RESIDENTS REMEMBER TOP STORIES IN 1994

Good and bad news was splashed on the front page of the Southeast Missourian in 1994, like any other year. But many residents had different stories topping their lists as the biggest local event of the past year.

"I thought it was the Cape School Board," said Chris Beasley of Cape Girardeau. "That whole thing with the superintendent and the commencement ceremony sticks out in my mind."

Beasley said she has a son at Central High School. She said during the summertime athletic activities with her son, the school board and administration was all parents could talk about.

Cape Girardeau School Superintendent Neyland Clark allowed students within one unit of graduation to participate in Central's graduation ceremony. Students also had to prove they were pursuing the last credit.

Clark's decision, at the direction of the school board, changed a longstanding practice at the high school.

Beasley also was referring to the battle between a group of district patrons and Clark, who had a tumultuous few weeks in 1994.

Citing a failed bond issue and voter rejection of a tax rollback waiver, the group, led by Amy Randol, in June petitioned the school board to fire Clark.

Their efforts were in vain. The board extended Clark's contract and gave the superintendent a pay raise.

Crime and the occurrence of more random, violent acts were stories area residents remembered.

Jeanie Beshears of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Denver, said general crime stories started to alarm her in the past year.

"What happened to that man in Jackson stands out in my mind," she said. "He was a family man and what happened to him bothers me."

Bud Brown of Jackson disappeared from his home Aug. 25 after taking a ride to meet a prospective buyer of his pickup truck. His body was found three days later north of Scott City near the Diversion Channel. He was shot to death.

Kenneth Allen Bundy, 39, of Scott City was arrested for Brown's death and the theft of his truck. He will be tried for first-degree murder, armed criminal action and stealing this summer in Pulaski County on a change of venue.

Kami Sneed of Jackson remembers when her town witnessed a shooting involving a highway patrolman and a gang member from Elgin, Ill.

Three teen-age members of the Laotian Posse, a street gang, were chased in their stolen car off Interstate 55 at Fruitland and into Jackson. The chase ended when the trio crashed their stolen car at the intersection of Donna Drive and Highway 61.

Trooper Perry Hazelwood shot one of the gang members three times after he displayed a Mac-II submachine gun in a threatening manner.

Kamata Kornkhamsee, 19, of Elgin has recovered from his gunshot wounds and awaits trial in Winnebago County in Illinois on charges from a shooting in Rockford, Ill. He also was issued a criminal summons in Missouri for 10 counts including attempted assault on a law officer.

The other two teens, Saykkhone Phoneprasith, 17, and Thavyphson Sanasing, 17, are making their way though the Cape Girardeau County court system.

Phoneprasith pleaded guilty in November to one county of receiving stolen property. He awaits sentencing Jan. 16 at the Cape Girardeau County Jail in Jackson.

Sanasing's attorney, Wendy Wexler, said her client might go to trial.

Sanasing is charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun, tampering with an auto and receiving stolen property. Pretrial motions are scheduled in a few weeks.

A story that captured national headlines stood out in the mind of Heath Watson of Jackson as the biggest local event of 1994.

"Most definitely the hazing on campus," he said.

Michael A. Davis, 25, of St. Louis died after enduring a weeklong hazing ritual at the hands of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity members on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Eight fraternity members were convicted of misdemeanor hazing after the event and another seven men were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Davis' death.

Isaac Sims will be the last member of Kappa Alpha Psi to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in October and will be sentenced Jan. 13 in St. Louis.

Donna Faire, who works in a West Park Mall jewelry store, said one story that will stand out in her mind because of a customer's out-of-the-blue announcement.

"A man walked in and said, 'If that riverboat comes to town, you won't be selling any jewelry. You'll be out of a job,'" she said. "Then he walked out. I guess he meant people will gamble instead of buying jewelry."

Faire said she lives in Jackson and enjoyed watching the people of Cape Girardeau debate the issue of riverboat gambling.

The debate is over and a new riverboat will be docked in Cape Girardeau in 1995. The Boyd Group has said a floating casino might be operational by August.