Stories from Sunday, April 23, 1995

PUXICO -- Cordia Shrum Denton, 85, died Wednesday, April 19, 1995, at Ortonville, Mich. She was born Aug. 17, 1909, at Puxico, the daughter of Victor and Pearl Glenn Shrum. She married Howard Denton in St. Louis. A former Puxico resident, she had lived in St. Louis, Florida and Colorado and had been a Chaffee resident for 20 years before moving to Ortonville six months ago. She was a member of the Christian Church in Chaffee...

"You don't want to miss Liesl," he says with a smile. No you don't. Liesl, the 11-year-old daughter of Dr. John and Brenda Schoenberger of Cape Girardeau, finished a close second in the fiddle contest but bowed up thunderstorms of music and applause...

Jackson Park Day, the celebration of the city park's 100th birthday, was a huge success. Over 100 people were in attendance and many spent the morning cleaning and fixing up our park. Many thanks to all who helped make Park Day a success. The council recently passed an ordinance to contract with the Missouri Highway Department to install flashing lights at the new middle school on Broadridge and Route D. ...

Brotherton joins Army Chad A. Brotherton of Cape Girardeau has joined the United States Army. Brotherton, who is a 1994 graduate of Jackson High School, will take basic and advanced individual training at Ft. Knox, Ky., and will report for duty May 17...

The town of Oak Ridge is sponsoring a number of activities in conjunction with this weekend's Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive. The theme of this year's activities, sponsored by the Lamplighters Extension Club, is "Salt of the Earth." A display of antique salt and pepper shakers will be set up in the village, along with living history demonstrations, an old-time home display focusing on the kitchen, sheet music performances and an antique car display will be held for the enjoyment of those taking part in the tour. ...

Allen Hollcombe, left, hopes to follow in the footsteps of his father, Gary, who began farming organically in Texas in the 1970's. From left, Ann, Jane and Gary Hollcombe man their fruit and vegetable stand on a recent Saturday monring at the Cape Girardeau's Farmer's Market...

This Tuesday, April 25, may be a momentous date in the history of Missouri's educational reform effort. That is the date for what was to have been the final meeting of the Commission on Performance, a 28-member body set up under Senate Bill 380 to recommend academic performance standards to the state school board...

Cabinet ministers in Great Britain are expected to resign when a policy issue so offends their judgment as to give them no choice but to depart. Both of the great Churchills, Lord Randolph and Sir Winston, left government over conscience and constituency: "conscience" In that they could not continue as a matter of intellectual integrity; "constituency" in that they owed the citizenry their candor and forthrightness...

"Now for the evidence," said the King, "and then the sentence." "No!" said the Queen, "first the sentence, and then the evidence!" ---From "Alice in Wonderland" Shortly following this dialogue in Lewis Carroll's allegorical "Alice in Wonderland," the young heroine awakened and realized that her brief encounter with the British monarchy and its arbitrary tyranny was only a part of a brief, but highly disturbing, dream...

Whenever tragic events occur, like the bombing in Oklahoma City, any news organization faces the immediate obligation to provide information in three crucial areas: What happened, who did it and why. The overall thrust of the initial reporting effort is to find out what happened in some detail. ...

This week saw the Clinton administration grant Missouri a waiver of federal rules to facilitate welfare reforms passed last year by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Mel Carnahan. Missouri joins 27 states that have been granted some form of federal waiver on welfare reform. Although the state law was passed last May, its major components couldn't take effect until Missouri officials received the waiver...

Jackson Swim Team coach Sally Loughary gives tips to swimmer Joey Starke, son of Joe and Betty Starke of Jackson. Now in its 20th year of existence, the Jackson Swim Team has grown from a small summer program to an organization that operates year-round, offering Jackson children the opportunity to compete locally and regionally and learn important lessons along the way...

Mary Jane Buchheit displays a painting she made of the Old Appleton Bridge and grist mill as they looked before being damaged by floods in the 1980s. Buchheit's business, Mary Jane's Flowers, Gifts and Crafts, is one of several in Appleton that are expecting visits by tourists who are traveling the scenic drive this weekend...

Margaret B. Short, 91, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, April 21, 1995, at the Chateau Girardeau Health Center. She was born in Jackson May 21, 1903, the daughter of Alvin and Bess Abernathy Boss. She married John Ryland Short June 25, 1934, at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson. He preceded her in death...

Son to Chris and Mary Gockel, 147 Goode Lane, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 1:59 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, 1995. Name, Riley Edward. Weight, 8 pounds 7 ounces. Third son. Mrs. Gockel is the former Mary Goode, daughter of the late Manuel E. and Betty Goode of Cape Girardeau. She is a clown with Bloomin' Balloons. Gockel is a welder with Mid-South Steel Products. He is the son of Joe Gockel Jr. of Scott City and Sondra Summers of Cape Girardeau...

