Stories from Thursday, June 1, 1995

PERKS, Ill. -- The Cache River Wetlands is a joint venture of the Illinois Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy and the Citizens Committee to Save the Cache. The conservancy's goal is to permanently restore and protect the region's natural areas, preserving critical habitat for its many endangered species...

This is a photo of Eagles Pond in the Cache River Watershed. ULLIN, Ill. -- John Henderson lives in a cabin on stilts that rise out of a swamp. He proudly calls himself "The Swamp Hermit." "My record is 54 days without talking to people," he says. "Not counting saying `Thank you' to people at the grocery store or gas station."...

A reception honoring two new sites named to the National Register of Historic Places will be held Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mollie's Garden, 11 S. Spanish. The two-story home of Drs. Mary Ann and Bert Kellerman at 6 N. Fountain and the Alliance building, site of Mollie's, were placed on the register July 22. The Kellermans own both buildings...

JACKSON -- The computer-generated letter from Credicorp Inc. seemed like a godsend to Chris Weaver. An apartment dweller facing bills from college, she wanted to consolidate her credit cards but couldn't get a personal loan. The letter promised a gold-card membership worth $10,000 with a 12 percent annual percentage rate...

The last three families staying at the emergency shelter at Cape Girardeau Central High School moved out Tuesday night as the American Red Cross closed the shelter and turned the page from emergency to recovery services. "The water is still up, but the emergency phase is over," said Ron MacCubbin, director of emergency service with the Red Cross...

The flood has turned Dianna Barnes' 10-minute commute to work into a 35-minute ordeal over a narrow, winding, hilly county road whose blind corners make driving hazardous. Barnes lives in the Rolling Hills Subdivision along Highway 177 just north of the Cape Girardeau city limits...

The National Weather Service at St. Louis has forecast the river stage at Cape Girardeau will be below flood stage on June 18. An official with the weather service said Wednesday the river didn't rise or fall for much of the day, maintaining a stage of 45.3 feet. He said the river only was expected to fall by a tenth of a foot today but the water should begin to recede a little more rapidly by the weekend with the current weather pattern...

June 1, 1995 Dear Nick and Christine, How is baby Cole? Approaching 1 year old, ready to surf? Growing up, I was always envious of kids in California. One came to town for a visit in the summer, and soon everyone knew a kid from California was in town...

I ENJOYED the coverage of Legislature making the mule our state animal. But, hey, the square dance was made the state dance on the same bill, and there was hardly a mention of this. Square dancers worked hard and long to get this bill passed. There are two square dance clubs in Cape and two in Jackson, plus several in nearby area towns...

VisionAire officials are in the process of selecting a site for an airplane manufacturing facility. "We should make an announcement soon," VisionAire chief financial officer Gary Pluth said. "We have visited a lot of places and the process is narrowing down."...

A carnival behind the Cape Girardeau Public Library Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. will kick off library summer activities. Activities are planned from Saturday through July 29 for children from 18 months through 12. Games, films, crafts, story hours and programs are planned. Children 2 through 12 can join the Summer Reading Club and earn a chance to win a new bike...

Nursing home staff members were rewarded Wednesday for their hard work and devotion when the Long Term Care Ombudsman program of Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging presented its annual Quality of Life Awards. Local winners were David Walker, administrator at Jackson Manor in Jackson, and Delores Pobst, activities director at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Each was nominated by a supervisor, staff member or patient's family member...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Funeral service for Charles Anderson Harvel, Jonesboro Route 1, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Rev. Philip Nelson will officiate, with burial in St. John's Cemetery near Jonesboro...

MARQUAND -- Wanda Iona Mouser, 80, of Marquand, died Tuesday, May 30, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 5, 1915, at Marquand, daughter of Edgar C. and Myrtle Irene Stephens Cook. She and Elwood Mouser were married in 1935. He died March 10, 1992...

Daughter to Cory M. Fraser and Judy A. Ford of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:47 a.m. Monday, May 22, 1995. Name, Elanie Lynn. Weight, 9 pounds. First child. Miss Ford is the daughter of Nettie J. Ford of Cape Girardeau and James L. Ford of Cahokia, Ill. Fraser is the son of Jackie Gibson of Cape Girardeau and Michael Fraser of Perryville...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Brenda Gail Love of Orange City, Fla., will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate, with burial in Lightner Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 5 p.m. today...

