Stories from Wednesday, September 25, 1991

Seven students at Cape Girardeau Central High School have been named 1992 National Merit Semifinalists. Earning this award are Mala Ahuja, Crystal Atkins, Gwenda Bennett, Brian Campbell, Kathryn Ford, Haresh Kamath and Laroy Roper. More than 1 million students entered the National Merit competition by taking the 1990 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholastic Qualifying Test as high school juniors...

The annual Samuel Davis family reunion will be Saturday at the Elks Lake in Cape Girardeau, with the meal at noon. Meat will be furnished, and those attending are asked to bring tableware and a side dish. Relatives are urged to bring photographs and other memorabilia...

With his present district split three ways by the Missouri House Redistricting Commission, state Rep. Ollie Amick has several options for his political future. Amick, serving his second term in the House from the 160th District that includes most of Mississippi County and north Scott County, became the odd man out of the redistricting panel. ...

In an old brick building nestled between an abandoned fraternity house and what used to be a bank sit the things nobody seems to want. Typewriters, out-dated computers, desks and other pieces of office equipment are thrown together with tubas, framed pictures and even street lights...

The Lorimier Society, an organization designed to increase pledges to the Area Wide United Way, is expected to contribute up to half of this year's fund-raising goal. The fund-raising campaign, which kicked off Sept. 4, is starting to see dollar results. As of Tuesday afternoon, $58,494 had been pledged toward the $470,000 goal, said Harry Rediger, campaign chairman...

Vision 2000 officials hope an interactive televised town hall meeting tonight will increase public participation in citywide comprehensive planning efforts. The 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall is open to the public. It will be televised on Cape Girardeau's local cable station, Channel 13...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Based on 1990 census figures, the Census Bureau has determined that the "center of population" for the United States is near Steelville, in Crawford County. Eighth District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, who represents Crawford County, made the announcement on Tuesday. The exact center is 9.7 miles southeast of Steelville, the county seat, on a spot of heavily wooded land...

Final enrollment figures at Southeast Missouri State University show an increase of 34 students in the fall full-time equivalency (FTE) total, university officials said Tuesday. The figures are based on an official census after the first four weeks of fall semester classes, university officials said...

GEORGE DORDONI Occupation: Student Development Programmer at Southeast Missouri State University. Pet Peeve: "Narrow-mindedness." the best part of my job is: "Seeing students have `Ah' experiences that help them grow and mature." What do you do in your spare time? "Spend time with my wife Iris and our friends, talking and listening to reggae and other Afro-Caribbean music."...

Landfill operations in Jackson and Cape Girardeau would be affected by regulations proposed last week by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. But officials in both cities said their landfills already conform to many of the planned rules, which would take effect in two years...

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Robert C. Farmer, 90, of Anna, Ill., died Sept. 23, 1991, at the Herrin Hospital in Herrin, Ill. He was born March 21, 1901, in Union County, son of James R. and Jenny Cook Farmer. He married the former Thelma Piggott on July 14, 1920. She preceded him in death July 16, 1971...

POCAHONTAS -- Sadie L. Petzoldt, 87, of Pocahontas, died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1991, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 15, 1904, near Pocahontas, daughter of William B. Ludwig and Emma Sauerbrunn. She married Aaron Petzoldt, Jan. 9, 1947. He died Feb. 6, 1957...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Clarence William Allen, 74, of Pulaski, Ill., died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Marion, Ill. He was born Feb. 6, 1917, in Paducah, Ky., son of Clarence Allen and Ethel Bush Allen. He was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Mounds, Ill. and was a machinist for the Valley Steel Products Company in Cairo, Ill. for 32 years...

JACKSON -- Elizabeth I. Wilferth, 78, of Jackson, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Dec. 24, 1912, near Jackson, daughter of Louis and Elizabeth Heuschaber Steimel. She married Eugene E.E. Wilferth Nov. 22, 1941. He died Aug. 16, 1964...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Claire Sledge of Cairo died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1991, at her home. Barkett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Marilyn J. Schmidt, 56, of Dellwood, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at St. Mary's Health Center in Richmond Heights. She was born June 23, 1935, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Cletus and Elsie Summers Schmidt. Schmidt moved from Cape Girardeau 30 years ago. She was data management supervisor in aircraft manufacturing at McDonnell Douglas...

PERRYVILLE -- Geraldine Marie Allen, 89, of Perryville, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born Dec. 18, 1901, at New Millport, Pa., daughter of Poe and Lillian Bloom McFadden. She married William H. Allen Nov. 7, 1935...

PERRYVILLE -- Ruth B. Adams, 68, of Perryville, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at Perry County Nursing Home. She was born April 21, 1923, at Kaskaskia Island, Ill., daughter of James S. and Isabel Johnson Brown. She married Andrew Adams in 1940, who died Nov. 14, 1979. She later married Gilbert Adams in 1981...

SCOTT CITY -- James Emerson Vincent, 70, Scott City Route 1, died Monday, Sept. 23, 1991, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born June 1, 1921, at Greenfield, son of Wade and Atta Mae Mayberry Vincent. He and Virginia A. Glueck were married June 1, 1967, in Cape Girardeau...

