Stories from Friday, May 3, 1996

ADVANCE -- Lizzie M. Weisenborn, 90, of Advance died Thursday, May 2, 1996, at the Advance Nursing and Residential Care Center. Arrangements are incomplete with Morgan Funeral Home in Advance.

To the editor: The report in the Missourian that Clarence Thomas' address in Cape Girardeau marked "the first time in Southeast Missouri State University's 123-year history it has hosted a sitting Supreme Court justice" is in error. Nov. 29, 1965, William O. ...

A Cape Girardeau man who achieved his goal of being cast in a Broadway musical returned to his high school alma mater Thursday and talked to students in a Notre Dame High School drama class. Roger Seyer -- a self-described singer-actor -- graduated from Notre Dame in 1985. After attending college at Southeast Missouri State University and graduating from Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., he bounced around the country for four years, appearing in musicals in Illinois, Kentucky and Florida...

The Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission and the public library will sponsor two workshops beginning at 7 p.m. on May 16 as part of Historic Preservation Week, May 12-16. Peter Wollenberg, an architectural conservator from St. Louis, will present "Problems with Older Masonry." The discussion will cover the differences between historic and modern masonry, repointing material and techniques, problems caused by moisture and the selection and removal of various masonry coatings...

Notre Dame High School students want to warn elementary students about the dangers of smoking before they light up their first cigarette. About 12 students are acting as role models for a tobacco-use prevention campaign at area elementary schools. They will present a program called, "It's Your Choice," Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Jackson...

The Cape Girardeau Public Library will host a special program on herb gardening at 7 p.m. on May 23. Don and Carol Koehler will discuss the uses of home-grown herb -- including for cooking, health, cosmetics and fragrances -- and offer some advice on growing them...

THE POLITICAL parasites are at it again in Cape. The city cannot support itself. Taxpayers living out of the city, watch your money. Cape is after it. We are paying for your streets now. This is a ripoff. Will we be able to vote on the sales tax for water that we will never use? We have fine shopping in Jackson. ...

Response to Random Acts of Kindness Week has been overwhelming, far exceeding even the brightest expectations. The Southeast Missourian is coordinating the first-ever weeklong celebration of kindness in the Cape Girardeau area. The special week begins on Mother's Day, May 12...

The Kassebaum-Kennedy health reform passed the Senate 100-0, but that margin doesn't tell the real story. The bipartisan bill was nearly killed by partisan politics, and it was saved by just four U.S. senators who showed profiles in courage. Sen. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond of Missouri is one of the four heroes...

To the editor: I'd like to respond to the lead story April 28 about the concealed weapons bill. Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle and Gov. Mel Carnahan are very wrong in their opposition to it. My wife and I were residents of Sedona, Ariz., a few years ago when the governor of that state signed the bill into law. ...

Richard Giles wouldn't have made it through his first day in a classroom if not for the help of mentors. Almost 35 years later, he got to thank them during the Educator of the Year banquet Thursday night. "The first day in a classroom I was really uncomfortable," said Giles, the principal at Clippard Elementary School. "But three ladies rescued me and helped me realize I did know what I was doing."...

Kenneth Wayne Bramlett Sr., 48, 451 N. Frederick, died Thursday, May 2, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born Aug. 29, 1947, in Granite City, Ill., son of James E. and Mae R. Neal Bramlett. Survivors include two sons, Kenneth W. Bramlett Jr. ...

With seven players from Cape Girardeau high schools, Southeast Missouri State University's 1996 baseball Indians certainly have an extremely local flavor. Six former Central High standouts and one ex-Notre Dame High star dot the Southeast roster. Most of them have been key performers for the Indians, who take on Morehead State at 10 a.m. Saturday in Clarksville, Tenn., in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament...

VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Nancy Louise Garrett, 61, of Villa Ridge, died Wednesday, May 1, 1996, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Ky. She was born June 19, 1934, in Charleston, Mo., daughter of George Williamson and M. Lucille Hanley Monan. She married Charles D. Garrett...

SIKESTON -- Annie M. Bolan, 90, of Sikeston, died Wednesday, May 1, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born Dec. 25, 1905, in Fayette, Ala., daughter of Jack and Mary Emma Harris Flynn. She and Calvin Newton Bolan were married April 27, 1940. He died Oct. 27, 1953...

DEXTER -- Funeral service for Alta I. Griffey of Colorado will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Chapel in Dexter. The Rev. Doyle Corlew of Essex will officiate, with burial in Walker Cemetery at Bloomfield. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. today...

SIKESTON -- Norma Elaine Bennett, 82, of Sikeston, died Wednesday, May 1, 1996, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. She was born March 2, 1914, in Campbell, daughter of W.O. and Fannie Wright. She and Marion Ray Bennett were married Feb. 16, 1934. Bennett had worked at JCPenney, and was a member of Trinity Baptist Church...

Gene R. Bosche, 67, of Hamilton Square, N.J., died Wednesday, May 1, 1996, at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, N.J. He was born in St. Louis, son of Walwin J. and Louise Bosche. He and Jean Hennkens were married 44 years ago. Bosche lived in many areas of the Midwest before moving to Hamilton Square 14 years ago. He received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis...

Joe M. Wyatt, 84, 1409 N. Henderson, died Thursday, May 2, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He was born July 8, 1911, at Campbell, son of Esco and Winnie Fyffe Wyatt. He and Lessie Bea Hopkins were married Sept. 8, 1933, at Kennett. Wyatt moved to Cape Girardeau 54 years ago from Caruthersville and went to work with Standard Oil Co. He then owned and operated Wyatt's Market on William Street for 26 years...

EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU, Ill. -- Improvements over seven miles of highways from East Cape Girardeau to Gale and McClure will be completed within a week. "We have about two full days of mainline paving left," said Doug Helfrich, engineer in charge of the project, which involved culvert extensions, stabilized shoulders and concrete resurfacing. Another few days should take care of shoulder work and centerline striping. "A week of good weather could wind us up," said Helfrich...

Loyd Ivey grew up dirt poor in Bollinger County. He left home at 16 and made a fortune in high-tech electronics. Now he wants to return to Marble Hill and build a 40,000- to 60,000-square-foot plant at the city's industrial park, adjacent to the local airport...

Sylvia Ellis thinks Cape Girardeau needs more prayer, so she gathered with about 125 people at noon Thursday on the steps of City Hall to pray for the community. The service was part of events on the National Day of Prayer. The theme was "Honor God."...

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau crested Thursday morning at 37.6 feet, and then dropped as much as two-tenths of a foot. But the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said the river is expected to rise about half a foot and crest again here at 38 feet today...

Surely this has happened to you too. You call someone to get some information. Instead you get a recording which usually ends with a beep. Then you are supposed to talk to a machine. You know what happens next: The person you called returns your call, but by now you have gone to the break room to get another cup of coffee. So the person you called winds up talking to your machine...