Stories from Monday, April 13, 1998

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. For many individual investors, investment clubs are an excellent way to increase their financial knowledge and form new friendships. Truly adventurous investors may even form their own investing clubs, an endeavor not to be undertaken lightly...

Construction spending is up for the first quarter of 1998 in Cape Girardeau, with increases in residential building offsetting a small decline in commercial projects. Total construction for the three-month period totaled $7,980,786, compared to $5,187,588 for the same period a year ago, up more than 35 percent...

From time to time, an item appears on my desk that is deserving of a special "Thumbs Up" recognition. Here's "Thumbs Up" to TG(U.S.A) Corp. and its participation in providing funding boosts to a number of Perry County organizations. TG(U.S.A.), a Perryville manufacturer of parts for Toyota Motors and for domestic automakers, has donated $5,000 to eight different organizations in Perryville and Perry County for the sixth straight year...

Matthew Cornehlsen and Joseph Stevens, students at the Perryville Career Center, have qualified for the "hands-on" Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Quality Care Challenge next month at St. Louis. The May 7 contest at the AAA Auto Diagnostic Clinic in St. Louis, will feature two-person teams from 10 highs school automotive programs...

Jerry Jasinowski, a nationally known manufacturing exert, will be guest speaker at the May 21 and 22 Governor's Conference on Economic Development at Lake of the Ozarks. Jasinowski, author of "Making It in America: Proven Paths to Success from 50 Top Companies," and president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers, will present the conference's keynote address at the May 21 luncheon...

A Pecan grafting seminar will be held April 28 at 1:30 p.m. at the Kammler Tree Farm in southwest Perry County near Silver Lake. Dr. Bill Reid, a noted expert on pecan production from Kansas State University's Pecan Experiment Station at Chetopa, Kan., will demonstrate grafts used in improving nut production in pecans and black walnuts...

Raycom Media Inc., which owns KFVS-TV in Cape Girardeau, has entered into an agreement to acquire Malrite Communications Group Inc. of Cleveland. Malrite broadcasting operations include television stations in Cleveland, Cincinnati, West Palm Beach, Toledo and San Juan, Puerto Rico...

Investment Management & Research, 318 Main, Suite D, Jackson, has announced the availability of mutual fund research reports for investors through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates and is the first firm to publish independent specific recommendations on individual funds and sectors...

Drury Inn hotel rooms can now be booked on the Internet. Travelers can access Drury's web site at www.drury-inn.com and make reservations at more than 60 Drury sites. Included on the web will be information about special offers and gift certificates...

Data Business Systems Inc. of Cape Girardeau is one of nine new dealers who have joined the Savin Corp., which provides a line of business equipment. Savin, headquartered at Stamford, Conn., and a pioneer in the business equipment industry for more than 35 years, and provides equipment to more than 325 dealers nationwide...

Twelve members of the Girardot Chapter of Professional Secretaries International recently attended a seminar sponsored by Lindbergh Chapter PSI, at St. Louis. Attending the session, entitled, "Success by Design, Your Professional Skills Portfolio," were Girardot Chapter president Donna Heuer, Beth Langston, Michelle Kilburn, Marge Phillips, Betty Sargent, Lillian Schneider, Brenda Glastetter, Carol Cannon, Barbara Burnett, Sherri Jenkins, Marie Steinhoff and Linda Koenig...

When Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones looks at the maps to improve traffic flow around Jackson and Cape Girardeau, he sees problems. Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling and Jackson City Manager Steve Wilson see the same troubles...

The remains of two people discovered last month by construction workers who were putting in concrete footings for a new warehouse near the Mississippi River will soon be laid to rest in St. Mary's Cemetery in Perryville, a church official said last week...

PERRYVILLE -- Perry County School District 32 board members will meet Wednesday night to reconsider their options after being told their plans for a new high school and other district improvements cost too much. Members of the district's long-range planning committee told the school board last week that building the new high school was probably the best way to meet the district's space needs, but the price tag is too high, said Dennis Martin, school board president...

NASA is trying to get a closer look at the man on Mars. Remember the "Face," that black and white, blotchy image that sort of resembled a squarish baboon with helmet hair? The Viking spacecraft took that particular image of the Cydonia region in 1976...

The newest federal highway bill not only will provide millions of dollars for needed highway improvements in southern Missouri, but it will serve as a catalyst for the region's economy. New and improved highways -- particularly those that carry heavy volumes of traffic -- typically spur commercial development along the routes, and major projects will put a lot of people to work and consume large amounts of materials that will be purchased locally...

I WOULD like to comment about the pet tax that Cape voted in on Tuesday. I believe that the city and Humane Society are missing the boat entirely. They can increase the taxes all they want, but it doesn't put more money into the city's pocket if people don't pay up. ...

