Stories from Wednesday, June 25, 1997

The United States has long worried what would happen when China assumes control of Hong Kong. Those fears are already coming to pass even though the territory remains under British control a few more days. Hong Kong's future legislature wasted no time in limiting political demonstrations and political fund raising. Of course, the laws won't take effect until July 1, the date when China assumes control...

A prison is more than bricks and mortar. It can be a shot of economic development for a struggling community. That's why the news that Charleston is among the four prison site finalists is so welcomed. The city is sorely in need of a new industry. One of the last shoe factories to close in Missouri was in Charleston. The town has a few industries but nothing that compares with the annual prison payroll of $9.1 million...

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal overlooked many positive aspects of Downtown ST. LOUIS while praising the Downtown Loft District. Reporter Robert Rose of the WSJ wrote, "A trouble spot in many American cities, St. Louis's downtown is worse than most."...

A fuse holder that failed after an insulator broke at the Mill Street Pumping Station in downtown Cape Girardeau created a dip in electrical power Monday night, causing brief interruptions in power. "The dip was probably citywide," said John Quinn of Union Electric. "But it wasn't classified as a power outage."...

CHARLESTON -- A half-cent sales tax for construction of a Mississippi County courthouse will be submitted to voters Aug. 5. County Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said a resolution placing the measure on the ballot was recently adopted. County commissioners voted unanimously to build a courthouse rather than repair the 100-year-old structure that was damaged by an arson fire in February...

Area lawmakers remain optimistic that Gov. Mel Carnahan will approve funding Thursday for construction of two vocational-technical education buildings in Cape Girardeau and one in Sikeston. The governor is scheduled to sign spending bills totaling about $15 billion...

Summer's heat is here, but Union Electric Co., which has nine power plants providing electricity to more than 1.2 million households in Missouri and Illinois, is confident it will have enough power for the summer. Summer arrived Saturday and its temperatures two days later. The thermometer cleared the 90-degree mark Monday and Tuesday, and many more hot days are ahead following one of the coolest springs in recent history...

Just when I thought I'd never get my fanny into a two-piece .... It's officially summer, and you ample women out there know what THAT means, right? A month ago, you were all crowded into the few stores that sell plus-size bathing suits trying to find the least terrifying option...

Dr. Bill Stacy said racial tensions and budget woes didn't drive him away from his job as president of California State University-San Marcos. The former Southeast Missouri State University president said Tuesday that he and his wife, Sue, wanted to return home, and that is the reason they are moving to Tennessee...

JACKSON -- A few Jackson youth, ages 7 -13, went through basic training on Monday and Tuesday. Scott Givens, wellness specialist at Main Street Fitness, said he was the drill sergeant for 14 boys and girls during the two-day "Basic Training" summer camp...

JACKSON -- A policy of the Jackson Board of Education is to attract the most qualified teachers, but another board policy might get in the way, Superintendent Howard Jones told the board Tuesday. When teachers hire into the school district the school system only gives them credit for six years experience teaching outside the district no matter how many years they have taught elsewhere...

The Southeast Missourian asked people why they like to attend concerts by the Jackson Municipal Band at the Jackson City Park. The band plays during the summer on Thursdays beginning at 8 p.m. Doris Jones: "I like music and we meet old friends at the concerts. I think Jackson has a beautiful city park. I try to come every time I can. I got into the habit of coming when my son played in the band when he was in high school."...

A host of players from Southeast Missouri -- including several from the immediate area -- are included on the 1997 Missouri all-state high school baseball team that was released today. The squad, featuring players in classes 1A through 4A, are selected by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association...

JACKSON -- With a doubleheader sweep of Cape's Junior American Legion Tuesday, Jackson moved to within a game of .500. Jackson won the first game 13-5 and the second 7-2 to improve its record to 10-11. Danny Lincoln pitched six innings in the first game to earn the win. Lance Limbaugh, a 14-year-old, pitched a complete game in the nightcap...

BENTON -- Jim "Tex" Urhahn, 49, of Benton, died Tuesday, June 24, 1997, at his home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Benton.

DUDLEY -- James "Jim" Corzine, 93, died Monday, June 23, 1997, at Bloomfield Nursing Center in Bloomfield. He was born Sept. 21, 1903, near Gypsy, son of John Wesley and Martha Jackson Corzine. He and Lela Jane Lawrence were married in May 1960. She died July 9, 1986...

PERRYVILLE -- Charles F. Porter Jr., 65, of Perryville died Monday, June 23, 1997, at Vencor Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Aug. 29, 1931, in Ste. Genevieve County, son of Charles Franklin and Eva Fry Porter Sr. He and Anna Mae Clampitt were married Jan. 14, 1956...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Funeral service for Roy Dale of Dongola will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Crain Funeral Home in Dongola. The Rev. Jim Hardway will officiate, with burial in Big Creek Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 6 p.m. today...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Funeral service for Paul J. Dexter of Ullin will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Crain Funeral Home in Ullin. The Revs. Rick Bishop and Beth Tickner will officiate. Burial will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens, with military rites by Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455...

JACKSON -- Charles G. Hestand Jr., 57, of Jackson died Tuesday, June 24, 1997, at his home. He was born Aug. 18, 1939, in Herrin, Ill., son of Charles G. and Gladys Phillips Hestand. He and Teresa Ann Hensler were married Nov. 3, 1967, in Belleville, Ill...

Funeral service for Charles A. Pendleton of Tacoma, Wash., will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Tuell-McKee Funeral Home in Tacoma. Pendleton, 69, died Friday, June 20, 1997, at Highland Nursing Home in Tacoma. He was born June 10, 1928, in Tulsa, Okla., son of Walter and Mona Sanders Pendleton...

Ralph W. Porter Jr., 57, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, June 24, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 3, 1939, in Cape Girardeau, son of the Rev. Ralph W. and Juanita Small Porter Sr. Porter had worked at Liley Monument Works in Marble Hill, the former Superior Electric and at Wal-Mart in Cape Girardeau, retiring because of ill health...

CACHE, Ill. -- Hilda A. Kendall, 82, Cache Route 1, died Monday, June 23, 1997, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born March 13, 1915, at Thebes, daughter of Ed and Ann Williams. She married Steve Cecil Kendall, who died June 9, 1993...

PERRYVILLE -- William H. "Bill" Ponder of Perryville died Tuesday, June 24, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Miller Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Son to Jeffrey Dean and Angela Dawn Morrison Sr., 301 Estate, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 4:38 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, 1997. Name, Joshua Michael. Weight, 10 pounds 4 ounces. Third son. Mrs. Morrison is the former Angela Perry, daughter of James and Madonna West and Michael Perry of Cape Girardeau. She is employed at St. Francis Medical Center. Morrison is the son of Gary and Vicki LaPlante of Phoenix, Ariz. He is employed at Hutson Furniture Co...

Summer has finally arrived, both calendarwise and weatherwise. And to me the embodiment of summer is strawberry shortcake. Good berries, of course, are the star of this dessert, but if you want to raise the dish to gourmet status don't neglect the cake on which the berries nestle. To give the dessert real elegance, forego store bought sponge cake or even homemade shortcake in favor of pound cake...