Stories from Saturday, December 21, 1996

To the editor: Now that the dust is settling after an election in which there was much ado about entering the new century and millennium, it is timely to consider some of the factors impacting our national attitude and psyche to effectively move into the future. ...

Grants have been around for a long time, and educators have long taken advantage of these earmarked endowments. Typically, a grant is awarded for specific project, oftentimes with a number of bureaucratic strings firmly attached. Cape Girardeau's public schools have been pretty successful in obtaining grants this year -- nearly a half-million dollars for about a dozen projects. ...

Cape Girardeau's Board of Education made it official this week. A 69-cent tax increase was placed on the ballot for next April 1. The move was no surprise. And that is the beauty of this whole process. So far, everything has been above board and out in the open...

Cable provider TCI has dropped plans to remove Chicago superstation WGN from cable television systems in five states, but the move will not affect lineup changes slated for Cape Girardeau and Jackson system. Roger Harms, who manages the local TCI system, said plans to drop WGN effective Jan. 1 remain in place and that he doesn't believe the decision will be reconsidered...

Toys for needy children, food for the hungry, money for the poor. Around Christmastime it seems everyone stands with an open palm, waiting for some softhearted person to fill it. This is one of the best times for charities to solicit donations. While the holidays have become more and more commercialized, most people still talk about the reason for the season -- to reflect on religion, family, good health and a variety of blessings. They want to help those who won't have such bright holidays...

You would think the Publisher's Clearinghouse entourage had arrived at Parlee Anderson's door Friday morning, but it was even better: it was a Christmas for the Elderly delivery team. "Isn't that something? This is just so good, isn't it?" asked Anderson, who received nearly everything she requested on her Christmas wish list. "I'm just so happy right now."...

I was just thinking the other day about "simpler times." Through selective recall and the erosion of memory by time, it seemed to me there were periods in my life when mornings weren't something I dreaded, work wasn't laborious and women weren't complicated...

It took a week to do it, but Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Regents finally finished its December board meeting. The regents cut short their meeting last week after Regent Donald Harrison became ill, leaving the board without the four-member quorum needed to conduct business...

Southeast Missouri State University offices will close at 5 p.m. Monday and will remained closed through Jan. 1 for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. University offices will reopen Jan. 2, with spring semester classes to begin Jan. 21. On Dec. 29, the university will shut off power to most academic and administrative buildings so new electrical switching equipment can be installed at the school's substation...

Son to Mark Kevin and Cynthia Kay Hulshof of Dexter, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22, 1996. Name, Ryan Joseph. Weight, 7 pounds 14 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Hulshof is the former Cynthia Allen, daughter of Martin and Joletta Allen of Sikeston. Hulshof is the son of Joe and Allana Hulshof of Oran. He is a design engineer with Federal Mogul in Malden...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- L. Cecil Myers, 89, of Wolf Lake died Thursday, Dec. 19, 1996, at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro. He was born Nov. 15, 1907, in Alto Pass, son of Oliver and Cora Verble Myers. He and Doris Trainer were married Dec. 28, 1940. She died Dec. 26, 1991...

NEW HAMBURG -- Funeral Mass for Gilbert William Dirnberger of Ellisville, formerly of New Hamburg, will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at Holy Infant Catholic Church in Ballwin. Burial will be in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Friends may call at Schrader Funeral Home in Ballwin from 3-9 p.m. Sunday...

WYATT -- Funeral service for William "Bill" Elliott, formerly of Wyatt, will be held at 1 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Rev. Bill Meeks will officiate, with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from noon to service time...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral service for Lawrence A. "Bud" Geile of Perryville will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Young and Sons Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Kevin Fausz will officiate, with burial in St. Rose of Lima Cemetery at Silver Lake. Friends may call at the funeral home from 6:30 a.m. to service time...

Four days 'til Christmas. The handwriting on the wall (in red and green, peppermint-scented ink) says the time to get everything bought, wrapped, mailed, baked or crafted is now. That's NOW, as in last week. Depending on how you look at it, the impending holiday (and all the stress that goes along with it) has two meanings: Either you only have four days to get everything done, or in only five days, you can have a complete, blissful collapse and no one will care...