Stories from Tuesday, May 9, 1995

If the first 100 days were a smashing success for congressional Republicans, the next 100 days might only be smashing -- as in smashing their heads against an unyielding wall. That's because they have pledged to balance the budget by 2002, a task made more difficult by a president who relishes the idea of hammering each budget reduction as the price for a "Republican tax cut for the rich."...

Southeast Missouri State University's Center for Health and Counseling sells over 20,000 condoms a year. The number has grown dramatically since the school first began selling them about eight years ago. Initially, less than 1,000 condoms were sold in a fiscal year. The number has steadily climbed, from over 1,000 in 1988-89 to 17,000 in 1992-93 and 23,000 last fiscal year...

Carla Karr, a dog trainer, will present a program on dog-proofing children and children-proofing dogs May 24 at 7 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Karr will demonstrate proper ways to approach and interact with unfamiliar dogs and discuss how to prepare both dogs and children for safe encounters with each other...

DELTA -- Kristina Criddle, a country and gospel singer from Delta, will perform on "The Nashville Starseek" television show Wednesday. The program can bee seen through satellite dish reception G-3, T-16, The Keystone Inspirational Network. "The Nashville Starseek" features singers of country, gospel and easy listening, who are judged by the television audience. ...

When Congress talks about unfunded mandates, the interest of most taxpayers is modest, at best. But when the city of Cape Girardeau calculates that unfunded mandates will cost more than $16.5 million this year, the message hits home. Congress, pushed by the Contract With America that was successfully executed by House Republicans, has passed some relief from unfunded mandates. ...

As the nation goes through the grieving process following the bombing at Oklahoma City, it has been informative to observe the reactions of those who have, in one way or another, been affected by this senseless massacre of innocent men, women and children. The wrenching sight of the devastated federal building is all the more painful with realization that the debris still hides the dismembered bodies of fellow Americans who were going about their daily routine tasks on the morning of April 19...

MILLER CITY, Ill. -- Aron Whitmore has a beautiful home and yard, but he remembers when they stood in 3 feet of Mississippi River water. The first time was during the flood of 1993. The Len Small Levee, less than two miles from Whitmore's home, gave way easily. The water rushed his way, and his family spent three months living with a brother-in-law in nearby Olive Branch...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Southwater Inc., a new, not-for-profit company created by Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative, has acquired funding to start an $8.1 million water treatment and distribution facility. Phase I calls for 45 miles of transmission pipe to serve Alexander, Pulaski and Union counties...

Cape Girardeau Central High School seniors must fulfill all graduation requirements to participate in the May 26 commencement. The Board of Education made it official Monday night by adopting a formal policy that had been in the works since the start of the school year...

JEFFERSON CITY -- With less than a week remaining before Friday's mandatory adjournment, this year's first session of the 88th Missouri General Assembly has a long way to go to reach even a modest achievement record. As legislators returned to the Capitol Monday for the final five days, they had approved only 90 bills. ...

Sometimes life can be a pain in the derriere. Lately, it's been a pain in the back for me. About a month ago, I experienced back spasms, and later chest pains. Thinking I was suffering a heart attack, I went to a local hospital emergency room where I was promptly ushered into a room where a blue-uniformed, male nurse greeted me with a clipboard...

SHOULD THE college not share some responsibility to demand civility of the students while living in a college town in a civilized nation? Is it not rude and uncivilized to have lawns littered with beer cans at college housing, students sharing loud music and parties out on porches to all within hearing distance, and students failing to respond when greeted on the sidewalks?...

There wasn't a color to symbolize humane treatment of animals before Monday, but Laura Walz and the junior volunteers at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri picked one. It was purple. As she launched a single purple balloon into the rainy sky, Walz, the society's development coordinator, said that it stood for the purple hearts mistreated animals should receive for surviving...

MCGEE -- Mary Evelyn Duniphan, 86, of McGee, died Monday, May 8, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Mark and Sandra Barr of Farmington, 4:32 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, 1995. Name, Lauren Alexis. Weight, 8 pounds 10 ounces. First child. Mrs. Barr is the former Sandra Phillips, daughter of Julius and Janet Phillips of Jackson. Mr. and Mrs. Barr are registered nurses at the Mental Health Center in Farmington. He is the son of Carl and Alice Barr of Advance...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Austin Eaves, infant son of Thomas and Cindy Eaves of Cairo, was stillborn Monday, May 8, 1995, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital. Barkett Funeral Home at Mounds is in charge of arrangements.

BLOOMFIELD -- Grace Ann Parmenter, 91, of Bloomfield, died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born Jan. 16, 1904, in Oak Ridge, daughter of Lorenzo and Elvira Thompson Parmenter. Parmenter worked in St. Louis. She retired 30 years ago and moved to Bloomfield. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church here...

MARBLE HILL -- Travis Wayne Welker, infant son of Ricky and Mahetta Angel Welker of Marble Hill, died at birth Friday, May 5, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Survivors include his parents; paternal grandparents, Charles and Bessie Welker, and maternal grandparents, John and Joyce Angel, all of Marble Hill...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Stephen Clay Johnson of Scott City will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. The Rev. David Hyde will officiate. Graveside service will be held at noon at Mounds National Cemetery in Mounds, Ill...

Ray Reed, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, May 7, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements were incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

PERRYVILLE -- Marlene G. Mueller, 51, of Perryville, died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at her home. She was born Dec. 9, 1943, at Point Rest, daughter of Erwin and Erna Hadler Schuessler. She and Royal W. Mueller were married Nov. 11, 1961. Mueller was a clerk at Wal-Mart, and member of Salem Lutheran Church at Farrar...

