Stories from Tuesday, December 20, 1994

JON KURKA RUST COLUMNS WASHINGTON -- Fearing that the American people view him as out of touch, Bill Clinton took to the airwaves last week to unveil a plan for a middle-class tax cut. His speech came nearly two years after he originally abandoned the idea, and a month after Republicans swept midterm elections promising to cut taxes if elected to a majority. ...

While counseling Cape Girardeau police officers after policeman Danny Niswonger's motorcycle accident, Police Chaplain David Dissen learned leather jackets and trousers might have lessened Niswonger's injuries. Niswonger was injured in a motorcycle accident in April. His leg had to be amputated after the crash...

BURFORDVILLE -- The Millersville Rural Fire District is seeking a half acre or acre of building site for a three-bay firestation in the Burfordville area. The fire district will acquire one half or an acre of land on Highway 34 or on Highway UU near the 34-UU junction. The district also will need volunteer firefighters to man the station...

It doesn't take long for Larry Holdman to grab the attention of his Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders Program class. "I tell my class that half of all deaths in the United States each year are alcohol related," Holdman said. "There are enough deaths from alcohol-related accidents in just two years to wipe out the entire population of Cape Girardeau County. That's over 50,000 people."...

JEFFERSON CITY -- A $2.5 billion shortfall in the highway department's 15-year road and bridge program has one area legislator infuriated. Two years ago, highway officials used the road and bridge projects as enticement for legislators to enact a 6-cent gas tax increase without a public vote...

Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III won't pardon anybody anytime soon. The council Monday night rejected a measure giving him power to remit fines and forfeitures and grant reprieves and pardons for city offenses. Spradling had sought the power. But council members rejected the idea, refusing to bring the matter to a vote...

Forget Roger Maris and all those other baseball greats whose shining faces grace America's baseball cards. Move over Michael Jordan and all you other athletes whose mugs maintain a prominent place at trading-card shows. The cards to collect these days are ones featuring the nation's handy dandy shop tools, like the dynamic, 11-piece wrench set and the stellar all-weather worklight...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Catharine Corbin of Bloomfield will be held at 2 p.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home, with the Rev. Don Cooper officiating. Burial will be in Bloomfield Cemetery. Corbin, 73, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 1994, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff...

Verna K. Quade, 71, of Sebring, Fla., died Monday, Dec. 19, 1994, at Highland Regional Medical Center in Sebring. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

SIKESTON -- Virginia Nickell, 80, of Sikeston, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 1994, at Winter Haven Hospital in Winter Haven, Fla. She was born Feb. 7, 1914, in Sikeston, daughter of Henry and Mary Nayton Williams. She and Arvil "Babe" Nickell were married May 23, 1974...

DEXTER -- Mary Wilma Litteral, 83, of Dexter, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 1994, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. She was born May 18, 1911, in Mounds, Ill., daughter of Everett and Minnie Woodard Lackey. She and Marvin Litteral were married May 17, 1930. He died Sept. 15, 1980...

Action Dec. 19, 1994 7:30 p.m. Power and Light Committee Approved a contract with IES Utilities Inc., relative to purchase of electric capacity and energy. Accepted bids on an annual contract for water maintenance supplies. Accepted Brooks Associates' bid on lime feeder for water plant...

Daughter to Richard and Cynthia Tragasz, 3587 County Road 635, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:20 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 1994. Name, Deborah Anastasia. Weight, 9 pounds 3 ounces. Second daughter. Mrs. Tragasz is the former Cynthia Strackbein, daughter of the late Rev. Lee and Ruth Strackbein of Gibbon, Minn. Tragasz is pastor of Scriptural Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau and Grace Lutheran Church in Piedmont. He is the son of Ted and Adelle Tragasz of Mt. Prospect, Ill...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Linda Sue Cioffa, 31, of Rumford, Maine, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 1994, at her home. She was born July 18, 1963, in East Prairie, daughter of Hershel and Ida Vaughn Cobb. Survivors include her mother of Lilbourn; two brothers, Wendell Cobb of Matthews, Michael Cobb of Rumford; two sisters, Brenda Loflin of Hamilton, Ala., Mary Baker of Matthews, and maternal grandfather, William Vaughn of New Madrid...

SCOTT CITY -- Lucille Rosemary Parker, 80, of Scott City, died Monday, Dec. 19, 1994, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born June 14, 1914, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Herman William and Rose Freese Pape. She and Harold Jason Parker were married Jan. 25, 1936, at Benton. He died April 18, 1989...