My father-in-law, Boulware Sr., and I share at least two common interests -- a love of the beach and good food. We agree that the best scenario imaginable is good food at the beach. During our annual family reunion week at the beach, we enjoy sitting on the front porch of our rented seaside home-away-from-home...

A federal judge in Springfield this week upheld Proposition A, an initiative that placed strict limits on campaign contributions. Passed last November by a 74 percent margin of voters, Prop A limits political donations to $100, $200 and $300, depending on the office sought. It applies to state and local races but not to federal campaigns...

The Family Learning Center is holding Sunday in the Park today from 1 to 5 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. Activities include gymnasts, magiciand, dancers, choirs and martial arts demonstrations. Carnival games are planned, including a basketball shoot, dunking tank, candle shoot and a lollipop draw. Each child who participates will win a prize. Also planned is a pet center sponsored by the Humane Society and a book flea market sponsored by Zonta Club...

Above, Hundreds of Easter Egg Hunters young and old made a run for the eggs the Saturday afternoon before Easter Sunday, at Jackson City Park. At left, Terri Bolen,left, helped her one year old daughter Celeste with the treats they had found in the grass...

BENTON -- Little damage was reported from a fire started by inmates Saturday afternoon near the rear of the Scott County Jail. Sheriff Bill Ferrell said the jail staff extinguished the fire at about 3 p.m. while some of the 45 prisoners were evacuated. He credited limited damage to the jail staff's quick reaction...

A federal civil rights team will visit Cape Girardeau public schools this week to investigate a complaint that students are being discriminated against on the basis of race and disability. The complaint was filed in February by members of the Cape Girardeau National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and alleges three discriminatory violations:...

When a Target store opens its doors in a community, a door to a new life is opened for a family within that community. Wherever Target builds, the company also lends a hand in its "Building a Wonderful Life" program. The contractor for the local Target store, Jack Taylor, superintendent of Phillips Construction Co., said "Building a Wonderful Life" is a long-term program sponsored by Target Stores...

WHEN I was in the military you had a weight standard, and if you were overweight they gave you so long to get rid of that weight and if you didn't you were discharged from the service. I see these cops down here in Scott City who are really overweight. If they had to go chase somebody there would be no way that they could. I just don't think they should be serving my community if they can't stay in the weight standard like anybody else who works for the government like I did in the service...

Wetlands on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River could pose an obstacle for the new Mississippi River Bridge at Cape Girardeau. For each acre of wetland filled for the bridge approaches, up to two or three acres must be purchased to replace the loss...

Cape Girardeau Councilman Melvin Gateley said Saturday he thinks the city needs a transportation sales tax, but he didn't know how much of a tax or how long the tax would last. The city council had rejected putting a sales tax plan to a vote earlier this year that would have financed some of the city's transportation needs...

Legions of anglers descend on area waters during the spring to bask in the bounty of crappie fishing -- and many go back home with only the aftertaste of defeat. Despite oodles of crappie caught, plenty of folks are skunked because they just don't know how to take advantage of the resource. ...

The weekly fishing report from the Missouri Department of Conservation: RIVERS: Black (upper): Clear, normal, goggle-eye good on natural bait, all other species poor. Castor (upper): Murky, normal, goggle eye and bluegill excellent, all other species fair...

JEFFERSON CITY -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the four waterfowl flyway councils are proposing to change the way duck harvest regulations are set. They say the changes would make the regulation-setting process more consistent, objective and predictable...

Most of the props for the new joyous season seem to be in place and someone has ordered, "Action!" The squirrels start their trips across the high wires and the blue jays set up squawking hazards for them to overcome. It is a comic part of the annual pageant. ...

Tonya Rowland climbed out of her 1977 Monte Carlo stock car she will be racing at Missouri International Racepark. Tonya Rowland doesn't look anything like the traditional stock car racer. First, she's a female in a very male sport. She has long, manicured nails painted pink and prefers dress suits to blue jeans. Her part-time job is at a bridal boutique...

The Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope, will serve Meals with Friends Monday through Friday. Serving time is 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Any individual is welcome to come and enjoy a hot, nutritious meal in a cool, friendly atmosphere at no cost. The following menu will be served:...

Winners of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department's bridge club from April 14 were Mary O'Neil and Jan Cotner. Second place winners were Vince and Kitty Ruesler. Third place winners were Norman and Marie McElreath. Twelve people attended the meeting...