Stories from Monday, August 21, 2000

Drury Inns Inc. has introduced the Drury Gold Key Club, a new awards program for frequent travelers. Members earn 10 points for every $1 spent during each stay at a Drury hotel, and can choose how to use them: For free room nights at any Drury hotel; as airline miles; to purchase gift certificates for over a dozen nationally known retailers; or for a resort or cruise package...

Southwest Airlines is offering St. Louis travelers fares of only $30 one way to the following nonstop destinations: Chicago, Ill., Midway, Cleveland, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, Detroit, Mich., Indianapolis, Ind., Kansas City, Mo., Little Rock, Ark., Louisville, Ky., Oklahoma City, Okla., Omaha, Neb., and Tulsa, Okla...

Countrywide Insurance Services Inc. is offering consumers the HomeSafe Protection Plan, an in-home mechanical breakdown insurance policy that protects a variety of appliances and systems not covered by most homeowners insurance. Countrywide has teamed with Sears HomeCentral to provide the repair and replacement services for the home systems and major appliances covered by the HomeSafe Plan. ...

Drury Southwest Corp.'s newest hotel, Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, the new extended-stay brand owned by Bass Hotels & Resorts Inc is open at I-410 and Jones-Maltaberger in San Antonio, Texas. The hotel is owned and developed by Drury Southwest and operated by Drury Inns, Inc...

Kara Westrich of Kelso, Mo., as joined Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority as a Collegiate Leadership Consultant for the 2000-2001 academic year. She will be assigned to a region of the country and will work with between 18 and 21 college chapters throughout the year by assisting them with leadership development, goal setting, programming and membership recruitment. CLCs also are a vital link in the growth of the Gamma Phi Beta by colonizing new chapters on campuses throughout North America...

Kathy Swan has been appointed to the Education Council Administrative Committee of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. The committee recommends policies to the board of directors of the Missouri Chamber concerning education and gives guidance, support and leadership to the education department's various projects and activities...

Brenda Birk of Jackson, an independent sales consultant for The Pampered Chef Ltd., recently attend the company's national conference at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill. More than 10,000 of the company's top achievers from across the nation attended the conference, which was a celebration of The Pampered Chef's 20th anniversary...

Marsha Elfrink of Cape Girardeau has joined the sales staff of Patrick Furniture in Cape Girardeau. She brings with her over five years experience in home furnishing sales and has lived in Cape Girardeau for the past 30 years. She and her husband, Matt, have two sons...

The Jana Jateff unit of Mary Kay Cosmetics held its annual recognition picnic. Queen of personal sales was Leslie Thresher of East Prairie, Mo., and queen of recruiting was Betsy Ferguson of Patton, Mo. Ron Eifert of Chaffee, Mo., was husband of the year, Julie Wehmeyer of Chicago was most consistent consult. Thresher was rookie of the year, Tammy Eifert of Chaffee was Miss Mary Kay Enthusiasm and Kay Waller of Cape Girard-eau was Miss Go Give...

Mary McBride has joined the staff of Regional Eyecare Center in Cape Gir-ardeau as public relations coordinator. She will assist business and industry with designing eyecare plans for their employees. She brings with her extensive experience in personnel management and industrial relations...

Tim Caldwell of Tamms, Ill., was recognized by Country Companies insurance group as 2000 All Stars. He is among a group of 229 top agents who received the distinction this year. The All Star is awarded in July to agents who excel during the first seven months of the year in identifying insurance products that fit clients needs...

Cassandra N. "Nikki" Wilson, certified public accountant, completed a three-day class on staff training. The course "Beginning In-Charge" featured information for accountants who have been in charge of at least two audits. She sharpened her skills in supervising engagements and reviewing working papers...

Ferrellgas will relocate their regional offices and local customer service department to Jackson, Mo., in the next few weeks. The company will move from 2112 William St. in Cape Girardeau to facilities at 2370 N. High St., U.S. 61 between Jackson and Fruitland. Mo...

Firstar Bank's Internet banking site, www.firstar.com, was named by "Microbanker Online" magazine as one of the top three customer friendly bank Web sites. Firstar ranked third of 51 banks analyzed by the Internet banking magazine. There are about 3,000 bank Web sites in the United States, according to the FDIC, but only about 500 offer interactive banking functions for customers to do everything from view their account balance to pay bills, apply for a loan or other banking services...

Jana Jateff, senior sales director with Mary Kay Cosmetics, has returned from Dallas, Texas, where she was honored in the National Queens Court of sales for outstanding sales for the year. She was presented with a one-carat diamond and amethyst ring and for her accomplishment and her 11th company car for outstanding unit sales volume. She has been with Mary Kay for more than 17 years...

Nancy Backfish of Scott City, Mo., has been selected as the JTPA Alumni of the year by the Workforce Investment Board of Southeast Missouri. She will be honored with a special recognition from Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan at the Governor's Conference in October...

Millie Pruitt works out of her home. Neva Kay Ross works in a retail store. But both Cape Girardeau women find their jobs as seamstresses a good fit, taking pride in altering clothes. It's a job that few people want to do these days, particularly young people. Pruitt is 55 years old. Ross is 64...

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. To achieve your long-term financial goals, you need to do a good job of saving and accumulating money. Sounds simple, right? But it's proven to be difficult for a great many people...

