Stories from Wednesday, April 27, 1994

Today we bury a president: Richard M. Nixon, among the most remarkable men in the history of our time. Hated, admired, feared, respected, he leaves a profound imprint on the history of the United States -- and the world. One of the most brilliant architects of foreign policy -- opening China, initiating detente, ending the war in Vietnam -- and author of the deception covering-up Watergate, Nixon was both American triumph and tragedy...

JEFFERSON CITY -- State Sen. Jerry Howard says he'll push hard for final passage of a bill that would give four Bootheel counties the option of forming a new area agency on aging. And, if State Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, has his way, Howard's bill will be amended in the House to add Scott and Mississippi counties to the four Bootheel counties...

Japanese nurse Yuriko Kuroe watched with envy Tuesday as nurses at St. Francis Medical Center cared for patients but never once gave a sponge bath or changed sheets. "Nurses aides do those things here so nurses can do their real jobs," Kuroe said through an interpreter...

Exactly one month after her death, Sue Lusk was honored for her service to Cape Girardeau and Mid America Teen Challenge. Lusk was one of four volunteers honored Tuesday at the United Way-CyberTel Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. Lusk won the category for volunteers age 26-59. ...

Sean Sullivan, president and CEO of the National Business Coalition Forum on Health based in Washington, D.C., offered plenty of stakes to drive into the hearts of "vampires." "There are far too many bad ideas, vampires if you will, circulating out there about health-care reform," said Sullivan, who was the main speaker for the Southeast Missouri Business Group on Health at the Drury Lodge Tuesday night...

SCOTT CITY - A Scott City man died in a single-car accident on Route N one mile east of Scott City. The Missouri Highway Patrol said Alan B. Smith, 44, was eastbound at a high rate of speed when the vehicle skidded sideways off the roadway and struck a tree...

There are days when a city just doesn't look or feel right. That's the impression I got the last time I visited St. Louis. Although I grew up in St. Louis and enjoy an occasional visit, every now and then the city will seem just a tad off kilter. Last weekend it felt like abuse from Kathy Bates in Stephen King's "Misery."...

A blood drive is scheduled today at the Cape Girardeau Holiday Inn from 2-7 p.m. "All donors are encouraged to give, but type O and type B donors are especially needed right now," said Neil Bassett, principal officer. For every 100 units of blood scheduled during March, only 89 units were collected. The trend is continuing in April, said local Red Cross officials...

Union Electric Company didn't have very far to look Tuesday to find the source of a power failure that darkened homes and business in some areas of Cape Girardeau. UE spokesman, A.D. Cox said one wire of a high-voltage feeder line failed around 8:45 a.m. in front of the Union Electric Service Center at 45 S. Minnesota...

John Burkley sees the light. As a gaffer, Burkley has handled the lighting for hundreds of commercials and a number of films over the past 26 years. He's currently the lighting director for the CBS television series "Christy." The robust, mustached Burkley discussed the art of lighting at a workshop Tuesday at Southeast Missouri State University attended by television majors and area video and TV personnel...

WARE, Ill. -- Virgie Eudy, 77, of Ware, died Monday, April 25, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Dec. 18, 1916, in Alexander County, daughter of Fred and Linnie Holshouser Cain. She and Clovis Eudy were married March 17, 1934...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral mass for Ben H. Ernst of Scott City will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The Rev. Pat Wissman will officiate, with burial in the church cemetery. Ernst, 72, died Monday, April 25, 1994, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau...

PERRYVILLE -- Anna C. Dobbelare, 74, of Perryville, formerly of Belgique, died Monday, April 25, 1994, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. She was born Nov. 6, 1919, at Point Rest, daughter of Alphonse and Johanna DePauw Bert. He and Ferdinand "Butch" Dobbelare were married Sept. 6, 1937. He died March 25, 1976...

PERRYVILLE -- Melvin Paul Renaud, 56, of Perryville, died Tuesday, April 26, 1994, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 9, 1937, in Perry County, son of Martin Paul and Catherine Schamburg Renaud. He and Pat A. Lappe were married May 28, 1982, at Ste. Genevieve...

L.M. "Bud" Hartline, 92, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of East Cape Girardeau and Elco, Ill., died Monday, April 25, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Feb. 16, 1902, at Elco, son of Thomas Lemuel and Amanda Ellen Scarbarough Hartline. He married the former Gladys Gearing...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Roy Loren Newell, 80, of Tamms, died Tuesday, April 26, 1994, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Feb. 28, 1914, near Tamms, son of William Edward and Carrie Illman Newell. He married the former Hazel Leona Harvell...

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Kent Proffer of Grover, 8:54 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, 1994. Name, Baleigh Quinn. Weight, 7 pounds 7 ounces. First child. Mrs. Proffer is the former Peggy Fehr, daughter of Ralph and Mary Fehr of Jackson. She is senior manager of office systems and customer service at Merc AgVet Division. Proffer is a teacher and coach at Ellisville Elementary and LaFayette High School. He is the son of Marilyn Proffer of Overland Park, Kan., and Marvin Proffer of Oakville...

SCOTT CITY -- Funeral service for Alan Bradley Smith of Scott City will be held at 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Terry Eades officiating. Burial will be in Puxico Cemetery at Puxico. Smith, 44, died Monday, April 25, 1994, in a car accident a half-mile east of Scott City on Highway N...

With apologies to the geese flying overhead -- and to Mark McEwen -- I dare say a "gaggle" of speakers and writers use adverbs for adjectives. We, meaning I, have made quite an issue of "more importantly" in earlier columns, but my explications keep falling on deaf ears and blind eyes. ...

JACKSON -- Warranty deeds issued at the office of Janet Robert, Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds: George T. Huey et al. to George T. Huey et al.; Thomas L. and Susan G. Reinagel to Kenneth E. and Willie Mae Storey; Wendy M. Marberry et al. to Micahel W. and Wendy M. Marberry...

One hundred and seventy Southeast Missouri State University students were honored at the annual Greek Week Academic Excellence reception on April 19. William Ellis of Southeast's agriculture faculty was named the outstanding professor of the year by the Greek organizations. He was praised for having a relaxed classroom atmosphere and an ability for fair decision making...

Registration for the annual Cape Girardeau Junior Chamber of Commerce swim program is May 18 at the A.C. Brase Arena building in Cape Girardeau. Each year, the Jaycees sponsor this program as a community service project. The program teaches basic swimming and water safety to children, ages 3-6...

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri will hold its annual open house Sunday, May 1 from 1 to 5 p.m. The event will be held at the Humane Society on Boutin Drive (off Route W) in Cape Girardeau. "The purpose of the open house," said Nancy Richards, shelter administrator, "is to encourage people to make themselves more familiar with the Humane Society's goals and purposes and to allow them to see the types of animals available for adoption."...

Bursting with color, they bloom when sprinkled with cool spring rain. Some boast rainbow hues, others copy the muted shades of an evening horizon. Some feature crayon-like brilliance. While their counterparts in nature have their practical uses, umbrellas, likewise, play valuable roles...

Recent surveys show that more than 60 million people in the United States engage in some form of gardening. This information was from a survey of greenhouse growers who are members of the Professional Plant Growers Association based in Lansing, MI. Both wholesale and retail sales have increased dramatically over the past 10 years, their reports show...