Stories from Monday, July 14, 1997

The Bank of Perryville has donated $680 to the Missouri Veterans Home. The funds were raised and designated to the veterans home by the bank's Investors' Club, during a patriotic "Star Spangled" picnic for club members. Donations were received from club members in lieu of admission to the picnic...

A "Used Vehicle Market" will be held in downtown Cape Girardeau July 26. "The recent antique and collectibles market was a big success," said Judith Anne Ventrella, president of the Downtown Merchants Association. "Hopefully, the vehicle market will again bring foot traffic to the downtown area."...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "How many weeks of vacation do you think the president of the United States should get each year?" James Elder, Olive Branch "Probably about six weeks, from the way you see him going on television." Hazel Davis, Thebes, Ill...

A common misconception of young actors is that acting is becoming somebody else and disregarding who you are, says Tim Daly. "I'm teaching the students that acting is not becoming somebody else," said Daly. "It's using all your past and present experiences to really give life to a character."...

Local health experts said although the controversial diet drug Fen-phen may help some lose weight, it may also cause pulmonary hypertension in some dieters. The drugs fenfluramine and phentermine, or their generic equivalents pondimin and fastin, have helped many shed unwanted pounds because the upset stomach brought on by the drugs means they don't feel like eating...

A federal grand jury in Cape Girardeau has indicted a Matthews man on charges of engaging in a large-scale marijuana conspiracy. Larry Lynn Taylor, 35, was indicted on charges of conspiring to distribute marijuana and distributing marijuana. Both are felonies...

Construction is under way on the VisionAire Corp. assembly facility at Ames, Iowa. The aircraft company held a groundbreaking ceremony May 29. The new, 101,000-square-foot assembly building and 13,000-square-foot flight test hangar will be on 13 acres at the Ames Municipal Airport. Completion of the production facility is projected for mid-1998...

So you want to be a local access cable star. Well, come on down! Teri Goodman, the former public awareness coordinator for the city of Cape Girardeau, said the city receives "a lot of inquiries" from people interested in having their shows broadcast...

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce President John Mehner and Chamber Community Director Tonya Wells, reviewed a video produced by Wells. The video explained transportation issues in the Cape Girardeau area and is one of the monthly videos for the program "Chamber Matters."...

Who were Henry Wells and William G. Fargo? Who were Wyatt Earp and Morgan Earp? If you know the answers to the above questions, chances are you know the answer to the following question? What is the oldest bank in the West? Unless the word "bank" threw some doubts into the question, you realize by now that Wells Fargo & Company, which observes its 145th anniversary year in 1997, is the oldest bank West of the Mississippi River...

Roy Hayes, right, of Poplar Bluff received "Volunteer of the Year" award. The award, sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, was presented by Laverne Nothdurft, AARP Tax Aid district coordinator. Realtors honored recently by the Missouri Association of Realtors for sales recognition included, from left, Sharan Light, Karen Lewis, Marilyn Duffey and Marta Green...

Thursday Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's "Business After Hours," Capaha Bank, 3168 William. July 23 SBA counseling sessions, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (one-hour sessions), 335-3312. July 31 Franklin Quest Seminar, a "TimeQuest" program, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office, 1267 Mount Auburn Road, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m...

Missouri's 861 shopping centers accounted for 51 percent of all non-automotive retailing, or $19.7 billion in retail sales, in 1996. The centers generated $833 million state sales tax revenues and employed 206,400 workers. The International Council of Shopping Centers has appointed its officers for Missouri and Kansas for the 1997-98 term, during the 40th annual spring convention in Las Vegas...

Dates and events for the annual Industrial Appreciation Week, Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 have been announced. Activities include the Industrial Appreciation Golf Tournament Sept. 29 at the Cape Girardeau Country Club and the Industrial Appreciation Dinner Oct. 1 at the Show Me Center. The Commitment to Excellence Award will be presented to the "Industry of the Year" following the dinner...

Business Expo '97, postponed from April, will be held Sept. 19 and 20 at the Show Me Center. The two-day event allows merchants to showcase products and services. The Expo, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 19, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 20...

People just don't "neighbor" like they used to, said Lavina Cargle. But that changed at least for a little while as Cargle and some of her neighbors met in front of the Livingway Foursquare Church, 1224 Bloomfield Road, Sunday for a block party. Cargle, 1307 Cousin, said this was the first block party she had attended at Livingway. ...

Lockheed Martin Corp., the nation's leading defense contractor, keeps getting bigger. The maker of the F-16 Falcon jet fighter and the Trident missile announced Thursday it is buying Northrop Grumman Corp. for about $8 billion, adding the B-2 stealth bomber and the MX missile system to its weapons arsenal...

Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp. of Hayti is a new Cessna dealer. Mid-Continent will serve as the Cessna sales team authorized representative for Southeast Missouri, eastern Arkansas and western Kentucky and Tennessee. The company has received its first Cessna 172 Skyhawk and will receive the first 182 Skylane next fall...

