YEAR IN REVIEW: FALL MARKS START OF TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO MIDEAST

(The following "Year in Review" articles were compiled by Sharon Sanders, Southeast Missourian librarian. The remainder of the months will be published in the coming days.)

OCTOBER

1. Despite declining markets for recyclable materials, Southeast Missouri State University continues to move ahead with its recycling program; university has recycling contract with VIP Industries until end of year; VIP, primary processor of recyclable materials in Cape, has announced it will cut back operations because of poor market conditions.

Some area farmers are hoping for late frost his year to allow for more growing and maturing time for soybeans.

While residents here were shaking to 4.6-magnitude earthquake last week, two Cape men were in Southern California learning techniques for searching and rescuing victims trapped in collapsed buildings and structures; Mark Hasheider, training officer for Cape Fire Department, and Sgt. Carl Kinnison of Police Department were in Oxnard, Calif., when news of earthquake reached them.

2. While Bi-County Coalition for Highway Development is noted for its cooperation in establishing highway needs, Cape officials are at odds over which roads should have priority.

Cairo, Ill. Alexander County Housing Authority has received $250,000, two-year federal grant to fight rampant drug and crime problem in three of its housing developments, two in Cairo and one in Thebes.

One consequence of federal deficit reduction pact finalized in Washington over weekend could be delay of construction on new Mississippi River Bridge here.

Chaffee Overflow crowd gathers in Chaffee City Hall to hear options for keeping cash-poor Chaffee General Hospital open.

3. Missouri's Hancock Amendment has extinguished plans by North Cape County Fire District officials to implement tax levy this fall; plans were dropped after state auditor's office expressed concern that proposed, 30-cent tax levy could violate state's tax-limitation law.

More than two-and-one-half years after expiration of Union Electric Co.'s sewer, electric and water franchises here, city and utility company still have not reached accord on new agreements.

Dr. Mikio Kato, president of Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, was in Cape this week to take part in dedication of new, $20 million expansion project at Biokywa, Inc.

University Board of Regents accepts bid by R. A. Schemel & Associates Inc., for construction of Missouri Division of Youth Services group home here.

4. Wife of Vice President Dan Quayle will be in Cape Tuesday to attend breakfast with area Republicans, tour Womancare facilities at St. Francis Medical Center, and learn about earthquake preparedness.

Faculty Senate, after weeks of debate, has agreed to establish task force to study "feasibility and desirability" of phasing out textbook rental system at university.

After conferring with some of congressional and administration leaders who participated in drafting budget compromise, Eighth District Congressman Bill Emerson says he will oppose plan; Southern Illinois Congressman Glenn Poshard is also opposed to measure.

5. Mayor Gene Rhodes has again altered list of priorities for Cape to be included in presentation to Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission.

About 800 people turned out Thursday for earthquake seminar at Central High School, where emergency experts encouraged preparedness over "hysteria and irrationality."

Chaffee Financially troubled Chaffee General Hospital has earned reprieve as executive members of hospital's board of directors voted Thursday to keep facility open; vote came only after two new executive members were appointed to help fill vacancies created by five of board's seven executive members, who had resigned Tuesday.

7. Marble Hill After four years of sacrifice, cuts and more cuts, and approval last year of half-cent sales tax, Bollinger County is on verge of being debt-free.

Members of Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission Friday praised local representatives for their "unprecedented" cooperation in establishing list of highway priorities for Southeast Missouri; heading list is extension of Nash Road from Interstate 55 east to Southeast Missouri Regional Port.

FISH, city's Christian emergency relief organization, comes up short with its annual food drive, and pantry shelves remain less-than-full.

8. Civil War history, especially aspects of war that took place in Cape, will be focus of weekend of events on Saturday and Sunday; Living History weekend is sponsored by Downtown Merchants Association, and will feature mock battle on Common Pleas Courthouse lawn.

For nearly two hours, City Council members take Mayor Gene Rhodes to task over way he represented city in three-county effort to establish future highway needs for area; mayor also is assailed for changing design plans for project to renovate City Hall.

9. Six-member team of educators from North Central Association of Colleges and Schools will visit university next week as part of campus-wide accreditation process that will have major impact on Southeast for next generation.

Four-month-old drought, highlighted by sixth driest summer in 73 years here, may be at end, thanks to substantial rainfall that has occurred during first six days of this month; but drought, combined with early September heat wave, may put tarnish on this year's fall colors.

