Stories from Monday, November 8, 1999

Barnes & Noble Inc. is buying a 49 percent stake in iUniverse.com Inc., a Web-based publisher that helps aspiring authors get their books printed and sold. The companies declined to disclose the terms of Tuesday's deal, which is Barnes & Noble's biggest push into the publishing business yet. The New York-based company does own a small publishing house and also publishes books under its own imprint...

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. Everyone has financial goals -- a new car, a new home, college for their children, a comfortable retirement. But not everyone achieves their goals. Those who do usually have two things in common: They make a plan, and they carry it out...

Cindy Armstrong has been named manager of Goody's Family Clothing in the Cape West Plaza. Armstrong has been with Goody's 18 months, starting as an assistant manager at the Sikeston store in May 1998. She was promoted to open the Rolla store in October 1998, and transferred to the Cape Girardeau store in July as store manager...

Kwik Kopy Printing, 112 S. Broadview, Cape Girardeau, has received the Award of Excellence in Printing from Quick Printing Magazine. Jane and Richard Daume, owners of Kwik Kopy here, received the award during the annual International Center for Entrepreneurial Development Inc. (ICED) international conference and trade show, held recently at Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Fla...

Donna J. Domian, a Cape Girardeau investment representative for Edward Jones, has been honored for job performance. Domian was selected to attend a three-day managing partner's conference at the firm's headquarters in St. Louis for a discussion with John Bachmann, Edward Jones' managing partner, on issues facing the firm and the financial-services industry...

Rod Jetton of Marble Hill, and Patty Boyers and Scott Lady, both of Poplar Bluff, recently attended the Missouri Small Business Summit, held at Jefferson City. The summit, sponsored by the Missouri chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business attracted more than 80 small business owners to discuss issues and develop a "Small Business Legislative Agenda" for the coming legislative session...

A group from Century 21 Ashland Realty Co. recently attended the Century 21 System's Fourth Quarter Solution Series '99 Workshop and Conference, held at Lake of the Ozarks. In attendance were Dana Leming, Chuck Leming, Thelma Annis, Herb Annis, Cheryl Huffman, Sandy Bruendermann, Carl Blanchard, Dale Wolfenkoehler, Ken Inman, Howard Alexander and Richard Ryan...

The Small Business Development Center will hold counseling sessions at Cape Girardeau, Sikeston and Perryville this month. The counselor, Gil Degenhardt, will be available Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office. The counseling sessions are free. Call 335-3312 for appointment...

The government's plan to regulate air bags in future cars would avoid up to 95 percent of bag-caused deaths, officials said last week. Air bags have been blamed for 146 deaths mainly young, unbelted children and some shorter women -- in low-speed crashes they should have survived, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The government credits air bags with saving more than 4,700 lives in serious, high-speed crashes...

Union Planters Corp., headquartered at Memphis, Tenn., has announced third-quarter net earnings of $109.5 million, with diluted earnings per share at 76 cents. This compares to $14.2 million and 10 cents per share during the same period in 1998. Results for the prior year were reduced by merger-related charges...

"Buying Recycled: The Real Story About Cost, availability and Quality," a video satellite program, will be presented Tuesday from 9 to noon at the University Extension center at 815 S. Hope (Highway 25), in Jackson. The forum is being sponsored locally by the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension, The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce...

Revlon Inc. has hired Jeffrey M. Nugent as president and chief executive, hoping the former president of Neutrogena Corp. can give the cosmetics and hair-care products company a facelift. Revlon's top executive, George Fellows, submitted his resignation to the board after more than a year of dismal performance and a failed attempt to find a buyer...

Southwestern Bell's parent company, SBC Communications Inc., has been named 1999 "Corporation of the Year" by the National Minority Supplier Development Council for providing opportunities for minority business suppliers.Since 1994, SBC has increased in spending with certified minority-owned businesses by 117 percent.In 1998, SBC spent $1.3 billion, more than 20 percent of its procurement base, with minority, women-owned and disabled veteran-owned suppliers...

Bangert Ford Tractor of Jackson is a local sponsor for a special two-hour telecast of the National Finals Rodeo from Las Vegas.The coverage will be broadcast on ESPN in December, and will feature top Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association athletes competing in bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping and bull riding.Rodeo participants will win more than $2 million prizes...

Bill Seifert, service manager at Wieser Honda in Cape Girardeau, has received national recognition from American Honda Motor Co.Seifert qualified as a district Honda Service Professional. The recognition program offers two achievements levels -- district and zone.Each level requires managers to meet tenure requirements, recognized employee achievements, participate in training, run a profitable service department and receive outstanding customer scores...

More than Half of the cotton harvested in Missouri is placed into giant modules 32 feet long, 18 feet wide and contain 10 to 15 bales of cotton.some cotton is dumped into wagons or trucks for transportation to the cotton gin. The cotton harvest in Southeast Missouri is almost completed -- at least 96 percent, says David Ensley, an agricultural statistician for the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Services.A few gins are still working, but some will close gin operations early this week."There's still a few modules out there," said one gin operator.More than half of the state's cotton is placed into giant modules 32 feet long and 18 feet wide.With four-row and five-row cotton harvesters, the module idea has caught on among major cotton producers in the mid-1990s.Using special module equipment, farmers can put 10, 12 and 15 bales into a module, which is covered and can be left in the field for several days.Cotton gins have special trucks designed to haul the 15,000- to 22,000-pound modules to the gin.Cotton's role in economyCotton's role in the Southeast Missouri and U.S. ...

