Stories from Tuesday, June 7, 1994

For David Watkins, the reality check meant a trip home to Little Rock. Until a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Watkins was an aide to President Clinton. His estimation of that job included scouting golf courses for the president and using the chief executive's helicopter to carry out this duty. ...

More fortunate than most and benefiting from ample sales tax income, Cape Girardeau County looked the picture of fiscal health during the last decade or so. While still in good budgetary shape, the county sees now a settling in its accounts and a need to bolster certain funds, specifically the one used for roads and bridges. ...

You can find her there most days -- gently swinging on her cozy porch, watching nature's frolic in her lush backyard. But don't be fooled by her relaxing pose. Her sharp eyes take in every animal encounter, each fragrant flower. Her quick mind is preserving a snippet in time or pondering a phrase for future publication...

Gerry Dormeyer likes to light up when she's out shopping. But as of July 1, the Cape Girardeau woman and other shoppers won't be able to smoke in the public areas at 13 St. Louis area shopping centers. "I'm getting a little sick and tired of this (no) smoking business," Dormeyer said as she puffed away, while sitting on a wooden bench in West Park Mall's Venture court Monday afternoon. "It's getting pretty disgusting if you ask me," said the longtime smoker...

Acting against the advice of Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III, the city council Monday elected to delay action on a proposed trash-fee hike until the solid waste task force can offer its recommendation June 20. "I am opposed to this, because I don't feel it's in the best interest of the city or the citizens of Cape Girardeau," said Spradling during Monday night's meeting. ...

SCOTT CITY -- When three police officers suddenly were subtracted from the Scott City Police Department, city council members agreed that they needed to take emergency action. But some council members resisted Mayor Larry Forhan's proposal that two Ste. Genevieve officers be hired by Scott City on a part-time basis...

It's a "swinging" good time these days for my daughter Rebecca. For months, she had been begging me for a swing set. "I want to `wing, daddy," she would plead with outstretched arms. So, I did what millions of other All-American dads have done: I bought a swing set...

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen listened as citizens and developers commented on changes contained in a proposed update of the city zoning ordinance. The ordinance was presented to the board for its consideration by the planning and zoning commission. The comments were made during a 35-minute public hearing held prior to the board's regular Monday meeting...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- A Memorial of the Unborn was dedicated in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery here Sunday, reported George Bell of Mounds, coordinator of the dedication, which was a project of Knights of Columbus Council 1027. Bell said about 90 people attended the dedication, which featured an address by Monsignor Bernard Sullivan, chancellor of the Roman Catholic Belleville Diocese of South Central and Southern Illinois...

A national company hired by public and riverboat gambling interests to complete a petition to put a gambling amendment on the November ballot will not be looking for registered voters in Cape Girardeau or Southeast Missouri. The company has until July 8 to collect about 135,000 signatures of registered voters who support the notion of allowing games of chance on riverboats...

Funeral service for Agnes D. Ligon of Cape Girardeau was held Monday at St. Mary's Cathedral, with the Rev. Glenn Eftink officiating. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery. Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Ligon, 92, died Friday, June 3, 1994, at Fountainbleau Lodge...

SIKESTON -- Willie Whitfield "Bill" Chessor, 83, of Sikeston, died Sunday, June 5, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. He was born March 4, 1911, in Only, Tenn., son of James Richard and Sally L. Bates Chessor. He and Colleen Eiceman were married Oct. 21, 1939, in New Madrid County...

ADVANCE -- Funeral service for Flossie D. De Rousse, Advance Route 1, will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Morgan Funeral Chapel. Billy Davis will officiate, with burial in Morgan Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. today...

DEXTER -- Funeral service for Robert Gene Bolin will be held at 1 p.m. today at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel here. The Rev. Greg Greason will officiate, with burial in Triplett Cemetery near Dexter. Bolin, 68, died Sunday, June 5, 1994, at Dexter Nursing Center...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Rhoda Elizabeth Lindsey of Kansas City, formerly of East Prairie, will be held at 1 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Cy Smith will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery near here. Lindsey, 78, died Saturday, June 4, 1994, at North Kansas City Hospital...

Funeral service for Steven N. Kuehnert, 178 Windsor, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. The Revs. Louis Launhardt and Robert Daniel will officiate, with burial in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery at Altenburg. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. today...

Son to Mr. and Mrs. James F. Armitage of Chaffee, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 11:06 p.m. Sunday, May 8, 1994. Name, Dru Francis. Weight, 9 pounds 1 ounce. Third son. Mrs. Armitage is the former Debbie Calvert, daughter of Don and Kathleen Calvert of Advance. She is employed at Sikeston Regional Center. Armitage is self-employed, and is the son of Robert and Lorraine Armitage of Oriskany, N.Y...

