Stories from Friday, January 12, 1996

To the editor: Two years ago, when Democrat Secretary of State Judith Moriarty was caught up in speculation regarding ethical misconduct of her official duties of office (and later convicted), Gov. Mel Carnahan was quick to call for her resignation. It had been public knowledge that the governor had never been a strong supporter of hers...

To the editor: For the benefit of the individual who called in the Speak Out item which appeared in the Jan. 9 edition of the Southeast Missourian: In that comment you stated as follows: "Did you notice that the premium for Medicare has been reduced from $46.10 per person per month to $42.50 per person per month? President Clinton said he would reduce the cost, and he has."...

There are three parties involved in boat regulations on the Headwaters Diversion Channel, which is managed by the Little River Drainage District: There are fishermen who use motorboats, members of the drainage district board and the Missouri Department of Conservation...

A quick decision is expected on who will be the next superintendent of the Cape Girardeau public schools. This is just the latest in a string of decisive actions by the school board to move the district into both a new era of leadership as well as a period of serious attention to the district's needs, both at the classroom level and in meeting the major challenges of the future...

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Department has been awarded a grant by the March of Dimes to improve care for pregnant women and their children. "Maternal-child health is about 55 or 60 percent of what the community health staff handles in terms of targeted problems," said Charlotte Craig, director of the health department. "Prevention is the key word; that's the middle name of public health."...

Continuing a long tradition that has become a ritual in America, Girl Scouts begin circulating order forms today for the organization's annual cookies sale. The yearly fund-raiser started in the 1920s with the baking and sale of homemade cookies. The first commercially baked Girl Scout cookies were distributed in 1934...

It didn't take Joshua and the battle of Jericho to collapse the walls at L.J. Schultz School Thursday. A 60-foot section of the brick parapet of the school at 101 S. Pacific collapsed onto the roof Thursday afternoon. No one was hurt. Principal John Eck blamed the collapse on the building's age...

Fledgling surfers on the Internet have an inkling of how Columbus must have felt as he set sail for the West Indies. Sometimes net users also wind up in strange places. About 20 years ago, the first computers were installed in the newsroom at the daily newspaper in Independence, Mo., Harry Truman's hometown. ...

I READ in Speak Out that a lot Democrats who have voted for Clinton are going to vote a Republican ticket. I've got news for you. I'm a Republican, and I'm going to vote for Clinton. He's the best president we've ever had. At least he's not like my party, trying to take Social Security away from people. ...

THERE ARE too many so-called Christians. They read the Bible but don't understand correctly the meaning of the true Bible, so they use their own false interpretation of the Bible. They are false prophets. This is not Christian teaching. IT SURE looks like a new Smelterville has developed in south Cape. ...

JACKSON -- First-time home buyers may get some help with their finances under a program approved Thursday by the Cape Girardeau County Commission. Commissioners accepted a Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. plan to sell tax-exempt bonds to get money for low-interest home loans. James Lahay, first vice-president of the company, answered final questions about the program before the commission voted to approve it...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Alma W. Skaggs, 89, of East Prairie, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, at Bertrand Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 28, 1906, in Oran, daughter of Arthur and Sally Smith Woodruff. She and Lee Skaggs were married Jan. 20, 1924. He died June 15, 1968...

GORDONVILLE -- Hannah J. Crites, 97, of Gordonville, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Arrangements were incomplete at Ford and Sons Funeral Homes.

ELDON, Mo. -- Rita Owen Greenwood, 85, of Eldon died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1996, at her home. She was born Dec. 14, 1910, in Sampsel to Wilke and Berniece Wilson Owen. On Aug. 14, 1946, she married Herbert Greenwood in Gallatin. They farmed near Lock Springs until 1991, when they moved to Cape Girardeau. He died Nov. 2, 1992...

Clarence Henry Ervin, 65, of Clarkton, died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1996, at Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett. He was born Dec. 5, 1930, in Mississippi County, son of Jamie and Louise Bennett Irvin. He and Ruth Marie Nelson were married Jan. 22, 1952...

CHARLESTON -- John William Harris, 82, of Charleston, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born April 20, 1913, near Bertrand, son of Estel and Florence Haley Harris. He and Mildred Stubblefield were married Nov. 2, 1940. She died Jan. 28, 1994...

BLOOMFIELD -- Funeral service for Marvin D. Whitson will be held at 1 p.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home. Burial will be in Walker Cemetery near Bloomfield. Whitson, 77, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, at Dexter Memorial Hospital. He was born May 27, 1918, in Webster Groves...

STEELE -- Leona Agnes Strong, 76, died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1996, at Festus Nursing Center in Festus. She was born Oct. 20, 1919, daughter of Clarence and Lula Douglas Byrn. She married Paul E. Strong, who preceded her in death. Strong was a retired seamstress. She was a member of Word of Life Fellowship in Cape Girardeau...

ANNA, Ill. -- Pearl B. Clutts, 81, of Anna, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, at City Care Center in Cobden. She was born Nov. 7, 1914, in Cobden, daughter of Charles and Mary Hartley Brasel. She and Merle Clutts were married April 25, 1932, in Jonesboro. He died Jan. 12, 1981...

JACKSON -- Edward M. Zeller, 85, of Jackson, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 1996, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born Oct. 17, 1910, near Tilsit, son of Adolph and Bertha Kamp Zeller. He and Olga Birk were married Aug. 27, 1932. Zeller had been a farmer. He worked 62 years with the Pipefitters Local, including the former A.E. Birk Plumbing and Heating in Cape Girardeau, and on U.S. Army bases in 13 states. He also worked in a munitions camp in Lawrence, Kan., during World War II...

Cheryl Ann Acup, 39, of Belleville, Ill., died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville. She was born March 3, 1956, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Robert and Mary A. Switzer Hotop. She and Bill J. Acup Jr. were married June 15, 1979, in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Delmar Seabaugh, 83, of Jackson, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born June 21, 1912, at Sedgewickville, the son of Aaron and Bertha Seabaugh. He married Hazel Statler Feb. 23, 1935. Seabaugh worked at the former International Shoe Co. ...