Stories from Saturday, May 25, 1996

To the editor: KFVS-TV again reported on the education of high school students. The second report stemmed from questions asked of Central High School students. The students' consensus seemed to be that the questions asked of them were in essence trite, inappropriate, unimportant -- or, as one student phrased it, "off the wall." Some of the teachers' responses were that they felt they were being reproached for poor teaching. ...

To the editor: Property rights are integrally linked with all of the other personal freedoms that Americans enjoy. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to associate, the right to own and use property -- all of these ideals were fundamental issues held dear by the framers of our Constitution. A threat to any one of these rights threatens us all...

Twenty-three teachers, principals and staff members have taken advantage of a retirement incentive program offered by the Cape Girardeau School District. It marks only the second time the district has offered financial incentives to induce staff members to retire...

Hours for the Capaha Park swimming pool, which opens today at 9 a.m., have been announced. The pool will be open for the entire Memorial Day weekend. Weekend hours: -- Today, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., family swim; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., public swimming. -- Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., public swimming...

Gov. Mel Carnahan and three other top Missouri officials will participate in a Democratic Party fund-raising rally in Cape Girardeau June 8. The event, sponsored by AFL-CIO labor unions, will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Admission is $5. The proceeds will go to the Southeast Central Trades & Labor Council, which will use the money in its election campaigns to support Democratic Party candidates...

The Missouri and Illinois chapters of Singles in Agriculture will host Memorial Day weekend activities beginning at 3 p.m. today at the Ste. Genevieve EconoLodge. The weekend concludes Sunday with a tour of the city, a visit to the Great River Road Interpretive Center and a dinner and dance. On Saturday dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and a dance at 8 p.m...

Olympic torch-runners are selected to represent America, but some of the 32 local runners will represent unique family bonds and friendships when they carry the flame through Southeast Missouri on Monday. The Olympic flame arrives at 1:06 p.m. Monday at Themis Street and will make its way to Jackson around 2:30 p.m...

TAMMS, Ill. -- A supplementary funding bill that will provide $13 million to complete the Tamms Super-Max Prison is expected to reach Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar's desk next week. The funding measure cleared both houses of the Illinois Legislature Friday...

In the consumer-driven society in which we live, it is impossible to escape advertising. Even if you moved deep into the Montana outback within small-arms range of Theodore Kaczynski's swingin' bachelor pad, you still wouldn't be able to completely elude advertising. The woods of that great state are covered with billboards advertising Antisocial Gunowners Weekly and Freemen-brand moisturizer and bath oils...

MARBLE HILL -- Graveside service for Troy E. Davenport of Marble Hill will be held at 11 a.m. today at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. The Rev. Janet Hopkins will officiate. Friends may call at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson from 9-11 a.m...

ORAN -- Funeral Mass for Velma Ida Eftink of Oran will be held at 10 a.m. today at Guardian Angel Catholic Church, with the Rev. Normand Varone officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Oran is in charge of arrangements...

CHARLESTON -- Funeral Mass for Verna Marie Bratcher of Charleston will be held at 10 a.m. today at St. Henry's Catholic Church. The Rev. Rich Lause will officiate, with burial in Calvary Cemetery. McMikle Funeral Home at Charleston is in charge of arrangements...

PERRYVILLE -- Funeral Mass for Patricia E. Rozier of Perryville will be held at 9:30 a.m. today at St. Vincent's Catholic Church. The Revs. Kevin Fausz and George Billings will officiate, with burial in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Young and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

Gladys Allegra Duff, 82, 222 Bellevue, died Thursday, May 23, 1996, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She was born March 15, 1914, at Plato, daughter of Charles E. and Adda F. Crismon Elmore. She and Emmett Duff were married Oct. 20, 1936, at Lebanon, Mo...

JACKSON -- Ronald Luster Coffman, 63, of Jackson, died Wednesday, May 22, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was born Jan. 21, 1933, in Granite City, Ill., son of Frederick and Mary Threwett Coffman. Coffman was retired from aviation services. He served in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War...

Among Memorial Day ceremonies scheduled in the area this weekend are ceremonies at Advance and Crump. At Advance, a Memorial Day service begins at 10 a.m. Monday at the Advance City Park. Veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm will attend. The Rev. Brad Moore will be guest speaker. The event is sponsored by Advance Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7750...

CHAFFEE -- Graveside service for Georgia Beatrice Worrell of Herculaneum will be held at 11 a.m. today at Friend Cemetery in Oran. The Rev. Watis Harrell will officiate. Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel at Chaffee is in charge of arrangements. Worrell, 86, died Thursday, May 23, 1996, at West View Nursing Center in Herculaneum...

DEXTER -- Joe Marquis of Dexter, 74, died at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau Friday, May 24, 1996. He was born Feb. 6, 1922, at Bell City, son of Perry and Ester Cates Marquis. He marred Lela Duck on Oct. 24, 1953 in Bernie. She survives...

DEXTER -- Graveside service for Bradley Mark Alexander of Dexter will be held at 1 p.m. today at Bernie Cemetery in Bernie. The Rev. Allen Massey will officiate. Friends may call at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter after 11 a.m. Alexander, 30, died Friday, May 24, 1996, in Dexter...

JACKSON -- Joe K. Lowes, 69, of Jackson, died Thursday, May 23, 1996, at Vencor Hospital in St. Louis. He was born April 29, 1927, at Jackson, son of William Henry and Luella Johnson Lowes. He and Molly M. Kurre were married July 11, 1954. Lowes was employed by Southwestern Bell Telephone 34 years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158, and Telephone Pioneers. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

MARBLE HILL -- Funeral service for Mary R. Davault of Marble Hill will be held at 10 a.m. today at New Salem Baptist Church near here. Entombment will be in the family mausoleum at Bollinger County Memorial Park Cemetery. Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill is in charge of arrangements...

They're playing high school baseball quarterfinals today across Missouri. In Jefferson City today, the state track and field meet wraps up for dozens of athletes. The other state-sanctioned sports -- from swimming to golf to cheerleading -- are finished...

Cape Girardeau Central High senior Jim Fox has certainly had a couple of exciting days. Thursday, Fox officially signed a letter of intent to compete in track and field for the University of Tennessee's high profile program. And Friday, Fox capped a brilliant Central athletic career when he finished first in the pole vault during the opening day of the Class 4A State Track & Field Championships in Jefferson City...

Asthma classes available Asthma is a major contributor to death, disease and health-care costs in the United States. The results of several studies suggest that patient education, self-management techniques and an effective medical regimen can result in a significant decrease in hospital admission, emergency visits and cost...

Dr. Michael C. Wulfers of Cape Girardeau has completed continuing medical education requirements to retain active membership in the American Academy of Family Physicians, the national association of family doctors. Members are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of accredited continuing medical study every three years. The organization, which has more than 75,000 members, is one of the largest medical specialty groups in the country...

St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau will sponsor a free program on surgical options for people with arthritis on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Conference Room A of the hospital's Health and Education Center. The program is open to arthritis patients and family members...

Awards in the sixth annual Southeast Missouri Hospital Regional Heart Center Poster Contest were presented at the recent American Heart Association's HeartBeat '96 held at West Park Mall. Some 275 children participated in this year's contest. First-place winners of the heart-healthy slogan contest were Sarah Lumley of Benton and Paige Reynolds of Cape Girardeau...

As a general guideline, people should drink about eight glasses of water daily to help maintain good health. This habit takes on even greater importance during the summer, when heat and strenuous activities combine to deplete the body's fluid levels...