Stories from Saturday, January 13, 1996

Dora B. Schiro, director of Missouri's prisons, says she doesn't think the state needs to follow the example of others that have reintroduced prison chain gangs. Sens. Bill Kenney of Lee's Summit, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, and Sam Graves of Tarkio, have introduced a bill that stipulates, among other things, that the prisoners participating in work programs "shall wear distinctive, colored uniforms and may be required to wear shackles and chains." Alabama recently re-established prison chain gangs on a limited basis, as did Arizona.. ...

Area business and education leaders long have touted the need for better post-high school vocational and technical training. And many people believe Southeast Missouri needs another two-year community college to complement similar schools in Southern Illinois and in Poplar Bluff. The problem of getting taxpayers to support paying for the school is one obstacle. Another is the bureaucratic channels that must be crossed before the state will approve a new college...

MARBLE HILL -- Supporters of the proposed Cape Girardeau-Bollinger County lake project say the project hasn't dried up, but Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones contends "There isn't any water in it. "All the information I get is that the people in Bollinger County aren't interested."...

Gov. Mel Carnahan has higher education officials smiling over a recommended $94.2 million increase in state spending for public colleges and universities. The governor Friday unveiled his budget recommendations for higher education, including $44.3 million in general operations and capital improvement funding for Southeast Missouri State University...

Sarah Stephens didn't look like the kind of 17-year-old one expects to see in an alternative school. She wore unripped blue jeans and a forest-green sweater. Her straight, brown hair barely revealed several silver earrings in each lobe -- her one visible departure from conventional style...

Once, while Dr. Dan Tallent was serving as superintendent at Meadow Heights, school buses routinely failed inspection. Then Tallent took charge. He asked the maintenance supervisor to explain the problem, then crawled under each bus to see for himself that repairs were being made...

Concerns about pay, turnover and promotions have made officers restless at the Cape Girardeau Police Department. With the city budget about to be hammered out for the next fiscal year, patrolmen who would like to end their careers at the department wonder how they will fare; others are thinking of pursuing opportunities at other law enforcement agencies or in other careers...

Apparently, Cape Girardeau is going to be blessed with more than its usual share of white stuff this year. I mean snow, of course. Only members of the media say "white stuff," because after days and days of snow, we're looking for ways to make it sound interesting...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Frances E. McGee, 95, of Cairo, died Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born Nov. 2, 1900, in Cairo, daughter of Girard J. and Louise Lindig Bouchet. McGee retired as a clerk with the Alexander County Sheriff's Department. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cairo...

Ruth E. Bringe, 77, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born March 23, 1918, in Portland, Conn., daughter of Earl and Susie LeRue Hollister. She is survived by three sons, John S. Wojtusik, Steven D. Goostree, and Earnest P. Goostree; a daughter, Faith Wojtusik of Frohna; and, a brother, Giles Hollister of Frohna...

DEXTER -- Ethel May Ellis, 82, of Dexter, formerly of Zalma, died at Lucy Lee Hospital in St. Louis Friday, Jan. 12, 1996. She was born at Zalma May 8, 1913, daughter of Leo and Feeba Shirrell Davis. She was married in 1932 to James August Bess, who died in 1956. She married Giles V. Ellis April 11, 1970. He died July 8, 1973...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Norvel "Bob" Johnson, 96, of East Prairie died Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at East Prairie Nursing Center. He was born Jan. 1, 1900, at Marion, Ky., son of James T. and Janie Tinsley Johnson. Johnson was a retired game warden and superintendent of Big Oak Tree State Park. He attended St. James General Baptist Church...

EAST PRAIRIE -- Sam Taylor of East Prairie died Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at his home in East Prairie. Arrangements were incomplete at Shelby Funeral Home.

MATTHEWS -- Clarence Garland Couch, 101, of Matthews, formerly of Sikeston, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 1996, at Sells Rest Home in Matthews. He was born March 18, 1894, in Providence, Ky., son of Henry and Kitty Breman Couch. He and Marian Frances Palmer were married Aug. 6, 1921, in Benton. She died Nov. 24, 1964...

MORLEY -- Lesa Reeves, 38, of Morley, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 11, 1957, in Sikeston, daughter of C.B. and Hazel Lea Hensley Taylor Sr. She and Ronnie Reeves were married Aug. 30, 1975...

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Charles G. Woods Jr., 61, of Olmsted, died Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Feb. 13, 1934, in Cairo, son of Charles and Margaret Pitcher Woods Sr. Woods had been a truck driver for Lowell Carter Oil Co. in Cairo. He was a member of Jehovah's Witnesses in East Prairie, Mo...

Son to Mark and Ranee Grindstaff of O'Fallon, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 7:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27, 1995. Name, Thomas Edward. Weight, 5 pounds 5 ounces. First child. Mrs. Grindstaff is the former Ranee Gardner, daughter of Edward and Donna Gardner of Marble Hill. She is a nurse. Grindstaff is the son of Wayne and Helen Grindstaff of Millersville. He is employed by Gold Star Paving...

JACKSON -- Memorial service for Ralph James Crites of Tyler, Texas, will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. The Rev. Grant Gillard will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery. Crites, 74, died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1996, at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler...

ORAN -- J. Odell Wrather, 78, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Oran, died Friday, Jan. 12, 1996, at his home at 60 Saxony Village in Cape Girardeau. He was born near Portageville Aug. 3, 1917, son of Benjamin and Icie Todd Wrather. He married Julia Jane Utterback May 25, 1947. She survives...

Karen kept getting sicker. She didn't know why. She and her husband moved into a rented home in Scott County Halloween weekend. Within two weeks, she started feeling ill. "I was having a lot of headaches. I was extremely tired and crabby. It was all I could do to keep going. All I wanted to do was sleep," recalled Karen, who would only talk on the condition of anonymity...

St. Francis Medical Center, in conjunction with the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, is conducting free health screenings for senior citizens Tuesday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Jackson Senior Center. Screenings will cover blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and hearing...

Dr. Philip W. Taylor will discuss treatment of arthritis on the Thursday segment of "Ask Your Doctor." The call-in medical show, hosted by Martha Muench and Dr. Jean Chapman, is sponsored by St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital in conjunction with the Cape Girardeau County Area Medical Society and Cable Channel 5...

"Building Blocks for a Healthy Community," the second annual Missouri Rural Health Conference, is planned for April 2 and 3 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City. The conference will focus on ways that rural communities can design health programs to achieve a higher standard of living and health status...