Stories from Tuesday, September 2, 1997

Dr. Robert Kessigner, a specific chiropractor from Cape Girardeau, was a guest speaker recently at Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa. Kessinger's topic was "How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects the Brain Stem and Nerve System. Kessinger operates a clinic at 1424 Kurre Lane...

JACKSON -- Shawnee Square and Car Wash and Storage is expanding. "We're adding 50 more storage units," said Mary Smith, manager of the facility at 560 S. Shawnee, which already includes 140 storage units. Work on the units is expected to start this week...

Numbers of Missouri manufacturing firms and jobs are up. Latest statistics in the 1998 edition of Missouri Manufacturers Register, presented some "good news" numbers for the Show Me State. -- 9,665 manufacturers. -- 455,359 manufacturing jobs. These statistics, which cover a period from August 1996 through July, reflect increases over last year's totals...

Spartech Corp. has announced increased sales and earnings for the 24th consecutive quarter. Net earnings for the third quarter were $6.7 million, or $.24 per fully diluted share, a 34 percent increase from the $5 million, or $.20 per fully diluted share, reported for the same period last year. Sales rose by 22 percent to $123.2 million for the three months ended Aug. 2 from the $101.2 million reported in the comparable quarter of 1996...

Kerber, Eck and Braeckel LLP, an accounting firm, has been ranked 57th in the "Top 100" U.S. accounting firms. The recognition was announced recently by Jim Erlacker, partner-in-charge of the company. The rankings are based on the number of firm members in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)...

The "Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997" will be discussed during a special satellite broadcast to be presented by Edward Jones investment representatives next month. The special program will be presented from noon to 1 on Wednesday at four area Edward Jones offices -- 1749-I Independence and 215 N. Sprigg in Cape Girardeau, and at 810 E. Jackson and 502 B West Main in Jackson...

"Management Skills for New Supervisors" is the topic of discussions during a seminar, to be held Sept. 8, at the Holiday Inn in Cape Girardeau. The daylong workshop, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include topics on how to improve abilities as a leader, how to work with problem workers and how to communicate with power and clarity. Costs for the workshop are available by calling 1-800-873-7545...

Elder-Beerman Stores Inc. will close its Carbondale, Ill., store in University Mall. The Ohio-based company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 1995, has closed or liquidated 60 specialty shoe, clothing and furniture stores. Corporate officials cited "under-performance" for closing. The Carbondale store employed 53 people, who will be offered severance benefits or an opportunity to transfer...

Schnucks Markets Inc. will close its Rolla store next month. The Rolla facility, one of the National supermarkets Schnucks purchased in 1995, is a 24,000-square-foot, full-service supermarket. Craig Schnuck, chief executive of Schnucks, said it was difficult for a small market to compete effectively for customers against much larger stores in a city the size of Rolla...

Chrysler Corp. unveiled its newest Dodge Ram Quad Cab, the first four-door pickup truck, last week at its North Assembly Plant at Fenton. On hand for the ceremony were Chrysler executive Gary Henson, vice president of large and small car, Jeep and truck assembly and stamping operations; Rob Liberatore, Chrysler, vice president of Washington affairs; U.S. Reps. Richard Gephardt and James Talent; and Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson...

Debra Mitchell-Braxton has been named the director of Project Upward Bound at Southeast Missouri State University. Mitchell-Braxton will be part of the university's new enrollment management team. Project Upward Bound is one of Southeast's TRIO programs and is designed to identify low-income 10th, 11th and 12th graders who show interest in pursuing a postsecondary education...

Ken Inman of Jackson has joined Century 21 Ashland Realty Co., 105 S. Broadview, as a sales associate. H.L. "Herb" Annis and Thelma L. Annis, owners of the company, announced Inman's appointment. Inman worked in the trucking business 23 years and was in the contracting business seven years...

Heather Pulliam of Jackson has joined Eugene's Hair Salon, Kingshighway and Independence in Cape Girardeau. Pulliam has three years experience in the beauty industry. She is a graduate of Stage One The Hair School in Cape Girardeau. She previously worked at the JCPenney's Hair Salon...

Carl Kirchdoerfer of Kirchdoerfer Jersey Farm in Cape Girardeau County, has been honored as an "Outstanding Missouri Farmer." Kirchdoerfer is one of three farmers honored by the Missouri Jaycees at the Outstanding Young Farmer Banquet, held recently at Joplin...

