Stories from Tuesday, February 13, 1996

Pat Johnson says she looks forward to getting to school every morning because she gets to help students become better spouses, parents and all-around self-sufficient people. Perhaps many people know the subject as "home ec," but Johnson said she is a teacher in the Life Skills Department at Cape Central High School, the new name the curriculum goes by...

NEW HAMBURG -- Debbi Bollinger missed her daughter, Courtney, after she left for college and wanted to find another way to interact with children. So she started teaching at Kelso C-7 school in New Hamburg. Three days a week, she teaches art classes at the school...

Lynn Dempster has resigned from the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents after suffering a slight stroke. The Sikeston businesswoman, who has been an enthusiastic backer of the university for years, submitted her letter of resignation to Gov. Mel Carnahan Feb. 7. University officials disclosed the resignation Monday...

JACKSON -- It wasn't the move she expected, but Jackson Public Library's head librarian is ready to reunite with City Hall. After 19 years of working in the same place, Sally Pierce is sorting through books and card catalogs, pitching unusable items and salvaging the decent ones for a book sale...

Area officials want the state to fund operation of the air traffic control tower at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. State Rep. Joe Heckemeyer of Sikeston wants the legislature to allocate $200,000 to operate the tower. A House subcommittee has added it to the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1...

SANDUSKY, Ill. -- One of 40 people who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning while attending a church service here Sunday remained hospitalized in Cape Girardeau Monday night. The victim, Clara Hampton, was reported in fair condition at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

Valentine's Day is more than hearts and candy. Joni and I were married on Valentine's Day 16 years ago. The advantage of being married on Cupid's holiday is that you shouldn't forget your anniversary. If you do, forget the flowers. They won't help. We've never been good at giving traditional anniversary gifts, although I think we did well the first year...

Perhaps you looked at the wrong day. Heidi's column appears each Saturday on Page 2. CONCERNING YOUR article on the billboards on the new Transworld Dome, you think that the money that they take in will help offset the obscene price tag. That would be fine and good but that money doesn't go to the people in the state of Missouri. The Rams football team receives the money from these billboards. So I think you've missed you mark a little bit...

The urgency about the future of Medicare was increased earlier this month when the federal health-care program for the elderly was shown to have spent -- unexpectedly -- more money last year than it took in. Much of the current budget standoff in Washington has been fueled by the Medicare debate. ...

By the time you read this, the post-mortems on the Senate vote on the flag amendment will largely have subsided. The media may finally have stopped smirking their smirks of supposed intellectual superiority. The constitutional scholars who were thrust into an unaccustomed limelight will have gone back to their universities to continue the debate in quieter fashion. ...

Without a doubt, Cape Girardeau County Park straddling U.S. 61 near I-55 provides one of the most beautiful entrances any city could want. Now the park is 48 acres larger, which will help meet the growing demand as more and more folks go there for all kinds of activities...

In Britain the unemployed are referred to as "redundant." The telly will inform the public that the redundancy rate for such and such a month was a certain percentage. Personally, I don't like that word. Yes, I am retired and sometimes tired, but I usually find something to do. I admit that it isn't as much as I used to do. But I do takeout the trash and occasionally do a few chores. I used to visit friends in nursing homes and hospitals...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Lois Gail Jones of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel here. The Rev. Mike Quillman will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Jones, 80, died Saturday, Feb. 10, 1996, at Sikeston Health Care...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Vergie W. Ward of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. Bishop John Sargent will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Ward, 71, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 1996, at her home. She was born April 7, 1924, in Clarkton, daughter of Elbert and Bertha Smith Lacy. She and Jay W. Ward were married March 7, 1951, in Piggott, Ark...

ALTENBURG -- Erwin Joseph Holt, 81, of Altenburg, died Feb. 11, 1996, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 27, 1914, in Cape Girardeau County, son of Joseph and Louise Schneider Holt. He and Alma Irene Brown were married May 29, 1938. He died Feb. 20, 1991...

STURDIVANT -- Funeral service for Lambert J. Laramie of Sturdivant will be held at 2 p.m. today at White-Mullen Mortuary Chapel in Ferguson. The Rev. Gary Gebelein will officiate, with burial in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery at Florissant. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. to service time...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral service for Elmer R. Sevic of Charleston will be held at 2 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Tom Bridges will officiate, with burial in IOOF Cemetery. Sevic, 81, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

DEXTER -- Howard D. Ferguson, 62, of Cedar Hill, formerly of Dexter, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 1996, at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Nov. 7, 1933, in Arkansas, son of Ivy W. and Cora Mae Hayes Ferguson. He and Marlene Dougherty were married Nov. 7, 1993, in House Springs...

Fred Franklin Englehart, 85, 2010 Thilenius, died Monday, Feb. 12, 1996, at the Lutheran Home. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Ruth B. Umbeck, 68, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, Feb. 12, 1996, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. Lorberg Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Twin sons to Thomas Lynn and Tammy Suzette Meyr of Altenburg, Southeast Missouri Hospital, Saturday, Feb. 3, 1996. Clayton Thomas was born at 7:57 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds ounce. Brandon Thomas was born at 8:23 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds 1 ounce. Mrs. ...

DEXTER -- Clifford Samuel Seachrist Sr., 57, of Dexter, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 1996, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born June 25, 1938, in Boydsville, Ark., son of Samuel D. and Audrey Seachrist. He and Patsy Elfreda Matthews were married Dec. 12, 1964, in St. Louis...

Customers of Shop 'n Save, 254 S. Silver Springs Rd, now have less time to get their shopping done. The store will be open from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily. The hours changed Monday. Employees were also told Monday that the store would close within six weeks...

Brian Probst of Jackson has received a $20,000 four-year scholarship to Greenville College in Greenville, Ill., northeast of St. Louis. Probst, son of Dan and Darlene Barks of Jackson, competed for the scholarship last month. Each student completed interviews and an exam...

Several students were recently named to the Dean's List for the fall 1995 semester at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Area students named to the list include Sandra Bounds, Meike Newell and Christy Vandeven, all of Cape Girardeau; Jason M. Enders and Khristine Abernathy, both of Jackson; Donna Lynn of Benton; and Amber Burroughs of Frohna...

SCOTT CITY -- Adam Andrews was recently selected to attend the Hugh O'Brien Youth Foundation Leadership Seminar next month. Andrews, a sophomore at Scott City High School, will meet leaders in business, sports and politics at the seminar in St. Louis. Other seminars are held across the world. Students are selected based on leadership potential and influence with their peers...

NEW MADRID -- The American Legion Post 595 will hold a benefit lunch for Dickie Grissom Friday. Jambalya or ham and beans will be served from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the American Legion Building in New Madrid. The meal costs $2.50 and arrangements can be made for delivery of five or more meals. Call 748-7781 for more information...

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. Jackson Middle School Library -- Consider mission statement and philosophy. -- Consider proposal to conduct long-range planning. -- Change schedule of kindergarten screening. -- Consider Professional Development School proposal...

Sen. John Ashcroft will meet with law enforcement officials from throughout Southeast Missouri Wednesday to discuss issues arising from juvenile crime. Following the breakfast meeting, Ashcroft will tour Cape Girardeau with Police Chief Butch Boyd Jr...

Several area students have been named to the dean's list and honor rolls at Linn Technical College for fall semester. Area students named were Nicholas Aron Essner and Timothy Richard Mueller, both of Cape Girardeau; Dale Edward Console of Malden; Derek Lee Halter of Marble Hill; Nathan James Ernst of Perryville; and Scott Michael Heisserer of Benton...