CHARLESTON -- Ramesh B. Patel, 43, of Charleston, died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. McMikle Funeral Home at Charleston is in charge of arrangements.

Graveside service for Velma A. Cline, 1751 Whitener, will be held at 2 p.m. today at Dogwood Cemetery in Dogwood. The Rev. David Pringle will officiate. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. There is no visitation. Cline, 66, died Monday, May 8, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center...

CRUMP -- Carrie Brown, 91, of Florissant, formerly of Crump, died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at Christian Northeast Hospital in St. Louis. She was born March 12, 1904, at Jewett, daughter of Noah and Talitha Williams Young. She and Roby Brown were married April 10, 1923. He died Jan. 4, 1962...

OAK RIDGE -- Rufina O. Burgan, 79, of Oak Ridge, died unexpectedly Monday, May 8, 1995, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. McCombs Funeral Home at Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

BLOOMFIELD -- Edith Mayberry, 70, of Bloomfield, died Monday, May 8, 1995, at her home. She was born June 8, 1924, in Arkansas, daughter of William and Nellie Seawright Martin. She married Fred Cook, who died in 1960. She later married Lee Mayberry Jan. 6, 1978. He died Oct. 8, 1991...

ORAN -- Rose Ella Hall, 100, of Cape Girardeau Nursing Center, died there Monday, May 8, 1995. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Oran is in charge of arrangements.

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- John Truman DePriest, 83, of Greenville, Ky., formerly of Olive Branch, died Sunday, May 7, 1995, at Owensboro-Davis County Hospital in Owensboro, Ky. He was born July 7, 1911, at Oran, son of John C. and Susan Ellen Nora Drury DePriest. He and Irene Collins were married June 6, 1931. She died March 30, 1986. He and Irene Crowley were married Feb. 14, 1987...

Jeff Garland, son of Ralph and Trudy Garland of Jackson, has been elected president of the Student Government Association at Crowley's Ridge College in Paragould, Ark. A freshman, Garland is a 1994 graduate of Jackson High School. While at Crowley's Ridge, he has served on the Heritage Annual staff and as announcer for the Pioneer basketball games...

The Jackson Rotary Club recently announced winners of its "To Be A Friend" essay contest. Winners in the junior-high division were Jennifer Horst, first place; Laura Horst, second place; and Annie Stoverink, third place. Traci Tuschhoff won first place in the college division...

Vernon L. Kasten, president and co-founder of Ceramo Co. Inc. of Jackson, will be honored by the University of Missouri-Rolla at its commencement Saturday. He is one of 19 people to receive a professional degree from the university. The honor is awarded to alumni and others for their professional accomplishments...

Champ Friend of Cape Girardeau was among 27 writers from grades four to 12 honored at the Southeast Missouri Writing Achievement Awards program. This year, 109 schools from Southeast Missouri participated and 461 students entered their writing. Authors were honored by grade level and category...

Joey Jacobs of Scott City High School attended the Sophomore Pilgrimage April 10 in Jefferson City. The pilgrimage has been sponsored by the General Federation of Women's Clubs for 61 years. Students in the sophomore class who exemplify honor, courage, citizenship, scholarship, leadership and service are asked to participate. They learn about the operation of state government...

Jefferson Elementary School students learned about being a firefighter, veterinarian, dental assistant, artist and other jobs from people employed in the fields at a recent vocational fair. Vocations that students were interested in and those that are predicted to be growth employment areas were targeted. Speakers talked with students about the skills and training needed to get a job in different areas...

Grant M. Rickard of Cape Girardeau recently placed second in a college-wide architectural renderings competition at the College of Architecture, Planning and Design of Kansas State University, Manhattan. Rickard is a 1992 graduate of Central High School. ...

Nine members of the Kelly Future Farmers of America Chapter attended an Area 12 banquet recently in Advance. Ribbons and awards were given for area contests. Receiving recognition from the Kelly Chapter were Holly Slavings, Jaret Seiler, Christina Roslen, Valerie Chesser, all on the FFA Knowledge Team; Kim Helpingstein, creed speaking; and Brian Heuring, public speaking...

Kristi Glueck has been selected Scott City High School's nominee for Missouri Scholars 100. She received honorable-mention recognition for the state. Missouri Scholars 100, a statewide program to honor the state's most outstanding academic students in the graduating class of 1995, is sponsored by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. The selection is based primarily on a formula using the student's grade-point average and ACT and SAT score...

Five St. Vincent de Paul students will be among Missouri representatives at National History Day June 11-15 at the University of Maryland-College Park. Trisha Brase placed second in junior individual projects with an entry titled "Evicted: The Sharecropper's Revolt of 1939 in Southeast Missouri." She is the daughter of Daniel and Patricia Brase...

Jessica Anderson has been selected the Exchange Club of Cape Girardeau's Youth of the Year for 1994-95. She is a senior at Central High School where she is ranked No. 1 in her class and is a National Merit Commended Student. She was chosen for the Missouri Scholars 100 Program, and has been designated an Academic All-American by the National Association of Swim Coaches of America...

Roberta Grojean used to teach home economics. She now teaches family-and-consumer science. The name was changed to reflect the expanded scope of the class, said Grojean, who has taught the course for 31 years. Grojean has taught at Delta High School for 28 years...

Ryan Prince of Oak Ridge, left, a senior majoring in chemistry at Southeast Missouri State University, picked up his commencement package from Rebecca Canoy. Graduates keep the gown and mortarboard. Many in the area soon will don the traditional gowns and mortarboards, walk across a stage, and receive a rolled-up piece of paper, part of the coming of age known as graduation...