Stories from Thursday, January 18, 1996

While happy to hear Gov. Mel Carnahan voice support for a tax cut, some area Republicans find the timing of his announcement interesting. "It's great to see the governor is an election year convert to tax-cutting," said Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau...

It's hard to imagine creating art from a tube sock, but trust Rita Johnson: It can be done. In fact, socks of all shapes, sizes and colors were in use at the Jan. 6 session of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's Eco-Art program. Youngsters and their parents fashioned puppets from socks, plastic cups, wooden dowels, scraps of fabric and felt and other odds and ends...

Previously, programs under the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's Art for Kids Club have focused on multicultural and ethnic art, says Louise Lansford-Ridgeway, a member of the arts council. "If you look at the definition of multi-cultural, it includes your own backyard," Lansford-Ridgeway said. "That's where the root of this program is, creating art out of things you already have, trying to re-use things and turning them into something useful."...

Southeast Missouri State University has 5 percent more students enrolled this spring semester than it did a year ago. Overall headcount stood at 7,317 Tuesday, the first day of classes, up 326 students from a year ago. Enrollment declined 5 percent from the spring of 1994 to the spring of 1995. "So to be up 5 percent from the spring of '95 to the spring of '96 is very good," said Dr. Fred Snider, director of institutional research for the school...

PERRYVILLE -- Dr. Rex Miller will become the new superintendent of Perry County School District No. 32. During a closed meeting Friday night, the board voted unanimously to hire Miller. A salary package was still in the works late Wednesday. Miller, 50, is currently superintendent of Osage County R-3 schools in Westphalia, near Jefferson City. He has been superintendent there for four years. He also worked in the South Callaway School District for several years...

The Little River Drainage District and fishermen agree on what constitutes adequate boating regulations for the Headwaters Diversion Channel. All they have to do is convince the Missouri Department of Conservation. Three fishermen involved in a petition drive to change new boating rules on the channel met Wednesday with Larry Dowdy, executive vice president of the LRDD, at the district's office in Cape Girardeau. Dowdy said the district supports their efforts...

Companies owned by minorities and women have been awarded nearly 15 percent of the $15.8 million worth of work on Southeast Missouri State University's College of Business building, surpassing a state goal. The figure drops to nearly 9 percent when all other construction projects at Southeast are included...

Jan. 18, 1996 Dear Carol, The best thing about the end of the year is hearing unexpectedly from friends you thought might have disappeared into a mountain cult or might be terminally ill or extremely mad at you or who might have married someone whose jealousy rivals their better qualities...

THIS CALL is in regard to the Jan. 13 article on carbon monoxide poisoning. One year ago while house-sitting in a beautiful home in Jackson, I came down with what I thought was the flu. During my illness, I saw a TV commercial detailing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. ...

PATTON -- Iva E. Cook, 88, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. She was born June 26, 1907, at Mayfield to Marshall and Ollie Long Tankersley. On Sept. 3, 1933, she married Troy R. Cook, who died March 13, 1986. Survivors are a son, Jerry Cook of Patton; three daughters, Geraldine Criddle of Burfordville, Olene Barks of Marble Hill and Velda Thorne of Patton; and eight grandchildren...

Daughter to Tia Wade of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 8:37 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996. Name, Gianna Sharee. Weight, 6 pounds 3 ounces. Second child, first daughter. Miss Wade is the daughter of Theresa Wade of Cape Girardeau. Daughter to Charles and Cynthia Gass of Jackson, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 12:15 p.m. ...

NEW WELLS -- Gary E. McCauley, 59, of New Wells, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

PARMA -- Bobby Gene Mitchell, 67, of New Madrid, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996, at New Madrid Nursing Center. He was born Dec. 12, 1928, in Calhoun City, Miss., son of Thomas E. and Myrtle Angela Winters Mitchell. Mitchell resided in Parma most of his life, moving to New Madrid 15 years ago. He was a retired carpenter...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Shawie E. Noffel, 86, of Portageville died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Oct. 18, 1909, in Fulton, Ky., to John and Kafa Khourie Noffel. He married Lorene Hamra on Aug. 16, 1931, at Caruthersville...

