Stories from Sunday, May 3, 1992

Does an independent have a snowball's chance in hell of being elected president? No. Why does someone run in spite of history's teaching? He's a snowball. Theodore Roosevelt was the most successful independent back in 1912. He was a national figure of heroic proportions. ...

There's good news to report this week on the condition of Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Gene Huckstep, who has recently been through a scare concerning kidney dysfunction. Week before last, Gene checked into a Memphis hospital for treatment of blockages to the arteries that serve the kidneys. Early reports had indicated that the right kidney was completely shut down, and might have to be surgically removed, while the other kidney's function was also imperiled by an arterial blocakge...

Though its fundamental tenet liberty is quite simple, America remains a complicated nation. It is sprawling both geographically and philosophically, and slowly yet perpetually changing. National attitudes evolve with events and shifting demographics. ...

The Cape Girardeau Area Personnel Association will meet May 20 at noon at the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School. Nancy Witvoet, assessment coordinator, will discuss the uses of various testing in hiring employees, team building and promoting...

Under the goal post at Cape Girardeau Central High School's Lou Muegge football field, Josh Crowell and Lynn Underwood were married Friday. The CHS seniors exchanged mock vows. Underwood presented her groom with a candy ring, and Crowell surprised guests by actually kissing the bride ... on the cheek...

A Cape Girardeau native who is a member of the Los Angeles Police Department's SWAT team believes violence is lessening, but he's not sure it's over. Bob Kain, 31, has been a member of the city's Special Weapons And Tactics team for a year and a half...

Supporters of an independent presidential bid by Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot held a petition drive kickoff Saturday in several counties of the 8th Congressional District. Mike Ponder, 8th District coordinator, said Saturday afternoon he was optimistic that before the day was over supporters would be close to the 4,048 signatures needed in this district to have Perot's name placed on the November ballot...

America's love affair with John F. Kennedy began with his election in November 1960 and was still going strong at the time of his death in November 1963, says author and historian James N. Giglio, professor of history at Southwest Missouri State University at Springfield...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting Monday afternoon to discuss teacher salaries and one of the district's budget cuts, elimination of a band director. The board will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the Central High School auditorium...

Lowell's Jewelers and Distributors is closing operations in Cape Girardeau and Marion, Ill. "We'll close when we sell the inventory," said Nancy O'Brien, a spokesperson for the firm. "We don't know how long this will take, but once the inventory is liquidated the doors will close forever."...

A buyer for First Exchange Bank Corp. could be announced by the end of this week, according to a report Friday in the St. Louis Business Journal. Boatmen's Bancshares and Mercantile Bancorporation have been mentioned as potential buyers. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. began soliciting bids for the bank company last month, which has three banks in Southeast Missouri and two in St. Louis County...

Vocal and piano recitals will be held today at Bethel Assembly of God Church on Perryville. Those performing are students of the Don and Janet Presson Studio. Recitals are planned at 1 and at 3 p.m. with receptions following each performance. The public is invited to attend...

At age 69, most people are thinking about retirement, but Tom Reddick of New Madrid has been working on his college degree. He will graduate from Southeast Missouri State University Saturday. "After graduation, I plan to write my resume and look into job prospects. I may be nearly 70 years old, but I don't want to quit. I still have interests and goals," Reddick said...

PERRYVILLE -- Evelyn G. Tyler, 89, of Perryville died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at the American Care Center in Perryville. She was born Feb. 7, 1913, at Brownfield, Maine, the daughter of George and Susie Stiles Norton. She was married to James Tyler, who preceded her in death. In 1989, she moved to Perryville from Maine...

Two Jackson youths were injured, one critically, following a one-car accident that occurred early Friday morning on Route W, near the northern edge of the Cape Girardeau city limits. The accident caused a 50-minute power outage that affected more than 500 Union Electric customers...