NEW MADRID -- Vurtis H. Faulkner, 79, New Madrid Route 1, died Wednesday, May 31, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Nov. 6, 1915, in Phil Campbell, Ala., son of William Walter and Maudie Idella Gay Faulkner. He and Alice Marie Zachary were married Oct. 16, 1937, in New Madrid...

ANNA, Ill. -- Rodney A. Turner, 52, of Channahon, died Tuesday, May 30, 1995, in rural Buncombe. He was born Aug. 1, 1942, in Anna, son of Paul Hugh and Ellen Mae Coleman Turner. He and Pauline Stroer were married Sept. 20, 1963. Turner was a member of First Baptist Church in Channahon...

PULASKI, Ill. -- Funeral service for Anna Mary Tolar of Florissant, Mo., formerly of Pulaski, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Pulaski. The Revs. Wayne Crull and Herman Painter will officiate, with burial in Mound City National Cemetery...

WAPPAPELLO -- Reginal "Pete" Fitzgerald, 75, of Wappapello, died Tuesday, May 30, 1995, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Feb. 24, 1920, at Essex, son of Dan and Florence DeJournett Fitzgerald. He and Patsy Trout were married May 3, 1967, at Morehouse...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral service for Eula E. Austin, Anna Route 1, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Rev. Derrill Schroth will officiate, with burial in Kelley Cemetery near Cobden. Friends may call at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. Friday...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Rodger Lee Brock, 28, Dongola Route 1, died Tuesday, May 30, 1995, at his home. He was born Aug. 27, 1966, in Dongola, son of Hubert and Doris Eddleman Brock. Brock was a painter at Holcomb Machine Shop in Anna, and member of Perks Baptist Church...

EDITOR'S NOTE: Christina Van Nostrand was a seventh-grader at L.J. Schultz School in Cape Girardeau and had written this article for The Paw, the school's student newspaper. In its 10th anniversary year, The Paw staff has earned a record number of awards. The record 27 honors include the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association's highest overall rating, All-Missouri...

Some economic analysts were surprised by the Commerce Departments report on Wednesday that the nation's gross domestic product for the first quarter of 1995 grew at its slowest rate in 18 months. This was slightly weaker than previously anticipated. There were some concerns among business leaders and bankers that the new report showed the economy was headed for recession, in large part due to last year's series of interest-rate increases by the Federal Reserve, the country's central bank...

To the editor: Time is running out. We have a president and an attorney general who both publicly admit to trying to get around the Constitution whenever it gets in the way of their goals. We have a corporate U.S. government trying to replace our unalienable rights with civil rights and privileges and signing away our sovereignty to the new world order...

The Estimated cost of paving all the gravel streets in Cape Girardeau, as proposed by the Planning and Zoning Commission, is $1.1 million. In Tuesday's editorial the figure was incorrect. We regret the error.

Workers' compensation. Mention the words and for many, scores on the MEGO index will shoot off the chart. (MEGO is an acronym invented by columnist William Safire to denote the words My Eyes Glaze Over.) Not a very sexy issue, to be sure. For viewer appeal, it'll never compete with the O.J. ...

To the editor: I would like to address my comments to the students, parents and staff of Central High School and also to the entire community. As next year's elected student body president, I would like to present a challenge to you. First, to the students, I challenge you to work for what you believe in and go after what you want with a vengeance. ...

Taxation, regulation and paperwork are expected to be top issues at the White House Conference on Small Business. "A number of views will be presented to the Clinton administration and Congress following the five-day conference," Troy Wilson said during a small-business forum at the Holiday Inn Wednesday...

Cache Core Canoes provides both solo, two-seater and square stern canoes. The rate is $25 per canoe per day, with $5 extra for a third person. Proprietor John Henderson also gives guided tours. To reach Cache Core Canoes from the Cape Girardeau area, follow Illinois 3 to McClure, Ill., and the Grapevine Trail to Tamms, Ill. From Tamms, drive north on Route 127, turn right onto the Ullin blacktop to Ullin. In Ullin, turn right on Highway 51, then left on Shawnee College Road over Interstate 57...