Stories from Monday, March 9, 1998

A closet organizer shelf was put into place. Finding new storage spaces in the home is easy -- if you know where to look. Every house, regardless of size, contains small nooks, hidden hollows and forgotten corners that can be converted into useful storage...

This "Financial Focus" column is prepared by Edward Jones Investments, headquartered in St. Louis. Jones includes branches throughout the nation, including Cape Girardeau and Jackson. We all want the best for our children and grandchildren. And sometimes that means giving them more than words of encouragement...

"Find a penny, pick it up, "All the day you'll have good luck. "Find a penny, leave it lay, Bad luck you'll have that day." --- Money dropped on the sidewalk doesn't stay there long. No matter the age, income level, location or gender, most Americans are likely to stop and pick up change or dollar bills they find on a sidewalk...

Jeffrey W. Williams, formerly of Cape Girardeau, has accepted a position as quality leader with GE International-Avis Fleet Services in Brussels, Belgium. Williams is a 1980 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School where he was an AFS foreign exchange student in Vienna, Austria, during the summer between his junior and senior years...

Jim Keusenkothen makes house calls. Keusenkothen takes care of broken chairs, tables with scratches and nicks, and other ailing furniture. He has acquired the local "Furniture Medic" franchise. Keusenkothen of Jackson has a number of years of experience working in the furniture industry...

JACKSON -- Mercantile Bank of Southeast Missouri-Cape Girardeau is planning a bank at Jackson. The new bank, said Lowell Peterson, Mercantile Community Bank president, will be on East Jackson Boulevard. "We're pleased to be able to better serve the Jackson community with our new facility," said Peterson. "Mercantile and Jackson share a proud tradition of community service and we'll soon be able to form a partnership in meeting the needs of the city of Jackson."...

The Mirror Image, a styling salon, has opened at Jackson. The new salon at 1335G Old Cape Road is operated by Alice Benton and Heidi Hume and features styles for men, women and children. Also available are pedicures, manicures, perms and a variety of other cosmetology services...

Carpet Clearinghouse has opened at 226 S. High in Jackson. The business, which provides and installs carpeting, vinyl flooring and ceramic tile, is owned by Joel Philipps. The new business is open Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Manpower Inc. observes its 50th anniversary this year. The temporary services company, which provides jobs to more than 1.5 million workers worldwide, 742,000 in the United States, was founded in 1948. The company, headquartered in Milwaukee where the company was founded, has more than 2,500 offices in 45 countries, with more than 1,000 offices in the United States, including Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston...

The Small Business Development Center will conduct counseling sessions in four areas this month. The counselor, Gil Degenhardt, will be available March 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office. The counseling sessions (about one hour) are free. Call (573)-335-3312 for appointment...

Aid Association for Lutherans Branch 7275 of Gordonville has been awarded a Gold Star rating by the fraternal benefit society in recognition of exemplary volunteer service in the community. To achieve the highest AAL rating, gold or silver stars, branches must annually sponsor at least one benevolent activity (fund-raising event or work project), conduct at least 12 meetings, sponsor one educational activity, one member-awareness event, and comply with AAL's attendance, voting and reporting requirements.. ...

MasterCard International will build a new global technology and operations center in the St. Louis area. The $90 million project will retain more than 1,000 jobs and eventually create 500 more, said Joseph L. Driskill, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development...

Mike Hooper, sales and marketing manager of Moormans, will be guest speaker at a swine producers meeting tonight at Delmonico's Restaurant in Jackson. The 6:30 p.m. program is sponsored by the SEMO Pork Producers and University of Missouri Extension...

The Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District annual meeting will be held March 19, at 6:30 p.m., at the St. Denis Parish Hall, Benton. Dr. James Price, research archaeologist at the University of Missouri-Columbia will be guest speaker. The "Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year" award will be presented...

People being forced off the welfare rolls will need help from Cape Girardeau County's strong network of churches and social agencies, a recent study says. A coordinated effort by area churches and agencies could set the stage to meet the needs of welfare recipients, according to a preliminary report from a Boston consulting firm, Mount Auburn Associates...

SCOTT CITY -- A Scott City woman has accused city officials of deception after discovering materials set aside for recycling were actually being dumped in with the city's trash and taken to the landfill. Tanya Davis went before the city council last month to complain that the recycling program, for which the city had received a $39,000 state grant, was not being implemented...

The Stinson Memorial Library was built in 1914. ANNA, Ill. -- From its exterior of cascading limestone rock to its architectural pedigree, the Stinson Memorial Library is a landmark. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the library is considered architect Walter Burley Griffin's best American design...

My friend Mitch has decided it's time to grow up. Those of us who have known Mitch since he actually was a child greeted this pronouncement with a resounding, "Duh!" But he's hardly alone in fighting adulthood tooth and nail. Mitch is a tax attorney, so he theorizes adulthood is in the details, and the details are in writing, clearly spelled out, with all the T's crossed and I's dotted...

To the editor: As I gazed at the photograph of old St. Francis Hospital in the Southeast Missourian, so very many memories entered my mind. I am sure this holds true with many others, with each having his own personal relationship and feelings. A hospital holds memories quite different from any other structure. ...

Until last week, the Boy Scouts of America had successfully defended its ban on homosexuals and atheists. The Scouts' successes came to an end when a New Jersey appellate court ruled that an assistant Scoutmaster shouldn't have been expelled because he is gay...