The new Maytag Neptune Washer Reservation Program is available at Clark Appliance Center, 223 S. Plaza Way. The new washer provides larger load capacity, saving on energy and water. More details are available at the local dealer.

"Rice Farmer of the Year" nominations are being accepted by the U.S. Rice Federation. A top rice producer from each of the six major rice-producing states -- Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, California, Mississippi and Texas -- will be selected, with the six winners to be recognized at the USA Rice Outlook Conference, Dec. 7 through 9, at Tunica, Miss...

PERRYVILLE -- Starting today, Catherine Besand will be able to roll through the halls of the Perry County Nursing Home to Rozier's Country Store and Hoeckle's Bakery and Deli. Those two longstanding Perryville institutions have opened small branches inside the new nursing home's Town Square Main Street...

A Kansas City developer could start building a 48-unit apartment complex next fall on Hackberry Street near Pacific Street. Cohen-Esrey Housing Partners LLC will start construction on the two- and three-bedroom apartments when the financing is in place, said Tracy Taylor, president of a subsidiary of the largest property management firm in Kansas City -- Cohen-Esrig Real Estate Services Inc. He expects no difficulty completing the financial arrangements...

Many people think having summers off means educators have easier jobs than those in other professions. But to many teachers summer offers an opportunity for a different work experience. Whether they are working within their profession in summer-school jobs or taking a leap into something entirely different, like retail jobs, many teachers take the opportunity summer provides to try something different...

Both the United States armed forces and the field of education are known for providing exciting learning experiences and strong leadership skills to their volunteers. That's probably why Cape Girardeau superintendent of schools Dr. Dan Tallent has maintained careers in both areas for 18 years...

Pack your bags and bring plenty of peanut butter and banana sandwiches! It's almost time for the third annual International Conference on Elvis Presley. You think I'm kidding, don't you? But a colleague passed along the registration forms for the conference, which will be held Aug. 10-15 at the Memphis College of Art...

America's juvenile justice system is the topic of the July edition of Sen. John Ashcroft's "At Work" cable television program. The program is carried by more than a dozen cable systems in Missouri, including TCI in Cape Girardeau. The show can be seen locally every other Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 5. The July show will be shown on July 20...

Estil Fretwell could have done what most citizens today would have done: gone along with the crowd. Estil Fretwell could have reached the same conclusion most citizens today would have reached: let someone else worry. Estil Fretwell could have pursued the course chosen by most of us today: let somebody else do the work...

Residential and business growth in Jackson in recent years has created a need for infrastructure improvements, and city officials believe new sewer and water lines are among the most urgent to meet current and future demands. Jackson voters will be asked Aug. ...

Illinois has become the first state in the Midwest -- the 14th nationwide -- to lower the legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers from 0.10 to 0.08 percent. During the first weekend it was in effect -- the long Fourth of July weekend -- 13 of the 130 people arrested for alleged drunken driving in Illinois registered between 0.08 and 0.10 percent. Those 13 would not have been charged had the legal blood-alcohol limit still been 0.10 percent...

The Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education has approved a cooperative master of social work degree program. Beginning in January, the program will be offered at Southeast Missouri State University and through the University of Missouri Extension's outreach telecommunication center in Poplar Bluff...

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...

Fate L. Kester, 82, of Oak Ridge died Saturday July 12, 1997, at his home. He was born Sept. 3, 1914, in Kurreville, the son of Bennett and Carrie Avis Suhr Kester. On June 25, 1960, he married Wilma Mungle. He was a farm hand, worked in timber and worked for the former LaPierre Sawyer Sawmill in Jackson...

JACKSON -- Virginia Lucille Seabaugh, 85, of Jackson died Saturday, July 12, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 30, 1911, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of Elam and Alma Randol Masterson. She married Ernest Seabaugh. He died in November 1979...

SCOTT CITY -- Ray A. "Buddy" Eifert, 70, of Scott City died Saturday, July 12, 1997, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 14, 1926, in Illmo, son of August and Mary Caldwell Eifert. He married Florence August on June 12, 1948. She survives...

CHARLESTON -- Ulis James Foister, 84, formerly of Charleston, died Sunday, July 13, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Aug. 4, 1912, in Sikeston, son of Peter and Sarah Sturgeon Foister. He married Gladys Hale Thompson on Nov. 22, 1953. She died Oct. 14, 1958...

PATTON -- Everett Ray "Pat" Yamnitz, 94, of Patton died Saturday, July 12, 1997, at Perry Oaks Nursing Home in Perryville. He was born March 16, 1903, in Patton, son of Henry and Clara Jane Johnson Yamnitz. He married Lona Reagan on Sept. 24, 1924. She died Oct. 31, 1994...

Edna W. Grossheider, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, July 13, 1997, at her home. She was born April 12, 1910, in Cape Girardeau County, the daughter of Robert and Veronica "Frohnie" Schwab. She married Henry W. Grossheider in 1931. He died in 1979...

Pauline Snider, 71, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, July 13, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel.