Stories from Monday, April 17, 2000

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan joined Labor Secretary Alexis Herman on Tuesday in a call for better job training and recruitment programs to satisfy a shortage of skilled workers. With unemployment near 4 percent, the lowest in three decades, U.S. jobs are plentiful and some companies report having trouble finding qualified workers to fill positions. However, many unskilled workers are still encountering barriers to finding a job -- or one with good wages and benefits...

A.G. Edwards has reported record revenues and earnings for 1999. For the fiscal year that ended Feb. 29, net earnings were $383 million, up 31 percent from the 1998 fiscal revenues of $292 million. Revenues for 1999 were $2.8 billion, versus $2.2 billion last year...

The five interest rate increases the Federal Reserve has engineered since June were needed to keep inflation under control, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan said Friday in remarks widely viewed as signaling more rate increases to come. Greenspan, speaking to a National Technology Forum in St. Louis last week, said that while inflation remains well-behaved, it was critical to stay on guard to prevent the strong economy from generating inflation problems...

Commerce Bancshares Inc. announced record earnings of $41.3 million for the first quarter, ending March 31, an increase of 12 percent from the $38.7 million during the same period in 1998. Per-share earnings were 66 cents, up from the 59 cents of last year. The return on assets for the quarter was 1.49 percent, and the return on equity was 15.2 percent...

S &W Productions of Paducah, Ky., has won a "Telly Award" for the production of a video entitled, "Welcome to Cape Girardeau." The video introduces newcomers to their new hometown and provides newcomers with information they need to know to make their move easier...

The Missouri Governor's Economic Summit, "Show-Me Women in Business" will be held April 27 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia. Aida Alvarez, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be guest speaker. The summit is co-sponsored by the Missouri Women's Council, Department of Economic Development and State Treasurer's Bob Holden's office...

Hundreds of thousands of Americans age 65 through 69 will be able to earn as much money as they want without losing Social Security benefits under a bill signed Friday by President Clinton that repeals a Depression-era penalty. The elimination of the so-called earnings test will mean an additional $6,700 in payments this year on average for some 800,000 recipients who are working and another 100,000 who haven't sought benefits because they have jobs, the Social Security Administration says...

Charles Drury Sr. was almost too late to rescue three downtown St. Louis buildings from the "headache ball." Wreckers were already at work demolishing three buildings at Fourth and Market Streets in downtown St. Louis when Drury happened across the property...

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. Not too many years ago, "retirement" meant a true cessation from work, but today more and more retired people are choosing to consult, work part time or even open a small business. ...

They still make shoes at Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Liberty, St. Louis, and a dozen other places in Missouri. In past years, Missouri was among the nation's top shoe-producing states, with hundreds of factories and thousands of workers. A list compiled last year shows the nation had only 133 shoemakers...

Tuesday and Wednesday Missouri Industry of the Year awards and Missouri Industry Day, Jefferson City. Tuesday Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours, Drury Lodge, 5 p.m. Wednesday Business Counseling sessions, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m...

First National Bank has appointed Gary Lossing as insurance producer for the bank's financial subsidiary, The First National Insurance Agency. Although appointed to handle all insurance lines, Lossing's main focus will be commercial property and casualty lines of insurance. He will maintain an office in the Cape Girardeau bank, handling commercial insurance business in Cape Girardeau County and areas north...

Karen Sisk, a registered nurse from Sikeston, recently joined the staff of the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri. She will provide health care to patients in their own homes throughout Mississippi, Scott, Stoddard, Butler and part of New Madrid counties...

Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty agents Terri Penrod and Jon Knehans have received the "Graduate of the Realtor Institute" designation by the Missouri Association of Realtors. Penrod is the top producing sales associate for Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty and president of the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors. Knehans is a local and state director for the Cape County Board of Realtors and specializes in commercial sales...

Corena Miller of Chaffee has joined the sales staff at Sleepy Hollow Furniture Centre, 1809 N. Kingshighway. Miller is experienced in sales. She was previously an owner of The Sewing Basket, a Cape Girardeau quilt shop for more than five years.

Dave Barry, a nationally syndicated columnist and best-selling author, will provide the Professional Secretaries Day workshop via satellite next week. Barry will join two work place experts -- Dr. Frank McClusky and Andrea Nierenberg -- to present "Overcoming Overload: Strategies for Staying on Top," a special briefing for administrative professionals...

Robert Janota, president of Inter-Rail Systems Inc., which provides management of commercial and industrial wastes and by-products -- hazardous and nonhazardous -- has received the "Excellence in Business Award" from the Missouri Small Business Development Center...

A tattered bear, a well-worn baseball glove, a faded photograph these and other mementos placed alongside The Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Washington, D.C., help many bridge the final gap to peace. And the ability to lovingly trace a name among the 58,219 names etched on the structure is the closure many people need...

For $6 million, Southeast Missouri State University will name its new River Campus visual and performing arts school after you. For those whose pockets aren't that deep, other naming options range from $3 million for the performance hall to $10,000 for a dance dressing room/shower...

A father and his son were injured in an automobile accident Sunday afternoon near the Mississippi River bridge. Ronald Matlock, 32, and William Ray Brown, 8, were both injured when Matlock lost control of his vehicle and ran up onto a median and struck a sign and a street light...

It all depends on your point of view: One man's trash is another man's treasure. With piles of trash lining the curbs of Cape Girardeau, this is your chance to uncover a treasure. For a week each spring, the city's Public Works Department will haul away -- for free -- nearly anything you place at the curb...

JACKSON -- A natural depression in a subdivision development called Savannah Woods would have made a good stormwater detention basin. In heavy rains, water would have gathered in the basin instead of running downhill and taking topsoil with it. But the City of Jackson does not have a stormwater detention ordinance, and the developer is using the land for other purposes. ...

Spring storms spread across Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon and evening. Several severe storm warnings and watches were issued by the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. No tornadoes touched ground in the region, but a funnel cloud was spotted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol near Sikeston at 7:15 p.m. An earlier storm cell moved through Stoddard County into parts of Cape Girardeau and Scott counties before weakening...

Part of Bloomfield Road and a section of Silver Springs Road will be closed while construction crews work on widening and rebuilding Bloomfield Road. The project is part of the current Transportation Trust Fund program. Motorists should seek alternate routes this week while the roads are closed...

Cape Girardeau Police arrested a Wisconsin man Sunday in connection with a robbery at a clothing store. The suspect also led police on a chase through the city late Saturday night. Ryan R. Garrison, 20, of 3465 N. 15th St., in Milwaukee, Wis., was arrested Sunday on Cape Girardeau warrants on charges of tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, misdemeanor stealing, making a false declaration, seven counts of failing to stop at a traffic light, and failing to drive on the right side of the road,. ...

Contracting for new construction dipped a bit in March, but overall construction in Cape Girardeau has topped first-quarter figures of 1999. The latest month's data revealed 38 permits, with a value of about $1,458,000, down from the March 1999 totals of almost two million dollars...

Monday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. Council Chambers, 401 Independence Study session at 5 p.m. Public hearings Consent ordinances (Second and third readings) New ordinances (First reading) Resolutions (Reading and passage) Appointments Liquor licenses Original package liquor, wine tasting and Sunday sales...

Expansion of the Army Reserve from St. Louis to Cape Girardeau will provide a boost to an already robust local economy. Two new engineer units of the 348th Group will be established in Southeast Missouri. About 124 reservists will be assigned to Cape Girardeau and 33 at Poplar Bluff. ...

In view of all the findings over the past four decades concerning the health hazards of smoking, few would argue anymore that smoking won't hurt you. So great are the hazards that the federal government has made it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 18. Smoking is banned in most public buildings and businesses to protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. And courts all across the land are awarding billions of dollars for smoking-related damages...

To the editor: This is an invitation to your readers to call, fax, e-mail or send a letter to your legislators in Jefferson City and let them know you would like to see Senate Bill 944 become law. This is the second proposal for a bill to set a minimum salary for teachers. It is still alive and well...

MARTIN, Tenn. -- Tommy Thomas came up just a bit short of an unbelievable pitching accomplishment -- but that was about all that went wrong for Southeast Missouri State University's baseball team here Sunday. Thomas, a junior right-hander, lost his bid for a no-hitter with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Indians completed a three-game weekend sweep of Tennessee-Martin by posting a 16-0 romp...

It was a rough year for Southeast Missouri State University's women's tennis team, but at least the Otahkians ended the season on a positive note. Southeast defeated Eastern Illinois 7-2 Sunday in the final collegiate match played at the Parker courts. The Otahment in Nash-2...

Raymond A. Kassel, 75, of St. Charles, a resident of Frohna for 37 years, died Friday, April 14, 2000, at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles. He was born Jan. 22, 1925, in Farrar, the son of Henry and Erna Kassel. He married Fern Kassel on July 11, 1954, in Farrar...

THEBES, Ill. -- Martha Callis, 87, of Thebes and formerly of Miller City died Saturday, April 16, 2000, at Beverly Health Care Center at Cape Girardeau. She was born May 25, 1912, at Miller City, daughter of Mide and Venus Morningstar Waterman. She and Sidney "Red" Callis were married in 1940. He died Feb. 2, 1995...

GLEN ALLEN -- Carl Wade Little, 44, of Glen Allen died Saturday, April 15, 2000, at his home. He was the son of Clyde William and Ola Mae "Jean" Goodwin Little. On Sept. 15, 1979, he and Brenda Fox were married. Little had worked for the Lutesville Pallet Co. He was of the Baptist faith and had served in the U.S. Army...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Darrell Ray Sims, 38, of Jonesboro died Saturday, April 15, 2000, at his home. He was born June 23, 1961, at Murphysboro, son of Karroll Gene and Lena Mae Clutts Sims. He and Barbara Simmerman were married May 7, 1980, at Grand Tower...

Floyd H. Huckabee, 80, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, April 16, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born April 4, 1920, at Pocahontas, Ark., son of John H. and Vernie Bishop Huckabee. He and Wyvonna Marie Jackson were married June 14, 1947, at Pocahontas...

Bernice E. Moneyhun, 95, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, April 16, 2000, at the Ratliff Care Center. Funeral arrangements are pending at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.