SBC Communications Inc. has been recognized by IDG's "CIO" magazine as a global leader in leveraging information technology to improve customer-oriented business practices. SBC received the 2000 CIO-100 Award for its achievements in providing its customers with online service, shopping, purchase and payment options...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Miss Missouri, a record number of talent show competitors, the Miss Homecomers Pageant, entertainment, carnival rides, good food and cold beverages can only add up to one thing: Homecomers. Miss Missouri, Arron Wendel of Ray County, will make an appearance at 6:30 p.m. ...

New students at Southeast Missouri State University need to find their way around campus but also to find their way around town. The university and Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce sponsored a picnic Sunday afternoon at Capaha Park to welcome back the students and introduce them to the community...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Surrounded by sedans, trucks and mini-vans, the 1982 Seagrave with a 300-horsepower diesel engine seems out of place in a used car lot. "Everything on it works," said salesman Jay Smith of Bening Motor Co., "but it probably wouldn't qualify as a fire truck to work in Cape Girardeau or Jackson."...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Mention the Jackson School District, and the ears of this community automatically perk up. As with most small communities, the school system and its activities take precedence, regardless of whether it's the next home football game or the regional band competition...

Jolene Braeuner has all the first-day-of-school jitters new students experience, which is to be expected because she's a little unsure about what classes will be like at her new high school. Unlike many students in the region who return to classes today in familiar settings, Braeuner, a sophomore, will be among the first students at Saxony Lutheran High School...

Agenda NEEDS BULLETS 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21 City hall Public Hearings n Hearing to consider the proposed General Revenue, Parks and Recreations, Cemetery and Band Tax Rates for 2000 as proposed to be set by the mayor and Board of Aldermen. n Hearing to consider the proposed Library Tax Rate for 2000 as proposed to be set by the mayor and Board of Aldermen...

Yvette Wattigney of St. Louis had a hole-in-one Sunday on the 108-yard, No. 12 hole at Kimbeland Country Club during the annual Jacks and Jennies Tournament.

Cape Girardeau Central and Charleston will look to continue a pair of amazing streaks during the 2000 area high school girls tennis season. Central has gone 12-0 in dual matches each of the past four years, and all four of those seasons were capped by Class 4A district titles. The Lady Tigers have won 50 straight dual competitions...

Clara Kiehne, 105, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at the Lutheran Home. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

ANNA, Ill. -- Frank Pitts, 82, of Anna died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born June 4, 1918, in Anna, son of Oakley and Bessie Harper Pitts. He and LaVeda Fritz were married July 13, 1946, in Anna. Pitts was a member of the First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ill., member and past governor of Anna Moose Lodge #1346, and member of Bakers and Confectionary Workers Local #199. He was retired from Bunny Bread in Anna...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Ethel "MeeMaw" Pettit, 84, of Tamms died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2000, at Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. She was born Feb. 14, 1916, at Elco, Ill., daughter of John and Josie Brown Smithey. She and Ray Pettit were married in 1936. He died in 1975...

ROCKVIEW, Mo. -- Sharon Sue Mays, 58, of Rockview died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 9, 1942, at St. Louis, daughter of Harry and Dorothy Nelson Gibson. She and Thomas Sheppard Sr. were married near Bloomfield, Mo. He died March 10, 1967...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Richard O. Reed, 86, of Cobden, Ill., died Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000, at Carbondale Health and Rehab Center in Carbondale, Ill. Funeral arrangements are pending at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Cobden.

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- Fred Trankle died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at his home in Leopold. Friends may call from 4-9 p.m. today at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill. Funeral arrangements are still incomplete.

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Russell Elmo Jackson, 76, of East Prairie died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. He was born Jan. 30, 1924, in New Madrid County, son of Daniel and Jessie Lee French Jackson. He and Allene Elizabeth Bright were married Dec. 30, 1954...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Charles E. Lang, 58, of Urbandale, Ill., died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 28, 1941, at Cairo, son of Henry M. and Pearl Gill Lang. He was a retired construction laborer. He had served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a member of Laborers Local 773 in Cairo...

Larry Dean Kondrad, 61, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2000, at his home. He was born April 14, 1939, at St. Louis, son of Harry and Louise McLain Kondrad. Kondrad had been a warehouseman for SuperValue in Scott City and a courtesy driver for Auffenberg Motors. He had served in the U.S. Army...

ALTO PASS, Ill. -- David Loren Fear, 89, of Alto Pass died Sunday, Aug. 20, 2000, at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements are pending at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Alto Pass.

I read the article about upside-down tomatoes with much interest because I tried that one time. I have one question: Why? If you are going to put them in a pot, why not put them in right and set them on a patio or under a tree or in any other nice location and let them grow upright instead of down...

The Salvation Army could use some help in trying to stop unthinking people who drop off donations to its thrift store at 610 Independence when the store is closed. The unsolicited practice is costing the agency valuable staff time and money. Most of the items, particularly furniture, must be hauled to a landfill. ...

Because they rely heavily on local tax revenue, most school districts in Missouri find themselves financially strapped from time to time. The latest among schools in that condition in the region is Chaffee. The Chaffee School District last year built additional classrooms, a cafeteria and activity center at the high school, spending $1.3 million in the process. ...

To the editor: Recently a friend offered a young man walking on the side of the road a ride to a local shelter. The man had been walking all day and was heading toward Texas where his brother had a job waiting for him. He was simply looking for a place to spend the night before continuing on his way...