Stories from Thursday, July 15, 1999

To the editor: Safety: What elegance, what grandeur the word implies. What noblesse behavior is guaranteed in the word. What depth of government perversity is conducted carrying out its program of safety for the public. In order to make us safe and to save lives, air bags are mandated for vehicles. They kill us. Government permission must be obtained to disconnect air bags and so save lives. Does the government have a hunter's license to kill you and me?...

Whether President Clinton's proposal to provide more prescription coverage for Americans on Medicare will actually be a benefit will depend largely on the circumstances of each individual. It appears some will benefit while other would actually be worse off. But the idea is being sold as a boon to the nation's elderly -- even though many eligible folks don't see it that way. That's the Clinton way: If I tell you it's good for you long enough, you'll start to believe it...

As recently noted in this space, the idea of a multilevel parking garage, centrally located on the campus of Southeast Missouri University, is one of the best ideas to come from the university in a long time. Nothing generates more complaints right now than the parking situation at the university, particularly from students. ...

The air show last weekend was a big success, especially the well-choreographed ground pyrotechnics (explosions), airplane flyovers and simulated rescue scenarios. There was a much larger collection of vintage and modern aircraft on display, and the crowds exceeded my expectations...

Left: This Robert Forgan smooth-face brass putter is engraved with the maker's name and plume mark of the Prince of Wales. The club was probably made about 1901 but might even be older. Police Chief Rick Hetzel admires some of his vintage golf clubs...

Organizers hope to unite area service agencies and provide a little entertainment for local people when they sponsor a community block party Saturday. The Healthy Families 2000 Community Block Party will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at Fort D next to May Greene Elementary School, 1000 Ranney. Representatives from social-services agencies will kickoff the event at 11:30 a.m. with a parade from the Knights of Columbus Hall on South Spanish Street...

A new kind of student housing likely will be coming to Cape Girardeau. Without fanfare or controversy, the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday night gave its consent for the rezoning of an 11-acre tract at the northeast corner of Bertling Street and North Sprigg to allow student housing...

ULLIN, Ill. -- A group that helped attract attention to Tamms for the new super-maximum-security prison hopes once again to convince the state to look at Southern Illinois for a new prison or two. Illinois Department of Corrections Director Donald N. Snyder announced the state is seeking sites for a new $80 million prison for women and $34 million close-custody juvenile facility...

July 15, 1999 Dear Pat, Firefighters have a hard job. When the bell sounds they must respond with the same dispatch whether the call turns out to be a false alarm or a life-threatening blaze. Living with DC, I've learned to differentiate. Nearly six years into our marriage, the tone she uses is all that's necessary for me to deduce a response. ...

Most people who want to become writers have romantic ideas about how a novel is written, says Connie Bennett, a Dexter resident who has written 20 of them. "It is hard, grueling work," the Dexter romance novelist observes. Nonetheless, New York literary agent Evan Marshall is coming to town next month to show anyone with $55 how to do it...

DUDLEY -- The water system in Dudley is about to get a major face-lift. Dudley recently received a $384,900 grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) to upgrade the water system. Dudley acquired the grant through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for a project expected to cost $685,900...

Chaffee Medicap Pharmacy and Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons exchanged thrilling American Legion baseball victories Wednesday night -- but only Chaffee was able to take home the big hardware. The area rivals hooked up in a District 14 doubleheader at Capaha Field. Normally, both games would have been seven-inning affairs...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Rhodes Renegades, a 15-and-under girls AAU basketball team from Southeast Missouri, was eliminated from the AAU National Tournament with a 65-56 loss to the MJB Stars from Orange County, Calif. Tuesday night. Andrea Koeper from Jackson scored 17 points; Notre Dame's Lisa Millham scored 13 and Doniphan's Bethany Orendorff scored 12...

The Classic United Soccer Club will hold final tryouts for anyone who missed the other tryouts Monday, July 19, at 5:30 p.m. at Shawnee Park, North Field 1. Age divisions eligible to participate are boys 12-under, 13-under and 14-under; and girls 11-under, 12-under and 14-under...

Manager Joe Rice figures it took a big late-inning deficit last week to finally wake up the Chaffee Junior American Legion baseball team. Chaffee, highly-touted throughout the season, trailed host Sikeston 8-3 entering the seventh and final inning of a second-round game in the District 14 Tournament...