ANNA, Ill. -- Grover M. Mays Sr., 79, of Anna, died Monday, June 6, 1994, at Union County Hospital. He was born June 6, 1915, in Union County, son of John Henry and Virginia Clark Mays. He and Ada Farris were married Dec. 15, 1937, in Paducah, Ky. Mays was an ironworker. ...

Hundreds of local children will travel to exotic locations around the world this summer. Some will venture back in time while others will peek into the future. Space travel, too, awaits curious, young minds. Tours embark almost daily at local libraries where librarians are the travel guides and books are the vehicles...

The U.S. Achievement Academy announced that LaCretia Nimma and Casey Ferden have been named the U.S. national award winners in history and government. The Academy recognizes fewer than 10 percent of all American high school students. Nimma, who attends Shawnee High School, was nominated by a history teacher at the school, and Ferden, who attends L.J. Schultz Middle School, was nominated by a social studies teacher at the school...

Over the last weekend a group of young men from Central High School, more commonly known as the Cape Central High School baseball team, was victorious in the state championship playoff against Joplin. These young men represented themselves, our school, their coaches, their teachers, their parents and this community to the degree of integrity and sportsmanship and competitiveness of which all should be proud...

Krystal McCain and Mary Ann Schaefer have been awarded the national I Dare You Leadership Award in recognition of personal integrity, balanced living and potential for leadership. The honor was presented at ceremonies held at Shawnee High School May 20...

Southeast Missouri State University's Upward Bound will hold its second summer residential program. Upward Bound, funded through the U.S. Department of Education, is a year-round college preparatory program for potential first-generation or low-income college students...

Chris Kasten and Cassandra Krauss, both of Cape Girardeau, have been awarded Regents' Scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1994-1995 academic year. The scholarship is awarded high school seniors who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class and who have achieved an ACT score of 28 or SAT score of 1160. ...

Julie Hoffman of Cape Girardeau has been awarded a Missouri Leadership Award to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1994-95 academic year. The award is a one-year award designed for Missouri students who have achieved an ACT score of 24 or a SAT score of 990 and a 3.0 grade point average, and have demonstrated leadership abilities. The award is applied toward residence hall fees...

Geoffrey Shinn of Jackson has been awarded a Regents' Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University during the 1994-1995 academic year. The scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class and who have achieved an ACT score of 28 or SAT score of 1160. They also are awarded to class valedictorians or salutatorians who have achieved an ACT score of 25 or SAT score of 1160...

The Salvation Army has announced that four area youths have earned special awards in the Girl Guard and Sunbeam Program. Janet Buchanan, 15, of Tamms, Ill. received the Catherine Booth Award, the highest honor available to Girl Guards in the United States...

Kelly Junior High students Jarett Seiler, Jenny Forck, Jon Sneed and Heather Francis competed in the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics state contest May 7 in Columbia. Only students who placed first, second or third at regionals could compete at the state level...

The Future Business Leaders of America at Scott City High School had a strong showing at this year's state conference in Jefferson City. In "The American Enterprise Project" category, Scott City submitted a report on the Buy Local Campaign and received first place for it. The report was compiled by Brandon Raines and Jenny Page. The students and their report qualify for national competition at this summer's National FBLA Conference in Anaheim, Calif...

Rachel Bettag attended the Scottish Rite Youth Ball in St. Louis April 30, where she represented Bethel No. 51 Job's Daughters of Cape Girardeau as queen candidate. She placed as third maid of honor during the coronation ceremony. She was escorted by Nick Clubb of Cape Girardeau...

Amy Ecklemann has received a Marketing Management Scholarship Award from Three Rivers Community College of Poplar Bluff. The occupational marketing management department at Three Rivers is designed to prepare people for management positions. Ecklemann, daughter of Bill and Shireen Eckelmann, was selected because she demonstrated the interest, aptitude and ability to benefit from the instruction...

Sandy Behring, a seventh-grade student at L.J. Schultz Middle School, has been chosen for the Young Citizen Award sponsored by the Exchange Club of Cape Girardeau. Citizenship, attitude, academics, character, service, leadership and sportsmanship were the criteria for the award...

Sally R. Iten of Cape Girardeau and Ginger M. Lowes of Jackson have been awarded Spiese Scholarships from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Iten, daughter of Gerald Iten, is majoring in horticulture...