Stories from Monday, August 25, 1997

MINNEAPOLIS -- In conjunction with its current Wishbone promotion, Target Stores nationwide will celebrate the back-to-school season by donating thousands of books to children across the country. The "Donate a Classic Tail -- Target/Wishbone National Book Drive" is a program developed to expand children's minds and better their lives...

A remote control video camera can follow an instructor for broadcasting courses. A touch pad controls all aspects of the room including lighting, video and computer equipment. Professor David Kunz uses the computer in his office to prepare lessons and has a homepage on the Internet that contains course material...

Patriot Homes Inc. of Elkhart, Ind., has completed a joint venture agreement with Dallas-based Holigan Homes, forming a new company, Heritage American Homes L.P. Heritage American Homes broke ground Thursday in Sikeston's industrial park for a modular home manufacturing facility that will employ 200 people...

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), a bike trail through Scott and Mississippi counties, will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Dorena-Hickman Ferry Landing at the Mississippi River in Mississippi County on State Highway 77...

Lucy Lee Healthcare System's RehabCare Center has been awarded its fifth consecutive "Program of the Year" award. RehabCare Group regional manager Mike Dixon made the presentation to Lucy Lee RehabCare employees recently. "We're honored to have been recognized as the top performer among RehabCare facilities in Oklahoma, Missouri and parts of Texas," stated Jim Martin, director of Lucy Lee's RehabCare Center. "It's an extra honor to have received this award five years in a row."...

"How To Set Up Your Own Small Business" is the title to a newly published two-volume set of books by the American Institute of Small Business. Written especially for people who wish to start their own business, the new text is like an encyclopedia for operating a business...

Curves For Women, 30-minute fitness and weight loss centers, is the fastest growing fitness franchise in America. On average, a new site opens every day. They are now in 26 states and are the largest fitness chain in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Iowa and many other states. If you haven't heard of it, don't be surprised. The program is getting such great results, that they don't need to do any national advertising...

Lion Technology Inc., a nationally known environmental training firm, will be in St. Louis Sept. 18 and 19 for a two-day workshop on hazardous waste management. The Lafayette, N.J.-based firm will conduct the workshop, entitled "Hazardous/Toxic Waste Management -- Mandates, Strategies, Options" at the Embassy Suites in Laclede's Landing...

Illinois motorists who don't want their personal information sold to direct-mail companies should file an official request to have their records withheld from mailing lists, Secretary of State George H. Ryan said. Until a lawsuit filed by one of the nation's largest information marketers is resolved, the secretary of state's office will be compelled to sell private information about motorists to mail-marketing companies and telemarketers, a practice Ryan abolished this year...

Bob Brison, vice president of marketing, and Bob Robins, fund representative of the Missouri Securities Investment Program in Cape Girardeau, have participated in a conference for local investment officials, "Investing Public Funds in the 21st Century," held in Jefferson City. It was sponsored by the Office of State Treasurer Bob Holden, Missouri Municipal League and Government Finance Officers Association of Missouri...

Erin Holt was a trifle nervous when she arrived on campus two weeks ago to begin two-a-day practices as a freshman volleyball player for Southeast Missouri State University. She was so nervous she became dehydrated over the first few days of drills. She had trouble breathing...

Bradley Botsch is an alpha male hunting an education. At Bernie High School, where the enrollment is about 250, he was Mr. Everything: captain and MVP of the basketball team, a shortstop-catcher-pitcher on the baseball team, honor roll student, member of the student council, class president as freshman, sophomore and junior, chairman of the prom committee, and named to Who's Who Among American High School Students...

More than 1,000 Southeast Missouri State University students were welcomed back from their summer break with music, canoes rides, bubbles, hot dogs and a pleasant spring-like day Sunday at Capaha Park. The seventh installment of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Welcome Back Student Picnic was appreciated by both students and sponsors...

My friend Jana, Queen of the Metaphysical Plane, called the other day. "I just had the worst date of my entire life," she said. I have to admit I was alarmed; as Jana herself will tell you, her worst dates usually end in marriage. Three times in her current incarnation alone. She refuses to discuss the details of her past lives...

RECENTLY, a Speak Out caller said that people making $62,000 a year did not contribute to Social Security. Would someone please explain why this is? I thought everybody had Social Security taken out of their checks, except maybe federal employees. I know there are others besides me that are wondering about this...

The nation's DARE program has come under fire. There are questions about whether it is accomplishing what it should: convincing young people not to use alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. Criticism of DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is based on national studies that have concluded the curriculum has little or no lasting effect. ...

