Stories from Tuesday, November 17, 1992

By a 5-2 vote Monday, the Cape Girardeau City Council approved spending excess tourism funds on a proposal that would expand sports and recreation facilities in two areas of the city. The action came after proponents of a proposal to purchase and renovate St. Vincent's Seminary essentially conceded their claim to the tourism funds...

After extended debate Monday, the Cape Girardeau City Council agreed on a blueprint to implement ward-style council elections within a year. Voters Nov. 3 approved by a 2-1 margin a plan to amend the City Charter and scrap at-large council elections in lieu of "zone" representation...

Cape Girardeau's proposed new school buildings will provide for interdisciplinary teaching in "classroom clusters," will safeguard sixth-graders in the new middle school, will be "technology-ready" and will use as much natural lighting as possible, the architects who designed them said Monday night...

SCOTT CITY - The Scott City Council opened bids Monday night for a new fire truck, following recent voter approval of a quarter-cent sales tax that will fund the purchase of the truck. Prior to opening the bids, the council had to certify the Nov. 3 election results, thereby allowing the sales tax measure to take effect the first of the year. The tax will be used solely for buying a fire truck and related equipment...

JACKSON -- Businesses in Jackson that want to use modular homes for temporary office space must now obtain a special use permit. By a 5-3 vote, the Jackson Board of Aldermen adopted the legislation that requires anyone using a modular home in Jackson for a temporary office to obtain the special use permit. The permit is good for two years and can be extended indefinitely one year at a time at the option of the board...

State and local officials will assess "Operation Steel Cure II" at Thursday night's meeting of the League of Women Voters of Cape Girardeau County. Taking part in the panel discussion will be: M/Sgt. Ed Stanley, Missouri Air National Guard, originator of the exercise that simulated response to a massive earthquake along the New Madrid Fault; Mark Winkler, area coordinator for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency; Jim Lawrence, Missouri Department of Health Bureau of Emergency Medical Services; Brian Miller, Cape Girardeau Office of Emergency Preparedness; and Mark Hasheider, emergency operations coordinator for the city of Cape Girardeau.. ...

JACKSON - The recently formed Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association elected officers Monday and discussed remaining items that need resolution before the group moves into high gear. On unanimous votes, the seven-member board elected Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes as chairman; Joe Gambill, vice chairman; and Jackson City Administrator Carl Talley as secretary/treasurer...

If America is the most affluent country in the world, how come our president will soon be without a home and our president-elect doesn't even own one? --- Now that we'll have a couple of Baby Boomers running the country in January, can Hoola-Hoops be far behind?...

The drill is now a familiar one in Cape Girardeau and the water-torture methodology is just as consistent: Environmental Protection Agency officials were in the city again last week concerning the cleanup of a Superfund site. While their attention to legal detail (in this case, holding a required public hearing) is heartening and their collective heart is in the right place, we aren't inspired to any greater feeling of environmental security by ongoing policies and demeanor of that agency...

Dear Editor: Republicans can take heart ... President-elect Clinton, that avowed Democratic centralist - the phrase is almost an oxymoron, I realize - is already showing his liberal stripes. First, Clinton panders to the gay lobby - which gave $3 million to his campaign - by reiterating his vow to lift the military's ban on homosexuality, despite the fact the military's top leaders are opposed. ...

Dear Editor: My heartfelt thanks for the great job of publicity your paper did for the "Shades of Blue" Jazz concert held at Central High School on Nov. 11. The concert was well attended and very enjoyable. Many of our band students were in attendance, and thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Living away from the city, we have very few chances to hear live bands of this caliber. I am grateful for the educational opportunity afforded to them...

CHARLESTON -- Joseph Ketterer, 72, of Charleston died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 12, 1920, in Charleston, the son of Theodore and Mamie Gutzwiller Ketterer. On April 18, 1949, he married Marie Glenn, who preceded him in death Aug. 13, 1973...

BLOOMFIELD -- William Richard Strader, 84, of Poplar Bluff, formerly of Bloomfield, died Saturday, Nov. 14, 1992, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born June 27, 1908, at Harrisburg, Ark., son of Will and Minnie Shanklin Strader...

William J. Keller, 54, 326 Olive, died suddenly Sunday, Nov. 15, 1992, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Oct. 31, 1938, in Cape Girardeau, son of William and Anna Morton Keller. He and June Jauch were married June 22, 1962, in Cape Girardeau...

James L. Moore, 98, of Festus, formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, Nov. 14, 1992, at Christian Hospital in St. Louis. He was born Sept. 1, 1894, in Perry County, son of Albert G. and Frances M. Dickinson Moore. He married Los B. Tucker Sept. 16, 1960, at Williamsville. She died July 30, 1988...

Parents and community members are invited to "take a new look" at public schools during American Education Week. Open houses, classroom guests and recognition programs highlight activities this week. The theme for the nationwide celebration is "America's Schools: Take a New Look."...

A new support group for cancer patients and their families will hold its first meeting Thursday at St. Francis Medical Center. The group is called CHAMPS (Cancer Help and Management Programs). The group is scheduled to meet twice a month, once in the afternoon and once in the evening...

The 11th annual Pacesetter blood drive will be held today at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau. The drive is scheduled from 1-6 p.m. This annual blood drive recruits donors from the business and professional field in the area; it is open to anyone...

JACKSON -- Robert "Bobbie" Benz, 35, of Jackson, died Sunday, Nov. 15, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Sept. 11, 1957, in Murphysboro, Ill., son of Daniel A. and Dorothy Faye Hogg Benz. Benz was a cook at Griffins Cafe and Spirits in Cape Girardeau, and a welder at Lee-Rowan Co...

WHITEWATER -- Jesse F. Smith, 75, Whitewater Route 1, died Monday, Nov. 16, 1992, at his home. He was born Jan. 17, 1917, north of Whitewater, son of Walter D. and Bessie Ann Green Smith. Smith was a farmer all his life, with the exception of two years that he was a deckhand on the river...

MORLEY -- Roy Arnold, 89, of Morley died Monday, Nov. 16, 1992, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Funeral arrangements were incomplete at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran.