Stories from Thursday, December 28, 1995

Those planning to attend one of the area's many public New Year's Eve parties might want to make reservations soon. Otherwise, they might find themselves all dressed up with nowhere to go. Amy Surman, guest service agent at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau, said the hotel's annual New Year's Eve bash was fully booked weeks ago. Some people, she said, made reservations as early as August...

PERRYVILLE -- And then there were three. After months of collecting 30 resumes and cover letters, the Perry County School District board has narrowed its search for a new superintendent to three candidates. The candidates include Dan Roe of Pittsburg, Kan., Rex Miller of Westphalia and Dan Tallent of Cape Girardeau. Tallent, who is principal at Cape Girardeau Central High School, announced his resignation last month. He will leave the district at the end of the school year...

The future shape of Southeast Missouri State University will be addressed in a campus master plan that will map out everything from parking to directional signs. The university is paying consultants about $90,000 to develop a master plan that will spell out the school's physical needs for the next 20 years and recommend improvements...

SIKESTON -- The business community and school officials recently shifted gears from talk to action on a junior college for Sikeston by asking area school boards for support. Dr. Sam Harbin, outgoing executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce, said people started talking about a junior college in 1980, but efforts to get one in the Bootheel were unsuccessful...

Dec. 28, 1995 Dear Patty, DC and our neighbor Bev found a dead puppy outside our fence Christmas Eve. It wasn't one of ours. The bottom of the fence is laced with wire to keep our puppies in but we're afraid the wire kept this lost one from getting in and finding shelter...

Louise Steele, 74, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 1995, at the Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. She was born May 24, 1921, in Van Buren, Ark., daughter of Robert C. and Mabel McIlroy Steele. She moved with her family to Cape Girardeau in 1941...

Son to Billy and Tammy Moit, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 5:07 a.m., Friday, Dec. 1, 1995. Name, Christian Lee. Weight, 7 pounds, 6 ounces. First child. Mrs. Moit is the daughter of Marguerite Chadwell of Puxico and Muriel Wiseman of Advance. She is an Arvin laborer. Moit is employed by Buffington Brothers' Heating and Air. He is the son of Marg Moit and Bill Moit of Chaffee...

Walter Bender, 84, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 1995, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are incomplete at Lorberg Funeral Chapel in Cape Girardeau.

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Carrie Jean Mackins, 74, of Paducah died Sunday, Dec. 24, 1995, at the Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah. She was born Feb. 6, 1921, in Newport, Ark., daughter of the late Fred and Alvira Clay. She married Cecil Mackins on May 25, 1949, in Mound City, Ill. He preceded her in death Sept. 2, 1985...

POPLAR BLUFF -- Earl David Bratcher, 72, of Poplar Bluff and formerly of Broseley and Monrovia, Ind., died Monday, Dec. 25, 1995, at Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born March 15, 1923, at Catron, son of the late David and Bertha Lou Gamblin Bratcher. On Feb. 17, 1951, he married Archie Marie Cherry, who preceded him in death on Nov. 17, 1984...

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Glayne D. Light, 70, died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 1995, at Winter Haven Hospital in Winter Haven, Fla. Arrangements are incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

NAPLES, Fla. -- Irene Van Bibber, 89, of Naples, Fla., died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 1995, at Moorings Park Health Center in Naples. She was born Aug. 30, 1906, at Bloomfield, daughter of James Eldon and Murtha Nellie Harper Scism. She and Bremen Van Bibber were married Feb. 14, 1925, at St. Louis. He preceded her in death April 24, 1962...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Terry R. King, 33, formerly of Sikeston and Morehouse, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 1995, at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Fla. He was born Feb. 19, 1962, at Sikeston, son of Joe R. And Vernice Carmack King. King was employed as a shipping and receiving supervisor for Sheet Metal Manufacturing and was a member of the Cline's Island General Baptist Church. He served in the U.S. Navy and was a 1980 graduate of Sikeston Senior High School...

BENTON -- Marvin Glyn Ferrell Sr., 81, of Benton died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born April 2, 1914, at Dogwood, son of E.E. and Mary Velda Alley Ferrell. He and Florence Hooper were married Sept. 16, 1933, at Charleston...