Work on the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge at Cape Girardeau will resume next month, long before state highway officials had expected. Work stopped in December after it was discovered that portions of the bedrock in which piers were being placed contained seams of mud rather than solid rock, and the contractor at the time wouldn't proceed. Those seams must be filled with a cement grout mixture, a process that will take about four months to complete...

To the editor: Remember how we once tried our parents' patience to the point they felt obliged to punish us? Perhaps punishment was only in the form of some denial or privilege. From a scowling look to a slap on the hand with a ruler, teachers have been trying to remedy this situation. ...

To the editor: As a child, the only air conditioning available on a hot and humid summer night were the windows and doors. Thank God for screen doors. One evening as my mother stood at the screen door to enjoy the slight breeze, she suddenly shouted, "Ronnie, come here quick. ...

The Southeast Missourian asked, "Do you think the April 15th deadline gives taxpayers enough time to file their tax returns?" Lyn Stoecker, Cape Girardeau "Well, heck yes they have a whole year. I think it's plenty of time." Marietta Holmes, Cape Girardeau...

Mick Haley, coach of the United States Women's National Volleyball Team, says fans who come to the Show Me Center for Tuesday's exhibition match against the Russian Nationals should be prepared to see some of the top female athletes anywhere. "The biggest difference between this and college is the athleticism of the players. ...

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians were seeded fourth out of eight teams entering Saturday's National Invitational Tournament of women's gymnastics. And fourth is exactly where the Otahkians finished during the season-ending meet. Southeast had a score of 191.600...

Southeast Missouri State University's women's tennis team closed out the regular season with a two-game winning streak after Sunday's 5-4 victory over visiting Eastern Kentucky. The Otahkians, who improved to 6-8 overall and 4-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play, will compete in the OVC Tournament this weekend in Nashville, Tenn...

Cape Girardeau will be one of seven cities in the state visited by University of Missouri head football coach Larry Smith as part of the MU Tiger Caravan this spring. Smith will be joined by MU athletic director Joe Castiglione and chancellor Richard Wallace, along with representatives from Intercollegiate Athletics, the Office of Admissions and the Alumni Association...

Opal S. Goslee, 75, formerly of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, April 12, 1998, at Ozark Medical Center in West Plains. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Billie Elizabeth Higgins, a reporter for the Southeast Missourian for many years and native of the former Lutesville, died Friday, April 10, 1998, in Columbia. She was 92. She was born Sept. 15, 1905, in Lutesville, daughter of William Lorance and Beulah Katherine Henry Abernathy. She married James A. Higgins on May 14, 1923. He died June 22, 1962...

BELL CITY -- Clyde Wesley Northern, 63, of Bell City died Sunday, April 12, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Feb. 1, 1935, at Matthews, son of John Wesley and Mary Ida Jane Wilson Northern. He and Lacleda J. "Sis" Cooper were married Sept. 5, 1958, at Miner. She died July 13, 1995...

PERRYVILLE -- Clara Schindler, 90, of Perryville died Saturday, April 11, 1998, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 20, 1908, in Perry County, daughter of Henry and Susan L. Hilderbrand Baer. On Dec. 24, 1939, she married Bernard A. "Ben" Schindler. He died March 1, 1987...

DEXTER -- Otto Lape of Dexter died Sunday, April 12, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey Funeral Home in Dexter.

DEXTER -- Hazel Clippard of Dexter died Saturday, April 11, 1998, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. Arrangements are incomplete at Rainey Funeral Home in Dexter.

NEW MADRID -- A New Madrid County woman was killed Sunday afternoon in a head-on collision on Interstate 55, near Matthews. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Mildred Keen, 77, of New Madrid died around 4:30 Sunday afternoon from injuries sustained in an accident a half-mile south of the Matthews exit...

RANDLES -- Cedric D. Dooley, 76, of Randles died Sunday, April 12, 1998, at his home. He was born Dec. 4, 1921, at Micola, the son of R. C. and Madge Holdman Dooley. He and Pearline Moore were married on Sept. 25, 1948, in Piggott, Ark. Dooley was a flight instructor at Anderson Air Activity in Malden from 1951 - 1961. He crop dusted from 1961 - 1973. He then farmed until 1990 when he retired...

JACKSON -- Jackson Middle School seventh-grade students are celebrating "Missouri Days" this week by entertaining the secretary of state and members of the Northern Cherokee Nation and learning all about the state's wildlife. Missouri Days, new at the school this year, is an attempt to present information about the students' home state by using science, language arts, geography and many other means. And it gives the students an opportunity learn from the community...