Mary Gunn, Lori Emmons and Carolyn Kempf of Elite Travel Inc., 354 S. Silver Springs Road, have completed familiarization trips. Gunn participated in a familiarization trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where she visited resorts and hotels. Emmons and Kempf attended the ASTA annual Cruisefest in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where they participated in customer service training, and ship inspection tours, including the SS Destiny of Carnival Cruiselines, Veendam by Holland America, and Seabreeze...

Pharmacist Dave Charlier was honored at the national annual meeting of Medicap Pharmacies Inc. by being named to the President's Club. This award is granted to the Top 20 percent of Medicap Pharmacy franchisees nationwide who have displayed outstanding sales performance over the past year...

SIKESTON -- The first modular home will roll off the Heritage American Homes assembly line any day now. Heritage American Homes is a new company here, founded following a joint venture between Dallas-based Holigan Homes and Patriot Homes Inc. of Elkhart, Ind...

The annual reunion of all employees of the former Jackson Hosiery Mill will be held Saturday in North Cape County Park. The 11 a.m. event will be held at Shelter 5 with a basket dinner scheduled for noon. Those attending should bring food, table-service, beverages and lawn chairs...

Schirley Jo Huey of Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty, 1223 N. Kingshighway, has been recognized by Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corp. Huey has been named among the top 10 sales associate in Missouri of "listings sold" during the second quarter for Coldwell Banker...

Patrick Abbott accepted the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's highest award Monday in the place of this year's recipient, his mother, Ann Abbott, who died April 19. Dr. Dan Cotner presented the Otto Dingeldein Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts at the Old-Fashioned Summer Holiday Concert at Capaha Park...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Noon Optimist Club is getting attention on the international level for its cyclist-friendly section of Jackson Park known as Safety City. The paved mock-neighborhood located west of Rotary Lake on Optimist Hill was created in 1992. The club recently won top honors in the best safety project category in an international Optimist competition...

In 1954, the U.S. Navy taught A.J. Seier to fly jet fighters. He turned to the law after leaving the Navy, but through his years as Cape Girardeau County's prosecuting attorney and Division II circuit judge, he maintained his instrument and commercial pilot rating...

If the Cape Girardeau City Council approves an agreement for the extension of Siemers Drive at tonight's meeting, it will be the third time this summer it has contracted with an outside party to build a major public works project cheaper and faster than the city could on its own, said Dennis Vollink, president of DSW Development Corp...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Noon Optimist Club wants parents to know that driving safely with children is as simple as A-B-C. Dixie Moore, a member of the organization, was recently recognized in an international Optimist competition held in Detroit, Mich., for her work with the ABC -- Always Buckle Children in the back seat -- program...

COLUMNIST CAL Thomas recently raised the question as to whether children should take Prozac. Generally, I would say no. However, I would make an exception for those children who are for whatever reason required to read Cal Thomas' tirades. THANK YOU, Pastor Dissen and Trinity Lutheran Church for being steadfast in your biblical faith...

To the editor: Water is so critical to our lives that we can't live without it, but at the same time we can't live with it when we get too much. It seems like a week doesn't go by that there isn't a story in the paper about a critical water issue. We either read that one of our own communities or water districts is in need of additional water supply, or a question is raised about the quality of our water today. ...

The department of highways and transportation shall be in charge of a highways and transportation commission. ... The highways and transportation commission shall have authority over all state transportation programs and facilities as provided by law, including, but not limited to, bridges, highways, aviation, railroads, mass transportation, ports, and waterborne commerce. ...

A new Missouri law took effect this week that requires the names of felony sex offenders to be made public. Since 1995, Missouri sex offenders have been required to register with local law enforcement authorities. But until last week, only police personnel and prosecutors had access to those records. ...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "Do you think that HIV-positive prisoners should be housed separately from non-HIV-positive prisoners?" Holly Nations, Cape Girardeau "No. Because if they're careful there shouldn't be any problems." Dave Hill, Cape Girardeau...

WEST ALTON, Mo. - Authorities searched Monday for a tugboat pilot from Jackson who fell overboard into the Missouri River while trying to retrieve a drifting boat. The accident happened about 8 a.m. two miles west of the mouth of the Missouri near West Alton, the Missouri State Water Patrol said...

