Stories from Saturday, June 17, 1995

As politicians debate the merits of competing plans that would balance the federal budget in seven or 10 years, and whether to trim the growth of funding for some domestic programs while eliminating others, most lawmakers seem unwilling to renounce the notions that got us into this mess in the first place...

Robert Hendrix, chairman of the board of directors for St. Francis Medical Center, presents the medical center's first Courageous Patient Award to Dan Niswonger, a Cape Girardeau policeman injured while on duty. St. Francis Medical Center honored achievement at its annual banquet Thursday...

SIKESTON -- A 27-year-old Sikeston man clearing storm damage from a tree died Thursday night in what Scott County Coroner Scott Amick termed a freak accident. Timothy Ray Haddock was trying to pull a damaged limb from a tree at his home Thursday evening when the limb fell toward him and a branch stuck in his neck, cutting a major artery, the coroner said...

Federal Emergency Management Agency community relations teams say they are just a phone call away from turning a disaster into a less stressful situation. Problem is, not many flood victims are reaching out and touching FEMA. "We're really surprised at the low number of calls we've had since the hotline number was given out," FEMA spokesman Lloyd Barningham said. In fact, only 655 Missourians have called to register for disaster assistance...

Southeast Missouri Hospital will offer its Super Sitter course this summer for children 11 to 16. The course is designed to help young people learn proper baby-sitting techniques and basic child care information. There will be four classes held during this summer: Monday; Thursday, June 29; Tuesday, July 11; and Monday, July 31. Class sessions are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are held in Southeast's Regional Cancer Center...

Cynthia New of Cape Girardeau had attended the American Heart Association, Missouri Affiliate, Delegate Assembly/Strategic Planning Conference last weekend in Jefferson City. It was the annual meeting of volunteers and leaders from across the state. The delegates approved three-year goals to guide the AHA's research, education and community service programs through the years 1996-1999...

Hula hoops and bouncing balls sound more like toys than tools, but they are helping some local children learn the benefits of exercise. By using simple, everyday objects, children can learn how to have fun and get some exercise at the same time. The Southeast Hospital Wellness Center offers step-aerobics, dancing, singing and activities with hoops and parachutes during the its fitness classes...

It is a numbers game, and Southeast Missouri State University is working hard to transform a decade of declining enrollments. The stakes are high and the competition fierce. Southeast officials concede they entered the game late, not realizing until about five years ago that old methods of recruitment would no longer work amid a dwindling pool of high school graduates...

Needed: Families to board 45 members of the American Wind Symphony Orchestra during a four-day visit later this month. The group's director and founder, Robert Boudreau, will return to Cape Girardeau during his last concert season before retirement...

To the editor: With Father's Day approaching, I began to meditate on how the father's role has so dramatically changed in the past decade. Saddened by this change, which has created a weak link in the morality of our nation, my thoughts turned to a father who never changes: the father of our nation, the father of every child, God. This inspired the following meditation:...

To the editor: In a front-page story your associate publisher, Sen. Peter Kinder, claimed that the Supreme Court decision regarding the Kansas City desegregation case was a Republican victory. Apparently he reached this conclusion because the five justices in the majority had been appointed by Republican presidents. Of course, this logic ignores the fact that two of the four dissenting justices also were appointed by Republicans...

Every day William Colyer checks the river gauge. But the water isn't falling much. Colyer, a Southern Illinois farmer, has more than 2,500 acres of cropland waiting for planting. "We're waiting for the river gauge to hit 28 to 30 feet at Cape Girardeau," Colyer said. "Then we can open the floodgates south of here and start draining the water off."...

Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III has changed his mind on the golf and recreation fee hikes. On Monday, he will ask city council to scale back the fee hikes to bring them in line with the city's 5 percent annual cap on tax and fee increases. Originally, golf and recreation fees were set to increase by as much as 8 percent in the city budget...

There's some sort of cruel law of the universe that states when a woman is sitting in curlers eating bon-bons on a Saturday night, nobody will call. When she is in a great relationship, men beat down the door. My friend Jon said it was because fulfilled women don't give off "desperation vibes." If a woman gives off desperation vibes, a man won't walk near her for fear she will sink her claws in, biological clock ticking wildly, and beg to have his children...

