Stories from Monday, January 15, 1996

The wish list includes banisters and buses, dance clubs and danishes. As a center of retail growth, Cape Girardeau annually welcomes more than 150 new businesses. And according to area consumers, there's room for more. Several weeks ago, we asked readers to get in the "shop 'till you drop mode," and let us know what business additions would be the icing on our retail cake...

Brenda Woodard, manager of Radio Shack at West Park Mall, compared watch batteries at a store display. Barry Finley, store director for Toys R Us, held one of the many toys that require batteries to operate. Batteries give power. In the wide world of consumer electronics, it is difficult to think of a product that has had more impact on people's lives than the simple battery...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "What do you think of the Missouri legislature's efforts to lower the legal limit for driving while intoxicated from .10 of 1 percent to .08 of 1 percent? Julie Rush, Jackson "I think that no matter what the limit is if you're drinking you shouldn't be out driving. I would support that...

LONGTOWN -- Although they don't remember many birthday parties as children, their children threw them a party not likely to be forgotten. Identical twin sisters Wilma Bohnert of Longtown and Thelma Guyott of St. Louis celebrated their 80th birthday with a surprise party Sunday afternoon. About 75 relatives, neighbors and friends attended the party at the Zion Lutheran Church fellowship hall...

Reminding people of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s achievements and to be cognizant of the destructive influence of racial prejudice are the primary goals of a series of upcoming events honoring the civil rights leader, organizers say. Activities at Southeast Missouri State University in remembrance of King begin today and continue through Jan. 25...

Missouri health officials hope a new strategic plan will give the state's immunization program a shot in the arm. The state tied for last in immunization of young children in a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Missouri Department of Health wants to improve that record...

One Saturday not too long ago, I arrived bright and early in the newsroom for my regular weekend shift and immediately turned to the horoscope page of that morning's Southeast Missourian. Our staff astrologer advised me, and every other Taurus in our circulation area, to "count to 10 before dealing with any irritating individuals."...

HOUSE MAJORITY Leader Dick Armey recently stated that he and the rest of the Congressional Leadership were standing firm against the White House. He said "In Texas, we wear our boots and don't polish them often but we never polish somebody else's." Armey described the budget showdown as a great drama, a struggle over whether we make a decision against big government for the first time in 60 years. ...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Barbara Baker, 68, of Tamms died Sunday, Jan. 14, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Jones Funeral Home in Tamms.

PERRYVILLE -- Lucius A. Meyer, 75, died Sunday, Jan. 14, 1996, at his home. He was born April 20, 1920, at Perryville, son of Joseph M. and Amelia M. Sauer Meyer. He and Ruby Miget were married Feb. 27, 1945. Meyer was employed as a cabinetmaker and finish carpenter. He was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and the Holy Name Society. He also was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1263, American Legion Post 133, and a veteran of the U.S. Army...

SIKESTON -- Richard Vaughan, 81, of Sikeston died Saturday, Jan. 13, 1996, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn. He was born Sept. 29, 1914, at Sikeston to Green O. and Ethyl Joyce Vaughan. He married F. Aline Prouty on Feb. 24, 1936, at Jackson, Miss...

Ellis Masters, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Jan. 14, 1996, at Deal Nursing Home in Jackson. Arrangements are incomplete at Lorberg Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

DELTA -- Esther Rhodes Keys, 78, of Delta died Saturday, Jan. 13, 1996, at Jackson Residential Care. She was born Feb. 22, 1917, at Millersville to Wilson and Phamelia Wallace Estes. She married Charles Rhodes, who preceded her in death. She later married Oscar Keys, who also preceded her in death...

ANNA, Ill. -- Dorothy Frances Eaves, 83, of Anna died Sunday, Jan. 14, 1996, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Aug. 23, 1912, in Union County to Walter and Gertie May Rothrock Winn. On June 16, 1928, at Marion, Ill., she married George Omer Aaron, who died in 1956...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Sandra Ann Rogers, 57, of Mounds died Saturday, Jan. 13, 1996, at her home. She was born Oct. 1, 1938, in Flint, Mich., to Raymond and Clara Bell Town Kerley. Survivors are two daughters, Cheryl LaDuke of Burton, Mich., and Judy Rogers of Mounds; two brothers, Robert Kerley of Burton, and Edwin Kerley of Flint; and four grandchildren...

To the editor: The Missouri Conservation Department, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Corps of Engineers, other federal regulating agencies and the Nature Conservancy (an organization that buys up farmland for the government, among other things), is formulating a land-use control plan in the Ozarks. It is called the Coordinated Resource Management Plan...

There is little question that more effort is needed to make sure Missouri's children are properly immunized against childhood diseases. A bill before the General Assembly addresses the fact that the state has one of the poorest immunization records in the country, but it goes too far in trying to correct the situation...

Here's a sample of the kinds of headlines Missourians could be reading in their newspapers in the next 12 months: BOB GRIFFIN NAMES HIMSELF HOUSE SPEAKER EMERITUS JEFFERSON CITY -- Before he retired his 15-year stint as head of the Missouri House of Representatives, Cameron's Bob Griffin created a new legislative post, Speaker Emeritus, and then immediately named himself to the new position. ...

