contracts for construction of the cable-span bridge could be let by the end of 1995, Martin said. Work could start in early 1996, with the bridge opening in late 2000...

Civil War re-enactors, their horses, tents and equipment, along with some family members, filled the glade Friday evening at Black Forest Village near Cape Girardeau. The re-enactors will highlight the festivities today and Sunday at the fifth annual Black Forest Craftfest, which is part of the Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive this weekend...

Twenty-nine people have now turned in resumes expressing interest in serving on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. Adding their names to the list of school board hopefuls Thursday and Friday were Robert Blank, Pamela Sheets Spradling, Calvin Chapman, Jacqueline Sessoms, Louis Haynes, Marie Walker, Janet Rueseler, Charles Herbst III, Shaunna McGhie, Morris Osburn, Dr. ...

My mother has had two marriages, five children, at least 10 dogs, several cats and numerous migraines. The last item on the list was no doubt caused by the other four, but the children contributed the most. I'm the oldest, age 25, and kids ages 20, 18, 14 and 11 follow...

I HAVE a problem with the people in They don't want to recycle. They're lazy. I'm totally disabled. I can hardly walk across the floor, but I recycle. Why do I recycle? Years and years ahead of us are coming. We have the younger generations coming. What are the younger generations going to do if they don't have it as good as we've got it right now? Let's make it better for them. ...

Justin Castleberry was surprised to see Hamlet hairless but delighted that his performance was nothing short of hair-raising. Sean Baldwin said Thadd McQuade was born to play the role of Hamlet. And Eric Kohler considered the entire Shakespearean production a tad boring until the fight scene at the end...

RANDLES -- Anna Marie Davis, 33, of Randles, died Thursday, April 20, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was injured in an automobile accident on Highway 25 between Dutchtown and Blomeyer. She was born July 13, 1961, in Chicago, Ill., daughter of Earnest F. and Delores Rose Gerardo Bagwell. She and Randy Davis were married Feb. 14, 1988...

JACKSON -- Elmer R. "Doc" Koeberl, 74, of Jackson, died Thursday, April 20, 1995, at his home. He was born Sept. 2, 1920, at Pocahontas, son of Herman R. and Anna L. Leimer Koeberl. He and Alida Mirly were married April 16, 1950, at New Wells. Koeberl worked at Bowman Milling Co. 49 years. He was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church at Pocahontas, and member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158 in Jackson. He served in England and France with the U.S. Army during World War II...

PERRYVILLE -- Anna B. Welker, 88, of Perryville, died Friday, April 21, 1995, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born April 25, 1906, in Perry County, daughter of Henry W. and Theresa Baer Buchheit. She and Joseph A. Welker were married April 26, 1928. He died Nov. 1, 1985...

JACKSON -- Margaret B. Short, 91, of Jackson died Friday, April 21, 1995, at the Chateau Girardeau Health Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson.

DUTCHTOWN -- A Chaffee woman died Thursday night near Blomeyer just four days after two other Chaffee area residents were killed near the same place Easter night. A spokesman for the Missouri Highway Patrol said Anna M. Davis, 33, died about one mile south of Dutchtown on Highway 25 after the accident at 5:05 p.m...

FRIEDHEIM -- Lilly Mangels, 74, of Friedheim, died Thursday, April 20, 1995, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 26, 1921, in New Wells, daughter of Martin and Johana Petzoldt Koch. She and Herbert Mangels were married May 5, 1940. He died Feb. 20, 1979...

If Southeast Missouri State University and the Chamber of Commerce have their way, Cape Girardeau will catch Rams fever. A proposal seeking to bring the Rams' summer training camp to Cape Girardeau is expected to be on the Rams' desk today, said Cape Chamber President John Mehner...