Stories from Tuesday, March 15, 1994

SCOTT CITY -- Commissioners of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority decided Monday to study the possibility of constructing an office building at the port. Commissioner Bill Bess of Sikeston raised the possibility at the end of an open meeting. Bess said it was time to begin planning a facility that would house the port's administrative offices on port property...

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Advisory Board unanimously approved a motion Monday to present plans for the Osage Park and Shawnee Park recreation projects to the Cape Girardeau City Council at its March 21 meeting. "I feel we have fulfilled our obligation after first taking these projects to the city council in 1992," said Parks and Recreation Chairman Jim Grebing...

Boyd Gaming Corp., which last week won the city's endorsement for a riverboat casino in Cape Girardeau, is seeking a third local vote on riverboat gambling. Boyd Gaming Chairman Bill Boyd said the company's action was prompted by differing legal opinions as to whether the April 5 statewide referendum on riverboat casino "games of chance" also will require local approval...

They'll be "brown bagging" it Wednesday at noon when the members of the League of Women Voters of Cape Girardeau County meet with members of the Cape Girardeau city staff to hear an explanation of extending sales tax for separate storm sewers. The noon meeting will be held in the Hirsch Room, Cape Girardeau Public Library...

Patricia Stubblefield of Cuba, worthy grand matron, and Richard Goggin of Bonne Terre, worthy grand patron, of the Grand Chapter of the Missouri Order of the Eastern Star, will make an official inspection of local chapters Wednesday. The meeting will be held in the Masonic Temple in Cape Girardeau at 6:30 p.m...

The Friends of the Cape Girardeau Public Library will sponsor a program on the earthquake of 1811-1812 featuring David Stewart, author of "The Earthquake That Never Went Away." The program is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the library. Mark Winkler will speak about ways to be prepared in the event of an earthquake...

Joseph Albert Schmidt, 88, of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, March 12, 1994, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 18, 1905, at Cape Girardeau, son of Joseph and Agnes Relergert Schmidt. Schmidt retired from the U.S. Navy, having served in World War II and the Korean War. He also worked as a security guard in New York...

DEXTER -- Joint funeral service for Lisa Von Ruedgisch of Dexter, and her nephew, Charles Hammett Jr. of High Ridge, will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel here. The Rev. Roger Losch will officiate, with burial in Hagy Cemetery at Dexter...

SIKESTON -- James William Lee, 99, of Sikeston, died Monday, March 14, 1994, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. He was born Oct. 2, 1894, in Morley, son of William Porter and Nancy Alice Misplay Lee. He and Mannie Lay were married April 1, 1939, in Osceola, Ark. She died May 9, 1990...

WYATT -- Jim Davis, 75, of Wyatt, died Thursday, March 10, 1994, at Sikeston Health Care Center. He was born March 18, 1918, in McComb, Miss., son of Lloyd and Elizabeth Davis. Davis was a retired farmer. Survivors include his wife, Precious of Birmingham, Ala.; five sons, Frank Jr., Bob and Willie Davis of Birmingham, Frank and Jimmie Davis of Wyatt; five daughters, Nellie Davis of Birmingham, Rochelle Davis, Kim Webb and Daisy Orr of Cairo, Ill., Geneva Orr of Wilson City; 60 grandchildren, and 35 great-grandchildren.. ...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Ben W. Ditto, 86, of East Prairie, died Sunday, March 13, 1994, at East Prairie Nursing Center. He was born Jan. 10, 1908, in New Madrid County, son of J.E. and Birdie Carter Ditto. He married Pauline Williams, who died in 1983. Ditto lived in California 29 years, moving back to East Prairie 11 years ago. He was a retired farmer. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Carl E. Lane, 69, of Wickliffe, Ky., formerly of Cairo, died Monday, March 14, 1994, at the home of a daughter in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born May 1, 1924, in Charleston, Mo., son of James and Suddie Blackburn Lane. Lane was a retired mechanic from Valley Steel Co. in Cairo. He was a member of Cairo VFW Post 2649, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

CHAFFEE -- Raymond C. Wilhelm, 77, of Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, March 13, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Aug. 31, 1916, at Chaffee, son of Charles and Acie Collins Wilhelm. Wilhelm was retired owner of Wilhelm's Grocery in Chaffee, and member of First Baptist Church. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army...

