Stories from Tuesday, January 5, 1993

Cape Girardeau voters will decide June 8 whether they want riverboat gambling in their city. Despite the objections of several residents and the personal opposition of most of the council members, the Cape Girardeau City Council Monday approved a motion to hold a special June election for the gambling measure...

Democratic leaders of the Missouri House and Senate and Gov.-elect Mel Carnahan expressed excitement Monday about the opportunities facing them amid a "new spirit of cooperation." The state leaders concluded a series of news conferences around the state with a visit to Cape Girardeau Monday afternoon...

Representatives of The Boyd Group, a gaming and resort company based in Las Vegas, said Monday they would consider establishing an operation in Cape Girardeau if city voters approved a local initiative to allow riverboat gambling. Voters will decide June 8 the fate of riverboat gambling...

The heavy rains that pelted Southeast Missouri Monday nearly claimed the lives of four members of a Sikeston family whose car overturned in a rain-swollen ditch Monday night along a county road. They were pulled to safety by a motorist who was being credited with saving their lives...

The Cape Girardeau City Council Monday tabled a plan to spend $50,000 for the city's share of costs for the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association until the group decides where to house its office. The city of Cape Girardeau is one of five entities represented by the association, which has yet to determine where it will have its headquarters...

The Delta Companies and Southern Illinois Companies have become a part of one of the largest paving and materials companies in the world Colas SA of Paris, France. A contract for the purchase of all capital stock of the Delta Companies and Southern Illinois Companies by Colas SA was signed late last Thursday...

Five local finalists, chosen Monday in the Young Columbus competition, move one step closer to an all-expense-paid trip to England. The Young Columbus competition was open to students in grades seven through 12 who had a class with a Southeast Missourian Newspapers In Education teacher...

JACKSON -- Residents of Gerald Street want the city to move all heavy commercial truck traffic off their street, situated between East Jackson Boulevard and Rosamund. A petition, with 27 signatures - representing 100 percent of the property owners on Gerald, was presented to the Jackson Board of Aldermen Monday,by Bill Schubert of 848 Gerald...

SCOTT CITY -- Scott City Council members Monday night clashed with Mayor Larry Forhan over the issue of whether or not the mayor should be allowed to vote to break a tie in the eight-member council. "The mayor is elected to act as an executive officer, not as a legislative member of the council," said Brenda Moyers, Ward 1 councilwoman...

JACKSON -- Three-term, Ward 1 Alderman Paul Sander says he will run for the office now held by Jackson's 11-term incumbent mayor, Carlton Meyer. It's the first opposition Meyer has had since 1981. Meyer, who is completing his 22nd year in office, has said he will file for another term as mayor...

The Missouri General Assembly convenes for a new session this week, confronting many of the same issues it has in previous years. State government is faced with the ongoing challenges of providing a strong educational system that meets the need of both young people and adults needing re-training; creating a climate for economic development; meeting needs in social services and providing assistance to the elderly; and managing limited state resources in an efficient way...

Dear Editor: I am sending this letter in response of an article written by Mr. Walter Williams in the December 31, 1992 edition of the Southeast Missourian newspaper. The article, which referred to the acquittal of the police officers in the Rodney King case...

Dear Editor: Well, I just arrived home after being delayed again by the latest in Cape Girardeau's attempts to ensure local motorists are faced with the slowest and most frustrating road conditions that can be designed by demented traffic engineers. I am referring to the new intersection of Kingshighway with Mt. Auburn/Lexington/Route W...

Dear Editor: Each year at the close of Operation Toybox, the Jaycees take time out to thank those individuals and businesses who contributed to the project's success. This year we would like to illustrate the generosity of this community by telling you how these various groups insure that Toybox works...

Funeral service for Louise Kaiser, formerly of Cape Girardeau, was held Saturday in Poplar Bluff. Kaiser, 89, died Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1992, in Nashville, Tenn. She married Paul E. Kaiser, who preceded her in death. He was in business here in the 1940s...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Jim Clark "J.C." Blasingain of Ona, Fla., will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. Burl Britt will officiate, with burial in East Prairie Memorial Park. Blasingain, 58, died Friday, Jan. 1, 1993, at Walker Memorial Park Hospital in Avon Park, Fla...

SHAWNEETOWN -- Mildred Delph, 80, of St. Louis, died Monday, Dec. 28, 1992, in a St. Louis hospital. She was born June 23, 1912, near Shawneetown, daughter of Bert and Luna Cowan Holmes. She and Pink Delph were married Dec. 24, 1929. He died May 11, 1983...

SIKESTON -- Ira Spencer Jr. wondered what he could have done wrong when Sikeston police came to his house late last week. "The police came by here and knocked on my door. I said, `Oh no, what have I done?'" Turned out, what Spencer had done was win the Missouri Lottery's SuperCash SuperBash promotion...

BOLIVAR -- Former Southeast Missouri State University president Robert Foster will be stepping down as interim president of Southwest Baptist University on Monday. But he will remain at the private school for 90 days as a special assistant. "I have agreed to do that to help with the transition," Foster said. "So I will be there through March."...

SIKESTON -- Christine Beeson, 54, of Sikeston, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1993, at her home. She was born Oct. 10, 1938, in Selmer, Tenn., daughter of Hubert and Virlon Wyatt Cooksey. She and Tommy Beeson were married Feb. 18, 1960, at Sikeston. Beeson was a cook at Keller's Restaurant...

BELL CITY -- Elmer Eugene Green, 71, of Bell City, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1993, at the VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born Aug. 14, 1921, at Bloomfield, son of Marion and Ida Pixley Green. He and Wilburn Smothers were married Feb. 14, 1959. Green was a self-employed timber worker; member and deacon at Apostolic House of Prayer Church here. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

PERRYVILLE -- Emanuel F. Leible, 78, of Perryville, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1993, at American Care Center. He was born April 27, 1914, in Perry County, son of William and Emma Sanders Leible. He and Geraldine Farrar were married Dec. 28, 1940. Leible was a farmer, and member of York Chapel...

THEBES, Ill. -- Cecil O. Warren, 72, Thebes Route 1, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Dec. 4, 1920, near Thebes, son of Willis and Viola Hammonds Warren. He married the former Rosa Lee Phillips, who died Sept. 4, 1981...

Dr. William Frederick Oehler, 85, 1001 N. Henderson, died Sunday, Jan. 3, 1993, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 8, 1907, at Cairo, Ill., son of Louis J. and Emma Louise Bode Oehler. He and Jeanette Elizabeth Carter were married Sept. 10, 1937, in Cairo. She died Sept. 16, 1986...

Funeral service for Anne Turner of Greensburg, Ind., will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Gilliland-Howe Funeral Chapel in Greensburg. Steven Christy will officiate, with burial in Greenlawn Cemetery at Franklin, Ind. Friends may call at the funeral home from 3-8 p.m. today...