Stories from Thursday, August 15, 1991

Reading. It's the most basic of school skills and the foundation of all other learning. When reading skills falter, academic achievement typically stalls. That's why a new program begun this week by the Cape Girardeau Public Schools is so significant. We commend the district for taking a leadership role in Reading Recovery. The program in Cape Girardeau is the first in the state...

I note with interest that Washington superlawyer Clark Clifford, who has known and advised every Democratic President since Harry Truman, resigned Tuesday as chairman of the board of First American Bankshares. First American, an $11 billion holding company based in the nation's capital, is the American banking outfit that was secretly bought in the early '80s by scandal-plagued, and foreign-owned, BCCI...

IN THE WALL Street Journal issue of July 15, 1991, Albert Shanker, president of American Federation of Teachers, has written an article that all Missouri taxpayers should read before being conned by the educators into voting for Proposition B. He states that middle-class parents don't realize their kids are getting their junior-high and high-school education in college. Vote no on Proposition B. Thank you...

FLAT RIVER -- The C.H. Cozean Learning Resources Center at Mineral Area College will receive a $25,000 gift from the Union Electric Charitable Trust. The center has been targeted as a priority area for development at Mineral Area College, said Peggy Ropelle of the college's foundation...

SIKESTON -- Sikeston's newest night spot, The Copper Still 91, opened this week in the renovated building that formerly housed The Copper Still, which closed two years ago. Although the new club will use the same building and name as the old Copper Still, the similarities end there, said owner Chuck Sanders...

Need a good laugh? Port Cape Girardeau will host "Funny Bones on Tour" Friday and Saturday night featuring stand-up comedians who have performed at comedy clubs across the country. "All three comedians have some national exposure," said Doc Cain, owner of Port Cape. "They've all performed at Funny Bone clubs throughout the country, so we're real excited to have them here."...

The newest fall fashions will be on display at the 1991 Zonta Fashion Show, planned for Aug. 27 at the Show Me Center. This year's theme is "Welcome Back to Class." Mary Foote, co-chairman of the event said the Zonta Club hopes to raise $10,000 from the show. All funds raised will be donated to area charitable foundations, she said...

KELSO -- A benefit dance for the Muscular Dystrophy Association will be held Aug. 24 at the Kelso Knights of Columbus Hall. The fourth annual fund-raiser is co-sponsored by the MDA and the National Association of Letter Carriers. The dance begins at 8 p.m. and will end at midnight. Tickets are $3.50 per person and only people 21 and older will be allowed in...

PERRYVILLE - The apparent end of an effort to construct a 7,700-acre recreational lake in Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties has prompted the Perry County Commission to resurrect a 25-year-old study for possible construction of a lake in that county...

In an effort to better plan for growth in the Cape Girardeau area, the city will study ways to develop a comprehensive plan for the "Greater Cape Girardeau Urban Area." That area includes the cities of Jackson, Scott City and Cape Girardeau and unincorporated areas of Cape Girardeau and north Scott County...

Sister Raynald Blomer, principal at Notre Dame High School in the 1970s, returns this year as math teacher instead of principal. Notre Dame resumes classes Aug. 22. Blomer, who had been a Catholic school principal for the past 20 years, returned to the classroom last year. This year, she asked to return to Cape Girardeau...

"Wardrobing for Success" will be the topic of the August Woman to Woman luncheon today. The meeting will begin at noon in Conference Rooms A and B of the St. Francis Health and Education Center. Staff from Casual Corner in the West Park Mall will host the program. They will provide hints for building wardrobes and show women how to extend their wardrobes by accessorizing wisely...

Police said a 15-year-old boy was injured Wednesday when a car struck him while he was riding a bicycle in the 1600 block of Broadway. The boy, Eric Kelley, of the 2800 block of Tanglewood Drive, remained in fair condition at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, said a hospital spokesperson Wednesday evening...

Taxpayers in the Nell Holcomb R-4 School District will pay more this year in taxes. The district Board of Education Tuesday approved a tax hike of 23 cents for the 1991-1992 fiscal year, which started July 1. Overall the tax rate per $100 of assessed valuation increased from $2.96 to $3.19, said district Superintendent David Fuemmeler...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Chris Berry of Oran, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:24 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, 1991. Name, Lindsay Marie. Weight, 7 pounds 9 ounces. Third child, first daughter. Mrs. Berry is the former Janay Welter, daughter of Elmer and Amonell Welter of Oran. She is executive director of Oran Housing Authority. Berry is self-employed at Berry's Exhaust and Auto Body, and is the son of George and Ann Berry of Miner...