ADVANCE -- Funeral service for John W. Lewis of Chesterfield will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Morgan Funeral Chapel here. The Rev. Fred Ritter will officiate, with burial in Morgan Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-9 tonight, with Masonic rites at 7:30...

A Southeast Missouri State University assistant professor and political theorist in the political science department spent the summer at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) as a visiting scholar. While there, he studied the political, philosophical works of the Levellers and Thomas Hobbes...

Cape Girardeau's two hospitals have joined a nationwide effort to help men find out if they may have the second most fatal cancer. Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center will sponsor a free prostate screening clinic Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Southeast's Regional Cancer Center. The screening is being held during the third annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Week...

"Eastern Europe's Revolutions" will be the topic of a seminar at 7:30 tonight in the University Center Ballroom at Southeast Missouri State University. Under the auspices of the College of Liberal Arts, the seminar will analyze contemporary events and will feature eight faculty members who have traveled and studied in Eastern Europe. The faculty members will make brief presentations followed by questions and comments from the audience...

The Missouri Humanities Council has awarded a grant of $1,550 to Southeast Missouri State University for a "Great Books That Made a Difference" program. The program, offered through the Center for Regional History at Southeast, is free and open to the public...

Heaven help me that I would one day quote a line from "Designing Women." Here, however, I have done it. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, the Poplar Bluff woman who created the show and has written most of its episodes, got off a good line that was both amusing and telling...

Cape Girardeau Lexington Avenue was once sy~non~y~mous ~with controversy. For those keeping tabs on this growing thoroughfare, it should now be synonymous with civic progress. After some hesitancy by the City Council to move ahead with this project, construction on the northside arterial street is proceeding at a brisk pace. It remains an important component in the city's overall planning efforts and we are pleased to see it moving swiftly along...

WOLF LAKE, Ill. -- The Shawnee FFA Chapters if sponsoring an `Alumni FFA Chapter.' "All former FFA members are welcome," said a spokesman of the sponsoring group. "It doesn't matter which school the former member attended." An organizational meeting will be held at Shawnee High school Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m...

A group of Taiwanese businessmen were in Southeast Missouri Tuesday, visiting a popcorn farm, seed service and seed company. Two groups of businessmen from the Republic of China are visiting various industries throughout Missouri during the week. The trade mission was arranged by the Missouri Department of Agriculture's International Business Development Office in Taiwan, and the department's International Marketing Program...

Farming ranks near the top of the "most dangerous occupations" list. Last year, U.S. agricultural-related work accidents resulted in 1,300 deaths and 120,000 disabling injuries, according to the National Safety Council. "That's an increase over the year before when agriculture ranked right behind mining as most dangerous occupation," said David Baker, extension safety specialist at the University of Missouri-Columbia...

At night when the sounds of traffic have subsided, whistles on Mississippi towboats may be heard many miles inland. Every boat has an individual sound to its whistle, and also its bells, and residents of river cities become accustomed to listening for the sounds...

Tanya Matzat, of Cape Girardeau, was awarded the Virginia Hultz Booth Memorial Scholarship from the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Education. Matzat, who is majoring in secondary math education, received the scholarship at the annual fall scholarship reception, when the college awarded more than 90 scholarships...

The Area Vietnam Veterans and Support Group will meet Oct. 3 at the American Legion Post 63, over Beards Sports Shop. The group will also meet Oct. 17 at the Cape VFW Hall. Both meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. All Vietnam veterans, spouses and interested persons are encouraged to attend. For more information, call Roy Rhodes, 335-0683 or Roger English, 243-7305...

"Building Bridges" among women in Missouri will be the theme when the American Council of Education-National Identification Program for Women in Higher Education (ACE-NIP) Forum convenes Sunday and Monday at Southeast Missouri State University. The purpose of the conference is to increase camaraderie among women on individual campuses and across Missouri, to advance talented women in higher education administration and in state government, to strengthen the state organization of ACE-NIP and to build bridges among women in education and government.. ...

The lesson plan might be the same, but it never gets old or dull, according to Tom Prost. "Teaching different students every hour with new students coming in every year keeps my job alive," Prost said. He teaches senior English as well as 9th and 11th grade religion classes at St. Vincent High School in Perryville...

Ten scholarships for the 1991-92 academic year have been awarded by the Saint Francis Medical Center Auxiliary to students pursuing various health care careers. The scholarships are awarded annually based on a number of factors including financial need and the willingness of the recipients to sign service contracts...

Dr. C. John Ritter will discuss drugs on this week's edition of "Ask Your Doctor." The program airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on cable channel 13. "Ask Your Doctor" features local doctors answering questions from local viewers who call in . The program is sponsored by St. Francis Medical Center, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau County Medical Society and Channel 13...

The Green Thumbs Junior Garden Club elected officers at the club's second meeting Sept. 16. President is Cassie Westrich; vice president-treasurer is Nikki Tanksley; corresponding secretary is Christopher York. Committees and their chairmen are: library flower bed, Liesl Schoenberger and Liz Robertson; programs, Becky Keller and Ryan Keller; plant and potpourri sales, Will Tanksley and Kim Diesel...