Stories from Sunday, July 13, 1997

Overrides of gubernatorial vetoes are rare in Missouri, with only a handful in Missouri's entire history. The last one occurred in 1980 when the Legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Joe Teasdale. In Missouri as in the U.S. Congress, to be successful, an override requires two-thirds margins in both the House, where 109 votes are required, and in the Senate, where it takes 23...

25 years ago, 1972 Jack W. Weith has been employed by city of Jackson as city engineer, effective July 3; he replaces Guy A. Lowes, who resigned to enter private engineering; Weith, native of Perryville, has been Jackson resident for three years; he is 44, a veteran, and holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Washington University in St. Louis; prior to his employment with city of Jackson, he worked for Fruin-Colnon Construction Co. in Jackson...

The final pouring of concrete that linked Southeast Missouri with St. Louis was completed on Wednesday, July 12, 1972. This photo ran on the front page of the Southeast Missourian July 13, 1972. file photo Construction of I-55 in 1972. Highway 61 used to be the most important north-south route in the area until I-55 opened up on Aug. 30. Here the final section is readied for concrete. file photo...

The Jackson American Legion is busy making plans for the annual Homecomers celebration, Aug. 12-16. Each night, except Saturday, the talent show will be sure to please the crowds gathered on the court house lawn. Amateur acts of singing, dancing, acrobatics and instrumentals are invited in singles, duets and groups. ...

The Tsalagi Service Unit's Drop-In Center will be hosting an open house Tuesday, July 15 at the American Legion Hall. Girls and adults interested in joining Girl Scouts this coming season are invited to come learn more about the five worlds of Girl Scouting...

Holmes named airman of the month Air Force Airman 1st Class Shawn D. Holmes has been named airman of the month in June. The selection was based on the indivdual's exemplary duty performance, job knowledge, leadership qualities, significant self-improvement and other accomplishments...

HOW COME they don't make people aware of the child molesters that move into town? The police are aware of it but how come they don't make the people aware of it? REPLY: In Missouri, persons convicted of child molestation are required to register with local authorities, but there is no requirement to inform the public...

Here's an early line on some of next year's key U.S. Senate races: Ordinarily, one would think that the ascendancy of a president from a small state should coincide with strength for that president's party at home. Such is definitely not the case with President Bill Clinton, notwithstanding the fact that he is the first Democratic president to win re-election to a second term since FDR 60 years ago...

It required little foresight or prescience to predict, as many did just a few years ago, that federal grants for a new rapid transit system in Missouri's largest urban region would ultimately trigger a desperate need for yet another state-funded bailout. At the time of the prediction, Jefferson City had just finished approving a 30-year funding program to build an athletic stadium in St. Louis that will eventually cost taxpayers from all over the state more than a half-billion dollars...

Last year, Gov. Mel Carnahan appointed a 35-member group called the Total Transportation Commission. The TTC held hearings before recently voting 27-3 to propose a general sales tax of one cent for transportation. This commission report came amid talk of a possible special session in August, for the purpose of asking legislators to send such a proposal to voters for a November special election...

Ruth Boettcher of Altenburg was awarded the Secondary Silver medal in Basic Health Care Skills at the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America's (VICA) 33rd annual Leadership Conference and Skills USA Championships. The competition was held at H. Roe Bartle Hall in Kansas City on June 26...

As we approach the mid-point of the summer vacation period, the Liturgy services of our church (both weekday and Sunday) focus on the call that every baptized person has to share in the mission of Jesus, namely the proclaiming of the coming of the kingdom. Through our Baptism, God calls us to continue the ministry of Jesus and we being invited to share in His plan of building the Kingdom of God on this planet...

Customers went about their business Saturday, shopping at their neighborhood grocery store at the corner of South Sprigg and William streets. But in two weeks, they'll have to go elsewhere for their groceries. Schnucks has announced it will close the store July 26. The company said the store had experienced declining sales...