DEXTER -- Thelma Grindstaff, 67, of Dexter died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 21, 1925 in Berryville, Va., daughter of Earl and Virginia Kennon Lichliter. She had been a resident of Route 3 Dexter the past 12 years and was serving as vice-chairman of the Stoddard County Republican Party. ...

CARBONDALE - Ethelyn Cline Brown, 89, of Indianapolis, Ind., died Friday May 1, 1992 in Frankfort, Ind. She had previously lived in Carbondale and Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 4, 1902 in Nardin, Ok. the daughter of William and Mary Martin Cline. She was married to Dr. George E. Brown, who died in 1991...

MARBLE HILL -- Wilford A. AuBuchon, 67, of Marble Hill died Saturday, May 2, 1992 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born in St. Louis on April 20, 1925, the son of Willis A. and Elzona Skaggs AuBuchon. On June 29, 1975, he married Virginia Waisner. She survives...

Josie M. Frazier, 71, of 327 S. Lorimier, died unexpectedly at her home Saturday May 2, 1992. She was a lifelong resident of Delta and Cape Girardeau. She was born June 20, 1921 in Delta, the daughter of Homer Surface and Cora Bass Surface. On Oct. 22, 1945 she married James E. Frazier in Jackson, who died on Nov. 8, 1990. Mrs. Frazier was of the Baptist faith...

CHARLESTON -- Carl Jackson of Wilson City died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at his home. He was 101. He was born Oct. 31, 1890, in Camden, Tenn., and had lived in Mississippi County for more than 58 years. He was a member of Sander Chapel AME Church in Wyatt, of Banner Lodge 14 and was an army veteran of World War I...

Eleanor Anne Gutherz, 412 S. Spring, Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, May 2, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The funeral will be Monday in Grand Chain, Ill...

Amzie Knight of Glen Allen died Saturday, May 2, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was 78. Arrangements, which are incomplete, are being handled by Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel.

EAST PRAIRIE -- Rose Ethel Dorris, 70, of East Prairie, died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Feb. 16, 1922, in Tipton County, Tenn., daughter of Cary and Annie Stivers Shankle. She married James A. Dorris May 29, 1939. He died Sept. 7, 1988...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Morrison of Frisco, Texas, HCA Medical Center of Plano, Texas, 8:02 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, 1992. Name, Matthew Everett. Weight, 8 pounds 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Morrison is the former Sherry Kunkel, daughter of Harry and Joyce Kunkel of Corpus Christi, Texas. She is a merchandise support assistant at JCPenney in Dallas, Texas. Morrison is a service technician at Ron's Heating and Air Conditioning of Dallas, and is the son of Lynn and Helen Morrison of Jackson...

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Esther G. Smithey, 88, of Mound City, died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She married William Smithey, who died in 1971. Smithey was a member of the Pentecostal Church. Survivors include two daughters, Shelby Green and Betty Harp of Mound City; a son, Wayne Smithey of Granite City, Ill.; a sister, Pearl Atkinson of St. Louis; five grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren...

SIKESTON -- Sue N. Rollins, 88, of Sikeston, died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at Sikeston Convalescent Center. She was born Dec. 15, 1903, at Cooter, daughter of Walter Jackson and Azzlee Wagster Neil. She married James A. Rollins in 1936 in Memphis, Tenn. He died in 1981...

BLOOMFIELD -- Agnes B. Poe, 79, of Bloomfield, died Thursday, April 30, 1992, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born Dec. 24, 1912, near Bloomfield, daughter of James L. and Ader Gibson Hankins. She married Roy Poe Dec. 24, 1932. Poe was retired from Elder Manufacturing Co., and was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and West Antioch Extension Club...

SIKESTON - Ida Belle Hinton, 84, of Sikeston, died Friday May 1, 1992 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born May 26, 1907 at Kennett, the daughter of James A. and Ada Jones Anderson. She was first married to Kenneth Redden and later to Dallas Powers, who both preceded her in death. She was then married to John E. Hinton on Aug. 27, 1972 and he died on Dec. 25, 1978...

