Stories from Saturday, June 15, 1996

JACKSON -- Starting July 1, Riverside Regional Library will charge user fees for out-of-district patrons and fine patrons 5 cents a day for overdue materials. Geoff Roth, director of the library system, said the decision to begin charging those fees "sort of stems indirectly" from voters' rejection in November of a proposal to merge Riverside and the Jackson Public Library. ...

FROHNA -- The U.S. Postal Service today will issue its new stamp to promote breast cancer awareness. June Ernst, the postmaster here, probably already has several sheets reserved. Ernst, 44, is one of almost 18,000 women around the U.S. enrolled in the National Cancer Institute's Breast Cancer Prevention Trial...

This weekend marks the 18th annual Riverfest, the one weekend a year when people make their way downtown to celebrate and enjoy the delights of the Mississippi. (You might want to jot down that spelling.) The Southeast Missourian Friday asked a number of folks at Riverfest if they knew the answers to the following four questions, promising them much-desired anonymity...

Friday's hot weather didn't stop people from swarming downtown for the opening of Riverfest '96. Large crowds showed up early Friday afternoon despite the near-90-degree temperatures, The shuffled through the many arts and crafts exhibits, and most couldn't resist the food concessions, stopping for a Riverfest corn dog, funnel cake or ice-cold beverage to fight the heat...

McCarthy Brothers Construction Co. is seeking bids from subcontractors and suppliers for a new Mississippi River bridge that will connect Missouri and Illinois at Cape Girardeau. "We have to have these bids in hand by 10 p.m. June 27," said Mike McCarthy of McCarthy Brothers in St. Louis. "This will give us time to prepare our final bid for the main span of the cable-stayed bridge the next day."...

As long as there have been skaters, there have been police to run them off. Though most modern-day thrashers have switched to in-line skates, 10 or 15 years ago all skatepunks were skateboarding aficionados. Aside from the skateboard underneath their feet, skate punks of that period could be recognized by their goofy looking attire and even stranger haircuts...

James Frederick "Bill" Beal, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, June 14, 1996, at St. Francis Medical Center. He was born March 29, 1921, at Sikeston, son of James F. and Mary Bryant Beal. He married Cecil Davidson Aug. 17, 1947, in Cape Girardeau. She survives...

Daughter to John M. and Vicki M. McLemore, 120 Louis, Southeast Missouri Hospital, 4:49 p.m. Thursday, June 6, 1996. Name, Samantha Jo. Weight, 6 pounds 8 ounces. First child. Mrs. McLemore is the former Vicki Reed, daughter of Elmer and Donna Reed of Augusta. She is an accountant with Stanley, Dirnberger, Hopper and Associates. McLemore is the son of Bob and Darlene McLemore and Joe and Marilyn Whitmore, all of Jackson. He is self-employed at Johnny Mac's Auto Detailing...

WHITEWATER - Dale Grindstaff, 78, of Whitewater died Friday, June 14, 1996, at his home He was born Nov. 19, 1917, at Scopus, son of Warren and Vallie Mayfield Grindstaff. He married Irene Sawyers April 12, 1939. She survives. Grindstaff was a farmer, and worked at Florsheim Shoe for 30 years. He was a member of Lutesville General Baptist, where he was a former deacon and Sunday School superintendent...

To the editor: I just wanted to tell you that you have a great newspaper, the best I have read in quite some time. I am a new resident of Southeast Missouri, and yours is the first newspaper since the Richmond Times-Dispatch of my boyhood which tells the truth and nothing but the truth regarding the events of our nation and world today...

To the editor: Recently a black school board member in Prince Georges County in Maryland caused quite a stir when he had U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' invitation to speak to a school assembly withdrawn. The reason he gave for his action was that "Justice Thomas has not represented the interests of black people during his tenure on the Supreme Court." His erroneous argument reflected that of many misguided liberals in today's politically correct culture...

