Stories from Monday, September 18, 2000

When TG-USA Corp. opened in Perryville, it produced plastic transmission gears for Ford Motor Co. and steering wheels for Chrysler Corp. The company, 27 workers strong, operated out of a 48,000-square-foot building. That was in 1987. Today, the Japanese-owned company, complete with a new name TG Missouri Corp. ...

Three local cattle operations list Angus bulls in the 2000 Fall Sire Evaluation Report, issued by the American Angus Association, headquartered at St. Joseph, Mo. Mike Kasten of Millersville owns seven of the bulls listed in the report, Paul Meier of Jackson owns four, and PS High Pockets Association lists one...

Professional Real Estate Inspections LLC has opened in Cape Girardeau. The new business, owned by Dan Little and John Sarff, is a full-time home inspection businesses, offers home buyers a complete written report, follow-up consultations and radon testing...

An estate planning for family businesses seminar will be held Sept. 28 at Glenn Auditorium in Robert A. Dempster Hall. The one-day seminar, co-sponsored by the Donald L. Harrison College of Business and the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Small Business Management, is designed specifically to provide members and key employees of closely held family businesses with information and techniques to assist them in perpetuating the growth of their business...

Wholesale prices fell for the first time in four months and Americans spent more cautiously in August, increasing the odds that the Federal Reserve won't raise interest rates for the rest of the year. Taken together, Thursday's reports show that the Fed's 15-month string of interest-rate increases is working to ward off inflation and keep the record-breaking economy on an even keel, economists said...

U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. said Thursday it is investing $600 million to double its stake in Suzuki Motor Co., its latest effort to expand in the Asian auto market. GM's investment for the additional 10 percent stake in Suzuki will come mostly from a new-share issue by Suzuki, the companies said at a news conference...

Ever wonder who finds those great locations you see in commercials and movies? It could be you! The Missouri Film Commission is taking its "Missouri Movie Scout" program on the road this year, conducting seminars meant to help communities learn about the film industry...

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. Online brokerages have it. The Chicago Stock Exchange has it. And, before too long, the New York Stock Exchange may have it. What is "it"? It's after-hours trading. And it soon may be so prevalent that the term "after hours" may become meaningless...

COMMERCE, Mo. -- Christmas will come early at the Yule Log Cabin, at River Ridge Christmas Tree Farm this year. The season opens Saturday at the farm. This marks the 11th season for the log cabin, which offers a remote rustic setting for a Christmas shop, which offers Christmas trees and gifts...

Cammie Seabaugh is the new owner of Special Effects Beauty Salon, 2532 William in Cape Girardeau. Seabaugh, a stylist with Special Effects for more than 12 years, has received numerous honors from the salon, including "Stylist of the Year" and "Retailer of the Year."...

Cindy Henson of Cape Girardeau has joined Special Effects Beauty Salon, 2532 William in Cape Girardeau as a nail technician. Henson, a graduate of Stage One The Hair School in Cape Gir-ardeau, has more than four years experience. She previously worked with lan Day Spa and Esthetic Centre here...

Jay Knudtson, commercial banking client manager for Bank of America at Cape Girardeau, has been promoted to senior vice president. Steve Taylor, president of Bank of America here, announced Knudtson's promotion recently. As commercial banking client manager, Knudtson leads a team responsible for delivering a full spectrum of financial capabilities and expertise to commercial clients...

Scott McCord has joined Personnel Support, 618 Bellevue, in Cape Girardeau, as marketing/recruiting executive. McCord is a recent graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, with a B.A. in mass communications, with a marketing management minor...

Michele Strokoff has been named as design consultant for custom window treatment at Budget Blinds, located in Plaza Way in Cape Girardeau. Strokoff recently moved to the area from Tampa, Fla. She has 18 years of experience, from kitchen cabinet manufacturing to total interior designs and home furnishing needs...

Their small-town character, supply of good jobs and freedom from stress earned both Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Mo., high marks in a report by an online newsletter. The Demograhics Daily ranked Cape Girardeau and Jackson among 141 "dreamtowns" in the United States. Cape Girardeau ranked 37th. Jackson's ranking was unavailable...

In 1964, the Ford Motor Co. rolled a new car off its production lines. It was nothing new for the nation's major auto manufacturer, except Ford had a dream pinned on this car. The company hoped it would take the auto industry by storm. Named after the free-spirited wild horse that roamed the Western Plains, Ford's sporty Mustang rolled out of Ford's automotive stables on April 17, 1964...

Whether you were looking for the car of your dreams or the car you remember cruising in as a teen-ager, you could have found it Sunday at Capaha Park. More than 200 cars and trucks from early Roadsters to brand new models were registered in the 23rd annual River City Rodders car show. A few were even for sale...

Some Missouri schoolteachers wonder why more information is not available regarding a state program to reduce interest rates on student loans. The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, or MOHELA, developed a rate relief program in July to benefit the state's schoolteachers...

