Stories from Sunday, September 4, 1994

It is so easy to complain about the inconveniences and problems that often can be attributed to people who work. When the U.S. standard of living is considered, however, or the way things get done all over the country, it is pretty amazing how well things run. ...

SIKESTON -- Two teenagers were injured in a traffic accident Friday on Highway 61, five miles north of Sikeston. Injured were Jami Heavener, 15, of Sikeston, driver of one of the vehicles, and passenger Michael Laminack, 18, of Morley, said the Missouri Highway Patrol...

Among those helping decorate for the Jackson High School Reunion Association's recent reunion for the classes of 1921 through 1951 were, from left: seated, Lucille Ford, Louise Taylor and Lettie Weiss; and, standing, Marjorie Stearns, Eleanor McGuire, Kathlyn Hahs, Julia Statler, Minnie Compas, Doris Vangilder, Betty Harper, Mildred Piepenbrok, Rada Lou Kamp and Leota Priest...

The 1994 summer reading program "Celebrate! Read!" held at the Jackson Public Library ended in August with a record-breaking enrollment of 363 children in preschool through the sixth grade. The children read a total of 9,082 books over a ten-week period...

Cape Girardeau County Barry D. and Janet K. Smith to Arthur J. and Janice M. Cundall; Ashland Land Development Corp. to Gary Turner and Raymond Glastetter; Anthony C. and Chris J. Brakefield to Eleanore F. Walker Trustee et al. Eleanore F. Walker Trustee et al. to John D. and Pauline H. Gearing; Joan E. Foeste et al. to Darrell W. Foeste; the Norman H. Weiss Family Trust to Chris N. and Lesa J. Weiss...

An 11-minute videotape, produced for the Cape Girardeau Area Wide United Way, will air tonight at 7 on Channel 5, the local cable access station in Cape Girardeau and Jackson. The video, produced by KFVS-12, spotlights area agencies and organizations that benefit from United Way funding. The Area Wide United Way assists 26 agencies in the immediate area...

Local organizers are gearing up for the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. They hope to better the $298,457 that was put on the Heartland toteboard last year. For the first time, local segments will be broadcast from the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau...

Shirley Armstead, a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, will be one of two speakers for a free seminar on "Gangs: What You Don't Know About Them Can Kill You." The seminar will be presented in New Madrid and Sikeston. Armstead will join Thomas E. Klekamp, gang intelligence officer for the St. Louis County Police Department, at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at the New Madrid County Central High School Auditorium...

Several area officials said they have serious reservations about Hancock II's impact on the state's ability to provide basic services to citizens. Late Thursday, the amendment pushed by Southwest Missouri U.S. Rep. Mel Hancock, R-Springfield, was placed on the Nov. 8 ballot...

KENNETT -- As acting chairman of the Joint Legislative Research Committee, State Rep. Larry Thomason was scrambling Friday to get a meeting called after two constitutional amendments were ordered on the ballot. On Thursday, Secretary of State Judith Moriarty ruled that enough valid petitions had been turned in to hold statewide votes Nov. 8 on the Hancock II amendment and one that would legalize slot machines on gambling boats...

Cape Girardeau County Jason Robert Margetta, 23, and Elizabeth Diane Brase, 19; Norman Gordon Spies, 26, and Tina Regin Sweet, 24; William Wayne Keesee II, 26, and Krista Kay Jansen, 23. Jeffrey Terance Kennett, 22, and Melissa Sue Lynn Gunter, 16; Christopher Lee Hitch, 30, and Robyn Nicole Kluesner, 27; Ronald James Ressel, 25, and Pamela Lyn Ochs, 25...

When any community decides to raise more than half a million dollars in just a few weeks to be used by many worthwhile organizations, it is a major challenge. The Cape Girardeau Area United Way intends to raise $520,000 this year for its 26 participating agencies. It is no easy task, but it is one that will be achieved through the generous giving of people who care and the tireless efforts of volunteers who are committed to making the community a better place to live...

To the editor: Ahhh! A new stereotype is born. I kinda like this one: The Religious Right. Sort of catchy, isnt it? I guess I wont mind being categorized by this phrase. But Bruce, you dont want to be youre not one of those fundamental conservative Christians...

Secretary of State Warren Christopher states, The policy of isolating Castro and Cuba is 30 years old. Yet Fidel Castro still survives. From Castros earliest days (actually more than thirty years ago), nothing new has been tried in our relationship with Havana and the time-honored policy continues to fail. Castro still survives...