SIKESTON -- Nellie Elizabeth Dial, 87, Sikeston Route 4, died Sunday, March 13, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Sept. 12, 1906, in Paragould, Ark., daughter of Ulysses Grant and Georgia Feagan Williams. She and Charlie Vaughn Dial were married Sept. 26, 1925, in Paragould. He died April 3, 1978...

MCCLURE, Ill. -- Charlie Edmundson, 75, of McClure, died Monday, March 14, 1994, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 7, 1918, at McClure, son of Charlie and Maney Ahrens Edmundson. He was reared by his stepfather and mother, Houck and Maney Rose. He and Alma Irene Fornkahl were married Oct. 3, 1946, in Piggott, Ark. She died April 5, 1973...

SIKESTON -- Committal service for Emily Kendall of Palm Desert, Calif., was held Monday at Sikeston City Cemetery. The Rev. Charles E. Buck officiated, with Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements. Kendall, 72, died Thursday, Feb. 24, 1994, at Palm Desert Villa Retirement Home...

The echoes of Senate Bill 380, last year's major school legislation in Missouri, continue to reverberate across our state. Over the next year or so, there will be many more to follow. Two weeks ago today, the Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments in the appeal of Cole County Circuit Court Judge Byron Kinder's decision in the school funding case. ...

Robin Kralemann's job is to keep a class full of children with behavioral problems on track, both academically and behaviorally. Kralemann teaches students with behavioral disorders in grades four, five and six at Alma Schrader Elementary School. "A behavioral disorder classroom is, by its very nature, unique," Kralemann said. ...

With clapping hands and stomping feet, young kids get into the beat in Pam Dumey's early childhood music class. "Clap, clap your hands with me," Dumey tells the kids. "Snap your fingers with me." A public school music teacher for 12 years now, Dumey has been teaching music to elementary school children in the Chaffee School District for six years now...

On Thursday, March 10, the Elementary and Secondary Principals of Southeast Missouri held their annual joint banquet. This year's feature presenter was Dean Berkley, a nationally-known speaker with a gift of entertaining while educating his audiences. Berkley, professor emeritus from Indiana University, is well known to me as I'm a former student and having him recognized and invited by the region principals gave me an opportunity to visit with my former teacher and mentor...

Laurie Conrad of Cape Girardeau, Kelly Dirnberger of Chaffee and Angela Hall of Appleton have been awarded President's scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 1994-95 academic year. The President's Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who rank at least in the upper 20 percent of their high school class and score 25 on the ACT or 1030 on the SAT. ...

BENTON -- Parents of seniors at Thomas W. Kelly High School are planning Project Graduation 1994. Last year, over 90 percent of the senior class participated. Sponsors hope the same will be true this year. Project Graduation is based on the premise that it is possible to have a good time at a graduation party without drinking or using drugs...

Local educators attended the Board of Directors meeting of the Missouri State Council of the International Reading Association held Jan. 15 in Columbia. Attending from Southeast Missouri were Sue Spellman, Mary Wilhite and Anne Gifford. Wilhite teaches in Cape Girardeau public schools. Gifford and Spellman work with the teacher education department at Southeast Missouri State University...

ORAN -- Kindergarten enrollment for the 1994-95 school year will be conducted March 30 and 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. Parents must contact the Oran Elementary School at 262-3435 to set up appointments. To enroll for the 1994-95 school year, a child must be five years old by July 1 of this year. Prospective kindergarten students, whose birthdates fall between July 2 and Sept. 30, may be assessed and if found ready may enter kindergarten...

Alisha Gammon won first place in the Excelsior Optimist Club's oratorical contest in the girls division. Scott Boyd earned first place in the boys division. Students spoke on the topic, "Optimism, The Right Stuff." The two first place winners will progress to zone competition to be held March 24. Winners at the zone competition will proceed to the district competition...

Southeast Missouri State University will offer review courses for area high school juniors and seniors preparing to take the American College Testing (ACT) exam beginning March 22. The March preparatory course is designed for students planning to take the April 9 or June 11 ACT exam...