Stories from Friday, January 3, 1997

House Speaker Newt Gingrich has the backing of two freshman Republican lawmakers with ties to the Cape Girardeau area. Both U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau and Rep.-elect Kenny Hulshof of Columbia say they will vote to re-elect Gingrich as House speaker when the new Congress convenes Tuesday...

If the Old St. Vincent's College and Seminary isn't sold by Feb. 1, it could be demolished. The owners of the 153-year-old building, the Provincial Administration of Vincentian Fathers of St. Louis, put the former Catholic school on the market for $890,000 just after rejecting a $530,000 bid from the Colonial Cape Foundation in October...

If local school districts fulfill their New Year's resolutions, 1997 will be characterized by realigned academic curriculums and a variety of construction projects. School officials in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Nell Holcomb, Oak Ridge, Scott City and Meadow Heights school districts all said improvements were high on their agendas, both in curriculums and facilities...

Give me a minute, and I'll think of what it was, because I know you're dying to find out, if only I can remember what it is. For years, I've had what I call "old-timers" disease. This is not to be confused with Alzheimer's disease, a serious illness about which there is little that is funny...

In a year-end interview, Gov. Mel Carnahan again portrayed himself as the white knight for Missouri's education system. He once again pointed to the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993, the $310 million tax increase, as the centerpiece of his first administration. He said in the interview he would continue to place a good deal of emphasis on education as the key to a brighter future for the state...

PEOPLE IN Cape Girardeau, now that the Bulls are back on WGN in Chicago, we can't watch them because TCI, a local cable company, has taken WGN off the air. If they receive enough calls protesting the change, we'll get it back on the air. So Bulls fans call TCI and voice your local protest...

Here is more evidence that gambling in Missouri is rapidly turning into a monster voters wouldn't have wanted to create when they decided to allow riverboat casinos. Several of the casinos are protesting local property taxes. Some have paid their taxes under protest. Others are mounting huge appeals of their city and county tax bills...

Police said the number of automobile accidents and drunken-driving arrests in Cape Girardeau and Jackson on New Year's Eve was lower than expected. There were 10 vehicle accidents in Cape Girardeau Tuesday and Wednesday, said Sgt. J.R. "Buddy" Davis, who heads the traffic division of the Cape Girardeau Police Department...

NEW HAMBURG -- Concerned about overcrowding and shocked by a lack of state regulation, one Scott County parent is trying to light a fire under the Kelso C-7 District School Board about fire safety in the New Hamburg elementary school. Robert Mothershead, a former school board member, said he is worried about the safety of his son, a fifth-grader at New Hamburg, after receiving a copy of a state fire marshal's inspection of the school. ...

It wasn't an overly impressive performance. But it was certainly exactly what Southeast Missouri State University's women's basketball team needed. The Otahkians, seeing action for the first time since being routed by Troy State 75-46 on Dec. 12, topped Oakland City University 67-55 Thursday night in front of 655 fans at the Show Me Center...

JACKSON -- Tom James of Cape Girardeau recently fired a hole-in-one at Bent Creek, acing the par-3 No. 8. James used a 9-iron to accomplish the feat on the 170-yard hole. Witnesses were Dave Lynch and George Olson.

Daughter to Chris and Michelle Mohney, Scott City Route 1, Western Baptist Hospital, 10:06 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, 1996. Name, Alyssa Nicole. Weight, 9 pounds. First child. Mrs. Mohney is the former Michelle Kenkel, daughter of Elmer and Glenda Kenkel, Scott City Route 1. Mohney is the son of Larry and Phyllis Mohney of Frohna. He is manager at Burger King...

PERCY, Ill. -- Royal Wayne Jacobs, 78, of Percy died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at his home. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hileman and Parr Funeral Home in Jonesboro, with the Rev. Steve Wilkinson officiating.

SIKESTON -- Janice B. Simmons, 76, of Sikeston died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born April 25, 1920, in Advance, daughter of William Henry and Clara Edith Goodman Simmons. Simmons was a legal secretary for Blanton Law Firm six years, and also had worked at Paul Slinkard Tax Service...

ANNISTON -- Funeral service for John Thomas Essary of Anniston will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. Burial will be in Anniston Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 5 p.m. today. Essary, 62, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997, at his home...

HAYWOOD CITY -- Funeral service for Sadie Campbell will be held at 1 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston, with James Blue officiating. Burial will be in Haywood City Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 11 a.m. to service time...

PARMA -- James Edward Johnson, 57, of Parma died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Nov. 20, 1939, at Bernie, son of Roosevelt and Lillie Mae Porter Johnson. He and Bertha Mae Phiffer were married Sept. 26, 1992, at Gray Ridge...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Irene Koenig of Jackson will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. Robert Henrichs will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 9 a.m. Saturday...

KELSO -- Theon Phillip Seyer, 88, of Kelso died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 29, 1908, at Kelso, son of John and Emma Nenninger Seyer. He and Cornetta Leible were married April 2, 1932, at Jackson...

MARBLE HILL -- Robert L. "Rob" Myers Jr., 29, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997, in the emergency room of Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Feb. 18, 1967, in Cape Girardeau, son of Robert L. and Elaine E. Grindstaff Myers. He and Kelly J. Burger were married July 15, 1989...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Laura Arlene McCann, 71, of Jonesboro died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997, at her home. She was born Dec. 28, 1925, in Cobden, daughter of Robert and Augusta Stegle Cavaness. She and Willard L. McCann were married March 28, 1945, in Paducah, Ky...

SIKESTON -- John Richard "Dick" Young, 65, of Naples, Fla., died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 1996, at Naples Community Hospital. He was born April 6, 1931, at Sikeston, son of Harry Culeon and Hazel M. Penney Young Sr. He and Mary Nell Van Bibber were married June 12, 1954, at Sikeston...

Virginia Shrum, 76, 3114 Aspen, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 1997, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Graveside service for Thomas M. Broach of Cape Girardeau will be held at 1 p.m. today at Goshen United Methodist Church Cemetery in Stella, Ky. Jeff Williams will officiate. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Broach, 75, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997...

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- Loy H. Cook, 88, of Sedgewickville, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997, at his home. He was born Feb. 22, 1908, at Mayfield, son of Ameziah and Dicy Fulton Cook. He and Annie Seabaugh were married Dec. 5, 1931. Cook was a farmer, and member of Little Whitewater Baptist Church...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Shirley Louise Schreiner of Jackson will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. Ronald Bollinger will officiate, with burial in Russell Heights Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. Saturday...