Stories from Saturday, January 3, 1998

To the editor: I just wish to thank you on behalf of a wonderful paper carrier, Estella Gooch, and her son. She is not only a super paper carrier, but she cares for old people. I can hardly walk, and she brings my paper right up to my door. Her son helps her. Hope you have many paper carriers like her. She is tops and lives at Whitewater...

Another plus on the business scene has been boarding improvements at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The numbers were up all year at the airport, but they were especially strong in October and November. More than 1,000 boardings were reported both months. Increased flights from Trans World Express are credited along with a boost from Procter and Gamble's private planes. The fact that P&G announced a major expansion here no doubt helped to spur corporate traffic...

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce begins this new year with admirable standing. The local chamber enters 1998 with the top membership of all Missouri cities of 50,000 or less population. Cape Girardeau also stacks up well when compared to all other chambers in the state: third in total membership behind Kansas City and Springfield. Since the chamber's May blitz, the local chamber's membership stands at an impressive 1,200...

As I sat in the kitchen of our home preparing this column, my daughter Elizabeth who is almost four months to the day looked at me with her sparkling big blue eyes and, after plucking her pacifier from her lips, she smiled at me only to remind me how fortunate and blessed we are to have a healthy and happy baby...

Inspections start Monday under the city of Cape Girardeau's new "Operation Safe Home" program. So far, five people have signed up to receive the free home safety inspections, which will be offered throughout the months of January and February, said Rick Murray, director of the city's inspection services...

Peter Gordon, left, discussed the health of his female cat, Pokey, with veterinary assistant Melissa Stokes and Dr. Wanda Pipkin. Dr. Wanda Pipkin, left, attended to a goat that was brought in by its owner, Jami Steeg. Around Cape Girardeau, it's raining more than cats and dogs. In fact, according to local veterinarians, it's raining iguanas and hedgehogs and cockatiels...

Goodbye Union Electric! Hello Ameren! It's out with the old and in with the new for Union Electric in 1998. A $1.2 billion merger plan which was announced more than two years ago, received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the final day of 1997 for Union Electric Co. (UE) and Central Illinois Public Services Co. (CIPSCO)...

More than 62,000 new jobs were created in Missouri in 1997. More than 1,000 of those new jobs emerged in Cape Girardeau County, and another 200 to 300 jobs were added in Bollinger and Perry counties. 1997 was a good year for Missouri workers, with solid increases in new jobs and wages...

A new music festival and support on high for a new performing arts center injected fresh air into the region's arts and entertainment life in 1997. Husband and wife arts administrators from Iowa separately assumed command of two of the region's most important arts organizations. And Southeast Missouri State University dedicated a new mural in conjunction with its Faulkner Centennial festivities...

The state Legislature should enact tougher methamphetamine laws to "bust the bad guys," Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon said Friday. Nixon also wants lawmakers to implement fast-track drug courts statewide and provide continued funding for alternative schools...

It's January and I'm on my annual quest for a better me. This year, though, I'm working for me and my community. I need help. Every year I make the same old New Year's resolutions, and every year I break them. Call it a habit, a curse or a gift, but I just don't have it in me to complete a resolution for self-improvement within a year's time...

Trash was talked, elbows were swung, blood gushed, profanities were muttered and a technical foul was assessed. Other than that, the game at Jackson High School on Friday was pretty bland. While the Rockwood Summit Falcons ran their mouths, the Indians ran away with the game, winning 61-41 in just their second home game this season and improving to 8-3...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's basketball team has certainly experienced its share of pain over the years during the 'Death Valley' road trip in the Ohio Valley Conference. The annual two-game excursion to eastern Kentucky mountain country to face Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky is known around the OVC as 'Death Valley.'...

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen is at the same time realistic and optimistic about his team's two-game Ohio Valley Conference road trip deep into Kentucky. Today, the Otahkians (4-5 overall, 2-0 OVC) will face last-place Morehead State (2-6, 0-2). Monday, Southeast will play heavy league favorite Eastern Kentucky (7-2, 2-0)...

CHAFFEE -- The Red Devils fell to 0-8 Friday night with a 74-41 home-loss to Greenville. Chaffee trailed only 27-23 at halftime, but Greenville pulled ahead late in the third quarter to take a commanding lead. "We played with them for two-and-a-half quarters, then it just fell apart toward the end of the third quarter," said Chaffee coach Jim Stoverink. "Greenville picked up their intensity in the third quarter and we had trouble getting the ball up the floor."...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Thomas R. "Bud" Smith of Bloomfield will be held at 11 a.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home. The Rev. Hank Foster will officiate, with burial in Bloomfield Cemetery. Smith, 83, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at Dexter Memorial Hospital in Dexter...

ANNA, Ill. -- A.L. "Greg" Gregory, 79, of Anna died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at Illinois Veterans Home in Anna. He was born May 10, 1918, in Carterville, son of Charles Elmer and Mary Leona Roach Gregory. He and Bessie Lewis were married Oct. 14, 1960, at Anna...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Sadie Marie "Sister" Lambert of Sikeston will be held at 1 p.m. today at West End Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Ronald Williams Sr. will officiate, with burial in Sunset of Memories Cemetery. Friends may call at the church from 11 a.m. until service time...

Otto A. Kamp, 83, of Jackson died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center Arrangements are incomplete at McCombs Funeral Home, Jackson.

Maggie Ann Seabaugh, 80, of 1228 Marquette Drive, died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Nov. 5, 1917, at Campbell, daughter of John Albert and Loutina Taylor Ayers. She married Virgil R. Seabaugh on July 25, 1936, at Cape Girardeau. He died Feb. 13, 1994...

THEBES, Ill. -- Ruby King, 89, of Thebes died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 9, 1908, in Alexander County, daughter of Clarence and Myrtle McDaniel Brown. She married William E. King on March 5, 1934. He died Oct. 28, 1990...

MATTHEWS -- Lounell Myrick, 83, of Matthews died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Sept. 4, 1914, in Bay, Ark., daughter of Herbert and Pearl DeWitt Riley. She and Raymond H. Myrick were married Oct. 15, 1932...

ADVANCE -- Lula Jane Hawkins, 93, of Advance died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at Advance Nursing Center. She was born March 21, 1904, in Bloomfield, Ind., daughter of Harvey Kirk and Melinda Holtsclaw. She and Charles Hawkins Sr. were married Jan. 4, 1930. He died Jan. 17, 1992...

Helen Clark, 87, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at Heartland Care Rehab Center. She was born Oct. 1, 1910, in Iola, Kan., daughter of Frank and Molly Fulks Thornton. She and Wilbon Clark were married in 1932 in St. Louis. He died in February 1972...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Nina Mae Hunter, 88, of East Prairie died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at East Prairie Nursing Center. She was born April 28, 1909, in Clay County, Ill., daughter of Joel I. and Rosetta Fender Denton. She married Samuel Prather, who died Oct. 17, 1958. She later married Arlie Hunter, who died July 17, 1968...

Funeral service for Harry G. Heise Sr. of Cape Girardeau will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Mark Martin will officiate, with burial in Hanover Lutheran Cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

SIKESTON -- Keith Bess, 67, of Sikeston died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at Baptist Central Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Ponder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

JACKSON -- O.J. Seabaugh, 65, of Jackson died Friday, Jan. 2, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 3-8 p.m. Sunday. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church...

CHAFFEE -- William Otto Tanner, 87, of Robertsville died Jan. 2, 1998, at the Pacific Care Center in Pacific. He was born Jan. 14, 1910, in Chaffee, son of William Oscar and Annie Baker Tanner. He worked in management for Union Electric and had retired from the company...