Stories from Wednesday, March 19, 1997

To the editor: I am not usually given to writing letters to the editor, but the letter by the Rev. Pat Wissman of Scott City could not go unanswered. Wissman apparently is fundamentally opposed to the death penalty. He feels that the American Bar Association suggests that the present system is imperfect to the extent that some innocent people might be executed and launches his arguments from there...

Hank Sessoms wrestled with his son Trey in the living room on a Saturday afternoon. It's Saturday and for Hank Sessoms, that means spending time with his 7-year-old son, Trey. "Watch this," Trey says to his father. Trey is sitting in front of the television playing video games, one of his favorite things to do...

Because I will be absent from Cape Girardeau County on school election day Tuesday, April 1 ... I voted by absentee ballot last week at the courthouse annex in Cape Girardeau. (I was only number 25.) It was easy and educational -- educational in the sense that the wording on one of the funding ballots was not clear...

A state senator from tiny Tarkio in the northwest corner of the state thinks the annual auto inspections required for licensing vehicles that are more than two years old in Missouri is a nuisance. In his own colorful way, Sen. Sam Graves thinks the inspections are "a pain in the butt." More than that, Graves thinks the inspections serve no useful purpose...

Serving on Cape Girardeau's yet-to-be-formed city ethics commission isn't very popular, judging from the lack of applications from prospective members. So far, four individuals have expressed an interest in the commission, which was approved by city voters last April in a change to the city charter. ...

To the editor: This letter is in response to Gary Rust's commentary March 2 on the lake project. I was one who wrote and questioned the feasibility of the lake project. I believe that my questions, along with the other writers of letters to the editor, were justifiable...

To the editor: My letter Jan. 25 about the EPA evidently struck a nerve. I've always heard that it's the truth that hurts. Joseph Ketcher was displeased with my letter. He suggested that I was a little confused. I am not in the least confused. I have studied the pros and cons of the EPA's activities for many years, and my conclusions have come from careful consideration of the facts and fictions. ...

More than 800 businesses in Cape Girardeau can anticipate a visit from an inspector in the next year, and some can expect to pay thousands of dollars to comply with a newly enforced federal regulation, or risk losing their water service. The officials in charge of compliance say some businesses' hookups to the city water system put the entire system in danger...

BENTON -- Scott County voters will have the opportunity April 1 to approve a quarter-cent sales tax that would benefit senior citizens services. The tax, which would generate approximately $700,000 annually, would endow a Senior Citizens Services Fund. The fund would help improve and expand services to Scott County residents 60 and older...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Construction of a new multimillion-dollar water treatment and distribution center to serve portions of Alexander, Pulaski and Union counties will begin near here soon. SouthWater Inc., a not-for-profit company created by Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative more than two years ago, will start the first phase of the system following a loan-closing and grant-signing ceremony at the co-op's offices near Dongola Friday...

The same post-marital brain disorder that makes me think my bathrobe is sexy also makes me fear Tilex. I'm still trying to determine what happened. One day I was a young, working wife trying to cook good meals, keep a tidy house and make her man the happiest husband alive. Now I'm Peg from "Married With Children," only not as thin or well dressed...

Six automobile accidents occurred during a heavy rain Tuesday along Interstate 55 between Cape Girardeau and Scott City. Six other cars swerved into the median to avoid having an accident. Most got stuck when they did so. There were no serious injuries, said Sgt. Carl Kinnison of the Cape Girardeau Police Department. One woman was taken to a hospital complaining of neck and back pain, Kinnison said...

Southeast Missouri State University's football program has announced that Cape Girardeau Central High senior Andy Dunaway plans to join the 1997 Indian squad as a walkon. Dunaway, a wide receiver, earned second-team All-SEMO Conference honors in 1996...

HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's tennis team split two matches Tuesday during competition here. The Otahkians lost to Louisville 8-1 but beat Calvin College of Michigan 8-1. Against Louisville, Thais Olive was Southeast's lone winner...

WICHITA, Kan. -- Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team put up a battle here Tuesday night before finally going down at the hands of one of the nation's premier teams. Wichita State, ranked 13th nationally, scored seven runs in the final two innings to pull away for an 11-4 victory...

The Kohlfeld Scorpions Rugby Club of Cape Girardeau routed the Sunday Morning Rugby Club from St. Louis 44-3 during a recent match at Arena Park. Bob Meyer scored a try three times for the Scorpions while Sean Hagan, Alan Kloss, Tim Joplin, Ben Cooper and Sean Westbrook all added one try apiece...