Ricky Lee Hale loved to play on the swings. That love of swings turned into tragedy Friday evening. The 9-year-old Cape Girardeau boy died as a result of an accident that occurred while he was playing on a swing in the backyard of his home. Family members found the boy hanging from the chain of a swing at 5:40 p.m. at his home in the northeast part of the city, police said...

The grocery/food market scene is a changing one. Early supermarkets sold food only. As few as 15 years ago, there were 26,800 supermarkets in the U.S., averaging about 23,000 square feet of selling space, with about 14,000 items. Today's supermarkets are larger and fewer, with about 24,000 stores nationally, each averaging about 35,000 square feet and carrying more than 25,000 items...

The second week of the local Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards resulted in two firsts. The team of judges picked the first black and white photograph along with the first "people-picture." This week's winners include: -- Brad Davis of Jackson...

Daughter Bailey has taken possession of everything in our house the way that 17th century explorers laid claim to everything in the New World. Like NASA's Sojourner rover, Bailey is on a mission. But it has nothing to do with the Red Planet. She has zeroed in on toilets and toilet paper without the help of mission control or even her parents...

In August, Dr. Deanna Siemer will begin her life long dream of practicing medicine in her hometown. Siemer just completed her American Board of Family Practice Certification on Friday. That test was the fourth and final test for Siemer. She will go to work at Heartland Family Physicians in Jackson Aug. 4...

Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond told veterans on Saturday that a bipartisan budget agreement would cut $300 million in their medical care spending. Bond, who chairs the appropriations subcommittee for veterans affairs, spoke during a reception at the Holiday Inn for newly installed state VFW Commander, Charles Thrower of Cape Girardeau...

Shopping carts, those four-wheel carriers used in traversing today's supermarket aisles, have provided clues to the changing character of grocery stores since the Great Depression. During that era, small one-person grocery operations were the norm, and customers shopped with small baskets to fill their shopping lists. But customers had a tendency to stop shopping when their baskets become too full or too heavy...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $717,000, three-year grant to the family nurse practitioner, master's degree program at Southeast Missouri State University. The program will receive $247,785 during the first year. The money will be used to help implement the new program. The money will be spent to purchase computer equipment and supplies, hire a consultant, and support staffing for course instruction...

A couple of things are pretty clear regarding the sad saga of Mike Tyson. One, he's definitely a very unstable and troubled person. That has been apparent for quite some time and was clearly reinforced when he bit out a chunk of Evander Holyfield's ear in their recent heavyweight title fight...

When the bracket for the 1997 National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional Tournament was unveiled, it's a sure bet that almost everybody picked the host Kohlfeld Capahas and St. Louis O.B. Clark as the two heavy favorites. It was not surprising, then, that those rival teams hooked up late Saturday night in the winner's bracket final of the five-team, double-elimination event at Capaha Field...

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team completed a season sweep of Jackson Friday night by sweeping a road doubleheader. Ford & Sons, which had swept Jackson earlier in the season in Cape Girardeau, prevailed 3-1 and 12-2. Cape improved to 29-13 overall and 14-4 in District 14 play...

The Missouri Department of Conservation has installed an aeration system at Perry County Lake near Perryville. This lake is a part of a statewide study to determine why crappie populations in many small impoundments are in poor shape. Perry County Lake supports about 27,000 white crappie longer than 5 inches, but only 5 percent are longer than 9 inches. ...

FESTUS -- Helen Owens recently received the MSWBA Meritorious Service Award at the annual meeting of the Missouri State Women's Bowling Association. Owens was bestowed the award for outstanding service to the Cape Girardeau Women's Bowling Association...

CHAFFEE -- G.E. "Blue" Isaac, 87, of Chaffee died Saturday, July 12, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born March 8, 1910 at Allenville, son of George Thomas and Addie Isabelle Erwin Isaac. He and Clara G. Strack were married on Feb. 7, 1931. She preceded him in death...

Scott County Land Transactions Bessie Sherry to Allan and Wanda Sherry; Dwight and Mary Crader and Margaret Oliver to Holigan Family Investments Inc.; Joseph and Lonnie Holt to Joseph and Terra Holt; Pelican Enterprises Inc. to Bilt-rite Trailers Inc.; Ronald Polley to Ronald and Wadine Eaker...

PERRYVILLE -- Elizabeth M. "Betty" Boyer, 82, of Perryville died Friday, July 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born on Jan. 22, 1915, at Shirley, Ark., a daughter of Eddie and Effie Beascoon. She and Warren "Cotton" Boyer were married on July 21, 1967, in Colorado Springs, Colo. He survives...

Kenneth H. Goodman, 74, 334 N. Sprigg, died Thursday, July 10, 1997, at Baptist Memorial East Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born July 5, 1923, in Cobden, Ill., son of Arthur F. and Gladys Grace Goodman. He and Linda L. Gilliam were married Jan. 31, 1976, in Cape Girardeau...

DUDLEY -- Mary Parks, 81, of Dudley died Friday, July 11, 1997, at the Dexter Nursing Center in Dexter. She was born Nov. 22, 1915, at Bernie, the daughter of Emma Smothers. She lived in Michigan for many years before moving to Dudley. She was a licensed practical nurse for Pontiac (Mich.) General Hospital for 25 years. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Dexter...

Junior T. Ing, 51, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, July 12, 1997, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. He was born March 1, 1962, at Houston, Texas, son of Norman and Mary Cotner Ing. He married Debra Ing. She survives. Ing was the manager of shipping and receiving for Quality Packaging in Jackson. He was an Eagle Scout...

SIKESTON -- Virginia Ann Speer, 72, of Sikeston died Friday, July 11, 1997, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born June 29, 1925, at Cooter, the daughter of Albert R. and Delia Cain Edwards. She was a registered nurse at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky., since 1972. She lived in Paducah from 1959 to 1980...

Helen A. Hirsch Workman, 92, of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, July 11, 1997, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born May 31, 1905, at Cape Girardeau, daughter of Christian and Christina Maevers Hirsch. She was married to Luther Workman. He preceded her in death...

OAK RIDGE -- Doris A. Friese, 51, of Oak Ridge died Friday, July 11, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Nov. 10, 1945 at Sedgewickville, daughter of Buford and Ella Friese Yaeger. They survive. Friese graduated from Oak Ridge High School and worked with her mother and father on the family farm in Oak Ridge...

ALTENBURG -- Wilmer R. Weber, 70, of Altenburg, died Friday, July 11, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Sept. 21, 1926 a son of Rudolph F. and Christine C. Mueller Weber. He and Vaiden H. Leimbach married Oct. 16, 1949 in Altenburg. She survives...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Charles Lee Ditto, 74, of East Prairie died Friday, July 11, 1997, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Dec. 27, 1922, in Mississippi County, the son of Arthur and Lizzie Douglas Ditto. A retired welder, Ditto worked for John Deere in East Moline, Ill...

Ricky Lee Hale, 9, 510 Vincent Park Drive, died Friday, July 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Aug. 27, 1987, at Cape Girardeau, the son of Richard Ellsworth and Kimberly Sue Luebbers Hale. He was a member of Faith Baptist Temple in Cape Girardeau. He was baptized on June 23, 1996...

The bells at St. Mary's Cathedral ring three times a day and are operated by electric motors and cables in the bell tower. A workman wrestled with the bell at First Presbyterian Church in Cape girardeau during the demoliton of the second church at the site in 1964 in this file photo. The bell was installed in the current church in 1966...

Jean Bell Mosley's new autobiography, "For Most of the Century," is only available in serialized form in the Southeast Missourian. Return each week for her continuing story. 1910 - 1920 ARRIVAL "Bells were ringing all over town when you were born," Mama was fond of telling me. I liked this and wasn't above repeating it to my little friends until I learned that Sept. 21, 1913, was a Sunday morning and church bells were calling the citizens to worship in the little town of Elvins, Mo...