Stories from Monday, December 20, 1993

Parents frantically and fruitlessly searching for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Talkboys and Water Babies may want to take a second look at what their children need for Christmas. Paul Schniedermeyer, director of children and family services at Community Counseling Center, said, "From a parent's point of view, I'm expected to provide everything my child wants. We feel we are governed by what our child wants."...

If you are one of those people who have not yet begun your Christmas shopping -- but have given the matter some thought -- you are not alone. Area retailers have extended shopping hours, stocked shelves to the brim and have increased sales staffs, awaiting an expected frenzy of frantic, last-minute shoppers...

No one cracked the $67.5 million Powerball jackpot Saturday, driving the prize to an estimated $90 million for the midweek drawing. Local lottery retailers anticipate brisk sales between now and Wednesday. A $90 million jackpot would be the multistate lottery game's second-highest prize, topped by a $111 million jackpot won by a Wisconsin teacher last summer...

When officials discuss Cape Girardeau's solid waste program at tonight's city council meeting, they expect criticism from citizens annoyed over a proposed $1.46 a month trash fee hike. But officials claim no one should be surprised by the hike, foreseen months ago when new solid waste regulations drove up the costs of waste disposal and forced the closure of landfills around the state -- including Cape Girardeau's...

The Southeast Missourian asked people about their Christmas holiday traditions. Alecia Robert: "We let my son open everyone's presents. He's three this year. We helped him do it even when he was a year old. He runs the show, and we open gifts on Christmas Eve. It's hilarious, and it's all on film so we get to watch it every year."...

Jeannie Hirsch Blaylock, a television anchorwoman in Florida and formerly of Cape Girardeau, won three Emmys this year, bringing her career total to six. She is the daughter of Jim and Beverly Hirsch of Cape Girardeau. The Emmys are awarded by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences...

Riverboat gambling, a trash fee increase and a recommendation on public housing will top the agenda at tonight's Cape Girardeau City Council meeting. The council will conduct a "public forum" to report on the status of city efforts to solicit proposals from riverboat operators...

Home building in Cape Girardeau appears to be on a record pace this year, one of many indicators that the economy is growing. Home builders cited a number of reasons for the increase in home construction, the most significant of which probably is interest rates in the 7 1/2-to-8 percent range, the lowest in about a decade...

What do we do about crime? They say, "What goes around comes around." When we have it on the books as law to take the life of the unborn (alright, fetus), is there a difference in a life of the unborn or the life of ten year old or the life of a 90-year old? I think not...

EGYPT MILLS -- Hugo Borchelt, 87, of Egypt Mills died at The Lutheran Home Sunday, Dec. 19, 1993. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charged of arrangements, which are incomplete and will be announced later.

@$: Cape Girardeau police and firefighters talked a 31-year-old man threatening to jump, down from the Mississippi River bridge early Sunday. Firefighters responded to the scene at 5:49 a.m., with an engine and a boat to assist police already on the bridge...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Ten candidates have filed for two county board positions in Alexander County, with seven of the candidates from Cairo. The city has no representatives on the board. Two incumbents seeking reelection -- Democrats Louis Maze and Gene Farris -- are from Olive Branch. The third current commissioner is Rollie Matlock of McClure, whose term does not expire...

JACKSON -- Charles Nance, 53, of Jackson died at his home Sunday, Dec. 19, 1993. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charged of arrangements, which are incomplete and will be announced later.

MOUND CITY, Ill. -- Paul Dennis Hooppaw, 49, of Dodge Center, Minn., died Friday, Dec. 17, 1993 in the Owatonna Hospital in Owatonna, Minn. He was born in Cairo, Ill. Sept. 9, 1944, son of the late Leo Hooppaw and Maudie Hoode Hooppaw. His mother and stepfather, Maudie and Everett Schuler survive of Mound City, Ill...

Erma Lee Allen, 75, of 519 Amethyst died Saturday, Dec. 18, 1993 at St. Francis Medical center. She was born May 16, 1918 in Tunica, Miss., the daughter of Roxy and Roberta Simms. She moved to Blytheville, Ark. in 1933 and to Cape Girardeau in 1955...

Lumber has suddenly become a hot property -- it's short in supply, and pricing literally has gone through the roof during the past year and a half. The great lumber scare of 1992-93, which saw lumber prices soar then collapse, is back again, thanks to a surge in new home building and remodeling...

All signs are pointing to a booming holiday shopping season, nationally and in Cape Girardeau County. The local county's sales tax check for November was the highest ever for that month, and reflects a 33 percent jump over the same month last year. Overall for 1993, Cape County's sales tax receipts are running 8.48 percent ahead of last year, and merchants have expressed optimism for the remainder of the Christmas shopping season, which has only three more days...

Gary Lasater of Sikeston has joined Ford & Sons at Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau. Lasater will be family service counselor, selling pre-need funeral and cemetery property. Lasater previously worked with Ben's Clothing Store in Sikeston. Gene Parkhurst has joined Mid-America Teen Challenge in a newly created position of business manager...

Southeast Missouri Stone Co., Cape Girardeau, was recently honored for having the best safety program for its size category in the state based on competition sponsored by the Missouri Limestone Producers Association. To be considered for the award, a quarry must have achieved a record of no lost-time accidents during a 12-month period, implementation of a superior safety training program and adherence to safety regulations by employees...

PERRYVILLE -- A partnership between local business and industry and leaders and educators is being explored through an Education and Industry Regional Task Force here. Goals of the task force were outlined recently during a meeting at Perryville, hosted by TG(USA) and chaired by Glenn Graham, vice president of the General Division of TG(USA), and president-elect of the Perryville Chamber of Commerce...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: Larry V. and Sandra L. Hampton to Wade and Kristie L. Gillespie; Paul A. and Peggy Jean Kitchen to Gary and Marcia Ridenour; Ben Joe and Geneva M. Felton to Donnie J. and Barbara J. Kaufman...