Without seeming to notice any contradiction or dichotomy, citizens of todays Republic embrace and thoroughly believe two important tenets: (1) all politicians are corrupt, and (2) government can solve all the problems that face our society. Regardless of political philosophy, which is not to be confused with momentary political beliefs, there are few individuals living today who have not firmly expressed the view that the men and women we elect to office, upon taking an oath to obey the constitutions of Missouri and the United States, have been transformed into thieving, conniving, philandering criminals. ...

See. I told you it could happen. Last week I wrote about how newspaper folks try to keep errors out of print. My worst fear in writing the column, which I shared with some of my colleagues, was the column on errors would contain a whopper. In fact, I said the worst kind of error is when newspapers misstate the facts...

Two pedestrians were involved in separate traffic accidents over the weekend, Cape Girardeau Police said. On Saturday, Arvella Steimle was injured after being bumped by a vehicle driven by Marie Marbrey. Police said Marbrey opened her car door to help Steimle step onto a curb when the car rolled forward, knocking Steimle to the ground. The accident happened at 436 S. Spring Saturday evening...

Immanuel Lutheran Chruch of New Wells celebrated a confirmation reunion of all former confirmands and their families on Aug. 21. The day began with a worship service at 9 a.m. with Rev. Rick Patzwitz officiating. A total of 293 were in attendance for the church service. Of the 400 confirmands invited, 143 were in attendance from the states of Arkansas, California, Illinois and Missouri...

GLEN ALLEN -- Vera Miller, 85, of Glen Allen died Saturday, Sept. 3, 1994, at Bond Nursing Care Center in Marble Hill. She was born April 24, 1909, at Grassy, the daughter of Jess and Clercy Myers Newell. On Dec. 24, 1930, she married Courtland Miller. He survives...

JACKSON -- George Walter Kelly III, 61, of Jackson died Friday, Sept. 2, 1994 at his home. He was born Feb. 23, 1933 in Cape Girardeau County to George W. and Beulah M. Davis Kelly. He had worked for both the Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center in the maintenance departments...

FRUITLAND -- Rhonda Sue Cannon, 25, of Rolla, a former Fruitland resident, was fatally injured in a car accident near Anna, Ill., about 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, 1994. She was born at Cape Girardeau Aug. 14, 1969, the daughter of Donald and Carolyn Westfall Cannon of Fruitland...

SIKESTON -- John Wesley Yant, 78, of rural Sikeston died Saturday, Sept. 3, 1994, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born at Paragould, Ark., Sept. 8, 1915, the son of Moses Nathenal and Lou Annie Bazzel Yant. He was a retired self-employed carpenter and Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the First United Pentecostal Church in Sikeston...

THEBES, Ill. -- Loyd Brown, 73, of Thebes, Ill., died Friday, Sept. 2, 1994, at Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born here Sept. 5, 1920, the son of Thomas R. and Addie Buster Brown. He was a veteran of World War II, a retired trucker and member of Teamsters Local 710...

Frederick August Bartels, 88, of Centralia, Mo., formerly of Cape Girardeau, died Saturday, Sept. 3, 1994 at Heritage Hall Care Center in Centralia. He was born Feb. 14, 1906 in Tilsit, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William C. Bartels. He married Monta Frances Mungle. She survives...

ANNA, Ill. -- Rosalee Little, 70, of Anna, Ill., died Saturday, Sept. 3, 1994 at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Aug. 5, 1924 in Union County, the daughter of Shick and Flora Lewis Little. She was a member of Landmark Pentecostal Church...

Edward A. Polack Jr., 73, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, Sept. 3, 1994 at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born March 22, 1921, the son of Edward A. and Anita Brune Polack. He was a native of Cape Girardeau, a fourth generation Polack and fifth generation Brune...

ANNA, Ill. -- A former Fruitland woman was killed Friday when her car was hit by a tractor trailer on Route 146 between Anna and Vienna. Rhonda Sue Cannon, 25, of Rolla, was dead at the scene, the Illinois State Police said. The accident happened at 9:26 p.m. Friday one-tenth of a mile east of I-57...

Riney with one of the many wooden pieces that fill his home. They're everywhere -- homemade oak picture frames, knicknack shelves, book shelves, candle holders, magazine racks, more knicknack shelves, cedar chests. In the Fruitland home of Dave and Becky Riney, there are also a jelly cabinet and a microwave cart for the kitchen, a Xerox copier cart for an office, a night stand for a bedroom and a little wagon with moveable parts in their son, Michael's, playroom...

When the Jackson High School Marching Band takes the field at halftime during the Jackson Indian's Sept. 9 home opener against Dexter, it will be their first marching appearance of the season but the songs they play and the formations in which the march will be the culmination of a great deal of work...

