Stories from Tuesday, August 29, 1995

Whether excited or depressed, most students visited school supplies stores before classes started. This one was at Target. Beverly Essner, left, a learning disabilities teacher aide, and Dava Moore, a learning disabilities teacher, had schoolyard duties Monday morning at May Greene Elementary. Some students showed up nearly an hour early for class...

ST. LOUIS -- Boatmen's Bancshares Inc. of St. Louis, and Fourth Financial Corp. of Wichita, Kan., have signed a definitive agreement for Boatmen's Bancshares to acquire Fourth Financial in a stock transaction valued at about $1.2 billion. Boatmen's will exchange one share of its common stock for each share of Fourth Financial's common shares outstanding...

A fountain and pedestrian plaza will be erected at Southeast Missouri State University within the next two to three years. It is a $30,000 gift from Dr. Kala Stroup and her husband, Joe. Kala Stroup is stepping down as the university's president to take a job as Missouri commissioner of higher education. She begins her new job next week...

A new state law that gives owners of apartments and nursing homes a tax break resulted in a 2-cent property tax increase for Cape Girardeau School District residents. At a special meeting Monday the Cape Girardeau Board of Education approved a tax rate of $2.88 per $100 assessed valuation, up 2 cents from last year...

If parents wondered why Cape Girardeau public schools dismissed early Monday, they should have been on the third floor of L.J. Schultz School. At 11:15 a.m. Monday, the heat index approached 107 degrees in classrooms on the third floor. Students and teachers were wilted...

America's farm animals would make top grades in Music Appreciation class. To hear the Humane Society of the United States tell it, baroque is big in the barnyard. Vivaldi seems to be the musical choice for chickens. We know this thanks to a student at Israel's Hebrew University who was listening to music on his radio one day...

I AM so sick and tired of hearing about how the economy jumps when the SEMO students come back. What about the residents who aren't students? I guess we are just mush or dirt beneath everybody else's feet. We're the ones who have put up with their parties, their drunkenness and their just downright immaturity. So stop giving them all the glory and tell them to grow up and behave themselves, and maybe they'll get the recognition they need...

In recent years the Missouri attorney general's office has defended the state against many frivolous lawsuits. The Department of Corrections, for example, was accused of violating prisoners' civil rights by denying them crunchy peanut butter and unlimited Kool-Aid at lunch and salad bars on holidays...

Grand champion of the weekend Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce BBQ Fest was Cape Electric Supply. It was followed by Bills Boars, Ribs and Butts and Kohfeld Smokehouse Gang in total points. Teams awarded trophies during the event: For hamburgers -- River Eagle Pork Busters, first place; Kohfeld Smokehouse Gang, second place; Thorngate, third place...

JACKSON -- Unistar opened quietly in January, repainting a building, moving in loads of plastic-manufacturing equipment and hiring about 30 people. In its first six months of operation, the small factory at the corner of North High Street and West Independence did $1.5 million in sales...

To the editor: Since the petition drive in Bollinger County regarding a countywide vote on a proposed lake project is in its infancy, talk of changing existing state legislation that authorizes a lake authority for such purposes is very premature. It is important that everyone understand that those circulating the petitions fully expect to enlist the assistance of landowners in drafting the changes to be made in the legislation. ...

When students consider a college education, there are a number of factors to weigh: Location, quality of instruction, entrance requirements and, of course, cost. A comparison of cost per credit hour at nearby community colleges and Southeast Missouri State University shows why many students are opting for the two-year program: The cost is about $35 per credit hour less than the university...

Government meetings, even those at the local level, tend to be dry and uninteresting to many citizens. As a result, public attendance at these meetings is often minimal at best. This is too bad, because the public's participation in open meetings is important to good decision-making and serves a useful watchdog role...

A recent press release from a Washington, D.C., consumer activist group charges that subsidies paid to dairy farmers, peanut producers and sugar growers add $4.5 billion to food costs each year. This group advocates an immediate end to sugar and peanut subsidies and a more gradual phase-out of dairy supports. ...

To the editor: The 75th anniversary of women's right to vote was Aug. 26, and now seems a good time for me to commend Mary Kasten on her outstanding service to the citizens of your area as your state representative. Mary works tirelessly on the concerns that affect each of you...

Cape Girardeau County The following marriage licenses were issued at the Cape Girardeau County Recorder of Deeds office: David Joseph Biswell Jr., 30, to Susan Elaine Auberry, 26; Steven Daniello, 26, to Melodee Jane Benton, 23; Stephen Bernard White, 37, to Rhonda Marie Payne, 32; Ricky Lee Schweain, 34, to Kimberly Sue Perkins, 33; James Allen Buffington, 27, to Colleen Kay Aldrich, 30...