Agenda 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2 Jackson City Hall Action Items Power and Light Committee -- Consider motion approving $3,000 relative to the Water Line Extension, Phase IV Project. -- Consider motion approving the amount of $88,211.08 to Monroe Plumbing and Heating Co., Inc., under the Water Line Extension, Phase IV Project contract...

The local Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon conducted at Wal-Mart Monday raised $323,512 for Muscular Dystrophy Association research and services. The local edition of the Jerry Lewis Telethon was held this year at Wal-Mart. While Ken Lucy, regional MDA coordinator, liked the elbow room the Show Me Center usually provided for the telethon, he likes the number of people who have stopped by while shopping...

When a football coach says there is not much difference between his starters and his second unit, he's usually not really telling the truth. But in the case of Southeast Missouri State University's season opener against Lambuth Saturday night, the cry of `We're No. 2' really wasn't such a bad thing...

Above, Todd Harbison assembled a large trophy at Howard's Sporting Goods in Cape Girardeau. This trophy is ready for a darts tournament. Trophy figures can be mounted on plaques, as shown at left. The business of trophies and awards never gets a summer vacation...

For the fans, it probably wasn't an ideal season opener because lightening and heavy rain certainly put a damper on things. But for Southeast Missouri State University's football Indians, things couldn't have gone much better Saturday night as they started off 1997 with a dominating 24-6 win over Lambuth at Houck Stadium...

Former Cape Girardeau Central High track standout Jim Fox has transferred from the University of Tennessee to Southeast Missouri State University and will compete for the Indians this season. Fox, a 1996 Central graduate, captured the Class 4A state pole vault championship as a senior. He earned a scholarship to Tennessee, where he was redshirted last season as a freshman. Fox will have four seasons of eligibility remaining...

What to do for an encore. That's the situation facing coach Bill Davis and his Kelly High cross country team. Last year, in just the second season for Kelly's program, the boys squad captured the Class 1A-2A state championship. "It was just a tremendous season for us last year," said Davis. "Everything came together."...

Katheryn Dillow, 88, of Thonotosassa, Fla., formerly of Anna, Ill., died Saturday, Aug. 30, 1997, in Thonotosassa. She was born April 8, 1909, in Anna, the daughter of George and Martha Cora Hardy Barnhart. On March 19, 1932, she married Paul R. Dillow. He died Feb. 1, 1978...

FREDERICKTOWN -- Jacob Hadley Fulton, 17, of Fredericktown died Sunday, Aug. 31, 1997, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born June 21, 1980, in Columbia, S.C., the son of Robin and Karen Sylvester Fulton. He was a senior at Brahm Preparatory School in Carbondale, Ill...

STURDIVANT -- Ivy "Vernice" Buttry, 85, of Sturdivant died Sunday, Aug. 31, 1997, at the Heartland Care Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 26, 1912, in Swinton, the daughter of Arb and Mamie Hayden Cooper. She married Arnold "Pete" Buttry on June 28, 1930, in Marble Hill. He died May 26, 1972...

PERRYVILLE -- Beulah Henry, 77, of Perryville died Sunday, Aug. 31, 1997, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Oct. 30, 1919, in Perry County, the daughter of Talmadge and Lillian Holybee Abernathy. In June 1941, she married Pervis W. Henry. He died April 4, 1995...

DUDLEY -- J.D. Barker, 74, of Dudley died Saturday, Aug. 30, 1997, at his home. He was born Aug. 14, 1923, in Dexter. On Sept. 6, 1945, he married Ruth Ann Taylor in Piggott, Ark. He owned and operated Barker's Salvage in Dudley. He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army...

Three people were injured in a two-car accident Monday night on Nash Road. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, two pickup trucks were traveling east on Nash Road about a mile west of Interstate 55 a little before 8 p.m. One truck attempted to pass the other, which made an unexpected left turn, police said...

Marion Henry, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Sept. 1, 1997, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Funeral Home.

POPLAR BLUFF -- Ricky Lee Stepp, 38, of Poplar Bluff died Saturday, Aug. 30, 1997, at his home. He was born Oct. 30, 1958, in Advance, the son of Melvin and Elsie Scott Stepp. He married Barbara Friedwell. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Survivors include his wife; and two brothers, Herman Stepp of Advance and Darrell Stepp of Arab...