In his office at Scully Hall at SEMO, Ralph Ruehling supervises the computer lab. A special ignition key adapter has been added to Ralph Ruehling's car to make turning the key easier. Most 15-year-olds can't wait to turn 16 so they can get their drivers license and begin the ritual of cruising. Ralph Ruehling of Jackson had to wait until he was 49 to drive, and although he may do a little cruising, he's happy just being able to drive to and from work...

If you want to engage the image of the City of Roses, why not buy a few bulbs, help plant them and get to know some neighbors along the way. The suggestion comes from Melvin Gateley, who, along with Barbara Rust, coordinates the Vision 2000 City of Roses plan that has been blossoming since 1988...

While Southeast Missouri State University has seen enrollment decline of late, some Missouri public universities are attracting more students. The University of Missouri-Columbia began classes this fall with an enrollment of 21,687, up 150 from last fall...

While Southeast Missouri State University and most other public, four-year colleges in Missouri have decided on more restrictive admissions, Central Missouri State University is bucking the trend. The Warrensburg campus hasn't adopted the admissions criteria outlined by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education...

Old McKendree Chapel, the oldest Methodist church west of the Mississippi, will celebrate its heritage Sept. 18 beginning at 2 p.m. It has been 185 years since the organization of the chapel. The service will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the chapel building's construction...

FRUITLAND -- A new Covenant Bible College here has one faculty member, one administrator and is looking for students. Size aside, Pastors Terry and Jannis Culberson, founders of Covenant Christian Center church, believe a need exists locally for formal Bible training...

Highly selective institutions admit first-time, full-time degree-seeking students, and transfer students who have completed 23 or fewer credit hours, who attain a combined percentile score, resulting from the addition of their high school percentile rank and the percentile rank attained on a nationally normed test, i.e., ACT or SAT, which equals or exceeds 140 points. ...

Southeast Missouri State University officials are concerned over Southwest Missouri State University's desire to be designated by the legislature as the statewide school for teacher education and public affairs. The Springfield school wants to follow in the footsteps of Northeast Missouri State University at Kirksville, which was designated as the state's public liberal arts school in 1986...

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- The annual Labor Day Festival at Olive Branch will start Monday at 6 a.m. with a pancake breakfast. Other activities during the day include gospel singing from 10 to 11:30 a.m., a barbecue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and country music from 1 to 4 p.m...

When Air Evac Lifetime Corp. considered becoming a fixed base operator at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, company officials had to consider a disturbing trend. William R. Chritton, Jr., chairman of the board of directors for Air Evac, in 1980 there were more than 10,000 FBOs in the country. But today there are only about 4,500...

It's not just fishermen who need to know a thing or two about bait. For their own protection, dove hunters do, too. Bait is fitting and proper for anglers, but when dove season opens bait is about the last thing with which hunters want to be associated. Several items that are commonly identified as dove bait do, indeed, attract birds -- but it's illegal to hunt over or near a field that's been baited...

Spending a little time breaking a few clay pigeons before the season opener can often mean the difference between a satisfying hunting season and one remembered only for its missed shots. The days of our grandfathers when game was as abundant as land on which to shoot are gone so the wingshot interested in improving his skills is pretty much left to get his shotgun practice with the fewer hunting opportunities available to him or by shooting artificial targets like clay pigeons...

My back-to-school arrangement has been in place for several weeks. No flowers. No vase. Just a little stack of early school books, a penny pencil, a Big Chief tablet and a box of Crayolas. To me these things have come to be symbolic of an open gate leading down Nostalgia Lane, as well as symbols to the Invitation to Learning, which should be a lifelong pursuit...

Left-over pizza, potato chips and a soda -- maybe not a normal breakfast, but perhaps a little more typical in the college environment. Adjusting to college life may be difficult (if not interesting) for people who chose post-high-school education, but most students agree that the adjustment is much easier to endure for four or more years than dealing with the real world...

The Victorian era will be the theme for the Friends of Steam Railroading, the Jackson Heritage Association and the Capaha Antique Car Club Sept. 10-11. All three not-for-profit organizations are planning events that will bring details and various aspects of the era to life...

Glamour magazine will sponsor two fashion events at the West Park Mall. The Glamour Directions programs will be on Saturday, Sept. 10 at noon and 3 p.m. Hosted by Glamour's Merchandising Editor At-Large, Jody Perry, the shows will bring to life the pages of Glamour's award-winning editorial...

A special block party will be held at Chateau Girardeau Estates on Labor Day. Margie Loiseau, Lot 30, will host the party for residents of the development at 3120 Independence, in observance of its first anniversary. "First residents of the development were Mr. and Mrs. Richard Swaim, who moved in Aug. 31, 1993," said Rick Bowzer, public relations director of Chateau Girardeau. A dozen residences are now occupied...