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is set aside to commemorate the life and the vision of the civil rights leader who was gunned down in a Memphis motel. As Paul Greenberg -- the Arkansas newspaper columnist who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for his civil rights editorials -- says below, "Martin Luther King, concluding his long, long journey from Montgomery to Oslo (to accept the Nobel Peace Prize) would say: 'I accept this award with abiding faith in American and an audacious faith in the future of mankind.'". ...

To the editor: The Second Marine Division has a proud and unparalleled history of service to America. From Guadacanal through the bloody campaigns of Tarawa, Saipan, Tipian and Okinawa in World War II and continuing with action in the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf and Somalia, the Second Division remains as a fighting unit unsurpassed in military annals. ...

Since they do everything big in Texas, the audition turnout for the upcoming production of the River City Players should have been no surprise to director Chuck Ross. About 40 people auditioned Sunday for a part in the play, "Greater Tuna." It is the story of life in Tuna, Texas, a town where people listen to country music on the radio, worry about the "smut" in their school libraries and hope for solutions to the latest crisis at the Humane Society...

JACKSON -- If Jackson officials get their wish, the next officer on the city's police force will have four legs. Detective Richard Rushin is leading the city's drive to raise $25,000 for a drug-detecting dog, soliciting donations from area businesses and organizations. More than $1,000 has been donated to the effort...

Jackson Board of Aldermen Tuesday, Jan. 16 7:30 p.m. A. Approve the semi-annual financial statement ending Dec. 31, 1995, which will be published. B. Authorize semi-annual payment of $5,000 to Chamber of Commerce for services under tourism contract...

Charles "Bud" Leming received the "Realtor of the Year" award from Fred Neal, MAR president-elect. A number of new officers for the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors are shown here, from left: David Donley, president-elect; Linda Pruitt, executive secretary; Sue Bellis, director; Fred Neal, Missouri Association of Realtors president-elect; Schirley Huey, president, and Tim Singleton, 1996 Multi-List Service president and board treasurer...

A new Drury Inn hotel opened recently in the Atlanta area at Marietta, Ga. The new hotel, at Interstate 75 and Delk Road near Dobbins Air Force Base, has 143 rooms and provides 20 to 25 new jobs in the Marietta community. Drury Inns Inc. owns and operates the hotel...

Cape Electrical Supply Inc., 325 Christine St., has acquired T-B-N Electrical Supply Co. of West Plains. The acquisition gives Cape Electrical Supply, a full-line distributor of electrical products for industrial, commercial and residential use, its ninth location in a three-state area...

Witz Restaurant will reopen next week as Joey's Restaurant. The East Cape Girardeau, Ill., restaurant, which closed a week ago, is under new ownership. Joey Browning, who has worked at the restaurant 10 years, is the new owner, and will open Jan. 30...

Jackson Glass Inc., which specializes in auto, residential and commercial glass, has opened at 326 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson. Owners of the new business are Stephen Brands and Terry Steele. Brands, who has more than 18 years in the industry, will serve as general manager...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Business Expo '96 and Business Conference, co-sponsored by the Chamber's University Relations Committee and the Southeast Missouri State University's Harrison College of Business, will be held April 16 and 17 at the Show Me Center...

"How to do business with Southeast Missouri State University" is the topic of seminars to be held at the Show Me Center Thursday. Laura Stock, director of the purchasing department, will discuss procurement of equipment, supplies and general services in 45-minute seminars at 7:45 and 8:45 a.m...

"Basics of Recruiting and Retaining Good Employees," will be the topic of a seminar to be held Feb. 22, starting at 1 p.m., in the Tiffany Room of the Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau. Dr. Steven M. Cohen, senior consultant of Lawrence-Leiter and Co. of Kansas City, will discuss strengths and weaknesses of recruiting methods, obtaining employee commitment and development of educational programs...

The Professional Secretaries International (PSI) dinner meeting will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., at the Drury Lodge. "Your New Year's Resolutions: Building Rapport" is the topic of the meeting. Mary Gosche will be guest speaker. Additional information is available by calling 651-2541 or 651-2836...

The Small Business Development Center will conduct counseling sessions in four areas this month. The counselor, Gil Degenhardt, will be available Jan. 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...

New karate classes will be conducted at the Cape Girardeau Civic Center, 232 Broadway, starting today. Classes will be held for youngsters and adults, conducted by Chad Boxx, of Boxx Institute of Martial Arts. Boxx, of Poplar Bluff, a Master 5th Degree Black Belt, also conducts classes at Poplar Bluff and Ellington...

The Jackson Podiatric Medical Center has moved to 1004 N. High in Jackson. The center has been operated more than 14 years by Dr. Wayne Sarno.

The Clean Attitude Automotive Detailing business has moved to 408 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson. Wayne Brown founded the business more than two years ago.

The Mississippi County Port Authority has authorized construction of a barge and tugboat for use at the Dorena (Mo.)-Hickman (Ky.) Ferry, which will operate between the two towns on the Mississippi River. Serodino Inc. of Chattanooga, Tenn., will build the barge for $212,784. Progressive Industrial of Palmetto, Fla., will build the tugboat for $180,000...