Stories from Wednesday, April 7, 1993

To the Editor: A few days ago it was brought to my attention that our community newspaper was publishing a comic strip called "For Better Or Worse" and that the story line for this strip is based on homosexuality. I was simply crushed to think that children of this community could pick up our daily paper and read the "funnies" and get the idea that homosexuality is just another lifestyle...

To the Editor: Concerning the syndicated cartoon "For Better Or Worse" by Lynn Johnston and the editorial by Robb Blackwell in the March 31 edition of The Capaha Arrow: It greatly concerns me that this comic strip has taken the course which it has. To tell you the truth, what I have seen in the comic strip has made me sick...

To the Editor: I'm presuming you are all aware of what is allowed to be printed on the comic page of the Southeast Missourian. I'm writing to register my protests, in the strongest terms, about the content of the comic strip, "For Better Or Worse," that is running on on-going themes of homosexuality, of all things!...

A perfect example of a lack of regional cooperation occurred in Scott City Monday night. Cape Girardeau Assistant City Manager Al Stoverink approached Scott City aldermen and the mayor about extending water service from Scott City to the municipal airport and Nash Road industries. The reception - to say the least - was cool...

PERRYVILLE - Voters in Perry County decided to repeal the county's ban on Sunday sales by an overwhelming margin Tuesday. Repeal of the "Blue Law," which prohibits the sale of "non-essential" items on Sunday, was placed on the ballot by initiative petition earlier this year. The effort was initiated by the Chamber of Commerce, after several merchants who are members asked the chamber to take the lead...

Blaming continuing losses at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, Trans World Express airlines announced Tuesday it has applied for a federal subsidy to continue operations between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis. William Mishk, TWE's director of marketing, said the subsidy would "cover financial losses we have incurred while trying to serve this city."...

Steven Wright, a first-time candidate who had refused to support the Cape Girardeau School District's defeated $25 million bond issue proposal, was elected to the Board of Education Tuesday along with two incumbents who favored the measure. With 5,236 votes (24.9 percent), Wright received the second-highest total of the four candidates, trailing incumbent Kathy Swan's 6,033 votes (28.6 percent)...

JACKSON -- Jackson voters elected their first new mayor in 22 years Tuesday, as Ward 1 Alderman Paul Sander easily defeated 22-year incumbent mayor Carlton "Cotton" Meyer. Sander will take over as mayor in early May. According to final tabulations, Sander got 57.2 percent of the vote, as he defeated Meyer, 1,556 to 1,145. Sander carried all four of Jackson's wards...

Voters in three area school districts approved bond issues Tuesday, but voters in the Cape Girardeau School District rejected a bond issue and building fund levy hike. The proposed $25 million bond issue received only 43 percent of the vote, well short of the approximately 57 percent of the vote needed for passage. The vote was 3,778 yes to 4,954 no...

JOHN MCLEMORE Occupation: Owner of automotive detail shop. Pet Peeve: "People who expect more for less." The best part of my life was: "When I got married and settled down." Best part of my job: "Personal satisfaction when I see a customer pleased with my work."...

SCOTT CITY - The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority Board of Commissioners will name an executive director today. The announcement will be made at 10 a.m. at the port office. Allan Maki, who served as executive director for four-and-a-half years, submitted his resignation March 8...

DELTA -- Voters re-elected James Bowers and elected Junior Helderman and Wesley Kinder Jr. to three-year terms on the Delta Board of Education Tuesday. Bowers was the top vote-getter with 333 votes. Junior Helderman had 329 votes followed by Kinder with 314. Incumbent Donald Hester, who had served on the board for 15 years, finished fourth with 257 votes. Don Dinkins finished fifth with 162, and Doyle Parmer had 92...

CHAFFEE -- A measure to increase the personal property tax rate to provide funds for operation of Chaffee parks failed by a narrow margin Tuesday. The measure would have increased the Park Fund rate from 12 cents per $100 to 26 cents per $100. The final unofficial vote was 166 for and 173 against...

SCOTT CITY -- Two new members were elected to the Scott City Board of Education Tuesday along with one incumbent to the three open seats on the board. Gale Dale, president of the school board, received the most votes of any candidate with 373. Cathy Raines and Ray Smith, both newcomers to the board, received 364 and 345 votes, respectively...

JACKSON -- Vicky McDowell will join incumbents T. Wayne Lewis and Darrell Hanschen on the Jackson School District Board of Education. The three candidates among nine vying for three, three-year terms on the board amassed 54.5 percent of the total votes cast Tuesday...