A substantial increase in the amount of federal gasoline tax revenue that would come back to Missouri the next six years is included in a transportation spending measure that passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last week. Under the proposal, which is being debated in the Senate, Missouri would get $600.5 million for road and bridge construction in each of the next six years, a total of more than $3.6 billion. ...

THE TAXPAYERS who received refund checks from Missouri need to remember that it was Mel Hancock who was responsible for putting the taxes that we overpaid back into our pockets. The other Mel, whose last name is Carnahan, worked for two years along with his sidekick, Jay Nixon, trying to keep the money that was owed to us. ...

To the editor: Jim McFarland recently used some fancy language in a letter to the editor criticizing a column by the Southeast Missourian's Laura Johnston, who had praised her history professor's methods. McFarland took strong exception. Some of the words and references used by McFarland may have been above the head of the average reader. ...

This week the Southeast Missourian asked, "What do you think of proposed legislation that would allow Death-row inmates a stay of execution if they donated a kidney or bone marrow?" Irene Amos, Cape Girardeau "I really don't believe so. If they are sentenced to death then I think they should get what they are sentenced."...

ANNA, Ill. -- Voters will have a wide selection when they mark their ballot for Union County Commissioner during the Illinois Primary election March 17. No less than eight candidates -- five Democrats and three Republicans -- have filed, including Republican incumbent Larry A. Wheaton...

MOUND CITY -- Pulaski County will get a new sheriff this year. After more than 40 years of public service, Gene Dixon will not seek a fourth four-year term as sheriff in Pulaski County. Dixon, a Democrat who was first elected Pulaski County sheriff in 1986, is retiring after 12 years...

Delta's boys will be venturing into unfamiliar territory tonight while it will simply be business as usual for Scott County Central's girls. That's the situation for those two area basketball teams regarding Class 1A Regional matchups at the Sikeston High Field House...

Southeast Missouri State University's highly-regarded softball team opened its home season Sunday with a thrilling doubleheader sweep of Northern Iowa at Parker Field. The Otahkians prevailed 6-4 and 6-5 as they improved their record to 4-2. Northern Iowa fell to 2-7...

It only seems fitting that the final home meet of the 1998 season for the Southeast Missouri State University women's gymnastics team is entitle `Showcase of the Arts.' For coach Kris Buchheister and her Otahkian gymnasts, the '98 season is entering its stretch run and that means that it is time to say goodbye to the seniors...

What a difference a day made for Murray State's baseball team. Just one day after being demolished in a doubleheader by host Southeast Missouri State University, the Thoroughbreds came back Sunday afternoon to stun the Indians 12-3 in front of about 125 fans at Capaha Field...

ANNA, Ill. -- John Carlton Busenhart, 78, of Anna died Sunday, March 8, 1998, at Union County Hospital. He was born Dec. 23, 1919, in Fayette County, son of William and Flora Smith Busenhart. He and Lucille Dillow were married on Oct. 13, 1941, at Cape Girardeau...

MALDEN -- Frances Bratton Robbins, 70, of Malden died Friday, March 6, 1998, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Aug. 7, 1927, daughter of Murl and Bila Bratton. She was married to James Montell Gracy, who preceded her in death. Survivors include a son, James Allen Gracy of Malden; a daughter, Frances Darlene Pyles of Malden; a brother, Billy Bratton of Jonesboro, Ark.; and two grandchildren...

JACKSON -- Peggy J. Mehner, 53, of Marshall, formerly of Jackson, died Saturday, March 7, 1998, at Golden Oaks Residential Care in Marshall. She was born Feb. 18, 1945, at Jackson, daughter of Edwin and Esther Sievers Amelunke. Mehner was employed as a secretary with Southeast Missouri State University before moving to Marshall in 1997. She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson...

SIKESTON -- Riley Junior Hampton, 63, of Sikeston died Saturday, March 7, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Jan. 13, 1935, at Lilbourn, son of Ernest Burley and Florence Pauline Douglas Hampton. Hampton was a carpenter and painting contractor and owned and operated Hampton and Sons Construction Co. in Sikeston for more than 10 years. He was a charter member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3319 in Sikeston...

Julian V. Howes, 73, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 8, 1998, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel.

Virgil Lee Abbott, 70, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, March 8, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born May 5, 1927, at Marion, Ill., son of Thomas Lester and Minnie Canada Abbott. Abbott, a longtime Cape Girardeau businessman, owned and operated Sound Track Music, a business which he started in 1969. He had previously worked for Bill Hollenbeck for several years. He also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II...

BENTON -- Earl Hall, 89, of Benton died Sunday, March 8, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Nov. 16, 1908, at Cloverport, Ky., son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Hall. He was married to Frieda Hall, who died in 1977. He married Velva Hope Mosbey on Aug. 30, 1980, at Marston...

Fern Hausser, 86, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 8, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Hileman and Parr Funeral Services in Jonesboro, Ill.

BENTON -- Margaret Ellen Bom, 91, of Benton died Saturday, March 7, 1998, at Beverly Health and Rehabilitation in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 27, 1906, at Commerce, daughter of Walter "Pete" and Elsie Sanders Wise. She and Letcher A. Bom were married March 22, 1926, at Benton. He died March 3, 1998...

Austin Glennon Harter, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, March 8, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Nov. 9, 1914, at Weingarten, son of Henry J. and Mary Beard Harter. He married Esther J. Moe of Bayfield, Wis., on April 27, 1942, at Forte Lewis, Wash...