Candidates for three statewide offices were in the city Friday to discuss how their qualifications and experience make them worthy of voter support this August in the Republican primary election. The candidates attended a meeting sponsored by the Cape County Republican Women's Club...

Kenny Schiwitz thought he wanted to buy a cigar-store Indian. But when he learned the near-life-sized carvings cost over $2,000, he thought again. "We went on a trip to Branson and I watched the carvers there and decided I could do that," he said. He was right...

The troll who lives under the wooden arched bridge across Cape LaCroix Creek as it winds its way through the Park is having panic attacks. I can tell by the trembling of the bridge as I walk across. Sometimes the hand cables quiver when there is not the slightest wind nor any alighting butterfly...

The real-estate and home-building industries are mounting an impressive recovery in Cape Girardeau. Favorable financing conditions have pushed the housing affordability index to its highest level in more than 15 years, and people are responding, say realtors in Cape Girardeau...

ST. LOUIS May Centers Inc. has announced a name change. Robert L. Ferguson, president and chief executive order of CenterMark, said, "In order to eliminate confusion within the real-estate industry and to more accurately reflect shared ownership by the Prudential Life Insurance Co. of America and May Department Stores Co, the corporation name will change to CenterMark Properties Inc. effective Monday,"...

Albert Fisher, vice president and senior account manager of Johnson and Higgins, a privately-held insurance-brokerage and employee-benefit consulting firm, and Gary Siddens Jr., benefits consultant at the firm, will be guests on a satellite employee benefit program to be offered by Edward D. Jones and Co. in Cape Girardeau and Jackson...

Larry E. Tanner of Cape Girardeau has joined TIP of Illinois Health Services Inc., as a registered physical therapist. Tanner will work out of two TIP offices at Anna and Cairo to provide services to patients in the Illinois counties of Johnson, Union, Alexander and Pulaski...

Wild Card Collectibles has opened in West Park Mall. "We're located next to JCPenney," said Harry Guth, a partner in the new business. Guth, of Perryville, and his son-in-law, Dr. Michael Nickell of Joplin, are partners. "I'll be managing the operation," said Guth, who was previously engaged in the newspaper business...

The annual Southeast Missouri Trade Expo will be held at the Show Me Center Tuesday. Daniel J. Lauer, inventor of the Waterbabies Doll, will address participants of the Expo during the 8:30-a.m. opening session of the daylong event. He is a native of St. Louis and president and chairman of the board of Lauer Toys Inc...

State and local tourism officials will discuss tourism in Missouri and Cape Girardeau during a meeting Thursday at Riverfront Park, along the Mississippi River in downtown Cape Girardeau. National Tourism Week will be the focus of the program. On hand for the event will be Gary Gonder, Missouri Division of Tourism, Jefferson City; Lyn Muzzy, director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau; Evelyn Boardman, representative of downtown Cape Girardeau; Mark Seesing and Linda Minner of Aviation Days '92; and other area representatives.. ...

Joe Sherinski, landscape designer and horticulturist with Accu Grow, 1110 N. Cape Rock Drive, has completed requirements to become a professional member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Sherinski, who has been a member of the organization since November, is one of only two professional members from Missouri...

Peddler's Corner Furniture and Stuff opened recently at 701 Broadway. L.R. Brandes, who has been selling "furniture and stuff" for more than four years as an auctioneer, and his son, Lonnie Brandes, are owners of the retail outlet. "We've been involved with furniture, antiques and other household items a number of years," said L.R. Brandes. "But this is the first time we have tried the retail business."...

Associated Industries of Missouri will conduct a wage and salary survey in the Cape Girardeau and Sikeston area. Surveys will be conducted in seven areas. The survey will cover 88 occupational categories. AIM will work with the Cape Girardeau and Sikeston chambers of commerce...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: SLR Development Co. Inc. to Craig A. and Kecia L. Stevens; Rick McDonald Construction Company to James E. and Donna L. McDonald; Paul S. and Sally Jo Taylor to Kevin W. and Terri R. Bolen...