JACKSON - Forty percent of Cape Girardeau County's 35,273 registered voters went to the polls Tuesday for school and municipal elections. County Clerk Rodney Miller said that turnout was heaviest in the Cape Girardeau School District, where voters considered two tax levy proposals, and in the city of Jackson, where there was a hard-fought contest for mayor...

SCOTT CITY -- The only contested races for the Scott City City Council were won by the incumbents Tuesday in the general election. Councilwoman Brenda Moyers was narrowly elected over her opponent, Randy Newell, for the Ward 1 seat. Both candidates ran a write-in campaign...

OAK RIDGE -- Incumbents Jeff Hahs and Jerry Schreiner were among three candidates who where elected to the Oak Ridge Board of Education Tuesday. Jacqueline Ludwig of Oak Ridge, a retired school teacher, led the school board balloting. She received 159 votes, or about 31.3 percent of the ballots cast...

Ella R. Brotherton, 84, of 12 Pindwood, died Tuesday, April 6, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born Aug. 30, 1908, at Lixville, Mo., daughter of Ferdinand and Anna Bell Barks Ruessler. She was married to Floyd Brotherton, Nov. 27, 1927. He died Jan. 7, 1968...

MARBLE HILL -- Betty Jean Hruby, 68, of Marble Hill, died Sunday, April 4, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Oct. 25, 1924, in Colorado Springs, Colo., daughter of Morris and Mary Devel Emrick. She and William Hruby were married March 17, 1942...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- In the obituary Tuesday of Chellis Osman of Manteno, Ill., the name of a sister was provided incorrectly to the Southeast Missourian. The sister's name should have been Vernetta Acuff of Dongola. Osman, 72, died Sunday, April 4, 1993, in Manteno...

Veronica Greaser, 90, of Cape Girardeau, died Tuesday, April 6, 1993, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Service arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Ford & Sons Funeral Home.

CHAFFEE -- A new fire chief and assistant fire chief were appointed Monday to head the all-volunteer Chaffee Fire Department. During its Monday meeting, the Chaffee Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to endorse the appointment of veteran Chaffee firefighter Steve Graham as fire chief and veteran firefighter Ken Cummins as assistant chief...

SIKESTON -- Mildred N. Gann, 85, of Sikeston, died Tuesday, April 6, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Nov. 15, 1907, in Wartrace, Ill., daughter of Henry Stokes and Electra Irene Lucas Gann. Gann was a registered nurse 52 years, and graduated from St. ...

SIKESTON -- Ruth Marie Jenkins, 89, of Chaffee, died Tuesday, April 6, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born March 3, 1904, at Greenbriar, daughter of Clarence and Mary Jane Shell Hindman. She and Clyde Jeff Jenkins were married June 16, 1922. He died March 6, 1981...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Elfrink, Benton Route 1, St. Mary's Hospital in St. Louis, 5:41 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, 1993. Name, Sawyer Paul. Weight, 6 pounds. First child. Mrs. Elfrink is the former Gina Montgomery, daughter of Cecil and Jane Montgomery of Chaffee. She is a respiratory therapist at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Elfrink is employed by United Parcel Service in Cape Girardeau, and is the son of Marie Elfrink, Benton Route 1, and the late Paul Elfrink...

The lone incumbent among four candidates vying for seats on the Nell Holcomb Board of Education was defeated Tuesday, while a past board member was re-elected. Bruce Domazlicky, an associate professor of economics at Southeast Missouri State University, finished fourth in his re-election bid for one of three, three-year terms...

CHAFFEE -- Three new members were elected to the Chaffee Board of Education Tuesday. Randy Dooley, a former alderman in Chaffee, led the school board balloting with 311 votes, just one vote more than Tom Davenport's 310 votes. Greg L. Ourth Jr. collected 264 votes to finish in the third winning position...

MARBLE HILL -- Incumbents Frank Killian and Mildred Shell were re-elected to the Marble Hill Board of Aldermen Tuesday. Killian defeated Judy Jones in the Ward 1 race 76-65. In Ward 2 Shell received 151 votes to 98 for Lyndell Seabaugh and 15 for Bobby Brown...

Enrollment in the Delta kindergarten for the 1993-94 school year will be conducted April 28-29. Registration will be alphabetical: April 28, A-F from 8:30-10:30 a.m., G-K from 12:30-2 p.m., and April 29, L-S from 8:30-10:30 a.m., T-Z from 12:30-2 p.m. The enrollment will be at the Delta Elementary School...