By split vote Monday, City Council voted to hold its regular meetings first and third Wednesdays of each monthly, while conducting study sessions on first and third Mondays.

10. Cape Board of Education has voted unanimously to cancel all school district classes on Dec. 3 and 4, partially because of Dec. 3 earthquake prediction.

During visit to Cape Tuesday morning, Marilyn Quayle, wife of Vice President, says nation's budget stalemate is result of "a very arrogant Congress" and ultimate solution is to elect more Republicans.

Planning and design work for construction of new business school at university is still in its infancy; while school has received $100,000 from state for initial planning work, architect has yet to be hired and it is unlikely that state funding for construction of building will be included in next year's fiscal budget.

11. Throughout area, school superintendents and school district business managers are trying to cope with budget-busting, skyrocketing prices for fuel used to operate their school bus fleets, and propane fuel for winter heating; both have about doubled in price since Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August.

Construction of 12,000-square-foot municipal airport terminal building, 100,000-gallon water storage tank, fuel storage system and T-hangars are among top priority projects at Cape Municipal Airport over next two years.

12. With major earthquake predicted for Dec. 3, most school districts in area will be closed Dec. 3 and 4 as safety precaution; schools include Cape, Nell Holcomb, Oak Ridge, Delta, Perryville, Sikeston, Woodland and St. Vincent's elementary in Cape; so far, only St. Mary's in Cape plans to hold classes.

Terence W. Risko of Mount Clemens, Mich., has been hired as Public Library's new director, beginning Dec. 3.

Army Corps of Engineers says that essential services needed to keep nation's inland waterways operational will continue, although federal budget controversy is not resolved.

14. Southeast Missourian begins series of articles about earthquakes and efforts being made to prepare for effects of quake in this region.

About 50 Civil War reenactors took part in Living History Weekend in downtown Cape Friday and Saturday; troops set up camp on lawn of Common Pleas Courthouse Friday night and Saturday was filled with mock battles, wedding and other activities designed to bring 1860s to life.

15. University will pay $1.8 million to St. Louis area scholar and businessman Louis Daniel Brodsky over 20-year period for massive collection of rare books and manuscripts by author William collection.

Iben Browning's prediction of major earthquake on New Madrid Fault on Dec. 3 has piqued interest in earthquake preparedness; on other hand, it has also resulted in growing discomfort as school districts, government offices and businesses plan to shut down on day of supposed quake.

16. Large gathering of civic leaders and highway department officials turned out Monday to celebrate completion of final 2.2-mile stretch of Highway 61 in Jackson.

Jackson Jackson Board of Aldermen will take another look at method of billing city's residential and commercial power and light customers; in early 1989 board authorized municipally-owned Jackson Power and Light Company to begin estimating residential and commercial utility accounts.

17. Some Missouri businesses and industries have received some good news: commercial and industrial utility costs may be reduced; Union Electric has agreed to rate restructuring that will reduce commercial and business rates and keep residential rates intact.

Jackson Voters here will go to polls Nov. 6 to cast their ballots on annexation issue; much of area to be annexed includes two large tracts north and south of Bainbridge road, which runs northeastward from Jackson toward Interstate 55.

18. Proponents of three-year, quarter-cent sales tax to fund park improvements say tax will only cost average consumer additional $1.42 each month; Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is gearing up for city-wide campaign to garner support for tax measure that will be on November general election ballot.

About 40 people gathered at public library Wednesday to hear Natural Streams Act debated; issue will be decided at polls Nov. 6.

19. St. Louis Ad hoc group of earthquake experts from around nation has concluded there is no scientific basis for forecast of major earthquake along New Madrid Fault around Dec. 3.

Property owners along northern edge of Cape LaCroix and Walker creeks flood-control project Thursday voiced no opposition to city's plan to acquire their land for dry retention reservoir.

University received high marks from North Central Association evaluation team that will recommend reaccreditation for 10 years.

21. Officers from Cape County Major Case Squad were activated Saturday afternoon to investigate murder of William W. Lowes, whose body was found by relative in bedroom of his home at 202 South Pacific.

Check of gasoline prices in St. Louis area shows prices for unleaded regular running average of about $1.25.9 a gallon, 10 cents cheaper than going price at Cape.

Mabel Smith of Scott City won $6.76 million in Missouri Lotto last week, first Southeast Missouri resident to become lottery millionaire since Missouri Lotto started four years ago.

