Stories from Friday, February 2, 1996

To the editor: Two years ago the Southeast Missourian coordinated the Parade magazine Young Columbus Contest. Our daughter, Jennie, was the grateful recipient of a wonderful trip to Ireland. At that time we were understandably delighted with the opportunity the Southeast Missourian gave her, and we now want you to know about the tremendous impact that single event has had on Jennie's life...

Retirement doesn't always mean an end to work. The Rev. Fred Schmucker, a retired Lutheran pastor, spent September through December teaching theology courses at the University of Klaipeda in Lithuania. He will talk about his trip Feb. 11 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mark Lutheran Church. The church helped sponsor his trip to Lithuania, a country about the size of Missouri...

Aides of Sens. Christopher "Kit" Bond and John Ashcroft will hold "listening posts" in the region Wednesday to hear from constituents. Tom Schulte, district office director for the senators, will be at Klein's Medicate in Ste. Genevieve from 9 to 10 a.m.; Hoeckele's Bakery in Perryville from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; Gray Law Office in Marble Hill from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; and the Chamber of Commerce in Jackson from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m...

It took some haggling, paperwork and handshaking, but at the end of everything, Cape Girardeau County Park was 48 acres bigger. County Commissioners purchased the wooded land from the Dr. O.L. and Anna Seabaugh estate. The late doctor's son, Dr. Bill Seabaugh, was at Spradling and Spradling law firm Thursday to wrap up the $301,750 deal...

After what seemed like a shaky period that pitted former school board members against current members and new administrators, an understanding appears to have been worked out regarding the Cape Girardeau Public School Foundation and its potential for meeting the financial needs of certain school projects...

Readers of the "Ladybug" column that is a fixture in the Home section of this newspaper each Wednesday were informed by its author, Mary Blue, that the gardening column is ending. The column has been in the paper week in and week out for the past 35 years. ...

To the editor: The news media these last few days have been covering the public outcry over abused and mistreated dogs found in a so-called puppy mill in one of our Missouri counties. In my lifetime I've owned many good dogs and have raised a lot of cattle and hogs. I love and respect animals...

To the editor: I am writing in response to the recent exposure of the allegedly horrible conditions at the puppy mill in Missouri and the criminal behavior that continues around the country. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 90 percent of more than half a million puppies sold every year in pet shops come from about 5,000 puppy mills located in Illinois, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota. ...

To the editor: On Jan. 18 the executive board of the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, which represents 1,300 police officers employed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, endorsed Senate Bill 679, which would allow law-abiding Missouri residents to apply for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. ...

A longtime Cape Girardeau lawyer convicted two years ago of drug trafficking was released this week from federal prison after serving less than half of his sentence behind bars. Edward L. Downs, 75, of 1331 N. Cape Rock Drive was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison in October 1993 by U.S. District Judge Donald Stohr. After serving 26 months of that sentence, he was released Monday from the federal prison in Yankton, S.D...

A wetlands evaluation impact study must be completed before the Army Corps of Engineers can decide whether to issue a permit for a riverboat casino complex at the Headwaters Diversion Channel. The project would involve removal of some trees from the site and the filling of about 4.8 acres of wetlands adjacent to and within the Diversion Channel...

The snow that began Thursday is expected to end today but the accompanying frigid temperatures should last through the weekend, the National Weather Service says. High temperatures were expected to range from 5 to 10 degrees today, with lows dipping to 5 below tonight...

Southeast Missouri State University will create a night school and make other changes to make higher education more accessible within the region. The goals are part of a strategic plan approved Thursday by the Board of Regents. The wide-ranging plan will be implemented over the next five years...

Although an official decision won't be made until later this month, General Services Administration officials indicated Thursday they will back away from their two preferred downtown sites for a new federal building in Cape Girardeau. Approximately 170 residents attended a public hearing at the Show Me Center Thursday night concerning the two blocks, both of which boast a number of historic homes. Most of those in attendance voiced opposition to demolishing either block...

The government wants to build a new courthouse within walking distance of the Federal Building in Cape Girardeau's downtown. That rules out the old St. Francis Hospital site on Good Hope, said Jim Ogden of the General Services Administration office in Kansas City...

And you know what? The operator at the other end of the line knew your voice and, therefore, knew who Eddie was and what number to connect you with. Pretty smart. A lot smarter than a cellular phone whose memory vanishes every time the battery runs down...

