Stories from Wednesday, February 2, 1994

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Jacob Vavrik, 83, of Jonesboro, Ill., died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1994, at the Union County Hospital in Anna, Ill. He was born July 15, 1910, at Chicago Heights, Ill., son of Andrew and Anna Ruczek Vavrik. He married Lorraine Edwards, March 9, 1930...

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education has turned its attention toward a new elementary school, and has apparently set aside a middle school. In a work session Monday night, members decided to focus on replacing old buildings with new elementary classrooms...

Tickets are still available for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting-Dinner Dance Friday at the Show Me Center. Entertainment, dinner and special presentations -- including the Small Business of the Year Award, Rush H. Limbaugh Award and Go-Getter Award -- are among activities. A social hour will be from 6-7 p.m. with a buffet dinner at 7. Dancing starts at 9...

The effect of laughter on stress reduction highlights the keynote presentation of the fifth annual Community Caring Council conference. The conference is scheduled Feb. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Keynote speaker is Marilyn Grey, an educator, school psychologist, college faculty member and author of the book "It's All In Your Head."...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Larry Thomason wanted to know how many single women there were in Cole County between the ages of 20 and 26, 5 feet 3 inches tall with blond hair and blue eyes, and weighing under 120 pounds. He learned there were 165 women fitting that description. But not only did he find out how many, he also got their names and addresses. And, had he requested it, he could have also gotten their Social Security numbers and photos...

JACKSON -- Jackson Dental, 3130 E. Jackson Blvd, will provide free services Feb. 23 to help people who have no other means of paying for dental care. "We will do fillings and extractions on a first-come, first-serve basis," said a spokesman. "We will not be cleaning teeth."...

In regard to the national soybean check-off referendum of February 9, there are areas of this proposed check-off program that concerns me. First, it is stated there is no increase in the check-off rate. Although the rate does not increase, the cost per bushel of the check-off definitely does increase. ...

Last time around, our final example of what is right in using "me, myself, and I" inadvertently turned into what was wrong. Perhaps a computer got me confused with Dave Barry in his Mr. Language Person mode. I can dream, can't I? For the benefit of readers who are still keeping notebooks, let me explain that "I myself is to blame" should have read "I myself am to blame." Mistakes in the use of pronouns in English are legion, but this one is rare...

SCOTT CITY -- Adolph O. Dakin, 70, of Scott City, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 30, 1923, in Tamms, Ill., son of Jesse and Artie Bracken Dakin. Dakin was a retired truck driver, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

SIKESTON -- Annie Mae Stevenson, 80, of Sikeston, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Nov. 13, 1913, in West Helena, Ark., daughter of Wash and Dora Stone. She married Jeff Stevenson in 1934, who died in 1972...

CHAFFEE -- William David "Bill" Horn, 74, of Chaffee, died Monday, Jan. 31, 1994, at Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. He was born Feb. 13, 1919, at Chaffee, son of James and Bertha Heinz Horn. He and Opal Ann Tucker were married June 30, 1942, at Chaffee...

JACKSON -- Addie L. Martin, 80, formerly of Jackson, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1994, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 31, 1913, near Blomeyer, Mo., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Atkins. She married Richard C. Martin, July 1, 1932. He died July 24, 1980...

Dennis D. Welker, 69, 412 Green Acres, died Monday, Jan. 31, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- Mary C. Abercrombie, 66, of East Cape Girardeau, died Monday, Jan. 31, 1994, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Aug. 26, 1927, in Alexander County, daughter of John L. and Lena Mainer Colyer. She and John L. Abercrombie were married Aug. 2, 1946...

BERTRAND -- Teressa L. Haws, 41, of Bertrand, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1994, at her home. She was born Oct. 3, 1952, in Blodgett, daughter of George J. and Armintha Tyler Haws. Haws was a secretary with Meridith and Neal Insurance Co. in Sikeston, and was a member of Southside Baptist Church in Charleston...

JACKSON -- Ruth E. Proffer, 72, of Chesterfield, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 1994, at Delmar Gardens on the Green in Chesterfield. She was born April 21, 1921, at Crump, daughter of Omar and Ora Crump Wampler. She and Marion Proffer were married Oct. 12, 1940, at Benton. He died Oct. 22, 1973...

JACKSON -- Bessie Orrell of Jackson died Monday, Jan. 31, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. McCombs Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Local Catholic Schools are celebrating continued enrollment growth; administrators say families are looking for alternatives in education. This is Catholic Schools Week. Schools have planned a variety of activities to mark the occasion. In conjunction with the activities, Bishop John Leibrecht of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese will be conducting mass Feb. ...

Students at Washington Elementary School ate french toast, juice and milk Tuesday, the first day for a school breakfast program at the school. Cape Girardeau schools have offered breakfast at May Greene Elementary School since the spring of 1991. Lisa Elfrink, director of school food services, said she felt it was time to expand...

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Council gathered for an unannounced meeting Monday night and, without news media present, discussed its plan of action regarding riverboat gambling. Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan said Tuesday the result of the meeting was a decision to put forth a city ordinance at the next regular council meeting that, if passed, would allow voters to decide whether or not they want riverboat gambling in Scott City. The council is scheduled to meet in regular session on Monday...

BENTON -- The Scott County Commission approved a $3.9 million 1994 budget Tuesday that includes two new sheriff's deputies and an anticipated 1-cent drop in the general revenue fund levy. The commission is expected to roll back the levy from 7 to 6 cents because of increased sales tax revenue, officials said. The road and bridge levy is expected to remain at the current 26-cent rate...

A marketing professor has joined the race for two seats on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. Jack Sterrett filed Tuesday, bringing the number of candidates to six. Sterrett joins incumbent Pat Ruopp and Steve Naeter, Bob Fox, Addie Marie Walker and Bill Hopkins...

A New Hamburg native is the new resident manager of the Corps of Engineers-St. Louis District Lower Mississippi River Valley resident office at Cape Girardeau. Charles Grojean, 51, replaces former resident manager Bill Busch of Cape Girardeau, who retired last August...

CAIRO -- Cairo's sewer system will be improved and Thebes will receive new water treatment pumps in Alexander County, water lines will be extended into Alto Pass in Union County, and Carbondale's old water reservoir will be improved with grants that were recently announced by Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Senate Minority Leader Franc Flotron has charged that the failure of Gov. Mel Carnahan to appoint members to a workers' compensation appeals board is costing businesses in Missouri hundreds of thousands of dollars and jeopardizing jobs...

When it's really cold outside, there's nothing quite like a hot bowl of steaming chili or soup to warm you up on the inside. But there is no one recipe for chili; people make it how (and when) they like it. During the last full week of every month, the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau has what it calls "Meals With Friends," where people can come and eat a good, hot meal for free...

There are more varieties of African violets than any other house plant, and they have been around for a long, long time - for more than 100 years, in fact. African violets have received the unfair reputation of being temperamental, but are no more difficult to grow than any other container plant. With just a little tender, loving care and good growing practices, they will reward their owners with abundant blossoms the year around...

David J. Westrich, M.D., will discuss retinal diseases on this week's "Ask Your Doctor" program. Ask Your Doctor is sponsored jointly by St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital, in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau County Medical Society and Channel 5. Hosts Martha Muench and Dr. Jean A. Chapman are hosts...