Stories from Thursday, August 1, 1996

Local hospital officials say changes in the way a state board oversees hospital expansions are long overdue. Gov. Mel Carnahan last month signed into a law a bill that removes many projects and facilities from the oversight of the state's Health Facilities Review Committee through the Certificate of Need (CON) program...

Long before rodeo fans are dazzled by singers Chris LeDoux, Joe Diffie, John Anderson or Clay Walker, the city of Sikeston has plans for them. More than 30 city-wide events are planned in conjunction with the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. Kathy Medley, office manager at the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce, said the Jaycees look to the community to provide daytime events for rodeo-goers...

SIKESTON -- This year's Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo is the product of several months of "hard, sweaty volunteer work" and "lots of thinking and planning." The Sikeston Jaycees, under the direction of Rodeo Chairman Tim Gilmore, have recruited four of country music's hottest performers, enticed 350 of the top members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to come and compete, and made significant safety improvements to the Rodeo grounds...

The sixty teen-agers at the St. Vincent Parish Center have been working and partying all summer long. The parties, usually held at a pizza parlor or one of the teen-agers' houses, celebrate the completion of another long night of set-building and rehearsing...

For many Republicans, the August primary is much ado about nothing. On the ballot, the contest is between Cabool cattle farmer Earl Durnell and a retired military man, Richard Kline of Gipsy. But neither has support of their own party. Republican Party leaders are backing independent candidate Jo Ann Emerson, whose husband, Bill, represented the 8th District in Congress for 16 years...

Missouri voters will get their first say in the 8th District congressional race when they choose from among three Democrats and two Republicans in Tuesday's primary. On the Democratic side, the primary will determine the party's nominee for the November election...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Newly compiled assessed-valuation totals for Missouri's 114 counties and the city of St. Louis have reached a record-breaking $47.5 billion. The assessed valuations compute to $8,967.80 for each of the estimated 5.3 million Missourians living in the state. As recently as 1990, Missouri's per-capita assessed valuation was $7,784.31...

Principal Barb Kohlfeld wants her students at May Greene Elementary School to be somebody -- somebody successful. She has learned that the best way to become successful is to develop good social skills. So Kohlfeld and 25 teachers at the school are learning how to teach social skills to their students this fall...

When TWA Flight 800 exploded, killing 230 people, Southeast Missouri State University graduate Joe Lychner's wife and two daughters were among the casualties. The university and his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers will remember the family with a wreath-laying ceremony Sunday. The ceremony will be at 2:30 p.m. outside the Wehking Alumni Center on Sprigg Street...

Emily Firebaugh of Farmington is viewed as the leading Democratic candidate in the 8th District congressional race. She has the backing of the state party and top Democratic officials from Gov. Mel Carnahan on down. Firebaugh, 54, owns a timber business and is a former newspaper publisher...

Aug. 1, 1996 Dear Leslie Nieces are in town this week from Neosho and nephews from San Diego. We met them in St. Louis, where we saw "Guys and Dolls" at an outdoor theater. The best part was when it rained and they had to stop the show. Everybody donned a piece of plastic to ward off the soft rain. ...

PERRYVILLE -- While Mike Yamnitz battles four other primary candidates for his Perry County Commission seat, sole Democrat Carrie Key is a shoe-in for the November general election. County Clerk Randy Taylor attributed more interest in the seat to a new law changing associate commissioners' terms from two to four years. The primary election is Tuesday...

PERRYVILLE -- One-term County Commissioner Dennis Lohmann faces two other Republicans in the Perry County Eastern District primary. He must beat longtime political player Harley Geile and businessman Gary Lauck to retain his seat. No Democrats filed...

Incumbent John Ferguson and challenger Gene C. Miller will face off in the Aug. 6 primary for the Cape Girardeau County Public Administrator's seat. The winner of next week's primary will face Democrat Wanda Conrad in the November election. The public administrator is responsible for arranging for residential, treatment and care programs for persons declared indigent or mentally incompetent by the circuit court...

Cape Girardeau officials fear that the city's water system may reach its maximum capacity some summer day over the next two years. And the city is thinking about ways to avoid it. An engineering company has suggested 21 wells a short distance from the Mississippi River, from which Cape Girardeau gets most of its water. The wells would provide an abundance of water that would be easy to treat...

