Stories from Thursday, February 14, 1991

Four weeks after the outbreak of war, we are watching with interest an intriguing phenomenon in public relations. Iraq has launched an aggressive propaganda campaign that is, quite remarkably, showing some effectiveness, both domestically and internationally. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- "Con Voce Festiva," a newly-formed music ensemble at Southeast Missouri State University, will perform a recital of Baroque works Sunday at 3 p.m. in room 205 of Brandt Music Hall. The recital is free and open to the public. The ensemble is composed of Mary Mims, soprano, Marc Fulgham, trumpet, Gary Miller, Harpsichord and Johanna Erdman, bassoon. The performance is one in a series of recitals performed by the department of music at Southeast...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts is taking applications for entries in its annual juried art and photography exhibitions. "Photo '91" will be held in May, but applications for exhibits are due by March 1. "Art Experience '91," a juried fine-arts exhibition, will be held in June. Deadline for entries is April 12...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Fifty-one artists from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia will be represented in a touring exhibit running March 5-26 at the Southeast Missouri State University Museum. "The National Invitational Drawing Exhibition," organized by Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan., is touring under the sponsorship of "ExhibitsUSA," a national division of Mid-America Art Alliance...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Harpist and singer Harvi Griffin will perform Sunday at 3 p.m. at the University Center ballroom on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Griffin has presented more than 1,000 concerts throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, and has received critical acclaim for his performances...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A number of events are on tap at Southeast Missouri State University to celebrate Black History Month. A Gospel Explosion Concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Academic Auditorium, university officials said. The Black Student Fellowship Choir will host the concert, which will involve both university students and members of local churches. Admission is $1 for students, faculty and staff, and $2 for the general public...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Cape Girardeau Board of Education heard a request for funding of a proposed $15,000 baseball scoreboard at its meeting Tuesday. In addition, the board heard an update on creation of a Hall of Fame for Central High School, and an update on the district's athletic marketing plan...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A seventh-~~~grade class at St. Mary Cathedral School will be awarded a globe for their entry in a "Hot Shots" video contest. The entry by students of Carol Strattman will advance in the competition. Division winners will receive a video monitor and a VCR. The national grand prize is an expense-paid class trip to Washington D.C...

A recurrent theme for me is the astonishing cultural divide that exists between the way most ordinary Americans live their lives and view the world, as against the perceptions of many cultural, media and intellectual elites regarding America, our economy, our culture and our way of life. The current war in the Persian Gulf has vividly reemphasized this dichotomy, this remarkable disconnect between our supposed cultural leaders and those who are led. I cast my lot with the latter...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Cape Girardeau Public Library will begin holding weekly story hours for children on March 5 in the Hurst Community Room of the library. Each Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 to 10:30 a.m., children are invited to the library to listen in. No registration is required...

Robert and Nell Kerr say they can't put their finger on the secret to a long, happy marriage, but the couple, who have been married for 66 years, believe common interests can go a long way. "We've always gotten along well, but I don't know if that's the secret," said Nell Kerr. "And we've always had a lot in common."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- With the outbreak of hostilities in the Persian Gulf in mid-January, and the activation of military reserve units in the area, Larry Holdman quickly realized there would be a need for a support group to care for those left behind. The day after Operation Desert Storm began, Holdman, a counselor with the Beacon Recovery Center and a Vietnam War veteran, contacted several other counselors from different agencies in Cape Girardeau. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Joint Veterans Council of Cape Girardeau County and the city of Cape Girardeau will sponsor a "Desert Storm Support Walking Parade and Rally," on Feb. 23. Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes called for the public to show its support for the men and women from this area, who are serving in Operation Desert Storm, by walking in the parade and participating in the rally in front of the A.C. Brase Arena Building...