WHITEWATER -- Robert Curtis Haskett, 56, Whitewater Route 1, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Dec. 6, 1934, in Terre Haute, Ind., son of Francis and Laurela Haxton Haskett. He and Jean Brown were married May 5, 1987, in Henderson, Ky...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Ward Fisher, 83, of Grantsburg, formerly of Dongola, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1991, at Jackson County Nursing Home in Murphysboro. He was born May 15, 1908, at Dongola, son of Lee and Addie Aden Fisher. He married Grace Futhey in 1943. She died in 1982...

PERRYVILLE -- Roger H. Tisher, 55, of Perryville, died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 1991, at Perry County Hospital. He was born March 26, 1936, at Perryville, son of Harry T. and Aileen M. Kiefer Tisher. He and Dorothy M. Balsman were married June 25, 1960. Tisher owned Tisher Sales and Service here. He was a 3rd Degree Knight, treasurer of Elks Lodge 2701, past member of Perryville Police Auxiliary, member of Holy Name Society, and Missouri National Guard...

CHAFFEE -- Ray Leonard Roney, 84, of Chaffee, died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 1991, at Chaffee Nursing Center. He was born May 1, 1907, in Standard, La., son of Elvie Lee and Pearl Aslee Bunyard Roney. Roney was an inspector at Florsheim Shoe Co. here, retiring in 1972. He was a member of First Baptist Church and Chaffee Elks Lodge 1810. He moved here from Chicago in 1961...

CHAFFEE -- John Edmond Schlosser, 73, of Chaffee, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Nov. 12, 1917, near Oran, son of August Sebastian and Katie Elizabeth Reiminger Schlosser. He and Bertilla Catherine Steimle were married Sept. 4, 1954...

Helen E. Estes, 69, of Cape Girardeau, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1991, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis. She was born July 13, 1922, at Perkins, daughter of Sheldon "Dutch" and Viola Rauls Phelps. She married C. Mack Estes. Estes attended Delta schools, and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 1973. She retired in 1984 from Cape Girardeau Public Schools, where she was a teacher for home-bound students...

EGYPT MILLS -- Funeral service for Melvin Douglas Hanebrink of Foristell was held Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wentzville. The Rev. Lloyd Hackbarth officiated, with burial in Peace Cemetery at Wentzville. T.E. Pitman Funeral Home of Wentzville was in charge of arrangements...

Lorene Strack, 62, 514 Morgan Oak, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 28, 1929, in Chicago, daughter of Willard and Cora Bess Adams. She first married Robert Crigger July 6, 1946, in Chicago. She later married Joseph Strack, July 26, 1973, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death Sept. 10, 1985...

JACKSON - The Jackson R-2 School Board will consider next month a resolution endorsing Proposition B, which will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot and provides increased funding and reforms for education in Missouri. The board briefly discussed Proposition B at its meeting Tuesday night and several members suggested it would be appropriate to consider taking a formal position on the issue...

A bookmobile will visit the Cape Girardeau Public Library Friday, giving people a chance to view the vehicle. Cape Girardeau's library foundation is considering purchasing a bookmobile for the city. The 30-foot-long bookmobile, built by Ohio Bus Sales of Canton, Ohio, will be on display Friday at 10 a.m...

Cape Girardeau resident Ella Niswonger, of 326 Edgewood, died Wednesday Aug. 14, 1991 at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was 82. The body was at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson Wednesday. Arrangements were incomplete.

BELL CITY -- Ruby M. Barks, 88, of Bell City, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Dec. 28, 1902, near Leora, son of Marion and Candace James McFarron. She married Roby P. Barks Aug. 11, 1927, in Newport, Ark. Barks was an elementary teacher at schools in Advance, Bell City and Dalton, Ga., for nearly 50 years. She also had given music lessons...

Members of the Cape Girardeau Board of Education Tuesday discussed the possibility of changing meeting times and adding a monthly study session. Board members also considered holding meetings at different school buildings in the district. Superintendent Neyland Clark said the issue will be on the agenda for the September Board of Education meeting...

BENTON -- Students at T.S. Kelly High School may pick up their schedules next week. The first day of classes is Sept. 3. Class schedules will be available to seniors Monday, juniors Tuesday, sophomores Wednesday, and freshmen Aug. 22. Students new to the district may pick up their schedules Aug. 23...