Stories from Saturday, December 9, 1995

To the editor: Last year, 16,600 Americans and 288 Missourians lost their lives as a result of alcohol-involved crashes. Nationwide, that's one about every 30 minutes and in Missouri one every 30 hours. This is totally unacceptable as impaired driving deaths and injuries are 100 percent preventable...

Each year I find myself greeting the holiday season more with cynicism than gladness. My excitement endures only until everyone else gets into the holiday spirit and begin scurrying about and buying Christmas stuff. It's impossible for me to join in the festive gift-buying frenzy. I'm broke...

When steps were taken during the Eisenhower administration to create the interstate highway system, there were plenty of doubters that the nation would ever see the day when user-friendly, non-stop, multilane highways would crisscross the country and connect major cities from coast to coast. ...

The sadness of losing a loved one is magnified when the loss occurs during a special holiday season. And if someone dies because of drunk driving, the sadness can take on the added dimension of rage. Mothers Against Drunk Driving has worked hard in recent years to raise public awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. ...

To the editor: Mary Johnson Tweedy, a generous benefactor to Southeast Missouri State University, passed away last weekend in New York. Her generosity has not only touched the lives of her friends and acquaintances on this campus, but through her establishments of the Johnson Faculty Center, B.F. ...

To the editor: The Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees and staff say thanks to all who made the United Way YELL project successful again this year. The generous YELL grant awarded to the Cape Girardeau Public Library will be used to support the Reading Is Fundamental Club, which promotes and encourages reading for many Cape Girardeau youths during our summer reading programs. ...

When Mr. N was a child he quit school early to work on the family farm. He worked on that farm for years, until his diabetes forced him to stop. Mr. N regrets not finishing his education and says his lack of reading skills have made his life difficult. He urges young people he meets to stay in school and get a good education...

Mother Nature started dumping snow on Cape Girardeau County around 10 a.m. Friday and, predictably, the car accident reports began rolling in an hour later. By late Friday night, there were four inches of snow on the ground, and many residents heeded advice on television and radio to stay off the roads...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Work is progressing on construction of the $60 million super maximum-security prison at Tamms. "The project is going well," Mia Jazo, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Corrections Capital Development Board, said Friday. "The only thing that will stop work at the Tamms project now is the weather," added Nic Howell, of the Department of Corrections Public Affairs Department...

Donations are at a low point again in the 1995 Toy Box toy drive, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian. "We're real low," said Mike Seabaugh, co-chair of the toy drive. Volunteers have been sorting donated toys and using cash donations to shop for toys to help under-privileged children have a merry Christmas. Target and Kmart in Cape girardeau have agreed to discount toy purchases for the toy drive...

It's so neat to see pregnant people who want to be pregnant -- those people who prayed and planned and took their temperatures and counted their days. My fellow columnist Mark Bliss and his wife just had a baby girl, but expect more on that in HIS column. I remember several months ago when Joni first excitedly whispered the news of her pregnancy to her friends, who did all the hugging and congratulating women do when their friend gets pregnant after lots of trying...

Motorists can follow the Cape Girardeau Holiday of Lights tour, above, past some of the highlights of this year's contest. A bus tour is also available, starting at West Park Mall. Tours will leave at 7 p.m. today from entrance B of the mall, where Port Cape used to be situated. Tours will also be held next Friday and Saturday, also beginning at 7 p.m. tours cost $1...

IN A recent Opinion column from one described as "a corn farmer," the author said in part, "True educational reform would involve more local control, not less." Though that is a very popular political mantra, nothing could be further form the truth. ...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Stella M. Franklin, 93, of Mounds died Thursday, Dec. 7, 1995, at the Carbondale Health Center. She was born June 29, 1902, in Mt. Pleasant, the daughter of General and Ida Darnell Smith. She married Fred E. Franklin, who preceded her in death in 1980...

LILBOURN -- Maurice Duralle "Reece" Clark, 29, of Lilbourn died Thursday, Dec. 7, 1995, at Anderson Lumber Company as a result of an accident. He was born March 27, 1966, in Dexter son of Walter Clark and Gloria Clark Adams. He married Aretha Maben July 1, 1995. She survives...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Nadine B. Swann, 73, of East Prairie, died Friday, Dec. 8, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born May 5, 1922, in Mississippi County, daughter of Manuel Bell and Vivian Octavie Grider Bell. She married Arvin G. Swann, who preceded her in death...

ULLIN, Ill. -- William A. "Bill" Ryan, 70, of Ullin, died Friday, Dec. 8, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 9, 1924, in Ullin, son of Oscar and Florence Aldridge Ryan. He and Marjorie Kerley were married July 28, 1945, in Ullin...

ANNA, Ill. -- Clara McIntire, 90, of Anna died Thursday, Dec. 7, 1995, at Monroe Regional Hospital in Ocala, Fla. Arrangements are incomplete at Crain Funeral Home in Anna.

Dru Reeves, production manager at Horizon Screen Printing, filed Friday for a Ward 3 seat on the Cape Girardeau City Council, guaranteeing a primary election in February. Reeves, who lives at 2149 West Cape Rock Drive, is the third candidate to file from Ward 3. Councilman Jack Rickard is seeking re-election in Ward 3. Jay Purcell, who works at Dana Corp., is also a candidate in that ward...

Due to inclement weather, the Cape Girardeau Solid Waste Division was unable to complete trash and recycling pickup routes on Friday. The recycling areas affected are: Kage Hills Drive, Hopper Road at the interstate, all streets between Melrose and Lexington and Woodland Hills Estates...

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Shane Michael Blechle, 22, of Pensacola, Fla., and formerly of Biehle, died Thursday, Dec. 7, 1995, at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola following an all-terrain vehicle accident. He was born Dec. 9, 1972, son of Melvin Blechle and Wanda Emmendorfer in Washington...

Raymond B. Hunze, 90, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Dec. 8, 1995, at Christian Northeast Hospital in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Lorberg Funeral Chapel.

Elsie G. Sterling, 82, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Dec. 8, 1995, at the Lutheran Home. Funeral services are incomplete at Lorberg Funeral Chapel.

GRAND CHAIN, Ill. -- Francis Edward "Frank" Jones, 77, of Grand Chain and formerly of Tamms, died Friday, Dec. 8, 1995, at the Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born Feb. 19, 1918, in America Community in Pulaski County, to Edwin S. and Rosa Lee Odle Jones...

SIKESTON -- Bernice Ellanora Cummins, 81, of Sikeston died Friday, Dec. 8, 1995, at the Miner Nursing Center. She was born Nov. 24, 1914, in Advance, the daughter of William Henry and Clara Edith Goodman Simmons. In 1933, she married Wayne Cummins in Morley. He preceded her in death in 1958...

SCOTT CITY -- Emma M. Martin, 90, of Scott City died Friday at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.

Ah, the sounds of Christmas. Choirs singing carols. Church bells ringing. And nerves jangling as one more chore is added to the season's "To Do" list. Santa Claus isn't the only one making a list and checking it twice, and he's not the only one worrying whether he'll make the Dec. 25 deadline for completing all of the items on that list...