Nine area teachers combined work and play on a recent trip to Europe. The two-week trip was arranged through the International Network for Education and Travel Inc., a consulting company in Jackson. The group visited the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium...

Scott County Danny K. and Joyce A. Loucks to Jeffrey Wayne and Kimberly Janine Oliver; Chris L. and Donna K. Scherer to Donald A. and Gera E. LeGrand; First Bank to Seven-Thirty, Inc.; Herbert A. and Virginia I. Essner to James C. Essner, Michael R. Essner, Pamela S. Heuring, Thomas L. Essner, Frederick J. Essner and Terry J. Essner...

BLOOMFIELD -- Elton Fish, 74, of Bloomfield, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 1995, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born Aug. 29, 1920, at White Oak, son of Sherman and Osa McDaniel Fish. He and Thelma Morland were married Feb. 23, 1946...

Frank A. Schweppe, 67, 414 S. Sprigg, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 1995, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born June 22, 1928, in Cape Girardeau, son of Luther Henry and Lula Maye Houck Schweppe. He and Betty Ruth Bowman were married in 1952, in Arkansas...

JACKSON -- Bonnie May Strait, 88, of Jackson, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 1995, at Deal Nursing Home. She was born Aug. 4, 1907, in Black Oak, Ohio, daughter of Charles Edgar and Nola Watkins Rine. She married Warren Strait, who died in May 1991. Survivors include nieces and nephews...

BERTRAND -- Jewell J. Brown, 79, of Bertrand, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 1995, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born Sept. 17, 1915, in Wyatt, son of John Joseph and Mary Bell Goode Brown. He and Gladys V. Miller were married in 1940...

PERRYVILLE -- Merlin P. "Joe" Esselman, 72, of Perryville, died Monday, Aug. 28, 1995, at his home. He was born July 23, 1923, at McBride, son of Louis P. and Lillian J. Anderson Esselman. He and Betty Jean Mayer were married Oct. 20, 1945. Esselman was retired from Emerson Electric in St. Louis. He was a member of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, Holy Name Society, American Legion Booster Post 133, and Third Degree knight with KC Council 1263...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Josephine Joyce Mixer of Bloomfield will be held at 10 a.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Walker Cemetery near Bloomfield. Mixer, 71, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 1995, at Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter...

TAMMS, Ill. -- Dr. Peter Blakemore, 42, of River Forest, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 1995, at his home. He was born Feb. 6, 1953, in Evanston, son of the Rev. John and Louisa Blakemore. Blakemore received a Ph.D. in church history from Bob Jones University. He had been pastor of Harrison Street Bible Church in Oak Park 12 years, and wasva teacher at Schausburg Bible Institute...

Son to Thomas and Tracey Julian of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:32 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22, 1995. Name, Matthew Wayne. Weight, 7 pounds 6 ounces. Second child, first son. Mrs. Julian is the former Tracey Atchley, daughter of Roger and Joyce Atchley of Poplar Bluff. Julian is a sales associate at Venture and is employed in food service at Southeast Hospital. He is the son of Don and Joyce Julian of New Madrid...

The National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Prudential Insurance Co. are sponsoring a national recognition program to honor middle and high school students who have begun community service activities. All school principals will be mailed entry kits. The deadline is Nov. 30. Schools can select one nominee for every 1,500 students...

More than 120 people throughout the area were recognized this month for their volunteer work at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Volunteer Services Director Charlotte Sargent said the junior volunteers contributed 2,475 hours of service. Student volunteers contributed 1,613 hours of service...

Jason McBride, a private first class in the U.S. Marine Corps, received his first promotion because of becoming an Eagle Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America. After graduating from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, McBride was presented with a National Defense ribbon and crossed rifle medallion...

Contestants are needed for the Miss American Legion Pageant Sept. 16 in New Madrid. The pageant, which begins at 8 p.m., is held in conjunction with the Fall Festival. To enter, contestants must be single and never married women between the ages of 16 and 21. A queen and two alternates will be selected...

Heather Brianna Womick, 15, of Anna recently studied and toured in New York City. She is the daughter of Paul and Darla Womick. While in New York, she attended the Broadway Dance Center last month, where she studied ballet with several prominent teachers from the American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Ballet studio...

A workshop is scheduled for Sept. 24 to provide more information about the Miss Jackson, Miss Missouri and Miss America Scholarship program. The workshop will begin at 2 p.m. at the Community Room of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce building, 125 E. Main...