THEBES, Ill. -- James Clifford Allen, 83, of Thebes, Ill., died Monday, March 17, 1997, at the Jonesboro Life Care Center. He was born April 28, 1913, in Wolf Lake, Ill., son of William and Mary Gruley Allen. He had retired from Burkhart's Foam Inc. of Cairo, Ill...

BELL CITY -- Lucy Clements, 86, formerly of Bell City, died Friday, March 14, 1997, in St. Louis. She was born Jan. 21, 1911, at Commerce, daughter of Sam and Martha Darnell. She and Homer Clements were married in 1930. He died June 16, 1993. Survivors include a daughter, Doretta King of Cape Girardeau; a son, Dale Clements of Belleville, Ill.; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren...

CHARLESTON -- Mildred Wallace, 82, of Charleston died Monday, March 17, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Jan. 19, 1915, in Gibson County, Tenn., daughter of Frank and Sammie Brasfield Arnold. She married Clint Wallace, who died Dec. 29, 1970...

SIKESTON -- Jacob Ramsey Yant, 5, of Swann Special Care Center in Champaign, Ill., died Tuesday, March 18, 1997, at St. Louis Children's Hospital. He was born May 3, 1991, in Cape Girardeau, son of Randy John and Sheila James Yant. The family was formerly of Sikeston...

Eva "Toots" Eaker, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, March 18, 1997, at Ratliff Nursing Home. She was born Sept. 20, 1910, at Flat River, daughter of Frank and Eve Young Bell. She and Orville "Peg" Eaker were married June 11, 1927, in Cape Girardeau. He died June 1, 1990...

CARBONDALE, Ill -- Earl Wayne "Red" Lipe, 72, of Carbondale, Ill., died Tuesday, March 18, 1997, at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale. He was born Sept. 9, 1924 in Pomona, Ill., the son of Rudolph and Kate Nance Lipe. He married Margaret Ruth Gee on April 8, 1947 in Carbondale and she survives him...

BENTON -- Funeral service for Eunice Marie Hency, Benton Route 1, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Morley Church of God in Morley. The Revs. Warren Hency and Trish Eskew will officiate, with burial in Forest Hills Cemetery at Morley. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Funeral Home in Benton from 4-8 p.m. today...

PERRYVILLE -- Edwin "Bud" Cashion, 63, of Perryville died Monday, March 17, 1997, at St. Mary's Hospital in Clayton. He was born July 4, 1933, at Crosstown, son of Bennett Benjamin and Minnie Mae Mantz Cashion. Cashion was retired from Moldenhauer Alfalfa Mill and John Bishop Poultry. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church...

SIKESTON -- Stephen Lynn Bass, 43, of Sikeston died Tuesday, March 18, 1997, at his home. He resided with a sister and brother-in-law, Jimmie Lou and Terry Bell. He was born April 18, 1953, in Sikeston, son of Jimmie D. and Martha Louise Preslor Bass...

Tony J. VanAmburg, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, March 18, 1997, at Vencor Hospital in St. Louis. Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Mark Eric and Donna Jean Hutchcraft, 817 Illinois, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:10 p.m. Monday, March 10, 1997. Name, Cody Alexander. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. Third child, second son. Mrs. Hutchcraft is the former Donna Smith, daughter of William Truman Smith of Cape Girardeau and LaDonna Durham of Dallas, Texas. Hutchcraft is the son of Floyd and Elle Hutchcraft of Sedgewickville. He is a cell technician at Dana Corp...

ATLANTA -- Otis Burley, 42, of Atlanta died Saturday, March 8, 1997, at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. He was born Aug. 24, 1954, in Advance, son of Leroy and Ruth Wheeler Burley. He was a sheet metal fabricator and a member of the New Home Baptist Church...

JACKSON -- An employee pay plan first implemented two years ago makes city workers competitively paid compared to other cities of similar size, according to city officials. The pay plan, which took effect for all city employees Jan. 1, 1995, resulted in immediate raises ranging from 2.1 to 19.4 percent, with and average increase of 7.89 percent...

Monday, March 17 Action Items: -- Passed motion authorizing payment of Jackson Combined Waterworks and Sewerage Series 1988 bonds of $30,000 principal and $19,775 interest, total $49,775, due April 1, 1997. -- Passed resolution accepting petition for voluntary annexation from Earl Norman and Bobby Barks and setting a public hearing for Monday, April 7, 1997, at 7:30 p.m...

The Southeast Missourian asked people what they thought about state Rep. David Schwab's proposed amendment to Sen. Peter Kinder's Cape Girardeau-Bollinger County lake bill. Under the amendment, the lake project would first be voted on by affected property owners. If a majority of the landowners approved it, then the both county commissions would put the lake-tax issue before all voters...