Stories from Tuesday, April 13, 1993

A cool, wet spring is delaying completion of some highway construction projects and the start of others in the area, the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department said. According to the latest extended forecast, the situation isn't likely to improve this week. More rain is predicted through Friday...

A new multi-purpose recreation facility at the corner of Kingshighway and Mt. Auburn Road might include a facility for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. The city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Monday approved a motion to study the feasibility of including a 10,000-square-foot chamber office with the 32,000-square-foot multi-purpose facility...

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County elected officials voted to increase their salaries by 10 percent when their new terms start during a meeting Monday of the County Pay Commission. Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, chairman of the salary commission, began the meeting by pointing out that county officials have not had pay raises since 1987 and that salaries of employees have gone up an average of 25-27 percent during the same period...

"You, in the house come out with your hands up!" shouted a Cape Girardeau police officer decked in full battle gear, his semi-automatic handgun trained on the dilapidated house at 710 College Street. The only audible response was that of a turkey, gaggling away in a nearby yard...

CAIRO, Ill. -- A 21-block section of Walnut Street will be renamed in honor of slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "The new street will become official on April 4, 1994," said Cairo Mayor James Wilson. "This will give the city and residents living along the street ample time to prepare for the new street name."...

The big difference between David Letterman's show and Jay Leno's is their address, says Jeff Batts. "That's why Letterman is at the top of the game he doesn't have all the glitz that Leno and Arsenio do because they're in Hollywood," he continues. That bioregional theory of comedy is behind "The Search for Humor in America's Heartland!," a comedy, variety and talk show to be filmed April 24 in Cape Girardeau...

SCOTT CITY - Three months into 1993, total billable tonnage running through the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is about two-thirds of what it was for all of last year. In 1992, 72,615 tons were moved through the port, an all-time record. But that record is not likely to last long since 48,768 tons have already moved through the port so far this year...

FRUITLAND - Rural Cape Girardeau County firefighters spent most of Easter Sunday fighting a grass and brush fire in the eastern part of the county. Fruitland Fire Chief Marty Schuesler said the first fire was reported at about 11 a.m., when an unattended trash fire ignited dry grass in the Shawnee Hills Subdivision, along Highway 61, west of Shawneetown...

The Missouri Senate is expected today to confirm the nomination of Joe Driskill as head of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. We commend Gov. Mel Carnahan's selection for this post and hope the Senate supplies speedy and overwhelming approval. We believe Joe Driskill is a terrific choice for...

This article was submitted as part of an informational effort as a prelude to the 6th annual Healthy Lifestyles Conference, which will be held Thursday and Friday at the Show Me Center. The title of this year's conference is "Networking in Rural America: Strategies to Redu e Substance Abuse Among High Risk Youth." Marilyn Welsh of St. Francis Center for Recovery, the author of this piece, is a member of the conference's planning committee...

Jimmie Jones, 64, of 555 N. Spring Ave., died Friday, April 9, 1993, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla. He was born Aug. 18, 1928, at Blytheville, Ark., son of Rolla E. and Mary Pearl Scott Jones. He was married to Elaine Gundermann Jennings on June 6, 1980...

ADVANCE -- Eva Mae Young, 84, of House Springs, died Sunday, April 11, 1993, at her home. She was born Nov. 16, 1908, in Oklahoma, daughter of John and Mary Alice Harris Young. Young was a licensed practical nurse. Survivors include nieces and nephews...

JACKSON -- Farewell prayers for Ira F. Brice of Jackson will be held at 11 a.m. today at McCombs Funeral Chapel. Msgr. Edward Eftink will officiate, with burial in St. Mary's Cemetery in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a.m...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral service for Dewey G. Thompson, Charleston Route 1, will be held at 11 a.m. today at McMikle Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Lawrence Ray will officiate, with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery. Thompson, 78, died Sunday, April 11, 1993, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Hattie Marie Polston Johnson of Fredericktown, formerly of East Prairie, will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Larry Smith will officiate, with burial in East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery...

MARBLE HILL -- J.K. Hansen, 68, of Marble Hill, died Monday, April 12, 1993, at his home. He was born July 3, 1924, in Bollinger County, son of R.N. and Edna Mabuce Hansen. He and Mary Lou Bollinger were married Dec. 26, 1947. Hansen was retired from Associated Natural Gas Pipeline, and was a member of Marble Hill Eagles. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Virginia H. Cummins, 66, of Brandon, Miss., died Sunday, April 11, 1993, in Flowood, Miss. She was born Dec. 12, 1926, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Otis and Augusta Phillps Hosea. She married Clifton Cummins. Cummins was a member of White Oak Baptist Church...

ADVANCE -- Carrie E. Wiggins, 93, of Advance, died Sunday, April 11, 1993, at her home. She was born Feb. 18, 1900, at Rock Point, daughter of Richard and Martha Jackson Goodman. She and John Corbin Wiggins were married June 8, 1918, at Advance. Wiggins was the oldest charter member of First Baptist Church...

CHAFFEE -- Christine Helen Shelton, 76, of St. Louis, died Sunday, April 11, 1993, at Alexian Brothers Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Dec. 24, 1916, in St. Louis, daughter of Joseph and Angelia Burkemper Sommer. She and John Martin Shelton were married Oct. 19, 1951. He died July 22, 1977...

ORAN -- Curtis Lee Halford, 88, of Waynesville, formerly of Oran, died Sunday, April 11, 1993, at Waynesville Nursing Center. He was born July 30, 1904, in Clifton, Tenn., son of Andrew W. and Alma Jane Richardson Halford. Halford was self-employed in shoe sales and repair...

ORAN -- Bernard William Anthony, 78, of Oran, died Monday, April 12, 1993, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Sept. 9, 1914, in London, Ark., son of Benjamin Huff and Ida Augusta Tanner Anthony. He and Hazel Mae Harmon were married Juy 19, 1935...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Kenneth L. Knitter, 61, of Cairo, died Monday, April 12, 1993, at the VA Medical Center in Marion. He was born May 15, 1931, in Green Bay, Wis., son of Frank and Martha Kaminski Knitter. Knitter was a retired letter carrier with Cairo Post Office, and member of St. Patrick's Church and Cairo VFW Post 2649. He was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars...

Students pursuing careers in various medical fields are eligible to apply for one of 10 health care scholarships to be awarded this summer by St. Francis Medical Center Auxiliary. The scholarships, which have been endowed by a number of individuals and the St. ...