Robert Ridgeway's three-plus years as Cape Girardeau's fire chief has been innovative. Now he will take those ideas to North Carolina where he will become fire chief in Gastonia next month. During his tenure, the department developed the first responder program in which trained firefighters are first on the scene of medical emergencies. A fitness program for firefighters was started, along with other innovations...

The Internal Revenue Service has generated more panics and cold sweats in its day than any other single source. All the IRS has to do is mention the word "audit," and even the most honest taxpayers can be overwhelmed by a sense of dread. Surely the irony of the latest congressional audit of the vast IRS system wasn't lost on millions of taxpayers who save every scrap of paper to document their tax returns. ...

The Every-Sports-Phreak's-Network -- ESPN -- went astray for just a few minutes last week. Wedged between American Muscle Magazine and a rerun of some foreign auto race, ESPN went berserk. Completely lost its mind. And broadcast a spelling bee. Complete with images of girls in dresses and boys in slacks-and-tie outfits, all trying to spell words America has never heard, the TV Sports Gods brought us tape-delayed action from a national championship spelling bee...

Intense heat and humidity could not prevent two first-time winners from emerging as the overall champions during Friday night's 14th annual Kohlfeld Riverfest Run in downtown Cape Girardeau. Jim McQuaide of Granite City, Ill., and Karen Leathers of Cape Girardeau prevailed in the 5.25-mile race. Their times were 29 minutes 22 seconds and 36 minutes 3 seconds, respectively...

Shane Gibson blasted a two-out grand slam home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to help power SEMO Bank Cape Junior Legion to a 7-4 victory over Sikeston Friday. SEMO Bank (15-4, 3-1 district) trailed 4-2 when Gibson launched his blast over the leftfield scoreboard at Cape Central High School...

Things are getting tighter, but the Kohlfeld Capahas still haven't been able to beat O.B. Clark on the baseball field in 1996. The defending National Baseball Congress state champion team from St. Louis made it three in a row against the Capahas Friday night when they rallied for a 9-8, 10-inning victory at Capaha Park...

FROHNA -- Southeast Missouri Hospital's Outreach Services in Frohna, at Doctor's Memorial Clinic on Highway A, will present, "Is Your Home Hazardous to Your Health?" Monday at 10 a.m. at the clinic. Mary Gosche, a certified family life educator with the University of Missouri Extension office, will present the program, which will deal with preventing falls, burns and fires as well as ways to make the home safer. ...

Since the first day humans realized they were aging, they've been looking for ways to stay young. The search started with mythical fountains of youth and bizarre concoctions. Today we smear chemical compounds on our faces to prevent wrinkles and swallow endless streams of vitamins and protein drinks...

The Ladies Nite Out menopause support group will meet Monday at 7 p.m. in classrooms 101 and 102 of the main building at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Sharon Braun will present "Nonverbal Communication." For more information, call Barb McKeon at 651-5546 or ask for beeper #715 through the hospital switchboard, 334-4822...

The support group for families of children with disabilities will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at Southeast Missouri Hospital's Pediatric SPOT facility, 2851 Professional Court. Parents Pam Grindstaff and Sonya Miller will present a program on Independent Education Plans and their experiences dealing with the plan process...

JACKSON -- Southeast Missouri Hospital's Fitness and Wellness Center will offer health screenings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Jackson Senior Citizen Center. Blood pressure and glucose screenings will be available at no cost. Cholesterol screenings will be available for $5, and finger-stick lipid profiles will be available for $15. Glucose screenings and lipid profiles require a 10-hour fast...

MARBLE HILL -- Southeast Missouri Hospital's Fitness and Wellness Center will offer health screenings Monday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Marble Hill Senior Citizen Center. Blood pressure and glucose screenings will be free. Cholesterol screenings will be available for $5 and finger-stick lipid profiles will be available for $15. Glucose screenings and lipid profiles require 10-hour fasts...