The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau is seeking corrective action in recommending that the City Council revise the city ordinance that imposes a 1 percent restaurant tax on most meal-serving businesses to include all businesses that currently don't come under the law...

To the editor: As you drive through the lovely city of Cape Girardeau down I-55 past Exit 96, you will see 4,400 white crosses representing the number of babies aborted every day in the United States. These crosses, called the Cemetery of the Innocents, were placed there by SEMO Lifesavers, Cape Girardeau's pro-life group. Begun three years ago with just 700 crosses, it was expanded a year ago to 4,400 crosses upon the occasion of President Clinton's visit to Cape Girardeau...

To the editor: Watching my daughter so completely enjoying herself at the Capaha Park pool recently reminded me that this letter is long overdue. This has been the first full summer in Cape Girardeau for myself and my family. One of the areas of notable satisfaction for my wife and I were the numerous opportunities provided by the Parks and Recreation Board for the children of this community. ...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "What do you think of the Cape Girardeau Board of Education's decision to hire a truant officer?" Sharon Essner, Cape Girardeau "I think overall it's probably a good thing. To me it's more important than just the initial cost ... The kids as a resource are more valuable than the cost of it (a truant officer's salary)...

Carrie Smith Padgett, formerly of Cape Girardeau, has been named second-runner in the Ms. Wheelchair America competition held in Denver. Padgett competed after serving as Miss Wheelchair Tennessee. She was judged with other candidates on academic, vocational and personal abilities since the onset of the disability...

Police diverted traffic from Morgan Oak for more than an hour Sunday afternoon after a one-car accident in which a driver suffered an apparent seizure and his convertible rolled 20 feet into a ditch. The driver, Earl Heck, was admitted to St. Francis Medical Center for observation...

They range from starters to valuable backups to raw freshmen who probably won't get off the bench, but one thing is for sure: local players will have a definite impact on this year's Southeast Missouri State University football team. The Indians list 13 area high school products on their 1997 roster, including four players who figure to be in the starting lineup during Saturday night's season opener against Lambuth at Houck Stadium...

Youngsters are going to play a direct role in supporting Southeast Missouri State University athletics this school year. The university athletic department has started up the Southeast Athletics Kids Club that will serve as a prime opportunity for youngsters age 12 and under to become involved with the athletic program...

Former Southeast Missouri State University standout Marquis Walker has apparently once again secured an opening-day roster spot in the National Football League. Walker, a defensive back, survived the St. Louis Rams' final round of cuts on Sunday. Seven players were released as the Rams had to trim their roster to meet opening-day guidelines...

Go to a high school, college or pro basketball game and it's indoors. The floors are wood, the room air-conditioned, the lighting artificial. Go to the SlamFest in Indian Park and the players contend with the hot summer sun on a concrete court as gospel music blares out of speakers...

ANNA, Ill., -- Stella May Brimm, 94, of Anna died Sunday, Aug. 24, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 5, 1903, in Henderson, Ky., the daughter of Henry B. and Hally Hust. She retired from the former Anna State Hospital...

BROWNWOOD -- Viola Dalton, 79, of Brownwood died Friday, Aug. 22, 1997, at her home. She was born June 18, 1918, in Bollinger County the daughter of Noah and Ann Newell Kirkpatrick. In 1935, she married Russell Dalton. He died Dec. 3, 1974. She was a homemaker...

SIKESTON --Ernest E. Cox, 92, of Sikeston died Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born Jan. 7, 1905, in Crosstown, the son of John and Ida Warren Cox. He sold furniture for 61 years, including 28 years with Lewis Furniture Co. in Sikeston. He retired from Lewis Furniture in 1989 at age 84. He also worked for Dempster Furniture and Undertaking Co. and National Furniture Co., both in Sikeston...

Oliver Charles "Sonny" Kinder, 50, died Tuesday, Aug. 19, 1997, in Dallas, Texas. He was born Sept. 17, 1946, in Cape Girardeau, son of Oliver and Lucille Sides Kinder. He married Lydia Johnson, divorced and then married Aretta Graham in 1994. She survives him...

Lyda Fornkahl, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 24, 1997, at her home. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Chapel.

TAMMS, Ill.-- Vernon R. Nipper, 63, of Tamms died Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997, at Ven-Cor Hospital in St. Louis. He was born May 22, 1934, in Pomona, the son of Albert and Lettie Wilmouth Nipper. Survivors include four brothers, Richard and Roscoe Nipper, both of Carbondale, and Merle and Eugene Nipper, both of Granite City; and three sisters, Frances Krepps of Cary, Mary Hodges of Melrose Park and Eileen Nipper of Island Lake...