Stories from Monday, November 13, 1995

A view from the top of the tower at Lone Star shows the conveyor that moves cement to the company's barge terminal on the Mississippi River. John Burian, operations director, stood in the limestone quarry adjacent to the plant. Everything about the Lone Star cement plant is massive, from its 350-foot deep stone quarry to its 230-foot-long, rotating kiln...

In a noisy, standing-room only crowd on a riverboat casino, three women gazed hesitantly at idle slot machines. At the urging of two of them, the third dropped a dollar token into a machine and pulled the handle. Nothing matched. She frowned and tried it again. This time, much to the their delight, three double-bars line up. "This is the first time I've done this," said the woman..."and, I won."...

POCAHONTAS -- John Walker may not have been properly honored as a U.S. veteran because he never fought on foreign soil. But his dedication and service to his country are well remembered. Walker, a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, was honored at a special grave-marking ceremony Sunday afternoon. About 20 people attended the Veterans Day celebration at the Apple Creek Cemetery near Pocahontas...

When Katheryn Fobbs' 5-year-old daughter catches a cold or strep throat virus, she can visit the doctor without worry. Her daughter is covered by a free insurance program developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri. And like Fobbs of Jackson, more parents in Southeast Missouri now have the opportunity to receive insurance coverage for their children with the help of a nonprofit corporation...

Cape Girardeau School administrator James Englehart stood next to a stack of documents that towered over his head. The rest, he said, is in the other room. The paperwork, which took a year to compile, will be turned over to a team of 41 educators who will examine the Cape Girardeau public schools this week...

The current storyline in the comic strip "Blondie" involves the tribulations of the title character as she is sucked into a labyrinth of municipal bureaucracy. Cape Girardeau City Manager Michael Miller told members of the Downtown Neighborhood Association Sunday that he hopes local residents never have to endure such a negative experience with City Hall...

It's long been a joke in my family that you can't leave my aunt's house empty-handed. Until recently, she always gave visitors food: leftover turkey, half a canned ham, part of a cake. Not only did she keep her freezer uncluttered, she made sure her loved ones were fed. Aunt B.'s a very practical woman...

I SAW a very sad thing today. I saw a man who probably was the best qualified, if not the person for the presidency, decide not to run. I hate even to see him be a Republican, because I'm not one myself, the main reason for it being Robert Dole. Digging up dirt -- that's the Republican agenda. ...

An American Red Cross official says she's confident the Southeast Missouri/Southern Illinois area will meet its goal for blood donations this year. "We're counting on it," said Pat Easton, director of donor services for the region. The goal for this year is 38,000 units for the 23-county area. Last year, 35,000 units of blood were collected in the area, Easton said...

SIKESTON -- Roy Leon Stilwell, 80, died at the Missouri Delta Medical Center here Saturday, Nov. 11, 1995. He was born Sept. 15, 1915, at Bunker to the late William Clark and Vernie Jane Copeland Stilwell. He was a salesman for Cauble and Field in Cape Girardeau and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sikeston...

Daughter to Michaelle Jones of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 3:21 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, 1995. Name, Chaella Chanel. Weight, 6 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Ms. Jones is the daughter of Ernestine Gibson and Curtis Gibson of St. Louis. She is a student at Southeast Missouri State University...

JACKSON -- Charles Andrew Glueck, 86, of Jackson died Sunday, Nov. 12, 1995, at his home. He was born Nov. 2, 1909, at Cape Girardeau, son of Anton and Ida Schlitt Glueck. He and Dorothy Ann Ahner were married July 18, 1939, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau...

Frank M. Kimes, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Nov. 10, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born March 22, 1911, at Piedmont to Thomas R. and Mary Griggs Kimes. He married Emily Mae Sutton at Piedmont on Sept. 11, 1948. She died June 30, 1978...

PERRYVILLE -- Albert W. Huber, 86, of Perryville died Sunday, Nov. 12, 1995, at his home. He was born Sept. 26, 1909, in Milheim to Bernard Francis and Julie P. Barks Huber. He married Leona Agnes Dambach on Oct. 18, 1932. He was a retired farmer and was a member of the Polled Hereford Association and the Belgian Draft Horse Association. He belonged to Crossroads Methodist Church...

Lori B. Wheeler Bodenschatz, 36, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Nov. 11, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born March 9, 1959, in Loud Springs, N.Y., to Alan and Onna Roach Wheeler. She married Rocky Bodenschatz on Feb. 14, 1991. She was co-owner of At Your Service Cleaning Service in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Verlin Will Thompson, 82, of Jackson died Saturday, Nov. 11, 1995, at his home. He was born Dec. 12, 1912, in Oak Ridge to Maurice and Alice Cotner Thompson. On April 10, 1943, he married Alice Browning, who survives. He was a salesman for the former Schade's Menswear in Jackson and Cape Girardeau. He was a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson...

CHAFFEE -- Brenda Elsie Anderson, 55, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 25, 1940, at Centerville, Tenn., daughter of Noah Ezra and Eunice Evelyn Lester Tidwell. She and Bobie Anderson were married Feb. 22, 1960. He preceded her in death Feb. 11, 1990...

"The more insignificant the task, the longer required to complete it." -- Murphy's Law Missouri, being a society of laws, is obviously observing Murphy's Law to the fullest, particularly when an official effort is being made to redesign and replace our long-suffering license plates issued just after statehood and creation of a Department of Corrections...

Gambling is one of the fastest-growing industries in America. Like anything that involves huge sums of money, sooner or later government takes more than a passing interest. For example, a bill in Congress seeks to establish a national commission to investigate the impact of legal gambling. So far the bill has the support of 102 co-sponsors in the House and eight in the Senate. Now President Clinton has written a letter saying he support the legislation...

The last two Missouri factories of Brown Shoe Co. will close this month. And Tri-Con Industries Ltd. has announced it is moving its operations to Mexico after a dozen years of making automobile seat covers in Cape Girardeau. There have been any number of reasons given for the closings. ...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "Do you think the recent assassination of Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin will hurt peace talks in the Middle East?" Patrick Douglass, Cape Girardeau "I just think it's going to impede peace talks big time because it's going to hurt peace talks ... because the faction (of the assassin) is hard core radical and it (the faction) is going to drift even further."...

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- Players Casino in Metropolis, Ill., will celebrate the grand opening of its new casino riverboat on Wednesday. Gov. Jim Edgar will preside over the ceremonies that begin at 11 a.m. A large fireworks display will mark the new boat's arrival. It will begin at 6:30 p.m...

Karen Stevens, a registered massage therapist, recently joined the staff of New Hope Counseling, 1221 Kingshighway. Owner Ruth Ann Ford said her counseling center focuses on Christian counseling and works to heal the body, soul and spirit. Massage therapy is part of the total package or may be reserved by the hour...

Casual Male Big & Tall recently opened at 3048 William in Cape Girardeau. The business, which features extra large and larger clothing, is owned by the J. Baker Co. of Hyde Park, Mass. Stephanie Robertson is manager. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 Sunday...

Magnetic Collectibles Ltd. of Cape Girardeau, manufacturer and innovator of flexible, molded magnets, has released a new series of theme-oriented magnets for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The first series of a projected two series features classic cartoon favorites displaying the Olympic spirit. ...

Venture Stores will hold a "Thanks-For-Giving" food drive in each of 115 stores Nov. 23, including the Cape Girardeau store in West Park Mall. Venture will collect canned foods (or other non-perishable food items) during business hours on Thanksgiving Day. The food will be given to food banks in the various communities...

The City of Roses Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA) has received the Star Award for 1994-1995 achievements. Ruth Hathaway, president of the local chapter, accepted the award from Sylvia Buffington, national secretary-treasurer, during the ABWA national meeting in Portland, Ore. The award is the highest award a chapter can earn from the national office. The award is the third for the City of Roses Chapter...

Searching for art has gone high-tech at Steve Mark West Inc. in Cape Girardeau. "Our gallery has received a new laser disc system that allows customers to select from as many as 26,000 pieces of art," said Steve Mueller, one of the owners of Stev-Mark Inc., which specializes in paints, wall covering and artwork at two Cape Girardeau sites, Stev-Mark Inc. at 16 N. Spanish and Stev-Mark West at 2125 William...

A & W Root Beer has reopened in Cape Girardeau. The restaurant, previously at 335 N. Kingshighsway, has reopened at 204 N. Kingshighway in the building that previously housed Arby's Roast Beef Restaurant. Arby's recently closed. The new restaurant is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and to 11 p.m. weekends...

Wednesday -- SBA counseling session (about one hour), Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 21 --Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Show Me Center. Dec. 1 -- Cape Girardeau Chamber Board of Directors annual retreat, Lone Star Natatorium...

Nominations for the "Small Business of the Year" award are being accepted by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. Applications for the award, to be presented in February, are available at the chamber office. Previous Small Business of the Year winners include Advance Business Systems, Bluff City Beer Co., KBSI Fox 23 TV, and Ford Groves...

"Profit From Our Experience" was the theme of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which was recently observed by the Cape Girardeau Division of Employment Security Office. Coordinated by the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the observance is held annually to help eliminate bias in the work place and encourage employment of the skills and talents of people with disabilities...

Total construction activity in Missouri was up 6 percent in August, and up 8 percent for the year. The F.W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill, an authority on the construction market, reported construction for September at $483,277,000, up from $456,285,000 for the same month in 1994...