ORAN -- Mary Magdalene Russell, 67, of Oran, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 1994, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born May 5, 1927, in Cherokee, Ala., daughter of Alfred and Susie Miner Wade. She and Charlie Dobbs were married July 13, 1953. He died March 12, 1989. She later married Travis Russell Aug. 24, 1990, at Bell City...

ANNA, Ill. -- Timothy Marvin Zappa, 31, of Carbondale, died Monday, Dec. 19, 1994, at Carbondale Health Care in Carbondale. He was born June 24, 1963, in Anna, son of Jess Thomas and Agnes Jeraldine Norman Zappa Sr. Zappa was a clerk with the U.S. Post Office...

WASHINGTON -- Fearing that the American people view him as out of touch, Bill Clinton took to the airwaves last week to unveil a plan for a middle-class tax cut. His speech came nearly two years after he originally abandoned the idea, and a month after Republicans swept midterm elections promising to cut taxes if elected to a majority. ...

Last week's announcement that a $3.4 million facility will be built at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is welcome news. Consolidated Grain & Barge Co. will construct the new facility, which will include a grain elevator, a barge facility and a 350,000-bushel concrete storage bin. Officials say there will be eight employees at first. Company officials believe that number could double or triple in the first year of operation, which will begin in late 1996 or 1997...

Is it the strong work ethic to be found here in the Cape Girardeau area? Or is it the fine educational facilities of which Cape Girardeau has long boasted? Is there a special drive to succeed among people of this community? Perhaps it is a bit of all these, and more besides. These questions are prompted by the Southeast Missourian's Dec. 4 story on the numerous former Cape Girardeans who have achieved fame and fortune in a remarkable variety of careers...

The Salvation Army needs to raise $35,000 by Christmas Eve to make its Tree of Lights campaign goal. Capt. Elmer Trapp is confident the money will come. "We have always made our goal," Trapp said. "I see no reason why we shouldn't make it this year."...

If children become injured in a motor vehicle accident, how will they be identified? Children typically don't have identification on them, and unless a parent or another adult remains coherent after the accident, identification of children might take several hours...

Dean Reeves can still recall the poignant scene he witnessed as a Toybox Santa three years ago. "I was just getting into my ho, ho, hos when I took a look around the apartment," Reeves recalled. "I'll never forget that scene, because it really had an effect on me...

Terri Ridenour-Bryan of Cape Girardeau received the 1994 Cape Girardeau County Extension Council Scholarship. She is a senior at Southeast Missouri State University, majoring in elementary and special education. The scholarship is awarded to college students majoring in agriculture, business, education or home economics. Recipients must be graduates of a Cape Girardeau County high school...

Students may apply for the John Dennis Scholarship awarded by the Missouri Sheriffs' Association. The award is named for former state Sen. John Dennis, retired sheriff of Scott County. The scholarship gives $1,000 to a college-bound high school senior who intends to pursue a criminal justice career. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, be in the upper 50 percent of their graduating class, and be active in extracurricular activities...

Laura Griffith of Notre Dame High School has been selected by the International Cheerleading Association to participate in the halftime entertainment of the Jeep Eagle Aloha Bowl in Honolulu. Griffith was enrolled in a cheerleading camp sponsored by the International Cheerleading Association last summer and was selected at that time as a candidate for participation in the Aloha Bowl...

Darin Philip and Matthew Strohmeyer of Cape Girardeau will receive Quincy University scholarships. Eligibility is based solely upon academic achievement measured by ACT or SAT scores. Philip is a freshman biological sciences major and is the son of Donna Philip...

Laura Ann Crites of Poplar Bluff has been named to the 1995 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She is a senior accounting major at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Crites is the daughter of Robert and Louise Stagner of Poplar Bluff and Carolyn Hughes of Jackson. Her husband is Bruce Crites...

Girls from Leopold, Woodland and Zalma high schools recently participated in an "It's High Time for Hi Tech Careers" seminar at Mineral Area College. More than 200 sophomore girls from area schools were selected by their counselors and math and science teachers based on their interest in careers in high technology...

Carrie Smith keeps plenty busy after school. The 17-year-old Cape Girardeau Central High School senior is involved in Student Council, Speech and Debate, Spanish Club, National Honor Society, and Truth, a Bible group. "I don't like not doing anything," she said one afternoon as she and other student council members tagged red and white candy canes to be delivered to students and teachers for Christmas. "I like to be involved."...