Stories from Wednesday, April 24, 1996

Cape Girardeau will be host to a bit of legal history today. Three women who are state appeals court judges will hold court here, the first time for an all-woman panel of judges in Missouri. Kathianne Knaup Crane, chief judge of the Court of Appeals Eastern District in St. ...

The Cape Girardeau School District is considering an expansion of its all-day kindergarten. The district has offered all-day kindergarten at May Greene for a number of years using federal funding. Now it may be expanded to Franklin, Jefferson and Washington schools, which currently have half-day programs...

Clinics for breast and cervical cancer screenings and family planning are available at the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. Both clinics are offered from 1 to 4 Thursdays, said Jane Wernsman, the health center's nursing supervisor, and are funded through grants from the Missouri Department of Health...

BLOOMFIELD -- When students in Bloomfield public schools present "A "Musical Tribute to Christa" Thursday night, they will be finishing up a yearlong project to keep her memory alive. They also will learn more about her life from a visit with her mother, Grace Corrigan...

For Brian Driscoll, Cape Girardeau's public access station didn't provide much access. The graduate student at Southeast Missouri State University wanted to air some informational videotapes for Historic Preservation Week. He called Ron Duff, who operates the local station, and was told the selected airtime wouldn't work...

On May 7, students at May Greene Elementary School will celebrate the birthday of their school's namesake -- Miss May Greene. The school was named in her honor May 21, 1921. Guest speakers who knew Greene or graduated from the school will speak at a 2 p.m. assembly on her birthday. However, more speakers are needed, said Mary Ann Lewis, who is coordinating the event...

If the first two days of the awareness campaign are any indication, Random Acts of Kindness Week is going to be quite popular in the Cape Girardeau region. About 60 businesses, organizations, churches and schools have already signed up to participate in the week, which is scheduled May 12-18...

Some days David Grant doesn't feel too well, but he gets up and heads to work and to his volunteer duties anyway. "I won't feel any better sitting home," said Grant. On days when Grant is feeling fine, watch out. He's a fund-raising gang-buster, says MaryAnn Gudermuth, who nominated him for an Ameritech/Area Wide United Way Volunteer Award...

All it takes is for a few obnoxious fools who can't follow the rules of common sense to ruin a good thing for everyone else. A reminder of this came when I got my tickets to this Sunday's concert in St. Louis featuring the band Everclear. In large, unfriendly letters on the tickets is a stern warning: "No Body Surfing."...

KLONDIKE, Ill. -- Lucellar Watkins, 93, of Chicago, formerly of Klondike, died Saturday, April 20, 1996, at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park. She was born Oct. 8, 1902, in Sheffield, Ala., daughter of Alford and Madora Warren Vinson...

Son to Gregory Scott and Hazel Marie Seesing of Waco, Texas, Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, 12:57 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, 1996. Name, Mason Gregory. Weight, 7 pounds 12 ounces. First child. Mrs. Seesing is the former Hazel Francis, daughter of Richard and Joyce Francis of Cape Girardeau. She is office manager at a CPA firm. Seesing is the son of Chris Welland and Paul Seesing of Cape Girardeau. He is manager of a welding supply store...

DONGOLA, Ill. -- Susie Dillow, 88, of Dongola, died Tuesday, April 23, 1996, at Union County Hospital in Anna. She was born Jan. 28, 1908, in Ullin, daughter of Jess Walter and Dossie Edna Goodman Gulley. She and Tella Marion Dillow were married Aug. 1, 1925. He died May 1, 1961...

Former Cape Girardeau Police Officer Earl Bruster, 63, of Cape Girardeau, died Tuesday, April 23, 1996, at his home. Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

PERRYVILLE -- Wilson "Dick" Franklin, 84, of Perryville, died Sunday, April 21, 1996, at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was born Sept. 2, 1911, in Lithium, son of Thomas and Frances Schulte Franklin. He and Bessie Irene Powers were married Sept. 10, 1930. She died Sept. 18, 1995...

BLOOMFIELD -- Walter Hicks, formerly of Bloomfield, died Monday, April 22, 1996, in Valparaiso, Ind. Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

HOWARDVILLE -- Lillie Delores Jennings, 62, of St. Louis, died Sunday, April 21, 1996, at St. Mary's Hospital. She was born Oct. 26, 1933, in Portageville, daughter of Tom and Ozia Rowe Jennings Sr. Jennings was a member of Greater Paradise Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis...

JACKSON -- They are far from final, but the Jackson Board of Education unveiled its plans for a new high school math and science building Tuesday night. The board met with architect John Dudley Tuesday to discuss tentative building plans and designs...

In our last update, we presented the priority recommendations of the Facilities Review Committee. These items were presented to address the facility needs of our district resulting from sustained growth over the past few years, as well as projected growth continuing to the year 2000...

The Southeast Missourian asked people how they felt about increased commercial development on Highway 61, East Jackson Blvd. Liz Abernathy: "It is needful. A lot of the land along Highway 61 would be good to develop as commercial. It's an advantage for businesses to have the traffic count and visibility there."...

Cape Girardeau Central High School inducted new members into the National Honor Society April 16. A banquet was held at the junior high. Students receiving an invitation for membership into the honor society must maintain a cumulative B+ grade average and be active in at least three school sponsored activities...

SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Board of Education will host a retirement reception for Superintendent Doug Berry on May 5. The event will be held from 2-5 p.m. at the high school, 3000 Main St. Everyone is invited. Berry announced his retirement earlier this year. He has been a school administrator in the district for more than 20 years...

Danny Essner, right, presented the April Yard of the Month Award to Kay and Jerry Westbrook, 504 Bellevue St...

In a nod to the hard work of secretaries, members of that profession are being honored this week. Businesses and secretaries have observed Professional Secretaries Week annually since 1952 to draw attention to secretarial careers. Professional Secretaries Day is today...

Black Mustard Jonquil Bloodroot Wild Sweet William May Apple Sheltered in woodlands, meadows or along streams, spring wildflowers are harbingers of good things to come. Dainty blooms are often displayed long before many of nature's other wonders green...

Much information is available for those who want to learn more about wildflowers, including brochures and a handbook called "Missouri Wildflowers," published by the state Department of Conservation. Experts ask gardeners to insist that the plants they purchase are from nursery-propagated stock, not from plants dug from the wild. This will guarantee a better chance for survival of the plants purchased and help protect the environment...