Cindy Seyer, CRT, has been named director for respiratory care services at Southeast Missouri Hospital.Seyer has been employed at Southeast 17 years. She received her certification in respiratory care in 1982 from the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School, and is pursuing a registry degree in respiratory therapy.Seyer previously served as education coordinator for respiratory care services.She succeeds Tony Mengwasser, who has accepted a position elsewhere in Missouri.She also serves as vice president of the Missouri Society for Respiratory Care, District 5.. ...

Tom Schreiner, a senior networking specialist with Innovative Idea Integration, LLC, Jackson, has completed the Microsoft certified systems engineer (MCSE) certification.MCSE engineers are required to pass four operating system exams and a two elective exams for certification.Innovative Idea Integration was founded in 1993 as a multi-faceted technology organization to provide information and hardware services to clients. ...

Ten people were named as delegates and alternates for MFA Oil at the Jackson bulk plant recently, during the company's annual meeting.They are Roy McGuire and Charles Schabbing, both of Cape Girardeau; Kenneth Stevens, McClure, Ill.; Larry Borgfield, Bob Klaproth, Paul Dirnberger Jr., and Milton Nitsch, all of Jackson; Dewayne Birk of Burfordville; William Beggs Jr., Kelso; and Herb Seiler, Benton.More than 130 people attended the annual MFA Oil annual meeting.David Dunlap, district sales manager, MFA Oil, was guest speaker.MFA Oil has completed its 70th year in business.. ...

Walter and Gerra Stone of Professional Fashion Uniforms of Cape Girardeau, attended the Professional Apparel Association's annual meeting at Las Vegas.Uniform manufacturers and retailers from across the nation attended the event, where new lines of uniforms and accessories were introduced...

Keith Inman has joined Century 21 the Ashland Realty as a sales associate.Inman has lived in Cape Girardeau more than 25 years and has several years of experience in sales..Inman is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University.

Joe Sherinski is good at many things: landscaping, gardening, making beer, talking. He is a handy man to have around the house and especially around the yard. Some TV executives think so. Gardening and landscaping segments produced by Cape Girardeau's Red Letter Communications and featuring the affable Sherinski are being broadcast to a potential audience of nearly 1 million viewers...

"A Night on Broadway," a student revue of contemporary Broadway tunes, may be a preview of some interesting things to come once music, theater, dance and other arts are consolidated at Southeast's planned River Campus. The show consisting of 17 scenes from 11 musicals will be presented at 8 p.m. Thursday at Academic Auditorium. Admission will be charged...

On-again, off-again plans for demolishing old St. Francis Hospital and the Marquette Hotel are off again for now pending possible developments. A company has said it plans to tear down the old hospital and put up affordable apartments. The new owner of the old hotel has said he wants to renovate the building so it can be used as a hotel again...

After having been called to task over how it has kept track of its money, federal funding for the Southeast Missouri Weed and Seed program appears to be back on track. The U.S. Justice Department had suspended funding for the neighborhood crime-fighting program in September after its full-time director, Calvin Bird, left. ...

That picture of Gov. Mel Carnahan in blackface wouldn't have fooled citizens of Rolla back in 1960 even if most had never heard of Sammy Davis Jr. or Little Richard. Lost and found: If you're unable to locate old photos, family momentoes and forgotten treasures, just run for office. The other side will find them for you...

Thomas S. Wright, 70, formerly of Charleston, Jefferson City and Farmington died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, at the Fountainbleau Lodge at Cape Girarflict and the Vietnam War. He was then employed with the Missouri Department of Corrections at Jefferson City to 1986, then transferred to FarmSt. ...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Earl A. Williamson, 95, of Mounds died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, at his home.Arrangements are pending at Barkett Funeral Home in Mounds.

BERTRAND -- Jack F. Laughlin, 86, of Bertrand died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, at the Bertrand Nursing Facility. He was born Oct. 1, 1913, at Linn Creek, son of Edgar Leslie and Della Etta Hanks Laughlin. He and Bonnie Jean Inman were married Oct. 13, 1934. She died Oct. 20, 1973. He and Oline Stopher were married in April 1976...

Samuel Wesley Rhodes, 69, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, at the V.A. Medical Center at Marion, Ill.Funeral arrangements are pending at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

Cape GirardeauMonday, Nov. 8 DWIChad Christopher Jokerst, 24, of 1522 Elfrink was arrested Sunday on a complaint of driving while intoxicated. He also was cited for leaving the scene of an accident and striking a parked vehicle. Dar Joseph Voss, 49, of Cape Girdeau was arrested Sunday at Good Hope and Middle streets on a driving while intoxicated complaint...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sam Elias, 75, of Cairo died Sunday, Nov. 7, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Aug. 21, 1924, at Cairo, son of Sam and Nora Saliba Elias Sr. He was co-owner of Elias Family Center at Cairo and was a member of the Cairo Baptist Church, Cairo Elks Lodge 651, Cairo Masonic Lodge 237, Ainad Shrine Temple and the K.I.M. ...