ANNA, Ill. -- Funeral service for Vern Leroy Gurley of Lick Creek will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Lutz and Rendleman Funeral Home in Anna. The Revs. Steve Wilkinson and Jay Franklin will officiate, with burial in Anna Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 5 p.m. today...

PERRYVILLE -- May E. Cotner, 93, of Perryville, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996, at her home. She was born July 8, 1902, in Crosstown, daughter of Jules and Zebie Streiler Chappius. She and Joseph Cotner were married Dec. 29, 1920. He died Oct. 24, 1957...

JACKSON -- Catherine A. Robinson, 51, of Jackson, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996, at her home. She was born Jan. 31, 1944, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Joel and Florence Daugherty Duschell. She and Gerald L. Robinson were married July 28, 1972, in Cape Girardeau...

JACKSON -- Funeral service for Treston H. "Tex" Werner of Jackson will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. The Rev. Robert Henrichs will officiate. Entombment will be in Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

GORDONVILLE -- Funeral service for Elizabeth Koenig of Mountain Home, Ark., was held Wednesday at Roller Funeral Home there. The Rev. Wayne Clark officiated, with burial in Baxter Memorial Gardens. Koenig, 85, died Sunday, Jan. 14, 1996, at Baxter Manor Nursing Home...

Magdalen M. Urhahn, 85, of Cape Girardeau, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996, at Heartland Care and Rehab Center. She was born March 29, 1910, in Prairie Du Rocher, Ill., daughter of John and Elizabeth Droste Berghoff. She and Matthew Urhahn were married Oct. 30, 1928, in Benton. He died March 24, 1972...

CAIRO, Ill. -- Graveside service for Larry Gene DeWeese of Cairo will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Blandville Cemetery in Blandville, Ky. The Rev. Kelly Cox will officiate. There is no visitation. Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge is in charge of arrangements...

In a fitting send-off for Dorothy Klein, the Area Wide United Way reached its $500,000 fund-raising goal for 1995. Klein resigned at the end of 1995 after 18 years at the agency, 15 as United Way's executive director. During her tenure, the annual fund-raising goal has increased from $154,900 to this year's goal of $500,000. ...

A debate is raging in Missouri over possible changes to the state's license plates. In one camp are the mule people. Emboldened by their successful campaign to name the mule Missouri's official animal, they now want mules on the state license plates. In other camps are backers of the state bird -- the bluebird -- and the state tree -- the flowering dogwood -- on Missouri licenses plates...

To hear Nelda Mayfield Wilkinson talk about her cousin Charlie and his growing-up years in Bollinger County, you'd think they were the best of friends. In a way, they are, even though they have met only through a musty old manuscript and faded photographs...

BESSVILLE -- It is a killing without many clues, but the motive is clear -- hunger. A 1,000-pound bull was attacked and killed Sunday night near Bessville in western Bollinger County. No one knows what killed it and authorities are looking for clues...

SCOTT CITY -- Tourism projects are right on track -- railroad tracks, that is -- for the Scott City Chamber of Commerce. Chamber president Shirley Young hopes to use a $1,500 grant to promote tourism in Scott City. Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. recently donated $1,500 to the city for a project of that kind...

Southeast Missouri Hospital's new radiology department will be dedicated in memory of Dr. Harold B. Rapp, a longtime Cape Girardeau physician, and his wife, Dorothy Rapp-Mitchell. The couple had a long history of service to the hospital. The dedication will be made during a special reception tonight at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. ...

Southeast Missouri State University has named 1,383 students to its Dean's List for academic achievement during the fall 1995 semester. Students named to the list earned at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and completed at least 12 degree credit hours during the fall session...