Ongoing projects:...

Prayer rallies and Christian activities on school campuses can have a much greater impact for young people when entire communities work together, area youth ministers say. Several area ministers have worked out details and promoted the 11th annual "See You at the Pole" rally for Wednesday morning...

Winners were announced for two contests conducted at this week's SEMO District Fair. Dave Schmidt of Advance, Mo., correctly guessed Charlie the Belgian draft horse's weight. The prize was a ride during the draft horse and pony hitching competition...

The SEMO District Fair saw an increase in attendance at the 145th annual event. Pete Poe, who handled fair publicity, reported a combined total attendance of 103,101. That number was a 3 percent increase in attendance, Poe said. Friday night was the biggest night for attendance and Sunday, the opening day of the fair, showed the largest daytime attendance...

Winners in the SEMO District Fair livestock and 4-H judging were announced Sunday. Results are as follows: BEEF CATTLE Angus: Birk Beef Cattle, grand champion heifer; Richard Eggers Stock Farm, reserve champion heifer; Butch's Angus, grand champion bull; Butch's Angus, reserve champion bull...

Total domination is the only way to describe Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball victory over Murray State. Southeast cruised to a straight set win over the young, outgunned Lady Racers 15-7, 15-6,15-3 at Houck Field House Sunday afternoon. The Otahkians improved to 3-6 overall and 2-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play as they moved into a tie for first place in the league...

Southeast Missouri State University punter Jason Witczak has been named the Ohio Valley Conference special teams player of the week. Witczak averaged 43.0 yards on a career-high 11 punts to help lead the Indians to a 28-25 victory over 12th-ranked Illinois State. The junior had punts of 62, 58, 53 and 50 yards...

Erika Todd scored an unassisted goal in the first overtime period -- her third goal of the game -- to lead Southeast Missouri State University's women's soccer team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Western Illinois Sunday at Houck Stadium. The Otahkians improved their record to 4-1-1 as they have already matched their victory total for all of last year's inaugural season...

Two touchdown runs by Martez Bell led Cape Girardeau Central's freshmen football team to a 20-6 win over Perryville Saturday. Leading by only 6-0 at halftime, Central (1-1) scored twice in the second half to pull away. Quarterback Colin Sherman scored the other Central touchdown...

Agenda 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18 City Hall Public Hearings n Hearing to consider the rezoning of property addressed as 4881 Old Cape Road East from C-2; (General commercial) to R-2 (General Residential) as submitted by Alan Amtmann. Action Items Power and Light Committee...

Carol Lavene Blankenship, 70, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Sept. 17, 2000, at Southeast Hospital. Arrangements are pending at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- William "Ralph" Carlton, 89, of Scott City died Sunday, Sept. 17, 2000, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Dec. 19, 1910, at Pine Bluff, Ark., son of Louis J. and Bertha Baker Carlton. He and Velma "Juanita" Lambert were married June 5, 1931, at Cairo, Ill...

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Dolores Lillian Queathem, 72, of Perryville died Saturday, Sept. 16, 2000, at Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville. She was born July 15, 1928, at St. Louis, daughter of Glennon and Lillian Small Propst. She and Bernard Queathem were married June 5, 1948, at Perryville...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- John W. Pylate Jr., 78, of Caruthersville died Friday, Sept. 15, 2000, at his home. He was born Nov. 30, 1921, at Kosciusko, Miss., son of John W. Pylate Sr. and Ada Bell Stokes. He and Eris Parker were married in Aug. 18, 1940. She survives...

Paul W. Sprenger, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 16, 2000, at his home. He was born March 31, 1916, at Illmo, Mo., son of Joseph A. and Sophia Marie Albrecht Sprenger. He and Dorothy B. Schwab were married June 10, 1951, at Cape Girardeau. She died May 12, 1999...

Rhoda Rieman, 94, of Jackson, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 17, 2000, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. Arrangements announced by Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson...

I JUST read Jack Stapleton's column. What a wonderful description of Depression times, which should be a warning to our population. I remember when flour was rationed. Mama made corn cakes for breakfast. We kids loved them with honey, sorghum, maple syrup and butter, all from the farm. ...

Cape Girardeau County's never-ending inquiry into a way to provide countywide public transportation continues to drag on. It appears the effort will be delayed even longer while the County Commission and its newly appointed transit authority sort out whether a transit director should be hired, whether the commission or transit authority should do the hiring and where the money to pay a director should come from...

Cape Girardeau County officials this week will conduct the first of a series of informational meetings on countywide planning and zoning in preparation for a Nov. 7 vote on whether the county should adopt countywide planning. If approved, the County Commission could establish countywide zoning as well...

To the editor: In his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Al Gore said he would "reverse the trend of global warming." This sent me to my computer to see what I could discover about this so-called global warming. The Internet contained thousands of sites, and now I have a problem: What do I read and believe?...