Stories from Wednesday, March 8, 1995

SIKESTON -- About 30 craft booths will be set up at the Sikeston Field House as part of the Cerebral Palsy Telethon Auction Saturday and Sunday. Glenn Pinkerton said: "We have people from all over Southeast Missouri and even Northeastern Arkansas who will have their items on display for the public to purchase. ...

BENTON -- The Scott County Commission Tuesday received portfolios from five Sikeston architects listing their qualifications and ideas on building a county jail. Scott County voters will decide April 4 whether to approve a quarter-of-a-cent sales tax. The commission believes that would generate enough to build an 80-to-100-bed jail...

Three Cape Girardeau councilmen have recommended changes in the operation of city advisory boards, including requiring board members to be city residents. The special committee of councilmen Richard Eggimann, Melvin Kasten and Tom Neumeyer recommended future board appointments be limited to Cape Girardeau residents...

Cape Girardeau's partially finished flood-control project was visible during Monday night and Tuesday's heavy rains. No flooding occurred along Cape LaCroix Creek or Walker Branch, said Ken Eftink, city development services coordinator. "We're really starting to see the benefit of this project now," Eftink said. "With the channel widened and the concrete wall and floors, water is passing through areas that used to flood."...

Information from unrelated events left me with alternate feelings of numbness and a heightened appreciation for life Monday. One story began as a domestic dispute in Millersville that escalated into a shooting and apparent suicide. The tragedy penetrated the serenity and privacy of this town in obvious ways...

I DON'T know why everyone is getting down on O.J. Simpson. After all he's probably got this Attention Deficit Disorder. That's the same disease that these people are getting checks on for their kids. I HAVE a question. Why doesn't Congress borrow from its own pension fund or all the federal employees' pension fund instead of trying to borrow from the Social Security fund to help balance the budget. Thank you...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Graveside service for Donald Gene "Poncho" Reynolds of Cobden has been changed to 11 a.m. Thursday at Cobden Cemetery with Dr. Noel Taylor officiating. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home of Cobden is in charge of arrangements. Reynolds, 53, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo...

DEXTER -- Graveside service for William R. Emery of Pontiac, Mich., has been rescheduled at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Dudley Cemetery in Dudley. Friends may call at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter after 10 a.m. Thursday. Emery, 84, died Friday, March 3, 1995, at North Oakland Medical Center in Pontiac...

PERRYVILLE -- Elmer J. Vernon, 96, of Perryville, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at his home. He was born Dec. 21, 1898, in Wayne County, son of Jacob and Caroline Cureton Vernon. He and Lela Boxdorfer were married July 15, 1924. She died July 30, 1993...

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Graveside service for Robert E. Foss of Fort Pierce, Fla., formerly of Mounds, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Spencer Heights Cemetery, with the Rev. Phillip Parker officiating. Friends may call at Barkett Funeral Home in Mounds from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday...

O.T. "Mac" McGregor, 79, of Cape Girardeau, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at Missouri Veterans Home in St. James. He was born Dec. 10, 1915, in Bollinger County, son of Arthur and Minta Rhodes McGregor. He married the former Adrianna Seyer. McGregor lived in Cape Girardeau when he was a young man. He later moved to St. Louis and was police commissioner in Hazelwood many years. He later was safety supervisor with United Transport and worked in St. Louis, Dallas, Texas, and Kansas City...

PERRYVILLE -- William C. "Bill" Webb, 62, of Perryville, died Tuesday, March 7, 1995, at Perry County Memorial Hospital. He was born Nov. 8, 1932, in Patton, son of Charles and Elizabeth Grindstaff Webb. He and Viola Shrum were married Aug. 30, 1952...

Wilton W. Ervin, 75, 1952 Perryville Road, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 16, 1919, in Cape Girardeau, son of Marshall L. and Ethel Beach Ervin. He and Edith L. Pruitt were married June 13, 1941, in Cape Girardeau...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Funeral service for Carrie M. Ivie of East Prairie will be held at 2 p.m. today at Shelby Funeral Chapel. The Revs. Mike Johnson and Richard Farquhar will officiate, with burial in Dogwood Cemetery. Ivie, 96, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston...

WHITEWATER -- Marvin W. Langston, 83, of Whitewater, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born Sept. 7, 1911, near Crump, son of Lafayette and Elsie Mae Young Langston. He and Amelia Eaves were married Dec. 20, 1931. Langston was a farmer in the Whitewater area a number of years, and had worked at several former businesses. ...

DEXTER -- Geneva Poston, 69, of Dexter, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. She was born Dec. 24, 1925, at Bernie, daughter of Ralph and Cassie Onedia Murphy Beaird. She and Curtis D. Poston were married May 10, 1947, at Bernie...

SIKESTON -- Jessie Mae Williamson, 69, of Sikeston, died Monday, March 6, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born July 14, 1925, in Grenada, Miss., daughter of John Eskar Robinson and Cary DeJornett Robinson. She and James Williamson Sr. were married Jan. 31, 1942...

COBDEN, Ill. -- Alyce Fly, 86, of Cobden, died Tuesday, March 7, 1995, at Union County Hospital in Anna. Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home at Cobden is in charge of arrangements.

ORAN -- Funeral service for Leroy Moore, Oran Route 2, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Oran. The Rev. Robert Gibson will officiate, with burial in New Morning Star Cemetery in Haywood City. Friends may call at the funeral home after 1 p.m. Sunday...

A transportation tax could still appear on the August ballot, say the three Cape Girardeau councilmen who voted against it Monday night. But Mayor Al Spradling III and councilmen Tom Neumeyer and Melvin Kasten said Tuesday that the 3-3 vote has effectively killed the issue this year...

Cape Girardeau City Manager J. Ronald Fischer told the Cape Airport advisory board Tuesday he has no problem with Airport Manager Greg Chenoweth reporting to him instead of the assistant city manager, Doug Leslie. "If that's what you want done," Fischer told airport advisory board president Bill Walker, "I have no problem with that."...

Noon Optimist Club members were to be up at 5:30 this morning preparing chili for today's annual Chili Day. Club members will serve chili from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. The event should net about $2,000 for the Youth Football League, which teaches the game's basics to about 130 children in grades five through seven...

An August transportation tax election in the city of Cape Girardeau hit the skids at Monday night's council meeting. The measure -- which called for a seven-year, half-cent sales tax to fund road and bridge projects -- stalled on a 3-3 tie vote. Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling was understandably provoked by the tie vote. ...

Cape Girardeau's narrow Mississippi River bridge can be dangerous, especially with lack of lighting on the Illinois entrance. Only one of eight lights burn on the west ramp of the bridge. At night, Cape Girardeau's four attractive welcome signs are also darkened...

Franklin Elementary School reading teacher Ruth Kasten listened to Kaylen Harris read a book about a monster Tuesday. As the youngster successfully read each page, Kasten praised him. She helped him sound out words he stumbled over. When Kaylen finished the book, she rewarded him with a hug...

No other flower in the world is quite so universally associated with one season as the daffodil is with spring. Nature has made the daffodil a perfect symbol of that time of the year when all hearts feel the upsurge of new hope, new life and ambition...

Cabbage planted Feb. 2, will have an early start when spring arrives. Don and Carol Koehler trimmed prostrate rosemary, one of several herbs they raise. Don and Carol Koehler transplant the herb sage. Herb versatility fascinates Don and Carol Koehler...