Stories from Friday, October 11, 1991

POTOSI -- Ernest Boyster, 38, of Potosi, formerly of Chaffee, died Thursday, Oct. 10, 1991, near Potosi. Funeral arrangements were incomplete Thursday and will be announced later by Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.

For a moment, forget Clarence Thomas. Forget Anita Hill. The business that has brought them together again has escaped the bounds of mere governmental process and political intrigue. We are joined now in a great national debate over sexual harassment. Overshadowed for the moment is the fact a person will be one of nine persons seated on the nation's highest court for the next few decades. The biggest fish we have to fry, apparently, is one that's been there all along...

At times I have wondered if I were a good American. In particular, while traveling abroad, fielding questions about our economic structure, political system, social institutions, cultural spirit and more, I tried to give my honest and sincere perspective on this country. This perspective included summarizing trends of thought other than my own, so those who spoke with me might at least receive a hint of the tremendous diversity of discourse in America...

Cape Girardeau City Councilman Doug Richards Thursday issued a news release stating that he has changed his mind and now favors the city's purchase of the water system from Union Electric. The council Sept. 16 approved a resolution endorsing the purchase proposal, but Richards and Mayor Gene Rhodes voted against the measure. Richards said at the time that he hadn't fully studied the proposal and couldn't support the resolution until he had...

Robert Mayer Evans, former foreign correspondent for CBS News who lived and worked in several dozen countries on five continents, will speak at the Cape Girardeau Executives Club Oct. 24. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Drury Lodge. Evans serves as the CBS News Bureau Chief in Moscow, covering the Soviet Union across Siberia to the Chinese border...

Jeffrey Dale Henry, 27, of Burfordville remained in critical condition Thursday in the critical care unit at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, following an accident Tuesday. Henry was injured when the pickup truck he was driving struck a utility pole Tuesday night at the intersection of Highway 34 and West Lane in Jackson, authorities said...

MARBLE HILL -- An Advance woman was injured Thursday in a two-vehicle accident near Marble Hill. The Missouri Highway Patrol said Donna Nankivell, 26, received moderate injuries when a vehicle driven by Brad Kirkpatrick, 20, of Marble Hill made a left turn into the path of the car she was driving...

Plans are under way for the annual Cape Cancer Society Gala fundraiser. This event raises the largest amount of funds for the local cancer society. The money is used for patient assistance, education and cancer research. The theme of this year's gala is "Rollin' Down the River." It will be held Feb. ...

Christopher Columbus discovered the New World on Oct. 12, 1492. But the Congress, in order to allow workers a three-day holiday weekend, has decreed Columbus Day will be observed on Monday, Oct. 14. However, observance of the holiday is not universal. While all federal, state, and county offices will be closed Monday, most area municipal offices and schools in Southeast Missouri will be open...

Southeast Missouri State University celebrates itself this weekend. It is a due celebration. Homecoming at the school on the hill conjures a wealth of images for this community: the suddenly crisp days of autumn, a colorful parade, the joining of town-and-gown interests, reunions of old friends. It is, quite literally, a welcoming home of those who have a stake in Southeast. We join in welcoming the university alumni, and we applaud them for their continued inte~rest in the institution...

JACKSON -- Linda Douglass, 37, of Jackson, died Thursday, Oct. 10, 1991, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. She was born May 12, 1954, at Ironton, daughter of Melvin and Helen Bridgewater Fields. She married Victor Douglass July 17, 1981. Douglass was a graduate of Ellington High School, and received a bachelor of science degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1974...

CHAFFEE -- Ethel M. Eldridge, 86, of Chaffee, died Thursday, Oct. 11, 1991, at her home. She was born Nov. 3, 1904, in Dyersburg, Tenn., daughter of Harvey and Ona McMackin Carnell. She married John Eldridge Oct. 11, 1921. He died Nov. 2, 1989. Eldridge was a member of the Church of God in Jackson...

JACKSON -- James "Jim" Brooks, 57, Jackson Route 4, died Thursday, Oct. 10, 1991, at his home. He was born Dec. 23, 1933, in St. Louis, son of Maple and Sadie Craft Brooks. He and Carol Sedan were married Oct. 5, 1955. Brooks served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 1977. He was a mail carrier in the Jackson area from 1980-89, serving rural routes one and four...

PERRYVILLE -- Lynn Joseph Tucker, 90, of Perryville, died Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1991, at American Care Center. He was born June 1, 1901, in Perry County, son of Timon and Ambrosa Mattingly Tucker. He married Agnes Poinsett, who died March 3, 1971. Tucker was a retired carpenter, and booster member of American Legion Post 133 here...

PERRYVILLE -- Letha J. Cox, 86, of Perryville, died Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1991, at American Care Center. She was born June 25, 1905, in Cape Girardeau County, daughter of Charles V. Smith and Bessie L. Smith. She married LoVelle Cox, who died in 1973. Cox was a retired elementary teacher, and member of Retired Teachers Association...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. John Blattel of Marion, Ohio, Marion General Hospital, 11:17 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, 1991. Name, Chelsea Ann. Weight, 8 pounds. First child. Mrs. Blattel is the former Donna Eldred, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Eldred of Chicago. Blattel is shop operations engineer with General Electric, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Blattel of Scott City...

Prosecutors across Missouri have used the state's Witness Protection Program sparingly since its inception more than five years ago. In Cape Girardeau County, Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle has used the program four times and gives it high marks...

NATO needs to remain in Europe to maintain a balance despite the Cold War being over, says Keith Dunn, a Jackson native and U.S. strategist at NATO. Dunn spoke Thursday evening to about 45 people at the Harold Holmes Dugger Lecture, held in the University Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Afterward, Dunn answered questions from the audience...