JACKSON - Jeffrey P. Dix, who has managed a branch office of the Missouri Attorney General in Jackson for the last 2 years, has announced he will resign his position, effective March 1. Dix, who worked for the attorney general's office four years, moved here to open the branch office that serves Southeast Missouri. Dix said he wants to return to private practice and will open a law office in Jackson next month...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- When the Southern Illinois region attempted to put together an industrial package to attract the manufacturing facility for General Motors' new Saturn line, it failed miserably. "People throughout the area were attempting to make proposals," said Dr. Rhonda Vinson, director of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Office of Economic and Regional Development. "They had relatively no information on the area."...

DELTA -- Although two Delta area homes were damaged, most of that town and nearby Chaffee narrowly escaped a tornado's path late Wednesday afternoon. Steve Graham, Chaffee's director of disaster preparedness, reported only minor damage Wednesday in the wake of a line of strong thunderstorms, which apparently spawned a tornado that touched down about two miles west of Chaffee...

WILLIAM D. KIEFER U.S. NAVY Airman Apprentice William D. Kiefer is the son of the late John and Ellen Kiefer of Chaffee. He graduated from Kelly High School in 1988, and enlisted in the Navy in July, 1989. He was deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Storm in October...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A program developed by a Missouri insurance company to provides health care for needy children, has expanded into the Cape Girardeau area. The program, called Caring Foundation for Children, was developed and is administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- After months of discussion and debate, the Faculty Senate at Southeast Missouri State University has yet to settle on a merit pay plan. At Wednesday's meeting, the senate devoted nearly two hours of the meeting to discuss and amend a proposed merit pay plan...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral service for Howard John Bienlien of Perryville will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Young and Sons Funeral Chapel in Perryville. The Rev. Edward Wilson, C.M. will officiate, and burial will in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Perryville...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Funeral service for Robert R. Collier of Brentwood will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bopp Funeral Chapel in Kirkwood. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Park here, with the Rev. Neil Stein officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 2-9 p.m. Friday...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Funeral mass for Fred William Blattel, Cape Girardeau Route 2, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Vincent's Church. The Rev. Art Basler will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park, with graveside rites by VFW Post 3838. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 4-8:30 p.m. Friday. Parish prayers will be at 7:30...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Funeral service for Gerald Gunning of Metairie, La., will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lamanna, Panno and Sallo Funeral Home there. Burial will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery in New Orleans. Gunning, 57 years old, died Sunday, Feb. 10, 1991, in Metairie...

JACKSON -- Pauline Tackett Kielhafner, 79, of Jackson died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1991 at the family home. She was born Aug. 15, 1911 in Ellington, the daughter of Thomas and Alice Mann Johnson. She worked as a seamstress for Thorngate Limited of Chaffee, retiring in 1974...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Investigators are continuing their probe into a late-night fire Tuesday that destroyed Miller's Family Restaurant here. The Alexander County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday that witnesses at the fire reported hearing an explosion before the building, located along Route 3, was engulfed in flames...

MARBLE HILL -- Barbara M. Patton of Berkeley, formerly of Marble Hill, died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1991, at her home. She was born in Jonesboro, N.C. on Sept. 23, 1905 to the late Henry and Mary Byrd Gales. On Nov. 12, 1924 she married Leroy Patton. He proceeded her in death on Dec. 27, 1975...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Marjorie Bright, 88, of Mounds died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 1991, at the Charleston Manor Nursing Home. She was a member of the Church of the Redeemer in Cairo and the Order of the Eastern Star. She was born April 11, 1902, in Albuquerque N.M., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fielder...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Funeral service for Bryan Eugene Fort, 3429 Glenview, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Rev. Wesley Rider will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. today...

LEOPOLD -- A blood drive will be held Sunday at Leopold Elementary School. The drive, to run from 9 a.m.-noon, is being sponsored by the American Red Cross, the Leopold high school and the Leopold Ladies' Sodality. All donors will receive a T-shirt...

I WANT TO say a personal thank-you to the police officers of Cape Girardeau. I work at a local convenience store, and when the power failed the other night, the officers on patrol stopped and checked on us to be sure everyone was safe. This is not the first time that officers have stopped to let us know that they care and are keeping an eye on us. We have a fine police force and I think they deserve to hear praise from us and not always complaints. Thanks and keep up the good work...