22. Bryan K. Crews of Cape has been charged with fatal beating of William W. Lowes, who was found dead at his Cape home Saturday; second suspect, Michael F. Hale of Cape, has been charged with hindering prosecution of Hale by withholding pertinent information.

St. Louis David Stewart, one of state's foremost earthquake experts, has come under fire for his public support of December earthquake projection and his belief in psychic phenomena; he is only seismologist to publicly support Iben Browning's projection of major quake on New Madrid fault around Dec. 3.

23. Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that proposed ethics amendment is unconstitutional because it deals with too many subjects; ruling takes ethics amendment measure off Nov. 6 ballot.

Stephen B. Higgins, new U.S. attorney for Eastern Missouri, favors setting up satellite office in Cape, which could lead to establishment of permanent federal grand jury here.

Representative of BFI Inc., which handles about third of city's commercial trash accounts, Monday asked City Council to consider bidding out residential trash service; city provides latter service.

24. Alton, Ill. woman, Vivian L. Franklin, who once served 6-year prison sentence for murder, is in police custody, accused of threatening Cape gynecologist at gunpoint and attempting to shoot one of his patients.

Three Cape fire stations responded Tuesday night to alarm at Recticel Foam Corp on Nash Road after rubber curing oven overheated and caught fire.

Jackson Jackson R-2 Board of Education is asking state Rep. David Schwab to take message to Jefferson City that district and other school districts will face serious financial crisis next year that will affect quality of education unless state comes up with more money for elementary and secondary education.

25. Officials of higher education held another in series of meetings here Wednesday night in attempt to increase public awareness that Missouri needs to allocate more money toward colleges and universities.

Local law enforcement, social services and elected officials say they would support multi-agency approach to investigating possible child abuse deaths in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Police Department's newest member is Greif, 5-year-old German shepherd; dog will assist police with drug detection and drug education programs.

26. Chaffee Board of financially-troubled Chaffee General Hospital met with board of St. Louis hospital Thursday to discuss possibility of affiliation with that hospital.

Evening will darken bit earlier as nation returns to standard time Sunday; switch from daylight saving time to standard time officially will occur at 2 a.m. Sunday.

Two most popular Halloween costumes this year are TV cartoon characters Bart Simpson and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

28. Congress has approved tougher clean air bill that would require new pollution controls to sharply reduce urban smog, acid rain and industrial release of toxic chemicals.

Natural Streams Act, which will be voted on Nov. 6, has prompted torrent of concern from Missouri farmers who say it would infringe on rights of property owners who live along designated streams and rivers.

Voters in Cape County by wide margin said they would reelect U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson and State Auditor Margaret Kelly, according to poll taken last week.

29. It's time again for Halloween and this year, instead of wandering streets, trick-or-treaters will have opportunity to collect goodies in safety at West Park Mall and various churches in town.

Pageantry will surround university this week as institution celebrates homecoming week and inauguration of Kala Stroup as its 14th president.

City voters are evenly divided over city park-tax proposal and majority of Cape city and county voters oppose Proposition A, according to survey taken last week.

30. Sikeston American troops in Saudi Arabia may find some relief from heat thanks to shade cloth manufactured by Sikeston company; DeWitt Company Inc. manufactures polyethylene cloth that can be used to provide shade, as well as serving as windbreak, and is pushing for cloth's use in Operation Desert Shield.

While many people look to scientific weather forecasts of National Weather Service for winter predictions, others turn to woolly worm; based on survey of worms in Cape area past two weeks, it appears there will be cold start to winter in December, followed by mild January, and concluding with cold February.

Sen. John Danforth, who earlier predicted that Congress would approve deficit reduction package without changing income tax rates, was one of 54 senators who voted in favor of 1990 budget bill Saturday; plan calls for increases in federal gasoline tax, taxes on luxury items such as expensive cars, boats, furs and jewelry, and phased-out personal exemptions for upper income Americans.

31. Former Cape bank official, Denese Jackson, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to embezzling $53,982.50 from Mercantile Bank.

No change in operations by Trans World Express will take place at Cape Municipal Airport, according to Trans World spokesman, following announcement that firm is being acquired by Trans States Airlines.

City officials say sewer revenue-bond issue on Tuesday's ballot won't increase residents' sewer fees but will save taxpayers about $1.1 million; also on ballot will be three-year, quarter-cent sales tax for park improvements.