The Cape Girardeau Public Works Department will again implement its citywide leaf collection program, beginning Oct. 28. Street Superintendent Emmett Baker said street crews will make two trips through every city neighborhood from Oct. 28 until the program's projected completion, Dec. 20...

Local voters surveyed this week voiced support for Proposition B and the Cape Girardeau utility measures on the Nov. 5 ballot. The survey, commissioned by the Southeast Missourian newspaper, was conducted by students in the marketing department at Southeast Missouri State University under the direction of Peter Gordon...

Kim Hill doesn't miss many Southeast Missouri State University homecoming parades. She and her husband, Mitch, live only a few blocks from Broadway, the traditional route of homecoming parades. This year's homecoming parade will be held Saturday, and Hill will once again be stationed along the parade route. The parade begins at 9 a.m. at Capaha Park, and will proceed down Broadway to Main Street...

SCOTT CITY -- Members of the Scott City Council and the house renumbering committee met Thursday but failed to finalize a plan for house renumbering in Scott City. The two groups did decide they would continue to work on a house renumbering plan, and hopefully have one finalized by Oct. 21, the date of the next council meeting...

U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond is expected to attend this morning's meeting of Division of Family Services (DFS) and Cape Girardeau Caring Commission officials to discuss Family and Medical leave legislation. The meeting is being held at the River Room at Drury Lodge. Bond is expected to speak at 9:15 a.m...

JACKSON - During the first few years after Cape Girardeau County implemented a sales tax in 1980, receipts each year increased by at least 8-9 percent. County officials knew such growth wouldn't last forever, but with the county's retail base and role as a regional center increasing in the 1980s, they were optimistic about continued growth...

Kala Stroup, president of Southeast Missouri State University, was thanked Thursday for her leadership and contributions to the Boy Scouts of America's professional development committee. Glenn S. Pannell, director of the National Professional Development Division of the Boy Scouts of America, presented a painting to Stroup during a visit to Cape Girardeau Thursday...

The Southeast Missouri State University Theatre department production of "Baby With the Bathwater" will conclude with shows tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Forrest H. Rose Theatre on campus. The production, the first of the season for the theater department, opened last weekend. "Baby With the Bathwater" is a comedy that follows the lives of a young family as they cope with realities of parenting...

HARVIELL, Mo. When sugar became a luxury during hard economic times, sweet, sticky molasses took its place in the kitchens of many rural families. All it took was some sorghum cane, a roller mill, a hot fire and a little knowledge. In the 1930s the combination was commonplace. In 60 years, it's all but disappeared...

"Menopause and Beyond" is the topic of the October Woman to Woman luncheon. The meeting will be held on Oct. 17 at noon in conference rooms A and B of St. Francis Medical Center's Education Centre. Dr. Scot G. Pringle of OB-GYN Associates of Cape Girardeau, will be the featured speaker...

Ileitis Colitis support group will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Friend's Lounge of St. Francis Medical Center. Featured speaker will be Yee Way Ting, a pharmacist at St. Francis. The group is also planning a bake sale Dec. 6. For more information, call Sue Nauert at the St. Francis Digestive Disease Center at 339-6270...

The Cape Girardeau County League of Women Voters will focus on health care at its dinner and study meeting Thursday. The group will meet at 6 p.m. at Holiday Inn. Raymond Otto, director of pastoral care at Southeast Missouri Hospital, will speak at 7. His topic will be "A Quarter Century of Health Care A Chaplain's View."...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The news isn't good for fall turkey hunters. Fall turkey hunters might find the going a bit tough this year, because of low numbers of brood flocks hens with young turkeys. "The outlook is not good for the fall season," said Department Wildlife Research Biologist Larry Vangilder. "This is the fourth year in a row that we've had a bad hatch"...

PUXICO -- Self-guided auto tours will continue this week at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tours will be held each Sunday during October and November. The tour route starts at the Mingo Visitor Center, a mile and a half north of Puxico, on Highway 51, and end at the Redmill Drive exit to Highway 51. The 25-mile route is mostly gravel and usually takes about two hours to drive...

More than 500 volunteers are expected to participate in the Land Between The Lakes (LBL) Shoreline Hike Oct. 19. The annual hike is a public effort to clean up the Kentucky Lake shoreline around LBL. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at three sites Fenton Lake Access Area near the Kentucky Lake Bridge; Hillman Ferry in the northern portion of LBL; and at Piney Campground, located in the southern portion of LBL...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri's new, three-zone waterfowl hunting season offers new advantages to duck hunters, according to Wildlife Research Biologist Dale Hamburg. But hunters should be aware of changes in zones. Missouri will be divided into north, middle and south waterfowl hunting zones for the first time this year, instead of the north and south zones used in the past...

Vince Rueseler, certified life underwriter of American Insurance Co., will be the featured speaker Oct. 18 at a meeting of the Cape Girardeau Association of Life Underwriters. Rueseler, an agent with Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Co., is a 20-year veteran of the insurance business. He will discuss "Life Insurance as an Investment Vehicle."...

Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge 639 has named Nathan Seyer, a senior at Notre Dame, and Felicia Ford, a senior at Cape Central, September students of the month. Seyer, 17, has been active in student council, varsity and junior varsity soccer. He has been on the honor roll, attended Boys State and participated in Youth Government Day...

Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County Recorder of Deeds: Boatmens National Bank to Rudolph J. and Helen A. Kluesner; Jack R. and Doris L. Greene to James H. and Norma W. Greene; Wilson J. and Brenda K. Glenn to McRichard Burford, et al...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department Oct. 26 will sponsor "Halloween Happenings" at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. At 6 p.m., the event will start with a pumpkin carving contest for children, ages 8 to 12, and a coloring contest for those ages 4 to 7...