Stories from Tuesday, December 10, 1991

A Cape Girardeau attorney said Monday that a recent ruling by the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals should halt state budget cuts planned in January to fund desegregation costs in Kansas City public schools. Meanwhile, a Missouri assistant attorney general said the budget cuts planned for January may or may not take place, regardless of the ruling...

The number of Christmas cards handled at the Cape Girardeau Mail Processing Center is up this month, but the overall volume of mail won't increase much, said Cape Girardeau Postmaster Mike Keefe. He said business mail decreases during December, although the number of Christmas cards being sent more than makes up the difference...

Changing Southeast Missouri State University's early retirement program to comply with federal law could have resulted in retirement costs of about $9.5 million over the next 10 years. Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast, said the cost estimate was made by consultants with Coopers and Lybrand, a major accounting firm with offices in St. Louis and other cities...

CHAFFEE -- Chaffee Police Chief Ivan McLain has resigned and is eying a possible campaign next year for Cape Girardeau County sheriff, a job he once held for more than 10 years. McLain, 61, said he submitted a letter of resignation Thursday night at a Chaffee Police Commission meeting and will move to the Cape Girardeau area. The resignation took effect immediately, ending McLain's nearly nine-year tenure as Chaffee police chief...

If donations of toys and clothes don't pick up soon, hundreds of the area's needy children will have no visit from Santa Claus this year, organizers of the Toybox drive said. "I'm worried," said Pat Anderson, co-chairman of Toybox. "What if Santa doesn't come for these children?"...

The Cape Girardeau School District is poised to begin strategic planning designed to provide the district with a map to the end of the century. At the board's meeting Monday, Superintendent Neyland Clark outlined the steps involved in formulating a five-year strategic plan...

A Cape Girardeau youth soccer league official Monday urged members of the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board not to overlook soccer field expansion in its Shawnee Park development plans. The park board last month submitted a proposal to the city council asking that tourism fund dollars be spent on construction of a softball complex at Shawnee Park...

Thanks to 82-year-old Mr. K's older sister, Mr. K is not homeless. She took him in and provided a home for her brother when he had no where else to turn. Mr. K suffers from severe ulcers on his feet and cannot walk very well. He uses a walker to help him get around. Mr. K is also blind in one eye...

SCOTT CITY - U.S. Sen. John Danforth will hold a meeting this week to learn more about the role of port authorities in Southeast Missouri. Entitled, "Missouri's Ports In the '90s," the session will be held at noon Thursday at the Sikeston Inn. Allan Maki, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, will chair the meeting...

Alan Journet teaches ecology and Richard Stiehl teaches wildlife biology and ornithology at Southeast Missouri State University. Both are involved in research in wetlands. Proposed changes in the guidelines for interpreting wetland boundaries could eliminate up to two thirds of Missouri's wetlands and contribute to the further decline in North American waterfowl populations. ...

The Christmas shopping season is in full swing. In fact, only two weeks of shopping days remain until Christmas Day. Local merchants have been more fortunate than in some other areas of the country. Sales here have been brisk. That's welcome news not only for merchants, but for all of us. Brisk sales means strong sales tax revenues...

CHARLESTON -- Fred Young, 82, of Charleston died Saturday, Dec. 7, 1991, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Sept. 13, 1909 in Mississippi. He is survived by one son, Robert Lee Young, Dallas, Texas; one sister, Jean Ewing, Indianapolis, Ind.; and one grandson...

ANNA, Ill. -- Norman F. "Chick" Cauble, 85, of Tamms, Ill. died Monday, Dec. 9, 1991 at the City Care Center in Anna. He was born Dec. 11, 1905 at Elco, Ill. to Ben and Lucy Wareing Cauble. He married Florence Baldwin on Dec. 21, 1928. She survives...

Southeast Missouri State University Recreational Sports Department and Southeast Hospital Wellness Center are teaming up to sponsor a step-aerobics class and a charity walk to benefit Toybox. The class will be held in the Student Recreation Center Wednesday at 7 p.m. Each participant is asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child up to age 12. Canned goods to be donated to FISH will also be accepted...

The December meeting of the Bicentennial Commission will be held on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. Commissioners will meet with individuals who responded to applications for various bicentennial committies, such as historical, publicity, activities and finance. Anyone interested in helping to plan the upcoming celebration is encouraged to attend this session...

SCOTT CITY -- Dora Josephine Germain, 88, of Scott City, died Monday, Dec. 9, 1991, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 12, 1903, in Oklahoma, daughter of George David and Agnes Ahner Wolfe. She married George Jules Germain Jr. Nov. 2, 1935, at Ancell. He died Nov. 27, 1985...

PERRYVILLE -- Rudolph "Rudy" Wichern, 79, of Perryville, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 1991, at Perry County Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 21, 1911, at Point Rest, son of Henry and Martha Cornehlsen Wichern. He and the former Esther Hemmann were married Nov. 16, 1936...

CHAFFEE -- Ruby Inez Tramel, 82, of Chaffee, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Dec. 9, 1908, in Belleville, Ark., daughter of Charles Alexander and Mary Thompson Dollman. She married Bruce Gassaway in 1923, who died in 1929. She married Cecil Tramel Nov. 27, 1930...

PERRYVILLE -- Walter M. Schumer, 86, of Perryville, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 1991, at American Care Center. He was born Sept. 29, 1905, at Biehle, son of Louis J. and Theresia Schemel Schumer. He and the former Margaret DeClerk were married Aug. 29, 1932, in Perry County. She died Sept. 21, 1991...

SIKESTON -- Juanita Catherine Shelton, 77, of Sikeston, died Monday, Dec. 9, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 15, 1914, at Benton, daughter of John and Stella Schlitt Urhahn. She married James Virgil Shelton May 22, 1938, at Benton...

Ruth Barbara Brennecke, 83, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, Dec. 9, 1991, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 8, 1908, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of William and Mary Beaudean Franz. She married Ralph H. Brennecke Aug. 13, 1934, in Cape Girardeau. He preceded her in death May 24, 1991...

CHAFFEE -- Mollie Kathleen Hindman, 7 months old, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 1991, at St. Louis Children's Hospital. She was born May 13, 1991, in St. Louis, daughter of James and Robyn Newcomer Hindman of Chaffee. Survivors include her parents; maternal grandfather, Davey Newcomer; paternal grandparents, C.J. and Dimple Hindman; maternal great-grandmother, Mildred White, and paternal great-grandmother, Lora Gulley, all of Chaffee...

ULLIN, Ill. -- Ralph N. Taake, Sr., 90, of Ullin, died Monday, Dec. 9, 1991, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born March 12, 1901, in St. Louis County, son of Jacob Alexander and Louise Horstman Taake. He married Lora Scruggs on Dec. 21, 1924. She died May 6, 1986...

Editor's note A response in Speak Out Monday concerning the city's collection of trash and recyclable materials needs clarification. Doug Kaminskey, city environmental services coordinator, said collections for some customers, whose trash used to be picked up on Mondays and Thursdays, still are made on Mondays and Thursdays, but solid wastes are picked up on Thursdays and recyclable materials on Mondays. ...