Stories from Tuesday, January 14, 1992

The following school districts announced late Monday that classes are canceled today: Woodland R-4; Meadow Heights R-2; Perry County District 32; Immaculate Conception School in Perryville; Altenburg schools; Concordia Lutheran School in Altenburg; and St. Vincent Junior and Senior High Schools in Perryville...

Although federal officials have now labeled this winter's flu outbreak as a nationwide epidemic, local and regional health officials in Southeast Missouri said the flu's major impact peaked here in late December. But, they said, illnesses with flu-like symptoms and non-flu-related illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia and gastro-intestinal tract sickness likely will persist through early spring...

In a tearful announcement, Cape Girardeau Board of Education member Carolyn Kelley Monday resigned from the board. At a board meeting, Kelley said: "It's very hard to say goodbye to this community. We have dug special roots here for 28 years." Kelley, who has served on the board for almost eight years, will remain a member of the board through a Jan. 23 educational summit...

The amount of tonnage that passed through the Southeast Missouri Regional Port increased significantly in 1991, announced Allen Maki, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority. Maki made the announcement during the monthly meeting of the port authority's board of directors...

Promising to bring a conservative, common sense business approach to state government, Sikeston Mayor Bill Burch formally declared his candidacy for the Missouri Senate here Monday afternoon. Burch said he would run an aggressive campaign that will focus on his background and experience...

CAIRO, Ill. -- A new police commissioner, new police and fire board members, the founding of a citizens advisory panel, and the creation of an assistant police chief's position are among proposals included in a comprehensive, nine-point plan approved by the Cairo City Council...

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County Assessor Jerry Reynolds said he will file today for a fifth term. The Cape Girardeau Democrat said he enjoys his job and looks forward to maintaining a quality assessor's office. "I think we have an assessor's office that is top quality," said Reynolds, who was first elected in 1976. "I think we are doing a good job for the taxpayers in an economical way...

Members of the city's Bicentennial and Historic Preservation commissions Monday elicited the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board's support for preservation and renovation of a Cape Girardeau Civil War landmark. The park board unanimously approved a motion to endorse preservation of the site of Fort D, the last of four forts built in Cape Girardeau during the Civil War...

JACKSON - Members of the Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday approved a 1992 budget that allocates almost $5.6 million for general revenue, $1.7 million for roads and bridges, and provides a capital trust account balance of $2.6 million. Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, the budget officer for Cape County, praised the cooperation the commission had received from elected officials and department heads to keep costs in line amid a period of declining revenue and economic uncertainty...

Allan Maki, the executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, has been elected President of the Missouri Port Authority Association. Maki was elected at the group's annual meeting last week. He succeeds Bill Rudloff, director of the Howard-Cooper County Port Authority...

A presentation on the "Ghost Lights of Marfa" will be held Thursday at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Robert T. Krone of Cape Girardeau will show rare video footage of the lights during the one-hour program, which is free. The earliest-known sighting of the lights dates to 1883, but today the lights continue to be seen in Texas, near the Big Bend region in Brewster and Presidio counties, and sometimes from adjacent Jeff Davis County. ...

The affable Bob Griffin, speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives, offered this greeting to colleagues returning to Jefferson City: "Welcome back. We have no money. Let's go home." Besides playing into the hands of those cynics who say the welfare of the state is its least risk when the legislature is not in session, Griffin's message is amiss. ...

Opal L. Sparks, 65, of Cape Girardeau died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born Aug. 8, 1926 at Old Appleton, the daughter of Ray and Josie Schreiner Myers. She married Donald Sparks on Sept. 15, 1946 in Cape. He preceded her in death March 6, 1986...

A proposal to rescind a Cape Girardeau Board of Education policy banning Sunday practices without prior board approval was tabled Monday until the February meeting. Board members said they wanted more specific language about how decisions would be made...

Viola L. Walter, 79, of 226 S. Middle, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. The body is at Ford and Sons Funeral Home where arrangements were incomplete.

Oliver J. Thomson, 82, 1221 Bloomfield, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born July 8, 1909, in Springfield, Pa., son of Joshua and Emma Kerr Thomson. He and Carlotta Grace Cornatzer were married Sept. 11, 1931, in Media, Pa. She died Sept. 26, 1991...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Dee Wolford, 76, of East Prairie, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1992, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, following an extended illness. He was born May 24, 1915, in Savannah, Tenn., son of George and Myrtle Miller Wolford. He married the former Nina Mae Rettig...

JACKSON -- John Fred Hartle, 79, of Jackson, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born April 28, 1912, in Cape Girardeau County, son of John Fred and Jacie Gladish Hartle. He and Maxine Seabaugh were married July 30, 1942, at Jackson...

SIKESTON -- Kenneth Ray Hodgkiss, 32, of Medford, Ore., died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1992, at his home. He was born Feb. 23, 1959, in St. Louis, son of William LeRoy and Dorothy Johnson Hodgkiss. He and the former Chris Boswell were married March 23, 1983, in Medford...

Funeral service for Ronney Lee Johnson of DeSoto was held Saturday at Lemme Funeral Chapel in Festus. Burial was in Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens at Crystal City. Johnson, 49, died Thursday, Jan. 9, 1992, at his home. He was born July 18, 1942, in Cape Girardeau, son of John Lowell and Corean Waterman Johnson. He and Dorothy Enke were married Jan. 8, 1965, in Biloxi, Miss...

COMMERCE -- William P. Beardslee, 74, of Commerce, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Jan. 14, 1917, at Glen Allen, son of Charles M. and Lula B. Rowland Beardslee. He and Katherine Pobst were married July 18, 1942, at Commerce...

JACKSON -- Luther Green, 93, of Jackson, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at Deal Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 2, 1898, at Millersville, son of Andrew and Kate Hosea Green. He and Pearl Borneman were married Aug. 22, 1919. She died Nov. 10, 1959. Green had lived in the Jackson area since 1949, moving from Cape Girardeau. He worked at International Shoe Co. there more than 40 years...

ANNA, Ill. -- Cecile Penrod, 83, of Anna, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Sept. 4, 1908, near Cobden, daughter of Julious and Ethel Lasley Hartline. She married Earl Penrod June 29, 1929, who died July 31, 1982...

Janice I. Cowan, 55, of Spring, Texas, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at John Sealy Hospital in Galveston, Texas. She was born Feb. 14, 1936, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of George and Agnes Harmon Bullock. She and C. Wayne Cowan were married Jan. 1, 1955, in Cape Girardeau...

Thomas Abernathy, 72, of 1515 N. Henderson died Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Funeral arrangements at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel in Cape Girardeau are incomplete.

Auditions for "Babes in Arms," the upcoming Broadway Community Theater production, have been extended. Auditions will be held tonight, Wednesday and Thursday from 6:30-9 p.m. at Concord Theater. Men and women, ages 16 to 30 are needed. Those auditioning are asked to prepare a musical selection...

"Rape What You Should Know," is the topic of a special seminar to be held at the St. Francis Health Education Centre in Cape Girardeau on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration fee is $5, and the program is open to the public. Persons must pre-register by Wednesday...