Stories from Wednesday, March 13, 1996

To the editor: I found this poem by an unknown author in some papers and wanted to share it with your readers: A Tragic Situation I found a dollar in my pocket today. That's something I cannot explain. I'm sure I've paid all my taxes, So where'd I get the darn thing?...

Workers at the M&W Packaging U.S. Inc. plant in Cape Girardeau will vote this month on whether to have Teamsters representation. Teamsters Union Local 574 had asked M&W management to voluntarily recognize the union as the bargaining agent for M&W workers but the company refused...

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA Wednesday, 7 p.m., City Hall Request to rezone property at the southern intersection of Kingshighway and Boulder Crest Drive from R-1, single family residential, to R-4, multiple family residential and C-2, general business district, and for a special use permit for a residential development...

For years, the former St. Francis Hospital building has been a community eyesore. Its location and condition seemed to discourage rehabilitation. But the old hospital has been recently championed as a site for two separate projects: the proposed federal courthouse and as a one-stop-shop for social service agencies. The community would certainly benefit if a use could be found for the property and building, which fronts Good Hope Street...

One of the people accused of vandalizing the old Lorimier Cemetery has pleaded guilty to the charge. Kevin Allen Coker, 24, will be sentenced April 1. A guilty plea means justice will be swift. It can be hoped that justice also will also be sure. Two other people charged in connection with the crime -- Brian Lowe, 23, and his wife, Susan, 20, -- will appear in court March 19 for a preliminary hearing. Two juveniles were also taken into custody...

To the editor: In the March 8 Southeast Missourian, I read with considerable interest the article, "Speed limit bill goes to governor," and noted the subheading, "Higher speeds may affect insurance rates." According to the article, the public information officer for the Missouri Department of Insurance is of the opinion that increasing the speed limits will lessen a driver's response time, and the degree of damage will go up proportionately with the degree of increased speed...

To the editor: I hope that the age of Wayne Petitt does not become a campaign issues in this year's race for Scott County District 2 commissioner. Unfortunately, Mr. Petitt's would-be successors have already begun to tout their own superior experience in thinly veiled attacks on Mr. Petitt's age, as your March 11 news story pointed out, "Novice pol seeks public confidence and election."...

Backed by petitions and applause, a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday night urged the Cape Girardeau City Council to endorse the old St. Francis hospital site for a new federal courthouse. About 100 people attended a 40-minute public hearing at City Hall. Most said they wanted the federal government to tear down the vacant, vandalized hospital building and the five houses bordering it...

More students at May Greene School in Cape Girardeau are taking the bus to school because of concerns about pedestrian safety at Highway 74 and Sprigg Street. A pedestrian crossing light is in place at the intersection, but school officials don't want to take any chances with the grade school students attempting to cross the highway on their way to or from school, said Dr. Barbara Kohlfeld, May Greene principal...

ORAN -- Distant whistles and red, blinking lights are common sounds and sights at many railroad crossings. But only stop signs and pavement signs warn motorists of the Oran crossing where two women died Friday. Wanda Johns and Sylvia McGranahan were killed when the car in which they were riding was struck by a Burlington Northern train at the Shelby Street crossing at the crest of a hill...

A couple days back one of my favorite "Bloom County" strips came up on the day-by-day cartoon calendar which sits on my desk. It was one from the early 1980s in which Milo Bloom, ace reporter for The Bloom Beacon, is perched on the city desk fielding a call from a pleasant elderly woman who claims the paper mistakenly printed she has died...

JACKSON -- A newspaper article about a Jackson Middle School student assaulted by her peers resulted in a flurry of phone calls -- most to the Southeast Missourian Speak Out line. Many were critical of Jackson school district administrators, some were critical of the reporting and a few were critical of student Lindsay Siebert, who reported what she believed to be drugs in school...

The Southeast Missourian asked students at Jackson High School about the Lady Indians basketball team that finished second in the state. Jill Becker: "I thought it was great. At the state tournament, I think we really worked well as a team. Next year, I think they will do really well. They will have everyone back except for two seniors."...

Congratulations to Jackson's athletes! The girls basketball team's performance in Columbia last weekend once again illustrated that Jackson athletics are among the best in the state. Their fine finish made us all proud. In addition, the football and wrestling teams' state finishes should make our community proud...

The Missouri "hay lift" to Oklahoma and Kansas is working. "Some Oklahoma ranchers in Creek County and adjacent counties received first truck loads of Missouri hay this week," said Gerald Bryan, University of Missouri Extension specialist in Jackson. "And they're grateful."...

JACKSON -- Rachelle Ali, 42, of Jackson, died Monday, March 11, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 4, 1953, in Salt Lake City, Utah, daughter of Paul and Virginia Ehlers DuSablon. She married Syed Ali. Ali was a graduate of Sikeston High School in Sikeston and St. Paul Junior College in Concordia...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Laura Lena Wilburn, 98, of Fredericktown, died Monday, March 11, 1996, at Stochhoff Nursing Center in Fredericktown. She was born Aug. 29, 1897, in Kentucky, daughter of Harvey and Sarah Thurman. She and Riley Wilburn were married May 3, 1915. He died in 1973...

PERRYVILLE -- Leila O. Dickmann, 70, of Dayton, Ohio, died Tuesday, March 12, 1996, at Hospice of Dayton. She was born June 13, 1925, in Perry County, daughter of Carl F. and Oneida W. Ochs Bergman. She and Milton Charles Dickmann were married Nov. 25, 1945...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Ethel Everett Tinnon, 82, of St. Peters, died Monday, March 11, 1996, at Barnes Hospital in St. Peters. She was born March 17, 1913, in Kentucky, daughter of Henry and Nell Funkhouser Tinnon. Tinnon had worked at Valspar Paint Co. in St. Louis, and attended First Church of God in East Prairie...

Funeral service for Col. Roy F. Sides, 905 S. Benton, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel. The Revs. Ronnie Brown, Doyle Randol and Lee Cook will officiate, with burial in Lorimier Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- The Rev. Willis L. Reynolds, 81, of Meridian Manor in Mounds, died Monday, March 11, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Algee Memorial Chapel in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.

DEXTER -- Wilford "Steve" Walk, 79, of Dexter, died Tuesday, March 12, 1996, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Nov. 28, 1916, at McGee, son of Eddie and Etta McDaniel Walk. He and Claudine Reed were married Feb. 10, 1990, at McGee...

Daughter to Dennis Eugene and Lee Ann Blankenship of Scott City, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 3:17 a.m. Thursday, March 7, 1996. Name, Morgan Elizabeth. Weight, 6 pounds 7 ounces. First child. Mrs. Blankenship is the former Lee Laws, daughter of Eddie Laws and Patty Laws of Scott City. She is a hairstylist at JCPenney Styling Salon. Blankenship is the son of Dennis Blankenship of Scott City and Vicki Blankenship of Cape Girardeau. He is employed at ENSA...

SEMO Regional Pagents Inc., will hold its fourth annual beauty pageant April 6 at the Malden Community Building. Pageants are held for children ages 0 to 12, and a Miss pageant and Mrs. pageant are scheduled. The events begin at 10 a.m. and continue through the day with the final pageant starting at 6 p.m...

Think spring, think St. Patrick's Day, think -- what else -- green. But green food? Dr. Suess had his say, but take a second look. Produce shelves and grocery freezers are brimming with green vegetables. Some fruits pack their healthy punch within emerald peels...