Girardeau George is a groundhog in transition. Embittered by a lack of public attention for his annual forecasts, George, in an exclusive interview, said, "I had reached a very dark place in my life." This morning, George will be up bright and early to look for his shadow and predict whether or not spring is on its way...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Vondice Delores Smith, 82, of East Prairie, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 1996, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Feb. 20, 1913, at Parma, daughter of Albert and Myrtle Elizabeth Jones Adams. She and Henry A. Smith were married June 26, 1937. He preceded her in death Feb. 14, 1985...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Peggy June Majors will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel in East Prairie. Amos Johnson will officiate, with burial in Bernie City Cemetery at Bernie. Friends may call at the funeral home from 12:30 p.m. to service time...

BLODGETT -- A memorial service for Donald Hurst will be held at 2 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home in Sikeston. The Rev. Lee Fansler will officiate, with burial in Blodgett Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from noon to service time. Hurst, 65, died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Russell A. Frohawk of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Revs. W.H. Newmand and Jerry Adams will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Frohawk, 53, died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center...

JACKSON -- Edna Mae Pender, 92, of Jackson, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 1996, at Jackson Manor. She was born March 31, 1903, at Leeper, daughter of Francis M. and Maude M. Randolph Church. She and William Pender were married Dec. 22, 1930, in Granite City, Ill. He died Aug. 28, 1979...

A memorial service for H.W. "Dutch" Froemsdorf of North Little Rock, Ark., will be held at 1 p.m. today at North Little Rock Funeral Chapel Froemsdorf, 58, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1996. He was the original engineer and president of CSSA, and was formerly of Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Archie Robin Skaggs of East Prairie will be held at 11 a.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel in East Prairie. Larry Smith will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Skaggs, 53, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1996, at his home, following a brief illness...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Percy C. McCormick of Scott City will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. The Rev. William Dickey will officiate, with burial in Zion United Methodist Cemetery at Gordonville. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. today...

PERRYVILLE -- Lee Emmenderfer Sr., 51, of Perryville, died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1996, at his home. He was born Nov. 15, 1944, in Perryville, son of August and Elta Sutterer Emmenderfer. He and Sandra H. Fisher were married Dec. 3, 1966. Emmenderfer retired as an auditor with Civil Service. He was a member of St. Vincent's Catholic Church and American Legion Post 133. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War...

John McCarter III, 47, 327 Morgan Oak, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Sept. 27, 1948, in St. Louis, son of John E. and Laura Largent McCarter II. He and Michele Young were married Dec. 31, 1990. McCarter was a 1967 graduate of Woodland High School at Marble Hill. He was a truck driver with C&G Trucking at Fruitland. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1967-82...

CHARLESTON -- Anna Louise Hill, 90, of Charleston, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 1996, at Bertrand Nursing Center. McMikle Funeral Home at Charleston is in charge of arrangements.

Daughter to Mark and Amy Petzoldt of Altenburg, Perry County Memorial Hospital, 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16, 1996. Name, Whitnie Elizabeth. Weight, 9 pounds 4 ounces. First child. Mrs. Petzoldt is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pierce of Chester, Ill., and Mr. and Mrs. Gary Streiler of Jackson. Petzoldt is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Petzoldt of Altenburg...

ST. LOUIS -- Nathaniel White, 56, formerly of Sikeston, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1996, at St. Louis University Hospital. He was shot by a robber while leaving a pizza parlor in St. Louis. He was born June 4, 1939, at Matthews, son of Percy White and Nellie Mae Hampton of Haywood City...

The students at L.J. Schultz School obediently curled up under their desks for Thursday's earthquake drill, then came out to learn more about surviving such a natural disaster. They learned where to take shelter, how to reunite with family members and what sort of supplies to have on hand...

Because of inclement weather Thursday, the St. Louis Art Museum canceled its resource kit orientation program for teachers at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. The program has tentatively been rescheduled for April 18, library officials said. The library is a satellite center for educational resource kits from the St. Louis Art Museum. Some of the kit topics include introductions to 20th century sculpture, American art and Chinese art...

ALTENBURG -- Residents in Eastern Perry County hope to preserve some of the area's German and Lutheran history with a promotional video about the Saxon Lutheran migration in 1839. The video is a joint project of Perry County residents, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Foundation and the church board of communications. It will cost about $40,000 and is being filmed by Willey and Associates Inc., of St. Louis...