The friends of longtime local musician Doyle Hendrix have organized a benefit concert on his behalf tonight at the River City Yacht Club. Hendrix, a harmonica player, guitarist and singer who works under the professional name Whitey, is recovering from radiation therapy and a four-hour cancer surgery performed less than a month ago...

Daughter to James and Lorey Reagan, 2801 Bloomfield, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:08 a.m. Thursday, June 8, 1995. Name, Tatiana Jade. Weight, 7 pounds 11 ounces. First child. Mrs. Reagan is the former Lorey Barnes, daughter of Gerald and Susan Barnes of Grand Chain, Ill. She is a certified nurse assistant at Southeast Hospital. Reagan is a driver with Continental Baking Co., and butcher at Reagan's Market. He is the son of Neal and Glendora Reagan of Ullin, Ill...

SIKESTON -- Timothy Ray Haddock, 27, of Sikeston, died Thursday, June 15, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center, of injuries received from a falling tree limb. He was born Nov. 4, 1967, in Sikeston, son of Collis and Robbie Lynch Haddock. Haddock had lived in Scott County all his life, and was employed by Dutch Enterprises in Jackson...

MARBLE HILL -- Funeral service for Dennis F. Benfield of Marble Hill will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Little Zion Baptist Church in Willow Springs. The Rev. Lonnie Roper will officiate, with burial in the church cemetery. Liley Funeral Home at Marble Hill is in charge of arrangements...

DEXTER -- J.W. Johnson, 68, of Dexter, died Thursday, June 15, 1995, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 8, 1926, in Arkansas, son of Joseph F. and Effie Corilla Gibson Johnson. He and Bertie Lou Owen were married Oct. 4, 1947, in Piggott, Ark...

PARMA -- Mary R. Melton, 76, of Parma, died Friday, June 16, 1995, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. She was born Sept. 23, 1918, at Kennett, daughter of William Thomas and Susie Fox Romines. She and Cecil Burian Melton were married Dec. 7, 1935, at Cardwell. He died May 26, 1960...

Jackie Dale Dabbs, 34, of Ontario, Calif., died suddenly Wednesday, May 10, 1995, in San Bernardino, Calif. Formerly of Cape Girardeau, he was born April 29, 1961, in California, son of Jack and Virginia Dabbs. Dabbs was a driver with C.R. England Trucking Co. several years...

SIKESTON -- Funeral service for Daniel Dale "Fonz" Poyner of Sikeston will be held at 2 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Rick Krietemeyer will officiate, with burial in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from noon to service time...

Jacob S. Hitt, 101, of Florissant, died Thursday, June 15, 1995, at Bent-Wood Nursing Center in Florissant. He was born May 8, 1894, at Gordonville, son of Samuel A. and Elizabeth Hitt. He and Roxanna Noland were married Sept. 26, 1915, at Fruitland. She died April 5, 1995...

Lori Niswonger, 16, 4896 State Highway W, died Friday, June 16, 1995, following an asthmatic attack at Jackson Swimming Pool. She is the daughter of Roger and Debbie Bolen Niswonger. Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 4-8 p.m. today...

McCLURE, Ill. -- Ralph Stapleton, 90, of McClure, died Thursday, June 15, 1995, at Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born Feb. 4, 1905, in Pope County, son of William Andrew and Nora Ann Fritz Stapleton. He and Helen Davis were married July 24, 1930, in Wickliffe, Ky...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Earl F. Anthony, 89, of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, June 16, 1995, at Doctors Regional Medical Center. Morgan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements.

Lloyd C. Likens, 92, 504 Helena, died Friday, June 16, 1995, at his home. He was born Sept. 22, 1902, in Westernport, Md., son of Elkany and Cora Bobo Likens. He and Vivian Marie Davis were married Sept. 24, 1922, in Benton, Ill. She died in December 1973...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Irene Hensley of Bloomfield will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home. The Rev. Greg Greason will officiate, with burial in Bloomfield Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 9 a.m...