SIKESTON -- Benny Royce Thompson, 59, of Sikeston died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 1995, at his home. He was born Nov. 2, 1936, in Conway County, Ark., son of Audie Charles and Elva Mae Trotter Thompson. He and Sue Hooks were married June 23, 1961. Thompson was a self-employed building contractor. ...

ST. LOUIS -- Alida J. Kaempfe, 82, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 1995, at the Chesterfield Manor Nursing Home in Chesterfield. She was born May 2, 1913, at Frohna, daughter of Theodore S. and Lina Koenig Kaempfe. A sister, Milda Monti of St. Louis, survives. She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and three sisters...

CHAFFEE -- Mabel Annie Bagbey, 91, of Chaffee died Monday, Dec. 25, 1995, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 3, 1904, at Arbor, daughter of Milford and Charity Ann Tilly Tidwell. On Jan. 30, 1979, she married E. Bagbey, who preceded her in death on Jan. 30, 1979...

To the editor: Never has the Opinion page of the Southeast Missourian been more beautifully, more thoroughly and more fittingly portrayed as it was in the Dec. 24 issue. That single page stood out above the entire paper. Each column written by one of the commentators captured the heart of everyone, leaving one in complete ecstasy of its beauty...

Sometimes government bureaucrats have too much time on their hands and are willing to spend taxpayers' money willy-nilly, even as the federal government shuts down unfunded operations during critical budget-balancing talks. For example: A public affairs officer for the Federal Aviation Administration wrote a package of seven press releases about the FAA's involvement with Santa's Christmas Eve air travels -- by sleigh. ...

After months of uncertainty about federal funding for the operation of the control tower at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, a solution has been reached that lowers the overall operating costs and increases the hours of operation. Not bad for a government-run facility in this day and age...

One of this year's most important books is Charles Sykes' "Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why America's Children Feel Good About Themselves But Can't Read, Write or Add." (St. Martin's Press, $23.95). In August the Chicago Tribune Sunday magazine published a lengthy excerpt, which I commended to readers. ...

To the editor: I was so disappointed when Marc Powers' Dec. 13 column, "Kids are smelly, destructive and noisy," was brought to my attention. I commend Marc Powers on his decision to not help propagate the species. I am proud to know that he doesn't have the appropriate innards. ...

Thad Bullock of Cape Girardeau intends to make his eighth run next year for the U.S. House of Representatives. "I don't look upon my so-called losses as anything but a gain of experience," Bullock, a Democract, said Wednesday. "I feel good by knowing the ropes."...

A former Missouri secretary of state and Republican gubernatorial candidate will seek a seat in Congress next year. Roy Blunt of Bolivar announced Wednesday that he will seek the 7th District seat being vacated by fellow Republican Mel Hancock of Springfield...

Kwanzaa, an African-American holiday, will be celebrated Monday. Observed for the first time in the United States in 1966, Kwansaa gets its name from the phrase matunda ya kwanza, meaning first fruits. This is a time in Africa when tribes celebrate the first crops of the year, said Dr. Bernice Coar-Cobb, one of the organizers of the local celebration, which will culminate with a feast at the gymnasium of the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope...

The Cape Girardeau City Council Wednesday approved an interim liability agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration over the operation of the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport tower. The noon meeting at City Hall lasted only a few minutes. The council action comes as the city prepares to fund the operation of the air traffic control tower beginning Monday. The FAA announced in late November that it wouldn't fund the tower in 1996...

SIKESTON -- Falcon Cable TV is changing the channels on some of its customers in Scott and Bollinger counties. Last week the cable company realigned several channels, making it easier for customers to locate them, said regional manager Scott Wayland from the Sikeston office...

Michael Sterling, former president of the National Association of Colored People Cape Girardeau chapter, and Dr. Bernice Coar-Cobb have been involved in the planning of the Martin Luther King observance in Missouri. Sterling, Coar-Cobb and a number of other southeast Missourians will attend the kickoff for the King observance Jan. 6. Kelley Transportation will provide transportation for the kickoff, to be held at Harriet Stowe College in St. Louis...

Artwork by Central High School students will be displayed at Gallery 100 during January. The work has been produced by 65 students of Judy Barks-Westrich. Sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled in Art I, II and III courses are taking part. Most will have two or three works exhibited...