Stories from Monday, May 8, 1995

All the signs of spring are in the air, and all the signs of people cleaning attics, basements, closets and the kids' toy chests are in yards all over town. It's yard sale time. It only takes a quick trip through the Southeast Missourian classified section to determine that yard sales are a popular means of getting at least some return on items that would eventually end up in the trash...

It is getting dangerous in the workplace. The U.S. Labor Department recently revealed some harsh statistics in its Census of Occupational Injuries.. Of the 6,271 on-the-job deaths in 1993, 1,063, or 16.1 percent, were from shootings or stabbings. Another statistic, from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, show the violent death rate in private industry is 1.71 per 100,000 workers...

Despite predictions of clouds and showers, the sun shone brightly on hundreds who gathered at the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home to remember the tragedy of World War II and the happiness of the home's dedication. The commemoration ceremony combined both events since today is the 50th anniversary of the war's end in Europe and Friday the fifth anniversary of the Veterans Home's dedication...

Want to know how many dimples are on a golf ball, what the longitude and latitude of Cape Girardeau are, the ratio of colors in a package of M&Ms candies and which book was written without the letter E? Well, someone did. The answers to those and other quirky inquiries reside in the Fugitive Facts File at the Cape Girardeau Public Library...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is one of the top five in the state in membership. Today, the local chamber is No. 4. By 4 p.m. Tuesday, chamber officials are expecting it to climb to No. 3. Membership totals maintained by the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce show Cape Girardeau at 1,150 members...

On the street: The Southeast Missourian asked people if they think Missouri should follow the example of Alabama, which has reinstituted prisoner chain gangs for trash pickup along highways. Homer Huskey, Cape Girardeau: "I think it's a great idea. It's time these guys quit sitting around the prison, with us paying to keep them there. Let them get out and work and pay society back."...

SIKESTON -- A New Madrid teen-ager walked away from a major accident with minor injuries early Sunday morning. It was about 2 a.m. when Jason Medlock, 17, fell asleep at the wheel traveling south on Interstate 55 three miles north of Sikeston. His pickup ran off the road and overturned several times, landing in the northbound lane...

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- Ervin Walter Bangert, 67, of Sedgewickville died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born in Lixville July 17, 1927, to Robert and Caroline Pohlman Bangert. He married Marilyn Hellman Nov. 11, 1950. She survives...

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- Ivan Nells Orsland, 66, of Sedgewickville, died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at his home. He was born June 26, 1928, in Humbolt, Iowa, son of Nells and Lillie Blegelid Orsland. Orsland was employed by the Henschel Hat Manufacturing Co. in Sedgewickville, retiring in December 1994...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Charles William Irby was held Sunday at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie. Burial was in Dogwood Cemetery near East Prairie. Irby, 62, of East Prairie died Friday, May 5, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

ANNA, Ill. -- Helen Groner Coleman, 78, of Anna died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at Jonesboro Health Care Center. She was born Mar. 12, 1917, at Dongola, Ill., to Jasper and Zella McGinnis Groner. Coleman was a member of the First Christian Church in Anna and the Jonesboro Rebekah Lodge...

BLOOMFIELD -- Graveside service for Fannie Louis Quinn of Bloomfield will be today at 1 p.m. at Davidson Cemetery in Medina, Tenn., with the Rev. George McMinn officiating. Quinn, 85, died Friday, May 5, 1995, at Bloomfield Nursing Center. She was born Sept. 22, 1909, in Medina to Frank and Molly Cleva Barnes...

Mabel C. Graden, 77, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at Vencor Hospital in St. Louis. She was born in Jackson May 23, 1917, to Harvey and Amelia Altenthal Meystedt. She married Leo A. Graden Nov. 3, 1935. He survives. Graden worked for Montgomery Ward Co., Buckner-Ragsdale and Avon...

DEXTER -- Shirley Jeter, 52, of Dexter died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at William T. Bold Hospital in Memphis. She was born in Dexter May 16, 1942, to Cletus and Julia Menley Denkins. She married Theodore Jeter Oct. 17, 1971, in Kennett. Survivors include her husband and mother; two sons, John and Michael Brandish of Dexter; a daughter, Martha "Marty" Rowland of Dexter; three brothers, Bill, Ted and David Denkins, all of Dexter; and two sisters, Betty Reynolds of Dexter and Wilena Thompkins of Qulin.. ...

SCOTT CITY -- Stephen Clay Johnson, 44, of Scott City died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements were incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Home in Scott City.

Lena M. Robbins, 100, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at Jackson Manor. She was born May 1, 1895, to Willey Oden and Sara Collie Baker. She married the Rev. G.N. Robbins May 2, 1916. He died Nov. 14, 1970. Survivors are a daughter, Ruby McClelland of Monette, Ark; four grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and six great-great grandchildren...

JACKSON -- Laura Ann Wilson, 89, of Jackson, formerly of East Prairie, died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at the Jackson Manor Nursing Home following an extended illness. She was born March 2, 1906, in Bell City, daughter of William and Harriet Hale Bond. On March 20, 1935, in East Prairie, she married Thomas J. Wilson. He died Aug. 2, 1984...

John William "Jack" Hines, 71, of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, May 6, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 21, 1924, in Murphysboro, Ill., the son of Lorn and Florence Elizabeth Robinson Hines. He married Linda L. Watkins Feb. 11, 1969, in Cairo, Ill...

The idea of incorporating as many Missourians as possible into the process of government and self-determination sounds good. That was the intent, at least in part, of the so-called motor-voter law that went into effect Jan. 1. Under the motor-voter law, state agencies such as employment offices, welfare offices and license bureaus are encouraged to make sure every person who uses their services are registered to vote...

What most people know about chain gangs they learned from old movies, which used to exploit the theme and the inevitable escape from the ruthless guard or unsavory sheriff. There aren't any modern chain-gang movies. That is probably because there aren't any chain gangs any more. At least not until Alabama resurrected the concept last week and began using prison inmates shackled together with leg chains to cut weeds and pick up trash along the Peach State's highways...

U.S. agriculture is once again on the chopping block as Washington prepares to renew its decade-long attack on federal farm programs. As members of Congress sharpen their budget axes for another swing at agriculture, they might pause to consider the sacrifices the industry has already made at the altar of deficit reduction...

Michelle Herter has joined Ameritech Cellular, 500 N. Kingshighway, in Cape Girardeau, as a direct sales account executive. Herter of Cape Girardeau will be responsible for providing cellular telephone services in the Cape Girardeau, Sikeston and Poplar Bluff areas...

The Small Business Development Center will conduct counseling sessions in three areas this month. The counselor, Gil Degenhardt, will be available May 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office. The counseling sessions (about one hour) are free. Call (314)-335-3312 for appointment...