CHARLESTON -- Graveside service for Thelma Louise Kelley of Charleston will be held at 10 a.m. today at East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. Gerald Penn will officiate. Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie is in charge of arrangements. Kelley, 71, died Tuesday, July 13, 1999, at East Prairie Nursing Center...

George Edward VanRonzelen, 85, of Palmyra, formerly of Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, died Monday, July 12, 1999, at Palmyra Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 16, 1913, in St. Louis, son of Armin and Anna VanRonzelen. VanRonzelen received a master's degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He taught high school English and physical education...

BELL CITY -- Funeral for Charles L. Cossou of Bell City will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Morgan Funeral Home in Advance. The Rev. David Swindell will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Bell City. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5:30-8 p.m. today...

SIKESTON -- Charles Edward Mills, 47, of Marion, Ind., died Sunday, July 11, 1999, in Marion. He was born Oct. 17, 1951, in Sikeston, the son of Cleophis and Willie B. Steward Mills of rural Oran. He graduated from Scott County Central High School in 1971...

Thomas Penn Gochenauer, 49, of Bridgeton, died Thursday, July 8, 1999. Service and burial were July 12, 1999 in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.He is survived by his wife, Linda M. Gochenauer; one son, Thomas Adam Gochenauer; two daughters, Eve and Kimberly Gochenauer; father, Paul Luther Gochenauer; and his mother-in-law, Helen Harris of Jackson. ...

MARBLE HILL -- Junior Roy Crader, 76, of Marble Hill died Wednesday, July 14, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born May 6, 1923, at Laflin, son of Andrew F. and Laura Crader. He and Mary Jane Kinder were married June 18, 1948...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral for Katherine Cates of Charleston will be held at 11 a.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. The Revs. Gerald Collier and Bert Ott will officiate. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery. Cates, 48, died Monday, July 12, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau...

MARBLE HILL -- Mary Ellen Johnson, 90, of Marble Hill died Tuesday, July 13, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born July 15, 1908, near Marquand, daughter of Jessie and Elizabeth Buckhart Spain. She and Earl B. Robbins were married in 1924. He died in 1953. She later married Pink Johnson, who died in 1959...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Viora Lee Atchley, 80, of Cobden died Tuesday, July 13, 1999, at City Care Center. She was born July 5, 1919, in Jamestown, Ky., daughter of Willis and Amanda Webb Wilson. She married Robert Atchley. Survivors include her husband; a sister, Bessie McDaniels of Mannford, Okla.; a brother, Paul Wilson of Cabot, Ark.; two grandsons; and two great-grandchildren...

Son to Dale G. and Leighanne Collier of Charleston, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:42 a.m. Friday, June 4, 1999. Name, Ethan Dale. Weight, 4 pounds 1 ounce. First child. Mrs. Collier is the former Leighanne Sciortino, daughter of Mike and Lana Sciortino of Cape Girardeau. She is a recent graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. Collier is the son of Gerald and Betty Collier of Charleston. He is employed with the U.S. Postal Service in Charleston...

DEXTER -- Lula Cutler Foster, 79, of St. Charles died Wednesday, July 14, 1999, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Peters. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter is in charge of arrangements.

COBDEN, Ill. -- Addie Johnson, 84, of Cobden died Wednesday, July 14, 1999, at Union County Hospital in Anna. Friends may call at Crain Funeral Home in Anna from 6-8 p.m. Friday. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery at Charleston, Mo...

OAK RIDGE -- Charles "Jim" McCanless, 66, of Oak Ridge died Tuesday, July 13, 1999, at his home. He was born Sept. 6, 1932, in New Berg, Ind., son of Willie G. and Agnes L. Dillander McCanless. He and Eulalia Volz were married Feb. 14, 1953. McCanless served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 1973. He was a fireman and worked in air crash rescue...

William Loyd Tucker, Sr., 70, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Tuesday, July 13, 1999 at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born May 12, 1929 in Clemmons, N.C., the son of Harold and Jewell Davis Tucker. He married Dorothy Thornton September 9, 1950. She preceded him in death December 24, 1984...