Stories from Wednesday, September 27, 1995

For years, Cape Girardeau's two hospitals have stood firm in resisting proposals from health-management organizations. Officials from both Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center have thought discounts offered to various HMOs would result in cost shifting to other paying parties...

The Colonial Cape Girardeau Foundation wants $75,000 a year from motel and restaurant tax revenue to help operate the Old St. Vincent's College as a Civil War museum and cultural center. The Cape Girardeau City Council has agreed to meet with the foundation about the request after the new city manager comes on board Oct. 16...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Mississippi County residents are retracing their steps through the county's 150-year history during a two-week anniversary celebration. The county is celebrating its sesquicentennial Sept. 28 through Oct. 8 with the theme, "1845-1995 -- Retracing Our Steps."...

Coffee isn't just coffee anymore. Names like French vanilla, Irish creme and hazelnut tell the tale that more than cream and sugar is going into the beverage already known for its enticing aroma. Jane Healey wasn't a coffee drinker before she tried a fancy coffee made from Kona beans. "It smelled so good, I thought I'd try it," she said. The flavorful Hawaiian blend won her over...

Many word coinages have nothing to do with the changes wrought by tech terminology. Word play never fails to catch the eye and ear, and creations not likely to reach official status may amuse us if only briefly. Some time ago, Buick declared a limited period of "Buick Qualidays." A clothing company held a "Sellabration" event. In Columbia, lights over the city treated residents to "ballumination" throughout their week-long balloon festival...

Farmer Martin McNitt is driving a truck these day. McNitt and his wife Dolores operate McNitt Orchards, a farm off Route 127 near Murphysboro, Ill. "We raise a lot of vegetables," said Dolores McNitt, "but our bread and butter crop is pumpkins...and there just aren't any pumpkins this year."...

If David Hahs has his way, suggestions for improving Cape Girardeau public schools will dominate conversations throughout the community for the next month and a half, maybe even longer. Hahs, spokesman for the school district's Vision Planning Committee, on Tuesday announced that a series of public meetings will be held to gather ideas and suggestions to be used in developing a five-year strategic plan for the school system...

The U.S. Postal Service has joined the ranks of businesses accepting credit cards. Postal patrons can now use their American Express, Discover, MasterCard or VISA card to pay for all retail postal purchases except money orders, passport applications and COD charges...

The thrill of acceleration is one of the great joys in life. Get behind the wheel of an overpowered sports car, pop in a tape of Deep Purple's "Highway Star" or the speedier selections from Suicidal Tendencies to set the proper mood, and roar off down the interstate at Warp Factor Nine with blatant disregard for public safety...

THOUGHT I might join the rest of the callers about the Holly Dunn entertainment at the SEMO District Fair. She's a fine young lady, and on television she does a remarkably good job. At the fair she did a incredible job in spite of one of the worst sound systems I've ever heard. ...

JACKSON -- In a world where drug arrests inside schools are commonplace, Jackson Police Chief Marvin Sides can't remember ever going to Jackson High School on a drug call. It isn't that the city of Jackson is drug-free; but somehow, students in Jackson are making a choice to stay off drugs...

JACKSON -- "School for sale cheap. Call Jackson Board of Education office." Maybe the advertising won't be that simple, but the offer is easy to understand. The board voted Tuesday night to unload its three-classroom school building in Burfordville, hopefully before the district has to pay winterizing expenses...

JACKSON -- Tom Heyde, former student-body president and football captain at Jackson High School, will have a scholarship established in his memory this year. Jim Nelson, former high school principal and treasurer of the Committee of Scholarship Program Funds, is collecting contributions in Heyde's memory. Contributions should be mailed to Nelson in care of Jackson High School. Checks should be made payable to Tom Heyde Memorial Scholarship...

The Southeast Missourian asked, "What do you like best about Jackson?" Vanita Jones: "I like the home-town atmosphere. Everyone is very friendly and very hospitable in this area. People are easy to get along with." Tonya Rowland: "I really think that the schools have a lot of community and family support, and that's what makes the school system good."...

The September meeting of the Southern Illinois Section of the American Chemical Society will be 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Rhodes Hall 121 on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. The speaker will be Dr. Anthony M. Trozzolo from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Notre Dame. He will speak on Photochronism -- Molecules that Curl Up and Dye...

A Sikeston man was killed and another injured in an early morning accident near Gray Ridge. Michael Shane Robison, 21, of Sikeston was killed when the vehicle he was riding in overturned. Jeffrey Archie, 24, of Sikeston was injured, and was taken to the intensive care unit of Missouri Delta Medical Center at Sikeston...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Graveside service for Edward Falkoff of East Prairie will be held at noon today in the Beth-Sholom Cemetery in Memphis, Tenn. Forest Hill Funeral Home in Memphis is in charge of arrangements. Announcement courtesy of Shelby Funeral Home...

Funeral service for Aleen Vogel Wehking, 1566 Grandview, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Rev. Steven MacDougall will officiate, with burial in Memorial Park. Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 4-8 p.m. today...

Daughter to Jeff and Lisa Unterreiner of Jackson, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, 3:38 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, 1995. Name, Anna Elizabeth. Weight, 6 pounds 2 ounces. First child. Mrs. Unterreiner is the former Lisa Keusenkothen, daughter of John and Annabelle Keusenkothen of Jackson. Unterreiner is a CPA with Begley, Janssen, Young and Birk. He is the son of Ronn and Nancy Unterreiner of Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Vivian Leona Straedey, 42, of Jackson, died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born May 10, 1953, in Cairo, Ill., daughter of Karl and Bonnie Lackey Lipe. She and Paul Straedey were married Sept. 3, 1976...

SIKESTON -- Michael Shane Robison, 21, Sikeston Route 2, died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1995, in an automobile accident near Gray Ridge. He was born Dec. 11, 1973, in Cape Girardeau, son of Terry Michael and Glenda Dee Pelton Robison. Robison attended Kelly High School at Benton. He was a welder with Wheeler Truck and Equipment Co. in Morley, and member of Morley Baptist Church...

PERRYVILLE -- Laura K. Fadler, 20, of Perryville died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1995, at Mineral Area Regional Hospital in Farmington. She was born Dec. 23, 1974, in St. Louis to Lonnie and Linda Briggs Fadler. She was a 1993 graduate of Carlyle (Ill.) High School...

Some 300 Brownie Girl Scouts and 100 adults are expected to participate in the Brownie Fall Frolics Saturday at South Cape County Park. The event, which starts with a flag ceremony at 9:30 a.m., will feature several stations where girls can make tissue flowers, sponge paint T-shirts, decorate plaques, dance, dress up in costumes for an audiovisual display and participate in scavenger hunts and spoon relays. Activities end at 3 o'clock...

There is much activity now in the garden to prepare for the coming fall and winter. The most welcome rain of the 16th filled gardeners with hope and renewed interest after a devastating heat and drought that played havoc with many plants. Following that wonderful rain, newly planted vegetables seemed to grow inches overnight. ...