Friday was a day of celebration in Cape Girardeau, and rightfully so: Ground was broken for a new bridge across the Mississippi River. Construction won't get under way until September, but you can bet that September is as close as tomorrow to the more than 200 people who gathered for the event and have waited for years to see the bridge become reality...

To the editor: Union leadership today is out of touch with its rank and file. The AFL-CIO has announced it will spend $35 million in mandatory union dues this year on political advertising. This money, which is spent without union members' approval, will benefit Democratic candidates. If find this ironic, since over 40 percent of union members vote for Republican candidates...

To the editor: Once again I realize what friendly and generous people live in Cape Girardeau. I re-learned this at the party given for volunteers at the Cape Senior Center where a good time was had by all. Food donations came from Red Lobster, Prairie Farms, Fazoli's, Cauble & Field and Schnuck's. ...

To the editor: Absolutely the most important action you can take to protect your private property rights is to immediately call or write Missouri Sen. Bond and Sen. Ashcroft and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and demand that the Senate vote on the Omnibus Property Rights Act, S605, before the August recess...

The competition between 10 Scott County democrats for a 2nd District county commission seat will come to an end Aug. 6 with one of them advancing to November's general election. Scott County voters will have the choice of a variety of backgrounds and motivations between these candidates as they make their selection...

A statement is expected to be made later this week regarding the status of Dave Grossman, Southeast Missouri State University's suspended head athletic trainer. "We'll have some kind of statement by the end of the week," said Southeast executive vice-president Ken Dobbins on Wednesday...

PERRYVILLE -- Merida Frances Anderson, 80, of Perryville, died Tuesday, July 30, 1996, at Wentzville Park Care Center. She was born June 22, 1916, in Claryville, daughter of Elmo Joseph and Sophie Esselman Elder. She and Charles H. Anderson were married July 6, 1934...

PERRYVILLE -- Martha A. Sittner, 99, of Perryville, died Tuesday, July 30, 1996, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born March 15, 1897, at Frohna, daughter of August and Wilhelmina Ruehling Oberndorfer. She and William H. Sittner were married Dec. 22, 1919. He died Oct. 12, 1985...

ADVANCE -- Linda Welch, 48, of Advance, died Wednesday, July 31, 1996, at her home. She was born Aug. 1, 1947, at Brownwood, daughter of Kenneth and Hazel Fisher Kennedy. Welch attended Advance High School. She was employed at Arvin Automotive in Dexter, and was a member of Advance Eagles Auxiliary...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Billy M. Reeves, 68, of East Prairie, died suddenly Tuesday, July 30, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, of an apparent heart attack. He was born Sept. 23, 1927, in Mississippi County, son of Elmer D. and Ellen Walker Reeves. He and Billie Jean LeVan were married July 4, 1948. She died May 6, 1992...

Graveside service for Dorothy R. Decker of Cape Girardeau will be held at 3 p.m. today at West Newton Cemetery in West Newton, Ind. The Rev. Jerry Williams will officiate. Ford and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of local arrangements. Decker, 82, died Wednesday, July 31, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital...

BLOOMFIELD -- Mildred Alice Kimbrel, 86, of Bloomfield, died Tuesday, July 30, 1996, at her home. She was born Aug. 5, 1909, at Bloomfield, daughter of Joseph and Iva Bell Asbell Bolin. She and James "Hawk" Kimbrel were married June 4, 1927. He died June 3, 1991...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Jaime Niswonger of Raymore, St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, 3 p.m. Thursday, July 18, 1996. Name, Braden Lynn. Weight, 6 pounds 11 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Niswonger is the former Angel Gray, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Ron Gray of Cape Girardeau. Niswonger is the son of Janet Hill-Barnhart and Jim Niswonger of Cape Girardeau. He is an independent computer consultant...

The Cape Girardeau County Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Grace United Methodist Church, Caruthers and Broadway. Carl Patterson, AARP Missouri communications coordinator, will report on the 1996 biennial convention held in May in Denver, Colo...

SIKESTON -- Doris K. Mydland, 79, of Sikeston, died Tuesday, July 30, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Dec. 28, 1916, in Sikeston, daughter of Henry Marion and Frances Mae Roush Bolden. She and Melvin A. Mydland were married Sept. 27, 1934, in St. Louis...